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Author Topic: Anyone starting to get worried?  (Read 219907 times)

Online Legion

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #135 on: September 02, 2019, 09:28:03 PM »
Yes.
I don't think our squad is good enough or deep enough, we don't have enough possession and we don't create enough chances.
Our new signings are a mixed bag: Been impressed with Heaton, Engels and Guilbert, but Trezeguit and Wesley are simply not good enough at this level, Jota a bit player at best, El Ghazi poor.
Even after the euphoria of the Everton win I was'nt convinced and I think Smith's tactics of getting the ball to stick up top with players joining from midfield is flawed, we have to be able to change tactics for different situations, and I'm surprised I haven't seen enough of that from Smith.
We all, me included, want him so much to succeed, but I don't think our owners will want us to get too stranded near the foot before they start getting twitchy, hope it does'nt come to that but the West Ham game is becoming huge now before a trip to Arsenal, where we won't have much possession again.

Totally agree. In a way I’m comforted by the fact that our owners will act before things get too serious. Be sad to see a Deano go but the future of the club comes first.

I seriously doubt if they will replace Smith any time soon.

Online dave.woodhall

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #136 on: September 02, 2019, 09:30:38 PM »
Four games, the squad's being written off and the manager sacked.

Online Pete3206

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #137 on: September 02, 2019, 09:36:15 PM »
Incredible, but not surprising

Offline PeterWithesShin

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #138 on: September 02, 2019, 09:40:15 PM »
Mock those with concerns all you like but Smith is on thin ice, if anything he's lucky to still have a job. Winning 15 of the last 21 competitive games Villa have played is pretty unacceptable.

Online rob_bridge

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #139 on: September 02, 2019, 09:44:48 PM »
Mock those with concerns all you like but Smith is on thin ice, if anything he's lucky to still have a job. Winning 15 of the last 21 competitive games Villa have played is pretty unacceptable.

Indeed we need someone with more Premier League experience. Brucie Ole and Warnock should all be considered

Offline brontebilly

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #140 on: September 02, 2019, 09:47:11 PM »


Worried? Yes
Is it too early to panic? Yes
Is it too early to express concerns? No

We don't look at all like a team at the minute to my eyes.

Mings and Engels look decent, as does Heaton, we do however still keep conceding goals

The full backs don't fill me with confidence. One minute Gilbert looks amazing the next very ropey. Taylor is Taylor, pretty solid defensively but offers absolutely zero over the halfway line.

The midfield three hasn't looked 'on it' for any game yet. We're not getting games by the scruff of the neck and dominating the middle of the park. Something isn't right in there. There appears to be very little cohesion between them and a big lack of forward momentum. Too much side to side stuff that doesn't hurt the opposition one bit.

The wingers have been incredibly lightweight to the point you struggle to remember any decent crosses. I've always felt Anwar was, at best an impact player. But i expected a LOT more of Trez, he's not looked up to it at all apart from a few glimpses against Spurs where he should've scored. Jota isn't a wide player to my mind, always looks better coming inside which he does all the time meaning we have a huge hole where he should be. I'd play him in the hole ahead of a midfield four.

Wes, looks isolated and not the first choice striker we need to get the goals to stay up at the moment. The raw talent may be there, but it's not showing enough yet. We need to work on whatever his strengths are and play to them. And he needs to up his awareness of players around him as he's not seeing the passing opportunities he should be. Davis is Davis, looks good at everything but the bit that really matters for a striker.

And I don't think this formation were refusing to tinker with is working at this level at all.

That's the way I see it too pretty much. I'm not sure Wesley is the kind of forward who will thrive on crosses anyway like Abraham used to. Prefers to drop short or run onto through balls like he did to great effect v Everton. Need to completely reconfigure our midfield over this break. 4231, with width coming from the fullbacks, the likes of Hourihane and Nakamba coming into midfield and a style of play that values keeping the ball.

Im not buying the small margins argument. Arguably given the sitters Everton missed against us, that was a somewhat fortunate result. Three points after four games is about right based on the performances thus far. Two of our losses were against sides I expect in the 8 team mini league at the bottom of the table.

