Sunderland v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Dave Clark Five]

Luna has been hopeless. I would gladly see Joe Bennett or Enda Stevens there instead.  Don't know why we jettisoned players like Eric Lichaj, then brought in players like Luna, who are no better.
 

I never understood us releasing Lichaj. If Tony Moon had a normal name, he would not have instantly risen to cult status before kicking a ball. He needs to sharpen his game up but a regular back four would help all concerned.

[curiousorange]

Nothing the matter with Albrighton. The first the goalie did his job. The second he should have done better . But hes a breath of fresh air when he attacks his defender.

I think he's been very good since he's come back. He offers us something a little bit different to what Weimann does on the right hand side and the way we play on the break away from home will suit him, especially coming off the bench like he did yesterday.

Albrighton has come back into the side and is taking his chance well, unlike others that have had the same opportunity.

[curiousorange]

Luna has been hopeless. I would gladly see Joe Bennett or Enda Stevens there instead.  Don't know why we jettisoned players like Eric Lichaj, then brought in players like Luna, who are no better.
 

I never understood us releasing Lichaj. If Tony Moon had a normal name, he would not have instantly risen to cult status before kicking a ball. He needs to sharpen his game up but a regular back four would help all concerned.

I do think Joe Bennett is fast joining the list of 'if only he was fit, we'd be fine' players we've had over the past few seasons. There were signs of improvement last season but I still think he's as much a liability as Luna.

[Pete3206]

He also coped with Navas better than any other left back when he has come on.

In Luna's defence, he has to do a lot of work given the ineffectiveness of the players he's had in front of him down the left hand side. The goal and performance at Arsenal made me think we had a player. As for Navas, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't we play 5 at the back against Man City, with Luna playing a bit further forward? Perhaps he's better suited to that formation. I also seemed to remember him being a bit fortunate in the Man City game not to give away a penalty.

His showing lately have been not so much disappointing as alarming. He's always out of position and seems to be easily 'skinned' by attacking players. 'hopeless' (my own description) is perhaps harsh, but he does seem to be struggling terribly at the moment.

[sirlordbaltimore]

I reckon Marc should get an extended run now as his cameos have been pretty good since he came back off loan.

To really benefit we need him getting 90 minute run outs, and i can't see anyone more deserving of the chop than Weimann. So it sorts itself out really

[RussellC]

Nothing the matter with Albrighton. The first the goalie did his job. The second he should have done better . But hes a breath of fresh air when he attacks his defender.

I think he's been very good since he's come back. He offers us something a little bit different to what Weimann does on the right hand side and the way we play on the break away from home will suit him, especially coming off the bench like he did yesterday.

I think there's a certain amount of sentimentality that goes with Albrighton because he's "one of us", and he shows the effort and enthusiasm on the pitch that we all love to see. I can't fault him for that.

However, I genuinely can't think of anything that he's done since he came back from Wigan that would lead you to conclude that he's been "very good." He's an attacking player that offers very little else, and I can't remember his last goal or assist.

The fact that he won the MOTM award against United was, IMHO, a sad indictment of how bad the rest of the team were that day.

Effort and enthusiasm are brilliant, but Premiership wingers need genuine quality. Look at the teams in-and-around us- Assaidi at Stoke, Elmohamady at Hull, Amalfitano at West Brom. They're all much better players than Albrighton, and I'd even go as far as to say the likes of Bolasie at Palace and Noone at Cardiff have more end product.

[Legion]

I would agree with no-one at Cardiff having more end product.

[paul_e]

When considering Albrighton's performance you have to balance the miss (which was poor) with his work for Delph's chance at the death where he did excellently to completely skin Bardsley (I can imagine the reaction on here if someone did that to Luna) and then had the composure to take his time and find the right pass.  I think Albrighton looked very good when he came on, and was probably our best player in the last 20 as he gave us an outlet when we had the ball and he gave Bacuna a lot of support in defence.

[Clampy]

Nothing the matter with Albrighton. The first the goalie did his job. The second he should have done better . But hes a breath of fresh air when he attacks his defender.

I think he's been very good since he's come back. He offers us something a little bit different to what Weimann does on the right hand side and the way we play on the break away from home will suit him, especially coming off the bench like he did yesterday.

However, I genuinely can't think of anything that he's done since he came back from Wigan that would lead you to conclude that he's been "very good." He's an attacking player that offers very little else, and I can't remember his last goal or assist.

Like I said he's offered us something different and yes I think he's been 'very good' and a lot of other people on here seem to think he's made a difference since he's been back as well. You're in a minority by the look of it and we're not going to agree so I'll leave it at that.

[Ron Manager]

Nothing the matter with Albrighton. The first the goalie did his job. The second he should have done better . But hes a breath of fresh air when he attacks his defender.

I think he's been very good since he's come back. He offers us something a little bit different to what Weimann does on the right hand side and the way we play on the break away from home will suit him, especially coming off the bench like he did yesterday.

I think there's a certain amount of sentimentality that goes with Albrighton because he's "one of us", and he shows the effort and enthusiasm on the pitch that we all love to see. I can't fault him for that.

However, I genuinely can't think of anything that he's done since he came back from Wigan that would lead you to conclude that he's been "very good." He's an attacking player that offers very little else, and I can't remember his last goal or assist.

The fact that he won the MOTM award against United was, IMHO, a sad indictment of how bad the rest of the team were that day.

