Villa v Leeds Post-Match thread

[Matt C]

Deserved point.

If you'd told me back in March we'd end 2016 unbeaten at home in the new season I'd have thought you utterly bonkers.

[Pat McMahon]

My local didn't show the game so had to make do with 5Live. Does anybody have links to the highlights?

[Meanwood Villa]

Looked like we were going to shit the bed after they scored so a point is a good result. Crazy game after our equaliser,  both missing gilt edged chances. I would always play Adomah over Ayew.

[Goldie.7]

What a signing James Chester was.

My man of the match.

Agreed. And we should appeal that yellow card as well. It was a bloody good tackle.

Under the new rule I think you can only appeal, if the offence was for simulation.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

First 10 mins we were good, last 15 we looked decentish.

Amavi had a mare, but to be fair to him, he had their best player and full-back attacking him.

Adomah has to start all matches.

Jedniak is now officially the worst midfielder at the club. Which is impressive considering we have Westwood and Gardner.

[dave shelley]

My local didn't show the game so had to make do with 5Live. Does anybody have links to the highlights?

Best I can do Pat

[West Derby Villan]

Steve Bruce has done a fantastic job so far. He took over a team of individuals with low confidence and even less resilience. He has got them playing as a team and got results. Some may complain that it isn't pretty but I don't care, we needed points and he has delivered. We have moved up the table and are within touching distance of the play off positions and now  he has now got a transfer window to sort out our shortcomings.

[Tayls_7]

First 10 mins we were good, last 15 we looked decentish.

Amavi had a mare, but to be fair to him, he had their best player and full-back attacking him.

Adomah has to start all matches.

Jedniak is now officially the worst midfielder at the club. Which is impressive considering we have Westwood and Gardner.

Nonsense.

[ASHTONVILLA]

Enjoyed that, end to end for large patches and could have gone either way.

Wont miss Ayew if he gets sold, or Amavi who clearly is not worth £25m.

Think I'd like to see McCormack behind Kodjia or Gestede for the rest or the season, with Adomah and Grealish on the wing and two new midfielders. The defence is OK apart from Amavi.

Need a better Keeper though.

[brontebilly]

Westwood was probably our best tonight, should be getting a lot more credit on here

Fair play to the players, dug out a point against a superior team and had chances to win at the end, could Kodija have squared that chance to McCormack for a tap in?

Leeds looked vastly superior on their second half display tonight than they did at Elland Road. Isolated Amavi all second half with clever passing, Green was outstanding, very solid at the back and used the ball well in midfield. They really looked a well drilled outfit, we looked a collection of individuals, plenty of spirit particularly after the subs came in but devoid of any structure in the team. I'd be wary of giving Bruce too much money in Jan... let him wheel and deal instead. Players still don't appear to know their roles on the pitch which Bruce should have sorted by now.

Some of our lot were diabolical tonight, Jedinak, a traffic cone in midfield, Hutton a ball retention disaster zone, Amavi zero defensive instincts, Baker hoofing it away, Grealish and Ayew, invisible. Gestede showed plenty of fight when he came in but he ain't the answer either. McCormack was very bright initially when he came on, seemed to disappear though late on. A point in the circumstances not a bad result. Very entertaining last 30 mins too

[ciggiesnbeer]

He does make good substitutions. I just wish he would do them sooner.

[Steve67]

I'm pleased Adomah missed out on the AFCON rather than Ayew!   We urgently need two central midfielders. That will make a huge difference.  We also need a consistent goalkeeper.

A fair result despite Leeds being more incisive with the ball. Kodjia could have won it but for a great save from Green.

[andyh]

We have now played a game more than everyone else.
More than likely 8 points off a playoff place once everyone has played this weekend.
At the start of the season would we have been happy to be 8 points off the playoff places after Christmas?
I think most would have  hoped we would be closer.

Still, let's hope we are buying a midfield in January.

[VinnieChase84]

This was a good barometer of where we are. We've struggled twice against a bog standard, workmanlike, playoff places team and failed to beat them at home. Ergo we're not good enough for the playoffs with this squad.

100% agree

But they've won 8 of last 10 coming into tonight and the inform team. Bruce has had a good period of time to assess the squad and will  know how to strengthen and I'm optimistic about second half of the season

How does this work? From the 8 teams above us we have lost to Two of them. Drawn 5 and won 2 of them. A few correct additions in Jan, continue or points ratio since Bruce came in then we WILL make the playoffs

[NorthYvillan]

Jedinak is doubledged sword. On the one hand he sometimes is the enforces that shored up the back 4 when he doesn't cross the midline playing just ahead of Baker and Chester.  On the other hand if playing regular MC, then he becomes a Rudiesq, swaying drifting tower that again and again gets bypassed and left for dead up the pitch. (Wonder who is slowest..Rudy, Jedi or Elphick).

Never thought I say it but today Westwood bailed him out a number of times defensively. He is still useless creatively but he ran like his career depended on it today. In the current on the other side of a bewildered Jedinak-slowrolling stone however ... Amavi read that he was worth 25M and didn't have to be bothered playing a defender today.

Bacuna and Ross did well. Alright, Westwood too...he still can't kick ball but his desire today you cant fault.

Jedinak, Ayew, Grealish and Amavi bad. Hutton and Bunn screwed up at their goal. However I noticed that Baker usually marked Jansson at sets.

Baker lost  his man and Hutton only just failed to get to Jansen before he headed the goal. Very harsh to blame Hutton in any shape or form for this.