OH DEAR, OH DEAR!
I’m writing this article whilst coming back from the King Power Stadium.
It all should have been so very different having been 2-0 up. A comfortable three points from a classy away showing by the boys in claret and blue.
After 65-70 minutes I found myself drifting. Thinking about all the jubilant superlatives I’d saved up on the back of a performance just like this. Twelves minutes later I wanted the ground to swallow me up whole as “2-0 and you f*cked it up” rang loud and potently clear. Several minutes after that it got even worse.
Where did it all go wrong?
Well Tim, the changes of personnel weren’t the most thought out, were they?
Carles Gil had just buried a splendid second goal for us and saw himself immediately hauled off for the hapless Jordan Ayew. Sherwood may come out and say that this was too early for Gil to complete the full ninety after a couple of knocks but, to be honest, he had looked at ease until that point. Fast forward five minutes and Carlos Sanches appeared to be blowing out of his backside. My point: sit on what you have for a few minutes – what with confidence at max capacity – and see how your opponents react.
The Foxes got quickly got back into the game and at 2-1 we looking vulnerable. The defence dropping deeper-and-deeper which is only natural but worsened by the fact that Sanchez was getting beat far too easily through the middle. Fresh legs centrally in Veretout would have nipped this in the bud. Instead Gabby was replaced with Gestede. Cling on to what we’ve got time and knock the ball forward forty-sixty yards in blind panic. That’s the message you’re sending out to the troops. It was the wrong way to go about it.
The equaliser well and truly knocked the stuffing out of us. If it wasn’t already feeling like a defeat… well that’s what it was on minute 89 as Nathan Dyer notched a debut winner. That’s right – a 5ft 5″ winger rising high from twelve yards out.
Once again Brad Guzan’s decision making is thrust into the limelight. Come and win the ball or stay on your line for what surely would have been a comfortable save.
Clueless. Gutless. Pointless.
If the Albion game didn’t have enough riding on it as a derby game alone, after this capitulation, the pressure to go get a result has intensified paramount. Nothing more than a full compliment of points will do.
As I mentioned a few weeks ago a small section of supporters have already began to sound out Sherwood – regardless of transitional period and players needing time to gel – because of his abominable tactical thought-process, his reluctance to not tinker with shape and adapt to on-the-pitch proceedings whilst then also making some questionable substitutions. Ones that certainly don’t make much sense to me stood in the stands watching the very same game as he is from the dugout.
Adding the Leicester game to both the Palace and Sunderland debacles then Villa could and probably should be sitting pretty on 10 points instead of four at this very early stage.
I find myself clinging onto a key sentence here, ‘at this very early stage.’ Regardless of our thoughts, perceptions and gripes it remains imperative that we stick with it. We can take motivation for the likes of our opposite number this past Saturday, Leicester were all but dead and buried come the back end of last season and now look at them. Absolutely flying.
There’s no reason why Villa can’t go on a similar run. We need to.
Chin up.
Up the Villa!
The Author
Ryan Pitcher
Windsor based, Lincoln born Holte End STH. Occasional writer when finding time away from the office. Eat, sleep and drink football. @RyanPitcher on Twitter.Comments 74
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Ryan,
“There’s no reason why Villa can’t go on a similar run”.
With all my heart, I really wish I could force myself to believe that might happen, but I think it highly unlikely.
Where do we go from here?
The short answer is: Into the bottom 3 and remaining there.
The simple way to beat Villa is to pressurise them, especially late in the game and every opposition manager knows this.
Game management is an art and Villa appear to have never heard of it judging by the number of points needlessly jettisoned in the last 10 minutes of a game.
No doubt somebody can find these damning statistics for last season. This season’s already make depressing viewing.
Anyway, there is no point in imagining that we could be level with Man Utd and Arsenal on 10 points because we are not. We got what we deserved in every case, which is why we have a measly 4 points from 5 games.
Tim Sherwood has to take a huge share of the blame for the debacle at Leicester with his inept substitutions.
The midfield was crying out for reinforcement to protect the defence, but it received absolutely nothing.
Instead, Ayew and Gestede were brought on which effectively made Villa play with 9 men at the Battle of the Alamo. Inept does not come close to describing those substitutions.
Ranieri was wrongly made out to be some sort of footballing management genius, whereas in reality Sherwood gifted him the match.
Later on BBC2 Sam Allardyce was very diplomatic in the way that he described Sherwood’s less than wonderful changes. Dreadful would have been more accurate.
Please don’t blame Sanchez. He worked his socks off and filled in for others, so no wonder he was tired. The square suicide ball he received from Bacuna resulted in a goal.
Richards also deserved praise for “putting out fires” all over the place.
Gil and Grealish are fine skilful ball players but they are also lightweight and easily brushed off the ball (also Westwood). Opposition midfielders have an easy job of dispossessing them.
What Sanchez and Villa really need is a decent defensive midfielder who can tackle.
