Aston Villa v Preston North End Post-Match Thread

[wittonwarrior]

No plan B, proper target man, a keeper who again comes too quickly for the ball.   And how poor were we second half

[andyh]

Oh, and Johnstone.
STOP FUCKING PUCHING THE BALL, CATCH THE FUCKER!!!!!!!

Nearly cost us a goal with a punch (that was easier to catch) that only went to the edge of our box with one of theirs able to latch onto it for a screamer that went just wide.

[themossman]

RDM esque. Plus ca change.

[SoccerHQ]

Surprised how well we played for an hour. There was real fluency there which we haven't seen for a long time.

Lansbury played very well for an hour....all this movement off the ball and exquisite passing....how long before we train that out of him at Bodymoor?

Then it all went wrong....really SB should've made a sub at the hour mark as Lansbury understandbly tired so our midfield became what it has been for most of this season. Adomah also drifted badly out of the game.

I think we were also in shock that a big lump like Hugill could score such a good goal out of nowhere that gave PNE a second wind.

TBH our performances and run since xmas have resigned me to another season in the championship....we've blown another opportunity today so I really can't see us making the top 6 even if we sign another 2-3 this window.

[olaftab]

Was Lansbury tired when he escorted their goal scorer for about 20 yards without getting a tackle in?

[Loxton01]

Really disappointed and frustrated by that result after playing some good stuff in the first half! We must get behind Bruce. He is finding a petulant indisciplined dressing room and is trying to stop a culture that has been going on for years and we need another season to fix this. I fully back him over McCormack and we have two many of his like in the squad at the moment

Marks

Johnstone -5 did nothing much other than pick the ball out the net. Needs to learn to catch rather than punch

Hutton-8- you can never fault his efforts and did well today

Chester -6 - steady but not a captain for me
Baker - 6 - looks solid but we conceded twice second half and the partnership needs to improve

Amavi-6 - player who sums up our season some good play some woeful for me needs to improve his decision making and be on it for 90 mins

Adomah-6- scored two goals but does he work hard enough. He tracks back yes but he does not effect the game enough for me

Lansbury -8 - great debut and looks a player we desperately need a winner a player who wants it and loves football more than the wage packet unlike most of our players. Forward thinking forward running will improve us

Westwood- 5- saw a 3 earlier which is harsh. But he just simply does not do enough to effect a game. Just been a tidy passer cannot warrant a place

Grealish - 5- one of the most frustrating players I've ever seen. You can see the talent but his work off the ball just isn't good enough. He should be revelling in this league but he isn't and for me that's down to workrate

Green - 6.5- did well and loved the way he wanted to beat a man. Deserves a run

Gabby - 7 - I'd rather a player who lacks skill but tries his nuts off than a show pony. We deserve payback off him and he did well

We need to use the rest of the season to form a shape and formation and build a team spirit and work ethic. I'm convinced Bruce will get us up next season if backed in the summer to get rid of the primadonnas and bring the right players to this great club

[CJ]

Played really well in the first half when PNE were very poor, but a scrappy goal and a dubious penalty (haven't seen replays yet) should have been enough to go on to take all three points. Obviously Grayson gave them a rocket at half time and they came out firing in the second half - even so, better decision making from Flabby, when he could and should have run straight through and taken the goalie on one on one instead of a poor pass, and likewise Grealish making a poor pass when we were through again, and we'd have run out easy winners. As long as we continue to play Westwood we'll have mental as well as physical frailties in midfield - Lansbury made up for it in the first half but when you end up with Westwood and Gardner in midfield you end up with nothing, but other players were very poor - yes that's you messrs Grealish and Amavi. Furious to find out about McCormack's attitude from Bruce on the way back - and today was the sort of game where he could have picked up a couple of goals - but he can fuck right off to anyone stupid enough to take him on.

[SoccerHQ]

Was Lansbury tired when he escorted their goal scorer for about 20 yards without getting a tackle in?

Yes he was flagging by the hour mark which is when I think PNE scored their first, really should've been off for Bacuna by that point. He hasn't played since early December.

Today reminded me a bit of the Stoke game from years back under MON. That was a death knell to that season and today will be similar I think. PNE offered nothing for the first hour.

[mr underhill]

To be honest I think Gollini looked a better keeper than Johnstone

[Rudy65]

Was Lansbury tired when he escorted their goal scorer for about 20 yards without getting a tackle in?

Yes he was flagging by the hour mark which is when I think PNE scored their first, really should've been off for Bacuna by that point. He hasn't played since early December.

Today reminded me a bit of the Stoke game from years back under MON. That was a death knell to that season and today will be similar I think. PNE offered nothing for the first hour.

Stoke was the death knell of the club as we knew it. Pretty much down hill since. We could have gone 8 points ahead of Arsenal in third if I recall. Sigh. Now we get excited about signings from Barnsley

[QuintonVilla]

Very good first half, best for ages.
Second half we reverted to type. Bottled it plain and simple. We simply aren't used to being in winning positions and don't know how to play when leading.

Amavi is gash. £25m is laughable.

We still need a striker, especially as McCormack will be off aswell.

Dreadful atmosphere again aswell. Even at 2-0 it was pretty crap. The Holte is a shadow of it's former self. Too many people go in there just to say they're in the Holte, they do nothing to contribute to the atmosphere.

[mr underhill]

It sounded pretty noisy to me

[DB]

2nd half really showed why we need more in midfield. Ok, Lansbury was knackered as he has not play for a while, but we really need strengthening there.

[Mister E]

Well, having just got back I think I can say:
- we saw the best 45 minutes of the season in the first half. I thought we moved the ball well and quickly. We managed the game well, kept the game high up the pitch and kept the opposition completely contained. We scored two and should have had at least one more (Green's header inexplicably missed).
- we saw a complete mismanagement of a game in the second half. WTF did Bruce say or suggest that the team should drop 12-15m and start slowing the game down. Why suddenly start the tippy-tappy football? Why look to give the ball back to the CB all the time instead of putting PNE to the sword?

Positives:
Gabby - thought he played well.
Westwood - had a very good first half.
Lansbury - Ditto. Faded completely.
Green - played pretty okay for most of the game.

Negatives:
Grealish was poor.
Steve Bruce - why the change in strategy? Why the reticence about bringing on subs? Why can't we close a game out?

I'll read the other posts now.

[Stu]

Dreadful atmosphere again aswell. Even at 2-0 it was pretty crap. The Holte is a shadow of it's former self. Too many people go in there just to say they're in the Holte, they do nothing to contribute to the atmosphere.

This constant sniping at Villa crowds is a very elaborate wind up. Kudos.