Aston Villa away to Man Utd New Years Day | Page 45 | Vital Football

Aston Villa away to Man Utd New Years Day

mike_field said:
In fairness as well, we've largely been playing well so back heels and the like are a sign of confidence and belief....even Traore was up to it tonight.

When it goes wrong it goes wrong hugely....but there's a positive to them being tried in my book.
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Man U away is never a time for back heels on the edge of your own box, even if you've already won the title. Naive and stupid
 
DeanoVilla said:
Martial hadn't scored from open play all season, yet he's starting for one of the wealthiest clubs in the world.

Ollie could definitely do with a goal, but these mini baron runs are not unusual for any striker. As long as he's contributing in other ways that's the main thing.
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Tonight was the first game where I've thought he contributed virtually nothing. Would be rested if we had somebody to come in for him.
 
The ball was behind Mings, he had to reverse his entire body and he missed it - it happens to everyone. Unfortunate, but not worth a bashing.

His heading in general does need to improve but that's a result of him being a left back for so long before he was brought into the middle. It's one of the reasons Terry has been doing those heading drills with him....he already knows this and it's being worked on.

If anything, it's simply his attacking headers more than defensive for me.
 
mike_field said:
The ball was behind Mings, he had to reverse his entire body and he missed it - it happens to everyone. Unfortunate, but not worth a bashing.

His heading in general does need to improve but that's a result of him being a left back for so long before he was brought into the middle. It's one of the reasons Terry has been doing those heading drills with him....he already knows this and it's being worked on.

If anything, it's simply his attacking headers more than defensive for me.
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The first goal is at Traore door, not Mings not Konsa not Cash . Traore who is a liability
 
The set piece nonsense is a different story....Traore's cock up started it but it should've been ended in midfield.

In that passage of play Mings' focus was the crosser (a valid argument is why he didn't get closer, but I presume he thought Targett? would make the ground up quicker) so it falls on Konsa not getting tighter to challenge for me.

But it's one of those things, it's ten a penny in the game and like most things in football, it usually ends up in the stands. It wasn't a big enough cock up from any single player for blame...it's just one of those things.
 
My brother, also a Villa fan, thinks it was a peno because 'they give those all the time'. Except they dont give them us I don't get it.

It looked to me like Luiz did clip him albeit by accident and the was probably enough for Pogba to trip himself. Firstly I don't think it was a penalty at all and secondly, every one of us knows we would not have got that decision either.
 
mike_field said:
The set piece nonsense is a different story....Traore's cock up started it but it should've been ended in midfield.

In that passage of play Mings' focus was the crosser (a valid argument is why he didn't get closer, but I presume he thought Targett? would make the ground up quicker) so it falls on Konsa not getting tighter to challenge for me.

But it's one of those things, it's ten a penny in the game and like most things in football, it usually ends up in the stands. It wasn't a big enough cock up from any single player for blame...it's just one of those things.
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ah but the gut reaction from the commentary team was Mings headed into Martial and it was unlucky, the fact was he fecking missed it, Konsa is the right CB why would he be covering the near post?
 
It’s tempting to look for someone to blame but that’s a result of our disappointment on the night rather than the simple fact that their squad is stronger than ours. We bring on Davies and a youngster. That’s our depth. I was hoping for Barkley, indeed expecting Barkley to be a valuable sub but nowhere in sight again. We need to build again now if the right qualIty is available to keep pushing the incumbents. Dean spoke well and we’re way beyond our realistic expectations of the season to date.
 
Silhillvilla said:
The first goal is at Traore door, not Mings not Konsa not Cash . Traore who is a liability
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We must be improving if we now class 3 goals in 3 games as a ’liability’...! Sure, he was bloody awful first half but much improved in the second, great first touch for his goal. He can certainly improve but he’s started just 6 games, shown some real quality and scored three times...bit harsh in my book to class him as a liability already. Perhaps give him the season and then we can judge him more fairly.
 
I don't think he got a touch, it was too far behind him. But as said, his focus was the crosser with Targett out of position so Konsa should've been tighter on the assumption Mings would miss the cross.

Anyone then behind Konsa should've been picked up by Cash or a tracking midfielder.
 
I think we missed Barkley today, but on reflection we feel hard done by and our performances seems to be at a consistently high level and it's more individual errors that cost us.

I think we still need to add a couple of quality additions and a little ruthless in selection and we're pretty close to cementing ourselves a top 6 side, I really don't think we're very far off.
 
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Langoe66 said:
We must be improving if we now class 3 goals in 3 games as a ’liability’...! Sure, he was bloody awful first half but much improved in the second, great first touch for his goal. He can certainly improve but he’s started just 6 games, shown some real quality and scored three times...bit harsh in my book to class him as a liability already. Perhaps give him the season and then we can judge him more fairly.
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I'm not a great fan of Bert yet given his inconsistency.

But look at McGinn, Targett, Konsa, Hause et al. They are all a little bit better aren't they after 12 months in the division.

I'll properly judge Bert next January.
 
Some fantastic saves by Martinez. De Gea also made some good saves at the end but ones he would have been expected to make. United would have been hard done by had they not got anything out of the game overall.
But we were not the plucky losers that we were in these games last season. We were well and truly in it by quality.
 
mike_field said:
I'm not a great fan of Bert yet given his inconsistency.

But look at McGinn, Targett, Konsa, Hause et al. They are all a little bit better aren't they after 12 months in the division.

I'll properly judge Bert next January.
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Yep can’t argue with that Mike....he frustrated the hell out me first half but did well second half and took his goal really well as he did at the Baggies and against Palace to a lesser degree. Just don’t understand how we can write players off when they’ve started 6 games and despite concerns have also clearly contributed. We’ve seen how a year in the Prem has benefitted several of the current crop....Traore,like them, needs a fair crack of the whip and dare I say..a bit of ‘support’ before he’s consigned to the bin!
 
Melon Donkey said:
Some fantastic saves by Martinez. De Gea also made some good saves at the end but ones he would have been expected to make. United would have been hard done by had they not got anything out of the game overall.
But we were not the plucky losers that we were in these games last season. We were well and truly in it by quality.
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A draw all day long and fair to both sides....I think that's why it smarts so much. Even when we were 100% in control for that period, we didn't do enough to actually win. Neither did they when they were on top.
 
Langoe66 said:
Yep can’t argue with that Mike....he frustrated the hell out me first half but did well second half and took his goal really well as he did at the Baggies and against Palace to a lesser degree. Just don’t understand how we can write players off when they’ve started 6 games and despite concerns have also clearly contributed. We’ve seen how a year in the Prem has benefitted several of the current crop....Traore,like them, needs a fair crack of the whip and dare I say..a bit of ‘support’ before he’s consigned to the bin!
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Yup, and obviously there's his lack of game time elsewhere in a (meant with respect) lower standard league in terms of fitness/sharpness.

What DS does need here is to be strong enough to drop him but with reasons. Bert isn't alone in some ways, but I wouldn't start him next one, but the conversation should be you were crap first half, you showed what you can do second half - it's not the first time either. You're on the bench because I don't doubt your talent, but you give me 3 games off the bench where you're at your best and then you get the chance to show your best from the start.
 
We also need an afternoon working on free kicks and corners in training. What was Bert trying in the first half with that free kick? I do like a well worked free kick / corner routine (eg trez vs arsenal last season, Jack vs derby 3 seasons ago/ burton this season) but we seem to be just floating them in... I don't think the ball would get to Mings standing on the line behind the keeper. ...

But, plus point- 15 games in and we still haven't conceded in the last 15 mins of a game....
 
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