Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Manchester City

[Bizzzle]

I was out so couldn’t watch the game live. I got to halftime before I turned off and checked the score online. **** awful 

[VillaFaninLondon]

Just now, nick76 said:

I understand people not wanting to go through it but I don’t understand people leaving!  I just don’t get it, you stick it out, you take the lows with the highs.....it makes the highs sweeter if anything!

We haven't had any proper highs for decades though 

[nick76]

Just now, VillaFaninLondon said:

We haven't had any proper highs for decades though 

Depends.  I agree about big trophies etc but Villa aren’t ever likely to be that team.  The night earlier in the season against Everton was a special atmosphere....some of my favourite highs following Villa for almost 40 years weren’t winning trophies

[TRO]

2 hours ago, MadridVilla said:

One word - concerning.

This is the first time this team has drawn parallels to the 15-16 season in my eyes. As good as City are we made it far too easy for them.

There was never any belief in the team about getting a result and look what it caused. Those players shouldn't be wearing the shirt if they're going to accept defeat so willingly.

Psychologically there is some MAJOR rebuilding that needs to be done, and fast. We cannot afford to carry this baggage with us into the next games.

In a nutshell and it has to change.

[smg]

13 minutes ago, leemond2008 said:

yup I went at half time, I wasn't enjoying myself down there, I've got to the point where I won't torture myself and force myself to sit through 90 minutes of utter dross, if the team look like they are trying and there is a modicum of effort on their side then yeah fair enough I'll stay down there and give my full support, I've gone past the point of having to prove that I am  "a proper fan" if you want to start throwing that sort of shit around, the club gets enough money off me every season and I can do what I want with my ticket.

And for the record there were more than a few people who left before I did, I suppose we just aren't real fans like you are.

No probably not. But I’m sure you will be back when we start winning again. Possibly will be after a ticket for Wembley if we get past Leicester .

[VillaFaninLondon]

7 minutes ago, nick76 said:

Depends.  I agree about big trophies etc but Villa aren’t ever likely to be that team.  The night earlier in the season against Everton was a special atmosphere....some of my favourite highs following Villa for almost 40 years weren’t winning trophies

We actually did used to win stuff a long, long time ago. We've just been left behind by the likes of Man City who've thrown money around much more successfully than we have. 

 

I'm starting to think you're right that we're never going to be that team ever again though. 

[VillaFaninLondon]

2 minutes ago, smg said:

No probably not. But I’m sure you will be back when we start winning again. Possibly will be after a ticket for Wembley if we get past Leicester .

Think if we get to Wembley to face Sheikh Mansour FC again we'll struggle to sell our allocation to be honest, could be worse than the Arsenal FA Cup Final defeat of 2015!

[leemond2008]

2 minutes ago, smg said:

No probably not. But I’m sure you will be back when we start winning again. Possibly will be after a ticket for Wembley if we get past Leicester .

I think you'll find that I'll be down there at the next home game as I'm a season ticket holder and have been for nearly every season since 1995 so cut the bollocks because you are speaking absolute nonsense mate.

[Newry_Villan]

According to radio five live, our starting 3 midfielders made 4 tackles all afternoon.

[TRO]

1 hour ago, VillaFaninLondon said:

To be honest he'll have only been staying in the 2nd half to watch the oil barons players run rings around us. Anyone who stayed was only watching one team as we as ever didn't bother turning up. 

It might have been worth while to stay and watch how the game should be played and what we should be aspiring to.

We made it far too easy for them, despite them coming back to top form....they looked like they have more players than us, because they are intelligent players who anticipate as opposed to react......They were like rats in a sewer off the ball because they never stop working......we just had too many players drifting around aimlessly looking gormless.

This league they give you no time or space to play in, you have to earn it.......we need to have players who can cope with that.

Edited January 12, 2020 by TRO

[TRO]

1 minute ago, Newry_Villan said:

According to radio five live, our starting 3 midfielders made 4 tackles all afternoon.

they never got close to an opponent, until it was too late.

We are much too nice.

[Robtaylor200]

Just got home to Telford - one of the ones that stayed until the end - Ended up having a good laugh up the Holte when were 6 down and when we scored

I am not a football expert or tactician. But as I saw it. City did not have to do anything extra special, because our players gave them so much time on the ball. They passed through our midfield and through our defence. We stood back to see what they were going to do with the ball, we did not try to take it from them until they were in our penalty area. The only time we got the ball was when one of them made a bad pass or we intercepted it. I think we hardly made a tackle. On the other hand they tackled us every where when we had the ball. We were not given a second they were right on top of us. Each timer Jack had the ball he had up to 5 players on him. If we had a striker on he still wouldn't have seen the ball 

IMO standing back, watching, not tackling is not anything to do with skill IMO its about character. The team seems to have lost its character and was happy to go through the motions. Change needed to motivate them into getting stuck in. IMO change needed at the top, to get this team playing

Edited January 13, 2020 by Robtaylor200

[TRO]

2 hours ago, osmark86 said:

This surely has to be the lowpoint of the season. Suuuuuurely it can't get any worse?

