Ratings and Reactions: Villa 0-1 Leyton Orient

[Hanky]

Few observations from what I saw.

Grealish looked very good and is our calmest player on the ball. Like the fact he can take players on as well. Him and Senderos were probably the only players to come out of the game with any credit.

Joe Cole and Bent looked completely off the pace and were ineffective for most of the game. Joe Cole showed flashes but ultimately he looks past it to me. Bent should have buried the two opportunities he had. I don't really want to see him play again for us if I'm honest. Westwood and Sanchez were ok but disappeared after the first half an hour, I felt they could have done more considering the opposition. I thought Bacuna was ineffective as well. The amount of times he got in threatening areas of the pitch and his end product was awful. He'll be used mostly as a utility player this season I'd imagine, IMO he certainly is no winger.

Hutton gave the ball away a few times but was the only player providing any width at all. Richardson looked poor to me and is not a player we should be playing at left back (although I realise Cissokho will be first choice there). A concern I had about Richardson was how rushed he looks when he is on the ball as well. Baker had his usual game. Win lots in the air but head it straight to the opposition. He also missed a few chances at the other end. I've had enough of persisting with him. Clark must look bloody awful in training if he can't get a game ahead of him.

As for Lambert, well I don't think he was really bothered. He left our three most threatening and offensive players on the bench. I started to think we would struggle again this season, but then I thought about the players that were not playing yesterday. N'Zogbia, Vlaar, Guzan, Cissokho, Agbonlahor, Weimann, Delph, Benteke, Kozak, Okore would have all walked into that that team tonight in my opinion. However, I am annoyed that we have been knocked out to lower league opposition again, and it's not doing Lambert's reputation any favours. I think we desperately need to win on Sunday with the fixtures we have coming up.

[blunther]

I must have either got used to us being a bit shit or have calmed down a lot recently, as I've really enjoyed going to the last two matches. Sat by the dugout for a change, as am usually Holte, so was nice to get a different perspective on the match, listen to the players talking to each other and that. On that note, Senderos is bloody loud, and is very good at talking to the defence. I like what I've seen of him so far.

 

I don't think you can really blame this on the manager. We had plenty of chances, and poor finishing cost us. Bent and Baker each could have had a couple, and Bacuna could have done better with his chance. Grealish looked bright, though it'll be interesting to see if he can wander past higher level defences so casually without costing us possession a lot of the time.

 

Disappointed to be out, but it's not the end of the world, and other second round results show that this happens to other teams too. 6 out of the 13 Premier League teams that played lost to lower league opposition I think? That's cups for ya. I just hope that losing this doesn't make for an ugly crowd against Hull. It doesn't help.

 

Oh, and to the clown giving Lambert dog's abuse after the goal went in - if you don't want to be called a prick, stop acting like a prick. Grown adults acting like that is sad to see.

[Villain4Life]

Must admit, I'm not terribly bothered. I'd rather have 3 extra points than a cup run.

 

Come spring next year and we're likely in a relegation scrap again, a cup run is just a distraction.

 

Suuuuure a game or two more in the League Cup wouldn't kill us, but a deep run wouldn't benefit our position come spring next year, imho. 

[Stevo985]

 

 

 

I was going to say about Given. Unfortunately he seems to be the constant in all these lower league defeats. That goal wouldn't have gone in last night if Guzan was in goal as he'd be out commanding the area, sniffing out the danger.

 

Are you referring to the myth that Given was to blame for the Bradford defeat?

 

Because that's nonsense.

 

That being said, I did think he maybe could have come and claimed the cross that led to the goal last night, so I won't excuse him there.

 

 

I don't think anyone blames Given solely for the Bradford defeat but I definitely think he was one of the main culprits. If you look at the 4 defeats we've had to lower league opposition in the cups under Lambert Given has featured in all of them bar Sheffield United. It doesn't help that he didn't have Vlaar in front of him on any of those occasions but most of the goals we conceded in those games have come from corners or high balls into the box which he just can't deal with - he's incredibly poor at commanding his area despite being a good shot stopper.

 

Go back and look at the Bradford goals.

 

None of those crosses could Given have come and claimed the ball. If he had they'd have been pretty risky claims.

 

I think if we'd had Guzan in goal in those games the result would have been the same.

 

People just default to blaming Given because the goals came from crosses, so the keeper must be to blame, right?!

 

He is poor at commanding his area, but it didn't have an effect that night. Given did his job against bradford.

[squirdle]

Not even surprised at the result. Embarrassed? Mightily. Surprised, no.