Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur Post-Match Thread

[nick harper]

We are at best mid table and that shows when we play the top six sides. Man City was a bit of a freak I think. Quality comes to the surface and Spurs have very  good players sadly.

I thought Delph did well. He looks class when he goes past players. Bacuna looks a find but Sylla must play . Can't understand that.

My issue with the summer signings from what I can see is that he's improved the squad but not the team. For all the activity in the summer, the first 11 is not much better which is what you get when you buy numbers - see Sunderland.

[olaftab]

Well got drenched walking from car to the the Park and had no jacket!

On the match other than that it hurts that Spurs have won again and so far  we have suffered at home this season it wasn't too bad.  Two bad mistakes by Gabby  for the first and Ashley for the second cost us dearly. OK they were dangerous but only at 2-0 when we were chasing the game. Prior to that we gave them as good as as we got. Football games change on little things. Westwood takes a good freekick it eludes everyone and keeper just about manages to get to  it and rebound lands kindly for them and its cleared. A few minutes later same thing for them but this time Townsend's cross ends up in the back of the net.
 Please with some individual performances notably the two fullbacks and Delph and pleased that Benteke is back.
Not sure about both Weimann and Gabby. Maybe Tonev should be given an extended run.
On the whole though nothing to worry about too much.

[Goldie.7]

I cannot believe we have just lost our eighth game in a row. Fucking garbage. Oh hang on.

No way were Spurs two goals better than us. They were as wasteful in possession as we were and created as little as we did.

The two goals were soft, yet again! Why Baker didn't drop in for a simple nod away? What was Westwood doing for their second?

I think Westwood has been anonymous all season and he was equally poor today as he was against Hull. Sylla has got to start against Everton.

Time for Bennett to come back in I think. I know Townsend is a handful, but positionally he worries me.

Delph as good as ever, trying too hard at times. Gabby still not quite fit. Benteke should have burried his header from six yards.

What does Vertonghen have to do to get penalised at Villa Park? Andi though is another in the Westwood and Lowton bracket who just hasn't cut it so far this season. Time for him to join Lowton on the bench.

Everton up next is certainly winnable, but much like the start we have had, another difficult opponent.

In the summer when i was questioning about giving the new guys a bumper pay deal and a new contract i got shot down. Most of them are justifying that new contract now aren't they. Westy has been utter garbage, Lowton can't even get a game, Weimann looks lost every game, Clark's injury prone and a liability, Baker is getting slower and slower, who else?

[PaulWinch again]

I cannot believe we have just lost our eighth game in a row. Fucking garbage. Oh hang on.

No way were Spurs two goals better than us. They were as wasteful in possession as we were and created as little as we did.

The two goals were soft, yet again! Why Baker didn't drop in for a simple nod away? What was Westwood doing for their second?

I think Westwood has been anonymous all season and he was equally poor today as he was against Hull. Sylla has got to start against Everton.

Time for Bennett to come back in I think. I know Townsend is a handful, but positionally he worries me.

Delph as good as ever, trying too hard at times. Gabby still not quite fit. Benteke should have burried his header from six yards.

What does Vertonghen have to do to get penalised at Villa Park? Andi though is another in the Westwood and Lowton bracket who just hasn't cut it so far this season. Time for him to join Lowton on the bench.

Everton up next is certainly winnable, but much like the start we have had, another difficult opponent.

In the summer when i was questioning about giving the new guys a bumper pay deal and a new contract i got shot down. Most of them are justifying that new contract now aren't they. Westy has been utter garbage, Lowton can't even get a game, Weimann looks lost every game, Clark's injury prone and a liability, Baker is getting slower and slower, who else?

Clark has been far from a liability this season, since he came in he's been excellent alongside Vlaar. Baker just isn't very good.

[Ads]

I doubt the loss of form for Westwood, Andi and Lowton has anything to do with a lack of effort, which is what you are suggesting with the "they have more money, they cannot be arsed" comment. You reward improvement.

[mrastonvilla]

I cannot believe we have just lost our eighth game in a row. Fucking garbage. Oh hang on.

No way were Spurs two goals better than us. They were as wasteful in possession as we were and created as little as we did.

The two goals were soft, yet again! Why Baker didn't drop in for a simple nod away? What was Westwood doing for their second?

I think Westwood has been anonymous all season and he was equally poor today as he was against Hull. Sylla has got to start against Everton.

Time for Bennett to come back in I think. I know Townsend is a handful, but positionally he worries me.

