Aston Villa v Southampton Post Match Thread

[brontebilly]

I know he's not everyone's cup of tea and I can understand why but for a start, i'd put Neil Taylor back in. He's utterly hopeless going forward but at least he can defend and a bit of experience in the team at the moment wouldn't go amiss.

A kid from Liverpool's u23s made him look a mug last week. Their replacements are poor but the likes of Taylor, Lansbury and Kodjia are not the answers I'm afraid.

[ChicagoLion]

I think potentially there's a cracking player in Treseguet. He's been in and out the side and not really had a proper run which I think he should get. I honestly think in time he'll be really good for us.

What do you see in him? I see a one paced one trick one footed donkey/pony. AEG at least has plenty of talent, I don't think Trez has any.

I just like the look of him. He get's into the box a fair bit and I think maybe next season we will see the best of him once he's properly settled. Writing him off as a one footed donkey is ridiculous.

I agree, he has a bit of tenacity about him which is lacking in too many of our players.

[villasjf]

Excellent post.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

Maybe when McGinn went off Dean Smith should have brought Trez on and moved Jack into the middle. That way we would have maintained an attacking intent with a driving force from midfield against what started off as a nervy soton defence. Instead we went negative by bringing Nakamba on and moving Luiz who had f-ck all clue as to what he was supposed to be doing.
We would still have had to deal with awol full backs but surely a stiff message from the bench to the likes of el ghazi and trez if required about their defensive duties might have made a difference.

[Legion]

Got to shake hands and have a brief chat with the legend Chris Nicholl. The lad trying to sell him a club Fifty50 ticket had no idea who he was.

[cdbearsfan]

We were poor to start with, but got much, much worse when Southampton took the lead. Pretty much giving up like that is unforgivable. We came back into it, a bit, when Kodjia came on and Southamton, understandably, decided they were happy with what they had. Far too little, far too late.

The ref was a bellend, he seemed to find nonsense free kick to give them every time we won the ball. He is also responsible for McGinn's injury through not giving a certain Villa free kick seconds earlier. The worst we have had all season.

Even with that taken into account, though, an utterly pathetic performance.

[David_Nab]

AEG is better on the left , he like to cut inside and shoot.I also think in a 4-3-3 you can play Kodjia as one of the wide attackers , he has pace and stength something we are missing.

If we put Grealish back to MF currently he would be the muscle there such is lack of physicality in there .

The formation issue defending seems to be in wide areas .AEG for instance he is the wide attacking forward is he the one supposed to track back and help the full back or is he expecting the right hand sided CM to do it ? Either was time and time again we get exposed in wide areas   

[nick harper]

We were slow in and out of possesison and far too predictable in our attacks from the full backs. We need to drop 433 as it does not work and serves to isolate our best player.

He’s only ever played 4-3-3 so can’t see him changing, which will probably cost him in the end. He should have worked on more flexibility in formation when recruiting in the summer.

Mourinho plays it but it becomes 4-5-1 when the opposition has the ball. We are almost always out of shape when we lose it, hence the wide open spaces. Not enough energy in midfield or work rate from the front three.

[SamTheMouse]

We have too many central midfielders and not enough pace or quality out wide and up front.

El Ghazi just isn't good enough, never beats his man and delivery is just OK.

Ditto Trez.

And Wesley is going to be the proximate cause of Smith being sacked. The manager has apparently chosen to stake his job on the only Brazilian professional footballer who can't trap a ball, the only 14 stone, 6 foot plus striker who can't win a header, and who has no idea of where or when to run.

[SamTheMouse]

Double post, sorry. Stupid bloody phone.

[cdbearsfan]

Phone out.

[Mister E]

As has been said for the last few games, the poor ball retention and lack of quick-thinking and pace is killing us. Added to that yesterday was the seeming lack of dynamism and desire.
A relegation side, if ever there was one.
Because AEG and Trezeguet are not really the answer, I'd want to see either a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 for the next games:

Heaton - Guilbert Engels Hause Targett - Hourihane Grealish Nakamba Luiz - Wesley Kodjia (assuming Mings and McGinn are unavailable).
OR
Heaton - Engels Konsa Hause - Guilbert Grealish Nakamba Hourihane Targett - Wesley Kodjia.

Got to do something different to keep the game tighter.

[Richard]

Smith needs to change the bloody formation especially as teams target our flanks every single game.

Personally until Mings is back I'd try :

Heaton

Chester - as captain
Engels or Konza
Hause

Fred
Marv
Conor Doug or Lansbury
Jack
Targett

Kodjia
Trez or AEG

[Villa Lew]

Ever since the Man United match, when we turned in a very encouraging performance, things have turned pear shaped, so what are main reasons for the massive dip in form, as up to that match our season as a whole suggested we would avoid the drop. Trying to be positive, which is difficult, could it be a confidence thing, which we could put right on Thursday with a win.

[Richard]

Oh and well done to the prick yesterday who placed what looked like his left over lunch in the collection tin by the guy playing the bagpipe on Trinity Road.