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Ratings and Reactions: Villa - Man Utd


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Match Polls  

102 members have voted

  1. 1. Manager's Performance

    • Very Good
      0
    • Good
      27
    • Average
      57
    • Poor
      16
    • Very Poor
      2
  2. 2. Refereeing Performance

    • Very Good
      0
    • Good
      5
    • Average
      26
    • Poor
      50
    • Very Poor
      21


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The thing that frustrated me the most was that United looked pretty poor today, yet they closed the game out with relative ease. We were the home side and in that last ten minutes we should have been peppering their keeper. 

 

Also, in the first half, why on earth were we crossing the ball with Gabby and Ayew up front? It was as if we were playing with Benteke still up front. 

Edited by KJT123
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My thoughts:

Amavi clearly the best signing of the lot, too good for us so very happy to have him.

Midfield has been pretty much sorted for me, some good passing moves and quite a bit of bite in midfield which you obviously need in the premier league.

Up front is where I am worried, Ayew I just don't get that signing, from what I have seen on YouTube and the full 90 minutes from both games this season he just doesn't have what's needed, looks lightweight, no power in his shots, not very good in the air, looks like another weimann which has cost us 10 million to me.

Don't think we will be in a relegation battle this season.

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Not awful, but disappointing.

Not the result, or the overall effort and performance, but at the failure to give the keeper anything to do. In that respect it felt remarkably similar to last seasons opening games. Surprised really, with Sherwoods attacking philosophy.

Other teams will struggle once they go behind to Man U, however, so not necessarily a cause for concern, yet.

Also our three most creative players not ready yet...

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The thing that frustrated me the most was that United looked pretty poor today, yet they closed the game out with relative ease. We were the home side and in that last ten minutes we should have been peppering their keeper.

Also, in the first half, why on earth were we crossing the ball with Gabby and Ayew up front? It was as if we were playing with Benteke still up front.

I don't quite understand that latter point. Do teams that don't have a tall striker never cross the ball? It still seems tactically sound to cross the ball in the box even with smaller strikers.
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We could have got a penalty, we should have scored from Amavi's whipped cross across the goal mouth. That's a solid Premier League chance that should be taken.

Memphis Depay should've scored for them.

2-2 would have been fair.

We were not embarrassed by a hoodoo side. Man for man they were better on paper but not on the pitch or the night. fine margins.

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This United team under LVG will not score oodles of goals like under Fergie.....they will dominate the ball and out possess teams of our ilk.

 

I disagree that they were poor, they just operate a different style now and have little interest in out scoring teams....in those days when they did out score you,there was always a chance of a counter attack to get back in....now its a grind.

 

We did not carry an offensive threat tonight so we had to match them for craft on the ball.....and they were simply superior with their touch and movement, they won all the gamesmanship encounters too, aided and abetted by Mike Dean.

 

We did have our 3 most elusive players out too in Gill, Grealish & Traore but we have a lot of training ground work to do if we are to progress in to anything we are hoping for.

 

The amount of threats on both goals summed up this middle of the park scrap.

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We will finish 17th again with that mentality and standard

Not a chance in hell mate. All my non supporting Villa fans watched the game today and messaged me saying they take back what they said about us being relegated and were surprised how good we were. Sometimes you have to take a step back and put things in to perspective.

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I asked at the bar for snails tossed in garlic buttter and a glass of Chateau Cheval Blanc at half time. All I got was a pint of Carlsberg and a bag of pork scratchings...... Sherwood out.

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This United team under LVG will not score oodles of goals like under Fergie.....they will dominate the ball and out possess teams of our ilk.

I disagree that they were poor, they just operate a different style now and have little interest in out scoring teams....in those days when they did out score you,there was always a chance of a counter attack to get back in....now its a grind.

We did not carry an offensive threat tonight so we had to match them for craft on the ball.....and they were simply superior with their touch and movement, they won all the gamesmanship encounters too, aided and abetted by Mike Dean.

We did have our 3 most elusive players out too in Gill, Grealish & Traore but we have a lot of training ground work to do if we are to progress in to anything we are hoping for.

The amount of threats on both goals summed up this middle of the park scrap.

This is a good post. People are saying Man U were poor but I think this is Man U. Which is why I think LVG won't last.

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Still early days but we look a different side to last season. A pretty even encounter across the pitch, we just lacked penetration. All of our play was in front of the Utd back four, would've switched to a 4-4-2 and tried to get down the sides or beyond smalling

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Looking on the bright side, it didn't look like there was the massive gulf in class between the two sides that there has been in past seasons. That said, that may be because United really weren't that impressive. They still have a lot of work to do if they are really going to challenge. But who gives a crap about them.

