Post match thread. Villa 1 Leicester City 2

[LukeJames]

We have 1 formation, 1 way of playing and 1 genius, when it works its fantastic to watch, when teams nulify one or both then we are a drag with no idea how to change it.

Both goals were naff to conceed, Maddison given the freedom of Villa Park for the first, our DM's were miles away from him, McGinn on the left wing and I dont know were Dougie was.

Trezeguet, I've seen nothing from the moment he first kicked a ball for us to suggest he's anywhere near this level, an absolute mule.

Ramsey and Sanson have to be starting going forwards.

[martyn ellis]

I would say that Nakamba should feel a bit miffed. The last twice he has played he has been tidy at least and very solid at best. Just what the midfield needs at the moment.

[Baldy]

Leicester clearly tired and were there for the taking second half but Smith made the changes too late again.

This 100%.

Deano cost us 3 points today. 

[Legion]

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/12224997/madisson-barnes-shine-as-foxes-beat-villa

[villa `cross the mersey]

Leicester clearly tired and were there for the taking second half but Smith made the changes too late again.

This 100%.

Deano cost us 3 points today. 

Is he stubborn or just not astute enough ?

[Ads]

Negatives

The first half. So passive, so much space. Was that Grealish not being there meaning we lacked confidence? I'm not sure. That was a continuation of Brighton, only Brighton are terrible and Leicester are very good.

Felt Konsa positional wise was a bit suspect at times.

Elmo was as poor as everybody feared. Both centre halves need to get out quicker to Maddison, but why is Elmo stood off Barnes? Why doesn't he close him, allowing him two touches to find Maddison? Why doesn't he react after the shot? Ball watching and if Cash plays, that doesn't happen.

Their second goal shouldn't have stood, as it was a foul throw, the foot is raised off the ground.

Barkely is an absolute passenger. Off the ball, he leaves gaps, doesn't close and ambles.

El Ghazi, a Championship player.

Positives

It was nowhere near as bad as I and others prophesied. 2nd half was much better, as we competed at least.

Mings kept Vardy quiet. Targett got further up the pitch a lot more 2nd half and we looked more useful. Not creative enough, but felt we stopped them having any real chances of note 2nd period.

Ramsey and Sanson were infinitely more dynamic. Felt sorry for McGinn having to be a 1 man press. But those pair offered legs and effort, which are bare requirements, but looked miles ahead of what they replaced.

Think its time for us to go with a flatter 2 in midfield, with Dougie anchoring behind a pair. Sansom in for me and Ramsey has to be knocking at the door too.

Not good enough, plenty to work on. Wonder if that was a bit Southampton 2nd half?

Taken it pretty well, as Leicester are a very good side and to be honest, we are where we will likely finish, which would be an excellent season.

[Bobby Boy]

That was poor, very poor. Would be a real shame if the good work in the first half of the season was wasted.

Dean has to be ruthless in his selection now. Absolutely no Barkley.

[john2710]

That's about as good as I expected.

The quality & options other than the starting 11 isn't good enough. We'll add those options over the summer & ensure there's pressure on everyone to keep the shirt. There's hopefully a raft of young energetic players coming through also.

We need to see the bigger picture. We've come a long way over 2 years. In 2-3 years we'll be competing at the top table, we just need to be patient.

[Villafirst]

 DS needs to learn to rotate more. Nakamba has given more protection to the defence in the last couple of games he's played. Sanson should've started and maybe Ramsey. Change it!

[Villatillidie1982]

Maybe Marvellous would have plugged the whole in midfield that Leicester just kept running through in the first half. Second half was better. We were more positive. Even with Jack though, they would have been better than us. I thought Barkley did okay today and had a right to be miffed when taken off.

[Nii Lamptey]

Barkley HAS to be dropped. I wouldn’t even bench him next game after that performance and response to being subbed...
Doug, Sanson and McGinn for me next game. But Dean really needs to take the shackles off McGinn.... he is NOT an anchoring midfielder.
Played well after 75mins after hooking Ross - Sanson or Ramsay need to be starting in place of him for the foreseeable.
If we get Hause or Engels back fit, also push Konsa out to RB until Cash is back. Love Elmo, but his time is up.

[Chris_Jephcott]

Wrong team choice cost us today.

You saw that spark that Ramsey and Sanson added when the came on.

Trez is (still) like watching a territorial chicken running around.

With the right team selection and rotation, we could have won that today.

[wolfman999]

I think it shows, despite how far we have come in such a short time, just how far we still have to go to compete at the top end of this league. Leicester are proof that it can be done  however.

During our three year absence, teams such as these have taken massive strides forward and we are making up for probably 10 years of neglect, poor management and poor recruitment.

I’m still confident the future is much brighter.

[AV82EC]

That second half showed us something, its a straw and I'm clutching it. Our biggest problem is the midfield three, lacking in drive and ambition and precision, Barkley was poor and a passenger again and McGinn and Luiz sloppy and wasteful. Dean needs to drop 1, 2 or all 3 of them for the next game as well. We all feared what would happen to Elmo and we weren't disappointed, he got better as the game progressed but Leicester were out of sight by then. Thought Bert showed some lovely touches once he got in the game. Watkins his usual self, Mings utterly superb and had Vardy in his back pocket. El Ghazi, meh as ever. Think Dean is a bit passive at the moment with his game plans and subs, he needs to up the ante. The ridiculous thing is Rogers tactical masterclass seemed to involve parking the bus for the last half an hour and gift us a point we didn't deserve. We're getting closer to this lot, 4-1 last season at home and utterly outclassed, 2-1 this season and felt we were marginally better in terms of our performance. 

[Risso]

Without Jack we've still got four or five very good players in Martinez, Mings, Konsa, Targett and Watkins. The rest are all either out of form, out of position or both. Then there's Barkley, who is all of the following - overrated, unfit, not trying and by far the worst of all, a massive sulking man baby.

McGinn is not a defensive midfieder in a million years, and Elmo isn't a Premier League quality right back. The three wide players in Traore, El Ghazi and Trezeguet are all infuriating to watch. Graft and hard work from Trez but no skill or end product. Sublime moments from Traore but an absolute defensive liability, and El Ghazi is a goal scoring machine 10% of the time, but a hopeless pub player for the other 90%.