Millwall 2-1 Abject Villa Post Match Thread

[OzVilla]

I can see Nyland having an absolute shocker against Blose, being dropped and departing the club next Summer.

To stand a chance of getting promotion teams need a keeper that can gain them points through a season. This bloke will cost us points.

[tomd2103]

One of the many things that drove me mad at The New Den today was how piss poor our central strikers are at holding possession.  Look at the way Withe or Carew or Benteke took the ball.  They  stood big and tall.  Kodjia and Abrahams stick their arses out into the central defender and fall forward.  All the time.  It is basic coaching.  Stand tall.  That was just a shambles at the front, the middle and the back.  Nyland and Taylor should never wear a Villa shirt again.

I completely agree with your comments re Abraham and Kodjia - back to goal they are useless. That means we have no way of bringing the midfielders forward into threatening positions.

Nyland, who is rooted to a his goal line liike an abandoned dog tethered to a lamppost 10 miles from home, kept seeking him out when he didn’t win a header all game against Cooper. Utterly moronic. Yet somehow McGinn was marking said giant at their corners. Fucking senseless.

 We started well, then adjusted to normal settings and became shit and Millwall gained in confidence..Balls in the box became perilous and truth be told they should probably have won by one more. Not a single player earned credit today and some of them need to get in the gym and build their strength because they were muscled out of too many duels- I’m talking to you Hourihane, Taylor, Tuanzebe, Abraham. (Hutton too, but slight excuse as out of position.)

An afternoon of direwank.

Abraham has looked a bit capable at times, but Kodjia very rarely looks up for a physical battle with defenders.  With the amount of long, hopeful balls we play up to the front, we need a physical presence up there who can give defenders a hard time.  We have needed that since Bruce arrived and began playing that way, yet apart from Grabban (and the times Davis played) it hasn't been sorted. 

[Drummond]

I’d rather not judge Nyland before he is behind anything that even resembles a passable defence and a cohesive team.

The problem is Paul, how long do you give him?  Alarm bells were ringing in his first game against Wigan and haven't stopped since.  From what I have seen of him so far, he looks like a second choice keeper at best at this level.

It's a two way thing. Defenders need confidence in their keeper and vice-versa. He's not exactly had much to play behind has he?

[Pat McMahon]

I’d rather not judge Nyland before he is behind anything that even resembles a passable defence and a cohesive team.

The problem is Paul, how long do you give him?  Alarm bells were ringing in his first game against Wigan and haven't stopped since.  From what I have seen of him so far, he looks like a second choice keeper at best at this level.

One of our fellow London Lions made the point that he is making the defence uncertain and that then radiates through the team

[PaulWinch again]

Well I give him a chance to play in a team a competent manager can set up.

[itmustbe_it is!]

Hopefully the new guy will see sense and bench Grealish. A few weeks of not walking into the team every week after mostly contributing sod all might spark something into his non-productive self.

I though for 60-70 minutes he was easily our best player today. Last 20 he was coming too deep again but that was a reflection of Tammy and Kodjia not being able to hold the ball up at all

[robbo1874]

He’s gotta go!

[walsall villain]

One of the many things that drove me mad at The New Den today was how piss poor our central strikers are at holding possession.  Look at the way Withe or Carew or Benteke took the ball.  They  stood big and tall.  Kodjia and Abrahams stick their arses out into the central defender and fall forward.  All the time.  It is basic coaching.  Stand tall.  That was just a shambles at the front, the middle and the back.  Nyland and Taylor should never wear a Villa shirt again.

I completely agree with your comments re Abraham and Kodjia - back to goal they are useless. That means we have no way of bringing the midfielders forward into threatening positions.

Nyland, who is rooted to a his goal line liike an abandoned dog tethered to a lamppost 10 miles from home, kept seeking him out when he didn’t win a header all game against Cooper. Utterly moronic. Yet somehow McGinn was marking said giant at their corners. Fucking senseless.

 We started well, then adjusted to normal settings and became shit and Millwall gained in confidence..Balls in the box became perilous and truth be told they should probably have won by one more. Not a single player earned credit today and some of them need to get in the gym and build their strength because they were muscled out of too many duels- I’m talking to you Hourihane, Taylor, Tuanzebe, Abraham. (Hutton too, but slight excuse as out of position.)

An afternoon of direwank.

Abraham has looked a bit capable at times, but Kodjia very rarely looks up for a physical battle with defenders.  With the amount of long, hopeful balls we play up to the front, we need a physical presence up there who can give defenders a hard time.  We have needed that since Bruce arrived and began playing that way, yet apart from Grabban (and the times Davis played) it hasn't been sorted. 

Or we stop playing long hopeful balls up front. Surely that’s the future?

[tomd2103]

I’d rather not judge Nyland before he is behind anything that even resembles a passable defence and a cohesive team.

The problem is Paul, how long do you give him?  Alarm bells were ringing in his first game against Wigan and haven't stopped since.  From what I have seen of him so far, he looks like a second choice keeper at best at this level.

It's a two way thing. Defenders need confidence in their keeper and vice-versa. He's not exactly had much to play behind has he?

Point taken, but he has made mistakes that haven't really had anything to do with anyone else.  I could understand it if he was a kid, but he's pretty experienced and has played a number of internationals.  As a comparison, I think he has had a worse start than Gollini did and look what happened to him. 

