Chelsea vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[itmustbe_it is!]

With Smith in charge, we finish 15th/16th, if thats acceptable to our owners then sound, but it goes against everything that was said.

Not sure what Smith did wrong today

[LeonW]

As much as some want to have a dig at Mings, we didn’t score, we should have, so in my mind that’s just as at fault as the back pass.

We played pretty well against one of the best teams in the world and that score line wasn’t a fair reflection on the game.

Well played, quite unfortunate but again, due to one thing or another we seem to be a work in progress all over again.

Ming’s error completely changed the game. At 1 nil we’re still very much in the game. After that, Chelsea know they can just sit back and counter attack us. It’s too regular an occurrence to be ignored 3 seasons in being a premier league regular

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We played well there and carried a threat throughout. Played some good football and were probably the better side.

The difference was a £98m striker who had two touches in the box and scored.

Terrible goal from Mings at a terrible time too.

Felt Watkins played well, but should have scored. We lack that killer instinct in the box. Ings on the peripheral, but Bailey has a trick or ten up his sleeve.

Ramsey a big plus, McGinn too. No way was it a booking, but the referee was absolutely shambolic.

Lots to work on, but a lot more to work with.

Good atmosphere in the away end. Fan of the rails.

[AlexAlexCropley]

Really upbeat despite the loss. I've only ever wanted a Villa team that plays on the front foot and excites me.Think we have one now.

[LeonW]

With Smith in charge, we finish 15th/16th, if thats acceptable to our owners then sound, but it goes against everything that was said.

Not sure what Smith did wrong today

Agreed. I thought he set us up well. I was dubious about the 3 centre backs but it largely worked well against Chelsea.

[Mister E]

I don't post much, a reader more than a poster. Personally, i thought we did really well. A homer ref, against the current european champions who are as strong a side we will face this season, honestly did anyone expect a result? Plenty of positive signs. Plenty. We will do well. The 3 at the back thing surprised me with how well we took to it. Watkins and McGinn superb. New home grown hero incoming with Ramsey senior. . Strong bench with options  UTFV

Great post.
Consider this: Steer had no saves to make apart from the 3 friggin' goals scored! I know that sounds a bit weird (in a "positive to the power of 'n' way"), but it's pretty much true!
I have to say, despite Lukaku scoring twice, that Axel played really well. Him and Konsa looked really classy.
I thought the 2 wingbacks played well.
McGinn was excellent, although some of his passing was a little wayward. Luiz had a really cool game, and Ramsey impressed in the first half.
Bailey showed flashes of what he can do but was largely anonymous. Traore looked authoritative when he came on.

There was much to admire about our play: well done to Smith for doing something different. £-0 doesn't feel right, and we gifted them the 2nd and 3rd goals really, but - hey-ho - the game should encourage us (the first goal was a product of a brilliant Kovakic pass - many defenders would have failed to cut that out).

Oh, and I thought Tuchel bringing on Jorginho was both flattering to us and a game-changer: he nailed their game down for them in the 2nd half.

[Steve67]

The scoreline flatters Chelsea.  Two silly goals and a third in stoppage time.  I thought Bailey and Traore were ok when they came on and will be a handful.  Watkins was energetic and Ings the complete opposite.  I think we needed that third man in the centre of the park.  We lost a bit of momentum when Ramsey went off and felt he was sacrificed for us trying to get a goal to get us back in the game, which is fair enough.  Only four games in, we will be ok but Dean needs to settle into a pattern of play quickly and try to get our more destructive players into the side. 

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Agree Mister Ed. Other thing, whisper it but I think we're (finally) passing the ball around faster. Even Marvelous in his last two appearances is moving it on a hell of a lot faster. Fingers crossed.

[Ian.]

As much as some want to have a dig at Mings, we didn’t score, we should have, so in my mind that’s just as at fault as the back pass.

We played pretty well against one of the best teams in the world and that score line wasn’t a fair reflection on the game.

Well played, quite unfortunate but again, due to one thing or another we seem to be a work in progress all over again.

Ming’s error completely changed the game. At 1 nil we’re still very much in the game. After that, Chelsea know they can just sit back and counter attack us. It’s too regular an occurrence to be ignored 3 seasons in being a premier league regular

He brings so much positivity and leadership to the team though so I’m at odds with it. I know he has an error in him but over the whole season I’d rather have him than not.

[Damo70]

Graeme Souness is glowing in his praise of Villa in the after match summary.

[Mister E]

Graeme Souness is glowing in his praise of Villa in the after match summary.

Jeez, that's worrying!

[Mister E]

Agree Mister Ed. Other thing, whisper it but I think we're (finally) passing the ball around faster. Even Marvelous in his last two appearances is moving it on a hell of a lot faster. Fingers crossed.

Yes, Marv actually looked quite good apart from a 'to no-one' pass late on.






Edit: Mister Ed?!!! WTF? - I'm not a fucking horse! (I'm not even hung like one!!).

[astonvilla82]

Performance first half, well pleased, with Ming's mistake it's looking like it killed the momentum, noticed that we are slow in coming out when on the break, you could see Mcginn pulling the ref up for being bias, need a few more players doing the same but on mass,as with the Brasil debacle we have got to stop being nicey nicey, other teams don't stand for it why should we

[Ian.]

Love seeing the magic feet of Traore again. What a wonderful sight he is.

[brackley]

After ending this game as a contest by gifting them the second with a lazy back pass, Mings spent the rest of the game randomly hoofing the ball all round the pitch. He was also nutmegged for the third. He has the nerve to tell us that WE need educating? He needs to be dropped from this team, but we all know he won’t be.