sne Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Sure there are loads of minute issues that add to us under performing and failing to win games. But all these things are insignificant compared to the issues we have in midfield after we failed to properly strengthen in the summer. Something that is further emphasized by Di Matteo choosing to play a 2 man midfield. It might get a bit better once Tshibola gets fit, but unless he's a perfect mix of Viera, Pogba, Zidane, and Lampard it won't be enough to sort out this issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshVilla Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 (edited) We play no different or better than we did when Lambert tried to play possession football before he was sacked. We still lack the same guile in midfield to break teams down 50 mill spent and were still in the same situation with an equally clueless manager only at Villa Edited September 20, 2016 by AshVilla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 52 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said: You've referred to the atmosphere being funereal a few times and I must take umbrage. There was a fair bit of tension on Wednesday night but generally it has been pretty good this season. I don't know if you go to many away games but overall we're a decent set of home fans compared to others, when the Holte End pipes up not many compares. Also particular having the North Stand pick up a bit of slack is a bonus that most clubs don't have. Our away fans are universally praised every time we venture out. I think away we're right up there with the best in the land. It does rankle me a touch when people slag off our support and I do find myself wondering what they themselves are doing to change it. I'm not looking at you Hanoi with this but a lot of them don't even go to games. Don't worry, not taken personally. Some fair points. I'm not referring at all to our away support, which is always excellent. I don't go to away games as I can't get tickets and can't afford the travel, but I'm comparing Villa with Villa here - I think the atmosphere has got substantially worse within the last twelve months. Just my opinion. The Holte can be extremely loud, and a lot of fun to sit in, but I heard almost nothing against Brentford apart from the first ten minutes and the goal. I do admit that I'm not making things better, or helping my perception of this issue by sitting in the Upper Doug, but I maintain a decent atmosphere generated by the Holte should be audible from the Holte side of the halfway line, when it's good, which as I say I don't think it was, at all, against Brentford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastie Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 10 minutes ago, AshVilla said: We play no different or better than we did when Lambert tried to play possession football before he was sacked. We still lack the same guile in midfield to break teams down 50 mill spent and were still in the same situation with an equally clueless manager only at Villa Totally disagree with the first line - under Lambert we kept possession and created hardly any chances often not having a shot on target . This season we have created buckets of chances and failed to put them away - it's a thin dividing line between success and failure and we could and should have had several more points based on our play . we have massively missed McCormack in the last game and a half on a creative level he has created more chances this season than any player in the league . silly errors and poor finishing are what sees us where we are now in the main - sort those things and results will follow. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 34 minutes ago, Eastie said: Losing mentality ? We have lost once in our last 7 league games . You are right, of course. But so many points have been dropped from winning positions that they feel like losses. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastie Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 2 minutes ago, AntrimBlack said: You are right, of course. But so many points have been dropped from winning positions that they feel like losses. Indeed , the failure to kill teams off has been extremely costly - chances galore have been created and fluffed . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 7 hours ago, AntrimBlack said: It keeps being brought up, but with the changes we have made, it is inconceivable that there can be any connection with last year's mentality. Probably right but against Ipswich we started with 6 players that were at the club when it got relegated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 2 hours ago, Eastie said: Indeed , the failure to kill teams off has been extremely costly - chances galore have been created and fluffed . Not sure if the failure to take chances is the key thing. We have conceded so many goals in the last 10 minutes or so. It is failure to defend a lead that seems more critical. And that won't necessarily be sorted out by just playing through until things start to gel a bit more. We shouldn't be aiming for narrow wins in high scoring games. Need to defend better. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romavillan Posted September 20, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted September 20, 2016 2 minutes ago, briny_ear said: Not sure if the failure to take chances is the key thing. We have conceded so many goals in the last 10 minutes or so. It is failure to defend a lead that seems more critical. And that won't necessarily be sorted out by just playing through until things start to gel a bit more. We shouldn't be aiming for narrow wins in high scoring games. Need to defend better. Agree with everything apart from the last two lines. LOTS of time on the training ground working on positioning off the ball and defensive shape, and repetition, repetition, repetition.... will help them get more organised and know their jobs both individually and as a unit. It should be possible to coach them into defending better as a unit. Of course, scoring from one chance in 10 instead of one in 20 would also see us win more games... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderball Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 It will come together. Give him a few games with a full squad at his disposal before passing judgement? i am sure there are few teams, if any at all, who have more new starting 11 players in their squad than us. