Aston Villa 0-3 Swansea City Post Match Thread

[mr underhill]

the game dispelled any notion of having the best squad in the league. Dean has a truly herculean task ahead.

[clash city rocker]

Sat there watching that non performance yesterday I couldn't help but think about the millions we have squandered in the last 3 years. It's not like we can wipe the slate clean and start again as the mismanagement has left us with handicap of FFP. Smith will need to do an amazing job with we want to get back to the prem any time soon.

[RichardBatchelor]

Dreadful result, customary cup capitulation, but hoping this will be a kick up the arse and the start of a good run. I’m confident it will be.

[Roysmert]

I’m a bit disappointed with the Whelan hate in on here, I am obviously in the minority but I thought he did his job well. I would go as far as to say that apart from McGinn, he was the only fucker who showed any professionalism today.

Andy I totally agree. It's not his fault that we insist on this ridiculous notion of constantly protecting the back four (and goalkeeper) when we're at home and supposed to be on the front foot, to use a post-modern football term.
We were fucking shite yesterday, shite Tuesday, shite last Saturday and shite for some time now. It's got to be down to either: formation, players, coaching or fitness. It's the sort of miserable run that Deano suffered at both Walsall and Brentford but the good news is he always then goes on a great run.

[Ads]

I'm staggered anybody could have seen yesterday and think Whelan did a job. Utterly mind boggling.

[curiousorange]

It seems obvious to me that the teams which are succeeding at the top level have more stamina and faster transitions, whether they're on the front foot or counter-attacking. Glenn Whelan will only ever be, if we're being generous, a man that breaks up play or offloads to somebody faster. He's not even a water carrier, he's a shirt filler.

[eamonn]

Before the game Deano was saying that we've only lost one game in the last minute of injury time during our recent wobbly spell. Hopefully he has noticed the big drop-off in performance levels though.

[Roysmert]

It seems obvious to me that the teams which are succeeding at the top level have more stamina and faster transitions, whether they're on the front foot or counter-attacking. Glenn Whelan will only ever be, if we're being generous, a man that breaks up play or offloads to somebody faster. He's not even a water carrier, he's a shirt filler.

I agree, but he does the job he's paid to do, unlike the other 10 yesterday.

[andyh]

I'm staggered anybody could have seen yesterday and think Whelan did a job. Utterly mind boggling.

I’ll save my rage for players who really have let us down, like Hogan.

[Ads]

I'm utterly perplexed that you could consider he did any sort of job.

He was the reason Swansea could transition so quickly because he can't break up play, merely plod after runners.

He was an absolute passenger and a disgraceful performance. He's so far past it and shouldn't kick a ball for us again.

[AlexAlexCropley]

Any Villa side starting with Whelan will struggle/has struggled. I'm more perplexed with Smith going with him as some kind of midfield general. Anyways I was more raging at Adomah. Weak,spineless,slow fluff of a display.

[wittonwarrior]

Whelan was the stand our character as to why we lost yesterday, too slow too predictable.  Football is  not a difficult game to get a grip on.

[oldhill_avfc]

Not sure why Whelan is getting such a bashing.

The whole of the midfield was woeful and Smith is also culpable.

Swansea loaded the centre of midfield - playing 4-2-3-1.  At times it was 5 vs 1 (Whelan) and we were very slow to react.

Our full backs and central midfielders simply aren't good enough to play the system Smith wants - he needs to try something else and quick as essentially this was a near first choice XI he started with.

[kippaxvilla2]

That was as bad as anything ever served up under Bruce.  Dean has to be given time and the main work will be done in the summer.  I’m just fed up of having to start again every single year.  It’s the Aston Villa disease.  I hope he’s given the time.

[SheffieldVillain]

Our full backs and central midfielders simply aren't good enough to play the system Smith wants - he needs to try something else and quick as essentially this was a near first choice XI he started with.

Of our regular first eleven after Smith came in - Chester, Tuanzebe, Hourihane, Grealish and Abraham weren't playing yesterday. Neither was Bolasie who is a regular of late.

Not that it is any excuse for yesterday's performance as with the amount of money we have spent we should have decent back-up, but it was nowhere near our first choice XI.