Aston Villa vs Tottenham Post-Match Thread

[Des Little]

While I think we set better, I still don't think we should be shoehorning Cleverley wide, play him central and get Grealish out there.

Totally agree

Grealish wide is wasted. He should be playing behind the front man.

Getting the fucker on the pitch would be a start.

[Rudy65]

While I think we set better, I still don't think we should be shoehorning Cleverley wide, play him central and get Grealish out there.

Cleverly and Westwood were practically holding hands some of the game.

Better to start with Richardson and bring Westwood on after an hour to replace Sanchez

I thought Baker played well. And Weimann had a good game. CNZ was ok until he too got tired.

CNZ tired? Youre having a laugh, he doesn't do enough to get tired!

[Rudy65]

While I think we set better, I still don't think we should be shoehorning Cleverley wide, play him central and get Grealish out there.

Totally agree

Grealish wide is wasted. He should be playing behind the front man.

Agree.

The trouble is now Cleverley is here, Jacks opportunities are very limited

[Mortimer's Bear]

It's the sense of inevitability about the whole thing that shows just how poor we are, when their second goal went in I didn't even feel angry.

[Mister E]

Both the Gaurdian and Independent describe CB's intervention as a 'slap to Mason's face' - not sure it was even that forceful.

[claret and blue blood]

Very frustrating and gifting those obnoxious wankers the cause for celebrations akin to winning the treble and having the 'pleasure' of walking out the ground amongst them made it far worse.
For all Lambert's failings before and during this game it WAS the officials total incompetence and bias towards those annoying cheating twats epitomised by that little shit Mason that gave the points to them.Fuming .

[villan from luton]

Gave it a good go this evening. Spirit was a lot better and we finally had players supporting Benteke. Lambert to be fair was rewarded in his decision to start Nzogbia and Weimann with both being involved in the goal. However we looked in trouble I thought even before Benteke's moment of madness. Thought Rico and Gabby should have been a lot earlier when any number of our players were blowing out their holes from about the 60-70 min mark. The Spurs substitute trio in comparison improved them hugely

For the majority of the game though it was two very poor sides. Cissokho seemed on a one man mission to break the all time Villa misplaced pass record, Lowton's efforts to play Adebayor offside in the first half were pub football esque, very little again from Cleverley and Nathan Baker hoofing everything in sight. For all our huff and puff, Guzan was our best player. Our team is bereft of genuine quality and that is the reason we are staring into the barrel of another relegation fight.

Guzan 9, Lowton 4, Vlaar 6, Baker 5, Cissokho 4, Westwood 6, Sanchez 6, Cleverley 5, Nzogbia 6, Benteke 4, Weimann 6. Gabby 5, Rico 5

Spot on

Seconded. The only point to add was at half time I was convinced Benteke would score in the second half having twice gone very close in the first half. We never came close with our second half performance. A point would have been a fair result for two poor teams but we're Lambert's Aston Villa - forever giving and all so predictable.

I am amazed at some of those marks tbh, Guzan made one great save but then dropped a shot at Adebayors feet, 9 mmm. Hpwever my main gripe is Baker getting a 5 and Vlaar a 6. There was one leader in the centre of defence and it was Baker IMHO

[tomd2103]

Reading the match reports, everyone thinks we were hard done by, that the red was harsh and that we were the better team until it happened. Even if the red was warranted, Lambert set up the team in a way which paid off, and he can hardly be blamed for our best player being silly. I think we need to be honest with ourselves - I don't particularly want Lambert as Villa manager, but he was unlucky today.

Maybe so Monty, but we still reverted to type after we scored and seemed happy to sit back rather than continue to get at Spurs.  There's just a total lack of ambition running through the club. 

I really disagree with that. Sure, Spurs came back into it, they're a good team in desperate form, and we're in bad form as well and best at counterattacking, so there was nothing odd in that pattern asserting itself. Besides, we created quite a few opportunities between the goal and the red card. It was the sending off which turned the game, particularly as it was our best player getting ejected. That's the only valid analysis of the game, I think.

I was at the game, so would have to watch it again, but I seem to remember a clear drop in attacking intent after we scored.  That might have been down to what has happened in the past few games, but we have done it many times before. 

[silhillvilla]

Driving home from the game my mind was cast back to the summer and the feeling of impending dread with another season about to start. It's coming to fruition again now, pain and misery.

I actually felt we played quite well today upto the obvious turning point.

My ratings Guzan 7 Lowton 5 Vlaar 4 Baker 5, Cissokho 4, Westwood 5 Sanchez 6, Cleverley 5, Nzogbia 7 Benteke 3 Weimann 6.

Vlaar can fuck off as far as I'm concerned now. He's head is at Yanited already. Let's get some cash and Ashley Young for him.

[villan from luton]

Reading the match reports, everyone thinks we were hard done by, that the red was harsh and that we were the better team until it happened. Even if the red was warranted, Lambert set up the team in a way which paid off, and he can hardly be blamed for our best player being silly. I think we need to be honest with ourselves - I don't particularly want Lambert as Villa manager, but he was unlucky today.

