Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Southampton

[Harry]

For the first time this season it dawned on me that we are real relegation candidates. We are just so easy to play against. Keep it tight in midfield and close us down quickly, double mark Grealish, and wait for us to make a mistake.

Added to that we sat way too deep and resorted too many times to hoofing it up the pitch toward a striker who is so out of form its embarrassing.

[Elton]

No one came out of that game with any credit. Even Jack was ineffective for most of the match, although he hardly had any support and was surrounding by Southampton players when he had the ball with little options. Connor invisible. El Ghazi worst game in a while.

We need to try something different, setting up the same way every week and going ‘toe to toe’ as Smith says, isn’t working. Defensively we are too easy to get at. Although Mings and McGinn have been off form, they proved today what massive misses they are and Mings in particular we need back quickly.

Wesley again wasn’t our worst player today by any stretch but Kodjia did make more happen when he came on. We need to change something, although I suspect Smith may stick the usual game plan against Norwich. Fred was poor today and I think Elmo will come in. 

Massive game on Boxing Day as the crowd are starting to turn and that never helps anyone.

[Talldarkandransome]

I think Leicester will tear us a new one over two legs

[pacbuddies]

Finally some fans are beginning to wake up to what I said weeks ago about Smith not being good enough for this league. His naivety in the transfer market not signing a proven striker has been instrumental in our failure to get results. Our owners were just as naive giving him a contract extension, a gesture which he has repaid them with by taking us into the relegation zone for xmas. Get rid now and get Poch in and give him a January war chest to keep us up!

Edited December 21, 2019 by pacbuddies

[VillaCas]

25 minutes ago, nick76 said:

I know there are a lot of knockers of Wes but he just got the ball lumped up to him so many times and none of them easy so I’m not blaming him.  This was a total team and management disgrace.

...or perhaps it’s that he is completely unable to get himself into better positions to receive the ball

He is always looking to come back into midfield for the ball and never looking to attack the box

He is the worst purchase in Villa history 

[maqroll]

Another loss in our next two games and Smith will be sacked, IMO. Really disappointing run of form and sadly the manager must be held to account. Smith is truly on the hot seat now.

[maqroll]

6 minutes ago, pacbuddies said:

Finally some fans are beginning to wake up to what I said weeks ago about Smith not being good enough for this league. His naivety in the transfer market not signing a proven striker has been instrumental in our failure to get results. Our owners were just as naive giving him a contract extension, a gesture which he has repaid them with by taking us into the relegation zone for xmas. Get rid now and get Poch in and give him a January war chest to keep us up!

Poch is waiting for the Man Utd job, doubt he'd come to Villa without a huge war chest.

[nick76]

Just now, VillaCas said:

...or perhaps it’s that he is completely unable to get himself into better positions to receive the ball

He is always looking to come back into midfield for the ball and never looking to attack the box

He is the worst purchase in Villa history 

Worse purchase in Villa history? That’s a joke surely!

Coming into midfield so something happens there.  Outside of Jack there are no ideas in midfield.  Also gets so little of the ball, has to drop into midfield to get involved.

No issue people criticising him but they have to be a little fair 

[The_Rev]

Felt we struggled against the ten men again, but really delighted to see Matty Targett score in injury time to win it. I'd have been gutted had we only drawn this game. 

[Robbie09]

Heads have noticeably dropped since the Leicester game and I’m not sure whether Deano has the ability to raise confidence levels. What’s more worrying for me is the complete lack of effort from some of the players today. 
Losing SJM so early was a massive blow but bringing Marvelous on was the wrong decision. It seems Deano is being tactically outmanoeuvred every week and his inexperience and/or his stubbornness to change formation is costing us.

Our owners are wealthy and by default very ruthless so I wouldn’t be overly surprised if Deano gets the bullet if things don’t improve very soon.

[Harry]

2 minutes ago, maqroll said:

Poch is waiting for the Man Utd job, doubt he'd come to Villa without a huge war chest.

There is no way Poch would come to Villa, however big a war chest. He is being talked about as the next Real Madrid manager!

[maqroll]

1 minute ago, The_Rev said:

Felt we struggled against the ten men again, but really delighted to see Matty Targett score in injury time to win it. I'd have been gutted had we only drawn this game. 

