Aston Villa v Stoke City post match thread

[Dan England]

Why was Bennett dropped? (why did we change a defence that comfortably dealt with Chelsea)
How is Sylla our only central midfield cover?
Why was Sylla playing wide right?
Why was Albrighton playing the number 10 role?
Why are we still searching for a plan B at home?
What has happened to Gabby?
Why are our players so weak?
Why don't we leave a man up when defending a corner?
Why do teams with awful away records always win at Villa Park?
Grant Holt?

How many utterly dreadful, soul destroying performances are we going to have to deal with before Lambert gets sacked?

Only one I'd question is the Bertrand change given that Bennett has been crap for a lifetime. Everything else bang on.

[stuart445]

This match summed up us under Lambert.

In one game we looked a very good team for part of it and utterly useless in the majority. We went in with hope and confidence, and it was all blown with two stupid goals.

On this occasion, I have to say I lay complete blame with the players. We'd played well the last two home games and went into this game with great confidence. We started well and also played with confidence. What destroyed us was two moments of abysmal play by the players. This in turn drained the confidence out of the players, despite prior to that, and the previous two games, demonstrating we were clearly good enough to have the scoreline at the end of the match in our favour.

I don't get how they can play well and press opponents for only short periods in a match. It's bizarre. Can the players not see what happens when they work hard?

A few mentions regarding the players. Gabby is an awful football player (I would start Albrighton in his position next game). Nathan Baker is always going to be an accident waiting to happen. As for Sylla, I really can't believe he gets paid to play football. Oh, and more evidence that Bacuna isn't really a right-back, and Bertrand is not the player the majority of people seem to think he is.Bennett should've retained his position after his last performance.

Worst game of the season...so far.

on one hand Lambert has Bertrand who has not a bad game before today, on the other hand he has Bennett who's had 1 good game in the 18+ months since he's been here and should have been sent off in the 1 and only good game he's had.  Yeah you're right Lambert is stupid not to pick Bennett over Bertrand

[Legion]

Bennett has had a few good games.

[Clampy]

I'm not sure how much difference Bennett would have made bearing in mind everybody else was off their game as well.

[stuart445]

Bennett has had a few good games.

Name Them? i'll start Chelsea

[eastie]

I'm not sure how much difference Bennett would have made bearing in mind everybody else was off their game as well.

Agreed, the majority of the team were well below par today .

[Deano's Mullet]

3 men up top doesn't work. Put another midfielder in there cos we are usually outnumbered and short of numbers and quality. Gabby was always at his best as part of a duo and thriving off service, Lambert uses him to merely run at defences these days. No point having three men up front if no one to provide service hence why we end up hoofing all the time and playing like the away side even when we are at home. Stoke City - yes Stoke City and this is no insult to them because they played well - passed us off the park, controlled the game and played some killer balls when they needed to. Barring 45 mins vs Liverpool and the odd spell here and there we've looked totally incapable - or Lambert has been unwilling to try - of controlling a match in the same way. As Dave Woodhall said, we're a lot better side when we go out positively which we did for 10 mins today and then just fell to pieces.

[stuart445]

I'm not sure how much difference Bennett would have made bearing in mind everybody else was off their game as well.

Agreed, the majority of the team were well below par today .

I agree we were nothing short of embarrassing today.

[eastie]

3 men up top doesn't work. Put another midfielder in there cos we are usually outnumbered and short of numbers and quality. Gabby was always at his best as part of a duo and thriving off service, Lambert uses him to merely run at defences these days. No point having three men up front if no one to provide service hence why we end up hoofing all the time and playing like the away side even when we are at home. Stoke City - yes Stoke City and this is no insult to them because they played well - passed us off the park, controlled the game and played some killer balls when they needed to. Barring 45 mins vs Liverpool and the odd spell here and there we've looked totally incapable - or Lambert has been unwilling to try - of controlling a match in the same way. As Dave Woodhall said, we're a lot better side when we go out positively which we did for 10 mins today and then just fell to pieces.

