Aston Villa v Tottenham Post Match Wake.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

An improved 1st half on recent performances, but ultimately embarrassing for us.
After today's events I know who'd I'd rather a half time team talk from.
In May last year we beat these easily 2-1 at their ground with Villa even taking the piss by bringing on 2 debutants (Carney and JPB)
11 months on and both teams have different managers.
We chose to scour the spl for ours. They chose after a blip to appoint Conte and we are where we are; not even within touching distance again of a team who have won f-ck all in f-ck knows how many years.
Not good enough Villa today or in general.

[Taylor]

I'm sorry, but today showed the difference between having a top manager like Conte and having a PR stunt appointment like Gerrard.  Spurs were under the cosh for virtually the whole first half, so he changes it.  Gerrard's response?  Rabbit in the headlights.  He's got to go.

This is where I am

Where?

[Legion]

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/12586706/aston-villa-0-4-tottenham-hotspur-premier-league-highlights

[eamonn]

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It's tough - the scoreline is harsh on us, but it's the reality and we have to accept that. I have to accept it - I'm responsible. The story of the game certainly wasn't a 4-0 game.

"It's the first time in football I've gone off at half-time 1-0 down and been really happy and proud, we were magnificent, we didn't take our chances but at half-time I said if we can continue this I have no doubt we get back into the game. The second half it flipped, Spurs' quality players made it about our backline and they punished us really heavily.

"Analysing the first goal, a long straight ball we could've defended that better, they got a bit of luck but they're ruthless in front of goal. To be 1-0 down at half-time was against the run of play, we were outstanding and the chances we've created against a top side is enough to win two or three games.

"We asked them to maintain that at half-time and we tried, we talk about defending the area around 18-yard box and Spurs punished us heavily in that area.

"We've got time - I don't know if that's a good thing, you want the next game quickly after a defeat like that which stings but I've got to pick the players up and be ready for the next game. I want us to remember that first half, we have a lot to learn and defensively in the second half we have even more to learn."

[KevinGage]

Good teams don't get beat 4 zip at home like that.

We've gone from turning these sort of sides over last season to full on Lamberk.

[andyh]

We are as far away from breaking into the top ‘x’ as we ever were. We are fucking miles away from them.
At least under smith you felt could win against the ‘big boys’ which we frequently did.

Under this bloke we just alway look like the plucky underdog.

No doubt ‘it’s on him and he knows what he needs to do to develop our identity’….again!

[Steve67]

Clearly, we don't have enough players in the squad to make wholesale changes, especially when Sanson, Bailey and Traore can't be trusted any more than the clowns who played today.  I'm not sure what has happened to Ezri Konsa this season but he has not warranted the game time he's been given.  I appreciate that Young made a tit of himself when he got booked, but this is exactly what Konsa needs to do every so often.  He was owned by Kane and showed him far too much respect.  The headers, or non-challenges he put in were absolutely crap and someone said in the match thread that he should have been taken off to make a point, I agree.  Too many players go missing when we fall behind, although first half we showed some mettle but when the second goal went in, too many were all anonymous.   Steven Gerrard should be asked a simple question: before we give you a shitload of money, can you make the players you have any better?  On the evidence I have seen so far, I think he hasn't.  Consistency is key here, the first half, we were very good, but the second half was woeful.  The only consistent thing about Villa at the moment is the fans, sell outs every game. Does this current team and Manager deserve that?

[clash city rocker]

We got hammered at home to spuds...no fuckin positives just 4-0... not one fuckin positive from that scoreline

[brontebilly]

That second half looked like the the second half of a manager about to lose his job.

He’s clearly not - but fuck me that was poor second half

The players need to take a lot of responsibility - but to me if you team is less then the sum of its parts there’s something wrong and I think that’s where we are.

I thought we went all out far too early in the second half. That third goal was the kind you might see in a cup knockout game in the last minute when a team has pushed everyone forward. The last one nearly as bad.

Thought first half was nearly best we played all season. But our defensive shape is hopeless. Four defenders playing as individuals. Balance of midfield clearly not right as has been the case all season.

[Ads]

Box to box, the better side. Where it counts, they were incredibly clinical and Lloris makes numerous saves.

At no point did we come under sustained pressure, so its disappointing yer again that the centre of our defence gave up chances, which Spurs grabbed.

The timing of the 2nd goal was a bust. Mings has to get closer and doesn't. I think that was part of the thinking with the 3rd, as there was no need to go and engage Kane.

We have to take chances. 19 shots, 11 on target. It has to be better. Its strategic, its structural. Its recruitment. Mings, Luiz, Watkins. That's not a spine we can rely upon.

[Beard82]

I'm sorry, but today showed the difference between having a top manager like Conte and having a PR stunt appointment like Gerrard.  Spurs were under the cosh for virtually the whole first half, so he changes it.  Gerrard's response?  Rabbit in the headlights.  He's got to go.

This is where I am

Where?

That today we saw the difference between a top manager and a PR stunt.

Don’t agree that he has to go - but think we have seen why maybe we could of looked a bit harder to find our next appointment

[dorsetvillian]

On the long journey home trying to work out what just happened. I was very pressed by Villa first half. Apart from the Konsa header we battered them without the goal(s) we deserved. Spurs struggled to get out of their half. It was just the type of front foot , aggressive home performance I want to see. The 2nd goal killed us and then we fell apart. Spurs were clinical 2nd half and looked Champions League standard.Oh well,  At least the traffic is good as most fans seemed to leave at 3-0. Onwards to Leicester next week.

[villadelph]

I know it comes with the territory but my lord am I tired of feeling like crap 20 weekends out of the year.

[LeonW]

Box to box, the better side. Where it counts, they were incredibly clinical and Lloris makes numerous saves.

At no point did we come under sustained pressure, so its disappointing yer again that the centre of our defence gave up chances, which Spurs grabbed.

The timing of the 2nd goal was a bust. Mings has to get closer and doesn't. I think that was part of the thinking with the 3rd, as there was no need to go and engage Kane.

We have to take chances. 19 shots, 11 on target. It has to be better. Its strategic, its structural. Its recruitment. Mings, Luiz, Watkins. That's not a spine we can rely upon.

I agree with Ads here. I don’t at all think the scoreline was an accurate reflection of the game. Their finishing was that of a side at a higher level then us which is exactly where Spurs are at the moment. I couldn’t have any complaints about the first half in terms of attitude and application. If only we had that every week.

We’ve currently got players who have been good servants in getting us to be a mid table premier league team and I think the club has made good progress over the past few years in particular compared to the previous decade. But if we want to push on, these servants either need to become back ups or are moved on.

[Percy McCarthy]

On the long journey home trying to work out what just happened. I was very pressed by Villa first half.

So were Spurs.