Villa 5-5 Forest post-match thread

[SashasGrandad]

Looking at the disallowed goal (on the video) near the end. If Tammy had not touched it it might still have crossed the line and counted.

Abraham also missed a chance to make it 4-3 just before half time.

[pauliewalnuts]

Oh and their number 10 looked useful.

[David_Nab]

Looking back on Goals the fact we never got anyone close to Lolly all game was our downfall..,2nd goal Houriane is attracted to ball and lets the runner in behind to score.As bad as defence was ( and GK) Houriane or anyone in that position has to do better

[curiousorange]

Hard to know who'll be happier with that. Score two goals and lose your advantage within about ten minutes, but come back twice to draw, or have a player score four after an amazing turnaround. Both defences equally shite and had obviously caught the same virus. On another day that game's settled with a deflected shot through a crowd of players in a drab 1-0, so I'm not going to draw too many conclusions from it.

Nyland though. Man alive.

[andyh]

I will say that Neil Taylor is getting better and more confident. Infact, today was probably one of his best games.

However, I fail to see what Hourihane brings to the party. For me he is far too lightweight. Yes, the odd free kick is a blinder, but we should expect far, far  more from a central midfielder.

[Lastfootstamper]

I know we didn't win, but I'm kind of into this new Villa.

And me.

[CJ]

Well I did predict a draw but I was thinking more 1-1 or 2-2. That was just bonkers, with diabolical defending especially on our part.  Smith needs to find a dominant CB pdq in January to go straight in in place of Chester who was poor again tonight, and a proper goal keeper. But 16 goals in 2 home games in the space of 4 days - are we not entertained?!

[Steve67]

After being 2-0 down after just 6 minutes, one would and should be happy to take a draw.  Bitterly disappointing thought to have gone 5-4 up and then blow it.  We are learning about this side all the time.  What we learn tonight is that Hourihane is no defensive midfielder, McGinn is great going forward but is absent defensively (tin hat firmly on head), same as Grealish.  We lack any real physicality in front of the defence and I think Smith will sacrifice that to play good football, which we certainly do.  One of the issues with the way we play is that McGinn doesn't drop in next to Hourihane, instead, he plays in front of him and the opposition go around the sides.  Forest exploited that early on until we adjusted.  We need an upgrade of Jedinak for central midfield come January.  Cracking game, magic going forward but dreadful defensively.

[tomd2103]

Nyland had no chance for the first 3, the 4th he started to go the wrong way so was wrong footed and the 5th was deflected. He should still have probably done better for the last two but the biggest issue for me was the ease they went through the midfield and defence so often.

Couldn’t make the game tonight as had a family commitment, so have only just seen the goals on TV.  Might have looked different at the match, but from the TV it looked like the 5th was hit pretty hard at close range, Tuanzebe was blocking his view and it took a deflection.  Not really sure what happened with the 4th one, but not sure how much he could have done with the 5th.  All that said, I still don’t really rate him.

From the TV, there looked to be a a lot of room between our defence and midfield where our defensive midfielder should have been.

[SoccerHQ]

TBH I'm not that bothered we didn't win tonight. I guess as you get older and see so many dire games season in season out you enjoy the classics when they do randomly pop up.

It was simply a great game from start to finish and one we just weren't destined to win for whatever reason. It happens.

Even the most negative fan on here or elsewhere can see we're on the right path now to the play offs and the football we're playing is a total breath of fresh air compared to past two years. Finally seeing what a good league the championship is.

Have to also say Forest impressed me a lot with how they played. Got a real mix of flair, experience and obviously a goalscorer in Grabban. I didn't even realise they signed Yacob, he's a good player at this level.

They're getting stronger as season goes on so can see them outlasting the likes of Derby and Sheffield United and joining us in the play offs.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

Wow! 1 point for either team having played out a 5-5 like that doesnt seem enough. Being 2 down after 6 minutes I'd have taken a draw, yet that's a game we could and should have won. Delighted to be watching the attacking intent of a Dean Smith team especially when compared with the dirge of bruceball. Unfortunately the shadow of bruce hangs over the club at least till January because of the shambles of a defence/goalkeeping position that he has left behind. We are certainly capable of shipping goals (3 at home to preston, 4 away at sheff utd) so a defensive collapse like tonights should come as no surprise to Villa fans. Smith knows this and I feel he will address the issues in January. Until then he will try to set us up to score more than we will inevitably concede. December should be an interesting month. If Smith can keep us competitive and then use the transfer window well, we may still be in with a shout of promotion one way or the other. UTV

[thick_mike]

I enjoyed that enormously...words I haven’t uttered since the Liverpool FA cup semi final.

Not a great result, but very entertaining and a sign of times ahead. Dean will sort this out, we’ve finally got a manager that is doing a proper job, not just picking up a paypacket.

[QuintonVilla]

Not to be negative but we're going nowhere with that defence and keeper. The keeper isn't a kid, he should be near his prime but he's shit. Needs addressing in January.

[Matt Collins]

I think hourihane was quite good on the ball

But defensively he really offered zero. And against a £13m no 10 that meant they just waltzed through us

[postal]

Yes, a win would have been fantastic, but 2 down after 7 mins and I feared the worst. A crazy draw in the end, and prob a fair result, and it highlights the good and downright bad of the team, more than a win would and the team will be better for it.