Aston Villa v Sheffield Wednesday Post-Match Thread

[sickbeggar]

On Terrys injury we have 3 senior CBs to come in Samba / Elphick / Richards ...between them they must be on 100k a week and i don't think any of them are a viable option ...

yep. scary really.

[LukeJames]

I'm not to fussed about the defeat, they happen and I think we'll bounce back in our next few games again.
The worrying thing though, was once again we looked devoid of ideas on how to get back into a game once conceeding first, Bruce has found a formula recently to get us picking up results which is to his credit, his next step has to be to sort that mentality out, there has been too many games like it were we conceed and never look slightly like getting back into it. Only then can we think about automatic promotion.

[Malandro]

I'm not to fussed about the defeat, they happen and I think we'll bounce back in our next few games again.
The worrying thing though, was once again we looked devoid of ideas on how to get back into a game once conceeding first, Bruce has found a formula recently to get us picking up results which is to his credit, his next step has to be to sort that mentality out, there has been too many games like it were we conceed and never look slightly like getting back into it. Only then can we think about automatic promotion.

We'll bounce back, have a few draws, lose a couple and then our season will be down to a shoot out.

[Drummond]

2 injuries and a worldy after 20 seconds. Just one of those days.

Have a beer, distract yourself and cheer the fuck up.

As seen on twitter.

[tomd2103]

Your attacking midfielder who had a fine game three days ago is unable to play today due to injury. Do you replace him with:

a. A talented attacking midfielder who has recently recovered from injury and is an ideal like-for-like replacement?

b. A talented young lad from the reserves who scored a hat-trick earlier this week and who knows how to link with your main striker, as he has played numerous games with him at age-limited levels?

c. A striker who has scored one goal since January and has looked something of a misfit, despite costing a very large fee?

Your name is Steve Bruce. What do you do next?

That's what I couldn't really understand.  I thought we would be playing Hogan pushed right up and looking for flick ons from Davis and through balls from the space he created.  Instead, he spent a lot of the game dropping off into deeper positions which he isn't suited to at all.  If he was instructed to do that, then why not go with O'Hare or Grealish from the start who actually play in that position?

Also, his substitutions seem to be becoming a big of a concern.  I still can't quite work out how we ended up with Hogan at left wing against Blues and again it all seemed a bit bizarre.  When Snodgrass went off, he had a few options, but decided to stick Hogan out on the wing and bring O'Hare on just off Davis.  Come out for the second half, Hogan is back up front and O'Hare has been shifted out to the wing.  It just seems all a bit of a panic a and no real thought process going into it. 

[kippaxvilla2]

Clueless absolutely clueless, from the Manager to the players. Why oh why oh why change a winning formation. Handed the freedom of Villa Park to the Wednesday midfield by playing 4-4-2. Oh and that right back had Adomah in his pocket, I’d imagine Albert has only just got out! Dear oh dear.

We’ve been moaning at him to stop playing one up front at home.  When he doesn’t he gets criticised.  We missed Josh’s energy today and I doubt he would’ve changed it if it hadn’t been for his injury.  Fcukin injuries piss me off.

[XXVilla]

Trouble is Hogan just doesn’t fit. Hrcshould have played Jedinak today Instead of Hogan. Goals from midfield have been our staple this year.

[GarTomas]

Special mention at this time of year for most of the Sheffield Wednesday team doing their best impersonations of the Battle of Somme in the second half.

[tomd2103]

Clueless absolutely clueless, from the Manager to the players. Why oh why oh why change a winning formation. Handed the freedom of Villa Park to the Wednesday midfield by playing 4-4-2. Oh and that right back had Adomah in his pocket, I’d imagine Albert has only just got out! Dear oh dear.

We’ve been moaning at him to stop playing one up front at home.  When he doesn’t he gets criticised.  We missed Josh’s energy today and I doubt he would’ve changed it if it hadn’t been for his injury.  Fcukin injuries piss me off.

Playing two up front leaves us far too weak in central midfield, a weakness that the better sides in the division will exploit and have done so already.

[XXVilla]

I'm not to fussed about the defeat, they happen and I think we'll bounce back in our next few games again.
The worrying thing though, was once again we looked devoid of ideas on how to get back into a game once conceeding first, Bruce has found a formula recently to get us picking up results which is to his credit, his next step has to be to sort that mentality out, there has been too many games like it were we conceed and never look slightly like getting back into it. Only then can we think about automatic promotion.

I’m fussed. Very fussed in fact. We couldn’t bounce back from an early blow and looked worse than average against an average team. It’s a worry if we want to get out of this poxy league.

[ChicagoLion]

Your attacking midfielder who had a fine game three days ago is unable to play today due to injury. Do you replace him with:

a. A talented attacking midfielder who has recently recovered from injury and is an ideal like-for-like replacement?

b. A talented young lad from the reserves who scored a hat-trick earlier this week and who knows how to link with your main striker, as he has played numerous games with him at age-limited levels?

c. A striker who has scored one goal since January and has looked something of a misfit, despite costing a very large fee?

