Aston Villa v Huddersfield Town Post-Match Thread

[Rudy65]

Hmmmmmmmm.

What to make of that?


Not clinical enough in the first half when on top.

Unlucky with the goal itself but they were all over us for a good half hour.

I'm worried RDM doesn't see what he should.  He left a situation to fester until we began to get jumpy. There was a point where we needed to bolster the middle of the park with half an hour to go, just to calm things down, and he didn't do it.  We had far too many front foot players on the pitch where they were contributing nothing.

Also have doubts about the keeper, never been a fan of playing promise over experience in that position.


In summary, very disappointed and a little concerned .

Bolster the midfield? Like with whom. Gary Gardner?  Cant beleive RDM is getting stick at this stage. We are like an oil tanker, it will take time to turn us around

[Clampy]

That game should have been done and dusted by half time, it was really frustrating because a second goal would have killed the game off. I can see us giving someone a hiding at some point though. One to learn from.

[Bad English]

I blame Gollini. He could always just kick it out for a throw. Still, how many times do you see a goalkeeper kick the ball at the opposition and what percentage go straight into the net from thirty yards? Five? Maybe ten? We could've done with a bit of luck, especially after our last missed clearance fell perfectly for Wednesday and the way the ball bounced off Grealish at EDLuton.

Looked to me by the time Gollini gets to it their player is so close he only had time to hoof it forwards.

I can't understand why Gollini didn't just dummy the kick, segue into a Cruyff turn then lay it off for someone to do a mazy run and chip into the Huddersfield goal. It was that simple.

[berneboy]

No question that them bringing Wells on turned the game. 

What worries me is Di Matteo didn't seem to have an answer to it.  Tactically,  motivationally or with substitutions.

I hope it's because he doesn't know his squad well enough yet, because with time that will be corrected.  I just pray it's not a lack of acumen.
[/quote

No question that them bringing Wells on turned the game. 

What worries me is Di Matteo didn't seem to have an answer to it.  Tactically,  motivationally or with substitutions.

I hope it's because he doesn't know his squad well enough yet, because with time that will be corrected.  I just pray it's not a lack of acumen.

I think rdm may have more 'acumen' than we do!

[Rudy65]

One win against a shit Rotherham team a draw and a defeat. Pretty shit really don't know why everyone was getting carried away after 1 win we've still got loads to do

Behave. Huddersfield were lucky to still be in the game at half time.

And unlucky not to win based kn their second half performance. They look half decent

[Rudy Can't Fail]

No question that them bringing Wells on turned the game. 

What worries me is Di Matteo didn't seem to have an answer to it.  Tactically,  motivationally or with substitutions.

I hope it's because he doesn't know his squad well enough yet, because with time that will be corrected.  I just pray it's not a lack of acumen.

Tactician, he's not but he should have enough about him and Clarke to respond to their half time changes. Saying that, WTF was Richards doing on our bench? Tonight was always going to be about midfield.

[Walmley_Villa]

Game of two halves and to be expected with new players and management. It will take time for them to gel and get an understanding. This team is however looking like a team (far more than in recent seasons) and are willing to play for each other and put their bodies on the line. Huddersfield are one of the dark horses for this season and you can see why. The Dortmund approach they employ is well drilled. We will keep improving but still need some more bodies in, the bench had no game changers.

Great attendance and the tribute to Dalian was class, fair play to the Dr holding up an umbrella.

[Rudy65]

Grealish is wasted on the left. He has the skill but not the pace to beat a man. He needs to play more central behind a front two and get more involved. He got no protection tonight.

You cant have a midfield three like tonight plus Ayew. Not solid enough when we are under pressure and you are relying on Westwood, Grealish and Ayew to defend with discipline. I like Tish though. Some good touches just needs to get his fitness up.

Oh and for the two moaners sitting behind me in the Holte, just f off will you. Its embarrassing when we are one nil up in the first balf and you are still bloody moaning and complaining. That aside great atmosphere.

Overall a wake up call tonight after Saturday. Plenty of work to do and more signings required

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Hmmmmmmmm.

What to make of that?


Not clinical enough in the first half when on top.

Unlucky with the goal itself but they were all over us for a good half hour.

I'm worried RDM doesn't see what he should.  He left a situation to fester until we began to get jumpy. There was a point where we needed to bolster the middle of the park with half an hour to go, just to calm things down, and he didn't do it.  We had far too many front foot players on the pitch where they were contributing nothing.