Three up front works away but rarely at home and gabby and Weimann have both had poor seasons with only 3 goals each I believe - we need better options than those next season.

[Legion]

I'm not sure how much difference Bennett would have made bearing in mind everybody else was off their game as well.

Agreed, the majority of the team were well below par today .

I agree we were nothing short of embarrassing today.

Second best

[Clark W Griswold]

This match summed up us under Lambert.

In one game we looked a very good team for part of it and utterly useless in the majority. We went in with hope and confidence, and it was all blown with two stupid goals.

On this occasion, I have to say I lay complete blame with the players. We'd played well the last two home games and went into this game with great confidence. We started well and also played with confidence. What destroyed us was two moments of abysmal play by the players. This in turn drained the confidence out of the players, despite prior to that, and the previous two games, demonstrating we were clearly good enough to have the scoreline at the end of the match in our favour.

I don't get how they can play well and press opponents for only short periods in a match. It's bizarre. Can the players not see what happens when they work hard?

A few mentions regarding the players. Gabby is an awful football player (I would start Albrighton in his position next game). Nathan Baker is always going to be an accident waiting to happen. As for Sylla, I really can't believe he gets paid to play football. Oh, and more evidence that Bacuna isn't really a right-back, and Bertrand is not the player the majority of people seem to think he is. Bennett should've retained his position after his last performance.

Worst game of the season...so far.

Gabby's pretty good most of the time but he does go missing at times when we need his experience to tell, like today.
Agree with you on Baker, and i would extend on your comments to say that he is a total fucking abomination of a footballer. If still regular in the side next season we might as well forget any kind of progression.
Bacuna is indeed not a right back but he's a good player with lots of potential and should be playing further up the field. Quite why Lambert doesn't see this is as big a mystery as that plane they've been on about the last few weeks.
Sylla has been a disappointment, but still might have a future.
If we carry on as we did today for the rest of the season, then yes Lambert out.

[PaulWinch again]

Our problem is we don't actually have right back, because neither Lowton or Bacuna can really defend.

[eastie]

I would disagree that gabby is pretty good most of the time - as a villa fan I think he's cut a lot more slack but his poor performances far outweigh his good ones .

Useful impact player off the bench maybe but not a regular first teamer for me.

[Clark W Griswold]

And yes, why continue to train one of Chelseas players whilst leaving our own on the bench especially when there hasn't been a dramatic improvement down that side.

[Damo70]

It was dire stuff but it seems like the Lambert Out brigade were almost hoping for something like this after the last two home games. And some of the biggest vitriol is coming from people who don't actually go to games. I can't defend today but let's at least see how the rest of the season plays out before we get all the knives out of the drawer for him.

What a load of crap!
Take off your rose tinted specs and you'll see the emperor is wearing no clothes!

Eastters I think you will find that some of us are consistent. We know what we are and try not to overboard after a win or a defeat.  Damo70 is bang on.

You disappoint me affers , I expect you to see the wood from the trees

No villa fan was hoping for a defeat today and to suggest that they were is bollocks.

Credit and praise is given when deserved as in the last 2 games but tonight criticism is fully warranted and deserved.

I bid you good evening sir and am going to watch El Classico!

If you read what I put I said that from the over dramatic reaction from some "It seems like" some were "Almost hoping" for something like this. I have no problem with people like Paulie for example who make many valid points about Lambert's reign on the whole and have consistently said the same thing after both good and bad results. If anyone calling for him to go was as keen for him to go this time last week after the Chelsea result then fair play and today they will feel vindicated in their lack of faith. If anyone has jumped directly from happy to give him more time to sack him after today they are fickle. And trust me, I don't have rose tinted specs. I have missed one home game in all competitions since Lambert took over so like many others I have witnessed more than enough slow motion car crashes at Villa Park in such a relatively short space of time, with the added bonus of having to exit the North stand and walk up Witton Lane seeing and hearing celebrating away fans. Ger, I promise you I wasn't trying to be deliberately confrontational. And cheers to Olaftab for having my back.