Aston Villa v Reading Post-Match Thread

[littlevillain]

I thought both teams looked like championship outfits. Was very surprised when we continuously played the long ball after playing some nice football in the past weeks.
Can only put it down to nerves.

[spaf]

Ireland has to play. I dont know why he didn't start but I consider him essential to this team.

Agreed.

All three of Holman, Weimann and Agbonlahor were let down by their poor touch a few times. I'd go with Gabby and one of the other two plus Ireland.

Albrighton sadly looked like a lost cause. Did some decent pressing but nothing else.

Benteke sometimes sees himself too much of a creator for me. He usually has good vision and touch so it's very much ok to get involved in play, but at times I felt he could've been a bit more direct off the ball and just ran into the box.

Many a counter attack chance was wasted because a lack of vision/belief/drive or whatever. Taking too much time and making the wrong choices.

[pauliewalnuts]

we just beat Reading, a charecterless town full of Vauxhaull drivers.

Ha ha ha, I don't know why, but I almost choked laughing on that.

[Steve kirk]

Massive relief to take 3 points and the team are working their socks off, but the lack of experience and quality has to be addressed in January, if we can come away from Loftus road unscathed I will start to believe a little bit more, well done to the crowd for sticking with the team in difficult times.     

[Small Rodent]

Anyone wanting to see one of the most moany, poisonous match threads I can remember have a gander at tonights. Nightmare. Toys and prams all night.

We played poorly, but we ground out a clean sheet and created 4-5 very very good chances to score, and the Big man came with the winner.

The thread wasn't that bad.

 I stand by all my comments, which in a nutshell were:  defence panicky, nice movement forward, Bent being sidelined (I'd go so far as to saying he already is sold. I don't trust the integrity of the Prem anymore).

I really enjoyed our forward movement.

Guzan is now number 1. Spotless performance.

[Witton Warrior]

We simply have to give Benteke more support. I like Wiemann, but he's not the kind of forward who plays well as a wide type striker in a forward 3 he plays too far away from Benteke, the same with Gabby. Gabby needs to play between the midfield and Benteke, running onto his flicks and making runs forward. I thought Bannan put in a real Jekyl and Hyde performance tonight, some of his defensive positioning and interceptions were superb, however his passing was erratic.

Mostly this. Bannan got caught out a couple of times but was put in trouble as well. Can we have Ireland on from the start please? The Guzan ----> Benteke bomb seems our only outlet from defence that does anything.

Mad thing is we could easily have won 4-0 tonight. Reading are dire.

Reminded me of the Fulham (H) match last season

[pauliewalnuts]

I'd stand by what I said in the match thread, too, which was that we played dreadfully, struggled to create chances, that Reading were also dreadful, and that if we find ourselves relying on that many kids too often this season, we are going to find it hard not to get relegated.

None of that has really changed - the three points are the most important thing right now, yes, but christ, we so need a considerable injection of experienced talent in January, or we're fucked.

[pauliewalnuts]

I also thought our defence looked considerably happier once Jason Roberts had gone off. He gave them a bit of a Bentekeing.

[Matt Collins]

Reading were so open in the first half that we had about 5 chances to have a one on one. Weimann completely fucked two of them. I think he's looked weak in recent games. I'd play Holman in that position and Ireland in the hole.

Defence is where we look weakest squad wise though. Really could do with vlaar and at least one of our other injured players coming back. Lichaj looks crap to me. Stevens looks much better.

[tomd2103]

Ireland has to play. I dont know why he didn't start but I consider him essential to this team.

Agreed.

All three of Holman, Weimann and Agbonlahor were let down by their poor touch a few times. I'd go with Gabby and one of the other two plus Ireland.

Yep, Gabby and Holman wide with Ireland in the attacking midfield role this coming weekend. 

[OzVilla]

As a performance it was utter dross.  Baker looked shakey, Bannan showed about as much touch and guile as an arthritic elephant and Weimann was a liability - let's not even get to Marc Albrighton whose crossing ability has completly and utterly vanished.

However, there are two major plus points. 

A) We got the 3 points.

B) Hopefully Lambert can see that Ireland needs to start and that Bent has to be atleast on the nech - personally i'd prefer him in the side.

If he works this out it could be a major turning point for us.  IF.

[hilts_coolerking]

It was a mostly shit performance in a terrible game - that's why the match thread was the way it was.  For 80 minutes it was painful to watch and for the rest it was nerve-wracking to watch.

[CJ]

Lots of empty seats (m'lord) anyone know the official attendance - didn't hear it announced tonight. Very poor game - looked like 2 Championship sides, but we desperately needed those points and from that point of view job done (just). And we scored from a corner! Our midfield will get heavily dominated by QPR and Sterk, and we really need to get some experience in there in January.

[Matt Collins]

I'd stand by what I said in the match thread, too, which was that we played dreadfully, struggled to create chances, that Reading were also dreadful, and that if we find ourselves relying on that many kids too often this season, we are going to find it hard not to get relegated.

None of that has really changed - the three points are the most important thing right now, yes, but christ, we so need a considerable injection of experienced talent in January, or we're fucked.

.

I agree there was a lot to worry about. But not that we struggled to create chances. Benteke, Clark, baker, weimann, Holman all had excellent chances. In the first half we played quite well in spells I thought. Then we got desperate.

I would have thought that a more experienced loan signing or two might be a good call in January?

[Risso]

The match was shite, both teams were dreadful, and people on the match thread said so, that's all.