Aston Villa v Sheffield Utd - Match Thread - Friday 8th Feb, 7.45pm | Page 29 | Vital Football

Aston Villa v Sheffield Utd - Match Thread - Friday 8th Feb, 7.45pm

As I said, I am a Hourihane fan.

But there is no question he has regressed over recent matches and this piece of footage (which I am quite entitled to post) hardly helps his case.

And I would suggest the fact that we are overrun time and again in midfield and defence are pretty big issues. Conceding two or three goals a game will not see us challenging for anything.
 
If other teams players treated important games like a friendly testimonial and pranced around the pitch like our lot does (bar 2-3 exceptions) then I would imagine they would be on the receiving end of the worst kind of an Alex Ferguson hairdryer type of reply if not removed to have a think about it.

Dean Smith has said he wants an intense closing down type of game from all of the team but whatever he is telling the players and particularly the midfield, they are not listening.

He had them playing a high-intensity game at Walsall and Brentford sending them out to boss a game so why not at Villa Park?

We don't know how he reacts to them and while I appreciate he can only work with what he has got - It still doesn't excuse why they can't match other teams effort and endeavor and it's one of the main reasons we get over-run by other teams for periods of games on a regular basis.

We have so many average players in that changing room who are far too content to receive the silly wages they get to the extent they can't be bothered and I can't wait until they are finally released and Dean Smith can bring in the players he wants and who want to play for him.
 
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Thomas Holte said:
If other teams midfield players treated important games like a friendly testimonial and ponced around the pitch like our lot does (McGinn & Tammy Excluded) then I would imagine they would be on the receiving end of the worst kind of an Alex Ferguson hairdryer type of reply if not removed to have a think about it.

Dean Smith states all the time he wants an intense closing down type of game from all of the team but whatever he is telling the players and particularly the midfield, they are not listening.

He had them playing a high-intensity game at Walsall and Brentford so why not at Villa Park?

We don't know he reacts to them and while I appreciate he can only work with what he has got - still no excuses why they can't match other teams effort and endeavor and it's one of the main reasons we get overwhelmed by other teams on a regular basis.

We have so much half-arsed dross in that changing room I can't wait until they are released.
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Think the problem may lie in the fact that since relegation we've been in the habit of poaching other team's "star" players. Trouble is that most other teams in this division concentrate on recruiting players with maybe only average skills but who are extremely fit and tough and turn it on fairly easily; their "star" players are the icing on the cake. Hence Sheffield were able to put us under the cosh for much of the match. When they tired our better quality took over.

We do need to toughen up midfield, pity we couldn't manage it in the window. Smith's bringing Whelan on was an inspired substitution, as in spite of not being that fast he provided the guts we needed to get forwards.
 
It's not just CH issue though so no idea why he's being targeted .
Whatever way you shuffle our midfield choices with our players is a bit like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic
 
Silhillvilla said:
It's not just CH issue though so no idea why he's being targeted .
Whatever way you shuffle our midfield choices with our players is a bit like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic
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Well that clip is typical Hourihane doesn't put in a challenge doesn't track his man and has cost us loads of goals indirectly and directly by his lacklustre efforts.

Fully get that he scores the odd goal and gets the odd free kick or corner right but that is negated by play like is witnessed on that clip. I watch him closely because he boils my pee, to be honest. watch a few of the goals we concede and follow Hourhanes movements and you'll see what we mean.

It seems to be fair game to slate Whelan or Jedi or Barney but because this bloke takes all the free kicks he has to be immune from criticism or he's not a problem.

A player that does nothing never makes a mistake, he only gets involved when its a free hit like a corner or freekick because he can't lose. If he gets it right he's a hero if he fails its ok because it didn't matter.

The bare minimum is this league for a midfielder is to get stuck in and Hourihane doesn't do that ever!
 
Villan57 said:
Well that clip is typical Hourihane doesn't put in a challenge doesn't track his man and has cost us loads of goals indirectly and directly by his lacklustre efforts.

Fully get that he scores the odd goal and gets the odd free kick or corner right but that is negated by play like is witnessed on that clip. I watch him closely because he boils my pee, to be honest. watch a few of the goals we concede and follow Hourhanes movements and you'll see what we mean.

It seems to be fair game to slate Whelan or Jedi or Barney but because this bloke takes all the free kicks he has to be immune from criticism or he's not a problem.

A player that does nothing never makes a mistake, he only gets involved when its a free hit like a corner or freekick because he can't lose. If he gets it right he's a hero if he fails its ok because it didn't matter.

