Aston Villa v Manchester City Post-Match Thread

[PeterWithesShin]

Apparently the astronauts are part of a Lynx promotional campaign.

[curiousorange]

Apparently the astronauts are part of a Lynx promotional campaign.

I think that sort of thing stinks.

[adrenachrome]

I really thought we might get something from this game, and it was there for the taking.

Sadly for us, Delph looked like the only player on our side that had some kind of clue, and now he is out for the next 2 critical games.

I have never been a fan of Clark, but it will be very hard for him to recover from this:a long time since i have such vitriol directed towards a player about one incident. Played next to a experienced CB, he might have stood a chance. 

[Legion]

Oh dear:

[pooligan]

11 goals at home all season ! Says it all really,we just are not good enough and are going down i am sorry to say.

[JUAN PABLO]

Rubbish. They barely had to ease out of first gear to beat us. We're just far too easy to play against. I'll be amazed if we stay up. We are basically a shit football team at the moment and we're kidding ourselves if we think otherwise.

Cant argue with that . I could not wait for the game to finish . We are so dull .

[Matt C]

I'm not sure what more Lambert can say about Clark publically without destroying any embers of confidence he might have left.

[Monty]

This season will not be decided on the basis of defeat to City - it will, in all probability, be decided over the next two weeks, and we'll have learned very little from facing City and Arsenal how we're likely to do against Reading and QPR.

I thought that we played rather well, in the main. City weren't particularly inspired but they were solid as a rock and better sides than us will fail to break through them with performances like that. It really felt like a 0-0 in which they were the better side, except for the fact that we gifted them a thoroughly needless goal, which was frustrating in the extreme - especially for Clark, who did an awful lot right and slipped at the worst possible moment.

As for the players? Well, Guzan is a top-class keeper, and keeps proving this. I thought Lowton played as well as he has for months, while Clark will, as I've mentioned, be ruing the mistake which ruined his performance. Baker looked impetuous though, I thought, and Bennett is as whispy and half-hearted as that tufty excuse for a beard on his chin. Westwood looked a touch off the pace but was generally competent, and Delph was terrific until the most stupid yellow card I've seen in a while - ruling him out for our crucial pair of upcoming games and showing once again that he just has to mature. Up front, it just wasn't working for Weimann and Zog, and they didn't seem to have much spark. Gabby was a threat, though, and Benteke was a handful - although I'm wondering exactly how many of Mike Dean's relatives he must have killed or maimed to have got so many decisions go against him.

Overall, no shame in this, and we looked more like a mid-table side than relegation fodder. The trouble is we're in a dogfight, and it's all very well losing respectably to the champions of England when nobody expects anything from them, but they need to perform under the intense pressure of the last two weeks. Tonight and last week have taught us next to nothing about whether or not they will.

[Stu]

I think so. West Ham, good performance. Arsenal, not bad. Tonight, not bad. Since Newcastle second half, we haven't looked like a bottom three team to me.

But our results have been.

[Monty]

I think so. West Ham, good performance. Arsenal, not bad. Tonight, not bad. Since Newcastle second half, we haven't looked like a bottom three team to me.

But our results have been.

True but, luckily for us, the standard this season is so low that we still have a decent chance if we do well in the next two games.

[Stu]

I think so. West Ham, good performance. Arsenal, not bad. Tonight, not bad. Since Newcastle second half, we haven't looked like a bottom three team to me.

But our results have been.

True but, luckily for us, the standard this season is so low that we still have a decent chance if we do well in the next two games.

I hope so, but I think the defence will let us down once again. I have nothing else to add really without saying the same as everyone else.

[eamonn]

I think so. West Ham, good performance. Arsenal, not bad. Tonight, not bad. Since Newcastle second half, we haven't looked like a bottom three team to me.

But our results have been.

He missed out the draw at Everton which was also highly credible. Ads' posts are refreshing cos most other feckers are being critical, miserable and have already thrown in the towel. I believe we are more than capable of staying up based on the last few games.  I don't think the next two are "6 points or else we're gone" scenarios. 4 would be a decent return. Anything less leaves us with more work to do in the remaining games. But winning two or more from Stoke/Sunderland/Fulham/Norwich could be an easier task.

Clark is also getting a lot of pelters not wholly deserving. A costly error tonight but he's one of the many younger players who it's unfair to completely judge when they're surrounded by fellow inexperienced heads. Clark does have 60 or 70 odd-games under his belt but when that makes you the senior of the other three defenders around you it's not easy. He's a talented player and he'll go on to have a solid Premier League career, possibly in midfield.

[eamonn]

Ready made cover for the next H&V

Daft Punk's new album cover.

[ROBBO]

Lambert by not strengthening the defence and midfield in January cinsigned us to relegation. Was all prepared to give the guy a break after the succession of managers we've had but he has all but lost me with that lack of action. I would be quite content to see someone else come in for the rest of the season because we are going down anyway, at least we might see wingers again. Guzan and Benteke thats what the total quality of the side adds up to and the new players from January seem well off the pace. They really remind me of Mercers Minors, plaudits for being a young side with lots of effort with rarely an end result.

[peter w]

The biigest problem i saw last night - and take Clark's stupidity out of it - is that there was, and has been no, link between the centre of midfield and the forward(s). Betnteke is often feeding off scraps. One of Delph or Westwood had to break free to try and get into the box. Also, there were no times when we had the ball in the central areas where we looked to get it to Benteke's feet. We need to br braver to get results.

last night was a free game almost. not expected to win and with all other scores going our way anything positive would have been just that. But what we had was a lot of players runninga round a lot. great. But I could find 11 peoploe on here who would put teh effort in. What we need is a bit more quality. I think its there but the tactics either need to be changed or the players need to believe in what they're doing.

Tick tock Villa. 4 points minimum from the next two or we are down.