As mentioned above, every opposition manager has got Villa sussed and this is the standard team talk:
“Okay lads, don’t worry if we give away a goal, or even two, because Villa will always crack late in the game. Just close them down and put them under pressure”.
Unless major changes are made with game management I do not give Villa hope of avoiding relegation.
Ryan
Nice write up, that capitulation sums our season and footballing nous up, we were 2-0 up with a healthy possession ration albeit playing on the break, then tactics Tim decides he wants to reinvent football and made all the wrong changes at all the wrong times, inviting further pressure on an already creaking, panicking team. Its not a one off under Sherwood either, its a pattern of actually not knowing what he is doing tactically and his reading of the game in front of his eyes is non existant. We have bought in alot of gambles, that in all honesty fans were getting excited because they were from the continent and had fancy names without knowing a great deal about them. They have cost a pretty penny(although not in the big boys league), but we havent actually replaced Bentekes goals or threat. The PL is a harsh envioroment and far faster and more physical than ligue 1, and our french imports are being found out on a weekly basis on many levels, sunday was all about desire and drive and we had none. Thats not to say some of our existing players are any better, we have a large squad, many of whom are not good enough for this level. For me Guzan, Bacuna(truly awful) Ayew (the new balaban), Clark, Westwood, Gabby, Hutton, Bunn, Baker, Gestede, Kozak, senderos are all suspect and no better than back up at the most(in some cases thats being very kind). Others like Vertout, Amavi, Gana, havent exactly hit the deck running(and may not this season) although Amavi has shown glimpses, but was woeful at the defensive part of his game yesterday. Add to this we still have crap like Nzogbia who we cant shift.
All in all I see nothing other than a relegation scrap going down to the wire, we may have brought in numbers but the same basic erroprs are there despite the personel changes, and we still lose alot more football matches than we win. Given that Ayew and Gestede wont score many between them (prob 6/7 all season in the league) and Gabby never scores, this trend of losing will continue, meaning we are no better than last season if not worse albeit for slightly different reasons and the managers vision ie Lambert overly negative Sherwood overly attacking at the wrong times. If we have 3 teams below us come d day i will be very surprised. We simply have to turn this around by being proactive, lose the two games against Sandwell Town and the Vermin next week and any credit that Sherwood had built up will be gone and the knives will be well and truly out.
UTV SOTC
Morning Ryan
the saddest thing I noticed is we had virtually no posts yesterday before the game and during the game, then when we lost the flood gates opened.
I’ve seen everyone but the tea lady blamed for what was basically Tims balls up. Even when we were winning in the first half you could see that Sanchez and Westwood operated separately as fire fighters. there was loads of space in midfield which Gil and Grealish enjoyed but the former 2 had to work hard to protect. Both full backs were under pressure with Bakuna looking likely to implode.
I predicted at half time Gil to make way and Vertoute to come on at 60 mins and couldn’t believe it when he made way for Ayew. I also said Ayew would come on for Gabby not Gestede who had no service to work off of and was completely the wrong call. At least Ayew had the threat of pace and made sense as a gabby replacement.
In his post match comment Ranieri the new special one said we basically went 6 up top!! a desperate ploy that opened the flood gates. I expect Tim was thinking knock it up to the big man for relief but totally neglected the midfield was gassed along with Bakuna and to some extent Amavi who had been chasing wingers all game. It smacks of poor reading of the game which worries me more than player deficiencies, although we got very lax in our passing especially Grealish.
That said Adama instead of Ayew could of sealed that game yesterday IMO and Gueye would certainly made a better partner for Sanchez in that role as Westy is just not athletic enough and never seems to Gel with Sanchez as a unit.
It was disappointing to say the least but not Armageddon yet
Quick word on a player that pretty much won the game for Leicester, the Algerian Chris Waddle
Mahrez, what a player this lad is. considering Amavi has had plenty of plaudits up to this point you might want cut him some slack considering the player he faced and shut out for 60 mins. You will hear a lot more about Mahrez this season just as Adama will make his name I think.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/leicester-city/11862450/Leicester-City-midfielder-Riyad-Mahrez-pulls-the-strings-in-comeback-against-Aston-Villa-at-King-Power-Stadium.html
Mark – you’ve just about neatly summed it up.
But for the life of me I cannot understand what this on-going debate is achieving. I think pretty well all of us are agreed already that the subs decisions were – to say the least – questionable, but up to that point there wasn’t much wrong, apart from Grealish acting as though he’s already won the game. How he gets 8 out of 10 from the ‘i’ newspaper baffles me. In the last 20 minutes he was totally out of it.
Ryan’s point: “a small section of supporters have already began to sound out Sherwood … because of his abominable tactical thought-process” unfortunately betrays the mentality of too many football fans. O’Dreary was blasted by the fans when he described them as “fickle”, but unfortunately too many are that.
