Ratings and Reactions: WBA 2-2 Villa

[chappy]

Voted Gabby motm, just for the extra impetus he provided. Vlaar runs him close though. 

Shocker first half, much better second, and very happy with a point considering where we were after ten minutes.

 

 

 

Disgraceful opening line up From lambert. Cost us 2 points.
KEA, Tonev are woeful players, yes KEA scored but he does more bad than good.
As for dropping Lowton, that's a joke. Our defence 1st half was lamentable.

 

 

Who would you have had in the starting line up instead? And a player who didn't start the previous game can't be dropped.

[villianusa]

Fell behind to a great goal, and really poor pass from Bacuna. I'm not sure why Clark never came in to help Baker after the pass, he seemed to be looking for someone who wasn't there.

We fought well to recover and just about deserved a draw. The Baggies are a good side and a point in the end was a good result. It's always nice to beat our local rivals but the gap isn't there anymore in our favour.

Don't always agree with Lambeet but he was right not to start the trio after their time off. If they only returned back to training on Friday then now way would that have lasted 90 minutes. I wouldn't have started with the team he did but in the end happy with a draw.

[ozvillafan]

Things that stood out:

 

- Sylla was a passenger in this one.

- Tonev is getting better. All of his shots (3 or 4 in total) were on goal. He tried to play the free role, but his touch let him down often. He'll improve.

- Kozak was unlucky to get hooked, imo. He looked more likely than Benteke

- KEA showed why he gets the nod. Not because he's brilliant - he's not - but of our midfield he is the most composed in front of goal. Imagine if that was Delph, Westwood or Sylla......

- Brave from Lambert, considering all 3 subs were not up for a full 90 minutes yet and not allowing for any injuries for the last 30 minutes. Risky, but ballsy too.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Things that stood out:

 

- Sylla was a passenger in this one.

- Tonev is getting better. All of his shots (3 or 4 in total) were on goal. He tried to play the free role, but his touch let him down often. He'll improve.

- Kozak was unlucky to get hooked, imo. He looked more likely than Benteke

- KEA showed why he gets the nod. Not because he's brilliant - he's not - but of our midfield he is the most composed in front of goal. Imagine if that was Delph, Westwood or Sylla......

- Brave from Lambert, considering all 3 subs were not up for a full 90 minutes yet and not allowing for any injuries for the last 30 minutes. Risky, but ballsy too.

 

Yup. My thoughts as well.

[The_Lions_Roar]

Pretty poor performance all around until Lambert brought on the non-Lambert players - go figure

Non Lambert players?

This is a ridiculous statement!

The 3 players that only returned to training on Friday that he starts in 90% of matches.

[drat01]

 

Pretty poor performance all around until Lambert brought on the non-Lambert players - go figure

Non Lambert players?

This is a ridiculous statement!

The 3 players that only returned to training on Friday that he starts in 90% of matches.

 

Thank you for the kind words, so polite.

 

Why is it ridiculous, because you don't agree with it? The point that you conveniently miss is that the three players that he brought on last night, players that it was so obvious were needed, were players that were at the club before he joined. Unless of course he was hiding in a cupboard since 1974 and none of us knew about that?

 

The result papered over many of the large cracks caused by Lambert (and Randy) and watching the game again this morning we were second best for most of the match due to some strange tactics and style of play. I watched the game via SA TV and the pundits (all ex prem players etc) were mystified by Lambert's tactics and team selections and length of time for subs when it was so obvious they were needed.

 

While not losing to local rivals is always good it does not get away from the fact that so many things on the playing side of things alone are not worthy of the frankly OTT adulation that Lambert gets. But I suspect you don't agree so c'est la vie lets see what happens

[smetrov]

 

Pretty poor performance all around until Lambert brought on the non-Lambert players - go figure

Non Lambert players?

This is a ridiculous statement!

The 3 players that only returned to training on Friday that he starts in 90% of matches.

 

 

 

And the two players that scored - were signed by Lambert.

[The_Lions_Roar]

Like I said, lambert has started those 3 said players in 90% of his matches. If he could of started them last night then he would have. I'm pretty sure they'll start on Saturday.

You're trying to claim that lambert doesn't like or want to play them.

Delph was pretty much labeled as a flop before lambert came in.

Weimann has potential, lambert realises this and gave him a new contract.

I agree that his tactics sometimes leave a lot to be desired but last night wasn't one of those occasions. It was a good point against a team that has lost once in the last 9 matches.

[The_Lions_Roar]

Pretty poor performance all around until Lambert brought on the non-Lambert players - go figure

Non Lambert players?

This is a ridiculous statement!

The 3 players that only returned to training on Friday that he starts in 90% of matches.

And the two players that scored - were signed by Lambert.

Steady, don't give the manager any credit, you'll upset some people.

[drat01]

 

 

Pretty poor performance all around until Lambert brought on the non-Lambert players - go figure

Non Lambert players?

This is a ridiculous statement!

The 3 players that only returned to training on Friday that he starts in 90% of matches.

 

 

 

And the two players that scored - were signed by Lambert.

 

 

Great - really pleased for them, and us. Has nothing whatsoever to do with the point being discussed though, but can't be arsed, inclined, intrested whatever to get into any sort of tit-for-tat argument re the way the team played last night. If you are happy then as said c'est la vie.

[smetrov]

Not impressed with Sylla, Bacuna or Benteke. At times I was thinking KEA was going to be sent off. 

 

Did well in the second half though and hopefully Andi, Gabby and Delph will be fully fit for Sunderland. 

