Ratings and Reactions: Villa - Southampton

[Phumfeinz]

Most important thing was nobody below us won. They are running out of games to overtake us and as a result I think we are safe.  But we were bloody awful again. 

 

Swansea won 

[Enda]

Most important thing was nobody below us won. They are running out of games to overtake us and as a result I think we are safe.  But we were bloody awful again. 

 

Swansea.

[jacketspuds]

WTF? We aren't the Sky game of the day? Scandalous.

[Ponky]

Vlaar was immense in the 2nd half. Albrighton looked like our only player to want to get things going for us.

 

Neither team really had much in attack. Southampton were pretty much relying on Lallana running half the pitch as their only avenue to goal 2nd half.

 

0-0 pretty fair result in the end. Hopefully we can take some bottle to Swansea next week because I think another point will just about see us over the line.

[AXD]

Good battling draw, probably just about deserved a draw as Saints didn't do much with their possession except in the first five minutes when Lambert came close.

 

Albrighton easily MOTM, he had Luke Shaw in his back pocket although Luke Shaw also had a decent game, especially going forward. 

 

I said after the win against Chelsea that we'd made progress on last season. With my tail between my legs I take that statement back, we've stayed the same and I think that is solely down to Lambert's poor dealings in the transfer market. Only Leandro Bacuna and Betrand have looked good signings (not including Okore who probably would have been good) and players like Tonev and Helenius have been a complete waste of time.

don't judge players after one season. Nobody thought KEA was a good signing last season but he has done well this year. Vice versa with Lowton

[andymac12345]

 

Good battling draw, probably just about deserved a draw as Saints didn't do much with their possession except in the first five minutes when Lambert came close.

 

Albrighton easily MOTM, he had Luke Shaw in his back pocket although Luke Shaw also had a decent game, especially going forward. 

 

I said after the win against Chelsea that we'd made progress on last season. With my tail between my legs I take that statement back, we've stayed the same and I think that is solely down to Lambert's poor dealings in the transfer market. Only Leandro Bacuna and Betrand have looked good signings (not including Okore who probably would have been good) and players like Tonev and Helenius have been a complete waste of time.

don't judge players after one season. Nobody thought KEA was a good signing last season but he has done well this year. Vice versa with Lowton

 

 

Fair point actually he has improved a lot over the last season - I hope they can show the same kind of improvement. Sylla on the other hand has gone from average to flippin' terrible.

[JoshVilla]

Albrighton was fantastic in that second half. As has previously been mentioned, considering that Shaw is so highly rated, Marc really gave him a game today and put in some very dangerous crossed, not to mention a  very good effort on goal. It's just a shame that to only player who can really get on the end of the crosses is Holt, who doesn't really do anything else. 

 

Considering that I was expecting us to get thumped (let's not forget, Southampton are actually a lot better than we are), I'm pleased that we came away with a point and a clean sheet. We did have some chances to nick it (especially that chance in the first half that Gabby over run...he really does need to sort this out, he's been ineffective at such an important part of the season), but it was nice to see us keep them quiet. Apart from a couple of chances, they didn't really do very much with all the possession that they had.

 

Hopefully that'll be enough to save us, but it's not just being safe that we should be playing for, it's about picking up as many points as we can in the remaining games so we can at least aim for higher than 17th. Either way, we've stopped the rot, and hopefully it'll give the players a bit of confidence for Swansea next week.

 

UTV

[Rugeley Villa]

On a slightly happier note, I just text my Saints fan mate, asking who's getting the beers in (who ever team wins normally gets them in)? He's won 17 pints on the beer draw, so the beers are on him!

I'm on my way up, what pub you going too be in.

Tell you what mate, you'd love it up here. The vacuum cleaners are right dirty slags!

that's sold it for me, a weekend up your gaff needs arranging.

[roonst83]

Hard earned point - and can be considered lucky considering how inept we were throughout, plus the clear penalty from Bertrand and the two sitters saints missed. We had zero ability to retain possession or make chances. Albrighton did well today - especially considering he was up against an excellent left back. He didn't stop hustling and whipping decent balls into the box. KEA pressed them well too and Vlaar was solid at the back. Special mention for how awful Weimann was - completely out of the game and barely had a touch. He offered nothing today and I wouldn't start him again this season.

 

We just need to stumble over the finish line and that draw gets us a little closer. It was far from pretty but at this stage I just want to see us safe. Great to see attacking substitutions from Lambert - and great to see Robinson thrown on. Makes you wonder who's making the decisions as he wasn't getting a sniff before the debacle last week. Thought our crowd were excellent in that they supported the team throughout - it was much needed and the players would have been lifted by that.

[Jimzk5]

Left on 80 mins, just got in.

we were absolute shite first half, should have been a goal down, or even 2 with the chances soton had, the confidence is just rock bottom for the players bar Albrighton, who once again was the only one with an idea with the ball going forward, Bertrand had a good game but from where i was should have had a pen given against him

just very meh.

[stewiek2]

Lambert's just praised Gabby's contribution. He must be pissed as a fart!?

[roonst83]

Our strikers just aren't showing up, and it's making everything else look a lot worse. Albrighton put so many good balls into the box today, that no-one even attempted to get on.

Says it all when our second highest scorer in the team was our RB....

 

Gabby and Weimann just arn't good enough to be our strikers.

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

Yeah just heard Lambert saying he thought Gabby was excellent and that our GD is pretty decent. I didnt think minus 14 was decent.

[chappy]

A good point. Marc motm, KEA and Vlaar were decent. We miss Benteke big time, gabby and Weimann were quite invisible. Shame Swansea won but hopefully we can do them next week.

[Ponky]

Yeah just heard Lambert saying he thought Gabby was excellent and that our GD is pretty decent. I didnt think minus 14 was decent.

 

You need to use the Lambert-ism filter:

 

"really really excellent" means "barely Premier League standard"

 

"Decent" is basically utter dogshit.

[Rugeley Villa]

Gabby is dog shite and has always been dog shite bar the odd half decent season now and again. He's villa through and through but he aint good enough.

[Bunnski]

 

 

Albrighton played well would have taken a point before. Who was playing up front for us in the middle?? Nobody was ever there when the crosses came in. First half we were our usual shit selves. Second half more tidy and purpose. But we don't look like scoring a goal at all without Bentke. 

Gabby.  Watch him on motd later when Boruc mis-kicks and El Ahmadi gets through, Gabby is behind him just standing there.  I don't think Gabby should ever be playing as a striker and his future is definitely as a winger.

 

 

but he's a dreadful winger

 

The only time he did anything decent was when he found himself on the left wing, he picked out Westwood for a chance and also had another cross near the end.  He doesn't have the touch to play upfront but he has the attributes to play the wings.

[Davkaus]

If Gabby gets a new contract it had better be at a vastly reduced wage.

[VillanousOne]

I think considering everything that's happened this is probably the best we could have hoped for.

 

not saying anything is acceptable but hopefully we can move forward now.

 

Alby MOM

[Bunnski]

Yeah just heard Lambert saying he thought Gabby was excellent and that our GD is pretty decent. I didnt think minus 14 was decent.

He is probably just trying to give Gabby a bit of confidence by saying that and our goal difference is good compared with the teams below which is what I'd imagine he meant by saying our goal difference is decent.