Aston Villa 2 Brighton 0 post match thread

[Nii Lamptey]

Broke that losing habit, clean sheet and two goals. That'll do but plenty to improve on. If that's the sign of things to come, after only a couple of days with a lot of that team, I'm sold.

Targett's best game this season by far - Defence and keeper played well.

McGinn and Ramsay played well in the middle - Special shout out for Ramsay who was my MOTM. Best game in a villa shirt imo, with some great passing, movement and runs.
Nakamba was woeful... kept making tackles then getting caught on the ball. How good could we be with a player like Bissouma in that position?

Ollie also was woeful, until Ings was subbed off and he was put up front. I would have been happy for Ollie to get subbed for Bailey such was the level of frustration with his performance, but the Ings sub and switcharound was inspired.

Buendia - Hope he sorts it out, but so far he's been absolute garbage. Lacks strength, pace and the ability of a Premier League footballer on current viewing. What have we signed?!

Good start, and Gerrard spoke well post match. Lets see if he can keep that momentum going into the next game. UTV

[Villa Lew]

Tyrone MOTM , being dropped appears to have done him good, he's been superb since, back to his best. All the back 4 deserve credit and Emi dealt well with the only important save he had to make. Was not too happy, when I saw Young coming on, but what a 20 min display, his part in the first goal was class and what a strike from Ollie.

[olaftab]

Much improved.  I like the aggresion, intensity and one touch football we are trying to play. Never really had that under smith.

I am pleased we won but that's just rubbish. We were very ordinary, cumbersome and outplayed by Brighton for about 80 mins. We had some fantastic football under Dean Smith.

Outplayed for 80 mins? That sounds churlish in the extreme and is certainly nothing like the game I watched. Brighton is a good team, playing pretty football, but they had two chances all game and hardly anything of note in the second half.

Not having the ball to play with is really being outplayed. The fact the they had no end product was their failing.  Giving 63% possession to a sharper team than Brighton would not be pretty. Anyway my comment was more about revisionism  on Smith's time here.

[Brend'Watkins]

For all Brighton’s possession they didn’t lay a glove on us at all 2nd half. They’re a good team but toothless up front. Ramsey first half, And the defence throughout were very good. Yes, Bundea wasn’t great but there is a player there. He hasn’t really settled in yet, I’m sure he’ll come good.
Was there any real difference than Dean’s Villa? I thought we looked more disciplined as a team and very solid at the back. Gerrard said we needed to be better in that respect and he’s done something about it already.

[LeeB]

The atmosphere was crap largely due to the stifling set up and football of the opposition.

Plus, they're a no mark club and it's hard to get worked up playing them.

I did notice after the goals there were quite a few of them complaining to stewards about the nasty men laughing at them in the lower north.

[Sdwbvf]

It was my first game since last time we played Brighton with fans. Atmosphere wasn't as good as usual but as others said it was heading for 0 0. I would keep the front three that finished the game. Defence was much better - after the first couple of attacks I relaxed when they were in possession.

Train back was hell. Full of Brighton and West Ham fans and standing down the aisles. Most were fine but one really upset my 9 year old at Euston. Euston was extremely well policed with a definite direction they wanted you to go!

Hotel in town next time I think.

[darren woolley]

I'm so happy with win and clean sheet good day out yesterday.

[Stinkin_Thinkin]

Mostly it was a very boring game, Brighton happy to slow the tempo down to walking pace with their triangle passes to nowhere whilst Villa looked really nervous after consecutive 5 defeats. I couldn't see how we were going to win it, would of been happy with the point. However we did the business late on. Great goal by Watkins  Mings was taking loads of stick from the away fans so it must have been nice for him to bang that one in. He should of ran down to the witton lower cupping his ears

Target had a good solid game. It seemed to me Brighton's favorite tactic was  to get the ball to lamptey every time and rely on him to get to the line. Target put a couple of reducers on him in the first half and had him in his pocket for the rest of the game, so much so Lamptey was hooked about 75mins.
Ramsey was really busy but continues to hang on to the ball for too long, if he could knock it first time we would look so much more fluent. Ings has got to fight hard now for a shirt. Will he be up for it or did he just move for one last big payday?

[Ads]

Atmosphere will be flat with a game like that. Brighton are so fucking dull.

[Monty]

I thought there were times where we clearly were moving better off the ball in midfield, making more angles and options than before, and the was definitely an emphasis on taking fewer touches before the pass. Also, notable absence of hopeless long punts and long throws.

The new coaching team has only had the players for three full days of work, so we can't expect miracles just yet - and indeed, I thought it was interesting how well they started each half after SG had had donne minutes to remind them what to do before falling back into some older habits. Overall though, I thought there were some really encouraging signs.

[supertom]

There must have been a general nervousness in the crowd too. It's the kind of game you want/need to win. SG's first. 5 losses on the spin. Then Brighton take the sting out the game and keep the crowd subdued.

The ground will be rocking next time we're back at VP.

[Risso]

Yes, the lack of long throws and MacPhee tear arsing round the place was quite noticeable.

[mrfuse]

I thought it was a proper professional performance.

I know its tough to watch Brighton outplay you in a possession sense, but Gerrard had clearly done his homework as no doubt he had watched the Liverpool Brighton game.
Liverpool fell into the trap of losing their shape as they got frustrated by Brighton keeping the ball so well.

As another poster mentioned, Brighton wanted us to get pulled out wide, we refused.

I could be wrong but on corners did we man mark and but leave Mings as the free defender to attack the ball? If that was the plan Mings did it brilliantly.

Thought Target deserves a mention as he was getting a bit of stick on here but played well against a tough opponent. I like the work rate of Ings and Ollie but its not quite working. I trust Gerrard to either get it working or drop one or the other and currently for me it would be Ings.

[olaftab]

The ground will be rocking next time we're back at VP.

The atmosphere was crap largely due to the stifling set up and football of the opposition.

Plus, they're a no mark club and it's hard to get worked up playing them.

Yes indeed Wednesday 1 December could be interesting. I wonder who's popping back to town if he's not too busy with his media stuff?

[Lastfootstamper]

Yes, the lack of long throws and MacPhee tear arsing round the place was quite noticeable.

A noticeable difference from recent times, I don't recall seeing any of the coaches come out of the hutch to join Gerrard pitchside while the game was playing.