Victorious Aston Villa v Derby Post Match Thread.

[SoccerHQ]

Derby we're pretty awful even though they looked more of a team than we did.
Adomah has become a liability: he can't beat a man, barely gets into space and gets in the way defensively (if he is  actually back in a defensive position). I'd have had him off at half-time, stuck Bacuna wider and brought Gardner on to tighten the central midfield.
That all said, I appreciated seeing a win, and seeing Jedinak in the side to give Lansbury more scope was good.
Once again, I have concerns over Bruce's game management, and I just don't get that a coaching team of Bruce and Calderwood cannot organise the GK and defence better than this team currently is. Bizarre.

People are acting like Derby are Rotherham or something which is bemusing me....have a look at their squad. Their wage bill isn't probably that far off ours.

They have underachieved this season given the very good and highly paid squad they have. When you analyse it they've had a very similar season to us.

So like Ads I'm a little surprised people seem to be taking offence that a good team at this level like them can dominate a portion of the game (last 20 minutes).

I'm much more worried when bottom half teams like Ipswich and Forest beat us or Brentford stick 3 goals past us. Those results have far more embarrassing than nervously winning a game against a top half team.

If anything it should be a good confidence booster to take into next season as I'm sure Derby will again be in the mix for top 6.

[olaftab]

I'd like to see him show passion by tackling opponents, non stop running, dying for the cause etc.
Not squaring up to a match official. That isn't passion. It's idiocy.

And that's exactly what he did from about 20th minutes  till the end of the game. Squaring up was good it shows he cares  and builds up team spirit. I am not sure where you were in the ground but it was a basic error by the assistant at a crucial time in the match and he needed to be told.

[SoccerHQ]

Bacuna just lost his head. He'll be fined, banned and probably struggle to get back into the team when available again so that will be punishment enough.

[The Edge]

Hopefully they will grow in confidence.  Main issue is lack of movement (the villa way) and lack of numbers when getting forward.

The best teams get forward in numbers and overwhelm the opposition (see man yanited under fergie) and defend in numbers. Its a simple sounding idea which all the best teams manage to perfect.

[olaftab]

Yes agree TE but that's all built on great coaching but above all on supreme confidence.

[PerthVillaWA]

Glad of the win, as ugly as it was.  I saw a Derby team that just stiffled us, however, if I had a quid this season every time a commentator said 'plenty of space on the left' or 'so and so played a major part on the left' I'd have a couple of hundred quid. If they can see it, if we can see it, if the opposing team managers can see it...why can't Bruce FFS.

[The Edge]

Yes agree TE but that's all built on great coaching but above all on supreme confidence.

Absolutely.

[Chris Jameson]

I know that we shouldn't be awarded the 3 points for a win because we didn't play how people expect us to or something like that but I was watching Bruce yesterday and he was going ballistic throughout the match. I'm sure his decision to go for hanging on to the 1-0 came as a result of players either not listening or not being capable of doing what was asked of them.

Bet Lansbury enjoyed celebrating in front of the Derby support though.

[kippaxvilla2]

As other people have alluded to the win feels similar to the 1-0 in the first SGT era that got us going that season.  Only difference being I don't think Derby had numerous chances to put us away yesterday like they did on that day.  We have been simply awful since Christmas surely a win however it is gained is exactly what needed to happen yesterday.  Anything else was almost unthinkable so if it was painful to watch then so be it.  Maybe we should award Derby the game 71-29.

[ez]

I've just watched the red card again. I appreciate Bacuna's desire but he can't do that even when it was a shocking decision by the assistant considering it was right in front of him.

[Clampy]

I wasn't overly impressed but the three points were the main thing yesterday. Saying it felt like a loss is just bizarre really.

[pipe]

A win, not how bad we were is what counts. It was ugly but so what? I`l take the 3 points any day

[paul richard]

Bacuna worked very hard and pressed well. He had a good game.

If chasing shadows is a criterion for having a good game I would agree. 

[AV82EC]

Bacuna worked very hard and pressed well. He had a good game.

If chasing shadows is a criterion for having a good game I would agree.

He didn't though did he? I can think of half a dozen occasions where his pressure and tackles on Derbys back 4 led to errors and turning over possession. The fact we couldn't do anything with it is a worry but Jesus Christ does everything have to be so negative. Most of us praising the 3 points recognise it was a really ugly win but some seeming want to revel in just how disgusted they were.

[Mister E]

Derby we're pretty awful even though they looked more of a team than we did.
Adomah has become a liability: he can't beat a man, barely gets into space and gets in the way defensively (if he is  actually back in a defensive position). I'd have had him off at half-time, stuck Bacuna wider and brought Gardner on to tighten the central midfield.
That all said, I appreciated seeing a win, and seeing Jedinak in the side to give Lansbury more scope was good.
Once again, I have concerns over Bruce's game management, and I just don't get that a coaching team of Bruce and Calderwood cannot organise the GK and defence better than this team currently is. Bizarre.

People are acting like Derby are Rotherham or something which is bemusing me....have a look at their squad. Their wage bill isn't probably that far off ours.

They have underachieved this season given the very good and highly paid squad they have. When you analyse it they've had a very similar season to us.

So like Ads I'm a little surprised people seem to be taking offence that a good team at this level like them can dominate a portion of the game (last 20 minutes).

I'm much more worried when bottom half teams like Ipswich and Forest beat us or Brentford stick 3 goals past us. Those results have far more embarrassing than nervously winning a game against a top half team.

If anything it should be a good confidence booster to take into next season as I'm sure Derby will again be in the mix for top 6.

Im not sure why you made your comments on the back of my post.
I agree with what you've said, actually.
My comments really relate to concerns about Bruce's game management and the seemingly poor coaching.