Aston Villa v Chelsea Post Match Thread

[Olof's Beard]

Targett impressed me for the second game running, something this season I never thought I'd say.

Really?  Chelsea fucked us ragged down his side all day.  He couldn't cope with it.

Targett tucks in really narrow, leaving him prone to the quick crossfield switch. He hasn't got the pace to get out to his man quickly when it happens.

Man City used the tactic at Wembley (Foden had a field day) and Chelsea copied it yesterday. In fact, Sunday's game reminded me of the Cup Final in a lot of ways. The management team spoke about taking the positives from that one too, then we got spanked by Leicester in our next game. Ultimately, we're more likely to lose by three or four than sneak a win playing like we did yesterday.

I could see signs of what we'd worked on over the break against Sheffield United but yesterday was just depressing. 2 points from 45 against teams in the top half, our competitors just don't have the same inferiority complex as us when we play them. We're just letting these teams knock it around at will and trying to defend our own box. It's a risky strategy and hardly ever works over 90 minutes.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Targett impressed me for the second game running, something this season I never thought I'd say.

Really?  Chelsea fucked us ragged down his side all day.  He couldn't cope with it.

By his usual standards I thought it was an improvement. His hairband however..

[ChicagoLion]

An Alice Band ffs. A tiara next.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

If I was Smith I'd insist all players shave their hair off. They're too busy trying to look like footballers rather than acting like one. Tossers, the lot of them.

[dorsetvillian]

I hoped I would feel better by now, but still so angry at that performance yesterday. I just can't think of one reason why our coaching and managerial team thought the approach and team set up was correct yesterday. The lack of closing down, continually letting Chelsea cross from wide areas,  was almost laughable. I hoped that during the lockdown, DS might have been able to reflect on where things were going wrong, but it appears nothing has changed. I for one am accepting relegation and more seasons in the Championship.

[Skerra]

You can always tell when a manager knows the game plan isn’t going well. They always say things like, I couldn’t ask any more from my players. If he really thought that he really has lost the plot. What I witnessed were quite a few of our players taking it a bit like a stroll in the park. What we, as fans, should really be hearing from our manager is that he’s going to do his very best to actually motivate the team and that he can change formation during any given match. Can you imagine what someone like Pearson would have said to his players after that half hearted attempt yesterday. Answers on a postcard please.

[Toronto Villa]

If he starts saying "I thought we were excellent, I really did" over and over again in dull Scottish accent it will be time for an intervention.

[David_Nab]

Can you imagine him sitting down with the players to rewatch that and telling them it went well ..

Ok lads you didnt have the ball for 80% of the game but you ran around alot , well done

[olaftab]

Anyone expecting a result against Newcastle are in for disappointment after the way they put Sheff Utd away.

Especially when it got harder for them with Egan being sent off.

<cough cough> <snigger snigger>

[john e]

Can you imagine him sitting down with the players to rewatch that and telling them it went well ..

Ok lads you didnt have the ball for 80% of the game but you ran around alot , well done

we could get Hogan back to do that
he was brilliant  at running around a lot

[eamonn]

Hogan in his current/recent form would probably be a better option than what we have. Jesus.

[tony scott]

The team and the manager looked overawed by that Chelsea team, I believe they didn’t think they could win this game.  Why did we keep such a narrow shape which leaves teams virtually unopposed to put crosses into the box we rarely show for throw ins and we lack nous.  Jack Grealish is constantly fouled do we. collectively get into the refs ear! I can’t believe the owners are looking on with indifference hoping we will find it easy to bounce back from the championship with this current set set up.

[dcdavecollett]

You can't defend as deeply as we did for most of the game. Big Keinan was twenty yards or more from the nearest team-mate and was almost completely isolated.

When your back-line drops deep, your midfield often follows. We used to see this sometimes with Bruce in charge at the second level; now we're getting it higher up the ratings.

Oh, and Grealish as an auxillary left-back? Didn't we sack TSM some while back?