Aston Villa vs Manchester City Post-Keeping the Score Down Thread

[Legion]

Legion, £30 may be nearer the mark for Luiz. Can’t believe he’s anywhere near the Brazil national team.

He needs to get his previous hairstyle restored.

[eamonn]

Any chance of us cancelling our remaining games. Except for the Crystal Palace one as that’s the one I’m really pinning my hopes on for a draw or maybe even a win. Remind me, that’s when we score more goals than the other team? Been so long, I’ve forgotten.

Our last home game against Fulham? Mind you, we were muck in that til the Tazmanian/Egyptian Devil, Trezeguet, came on for a 20 minute whirlwind.

[ROBBO]

Get real, there wasn't a city player on the pitch that wouldn't walk into the Villa side, we have no player that would get into their side. If we buy right in the summer things may be different next season.

[Bobby Boy]

Wasn't expecting anything different but if we are going to realise our ambitions of competing for European places any time soon then we cannot continue with midfielders who cannot retain possession and wingers who are peripheral week after week.

Dean and the coaches have got to reassess this because we are going backwards. Tactics, formation, personnel. All needs to be looked at.

[Legion]

leeds beat this lot with 10 men because they compete.  i hate leeds but they always compete, we certainly didn’t

Leeds under Bielsa are much more likely to kick on next season than we are under Smith. I hope I am wrong but I am really disappointed with the way things have fizzled out.

Similar to Sheffield United?

[Rudy Can't Fail]

A night best forgotten.

Near on 4 months best forgotten.

[The Edge]

They were awesome. They very rarely make mistakes.  Thank-you Stones for fucking u and making a game of it, but the gulf in class was huge.  We actually did well to keep that to 1-2.

A billion quid will do that for you.

[Ads]

Didn't really get near them. Felt Nakamba was poor against Liverpool and no better today. Didn't press well and didn't keep the ball well.

The later is a problem that's been quite consistent of late, just retaining and moving the ball on hasn't been right.

Two poor goals to give away, Nakamba switches off and Martinez gets nowhere near the ball.

Felt we did well defensively by and large though to deny them too many opportunities, although they always look a menace. The first 20 odd minutes I've not seen a side move the ball so quick.

Foden looks a proper scally, but he is just fantastic. He gave Cash so many problems, caused Konsa problems (no mean feat) and we had no real answer as he slipped the lines.

Cash sending off was so stupid and really put a spanner in the works second half. Front two starved of possession and service.

We didn't lay a glove on them really.

I hate this game, the only game I hate more is the one at their place.

[Legion]

Get real, there wasn't a city player on the pitch that wouldn't walk into the Villa side, we have no player that would get into their side. If we buy right in the summer things may be different next season.

Grealish would.

[Diablo]

leeds beat this lot with 10 men because they compete.  i hate leeds but they always compete, we certainly didn’t

Leeds under Bielsa are much more likely to kick on next season than we are under Smith. I hope I am wrong but I am really disappointed with the way things have fizzled out.

What Bielsa has achieved with the players he has is ridiculous

[Rudy65]

leeds beat this lot with 10 men because they compete.  i hate leeds but they always compete, we certainly didn’t

Leeds under Bielsa are much more likely to kick on next season than we are under Smith. I hope I am wrong but I am really disappointed with the way things have fizzled out.

That’s a good comparison. I agree with you

[Rudy65]

Get real, there wasn't a city player on the pitch that wouldn't walk into the Villa side, we have no player that would get into their side. If we buy right in the summer things may be different next season.

I don’t think the complaints are about tonight. It’s pretty much every game since NYD that the performances have been dire. We look clueless.

[The Edge]

leeds beat this lot with 10 men because they compete.  i hate leeds but they always compete, we certainly didn’t

Leeds under Bielsa are much more likely to kick on next season than we are under Smith. I hope I am wrong but I am really disappointed with the way things have fizzled out.

That’s a good comparison. I agree with you

Me too. Wouldn't be surprised to see Spuds sniffing around him to replace Mourinho.

[cdbearsfan]

They're about two points ahead of us having scarcely had a player miss five minutes all season. We have a player better than any in the league that don't play for Man City and he's missed months. Even talking into account that our form was already in decline, we would be at least ten points clear of Leeds if Grealish had stayed fit.

[eamonn]

Get real, there wasn't a city player on the pitch that wouldn't walk into the Villa side, we have no player that would get into their side. If we buy right in the summer things may be different next season.

Neither would any of Leeds' team yet they beat them last week with 10 men (on the counter attack, and with a bit of luck, admittedly). But I've always thought the "Which of our players would the big clubs want?" question reductive. It's a team game where clubs finesse the best system of playing. Harnessed correctly, it becomes greater than the sum of its parts. That's the job of every manager and to do it consistently. Dean is still struggling with the latter part.