Crystal Palace v Aston Villa - Match Thread

[Moose66]

It's been the same most of the season - I just don't get it, it's not just a bit of improvement around the edges required but as you say, he seems to be completely incapable of controlling the ball at all unless he's running onto it.

I get he was a winger (probably should still be IMO) but these are the very basics of playing football that any footballer should be able to do. He just seems to have lost that ability overnight and while he's always been pretty powder puff in terms of holding the ball up when fending off a challenge, he seems to have become even weaker in that respect too.

Baffling.

Surely there's a " shielding the ball with your body" coach we could add to the rosta?
Alternatively he could just say to Keinan " hey Big fella, you show me how to hold the ball up, and I'll show you how to score "

 

[Bonker]

I sometimes think it's not worth voicing an opinion on here. In fact, I deliberately don't most of the time.

Depends on what you want back from it - I like likes as much as anyone but I also like it when others disagree with me as long as the response has some actual content to it :)

 

[Bonker]

Surely there's a " shielding the ball with your body" coach we could add to the rosta?
Alternatively he could just say to Keinan " hey Big fella, you show me how to hold the ball up, and I'll show you how to score "

Well he's only got to watch what SJM (Dalglish) does right?

SJM is brilliant at it for a little guy - he needs to do something, he's poncing around the pitch like a schoolboy so far this season. Bailey too needs to man up - this is PL football.

 

[GreensladeUTV]

Depends on what you want back from it - I like likes as much as anyone but I also like it when others disagree with me as long as the response has some actual content to it :)

What's the point of a forum if you can't give and receive critique? Agree with you here, nobody criticises anyone personally, people will argue your point if they don't agree and they have every right to do that don't understand why people get so worked up about it.

 

[Bonker]

Loved Mings owning Tekkers in the box first half btw. Great strength . We have all seen what Tekkers can do haven’t we Mr Smalling?

Yup, I'm obviously a big critic of Mings - for justified reasons IMO - but that was terrific to see and he handed out a rollocking to Watkins for giving the ball away yet again too and rightly so - arguably at fault for their goal though, still questions about his ability to last 95 minutes IMO.

Really encouraging performances from Mings these last two games - looks a lot more assertive and controlled at the same time and willing/able to use that size he has to dominate physically as he should be doing - even in midfield at times yesterday which is exactly what we need.

There's a touch of Total Football about Gerrard's setup so far, also witnessed in Targett being incredibly far forward in the first half at least.

 

[Bonker]

MOTD highlighted the closeness of the Villa midfield 3 yesterday and its a definite plus point and something that's been mentioned on here before. We're having more passing options now to actually keep the ball unlike previously where a defender would have the ball and everyone would be 20-30 yards away leading to the big boom upfield and it instantly coming back.
It's such a small tweak to install but it proves that football, if coached right, is a simple game and doesn't need to be over complicated with graphs,pie charts and coloured counters on a board.
Very happy with what I've witnessed so far

I commented on that early in the game - players were very obviously making themselves available for anyone who had the ball at all times by constantly finding space around them - that helped Nakamba to do what he should be doing - intercepts/tackles then simple layoffs to more attacking players.

There's much more thinking and movement on the pitch now than before and it's as effective as you would expect it to be - baffling how it can ever not be that way in the first place IMO.

 

[Thomas Holte]

 

[The Fear]

 

[sirdennis]

Yup . It was noticeable the shorter passes and some of the movement especially in the first half made some good angles and opened up some good opportunities. Targett especially is benefitting from that as he has options in side now and not just down the line.

Bailey is disappointing me at the moment , he seems reluctant to really run at players and considering he is supposed to be super quick he must be worried about his hamstring going again.

 

[Langoe66]

Bit of a shout out for Ashley Young’s performance yesterday. Did really well last week and followed that up yesterday with another calm and assured display. Good call from the boss too pick him after not really getting much of a look in so far this season but he’s clearly impressed in training. Great to have someone with his experience/leadership on the pitch and still performing at the highest level….even though he still looks about 12 years old!

