Pre-Season Friendlies

[Nelly]

We've missed a natural leader on the pitch for a long time.

[Toronto Villa]

We're in for a tough season if that was our best today. We need an entire midfield, a striker, and a dependable defender.

We're well short of what we need to be even in the mix for promotion.  All the more galling after Xia's comments when he arrived.  I blame Xia totally for the mess we look at the moment, and if I thought that nonsense he spouted about big investment in the playing squad could be used as a contract, I'd sue him for breach of contract. 

You blame our chairman for relegation? Haven't you got an Albion site to post on?

No.  But I do blame him for the lack of activity in bringing players in, give his boasting and bragging.

do we should just sign players randomly just to make fans happy? He sanctioned the signings of three players very quickly and he is very vocally trusting his manager to evaluate the squad before adding others. The manager himself knows and has said he needs to move some players on too, and in trying to do that he has to play them so they can be scouted by other teams. That adds to the disruption. Instead of constantly complaining why don't you try and comprehend the situation that we find ourselves in and attempt to logically work through what has to take place to arrive at a squad, playing style and overall club environment required to make use successful. Real football management isn't FIFA or Football Manager. It's way more time consuming and complex.

[Villafirst]

Gestede is ok in the Championship as proven at Blackburn where he was given the service by wingers who played to his strengths, as proven by his goal tally. We gave him no crosses of note today, as we had zero width. Great planning and tactics there....

[Tayls_7]

Nelly, from what I've read it appears he is looking for two strikers. ...snip

TV, I think you're right that the side will (hopefully) see a lot of changes, it's clear that Villa are trying to being people in. That's encouraging. I guess we'll have to wait and see how things pan out. I would have liked for Di Matteo try try Ayew up front with Grealish behind today. Ayew was pretty much a midfielder today it seemed.

I hope we have a bit more about us next week, I think it'll be a tough game for us against Wednesday. Once we solidify out first team a bit I think things will look much rosier.

Not if we have a manager who thinks it is ok to watch Ayew playing alongside Westwood with Gestede stood scratching his arse all game it won't.

Agreed. Playing Gestede was a waste today. And Westwood: Gr. I think our midfield was the most dissapointing aspect of today's game for me.

Watching Westwood is making my eyes bleed. Please God make it stop. He is utterly 'pointless'. It's like playing with ten men. Zero creativity and no defensive qualities at all. I despair at his unerring ability to convince managers he is worthy of the shirt.

[Richard]

It was a friendly, let's not get so worked up until we play those first 3 games inc Luton next week and then we may have a better idea.

[wittonwarrior]

Today was largely a game of 55 minutes v 35 minutes.  Individual mistakes led to all of their 3 goals.

What was most alarming is that the team despite what has been reported as double training sessions simply could not see the match through for 90 minutes and we are a week ahead of Middlesborough in preparation.

Roberto is right when he says it will take time and anyone watching today couldn't argue with that assessment.  I guess we will win some big games but also lose some others.

Individually the players I would pick out for comment today:

Grealish - did okay until he was moved wide - he did enough up to half time to show that there is a footballer there.

Gestede - adds very little to the team, no movement, very little commitment.

Ayew again showed well early on but the game passed him by later on.

By my number one wish is for a centre forward before next week.  Surely we can't go into the season with Gestede or can we.

[peter w]

Just walked through the door.  Still totally pissed off with them.  What was the single biggest reason for our abject humiliation last season ? It was defeatism. A losing mentality.  The opposition score and we throw in the towel.  We assemble in the centre circle, shoulders slumped, heads bowed, silent - just as though a coffin is being buried on the centre spot. No rolling up of sleeves, no encouraging each other, just spineless acceptance of inevitable defeat.  Today was the day I realised we should have got Nigel Pearson.  It costs nothing to roust a team.  Just bollock them until they start to play like men, not frigging eunuchs.

This is it for me. It's just a friendly yes, but the manner of the defeat and how we lost it so easily in the second-half that worried me. Some of the goals were so reminiscent of last season that one week away from the start of the season it is a worry. it also shows how far we've got to go to change the mindset that is so deeply ingrained in many of the players from last season. The 'here we go again' when we concede is [robably going to take a lot longer to shift than we thought.

