Ratings and Reactions: Villa v Preston

[DevonIsAPlaceOnEarth]

Can't add much to other comments. Very disappointing from such a good first half.

Lansbury shows good promise for us, and with Jedinak and Hourihane I think we will be alright.

it was so cold today, didn't take a coat and regretted it from the second minute. Amateur performance from myself. 

[richp999]

1 hour ago, Dirk said:

Bruce said it in the interview, utter crap. Apparently no Fulham move too.

Why is it utter crap?

He said he's not fit and has been disciplined for missing a number of training sessions.

Sounds like he's taking the piss and we need to get rid ASAP to me

[perchman]

Well, I had to take the boy on the 236 mile round trip, purely to pay my respects to GT, the phone lights on 72 minutes were spectacular.

Nice seeing Vassel, Staunton, Platt and co pitch side.

 

First half was terrific, constantly pulling their back 4 out of shape and lots of free space created........really we could've been 4 up at half time.

Impressed with Green today, worked hard.

I hope Brucey didn't tell them to sit back in the second half, our intensity in the first half made it hard for them to come at as, sitting back was always going to invite them in.

Hutton is so frustrating, can't fault his work rate....he's just not very good in the final third.

Grealish looked like he had a cobb on today, I counted 3 times when he could've reached the ball but didn't.

Lansbury looked decent and looks for interesting options which will see some interesting football (unless any flair and intelligence gets knocked out of him)

Now, credit where it's due, I rolled my eyes when I saw Gabby solo up front but he worked his socks off today, led the line perfectly, did some essential defensive work and didn't stop running, he gets my MOM, I never thought I'd be saying that ever again.

Edited January 22, 2017 by perchman
typo

[romavillan]

6 hours ago, sir_gary_cahill said:

I thought he was great in the first half, not so good second, much like the team. I think he'll be a major player for us over the next few years or so

nice, the old SGC kiss of death

[AJ]

Just watched the highlights. Other than the contribution for the first goal, Grealish was an absolute liability for us. For Preston's goals, he gave zero effort in defence, allowing them to stroll right through and past him for both.

Gabby actually looked alright. He made some nice runs, and the first goal was definitely his. A goal's a goal, so I don't really care who scores it. Adomah was greedy, but it is a good thing to have players who are greedy, and we need more of it.

Disappointed with the result. There is always next season.

[sidcow]

We seriously got away with the pen. Not in a million years was it a penalty.  Not surprised their fans were so incensed. Was a brilliant tackle. 

[KJT123]

I think the penalty is an interesting one. I still haven't made up my mind about it; the Preston defender clearly gets the ball but has to go through Adomah to get it. Adomah was already going down before the defender touched the ball. 

[VILLAMARV]

18 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

Lansbury - 7 for his performance - 10 for being a proper midfielder - in the first half, Lansbury popped up looking for the ball in parts of the pitch that Villa midfielders haven't visited for months - he was getting ahead of the forwards, making runs into the corners, arriving in the box - you know in the film 2001 when the black slab gives the monkeys the evolutionary lift and they realise they can use bones as tools? That's how different to our other midfielders he is - he's doing things outside of their conception - he's doing things that normal midfielders do. He played pretty well too.

Also Hurray!

Also Also nice to hear!

But mostly thanks. I like laughing.

[Stevo985]

I don't want to sound like one of those fans.

But whoever rated the referee as "average" or "good" couldn't have gone to the game.

Or you're just having a laugh of course.

[Stevo985]

15 hours ago, perchman said:

Well, I had to take the boy on the 236 mile round trip, purely to pay my respects to GT, the phone lights on 72 minutes were spectacular.

Nice seeing Vassel, Staunton, Platt and co pitch side.

That was nice but I thought the announcer would have made a bit more of a big deal about who was there.

The tribute was great but he only mentioned GT's wife and nobody else. Not even as a group like "We're joined by some of GT's former players at Aston Villa"

 

Thought that was a bit odd. There would have been a lot of people in attendance who didn't even realise they were there.

[OutByEaster?]

18 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

Thought that was a bit odd. There would have been a lot of people in attendance who didn't even realise they were there.

I didn't realise they were there.

 

[perchman]

5 hours ago, Stevo985 said:

That was nice but I thought the announcer would have made a bit more of a big deal about who was there.

The tribute was great but he only mentioned GT's wife and nobody else. Not even as a group like "We're joined by some of GT's former players at Aston Villa"

 

Thought that was a bit odd. There would have been a lot of people in attendance who didn't even realise they were there.

I was a bit suprised that more of an event wasn't made of it, I was only looking out for them because I saw a tweet in the week asking former players who wanted to attend to get in touch with someone.

[Raver50032]

18 hours ago, Stevo985 said:

I don't want to sound like one of those fans.

But whoever rated the referee as "average" or "good" couldn't have gone to the game.

Or you're just having a laugh of course.

I'll step forward and say I thought he was average - and yes, I was having a laugh.

--

Amazingly cliché, but what a game of two halves... It was a very positive, feel good, kind of first half, the like of which we have not really seen for a good few years. Lansbury clearly giving everyone a lift. All this despite Gabby being the pick of the strikers, and Westwood selected yet again. He could do well for us, fingers crossed. So amazingly we were two goals up at half time courtesy of Adomah... a stolen tap in after Gabby's work and a dubious penalty. I thought there was going to be a riot down in the Preston corner.

God knows what happened at half time... One of the most bizarre turnarounds in effort I have seen. Gifting no less than two goals to a player out of form... Only at the Villa. The second had an air of inevitability about it once the first one went in. And Johnstone... may not be at fault for the actual goals, but there was another fisting incident which nearly resulted in a goal. Is he really that much of an improvement over Gollini? I am yet to see it folks. Sorry. For me, he's just another young guy with much to learn. The fact he isn't Italian and has played a load of Championship games before seem currently the only benefits I see to him. And the Italian thing doesn't bother me and doesn't, doesn't count.

So, Villa reverting to type in the second half... still yet to produce a meaningful and consistent 90 minutes under Bruce. So we're back to square one, needing more players that will play for him and play the way he wants us to get results.  

You know - given how long they've known about the striker situation, Gabby's first half performance notwithstanding, if that was our plan all along, then I am very surprised, and very disappointed. Shocking to let a target man go to a club we also have interest in buying one of theirs. Then not playing a youngster because of some contract kerfuffle. Two other forwards off to ACON. 'Oh yeah, we can rely on Gabby...' or  'And if we're really in the poo, we can bring on young Davis in injury time to shake them up...'

Huh? That's the kind of business I would have expected Paul Faulkner (sic) or Tom Fox to do.

It has the feeling (as a supporter looking in) that the Club has kind of admitted to itself that we're staying down now for another year. We've not got the bodies in yet and we haven't got the legs to lift with a level of performance and consistency to make up the gap to sixth. If we do somehow do it, £150 to VT. Game over man... game over.

--

Good attendance considering it was Preston - even they brought a few. Thought they were going to be on the pitch at the end as it must have felt like winning the league for them.

[rjw63]

4 hours ago, Raver50032 said:

 

And Johnstone... may not be at fault for the actual goals, but there was another fisting incident

Available to view on X Hamster...