Aston Villa vs Brighton post-match thread

[Risso]

I reckon the ref had a wobble because he didn't want to be seen as doubly penalising Brighton afetr the red card, which was bit soft it has to be said.

[paul_e]

I don't think it's sluggishness, having watched it the highlights and looked back  at a few things from the game I think the problem is the lack of preparation. We looked like players who had been off playing all different styles and shapes and came back to 1 training session before the match. For example was Mings positioning for the first influenced by a week and half of training on the left of a 3? Was McGinn playing a little further forward than he did against Arsenal because that's the role he plays for Scotland?

I don't know either way but 3 international games in a row leaving the club with 1-2 days with players before a league match feels fucking shit, not because of fatigue but because of how they train. I don't have a good answer for how to change it but 3 international windows for a total of 8 games in just over 2 months is fucking ridiculous.

[LukeJames]

As a couple of others have already stated, if Oliver didn't originally give the pen but then VAR had intervened and asked him to look at it, he would've 100% then given it. What a fucked up system.

[Risso]

I don't think it's sluggishness, having watched it the highlights and looked back  at a few things from the game I think the problem is the lack of preparation. We looked like players who had been off playing all different styles and shapes and came back to 1 training session before the match. For example was Mings positioning for the first influenced by a week and half of training on the left of a 3? Was McGinn playing a little further forward than he did against Arsenal because that's the role he plays for Scotland?

I don't know either way but 3 international games in a row leaving the club with 1-2 days with players before a league match feels fucking shit, not because of fatigue but because of how they train. I don't have a good answer for how to change it but 3 international windows for a total of 8 games in just over 2 months is fucking ridiculous.

Southgate chucking his weight behond the 5 subs rule was ridiculous.  Just stick to two games per international window, rather than three if you're that concerned.

I'm not sure that it had any real effect though, we've just got to get to the point where we can maintain standards from agme to game.  As good as the games against Liverpool and Arsenal etc have been, our home defensive record is atrocious and we've got the joint worst record with Newcastle.  That has to change.

[paul_e]

I don't think it's sluggishness, having watched it the highlights and looked back  at a few things from the game I think the problem is the lack of preparation. We looked like players who had been off playing all different styles and shapes and came back to 1 training session before the match. For example was Mings positioning for the first influenced by a week and half of training on the left of a 3? Was McGinn playing a little further forward than he did against Arsenal because that's the role he plays for Scotland?

I don't know either way but 3 international games in a row leaving the club with 1-2 days with players before a league match feels fucking shit, not because of fatigue but because of how they train. I don't have a good answer for how to change it but 3 international windows for a total of 8 games in just over 2 months is fucking ridiculous.

Southgate chucking his weight behond the 5 subs rule was ridiculous.  Just stick to two games per international window, rather than three if you're that concerned.

I'm not sure that it had any real effect though, we've just got to get to the point where we can maintain standards from agme to game.  As good as the games against Liverpool and Arsenal etc have been, our home defensive record is atrocious and we've got the joint worst record with Newcastle.  That has to change.

Our home record is absolutely a concern I just think we need to look at why and, for me, today was very different to the Leeds and Southampton games. I think the coaches and players all know how bad the first goal was but I'm more concerned about the 2nd because I think that's a tactical weakness that we've had for a while, when the ball gets around the box our fullbacks get very narrow even if the winger isn't back helping out which leaves huge gaps for players to take their time to pick a cross or shot, we need to be better and closing that space or we're going to continue to get done by cross field passes.

[Ian.]

Our shape was all over the place for that goal, not sure if they were all a little over confident, or zealous and trying for an early onslaught like against Arsenal. I can’t believe it was tactical to be that far up.

Another day and we’d have scored a goal or two more. We were also lucky not to give away more as well. Mings had an off day for sure.

[SoccerHQ]

I don't think it's sluggishness, having watched it the highlights and looked back  at a few things from the game I think the problem is the lack of preparation. We looked like players who had been off playing all different styles and shapes and came back to 1 training session before the match. For example was Mings positioning for the first influenced by a week and half of training on the left of a 3? Was McGinn playing a little further forward than he did against Arsenal because that's the role he plays for Scotland?