Also, it's a huge statement of intent that Zlatan has signed for Villa

[Harry]

1 minute ago, Robbie09 said:

Heads have noticeably dropped since the Leicester game and I’m not sure whether Deano has the ability to raise confidence levels. What’s more worrying for me is the complete lack of effort from some of the players today. 
Losing SJM so early was a massive blow but bringing Marvelous on was the wrong decision. It seems Deano is being tactically outmanoeuvred every week and his inexperience and/or his stubbornness to change formation is costing us.

Our owners are wealthy and by default very ruthless so I wouldn’t be overly surprised if Deano gets the bullet if things don’t improve very soon.

Agreed......sadly as I would like him to turn it around.

[maqroll]

2 minutes ago, Robbie09 said:

Heads have noticeably dropped since the Leicester game and I’m not sure whether Deano has the ability to raise confidence levels. What’s more worrying for me is the complete lack of effort from some of the players today. 
Losing SJM so early was a massive blow but bringing Marvelous on was the wrong decision. It seems Deano is being tactically outmanoeuvred every week and his inexperience and/or his stubbornness to change formation is costing us.

Our owners are wealthy and by default very ruthless so I wouldn’t be overly surprised if Deano gets the bullet if things don’t improve very soon.

A lightweight midfield is yet again the scourge of the side. No real leaders out there as well. We miss Snodgrass.

[VillaCas]

5 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Worse purchase in Villa history? That’s a joke surely!

Coming into midfield so something happens there.  Outside of Jack there are no ideas in midfield.  Also gets so little of the ball, has to drop into midfield to get involved.

No issue people criticising him but they have to be a little fair 

£22m? and he’s easily our worst player. I would think that qualifies as pound for pound our worst ever purchase

[screwdriver]

Booed off at half time and full time and rightly so. Embarrassing.

Villa need all their influential players on the pitch to get anything. That means HEaton Mings McGinn and Grealish.

lose 1 and you struggle. We are two down. Mings makes mistakes but his influence gives us a fighting chance. Heads dropped today.

El Gazi should have been hauled off in the first half. Pathetic performance. A player who looked like Christiano Ronaldo last season running with the ball, but unable to understand basic tactics (ie where to be when he hasn't got the ball)

The two brazilians were as usual total waste of shirts. Wesley fights but is crap. Luiz doesn't want to be here.

Why didn't Engles pull Ings down and take the card to keep us in the game?

Why not start Lansbury who it is surely last chance saloon?

Why not start Kodjia who banged in a hatrick midweek. Why wait so long to bring him on?

These group  meetings in the 2nd half on the touch line before any decision is made. pathetic.

Grealish 5 men on him and no one sprinting to give him a short range option.

 

Southampton Have serious fire power in Ings and Long. both small in stature but excellent in touch and attitude.

sainst winning 3-0 and ings chasing down guilbert right up his arse for a lost cause. fantastic.

Long a pest all game.  REdmond looked like a world beater today.

We are up excrement creek without propulsion unless we have a new manager bounce or spend 50million on some proven prem class in Jan

 

 

[nick76]

5 minutes ago, VillaCas said:

£22m? and he’s easily our worst player. I would think that qualifies as pound for pound our worst ever purchase

No chance!

I think he’s struggling at the moment but so is the rest of the team.  This will turn into the usual debate that some think he’s beyond awful and the others think he’s struggling, not being helped out and he’s being played wrong.

i guess you’re in the first camp and in that case he would be as you say

I'm in the second camp therefore I disagree.  I think our failure to have another striker brought as well in the close window was completely stupid and now everything is on Wes. I think he’s really struggling but I have seen preseason and in this season to see something there that has long term gains.

[VillaChris]

2 hours ago, Mantis said:

Happens almost every year it seems. We may as well just **** forfeit our games around this time of year because they never **** turn up anyway.

Our awful Xmas form has been one of the features of this decade. I dread to think of our record in this month since 2010. It was poor in the championship aswell.

It's frustrating as with all the games close together you can get real momentum going in the season. We did that in 03/04 under O'Leary and pulled well away from the bottom 3. Were also very good over xmas in 3 out of 4 MON seasons.

Another frustrating aspect of this season.

[TRO]

2 hours ago, Rodders said:

Abysmal result

and a worse performance.

[Mr.Messy]

1 hour ago, ferguson1 said:

Perhaps Santa will bring us all a present on Boxing Day?

I met the big man today at the Village fete, he asked what I wanted for Christmas I replied "3 points for The Villa".

Your welcome.