The Carabao Cup Thread | Page 54 | Vital Football

The Carabao Cup Thread

On the bright side we now have someone in who really has the version to push us forward in terms of the Academy, He said when you've got 22 year olds playing in the under 23's you know your academy has failed.

22 year olds should be in the first team, and 16 year olds should be getting their professional contract, So for me we're now filling up the academy with the right prospects, we're hosting under-23 and youth games at Bodymoor in the new facility which is now one of the largest in Europe.

So hopefully in 2-3 years we'll start reaping the rewards and they'll feature in these cup games looking to impress and get noticed, not these half hearted dossers that I'd like to take to Royston for a week or two to have a taste of Army basic training.
 
Bonker said:
I remember remarking within the first five minutes against Bristol city that they all looked up for it - high tempo and lots of running - the complete opposite tonight for all but the last ten minutes, totally baffling.
Click to expand...
Probably told to hold back a bit. We really don't need a QF v Spurs at home. Glad we are out of this. I know that sounds wrong but honestly it's for the best
 
Meh, I'm over it.

We still don't have a strong enough squad to rest players in cup competitions, had the League Cup games been not so frequent we might have been able to play stronger teams, but with a huge game just a few days away we couldn't afford any injuries.

In fact we really need to stay clear of injuries all season, we haven't got a lot in reserve.
 
McParlandTheGreat said:
Must say I'm baffled by this performance. In the previous two performances by essentially this team I thought that at last we see the reserves going out and functioning as they should. Keen and on the ball. Half of the team tonight looked as though they didn't want to be there.

Have some been told that their future lies elsewhere, or what? If they have, it's not very clever because we could well need these players during the season, with probably no more coming in. Or were the pre-match and half-time pep-talks weak and uninspiring? Guilbert's been on about fighting for his place but tonight he just looked unhappy. Is Samatta being shipped out seen as the writing on the wall?

The contrast between this and the Bristol match is astonishing.
Click to expand...
They seemed up for the Bristol game. But in hindsight Bristol made it easy. Stoke the opposite. Too many players can talk the talk but.....
 
robbali said:
They seemed up for the Bristol game. But in hindsight Bristol made it easy. Stoke the opposite. Too many players can talk the talk but.....
Click to expand...

I think Dean acceptably thought we should be able to beat Championship cannon fodder. For whatever reason nobody showed up and I think Dean probably got ahead of himself too in not putting Grealish on the bench. I didnt know this buy it seems Stoke and Michael O'Neill are known for defensive solidity. I am sure we'd be in the next round if he stepped off the bench.

Thats a different debate though because either way as poor as our team is they should have been able to win that game.
 
And I guess that’s why a number of them are fringe players.

Said before a ball was even kicked that I think this competition is pointless this season, football generally without fans is one thing but a cup competition even more so.
 
VillaTomB38 said:
And I guess that’s why a number of them are fringe players.

Said before a ball was even kicked that I think this competition is pointless this season, football generally without fans is one thing but a cup competition even more so.
Click to expand...
The idea of a Wembley league cup final without fans is ridiculous really.

The FA cup to be fair has been going so long and is the top domestic cup competition so fair enough to keep it going, but the league cup IMO needs a revamp anyway and with all the fixture congestion due to the delayed start, plus any possible future COVID disruption later in the season to be honest I’m surprised the competition hasn’t been canned this year
 
Villa 4 Ever said:
https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2020/october/Smith-disappointed-with-cup-exit/

Dean basically said they let him down, and spoke to JT after 5minutes and said they're playing like it's a friendly, and gave them a good talking to at half time to get the riled up.

He certainly isn't happy but did say their main focus is on the Premiership, but we'll need some of those players this season and they need to get them ready for that.
Click to expand...
He also said that a good cup run was extremely important - very telling I'd say.
 
No trophy for us since 1996 so what do we do? Make 11 changes in a last 16 tie. Grealish and McGinn not even on the bench because we've played 4 whole games. Smith out
 
McParlandTheGreat said:
Must say I'm baffled by this performance. In the previous two performances by essentially this team I thought that at last we see the reserves going out and functioning as they should. Keen and on the ball. Half of the team tonight looked as though they didn't want to be there.

Have some been told that their future lies elsewhere, or what? If they have, it's not very clever because we could well need these players during the season, with probably no more coming in. Or were the pre-match and half-time pep-talks weak and uninspiring? Guilbert's been on about fighting for his place but tonight he just looked unhappy. Is Samatta being shipped out seen as the writing on the wall?

