WBA v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[eastie]

Weimann , benteke and gabby is a potent strikeforce away from home to hit teams with, at home I'm not convinced - I would use bacuna wide right rather than Weimann , bit more creativity about him.

[Matt Collins]

It's not possible to know who's really fit. Luna wasn't good enough for the bench so will he be for Saturday?

If they're all genuinely available I think I'd go:

Guzan - Lowton vlaar Clark Luna - Westwood Delph - bacuna Weimann gabby - benteke

That can switch pretty easily to a 433

But I'm not sure Delph is ready for example. His fitness is a massive part of his game. And if he can play, I wonder whether he'd be ready to play in a two.

Lambert also might go with the 3412 we ended with yday I reckon.

[supertom]

I really don;'t get this desire to see Herd back in the side?

I'd bring back Lowton and play bacuna in midfield.

The only reason I want Herdy back is to offer some mobility in midfield and someone who can get stuck in. I'd sit him in front of the back four to mop up and allow Westwood and Delph further forward. Sylla is struggling and honestly, when Herd broke in under Houllier, and for a spell under McLeish he played well. In fact he's had better runs of form than KEA ever has to be fair to him.

It's either that or I'd play Bacuna in Sylla's position. Whatever we do, we've got to get KEA and Westwood separated. They can't play together.

[Concrete John]

Weimann , benteke and gabby is a potent strikeforce away from home to hit teams with, at home I'm not convinced - I would use bacuna wide right rather than Weimann , bit more creativity about him.

I think the key to fixing that is re-shaping the midfield slightly so we go with more of a 4-2-3-1.  Problem we have is number 10 style player to fit into the middle of the 3.   

[danlanza]

Our best 11 is  just about OK, shows the signings of Kozak and Tonev were poor decisions.

And if Kozak had scored instead of hitting the bar what would you have said then ? Just a question .

[Damo70]

In defence of our supposedly clueless manager, he has managed to turn a team who looked a shambles last Christmas (worst Villa team ever was mentioned a few times) into one of the form teams of 2013. We have improved massively defensively, as the stats prove and will be fine up front when Benteke and Weimann get their mojos back. As for last night, the two players who are a waste of space, Tonev and Kozak, both nearly scored. The tactical genius' on here clearly think the way to handle three players who appear to only be fit to play for around half an hour is to start with them all and sub them before half time. Then when he brings them on as impact subs to turn a 2-0 into a 2-2 he is given no credit because it was the obvious thing to do. I also don't think our difficult fixture list so far, our injuries and Long's finishing and Bacuna's mistake are all his fault.

[Concrete John]

I really don;'t get this desire to see Herd back in the side?

I'd bring back Lowton and play bacuna in midfield.

The only reason I want Herdy back is to offer some mobility in midfield and someone who can get stuck in. I'd sit him in front of the back four to mop up and allow Westwood and Delph further forward. Sylla is struggling and honestly, when Herd broke in under Houllier, and for a spell under McLeish he played well. In fact he's had better runs of form than KEA ever has to be fair to him.

It's either that or I'd play Bacuna in Sylla's position. Whatever we do, we've got to get KEA and Westwood separated. They can't play together.

I agree that Herd has played pretty well for us in midfield in the past, but I just see better players in there right now than him.  KEA gets most of the stick, but for me he's better than he was last year and on balance a better player than Herd.  It's also notable that he's one of the few midfielders we have that carries a reasonable goal threat, so I think that gets him a spot where his all round play may not.

The team I want us to get to would be:-

Guzan
Lowton
Vlaar
Clark
Luna
Bacuna
Westwood
Delph
Weimann
Benteke
Gabby

[Damo70]

I really don;'t get this desire to see Herd back in the side?

I'd bring back Lowton and play bacuna in midfield.

The only reason I want Herdy back is to offer some mobility in midfield and someone who can get stuck in. I'd sit him in front of the back four to mop up and allow Westwood and Delph further forward. Sylla is struggling and honestly, when Herd broke in under Houllier, and for a spell under McLeish he played well. In fact he's had better runs of form than KEA ever has to be fair to him.

It's either that or I'd play Bacuna in Sylla's position. Whatever we do, we've got to get KEA and Westwood separated. They can't play together.

It would have been totally disrespectful to Albion to play Herd last night. Didn't one of their players nearly die from a life threatening injury after he assaulted them a couple of years ago?

[tomd2103]

                       Guzan

Lowton      Vlaar.     Clark.  Baker(luna)


        Westwood.   Delph.     Kea

Bacuna.      Benteke.            Agbonlahor

Yeah I'd probably go with that as well, though I'd have Westwood in a holding role and give KEA (probably deserves to be in ahead of Sylla) and Delph a chance to go forward a little more.  Losing Okore for such a long period is a blow, as that back four doesn't look the most solid.     

[eastie]

Weimann , benteke and gabby is a potent strikeforce away from home to hit teams with, at home I'm not convinced - I would use bacuna wide right rather than Weimann , bit more creativity about him.

I think the key to fixing that is re-shaping the midfield slightly so we go with more of a 4-2-3-1.  Problem we have is number 10 style player to fit into the middle of the 3.   

Yes , it's a position we really need to address to get the best out of this group of players - if we can get that number 10 type of player it could make a huge difference.

[PeterWithe]

I think Tonevs problem is a lack of concentration, the difficult things he looks quite promising at but he is giving the ball away too many times when he shouldn't.

A few players didnt quite step up to the plate last night, Sylla especially had a chance to cement a place in the side but did himself no favours.

Very glad to get a point all things said.

[PaulTheVillan]

                       Guzan

Lowton      Vlaar.     Clark.  Baker(luna)


        Westwood.   Delph.     Kea

Bacuna.      Benteke.            Agbonlahor

I like this.

[PaulTheVillan]

I thought Kozak was better last night.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

                       Guzan

Lowton      Vlaar.     Clark.  Baker(luna)


        Westwood.   Delph.     Kea

Bacuna.      Benteke.            Agbonlahor

I like this.

This, but without Baker. The guy is a big liability and we look much more prone to letting in goals with him in the team.

[SoccerHQ]

I would flip it. How many of the west brom team would get into our side?

Olsson? Maybe. None of their attackers are as good as ours (including shane long). Their midfielders are solid but nothing beyond KEA level players imho.

Mulumbu, Morrisson, Long, Brunt. All would walk into our team.

Brunt wouldn't. I like Morrison but he hasn't actually been a regular for them. Long and particularly Mulumbu are excellent players for a mid table team.

Our bench was slightly skewed by the injuries as the three that came on would normally be starting so it was stronger than usual. WBA had plenty of options on there bench so yes their squad is probably a year more advance than ours.