Aston Villa vs Leicester City Post-Match Thread

[Ian.]

Thought Grealish was great when he came on. Comfortable with the ball, and willing to take players on. What's not to like !

Is is just me me? Not getting the Grealish hype at all. Looks a bit Lee Hendrie at the moment. Am I missing something?

Blimey, I hope he's as good as Hendriebtk gr honest. He was a very good footballer, I'll have done more of that if that's what Jack is.

[Lky]

I'm undecided on Grealish's performances to date.
Lets hope he keeps improving and becomes a top player. As fans we desperately need someone who can lift the mood and he may turn out to be that player.
I noted he took 2 corners from both sides and they were both top quality - something we have been missing for what seems like an age.
On a similar note Clark always looks dangerous from set pieces. In his 4 games he could have scored 3/4. From a side where you wonder where the goals are coming from this can be a huge bonus.

UTV.

[OCD]

The one corner, which we almost scored from was from Grealish's right foot. I thought he was left footed but must be good on both sides. It will be interesting to see whether he commits to England or Ireland. It might be an indicator of how confident his career will pan out.

[BoskoDjembaSalifou]

Good win. Second goal was really nice.

Bit concerned Sanchez has no awareness of what's around him when he has the ball. Seems to take ages to make a pass. Like him though!

Leicester are such a long ball team. Even in the first half, their defenders just smacked it forward. They're going down I think.

[claret and blue blood]

Freakish is absolute class,the cross for Benteke was sublime and every fine he got the ball he attacked his nearest opponent,he also takes the best corners I've seen us take for ages.

[Archie]

I think that the whole team (included Grealish) played well and with great committment today, we would have deserved a wider win.
Schmeichel was by far MOM.
One thing that I haven't understood is that, after missing Westwood, Lambert changed our only defensive midfielder, Cleverley, with an attacking-minded  midfielder, like Grealish. But we have risked as we can not afford a  three men  midfield with Sanchez, N'Zogbia and Sanchez, it is too lightweight and with stronger opponents we would have paid this incomprehensible decision.

[amfy]

Turned up at VP fairly early for once. Was parked up in Bevington Road by 3.30. If Legion had been under the tree today I would have had time to have a good long chat with him and then popped around the corner to say hello to PWS. However there is no H&V  and to add to my disappointment walking up I realised I had left the ST cards at home. So it was straight back in the car to get cards and finally made it in at 4.25 having missed both goals. Frustrating second half as we wasted good possession and chances but all ended well.

If you forget your season ticket you can nip in the ticket office and ask them to print you a paper one. The barcode can only go through the turnstile once, so they can't lose.

[rob_bridge]

N'Zogbia never looks like he cares.

Yes and that annoys me.

Billy McNeill cared least.

[adrenachrome]

Very pleasing performance overall and a welcome result.

Leicester playing a high defensive line played to our strengths somewhat, and energised Gabby to have one of his best games for a long while. Benteke did some fantastic work, but the number of times he was caught offside showed he was not used to this tactic.

I thought Cissokho was being beaten far too easily but he was decent going forward. Hutton was immense but he had little protection from the wide midfield player, presumably Zog.

I have always liked Sanchez who has a touch of class about his play, but he played the hospital pass to Westwood, and he needs to cut that out. Okore is classy as well, and seems imperturbable. Clark played very well apart from the time he tried to play out from he back and gave the ball away in a very dangerous position which most other teams would have punished.

[Colin B]

I enjoyed the game but found it strange that so many sitting around me were so critical of the team.

Any backwards or sidewards pass - even though we retained possession was greeted with jeers and comments about having no idea what they were doing. Too slow was shouted numerous times by people near me. Get it forward was also shouted a lot.

I just wonder how much of this nervousness, negativity and anxiety gets through to the players on the pitch.

[Chris Smith]

I think that the whole team (included Grealish) played well and with great committment today, we would have deserved a wider win.
Schmeichel was by far MOM.
One thing that I haven't understood is that, after missing Westwood, Lambert changed our only defensive midfielder, Cleverley, with an attacking-minded  midfielder, like Grealish. But we have risked as we can not afford a  three men  midfield with Sanchez, N'Zogbia and Sanchez, it is too lightweight and with stronger opponents we would have paid this incomprehensible decision.

