Aston Villa vs Stoke Post Match Thread

[supertom]

Sherwood did say after the game that 'yeah, perhaps' we played the ball long too much to Benteke. Let's hope we see a bit of a backtrack from that method, because it did not work. If Benteke's free, and you can get the ball to him so he can control it and hold it up, great, but he was surrounded by giants a lot yesterday and we still punted it up to his head. Not smart football from the defenders.

Once they equalised we ran out of ideas and steam really. The lads went back to tried and tested, what they've been taught for the majority of Lamberts reign, hump it to the big man.

What he does in midfield is absolutely key. A two man centre doesn't work because no matter who you put next to Delph (who's only a mid-table player himself) you're left week. So three man is the way to go. I'm not sure what I'd do, never mind Tim. If he wants us to up our tempo then Sanchez will be lost. TC and Westwood are too similar so playing both is redundant.
We could go brave and have Delph plus one, with Gil slightly ahead, or put Bacuna in the middle to provide some energy, and potentially goal threat, but Leandro's passing is too erratic.

One thing I think Sherwood did get right was having our wide man attacking the wings, rather than relying entirely on the fullbacks. We got some joy from Sinclair.

[pooligan]

It could be argued that this was a ideal time to play Stoke,they had just lost their last two matches 4-1,had three of their regular defenders missing. Was so disappointing that after taking the lead we reverted to how we did under Lambert and seemed to sit back.

[Monty]

Sherwood did say after the game that 'yeah, perhaps' we played the ball long too much to Benteke. Let's hope we see a bit of a backtrack from that method, because it did not work. If Benteke's free, and you can get the ball to him so he can control it and hold it up, great, but he was surrounded by giants a lot yesterday and we still punted it up to his head. Not smart football from the defenders.

Once they equalised we ran out of ideas and steam really. The lads went back to tried and tested, what they've been taught for the majority of Lamberts reign, hump it to the big man.

What he does in midfield is absolutely key. A two man centre doesn't work because no matter who you put next to Delph (who's only a mid-table player himself) you're left week. So three man is the way to go. I'm not sure what I'd do, never mind Tim. If he wants us to up our tempo then Sanchez will be lost. TC and Westwood are too similar so playing both is redundant.
We could go brave and have Delph plus one, with Gil slightly ahead, or put Bacuna in the middle to provide some energy, and potentially goal threat, but Leandro's passing is too erratic.

One thing I think Sherwood did get right was having our wide man attacking the wings, rather than relying entirely on the fullbacks. We got some joy from Sinclair.

Actually they were getting it up to Benteke from minute one. Sometimes effectively, for Benteke to bring down, but a lot of the time they were just going for the slightly desperate flick-on. I agree, though, that we played well on the wings.

[AlexAlexCropley]

Well it is go for broke time in my book, and that would be.......Clark in midfield
The only one with the drive and cojones to not be outmuscled.
Or up top with Benteke

[supertom]

Sherwood did say after the game that 'yeah, perhaps' we played the ball long too much to Benteke. Let's hope we see a bit of a backtrack from that method, because it did not work. If Benteke's free, and you can get the ball to him so he can control it and hold it up, great, but he was surrounded by giants a lot yesterday and we still punted it up to his head. Not smart football from the defenders.

Once they equalised we ran out of ideas and steam really. The lads went back to tried and tested, what they've been taught for the majority of Lamberts reign, hump it to the big man.

What he does in midfield is absolutely key. A two man centre doesn't work because no matter who you put next to Delph (who's only a mid-table player himself) you're left week. So three man is the way to go. I'm not sure what I'd do, never mind Tim. If he wants us to up our tempo then Sanchez will be lost. TC and Westwood are too similar so playing both is redundant.
We could go brave and have Delph plus one, with Gil slightly ahead, or put Bacuna in the middle to provide some energy, and potentially goal threat, but Leandro's passing is too erratic.

One thing I think Sherwood did get right was having our wide man attacking the wings, rather than relying entirely on the fullbacks. We got some joy from Sinclair.

Actually they were getting it up to Benteke from minute one. Sometimes effectively, for Benteke to bring down, but a lot of the time they were just going for the slightly desperate flick-on. I agree, though, that we played well on the wings.

I'm no big fan of Westwood but we did miss him yesterday, if only because he can calm things down and show a bit of composure. We needed someone in the middle to do that. Delph doesn't. Sanchez seemed more interested in being half an hour late for every challenge and trying to get himself sent off.
There were a few times I noticed Hutton telling his team mates to slow it down a bit.

If we do survive by the skin of our teeth I could see Sherwood overhauling the midfield. I don't think we'll go back for TC. I don't think Westwood will remain a regular. What happens with Sanchez remains to be seen. If he can't adapt to a higher tempo we may have to cut our losses.