Delph as good as ever, trying too hard at times. Gabby still not quite fit. Benteke should have burried his header from six yards.

What does Vertonghen have to do to get penalised at Villa Park? Andi though is another in the Westwood and Lowton bracket who just hasn't cut it so far this season. Time for him to join Lowton on the bench.

Everton up next is certainly winnable, but much like the start we have had, another difficult opponent.

In the summer when i was questioning about giving the new guys a bumper pay deal and a new contract i got shot down. Most of them are justifying that new contract now aren't they. Westy has been utter garbage, Lowton can't even get a game, Weimann looks lost every game, Clark's injury prone and a liability, Baker is getting slower and slower, who else?

Are you suggesting we should have allowed Weimann to leave on a free?

[mr woo]

Normally I'd be pissed off at a home defeat like this but actually I'm not. To be honest, that's only because I think I was mentally prepared for it. I totally expected us to be out-thought, outplayed and well beaten.

Pure and simple, they are so far ahead of us these days the ghost of the Premiership season 2007/8 is spinning in its DVD case.

Trying to be positive, we're closer to them now than we were at any time last season and the only way we were going to beat them today was in a smash and grab raid - Man City style. You can't expect that to come off every week.

On the critical side, I'd say although Delph was probably our best player, I thought he had his worst game this season. Our attacking play needs a lot of work...or some serious activity this January. We have no-one clever enough to unlock a defence, let alone an attacker who can take on and beat his man like Townsend did for them.

Kozak, I'm afraid is looking like a waste of money, sluggish not only of foot but also of mind. A poor mans Cascarino at best.

And a special round of fucks for Ashley Westwood - the worst corner at Villa Park since JPA all those years ago? Not to mention being at fault for both goals. Poor closing down of Townsend for the first and losing possession for the second. Although he rallied at times, I cant help but think he finds favour only because of where he came from and his associated fee. If he had cost 10million quid we'd be on his back by now. The man is either good enough or he isn't.

For me, KEA and AW do the same job and shouldn't be played together.

And if possible, shouldn't be played at all because I think Yacouba Sylla will be able to do that job on his own eventually.

[silhillvilla]

We will learn a bit more about how good or poor we are over the next 3 games. Everton, west ham and Cardiff. All winnable, all loseable . I'm thinking 5 points would be a good return.

[supertom]

Sadly, very easily outclassed by a Spurs side not close to their best. Men vs boys.
There was a big gulf in ability. They had players who could control a ball tightly, pass it accurately and shift the tempo up a level while regaining composure. When we up the tempo we shift to 100mph without much precision. Occasionally it might pay off, but we don't have the ability to play quick, precise passing over the course of a match.

For me Delph, Luna and Vlaar played pretty well. Bacuna was okay but suspect defensively (though still less suspect than Lowton). Delph was fantastic at times but overdoes it sometimes. He needs to calm himself down a bit. Not just rash challenges but when he breaks away with the ball. Sometimes he wants to just shift up to top gear and force a pass, or he'll rush controlling the ball and lose it. His touch and passing need to improve, or he needs to keep it more simple. He's doing brilliantly at the moment. It can go one of two ways. He'll become a top Villa midfielder, or he'll become another Reo-Coker.

Weimann put in a great shift but was poor in front of goal. He needs taking out the side out the moment. It's no exaggeration to say that he's fluffed a good couple of dozen chances in the opening 8 games. He's wasting good opportunities and is having no luck at all. I'd hoped the Man City goal would turn it around for him, but not so.

Gabby is Gabby. Lightening quick, but today we saw the difference between a potentially top level player in Townsend, and someone like Gabby who'll never quite step up to another level. When Townsend runs with the ball it stays close to him and he can run at pace in full control of the ball. There's also a more consistent, quality end product too. With our Gab it's hit and miss. He's still essential to our game at the moment, but we need to keep him running on the flanks more. When he runs in field, requiring a tad more subtlety, he doesn't have the refined ball skills to do it. He can't do what he did against Arsenal every game. They weren't switched on that day.

Kozak. I like him. He worked hard today, but our service to him was woeful. All high balls. Now clearly this isn't his strength. He's actually pretty mediocre in the air. I don't think he won more than 3-4 headers today. Dawson mopped everything up. I mean he even struggled to get a header when he found himself free in space at one moment. He mistimed his jump and missed the ball. He was similarly dreadful in the air against Hull. For me, I look at Kozak and Helenius. Both well very tall. But neither's main strength is their aerial ability it seems. So why sign them? What's the point? We're justing hoofing it long to Kozak? I'd guess if Helenius played it would be the same? So if that's the case, why not just sign a big forward who is good in the air instead? Use these guys right, or they're gonna fail. Benteke came on and within 8 minutes had connected with more headers than Kozak managed in 60 minutes.

