Everton v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[mattjpa]

Over reaction. We were superb at the back for 60 mins. They'd had one shot on target and playing 3-5-2 had stopped them from being able to pass through us. Vlaar gets injured, can't turn for the first and goes off and we look shoddy at the back. If Vlaar stays fit we take 3 points and people talk about how resilient we are this season and how we are only 7 points behind the toon. Yes I would like us to play more expansive but we weren't poor today. The game plan almost worked a treat.

With the greatest respect this is so far off the mark (IMO). This type of performance (similar to west ham against Chelsea) will probably yield a result 1 in about 10 times. If you constantly submit possession and territory you will almost always cave eventually and if you don't it will almost certainly be down to luck. Our defence was excellent for 60mins but they were constantly being pressed. That was barely a game plan, don't let organised defending cloud a complete reluctance to try and play football. I could accept that performance (just about) if we were playing bayern Munich. But we weren't, we were playing a below strength team assembled for a similar amount of money, missing their main and only real striker coming off the back of a 4-0 defeat by a team playing a style and formation we usually utilise and get results away from home with. Their manager is using someone else's players and has been in his position a lot less time than ours.

[PaulWinch again]

I think we need some perspective here. Everton are a quality top 6 side. Also we do need to accept highs and lows. After Wednesday today should come as no surprise. West Ham a big game now.
Without wishing to sound like the manager, we go again.

It's not the result so much but the manner of it.

Indeed.

Losing at Goodison isn't embarrassing.

Playing like that with less than 30% possession is though.

And it is hardly rare. We managed less possession than that *at home* to Swansea.

It is embarrassing. McLeish made me embarrassed to be a Villa fan with his tactics, Lambert is now doing the same.

Yep it's appalling.

[Rudy65]

Manager reaction from Goodison Park. 

Paul Lambert felt his side were very unlucky not to leave Goodison with a point after a late double earned Everton all three points.  'I thought the lads were really excellent in the first half against a really strong side especially at home.  We got the goal deservedly and I thought we could push on from there.  They came back strong in the 2nd half but I thought we still had good chances to settle it.  There isn't much you can do about the quality of the strike that wins it but I felt we deserved something today for our work rate.  But you move on and go again on Monday.'

Ha ha. I would laugh if I thought he was joking but her seriously believes what he is saying and for that reason we will never under improve under him.

Where exactly were the chances to settle it he mentions?

[Malandro]

what I took from the baggies game - we conceded 3 to a rubbish team, could have easily conceded another 3 and we were lucky to hold on in the end. Is that negative? I don't think do, its how it panned out.
At home.

Please god can some fruitcake pay what Randy wants.

[Matt Collins]

Manager reaction from Goodison Park. 

Paul Lambert felt his side were very unlucky not to leave Goodison with a point after a late double earned Everton all three points.  'I thought the lads were really excellent in the first half against a really strong side especially at home.  We got the goal deservedly and I thought we could push on from there.  They came back strong in the 2nd half but I thought we still had good chances to settle it.  There isn't much you can do about the quality of the strike that wins it but I felt we deserved something today for our work rate.  But you move on and go again on Monday.'

I wonder what good chances in the second half lambert is thinking about?

[Irish villain]

In twenty years' time, we'll be talking about how shit it was to be Villa fans now.

I hope this is as bad as it gets. Without serious investment in the summer I fear for us next season as the young and hungry players aren't improving enough and I am sure the teams in the bottom half who survive will be busting a gut to strengthen in the summer.

[Deano's Mullet]

I would love to see his reaction upon seeing those stats from earlier. I really would. Whos he kidding?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Week after week barely any attempt to play football. No midfield, as we don't need one, aimless long balls at  Benteke, occasionally combined with extreme defensiveness.

A decent result against Albion and a creditable draw at Anfield were nice but this season has been far more about the sort of shit we saw today.

We don't even try to play football.

If I weren't a Villa fan, we are exactly the sort of team I'd like to see get relegated. It us embarrassing, it was like that under McLeish and performances like today are no better.

Anyone who thinks this midfield, having opted not to strengthen, is going to mean anything other than this long ball shit till the end of the season is going to be disappointed.

I've now reached the point at which I can only think of one reason not to sack Lambert, and that is because it'd mean starting all over again, which manages to be more depressing a thought than seeing out the season playing like this.

I don't give a toss if we are five points and several places above the drop zone, if we carry on with this 30% possession shit we won't be there much longer. It is just embarrassing to watch, like Stoke except we're too brainless to do the gamesmanship stuff.

Good post and agree with all except one point. We wouldn't have to "start again" if we bring in a new manager. We need a manager that can bring out the best from this squad and develop them, basically somebody that understands how to play football, has a plan and can build  on it. It's so bloody obvious Lambert is not that man, in fact he's the absolute opposite of what we need. He's way out of his depth.

[PaulWinch again]

That interview sums up Lambert, he genuinely doesn't seem to understand football.

[curiousorange]

I can't claim I wanted Martinez to come to Villa after McLeish was sacked, but it's not as if Wigan Athletic were swimming in cash either. Why couldn't we find a manager anywhere that plays decent football within financial constraints?

[hartman_1982]

People taking issue with him changing a winning side, it isn't the 80's. Also, was that not exactly what MON got slagged for? He picked a formation to stifle the opposition and for 65 minutes he got it spot on. We used the ball poorly but to me we looked shattered, maybe Wednesday night took it out of us?

How many times have we are we going to hear well it worked for 65 minutes?

Yea, during that 65 minutes we had the ball for about 18 of them and that is the lack of quality showing.

They had one shot on target in those 65 minutes and then Vlaar got injured. The debate about whether we should have signed a CB is there to be had but I don't think you can slaughter us today. We were well worth the lead in the first half, the second half was poor but I honestly think the mental night we had n Wednesday might have had something to do with that. Worth noting that the Everton v Liverpool game was dead after 30 mins and they had an extra days rest.

[Tuco Salamanca]

Manager reaction from Goodison Park. 

Paul Lambert felt his side were very unlucky not to leave Goodison with a point after a late double earned Everton all three points.  'I thought the lads were really excellent in the first half against a really strong side especially at home.  We got the goal deservedly and I thought we could push on from there.  They came back strong in the 2nd half but I thought we still had good chances to settle it.  There isn't much you can do about the quality of the strike that wins it but I felt we deserved something today for our work rate.  But you move on and go again on Monday.'

Ha ha. I would laugh if I thought he was joking but her seriously believes what he is saying and for that reason we will never under improve under him.

Where exactly were the chances to settle it he mentions?

Don't you remember that hoof up field that Benteke nearly touched? All he had to do was bring it down, beat 3 men and stick it in the top corner.

Such fine margins...

[spangley1812]

Manager reaction - Everton 2-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert: "We were excellent up until that first Everton goal, then the second it's a world-class free-kick but I'm not sure we deserved to lose the game."

[not3bad]

Bacuna goal

Nice goal.

[Richard C]

Please explain why Vlaar was taken off in that scenario. I did not see that his leg had fallen off and that is about the only reason I would accept. Stupid.

Any chance you can let us know what Randy' s plans for the future of the club actually are?