Bazmonkey

Do I think Gerrard is the man to guide us forward...honestly I don't think so.

But at the same time....we had the same core of players for the past three years....cant polish a turd and all that.

Yes there will be some improvement...maybe a little but we have manager learning a trade in the hardest league in Europe with a bunch of players who simply are not good enough.

Recipe for disaster or we except...we are likely to finish 13th -15th....win a couple....draw a couple...lose half the games

4 hours ago, M_Afro said:

Ok. So why do we never dominate the middle of the park? I can never remember us bossing the game from the middle of the park. We are poor in possession and even worse out of it.

I have said it before its a numbers thing....we don't have the quality to play three in the middle.

City and Liverpool can...why...they have the players.

All the other teams play at least 4 or mostly 5.

We have no balance across the pitch nor getting up it.

Now whether it's a 2 - 3 or a 1 - 4....it needs to be sorted quick...we can't afford to have two strikers with lack of service nor a waste of a bod in the starting 11

They have gone 3 at the back with 5 in the middle.

Not expecting much of the ball today and our full backs to pinned back most of game.

3 in the middle to be stretched a lot.

Though....if we pin them back using our wider players we could keep them quiet.

Be interesting to see how this pans out

48 minutes ago, TRO said:

I love the persona of McGinn, wouldn't want him to leave.....but he loses possession too easily, and while he is a meatball, he lacks athleticism and elasticity....a bit wooden imo.

I agree he does give the ball away to easily at times but I think that's down to the way he plays.

We have a big problem with midfield and I think mcginn trying to play that killer pass all.the time does lemd to turning the ball over.

Having said that...we do have a lot of players that are one dimensional...im amazed in todays football midfielders can't do two roles...attack and defend...like the food old days of 442.

Anyway...we play three in the middle....ive said numerous times...its a number thing...Luiz sits 5 yards in front of back four..even in back four at times...so there's one player gone...the other could be on the other side of the pitch...so that pass now becomes difficult in its own right.

I think a better stacked midfield with better MOVEMENT....Will dramatically cut those Hollywood passes out he and other make and our ball retention better 

13 hours ago, May-Z said:

Just found this interesting article about 'the round badge takeover'. They're happening everywhere!

https://amp.footyheadlines.com/8936986692016627397/

There's some nice attempts in there.

Wonder if we can take hints from Miami and have a circle with a shield inside. 

 

 

I was thinking the same.....unfortunately my IT skills are pants.

Aston Villa for the Internactional part

1874 for MMXX

And just the lion in the middle...maybe star above the lion  or just under in the bottom of the shield....the lion looking more traditional like in the examples above

                                              Emi

                      Cash   Chambers    Mings     Digne

                               Kamara      Bissouma

                 Buendia         Coutinho        Ramsay

                                         Ings / ?????

That would be a lot better than this year.....get it done Villa

9 hours ago, MotoMkali said:

Maybe if you watch the goal notice how he picks up Gundogan. Mcginn is stationary marking space rather than dropping in to actually offer support when an overload is occurring on the edge of the area. Buendia gets beaten badly too. 

The moment Buendia is beaten there are 7 villa players in the box to 3 city players.  Theres no need for Mcginn to be back too....Correct Buendia does get beaten easily...agreed.  I would post a pic but the size is too big???

He does follow Gundogan.....but theres no need.....Chambers could have picked him up that....maybe thats an issue....but he starts where ultimately Rhodri scores....he's given him the space.

Not wanting to argue...its been a problem for a while...not just him....but he is one of the ones that does it on a regular basis....we have a massive problem with dropping back and allowing shots and goals from the edge of the box to free players...leicester goals off the top of head.

3 hours ago, MotoMkali said:

As did Cash for the 1st and 3rd and as did Buendia and I think McGinn for the 2nd.

He reacted slowly to ball and it cost us the game. It sucks but he'd been our best midfielder until that point. 

The 2nd was more down to typical villa defending.....drop deep and forget the edge of the box.

There were 6 villa players all behind the penalty spot when the shot came in from the edge.

Most of the goals we have conceded this year have looked like this.

Luiz is the deepest....crazy positioning 

Playing on a Thursday didn't cost us this game.

Roy keane just summed it up...villa have a soft underbelly and have done for years....well before Gerrard came in.

City were alway going to win....we a charity team...yes we went two up...but deep down we all knew what would happen.

I think the subs show what the real problem is...the players are not good enough...again....same players....same results for three years.

Big Sumner ahead 

Agent luiz just stop and watched the city player pick it up....mings did well

4 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

3rd goal Mings’ fault

he makes a very good interception and the rest of the team are half asleep 

Having read the chat the past couple of hours there is definitely a divide with Gerrard being our manager.  Some using his Liverpool links as a negative....some as a positive.

