Aston Villa v Notts County - Post-Match Thread

[Toronto Villa]

I have been impressed with Sinclair's attitude, he has an eye for goal which we severely lack.
He has to start the next game, yes I would give him a go as centre forward.

he gets into very good positions which I like about him. Said that last year when even if he didn't score he was in position to. You can't really teach that, it's almost instinctive.

[aj2k77]

Enjoyed tonight, better than some of the other cup fuck ups we've endured.

Gil, Grealish, Traore, Sinclair played well. Veretout looked ok.
Baker poor. Sanchez not a centre back obviously, Lescott would be a very decent short term deal for us.
Bennett goal was nice.
Ayew looked crap, not up to full speed of course but thought he'd look better against what is almost non league standard.

[Lastfootstamper]

Sinclair is the best centre forward at the club. Stop messing about with him as a left winger who is completely right footed and play him down the middle with Jack, Gil and Adama behind him.

The form of our other strikers is so bad I'd consider kozak. How did he do when he came on?

We need someone at CF, if for no other reason than to provide a focal point. Ayew doesn't seem to be that man, not yet anyway. Get one of these pair in. Some of our approach play tonight was what I'd hoped for with the buys, but ffs somebody shoooooooot!!!!

[curiousorange]

I have no problem with Sinclair starting. He can finish, he works hard and has good movement. What's not to like?

I didn't see the game tonight (the highlights showed Grealish seemingly picking up where he left off last season) but people don't seem very impressed with Ayew. I can understand him lacking a scoring touch at present, but was he in any way effective?

[ChicagoLion]

I have been impressed with Sinclair's attitude, he has an eye for goal which we severely lack.
He has to start the next game, yes I would give him a go as centre forward.

he gets into very good positions which I like about him. Said that last year when even if he didn't score he was in position to. You can't really teach that, it's almost instinctive.

That's because he wants to score, some players find reasons not to get into those positions.
Lets hope he gets a real chance now.

[LeeB]

Sinclair is Gabby's upgrade.

[PeterWithesShin]

I really enjoyed that. Defence was scary at times but we really took the piss going forward at times. Adama, Gil and Jack were playing a different game to everyone else. Jack was loving it, near the end as he went to take a corner the Holte was signing "Super Jack" and he looked up at us in L2 and i've never seen a player look happier or have a bigger smile on his face.
It was actually fun and enjoyable to be there tonight. A world apart from Orient last year. Even when we were losing there were loads of positives to be seen for the future. When we click we are going to rip some decent sides apart.

[aj2k77]

I really enjoyed that. Defence was scary at times but we really took the piss going forward at times. Adama, Gil and Jack were playing a different game to everyone else. Jack was loving it, near the end as he went to take a corner the Holte was signing "Super Jack" and he looked up at us in L2 and i've never seen a player look happier or have a bigger smile on his face.
It was actually fun and enjoyable to be there tonight. A world apart from Orient last year. Even when we were losing there were loads of positives to be seen for the future. When we click we are going to rip some decent sides apart.

That's how I felt mate, we were always going to be rickety at the back with that side and the midfield didn't offer much protection but for getting the attacking players some game time and working together, plus a bit of entertainment it was a decent night.

[Percy McCarthy]

Great fun tonight. We were comical at times though.

[olaftab]

For once I agree fully ( mostly agree partially) with PWS. Great night and oh yes Orient last year was one of the most miserable nights I have ever witnessed at the Park.

[curiousorange]

I read on Twitter that Ayew had a goal disallowed. Fairly?

[Mr Diggles]

Can anyone provide a report on how Veretout was?

We thought he was good tonight, but then he was the on,y central midfielder playing.

He looks to be getting more settled, was nice and tidy on the ball, got forward well towards the end of the game, and had a really good shot blocked.

[PeterWithesShin]

Only player I have to be a nit negative about tonight is Ayew, he's not ready yet.

[Clampy]

I thought we were great going forward but always looked like we going to let one  in whenever they attacked. Sanchez did really well considering he's not a defender but he should have been in midfield. It might have been an easier night had he been. Richardson had a fairly decent game and Grealish deserved a goal, he was great.

Oh and I hope we keep Kozak, he was excellent when he came on.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Not a ringing endorsement for those who think tactics Tim is the man to lead us out of this mess. More of the same and if it were McLeish or Lambert as manager having spent £40m the abuse would be off the scale.

I've just read that County had 18 new players this summer. I guess the scoreline was a reflection of both sides fielding so many new players. Tactics will have to earn the right to be called Tim and nights like tonight won't do him any favours. Whilst everybody is calling for a new centre forward, the best teams build from the back. We have plenty of striker options but it's the defence that really concern me. I'm really hoping the Spurs fans were wrong in their appraisal of Sherwood in that we'll have to outscore teams to win because he doesn't do defence.

Pre-match I said I wanted to see us solid at the back and defensive midfield to use this game to build on for our league form. What we got was the complete opposite with a gung-ho approach, learning nothing about how to operate defensively and supply our attack. It reminds me very much of Lambert's first season.

Still, to the few that turned up, at least they got to see an enjoyable and memorable game. For them, I'm more than happy but fear we lost a great opportunity to use the game to build on where we want to be.. other than in the next round.