Aston Villa v Hull City post match thread.

[tomd2103]

Gabby should have scored. Hogan should have had a brace.

We didn't have an entirely shit second half. We had control once Green came on.

For Cardiff I'd like to see Hourihane come in and rotate with Lansbury in hitting the box and getting closer to Hogan. Lansbury worked very hard, but it was laboured second half.

I wouldn't be adverse to Onomah providing the legs in there, but Hourihane gives the midfield balance.

I'd go with that Ads.  Bring Green and Onomah on as soon as legs start to tire in the second half.  It will be interesting to see what team he fields on Tuesday.

[TonyD]

Bruce hasn't a plan A, B or C.   In no other profession could you be so
obviously inept. 

[Chris Jameson]

Bruce hasn't a plan A, B or C.   In no other profession could you be so
obviously inept. 

Apart from president of the USA, prime minister, health secretary, education minister, justice secretary, foreign secretary etc

[SoccerHQ]

So many individuals faded badly in the second half it does make you wonder if we're still not fit enough.

My thought too.

We havent looked fit for i dont know how long which is a disgrace given that we employ fitness coaches

However it comes as no surprise as gabby got a couple of stone overweight during the season without anyone noticing

Given the amount of 30 + players we have in the team we lack endurance I think. Pretty ironic given our captain noted this of the MON teams he used to play against when we were up there with Chelsea...we'd put in a lot and then be gassed around the hour mark so would retreat to the edge of our box and try to hang in games.

Gabby was a case in point. Excellent in the first half but he was a real passenger in the second. Amazed he completed the full game, dosen't have 90 minutes in him anymore.

[PeterWithesShin]

Bruce hasn't a plan A, B or C.   In no other profession could you be so
obviously inept. 

Apart from president of the USA, prime minister, health secretary, education minister, justice secretary, foreign secretary etc

Yeah but those are insignificant and unimportant jobs in comparison to being manager of Aston Villa.

[David_Nab]

So many individuals faded badly in the second half it does make you wonder if we're still not fit enough.

My thought too.

We havent looked fit for i dont know how long which is a disgrace given that we employ fitness coaches

However it comes as no surprise as gabby got a couple of stone overweight during the season without anyone noticing

Given the amount of 30 + players we have in the team we lack endurance I think. Pretty ironic given our captain noted this of the MON teams he used to play against when we were up there with Chelsea...we'd put in a lot and then be gassed around the hour mark so would retreat to the edge of our box and try to hang in games.

Gabby was a case in point. Excellent in the first half but he was a real passenger in the second. Amazed he completed the full game, dosen't have 90 minutes in him anymore.

2nd half we got pushed back and Gabby was spending most of his time tracking back to help Taylor which knackered him out , that he was then moved to play upfront with Hogan subbed was simply mystifying .

[Rudy Can't Fail]

2nd half we got pushed back and Gabby was spending most of his time tracking back to help Taylor which knackered him out , that he was then moved to play upfront with Hogan subbed was simply mystifying .

I couldn't understand why Gabby was pushed back into midfield and Lansbury pushed up to striker where he chased the ball like an excited dog on his weekly day in the park. Mental tactics.

[Toronto Villa]

I think the 'if we scored our chances' argument is a misleading one.  There's a lot of stats been done around this and they all return a conversion rate of somewhere between 1 in 3 and 1 in 6.  If you can think of 5-6 decent-good chances in a game then you'd expect to see 1-2 goals.  That's why I don't like the argument that if XX had scored his chance then... because it's just not realistic.  Sometimes teams will have 3 chances and score all of them, but other times they will have 20 and not score but it will always average out.

When we were relegated our conversion rate was about the same as anyone else in the league, we just had so few shots that we weren't playing the odds.  Last season we were, from what I remember, slightly low on chance conversion and near the 1 in 5-6 end of things so there is room for improvement but we also need to create more and get more people in the box.  Yesterday wasn't massively different.  When we scored we had 3 players in the box, other than set pieces I don't think that happened again all game.

You can quote all the stats in the world but none of them explain a player missing with a free header into an unguarded goal. I just had another look at it and it was an absolute sitter.

Put another way, Ronnie Rosenthal, a player of endless ridicule had a much harder chance. Green will never again have an easier chance.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Bruce hasn't a plan A, B or C.   In no other profession could you be so
obviously inept. 

Apart from president of the USA, prime minister, health secretary, education minister, justice secretary, foreign secretary etc

Yeah but those are insignificant and unimportant jobs in comparison to being manager of Aston Villa.

Three good posts in a row. You took me on a great ride. Take a bow gents.

[PaulWinch again]

Yep the Green miss was one of those things where if it happened another 10,000 times I'd expect him to score every single time.

On reflection I think there was plenty to be encouraged about on Saturday. We're capable of playing like we did in the 1st half and if we can build on that we'll be very strong. Terry and Chester, if they stay fit, will be the best centre half pairing in this league by a distance.

[old man villa fan]

It's surprising the number of chances like Green's that are missed. They expect the 'keeper to get something on it and are waiting for that, rather than expecting the ball to come straight to them.

[olaftab]

Bruce hasn't a plan A, B or C.   In no other profession could you be so
obviously inept. 

Apart from president of the USA, prime minister, health secretary, education minister, justice secretary, foreign secretary etc

However on the other hand Kim Jong-un has a plan so not all leaders are clueless.

[andyh]

Yep the Green miss was one of those things where if it happened another 10,000 times I'd expect him to score every single time........

Isn't that (at least) the second one of those he has fluffed?
I seem to recall one from last season that was easier to score than miss.

[Ads]

I remember him rattling a 30 yarder off the bar, but I cannot recall another sitter.

[VinnieChase84]

I remember him rattling a 30 yarder off the bar, but I cannot recall another sitter.

Cant remember who against but sure I remember a header at the far post at VP last season?