Aston Villa vs Sunderland Post-Match Thread

[supertom]

One thing I did notice yesterday with our 'new' style is that when our players receive the ball they are always facing our goal and thus the natural instinct is to pass back or sideways. Benteke, Weimann and Gabby are better running onto a ball, as such they probably aren't the right players for the system.

I agree. I think part of the problem with that is the non-descript role of Cleverley. He does nothing. He's the one who should be picking the killer passes. Sanchez holds, Delph does the running. TC is offering nothing though. His instinct is always to go sideways or backwards.

Jack Grealish in fairness to him has made a positive impact in the last two games. He could be the player to send the likes of Gabby running onto the ball in space.

[DeKuip]

And for Mr Benteke to be in the right place to receive the ball.

Benteke's biggest drawback is that he doesn't really attack the ball or ever look to get across the front of a defender and attack the near post. He will always wait at the back post or pull back out of the danger area to find a yard of space. That's fine if you have someone alongside him who will do that but teams rarely play with twin strikers nowadays and there is a dearth of top quality attacking midfielders.
If he wants to play top level he needs to add that to his game. Compare him to the likes of Costa and Drogba who make themselves much more difficult to defend against by being less predictable inside the box.

[old man villa fan]

I do have some sympathy for Benteke in terms of his moaning. He doesn't always make the runs a CF should be making, but there have been occasions that we've got into positions and the delivery has been utterly wretched, or Weimann has taken on a shot that just isn't on.

Likewise Benteke's role seems to be all encompassing. He plays right up top, he plays out wide, he drops off and plays as a 10. It might be confusing him in as much as the runs he should be making to receive the ball. He's making a few late runs to the edge of the box that a 10 might, rather than making those runs along the 6 yard box trying to blindside one of the CH's.

It's all on him at the moment. Even for a player that good it's too much pressure. Take out Sanchez and no one bar the back line is even close to doing their job well enough. That can't be helping Benteke.

I agree with your comments.

Benteke cannot take up every position in the penalty area to make runs into the near post, far post or just drop off when he (like most of us) hasn't got a clue where the cross is going to end up.  Grealish looked so much better at putting in decent crosses yesterday than the usual culprits.

The answer isn't Benteke should be everywhere, it is getting more players into the box.  Weimann or one of the midfield players should be going near post if Benteke is going far post and vice versa.  In the time it takes somebody like Grealish to get to the line with the ball, there is ample time for other players to get into the box.  That is if they are not just standing there admiring the pass they have just made around the centre circle.

[Malandro]

Benteke also looks like scoring in each game - even if he doesn't see much of the ball.

Very harsh to blame him for getting frustrated.

[supertom]

Benteke also looks like scoring in each game - even if he doesn't see much of the ball.

Very harsh to blame him for getting frustrated.

I think we all bang our heads on the wall when Cissokho tries crossing the ball to be fair. Or Weimann takes on a difficult shot instead of an easy pass.

[silhillvilla]

I was Holte lower row D yesterday , in Bentekes defence on the late chance, Pantilimon must be the worlds biggest keeper - a man mountain.

Benteke spent most of the game surly, berating anyone who would listen, pulling faces and gesticulating. I think we will see the better side of him on Thursday .

[supertom]

I was Holte lower row D yesterday , in Bentekes defence on the late chance, Pantilimon must be the worlds biggest keeper - a man mountain.

Benteke spent most of the game surly, berating anyone who would listen, pulling faces and gesticulating. I think we will see the better side of him on Thursday .

This three times would be nice. I'd love us to take advantage of Palace's situation.

[Toronto Villa]

Benteke is complaining like we are complaining. He is getting frustrated. The two goals he has scored this season are practically is own work. The first at Palace certainly was. Not saying he is entirely blameless but look at the dearth of quality opportunities we carve out per game. Also, it probably has annoyed him that in three instances where he has had outstanding headers, the keepers have all turned into Gordon Banks and saved them.

[usav]

Benteke is complaining like we are complaining. He is getting frustrated. The two goals he has scored this season are practically is own work. The first at Palace certainly was. Not saying he is entirely blameless but look at the dearth of quality opportunities we carve out per game. Also, it probably has annoyed him that in three instances where he has had outstanding headers, the keepers have all turned into Gordon Banks and saved them.

While I agree with what you said, some of Benteke's hold up play has been terrible and he needs to improve that aspect of his game in order to improve the team as a whole.

[olaftab]

Benteke is complaining like we are complaining. He is getting frustrated.

However he has been rubbish in doing his job of holding on to the ball against West Brom, Swansea and Sunderland. He is also not getting in where it matters and I don't know why? There have been many examples of that in the recent games and having watched that late chance yesterday again he shut his eyes and bottled it. I think despite what you say he needs to play his full part rather than shouting at his team mates.

[Chris Smith]

I do have some sympathy for Benteke in terms of his moaning. He doesn't always make the runs a CF should be making, but there have been occasions that we've got into positions and the delivery has been utterly wretched, or Weimann has taken on a shot that just isn't on.

Likewise Benteke's role seems to be all encompassing. He plays right up top, he plays out wide, he drops off and plays as a 10. It might be confusing him in as much as the runs he should be making to receive the ball. He's making a few late runs to the edge of the box that a 10 might, rather than making those runs along the 6 yard box trying to blindside one of the CH's.

It's all on him at the moment. Even for a player that good it's too much pressure. Take out Sanchez and no one bar the back line is even close to doing their job well enough. That can't be helping Benteke.

I agree with your comments.

Benteke cannot take up every position in the penalty area to make runs into the near post, far post or just drop off when he (like most of us) hasn't got a clue where the cross is going to end up.  Grealish looked so much better at putting in decent crosses yesterday than the usual culprits.

The answer isn't Benteke should be everywhere, it is getting more players into the box.  Weimann or one of the midfield players should be going near post if Benteke is going far post and vice versa.  In the time it takes somebody like Grealish to get to the line with the ball, there is ample time for other players to get into the box.  That is if they are not just standing there admiring the pass they have just made around the centre circle.

To be fair when Grealish came on we had sacrificed a striker to fill the gap left by Delph going off so it was always going to be a problem getting enough men in the box. Doesn't excuse earlier in the game or at Swansea when none of them seemed to want to go to the front post.

[olaftab]

We don't attack in the box in numbers because our numbers are not confident cross will arrive and with the way N'Zogbia plays they are right. This will carry on until we can fix that problem.

[sirlordbaltimore]

If Grealish had picked his head up with that cross he made he'd have seen Benteke had stepped back and got himself into acres of space to receive the ball.

But being inexperienced he didn't bother and just stuck it into an area that was well defended. He'll learn. Hopefully

[snetta]

There were at least two defenders blocking his view. Benteke should have been attacking the six yard box.

[Legion]

There were at least two defenders blocking his view. Benteke should have been attacking the six yard box.

That is how I saw it aswell.