Aston Villa v Sunderland Post-Match Thread

[Somniloquism]

I haven't yet found the courage to watch the highlights, but my impression at the time was that Sunderland's second goal was the result of some terrible sideways passing that left Sancho in a pickle that was not of his making. The ire with Sancho is purely down to his absolute aversion to being on the receiving end of anything resembling a tackle.

Both Emi and Cash could have played longer balls, however Cash's ball to Sancho was decent though and a bit of control with it would have meant more options. However his first touch was heavy, he bottled the recovery challenge which their player did as well, however that player managed to touch it to the side for the one who was pressing Sancho to run onto unchallenged. So unlike Emery I do lay the main issue there on Sancho who could have controlled better, challenged stonger or just tripped the player but did none of that.

However for the equaliser, the challenge on him was very well timed and well executed to come out with the ball.

[eye digress]

For their second goal Emi should have cleared, Cash is marked and back-pedalling, he signals to Emi to boot it who doesn’t. Mings points for it to go long too. Sancho to be fair runs deep to help out but has the bad touch. The weird one is Konsa, who for some reason ran off the pitch, then charged to the ball when Sancho mis controlled leaving a gigantic hole that Hume strolls into.

In that sequence, rather than beat the press we walked into the trap, as each out pass got harder, making the subsequent pass of poorer quality (and more easily readable), and so on. Sancho's touch was poor (it would have needed to be immaculate) but there is genuinely some shared blame there, as Unai pointed out.

[LeeB]

I will say also, their manager is worth keeping an eye on. He's got them up picking up the pieces from Gerrard's brains trust, and then fashioned a very decent team out of a seemingly random assembly of signings a division up, who play in an interesting and not obvious way, and clearly buy into what he wants. I've not heard too much from him but when I have he's impressed me as well.

[VILLA MOLE]

I will say also, their manager is worth keeping an eye on. He's got them up picking up the pieces from Gerrard's brains trust, and then fashioned a very decent team out of a seemingly random assembly of signings a division up, who play in an interesting and not obvious way, and clearly buy into what he wants. I've not heard too much from him but when I have he's impressed me as well.

Sorry what does that mean please ?