Aston Villa 1-0 Cardiff City Post Match Thread

[Hookeysmith]

Colin Wankers tactics make SB look like Guardiola - 1970's industrial football by numbers - how the hell have they maintained 2nd for a large part of the season?

Johnstone - still some key elements of his game worry me but 3 excellent saves

Elmo - Thought he was solid and Hoilett was hardly noticed

Jedinak - just like our idiotic play at times they kept lumping it straight at him in the air - the area he most excels at so no worries with him for most of the game

Chester - one truly awful pass aside - nice and tidy and mopped up most things

Bree - considering he was sitting in the stand at warm up, then on the bench at KO then on after 15 minutes thought he did pretty well

Adomah - he has periods like this and the key will be knowing when to drop him rather than play him and hope he comes back into form - I would now drop

Whelen - again in warm up he was on bench and Jedinak was to be in there so not too fazed by his contribution

Snoddy - deliveries not as cutting as they were previously as teams learn quickly - must admit I thought Bennett shackled him well

Hourihane - if he does not score then he is invisible - his contribution is awful and again spends too much time getting ball to pass 5 yards - usually facing the wrong way. A goal would have befitted a tremendous ball from Grabben.

Grabben - lost his man brilliantly for early attempt but not in it till 2nd half - thought he looked very good attacking wide right and he would definitely take AA's place on Friday.

Grealish - MOTM - when you see his kit afterwards from head to toe it is covered in mud as he is on the deck as much as he is standing up. He must actually love the attention he gets and revels in the rough stuff. At nearly every corner he was looking for an angle so why they left him all alone is beyond me for the goal - what a strike. For us older ones there is definitely a touch of George Best about him - his swagger and the ability in no space at all to move past a shadowing player is incredible. I really hope he grows into the player he can be and I really hope it is with us

Jimmy Danger - looked exactly that when he came on  - I think Bamba must still be trying to un knot his legs he got turned so much. If it is the play offs then what a time for him to be coming back
 

[not3bad]

When did Kodja get the nickname Jimmy Danger?

[Toronto Villa]

When did Kodja get the nickname Jimmy Danger?

while on national team duty. I’ve seen JOKO too, which might be the same thing.

[Brend'Watkins]

I thought Bruce's change of Hourihane for Samba was a good bit of work. Cardiff had got to "Launch" mode and Samba would have been a useful addition back there if they got round to using the tactic.  Hourihane was largely anonymous anyway.

[D.boy]

One approves

Much jubilation from HRH Royal Highness John Carew and some mate of his on the left.

Who is on the left?

Hair to the throne. Not sure about the one on the right, maybe one of them secret service agents, doesn't look like he's too concerned about JC and an 8 year old though.

An 8 year old, I thought it was Paul McCartney!

[Risso]

One approves

Much jubilation from HRH Royal Highness John Carew and some mate of his on the left.

Who is on the left?

Hair to the throne. Not sure about the one on the right, maybe one of them secret service agents, doesn't look like he's too concerned about JC and an 8 year old though.

'Hair' to the throne?  That's cruel man, cruel.

The secret service man probably correctly assumed that there'd be very little he could to stop Big John anyway, so just carried on checking Twitter on his phone.

[David_Nab]

I thought Bruce's change of Hourihane for Samba was a good bit of work. Cardiff had got to "Launch" mode and Samba would have been a useful addition back there if they got round to using the tactic.  Hourihane was largely anonymous anyway.

Plus they ended up with Bamba moving upfront hence why a few times we threatened a second with them lacking numbers in defence.

[VinnieChase84]

While Adomah is out of sorts I would start Grabban on the left and give Kodj his first start. Grabbans ball to Hourihane was filthy

[in exile]

When did Kodja get the nickname Jimmy Danger?

while on national team duty. I’ve seen JOKO too, which might be the same thing.

They spell it Jimy if anyone cares

[tomd2103]

Colin Wankers tactics make SB look like Guardiola - 1970's industrial football by numbers - how the hell have they maintained 2nd for a large part of the season?

Johnstone - still some key elements of his game worry me but 3 excellent saves

Elmo - Thought he was solid and Hoilett was hardly noticed

Jedinak - just like our idiotic play at times they kept lumping it straight at him in the air - the area he most excels at so no worries with him for most of the game

Chester - one truly awful pass aside - nice and tidy and mopped up most things

Bree - considering he was sitting in the stand at warm up, then on the bench at KO then on after 15 minutes thought he did pretty well

Adomah - he has periods like this and the key will be knowing when to drop him rather than play him and hope he comes back into form - I would now drop

Whelen - again in warm up he was on bench and Jedinak was to be in there so not too fazed by his contribution

Snoddy - deliveries not as cutting as they were previously as teams learn quickly - must admit I thought Bennett shackled him well

Hourihane - if he does not score then he is invisible - his contribution is awful and again spends too much time getting ball to pass 5 yards - usually facing the wrong way. A goal would have befitted a tremendous ball from Grabben.

Grabben - lost his man brilliantly for early attempt but not in it till 2nd half - thought he looked very good attacking wide right and he would definitely take AA's place on Friday.

Grealish - MOTM - when you see his kit afterwards from head to toe it is covered in mud as he is on the deck as much as he is standing up. He must actually love the attention he gets and revels in the rough stuff. At nearly every corner he was looking for an angle so why they left him all alone is beyond me for the goal - what a strike. For us older ones there is definitely a touch of George Best about him - his swagger and the ability in no space at all to move past a shadowing player is incredible. I really hope he grows into the player he can be and I really hope it is with us

Jimmy Danger - looked exactly that when he came on  - I think Bamba must still be trying to un knot his legs he got turned so much. If it is the play offs then what a time for him to be coming back

Would agree with a lot of that Hookey.  I thought Elmohamady's crossing was poor last night and has been for sometime.  I agree with the comments about Bree and Whelan and the lack of notice, but I thought even though they did OK considering, both had their shaky moments.  Agree about Hourihane, Snodgrass and Adomah and would personally take all three out of the side for Friday.   

[Richard E]

Colin's tactics make SB look like Guardiola

Like a Manager who has lost 3 big games in a week?

[passport1]

"For us older ones there is definitely a touch of George Best about him ".

I tend to think more Chico Hamilton or at a push Stan Bowles. Mind you when he is on the lash with his mates their are certain Best similarities.

[Taylor]

Whilst watching on TV, I noticed Bruce barking at Jack - "2nd ball, 2nd ball". A couple of minutes later he scores. Who says Bruce doesn't do tactics?

[Dinas_Caerdydd]

wow - looks like your all happy again . told you to expect route 1 with the ball being launched like an exocet missile so nothing new there then from us . thought you were the better side on the night which I expected but thought we'd deserved a draw simply by the amount of chances we created . mathematically our mission is accomplished we are at least cemented in the play offs but maybe warnock can weave his magic and nick us over the line into second spot . he's hopeing

[dave shelley]

Over the years I've tried really hard to like Colin, especially the time he, and more importantly, his club were shafted over the Tevez affair.  He's never been a brilliant manager but always adequate and perhaps a tiny bit above average.  It's when he opens his gob, and the Albion scenario that time, that he shows himself as the insidious, spiteful little bastard that he is.