Leeds United v Aston Villa Post match thread.

[Gregorys Boy]

Just got back from the game. Great atmosphere, poor performance.
Nothing wrong with the energy and enthusiasm of the team but Westwood, Elphick and Gestede are just not good enough. And Gollini is certainly not the finished article, even though the first goal was set up with a cracking cross.

I thought Westwood was one of our better players tonight

Maybe he was even at Championship level he doesn't convince me.  He is an example of a area we need to improve in. 

[four fornicholl]

Bag of shit performance, hopefully we move on.

[Allan C]

Just a bad day. Think we'll bounce back next week. It's obvious that we're nowhere near the finished article but we're heading the right way. I've said it before but since my first game in 1969, Gestede is the worst player I've seen in a Villa shirt. Please no more

[villan from luton]

I thought we were controlling the game without looking too dangerous. Shame Albert couldn't put that chance away, that fecking ref went and gave a goal kick. I was surprised that Jack didn't start, am sure the Leeds dressing room would have been pleased with that. We need to be winning games and need our best players on the pitch. That said I thought Gestede did ok first half in holding the ball up, but didn't have much support, Kodjia didn't have his best game against that twat of a right back. I thought Jedinak (but for the second goal) played well and I also thought Westwood had a decent game. The keeper should have done far better for the first goal and thought he could have done better with the second goal also. I would be tempted to put Bacuna at right back if he aint going to play in the middle. I think we will be around the play offs and will improve, was a bad day but lets just not go overboard.

[KevinGage]

Westwood was fine this evening. As was Hutton.  The issue is we have Gollini as well, and it is too much to expect all three of them not to sink their own boat. At least one of them usually finds a way.

That's a real kick in the balls this evening. With the way other results went there was an opening to get right back in amongst it.  I wonder if the players felt that too and flapped it.   

[Marton]

First...Bruce sets this game up for Rudy. I think that in part he makes provision for a game where we need him in OUR box.
Chester still got broken nose.
Elphick has trouble finding anything that resemble a form.
Jedi is tower , clearing alot but he cant be everywhere. Rudy DID help alot when they had Sets especially 1st half.

Trouble is he didn't help much up front. One exception: early 2nd half he heads it on for Westwood on the right and runs free in the middle.....Westwood then gets it wrong obviously and decides to finish with power, hits the goal (yeah,  shocker!) but also the keeper. Rudy wasn't happy...but to be fair that's the only time he managed to get himself  open in a forward position.
While Rudy might seem the best defensive option , he comes with a terrible offensive price. Kodjia is sacrificed (how much better isnt he in a central role?). Whenever Adomah or Kodjia manages to get the bal out wid Rudy is too slow getting in the center.

Now Westwood, while he is not directly to blame for their first goal...but I think its his job to pick up Roofes run in the middle but he just lets him go. Jedi is great in positioning and mopping up in front of the defensive line but isn't fast enough pick up every midfielder when they running into the box without ball. Granted that Gollinis and Elphicks faults are even worse , standing back and waiting for the ball to arrive....but its not the first time Westwood opens the door on our inside. Elphick cant handle that, and Jedi suffers aswell. Thats Westwoods MO, he makes other players in his vicinity look bad.

1st half...we get a break on the right. Westwood crosses to the left...no Villa player is close in that area. Its not even a bad cross...its just the area is totally deserted!
2nd half ...5 min from the end we get another break...every forward scrambles forward. String of good passes..then Westwood manages to get a short pass just a tad behind Huttons run. Not much...just enough so he has to stop to gather it and lose enough momentum for Leeds to get back and our forwards to mistime their runs and get stationary.

The scary thing...factor his workrate, his passing stats for this game. Westwood might even have one of his better games in Villa shirt today!

Respect to Bruce for all that he has done so far... Grealish had 2 really good games before this one. Amavi is finding form after his teerrible injury. Jedi has been shining (apart from the jet-lag game)...but he CAN NOT instill talent in Ashley Westwood. Its just not there!  For the love of Villa  ... its time to stop pretending Ashley Westwood a Aston Villa playmaker!!

[villaparkb6]

Exactly this

[Exeter 77]

Given their reputations at the beginning if the season it seems odd that we look much solid at the back with Baker than Elphick.

Tonight we lacked a cutting edge or the ability to unlock a well organised defence something Ross McCormack could be able to do if we could accommodate him the team.

[sirlordbaltimore]

Never thought that game was lost until the second went in, so in that sense it shows we never looked second best. However, I never really saw us look like scoring either.

I don't rate Gestede personally and I think starting him does us no favours at all, and although Gardner and Westwood put in the leg work the lack of actual quality between them is a major problem. I will say this for Westwood though, he ran his socks off from start to finish.

One to take on the chin and move on to the next match.

[Mister E]

Just got back from the game. Great atmosphere, poor performance.
Nothing wrong with the energy and enthusiasm of the team but Westwood, Elphick and Gestede are just not good enough. And Gollini is certainly not the finished article, even though the first goal was set up with a cracking cross.

I thought Westwood was one of our better players tonight

He wasn't bad but he is not really adding anything.

[Skerra]

My thoughts are is that SB has instilled into the players that they have to work hard. However, other than the Brighton match, which we deserved to win, I do feel we have ridden our luck in a few matches.On more than one occasion people around me look bemused when the starting 11 is announced. SB must really start with our best 11 which does not include Westwood, Gardner or Gestede. No good bringing Ayew on for 15 minutes as he just sulks. No good playing Kodjia wide as he is totally wasted there.

I'm certainly not panicking but, we are Aston Villa FC and we need to always be on the front foot not just looking for a possible point. Player for player we still have one of the best teams in this division.

[john2710]

Two key moments, Green saves the one on one, Golini hesitates & bottles the cross. Two poor teams, with little to choose between them.  Gestede starts!

We haven't been convincing in any game other than Brighton. Bruce will adjust things in January & we'll make the playoffs but top two is not going to happen.

[Matt Collins]

Gestede away from home was always a really odd choice

I thought Leeds were there for the taking defensively but we didn't show enough ambition quality or movement

[kippaxvilla2]

Let's face it Bruce has done remarkably well considering that a combination of Gollini, Hutton, Westwood, Gardner, Gestede mean that we usually play with 8 players every week.

We still have a genuine opportunity now from games with Wigan, QPR, Burton, Leeds again to get into the play offs.

[Risso]

Elphick....deary me.