Aston Villa vs Chelsea Post-Match Thread

[BC Villain]

Can see a number of departures over the next six months.  About a third of that squad is simply not good enough if we're serious about kicking on.

[LeonW]

We’ve played Chelsea 3 times this season and that was their easiest win of the 3. Mendy had almost nothing to do from anything we did. In the away league game he was man of the match.  Thought our final third play was poor all round today. 

[SoccerHQ]

Think some serious questions need to asked about our summer business.  I guess you can’t expect everyone of our signings on come off immediately - but for all 3 of our signings to look like a mistake after half a season isn’t really very good.

Ings is a complete flop, poorly scouted and will never fit our style of play. Feel sorry for him. Buendia I had huge hopes for but particularly against the better teams he looks completely lost. Yard short in every facet of his play, so disappointed with him so far. Bailey unfit and disinterested in an admittedly few horror appearances. Replaced Grealish with those three!

Yet we're still top half with more potential to grow in next six months.

I think we've got a decent chance of finishing above West Ham and they're 7th currently so might be a bit over ambitious but that will be Gerrard's mentality even if we're a long way from finished article which games like tonight show.

Yes we’re still doing well and think maybe top 10 or even top 8 is where we should be.  My point is more that last year we spent similar money and transformed the team - this year - the players we haven’t spent haven’t taken us any further forward.  I know we lost Joe - but can we honestly say any of them are any better then Barkley - he won us a few games last year.

Ramsey has been like having a new signing this year - but if we want to get better we can’t afford to get too many big purchases wrong.  Particularly when we talk so much about how amazingly well thought out all our transfer business is

Ings is wrong fit, no argument there.

Think Buendia has roughly been same level as Barkley, just one of those we massively overpaid for but that's been case for domestic players last 15 years.

Think Bailey will come good eventually, proven in top league and talented and I'd really like to see him in the team with the quick one touch football we're now playing.

It takes time. Spurs did similar in 2013 when they sold Bale and signed 5-6. Many were flops but likes of Eriksen over time became key and they had breakthrough players in other positions.

Top 10 will be more than good enough for me this season and that looked a pipedream six weeks ago.

[itmustbe_it is!]

We had our trousers pulled down big time with Ings. A stupid panic buy, an utter waste of time and money.

Didn’t we just, what makes it worse is all the pundits were saying what a great signing it was.

To be fair at the time a lot of us were saying what a great signing it was

[martin o`who??]

Did more than okay first half but bringing on Lukaku just took the game away from us. We couldn't handle him and their bench I would actually kill a close relative for so it was always going to be a big ask - particularly with SJM and Nakamba out as well. Oh well - onwards and upwards.....

[itmustbe_it is!]

Watkins is such a frustrating player. Gets into good positions but makes bad decisions more often than not.

I think this is highlighted when he plays wider. In front of goal his decisions are more straightforward

[rougegorge]

We were decent in the first half, but I knew Tuchel would change it.  Chalobah was lost and bringing Lukaku on was a huge change though we seemed to freeze just by him being on the pitch and made bad decisions.

We'd probably have won if we could have brought someone like that on, but our subs had very little impact today. We started the second half so slowly and let them build a passing rhythm.

We never really looked like getting back into it once we trailed and ended up rather like we did before Gerrard started. I can't help thinking that if he'd been on the touchline, we would have done a better job in the second half.

[levico]

It’s pretty much all been said really but did. like what we were trying to do in the first half. Against lesser opposition a number of the through balls would have been successful. I’m sure SG will be thinking that we need to nudge up the overall quality of our players.

[dorsetvillian]

Thought we played well first half. More than matched Chelsea. Lukkaku changed the game. Disappointed with how Ming's seemed to fall to pieces in the second half. Maybe missed Gerrard on the touchline. Met Frank of this parish in Warwick Services on way home. Very foggy drive. Hopefully all get home safely.

[charleeco7]

They’ve better players than us. We had a go but not enough quality and Watkins  plays centre forward or not at all. Sanson could be some player.

[brontebilly]

Watching back their third goal, Konsa was a bit unlucky for the penalty. Looked a dive in truth. Embarrassing effort from Targett before it to stop Lukaku. Take the yellow and make sure you stop him.

[richtheholtender]

I thought the front three did OK first half but in the second half they were quiet. If Watkins is being played through the centre then it is the responsibility of the wide players to create for him. When he is on the wing his role changes and he needs to come to terms with that. He might not like it but it is what it is. I think alot of criticism is going ings way when it shouldn't, if he was missing clear cut chances then fair enough but he isn't. I do get the impression that when asked to play on the wing ollies heart just isn't in it and that's why the "both of them can't play together" thing comes in. I do agree that ideally it's one or the other and I do believe that is the intention but while we have the injuries we have, he needs to park it and do a job.

My other concern is Carney, I think he and the club to be fair are wrong in where they think this kid is. Just my opinion but he needs to stop believing the hype, sign a new deal, get out on loan somewhere and play 30-40 games. Turning to him to influence games  especially those against city and Chelsea just to keep him sweet isn't the one.

Someone pointed out to me today that they thought we missed SJM but I actually think we missed marvellous which meant the ones replacing SJM couldn't do so. This brings to light again that despite improving a great deal we still really need a holding midfielder.

[ChicagoLion]

To get anything from Chelsea you need the whole team putting 7 out of 10 performances and cut out mistakes.
Ings looks like his legs have gone and on a few occasions he was in the box with the ball he was awful. Cash was pretty shit and looked like a converted winger from a mid tier championship team. Mings not challenging Lukaku in the air for his goal was just pathetic and he looked like his head was coming off again.
Buendia totally ineffective.
I really wish we had not spunked the greasy money so badly.

[Dave P]

If we play like that against anybody outside the top 4 or 5, we run out comfortable winners in my opinion.

[clash city rocker]

Disappointed but not despondent.  Our preparation for the game was far from ideal. At least even against the top teams these days you know we will have a go. Get Gerrard back on the sideline and everyone fit and we can still finish in a decent position