Aston Villa vs Norwich City Post-Match Thread

[thick_mike]

I too thought Lansbury played well.  Bjarnasson seems to be the only player DS is failing to get a big improvement out of.  And Green to a lesser extent who is fast becoming the latest in a long recent line of Villa players who play too slowly.  In his case I think it is mental not physical.  He receives the ball in a potentially threatening position but the message to his legs to go full gas gets bumped down his "what to do next" list.  Good wide men do the working out on the run.  Is Andre Green a work in progress?  Maybe.

Spot on this, I want my wingers to hug touchline and take on a man and Green does neither, he constantly checks inside and slows down play. Only time in game he actually did what he is supposed to do we nearly scored in second half. He beat the full back, got to byline and cut it back.

Andre Green was the only player who really disappointed me today. Showed some clever footwork but usually ended up losing the ball rather than using it. didn't link with/use Taylor in the way El Ghazi has done in recent weeks. Not sure he's got what it takes unfortunately.

For a winger, he lacks a bit of sharp pace. Lost out in a few 1v1 leg races yesterday.

[wittonwarrior]

Ian Holloway thick t—t but villa lost to Norwich. Yes we did but with a second string side and we well have beaten them

[Pete3206]

I thought the Holte Enders in the sky was brilliant and moving. Well done AVFC.

[SoccerHQ]

Bjarni I thought did well at time last season but he's done little this year and hardly played.

One I thought we'd let go in January due to how stocked we are in midfield but guess wages he's on here meant there's not a stampede for his services from second tier clubs in europe.

Will surely leave in the summer.

[themossman]

How many of our goals have come from grealish, McGinn, Abraham, AEG this season? I could look it up but basically with Kodjia misfiring hoirihane was our only serious goal threat yesterday.

Kodjia mis-firing is a bit harsh. He did score our goal.

It’s true and I thought the same as I typed. But for me post-injury Kodjia still misses at least one sitter a game and is nowhere near Abraham in terms of pure goal threat.

As an aside though I like Kodjia and would prefer him to be slotted into the team at the expense of green who continues to offer not very much.

[SamTheMouse]

Green strikes me as a bit "Theo Walcott". Looks quite exciting, but not enough end product.

I think he can still improve though, and he works hard for the team.

[Risso]

I just think Green looks like completely out of his depth.  He's not good enough for where we are now, and certainly isn't if we do manage to win the play offs.

[themossman]

Yeah agree - he’s pretty lucky to be getting so much game time and hasn’t done much to justify it. In mitigation, i think it’s been conspicuous lately because our starting 11 has had so few weak links.

[not3bad]

Job done. Core of team rested for the games that matter, and onto the lottery of the playoffs we go.

If you'd said to me during the furore at the start of the season that we'd finish 5th and have sewn up a playoffs spot with weeks to spare, I'd have snapped your hand off. A huge well done to the new owners, Deano and the squad.

Let's not let it go to waste - Let's fuck the fuckers and get back to where we belong!

UTV

My thoughts exactly.

[ktvillan]

I was watching some video about  week ago where Adomah was doing a Q&A, I think from a while back, and when asked who was the fastest and who was the most skilful Villa player said Green was in both cases.  For me Green potentially has everything except self belief.  He needs to back himself more and take on his man instead of stopping and looking for a pass every time.  I think Grealish was similar in some respects for a while, didn't always back himself and too often looked for a safe pass.   Now he just waltzes past opponents who can only stop him by fouling him.  Green needs to do likewise.

[john e]

i noticed we played a lot of local Birmingham area music before kick off and at half time on Sunday

Black Sabbath
Ocean Colour scene
Dexy’s midnight runners
Ozzy
Judas Priest

is this something that’s been going on for ages without me noticing or is it a new thing ?

thought it was a good touch either way

[paul_e]

I was watching some video about  week ago where Adomah was doing a Q&A, I think from a while back, and when asked who was the fastest and who was the most skilful Villa player said Green was in both cases.  For me Green potentially has everything except self belief.  He needs to back himself more and take on his man instead of stopping and looking for a pass every time.  I think Grealish was similar in some respects for a while, didn't always back himself and too often looked for a safe pass.   Now he just waltzes past opponents who can only stop him by fouling him.  Green needs to do likewise.

I mentioned on the Bree thread Green has everything you'd want from a modern winger, on paper, but there's clearly something wrong somewhere. It might just be in his head and getting the confidence will make the difference (this has been my stance for a while) but he needs to earn the time to build that confidence by showing clear improvement, I'm not sure he's doing that right now.

[SoccerHQ]

He's still learning at this level. Shame he pulled his hamstring early on in 2017 as he'd just scored a cracker v Norwich so confidence was sky high. Lost a good year of his career as when he came back we'd signed Snodgrass as a season replacement who did very well.

[Toronto Villa]

Job done. Core of team rested for the games that matter, and onto the lottery of the playoffs we go.

If you'd said to me during the furore at the start of the season that we'd finish 5th and have sewn up a playoffs spot with weeks to spare, I'd have snapped your hand off. A huge well done to the new owners, Deano and the squad.

Let's not let it go to waste - Let's fuck the fuckers and get back to where we belong!

UTV

My thoughts exactly.

I don’t get why the playoffs are a lottery? If we plan better than everyone and have the best players we will win. They are normal matches played with essentially the same rules as the regular league campaign.

I have complete faith in Dean Smith over the caretaker manager at West Brom over two games and with Bielsa or Lampard in one game at Wembley.

[TelfordVilla]

Me too. I dont know why there is any concern. Maybe its the years of hurt that is holding back the confidence. The way I see it with a full strength side we can beat anyone in the play-offs. The only reason we are not promoted yet is that we didnt have any defenders for the first half of the season and that issue is well and truly sorted now. Grealish and McGinn will drive us all the way back to the Prem