Aston Villa v Sunderland Post-Match Thread

[villa `cross the mersey]

Lambert summed it up in one word, frustrating. We just needed a goal to open them up but we didn't really look like scoring it.

As for Benteke, he's just off form and nothing more. He's coming back from his first ever injury and he's finding it tough. Once he get's a goal,  he'll be fine.

I see things differently Clampy - At times yesterday he just wasn`t trying at all - he didnt win an aerial ball all game and hardly seemed to be able to jump.  Someone earlier compared his performance to the one Dwight had at Goodison years ago - and I too recalled that yesterday.
He looked disinterested and lethargic. We can only speculate as to why he is not performing - he certainly didn`t even remotely look like scoring. Are we trading him in January?

As to the performance from the rest of the team - we are bereft of skill (many of the team cannot even control the ball and have poor first touch - Weiman and Bacuna spring to mind.) Gabby gave his all but I wished he would he would always run direct at goal rather than across it - yesterday he had 3 and 4 players around him when he was attacking at pace - get yourself into the box and one of those defenders will almost certainly make a lunge at him.
We play too deep at home and fail to press the opposition - when Lambert first arrived I loved the way he got the team to press - why has that stopped? This week  I watched Valencia players close down Swansea each and every time they were on the ball. Its simple but effective.
We allow teams to push us high up the park - we have enough young players who should have the energy to do just that - or are they not fit enough?
Everything is just so flat at Villa Park - the team , the fans , the whole atmosphere is just not right.
It is a sign of the times when well supported clubs like Sunderland fail to sell their allocation or is that a reflection of their poor away form?

For those of you identifying the green shoots of recovery I admire your sense of vision - personally I consider that the team are mirroring the manager`s personality - dour and uninspiring

Why did he not play Lowton at the back and push Bacuna forward like he did against Cardiff?

I am led to believe that there may be 3 signings sanctioned either in the January window or in the summer - I sincerely hope they will be players with more experience, flair, skill and technique.

Finally - there is a reason why Luna is not playing for one of the top sides in Spain - he is woeful.

[dave.woodhall]

The fact that we are all still arguing and debating means that we care and expect better no matter how deluded we may appear - the day we accept just being in the Premiership as our reason for being we become the Albion. Keep ranting Villans!

I did attend hungover and it did have a numbing effect ;-)

Bang on. We shouldn't just be happy with just being in the PL. We're Aston Villa, not the Albion or Stoke etc. We are into our 4th season of struggle now, this hasn't happened in decades. We should demand better.

It isn't happening now. It might not suit your argument but we are in the top half.

True, but we're still painful to watch. You'd have to be some kind of masochist to enjoy the football this season, and like it or not we're only 6 points above the relegation zone.

And six points behind Manchester City. This season has been horrible at times but we can both remember rebuilding work under previous managers that was equally bad (Saunders' first season after promotion, BFR's first one, Sir Graham's second, Brian Little's first) but brought eventual rewards.

[Chris Smith]

The fact that we are all still arguing and debating means that we care and expect better no matter how deluded we may appear - the day we accept just being in the Premiership as our reason for being we become the Albion. Keep ranting Villans!

I did attend hungover and it did have a numbing effect ;-)

Bang on. We shouldn't just be happy with just being in the PL. We're Aston Villa, not the Albion or Stoke etc. We are into our 4th season of struggle now, this hasn't happened in decades. We should demand better.

It isn't happening now. It might not suit your argument but we are in the top half.

True, but we're still painful to watch. You'd have to be some kind of masochist to enjoy the football this season, and like it or not we're only 6 points above the relegation zone.

And six points below sixth place. We're as mid table as it is possible to be.

Most of it isn't pretty, you're right, but the critics are moving the goal posts. Last season it was that they'd settle for dull and boring if it meant not conceding soft goals every week. We look to have sorted that out so now they switch their sights to something else.

[supertom]

I'd like to see Robinson and Johnson given some game time. Both attack minded with ability. The opposition won't really have much idea about them, so they could take people by surprise. Both seem comfortable with the ball at their feet too.
We need some sort of creative spark from somewhere.

