Aston Villa v Bolton Wanderers Post-Match Thread

[Toronto Villa]

Yesterday was a game where it became evident that Bruce has to figure out a way to rotate the starting XI. It appears he has settled on a formation and style of play. Or is approaching it. Now it's about giving players time off. We have a number of more senior players now and it can't be expected of them to play through 46 league games and however long we participate in the cups. So Bruce has to find a way of resting Whelan or Terry or Snodgrass and even the other players and bring in squad players without upsetting the way we play or balance.

I agree, TV, and think he might have well have made changes yesterday if it wasn't for the fact that we now have an international break.

Agreed Chris. That would have come into his thoughts though it is dangerous game to play with the players looking quite jaded. Mind you, it's also possible had we played a side other than one sat bottom of the table or close to it he'd have freshened things up. Bruce might have thought there was enough left in the tank coupled with the momentum and buoyancy of the Burton result to get us over the line.

[exigo]

Do you think that sort of performance is going to get people hurrying to Villa Park?

I booked Fulham tickets last night, because yesterday showed me just how much I missed coming up from London, having a few beers with mates in the Holte pub, seeing us score in front of the Holte, keeping a clean sheet and going home with the three points. So, in short, yes.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The erm..highlights

[achilles]

Bolton played a very high line which compressed the play and allowed them to harass us and put pressure on us.
Bruce should have been aware of how they played or at least after 10 minutes realised how they were playing and acted accordingly by instructing the players to get the ball forward much quicker and play down the flanks to make their monster centrehalves turn, in other words play perhaps more direct, not down the middle, but certainly at a much higher tempo.
Then to compound the issues with 20 minutes to go Bruce takes 2 attackers off and brings an attacker on (Hogan who can't hold the ball up) and a midfield player, Onomah (who has no real idea of where he actually is playing and looks lost). So this just invites pressure onto us as we try and hold onto a 1 - 0 victory, even their centrehalves were coming up as with Davis off they had no problems with defending.
Why wasn't O'Hare brought on for Kodjia (who I thought was lazy again) to give support to Davis?

As Bruce openly admits he doesn't do tactics!

Still we won in the end, perhaps this is the bit of luck we are having this season which we didn't last season, time will tell!

I don't agree with that at all.

Hogan and Onomah saw us increase the tempo and speed at which we moved it and for the first time all game create chances from open play.

It was a realisation that we couldn't hit it into Davis and we adapted. We looked our best following the subs.

We didn't drop deep and we didn't invite any pressure. They slung a high ball into the box which created a bit if panic and we reacted to their centre half going up front by bringing Samba on and solving the percentage ball problem.

The sending off caused some confusion and it was a mistake by us in a mindless recycle of the ball by passing to a Bolton player that allowed the chance to be created at the death.

I don't think your analysis is right at all.

We must have been at different games then!

[ktvillan]

Reading this it seems that most who are slagging the team off even state they were not at the game - to them get your backsides down to the ground and show support for the team

It's not always just as easy as that.

Accept its not always as easy but if you haven't been don't slag the team off when you didn't see it first hand

Jawohl Mein Fuehrer!  Seriously though, what gives you the right to say people can't express an opinion regardless of their circumstances?

[ktvillan]

The comments about "we would have not won a game like this last season" are baseless. We won plenty like this it's the others where we got hammered  and didn't make the play-offs and we need to win those games specially away from home.

Yep, the point being was that the winning patches were never sustained or sustainable beyond a few games.  The point I,  and I think one or two others, are trying to make is that we're far from convinced by the good run of results because based on the way we have been playing at home we can't see it being maintained without fair sized chunks of good fortune and against the better teams in the league.  I'm chuffed we've won four on the bounce but I'm far from optimistic we can keep it up based on what I've seen (and yes I was there yesterday Leicester Villain). 

[Villa75]

The comments about "we would have not won a game like this last season" are baseless. We won plenty like this it's the others where we got hammered  and didn't make the play-offs and we need to win those games specially away from home.

