Aston Villa v Reading Post-Match Thread

[ktvillan]

Another couple of hours wasted witnessing the ever more inept and ponderous buffoonery of arrogant undeserving millionaires.  Reading's movement was way more intense than ours, we always seem to play at a very slow tempo.  Our player often didn't have any willing runners to pass to and had little choice but to launch it long and hopeful.  At times there was a gaping gap 30 yards around the centre circle where at least one of our midfielders should have been.  And yet we still somehow managed to create 5 or 6 clear cut chances and should have had at least 3 - mainly because Reading's defending gave some insight as to why they shipped 7 last week.  If only our players could hit a barn door from 5 yards.   Despite the good run, I'm afraid I'm not and never will be a Bruce fan, the football is dire and it only works to a degree.  That degree may be enough to get us up next year but on yesterday's evidence I wouldn't bet on it.   

[ktvillan]

The habit of analysing the whole club, management, structure and team through the lens of one game is an annoying one. Reading had something to play for, we didn't. We, subconsciously perhaps after last week, dropped down a gear, got lazy and made mistakes. Is it right? not really but I have seen games like this down all the years, dreary, moribund outings that make you sigh and shake your head but it's not the sign of the malaise of the last five years. We are in recovery and it's a rather painful and frustrating process that will take time. Formations, players and tactics will change and hopefully will bring dividends. Patience is all at the moment where Villa are concerned and to counter yesterdays dissapointment just think back to a result like that in the midst of the knawing, horrific fear of relegation that haunted us for so long and could've been present still.

Of course, were a performance and result such as yesterday manifest itself this time next week than I, like you all will be demanding the head of everyone from Bruce to the groundsman on a plate.

All I want to see is some progress. To my mind we have seen none since the start of the season which is unacceptable given the funds spent by both managers. I suspect others are the same

The progress I see is in terms of results and the fact that we are not looking over our shoulder. In a season where we changed manager and given the mindset around Villa Park for so long I am happy enough for now.

Sorry but I'm not. We are no better now than the garbage that got us relegated IMHO. 

Really? We're not a better team than the one that only won 3 games last season? Hmm.

If this team were to be playing in the premier league this season how many games do you think we would win?

More than three I would think. It is a better more organised side than the utter shambles of last season. We didnt have a 19 goal striker for a start.

Yes we did we had Gestede who had scored 20 at the same level as Kodija has.  I honestly think we would struggle to win many games in the PL, even our wins in this league have been mostly scraped.

[Louzie0]

Yep, Leeg lucked out by missing that one

Great to see Louzie0 before the game

Great to meet UK Redsox, Leeg, Kurtis and Dave W yesterday.

[mr underhill]

you can't compare Gestede with Kodjia - for a start he's an international who scores international goals, Rudy doesn't.

[PeterWithesShin]

you can't compare Gestede with Kodjia - for a start he's an international who scores international goals, Rudy doesn't.

Kod has 5 international goals, Rudy has 3.

[levico]

Another couple of hours wasted witnessing the ever more inept and ponderous buffoonery of arrogant undeserving millionaires.  Reading's movement was way more intense than ours, we always seem to play at a very slow tempo.  Our player often didn't have any willing runners to pass to and had little choice but to launch it long and hopeful.  At times there was a gaping gap 30 yards around the centre circle where at least one of our midfielders should have been.  And yet we still somehow managed to create 5 or 6 clear cut chances and should have had at least 3 - mainly because Reading's defending gave some insight as to why they shipped 7 last week.  If only our players could hit a barn door from 5 yards.   Despite the good run, I'm afraid I'm not and never will be a Bruce fan, the football is dire and it only works to a degree.  That degree may be enough to get us up next year but on yesterday's evidence I wouldn't bet on it.   

Every word - spot on.

Hate to say it but we are not going up with Bruce. Pity, I like him as a person but his best days are behind him. He'll be gone by Christmas.

[Ads]

What about the past two months as a whole instead.  Surely that's better evidence than one poor 90 minutes.

[ktvillan]

What about the past two months as a whole instead.  Surely that's better evidence than one poor 90 minutes.

There's been quite a few poor performances in that two months though, even in games we've won - QPR and Rotherham for example.   

[ktvillan]

you can't compare Gestede with Kodjia - for a start he's an international who scores international goals, Rudy doesn't.

Gestede is comparable to Kodija in the context of the post I was responding to - getting 19-20 goals in the Championship. 

[Clampy]

you can't compare Gestede with Kodjia - for a start he's an international who scores international goals, Rudy doesn't.

Gestede is comparable to Kodija in the context of the post I was responding to - getting 19-20 goals in the Championship. 

Do you think Gestede would have scored 19 goals for us this season?

[Ads]

What about the past two months as a whole instead.  Surely that's better evidence than one poor 90 minutes.

There's been quite a few poor performances in that two months though, even in games we've won - QPR and Rotherham for example.   

Games we never looked like losing or came close to. Comfortable wins, even if we laboured it.

I wonder how much qualifying of positive results other clubs support undertake?

[ChicagoLion]

What about the past two months as a whole instead.  Surely that's better evidence than one poor 90 minutes.

There's been quite a few poor performances in that two months though, even in games we've won - QPR and Rotherham for example.   

Games we never looked like losing or came close to. Comfortable wins, even if we laboured it.

I wonder how much qualifying of positive results other clubs support undertake?

The ability to win ugly is usually a prerequisite of a successfull team ,playing ugly and winning sometimes isn't.

[ktvillan]

you can't compare Gestede with Kodjia - for a start he's an international who scores international goals, Rudy doesn't.

Gestede is comparable to Kodija in the context of the post I was responding to - getting 19-20 goals in the Championship. 

Do you think Gestede would have scored 19 goals for us this season?

He's done it before so who knows?  Anyway the point is he was a 20 goal striker at this level, and the claim was that we didn't have that last season.     

[ktvillan]

What about the past two months as a whole instead.  Surely that's better evidence than one poor 90 minutes.

There's been quite a few poor performances in that two months though, even in games we've won - QPR and Rotherham for example.   

Games we never looked like losing or came close to. Comfortable wins, even if we laboured it.

I wonder how much qualifying of positive results other clubs support undertake?

I never claimed we looked like losing them, just that the performances were poor.  I reckon most fans like to see their teams play well as well as getting results. 

[Skerra]

The beauty of football is that we each have differing views on performances etc. My take on much of this season is that we seem to have made hard work of even a lot of the matches we have won. Once again SB is quoted post match that we did not perform anywhere near what is expected but, sadly, don't think he will change the style of play. He's the manager, getting paid good money, so if our style of play looks dour to him as it does to many of us, he is the one that has the power to change it. I won't be holding my breath though.

I said yesterday that I don't think we'll win any of our last four games but, more worringly, unless things change next season, it will be a turgid mid table struggle again. Fulham, Blose, Blackburn and BHA all have something to play for and, especially yesterday our players obviously thought we didn't.