Aston Villa v Burton Albion Post-Match Thread

[Ads]

Struggling to beat the likes of Burton at home is not good.
It's all well and good playing poorly and scraping a win every now and again, but this is becoming the norm.
I wish we could win a game or two convincingly.

Scraping a win every now and then is a bit harsh.

We've won six of our last ten games, lost only four of our last twenty, won our last five home games and haven't lost a single match at home this season.

Makes a change reading stats like that compared to 4 in 51 or working out how many thousands of miles had been travelled since our last win.

[Malandro]

Justin watched the highlights

Hutton back to his normal self I see

Do you trust Justin's opinion?

[brontebilly]

We seemed to have mastered playing really badly but still winning.

Earlier on in the season we were playing quite well but not winning.

I'll take the former over the latter for now.

We all would but these performances are only scraping us wins against the worst sides in the division. It doesn't seem sustainable to me without significant surgery in terms of personnel and tactics. Bruce has complained about the lack of balance in the squad and he does have a point particularly in midfield. However it really does seem a lucky dip selection as to the front 4 with little or no cohesion between whatever 4 are on the pitch at any one time. Bruce has been at the club long enough to at least improve that.

From viewing the highlights, there appeared to be a number of chances squandered at both ends today. That really shouldn't be happening v Burton although fair play to Jamie Ward for a cracking goal. Fine goal from Bacuna too, one of our best this season from a much maligned player.

Bruce may be tempted to see if that goal kick-starts some form from McCormack and play him again v Leeds. I'd be tempted to rest him until Cardiff.

[ChicagoLion]

Struggling to beat the likes of Burton at home is not good.
It's all well and good playing poorly and scraping a win every now and again, but this is becoming the norm.
I wish we could win a game or two convincingly.

Agree and look what happens when we play badly against half decent teams like Norwich and Leeds.

[Tuscans]

I can't be a villa fan, I'm not as miserable as you lot.

[pauliewalnuts]

Struggling to beat the likes of Burton at home is not good.
It's all well and good playing poorly and scraping a win every now and again, but this is becoming the norm.
I wish we could win a game or two convincingly.

Agree and look what happens when we play badly against half decent teams like Norwich and Leeds.

Or alternatively, just focus on the three points and enjoy the rest of Christmas?

The transfer window opens next week. I'm quite happy to be within reach of the play offs by the time we get there.

[Tony Erdington]

Justin watched the highlights

Hutton back to his normal self I see

Do you trust Justin's opinion?

titter

[ChicagoLion]

Struggling to beat the likes of Burton at home is not good.
It's all well and good playing poorly and scraping a win every now and again, but this is becoming the norm.
I wish we could win a game or two convincingly.

Agree and look what happens when we play badly against half decent teams like Norwich and Leeds.

Or alternatively, just focus on the three points and enjoy the rest of Christmas?

The transfer window opens next week. I'm quite happy to be within reach of the play offs by the time we get there.

You are right, and a happy new year.

[Gerrin]

Their goal was outstanding technique.

[PeterWithesShin]

After years of shit and us rightly moaning about rarely winning, we've won 7 of the last 11, won 5 in a row at home for the time in over 20 years and it's still not good enough. To put it into context, only once in the last 5 seasons have we won more home games in a season than Bruce has won in his first 6. Beat Leeds and we match that season as well after 7 Bruce home games.

Personally, while i'd like us to be playing better, i'm loving us winning more often than not after us being shite for so long.

[Villafirst]

That was dreadful. Leeds will beat us fairly comfortably.

No chance. Villa will play better on Thursday. We were terrible today. The ball retention and passing throughout was awful. Kodjia was poor.

[Keeno]

It was nice to see Ross actually used properly in the second half and I was really happy for him to get the winner. I felt first half was a microcosm of how we've not used him right all year - playing as a central striker in a rigid, long-ball 4-4-2 - that's why I think a lot (not all) of the criticism he gets is unfair. He's got bags of talent, great vision and a good brain - that ball he brought down out the sky in the first half was testament to that. But like many of those types of players who have come before him (Gil being the most recent example) we haven't really known where to put him and how to get the best out of him - it was clear as soon as Grealish came on and he was moved out of the centre to a bit more space on the left inside channel they started to combine really well, and cut through their defence (in a way that not many can in this league). First time they did led to Kodj's disallowed goal - he also released Bacuna for the first goal, too.

He grew in confidence and had a pretty good second half, and his goal was a fitting reward. Yes he won't chase down every lost cause and he's not a physical presence, but I'd like to see him be allowed to combine more with Grealish and let them both release the pace and physicality of Kodjia/Albert/Ayew. May have to do more when some of those go to the AFCON too.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

I know we've not been great for a number of games under Bruce, but we've been shit for years and years. He can't change it in 11 games. Let him bring in 2/3/4 new players and see what's happening mid-March/April (and that doesn't mean sack him if we're doing shit). It's easy to forget we've had shit players for a long time.

[achilles]

That was dire, outplayed by Burton Albion at home, who showed pride and passion in their play, total opposite to us, still we won and got three points!

Can't wait till January when we can get a couple of mobile midfielders who can actually show some dynamism and pass a ball (preferably to one of our players)!
One of the worse games I have seen from Amavi but quite a few weren't far behind him! Grealish definitely made the difference when he came on.

Not looking forward to the Leeds game!

[eamonn]

After years of shit and us rightly moaning about rarely winning, we've won 7 of the last 11, won 5 in a row at home for the time in over 20 years and it's still not good enough. To put it into context, only once in the last 5 seasons have we won more home games in a season than Bruce has won in his first 6. Beat Leeds and we match that season as well after 7 Bruce home games.

Personally, while i'd like us to be playing better, i'm loving us winning more often than not after us being shite for so long.

We're playing at a lower level now though so it's not a like for like comparison and we're unconvincing in most of our wins. People "moaning" have a point.