 

[Villan57]

Yup, I'm obviously a big critic of Mings - for justified reasons IMO - but that was terrific to see and he handed out a rollocking to Watkins for giving the ball away yet again too and rightly so - arguably at fault for their goal though, still questions about his ability to last 95 minutes IMO.

Really encouraging performances from Mings these last two games - looks a lot more assertive and controlled at the same time and willing/able to use that size he has to dominate physically as he should be doing - even in midfield at times yesterday which is exactly what we need.

There's a touch of Total Football about Gerrard's setup so far, also witnessed in Targett being incredibly far forward in the first half at least.

I've given Mings loads of stick this last 18months as he really hasn't been at it, the difference is there for all to see these last two games, nodded off for the goal but that was Watkins lazy arsed attempt at stopping the cross, which should never have been allowed to come in.
Two games running now he's overshadowed Ezri, just by concentrating and attacking the ball more.

 

[Villan57]

Bit of a shout out for Ashley Young’s performance yesterday. Did really well last week and followed that up yesterday with another calm and assured display. Good call from the boss too pick him after not really getting much of a look in so far this season but he’s clearly impressed in training. Great to have someone with his experience/leadership on the pitch and still performing at the highest level….even though he still looks about 12 years old!

Lacked an old head,someone they all look up to, and someone who knows how and when to hit the deck to take the pressure off

 

[Silhillvilla]

Bit of a shout out for Ashley Young’s performance yesterday. Did really well last week and followed that up yesterday with another calm and assured display. Good call from the boss too pick him after not really getting much of a look in so far this season but he’s clearly impressed in training. Great to have someone with his experience/leadership on the pitch and still performing at the highest level….even though he still looks about 12 years old!

Wasn't far from scoring either from that free kick

 

[sirdennis]

Had a decent game yesterday but faded . Understandable but he can't play 90 mins now. On balance I prefer him coming on as a sub rather than starting.

 

[tarzan]

The three points yesterday were massive.

 

[wittonite]

Yup . It was noticeable the shorter passes and some of the movement especially in the first half made some good angles and opened up some good opportunities. t

Tell you what else was noticable aswell, when they got their goal the ball stayed in their half after Kick off. I know it was only two minutes left, but I have seen some very long two minutes watching Villa over the years.
It stayed hard on their touchline, short three feet passes, throw in if necessary, but it stayed away from our goal.
Game management has not been a strong point in recent years.

 

[sirdennis]

Tell you what else was noticable aswell, when they got their goal the ball stayed in their half after Kick off. I know it was only two minutes left, but I have seen some very long two minutes watching Villa over the years.
It stayed hard on their touchline, short three feet passes, throw in if necessary, but it stayed away from our goal.
Game management has not been a strong point in recent years.

Emi going down like he was shot was funny as well. I genuinely thought he had done a hamstring but then got up and launched it 60 yards lol. Tbh we should have done that kind of stuff v wolves . It was crying out to keep disrupting the game then.

 

[colavfc]

I think Ming's has probably benefited from Gerrard who I hope is an alpha male coming in and maybe giving him the 'im the main man around here, not you boy' routine.
I think Ming's from an outsider's view was getting well above his station.
Maybe Gerrard has given him a slap around the head and claimed the changing room tunes.
That's the impression I get anyway.
I may be wrong but I haven't seen Ming's chewing gum the last two games?

 

[seanie ward]

Tell you what else was noticable aswell, when they got their goal the ball stayed in their half after Kick off. I know it was only two minutes left, but I have seen some very long two minutes watching Villa over the years.
It stayed hard on their touchline, short three feet passes, throw in if necessary, but it stayed away from our goal.
Game management has not been a strong point in recent years.

 

[seanie ward]

the hardest thing to do ..is the midfield, it is extremely difficult to coach, positioning is a skill on its own and is so baffling ..some players more or less stick to the one spot and are always unmarked with plenty of time on the ball. sure if i knew how they do it, i be playing myself...seanie