Ratings & Reactions: Sheff Utd v Villa

[screwdriver]

First half we did alright but it was obvious sheffild utd would come out 100mph 2nd half after a rollocking and they did.

Pen miss was crucial. heads dropped noticibly after that. It's then smiths job to get his hands oiut of his pockets and become a cheerleader. didn't happen. 

Our big chances came at -0-1 wesley and grealish hit and hopes.

surely its thanks for the memories deano?      If the boards arn't tapping up benitez or poch right now we are in turbulent waters!

[OutByEaster?]

Performance was garbage. We're not passing with any fluency and we don't have any attacking threat at all.

I don't think we defend too badly, I just think we defend a lot. We defend more in a game than Man City do in a month and we really need to change it.

Wesley had a shot today, his first in four hours of football - he's not holding the ball up and he's not a threat, Kodjia ran a bit into the channels, but he has absolutely no impact - e've got nothing up front.

In midfield we've started playing too long - we're not passing the ball and we're giving it away too often - we need to get sharper in there.

Sheffield United aren't a great side, they're organised but they were there for the taking today - the Villa that played Liverpool would have battered them - they're getting results and well done to them, I like their manager and they're living the dream.

For me, today is the first time I've been genuinely worried about relegation - not so much because of the result, but because of the performance - we look awful and this has been the worst period of performances in Dean Smith's time here - he wants to play attacking football with the ball and we're not - we need to be working very hard in training on that this week.

We've got a serious problem - we're not playing, we're not threatening, we're not keeping the ball - defending and hoping for a bit of luck will get you back in the Championship. It's a big test.

Not good enough today by a long shot and he's got a  lot of work on to lift these players.

 

[MotoMkali]

**** right off with your criticisms of Wesley. We had a couple of alright positions but we **** it up when the midfield strolled up the pitch and Wesley got surrounded. He did nothing wrong today and the criticism of him is just a refuge to a avoid facing reality. It isn't the lack of a striker that is killing us it is the lack of a midfield especially mcginn. If he isn't dropped for at least the southhampton game you know that some people are undroppable. 

[jim]

Just now, KillieVillain said:

If things couldn’t get any worse, Bournemouth win at Chelsea, Norwich draw at Leicester.

What? That’s not how it works, you can’t get results against the bigger clubs!

[Paul33]

Where has McGinn gone ? He looks disinterested and contributes next to nothing. Can't we drop him to the Ladies team for a few games ..... its about his level at the moment !

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

1 minute ago, Brumstopdogs said:

Who is on the bench?

Also Wesleys....

[Farlz]

They were big anyway but the next 3 games are as big as it gets. Southampton, Norwich and Watford we simply have to get at least 2 wins, anything less isn't good enough. 

I'm starting to worry for us. 

[sidcow]

Shocking today. Really poor. 

[KevinRichardsonsMoustache]

1 minute ago, OutByEaster? said:

Performance was garbage. We're not passing with any fluency and we don't have any attacking threat at all.

I don't think we defend too badly, I just think we defend a lot. We defend more in a game than Man City do in a month and we really need to change it.

Wesley had a shot today, his first in four hours of football - he's not holding the ball up and he's not a threat, Kodjia ran a bit into the channels, but he has absolutely no impact - e've got nothing up front.

In midfield we've started playing too long - we're not passing the ball and we're giving it away too often - we need to get sharper in there.

Sheffield United aren't a great side, they're organised but they were there for the taking today - the Villa that played Liverpool would have battered them - they're getting results and well done to them, I like their manager and they're living the dream.

For me, today is the first time I've been genuinely worried about relegation - not so much because of the result, but because of the performance - we look awful and this has been the worst period of performances in Dean Smith's time here - he wants to play attacking football with the ball and we're not - we need to be working very hard in training on that this week.

We've got a serious problem - we're not playing, we're not threatening, we're not keeping the ball - defending and hoping for a bit of luck will get you back in the Championship. It's a big test.

Not good enough today by a long shot and he's got a  lot of work on to lift these players.

 

Superb post. Can we just put this on every page of VT until the next match? 

[Jimzk5]

You can always count on villa to make the Christmas period depressing

Once again teams around us go to top sides and get points

[punkiller1981]

Nature of the performance is what I find worrying. I would love to support a team that put the opposition under pressure, pressed and worked hard. Nobody can tell me that Fleck has more talent than some of our players but he works hard for 90 minutes. We do not, we run around but we didn’t work hard off the ball in or out of possession we just make it so easy for other teams at this level. 

[nick76]

That was awful.  Third game I’ve chosen Heaton as MoM which says it all.  Our defence was ok to start off with but after our non-existent midfield and attack failed even the defence fell foul.

 

Just awful.

 

Same players will be targeted as usual but this again was a awful team performance.  We had nothing!

[OutByEaster?]

So much of it is mental - in the last five minutes we gave away a load of chances, not because they were fitter or because we'd run out of legs - because we'd decided we'd lost, this team are bereft of confidence.

 

[foreveryoung]

5 minutes ago, VillaFaninLondon said:

Players should be fined for another shambolic performance. Disgraceful.

 

Sheffield United have spent a fraction of what we have over the years, and look how well they're doing. Whether it's the manager, players, tactics not working, I don't know, but we're in big trouble. Pi**ed off. 

It's the manager, he don't put up with any shit. That team is rubbish on paper, but they all do a job, the little flicks for the goals today, we looked at them like they were Barcelona. 

[il_serpente]

No energy

No movement

No fight

Poor decisions on and off the ball.

Other than that, a superb performance.

[The Fun Factory]

Out of form and out of confidence. We just have to improve our away form, even by just getting the odd draw rather than losing every single time. The squad needs freshening up in January.  I hope the fans don't tear the team down in absolute misery beforehand because we badly need a couple of wins coming up. This is where you earn your corn deano.

[rjw63]

Also, other teams near the bottom keep pulling out these huge wins against much better teams.

Norwich v Man City (and a point today at Lesster).

Saints winning at Bramall Lane.

Bournemouth winning today at Chelsea.

Newcastle beating Manure.

We haven't beaten one decent team yet and don't look like doing so.

 

[Talldarkandransome]

Good defensive performance in first half but nothing going forward.

Second half was juddery and haphazard. We don't appear to have a plan, Heaton just hoofs it up and  it comes straight back. 

The cones must be winning in training cos  they all look devoid of confidence. Smith and his team need to sort this out quickly or it will only get worse.

New goalscorer is a must in Jan, full stop.

 

[Elton]

Very poor. 4-3-3 maybe needs to change. Whoever plays up front isn’t getting any service. I’d like to see Jack play centrally again as we are losing the midfield.

3 big and very winnable games coming up that can get our season back on track.

Edited December 14, 2019 by Elton

[pacbuddies]

7 minutes ago, screwdriver said:

First half we did alright but it was obvious sheffild utd would come out 100mph 2nd half after a rollocking and they did.

Pen miss was crucial. heads dropped noticibly after that. It's then smiths job to get his hands oiut of his pockets and become a cheerleader. didn't happen. 

Our big chances came at -0-1 wesley and grealish hit and hopes.

surely its thanks for the memories deano?      If the boards arn't tapping up benitez or poch right now we are in turbulent waters!

They won't sack him now, the stupid b@stards just gave him a contract extension so it will cost them a fortune to get rid of him. Such a dumb move to give him an extension when he's proved nothing!