Let’s get a grip … Villa lost a pulsating match to a team that are now second in the table and *we are* still above Chelsea!! But – neither of those situations are going to remain for too long, and the point here is that it’s only 5 (FIVE) matches into the season, and *nothing* is yet clear. All can change and most probably will.
Don’t let’s forget that we lost at the Palace and they (like Leicester) have been surprising everyone in the league this season. I think we’ve not done so badly: the league stats don’t tell the whole story i.m.o.
But TS *does* need to get real about his choice of subs – on that we must all be agreed.
worth a listen to from Tim, he mentioned the changes but plays down there importance hope he doesn’t really think that but there it is.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3232858/Leicester-3-2-Aston-Villa-Ritchie-Laet-Jamie-Vardy-Nathan-Dyer-complete-stunning-comeback-feisty-Midlands-derby.html
For me, the issue is with the opposition changing formation/tactics and Villa being unable to adapt.
How many games have Villa started the better, controlling the game etc, but a change made such as at Palace and now at Leicester and we go into panic mode and throw the game away.
Sure the subs don’t help, but there are also another 8 players out there who appear robotic-ally obsessed with only doing what they were originally instructed and not adapting.
We are still lacking calm heads and a captain who is effecting the right mindset in the players as the game changes.
Excellent article Ryan,
and totally agree with Godfrey, understand B62’s feelings and thoughts, and MK’s points.
JL
I do accept what you say, and it is early days, but TS is making a lot of elementary mistakes again, which he did at the end of last season. I have to agree with Big Sam’s comments, and I am sure privately he would say at lot more, including that if he had the same opportunities at Villa, he would make a better job of it.
Tim has made our football much more exciting to watch, but at the end of the day, it is about winning games, and we have only won one in the last eight league matches.
Superbox – I agree mate when the going got tough Richards was to busy making tackles to guide the team and to be honest seems the lead by example type and not the organiser we needed at that point. Senderos has been the only one we have had with any nous since Laurson! boy do we need someone of that Ilk now. Maybe Lescott will be that man once he gets his feet under the table.
Hope Ilori can get fit quickly as would like to see him at full back which could take the pressure off of Richards a little.
Paul
I agree with you about the results now.
I am done hopeing and praying. Thinking so and so is going to come in, in time we will do this or that, The last 5 years thats all ive done. Now Villa need to start giving something back to us. 1 win every 2 months aint going to cut it. Im all out of patience.
Another point I’d like to make is where is Kosak, pre-season he led the line and combined well with Gil, Grealish and Sinclair very well and scored 3 goals. surely the lad deserves a start
Paul,
On Sunday we definitely looked as though we had won it after the hour.
Then it was purely an error of judgment on the issue of the subs. At CP and Leicester we were up against teams that have, as their main armoury, a lot of drive and passion, and they used that with good effect.
A lot of people have been saying “play Grealish”, “play Gil”, and when they both do get picked, this is the outcome! Well, I over-simplify, but TS does have a difficult job in getting the right balance, and Grealish – for all his ability – can be a liability at times in giving the ball away.
It’s still only 5 games in under *his* (TS’s) watch … that’s the point. With a more mature Grealish (he’s hitting 20 this week!) we’ll surely get there…
And … by the way … Grealish and Gil have effectively only just started their season.
Let the dust all settle before getting frustrated … please! 🙂
I agree JL, both Grealish and Gil have had injury’s and are not match fit, Leicester on the other hand would give the Duracell bunny a run for its money at this point in time.
Mark,
Yes … and with Traore still to return the attacking permutations do look better.
I agree with you about Kozak, though, maybe he’s been wrongly rules out. He must surely be worth a try.
Meanwhile it’s the “soft underbelly” that’s surely the biggest concern.
Jl yes very strange considering he had a pre-season and scored whereas Gabby didn’t score once and still hasn’t. the other strikers you would assume are in the same boat with fitness so why not try Kosak??
I agree that conceding so many goals late on is our pressing problem but in the same Breath I’d say we should of been out of sight in the first half. Gabbys over hit pass for sinclair (why didn’t he shoot?) Gabby’s weak header, Grealish shooting at the keeper all very good chances spurned. Maybe a cleverer player for Sinclair to work with would of resulted in more chances and a more comfortable lead, Kosak for me provides that of all our forwards and has a threat and movement. Gabby for all the good he did (he did supply some of our better chances) hasn’t got the skill or confidence at the moment for me.
The fitness issue seems to come in to our late capitulations for me, so many looked tired, is Tims fitness regime too much now the season’s under way? over-training on top of tough games doesn’t leave much in the tank. Some like Gueye are naturally fit to begin with others have lesser ability in that department. If Tims still beasting them in hope of improvement it may well be a factor that our disjointed pre-season is still having on tired legs.
Mark,
Funny how we see things differently! 😉
Yes, Gabby’s pass was not ideal for Sinclair, but a good striker would (normally) still have had that in the net i.m.o.
