Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur Post-Match Thread

[Somniloquism]

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.

Ashley's corner was special. We now know why he likes to float the ball in. However I think we should still announce a starting 11 each match.

But there was no way they were £100million better then us. I wonder when Townsend will score a meant goal against us. Deflected effort last season, cross that went in this season.

[Irish villain]

We have improved on last season and are a much tougher team to beat.

We are still, however, a long way off where we should be. We aren't comfortable with the ball against the majority of Premier League sides and for all our increased squad strength, still lack that bit of quality to come into a game and change it.

Also, I am surprised that Westwood hasn't been dropped. I thought that corner that drifted out of play in the first half was dreadful. Sylla needs to come in for him.

[PaulWinch again]

We have improved on last season and are a much tougher team to beat.

We are still, however, a long way off where we should be. We aren't comfortable with the ball against the majority of Premier League sides and for all our increased squad strength, still lack that bit of quality to come into a game and change it.

Also, I am surprised that Westwood hasn't been dropped. I thought that corner that drifted out of play in the first half was dreadful. Sylla needs to come in for him.

I agree, and Westwood is developing a nasty habit of committing dangerous tackles.

[walsall villain]

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.

That's how I saw the game too. Thought Weimann and Gabby worked hard, Weimann's radar with shots was well off today. Thought we competed well until the second goal, I was fully expecting us to equalise up to that point. As others have posted, I am not sure about the midfield mix at the moment, I would much prefer to see Sylla in there. I feel my expectations are very low these days though, always expect to lose against the usual suspects from the top of the league.

[supertom]

We have improved on last season and are a much tougher team to beat.

We are still, however, a long way off where we should be. We aren't comfortable with the ball against the majority of Premier League sides and for all our increased squad strength, still lack that bit of quality to come into a game and change it.

Also, I am surprised that Westwood hasn't been dropped. I thought that corner that drifted out of play in the first half was dreadful. Sylla needs to come in for him.

I agree, and Westwood is developing a nasty habit of committing dangerous tackles.

Yes. It's a shame because that aside he's looked better in the last couple of matches, in the first halves at least. But that nasty streak has to go. Between Delph, Gabby and Westy, we're looking a very dirty side at the moment.

[Matt Collins]

There's plenty to think we need to improve on but I think there are two indisputable points:

We've had the hardest start to the season I can ever remember. I feared we'd be really struggling at this point

We've done the same or better to identical fixtures in every one of our games this season

We've not been beaten out of sight in any league game

We clearly need to find a way to get on the front foot and create more at home. But that's been a problem for years, even when we were spending plenty of money under O'Neill.

[Irish villain]

We have improved on last season and are a much tougher team to beat.

We are still, however, a long way off where we should be. We aren't comfortable with the ball against the majority of Premier League sides and for all our increased squad strength, still lack that bit of quality to come into a game and change it.

Also, I am surprised that Westwood hasn't been dropped. I thought that corner that drifted out of play in the first half was dreadful. Sylla needs to come in for him.

I agree, and Westwood is developing a nasty habit of committing dangerous tackles.

Yes, there have been a few bad tackles from him.

Part of me wants to see him as a Gareth Barry. Barry did have a couple of poor seasons a few years after he first broke through. Remember Gregory dropping him at one point, around 2001? But no matter how hard I try, I just can't see it that way. For a start, Westwood is older than Barry was at that stage and clearly lacks that level of quality. He needs to be put out of the team for a few weeks and slowly reintegrated the way he was last season.

Next summer it could be a case of simply needing an upgrade on him as at 23 years of age, it's not as though he's a teenage prodigy who needs to be trained up.

[PaulWinch again]

Westwood really needs to start creating with his passing if he's going to play in the team with KEA as well.

[Matt Collins]

I think we've deliberately got nasty this season, to stop getting best like last year and because of our difficult opening fixtures

I really hope lambert has his eyes on the games after Everton, and has some plans to open up our game, start passing the ball better and get more on the front foot.

Lowton (quality on the ball and passing), bacuna (width and stability) Westwood (dictating rhythm) and potentially Tonev could have important roles to play.

[ez]

I can't remember their keeper making a save.

I think it was one save for him, which was Tonev's shot straight at him. And Westwood's free kick in the first half. Not a whole lot really.

If I remember rightly, Westwood's freekick was similar to spurs first goal. An inswinging ball to the far post, only their keeper saved it and ours didn't.

[Deano's Mullet]

A very similar match to the Liverpool game. I wouldn't mind so much if I actually felt we were having a go at these times, right from start of kick off it feels like we're going for counter-attack or damage limitation. One goal against from a sleepy Spurs and we're up against it. Depressingly,  Spurs hardly to had to get out of 2nd gear and always looked likely to grab a 3rd on the break. Our formation just doesn't work at home, a lot of our players are technically poor and our style of play fairly one dimensional with our entire plan seemingly to just run at defenders or chase flick ons, lobs and headers. I don't think we have the midfield to actually play a passing buildup and Gabby, as much as I love him, has never regained that dangerous edge in front of goal that he showed for most of MON's reign. Jury still out on Kozak but he was incapable of holding up the ball today.
Still think we are miles better than last season and will be in a healthier position at the end of the season but cant stand us rolling over to these sides at Villa Park like we consistently do week in week out.

[E I Adio]

I've not read the rest of this tread, so these are just my observations for what they're worth.

Generally, I thought we were outplayed by a very good side. I thought for a minute or two we might get something from the game when Benteke came on, when most of the team raised their game, but Spur's second put paid to that. Having said that, we lost by one fluke goal and one excellently worked goal.

I thought Kozak was poor, in fact it's hard to see at the moment what he might excel at in the future.

My main frustration though is the absence of movement off the ball, frequently leaving the player with the ball no options when looking to pass. That, along with some utterly woeful passing when team mates were free was very frustrating to watch. I feel sure that others will have highlighted the need for a creative midfielder and boy do we need someone, but unless we can move into spaces when we don't have the ball, he would be wasted anyway.

Positives for me were Delph's form although he was carded for a really stupid foul and Brad, who surely must be the best 'Keeper we've had for many years.

[l_mckay]

Just got home,pritty tame performance today to say the least,never really looked like scoring and spurs were comftable. Another tough game coming up need to start creating more. Great to see Benteke back though!

[eastie]

Westwood really needs to start creating with his passing if he's going to play in the team with KEA as well.

One or the other - not both , sylla should be in the team.
Regarding Kozak , I'd like to try him alongside benteke and see how that works , the lad has something but not as the focal part of a three man attack.
I wouldn't be adverse to bringing Lowton back in and pushing bacuna into midfield against everton , Weimann needs resting too , tonevs brief cameo was interesting too - I would be thinking about maybe going with a 4-4-2 against everton with a bit more width to our game.

[Irish villain]

Oh, and what's the story with the new camera angle at Villa Park? Felt like I was standing on the sideline.