Fulham v Aston Villa Post Match Thread

[Ads]

For a newly promoted team, that's not too surprising is it really, well the four quality players bit anyway.

I see what you are saying Clampy but with the amount spent pre season you would have hoped for more ... the recruitment process certainly needs revamping .... who is selecting the players?? I was hoping that January would see some astute signings ... that may still happen but it would seem that the situation regarding injuries will dictate our planning
Two things do standout however ... poor attitude and physical conditioning which is a bad reflection on the coach/ manager and His coaching/fitness team

Out of the team that started, only 4 were bought in the summer and El Ghazi was here last term anyway.

[Louzie0]

Had it on the radio, sounded a lousy game. How did Nyland do? The goals sounded like there wasn't much he could do, so was his overall game decent?

He didn't have a lot to do except retrieve the ball from the net a couple of times. They were both excellent goals.

He did save a 1 on 1 in the second half that I thought was in until seeing it bounce off the front of the stand behind him. He had more to do than their goalie, though, which says a lot about our lack of teeth.
I thought we had a great chance with our free kick but nobody got to it.

Marvellous was putting himself about a bit to break them up in midfield which was good to see.

Kodjia was on his own a lot in the first half but then didn’t appear in time in the middle to meet some lovely crosses from the left, which was disappointing.  I thought we played solidly in the first half and they didn’t look like getting through, but that the game was one paced. 
It did get more exciting in the second half when we pushed more players up to join him, and the pace picked up along with the chances to score.

Unfortunately they took 2 of them and we just got the one.

Silver lining - no replay.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I can't say that I'm too bothered.

Staying up is everything.

I didn't mind losing but once again it was the manner in how we lost.

[Steve67]

I think there’s a lot of nonsense spouted about the fitness of the players, I think the sad fact is too many of them just aren’t good enough for this level. Jota, Lansbury and El Ghazi for starters.

This.  Oh, and just to add, that Steve Brice got panned for doing the same thing as Dean a couple of years ago.  We are now a Premier Division team and there are no excuses to 'throw away' an opportunity to, for the first time since 1957, win the sodding cup!  I know we want to stay up, but the players should not be given a message that this game doesn't really matter. 

[villa `cross the mersey]

For a newly promoted team, that's not too surprising is it really, well the four quality players bit anyway.

I see what you are saying Clampy but with the amount spent pre season you would have hoped for more ... the recruitment process certainly needs revamping .... who is selecting the players?? I was hoping that January would see some astute signings ... that may still happen but it would seem that the situation regarding injuries will dictate our planning
Two things do standout however ... poor attitude and physical conditioning which is a bad reflection on the coach/ manager and His coaching/fitness team

Out of the team that started, only 4 were bought in the summer and El Ghazi was here last term anyway.

Maybe my post is not necessarily applicable to the post match thread however I stick by my opinions relating to the overall recruitment process which has found us  wanting in numerous games this season .... application, attitude wise has been abject as have  the levels of fitness

[KRS]

The perfect fixture to demonstrate how piss poor our squad is with literally no strength in depth. I said before the game that this team should have enough to turn over Fulham and I wouldn’t be disappointed with the result regardless of the outcome given our current circumstances with injuries...unfortunately only the second half of that statement has proved to be correct. Our squad is still bloated with players not good enough to wear the shirt.

[Malandro]

I can't say that I'm too bothered.

Staying up is everything.

I didn't mind losing but once again it was the manner in how we lost.

When you tell your players that a competition is not a priority, it's not going to be pretty.
It was little more than a fitness exercise.

[Toronto Villa]

I can't say that I'm too bothered.

Staying up is everything.

I didn't mind losing but once again it was the manner in how we lost.

There was a clear message to the players to get through the game and not get injured. We played just that way. I think we will play a strong side at Leicester now and obviously the weekend possibly with a new player on board. I hate it too. We waved the white flag early on and the manager won’t have any regrets about it. But tell that to the thousands who traveled down there today.

[brontebilly]

The perfect fixture to demonstrate how piss poor our squad is with literally no strength in depth. I said before the game that this team should have enough to turn over Fulham and I wouldn’t be disappointed with the result regardless of the outcome given our current circumstances with injuries...unfortunately only the second half of that statement has proved to be correct. Our squad is still bloated with players not good enough to wear the shirt.

The most concerning thing was the worst performers in each line were the ones closest the first team, Engels, Nakamba and AEG. Nakamba was utterly dreadful as holding midfielder.

The likes of Taylor, Lansbury, Jota and Kodjia would struggle to get into a decent championship team so I think expectations were a bit too high for a performance today. Particularly with Smith's returning to a 433.

[Malandro]

I can't say that I'm too bothered.

Staying up is everything.

I didn't mind losing but once again it was the manner in how we lost.

There was a clear message to the players to get through the game and not get injured. We played just that way. I think we will play a strong side at Leicester now and obviously the weekend possibly with a new player on board. I hate it too. We waved the white flag early on and the manager won’t have any regrets about it. But tell that to the thousands who traveled down there today.

I feel sorry for the younger fans. Not so much for adults.

Today was very predictable but completely understandable.

[Risso]

I think there’s a lot of nonsense spouted about the fitness of the players, I think the sad fact is too many of them just aren’t good enough for this level. Jota, Lansbury and El Ghazi for starters.

Jota's not even a Championship standard player.  Couldn't get into a shit Blues side, and it's bloody obvious why. 

[Smithy]

I think Jota has some value, and clearly has some talent on the ball, but he can't deliver in the formation we play or in the position he's being asked to play.  Last season, when we were having more of the ball and the challenge was breaking down a team in the final third, he's exactly the sort of player you could look to bring off the bench, and with a decent bit of possession in the final third he is likely to spot a pass and create something.  But the simple fact is, the way we're playing this season, he simply doesn't add anything.  He's not quick enough to play as one of the front three in a 4-3-3 and not mobile enough to play in the middle three when we spend most of our time defending.


I can see why we brought him in, but given how the season has panned out, I'm not sure he should be near the 11. It's not his fault, he was bought to play a role we thought we'd need but ultimately don't at the moment.

[BoVillan esq]

Firstly what bothers me is the fact of just how paper thin the whole squad is, you take 3 players out of the lot, Grealish, Mings and Heaton and you really are left with naff all that would struggle to survive in the Championship let alone the Premiership and we spent how much!!!, not that bothered about today, wasn't that bothered about the early rounds of the League cup but we are there now in the semi final, we need to do everything possible to get to the final, we are within spitting distance of that, we then need to get this transfer market sorted quickly to get some quality in, I don't agree with the fact there is no danger of losing Grealish until the summer, I think Jack is classic mid season transfer stuff at this point in his career and he's bang in form so we must prepare for what might be. 

[Drummond]

I can't say that I'm too bothered.

Staying up is everything.

Tut tut.

Winning the Cup would mean far, far more.

[Louzie0]

BLACK REALITY: Villa lost! Sack the Board!

No more Ms Nice. I’ve had my cup of tea and a biscuit. I want to protest.


We are Premier League. Fulham...aren’t.

How come the most challenging player I saw this afternoon was no.24 in a Fulham shirt?
I was stunned by a fantastic goal in front of me, and it was theirs.

In fairness, I saw lots of Villa players playing well. 1 of them scored. I saw them caring enough to intercept and chase down a ball and go in for a tackle and there were only two who looked as if they couldn’t be bothered.
I really hope they don’t play for us again.

But you, our owners and CEO have got to shoulder some responsibility and sort this out. Give DS the resources to fight back and for Aston Villa to survive. UTV!