Yep, the point being was that the winning patches were never sustained or sustainable beyond a few games.  The point I,  and I think one or two others, are trying to make is that we're far from convinced by the good run of results because based on the way we have been playing at home we can't see it being maintained without fair sized chunks of good fortune and against the better teams in the league.  I'm chuffed we've won four on the bounce but I'm far from optimistic we can keep it up based on what I've seen (and yes I was there yesterday Leicester Villain).

I have only been here a short while, and don't what to come across as tedious or overly negative, but I am going to risk it and say I agree with everything you say.

Obviously I apologise, if in doing that I have overstepped the mark for someone so new. 😉

[CT]

Reading this it seems that most who are slagging the team off even state they were not at the game - to them get your backsides down to the ground and show support for the team

It's not always just as easy as that.

Accept its not always as easy but if you haven't been don't slag the team off when you didn't see it first hand

Jawohl Mein Fuehrer!  Seriously though, what gives you the right to say people can't express an opinion regardless of their circumstances?

On the flip side, if we don't go and the team play well, can we praise them? I'd like to know what the rules are here.

[Chris Smith]

The comments about "we would have not won a game like this last season" are baseless. We won plenty like this it's the others where we got hammered  and didn't make the play-offs and we need to win those games specially away from home.

Yep, the point being was that the winning patches were never sustained or sustainable beyond a few games.  The point I,  and I think one or two others, are trying to make is that we're far from convinced by the good run of results because based on the way we have been playing at home we can't see it being maintained without fair sized chunks of good fortune and against the better teams in the league.  I'm chuffed we've won four on the bounce but I'm far from optimistic we can keep it up based on what I've seen (and yes I was there yesterday Leicester Villain). 

The run is built on a record of one goal conceded in 6 games. You don't get that sort of record purely on good fortune. Now that they have settled I think we probably have the best defence in a league where efficiency and resilience tend be the most important factors over the course of season.

[ktvillan]

I can't disagree the defence looks more solid but I think they have still ridden their luck at times in the home games at least, especially against Brentford.   I'm more concerned about the other end.  Fine away from home but in the last four home games we've only scored one goal from open play.  This despite having at least two proven goalscorers in the squad and plenty of players who could create multiple chances for them if we just moved the ball more quickly, committed more men forward and looked for the forward pass rather than the safe pass more often.    For me we rely far too much on a flash of brilliance or inspiration from an individual instead of on a style of play that dominates the opposition, exploits their weaknesses and opens them up regularly.   I really don't see why Bruce has to be so ultra-cautious and boring at home with such talent at his disposal.

[Matt Collins]

I think our 442 may be more suited to playing away. A bit like under MoN.

At home I'm not sure we'll dominate the midfield enough, nor have the creativity

But I'd keep playing it for now

[nigel]

Reading this it seems that most who are slagging the team off even state they were not at the game - to them get your backsides down to the ground and show support for the team

It's not always just as easy as that.

Accept its not always as easy but if you haven't been don't slag the team off when you didn't see it first hand

Jawohl Mein Fuehrer!  Seriously though, what gives you the right to say people can't express an opinion regardless of their circumstances?

On the flip side, if we don't go and the team play well, can we praise them? I'd like to know what the rules are here.

Everyone's entitled to an opinion, but, I can see where Leicester is coming from.


If I don't go to a game, or watch on TV, I can't give accurate comments on the game, so I won't.
I can't come on here and say Bruce should have done this or that, the same of the players, if I haven't seen the game 

I can't understand how anyone can make an assessment of the game without having seen it.


 
 

[Richard E]

Reading this it seems that most who are slagging the team off even state they were not at the game - to them get your backsides down to the ground and show support for the team

It's not always just as easy as that.

Accept its not always as easy but if you haven't been don't slag the team off when you didn't see it first hand

Jawohl Mein Fuehrer!  Seriously though, what gives you the right to say people can't express an opinion regardless of their circumstances?

On the flip side, if we don't go and the team play well, can we praise them? I'd like to know what the rules are here.

You're allowed to express mild satisfaction, but nothing more effusive than that.

[Legion]

Signed,

Disgruntled of Tipton.

[Chris Jameson]

All I care about is the possession stats.