Luton Town v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[brian green]

I agree with you Mr U.  Both your previous post that RDM is going exactly the same way as his predecessors and that I truly don't know where we go from here.  What you saw last night we have been seeing for years.  Forget Doncaster and Bradford, go back to Notts County, at home.  We came within a whisker of getting dumped out that night.  It was only Sherwood leaving Traore on as a sacrificial offering to be chopped down every time he got the ball that took us to extra time that night.

There is a shocking slow motion horribleness about the way we become paralysed by the fear of defeat.  It is like a stoat hypnotising a terrified rabbit.

In my mind it has become so bad we are like an oil well fire.  We need a Red Adair.  We need strong, unflinching management that is fully aware how bad some of our players are.  I don't like the policy of every player being given a clean slate.  The 17 points we amassed last season is the incontrovertible evidence of how bad we were but we get in RDM and Clarke and Bond and they say we will be the best judge of what needs doing.  The result?  Micah Richards is made captain and allowed to play centre back.  It is a classic example of the attitude of " you are only the supporters. What the fuck do you know?"

[VinnieChase84]

Woken up and I'm even more pissed off than last night. The hope of a fresh start have belief that we're moving forward and not in a mess. I don't ever want to see Richards, Okore, Hutton, Gardner, Gestede in a Villa shirt again.
We're in a sticky situation with regards our transfer targets too, the longer this debacle continues then the longer they get to see how truly shit we are and consider their options.
Plus if we wait till window closes then we will be cut adrift in the league by then anyhow in terms of pushing for promotion

[KRS]

Just watched the "highlights"...it's even worse than you can imagine when you watch it back. The incompetence and ineptitude by more than just a few players is catastrophic. I have no idea what Okore was up to last night, but on a few occasions it looked liked his legs simply didn't work...and you could be excused for thinking the own goal was intentional if it wasn't for the fact that we know he's just plain old shit. Richards can fuck right off too. Gestede is still getting away with impersonating a footballer. You simply can't win games with players like this in the team, and you certainly don't win football matches without any resemblance of a midfield on the pitch.

RDM again hinted at more transfer activity...they need to start turning words into actions and replace the shit with decent quality players. What needs to be done is blatant for all to see but it needs to get done...and done quickly.

[brian green]

It is significant that the two main architects of our cowardly capitulation to Luton were Okore and Richards both of whom have chronic attitude problems.   Because they don't want to be at Villa, they don't care what happens to Villa.  Can you imagine the scene this morning if Clarke or Bond tries to bollock Richards or Okore for last night.  Their agents would be on the phone in about twenty seconds.

[AvFc4eVeR]

Woken up and I'm even more pissed off than last night. The hope of a fresh start have belief that we're moving forward and not in a mess. I don't ever want to see Richards, Okore, Hutton, Gardner, Gestede in a Villa shirt again.
We're in a sticky situation with regards our transfer targets too, the longer this debacle continues then the longer they get to see how truly shit we are and consider their options.
Plus if we wait till window closes then we will be cut adrift in the league by then anyhow in terms of pushing for promotion

Forget promotion

[Small Rodent]

Roberto Di Matteo let's see how you earn your bruschetta from now on.

I think that was funny but some knob will play his racist card now.

No.
You are the knob for thinking it....yes you did...

Meooow Sailor.

Whatever you're on about, pack it in.

Oops! Just woke up and read what I said. Drunk sense of humour failure by me. Apologies all round.

[AvFc4eVeR]

The only possible positive that can come from last night is that RDM saw the likes of Okore, Gardner, Guestede and Richards for what they really are and they will be banished from the first team squad. I await Saturdays team sheet, but won't hold my breath.

[Richard E]

Among the many irritants last night, the Sky commentators kept calling our new midfielder "Tishbola" all the way through.

[nick harper]

Think the penny may have dropped with RDM given his after match comments. There is a deep malaise in the squad that is not going to be resolved by setting up in a way that allows the oppostion to play aswell.

I remain convinced that the majority of these players are good enough for us to be in in and around the top six and even further with around 3 additions (centre half, holding midfield and a more mobile centre forward - the spine of the side). Confidence is such a massive part of football and to turn this around, he needs to get back to basics - defensive organisation, a much more intense pressing game (we are simply not getting around the pitch well enough) and a style that puts not conceding as the core of the gameplan.

It's not pretty, but we are not going to play free flowing football and an improve results until we take start making ourselves much harder to beat. His prority must be leaders and strong characters in the dressing room in the mould of Elphick.

[Stu]

Enough is enough, this has to stop. I just don't know where to turn with this; the usual suspects need shipping out, yes, but I'm concerned that RDM doesn't appear to have changed anything and we still need about 5 players in key positions throughout the side.

It's still a complete mess.

[Jimbo]

The only possible positive that can come from last night is that RDM saw the likes of Okore, Gardner, Guestede and Richards for what they really are and they will be banished from the first team squad. I await Saturdays team sheet, but won't hold my breath.

I think you might be right. If we take Dr Tony at his word, then perhaps RDM has sacrificed this game to find out definitively who he can and can't trust in this league.

No doubt he'll be troubled by what he's seen, but I doubt he'll be too bothered about no longer being in a cup competition we couldn't possibly win when the league is really all that matters.

I'd expect to see something entirely different on Saturday.

[brian green]

Perhaps we should start a chant, when we are feeling ourselves again as Footyskillz might say, to remind the media ignoramuses. "He's Shibola" to the tune of "He fell over".

[avfcdale]

The main problem last night was the decision to substitute Baker for Hutton, moving Richards inside. i counted 24 high balls over the top of which Baker headed back up the pitch and in most cases put us back on the attack, 2 fell to Okore which he failed to deal with. Baker played well on Saturday alongside Elphick, As we have seen previously if you put an out and out centre half with another good one the bad one improves and will look good IE Laursen made Curtis Davis look good. We need a good Right Back and need to dispense with the services of Richards, Okore and Hutton Quickly!!

[Richard E]

RDM said Baker had taken a knock to the head and had to go off.

[mr underhill]

let's hope he fully recovers, and, like some of those marvel characters who suffer misfortune only to come back as super human,  he returns as an actual footballer