Swansea City vs Aston Villa Post Match Thread

[PeterWithesShin]

Paul Lambert was upbeat following the 1-0 loss to Swansea because of the manner of his team's performance at the Liberty Stadium.

Gylfi Sigurdsson won the game for the hosts with a well-struck 13th minute shot.

Despite the defeat, Villa played cohesive, attractive, attacking football and should have been rewarded after creating several chances after the break.

Andi Weimann fired straight at Lukasz Fabianski when well-placed, Gabby Agbonlahor chipped wide under pressure from Ashley Williams, Christian Benteke had a late header kept out by the keeper and Agbonlahor saw another header scrambled away by the legs of the former Arsenal stopper.

None of the efforts went the way of the visitors but Lambert was positive at full-time.

He said: "I was very pleased with the way we played. I thought we were fantastic the whole game.

"I thought we deserved to take something from the game. I thought we were excellent.

"Coming here, we did to them what they do to most teams.

"We looked the better side. They scored the goal, albeit Brad will probably blame himself.

"But Brad has kept us in games before with massive saves. He's maybe taken a step to his right.

"He will be disappointed with himself. But Brad has been brilliant for me since I have been here.

"Their goalkeeper kept them in the game at the end.

"But I was really happy with how we played.

"We've changed the way we played over the last three or four weeks. There's new things we're working on. The lads have been really good with it, they really have.

"It's something I have asked them to do and they have been excellent at it. They are comfortable with it. The way we are playing is really, really pleasing at the minute.

"The lads are enjoying the way they play. They are enjoying their football, the way we have asked them to do it.

"Sometimes you come off the pitch really disappointed because you haven't played well. But today I am proud of them because of the way they have played.

"I am disappointed to lose the game but I was proud of the way they played."

Lambert pointed to Fabianski's late stopping masterclass as the reason for the barren haul heading back to B6.

He continued: "It was a terrific save from Christian - and then just after that.

"Christian did everything with the header. He put it across the goal. The keeper made the save - and he made another one with his foot. But that's his job."

Agbonlahor was pleading for a penalty as he went flying under the heavy challenge of Williams as the second period saw continued pressure from the claret and blues.

Lambert admitted it could have been given.

Unfortunately, to make matters worse - due to a late booking - Agbonlahor will now miss the Sunderland game on Sunderland.

He added: "I have not seen it on the re-run. I thought Gabby's game today was excellent.

"He was causing them all sort of problems. Have I seen them given? Yes possibly. But I have also seen them not given.

"It's a hard call for the referee. But Gabby did well to get in that position.

"Losing Gabby for the next game is a blow because he's playing well. Today he was an absolute handful. You just have to take it."

[Toronto Villa]

"We've changed the way we play." is his new "We go again."

Is it not accurate of him to have said that?

[rob_bridge]

All so predictable.

Slice and dice whatever way 11 goals in the League is pitiful.

[rob_bridge]

Lambert would espouse the proliferation of extra ice available for drinks in the event he steered the Titanic to the Iceberg.

Deluded.

[aj2k77]

"We've changed the way we play." is his new "We go again."

Is it not accurate of him to have said that?

It also somewhat of another excuse. Now we aren't fully coherent because it's a new style of playing that will take time. Then something else will come along with him that will take time, like all the other things before.

Anything to deflect away from the fact his results are shit and this is a results business. Jam tomorrow.

[kippaxvilla2]

"It's something I have asked them to do and they have been excellent at it. They are comfortable with it. The way we are playing is really, really pleasing at the minute.

He's asked professional footballers to play football.  Whatever next asking the physio to nurse injuries.

[ChicagoLion]

Paul Lambert was upbeat following the  loss to  *********because of the manner of his team's performance at the *********
 Lambert was positive at full-time.

He said: "I was very pleased with the way we played. I thought we were fantastic the whole game.

"I thought we deserved to take something from the game. I thought we were excellent.

"We looked the better side.

"But I was really happy with how we played.

" The lads have been really good with it, they really have.

" The way we are playing is really, really pleasing at the minute"

" But today I am proud of them because of the way they have played.
"I am disappointed to lose the game but I was proud of the way they played"
He added: "I thought Gabby's game today was excellent.

"Today he was an absolute handful. "

Same comments every game and every loss and there are plenty of those with Lambert in charge.
Just fill in the ******* and enter whichever team that beats us and We go again.

[Toronto Villa]

"We've changed the way we play." is his new "We go again."

Is it not accurate of him to have said that?

It also somewhat of another excuse. Now we aren't fully coherent because it's a new style of playing that will take time. Then something else will come along with him that will take time, like all the other things before.

