Swansea City vs Aston Villa Post Match Thread

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Having read this thread I think the reaction is a bit surprising. And for clarification, we got smashed 4-1 last season and didn't earn a point.

There is plenty to build on, we are finally playing football as it should be and looking better for it. Everybody knows we're a player or two creatively short and it's important we can get somebody, even a loan to fill the gap.

[Toronto Villa]

We need much more creativity in these types of games, Swansea aren't the easiest team to score against and ultimately they're a bit better than us, a top 10 standard team.

Seems like we played o.k but oh for a player of Sigurdsson's guile in our team.

Let's see what the two home games bring and how we look trying to break down the defences. Would love all 6 but think 4 is a more realistic and decent target.

Sigurdsson would be perfect. Love that Eriksson at Spurs too. Both way out of our transfer league but there are others out there. If nothing else with a bit of money we have found some real gems. Lambert/Fox and co need to find those players before someone else does.

[Nastylee]

Since there's little chance of s going down, I'm willing to see what support we get from RL in the market and until Easter to see if this 'new change' can see us take some steps forward. Problem we have is come the summer we could/probably be without Delph, Vlaar and Benteke and we're back to square one unless we get investment.

[Toronto Villa]

Having read this thread I think the reaction is a bit surprising. And for clarification, we got smashed 4-1 last season and didn't earn a point.

There is plenty to build on, we are finally playing football as it should be and looking better for it. Everybody knows we're a player or two creatively short and it's important we can get somebody, even a loan to fill the gap.

Ultimately what we have is a constituent that is tired of losing and staying rational even when there are positives is naturally going to be more difficult for some than others. That said, there were positives today and getting close to 60% possession is one of them. If our models, at least in the short to medium term in Swansea or Southampton then we have to stick to this and not deviate because of a couple of defeats

[Rudy Can't Fail]

We lost the game with the first half tactics and a shocking decision by the referee in the second.

It was boys against men first half as we failed to do anything in their half but credit to Lambert even he saw how poor we were and changed it. Second half we looked a different side and really deserved an equaliser. One thing that continues to bug me is we still refuse to put crosses into the box with any regularity. Towards the end of the game we finally put a string of crosses it and were unlucky not to score from one of them. Once we do it on a more regular basis the goals will come.

I wouldn't put too much blame on Jores, he had little protection second half as Hutton played a far more advanced role, almost as a winger, frequently getting himself in advanced positions. It was a risk worth taking.

Playing Gabby so deep in the first half was a ridiculous decision from Lambert. How did he think we'd ever get players into the box to score. Our best two efforts were from set pieces.

Guzan should have done better for their goal but found himself wrong footed with too much to do. I'd still like to see him control more his 6 yard box. He's becoming very Given-like with his glued to the line approach.

Benteke will come godd but right now, maybe it was the conditions but he'd struggle to trap a bag of cement, very poor control today.

Delighted that the real Delph turned up second half as in the first he was like a lost schoolboy.

Overall, not too disappointed PROVIDED we can learn from today. There are signs we can actually be a good side, equally there are signs we'll remain crap. Sunderland at home is an ideal place to decide on the more positive approach.

[SoccerHQ]

We need much more creativity in these types of games, Swansea aren't the easiest team to score against and ultimately they're a bit better than us, a top 10 standard team.

Seems like we played o.k but oh for a player of Sigurdsson's guile in our team.

Let's see what the two home games bring and how we look trying to break down the defences. Would love all 6 but think 4 is a more realistic and decent target.

Sigurdsson would be perfect. Love that Eriksson at Spurs too. Both way out of our transfer league but there are others out there. If nothing else with a bit of money we have found some real gems. Lambert/Fox and co need to find those players before someone else does.

I guess Sigurdsson was always going to go back to Swansea once they were interested but I'm pretty sure he only cost them 7m so equivilant to what we were going to sign Cleverley for in August before it broke down.

We need more creativity in midfield, not Cleverley. We have enough workhorses in midfield.

[ronshirt]

If we're going to play with wing-backs then the three at the back need to be coached into playing the ball amongst themselves somewhere near the half-way line and not across the penalty area. If the opposition presses us into that area then a couple of long balls now and again might make them drop a little deeper.

Whatever system we do play Cleverley seems unable to contribute anything other than running around a bit. Maybe he's content just killing time before his Bosman. (cf Delph and Vlaar). Weimann is played in positions where he's neither fish nor fowl. Gabby looks lost as well.

We're halfway towards the forty points. Clark, Grealish and Guzan continue to boost their potential transfer fees. So Lambert's on top of his brief.

[caster troy]

Another game, another defeat, another clean sheet for the opposition. Standard Lambert result basically. It's been the same story since his first game, sometimes we keep the ball ok, sometimes we go more direct, but the fact is we lose half the time and rarely score however we try to play.

[Pete3206]

Since there's little chance of us going down

Really?

5 points off the bottom 3, having scored 11 goals in 18 matches? What would you say if Palace turned us over, reducing that to 2 points?

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We should have got a point today and made the keeper make two good saves at the end, while we got into enough good positions in their box to have done a lot better, with the final ball letting us down. If you think that is anyway similar to West Ham August 2012, then I would disagree strongly.

The progression from there to the new style of play that has been decided upon recently has been anything but linear anyway.

I can understand people being annoyed we lost, I am too and I have really wet shoes to go with it. But these macro sweeping points have nothing to do with a mid-table Villa side actually showing enough ability to out football Swansea at Swansea for a solid 45 minutes. That gives me confidence that there is a future, as long as there is the necessary addition(s) of the attacking players we know we need.

[Pete3206]

What good is all that possession if you can't create clear cut chances and put the ball away? Apart from the last couple of minutes, our forward play was terrible. Caster Troy's comment above is spot on.

[ciggiesnbeer]

I like the way we play now. I hate losing but I would sooner lose playing this way than the old.

Still, merry bloody christmas from Villa and all that.

[Clampy]

I didn't see any of it so I can't say a great deal but i'm surprised he put Cleverley back in. Maybe leaving Weimann in there or giving Grealish a run might have been the better option.

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The possession saw Andi and Hutton get in behind them two or three times, Grealish get in behind them too, but fail to put in the final killer ball. Weimann had the opportunity to pick out three players unmarked inside the six yard box, but gave it straight to Fabianski. That epitomised the frustrations, as we did create clear cut chances, more so than the home side.

We created nothing in August 2012 at West Ham and got deservedly beat. We should have got a point today having played the game correctly, but didn't. Caster Troy is wrong.

[paulcomben]

Don't read too much into it. Villa's Boxing Days record is dreadful. Possibly a lack of disciplined focus on Christmas Days with their families.