Aston Villa v Brighton - Match Thread

[paul_e]

I'm not sure the performance today was all that different to most of the games at home.  Defended solidly and didn't really look like conceding but struggled to create real chances.  The number of shots will mask that a little but we had a lot of 'free hits' today where you'd expect any keeper at this level to save them, and we restricted them to the same.  What really worried me though were the number of times the ball went to Baker and Chester and there was literally no one in our central midfield for them to pass to.  Baker can't pass for shit, everyone knows that, so why are we forcing him to attempt 40-50 passes so often?  The other major problem was the 5-6 times that our players didn't know what to expect so the pass and run went in opposite directions.  That's why I blame this on piss poor training, all too often we look like we don't play together enough.  It's why the tempo is so slow as well, everyone is waiting for someone else to show them what to do.  Grealish helped a lot because he came on and made decisions and Hourihane in particular started to respond to that.

[Gareth]

Bacuna took two good free kicks 3/4 years ago and is still here on the back of those - like Hutton he runs around a lot doing v little productive, that's not enough.

Again was not impressed with the captaincy skills of Chester today, think he is easily our best centre half but when Hogan went down twice for a period of time he was nowhere to be seen and when Bacuna was doing his spoilt brat bit he was again awol.  A good captain is all over both of those situations as well as being in the refs ear all game long, seems Lansbury is the only one who does that

[SoccerHQ]

Actually sounds like we played well against a team that could have won the league? Hope for the future?

Always dangerous to take too much from meaningless end of season games imo. Same with losing last week. It sounds like before the penalty Brighton had hardly had an attack which is very unlike how they've played all season.

Let's see what we're like when the pressure is on first game next season.

Their reaction to conceding didn't look like it was a meaningless game to them. They were totally gutted

They were one minute away from winning the league title. In a way I'm glad we scored even if it mean Newcastle winning it as it would've summed things up over last 7 years to see another team lift a title at VP.

[Deano's Mullet]

It meant everything to them. Living in Sussex I know a couple that were in the away end today. these and loads more on Facebook are absolutely gutted. Me and the missus in North Upper today were absolutely delighted when Grealish scored. Felt like we'd won the game and it was nice we did applaud the Brighton fans at the end. Pity about the flares they threw upon scoring and when we scored.

[olaftab]

Their player got his shot away which Johnstone saved and fell over as Baker ran into him. Never a penalty and no way red card.

[TheTimVilla]

Very much agree i e.  I thought they were going to have to remove the ball surgically from Bacuna's hands for the free kick.  He really is a twat.  You can hear the cogs turning in his brain as he takes forever to create a position where he can be dispossessed.  Slow of body, slow of thought.

After his tussle with Hourihane, Bacuna looked over to Bruce, who signalled for Conor to take the free kick.

Bacuna then stormed off towards the half way line. It was like watching a young kid having a strop

However, Leo did get his act together to do a bit a decent defensive work soon after.

Stroppy little twat went on strike when he couldn't take the second free kick.  The sooner he leaves, the better.

[olaftab]

Yes that free kick malarkey was funny. The way Bacuna grabbed the ball you would have thought it was a penalty. I think he wanted to score a spectacular goal and seal his move to a Champions League club.

[LukeJames]

The penalty decision was soft and frustrating in the sense that the ref had denied us a stonewall one a few minutes earlier, also I thought the last man being an automatic red card was abolished at the begining of this season?

[lovejoy]

I agree, I thought penalties were seen as sufficient punishment so it was a yellow not a red.

[Richard E]

I thought Bree played very well. Can see him being the first choice right back before too long.