Aston Villa v Bolton Wanderers Post-Match Thread

[Ads]

Bolton on top for 15 minutes? Might want to get that lap top fixed.

[Mister E]

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 xpected 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.

If rotation is required and if they are available then Samba comes in for Terry, Onomah or Lansbury in for Whelan and Green (when fit) comes in for Snodgrass.  Pretty straightforward swaps there, though there is a drop in quality in all three scenarios. 

I think he has got to work on other tactical options in case Plan A of 4-4-2 isn't working. 

Agreed, Tom.
It's the in-game decision-making by the manager which concerns me.

[ironmaidenmania]

Obviously pleased with three points but there was a spark missing today. Playing 4 games with the same starting 11 is great but they looked tired. A better team than Bolton would probably have got something from this. Defending too deep at the end. But onwards and upwards.

[darren woolley]

That Ref was terrible one of the worst I'm glad we got the three points we ground out the win but a win is a win another clean sheet and our good run continues.

[Lobsterboy]

I've criticised Bruce when we have played crap and not won so I am not going to criticise when we play crap and win

That was what he is supposed to be good at!

Another three points and a very good September on the whole - hopefully we won't lose anyone through injury over the international break or we are looking at Flabby, Hutton and co coming back into the fold...

[in exile]

That Ref was terrible one of the worst

Have we had a decent one all season?

[oldtimernow]

I think Ref's may feel the need to "even things up" by not giving us stuff and our opponents leeway because we are the biggest club in the division and we need taking down a peg?

Jon Moss against Burton was probably not in this fold.......he'd already crapped on us before so he probably felt responsible.

[Ads]

I've wondered that. Like they cannot be seen to give us what we deserve less it be big club bias. The referees are consistently awful.

[lukey27]

The ref on Saturday completely lost control of the game. It was also one of the oddest performances I've ever seen by a linesman at Villa Park, few utter howlers from the guy running the line next to the Witton Lane stand

[XXVilla]

I've wondered that. Like they cannot be seen to give us what we deserve less it be big club bias. The referees are consistently awful.

I doubt there's a conspiracy

[Villa75]

So,when we're in the PL and decisions 'aren't going our way' the refs are 'favouring the big teams'? Then, when we are in the 2nd division and decisions 'aren't going are way' the refs are 'favouring the small teams'?

Could it just be that refs make mistakes, some more than others (like players of differing standards), but all football fans are biased and mainly notice (or even imagine) mistakes against their own beloved team?

[Matt Collins]

Yep

[themossman]

Plus, it’s a rare thing (IMO) that a game is genuinely decided by the quality of refereeing. If we hadn’t been playing shit football at home against the worst side in the championship then we wouldn't be talking about the ref.

[Legion]

It's not a conspiracy. It's just a poor standard of refereeing. I referee Leisure Leagues every Monday evening now and am consistently crap.

[LeeB]

It's not a conspiracy. It's just a poor standard of refereeing. I referee Leisure Leagues every Monday evening now and am consistently crap.

At least you're consistent.