And the other things is that Gabby is used essentially for his pace, isn’t he? Yes, under the guise of a striker most of the time, but he seems to be best at pacey support. He provided 1 good chance and another actual assist vs the Foxes.
I’m not sure whether the fitness thing is really the issue, either, except maybe in regard to Sanchez. To me, Villa simply didn’t have the strength in midfield to keep at bay a very lively Foxes team … Villa needed more muscle in there for the later stages of the match i.m.o. But having said that, they don’t have any – unless Clark was brought on to sit in front of defence.
I think that was the first time i have really seen Gill in action.
I was very impressed. The guy is magic. Why the hell ts overlooked him for nzog last season is very odd!
Grealish needs to learn to knuckle down for the whole 90. I hope im wrong but he could be the type of player i want to shake and always think he is capable of more than he is giving.
JL- Yes it is mate 🙂 Granted Sinclair could of made a run into the middle yes but Gabbys pass was played to firmly anyhow. after watching it a few times it is played to late to, gabby doesn’t see Sinclair until he is on the six yard box whereas an early ball into the centre when Sinclair had room to cut across the defender would of been a better option but gabby had his head down as usual. As it was Sinclair was stretching to reach it.
Yes they should definitely brought on Vertoute who has played DM before and maybe clark too and left sinclair up top.
Tim has made a lot of noise about fitness statistics guiding his player choices and also mentioned double sessions as they are playing catch up after no real pre-season for some. If so it would definitely have some effect in the later stages if overdone.
Thanks Ryan you were thinking much the same as I was only you managed to do it right after the game and I couldn’t put a decent thought together due to a black cloud enveloping the day. It’s an early morning game here and it effectively put a damper on any happy mood I might have had.
On first look I thought the starting lineup was great. The first half was great. Sanchez and westood were a perfect pairing for grealish and Gil and not to forget Sinclair. But they don’t have the energy to put a whole games’ worth into 45 min of bar the door.
None of the teams in the prem are head and shoulders above the rest except top 4 and the difference between them during a game can be slightduring a game but that is enough to give a big advantage to the team with that slight upper hand. Any change on the field no matter how small can change the energy of the game and we saw that with Villa yesterday. Sherwood didn’t have the subs for a like for like substitution and I’m guessing he doesn’t fully trust Vertoute yet. A couple of injuries still in the infirmary made his sub bench thin. All this and exhaustion did them in. No one collected them after the first goal scored against them and like any good predator Leiscter pounced. Villa’s star burned out too soon for a victory.
After 5 games, Villa have been able to compete man for man for large stretches of the game and should have banked some points. But they need to be able to sit back and absorb a bit of punishment without capitulating to conserve some energy. Every top boxer, wrestler, mma , or street fighter can do this.
Right now Villa don’t have the horses or the depth on the sub bench to go hell for leather for 90 minutes.
The last few years we gave them hell for parking the bus and being as dull as dish water. Now we have an exciting team. Maybe we need to park that bus in the last half until more reinforcements show up.
Villa is a far better team than the last couple of years and I’m sure things will turn around soon. The play has improved over large portions of the game.
The goals that left on the last transfer are going to come from the mid field and the forwards are going to be the ones to chip in the odd goal.
It wasn’t a bad game. Too tired too soon. Thin bench. If I could change things I would have brought Hutton in. He’s been solid in an unspectacular way.
Y
Mark: ” Granted Sinclair could of made a run into the middle yes but Gabbys pass was played to firmly anyhow. after watching it a few times it is played to late to, gabby doesn’t see Sinclair until he is on the six yard box whereas an early ball into the centre …”
You can dress it up anyway you like (VBG) but I still say Sinclair should have put it away!! 😉
He was a good a yard or probably more out of goal (but a bit wide) when the ball came to him and it has to be counted as a really good chance in my book.
Ian: “None of the teams in the prem are head and shoulders above the rest except top 4 ”
Hang on Ian (sorry to be difficult!) but wot do you mean by “top 4”. If you mean the top 4 richest then we have a bit of a problem with that at the mo considering where Chelsea are (though probably a blip).
Also with regard to the fact that Leicester are occupying 2nd (though again prob only temp).
Interesting thing is though that we have (tucked only just behind the top 4 places) ….
5 Crystal Palace
6 Everton
7 Swansea
8 Norwich
A very open situation … so far.
Still not convinced that fitness is the big issue … I’m agreed with Mark that bringing in Clark and Veretout would have kept them out in all probability.
On the other hand, until Villa started subbing, you wouldn’t have bet on Leicester having the ability come back like that, so TS probably fooled himself into thinking the game was won.
It feels like I’ve been banging my head against a brick wall all day.
