Aston Villa 2-3 Leeds United Post Match Thread

[auntiesledd]

Disappointed losing especially after being 2-0 up but defensive mistakes cost us and Leeds were very good second half we must put that right on boxing day and get back on track.

Indeed.

Thankfully I've calmed down after yesterday's defensive calamities, so I'm hopeful of a positive reaction against The Jacks. As infuriating as the disparity between our attack & defence is, I'm grateful for DS for at the very least providing a brand of football that doesn't drain the life out of all n sundry. Given time and a few transfer windows, I have every confidence that he'll build the kind of squad that will implement his footballing philosophy.

So UTV & a Happy Crimbo to one & all

[LukeJames]

Never felt comfortable with that one even when we were 2 up. Leeds were very good to be fair, I've thought all season that they would run out of steam but having seen them in the flesh I think they're the real deal.

Coming through this tricky set of fixtures with just the 1 defeat though, and if it wasn't for two injury time goals we'd be in the play off places.

Going forward into an 'easier' set of fixtures now so hopefully this is were we make up ground on those above us.

[Drummond]

I said in the match thread I felt sick. I knew, as we probably all did, that Leeds were going ot get back into it.

They were wasting time near their own corner flag then went up the field and scored a fucking gift.

Our defence just can't do what's expected of them and as there isn't a proper leader organising them, they fall apart. Terry would have kept their shape, as, I believe Collins would have. Chester just isn't a leader out there.

We missed Grealish keeping the ball and calming it a little. It's another lesson, and with some signings we'll be ok, for Play-Offs certainly and whilst Auto-Promotion is getting a little further, it's not impossible as we're only half way through.

[john e]

don’t think we would have lost if Grealish had played

[tomd2103]

Never felt comfortable with that one even when we were 2 up. Leeds were very good to be fair, I've thought all season that they would run out of steam but having seen them in the flesh I think they're the real deal.

Coming through this tricky set of fixtures with just the 1 defeat though, and if it wasn't for two injury time goals we'd be in the play off places.

Going forward into an 'easier' set of fixtures now so hopefully this is were we make up ground on those above us.

Yeah it was a bit like a boxing match where one of the boxers puts the opponent down a couple of times in the early rounds, but never really looks in control and looks like they could be put down themselves at any point. 

[Dr_Fegg]

I haven’t read all the posts but having played most of my (albeit very low level) football in defence our back 4 get little or no protection from the midfield. Yes they should do the basics better but they’re often outnumbered while one of the midfielders either waves a foot at the opposition (yes I’m looking at you Hourihane you show pony) or watches as the run past (Kodak, Bolasi, El Ghazi).
What happened to tracking back or stoping runs, that’s our real issue

[Allan C]

It is a worrying concept that we might be back in the for want of a better word politics of squad use.  The notion being that we have paid and are paying a lot of money for players so we have to showcase them with game time to enhance their resale value.  If that is happening it should not be, because all the club focus should be on building upward momentum not wheeling and dealing.  Cheque book  bashing strategy is straight out of the Steve Bruce playbook and has got us where we are today.

Having slept on it, yesterday's disaster is just as painful now as it was yesterday afternoon.  Too many old demons rose up again that I thought the arrival of Dean Smith would blow away.  That Leeds game I fear will go down as season defining. In years to come it will be the Villa game at Christmas on a foul day in front of a full house when we threw away a two goal lead and the 2018/19 season.

I think that's a bit harsh Brian. It's a major rebuilding job and no one game is going to rule us in/out of promotion at the moment. With the best will in the world this side is not the same one that got to the Play-off final, and i can only speak personally but when we ran out for the 1st game of this season i wasn't looking at our squad and thinking "now there's a team a shoe-in for promotion". With the loans clicking last season i think problems with the team were rather papered over to an extent, and with snodgrass, terry, Johnstone and Gabban all gone that's a third of that team missing. Add Grealish and Tuanzabe injured and we currently have 3 players who played a major part last season. I think we just have to hold our nerve at the moment and given the right signings re-assess where we are in February. I see no reason given re-inforcements we can't grab a play-off place, and if we don't  then i'd still have Smith ahead of schedule. And if we did go-up, the fact remains come the end of another play-off final, Smith would still be looking at having to replace or sign at least another 9 first team players on loan or out of contract. If that isn't damming indictment to the mess Bruce left us in, I don't know what is.