Online Sexual Ealing

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #141 on: September 02, 2019, 09:57:21 PM »
I think the main lessons from the first 4 games are:
- there are no easy games: B'mouth and CP have proved that point
- we need to toughen up a little: I'd like to see Marvelous and Luiz as two holding MF
- we need to look after the ball a whole lot better than we currently do
- Wes will get better; he has talent but needs the midfield a little furtther up the field, in support
- I'm not sure Jota or Trez are regular starters: both have a role to play, though.

I don't believe this is the time to panic, but  - clearly - we need to start accumulating more points.

This is it for me. We got rid of Jedinak (and to a lesser extent Whelan) because he can destroy but not create. If we play Luiz and Marvellous together we have players who can stop the opposition and allow our creative players to do what they do - also Luiz can't currently do it on his own. We need to do it. They will allow us to play football.

Offline Nii Lamptey

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #142 on: September 02, 2019, 10:02:03 PM »
Just back from family holiday and caught up with the Palace highlights!

I'm not too concerned by our form as I think we'll come good under Deano in the end, but with the squad we've assembled, I'll be honest and admit that I thought we'd have had 3 wins out of 4 at this point.

Playing devils advocat, we could even be sat on ZERO points going into the break, as Everton could have easily turned us over if they'd had their shooting boots on.

Two key areas need to be addressed as soon as the January window opens for me - Striker and LB.

I like the look of Wesley, but he's going to blow hot and cold for a season at least for me. We need a proven goalscorer to ease the pressure on him.

And personally, I thought Taylor had performed pretty well so far this season until I saw the Palace highlights - What the actual fuck were both he and Trezeguet doing down that left. Sod all marking that's for sure! And I don't think Targett (a Southampton benchwarmer) is the answer either. We need a left footed Freddie.

Performances aren't important at the moment, they will come. What we really need to start doing is adding points on the board - Especially against teams such as Bournemouth and Palace.

Offline Steve67

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #143 on: September 02, 2019, 10:05:15 PM »
                     Heaton
Guilbert   Engels   Mings  Targett
           Nakamba    Luiz
              ?      SJM    Grealish
                     Wesley

The three behind Wesley would interchange. The question mark, at the moment, is most likely Jota or Trezeguet, although Hourihane/Lansbury might come in to that thinking.  I agree with others that we need a more solid and physical midfield.  Full back getting forward as much as they can.

Offline four fornicholl

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #144 on: September 02, 2019, 10:17:04 PM »
Yes, midfield and attack are a serious worry.

Online Sexual Ealing

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #145 on: September 02, 2019, 10:18:20 PM »
                     Heaton
Guilbert   Engels   Mings  Targett
           Nakamba    Luiz
              ?      SJM    Grealish
                     Wesley

The three behind Wesley would interchange. The question mark, at the moment, is most likely Jota or Trezeguet, although Hourihane/Lansbury might come in to that thinking.  I agree with others that we need a more solid and physical midfield.  Full back getting forward as much as they can.

I think Hourihane competes with Marvellous and, at a push, SJM & Grealish. It's Jota's for me, with AEG and Lansbury pushing him.

Online Ian.

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #146 on: September 02, 2019, 10:39:40 PM »
                     Heaton
Guilbert   Engels   Mings  Targett
           Nakamba    Luiz
              ?      SJM    Grealish
                     Wesley

The three behind Wesley would interchange. The question mark, at the moment, is most likely Jota or Trezeguet, although Hourihane/Lansbury might come in to that thinking.  I agree with others that we need a more solid and physical midfield.  Full back getting forward as much as they can.

I think Hourihane competes with Marvellous and, at a push, SJM & Grealish. It's Jota's for me, with AEG and Lansbury pushing him.
I like this, I would hope we can push Jack further forward and I’d like to see Jota in there ahead of AEG or Trez.

Offline Diablo

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #147 on: September 02, 2019, 11:25:40 PM »
I think Hourihane needs to be playing. I think he was very unlucky to be dropped and besides his goal threat our set pieces are pretty dire without him.

Offline Oscar Arce

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #148 on: September 03, 2019, 09:28:19 AM »
Four games, the squad's being written off and the manager sacked.

I didn't say that

Offline in exile

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Re: Anyone starting to get worried?
« Reply #149 on: September 03, 2019, 09:32:05 AM »
I think Hourihane needs to be playing. I think he was very unlucky to be dropped and besides his goal threat our set pieces are pretty dire without him.
I agree

 


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