Aston Villa v Chelsea Match Thread - Sun 21 June - 4.15pm | Page 35 | Vital Football

Aston Villa v Chelsea Match Thread - Sun 21 June - 4.15pm

mike_field said:
My stream cut out with 20 odd to go, but Chelsea were sharper than us all game long Dan. I don't buy 'they let us' have the goal. McGinn's header should've at least tested the keeper and I didn't Jota's attempt so can't comment.

Despite Smith's comments about more chances, we only actually had one less than they did on target - so with a bit of belief we could've still nicked a point thoroughly against play for me.
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I meant on the goal, Chelsea were by the far the superior team but the goal they conceded was poor. That won’t happen that early on in games when teams get up to speed. Then we’re back to scoring 0 goals per game, again.
 
mike_field said:
In fairness to Jack, he did put a shift in, but it was tracking back and defensive work rather than where we need him. On an attacking front, better from Targett I thought but he was left so exposed at the back it was frightening.
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But if Jack did a good job tracking back how can the full back on his side get so exposed?

He looks off to me. That said when your 3 central midfielders have less touches than just one of theirs there’s not much hope really.
 
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I’m not even angry. I had got my head around where we were going after Spurs at home . And even more so at the next game, Saints away. That was 4 months ago and whatever small, minuscule hope I had that the enforced break would help was quickly kicked into touch after the first half on Wednesday.

That was stunningly bad being reduced to quite literally lumping it forward to no one. Embarrassing. That would have been nasty down there today if a crowd were there. Smith and the players would have been absolutely hammered.

I have had plenty of debating this week about Keinan and some have thought it was personal. It’s not . He is being hung out to dry by Smith and his tactics. But he is too inexperienced and unproven .
Mr F has often said we as a club and fans think small time . I didn’t really agree. But I see now . This relying on Davis thing is amateur and small time. WTF is going on that Samatta is not starting when we made such an effort to get him. It’s totally baffling.
 
We know we can Divine, we've seen it even this season and belief is huge, it's easy to say players aren't suited to a level but the fact is - in our circumstances - we are one point from safety and we should be safe and people thought we'd be dead and buried at the end of last August. We have patently shown, whilst adjusting, we can do the basics - we just aren't now. That's a different question.

If you don't give Smith any credit for last season I can't help you there but it wasn't just Jack returning and claims of those sorts seem to forget the months Smith was in charge before then when clear improvement was on show despite the fact he only had an injured Chester to call on in defence.

No point rewriting the past to suit and justify a new frustration.
 
danvilla2 said:
I meant on the goal, Chelsea were by the far the superior team but the goal they conceded was poor. That won’t happen that early on in games when teams get up to speed. Then we’re back to scoring 0 goals per game, again.
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I disagree, 43 mins isn't early on mate. Difference was we made it count instead of spooning it wide.
 
Depressing stuff, can’t really add much more than what’s already been said. After just listening to Smith’s after match interview, like many before him, he’s now officially lost the plot..it’s as if every manager we appoint eventually morphs after 18 months, 2 or 3 years into the same mould....afraid to try anything different, same tactics, same formation, same selection and after match comments which make us all shake our heads in disbelief....it’s as if the club becomes too big for them and they completely freeze. I’ve been more supportive than most but even the most ardent of his supporters can’t defend that today. We rarely look like scoring from open play and it was inevitable that once they’d equalised, they’d go on to win. Never thought I’d see McGinn and Grealish have so little impact...but Jack out wide...ffs! As for the rest...Luiz for me our best player but have thought that for most of the season, think he’ll be yet another we lose who‘ll go onto bigger and better things. Easy to forget he’s still very young. Thought Davis did ok again and Mings/Hause were reasonably solid but that’s it. No more flickers of hope on another afternoon of despair....
 
david-avfc said:
But if Jack did a good job tracking back how can the full back on his side get so exposed?

He looks off to me. That said when your 3 central midfielders have less touches than just one theirs there’s not much hope really.
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Jack was mostly tracking Konsa, particularly first half, not Targett. El Ghazi was largely anonymous anywhere (particularly when supposed to be on the left and so was Hourihane).

There was some swapping, and he ended up more central in the second half but again, as you point out with midfield, that tracking was extra atrocious.
 
mike_field said:
Jack was mostly tracking Konsa, particularly first half, not Targett. El Ghazi was largely anonymous anywhere (particularly when supposed to be on the left and so was Hourihane).

There was some swapping, and he ended up more central in the second half but again, as you point out with midfield, that tracking was extra atrocious.
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Only Luiz came out of that midfield today with any credit.
 
mike_field said:
I disagree, 43 mins isn't early on mate. Difference was we made it count instead of spooning it wide.
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It is to me to have 3 players 4 yards out close to sticking the ball in an open goal. Soft goal for us, poor defending by Chelsea. Sort of thing that happens after 70 minutes normally
 
I posted before the game that 3 in the middle restricts the natural outlets you get when you look up and have a winger and two forwards to look for, typically. We look up and have striker who’s man marked by two centres halves and one winger as an option, which is why we pass backward so much to the back four.

The other thing I believe is that 3 in the middle allows for some to be passengers. Hourihane is always a passenger and SJM (benefit of the doubt) was today too.

We can’t keep a system that carries people. I disagree to whoever said above “changing formation is not the answer” because going two in the middle will weed out those being carried as competition increases. It’s all about system and tactics, trying to get the team to play “football” is a waste of time now.
 
If changing formation is not the answer then changing the players in that system must be the answer. I can't see that we have any players who could make a great difference to our performances. Changing the system seems to me to be the logical answer.
 
Im actually glad they’re refunding my season ticket after those last two games.

Does anyone know if the club will be alright with sending a bed sheet in? Asking for a friend.
 
We have too many nice players that are almost too respectful to the opposition. El Ghazi, Hourihane etc barely get their shorts dirty. It’s starting with 9 or 10 men each game.

We need to lay into the likes of Chelsea and put them out of their comfort zone. They were allowed a training match of attack against defence. Team selection and team mentality comes from above. We are going down without even a whimper. It’s just horrible to watch. Even lower league clubs in cup competitions put more in than we did today.
 
Phil Neville on MOTD2

Villa need to be more positive with their aggression and get higher up the pitch. They are too passive.

So who is wrong Deano?. Fans, pundits, ex players . All of us ?

Is it a job requirement at B6 that you are so blind and stubborn to reality and cannot change things.

So frustrating. Again.
 
Melon Donkey said:
Phil Neville on MOTD2

Villa need to be more positive with their aggression and get higher up the pitch. They are too passive.

So who is wrong Deano?. Fans, pundits, ex players . All of us ?

Is it a job requirement at B6 that you are so blind and stubborn to reality and cannot change things.

So frustrating. Again.
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You beat me to it Melon...! He summed it up perfectly didn’t he!
 
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