Effort and enthusiasm are brilliant, but Premiership wingers need genuine quality. Look at the teams in-and-around us- Assaidi at Stoke, Elmohamady at Hull, Amalfitano at West Brom. They're all much better players than Albrighton, and I'd even go as far as to say the likes of Bolasie at Palace and Noone at Cardiff have more end product.

Sentimentality utter rubbish! Couldnt care less if he was born on the pitch. He's starting to play well. I would assume thats why Lambert is playing him.

[supertom]

In the last few games Albrighton has delivered some great balls in to the box that any decent/in form CF would absolutely dream of getting on the end of, but then no ones attacked them. I mean Benteke for example just seems a little fearful of the penalty area right now. There was one great ball yesterday (from Lowton I think) which Bacuna went for at the far post. He couldn't quite reach it though, but honestly, last season he wouldn't have had a chance because Benteke would have been in his place on the end of it, instead of standing dead just inside the box.

But in the last few games Albrighton has tossed in a few good balls in that area along the 6 yard line which thriving strikers love to attack. The trouble is we've not seen enough of our players really getting into these areas when Albrightons delivering. We've got to get players in the box, attacking these areas better. That in part comes with confidence.

He's not a brilliant player but he's good and he's getting into good positions too. At the very least the effort and determination is always there.

[oldhill_avfc]

I think you're a touch harsh on Luna, I thought he started poorly for the first 20minutes but after that I think he was fine.  I think he'll be ok for us, he's clearly struggled with the pacey guys but I think he's learning, he's also been on his own on the left a bit too often for a guy new to league, Bennett had the same problem last year and it took him 20 odd games learn how to play in our system.  Luna's issues seem very similar to Bennett's for me and there are 2:

1. He gets caught 2 on 1 and does nothing, he needs to learn to make a decision early in that situation and do the best he can.  Once he's more decisive the other players around him will get used to what he's going to do and can help him better.

2. He gets drawn infield and leaves himself vulnerable to crossfield passes, this is a common one for fullbacks, it's very easy to take a couple of extra steps inside to give yourself a bit of time and end up out of position, this will improve with experience.

You can analyse things as much as you like but only one there's only one conclusion - he's absolutely useless and by far the worst player in a very poor team. 

That's far from the only conclusion that can be made about a 22year old after 15 games in a league very different to his previous one.  the sensible conclusion is that he's struggled in the same way Bennett did (Lowton and Bacuna as well to an extent, but they've made up for it with 2 wonder goals and natural athleticism), and, like Bennett, there have been signs that he has enough ability to make it but he needs to keep fit and keep learning.  People on here (and everywhere really) are far to eager to label a player as 'useless' without really giving them any time to settle in to a new club/league/country, it's almost as if the concept of improving with experience is lost on people.

Ok then - I'll clarify - he's useless at the moment.

I don't think the premiership is the place to be learning the basics of the game.  Both Bennett and Luna fall far short of the standard required and need to learn their trade elsewhere - in the reserves, on loan or permanently at another club.

I don't mind the current policy of buying hopeful prospects with a view to seeing how they cope or developing them.  We shouldn't however be relying on them.  That is the only aspect on which I feel a certain degree of sympathy.

[RussellC]

Nothing the matter with Albrighton. The first the goalie did his job. The second he should have done better . But hes a breath of fresh air when he attacks his defender.

I think he's been very good since he's come back. He offers us something a little bit different to what Weimann does on the right hand side and the way we play on the break away from home will suit him, especially coming off the bench like he did yesterday.

However, I genuinely can't think of anything that he's done since he came back from Wigan that would lead you to conclude that he's been "very good." He's an attacking player that offers very little else, and I can't remember his last goal or assist.

Like I said he's offered us something different and yes I think he's been 'very good' and a lot of other people on here seem to think he's made a difference since he's been back as well. You're in a minority by the look of it and we're not going to agree so I'll leave it at that.

Fair enough, I'm not looking to pick an argument and am well aware that MA's highly thought of by lots of Villa fans. I think we both agree that he's currently a better option that Wiemann on our right handside so we'll see what the next few games bring.

[Monty]

Football's a team game, and there's only so much that Albrighton can actually do on his own without the help of his teammates. When he's played he's taken on and beaten defenders, passed accurately and crossed dangerously. Unfortunately for him, nobody else was doing anything competent and all his work was wasted - until his cameo against Sunderland the other day. Then Westwood was passing it properly and Benteke's touch seemed to be coming back (we've all said how all he needed was a goal - maybe all he needed was a strong bursting run and shot heroically cleared off the line, because he must have felt back to something like normal there) and even Weimann really improved in the last twenty minutes of the game. Then, after all that, Albrighton shanked up the big chance he's deserved for a while. Funny sport, this.

[Ron Manager]

In the last few games Albrighton has delivered some great balls in to the box that any decent/in form CF would absolutely dream of getting on the end of, but then no ones attacked them. I mean Benteke for example just seems a little fearful of the penalty area right now. There was one great ball yesterday (from Lowton I think) which Bacuna went for at the far post. He couldn't quite reach it though, but honestly, last season he wouldn't have had a chance because Benteke would have been in his place on the end of it, instead of standing dead just inside the box.

But in the last few games Albrighton has tossed in a few good balls in that area along the 6 yard line which thriving strikers love to attack. The trouble is we've not seen enough of our players really getting into these areas when Albrightons delivering. We've got to get players in the box, attacking these areas better. That in part comes with confidence.

He's not a brilliant player but he's good and he's getting into good positions too. At the very least the effort and determination is always there.

Agree with these comments. On Benteke,however, I thought he was showing considerable signs that he is coming into form on yesterdays performance.