Aston Villa vs Everton Post-Match Thread

[Tom_Mc9?]

I was somebody on the match thread who was saying it isn't as bad as everybody is making out. I am clearly in the minority but will try to clarify some things that I said here.
I know we weren't great yesterday. Again we struggled with creativity and let in goals that were avoidable. However, we have now finished a five game run against teams that are clearly better than us. It would be easy for all of the players to have let their heads drop, but I don't think next week they'll be nervous or worried about playing QPR. I think provided Redknapp is still QPR's manager, we have a good chance of beating them (and so we should)
Delph's injury is clearly a concern, but without making an utterly stupid comment by suggesting we should be pleased he's injured, our midfield hasn't been working for months and months now. Nothing is created for the forward line and too often it just gets bypassed. There is a chance that his injury will make Lambert readdress the midfield and try something different.
I saw some evidence yesterday that our passing was working well - as I said yesterday there were two moves around the half hour mark that were excellent. I know this isn't exactly non-stop waves of attack, but if that develops it will be good.

I know Lambert's downfalls. I know we've been on declines for years (possibly for a good decade or two really). I wasn't defending a 0-3 defeat for the sake of it. Football has changed - it's becoming less and less appealing for a fan outside the top four. However, I don't think we're quite 'the worst team by far in the Premier League' that some posters are suggesting. At the end of August, things were smelling a bit more of roses. If they still were now, we would have had to have played superbly against teams that are financially streets ahead of us. Sadly that's what it boils down to.

Finally, is calling Lambert 'Lamberk' that funny? Maybe I'll start calling N'Zogbia N'Zzzzzzzogbia forever because he gave away the ball for the second goal! Ha!!

Incidentally I had a dream that on the front page of The Times Lerner had said he'd take £0 for Aston Villa and was coming to some games high as a kite on marijuana. Maybe that explains some of your complaints on him?

[silhillvilla]

To be honest I lost all trust and confidence in Lerner the day he appointed Mcleish . When the news first broke I thought it was some sort of sick practical joke that had seeped it's way through social media. No. From that point on my view of Lerner changed . Only a man with complete contempt and disdain for the fanbase could have made that decision.
I will be honest we have ST's but we have yet to set foot in villa park this season and that's not changing anytime soon. I actually get more fun and entertainment nowadays watching spongebob squarepants than watching villa go through the motions.
It's very sad state of affairs as my blood runs claret and blue but this simply isn't enjoyable anymore .

[Legion]

I was at Walsall v Crewe with members of my school football team being ball boys and girls. I just accepted each goal update with an air of disinterested resignation.

[andyh]

Tom, you staunchly stood your ground on the match thread yesterday and fair play to you.
But, this stuff about playing teams who are 'clearly better than us' really gets on my tits.

For a start, we were above Everton in the league before yesterday, we still are.
I'm not stupid enough to think that makes us a better team than them, but I did expect we would give them a bloody game.  As it was, they did not need to break sweat to comprehensively beat us.

Yes, some teams are better than us, of course they are, that's the nature of the game.
But for heavens sake, let's have an expectation that we will at least compete in EVERY game, and not accept that this is our lot.

'Can't compete against the big teams ' gets on my tits as much as 'winnable games'

There is a mindset that has developed where some casually write off defeats to 'big teams' because we have a QPR or Burnley Or Hull coming up sometime in the next 10 games.
Now, that really does get on my tits!.

[peter w]

I actually wanted to log on to bbc football to find that he'd gone. Where's Leighton's flag making when you need him?

[Jimbo]

And you can bet your balti pie money that the likes of QPR, Burnley or Hull won't be looking at us thinking "well, Villa are better than us, so let's not worry about giving them a game." They'll be looking to take all the points.

[VillaAlways]

I actually wanted to log on to bbc football to find that he'd gone. Where's Leighton's flag making when you need him?

Seriously, did you really think there was any chance of him being sacked after yesterday ? We could lose the next 5 and his job would be safe as houses, the man is under no pressure whatsoever.

[Clampy]

I will be honest we have ST's but we have yet to set foot in villa park this season and that's not changing anytime soon.

