Aston Villa vs Fulham - Post Match Thread

[Risso]

I think this result could come back to bite us on the arse.  We were rubbish all over the pitch again today.

I wouldn't say the centre halves were rubbish.

Risso, you do seem like the most miserable person in the world! Do you not take any satisfaction / do you agree that we're improving as a side?

Of course, when we play well/get good results like we did last week.  The second half especially was poor today though, and the introduction of Holman a bad sign in my occasion.  I just think we needed to win today.

[seanthevillan]

I think this result could come back to bite us on the arse.  We were rubbish all over the pitch again today.

I wouldn't say the centre halves were rubbish.

I wouldn't say anyone was rubbish today. At the same time I don't think anyone had a really good game.

We played decently well, but were flat. It was kind of an O'Neill home display, and I think strangely we would have been better off going a goal down and coming back. Benteke had an off ish day, and there were chances we pulled and snatched at. A tricky wide man from a good team.

Completely agree, Fulham have always been a tough team to break down through the years, today was a game where we need some pace down the wings.

Fine margins though, we had a couple of occasions just after we went 1 up and there's no way Fulham would've come back from 2 down. Just wish N'zogbia would look up once in a while when he's on one of his mazy dribbles.

That is why the substitutions were poor - at half time we were saying that we needed more width, yet Lambert actually made us play more narrow (maybe in an attempt to compete in midfield). When we play the diamond all the opposition has to do is put an attacker on Lowton/Bennett and immediately we don't have a decent wide outlet.

Also people calling for Bent to be thrown on - having more strikers doesn't make us attack better. I think Benteke with Weimann off him is our best combination anyway, Bent and Benteke just don't seem to work well together.

Still this post is coming across a bit negative - I don't mind taking a point from the game today.

[VillaAlways]

I'd have been happy with at draw at Stoke and a win today,we've got the reverse so not too despondent I think we've enough to stay up and seem to respond well in the high pressure games.Overall I think we deserved the win today,we create chances and that's the main thing

[olaftab]

The goal we conceded was absolutely criminal, it really was.

Paul it was an error not criminal.

[tomd2103]

Just got back from the game.  Would agree with most of the analysis on here saying that we were just a bit off it today.  I thought Lambert's substitutions did not really work today, but we did need to change things as we were getting overrun in central midfield.  N'Zogbia created a couple of chances on the left, but when he went off we didn't really have an attacking option on that side and Fulham got out too easily.

Just had a quick look at the table and can't help but thinking we've missed an opportunity today. 

[Dave]

I just think we needed to win today.

Depends what you mean by need.

I think that had we won today then there would have been next to no chance of us going down.

But the fact that we didn't win today doesn't mean that we ARE going to go down. I'd say that it's still pretty unlikely in spite of us only getting a point today.

[ez]

A draw is ok. Lets not forget we are the underdogs in these games.

[olaftab]

The substitutions were wrong, N'Zog and Weimann should have stayed on.

Fully agree that those two should have stayed on however Sylla was good when he came on and much better than Bowery. He should start against Manu.

[olaftab]

I just think we needed to win today.

Depends what you mean by need.

I think that had we won today then there would have been next to no chance of us going down.

But the fact that we didn't win today doesn't mean that we ARE going to go down. I'd say that it's still pretty unlikely in spite of us only getting a point today.

Yes I agree. If Subderland get beat tomorrow today is a very good result.

[ez]

Well Dave W reckons a win and 3 draws will do it. There's one of the draws.

[PaulWinch again]

The substitutions were wrong, N'Zog and Weimann should have stayed on.

Fully agree that those two should have stayed on however Sylla was good when he came on and much better than Bowery. He should start against Manu.

Agree on Bowery, he just doesn't offer enough at this stage. He might come good, but given the role he's playing we need more.

[Matt Collins]

Yep. When we worry about other teams games, we need to remember that the teams around us are generally shit and in shit form. If you were a Sunderland or Norwich or stoke fan you'd be thinking 'when on earth are we going to win again'? Even Wigan have some really tough games.

[achilles]

Its interesting the opinions of people who weren’t at the game, I often think you get a distorted view watching it on streams (if watching at all).

Anyway today was the first time this year I watched them live and I have a ticket for the Sunderland game as well! Still I thought the atmosphere was like a morgue which is hardly surprising when we play with the pace of a snail with absolutely no tempo or urgency. My mate commented that this was good because we keep the ball a lot better... oh, great (watching paint dry sprang to mind)! Quite honestly we are a very average side with two exceptional strikers in Benteke and Weimann, who have virtually kept us afloat this year.

MOM for me was Delph for his tireless work, with and without the ball and that includes the OG and the appalling miss (from where I sat it looked terrible but I shall watch it again and hope it wasn’t that bad)! I could see the logic in bringing Sylla on and trying to store up the midfield which Fulham were getting far too much space in but I would have brought Bowery off. I am not certain what Lambert sees in Bowery to actually start him as he looked totally out of his depth to me. N'Zogbia does not seem to be a happy bunny, as it shows with his body language, he didn’t seem overly pleased to even have scored and I don’t think Lambert is handling him well at all, he is a confidence player and I don’t think we should ever substitute him unless he gets injured. Bennett, now having seem him live for the first time this year, confirms my suspicions of just how bad he is, he really is awful summed up by his pathetic attempt at goal in the second half when playing it wide was the simplest and best option. He may make it in midfield as he can certainly cross a ball but he certainly cannot defend.

Still the position we are in a point is a positive especially as in the second half we could so easily have lost that game with Berbatov hitting the outside of the post when it seemed easier to score and Ruiz missing the goal altogether with just Guzan to beat (although I thought he was offside but it wasn’t given so the goal would have stood).

[achilles]

The goal we conceded was absolutely criminal, it really was.

Paul it was an error not criminal.

These things seem to happen when you are at the wrong end of the table, but it was a genuine attempt to clear it by Delph, although perhaps Baker should have shouted louder as he was just behind Delph. Guzan had no chance after it flicked off Delph's head!

[Irish villain]

Staying up the hard way.