Match Thread: Aston Villa v Bournemouth, Sat 17th August, 3pm | Page 25 | Vital Football

Match Thread: Aston Villa v Bournemouth, Sat 17th August, 3pm

Totally agree it's so early but we can't get away from the fact that we need points and soon. We have all the things outlined previously. New players learning, manager learning at this level. Last thing they need is the added pressure so early. Everton on Friday and if we go three games no points there is no getting away from it being a disastrous start for a new squad trying to establish.

If this makes sense there are no must win games this early . But there are must win points. Otherwise it will become a big mentality issue.
 
I think we need to get the idea that there are easy games that we should be winning out of our heads.

None are going to be easy, every game is huge this season. And hopefully the players will have that drilled in to them.

Everton is going to be just as hard. At least we're at home again, and I thought the support today was fantastic considering the disastrous start.

I don't think anyone was under any illusions that it wasn't going to be tough, and here we are. It's tough. But it's early days and things can turn around very quickly in football, no need to panic just yet.
 
Yes of course we need points; that's what the league is about. Should we be worried if we lose to Everton? As it's likely we will. Nope. It may take time to sort out the wrinkles. There's a long way to go to the end of the season.

What I'm confident is that we have the coaching team to get things sorted. Heaton needs to have a word with himself. Luiz needs to cut out the fancy stuff in deep midfield, although whoever passed across the park to him when he had opposition players just behind him needs talking to. Wesley is trying and he'll get there. Likewise Trezeguet's final ball should improve when he's had a bit more time on the field. All those last three need to sharpen up a bit; this is the PL. But it's fine tuning needed, not wholesale rebuilding.

We have two big things in our favour. One is McGinn. I did wonder if he was PL material. He is. He's taken to it like a duck to water. He already looks better than last season.

The other is that the core of the team is the one which got us promoted, against the odds. They don't do give up. They are tough. If we do go on poor runs, they won't falter. They will keep things going.
 
Just seen the highlights and as pointed out the naivety.... Also Pukki cost nothing and we are the mugs who paid 22m for an arm throwing incredible bulk. Also David Hayes in midfield. ..really good goal but our midfield will be sacked more times than Paul lambert.
 
robbali said:
Just seen the highlights and as pointed out the naivety.... Also Pukki cost nothing and we are the mugs who paid 22m for an arm throwing incredible bulk. Also David Hayes in midfield. ..really good goal but our midfield will be sacked more times than Paul lambert.
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Pukki just seems to fit Norwich and how they play. He's never been a consistent scorer before. He even struggled to score for Celtic in the pub league.
 
When you buy in 12 players in one window and only 1 of them has any significant experience in this league its always going to be a tough start.

I’d like to think the players and team can improve as the season progresses, but the danger is that whilst they are still adapting to the league we fall back too far and then it becomes very difficult to turn around.

Hope it doesn't get to that stage. I wonder if Smith will take the view that playing for a bore draw against Everton is the best approach just to get something on the board?
 
Think I said it earlier but the players just looked shell shocked in that first period of the game. Bournemouth blew us away with their pace on and off the ball, and their speed of decision making which is far beyond the capabilities of any championship side. A steep learning curve for these players, I bet some of them will have never experienced many games at that level before but that’s where they need to get to in order to stand a chance in this division
 
Sorry if I was a dick (aimed more at The Yank) wasn't in the best of moods today because of crap happening right now in life so I'll give my thoughts now in a more diplomatic way.

I don't think this formation is doing us any favours, we seem to have midfield too deep and the striker isolated which is a big hindrance, I would opt for what we played well with before and that's 4141 or 4411.

Our passing has being atrocious, especially from Jack which I am confused and worried about and also think the problem again lies with bad formation and poor positioning, this needs addressing urgently.

Heaton has made some great saves already in the season but those moments where he is prone to a rush of blood needs to be nipped in the bud and sharpish or I see him getting dropped for Kalinic as I think Steer wouldn't cope in goal at this time.

Fullbacks are a problem yet again for us, I genuinely think we are cursed in those positions, especially the LB position, Taylor is simply not good enough at this level, he had 2 golden opportunities to bury the ball in the net but because he lacks any attacking skills the opportunities were wasted.

Wesley I am not impressed with at all, to compare him with Benteke is meaningless as they are 2 very different players, Benteke could pull a rabbit out of a hat and create goals from absolutely nothing, Wesley can not, he needs to man up and get better fast or he's looking to get dropped in January.

Smith should know the pressure is never off in the premier league and he needs to learn fast and needs to get the team sheet right.
 
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david-avfc said:
Think I said it earlier but the players just looked shell shocked in that first period of the game. Bournemouth blew us away with their pace on and off the ball, and their speed of decision making which is far beyond the capabilities of any championship side. A steep learning curve for these players, I bet some of them will have never experienced many games at that level before but that’s where they need to get to in order to stand a chance in this division
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This.

But I keep being told that there is no difference between top EFL and middle/lower Prem.
There is.
 
david-avfc said:
When you buy in 12 players in one window and only 1 of them has any significant experience in this league its always going to be a tough start.

I’d like to think the players and team can improve as the season progresses, but the danger is that whilst they are still adapting to the league we fall back too far and then it becomes very difficult to turn around.

Hope it doesn't get to that stage. I wonder if Smith will take the view that playing for a bore draw against Everton is the best approach just to get something on the board?
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This.

And the first part was a concern of mine through the window.
 
Just on Big Wes - there was a moment when a Bournemouth player was down (must’ve been a dozen of those but this one genuine) and the ground starting in a round of Allez, Allez, Allez. He stood there on his own facing the Holte - welcome to Villa son.

He hasn’t had anything come off for him so far but he’ll remember that for the rest of his life. He’s probably come across the name Aston Villa playing a computer game, but importantly, he now knows what it means to pull on that famous C&B shirt.
 
BodyButter said:
It wasn't aimed at you, mate. We have a few members who seem to have forgotten that there are 38 games in a season.
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Yeah I agree and I'm not writing Wesley off either btw but he needs to start getting to grips sooner than later, Jota is a bit of concern because he just can't seem to play with the flow, he has misplaced a heck of a lot of passes and gets dispossessed quite easily, needs some cup game runs I think, but I think a lot of problems lie with the formation.

I have a solution what I think would help us, a 4141 with top man Wesley (ST), Elmo (RM), Jack (RCM), SJM (LCM), Trezeget (LM), Luiz (CDM), Freddy (RB) Engles (RCB), Mings (LCB), Target (LB), Heaton (GK)
 
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