Aston Villa v Brentford Post Match Thread

[Chris Smith]

No, Amavi was the supposed 'workhouse' defensive player and Ayew the flair guy (why does it have to be right workhouse and left flair? Because of Brenner and Morley?), and it was terrible. If they aren't the right players for those roles then we don't have anyone for them, cause they won't be better tbh.

Chris, being outmanoeuvred by Brentford at home isn't going to be helped by going to a formation from the eighties. It amazes me that people look at our squad, look at the performances, check the date, and say 'yeah, 4-4-2 with the workhorse and the rigidity and lack of ambition and the misery'. It won't work.

Yes, of course I agree that 442 is not the way to go. I think we need Jedinak + 1 sitting and then it is a question of getting the balance right in front of that. It should not be beyond the manager to fashion an effective combination from the players he has assembled although it would help enormously if more of them could stay fit and allow some consistency of selection.

[Boz]

I think we'll stay up

Agreed,  there are 3 worse teams in the league, aren't there? Please say there are.

Hope springs eternal, so it's said 

[Boz]

He's grasping around for tactics hoping to fall onto the right one like Sherwood.

He'll accidently land on his feet rather than his arse. Right now that's my only hope.

It's not how you get promoted or even close to it. Get rid before its too late to scrape the play offs.

And bring in who? I'd stick with him personally.

Some have said 'stick with the current manager' for years.
Fuck, some were still backing Lambert right up to the day he went.
If it clearly isn't working, do something about it.

I feel dirty for saying it but I'd bring in Bruce.

As disappointing a start as it's been, it's virtually a new club from the chairman down to the players so we need to stick with it. Making changes after 7 games would be such a unnecessary knee jerk reaction and totally the wrong one too.

While I agree it seems too early for wholesale changes Clampy, how long can the present situation be allowed to go on? The manager has to do something to improve the players confidence and not keep dropping deeper and deeper in the second half, inviting more and more pressure on the defence.

[aj2k77]

There's almost an element of fantasy football about it. Loads a money loads of attackers, goals galore put them to the sword but no practical thinking and sending out sides drilled in a set way playing in positions they know.

Its a new team its not going to help them if they cant even fall back on playing in positions they train in and are comfortable in for some of them. Will kodjia have ever played wide right in his life? Have no idea but its certainly not the position we bought him for. I doubt hes spent the week learning about that position

[RussellC]

I don't think that the shape was necessarily the biggest problem last night. The lack of intensity in the second half, both with and without the ball, was alarming. It was the lack of in-game management, both from the players and RDM, that cost-us again.

Against Forest, it was obvious that we needed another central midfielder on the pitch after taking the lead. Last night, Bacuna for  McCormack was the obvious change to make without affecting the balance in the side too much. There should have been a shift in the team's mentality last night to keep possession better in the second half, and it was almost like that message hadn't been conveyed. Throw-ins, for example, were like the bad old days of Paul Lambert, where's there's literally nobody showing for the ball and we lose possession within 2 seconds.

There's plenty of experience in the team now, so why are we still making these elementary mistakes?

[LeeB]

And don't get me started on Westwood. The bloke's like a fucking mirage.

We very nearly got shut of him, and then Dyche came to his senses. Though if we had agreed a deal, Westwood would probably picked up the contract, looked panicked and then passed it back to the nearest Villa official.

Big hand clappy thing. He was the worst player on the pitch last night.

He should become a policeman, the fucker only ever arrives once the crime has been committed.

[PeterWithe]

I thought he was OK, more tenacious than Sunday.

[Monty]

Yes, of course I agree that 442 is not the way to go. I think we need Jedinak + 1 sitting and then it is a question of getting the balance right in front of that. It should not be beyond the manager to fashion an effective combination from the players he has assembled although it would help enormously if more of them could stay fit and allow some consistency of selection.

Ah fair enough. Yes I agree - perhaps we could tweak it by bringing Jack in as the central one of the attacking midfield three, so it can switch more easily to a 433 when we don't have the ball? I mean, he's not Pogba is our Jack, but he's more a midfielder than Ayew or Ross.

I agree with most that's been said though - even more than the system it was the timidity and meekness that was kind of shocking, not to mention being about as calm on the ball as an electrified rabbit. With the money that's been spent the performances should be better - and the results should be a lot better.

[oldhill_avfc]

No, Amavi was the supposed 'workhouse' defensive player and Ayew the flair guy (why does it have to be right workhouse and left flair? Because of Brenner and Morley?), and it was terrible. If they aren't the right players for those roles then we don't have anyone for them, cause they won't be better tbh.

Chris, being outmanoeuvred by Brentford at home isn't going to be helped by going to a formation from the eighties. It amazes me that people look at our squad, look at the performances, check the date, and say 'yeah, 4-4-2 with the workhorse and the rigidity and lack of ambition and the misery'. It won't work.

Doesn't have to left flair/right workhorse - but the balance of having 3 solid midfielders + 1 who can be more adaptable makes sense. 

Either way, for me it was more down to personnel last night rather than the basic idea.

[PeterWithe]

McCormack is becoming a bit of a worry, he's the one that's really being shoe-horned in, he's not quick enough to make a difference out wide and not strong enough to play centrally with his back to goal.

Lets hope it clicks soon.

[mr underhill]

yes, before we start looking forward to our cup final with Coventry

[AVH87]

Grealish as the ACM in a three centrally is a decent shout. Jedinak sitting, and someone energetic infront of him (Tshibola if fit), would have to be Bacuna if not.

[Chris Smith]

McCormack is becoming a bit of a worry, he's the one that's really being shoe-horned in, he's not quick enough to make a difference out wide and not strong enough to play centrally with his back to goal.

Lets hope it clicks soon.

I think he needs players on the same wavelength as him, Gestede clearly is not that. I think he had Grealish work well at times we just need Tshibola to do the same.

[Jimbo]

The really, really stupid thing was, with Just-Head up front on his own, Brentford knew there was no chance of us breaking. They could relax and push us back at their leisure. That was staggering, a bit like our unfit players in the last 20 minutes.

[AlexAlexCropley]

All this should've been sorted  pre season.
What is Steve Clarke bringing to the table.
Change the manager now before its too late.