[garyshawsknee]

The fact that we are all still arguing and debating means that we care and expect better no matter how deluded we may appear - the day we accept just being in the Premiership as our reason for being we become the Albion. Keep ranting Villans!

I did attend hungover and it did have a numbing effect ;-)

Bang on. We shouldn't just be happy with just being in the PL. We're Aston Villa, not the Albion or Stoke etc. We are into our 4th season of struggle now, this hasn't happened in decades. We should demand better.

It isn't happening now. It might not suit your argument but we are in the top half.

True, but we're still painful to watch. You'd have to be some kind of masochist to enjoy the football this season, and like it or not we're only 6 points above the relegation zone.

And six points behind Manchester City. This season has been horrible at times but we can both remember rebuilding work under previous managers that was equally bad (Saunders' first season after promotion, BFR's first one, Sir Graham's second, Brian Little's first) but brought eventual rewards.

I remember Big Rons first season, and didn't we hardly score for 2 months until we thrashed Spurs at WHL in early April ? The lack of patience in football shown by Chairman,players,fans,etc is becoming more depressing for me than Skys over hyped bullshit.

[aj2k77]

I can see why Luna was in a relegated spanish side that shipped a shit load of goals, he's worse than Bennett, I hope it wasn't £2m we paid for him. If Bennett bulked up a bit he wouldn't be so bad either.

[saunders_heroes]

The fact that we are all still arguing and debating means that we care and expect better no matter how deluded we may appear - the day we accept just being in the Premiership as our reason for being we become the Albion. Keep ranting Villans!

I did attend hungover and it did have a numbing effect ;-)

Bang on. We shouldn't just be happy with just being in the PL. We're Aston Villa, not the Albion or Stoke etc. We are into our 4th season of struggle now, this hasn't happened in decades. We should demand better.

It isn't happening now. It might not suit your argument but we are in the top half.

True, but we're still painful to watch. You'd have to be some kind of masochist to enjoy the football this season, and like it or not we're only 6 points above the relegation zone.

And six points behind Manchester City. This season has been horrible at times but we can both remember rebuilding work under previous managers that was equally bad (Saunders' first season after promotion, BFR's first one, Sir Graham's second, Brian Little's first) but brought eventual rewards.

You're right we've had rebuilding work before but when was the last time we've been this bad for so long? This is our 4th season of just horrible football now, when is it going to end? It's the lack of investment that's depressing me. You just can't compete in the PL without real investment, and it looks like Lerner has given up. If I knew that he was going to increase the quality of player we sign in the near future I'd be a little bit more positive but I just don't see any evidence of it. The players we signed in the summer look out of their depth and it's showing on the pitch.

[mrastonvilla]

I think playing 4-3-3 we are over reliant upon the front three getting the majority of the goals especially when all 3 in the middle are largely defensive midfielders.

When the front three are returning from injury/out of form/ facing 10 men behind the ball we will struggle to break teams down and get a lot of performances like yesterday.

We need to find a more effective plan B, but I'm not sure the other players in our squad are quite good enough to achieve this yet. Hopefully with more experience and a couple of buys in January we can retain the defensive solidity but improve the attacking balance of the side.

[aj2k77]

The fact that we are all still arguing and debating means that we care and expect better no matter how deluded we may appear - the day we accept just being in the Premiership as our reason for being we become the Albion. Keep ranting Villans!

I did attend hungover and it did have a numbing effect ;-)

Bang on. We shouldn't just be happy with just being in the PL. We're Aston Villa, not the Albion or Stoke etc. We are into our 4th season of struggle now, this hasn't happened in decades. We should demand better.

It isn't happening now. It might not suit your argument but we are in the top half.

True, but we're still painful to watch. You'd have to be some kind of masochist to enjoy the football this season, and like it or not we're only 6 points above the relegation zone.

And six points behind Manchester City. This season has been horrible at times but we can both remember rebuilding work under previous managers that was equally bad (Saunders' first season after promotion, BFR's first one, Sir Graham's second, Brian Little's first) but brought eventual rewards.