To be fair to Sherwood Ryan, it was obvious from the stands that Gil was also blowing out his backside. He wasn’t tracking there full back back and when he tried he couldn’t keep up. Ayew was played rm which he’s played before and Rudy was bought on to try and hold the ball up. I didn’t see anything wrong with those two subs. Why not give them a run out at two up? What he should have done though is gone 451 and put Veretout on for Grealish
I had a feeling before yesterday that we will lose our 3 derby games and it’s on course to happen. I’m not sure Tim could survive that from the fans
JL- Yes I can and I will 🙂 but Have you re-watched it ? he has to slide in to connect never good for guiding a ball in from the side of goal and the ball is no more than a foot from the byline when he connects and about 2 feet to the right of goal and the defender has closed it down anyhow, on another day it may have crept in but at one time gabby would of put that in the far corner. Just to equal it out Sinclair put in a terrible cross with three options available ; -)
re the Sinclair chance. I think if sinclair could of slid earlier and hooked the ball rather than slide with a straight leg at it then may have gone in.
Hey John
Top 4 to me are the ones who spend more money. Chelsea just hasn’t got untracked yet. Leister will fall back and things will return to normal at the top by Xmas. It is nice to see some London clubs struggle a bit though.
I can’t bring my self to watch the goals on TV, not even ours. I know Guzan fucked up but who was marking there player who scored there first, and who didn’t track runners and stop the crosses for there last two ?
The high lights show just how much our individual errors cost us but also the Influence of Mahrez had on the second halfwas massive, Amavi did well considering but when Mahrez switches to a free role in midfield we had no answer, he influenced every goal for them.
In Ayews defence he is a CF and not used to rear guard action, sinclair went right ayew left and Mahrez took the piss. In my opinion any forward played in the first half would of looked better, played in front of a 2 man midfield when we had gone to pot no chance, unless you have the pace of Adama.
Frem- Bacuna for the first slow to the ball all game, Richards loses Vardy for the second again quicker reactions from bacuna may of stopped the shot. third guzan, richards and hutton fail to deal with 5″5′ dyers header, in hindsight Guzan could of stood on his line or spread himself instead opts to clatter dyer.
Bacuna truly was awful, most of the poor moments came from poor passes, slow reactions involving him.
Anyone else wishing Tim would unpin his heart off his sleeve and put it in his back pocket? is he Bi-polar or something? Jen what do you think?
Mark, perhaps lambert instead or MacLeish?
Ian no Ta 🙂 but its a bit concerting when your manager looks suicidal after a defeat, I like his openness but he can be a bit of a drama Queen
or even concerning 😉
Mark,
yes, I saw the replay 2 or 3 times and I haven’t changed my opinion.
We just have to agree to disagree! 🙂
… I’m not saying that it was an absolute miss, but that in my view should have gone in.
But it happens.
No way JL I’m coming around to sing outside your window all night until you agree 😉
Cheers Mark. Bacuna is an awful defender. He’s not. Player you want when fighting for your lives. Guzan, I’ve said for the last two years he’s a poor keeper and he gets worse. Shame about Richards. He needs to do better then
Frem- may be time for Bunn to earn his crust 🙂 Richards made plenty of good tackles but it only takes one slip, whereas Bakuna played with concrete boots, looks to heavy to play FB to me and doesn’t use his strength that well.
Thanks for summing up what we were all feeling at around 6 o’clock Ryan – disbelief – and I would agree with your assessment of why it went so dreadfully wrong .
Should we be surprised – well no as Tim Sherwoood uniquely is learning how to be a manager with a premier league club to practise on. It’s not that he is the youngest manager – is he that much older than Lambert ? He’s older than Gary Monk – but his 29 premier league games as step in manager at spurs was all he had to his managerial CV. Tom Fox took the gamble and gamble it is. We hope Tim will learn from the mistakes that other managers have learned on their way up in the lower leagues. I hope that he doesn’t get too disheartened but most of all that he learns from his mistakes and takes responsibility for them privately if not publicly as there’s only so much the players will take of getting the blame when most could see it was his decision on subs that destabilised us completely.
One question I would ask is how much influence is Ray Wilkins having as he does have the experience to respond and bring on subs to “kill the game”. We are not seeing that and as much as I like Ray, you wonder whether Tim is the type of personality to take advice – who knows , he needs to, like everyone else .
As for his demeanour Mark, I’d say he is a great showman and he is empathising with the fans on camera and there’s more steel to him than he is showing , thankfully .
The big test is how he is going to respond to these set backs and lead the players to better things .
I always thought Bacuna showed more potential as a midfielder . It was his preferred position when he came to us so I sympathise with him as he’s getting a load of criticism when it’s managers , Lambert first then Sherwood who have played him out of position .
Jen I hope it is a show as its a bit painful to watch. As far as rays influence I can’t say I see any on match day, Tim doesn’t seem to lean on anyone or talk much to his back-room staff, its anyone’s guess. shame as I thought he has plenty to offer Tim, maybe be his mr miagi even 😉
Bacuna has always claimed to be a box to box midfielder and he has shown glimpses but for me he’s no FB or winger hard to know where to play him bar the bench.