No,It can't because we won't meet them every week.....but at least we know what we have got now.....too many championship players still playing for us.

[Robtaylor200]

2 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Horrible performance.  I didn't go today thankfully but I keep seeing that fans were leaving early.  I'm sure a lot of them would just be going for a pint and media making too much of it.  Can anyone that was there shed some light in.

Me and the lad stayed until the end and did not get stuck in traffic for a change. I think many had already gone 

Edited January 12, 2020 by Robtaylor200

[TRO]

2 hours ago, brummybloke said:

Weakest bunch of losers to play for us in a long time.

Taylor cant tackle cant pass cant run

Elmo see taylor but is more cowardly 

Louiz see taylor

Drinkwater see taylor

CH worst performance I've ever seen by him no running literally nothing, no tackles no passing just nothing.

It comes to something that lansbury and makamba were the only players I saw actually chase and try and make a tackle.

That trez who I think is one of the biggest cowards as a player actually had more fight in him than the 5 showers of shit who started.

I didn't check team sheet but if fred was on it and not picked then Smith needs to give his head a slap then a wobble.

 

How on earth you think you can play football without running or tackling ?

 

Show some balls and not these gutless pathetic turnouts 

we have been doing it for some time......of course we do it.....but not nearly enough.

The training looks/seems inadequate to me.

[turvontour]

It was what it was for me. We were bad and they were clinical. Wouldn't say they were great today but certainly clinical.

Oddly, the Liverpool home game is more painful than this, as I suppose we were ahead until near the end. This was just a numb feeling after their first goal as you could see how the game was going to go.

I love those spells of singing when Villa are getting hammered too, perversely. When the ground was half empty in the second half 4 or 5 mins of chanting always seem to be most passionate. 

 

[TRO]

2 hours ago, romavillan said:

We'll sign a couple more and we'll get better. Awful today but that won't be the norm.

If the couple more are merchantable.

[TRO]

2 hours ago, flashingqwerty said:

DS got it wrong from the 1st minute and his ego stopped him from changing it until it was too late.

Criminal managerial performance, and almost as bad by the players.

I'd sack him as his head has gone.

Hasnt learned from any of his mistakes this season, and has lost the squad imo.

Get rid and bring in someone who might savage our season

Aguero or Mahrez.?....they just have.

Edited January 12, 2020 by TRO

[TRO]

2 hours ago, Silent_Bob said:

Southampton lost 0-9. Now they are climbing the table. 

Terrrible to watch, but it is only ONE game against one of the best teams on the planet. Learn from it.

 

if only some of those issues were against Man city.....but the reality is ,they are not.....Southampton ,Watford  and Leicester at home had similar traits......for whatever reasons this team is getting mauled too much.

[The Fun Factory]

Er not sure what to say about that.

City are obviously a class team but we did not do even the basics today. Gave them too much respect, no pressing, sloppy mistakes and just gave the game away. Which is a real shame as we have  largely competed against the top teams this season but without picking up any points though. No one played well. Grealish was the best of  a poor bunch but the lad had 3/4 city players on him all game. If you nullify Grealish you nullify  Villa, it is that easy.

I would also question Dean's selection today. Chucking Drinkwater on versus a city side when he has barely played seemed foolhardy even before kick off. Looked way off the pace and I still don't think he will be the 'enforcer' type midfielder that we badly need. Our midfield is so lightweight it is a  major concern.  Also why no Guilbert. And Smith might as well done a double subistution at half time to just to do something. City did the first sub before us. 

We are letting in goals at an alarming rate at home - 4 versus Leicester, 3 versus Southampton and 6 today. What has happened to our half decent home form? 

I think most of us expected a defeat but the manner was worrying. The gap between us and them can be measured in light years. And we have some big games coming up, with a lot of issues to solve sharpish.  I think most of the fans are still on board and a lot backed Villa all game today but it is becoming concerning just how soft we are and how easy to play against. This season so  much like Lambert's first year but  then we had a on form striker (Benteke) to get us out of trouble. At present we have no fit strikers on the books which is pathetic.