Barnsley v Unbeatable Aston Villa post match thread

[Axl Rose]

I think playing two up front works well for us, and Davis compliments Kodjia well.

I'd even go three up front in some home games, with Kodjia drifting and Hogan and Davis through the centre.

A good away win, looked solid for the most part. I enjoy watching Albert play. He creates alot for us when he does.

Is he our top scorer? Him and Hourihane perhaps, who've both hardly had a kick until recently.

I think you might be right, Percy. I'd definitely keep both in the starting lineup. They offer us some balance, and both have goals/assists in them.

I'd like to see O'Hare/Odomah given more game, too. Could Onomah play a holding role or is he more box to box?

Onomah's best performances for England U20s were more of a holding position, using his excellent passing ability and vision to pretty much orchestrate the game. He does like bring the ball forward and to get forward when the opportunity arises but he looks like the complete holding central midfielder.

You always speak sense mate, so I say get him in that position. We don't need a Whelen in the team really, do we?

[eamonn]

Given Gareth Barry's milestone weekend, I'm disappointed that it's not been marked with a twist on the leit-motif he helped create for the H&V denizens, namely:
Why didn't Kodjia take the penalty?

[mrfuse]

Can't remember the last time we went in 2 up after such a dismal 1st half. We just couldn't keep the ball, 19% possession is dreadful.

Just for clarity, that 19% stat was a "last five (or ten, can't remember) minutes posession" stat, not a "first half" one.

Seriously who gives a flying fuck about possession stats when we just won 3-0?

Well I do because in the bigger picture if we continue to allow the opposition that much of the ball, we wont be so lucky in getting 3 goals.

[The Edge]

Message to Steve Bruce who has spent his career managing underdogs.

Please understand the difference between hysteria and expectation that comes from managing a big club.

Hull - Disappointing after signings made and full pre-season
Cardiff - Desperate
Reading - Desperate (Don't be fooled by our late goal making it look closer)
Norwich - Excellent, stumbled across KD due to injuries
Wigan - Excellent, different players coming in but continue with attacking intent
Bristol - Changes structure of winning team and loses all momentum
Brentford - fails to spot small ginger headed guy who has run the last three games we have played against them
Middlesbrough - wastes 40 mins by not changing things whilst we have extra player
Barnsley- Excellent

Please use the Barnsley game as platform, stop going on about hysteria and start spotting things that are happening on the pitch.

Well said

[The Edge]

Can't remember the last time we went in 2 up after such a dismal 1st half. We just couldn't keep the ball, 19% possession is dreadful.

Just for clarity, that 19% stat was a "last five (or ten, can't remember) minutes posession" stat, not a "first half" one.

Seriously who gives a flying fuck about possession stats when we just won 3-0?

Well I do because in the bigger picture if we continue to allow the opposition that much of the ball, we wont be so lucky in getting 3 goals.

I disagree. How did we "allow" Barnsley to have possession? I think we defended well which is the reason their possession didn't turn to goals. We should of had one more pen possibly two. 4/5 goals wouldn't have flattered us.

[PeterWithesShin]

I'd fancy that if you go through a season having less than 40% every game you'll lose more than you'll win. In a one off game it's irrelevant like when we won at Southampton with something like 22%, do it every game and it's a matter I reckon.

[garyshawsknee]

Better teams will punish us if we allow them too much of the ball and if we don't keep it ourselves.  Not everyone will be as toothless as Barnsley.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

To those that were at the match, is there any truth that Terry was far more vocal yesterday than in previous games?

[mrfuse]

Can't remember the last time we went in 2 up after such a dismal 1st half. We just couldn't keep the ball, 19% possession is dreadful.

Just for clarity, that 19% stat was a "last five (or ten, can't remember) minutes posession" stat, not a "first half" one.

Seriously who gives a flying fuck about possession stats when we just won 3-0?

Well I do because in the bigger picture if we continue to allow the opposition that much of the ball, we wont be so lucky in getting 3 goals.

I disagree. How did we "allow" Barnsley to have possession? I think we defended well which is the reason their possession didn't turn to goals. We should of had one more pen possibly two. 4/5 goals wouldn't have flattered us.

Because that's how Bruce has set us up pretty much every game.  We sit deep and allow the opposition to come on to us, its been one of the biggest complaint's from the majority of fans.

We defended okay against an average team, but with the players we have, we should be dictating the game and we certainly didn't do that before we were gifted a goal. Yes we won the game but im just thinking of future games.

[Toronto Villa]

I think playing two up front works well for us, and Davis compliments Kodjia well.

I'd even go three up front in some home games, with Kodjia drifting and Hogan and Davis through the centre.

A good away win, looked solid for the most part. I enjoy watching Albert play. He creates alot for us when he does.

Is he our top scorer? Him and Hourihane perhaps, who've both hardly had a kick until recently.

I think you might be right, Percy. I'd definitely keep both in the starting lineup. They offer us some balance, and both have goals/assists in them.

I'd like to see O'Hare/Odomah given more game, too. Could Onomah play a holding role or is he more box to box?

Onomah's best performances for England U20s were more of a holding position, using his excellent passing ability and vision to pretty much orchestrate the game. He does like bring the ball forward and to get forward when the opportunity arises but he looks like the complete holding central midfielder.

You always speak sense mate, so I say get him in that position. We don't need a Whelen in the team really, do we?

Fuck me don't tell him that

[Axl Rose]

I think playing two up front works well for us, and Davis compliments Kodjia well.

I'd even go three up front in some home games, with Kodjia drifting and Hogan and Davis through the centre.

A good away win, looked solid for the most part. I enjoy watching Albert play. He creates alot for us when he does.

Is he our top scorer? Him and Hourihane perhaps, who've both hardly had a kick until recently.

I think you might be right, Percy. I'd definitely keep both in the starting lineup. They offer us some balance, and both have goals/assists in them.

I'd like to see O'Hare/Odomah given more game, too. Could Onomah play a holding role or is he more box to box?

Onomah's best performances for England U20s were more of a holding position, using his excellent passing ability and vision to pretty much orchestrate the game. He does like bring the ball forward and to get forward when the opportunity arises but he looks like the complete holding central midfielder.

You always speak sense mate, so I say get him in that position. We don't need a Whelen in the team really, do we?

Fuck me don't tell him that

Haha.

[sirlordbaltimore]

I'd fancy that if you go through a season having less than 40% every game you'll lose more than you'll win. In a one off game it's irrelevant like when we won at Southampton with something like 22%, do it every game and it's a matter I reckon.

I'm pretty sure Leicester won the league with around 40% possession on average

[Matt Collins]

If we're gonna play 442 - and there was a good case presented yday - we will almost certainly regularly have less of the ball

[LeeB]

I've been to two away games in the last two seasons. Two wins, five goals and none conceded.

Any contributions for my travelling fund are greatly appreciated.

[mrfuse]

I'd fancy that if you go through a season having less than 40% every game you'll lose more than you'll win. In a one off game it's irrelevant like when we won at Southampton with something like 22%, do it every game and it's a matter I reckon.

I'm pretty sure Leicester won the league with around 40% possession on average

True but that was a freak one off which probably wont happen again. They were also regarded as under dogs in that league and could justifiably play counter attacking football.