 

Why did you think KEA was going to be sent off ? - sure there was one eyeball moment - but I don't think he was even booked. Don't think anyone came close to being read carded last night ?

[villa_shere]

Whats this about Lamberts shocking team selection?

 

The three players who came on were all coming back from injury. PL said they had only trained on Friday so no way could they have started.

 

The starting XI was weak, but thats because of the lack of depth in our squad.

 

Frist half we were awful, WBA were playing us off the pitch, we were second to everything and the midfield was at sea. Benteke was dropping deep just to get some action and him n Kozak arnt gelling at the moment. Tonev had a handful of VERY tame shots. He looks like a player low on confidence and definatley wasnt ready for a derby game.

 

Subs made all the difference, hopefully they are fully fit for Sunderland game

 

Up the villa!

[Electric Avenue]

For me, Lowton should be RB, Bacuna pushed up to RM.

For Saturday id like to see Delph in for Sylla, Weimann in for Tonev and Gabby in for Kozak.

Kozak gets a lot of credit from me for last night he never stopped grafting amidst the adversity.

[The_Steve]

Quite funny how Shane Long was pretty anonymous in the second half, starting diving and leaning into players when they were trying to head clearances. He obviously took his goals very well, but WBA are totally reliant on him. So much of their play was predicated on pressing, getting the ball out wide to Brunt who hit long balls for Long to  chase. Once we changed formation, that became harder for them, as they naturally grew tired.

 

I still think that was Tonev's best attacking performance, but he needs to work on his defensive work. However, one atomic strike was good to see. With our changes, we far more of an attacking threat, even in the first half we were creating chances. With those players being fully fit and a changed formation, we could have easily won that game.

[Crumpet]

Pretty poor performance all around until Lambert brought on the non-Lambert players - go figure

With two goals scored by 'Lambert players'

[NurembergVillan]

As I said in the match thread, Tonev was the only player prepared to run at them so he was being crowded out.  If we'd had Gabby on, or Bacuna further forward, he might have had a little more space to create real danger.

[drat01]

 

Pretty poor performance all around until Lambert brought on the non-Lambert players - go figure

With two goals scored by 'Lambert players'

 

:-) - it's like De Ja Vue sometimes in here 

[Stevo985]

Pretty poor performance all around until Lambert brought on the non-Lambert players - go figure

Yup.

 

2 of whom have never performed as well as they have under Lambert.

 

Just a coincidence though I guess.

[drat01]

 

Pretty poor performance all around until Lambert brought on the non-Lambert players - go figure

Yup.

 

2 of whom have never performed as well as they have under Lambert.

 

Just a coincidence though I guess.

 

Ben - at least this answer is a bit more polite than your last one, but we can leave that to mods etc

 

You see the point is being missed completely here. The key players, the game changers so to speak, the ones that everyone and his dog were calling for and the ones that have made a big difference towards the end of last season when we were scrapping around for points to avoid relegation etc, are not Lambert players as such. So many people talk about him as being this superb manager based on the success of Benteke when if you look things the key players in the squad are, IMO, players that he inherited. Now you may argue that Delph and Andi have improved under Lambert but let's not forget that Delph was a multi million player that suffered a lot from injuries previously and Andi was someone that even McLeish praised at times. I think it's somewhat clutching at straws to claim they are doing because of Lambert, because they always had that ability, again IMO

 

Assuming that he remains as our manager for the coming years - shudder - then we need to be in a position more where the team dictates the game and other teams need to react and change if ever we are going to progress. I am not confident that the players he has brought in and has relied on for the start of games like Cardiff and last night are good enough to provide anything near that. Interestingly we struggled in both until he changed things.

 

I appreciate you and others still have massive, OTT IMO, faith in his abilities as a manager and not a problem with that its all about opinions. I think he is living a somewhat charmed life where his abilities etc are not questioned enough.

 

At the end of the day forums about opinions and your differ from mine .................... and if that fails all I can say in reply to you is  "Bollocks!" :-)

[VillaForever1970]

Pretty poor performance all around until Lambert brought on the non-Lambert players - go figure

Yup.

 

2 of whom have never performed as well as they have under Lambert.

 

Just a coincidence though I guess.

Ben - at least this answer is a bit more polite than your last one, but we can leave that to mods etc

 

You see the point is being missed completely here. The key players, the game changers so to speak, the ones that everyone and his dog were calling for and the ones that have made a big difference towards the end of last season when we were scrapping around for points to avoid relegation etc, are not Lambert players as such. So many people talk about him as being this superb manager based on the success of Benteke when if you look things the key players in the squad are, IMO, players that he inherited. Now you may argue that Delph and Andi have improved under Lambert but let's not forget that Delph was a multi million player that suffered a lot from injuries previously and Andi was someone that even McLeish praised at times. I think it's somewhat clutching at straws to claim they are doing because of Lambert, because they always had that ability, again IMO

 

Assuming that he remains as our manager for the coming years - shudder - then we need to be in a position more where the team dictates the game and other teams need to react and change if ever we are going to progress. I am not confident that the players he has brought in and has relied on for the start of games like Cardiff and last night are good enough to provide anything near that. Interestingly we struggled in both until he changed things.

 

I appreciate you and others still have massive, OTT IMO, faith in his abilities as a manager and not a problem with that its all about opinions. I think he is living a somewhat charmed life where his abilities etc are not questioned enough.

 

At the end of the day forums about opinions and your differ from mine .................... and if that fails all I can say in reply to you is  "Bollocks!" :-)

 

Have we improved from last season? Yes or No.

Benteke is a Lambert player as well, is he shit how did he do last season?