I don't know either way but 3 international games in a row leaving the club with 1-2 days with players before a league match feels fucking shit, not because of fatigue but because of how they train. I don't have a good answer for how to change it but 3 international windows for a total of 8 games in just over 2 months is fucking ridiculous.

Will be the same in March and first one next season apparently.

Hopefully by next September we'll at least have a few squad options we can rotate in post international games to replace the regular 11.

[paul_e]

Our shape was all over the place for that goal, not sure if they were all a little over confident, or zealous and trying for an early onslaught like against Arsenal. I can’t believe it was tactical to be that far up.

Another day and we’d have scored a goal or two more. We were also lucky not to give away more as well. Mings had an off day for sure.

Up until then we'd been winning the ball pretty high up the field and were dominating territory if not really creating much, I think we just got sucked in a bit too much thinking we could really pressure them into their own 3rd. I suspect we also thought we had enough pace to cover their front 2 if they broke in behind.

[SoccerHQ]

Think next home game we just need to sit back a bit and if it's 0-0 after an hour so be it. Just checked and it's Newcastle so that will probably happen even if we're on the front foot.

We're doing so much chasing at home currently having to come from behind and it's not something we're good at all. I'd be really interesting in how many games in last 3-4 season we've actually come from behind to win, we weren't great at it in the championship under Bruce and DS.

Thought the second was just a very good finish. We are being a bit punished for that currently as March, Ings and Bamford have all pinged shots right into the top corner at key points in the game and that's not something that even happens to the worst team in the league every other game, we've had it 3 times in 4 games.

[Lastfootstamper]

Lack of preparation, jaded, Barkley going off, I dunno, but all over the pitch we lacked that sharpness and incision in our play we've displayed so often this season. I'm not going to question the effort or commitment, and I thought that on the whole we played some good stuff. An exciting game, plenty of end to end stuff, a shame that all that was needed for 3 points was one slightly better bit of play at either end of the pitch.

[Risso]

Over the next two transfer windows, I hope we start looking at upgrades for the following first team starters:

Trez, Mings, Targett

All three of whom are just too inconsistent in their positions, and have as many bad games as they do good.  On top of getting another foward in.  Watkins wasn't at it today, but we had nobody to replace him for the last 20 mins or whatever.

[Lastfootstamper]

Think next home game we just need to sit back a bit and if it's 0-0 after an hour so be it. Just checked and it's Newcastle so that will probably happen even if we're on the front foot.

We're doing so much chasing at home currently having to come from behind and it's not something we're good at all. I'd be really interesting in how many games in last 3-4 season we've actually come from behind to win, we weren't great at it in the championship under Bruce and DS.

Thought the second was just a very good finish. We are being a bit punished for that currently as March, Ings and Bamford have all pinged shots right into the top corner at key points in the game and that's not something that even happens to the worst team in the league every other game, we've had it 3 times in 4 games.

I'd add Ward-Prouse to that list, too. If he hit all his free kicks that well, I'm sure they wouldn't be the only ones he's scored with so far this season.

[LukeJames]

Absolutely that, no other team will conceed the worldies we have in consecutive games, that is a freak happening.

[Lastfootstamper]

I've just seen that March has now scored 2 in 6 games. Prior to those 6 games, he'd scored 2 in 92 games. Ffs.

[adrenachrome]

We're a team capable of banging in 11 and getting 9 points against the likes of Liverpool, Leicester and Arsenal.

We're also capable of giving up 9 and getting 0 points against the likes of Southampton, Leeds and Brighton.

This is a crucial point, and it should be addressed.

The top teams are happy to let us play as they think they will win an open game. Lesser sides work on closing us down and targeting our weaknesses. Lamptey had a field day attacking Targett, who had little cover. It brought back bad memories of the opposition  targeting Bennett.

I am somewhat perplexed about posters and pundits talking about home and away form in current circumstances. Maybe we should have let the grass grow longer.