Chelsea 3 Aston Villa 0 Post Match Thread.

[VillaTim]

It’s not true he can’t defend - he’s not a big physical presence, but he can defend fine. I keep saying it, but it is the midfield that’s killing us (+ the lack of means to change style).

He can't . The stats don't lie. He's a huge issue as a central defender in the EPL .

[brontebilly]

It’s not true he can’t defend - he’s not a big physical presence, but he can defend fine. I keep saying it, but it is the midfield that’s killing us (+ the lack of means to change style).

It's certainly a problem and a huge drop off when Luiz/Kamara were playing there last season. But when very average forwards like Mateta, Jimenez etc are clearly dropping onto Torres to bully him then it doesn't matter if prime Roy Keane was in our midfield. Again Mings, if fit, would be far more comfortable defending in that scenario.

I think Torres confidence has been rocking since his nightmare at Spurs, even with his touch and passing which is normally elite. No harm to step out for a few games.

[brontebilly]

Why doesn't Watkins square that first chance for a tap in? Carlos esque defending by the Chelsea defender that simply had to be punished.

3 very good goals scored by Chelsea with really quick passing and movement doing us. Cash could get tighter for the first cross but he's left 2 on 1 after Jaden lost the tackle. Konsa blaming Torres but if anything Konsa should be taking responsibility at front post. No screen in front of our centre backs for the second and third. Cash dragged into a position he shouldn't be to deal with Fernandes (Kamara MIA), Bailey half hearted tackle for third.

[darren woolley]

Shocking performance today.

[HolteL4]

Duran has scored some nice goals but offers a lot less to the team than Watkins. It might be time to give Watkins a rest but it’s crazy to suggest Duran is the better player. A better finisher? Sure, but so was Danny Ings.

We haven’t been in good form for most of this season, but most of the games could have turned out differently with one or two balls falling a bit differently for either side or a bit more clinical finishing. That’s probably true of last season too and perhaps things just went our way more often.

It’s deeply frustrating as with such a tight league we can still stay in the mix if we hit a bit of form. But it feels like a chance to qualify for a second consecutive champions league campaign is starting to slip away, and with it perhaps a generational chance at empire building.

You say games would turn out different if we'd been more clinical but dismiss our more clinical striker Duran and say Watkins who needs multiple chances to get 1 goal offers more. I like Watkins effort but no team is fighting at the top of the premier league has Watkins as their lead striker, that's the real reason no one has been sniffing around Watkins

[eamonn]

It feels as if Watkins is expected to score every chance he gets. The fact is he doesn't see an awful lot of the ball and some of his chances are self-generated so I'm not going to criticise him too much. Haaland and Salah miss a fair few, they just get fed a lot more.

The problem with starting Durán is that in the few times he has played from the beginning, he's been average at best. His qualities are his unpredictable playing off the cuff which unsettles defences, his powerful shots and his aerial ability. If he can be coached to have more awareness tactically, maybe you dull his strengths.

If clubs are offering daft money in January and we can use the money get in a winger with pace and another striker, I'd seriously consider it.

[Villatillidie1982]

We’re not making a top 4 spot and we’re not making a Conference spot either. I’ve never seen as much effort trying to gift the opposition goals. Dreadful. Only Digne looked up for it.

Cant blame Watkins or Konsa either.

Watkins had 2 chances that he would have put away last season.

[Accent Guy]

We were never likely to get anything from this game regardless but to shoot ourselves in the face like we did by:

Starting Jaden
The back pass
Emi's brainfart
Ollie missing sitters.

Without those we were up against it but with all that nonsense we were lambs to the slaughter.

It was the wrong fixture at the wrong time and we all knew it. Need to find some home form now.

[JJ-AV]

Tielemans should move further forward and Rogers out wide. Takes the pressure off Rogers who can just focus on running at people, and the defensive responsibility off Tielemans.

Cash Konsa Mings Digne
Kamara - Onana
McGinn Tielemans Rogers
Watkins

[PaulWinch again]

It’s not true he can’t defend - he’s not a big physical presence, but he can defend fine. I keep saying it, but it is the midfield that’s killing us (+ the lack of means to change style).

He can't . The stats don't lie. He's a huge issue as a central defender in the EPL .

And I’ll say it again, was he playing when we had our outstanding run that ultimately got us a Champions League place? He’s not a major problem at all. He’s not perfect, but he has literally demonstrated he can be a key part of a side that was competing at the top of the league.

The difference is, as I keep saying, the midfield functioned then and it doesn’t now. Also a secondary part is we had Diaby who enabled us to play in a different way. But he’s another player you were at the front of the queue to call useless I think, and then touting Philogene as an upgrade. Still you might be right I suppose…

[RamboandBruno]

It’s not true he can’t defend - he’s not a big physical presence, but he can defend fine. I keep saying it, but it is the midfield that’s killing us (+ the lack of means to change style).

He can't . The stats don't lie. He's a huge issue as a central defender in the EPL .

And I’ll say it again, was he playing when we had our outstanding run that ultimately got us a Champions League place? He’s not a major problem at all. He’s not perfect, but he has literally demonstrated he can be a key part of a side that was competing at the top of the league.

The difference is, as I keep saying, the midfield functioned then and it doesn’t now. Also a secondary part is we had Diaby who enabled us to play in a different way. But he’s another player you were at the front of the queue to call useless I think, and then touting Philogene as an upgrade. Still you might be right I suppose…

Paul, you make some really good points, in particular about the midfield, which I largely agree with. However, you’re up against it here, there are a handful of posters who believe what they believe, currently Torres and Watkins are shit and to blame for most of our current problems and they are not going to change their mind whatever well structured points you make.

[The Edge]

All those teams we'd started to beat regularly like Spurs and Chelsea but it feels like normal business resumed now. What an underwhelming first few months. The club is only interested in hospitality and fleecing the fans while on the pitch we look completely devoid of ideas and energy again. I've missed this misery.

We were having this discussion in the pub after the game. Obviously you can't blame Chris Heck for our on field problems but his decisions ever since arriving at Villa Park have taken away a lot of the euphoria that was building around the club. Cancelling the NS rebuild and forcing people to give up long held ST's in the NS lower was just the start. The ticketing prices for the European Cup nights is another. The Social was packed with Villa fans watching the game on telly for the Juve game and there was plenty of seats going begging in the ground. That just can't be right. I'm not into scapegoating and as i said previously he's not to blame for the current bad run but he's a public relations nightmare and that isn't helping in my humble opinion.

[Demitri_C]

The problem is rambo watkins consistent misses are costly us dear this season. Spurs for example has a geeat opportunity to put us two up misses, then we get battered 4-1. 2 up im sure we would have gone in to win the game. Same against arsenal  liverpool and yesterday

As for pau very hit and miss at the moment. But i think collectively as a whole defensive ly we have been rubbish all year in the league

[john e]

There isn’t good options on the bench for most of the out of form players
There is for Watkins

he’s not to blame for all our ills but we have one of the best young strikers in Europe on the bench
that’s the difference between him and the other players not playing to their levels

[The Edge]

McGinn sums it up for me, the biggest asset he has is tenacity, always being involved and being a little fighter. I saw non of that today, he appeared to be going through the motions and you have to expect more from the captain. Rogers is so poor at the moment it's like playing with ten men and Philogene... what's the point in playing him.

I can't remember the last time I saw McGinn use his Kung Fu arse technique.