Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Norwich

[Junxs]

1 minute ago, OutByEaster? said:

19 is the last of the first half of the season. 1-19 is nineteen games. 20-38 is nineteen games.

I think we'll need 37 to stay up, possibly 38 - so we'll need to be one or two points better in the second half of the season than we have in the first half.

 

Yeah playing Norwich threw me, as we have already played them.. at least we have to play the bottom team (Watford) twice in the 2nd half of the season

[Graham t]

I thought we were really poor again today. Take Heaton and Grealish out of this team and we would not win another game. As for Wesley, don't get me started! Glad of the points though, Norwich were the better team but Heatonwas brilliant in goal for us ( again). 

[roonst83]

Just needed the win any way we could get it. Norwich played great stuff and closed us down, pressed us all game and have an immense ability to keep the ball from clearances, deflections, or when confined in tight spaces. They won’t know how they didn’t come away with any points today. As I mentioned at the start of the thread I think they’re a much more talented team than Southampton and they showed that today on the ball. We needed to win ugly to have any chance of stopping the rot and our CB pairing did great today. Hause getting loads of plaudits, and rightly so, but for me Konsa stood out all game. Both worked so hard for the team given that our midfield were so vacant and open in the first half. Elmo was solid. They exposed Targett a fair bit but their wing back is class. I was frustrated we couldn’t utilise Targett more going forwards.

I don’t think we’re good enough in the middle of the park. No composure, or plan when we get the ball and Luiz and Nakampa almost cancel each other out. We’re missing an on form McGinn in that middle to drive us forward from defence to attack. All we have is Grealish to do that and when he’s stifled there’s nothing. Our wide players aren’t effective enough and Wesley is barely in the game. He harried a fair bit today but it’s another game when we can’t get our main striker into any good positions or make him any kind of a threat. Trying my hardest not to be too negative on the back of a win as there was relief all round with three points but there’s so much that needs fixing. Smith doesn’t know his best midfield and that’s hurting us. 

Positives were we hung in there and dig in deep. Desire was there but that leadership and spirit of last season isn’t the same (probably because confidence has been shot to bits). Hoped we kick in at one nil up but we  couldn’t get going again and you could see Jack’s frustration with the lack of composure  from Nakampa (I think) and Targett is not being able to do simple lay offs to relieve some pressure. Grealish rallied us so well and was our shining light again. Conor compliments him well too and the delay and composure on the ball by Grealish is just class, releasing it perfectly for Conor to do what he can. You wouldn’t want anyone but Conor there. Other mention for Heaton who keeps us in every game we win. Need that same quality in the central midfield and we would dominate games. 

I’m not sure if playing Watford in 48 hours is good or bad for us. Would almost rather we had a week to work on it. We need to make this win count and try hang in there with the teams above us in a bid to hopefully make some signings that galvanise this team and somehow keep us in this division. 

Performance wasn’t great today but we got more than I expected after that utter shower against Southampton. They showed, along with Watford, how teams around us are capable to get points away against top teams. We need more than crawling over the finish line against a team below us. Points were more important than performance today so it’s a big three points. Need to make it count. 

Edited December 27, 2019 by roonst83

[hippo]

Thought Konsa played well - as did grealish. But the overall performance suggests if we do stay up it will be by the skin of our teeth.

[VillaCas]

5 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

In my opinion, big, strong midfielder and wingers would make the team, AND Wesley better.

However, i've also been critical of him myself today.

We definitely need a striker but I think we need to address the support system (And the actual system) more importantly.

Also baffles me how opposition teams have so much time and space around our box.

I do understand the importance of a CF to the overall team but I think we are neglecting all other areas of the pitch to single him out.

I don’t want to seem like I am always disagreeing But my feeling is that if we carried a real threat up front it would allow the rest of the team more room to play. 

We could do with better players in midfield and out wide too but whilst Its obviously chicken and egg but for me replacing Wesley would have the biggest impact

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

2 minutes ago, VillaCas said:

I don’t want to seem like I am always disagreeing But my feeling is that if we carried a real threat up front it would allow the rest of the team more room to play. 

We could do with better players in midfield and out wide too but whilst Its obviously chicken and egg but for me replacing Wesley would have the biggest impact

He really must dislike Kodjia to be fair.

It's very strange how he doesn't play him at all.

Even to create some havoc as you say.