What's kind of protest is that? Isn't that a bit pointless?

[peter w]

I actually wanted to log on to bbc football to find that he'd gone. Where's Leighton's flag making when you need him?

Seriously, did you really think there was any chance of him being sacked after yesterday ? We could lose the next 5 and his job would be safe as houses, the man is under no pressure whatsoever.

Which is why i said the pressure needs to come from the terraces.

[andyh]

I will be honest we have ST's but we have yet to set foot in villa park this season and that's not changing anytime soon.

What's kind of protest is that? Isn't that a bit pointless?

Maybe it's not a protest as such.
But to me, it speaks volumes about the apathy that has been generated by the club.

[silhillvilla]

I will be honest we have ST's but we have yet to set foot in villa park this season and that's not changing anytime soon.

What's kind of protest is that? Isn't that a bit pointless?

I agree. We shouldn't have renewed in hindsight. There's a mixture of reasons we haven't been, summer holidays, moved kick off times coupled with an air of apathy and resignation to the present malaise . Spurs is moved to Sunday afternoon so can't do that, Leicester is moved too as I suspect will be Yanited then it's Xmas period so possibly can't go now until Liverpool on Jan 17. We are going up to burnley away a few of us but are debating just a night out and give the game itself a miss.

[Tom_Mc9?]

And you can bet your balti pie money that the likes of QPR, Burnley or Hull won't be looking at us thinking "well, Villa are better than us, so let's not worry about giving them a game." They'll be looking to take all the points.

I think if N'Zogbia hadn't given the ball away two minutes into the second half, it might have been a lot different. (If my aunt had bollocks...) There's also a difference between a match between Villa and Hull/QPR/Burnley and a match between Villa and Man City/Liverpool/Arsenal/Chelsea/(to a lesser degree, but still the £28m on Lukaku) Everton. There just is and that's the shitness of modern football. I might go and watch Boldmere St. Mikes next week for fairer competition and better quality football.

[Ads]

Nobody cares whether you attend games, watch them on your laptop or walk your dog instead on a match day. Why there is the constant need for those sort of posts I have no idea.

Tom, I think you're right. We were decent in he first half and the passing up to the box was good. We had opportunities to put the ball in there, which we did five or so times, but the delivery wasn't great. That said, Everton looked panicked at the back, as they struggled to deal with the ball going in there. I thought we could get something out of the second half, which we started the stronger. The break and awful keeping from Guzan took any air out of the sails.

Everton are clearly nowhere near as good as any of the three sides we played prior to this, but if you say they'll finish top 7, you probably won't be far wrong. You gift anybody the goals we did yesterday and you will struggle.

The front three have to move. You saw the difference in Lukaku, Naismith, Osman dropping off and moving along the line. It created passing opportunities for their midfield. You don't have to be brilliant, as those three plainly aren't, to be capable. Benteke needs games to be sharp, so you can understand him, as his quality is undeniable. Gabby though in he first half was neither playing wide nor up front and you would often see him tucking in with midfield. Second half he was pushed centrally on Barry, and didn't do a very good job of pressuring fat boy, but he has to offer more.

I think that's why people are so keen on Grealish, because whatever his age or experience, he is massively different from the rest of the midfield. I think the three we played yesterday are too similar. We know Delph is out and that Sanchez will come in at some point, but a the moment Westwood deep and Richardson, Cleverley (who did play well as somebody else pointed out) don't offer enough variation. Taking one out, and I am thinking Richardson, maybe something to look at, pushing Cleverley further up with a more defined attacking role.

We have to start thinking about varying, as we aren't creating enough at the moment, quality of opposition aside. Important we don't lose to QPR and stop the rot. The chance to build some confidence then before we go into an interesting run of games against sides not too dissimilar than those we did well against in the first three games.

[Legion]

Are there any links to highlights as I missed MotD.

[Ron Manager]

Morning chaps. What interests me is the fact that (according to a few of you) Lerner was there yesterday. That in itself is very unusual. Why did he come across the pond to show his face? I cannot think of a logical reason unless something is happening. I do hope so. Anything to raise our spirits. Anything at all will do