Aston Villa vs Brentford Post-Match Thread

[LukeJames]

We dont move the ball anywhere near fast enough. It stays with our defence/keeper far too long, giving the opposition plenty of time to get back into shape. Then because the opposition is organised we refuse to play it through the midfield so it ends up at our fullbacks who then end up speculatively launching it down the flanks. Its tedious.

[N'ZMAV]

Carney is a good player - and today was more necessity than choice - it made more sense to choose him over Hourihane who is likely to be out the door soon.

[SoccerHQ]

Pretty average performance to put it mildly but tbh I'd have taken a point at 2pm when the team came through.

We pretty much missed our central spine from last season. I know it's disappointing not to beat a newly promoted team but Brentford are clearly the best of the three to come up and will comfortably finish well clear of 18th, they are certainly much better than Newcastle.

Didn't like the way we ended the first half but DS used subs o.k in second and really can't remember Brentford creating a clear chance in second. Mind you we didn't either until injury time.

Just felt like one of those early season games where both sides were happy to take a point from an hour onwards. As soon goes on it may become two points dropped but we just look a bang average mid table team at present. More fair to judge when everyone is fit anyway.

After 585 days I was just happy to be back and enjoyed the game regardless of the result.

[Ian.]

Poor team selection  In hindsight   Carney is not ready and targget had another shocker.  On the performance alone happy with a point   Did very little to try and win it

I thought Targett looked excellent after a bit of a nervy start.

[Ads]

A strange and frustrating game in a number of ways. I felt the referee entirely spoilt the second half with one of the most incompetent displays I've seen. Toney should have walked. Foul after foul given to them, little to us, Brentford allowed to take free kicks where they wanted and fall over at will.

Probably easier to talk about the referee as there was so little attacking play from the moment we nearly scored in the first half (and probably should have) till Ollie Watkins worked the keeper late on.

I felt they upped the physical side of things second half and ran through our midfield too easily. The Nkamba sub was a timely one.

Felt Dougie played well, as did AEG. We lacked drive and we lacked quality in the final third.

But its hard to really know where we are truly at as a side, if not a squad, when all these were either out or incapable of starting this game and the previous two; Watkins, Traore, Bailey, Trezeguet, Ramsey, McGinn, Sanson and Mings.

I wasn't expecting great things given the injuries and that was largely born out with the display. Lovely goal from Buendia, feel he is improving.

The full backs don't get up as much and the amount of crosses we're putting in is severely diminished on last season.

4 points from these 3 games isn't great, but I'm loathed to be too critical given the significant clutch of quality players we seem to be without.

[SoccerHQ]

That was a struggle. We're not looking much like top four material at the moment. Thankfully we scored soon after them because we looked unlikely to score after that.

If that is your benchmark for the season you're going to be massively disappointed my friend.

When players and managers say we want to qualify for europe it's more realistic to understand that as finishing 7th or winning a league cup unless you can point me to any interview where a player has said CL is the target.

Last season we only looked close to that level when you know who was playing. He's gone and pretty much all our spine from last season was unavailable to start today.

Think once everyone is fit we'll hopefully look like a bottom top half standard team so should be in mix for 7th as you don't need unbelievable form to be in shake up for that.

[SoccerHQ]

One thing I would say, Brentford gave us a good example of how to build patiently from the back and also quickly hit crossfield passes to get their wide players into the game, thought they were much better at it than when we attempted it particularly in first half.

Too often we just delay the pass and move slows down. Only time we looked decent in second half were AEG and Targett creating overloads on the left but Targett's crossing was pretty poor today.

[N'ZMAV]

1 point from 6 against promoted teams.

Not great.

[Aldridge Villa]

A month or so ago I’d have been disappointed with 4 points out of 9 with our first 3 fixtures. With our current injuries, 4 points without being great , is far from a disaster and probably represents a true reflection of performances to date. Onwards and upwards 👍

[Ian.]

1 point from 6 against promoted teams.

Not great.

Maybe. But we took a fair few point from top six teams last season and not much from bottom six clubs. Who knows, but a fully fit team could be pretty effective.

[andyh]

Blimey.
I though we did ok with very makeshift team against a team playing against the previous manager with a point to prove.

My overriding thought is that the referee completely spoiled the second half with a comical display of referring.

My other overriding thought is that we are going to be a much different and better team after the international break.

[Beard82]

All seems a little uninspiring at the moment.  We ended the season so well, and there were so many highlights - feels like we reality has caught up a bit.  Also feels a bit villa like, that we might well be falling back - just when when we all started to believe.

We haven't had a lot of luck - I think we had a plan, that was based around Joe, and then Joe decided that he wanted out.  Undoubtedly we have made some exciting signing - but think we have been caught out.  For all the talk of having multiple plans 1 for Joe staying and 1 for Joe going, I think the plan we enacted was basically measured disaster management. 

Think we are in a bit of a rebuilding stage, trying to see if Plan B will float - and unfortunately this hasn't been helped by Coaches leaving, injuries and illness.

I also wonder if they are nervous of the 19/20 season - and thinking too many changes might cause more problems then they solve.

I guess by fear is, I loved the Villa we had - boyhood fans as manager and captain - but always at the back of my head I thought that Joe would leave, and Dean wouldnt be quite up to it... 

[CT]

Poor team selection  In hindsight   Carney is not ready and targget had another shocker.  On the performance alone happy with a point   Did very little to try and win it

I thought Targett looked excellent after a bit of a nervy start.

I had Matt Targett down for MOTM.

[SoccerHQ]

Blimey.
I though we did ok with very makeshift team against a team playing against the previous manager with a point to prove.

My overriding thought is that the referee completely spoiled the second half with a comical display of referring.

My other overriding thought is that we are going to be a much different and better team after the international break.

We will need to be. Chelsea and Man. United away is very tough and even in good seasons it's a struggle to get more than 1 point from. Everton have started well and will be more difficult to break down under Benitez than previous seasons.

Think our season will properly start in October so that's when I'm judging DS as hopefully everyone is fit by then and he should've worked our our best 11 and formation. At the moment it's pretty mix and match each game due to injuries and everything so he hasn't had a fair hand so far and is doing his best.

[mrfuse]

Way too much negativity.

Even with a full strength team playing newly promoted teams early isint what I would like.

How can we start to look like a decent team with all the injuries and illnesses. Give Dean a chance to bed down the new players and then see what we look like.