Anything to deflect away from the fact his results are shit and this is a results business. Jam tomorrow.

It's another stick to beat him with. We all wanted to see a better style of football and we are starting to see it. Let's not be critical of him for doing that. You can argue that it took far too long to arrive. That can't be contested and the football for much of that time was horrible. But we the change in style and the possession stats which was all the talk for ages, but we don't have the play in the final third to go with it. The creative piece is a huge miss on his part be with this style of play or anything else he has tried. That simply must be addressed to make best use of the possession stat.

If anyone expected a change in style to automatically generate flowing football and buckets of goals then that's deluded. But if he is going to be manager then we may as play attractive football as we seek to address the other areas that need improving.

[andyh]

His whole 'new way of playing' bollocks makes me laugh.
So, he' s had some sort of fucking epiphany and has hit upon a whole new way of playing?
It might be nice when it starts to bring results.

It's not difficult, lots of us have been telling him answer for ages.
Get some frigging width in the team.

[ChicagoLion]

He has been a manager for long enough to work out that passing the football to a team mate is not a bad idea.

I think this new way of playing is just bull shit. What the hell has he been doing the last 2 1/2 years?

[ChicagoLion]

His whole 'new way of playing' bollocks makes me laugh.
So, he' s had some sort of fucking epiphany and has hit upon a whole new way of playing?
It might be nice when it starts to bring results.

It's not difficult, lots of us have been telling him answer for ages.
Get some frigging width in the team.

Could not agree more, the "chancer" label could not be more accurate.

He does not have a clue yet some people are fooled by this rubbish.

[Ads]

He's right. I am a lot more confident going into the next game following this defeat at Swansea, than I was after last seasons mauling there. Even more so than the 2-2 draw where, without hyperbole, we could have found ourselves 5 down in the first half.

We are attacking players short, but it was pleasing to see us play decent football. Even without them, we still should have earnt a point.

[dave.woodhall]

His whole 'new way of playing' bollocks makes me laugh.
So, he' s had some sort of fucking epiphany and has hit upon a whole new way of playing?
It might be nice when it starts to bring results.

It's not difficult, lots of us have been telling him answer for ages.
Get some frigging width in the team.

Could not agree more, the "chancer" label could not be more accurate.

He does not have a clue yet some people are fooled by this rubbish.

I'm sure they all bow down to your superior knowledge and intellect.

[PeterWithesShin]

Boxing Day MOTD running order: WBA/ManC, Che/WHU, ManU/New, Ars/QPR, Sun/Hull, Lei/Tot, CP/Sou, Bur/Liv, Eve/Sto, Swa/AV

[PeterWithesShin]

Stat pack

Fabian Delph and Carlos Sanchez were Villa's best players when the figures were analysed following the defeat to Swansea.

Despite the loss, Delph and Sanchez ranked highest in a host of post-match categories.

Gabby Agbonlahor and Ciaran Clark also produced good statistics.

Delph was No.1 for passes with 88 successful from 99 in total. Sanchez was No.2 with 73 successful from 80 in total. Jores Okore was No.4 with 56 successful from 59 in total.

Delph was No.1 for attacking third passes with 20 successful from 27 in total. Alan Hutton was No.3 with 13 successful from 17 in total. Tom Cleverley was No.5 with 12 successful from 14 in total.

Delph was No.1 for chances created, alongside Christian Benteke, with two. Hutton was No.3 with one.

Agbonlahor was No.1 for take-ons with three successful from six in total. Andi Weimann was No.2 with three successful from three in total. Delph was No.5 with two successful from two in total.

Delph was No.1 for ball recoveries with 11. Sanchez was No.2 with nine. Okore was No.3 with seven.

Sanchez was No.1 for tackles with seven successful from seven attempted. Clark was No.2 with four successful from five attempted. Cleverley was No.3 with three successful from four attempted.

Agbonlahor was No.2 for shots with four in total and one on target. Benteke was No.3 with three in total and one on target. Weimann was No.5 with one in total and one on target.

Okore was No.1 for interceptions with three. Hutton was No.4 with two.

Sanchez was No.1 for blocks with one, alongside Clark.

Clark was No.2 for clearances with seven successful from seven attempted. Okore was No.3 with six successful from six attempted.

Benteke was No.1 for aerial duels with four successful from six in total. Clark was No.4 with two successful from four attempted.

Delph, Benteke and Agbonlahor were No.1 for fouls suffered with three.

Sanchez to Delph was No.1 pass combination in the match with 18. Okore to Delph was No.2 with 17. Hutton to Delph was No.3 with 16. Delph to Hutton was No.4 with 14.