[Laughable Chimp]

48 minutes ago, M_Afro said:

We are not where we need to be but the players are clearly lacking confidence. We have a young inexperienced team who will improve in time. Hopefully we stay up but even if we don’t the young lads will be all the better next season for the experience.

I think Lambert used this strategy of getting young kids from the lower leagues back when he first came. We never did actually improve despite surviving that first season under him.

[pacbuddies]

15 minutes ago, Junxs said:

Yeah playing Norwich threw me, as we have already played them.. at least we have to play the bottom team (Watford) twice in the 2nd half of the season

Norwich are the bottom team!

[Zhan_Zhuang]

Without Grealish we'd be bottom and far adrift, a one-man team devoid of any other outlet but pass to Grealish. 

However maybe it's the pressure which is telling and making us look really desperate? We need a striker badly who can threaten other defences, Wesley tries hard but drops too deep or out wide where he cannot hurt defenders.

We're almost halfway through the season and on 18 points, if 38 is still the target it is hopefully within reach I think 40 points should be our aim and hope for a stronger second half of the season.

[pacbuddies]

Wesley needs dropping asap. We are playing with 10 men every game he plays in. A new proven striker in January is a must!

[screwdriver]

It was an ugly win but we got the job done.

The thing that pleased me the most Grealish holding the ball in the corner james milner style, ball boys with their time wasting, even Henry lansbury came on and lauched a no nonsence tackle and powered the ball out of play in injury time. This is the side of the game I accused Smith of not utilising enough to see games out. So seeds of improvement? I hope so.

El Gazi and Trez were awful today. scared to beat their fullback. el gazi tucking in hiding when elmo had the ball.

Elmo played really well he received loads of ball which he can't always use very well but he kept being involved and roughed up cantwell who was a pest all game.

Grealish was immense as usual. Conner knows where the net is.

Wesley.....the work rate has improved but he's still not doing what strikers are meant to do. attack the ball, shots on target. I agree with the guy who posted previously the front 3 are atrocious!

 

[M_Afro]

20 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said:

I think Lambert used this strategy of getting young kids from the lower leagues back when he first came. We never did actually improve despite surviving that first season under him.

I think these players are better than those. We also have a much better structure in place than back then. We are on the up but it is never going to be continual upward motion.

[OutByEaster?]

The porno bloke that looks after them reckons they "were unbelievably unlucky" and it was a "top class" performance. 

Still pissed on boxing day. Sign of a good Christmas that.

 

[Paul33]

1 hour ago, VillaCas said:

I don’t want to seem like I am always disagreeing But my feeling is that if we carried a real threat up front it would allow the rest of the team more room to play. 

We could do with better players in midfield and out wide too but whilst Its obviously chicken and egg but for me replacing Wesley would have the biggest impact

THIS ^^^^^ 100% agree. Having no easy outballs up top damages the midfield in particular. Last week Southampton had two or three easy outballs every time their midfielders had possession.

Strengthen up top with at least two mobile strikers and the whole team will improve in all areas.

Edited December 26, 2019 by Paul33

[TRO]

2 hours ago, KevinRichardsonsMoustache said:

Big positives for Hause and especially Konsa. Targett and Elmo were told to tuck in today, I assume, so while they left space for their wide players, I don’t think we played to T’s strengths.

 

Heaton was excellent. A wise head in a rather immature team. His distribution is fairly awful but his command of the area and his reflexes are wonderful. 
 

Midfield didn’t provide an adequate platform again. There’s a player in Doug but he needs to calm the **** down. Nakamba was poor today. Jack, well I don’t like his demeanour but he is an incredible footballer. While I think he’s probably the reason for the toxicity, you cannot deny his brilliance. Conor is a solid professional who I want to see get more starts.

Wingers were awful today. El Ghazi should’ve been subbed. He looked like he had lost his sweets all through the match. I think he is deeply unpopular in the team. Trez was shocking today.

 

Wes offered more when he missed the ball tbf. He likes to play in the hole or deeper. He just isn’t a centre forward. Kodj must wonder what he has done - a striker is a must in Jan.  

Am not sure what you mean about Jack ?the only one with his shorts black.....i wouldn't be surprised if if they all put half their wages through his letter box.

Edited December 26, 2019 by TRO

[villakram]

phew!