Maybe so Monty, but we still reverted to type after we scored and seemed happy to sit back rather than continue to get at Spurs.  There's just a total lack of ambition running through the club. 

I really disagree with that. Sure, Spurs came back into it, they're a good team in desperate form, and we're in bad form as well and best at counterattacking, so there was nothing odd in that pattern asserting itself. Besides, we created quite a few opportunities between the goal and the red card. It was the sending off which turned the game, particularly as it was our best player getting ejected. That's the only valid analysis of the game, I think.

I was at the game, so would have to watch it again, but I seem to remember a clear drop in attacking intent after we scored.  That might have been down to what has happened in the past few games, but we have done it many times before. 

I think you are right to a certain extent.

[walsall villain]

Reading the match reports, everyone thinks we were hard done by, that the red was harsh and that we were the better team until it happened. Even if the red was warranted, Lambert set up the team in a way which paid off, and he can hardly be blamed for our best player being silly. I think we need to be honest with ourselves - I don't particularly want Lambert as Villa manager, but he was unlucky today.

Maybe so Monty, but we still reverted to type after we scored and seemed happy to sit back rather than continue to get at Spurs.  There's just a total lack of ambition running through the club. 

I really disagree with that. Sure, Spurs came back into it, they're a good team in desperate form, and we're in bad form as well and best at counterattacking, so there was nothing odd in that pattern asserting itself. Besides, we created quite a few opportunities between the goal and the red card. It was the sending off which turned the game, particularly as it was our best player getting ejected. That's the only valid analysis of the game, I think.

I was at the game, so would have to watch it again, but I seem to remember a clear drop in attacking intent after we scored.  That might have been down to what has happened in the past few games, but we have done it many times before. 

I think you are right to a certain extent.

I recall a couple of changes for Spurs straight after Kane came on but equally they struggled to create anything either until the first goal. The sort of game a better Villa team would have seen out 1-0

[brian green]

Just home from the game.   Yet another 100 mile drive in silence.

I think the luckiest man at Villa Park today was Paul Lambert.   He is still the rubbish manager he was at 3.59pm this afternoon but the game which was his seventh consecutive defeat contained diversions like "let's blame Benteke" and "let's blame Sanchez" and "let's blame the referee".   All of those factors are valid to some degree but the underlying malaise was as easy to see as in the previous defeats.   The performance of the team is less than the sum of its parts and the manager alone is responsible for that.

All the carry on about not scoring goals has taken attention away from how weak we are at the back.   A better side than that Spurs team would have got five goals today.   I cannot write any more about this, I am so sick of losing and so sick of Lambert.

If there had been a church open somewhere on the road between the ground and my house I would have gone into it and offered up a prayer for Tony Pulis, or somebody very much like him to come to save us from humiliation at the hands of conceited, arrogant, up their own arses teams like Tottenham.

Tottenham set out to do what John Terry did to Benteke and get him sent off. It was a premeditated plan just like Terry's was.   They know he has a low boiling point and they wound him up until his temper got the better of his judgement.   Minutes before the red card incident Benteke got Spurs fingers in his eyes and when he started rubbing them I said to my mate next to me that they were giving him the Terry treatment.   All Spurs needed was a compliant referee and it was job done.

I live for the day when we can play them and the others like them and give them a bloody good seeing to.  I is not going to happen because we are stuck with Lambert.

[Steve67]

Hopefully we appeal the red card, at least get it reduced. Mason was just as guilty and yet went unpunished. Another great excuse for Lambert to hide behind.

[simman]

Sorry but I think we would have won today had the ref not decided to try and make a name for himself. He wasn't helped by the 4th official who was to be found nice an comfortably settled in the Spurs dugout when the first 2 footed challenge went in on one of our players. He was actually right in with their subs and staff, not just leaning in!
Christian had 4 - 5 Spurs players around him pulling and kicking at him just before the red card, as he started to complain, the little rat faced Spurs player not only stuck his head into Christian, but then slipped away like the snake he is smiling to watch the chaos. Seemed like a clear  plan from Spurs to get at us from start of 2nd half because they couldn't find a way through. Once he had shown his red card, he simply gave them everything, including the free kick for the winner, when they had handled the ball just before one of them fell over.
Plenty of positives but missing Christian for the next 3 will be a massive loss. Poor Spurs team for me who reverted to dubious means to get the result, aided by unforgivable official decisions. Yes  I am sick of losing, no I am not a Lambert apologist, I just want a reasonably level playing field but we never seem to get it particularly against the media luvvies.
We do need to start taking things in hand ourselves now and start picking points up be that with or without our current manager. UTV!!!

[Brend'Watkins]

There was no need for any of the subistutions. Nzog was having his best game for us , Weiman industrious and full of energy, why change it? The ref and officials inept. I just knew it wouldn't be a good day when you seen the cameras at the minutes service before the start totally focused on Tottenham. I fucking hate Tottenham.