Aston Villa v Crystal Palace post match thread

[pooligan]

Was reading the other day the lowest number of goals we have ever scored in a season is 36. The clueless one is going to set up another  unwanted record with something to spare

[Matt Collins]

Lambert spent a whole year saying possession itself doesn't count for anything and now he's peddling a different line

If he were newly installed I could accept a period when we struggled to translate a new passing style into penetrative play. But it's the sudden about face that really undermines confidence in him. Why change now? It's not as if we've suddenly got better or different players.

I've had enough I think. We're just so boring. He needs to go.

[SteveN]

We seem to believe we can draw our way to safety at home.

[andyh]

Lambert spent a whole year saying possession itself doesn't count for anything and now he's peddling a different line

Precisely!
And, this is one of the things that pisses me off more than anything else.
He's like a fucking politician, full of soundbites but actually saying nothing of any substance.
Basically, assuming that fans and supporters are too fucking stupid to really know what's going on.
As has been said many,many times, the bloke is a chancer and needs to be gone!!!

[Witton Warrior]

Lambert spent a whole year saying possession itself doesn't count for anything and now he's peddling a different line

If he were newly installed I could accept a period when we struggled to translate a new passing style into penetrative play. But it's the sudden about face that really undermines confidence in him. Why change now? It's not as if we've suddenly got better or different players.

He seems unable to concentrate on more than one topic at a time "young and hungry" now "ball retention". He still hasn't bought the No 10 we told him he needed when he first came although 12 months ago he told us we needed a No 10 and then loaned Grant Holt. I think he has realised that fans were sick of us losing at home so he now tries to ensure we don't at the cost of any chance of winning.

Thanks but no thanks Mr Lambert - on yer way...

[silhillvilla]

I can't believe tom fox can sit through game after game of this turgid shit with thousands of empty seats around him and still think this is ok!
I'm honestly baffled why he left arsenal for this

[Dave]

I'm honestly baffled why he left arsenal for this

Probably the promotion and payrise.

[PaulWinch again]

The thing is we're 12th, but I don't think anyone watching us thinks we're playing to an acceptable level. Also the games against weaker sides are starting to run out now.

[Witton Warrior]

This morning I was agonising because I had been invited for a weekend away we play Stoke as I always want to attend every League match in a season - well after the Sunderland match and today's drivel it's not an issue really. If they start losing idiots like me they really are in trouble.

[UK Redsox]

gehen wir wieder

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Pig sick with the performance today - the team as a whole, tactically and a number of individuals.

Guzan and the defence - good...but we were only playing Crystal Palace...Okore outstanding!
Sanchez, excellent, the rest...shite! No creativity or desire to take a player on/play an incisive pass.
Cleverley was neat - nothing more. DO NOT BUY HIM!
Weimann - incredibly poor and increasingly so....surprised he was in the starting 11 today...he has made no progress as a player in the last 18 months and made almost zero contribution today.
Gabby - have been reluctant to join his critics but have been forced to do so after today...bloody awful and a waste of a place in the team...Calum Robinson would have given us more...I would have given us more! For a Villa "legend" I am almost embarrassed for him. He has given us very little of his effort this season, let alone his skills/strengths. He had ONE run at them today - in about the 80th minute!
Benteke - because he gets such shite service - 3/4 touches in the 1st half - he tries too hard when he does get the ball - always trying to score from 20/25 yards out. He needs an incisive pass or 2 from midfield or a series of decent crosses - we are providing neither - so how the f**k is he supposed to score?

I honestly think we have some good players, just incredibly badly deployed.
WTF do they do at BH?


Lifelong Member: The Disillusioned Aston Villa Fans' Association.

[nodge]

A view from the blinkered:

Paul Lambert is eager for his team to find the finishing touch after seeing them draw a blank against Crystal Palace.

Manager Lambert says he was pleased with the manner of the display as Villa controlled possession throughout the 90 minutes against the Eagles.

But the Villa boss wants his players to show more guile in front of goal in the coming weeks and months ahead.

He said: "We dominated from start to finish. But we failed to unlock their defence.

"They packed everyone behind the ball. It was tough to break them down.

"We tried - we had chances to do it.

"We had to get the goal and entice them out.

"They kept on probing. They kept on going. It's frustrating when you don't unlock the door.

"They had a back six at times. It's not easy to break that down. You have to be patient.

"But the way we're controlling the games at the moment is really pleasing.

"The name of the game is to score and we're getting chances. We have to take them when they do come.

"We have just got to take them to finish off the good play.

"We have to keep playing the way we're playing and keep dominating the ball. We are getting chances. It's not like we're not getting any opportunities. They are there.

"We just need one of the lads to fire it in.

"I think if we'd scored today, Palace would have come out a bit more and then you can maybe exploit their gaps but they defended very, very deep.

"We just needed that finishing touch."

Lambert revealed that skipper Ron Vlaar - withdrawn early in the first half - will have a scan on his injured knee on Friday.

The Villa boss will be waiting anxiously for news on his captain.

He added: "I am not 100% sure but he's thinking it could be the same sort of thing that he hurt in the World Cup. It's his knee.

"We will probably know more tomorrow. He will go for a scan. Hopefully it's not too bad.

"He thinks it might be similar to the one he had in Brazil. We will have to wait and see.

"I didn't want to bring Ciaran on but I thought him and Jores were excellent. I wanted to give Ciaran a break due to his back. But I thought he did ever so well when he came on."

Sometimes we are "we", sometimes we are "they" and sometimes we are "you". I suppose I should put that in the little things that annoy you thread but it really gets on my wick!

[Jon Crofts]

The WTF do they do at Bodymoor Heath question has been asked for at least 2 seasons now and still nobody is any the wiser.  Oh no, hang on, I think they may have sorted the who to throw the ball to at throw ins trick, but that's about it.

[Matt Collins]

We knew palace would get everyone behind the ball. Our squad is desperately poor in terms of creativity but we do have Cole and grealish. I was genuinely surprised that neither started. We didn't have one player starting who could beat a man, play a through ball. Playing possession football in these circumstances is leading to predictable results

And we now look much less able to count on our away form or ability to spring a surprise result against a top side

We just have to buy or loan at least one creative player this winter or the season will continue to be unbearable

[caster troy]

Fuck me, I'd rather put out a campfire with my face than sit through that shite again. I am absolutely fuming and I had a free ticket, god knows how those who paid must be feeling right now.

Gabby was shite but its not exactly playing to his strengths sticking him in attacking midfield with his back to goal is it? We are relying on two fullbacks to provide all of our crosses and Cissokho can barely kick it that far, Hutton is hit and miss. Weimann is a 'fox in the box' type of player who can never get in the box. Benteke needs decent balls into the box which we never provide because we aren't set up to do it. Is it any wonder we don't score?

You have to believe this squad is capable of scoring more goals combined than a single QPR player if only they had someone to organise them who had the slightest idea what they are doing.