[TRO]

52 minutes ago, roonst83 said:

Just needed the win any way we could get it. Norwich played great stuff and closed us down, pressed us all game and have an immense ability to keep the ball from clearances, deflections, or when confined in tight spaces. They won’t know how they didn’t come away with any points today. As I mentioned at the start of the thread I think they’re a much more talented team than Southampton and they showed that today on the ball. We needed to win ugly to have any chance of stopping the rot and our CB pairing did great today. Hause getting loads of plaudits, and rightly so, but for me Konsa stood out all game. Both worked so hard for the team given that our midfield were so vacant and open in the first half. Elmo was solid. They exposed Targett a fair bit but their wing back is class. I was frustrated we couldn’t utilise Targett more going forwards.

I don’t think we’re good enough in the middle of the park. No composure, or plan when we get the ball and Luiz and Nakampa almost cancel each other out. We’re missing an on form McGinn in that middle to drive us forward from defence to attack. All we have is Grealish to do that and when he’s stifled there’s nothing. Our wide players aren’t effective enough and Wesley is barely in the game. He harried a fair bit today but it’s another game when we can’t get our main striker into any good positions or make him any kind of a threat. Trying my hardest not to be too negative on the back of a win as there was relief all round with three points but there’s so much that needs fixing. Smith doesn’t know his best midfield and that’s hurting us. 

Positives were we hung in there and dig in deep. Desire was there but that leadership and spirit of last season isn’t the same (probably because confidence has been shot to bits). Hoped we kick in at one nil up but we  couldn’t get going again and you could see Jack’s frustration with the lack of composure  from Nakampa (I think) and Targett is not being able to do simple lay offs to relieve some pressure. Grealish rallied us so well and wasn’t our shining light again. Conor compliments him well too and the delay and composure on the ball by Grealish is just class, releasing it perfectly for Conor to do what he can. You wouldn’t want anyone but Conor there. Other mention for Heaton who keeps us in every game we win. Need that same quality in the central midfield and we would dominate games. 

I’m not sure if playing Watford in 48 hours is good or bad for us. Would almost rather we had a week to work on it. We need to make this win count and try hang in there with the teams above us in a bid to hopefully make some signings that galvanise this team and somehow keep us in this division. 

Performance wasn’t great today but we got more than I expected after that utter shower against Southampton. They showed, along with Watford, how teams around us are capable to get points away against top teams. We need more than crawling over the finish line against a team below us. Points were more important than performance today so it’s a big three points. Need to make it count. 

You are right the wide men are poor in many ways.....too many players not contributing, every game.....but I worry more wingers, Dean seems obsessed with them.

ones that work, beat their man and cross effectively, would be novel.

[thunderball]

2 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Not a good performance, but at least this will build some confidence. 

Massive 3 points. You might look back on this in May and consider it the defining 3 points. 

Not sure where the OT came from.

Heaton is class. 

We miss Mings.

We got absolutely no creativity in our central midfield. We need to invest. Grealish is amazing, but when he goes high up the pitch there's nobody to bring the ball out for us. 

Our off ball movement is poor. 

Our defensive marking is shoddy at best. 

Lots of work to be done. 

But 3 points. 

Merry Christmas.

Our season and predicament so far in two sentences. Our movement and running is terrible, has been all season. Our defensive game is disappointing too.

What we lack over others, and showed a glimmer of today in the last 20 minutes, is a desire and determination. Without that we are risking being the 2015/16 team all over again: disparate, misdirected talent with no drive. Dean needs to start shaking it up and earning his place as much as the players.

[Stratvillan]

Think the wingers are a bigger problem than wesley. He's having to close down the whole defence on his own. 

 

As a forward has got a lot to learn but some support would allow us to see where he is. 

[OutByEaster?]

19 hours ago, KevinRichardsonsMoustache said:

Jack, well I don’t like his demeanour but he is an incredible footballer. While I think he’s probably the reason for the toxicity, you cannot deny his brilliance. 

This one's got me confused - when you say demeanour, I'm guessing you mean the occasional temperamental outbursts, we've seen a few of those over the last couple of games - but I think we're also seen a player who is becoming a fantastic leader, by example at the end of the last game and both by example and verbally in this one - he's handed out a couple of rollockings today (and they were deserved) he's also cajoled and encouraged and helped people through the game and the bit at the end where he got the team together in the centre circle and gave them a big pep talk was proper captaincy - he's the leader of this group and the man they look up to, this team loves him.

I'm not sure where the toxicity is that you're referring to, I haven't seen any of that - at games the team look together, there's no noise coming out of the training ground suggesting otherwise and the crowd are behind the team at games - given our situation, there's a refreshing lack of toxicity in my opinion.