Aston Villa v Sheff Weds Post-Match Thread

[fbriai]

Wednesday had a decent goalie, a solid defensive line, a hardworking team ethic and an organised game plan that included passing the ball correctly and playing as team.

It's not rocket science Mr Bruce. But of course, you know what you're doing don't you?   

Exactly, Pete. They just worked on getting the ball to the wing, so that they could get it into the box for Fletcher as quickly as possible. As was the case at Brammall Lane, we made a solid team look like world-beaters.

Fletcher had a couple of chances in the minutes before he scored. Why he didn't change something I don't know; you could have driven a bus down the centre of our defence at times. My fear is that Bruce's response will be simply to revert to one up top and bring in Whelan in place of Kodjia.

Plus, we have a centre-forward who has pace, excellent close control and an eye for goal, and we spend half the time lumping it up to him long from the full-backs. We should be bossing teams in this division with the quality we have available.

[Sexual Ealing]

Agree that the core of our malaise is the goalkeeper, the full backs and the central defenders.  Because they, with the semi exception of James Chester are such poor players and yes Nyland might get better, our midfield has to shoulder defence responsibilities leaving us deeper than we should be all the time.  Remember those wonderful days when Martin Laursen or Olaf Mellberg would come barrelling up the centre of the field into the opposition half?  Mile Jedinak would be looking across at his mate in the dugout to see if he should cross the half way line.  Then get dispossessed.

True. And to compound the misery, our only attacking 'philosophy' is to get crosses into the box, when the situation you describe above ensures that we rarely have the numbers in the opposition penalty area to capitalise on said crosses.

[brontebilly]

Agree the 442 looks wrong for us

We have been playing 4141 most of the seaon. The problem is that last year the 4 all had a great goal and assist threat. This year that threat is much reduced. It wasn't working for me. It might however work w Kodjia and Bolasie wide. Also means dropping hourihane again unless jack plays wide

Those two are far too lazy to play together. Snodgrass once he settled used put in a fair shift on the right last season. Despite their limitations, Davis and Hogan used do likewise up front. We are really missing that honest graft up top.

I'd be more thinking of a tight 433, with Taylor coming back in at left back next to Axel and told not to pass the half way line. That would mean we should be able to keep a fairly high line with Axel being much quicker than Jedi. Though it leaves us very vulnerable in the air as seen at Blackburn.

Midfield three of one holding midfielder, which for most games shoukd be Whelan or BB. Who are not to get ahead of the ball at any time. Hourihane sitting next to him with McGinn slightly further forward.

It means Jack on one wing, Bolasie on the other and Abraham up front. If we could keep those three higher up the pitch we should be very dangerous from broken play. It's still far from ideal, we are really missing Snodgrass, Johnstone, Grabban and Terry from last season. So many others nowhere near the standards of last year too.

[sirlordbaltimore]

I'd give that performance 1/10 if i was being generous. Possibly the most depressing performance i've seen in a decade or so.

Don't know where to even begin. Nobody, other than possibly McGinn came out of that with any credit at all.

AWFUL.

[ChicagoLion]

I'd give that performance 1/10 if i was being generous. Possibly the most depressing performance i've seen in a decade or so.

Don't know where to even begin. Nobody, other than possibly McGinn came out of that with any credit at all.

AWFUL.

Still backing the manager then?

[sirlordbaltimore]

I'd give that performance 1/10 if i was being generous. Possibly the most depressing performance i've seen in a decade or so.

Don't know where to even begin. Nobody, other than possibly McGinn came out of that with any credit at all.

AWFUL.

Still backing the manager then?

Haven't been for ages.

I will however keep defending him from folks who think it's all just his fault and never the players of course.

It drives me barmy the excuses people make for certain players. I suppose the latest will be Chester is playing like a donkey because of Jedi.

Just like Jack can't be playing shit because his mind isn't focused it must be someone else's fault.

Blame Bruce for his part in this mess by all means. He's got a huge part to play in it. But don't make him the scapegoat for everything that's wrong on the pitch (IMHO) and don't make it personal. He's a good bloke.

[cdbearsfan]

I thought he was a good bloke till his slagging off the fans after we saw off the might of Real Rotherham. He can get fucked now. Once you turn on the fans, your days are numbered. He's nothing more than a new O'Leary.

[dave.woodhall]

I thought he was a good bloke till his slagging off the fans after we saw off the might of Real Rotherham. He can get fucked now. Once you turn on the fans, your days are numbered. He's nothing more than an a new O'Leary.