On full backs we do have Josh webb who’s 20 and played at u16-18 for england so no mug at rightback you’d think, looked ok pre-season too in a cameo or 2.
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/joshua-webb/profil/spieler/201698
Bacuna is just shit full stop. He doesn’t have a position
frem- he has a new contract though 🙂
Don’t see any inquest into the fact that Veretout, Ayew and Gestede will never be premier league footballers as long as they have holes in their arses, yet still the one-eyed optimists think Sherwood is the right man
I’m a positive person and also a busy person. I love Aston villa and have done since I was a little boy (dean Saunders league cup final top and all (still fits.. Just).
I loved having a season ticket as a kid and had 3 massive spells of belief (little… Gregory… Oneil) … All left me feel deflated! But I believed!
I hated the lack of belief from Taylor Oleary McLeish and Lambert… I backed them all apart from Mclesh who I remained silent about…
Football is expensive, and the real incomes of fans to players has never been so extreme … I remember Matt creating this sight and the reasons why.,. The villa blog where he wrote before was just bitter vitriol and I couldn’t stomach wasting my time with so much negativity.
Please stay true to what Matt intended.. Criticism is important and warranted … No one loves listening to a game been dissected by Andy Gray et al more than me .. Negativity and Aston villa is not something I have time for…
Sherwoods naive for sure but he is a winner and hurts like us more than any manager in a long time.. I’d rather lose trying than have what Albion have now…
Be honest be critical but back out team because that’s what keeps me reading … The Leicester thread has really disappointed me… We as villa fans and as AVL (I read a lot more often than I comment ) are bigger than what I’m reading… Honest is good… Negative is just turning the lights out on a great site!
Pass it forward !
UTV
Mark
Cant be doing with the nonsense about gabby and Sinclair…..It was a no brainer…..a few seasons ago Gabby would not have hesitated and put the ball through Kasper’s legs and scored a certain goal.
Too many chances are being wasted when the most direct route is to head for goal and shoot when you see the whites of the keepers eyes.
I feel that Tim is more than aware of his mistakes on Sunday , with his complete withdrawal since, but we have to also look at a team that continues to implode, as it did against Soton, where other teams are showing a real grit and determination in all games…..Sunderland and Palace were so close, but only failed at the final hurdle….We really need to find some grit in this team……One of the reasons, i think, that Tim wants to hang on to Gabby.
Frem, you sweet talker you!
Mark, Sherwood is an excitable boy.hes also a breath of fresh air for Villa after the last 2.
He did tell us itwasgoing to be an uneven ride this year and that his goal was to be more comfortable in the standings not necessarily top 10. He missed out on some players in the last transfer and needed to plug a hole up top. Gestede was the best he could get at that moment. Not Charlie Austin. Something amiss with Charlie. And adebayor spent the late summer practicing walking on water waiting for an answer from God. And a hundred thousand pounds a week is hard to give up. Delph would have been a load to carry this year. Maybe we did good with his departure. I hear Vlaar is tearing up the foose ball league down at the infirmary.
Spot on Ian, and good post Mark G, both putting some reality into the situation.
There are two things that I fail to stand … (1) the constant carping against Gabby – NO-ONE has said “good feller” for creating the chance for Gil … as well as that chance for Sinclair and (2) the first 60 minutes of the match were Villa’s and yet no-one has really commented on how at times Villa looked very much in control.
Of course, there’s frustration that none of the +ves turned into 3 points … but their play (note it was Gil’s first outing in the league and Grealish only just getting into his stride) indicated something to look forward to.
Could we say that this time last year? No way.
Mark G – totally agree nice to hear from you.
Ian- I’m in for the long ride because this is our second squad renewal in 5 years was never going to be smooth and you can’t always get what you want as the song goes.
Paul W- we have played 5 prem games in which vertoute was thrown into the first not up to speed or fitness with the league. How you can gauge that he is never going to be a prem player is beyond me because he was definitely not Tonev level and has hardly featured except against county where he ran the midfield on his own.
As for the others you mention the same goes, Ayew needs to play CF and Guestede needs decent service which hasn’t happened yet. It is so early days for this team and those players its untrue and if you think 3 players who scored 42 goals between them in their leagues last season are not worth a punt who is without breaking the bank?
I can see where your coming from but why single out players that have hardly had a look in? Lets put Guestede on up top with gil, adama, grealish supplying him he’s only played in more defensive looking sides so far and earnt us 3 of the 4 points we have. Ayew is yet to play in his preferred position with the same set up.
If they get 10-15 games with a full strength side and fail so be it until then they have it all to prove.
Jl – actually I said gabby supplied some of our better chances and I posted this early this morning on the previous post
“Ask yourself at 2-0 did you think Christ we are cr*p? or were you dancing around enjoying Leicester’s humiliation? ”
Ryans post was set up to discuss what went wrong and I’m guessing that’s what most now remember about the game. Personally I saw a lot of good too.
