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

[Brend'Watkins]

Regarding the Cash sending off, yes, it was stupid by him but what annoyed me more was that we had a few opportunities to get crosses in down the left prior to going back with the ball as we did most of the night and then out to Cash.  Our midfield is not going to take us further up the league next season. All of them are poor passers and lack awareness.  We need much better.

I can’t help but feel our lot seemed content with only losing  2-1. We need to cut that mentality out.

[Legion]

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/12283277/stones-sees-red-but-city-fight-back

[Villafirst]

I'm watching the post mortem on Sky. All they've done is talk City for the last 30 minutes! Talk about fucking bias!

[The Edge]

I'm watching the post mortem on Sky. All they've done is talk City for the last 30 minutes! Talk about fucking bias!

Shock!!

[cdbearsfan]

Each to their own but I'd rather watch a Mrs Brown's Boys special with an all-U2 soundtrack than spend half an hour watching people talking about a match we've lost.

Though, I suppose I'm doing the same thing here, to be fair.

[Small Rodent]

Cash sent off again? Didn’t watch.

Good player, but we need decent back up for him for his suspensions.

[brontebilly]

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.

Bielsa as a coach (and maybe it's an unfair comparison with Smith anyway given the gulf in experience) has a defined way of playing. Clear strategy and a coherent approach. We have Jack Grealish. We don't have a plan b or c. It's been that way for a number of years. Until he comes back we will continue to play Burnley style football.

[rougegorge]

The season is petering out, and although I expected us to lose, the performance reflected that theme. Better than last season, but still a big disappointment after the first half of the season.

We don't have the same level of players as they do, but it shouldn't stop us from being more energetic or passing the ball wastefully even when not under pressure.

Given our really poor record of performances against 10 men,  I'm dubious that we would have got something from the game once they went down to 10. However Cash's mad few minutes ensured that we wouldn't. Foden was running rings round him, but the second yellow was just completely senseless.

[clash city rocker]

I'm watching the post mortem on Sky. All they've done is talk City for the last 30 minutes! Talk about fucking bias!

Talking about one of football pariahs. Never forget. Obviously sky do.

[Legion]

What an utterly stupid challenge from Cash for the red card. Unbelievable.

[Rudy65]

I'm watching the post mortem on Sky. All they've done is talk City for the last 30 minutes! Talk about fucking bias!

Not much to say about us other than we looked awful and devoid of ideas, and for the first time tonight, application. Why bother with that when you can eulogise about Foden

[Rory]

I'm watching the post mortem on Sky. All they've done is talk City for the last 30 minutes! Talk about fucking bias!

Shock!!

Yeah, I don't disagree, but that's the way they've been for years.

The number of times we've been level at half time against Man City/Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea (whoever) and they've gone to an ad break with a comment like "can Utd/City/Liverpool/Chelsea finish the job? Join us for the second half..."

Erm, what job? The job of playing against another team, who could still feasibly win?

[TonyD]

City obviously have better players but that is not the whole reason.

You watch their movement off the ball to play the passes.

Every team could learn from this. 

Liverpool last year won the league because they played a high tempo, pressing at every tackle and their forward line just jelled and their defence was solid.  It hadn’t happened for them this year.

So City took up the baton again.

Foden is a great player.

Wouldn’t swap him though for Jack for  all the tea in China.

[Toronto Villa]

It’s really sad that what was a superb start to the season is ending like this. We should have finished comfortably in the top half and that is now very much in doubt. It’s more than just Jack missing. We just seem a little lost as a team and coaching staff. And it’s not about today. It’s about the sides not called Man City that we have failed to beat in recent months. We’ve not looked like winning any of them really.

[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.

Bielsa as a coach (and maybe it's an unfair comparison with Smith anyway given the gulf in experience) has a defined way of playing. Clear strategy and a coherent approach. We have Jack Grealish. We don't have a plan b or c. It's been that way for a number of years. Until he comes back we will continue to play Burnley style football.

Burnley took 4 points off us!