On to Villa...the positives are definitely Amavi and Gueye. Must remember that was only their second PL game, and both are already looking high quality players, who will get better with game time.

Veretout is clearly not match fit yet. Seems to be struggling a bit to adapt to the pace of the game and can't do 90 minutes yet, but there is a player in there I think, he will need time.

Ayew looks desperate to impress but it's not quite clicking for him. I thought he became more prominent as the game went on but he's not going to be a major goal threat I don't think.

Defence looked like they need more time together but there wasn't a bad individual performance. There were moments like for the goal and the Depay effort just wide that they were cut open a little too easily.

Westwood had one of his best games in a Villa shirt for me.

Thought Gestede should have started or come on earlier. We didn't look like scoring before he came on with the Sinclair - Gabby - Ayew front three but to think there's Gil, Grealish and Traore also to come in, it's not too much of a stretch to think we're not playing any of our strongest attacking players just yet.

Oh and the ref was very poor. Although that is only to be expected. Should have been a penalty, not to mention the multiple fouls that were just let go.

Would have taken 2 draws from the first 2 games, so can't complain about having 3 points. The Palace game will be a better test of where we are in the grand scheme.

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Some proper immature opinions flying around? We are no more likely to be relegated after tonight's defeat as we are to win the league or challenge at the top after the Bournmouth win.

Like Man Utd last season, it's going to take 10 games to find our feet. We may well be 17th by November but I think we will be 10th or so by March next year.

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Did he bring on Sanchez to protect the deficit?

Ayew and Veretout were not effective, Amavi MOTM.

Dean bottled the pen shout

We need Adama and Grealish in there with Gil playing behind Gestede.

Richards too helter skelter, he needs to calm down and not try to be superman.

Early days, but I hope the hoofball on display tonight was an abbarition.

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Plain and simple, if Mike Dean does his job properly that's a draw and a good performance against a top side. Not going to get drawn into certain a criticisms but I thought they did well all things considered.

We'll be better off with 2 10's playing inside or one with two strikers as I thought at times the runs of Sinclair and Ayew out wide nullified the attacking threats of Amavi and Bacuna, and we ended up having to knock long balls towards the front three running towards a defence that just sat way behind them and swept up. Grealish or Gil or both would have forced the defence to come out and made space. Unfortunately we just didn't have the options today, sooner they get back the better. I think someone said in the match thread that actually Cole would have been a welcome sub on the hour to mix it up. We also need to get the new lads fitter.

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Guzan - 7 Did alright. Off his line well. Dont remember him kicking the ball straight out loads.

Bacuna - 7 Did really well considering how often he was left totally isolated on the ball by those around him.

Richards - 7 Went to ground early for their goal but left 2 on 1 and playing catch up by Gana letting Januzaj run off him. Was fouled in the box but they're never given.

Clark - 7 Solid. Poor distribution though

Amavi - 8 MOTM Good going forward. Good defensively. Lovely recovery tackle near the end too. Just our best player tonight by an absolute mile. Really impressed.

Westwood - 6 Did ok. Couple of sloppy passes at key moments first half were a shame.

Gana - 6 Ran himself out after 30 mins. Let Januzaj go for the goal. Other than that i was pretty impressed though without really imposing himself. Promising.

Veretout - 5 All bustle and no hustle tonight. Like Gana started ok then faded. Left Bacuna isolated at times when he had the ball. Should have come off earlier.

Ayew - 4 Was gonna say 5 but then remembered how he deserved his booking for that dive. Not in this shirt laddie. Got frustrated and it just wasn't happening for him.

Gabby - 5 Same old Gabby. Nothing to see here. Oh no hang on he had a free header which went straight to Romero. Poor but nothing new.

Sinclair - 6 Did ok. Mostly I'm thinking because Amavi was his out all the time. Ran into blind alleys a bit. Ran away from his teammates a bit. Strange one from Sinclair but I'd have left him on personally.

 

Sanchez - 7 Tidy enough. Should have been on long before the 78th minute though.

Gestede - 6 Didn't really have much to do but chase aimless long balls around and win none of them. Smalling kept him quiet.

 

Sherwood - 5 Poor tonight I thought. front 3 didn't work at all. No focal point and both Kozak and Gestede on the bench. Strange one for me. Should have changed things and given it a go.

 

Overall. We have an obvious lack of quality in midfield, and massive problems in the final third. Ayew looks like a striker being played out of position. Gabby looked totally out of his depth. Veretout and Gana dont look match fit. Veretout looks like he might need a while to adjust to the pace of it all. Amavi on the other hand looks like a real gem.

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