You want to hear what Suzanne Virdee says about her fan club members.

[Pat McMahon]

I was too miffed to post last night.

Yesterday I woke up with a hangover, the 2hour drive took 3 hours each way and got to Villa Park just before kick off. I didn’t feel positive and I was right. Awful across the pitch, not a single player had a good game.

 McGinn’s goal aside, and a few minutes later a screamer from Hourihane, there wasn’t a moment in the game where I felt we looked like a team with a plan. Wednesday started off on the front foot and dominated possession, Chester and Jedinak were poor in possession, we had no movement in midfield and we were coming deep to pick up the ball from the centre backs meaning we had to try to create from deep. Kodjia and Abraham were lethargic and could not hold up a single ball played to them with their back to goal, meaning we had no platform to get players further forward. The full backs and wide men were really poor and Jack was spending too long on the ball, mainly because of the lack of movement in front of him. In short, we were shit with no pattern of play and the subs made zero difference.

The Bruce out momentum will grow unless he gets wins in the next 2-3 games. I don’t think he will manage this and reckon he will probably be gone in October.

The atmosphere was shit  too - a 5 minutes spell aside it didn’t feel like a 35k crowd

[ChicagoLion]

I'd give that performance 1/10 if i was being generous. Possibly the most depressing performance i've seen in a decade or so.

Don't know where to even begin. Nobody, other than possibly McGinn came out of that with any credit at all.

AWFUL.

Still backing the manager then?

Haven't been for ages.

I will however keep defending him from folks who think it's all just his fault and never the players of course.

It drives me barmy the excuses people make for certain players. I suppose the latest will be Chester is playing like a donkey because of Jedi.

Just like Jack can't be playing shit because his mind isn't focused it must be someone else's fault.

Blame Bruce for his part in this mess by all means. He's got a huge part to play in it. But don't make him the scapegoat for everything that's wrong on the pitch (IMHO) and don't make it personal. He's a good bloke.

Yes he is a really good bloke, the way he takes responsibility and never try’s to blame any one else.
Stay in your bubble then.

[PeterWithesShin]

He's such a good bloke that he lies repeatedly, chucks anyone he can under the bus, and has insulted us as a fan base more often than even Mr Fickle did.

[brian green]

The good bloke is just PR.  His personality has nothing to do with the argument.

[VillaLoyal]

I was amazed at the amount of people around me who were blaming the keeper for the winner.

I felt he contributed.

Last season I seem to recall Johnson would come out and do punching quite a bit. The lad we have seems glued to his line. I think I remember him making one catch.

As opposed to the Sheffield Wednesday keeper who must have claimed/caught ten crosses in the match. Sure as a result of poor crosses but also he came out and claimed a lot. Dominating the area.

[VillaLoyal]

Deja vu all over again. Beaten by a team who were well organised, let us have the ball in our own half, pressed everywhere else and broke quickly. We seem to rely on individual moments of excellence. One of the best Villa goals from outside the box I’ve seen but to no avail. The most important cog in the wheel at a club is the manager and ours is not up to it. So frustrating.

You sum it up well Walsall imo.

Organisation, planning and preparation will 9/10 times beat quality in the championship.

Wolves and Fulham (eventually) had both last season. Cardiff had very good organisation.

[jwarry]

I was too miffed to post last night.

Yesterday I woke up with a hangover, the 2hour drive took 3 hours each way and got to Villa Park just before kick off. I didn’t feel positive and I was right. Awful across the pitch, not a single player had a good game.

 McGinn’s goal aside, and a few minutes later a screamer from Hourihane, there wasn’t a moment in the game where I felt we looked like a team with a plan. Wednesday started off on the front foot and dominated possession, Chester and Jedinak were poor in possession, we had no movement in midfield and we were coming deep to pick up the ball from the centre backs meaning we had to try to create from deep. Kodjia and Abraham were lethargic and could not hold up a single ball played to them with their back to goal, meaning we had no platform to get players further forward. The full backs and wide men were really poor and Jack was spending too long on the ball, mainly because of the lack of movement in front of him. In short, we were shit with no pattern of play and the subs made zero difference.

The Bruce out momentum will grow unless he gets wins in the next 2-3 games. I don’t think he will manage this and reckon he will probably be gone in October.

The atmosphere was shit  too - a 5 minutes spell aside it didn’t feel like a 35k crowd

Excellent summary