This is probably what Di Matteo, or xia, was talking about, when mentioning the clear out before the additions. The latter is clearly needed but we need rid of so many of the old players that have so stained the psyche of the club with the stench of surrender and constant defeat.

[brian green]

Well said Mr W.

[wittonwarrior]

I wouldn't feed Gestede right now.

Please find us a resolution quick.

[Malandro]

Just walked through the door.  Still totally pissed off with them.  What was the single biggest reason for our abject humiliation last season ? It was defeatism. A losing mentality.  The opposition score and we throw in the towel.  We assemble in the centre circle, shoulders slumped, heads bowed, silent - just as though a coffin is being buried on the centre spot. No rolling up of sleeves, no encouraging each other, just spineless acceptance of inevitable defeat.  Today was the day I realised we should have got Nigel Pearson.  It costs nothing to roust a team.  Just bollock them until they start to play like men, not frigging eunuchs.

I find that very offensive (he says in a high pitched voice)

[Ron Manager]

Today was largely a game of 55 minutes v 35 minutes.  Individual mistakes led to all of their 3 goals.

What was most alarming is that the team despite what has been reported as double training sessions simply could not see the match through for 90 minutes and we are a week ahead of Middlesborough in preparation.

Roberto is right when he says it will take time and anyone watching today couldn't argue with that assessment.  I guess we will win some big games but also lose some others.

Individually the players I would pick out for comment today:

Grealish - did okay until he was moved wide - he did enough up to half time to show that there is a footballer there.

Gestede - adds very little to the team, no movement, very little commitment.

Ayew again showed well early on but the game passed him by later on.

By my number one wish is for a centre forward before next week.  Surely we can't go into the season with Gestede or can we.

"I guess we will win some big games. " Are you serious?  What have you observed that brings you to that conclusion?

[oswald funkletrumpet]

why not give the russian a go? or green? why play ayew deep? why play gestede? why start with westwood?

these arent brain of britain questions and im not knocking rdm but jesus just try something different that we havent seen fail 20 times before

[wittonwarrior]

Today was largely a game of 55 minutes v 35 minutes.  Individual mistakes led to all of their 3 goals.

What was most alarming is that the team despite what has been reported as double training sessions simply could not see the match through for 90 minutes and we are a week ahead of Middlesborough in preparation.

Roberto is right when he says it will take time and anyone watching today couldn't argue with that assessment.  I guess we will win some big games but also lose some others.

Individually the players I would pick out for comment today:

Grealish - did okay until he was moved wide - he did enough up to half time to show that there is a footballer there.

Gestede - adds very little to the team, no movement, very little commitment.

Ayew again showed well early on but the game passed him by later on.

By my number one wish is for a centre forward before next week.  Surely we can't go into the season with Gestede or can we.

"I guess we will win some big games. " Are you serious?  What have you observed that brings you to that conclusion?

Because that appears to be the general theme in the Championship.  I am  fearful though for next week, especially if Wendy steam out of the blocks, as undoubtedly they have something to prove after Wembley.

[Salsa Party Animal]

Let hope it will tell us how urgent we need a good powerful and mobile striker. Do Championship have a transfer deadline like Premier League ?

[UK Redsox]

From todays team I don't think many came out with much credit ........

Much as its sad news I fear Grealish is just all hype ....
Gardner ....... forget it
Ayew ...Did he look like he wanted to be there?

You could go on but its time Grealish either put a shift in was we forget him ...not popular words I guess but what else can be said

I'm with you on Grealish and GG. The former's total unwillingness to shoot is really strange. He's like a golfer with the yips.

To me it looks like the injuries have really taken their toll on Gardner. Potentially he's the best passer in the squad but physically I don't think he's up to it.

I thought that Ayew tried really hard, dropping back to pick up the ball and always looking to be involved. However, when he does drop back, no one pushes forward to support Rudy. It's not Pointy's game, so I'm not expecting him to and GG doesn't have the pace.

For the good of the team (in the absence of a midfielder who can burst forward), Ayew needs to stay up top