The bare minimum is this league for a midfielder is to get stuck in and Hourihane doesn't do that ever!
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He was booked early in the game for a sliding challenge, which shall we say was rash. That clip shows he never got close enough to challenge but had he put another rash one in, he wouldn't have been on the pitch.

We are all guilty of "helicoptering" in management speak, or "seagulling" - picking on one minute aspect of an activity, swooping down and shitting all over the culprit, thus proving the point beyond doubt.

Everything in a team game is consequential and has an incremental effect somewhere else. I heard someone on here say " defence sorted, why didn't Smith sort the midfield out" - the negative effect of shipping goals must be one individuals fault - isn't it? I have news for everyone - Hutton is the only constant from our relegation year and no matter how many players/managers we change, we have continued to broadly underperform.

Sheffield did not work harder than us on Friday, they have just worked out that our players are not comfortable on the ball. Put someone's head down with a little pressure and hoof - which becomes a 50-50 ball at best or an intercepted pass. We all say El Ghazi has skill but no aptitude for the fight but in reality he usually has to beat two or three players which is difficult. Jack used to slide the ball to Albert having drawn in players - this allowed Albert to have time and space and resulted in a lot of confidence, a lot of goals and a lot of plaudits. He is currently shite according to most.

Don't know the answers gents but I do know it is the sum of the parts that is not quite there and it is not down to individuals.

Jedi - the bearded one, the beast, the rock from a couple of seasons ago (look at your posts lol) has never been able to pass the ball. His skill is to break up play and screen the back four from an aerial bombardment - useful against a Cardiff type team. Allegedly his only use now is to be melted down for glue. We are becoming the snowflake generation and should hang our heads in shame.

Some of this is tongue in cheek, some of it is my personal critique of our collective failings to not get to the root of the problem. Quick fixes got Aston Villa to this point in history. The solutions lie elsewhere - the Milwaukee Bucks? - young, hungry, financially viable and a good model in our current condition?

Viva la revolution
 
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I'd love to know how Edens and Sawaris view the future - what the plan is. That they have one I have no doubt.

My gut feeling is that it's something like get promoted if at all possible but be prepared to slug it out for another couple of years or so if not. Think they're pretty level-headed.

Whether we get promoted or not think there'll be major squad changes in the summer. Maybe they are drawing up two transfer lists, one if we're promoted and one if we're not. That would make sense.
 
At least I know I'm not going mad. The things now being said about Hourihane I was was saying ages ago. And that clip sums it up.

And no I am not making him a scape goat . His set pieces are good. He can strike a ball. Left footed players always seem to be able to strike a good ball.
But his all round midfield play and contribution is just not good enough and we cannot carry that as a team.
Just like we can't carry a shit left back, a shit goalkeeper like we did in Nyland. Better players around him who knows. But when we have needed him the most i.e since Jack was injured he has hidden and has been woeful. He is not the creative force people think when it's up to him.

I haven't read anyone making him a scape goat. The odd name calling and piss taking but most are just giving their honest opinions on what they see of him as a central midfielder . Don't get why people are getting sensitive about that.
 
Comes back to what I said near the top of the page. Stick Hourihane in a team of fit give-it-all players, but of limited skills, to do the dirty stuff and he'd probably shine. But we aren't that sort of side. If you can accept him as a player who does do good set pieces and provides useful assists (most of the time) then he's OK. But don't expect him to be much more.
 
Having a system that enables players to play to their strengths requires a balanced squad that can fullfil all of the roles necessary for a team to function. We haven't got that. Our midfield is a sample of that weakness. McGinn is an all action dynamo with an incredible engine, Hourhane is a chugger who pops up now and again to score a goal or provide a chance. Jack provides the skills and the threat. Unfortunately Jack's threat is absent but more importantly the only player we have who can provide a defensive balance to that midfield is Whelan. He tries his best but it doesn't look like he can manage a whole game.
This puts pressure on our defence and here the weakness of our fullbacks and goal keeper is killing us. Mings looks like he can help bottle up the centre but we are undone because our fullbacks can't defend. I am yet to be convinced by the goalkeeper.
If a team needs balance we're as stable as a drunk on ice.
 
Yeah, amazingly Nyland has a better average rating than Kalinic. Neither seem to have hit the ground running. Steer seems equal to them both tbf.
 
I don't mean to be over critical of our players. Taylor and Hutton try hard to get forward and support attacks with width but pure defending isn't their strength. The goal keeper may perform better after a settling in period and he gets in the way of shots but unfortunately seems to be wearing rubber gloves because so many efforts seem to bounce off his hands. Something to work on.
 
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