Aston Villa 2-3 Leeds United Post Match Thread

[brian green]

You are absolutely right about bringing on Davis.  He creates problems for an opposition defence, Hogan threatens nothing.  Smith had a bad day today.  He will learn from it.

[brontebilly]

There’s having a philosophy and then there’s being naive. It would be mad to criticise Smith at this stage given the hand he’s playing. But I’d be surprised if he wasn’t thinking 2 goals up against the best team in the league with a makeshift defence we could have tried to lock that down.

to be honest, even with last seasons defence and keeper, I think we would struggle to keep out goals.

Big problem for me is in midfield, workrate and also mobility a huge issue with nearly all our options. Mobility can only fixed with recruitment but Smith has failed to rectify some bone idle laziness in some of our players.

McGinn for all his talent, doesnt do anywhere near enough without the ball for me. Hourihane, fine goal and assist again today, but without the ball is a passenger. Whelan is a solid professional but isnt mobile enough to cover all in front of him. Kodjia, Bolasie and El Ghazi out wide are getting away with providing little or no cover out wide, remember Snodgrass and Admoah last season in comparison. We simply cant afford that yet it continues to be tolerated by Smith.

Leeds first goal today, cracking goal but firstly, Elmo has no support. Then he shows him inside stupidly, Bree didnt know what to do. Cracking finish. Second goal, Hutton obliterated in the air. Really should have backed Jansson to score in the air today. Third goal, Elmo got himself into a fine covering position, heading it out for corner was the safe option or else back to keeper, suspect he got caught in two minds and did neither. Ridiculous header to edge of box. Decent finish by Roofe though its one Id have fancied Johnstone to have saved as wasnt hit with outstanding pace.

[ChicagoLion]

It was a Bruce style performance, is this the first time under Smith when we have not tried to play out from the back.?
Smith does deserve criticism, we are 2 nil up at home and get to half time and the problems with them getting at our full backs was there for all to see.

[steffo]

Is there not a wall at Bodymoor Heath that Hourainne can kick a ball at and learn to use this right foot? Not much to ask for for a professional footballer on £££ each week. After he masters that perhaps he can learn to tackle.

Hutton.... for all the Cafu shite the fans chant he is utterly shite. All the first half he got away with hugging his marker in the box to avoid them scoring. Not the second half.

El alwhatshit........ 5 points lost due to him. In the last two games. Where would I play him? I wouldn't.

Leeds went toe to toe with us in the second half and they found our week link. Shite full backs.

[achilles]

Hutton still being a first choice full back says it all.

Elmo being anywhere near the First XI says a lot too.

He has now given the opposition three goals in two games, pretty impressive!

[cdward]

Their first goal reminded me of Huttons against the Blues, Elmo just backed off him, and Bree never went close enough. An upgrade on either of those two, and we stop that goal.
Their third was teed up on a plate for Roofe to hit. A poor defensive header by Elmo.
I expect us to add a couple of decent defenders and kick on in January.
Dean Smith knows it too.
We were beaten by the better team, it just feels harder to take after being 2-0 up.
Still I'm glad we were still going for the 3 points at the end rather than settling for the draw.
In Dean we trust.

[Pat McMahon]

I was pretty miffed at the end but the best team definitely won. A few stand out points:

Our defenc is weak but we don’t give our full backs enough protection. Bolassie and Kodjia aren’t wide players of the workaholic variety.
Leeds did their homework and stopped us playing from the back. Our goal kicks were invariably won by their defenders.
All through the game Abraham, one of our tallest players, was marking the near post at corners. Completely wrong IMHO, particularly with a players as good in the air as Jansen ( 2 goals in  3 games at Villa Park now?).
Each of our substitutions made us progressively weaker. All 3of them played poorly.
Abysmal finishing - Kodjia hitting over the bar and then Bolassie making some pathetic flick attempt in the box just after half time when we were still leading 2-0. A third goal would have made a big difference.
We had them penned in the corner 5 minutes into injury time and two errors and 15 seconds later we conceded a soppy goal. Poor game management.
I actually thought Whelan played well but Hourihane offers little unless he is scoring goals ( a slightly strange criticism, I know). Our midfield lacks dynamism, is one paced and we suffered today.

Leeds are the best team I have seen this season. Their use of the whole pitch, pace and forward movement off the ball were beyond anything i have seen so far.

Play offs are possible but at the moment we are a poor imitation of a Kevin Keegan team.

[Three Spires Villa]

Very bloody angry, automatic places have gone. Dean, his coaches & the players need to learn to see out games, to many points have been dropped from good positions. Today’s 2nd half was bloody stupid!!

[john e]

I love Smith
but the only thing I have a problem with is his insistence on playing the Bruce old stagers all the time, he has taken no risks at all with any of the younger players not even for a second

Leeds played us with a lot younger side today, and outclassed us
I don’t know if we have anyone good enough but we will never know as long as he keeps on with Whelan, BB, Hourahain, Taylor, Elmo, etc and Lansbury and Hogan are not the answer either

they aren’t good enough he needs to shake things up a bit

[brian green]

The most important quality a manager can have is self examination.  He must be able to identify his mistakes and the courage to correct them.  The game today was a season changing pivotal game.  Dean Smith came up short and so did a lot of the players.  I believe he is an intelligent, honest man who will take on board lessons from today's bitter defeat.

[Roysmert]

Back to the old Villa in the second half. So frustrating. We are trying to shake off almost a decade of uncertainty and complete lack of confidence, it won't change in three months. Get that new goalie in for QPR onwards, Tommy back, and that left back geezer he wants, we'll be a different proposition.

[QuintonVilla]

Leeds looked miles ahead of us. So much pace and width in their team and were easily the best team we've played this season. They will go up easily.

On the other hand, we're going nowhere with that defence. Absolute shite

[Legion]

Leeds looked miles ahead of us. So much pace and width in their team and were easily the best team we've played this season. They will go up easily.

On the other hand, we're going nowhere with that defence. Absolute shite

Thank you to Steve Bruce for that.

[Louzie0]

Sorry, I read the first page or so and now this.
Mutual feeling of outrage and shared regret with those who were there today.

Stunned when I heard 2-0 had been comprehensively lost and turned into 3-2.



Can’t we buy somebody in the transfer window?
Or more than one?
It’s what the transfer window is for and Deano could introduce a player or two that he actually likes.

[bjfoster]

Not going to comment on the game as most of it has already been said. Just wanted to add: What is the point of Scott Hogan?

Has been absolutely useless. Comes on for the last 10 and runs around a bit, usually nowhere near the ball. A 12 year old can do that.