Also have doubts about the keeper, never been a fan of playing promise over experience in that position.


In summary, very disappointed and a little concerned .

Bolster the midfield? Like with whom. Gary Gardner?  Cant beleive RDM is getting stick at this stage. We are like an oil tanker, it will take time to turn us around

Time we don't have. We need to go up this season but looking at our bench, it was pretty clear it was do or die with those that started. I'd like to have seen Jordan Lyden on there. At least the lad knows how to battle like his life depends on it.

[Villatillidie1982]

Blimey that is some shit defending for their goal. I am miffed.

With Gollini trying to welly it like that, it couldn't have ended up anywhere else. A tap to the side would suffice. That's 3 points that he has cost so far.

[simboy]

That's a bit harsh on Gollini. Two superb saves. I thought what cost us that game is that the midfield and front players who had pressed Huddersfield for the first 60 or so minutes ran out of steam.

[dekko]

Nothing too much to add.

First half we were all over them and should've had a hatful.  2nd half we seemed to stop pressing them high up the pitch, which was probably a good idea given they're a counterattacking team, but it also had the effect of letting them pin us back and then the ol' nerves kicked in.

We started to get overloaded down our right in the last 30 mins - I like Ayew but his defensive positioning is all over the place and he could've given Bacuna more support.  I think a right sided midfielder or winger who knows how to help out defensively should probably be on the shopping list.  Disappointing RDM didn't do anything about it but bench options were limited.

The goal we conceded was much like the one at Wednesday: a series of errors by different players.  Both times Gollini made the final, fatal mistake, but he shouldn't have been given the ball either time.

You don't get over half a decade of crap in a few months, but I've seen enough in the first three league games to think that with two or three new signings promotion is well within reach.

[SoccerHQ]

Well the first ever non top flight game I've watched involving us and quite an interesting night....

First of all the crowd. I was in the lower Witton tonight and couldn't believe how packed the Holte was and how positive the crowd were throughout. We need to win games but goodness me if we keep that up Villa Park will be a much more positive place this season, there was a buzz around tonight I haven't felt for quite some time.
35k must've been our highest midweek gate for a long time. I reckon they'll open the upper Trinity at xmas.

The standard in the championship. When you've spent all your time watching premier league (and a bit of league one) you immediately see how much slower the player is when players have the ball. I couldn't believe how much space Huddersfield gave us and they hardly had anything upfront for the first hour....

We played very well for an hour. Lots of movement, quick interchanges and we should've scored a hatful.

Fragility at defending a 1 nil lead. Huddersfield bringing on Scannell and Wells changed the game completely.  Cissokho went to pot second half when Scannell was running at him which meant Huddersfield built up constant pressure and Wells has that quality in the final third which really unsettled us. In fairness given they've won their first two and beaten Newcastle they're not a bad team and they didn't start with their strongest 11.

Lack of options on the bench. We had 4 defenders on there. Where was Adama? He'd have been perfect to bring on when we were under the cosh in the last 20 minutes to launch some counter attacks. We're still short of two players I reckon, Jedinak and another forward player.

Overall though I'm much more positive than I was two weeks back. It's clear there isn't much quality in this division so given the money we've spent and will continue to spend we'll be up there but need to win a few more games to get that confidence up and strengthen a little more. We're getting there is how I'd sum it up. 4 points from Derby and Bristol and I think that's a pretty decent start.

[olaftab]

Blimey that is some shit defending for their goal. I am miffed.

With Gollini trying to welly it like that, it couldn't have ended up anywhere else. A tap to the side would suffice. That's 3 points that he has cost so far.

Chap is either unlucky or not good...in either case there is a bit of worry.

[CJ]

Well that was a real sickener, but probably a fair result on the balance of play, and it just wouldn't be Villa if we didn't have a monumental defensive cockup at some point or another. If we'd put our chances away we would have killed the game off in the first half, when Huddersfield were very poor. A bit like the 'Boro friendly game, the opposition decided to come out and play in the second half and we were on the back foot for most of the half, and only the woodwork stopped them equalising earlier. We needed more in midfield in the second half - hopefully Jedinak will provide that if we get his visa sorted. Alternatively, if we could have brought Adama on for the last 20 minutes to bring the ball forward that would have relieved the pressure on a defence that was hoofing and hoping and getting put back under pressure. Presumably Adama is injured again now that's he's played 15 minutes of football.

But 35,000 on a Tuesday night for Huddersfield, great atmosphere, good game of football for the neutral, and a comedy ref thrown in for good measure