Aston Villa v Bologna Post-Match Thread

[Nev]

Creeping ever closer to being ok.

Torres was excellent, the line was good as well. SJM and Kamara were fab.

Marlon was ok and Guessand had some good moments.

Rogers looks like he's trying too hard but he's been gash for ages so that's what led to the sarcasm. No, it doesn't help, I cringed but in the list of blame for our malaise this season, the fans are way down the line.

[DB]

Guessand was not as bad as people are making out.

Really? I’m struggling to think of anything intentional that he executed successfully during the game.

What are you talking about?

He broke through on goal early in the first half, only to be denied by a strong save from the keeper. Later he skipped past two defenders and delivered a dangerous cross that Ollie almost turned into a shot, before it was scrambled away for a corner. His hold-up play under pressure was decent at times, and he worked hard tracking back. Yes, he faded a bit in the second half, but I think some of the criticism he’s had on here is harsh—especially when players like Rogers were well below par.

He was not good. He tracked back yes, but failed.to stop at least 3 crosses coming in. He just doesn't look good.enough going fwd, ran into players and lost it. Rather have Bailey back as nothing I have seen this season tells me he is an upgrade....but let's see.

[Gareth]

We won!! Most important thing.

Decent first half, not so great 2nd half…created more chances tonight and worked their keeper a bit which was progress.

Kamara, Torres and Maatsen good…Malen did ok at holding the ball up first half.  Guessand did a couple of nice things but doesn’t look particularly of the set up yet.

Referee….let a lot of obvious fouls go

Ironically cheering one of our own players making a pass was pretty pathetic, using the Bronte scale 3/10 for those.  Hopefully they won’t be whinging about loyalty if he leaves next summer

Rogers is still a young player in terms of top level experience, he is having a blip as they all do and did (Jack / Giggs / Rooney / Gerrard) but tonight he wanted the ball constantly wasnt hiding but his distribution was poor but it was for Unai to take him off.

[MillerBall]

Neither side was remotely impressive and thank heavens  we were not playing one of the European Giants who would have been far more ruthless in front of goal than Our visitors tonight.
A welcome win but there  are clearly some problems in the squad and the next two home games will give us a good indication of whether or not this is a temporary blip or a long-term malaise.
Villa are unimpressive at best so far this season so a big improvement is needed quickly

[Halfway to Moseley]

It’s a win but I’m not so sure it’s an improvement, Bologna were pretty poor.

There were glimpses of promise in the first half but we were dreadful after the break and the subs seemed to make us worse.

It’s painful watching Rogers at the moment - utterly bizarre that Emery won’t give him a break, for his own sake as much as the team’s.

Watkins looks so low in confidence - scoring the pen would have helped but I fear missing in the manner he did has made things much worse.

It’s early days on Guessand but at this stage it looks like he doesn’t possess an X factor that makes a successful premier league forward - he’s not quick, not powerful and not particularly skilful. He’s just…there.

[eamonn]

These twazzocks ramble about Villa being stale like bread with green bits...

[Sexual Ealing]

Why would you do that to yourself?

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

I don't need to hear O'Hara or Cundy's view on anything, unless it's if they're talking about how each other is a dipshit. You couldn't find me a more off-putting thumbnail.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

Is Cundy doing phone-ins from the lav?

[andyh]

I thought Kamara was back to his very best tonight. An excellent performance.

I feel for Rogers. The kid has obviously been struggling for months and his confidence is shot to shit.
So what’s the best option, keep playing him, game after game after awful game and hope he plays through it, or take him out of the firing line for a few weeks ?

My ire from tonight is saved for Malen.
I thought he was absolutely dreadful.
Always a second behind the act that was actually needed.
Slow to shoot, slow to make a clinical pass, on his heels when receiving a pass.

Christ knows how much we are paying the bloke, but whatever it is, it is wasted on him.

[eamonn]

Sorry, this is better. Stan Petrov and Dicky Dunne have their say on Dublin TV:

[Matt C]

It was better wasn’t it? Far from perfect, but better. Green shoots, I’ll take it.

[Pat McMahon]

We played pretty well for the first 20 or so. After that, not so much.

Just got home and that is pretty much my view. I’ve seen the stats on the way home and backed up my thoughts that Bologna should have got something from the game.

The defence were generally ok but creatively we were poor. I never felt we’d get a second, not even with the penalty, so it was nervy.

Shit drive home too. Thank god it’s Friday tomorrow

[kippaxvilla2]

We are unbeaten in four.

[Hillbilly]

The highlights I watched seemed to show Torres looking away as Watkins set up to take the penalty. Almost like he knew.