It's not Sherwood!

[Matt Collins]

It was definitely a good second half performance anyone denying that is wrong

There is some sense in what Sherwood was saying but it was a poor first half and a poor team selection. I never want to see Clark in midfield again.

[brian green]

I stand corrected Hoppo. I did what what I said I would do and went to bed before kick off last night. I was taking at face value this morning's posts that he had told the media he deliberately played poorly. I still think  too many football managers think they are a lot cleverer than they actually are. Bit like the man at the end of the bar in his cravat and string back driving gloves talking about the merits of Porsche over BMW but having his Morris Marina in the car park.

For the record I did post on here last week that you could bet your mortgage on a Villa win last night (and a defeat by the bitters).

[Dante Lavelli]

If Tim Sherwood is going to prejudice our chances of winning games with bizarre substitutions and team set ups he ought to go back to the tried and tested old school practice of knowing your best team and picking that team or as close as injuries and suspensions allow.

He gives the impression in interviews of being quick witted and sharp. None of that has manifested itself in his actual work, leading me to believe that he is thick in matters relating to the actual nuts and bolts of team management. There have been plenty of very successful managers with the same limitations but they have always stuck to the basics and not tried to play mind games that are beyond them.

I agree with most of that.  I'd much prefer that for the time being we picked one formation and applied the same system for a period of matches.  As a squad/team we do not have the knowledge or team dynamic to easily swap between tactics.  Let's try and perfect one style before we attempt others.

[brian green]

Agree DL.  The word "gel" has been bandied about a lot and it is true that our new players need to settle in. That process is going to be protracted if you don't have consistent selection criteria.

[OzVilla]

I've always been a believer that good teams pick themselves and with the player turnover we've had I'm not surprised TS doesn't know his best side yet.

My concern is whether he has the nous to know.  His Gabby selection, substitutions and unwillingness to admit mistakes yet blame players in post match interviews makes me worried he won't.

It's becoming apparent that a 3-5-2 or 3-5-1-1 formation is the way to go.  That way we can incorporate Grealish, Gil and Adama into the line up.  I'd really love to see that.

[brian green]

Agree Oz. My only reservation about us having Adama, Carles and Jack in the same side would invite a Kickfest from teams like Stoke. Not that that is a reason not to stick it to teams of cloggers,  just that referees are so weak these days our best and most creative players may well spend a lot of time on the treatment table.

[Kevin_Brum12]

Last night was a good result.   But we've got to build on that win and start getting some league form.  The squad of players Sherwood has bought in have quality are capable of finishing much higher than 17th.  Sherwood can breathe a sigh of relief, but now for the main business.  3 points against 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' and some better performances should be the target for the next few weeks.

[LTA]

Have to be honest, but I agree to a point with Rowett on this.   Sherwood got the tactics completely wrong in the first half and his comments made it look like he was trying to save face.

To his credit, he made the right changes at half time and we also did a good job of taking the sting out of Blues in the last 10 minutes.

[Kevin_Brum12]

Have to be honest, but I agree to a point with Rowett on this.   Sherwood got the tactics completely wrong in the first half and his comments made it look like he was trying to save face.

To his credit, he made the right changes at half time and we also did a good job of taking the sting out of Blues in the last 10 minutes.

Unlike at Leicester, where Sherwood got the tactics right up until taking Gil off and made some baffling substitutions.  We have to manage games better.  Protecting a 1-0 lead against a tinpot outfit like B-lose is one thing, but if we get into a position like that against the likes of Man City or Arsenal holding a lead against them is another. 

[Drummond]

If we'd lost, or even lost the first half, you may have had a point.

However, we were dull and solid, they never properly threatened.

[mr underhill]

dull solid and winnersfor me every time at the moment

[john e]

In his interview he said ' we proved we could play in two different ways'

No we didn't the first half was a dogs breakfast of a performance

[DB]

We beat a Championship side 1-0, with 45 mins of decent football, not getting too excited yet. Let's see how we do this weekend.

[Dave Cooper please]

 anybody that takes much joy from that second half against such a pathetic pub team, needs their head looking at.

Personally I find it difficult to believe that any Villa fan can't find time to thoroughly enjoy beating that lot no matter how it comes about, but each to their own.
He got it wrong in the first half but at least we now know Clark can't play in front of the back four so we can forget that idea for a while, and then he changed it and we were very good in the second half. And don't forget we are still without arguably our best two midfielders in Gana and Traore.

I'm not convinced by Tim, but I am encouraged.

[themossman]

Hear hear. We've just beaten the noses, played good football for half a game, TS showed signs of having learned from his tactical errors, one of our new signings looks good after having been prematurely written off. I'm not going to be looking for reasons to be miserable because Tim said something daft in a post match interview or because of the margin of our win or because it was only the scum.