Post match thread. Villa 1 Leicester City 2

[Footy-Vill]

My ratings
Martinez 7
Elmo 6.5
Konsa 6
Mings 6.5
Targett 7
Douglas 5.5
McGinn 6
Barkley 5.5
Traore 7
Watkins 7
 
Subs
Trezeguet 6
Ramsey 7. Energy
Sanson 6

First half 5/10. Sluggish,  on and off the ball conceded 2 goals.
Second half 6.5/10 Early promise with goal and better than 1st half
Could have a point in game and wouldn't have been a wrong result given improved effort.

[colin69]

I really think we could have got something from that game if we’d put the right starting eleven out or made the right subs at the right time. The midfield is really poor at the moment. Dean MUST get this right, starting in the next game. Oh and just send Barkley back now, he isn’t what we need!!

[Aldridge Villa]

Midfield has floundered since 2nd half at Burnley. Very surprised and disappointed that a minimum 2 out of the Marv / Sanson/ Ramsey trio didn’t start today.

[Proposition Joe]

There's no doubt we are into our traditional, annual rut now. One of the things that happens here was evident today, whereby whenever we get the ball, the team just stand and watch the player in possession instead of making runs, moving into space etc.

Another thing, is that McGinn, Trez and Barkley all look less than 100% fit still. They're running through treacle at the moment.

The way Dean described Jack's injury ("we're optimistic it's not a long term.one") has me worried he's going to be out for a while. If Barkely can't play on the left of the three, then we should try Watkins there and Davis in the Heskey role.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

No surprise or complaints with the result, a poor team selection ensured that. The good news is we do have credible alternatives to replace the passengers that this side have been carrying since the beginning of January.

[rougegorge]

Leicester looked tired and beatable last half an hour - shame we gave them a 2 goal start and waited too long to change things.

We're not going down, we're not getting top 4 with a lack of squad depth.  Time to give the likes of Ramsey and Sanson a run, they can't be any worse than Barkley, and McGinn and Luiz have been below par for a while too.  It will still have been a good season.

Agreed on all of this.

When we scored, I could understand a period of consolidation, but we played without enough tempo thereafter and the 3 midfielders have not been performing well since we resumed from the Covid break.

Also, yet again Smith never tries a different formation. Substitutions are always just players exchanged into the same positions.

Surely there could be some tactical adaptations so the team can try something different.

[RamboandBruno]

I thought it could be 5 or 6 with the way they started the game and after they went to 2-0 up, so strangely although I hate it when we lose, don’t feel that deflated. Other than Man City, that first half performance by them, despite our deficiencies, is the best performance against us all season, they totally bossed it from the first minute.
Second half we got the early goal, but for the next 15 minutes still lacked energy and urgency, this only changed when Sanson and Ramsey came on. Because they did the basics, like run around and worked hard, they helped carry us 10 yards up the pitch and we possibly could of snatched an unlikely draw out of it.
There is now no justification for starting Barkley next game, and with the pressing game Leeds play, he will be a liability. there are two options, the first which I think Smith will go for as he can keep his preferred shape, is McGinn in the Barkley role and Sanson alongside Dougie. With Trez in for Ghazi, just for his work rate alone.  Alternatively and I’d doubt he’ll do this, put Ramsey in the Barkley role, McGinn on the right and Sanson alongside Dougie.
Bit deflated but not the end of the world. If he goes for option one, at least we know Ramsey can come in if McGinns not performing.

[The Edge]

Midfield has floundered since 2nd half at Burnley. Very surprised and disappointed that a minimum 2 out of the Marv / Sanson/ Ramsey trio didn’t start today.

I agree with this but we can't let Burnley's life sucking game plan define our season. We're better than that.

[Villafirst]

Stupid decision to let Freddie go out on loan! Is he really worse than Elmo?

[rougegorge]

My ratings
Martinez 7
Elmo 6.5
Konsa 6
Mings 6.5
Targett 7
Douglas 5.5
McGinn 6
Barkley 5.5
Traore 7
Watkins 7
 
Subs
Trezeguet 6
Ramsey 7. Energy
Sanson 6

First half 5/10. Sluggish,  on and off the ball conceded 2 goals.
Second half 6.5/10 Early promise with goal and better than 1st half
Could have a point in game and wouldn't have been a wrong result given improved effort.

Martínez has been great this season, but you've been generous today...and with the marks for the midfield.

[ChicagoLion]

Team selection handed Leicester the game.

[brontebilly]

Martinez 4, Elmo 4, Konsa 5, Mings 7, Targett 7, Luiz 4, McGinn 6, Barkley 1, Traore 5, Watkins 6, AEG 5. Subs AEG 5, Ramsey 6, Sanson 6. Smith 3

Dreadful display, even after an early goal in the second half we never really looked like getting an equaliser against a visibly tiring Leicester. We are in a real rut performance wise for weeks now. So much wrong with the team selection (Traore and Barkley starting left us wide open to their counter press as many of us said pre-game).

Smith has failed to manage his "big name" players, Luiz dropped for one game but has been woeful since getting back in. Agreed on all the comments re Barkley, a complete disgrace but one Smith has enabled. Traore, a goal and a nice touch or two but a complete liability out of possession. Elmo sadly miles out of his depth. Keeper poor, Konsa torn a new one by Vardy's movement. Thought McGinn and Mings stepped it up in the second half, both Ramsey and Sanson looked lively late on.

[wittonwarrior]

We did well to only lose by one. A couple of shockers there by Barkley and mcginn

[Legion]

Very generous rating for Barkley.

[Ads]

I think with a few windows we can be as good as Leicester and with a Vardy shaped hole about to appear up front for them in the next 18 months, surpass them

I do think Sanson will start against Leeds and that we'll go with something different. Nakamba, Ramsey and Sanson would all probably improve us.