I think Cleverley was an enforced change as he had an injury and was straight down the tunnel.

[Nelly]

I was impressed by Clarks tackle on the Leicester forward. It was a great tackle on its own but it came right after Westwood went off injured and it felt like Clark just stepped up and took ownership of Villa Park as ours. We've often been accused of being too nice, that was a great, solid tackle that said, "don't fuck about!".

I'm sorry the player was injured, I don't wish for that but I was impressed by Clark in that instance.

[PeterWithesShin]

I think that the whole team (included Grealish) played well and with great committment today, we would have deserved a wider win.
Schmeichel was by far MOM.
One thing that I haven't understood is that, after missing Westwood, Lambert changed our only defensive midfielder, Cleverley, with an attacking-minded  midfielder, like Grealish. But we have risked as we can not afford a  three men  midfield with Sanchez, N'Zogbia and Sanchez, it is too lightweight and with stronger opponents we would have paid this incomprehensible decision.

I think Cleverley was an enforced change as he had an injury and was straight down the tunnel.

It was definitely enforced as Lambert has said TC had to go off with a bruised foot.

[Dave]

I think that the whole team (included Grealish) played well and with great committment today, we would have deserved a wider win.
Schmeichel was by far MOM.
One thing that I haven't understood is that, after missing Westwood, Lambert changed our only defensive midfielder, Cleverley, with an attacking-minded  midfielder, like Grealish. But we have risked as we can not afford a  three men  midfield with Sanchez, N'Zogbia and Sanchez, it is too lightweight and with stronger opponents we would have paid this incomprehensible decision.

I think Cleverley was an enforced change as he had an injury and was straight down the tunnel.

Also, our only defensive midfielder wasn't Cleverley it was Sanchez.

[PeterWithesShin]

Don't think this has been posted. The bold bit is interesting.

Paul Lambert was delighted with the three points against Leicester City, insisting it was thoroughly deserved.

Lambert felt his team should have made it more comfortable, with two chances from Christian Benteke and one from Jack Grealish failing to find the net.

Villa boss Lambert was happy as the maximum haul took his team to 11th in the Barclays Premier League table - but he was also thrilled with the manner of the performance.

He said: "I am delighted with the win. I am delighted with how we did it.

"It was a massive three points for us. We are in a wee bit of form at the minute. I am really delighted with the lads.

"We are on a good run at the minute. The pleasing thing for me tonight was the way we played.

"I thought we were excellent - the way we kept the ball and moved it. We went a goal down against the run of play but I thought some of the football we played was fantastic.

"Someone told me afterwards that we had 72% possession. I am not one for stats but it's pleasing to do that.

"With the amount of chances we created I thought we were well worthy of winning.

"We are doing well. Five games unbeaten is good form. We're above Everton and two behind Tottenham and Liverpool.

"We lost Libor Kozak and Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph and three centre-halves. But I have to say, Ciaran Clark and Jores Okore have been outstanding together. Their partnership has been excellent.

"Alan Hutton is playing as well as anyone in the country at the moment at right-back. I am delighted with them.

"I thought we played really well tonight. We worked on something yesterday for the first time, a different way of playing, we only worked on it one time. And fair play to the lads for taking to it.

"We just worked on things yesterday and asked the lads if they felt comfortable with it. They did. So I said we'd go with it. " said let's try it. I thought we were excellent at it.

"It should have been more. Kasper Schmeichel has had a really good game. But Christian has got to score two. When he goes through, he's got to score. And Jack should have scored."

Lambert confirmed that Ashley Westwood is due for a scan on his injured knee, with the results likely tomorrow.

Tom Cleverley was subbed off in the second half due to a bruised foot.

He added: "Westy will get a scan tomorrow.

"For Westy to go down and stay down, you know there's some sort of thing there. Hopefully it's just a ligament thing and not as bad.

"I just think because it's him, if he goes down you know there is something wrong with him. I haven't seen it on the rerun back. He's a lad, if he goes down, there's a problem.

"Tom has a bruised foot at the minute. But Tom was touch and go before the game. Fair play to him for wanting to play. As the game went on, he was feeling it."