Aston Villa v Wolves Post-Match Thread

[tomd2103]

The shit performances and negative reactions become a downward spiral that's very hard to get out of. The more fraught and tense the atmosphere becomes, the more nervous and edgy the players get. Mistakes are made, the groans get louder. It's a very difficult cycle to break out of.

The solution, I expect, will be to instil into the players a Keep-It-Simple-Stupid mindset. Stick to a rigid, highly organised system where each man plays out his function simply and boringly. Have everyone know their role inside out. Play as a team.

At the moment we're like prisoners digging a tunnel. We're going to have to perform the same dull tasks over and over before we see any light at the end.

Agree.  He's got to quickly come up with a way of playing and and pick players that best suit that style. 

[Tony Erdington]

I might be in the minority but I thought Richards was actually trying yesterday, he looked a little rusty at times but I thought his effort was fine. Adomah did also, but he wasn't very effective to be honest.

Agree , but Adomah was our only outlet down the right and as he charged forward again and again, where was the supporting play ? he was on his own to a man most of the time and the claret and blue shirts moved away from him!, so he was left to contend with two/three wolves players on his own.

Get Ayew in on Tuesday and play Adomah one side Ayew the other with Kodija supported by McCormack or Gestede.

[McGraths Dry Cleaning]

My first game of the season. It was a terrible performance but surely Villa must be dysfunctional behind the scenes? I just don't see how we can continue to be so totally unfit - surely this is easily changed?

A few times in the second half I looked down from the middle of the upper holte and all I could see were Wolves players in midfield - it literally looked like they had more players than us on the pitch. Our players were hiding on the edges and they look totally shot of confidence.

We really need to get back to basics - whatever is going on behind the scenes needs sorting.

[pbavfckuwait]

Bruce has got one hell of a job on his hands, there is no shape of a team in those 11 to 16 individuals named each week, at times they are total strangers.
The fitness issue will be even a bigger problem, when the matches are coming weekend, mid week, then when there is a break most away on international duty, how can he set time aside for fitness, when I think someone above quite rightly said, the best way out of this now is for him to get them doing the basics, working to a rigid pattern and having to settle for that until a couple of wins (whats one of them) brings self and unit confidence back.
I would also take a very good look at the youth, because surely there is someone within the Villa ranks that are the equal of Jedinak and Elphick.

[TonyD]

Get them fit.  And get two midfielders and it's play off.  Don't and it's Division 3.

[supertom]

Bruce has got one hell of a job on his hands, there is no shape of a team in those 11 to 16 individuals named each week, at times they are total strangers.
The fitness issue will be even a bigger problem, when the matches are coming weekend, mid week, then when there is a break most away on international duty, how can he set time aside for fitness, when I think someone above quite rightly said, the best way out of this now is for him to get them doing the basics, working to a rigid pattern and having to settle for that until a couple of wins (whats one of them) brings self and unit confidence back.
I would also take a very good look at the youth, because surely there is someone within the Villa ranks that are the equal of Jedinak and Elphick.

Lyden deserves a go I think. I'd play him and Tish in midfield to provide the legs, and bring in Gardner, giving him a bit more freedom to get forward, and he may then offer some threat from distance.

[Ger Regan]

I might be in the minority but I thought Richards was actually trying yesterday, he looked a little rusty at times but I thought his effort was fine. Adomah did also, but he wasn't very effective to be honest.

Richards is not a footballer, he's absolutely pathetic.

[wittonwarrior]

Richards good footballer if only he concentrated on his own play.

As for yesterday poor all round.  I fear for us with that type of performance

[nick harper]

Bruce has got one hell of a job on his hands, there is no shape of a team in those 11 to 16 individuals named each week, at times they are total strangers.
The fitness issue will be even a bigger problem, when the matches are coming weekend, mid week, then when there is a break most away on international duty, how can he set time aside for fitness, when I think someone above quite rightly said, the best way out of this now is for him to get them doing the basics, working to a rigid pattern and having to settle for that until a couple of wins (whats one of them) brings self and unit confidence back.
I would also take a very good look at the youth, because surely there is someone within the Villa ranks that are the equal of Jedinak and Elphick.

Lyden deserves a go I think. I'd play him and Tish in midfield to provide the legs, and bring in Gardner, giving him a bit more freedom to get forward, and he may then offer some threat from distance.

Definitely needs a narrow 3 in midfield and has been suggested, a back to basics approach. It was noticeable again yesterday the number of players taking too many touches in possession instead of moving the ball on - Adomah, Grealish, McCormack, Kodija, all guilty of it. Not enough of a team ethic.

In the absence of many options I'd have Bacuna in midfield with two of Tish, Jedinak, Westwood and Gardner. He will at least add some energy and he can get box to box. We need to leave out a forward option but would definitely bring back Ayew.

[KevinGage]

Some of you must be seeing a different Micah Richards to me.  Maybe you want to see the promising 18 year-old that broke through at Citeh and was making the England squad. The problem is he never developed from there. 

He always had the physique and decent pace, so Citeh probably reasoned that with good coaching and big match experience the other stuff: the positioning, game awareness, basic passing technique et.c would come. But it never did.

The Micah Richards 2016 version is a dim-witted manchild who thinks he's better than he is. He is not alone with that delusion, a few on our books have similar delusions of grandeur.

As for Wolves -and as much as that second half was shocking- they did go to Newcastle and beat them 2-0.  They looked like the best team we have faced so far this season -second half, at least. Their issue is putting it all together.

Not that it's much consolation, but not too many teams in this division would be capable of playing the way they did second half.

[Richard E]

The first thing Richards did yesterday was try and replicate his floor level diving defensive midfield header at Luton. It set the tone for the remainder of the game.

[SoccerHQ]

Bruce has got one hell of a job on his hands, there is no shape of a team in those 11 to 16 individuals named each week, at times they are total strangers.
The fitness issue will be even a bigger problem, when the matches are coming weekend, mid week, then when there is a break most away on international duty, how can he set time aside for fitness, when I think someone above quite rightly said, the best way out of this now is for him to get them doing the basics, working to a rigid pattern and having to settle for that until a couple of wins (whats one of them) brings self and unit confidence back.
I would also take a very good look at the youth, because surely there is someone within the Villa ranks that are the equal of Jedinak and Elphick.

Lyden deserves a go I think. I'd play him and Tish in midfield to provide the legs, and bring in Gardner, giving him a bit more freedom to get forward, and he may then offer some threat from distance.

Is Lyden actually any good though?

All I saw from him against Bournemouth was him running around and chasing the ball, he got a great reception that day purely as he wasn't Richardson, Bacuna or Guzan all who got roundly booed.

Any youth team watchers out there who think he'll turn out better than Chris Herd?

[sirlordbaltimore]

Some of you must be seeing a different Micah Richards to me.

The Micah Richards 2016 version is a dim-witted manchild who thinks he's better than he is. He is not alone with that delusion, a few on our books have similar delusions of grandeur.

No, you're seeing exactly the same one as me. He's utter shite

[django]

From the few youth games I've seen Khalid Abdo looks like just the sort of midfielder we need, anyone who's seen more of him think he could step up?

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Some of you must be seeing a different Micah Richards to me.

The Micah Richards 2016 version is a dim-witted manchild who thinks he's better than he is. He is not alone with that delusion, a few on our books have similar delusions of grandeur.

No, you're seeing exactly the same one as me. He's utter shite

Same here.
Whoever told him he was a footballer needs was taking the piss.