Excellent post in which I mostly agree. I’m not a fan of loan signings though because the heart will enevitably get ripped out of the team if they perform well

[West Derby Villan]

Like previous posters I have calmed down now. Leeds were the best team we have played this season and even when we were two nil up we weren't comfortable. The goals we conceded were shocking from our defensive point of view. Thought Kodjia played well and was surprised when he got subbed. The defence is poor but our midfield, apart from SJM cannot tackle and when we do have possession give the ball away too easily. Still too angry to talk about Elmo. Obviously we miss Jack but we do have players who could step up and cause similar havoc to opposing defences.
After saying that I am thoroughly enjoying our football under Dean Smith. He has done an extraordinary job with the players at his disposal and I fully expect us do reach the playoffs at least, after strengthening in the January window.
The future is bright but Rome wasn't built in a day, patience is the key, in Dean Smith I trust. UTV

[ChicagoLion]

I haven’t read all the posts but having played most of my (albeit very low level) football in defence our back 4 get little or no protection from the midfield. Yes they should do the basics better but they’re often outnumbered while one of the midfielders either waves a foot at the opposition (yes I’m looking at you Hourihane you show pony) or watches as the run past (Kodak, Bolasi, El Ghazi).
What happened to tracking back or stoping runs, that’s our real issue

Am I correct in believing that the 2 wide forwards are responsible for tracking back?

[SoccerHQ]

I haven’t read all the posts but having played most of my (albeit very low level) football in defence our back 4 get little or no protection from the midfield. Yes they should do the basics better but they’re often outnumbered while one of the midfielders either waves a foot at the opposition (yes I’m looking at you Hourihane you show pony) or watches as the run past (Kodak, Bolasi, El Ghazi).
What happened to tracking back or stoping runs, that’s our real issue

Am I correct in believing that the 2 wide forwards are responsible for tracking back?

Yes. It worked very well last season with Snoddy and Albert but then we were generally set up to defend deeper and had a more negative mindset by you know who.

Bolaise is excellent in the opposition half but yes tracking back at full pace isn't one of his strengths. Kodjia a little better.

[ktvillan]

I haven’t read all the posts but having played most of my (albeit very low level) football in defence our back 4 get little or no protection from the midfield. Yes they should do the basics better but they’re often outnumbered while one of the midfielders either waves a foot at the opposition (yes I’m looking at you Hourihane you show pony) or watches as the run past (Kodak, Bolasi, El Ghazi).
What happened to tracking back or stoping runs, that’s our real issue

Am I correct in believing that the 2 wide forwards are responsible for tracking back?

There should be more tracking back and the defence looked more solid with Albert playing for that reason.  But let's be honest, our full backs are god-awful, massively prone to errors and lapses of concentration, as was shown again yesterday.  See also Hutton's pathetic attempt to stop Albion's first goal, Elmo's pen against Stoke, and a fair few other goals. 

[brentastonb6]

we should of taken the point at 2-2 instead we were rushing to take goal kicks throw ins etc.
Leeds wanted to play at a higher tempo. we looked like we were too knackered in the 2nd half to do that so should of just taken the point.
The subs didn't make any impact when Kodjia went off we had nothing up front.

I don't think leeds will win the league I predict they will fall away.

Think we just got caught thinking it was a total must win for top 2. I agree take the point and hope Norwich hit a 1 win in 6 spell in next two months.

Leeds will go up imo. They haven't even got their full team out (no Bamford and Barry Douglas in their 11) yet have now won 6/6 after a dodgy patch which is exactly what you need to do for top 2.

Sorry I know I’m writing this a day after the major disappointment of losing in the way we did.  I think a sense of Perspective might be required. It was going to be a toughie against Leeds with a full squad to pick from based on our defensive frailties, to have no Grealish & Axel as well made it daunting ( sorry please don’t compare
 Bamford and Douglas to those two ) There’s still 69 points to play for FFS  so whilst I accept it’s a tough ask for top two I don’t see ten Brazil’s circa 1970 above us .

[LeeB]

I disagree with people criticising Smith for being a bad loser. I'm a fucking terribly bad loser and given he's one of us, it will hurt more.

Show me a good loser and I'll show you the real loser.

I'm with you on that.

[adrenachrome]

Yep. Zonal works if you have someone like Laurson and a few kindred spirits. Otherwise they wank out sooner rather than later. The new GK could make a big difference if he whacks a few interlopers early doors and shows them what they will get if they take diabolical liberties.

[four fornicholl]

Leeds are fucking shit!