Southampton v Paul Lambert's Aston Villa post match thread

[Rudy65]

I wonder what kind of game it would have been if Benteke had put that early chance away, which he should have? That's trying to claw some comfort though, because the defending was woeful.

He was offside anyway

Not according to the linesman, making your point completely irrelevant.

Not according to R5 which make your point even less relevant

[SoccerHQ]

I wonder what kind of game it would have been if Benteke had put that early chance away, which he should have? That's trying to claw some comfort though, because the defending was woeful.

Saints should've been one up before then though, Pelle was onside and we didn't learn from that.

Our defence got battered, Vlaar and Okore had total shockers and that set the tone, we can't have our defence 40 yards in the pitch in the cup final as we saw today teams that pass and move with pace can just get between our lines.

Our midfield lot didn't turn up today for whatever reason either.

A very bad day at the office no doubt, sort of game you watch in a trance and suddenly wonder at 4-0 after 20 minuted wtf is going on.

Let's not forget the good form for the last 6 weeks previously though. We're still on the right track but today is a reality check no doubt.

[richard moore]

Awful and embarrasssing. We left at half time with many other Villa fans.

[curiousorange]

What's Sherwood had to say about it?

[Toronto Villa]

I wonder what kind of game it would have been if Benteke had put that early chance away, which he should have? That's trying to claw some comfort though, because the defending was woeful.

He was offside anyway

Not according to the linesman, making your point completely irrelevant.

Not according to R5 which make your point even less relevant

It doesn't matter what R5 says. Had the ball gone in the net the goal would have stood. That's all that matters.

[steamer]

desperate, desperate, defending, Vlaar was pathetic, If we stay up or go down that back 4+ the goalkeeper need refreshing.
Hey, but we are Aston Villa and do not do anything easy.
I do not do omens but when were relegated in 66/67 we needed to win our last two games to stay up (or stand a chance of staying up) we lost at home 4-2 to Everton and 6-2 away to Southampton and were relegated.
So not our first tonking on the south coast.
Lets keep the faith and support Spurs (spits on the ground)
After the honeymoon , Tim needs some talent and most of all a couple of leaders in this team next year.

[PaulTheVillan]

Quite clear we need a new back 4 and a keeper in the summer.

[Rudy65]

I wonder what kind of game it would have been if Benteke had put that early chance away, which he should have? That's trying to claw some comfort though, because the defending was woeful.

He was offside anyway

Not according to the linesman, making your point completely irrelevant.

Not according to R5 which make your point even less relevant

It doesn't matter what R5 says. Had the ball gone in the net the goal would have stood. That's all that matters.

It doesnt matter one jot. He missed

R5 made a point of saying he was saved from embarrassment because he was flagged for offside anyway

[Toronto Villa]

What's Sherwood had to say about it?

Nothing publicly. He's still ripping off his clothing and tossing it on the floor.

[andyh]

That was absolutely fucking awful.
It was a Lambert performance from start to finish, from front to back.

Where was the energy, the movement and the desire?
I can't help but think back to Hull at home last season when we we beat them before they played in the cup final.
We looked very, very similar and if things don't go well for us later today, I am  dreading going into that Burnley game next week needing a result.

[PeterWithesShin]

Well. I really enjoyed the update texts from Sox Sports News! Vlaar and Given just seem to be disasters waiting to happen. Far too often with Vlaar in the side we've done these collapses.

[charleeco7]

Terrible performance tactically terrible. We are still up to our neck it with the goal difference going against us. All to play for as we can't rely on others.

[old man villa fan]

a wake up call for the team, the manager and some of the fans.  With the players we have we are no more than a middle of the table club.

Some observations:

1.  Vlaar cannot play on the left side
2.  Okore lacks experience and has a lot to learn
3.  Hutton badly affects the rhythm of the team and is too casual.  Good at the start of the season as he was solid but should not be in a Sherwood team
4.  Suckered by Southampton forward line continually pushing forward offside and then playing it to a late runner
5.  N'Zogbia is too hot and cold and mostly cold
6.  Gabby should have been busting a gut to get a place in the final side but strolled around generally and rarely looked to get in the box for Benteke's flick-ons
7.  Midfield fail to follow midfield runners from deep (other than the one time with Delph)
8.  Fullbacks should not stand off the opposition player and then allow the cross (Lowton for the 6th).  Need to get tighter.
9.  Need to buy good experienced central defender, goalkeeper, quality central midfield player and a 2nd striker that can score goals
10.  Very worried if Benteke goes

[Tom_Mc9?]

These things happen. We're a bottom half of the league football team. We've overperformed for a few weeks and had a bad week. We'll come back from it.

[SamTheMouse]

We're very fragile when it comes to injuries. It only takes a couple to fuck up our form totally. Having Baker and Clark both out at the same time was always going to make things tricky, because those two have been by some distance our best defenders all season. It's weird, because Vlaar only seems to look solid with Clark or Baker alongside him. Those two look rubbish when they play together. And Okore has one game where he looks really very promising, and the next he'll look like a baby elephant that's just been shot with a tranquiliser dart.

The problem today was that every member of the back four individually had an absolute shocker. You can survive with one or even two playing poorly, but when all four go tonto you're just fucked.