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave J Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 47 minutes ago, thunderball said: It will come together. Give him a few games with a full squad at his disposal before passing judgement? i am sure there are few teams, if any at all, who have more new starting 11 players in their squad than us. I agree - I do believe it will come together sooner rather than later. I'm really looking forward to seeing his best 11, which hopefully is not far away now. Automatic does not look an option right at this moment - however in football you can never say no- plenty of points to play for, I for one are still looking at play off's as a minimum 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael118 Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) 19 hours ago, AntrimBlack said: We were discussing the mentality being with the club and associated with last year. You are talking about the managers abilities. Totally different discussion. No, it's related. My post was referring to the managers abilities on a psychological level. I agree with mantis that fundamentally it's a psychological issue, but one which stems from having successive managers who are not adept with that aspect of the game. That's the root cause which has led to the poor performances and over time any negative feeling which may be attached to the club. However, I don't see it as something which couldn't be set straight pretty quickly by the right manager. Any possible carry over from last season would be unimportant if we had the right manager because it simply wouldn't penetrate. My view is last season's squad with the right manager and some good additions would have blitzed this league. We are weaker now especially in defence but not as weak as our performances or position on the table would suggest. The one constant from last season and previous seasons is another manager who is failing on a psychological level and that's my reason why we have had another poor start when expectations were so high. Edited September 21, 2016 by Michael118 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcTheObsession Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 36 minutes ago, Michael118 said: No, it's related. My post was referring to the managers abilities on a psychological level. I agree with mantis that fundamentally it's a psychological issue, but one which stems from having successive managers who are not adept with that aspect of the game. That's the root cause which has led to the poor performances and over time any negative feeling which may be attached to the club. However, I don't see it as something which couldn't be set straight pretty quickly by the right manager. Any possible carry over from last season would be unimportant if we had the right manager because it simply wouldn't penetrate. My view is last season's squad with the right manager and some good additions would have blitzed this league. We are weaker now especially in defence but not as weak as our performances or position on the table would suggest. The one constant from last season and previous seasons is another manager failing on a psychological level and that's my reason why we have had another poor start when expectations were so high. Really? I'm guessing that's because you think Clark and Okore should have stayed and been the CB pairing, despite one not being able to get a game in Denmark and the other being more often than not on Newcastle's bench. You'd also rather have Kozak and Agbonlahor upfront than Kodjia and McCormack though wouldn't you? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael118 Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 4 minutes ago, AvfcTheObsession said: Really? I'm guessing that's because you think Clark and Okore should have stayed and been the CB pairing Basically and the loss of Lescott who would have have been a decent back up and Donacien who had potential. Quote You'd also rather have Kozak and Agbonlahor upfront than Kodjia and McCormack though wouldn't you? I haven't seen enough of Kodjia and McCormack seems to be playing more of a creative role. I like Kozak and Agbonlahor (when fit) as strikers. I can see them combining well together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomvilla7 Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 19 minutes ago, Michael118 said: I like Kozak and Agbonlahor (when fit) as strikers. I can see them combining well together. Well fortunately, its looking like neither will ever be fit, physically or mentally! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcTheObsession Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 36 minutes ago, Michael118 said: Basically and the loss of Lescott who would have have been a decent back up and Donacien who had potential. I haven't seen enough of Kodjia and McCormack seems to be playing more of a creative role. I like Kozak and Agbonlahor (when fit) as strikers. I can see them combining well together. The 'loss' of Lescott, and this the same Donacien who has so much potential, the best offer he got was from League 2? McCormack will do a good job this season playing just off the main man, be that Kodjia or Gestede on occasions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I did wonder whether the changes to the formation and tactics are to do with Steve Round and RDM working together on a vision/formation/style to go forwards with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 1 hour ago, Michael118 said: Basically and the loss of Lescott who would have have been a decent back up and Donacien who had potential. FYI on Donacien, he really didn't. He looked alright at Newport County on loan - that's looking alright (not great or even good) at League Two level whilst being 22 years old. Where did he go to once released? League Two. He wasn't going to make it here at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 35 minutes ago, DK82 said: I did wonder whether the changes to the formation and tactics are to do with Steve Round and RDM working together on a vision/formation/style to go forwards with? If true (which I don't think it is) - Then RDM would be on borrowed time. You can't have a manager being told what tactics to use. Sure you can have a scouting report on the opposition - but the idea of the manager and the technical director talking about how the team would be set up is a recipe for disaster to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 23 hours ago, bobzy said: Out of interest, what would your starting 11 be? No views on this @TrentVilla? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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