Aston Villa v Cardiff City Post-Match Thread

[supertom]

I thought Bellamy looked like a has been yesterday.

Honestly, I thought he had more pace than that, but his pace has all but gone. I did worry with Bacuna bombing forward whether Bellend might exploit gaps in behind, but he didn't. Bacuna had him in his pocket the whole game.

[Clampy]

Good result. You could say we made hard work of it but they made it difficult playing 5 across the middle and only Odemwingie up front. I kept saying throughout the game that we just needed a goal to open them up and it happened. I thought the midfield three should have done better in closing their midfield down instead of backing off them though. As for pluses, Tonev's starting to look as if he might be a good player, it's another clean sheet and Kozak looked much better with someone alongside him.

[Lee]

Tonev is far from useless. He played well again, put in some dangerous cross that we failed to attack, tracked back and worked hard, stretched Cardiff wide and looks more than useful.

This. Can't remember the last time I saw a wide player at VP beat a full back and put a cross into the six yard box. It's not just that it stretches the opposition and puts them on the back foot: it's the kind of thing we pay to watch.

He seemed a bit lost for most of the first half. Was more disciplined in the 2nd staying further out on the left and stretched them more. I think that there is a lot more to come from this kid once he settles better.

[silhillvilla]

On reflection that was a really comfortable win. I fear for Cardiff.

[Witton Warrior]

On reflection that wasn't too bad really.
If we had scored in the first 15 minutes it could have been a cricket score looking back.
We let Cardiff look far better than they are for parts of that match but that had something to do with us trying to play wider and not keeping it tight?
Once Tonev can put in a better cross he will be dangerous, I enjoyed his runs down the left as he tried to take on defenders. I am not going to be negative about widening the play after all the moaning about not doing it!

Bacuna up into midfield maybe for more threat? With Delph running forwards and Sylla/Westwood holding could be interesting but then I am pretty poor on formations.

Can we get a better song for Bacuna - he may like a bhuna for all I know but it sounds saft!

[silhillvilla]

Lowton is back so push Bacuna up to ARM.

[Ads]

When Bacuna got the ball in midfield, he really drove at Cardiff and looked exciting to watch. I would play him wide against the Bitters.

[supertom]

Bacuna has shown he can deliver quality from wide, so I'd like to see him in a more attacking position. I like him, seems like another bargain. Lowton's a good footballer too, so he should aid in our ball retention when he comes back in the side.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

We could have been 2 up after 15mins, then Cardiff got back into it and played better football than us without really threatening.
We came out to do some business 2nd half but I thought we were going to end up being frustrated by a weaker team over the 90 mins.
Bacuna's free kick was the bit of class we needed and we were always going to win it after that. The 2nd goal made the score more realistic and we defended well to make their corners a minimal threat in the last 5 mins.
I'm a happier Villain than I was this time yesterday.

UTV!

[eastie]

Bacuna has shown he can deliver quality from wide, so I'd like to see him in a more attacking position. I like him, seems like another bargain. Lowton's a good footballer too, so he should aid in our ball retention when he comes back in the side.

Many felt this should have been the case at the start with Lowton back and bacuna more advanced - the width from bacuna and tonev could be very useful against the Albion - I would have Delph and sylla in the middle with Westwood in a 4-2-3-1 formation, Delph being the more advanced central midfielder.

I don't think gabby will make the Albion game .

[Clampy]

I presume he initially went with the three centre midfielders to stop their 5 man midfield outnumbering us and possibly catching us on the break. I thought it was the right thing to do but yeah I think Bacuna's much better further forward.

[eastie]

I presume he initially went with the three centre midfielders to stop their 5 man midfield outnumbering us and possibly catching us on the break. I thought it was the right thing to do but yeah I think Bacuna's much better further forward.

Maybe clamps but I'd rather take the game to the opposition at home rather than worry too much about them - I find kea and Westwood together at home to be a bit too negative - prefer one or the other.

[Big Dick Edwards]

Tonev has got something but his decision-making lets him down. He worked hard yesterday and is always looking to do something positive. I'd like to see him given a run in the team and see if that settles him down so that he becomes more aware of team mates in better positions.

[danlanza]

In short, KEA is awful, Lowton needs to be right back and Baccuna wide right. That is all.

Yes , yes and yes!

I will take awful and a 2-0 win every week easily pleased me.

[Brian Taylor]

Leandro Bacuna my/our midfield man of the future! What a goal!!