[Monty]

I think if you put Westwood in that team instead of Gabby you have a lot more balance and solidity.

[oldham_villa]

Sherwood did say after the game that 'yeah, perhaps' we played the ball long too much to Benteke. Let's hope we see a bit of a backtrack from that method, because it did not work. If Benteke's free, and you can get the ball to him so he can control it and hold it up, great, but he was surrounded by giants a lot yesterday and we still punted it up to his head. Not smart football from the defenders.

Once they equalised we ran out of ideas and steam really. The lads went back to tried and tested, what they've been taught for the majority of Lamberts reign, hump it to the big man.

What he does in midfield is absolutely key. A two man centre doesn't work because no matter who you put next to Delph (who's only a mid-table player himself) you're left week. So three man is the way to go. I'm not sure what I'd do, never mind Tim. If he wants us to up our tempo then Sanchez will be lost. TC and Westwood are too similar so playing both is redundant.
We could go brave and have Delph plus one, with Gil slightly ahead, or put Bacuna in the middle to provide some energy, and potentially goal threat, but Leandro's passing is too erratic.

One thing I think Sherwood did get right was having our wide man attacking the wings, rather than relying entirely on the fullbacks. We got some joy from Sinclair.

Good post.

I wonder if he could do something similar to how previous teams have operated; i.e. Have a natural winger and have the other man showing wide, but filling in a lot by doing lots of leg work.

Morley, Mortimer, Cowans, Bremner
Daley, Richardson, Parker, Houghton

Sinclair, Delph, Sanchez/ Westwood, Cleverley

I know I'm comparing two great midfields against our current lot, but we have what we have. This would have better balance than forcing Gill to stay over on the right.

[passitsideways]

The thing that gives me the hump with Benteke is that we seem to constantly fall into this idea that because of his physique the only way to get the best out of him is to punt it in his general direction for him to win in the air. Yes, he can do that, but he's capable of so much more than that, and all the aerial bombardment tactic really does at this stage is make it easy to use just one plan to stop him, especially when he has no confidence like right now. Why don't we try passes to his feet in promising positions around the box, and let him create space for himself to get a good shot off?

I mean, look at his goals this season (let's include the Leicester offside one because we're desperate): against Palace, he faced up to just the one defender and was able to curl it around him into the far corner. Against United, again, one-on-one in the box, and he created enough space to hit the shot properly. Against Leicester, he took an excellent first touch to give himself breathing room to hit it past the keeper (he would have done the same if he was standing onside anyway). Going back to his first season, his goals against Albion, Everton, Liverpool and Chelsea come to mind. Yet we insist on aiming at his head, not at his feet, time after time. That should be plan B, not plan A with him.

[silhillvilla]

Team for NUFC

--------- given -----------
Hutton Okore Clark cissoko

Cleverly Delph Westwood Bacuna

---- Weimann ---- benteke ----

[Pete3206]

I have no idea why Bacuna didn't feature yesterday, especially having such an impact in the Leicester match. And where was Gabby supposed to be playing? He looked like the shit kid at school who always got picked last then told "err...just play where you want mate"

[pbavfckuwait]

The problem we have with the longer ball to Benteke, is the players around him, normally to bloody near him, never take the gamble, they wait to see in which direction his flick on is going and then go, good -players gamble make the run and alot of the times it works. looking at yesterday, I would go with Sinclair up front with Benteke, play a diamond midfield with Westwood at the defensive point and Gill at the attacking point. Any of the other midfielders for the other two places, as they are all a much of a muchness.
Clark and Okore and get Vlarr out, first goal yesterday he tryed to get Hutton to mark their forward, when it was clearly his man, then got under the ball when it came in, the second goal, they should have been ducking in the Holte Lower, because that is where it should have gone, straight up the pitch.
Still time but slowly running out.

[oldham_villa]

Team for NUFC

--------- given -----------
Hutton Okore Clark cissoko

Cleverly Delph Westwood Bacuna

---- Weimann ---- benteke ----

No Sinclair, or Gill?

[oldham_villa]

I have no idea why Bacuna didn't feature yesterday, especially having such an impact in the Leicester match. And where was Gabby supposed to be playing? He looked like the shit kid at school who always got picked last then told "err...just play where you want mate"

I thought Bacuna was very poor against Leicester.

[UK Redsox]

I have no idea why Bacuna didn't feature yesterday, especially having such an impact in the Leicester match. And where was Gabby supposed to be playing? He looked like the shit kid at school who always got picked last then told "err...just play where you want mate"

I thought Bacuna was very poor against Leicester.

Well, apart from that scoring a goal lark.

Bacuna might not be as good a player as the other options but he's more likely to take any goal-scoring chances that come his way.

[oldham_villa]

There is that pal.