Aston Villa v Tottenham Match Thread

[darren woolley]

We really need to do better in the second half.

[Toronto Villa]

Utterly dreadful yet again. Dean Smith proving yet again he cannot get us to play well without Jack Grealish. When you watch how well Brighton carved open Newcastle yesterday and how we struggled against them and pretty much all the games since Jack has been out really does make you wonder how much Smith has evolved that he cannot get us to play well without our best player. I don’t expect the same, but not such a dramatic drop off in quality.

[LukeJames]

All the same issues that we have had in the previous games, no drive, no movement, no pace, slugish, slow, no invention. We do nothing different. Boring as fuck. Smith has no clue how to change it round either, other than waiting for Jack to return. Naff management tbh.

[SoccerHQ]

Not the worst half for me, Martinez clears it into the stands as he should've and it's 0-0 with us having the better of things.

There is clearly a Grealish void mentally as much as anything. Players on the pitch simply don't believe we can even create chances without him.

Until we figure something out we'll never be a top 6 team again in this league. Too much patting on the bat at xmas thinking we have a brilliant 11. Yet again we've seen how much we lose without Jack on the pitch.

[Bobby Boy]

Watching Villa over the last couple of months has felt like some kind of criminal punishment.

Turgid crap week after week.

[Proposition Joe]

Before we get any new wingers we need a real strong physical presence in midfield. Our three are just getting brushed aside by Spurs.

I'd like to see Davis on for 45 now, see if we can get some support for Ollie.

[PaulWinch again]

There is no link between midfield an attack, so we become very predictable and frequently end up playing high through balls. We just lack threat and we’ll most likely lose this game.

[TonyD]

I’d hook Sanson and Trez. 
And Luiz. 
Maybe Bert and McGinn too. 

[Bobby Boy]

Just noticed Douglas Luiz is on the pitch.

What does Douglas Luiz actually do?

[Hairbandinho]

Boxing day was tye last time we played well for 90 minutes. That was boxing day. Marvellous!!!

[jcsutv]

Trez is having a particularly shite game even by his high standards. 

He would be having an anonymous game, if he didn’t give away fouls that make him look out of his depth. One of which stopped our press and started the build up to their goal.

[Olof's Beard]

Getting worse by the week coming forward, sadly. The final ball tonight has been amateur and there is no cohesion at all. It is disappointing given all the verve and invention we saw early on in the season. It isn't just about a lack of Jack but it obviously doesn't help.

Looks like the season will peter out. Reminds me a bit of O'Neill's first season and going back further, Big Ron's. We had similar runs then at this time of year with goals drying up.

[brontebilly]

Trez is at least a yard off the pace, I don't think he was this sluggish before his injury.

I think he was to be honest, even last season. A desperately average player. Traore on the other hand has been a disgrace, I'm sick of the sight of him I must say. Hook them both I think. I'd try Barkley up next to Watkins and something a bit different like Engels coming on and switching to wing backs.

Spurs have been appalling in the first half yet we contrived to give them a goal.

[aldridgeboy]

No shots on goal, in 46 minutes of football, is just not on.

Whoever the opponent. And this Spurs are very average.

Changes at half time please Dean

[Mellin]

Hell of a summer coming up for us. We could seriously be a Sheffield United if we don't get our recruitment absolutely spot on.

Hysterical.