Tim Sherwood said something like he couldn’t find any positives when interviewed after the game , such was his disappointment and you can’t blame him when interviewed 10 mins after FT. There were positives – the first 60 mins we had the upper hand against a tricky and determined team. The way Leicester fought back was incredible and they have a fantastic team spirit and energy . I agree with Mark that Mahrez is spectacular . But we had two great goals and I agree with John , Gabby played well .
I don’t know what has happened to Rudy , he looks a shadow of the player who scored on his debut . It is early days though and to be fair , he was brought on to a side who had lost it’s shape and control of the mod field . I wouldn’t write any of the new boys off this early .
Well I can see Ade ending up here in January , particularly as Tim has said he’d play for nothing 🙂
Jen I suspect Rudy is looking much worse due to the game we are trying to play Vs what he was used to. I think him and Sinclair could work well, him and gabby not so well and him and Ayew is anyone’s guess. much like Tekkers he needs service but unlike tekkers he’s not going to create much for himself.
Paul- bit early to write Veretout off. He will be fine Gestede could go either way. He will never be spectacular but might get a few goals. Ayew though I think it’s fair enough to write off. He’s been embarrassing
This tweet from the people over at VV:
Negatives –
Guzan is a liability.
Bacuna is not a right back, and in my opinion not a regular premier league starter in any position.
Westwood/Sanchez is the weakest centre midfield pairing I have ever seen.
We don’t have the striker to make the most out of Grealish, Gil, Sinclair and Adama.
Ayew, Gestede and Veretout seem like money wasted.
Sherwood keeps on making daft decisions during a game.
Positives –
3 from Grealish, Gil, Sinclair and Adama behind a striker is fecking dangerous and will give anyone a tough time.
Amavi looks class.
Gueye looks class.
Given time i think Lescott and Richards will work. For 70 minutes yesterday they looked solid.
Sherwood is still learning and will get better.
It’s like this bloke was reading my mind except as some have said that Veretout can not be written off so early (neither should Ayew to be honest).
Just out of curiosity where are Gardner are more importantly Kozak (he’d have scored at least two maybe 3 by now).
Until the next match.
UTV
Another thought. Guzan seems to have gone into a shell. I remember him challenging players in his box and being decisive in his actions. Now he seems to be a hair off with his timing and a bit flat footed. Do you think he is questioning himself or not too sure about his full backs? He’s a big man with a bit of weight behind him. Make the opposition pay when they stray into his area.
I don’t know Ian, his plus side over Given was his command of his area, that has evaporated. Maybe he knows Tim doesn’t rate him. It definitely is psychological.
ronnie- with that negative list we might as well roll over then 😉
If Westwood and Sanchez are so bad how come they dominated Leicester for 60 mins?
how do we know we don’t have the striker when Gil, Grealish and Adama haven’t played together in the prem yet?
how do we know what type of striker that is? how do we know we won’t go al Barca like and score from all over? the idea seems to be a more mobile fluid attack not relying on any one player to get 20 a season.
We know Bakuna isn’t a right back so against a team with good wide players don’t play him.
As the defence improves so should Guzan if he doesn’t put Bunn in.
without Gestede we would be on 1 point and bottom.
Tim bought these players you’d hope he has some idea how he wants them, my guess is that he has a lot of options to try and that may confuse matters. what we need is framework to fit the players to not the other way around.
Mark – yes -Rudy resembled Benteke’s last outing for Lpool (minus the amazing goal ). Solitary .
Ian , I think the latter – self doubt – it came in the most high pressured point of the game too . I’m not defending Guzan , as he’s made some errors but I remember Jo Hart making similar errors about leaving the goal – one when we plays them at VP and beat them 3-2. Is it all Guzan or us it down to the changes in defence we’ve seen . Richards and Lescott should be a solid partnership. It is a shame as his first season saw him MOTM most games .
Also , what has happened to Okore ? Is he close to return from injury . Is Kozak ever going to be allowed a shot too?
Excuse my dreadful typing ! Player not plays 🙂
Jen- Kosak played for the u21 team tonight scored from the spot. I have a sneaky feeling Jerrell sellars has a good chance of getting a game in the first team before long.
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~5002012,00.html?
http://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2015/9/14/9326119/libor-kozak-scores-late-winner-as-u21s-beat-brighton
http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/9990412/tunnel-talk-leicester-v-aston-villa
Not sure if anyone has seen it but apparently on mnf carra ripped into westy.
Shame we did not go for payet as a french man. Class act
Tim doesn’t rate Guzan. He put him on the sell list remember. He might be playing but I guess his heart isn’t in it right now. He did ok for the U.S. In July and August. Another stab at a keeper in January?
Don’t agree that Villa controlled first hour; Leicester were poor. Villa had no sustained spell where Leicester were struggling to stay in the game. When Leicester pressed hard in the last 30 minutes, Villa crumbled. Sherwoods excuses time has passed.
My point about his summer signings is that the window and the money were wasted. Too many Lambert-esque players acquired at high fees.
