Aston Villa vs Sunderland Post-Match Thread

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I'm confused now, is Sinclair not enough fart now he's providing the err, shit?

He's plopping like a trooper now he's not isolated out on the wing, Chris.

[Ian.]

I'm confused now, is Sinclair not enough fart now he's providing the err, shit?

He he!! The poor fella just can not win!

[andyh]

I hope Timmy has got a goal scorer lined up by close of business on Monday.

[PeterWithesShin]

We obviously aren't where we want to be yet, but we are only 4 games in with this side. Reason i'm satisfied with the performance is based on where we've come from, not where we want to be. Go back 8 months to Sunderland at home end of 2014, we were truly dire, the nil we got flattered us. We are a significant step on from that imo, and that's the main thing. I think we are heading in the right, long term, direction.

[ChicagoLion]

i kept seeing Sinclair making runs off the ball offensively and getting across to cover defensively.
With his 2 goals I am not sure what more we can expect. I like what Ihave seen of him and we do not have a better finisher in the squad.
I think he could play through the middle with Grealish, Gil and Adama supporting.

[bugdozer]

If this Saturday's now devoid of fun,
feeling miffed cos we shoulda won.
Before you make suicidal plans,
spare a thought for those poor Chelsea fans.

[in exile]

My opinion - TS got it wrong today.
Why didn't Kozak replace Gestede  for the last 30 minuets?

[silhillvilla]

Without sounding harsh, we need better than Clark & westwood to kick on.
Simply not PL level.

[in exile]

If this Saturday's now devoid of fun,
feeling miffed cos we shoulda won.
Before you make suicidal plans,
spare a thought for those poor Chelsea fans.

Nice rhyme but fuck 'em

[paul_e]

LTA, Villadelph, if we play this game in a month or 2 we win easily, today we did easily enough to win but there were still a few things where we haven't quite settled.  For that reason not getting the 3 points we deserved was frustrating but you've both overreacted to a ridiculous extent which is why so many people are calling you out on it.

Rudy, I think Sinclair is fine, right now our best 11 would be him up front on his own with adama, gil and grealish behind him, pick that front 4 and I think you'll see him a lot more invovled and he'd score plenty.

Nah. Just nah.

I'm not overreacting at all. I said we played well, I said we deserved to win.. but we didn't get the result we deserved. This is a fixture that was a must win for us, really don't care what anyone else thinks.

We looked gelled aside from Rudy. Midfield played with great continuity and cohesion. Defense, barring Clark's lapse, was above average. We don't get many easy home matches, this was one of them and a fixture we have to win.

Maybe I'm just competitive? I'm not content with underperforming or dropped points. When the season kicks off every game is a must win. I'm not happy to be in the league, I want to strive for success.

You seem set that we'll be better in two months. I thought the same thing last year. You need to collect points when you can.

Again, I thought we played well but results are what matter. I want to win every single game, but more than anything win the games we are supposed to win.

Start hunting before you go hungry. 

Every team, ever, has games where things don't go their way, today was one of those.  Sherwood was absolutely spot on with the comment that was posted, we did more than enough to win the game but it just didn't happen.  at this point of the season I'm more bothered about how we look as a team than I am about points.  Last August we had 10 points by this point but I didn't think we could keep up the performances and didn't think we were creating enough chances.  2 months later that was proven to be correct and we all know how that ended up.  This August I've seen a lot more for us to be positive about so I'm convinced that when we start seeing the 'groups' form in the table we'll be in the midtable one rather than in the relegation one.

It's frustrating to watch a game like today and not have 3 points but the longer view looks much better than the last few years, that's why focusing on the result and calling it a must win game is over-reacting.

[olaftab]

Without sounding harsh, we need better than Clark & westwood to kick on.
Simply not PL level.

Hate to agree SV but you are right. Both are OK when we don't have anyone better but  Westwood was like a square peg in a round hole in that position today and Clark was awful for their equaliser.

