Aston Villa v Southampton Post Match Thread

[rougegorge]

Well we won 2.45 - 1 on expected goals. I was expecting Smith to quote that as he did last season. The only snag is that our XG and real goals only came with the game out of reach.

[ChicagoLion]

Ings is the only definite i'd take of theirs.

You seriously would not take Ward-Prowse into our midfield?

I would take him ahead of Barkley.

[brontebilly]

Deano is deluded in the extreme. 

[PeterWithesShin]

It's a bit of both, they scored with their only on target efforts. We had twice as many shots and shots on target. Our defending was lacking at times though, but so was Southampton's.

[Clampy]

The game was as good as over at 4-0 but we could have easily got something out of it and that's the one positive to take from it I suppose. Disapointed to lose but not totally downhearted.

[Lastfootstamper]

It's a bit of both, they scored with their only on target efforts. We had twice as many shots and shots on target. Our defending was lacking at times though, but so was Southampton's.

3 of their 4 shots were from outside the box, too. I reckon if you laid all of just Trez's efforts end to end they'd not reach much past the penalty spot.

[Nunkin1965]

I have to say after last season I’m happy to be 11 points clear of the bottom 3 after 6 games.
Offered before the season and hands would well and truly be bitten off.

[brian green]

I remember once at the old Southampton ground we went 0-4 behind after twenty minutes.  Allan Evans was still shouting at the referee about their third goal when their fourth went in.

[PeterWithesShin]

It's still so long ago that we last beat Southampton at home Carlton Cole scored for us.

[SoccerHQ]

On paper, I think our first eleven is better than Leeds and Southampton.

Anyone disagree?

I don't disagree and I reckon come the end of the season using the Mcgregor method we will be shown to be better than both of them.

We'll be finishing comfortable top half if we finish above Southampton and Leeds. I reckon Southampton could be a contender for 7th if they steer clear of injuries (talk Ings might've picked up another knee injury which would be a massive blow for them).

Think we need to concentrate on finishing above likes of Palace, West Ham, Newcastle and Brighton. Already 7 points clear of Brighton and the other three are far more inconsistant in form and style of play so think that's realistic.

Just for context we haven't finished above Palace in the league since 2013 (when they weren't even a premier league team) Newcastle the same year (we finished one goal ahead of them in 15th) and West Ham since 2012 so it's about time we changed that as we used to finish ahead of all three with ease.

[ROBBO]

We played better second half because at 4-0 they took the foot off the pedal. After being towelled by Leeds Smith picked the same squad except one, using the same tactics with the same result. I don't think Smith had any influence on the fight back i believe two or three of our players were bloody angry especially Mings, his face was like thunder.
Still think Jack needs to be getting the ball around the box not on the wings where they can foul him.

[Axl Rose]

'There weren't too many defensive issues.' Ings was clean through after two minutes and they had the ball in the net just after that.

Smith lives in a dream world.

I'm pretty sure the owners won't tolerate a season like last, and if the results continue in this way, he'll be sent on his way.

His pre match and post match interviews are Bruce-esque at times.

[simboy]

We made some horrendous mistakes on the pitch. Berkley losing the ball for their 4th and no one putting in a challenge or touching the ball until Martinez picked the ball out the net. Ward Prowse hits a mean free kick, but jeez that tackle by Luiz was so naive it was an embarrassment.

I don’t understand why, when we have gone 7 goals without scoring the substitutions are through injury and to avoid a red card. I appreciate Hourihane isn’t the best but surely he should have had 20 minutes against either Leeds or the Scummers? That’s a worry as Smith doesn’t seem to trust his back ups. Barkley was poor delivering the ball into the box from dead ball situations, surely there are others who can do that?

I’m worried the inflexibility of personnel will cost us. I’m not saying it would have been different if we’d changed the team after 70 or so minutes but hourihane who can be lightweight could have come on when the game was slowing up and created. It may not have mattered yesterday, but it will do soon.

[Chris Smith]

I’ve seen one where he says he didn’t want to change anything, but the players did, so he let them. This worries me a bit.

If true, this worries me a lot.

I’m not sure it’s an accurate reflection of what he said.

The quotes I read said that the players blamed the tactics but he disagreed and that the only change he made was to swap Barkley and McGinn round for the second half which is something we’ve done before.

I went to watch my son play yesterday so only watched the second half but what I saw was a committed, aggressive performance that Southampton really struggled to deal with. Obviously it was too late to change the result due to what had occurred in the first half but I take encouragement from heads not dropping and fighting back to make it a more respectable score line.

[dave17]

I’ve seen one where he says he didn’t want to change anything, but the players did, so he let them. This worries me a bit.

If true, this worries me a lot.

I’m not sure it’s an accurate reflection of what he said.

The quotes I read said that the players blamed the tactics but he disagreed and that the only change he made was to swap Barkley and McGinn round for the second half which is something we’ve done before.

I went to watch my son play yesterday so only watched the second half but what I saw was a committed, aggressive performance that Southampton really struggled to deal with. Obviously it was too late to change the result due to what had occurred in the first half but I take encouragement from heads not dropping and fighting back to make it a more respectable score line.

Ignoring the display in the second half. Conceding three free kicks in very very good areas against Southampton is amateur. You can play as well as you want but giving up chances that play to their huge strength is naive