I am too disappointed in finishing 14th, considering the gap to Wolves in 8th is only two wins.

I think, like last season when we went on a bad run from Jan and slipped down the table, its been another year of missed opportunities.....finish top half...maybe a european place.  

If we are to blame or point the finger at anyone its everyone.....Gerrard has made mistakes....yes he has....subs.....starting 11.....maybe shape in some games.......BUT at the same time the players ultimately have to take responsibility.....I have looked back at some of the misses.....the endless giving the ball away...not making a 10 yard passes...is Gerrard at fault for that....no.

For me, the season was over the moment Smith left and Gerrard came in....only in  sense it would be another season of transition....both players and manager finding their feet. There have been some good moments....some good periods of play and at the same day....some absolute shockers....some of the youth coming through.

So....we are where we are...midtable...couple of points...top half 10th.

Gerrard needs a summer to bring in his players and install his methods in to all the players....if it doesnt work then its on his head....he inherited a team that wasnt his and if honest....some players not up to the standard of top half of the league.

14th is disappointing...but I watched te game last night and I didnt think....s$%t...we are going to struggle again next season...there is something there to build on...a starter for 10....with a good summer....with better players (hopefully) coming in.....then we can then judge both team and manager.

UTV

16 minutes ago, rodders0223 said:

Drops between centre backs unopposed to play passes my nan could make. Literally pointless.

Westwood had more intent to his game

Not got a clue what happened to him . Just once just one I'd like to see a switch of play or for him to find a wide player high up the pitch.

Thought the same too.

Said it before...drops too deep....doesnt show in the middle.

Especially as we play three.

Would love to see him make an angle for a pass from the back and get on the half turn...drive forward....but can't see it

Funny what happens when you make a run and have a bit of movement..#justsaying

Here's something I've noticed lately.

Why do we always have 10 back for corners and freekicks.

Who will.pick up the ball if we win it and by some chance can make a pass

As per the commentary...villa...slow...lack of spark.

Like watching a training game.

If I was burnley now...id let us have ball...best tactic to win the game....we do nothing with it and more likely to cough it up

Burnley....we will sit back...and wait for the cross.

Villa...we will keep going wide and keep crossing

Need to move the ball quick and play more central

14 hours ago, Pissflaps said:

What happened to the width!

the problem with our midfield is not the player...it maybe.

The main issue is numbers...and thats 3.

Only two teams play three in midfield and are successful and thats City and Liverpool

We have no width because we have no one to get out there....when we do we have no one in the middle for cover.

Need 5 in the middle...if that dont work..then you change the personal.

Ive been saying it for years three for leaves us open...and narrow.....i would love to be a winger against us.....at times I could take a seat the nearest player is that far away.

As someone said....yes we can play some nice tiki taka...because those three are often close too each other, the moment the game expands thats where we struggle...how many times does the ball get out wide...a player is isolated and surrounded....why....the midfield have too much ground to make up.

Luiz sits in front of the back four...so now you have two doing all the work getting out wide and trying to attack....its a number thing...get more bods in the middle and go from there.

4 minutes ago, tomav84 said:

thought we played well. made them work for it

ref was a prick

Interesting....in what way.

I watched a team back off and give the ball away at every convenience....lack of ideas until.the 85th minute and then decided to play a bit better

Each player had moments of good but overall Liverpool.never got out of 2nd gear.

Agree the ref was a prick...shocking 

Be interesting to know how many tackles Liverpool have made to win the ball compared to how many times we have just given it away.

Untill we can keep the ball better...its always going to tough.

And why does every winger in the league get our nearest defender in a different post code and ours get mobbed before they even get the ball???

We give the ball away so easily

Luiz this time and get punished.

Was it a good header...yes...

But again konsa going to a default position on the 6 yard box not marking the attacker.

Poor defending 

Some good touches but that's it.

Don't get the hype.

People say he should play further but based on what....I struggle to see this.

Was at fault for the 4th goal....didnt track the runner....came out to son...who konsa already had.

One of worse games.

When you get off to bad a start...sometimes when you try to correct it you just make more mistakes.

In the match thread he got a pasting for all four goals.

Three yes...but the forth was Luiz having a brain fart and not picking up.the runner and came running in to son who konsa had forced to the touch line 

Just now, WakefieldVillan said:

Konsa equally to blame. Passed straight through him then doesn't get anywhere near Son despite looking at him several times. 

 

Totally disagree 

Luiz tracks the runner.

Son will pass it back...

Konsa was doing alright 

As much as konsa has had a poor game.

Luiz was to blame for the forth.

Son was occupied with konsa I think....he comes rushing in stead of tracking the runner.

One pass....takes two out.

Poor

Well done luiz.....headless chicken 

Why go out to the wing....already covered