It's desperately clear though that we need better quality in midfield and out wide. Players who can run with the ball in control. Players who can control the ball in close quarters. Pick a pass.

Right now we're a team that's A+ for work-rate and effort, but the quality on the ball is pretty dire and there's a desperate lack of midfield guile.

[Somniloquism]

I cannot believe we have just lost our eighth game in a row. Fucking garbage. Oh hang on.

No way were Spurs two goals better than us. They were as wasteful in possession as we were and created as little as we did.

The two goals were soft, yet again! Why Baker didn't drop in for a simple nod away? What was Westwood doing for their second?

I think Westwood has been anonymous all season and he was equally poor today as he was against Hull. Sylla has got to start against Everton.

Time for Bennett to come back in I think. I know Townsend is a handful, but positionally he worries me.

Delph as good as ever, trying too hard at times. Gabby still not quite fit. Benteke should have burried his header from six yards.

What does Vertonghen have to do to get penalised at Villa Park? Andi though is another in the Westwood and Lowton bracket who just hasn't cut it so far this season. Time for him to join Lowton on the bench.

Everton up next is certainly winnable, but much like the start we have had, another difficult opponent.

In the summer when i was questioning about giving the new guys a bumper pay deal and a new contract i got shot down. Most of them are justifying that new contract now aren't they. Westy has been utter garbage, Lowton can't even get a game, Weimann looks lost every game, Clark's injury prone and a liability, Baker is getting slower and slower, who else?

Are you suggesting we should have allowed Weimann to leave on a free?

I think Weimann should be applauded that he allowed certain posters who would have moaned if we had let him go to now moan for offering the contract.

Reminded me of a person sat near me in the north. Today he moaned each time we kicked the ball back to Guzan and then moaned when Luna tried to turn and launch it blindly saying he should have played it back to Guzan. If he had done that he would have moaned about kicking the ball back. I've never heard one bit of praise come from the man since I have been in that seat. Unfortunately that can be repeated across the ground.

[silhillvilla]

Sad to say but Kozak looks like Zigic 2.0

[Goldie.7]

I cannot believe we have just lost our eighth game in a row. Fucking garbage. Oh hang on.

No way were Spurs two goals better than us. They were as wasteful in possession as we were and created as little as we did.

The two goals were soft, yet again! Why Baker didn't drop in for a simple nod away? What was Westwood doing for their second?

I think Westwood has been anonymous all season and he was equally poor today as he was against Hull. Sylla has got to start against Everton.

Time for Bennett to come back in I think. I know Townsend is a handful, but positionally he worries me.

Delph as good as ever, trying too hard at times. Gabby still not quite fit. Benteke should have burried his header from six yards.

What does Vertonghen have to do to get penalised at Villa Park? Andi though is another in the Westwood and Lowton bracket who just hasn't cut it so far this season. Time for him to join Lowton on the bench.

Everton up next is certainly winnable, but much like the start we have had, another difficult opponent.

In the summer when i was questioning about giving the new guys a bumper pay deal and a new contract i got shot down. Most of them are justifying that new contract now aren't they. Westy has been utter garbage, Lowton can't even get a game, Weimann looks lost every game, Clark's injury prone and a liability, Baker is getting slower and slower, who else?

Are you suggesting we should have allowed Weimann to leave on a free?

No. In Jan we could have done business, there's other better players out there you know it's a big world with lots of leagues to choose from.

[lovejoy]

It's the fact that I take these defeats so easily now that actually disappoints me.

[supertom]

Sad to say but Kozak looks like Zigic 2.0

Zigic wins headers though.

I don't blame Kojak on this point it must be said. It's obviously not his strong point, but 80% of his service is being punted at his head. You'd think if he's losing most aerial battles we'd stop booting it up to him.

That said, his movement also must improve tenfold, and he's got to make the option to play to his feet easier for the team.

[Kingthing]

Just got back. What I took from that game.


2. Kozak is far too slow. You can be slow but you need to be incredibly intelligent, which he isn't.

I agree, looked like he could hold the ball up ok but needs
to race Gabby to the car park every day.