You're right we've had rebuilding work before but when was the last time we've been this bad for so long?

The 60's.

[Clampy]

I don't think Luna's that bad. It's his first season in English football and he's adjusting to the league, just like Vlaar was doing last season and this season he looks better for it.

[saunders_heroes]

The fact that we are all still arguing and debating means that we care and expect better no matter how deluded we may appear - the day we accept just being in the Premiership as our reason for being we become the Albion. Keep ranting Villans!

I did attend hungover and it did have a numbing effect ;-)

Bang on. We shouldn't just be happy with just being in the PL. We're Aston Villa, not the Albion or Stoke etc. We are into our 4th season of struggle now, this hasn't happened in decades. We should demand better.

It isn't happening now. It might not suit your argument but we are in the top half.

True, but we're still painful to watch. You'd have to be some kind of masochist to enjoy the football this season, and like it or not we're only 6 points above the relegation zone.

And six points behind Manchester City. This season has been horrible at times but we can both remember rebuilding work under previous managers that was equally bad (Saunders' first season after promotion, BFR's first one, Sir Graham's second, Brian Little's first) but brought eventual rewards.

I remember Big Rons first season, and didn't we hardly score for 2 months until we thrashed Spurs at WHL in early April ? The lack of patience in football shown by Chairman,players,fans,etc is becoming more depressing for me than Skys over hyped bullshit.

But the following season we nearly won the league title.

[dave.woodhall]

The fact that we are all still arguing and debating means that we care and expect better no matter how deluded we may appear - the day we accept just being in the Premiership as our reason for being we become the Albion. Keep ranting Villans!

I did attend hungover and it did have a numbing effect ;-)

Bang on. We shouldn't just be happy with just being in the PL. We're Aston Villa, not the Albion or Stoke etc. We are into our 4th season of struggle now, this hasn't happened in decades. We should demand better.

It isn't happening now. It might not suit your argument but we are in the top half.

True, but we're still painful to watch. You'd have to be some kind of masochist to enjoy the football this season, and like it or not we're only 6 points above the relegation zone.

And six points behind Manchester City. This season has been horrible at times but we can both remember rebuilding work under previous managers that was equally bad (Saunders' first season after promotion, BFR's first one, Sir Graham's second, Brian Little's first) but brought eventual rewards.

You're right we've had rebuilding work before but when was the last time we've been this bad for so long? This is our 4th season of just horrible football now, when is it going to end? It's the lack of investment that's depressing me. You just can't compete in the PL without real investment, and it looks like Lerner has given up. If I knew that he was going to increase the quality of player we sign in the near future I'd be a little bit more positive but I just don't see any evidence of it. The players we signed in the summer look out of their depth and it's showing on the pitch.

Those four years you mention include one when we finished ninth despite everything going wrong from start to finish and this one which is currently a third completed. 

[villa `cross the mersey]

Likewise Chris - last year we battered a poor Sunderland side and scored six  - yesterday we played an equally poor Sunderland side and never even looked like scoring, whilst they will consider themselves unlucky not to have got 3 or 4.
As I state in my earlier post it is the manner in which we are playing at home that has got people frustrated - and I think rightly so.
Sunderland were there for the taking in my opinion - we failed to play intelligently enough to break them down.
Ok, maybe we are grinding out results and slowly advancing towards the 40 points to register safety for this season, however I would expect us to be able get some additional points on the board against a very weak Sunderland team, especially when we feature potent centre forward like Benteke on the pitch - although his potency of late is somewhat lacking  - injury or cofidence? I don`t care, however I do expect effort and that was seriously lacking yesterday.
Oh well, for us Villa fans 10th place is now the new "4th"

At least we know what we are !!

[dave.woodhall]

Oh well, for us Villa fans 10th place is now the new "4th"

You're sounding like Paul Franks there. Nobody sees tenth as a long-term goal but for this season it would represent improvement.

[andyaston]

Dave, will Lambert actually buy a player with previous Premier league experience?