The contrast between this and the Bristol match is astonishing.
Click to expand...
Honestly why were you shocked we were poor against Burton with a much stronger team.We have to face it this competition is now a complete farce with the way it's drawn and virtually every team from every league plays a weakened team it's probably a dressing room joke these days as to who will make the Carabo squad.If management and most grounded fans don't take it seriously why should the players especially the ones knowing they are only playing because the manager thinks they're shite why would you expect Traore and especially Ramsey to risk injury by putting it all in when they possibly will be involved against the champions of England on Sunday.Yes it highlights the limited resources we have in reserve but were Aston Villa not Man City or Chelsea who have been stock piling players for years there are very few teams in the premiere league that have the luxury of a strong second team look at Wolves against us last year absolutely shite and this season shite again against Stoke.Really don't get why people get so involved with this competition it's not the league cup anymore which we always seemed to win every other year them days were brilliant in them days you had to earn the right to be in the final these days it only gets serious in the semi's which basically turns it into a mini tournament it's not for me anymore last time I went to one of these games was Colchester away and that was only because a load of us went down for an overnight piss up.By the way McP these comments are not all aimed at you it's just my general feelings of the whole situation.
 
Gillette said:
Clough used to tell each player what to do. Tackle him and give it to him. Football is supposed to be far more complex now - with whiteboards and coloured blobs. So why with all these coaches and backroom staff did we play so badly last season and why tonight? They should know the players - help them, improve them - give them roles they know how to do. Have practised plays.....

I dunno!

Goodnight
Click to expand...
But your talking about a totally different era Clough would get angry if he lost a game of tiddlywinks if your a top ten in the prem these days the target is Europe the rest is survival nothing else matters there's too much money to lose these days.
 
Fulford said:
Total fuck up by Smith picking that shower of shit.
Click to expand...
CDX_EIRE said:
Taylor did nothing wrong but the thought of Targett getting injured is terrifying and Targett is going to miss games.
And Targett will swiftly become the most talked about player on this board when Barkley and Traore oust Hourihane and Trez.
Click to expand...
Taylor did nothing wrong? He and Hause did more ball watching then a fan seated directly behind the goal.
 
Frossum said:
Taylor did nothing wrong? He and Hause did more ball watching then a fan seated directly behind the goal.
Click to expand...

i agree mate, I think they work on the theory that if you do nothing, you can't make a mistake so you don't take any praise but you certainly don't take any blame.
I've worked with lots of people like that over the years
 
danvilla2 said:
Employed probably the best manager on the planet?
Click to expand...

The Everton forward line on Wednesday evening was Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin and Rodriguez. The manager knows the importance of winning, momentum. Smith is saying to Grealish and co, you’re not going to Wembley this year through our best possible channel. This second team selection not only pisses off those that have been labelled the ‘the second team’, it pisses off our first team and it pisses off me even if many of you on here placate yourselves with the “unworthiness” of a competition we’ve won 5 times and foreign managers like Klopp, Pep and Ancellotti understand its importance.
For all of the above reasons Dean Smith is to blame for not having enough foresight to plan for a night like last night. At least three quality players should have started with three more on the bench. Naivety of the first order.
Let’s hope this doesn’t carry over till Sunday.
 
Last night I was disappointed and annoyed with almost every aspect of this no-show and it only goes to show that when given a chance, several of our fringe players are not bothered and are prepared to showboat around a pitch doing the bare minimum and that's totally unacceptable. The majority of the rest are quite simply, not up to standard.

Some of the ball watching along with the usual finger-pointing when you should be in that position yourself doing a job was ridiculous.

Lansbury particularly should have his contract paid off and removed from the club as he is stealing a living from Aston Villa and is stealing a valuable squad place to someone who gives a fuck.

It's all very well Dean Smith rightly criticising the players for just going through the motions but forgetting he is the one who picked the team and sent them out onto the pitch with that attitude.

At least it was a wake-up call for the owners and sporting director to see that this squad really lacks quality and depth.
 
Dean didn’t take winning seriously enough and if he did you have to question his ability to assess the team he puts out. Ancelotti played his first choice forward line and we played... well you’ve all been highlighting their inadequacies. A quarter final opportunity thrown away by lack of foresight. Smith is to blame more than the players who can only play up to their limitations.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.