Post match thread. Villa 1 Leicester City 2

[DevonSteve]

It was always going to be difficult  missing Cash on the right and Grealish on the left.  Needed to have started  more defensively with the changes. We managed to gift them two goals before we got going.  Why do we always look better when Barkley is taken off ? Ramsey and Samson get to balls he just looks at and both close down much better. Then the rest seem more comfortable.

[LukeJames]

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

No, and he plays similar to Cash. Its one that I cant get my head around.

[AV82EC]

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.

I'd agree with that Ads, the gap in quality is narrowing. I just can't see Smith changing all 3 midfielders in one go though they are living on borrowed time.

[Goldie.7]

Luiz and Barkley have to be dropped against Leeds - their form is so bad, it's beyond comical. The midfield looked so much better without them. It's clear as day that Ramsey and Sanson need to be starters.

Trezeguet for me is one of the most ineffective substitutions in the league, he does everything wrong most of time. I can't think of a single league game he's changed coming on from the bench. He's okay at combating the opposition attack on the right and nothing more.

El Ghazi is a complete waste of space. He needs to be told to find a new club in the summer and when some of us have lost no sleep whatsoever at the possibility of losing him we then should be giving Leipzig a call for his replacement, Lookman.

[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.

I'd agree with that Ads, the gap in quality is narrowing. I just can't see Smith changing all 3 midfielders in one go though they are living on borrowed time.

No neither can I. But I think McGinn worked very hard today and was let down badly by others. Gaps appeared because he would press and others didn't, which made him look poor unfairly.

If Dougie screens, fine, but let's have a pair of runners competing off the ball and on it at 100mph and closing. We cannot have those gaps. Would love to find a role for Ramsey too, but I dont want a diamond against Leeds and expose Elmo.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

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.

I joked pre-kick off we were only starting with nine players but from the above it was actually 10.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

A disappointing but predictable result. Ist half poor. I had no idea where Barkley was playing. Maddison is the player that Barkley can only ever dream to be. He was totally ineffective but tbf so were Luiz and McGinn. When Jack plays the opposition put 2 players on him. Maddison had the freedom of the park. There is no cohesion between our midfield 3 and there is too much of a gap between our defence and the midfield which Leicester took advantage of. Nakamba would have done a job in there today. I saw an improvement in the 1st 20 mins of the 2nd half (I had to leave watching the game at that stage) but you can't give Leicester a 2 goal start. Schmeichel was a cnut when Traore scored. Targett and Ollie were the best of our players today.

[AV82EC]

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.

I'd agree with that Ads, the gap in quality is narrowing. I just can't see Smith changing all 3 midfielders in one go though they are living on borrowed time.

No neither can I. But I think McGinn worked very hard today and was let down badly by others. Gaps appeared because he would press and others didn't, which made him look poor unfairly.

If Dougie screens, fine, but let's have a pair of runners competing off the ball and on it at 100mph and closing. We cannot have those gaps. Would love to find a role for Ramsey too, but I dont want a diamond against Leeds and expose Elmo.

Yep if we thought Barnes was a handful against Elmo today though he did get more of a grip of him as he got up to match speed its the same next week with Harrison who gave Cash a torrid time at VP. He's got to do something with this midfield shape, its just not working currently.

[john e]

It was a performance from last season when we nearly went down

I know we can take comfort and say well we’re eighth not going down plenty of points
Look how far we’ve come etc

But we should always be about where we’re going not where we’ve come from

If we want to get into the top six we have to make better choices and not just keep saying oh well we’re doing better than we thought we would

I’ve said a million times on here we’re the biggest club in the Midlands by Miles and the Second richest in the premiership
Going into the form of a bottom half prem team when we lose our best player isn’t good enough anymore
I don’t want to settle for mediocre or average I want us to push on

[Allan C]

I try to look at positives rather than blame Barkley for everything. It’s been a great season so far and we’re still 8th, yes 8th. We’re not going down. I think Ramsey Is going to be a fabulous player for us next season and maybe the way Smith is using him at the moment will benefit him next year. Sanson too looks great but is possibly not yet up to PL pace, again a purchase for next season. The management team will bring in quality for next season to improve the squad which at the moment is not up to PL standards. Leicester are quality but we’re getting there

[PhilVill]

First half was laughably bad, second half was better but earlier substitutions could have grabbed us a point, or more. Barkley should never play for Villa again, a complete lack of respect when he came off, Smith needs to make an example of him. Trez isnt prem quality, El Mohamedy long past his best and letting Guilbert go on loan a massive mistake. Get Hause fit and push Konza to right back. Midfield needs a massive shake up, Ramsey looks ready to perform at the top and we not going down, get him in. Disappointing but not unexpected as last few weeks have seen poor levels creeping back in. Anyway, time for Erdingers and XTC.

[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.

I joked pre-kick off we were only starting with nine players but from the above it was actually 10.

Oh my AEG . Just a 6 today maybe even 5.5.as he was subbed Felt hard lines he was taken off would taken any of midfield 3 off instead as first change. Or even Davis on and Watkins wide left.

[john2710]

We'll need much more energy in the team against Leeds. Sanson & Ramsey in for Barkley & El Ghazi.

We need not worry about Man City coming in for Luis. But he needs some support around him....

[Rudy Can't Fail]

We'll need much more energy in the team against Leeds. Sanson & Ramsey in for Barkley & El Ghazi.

We need not worry about Man City coming in for Luis. But he needs some support around him....

Agree, John. In defence of Dougie he did play most of the game on a yellow.

[Ads]

I can't agree with that. While I absolutely think a club like ours ought to be competing in the top 6, you have to have regard for context. A top half finish would be an excellent return. We will invest and we will go again.