Aston Villa v Manchester City Post-Match Thread

[KevinGage]

I'm not going to pan Clark too much.

He came through the ranks, and playing for the club does actually mean something to him, I think. Compare and contrast with some of the shitheads we've had wearing the shirt in recent years. 

That said, he's clearly struggled for large parts of this season.  He just seems too lightweight for a centre half, loses too many one on one duels with the forward. Not only this evening, but often.  There is still a player in there somewhere (at midfield, for me) but we shouldn't be gambling our top flight status on continuing the experiment.

We clearly needed a CB in Jan. Everyone could see it, except the lemon in the boardroom and the lemon in the dugout.   If RL had actually made enough funds available, via funds and wages - and Lambert didn't want to spend it, he should have been sacked for neglect.

We didn't necessarily need big darts spend on one either,  £4/5 million would have got us a competent centre half from most leagues across the UK and Europe.   Even a Colin Calderwood type short term deal would have done us the world of good, a senior pro who could have calmed things down and given out the bollockings as and when required.

Clark tries, bless him.  But how can he dish out the bollockings when he's usually the one at fault.

City were there for the taking tonight, I reckon if they'd played any of the other 18 teams in the league, they wouldn't have got the three points with that performance.   Thankfully (for them) they were playing us.

All well and good saying we didn't expect anything from the game, so it doesn't matter. But we're more than capable of coming up short in the games where we should collect points, so we need to grab them where we can.

[SoccerHQ]

Reading are limited but have pace on the wings and Harte hits a good free kick into the box, we're not covered ourselves in glory all year against opposition with those attributes.

We need Teflon Ron out there, a knock and he's out for bleeding weeks again dear me.

[Pat McMahon]

I am depressed tonight but agree that we probably will know more after our next two games.

[themossman]

Why don't we see after the reading game? As it is we have just lost 2 games that any sane person would assume we were going to lose, without being embarrassed in either of them. I think a lot of people have been calling them winnable on very flimsy evidence. So what if Southampton beat city? They are still in the shit, plus we beat them as well, so what does it prove?

I haven't heard a single person call them winnable.

Southampton beat City, and are still in the shit, but not as much as we are.

When did we beat Southampton, by the way? I thought they'd taken six points from us.

I have, lots.

City not Southampton.

[Greg N'Ash]

Lambchop had the money for a CH. The powers that be are just as bemused as we were. That's why he won't be here if we go down

[pauliewalnuts]

Why don't we see after the reading game? As it is we have just lost 2 games that any sane person would assume we were going to lose, without being embarrassed in either of them. I think a lot of people have been calling them winnable on very flimsy evidence. So what if Southampton beat city? They are still in the shit, plus we beat them as well, so what does it prove?

I haven't heard a single person call them winnable.

Southampton beat City, and are still in the shit, but not as much as we are.

When did we beat Southampton, by the way? I thought they'd taken six points from us.

I have, lots.

City not Southampton.

You've heard lots of people call fixtures away at Arsenal and home to Man City "winnable"?

Really?

[MarkM]

We huffed and puffed but offered little.

If we don't start winning soon it will be too late.

[Mortimer's Bear]

Just got back, no lack of endeavour but distinct lack of quality.

I thought Benteke was poor tonight,  forever offside and couldn't pass the ball 5 yards!

[mr underhill]

much as i want to be upbeat winning two games consecutively is probably beyond us

[curiousorange]

Our report from tonight:


"Boy, has this story got old. There are only so many ways you can dress up a joke that wasn't really funny: some sitcoms spin it out for a decade, but I fear they have writers who've grown to love their main characters. Aston Villa fans by and large can't stand the sight of theirs...!

Read more: http://pickourteam.com/premierleague/aston-villa/fansverdict/04-03-2013/aston-villa-vs-manchester-city#ixzz2McFbvTJ9

[john2710]

We have won 4 of our last 27 home games, picking up just 21 points, scoring 21 goals and conceding 39. Fickle my arse.

That is pretty fucking shocking.

Last 38 league games reads like this.

P38
W 5
D 14
L 19
G 32
A 71
PTS 29

The last 38 games count for fuck all, the next 10 count for everything. Our fight  for survival starts on Saturday. I hope some of these players realise they are playing for their careers at this level too.

[bertlambshank]

1 shot on target at home again.It's not just at the back where we look like a Championship side.

[CJ]

Thought we played well especially in the first half and the atmosphere was pretty good for a change. Thought if we could get to half time nil-nil we could go on to get at least a point. Then Clark had a senior moment and we never really looked like getting anything in the second half. Thought Delph had probably his best game for us so far, but other than that we lack the quality in midfield and defence to really push on. Too often when we got forward we ended up going right back to Guzan. Truth be told Guzan kept the score respectable with some superb saves including 2 he touched onto the post.  Hart on the other hand had a pretty quiet night - except when we started chanting 'itchy scalp,m'lord' which he took in good spirit.

[themossman]

Are you telling me you don't recall a single person on here posting stuff along the lines of arsenal and city being 'there for the taking'? Based variously on their inconsistent form, losses to shit teams, and our good performances (relatively) against better teams?

[CJ]

Oh - and hats off to the 2 guys sat at the bottom of the Trinity dressed in full space suits and helmets holding a banner saying 'Benteke is out of this world'