Your name is Steve Bruce. What do you do next?

You continue to make decisions that undermine a squad that should be close to dominating this league.

[Gareth]

Special mention at this time of year for most of the Sheffield Wednesday team doing their best impersonations of the Battle of Somme in the second half.

And the referee who was blowing out of his arse taking every chance to have a break each time they hit the deck.

[Pat McMahon]

I can't deny I'm not happy I won't see John Terry in a Villa shirt for a while

I read that as you are unhappy you won't see Terry playing for us. So you like him...?!!

An utterly abysmal performance. Too many negatives to list them all but our midfield was outplayed - outnumbered and were less mobile than Wednesday.. Adomah tried a few runs early on, was nullified and then seemed to lose it. To his credit he kept plugging away. Davis was completely outmuscled and dominated from start to finish and Hogan was anonymous. Minor praise for being the least shit players goes to Hutton and Chester. Grealish also looked better than the rest when he came on.

I have been hoping Bruce would try Hogan with Davis as I think Hogan can only play alongside a big striker. They had no  service and looked like two strangers today, but I think Hogan would look like a stranger at his own birthday party. It just ain't working.

Finally, from the north stand, which I dislike, the atmosphere was very very poor. Wednesday fans were excellent.

Oh yeah, I nearly forgot.  Snodgrass wins the award for most petulant substitution since Nicky Shorey at Fulham in 2009.

[brontebilly]

Your attacking midfielder who had a fine game three days ago is unable to play today due to injury. Do you replace him with:

a. A talented attacking midfielder who has recently recovered from injury and is an ideal like-for-like replacement?

b. A talented young lad from the reserves who scored a hat-trick earlier this week and who knows how to link with your main striker, as he has played numerous games with him at age-limited levels?

c. A striker who has scored one goal since January and has looked something of a misfit, despite costing a very large fee?

Your name is Steve Bruce. What do you do next?

That's what I couldn't really understand.  I thought we would be playing Hogan pushed right up and looking for flick ons from Davis and through balls from the space he created.  Instead, he spent a lot of the game dropping off into deeper positions which he isn't suited to at all.  If he was instructed to do that, then why not go with O'Hare or Grealish from the start who actually play in that position?

Also, his substitutions seem to be becoming a big of a concern.  I still can't quite work out how we ended up with Hogan at left wing against Blues and again it all seemed a bit bizarre.  When Snodgrass went off, he had a few options, but decided to stick Hogan out on the wing and bring O'Hare on just off Davis.  Come out for the second half, Hogan is back up front and O'Hare has been shifted out to the wing.  It just seems all a bit of a panic a and no real thought process going into it.

As much as it's easy to criticise Bruce, it kind of made sense to give Hogan a go today. At home, Kodjia out, two wide men selected and Davis next to him to play off. But Hogan truly was hopeless. Also it's clear that against any reasonable opposition that we can't play a standard 442. So Hogan may soon struggle to make the bench when Kodjia comes back in as it will either be Davis or Kodjia up front.

Today was a strange one, early goal was a cracker but the team looked horribly one paced trying to get back into it. Onomoahs mobility was badly missed. Davis and Adamoah were well held. We badly needed a tactical reshape but were two subs down at that point and options with the likes of Hogan and Whelan left on were limited.

Subs hardly helped matters though at least Grealish looked lively.

[LukeJames]

Your attacking midfielder who had a fine game three days ago is unable to play today due to injury. Do you replace him with:

a. A talented attacking midfielder who has recently recovered from injury and is an ideal like-for-like replacement?

b. A talented young lad from the reserves who scored a hat-trick earlier this week and who knows how to link with your main striker, as he has played numerous games with him at age-limited levels?

c. A striker who has scored one goal since January and has looked something of a misfit, despite costing a very large fee?

Your name is Steve Bruce. What do you do next?

That's what I couldn't really understand.  I thought we would be playing Hogan pushed right up and looking for flick ons from Davis and through balls from the space he created.  Instead, he spent a lot of the game dropping off into deeper positions which he isn't suited to at all.  If he was instructed to do that, then why not go with O'Hare or Grealish from the start who actually play in that position?

Also, his substitutions seem to be becoming a big of a concern.  I still can't quite work out how we ended up with Hogan at left wing against Blues and again it all seemed a bit bizarre.  When Snodgrass went off, he had a few options, but decided to stick Hogan out on the wing and bring O'Hare on just off Davis.  Come out for the second half, Hogan is back up front and O'Hare has been shifted out to the wing.  It just seems all a bit of a panic a and no real thought process going into it.

As much as it's easy to criticise Bruce, it kind of made sense to give Hogan a go today. At home, Kodjia out, two wide men selected and Davis next to him to play off. But Hogan truly was hopeless. Also it's clear that against any reasonable opposition that we can't play a standard 442. So Hogan may soon struggle to make the bench when Kodjia comes back in as it will either be Davis or Kodjia up front.

Hogan has never played with or benefitted from playing off a big man, play him on the shoulder of the last man with the advanced midfielders getting balls through to him otherwise he is pretty much redundant.