Aston Villa 2 Brighton 2 Post Match Thread.

[Bobby Boy]

A mixed bag of a game. Thought we played some lovely stuff at times but other times looked extremely vulnerable.

The main thing is pretty much as many on here have said in that some of our players, Tielemans particularly, looked out on their feet just after an hour and changes were crying out to be made. I don't know why Emery waited as long as he did to make them. Cost us.

Ollie still isn't himself. He took the penalty well and was cool for Rogers' goal but he looks indecisive and lacking in confidence. That one on one  towards the end when he took so long that he almost seemed to want to be tackled kind of summed up his lack of belief at present.

Still, an enjoyable game to end the year and really enjoyed another fine performance from Morgan Rogers.

[PaulTheVillan]

Watkins lack of killer instinct was one of the reasons we didn’t win that game.

We need a right footed Digne at RB.

Some serious work needed on our central defence. I think the players are good enough, it’s either the role they’re asked to play or the system that’s causing the problems. I think Mings did improve us when he came on.

[ChicagoLion]

As much as Tim, and some others, steadfastly stick to the view there is a single combination of defensive players that fix our issues, there just isn’t. That’s not to say Mings isn’t a good player - but all of the defensive players have shown they can play to a good level in the Premier League. It gets dismissed, because it was last year but Pau, DC, Konsa, and Cash were all playing when we were really good last year. The issue is that since then the whole defensive system, across the team has collapsed. You can spin up all the narratives around Pau or whoever you want (Mings will be next in a few weeks when he’s made some errors) but basically the system is exposing individual flaws/errors rather than accentuating strengths. Shuffling deck chairs won’t meaningfully change it, beyond some incremental short-term changes. Unai has to work out a way to get the team defending as a team rather than a group of disjointed individuals.

I agree, it is the way the team is set up and opposing teams have worked us out.
Although the problem at RB is too obvious to ignore, with either Konsa or Cash.

[Clampy]

Watkins lack of killer instinct was one of the reasons we didn’t win that game.

We need a right footed Digne at RB.

Some serious work needed on our central defence. I think the players are good enough, it’s either the role they’re asked to play or the system that’s causing the problems. I think Mings did improve us when he came on.

Agree with all that. I didnt think we we were that bad overall but we really needed that third goal because you just knew they were going to score again. They pressed us really well in the early stages then seemed to tire a little which got us back into it. Judging by some of the comments, you think we had lost but it one we really should have won.

[stevo_st]

Subs were too late. Should have responded to their three subs much sooner.
Thought Konsa was okay up until Mitoma came on.
Watkins did well playing off the last man, chance at the end was a difficult one, but the header before it looked like he should have done better with.
McGinn was shit on the right, wonder if it would have been better bringing on Philogene on for Bailey to keep the shape better.
Hope Pau isn’t out for too long

McGinn wasn’t shit at all, one of our best players on the night

McGinn was ineffective on the right and we lost a lot when we moved him away from the center for the last 10 mins. I wonder if we would have been better off brining on Philogene for Bailey rather than JJ and shuffling the midfield around to accommodate.

[Demitri_C]

Our home is whats keeping us in with a shout as our away forms been woeful - but even now we are dropping points at home to teams we should be beating like brighton.

It also feels like we have to score 3 or 4 a game to win a game now as we seem to concede so many goals. Poor ones too.

The gaps just increasing from the top 5. Newcastle and forest look so much better than us

[Clampy]

It's a bit harsh criticising a player who had a really good game though.

[jwarry]

Our home is whats keeping us in with a shout as our away forms been woeful - but even now we are dropping points at home to teams we should be beating like brighton.

It also feels like we have to score 3 or 4 a game to win a game now as we seem to concede so many goals. Poor ones too.

The gaps just increasing from the top 5. Newcastle and forest look so much better than us

How can you say that?  Forest were lucky to beat us and we suffered from pathetic refereeing on both games.  There is no way then are both better than us, then are both just having a run of confidence which will disappear as quickly as it came

[VillaTim]

The way we.fade in the last 15 mins of games is concerning. Fitness issues ? Think we've conceded more goals in this period than any other Prem team.

[stevo_st]

McGinn 8/10 playing CAM and 5/10 playing Right Wing offering no support to Konsa against Mitoma, presumably because he was knackered and fresh legs would have been better against a pacy player.

Is that better?

[Demitri_C]

Our home is whats keeping us in with a shout as our away forms been woeful - but even now we are dropping points at home to teams we should be beating like brighton.

It also feels like we have to score 3 or 4 a game to win a game now as we seem to concede so many goals. Poor ones too.

The gaps just increasing from the top 5. Newcastle and forest look so much better than us

How can you say that?  Forest were lucky to beat us and we suffered from pathetic refereeing on both games.  There is no way then are both better than us, then are both just having a run of confidence which will disappear as quickly as it came

They are second in the table  as it stands eight points better than us. You cant say thats a fluke or lucky. Even with bad referring you cant blame anyone but ourselves  for that forest loss. The collapse was pathetic  in that game.  Newcastle  are in form and look strong they lookd defensively better than us and score a lot of goals. Half way in the season as it stands they both look better than us.

Even if their confidence does drop ours has to get better. We cant win away from home, we cant keep clean sheets and we miss so many chances. There is a hell of a lot of work to be done to finish above both of them.furthermore we have players adding nothing to us, buendia, philiogene being prime examples

[RamboandBruno]

McGinn 8/10 playing CAM and 5/10 playing Right Wing offering no support to Konsa against Mitoma, presumably because he was knackered and fresh legs would have been better against a pacy player.

Is that better?

Fair enough. Im not sure what the alternative would of been though. We have to get Ramsey back in this side for his energy and direct running, but Philogene certainly hasn’t shown anything. As you say McGinn may have done better for than last 15 if he wasn’t knackered.

It may well be Bailey right, Ramsey left on Saturday against Leicester.

[dorsetvillian]

None of our summer signings started last night which tells it's own story. We all thought having Kamara back would help solve some of our defensive problems. He has played really well in each game yet still we concede 2 or 3 every game. Surely it just has to be Onana and Kamara as a double pivot in front of a back four with Konsa as a centre half alongside Mings.

[olaftab]

Defenders needed urgently. 

Err...NO. If you were there last night you would have noticed that It was our attackers and Ollie in particular who were responsible for some abject finishing when found in great positions. If forwards keep fluffing it there is always a chance that opposition will get a lucky break.

[RamboandBruno]

None of our summer signings started last night which tells it's own story. We all thought having Kamara back would help solve some of our defensive problems. He has played really well in each game yet still we concede 2 or 3 every game. Surely it just has to be Onana and Kamara as a double pivot in front of a back four with Konsa as a centre half alongside Mings.

With Torres now out for a few months, I think Unai’s hand will be forced in regards to Mings and Konsa.
Agree about Onana and Kamara, but God Onana had a poor cameo last night, but do agree with those two in general.
I posted on the Maatsen thread, it seems really strange to suggest this, given Digne has been one of our best performers this season, but when Emery came a large element of the sides structure and attacking thrust was built around the Moreno/Ramsey partnership on the left, with Moreno bombing forwards and overlapping. I think Emery seems to have abandoned to an extent that lop sided defence, i think because of Dignes form. But I think we’ve lost something because of it. I’d therefore be tempted to throw Maatsen in for the next two or three games.