Anyway, table after 10+ games will soon show the picture. Villas fixture list has been kind so far and we can’t beat teams who will settle into the lower half of the table.
Paul- we had the better chances and the majority of possession whether Leicester were poor or not (which they were not they just didn’t have the ball but still created chances). Or put it this way our tactics worked for the first hour until they threw 6 forwards on in desperation. Mehrez going into midfield turned the game and will be playing for someone else next summer unless he’s extremely loyal.
We have faced 3 of the form teams in palace, leics and manure are all top 6 at the moment and should of come away with at least 4 points and taken 4 points from Bournemouth and Sunderland in the lower half which should of been 6 errors have cost us 6 points. If that carrys on then I’d agree we have a problem. My real concern is reading of the game by Tim and lack of on field leadership.
As for the signings if you can tell which of these signings are not going to make it after 5 games and for most the new players cameo roles in experimental sides your in the wrong Job. Its frustrating mate but not anywhere near Lambert levels yet.
This is the team from our last friendly against forest
Aston Villa: Bunn, Crespo, Richards (Cole 46′), Clark (Veretout 46′), Amavi, Bacuna (Robinson 70′), Gueye (Sanchez 46′), Westwood, Sinclair (Kinsella 70′), Ayew, Kozak (46′)
wolves the one before
VILLA: Bunn, Hutton, Richards, Clark (Baker 79), Amavi, Bacuna, Westwood, Gueye, Sinclair, Agbonlahor (Robinson 66), Kozak (Ayew 77).
Walsall before that when Guye makes his debut
VILLA: Steer, Hutton, Richards, Clark, Amavi, Bacuna, Westwood, Gueye, Sinclair, Kozak, Robinson. Subs: Suliman, Sellars [for Robinson 79], McKirdy [for Kozak 88], Bunn, Lyden [for Gueye 63], Kinsella [for Amavi 84], Abdo.
point is the vast majority of our new signings had no pre-season with us except Amavi who looks pretty good to me. Gueye got some time in 3 games looks good too. the rest have clocked up next to nothing playing time yet with the team that is beginning to form. it is very early days to be pressing the alarm button.
http://www.myoldmansaid.com/tim-sherwood-tough-lesson-security/?
Sherwood has to learn from his mistakes and tactical stupidity fast, very fast. Villa and Sherwood have two of the biggest games of the season back to back, lose both local derbies and the murmurs of discontent will become roars of anger and despair, and it could spell the beginning of the end for Sherwood especially with the fans. The flip side is win them both and he becomes a legend and the players can become heroes, we simply have to win both games, to lose either would be unthinkable both catastrophic, out of the cup and right in the shit in the league all at the hands of our nearest rivals and sworn enemy, it’s either going to be the best week of the season or the worst, and not one I think we would come back from quickly if the worst was to happen. As a ST holder I’m going to both matches, but I won’t enjoy them unless we are 4/5-0 up with less than 10 mins to go, as no side that plays us are out of the game until the final whistle as we showed yet again Sunday. All you need to beat villa is organisation and patience, we will crack and provide chances and our strikers offer zero threat.
If anyone on here is going the game, the police are expecting large scale disorder for both games, the extra cameras put up for the RWC are to be turned on and they are making the Witton Arms an away fans pub only, to prevent he scenes against Albion of last season, so avoid that area if possible and use Aston train station rather than Witton as the degenerates the follow small Heath and Sandwell are gobbling off about ruining Villa park for the RWC games a few days later and spouting the usual bollox re bring the biggest firm and smashing up the Villa.
Long post Mark. First half shots:
Mess between Agbon and Sinclair
Scuff from Grealish
Goal from Grealish
Second half:
Goal
Row zz from Sanchez
No sustained pressure on the opposition goal. No goals v Sunderland , own goal v Palace, no goals v United…I have a different measure of success to you and Villa will be bottom 6 at best this season
Despite the greater first half possession stats we were never in real control of the match , we had hardly had sustained pressure we had possession in non threatening areas against a leicester side that was out of sorts until the changes were rung by tinkerman. We took the lead with a great strike by Jack and went in at the break with the lead. We never came out in the second half, we scored another worldly on the break with the best work Gabby has done this season down the left flank, but from then on in we changed the team around in a bizarre fashion, leicester also made changes and basically tore us apart for 25mins scoring 3 goals in 18 mins or whatever it was and it could have been more. We lacked fight ,composure, streetsmarts organisation and the will to win, the foxes on the other hand had it in abundance despite being 2-0 down with less than 20 mins left. TS was out thought and the players out fought, although the subs definitely didn’t help. We cannot afford to play like this, we definitely can’t afford to continue to throw away valuable points or we will go down, it already looks like it’s going to be another struggle, our lack of goals and fragility at the back worries me greatly, despite the many changes we are no further forward and the one constant is we still lose many more football matches than we win, only now we don’t draw as many either. Worrying times