[tomd2103]

One of the many things that drove me mad at The New Den today was how piss poor our central strikers are at holding possession.  Look at the way Withe or Carew or Benteke took the ball.  They  stood big and tall.  Kodjia and Abrahams stick their arses out into the central defender and fall forward.  All the time.  It is basic coaching.  Stand tall.  That was just a shambles at the front, the middle and the back.  Nyland and Taylor should never wear a Villa shirt again.

I completely agree with your comments re Abraham and Kodjia - back to goal they are useless. That means we have no way of bringing the midfielders forward into threatening positions.

Nyland, who is rooted to a his goal line liike an abandoned dog tethered to a lamppost 10 miles from home, kept seeking him out when he didn’t win a header all game against Cooper. Utterly moronic. Yet somehow McGinn was marking said giant at their corners. Fucking senseless.

 We started well, then adjusted to normal settings and became shit and Millwall gained in confidence..Balls in the box became perilous and truth be told they should probably have won by one more. Not a single player earned credit today and some of them need to get in the gym and build their strength because they were muscled out of too many duels- I’m talking to you Hourihane, Taylor, Tuanzebe, Abraham. (Hutton too, but slight excuse as out of position.)

An afternoon of direwank.

Abraham has looked a bit capable at times, but Kodjia very rarely looks up for a physical battle with defenders.  With the amount of long, hopeful balls we play up to the front, we need a physical presence up there who can give defenders a hard time.  We have needed that since Bruce arrived and began playing that way, yet apart from Grabban (and the times Davis played) it hasn't been sorted. 

Or we stop playing long hopeful balls up front. Surely that’s the future?

Here's hoping!

[Steve67]

I dont direct one iota of blame towards Kevin MacDonald for today. He isn’t the man for this level but the players are and they didn’t show up. The exception being how Taylor gets anywhere near there first team. He plays like a bird. In fact, the bird out of Gregory’s Girl would shit all over him. If you’re under 40 and don’t know wtf I’m on about then get your Dad’s Betamax out of the loft and yer mum’s tissues from her bedside cabinet.
If you’re over 40, it’s past your bedtime.
Goodnight.

I think he picked a chicken shit team.  I know he didn't have Chester or Jedinak to select for defence and midfield but where was the attacking intent?  Mentioning his mates getting binned in the presser put my back up and was a thumbed nose as those making the decisions.   It was a bit of a freebee for him today but he might have picked a more adventurous side.  I agree with others about Taylor.  He is absolutely diabolical, clearly at fault for not concentrating for the first goal.

[London Villan]

Like eric black all over again.

[David_Nab]

I’d rather not judge Nyland before he is behind anything that even resembles a passable defence and a cohesive team.

The problem is Paul, how long do you give him?  Alarm bells were ringing in his first game against Wigan and haven't stopped since.  From what I have seen of him so far, he looks like a second choice keeper at best at this level.

It's a two way thing. Defenders need confidence in their keeper and vice-versa. He's not exactly had much to play behind has he?

Point taken, but he has made mistakes that haven't really had anything to do with anyone else.  I could understand it if he was a kid, but he's pretty experienced and has played a number of internationals.  As a comparison, I think he has had a worse start than Gollini did and look what happened to him. 

Which brings us full circle , when Bruce came in Gollini was identified as a weak link , young inexperienced keeper in the rough world of the Championship who Bruce discarded quickly.2 year later Bruce leaves and we have an even more suspect keeper .Honestly the state of the keepers and CB's at club you are left with simply 2 conclusions 1) Bruce deliberately sabotaged the team 2) He is incompetent

[KevinGage]

One of the many things that drove me mad at The New Den today was how piss poor our central strikers are at holding possession.  Look at the way Withe or Carew or Benteke took the ball.  They  stood big and tall.  Kodjia and Abrahams stick their arses out into the central defender and fall forward.  All the time.  It is basic coaching.  Stand tall.  That was just a shambles at the front, the middle and the back.  Nyland and Taylor should never wear a Villa shirt again.

I completely agree with your comments re Abraham and Kodjia - back to goal they are useless. That means we have no way of bringing the midfielders forward into threatening positions.

Nyland, who is rooted to a his goal line liike an abandoned dog tethered to a lamppost 10 miles from home, kept seeking him out when he didn’t win a header all game against Cooper. Utterly moronic. Yet somehow McGinn was marking said giant at their corners. Fucking senseless.

 We started well, then adjusted to normal settings and became shit and Millwall gained in confidence..Balls in the box became perilous and truth be told they should probably have won by one more. Not a single player earned credit today and some of them need to get in the gym and build their strength because they were muscled out of too many duels- I’m talking to you Hourihane, Taylor, Tuanzebe, Abraham. (Hutton too, but slight excuse as out of position.)

An afternoon of direwank.

Abraham has looked a bit capable at times, but Kodjia very rarely looks up for a physical battle with defenders.  With the amount of long, hopeful balls we play up to the front, we need a physical presence up there who can give defenders a hard time.  We have needed that since Bruce arrived and began playing that way, yet apart from Grabban (and the times Davis played) it hasn't been sorted. 

Our upturn in form in the New Year owed a lot to Grabban. He faded goals-wise towards the end of his spell here, but it prob didn't help that two of his main outlets in Snodgrass and Albert were knackered by then.

Johnston, Terry, Snodgrass and Grabban were all key players for us last year. The replacements haven't looked up to snuff at all.

[London Villan]

The frustrating thing is there are loads of decent reserve keepers in the premier league that would have probably come on loan.