[villadelph]

LTA, Villadelph, if we play this game in a month or 2 we win easily, today we did easily enough to win but there were still a few things where we haven't quite settled.  For that reason not getting the 3 points we deserved was frustrating but you've both overreacted to a ridiculous extent which is why so many people are calling you out on it.

Rudy, I think Sinclair is fine, right now our best 11 would be him up front on his own with adama, gil and grealish behind him, pick that front 4 and I think you'll see him a lot more invovled and he'd score plenty.

Nah. Just nah.

I'm not overreacting at all. I said we played well, I said we deserved to win.. but we didn't get the result we deserved. This is a fixture that was a must win for us, really don't care what anyone else thinks.

We looked gelled aside from Rudy. Midfield played with great continuity and cohesion. Defense, barring Clark's lapse, was above average. We don't get many easy home matches, this was one of them and a fixture we have to win.

Maybe I'm just competitive? I'm not content with underperforming or dropped points. When the season kicks off every game is a must win. I'm not happy to be in the league, I want to strive for success.

You seem set that we'll be better in two months. I thought the same thing last year. You need to collect points when you can.

Again, I thought we played well but results are what matter. I want to win every single game, but more than anything win the games we are supposed to win.

Start hunting before you go hungry. 

Every team, ever, has games where things don't go their way, today was one of those.  Sherwood was absolutely spot on with the comment that was posted, we did more than enough to win the game but it just didn't happen.  at this point of the season I'm more bothered about how we look as a team than I am about points.  Last August we had 10 points by this point but I didn't think we could keep up the performances and didn't think we were creating enough chances.  2 months later that was proven to be correct and we all know how that ended up.  This August I've seen a lot more for us to be positive about so I'm convinced that when we start seeing the 'groups' form in the table we'll be in the midtable one rather than in the relegation one.

It's frustrating to watch a game like today and not have 3 points but the longer view looks much better than the last few years, that's why focusing on the result and calling it a must win game is over-reacting.

I agree, the future is brighter than ever but you don't think playing the worst team in the league at home is must win? Any more so than playing a Top 4 side in the last few games to assure survival? It's all the same point tally. FFS, be a competitor.

In the grand scheme of things the "longer view" is get the results, get the points. Who cares when or how, get the result. The season has started.

[PeterWithesShin]

When was the last time a manager said this about us?

Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat: "We had to work very hard to get one point - and I'm pleased with the point. We had no real problem in the beginning when we led 1-0 but then we gave an easy penalty away and that allowed Villa to control the first half. We had some problems with the movement of the Villa front players - they did very well."

[CJ]

For the second game on the trot Tim didn't react to substitutions made by the opposition manager and again that cost us. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt this week because clearly the bug going round the camp had a big impact. Amavi and Gana were dead on their feet for the last 10 minutes and in any other circumstances Veretout and Bennett should have come on with fresh legs, and Gil should have been on for Bacuna much sooner - by about 70 minutes. A fully fit squad and we'd have walked that - Sunderland were poor for the most part and it was definitely 2 points dropped.

As for the goals - good free kick for their first but I thought Guzan was poorly positioned - too far to the other side so no chance of getting to the free kick; clear penalty for our first, well taken by Sinclair; superb move for our second; we should have gone on to win but missed chances (how Richards fail to score still baffles me, Gestede should have at least hit the target, as should Westwood, and we should have had a second pen instead of a yellow for Gil); and Clark was at fault for their second.

Hope Lescott comes in (apparently he played for them today) to provide more stability at the back, and hopefully we'll get a decent striker in before the window closes - not convinced by Gestede or Ayew tbh. And if Sherwood starts Gabby ahead of Sinclair (5 goals in two games), he needs more than his bumps felt. And sadly I think it's time we found a replacement for Guzan

[Rigadon]

We will be a decent team with a fully fit squad to choose from.  Need another striking option and Lescott would be a decent addition.  It's coming together.