Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Spurs

[PaulC]

3 hours ago, Robbie09 said:

Deserved a point. Not surprised by the usual overreactions though. That wasn’t a performance from a team that is nailed on for relegation like so many claim.

That's as good as we have played I think but defensively we were a shambles and unless that's sorted we are going down. 

[MikeAVFC]

Our attacking play was excellent, our defence atrocious. But even with Mings, our defending is still atrocious, just less so! Performance was good but vulnerable at the back and 0 points to show for it. It'll be touch and go all the way to the last game folks, strap yourselves in... 

[Horan86]

Our whole season defined in 90 mins awful at the back decent going forward staying up really comes down to if we can get enough goals and  Samatta will be key to that.we conceding today in injury time in both halves how many times do we concede just before half time and just after or at the end of games ,we just dont seem to learn at all ,Smith's subs baffling again took the wind out of our sails again for th 2nd game running, For what's it's worth I still think we will stay up for no reason other than we have Grealish and the other teams around us dony

[PaulC]

2 hours ago, TRO said:

No we was unlucky imo.

but the teams at the bottom are so much better than yesteryear.

The cold facts remain we conceded 3 goals at home. And look wide open on the counter.....we have to stop it.

Yes naïve football and our performance deserved better but spurs had many chances second half to kill the game. 

[TRO]

1 hour ago, PaulC said:

Yes naïve football and our performance deserved better but spurs had many chances second half to kill the game. 

Yes it is naive.....but more worrying, we appear to learn nothing.....its the same story in most games.

we all say we are good going forward, but we all know that, we need to fix, what many don't seem comfortable in discussing....defending and not leaving gaps for players to hurt us.

It was Son today, it was Danny Ings and Shane Long a few weeks back.....we are so benevolent.

The match of the day lads did a comprehensive job of highlighting our shortfalls, much of what's been said on here, this season......I hope Dean was watching and takes it in.

We had moments today when our lads threw their bodies on the line, there was some last ditch defending.....but we need to suffocate the opposition more and then the last ditch stuff may not be so needed.....we are simply ,too easy to play against.

Edited February 16, 2020 by TRO

[flashingqwerty]

12 minutes ago, TRO said:

Yes it is naive.....but more worrying, we appear to learn nothing.....its the same story in most games.

we all say we are good going forward, but we all know that, we need to fix, what many don't seem comfortable in discussing....defending and not leaving gaps for players to hurt us.

It was Son today, it was Danny Ings and Shane Long a few weeks back.....we are so benevolent.

The match of the day lads did a comprehensive job of highlighting our shortfalls, much of what's been said on here, this season......I hope Dean was watching and takes it in.

It wont matter as DS doesnt have the bottle, nouse or technical/tactical know how to put it right.

A good championship manager but completely out of his depth at this level and has shown he isnt learning from HIS mistakes, time and again.

If/When we go down, the buck starts and stops with the coaching team.  The mistakes that have haunted all season are coachable, and to still be making the same basic errors on day 26 as on day 1 is a testament to the complete ineptitude of the coaching staff.  These players are capable, the coaches, not so much.

[TRO]

On 16/02/2020 at 19:43, markavfc40 said:

We were worth a point today. I thought first half we played some cracking stuff and created some great openings. If Luiz finishes that great chance and we go 2 up then we go on to win.

No doubting that Spurs also carved us open a few times and given their attacking players that isn't a surprise. Couple of individual errors ultimately cost us getting anything. I thought we really battled today though against a very good side and show that same attitude going forward then we'll give ourselves a great chance of staying out of the relegation places.

Just to mention the ref who I thought was dire again today. How no Tottenham player got booked is beyond me. You just want a ref to do his job and too many times I have witnessed them not doing that this season

Mark, if you listened to Jermaine Jenas summing us up, on Motd, he hits the nail on the head......its been there all season......its frustrating.

The result was harsh, but you don't concede c 50 goals without having an innate problem....Jack goes a long way to masking the problem with the superb  skills that he possesses, but defending is a part of playing well......we play well in parts and play poorly in parts, during the same games......goals against is simply unacceptable.

It needs to be addressed mate.....as disappointing as that late goal was, c 20 seconds left.....its happens too many times.

The manager has to deal with it.

Edited February 17, 2020 by TRO

[TRO]

14 minutes ago, flashingqwerty said:

It wont matter as DS doesnt have the bottle, nouse or technical/tactical know how to put it right.

A good championship manager but completely out of his depth at this level and has shown he isnt learning from HIS mistakes, time and again.

If/When we go down, the buck starts and stops with the coaching team.  The mistakes that have haunted all season are coachable, and to still be making the same basic errors on day 26 as on day 1 is a testament to the complete ineptitude of the coaching staff.  These players are capable, the coaches, not so much.

I certainly think there is more questions than answers.

[AntrimBlack]

7 hours ago, jonjon said:

Watched the whole game on Sky, thought you were very unlucky to not get at least a point, as a neutral it's easy to see your defence is the major problem, John Terry is supposed to be coaching your defence, Am I right?, well,  on that showing, as well as others, he's stealing a living and just trading on his name alone, he needs replacing urgently with a experience defensive coach for the remaining games, if you were to do that I think you will survive, and I hope you do.

You hit the nail on the head. 

[The Fun Factory]

2 hours ago, Hornso said:

What a kick in the balls.

That's entertainment.

[AntrimBlack]

7 hours ago, osmark86 said:

Ok calmed down a bit now...

Our defence without Mings is hopeless. Even with Mings we still concede waaaaay too many shots. If we don't shore up our defence it will take us down. Too many goals against and too many of those are gifts. I'm starting to wonder whether this is on Terry, the players or both. Leaning on both atm. Sort this shit out! Focus entire training sessions on defending please!

Our defence has been poor all season, even with Mings.

[The Fun Factory]

2 hours ago, PaulC said:

That's as good as we have played I think but defensively we were a shambles and unless that's sorted we are going down. 

This. And goodnight.

[TRO]

Some how......"we played well, but the defending was a shambles" seems contradictory to me.

I always thought defending was an integral part of the game and part of the analysis of playing well.

 

[screwdriver]

This is another 3 points flushed down the toilet. The weakest Spurs team to visit Villa Park since Ramos and jol.  Pre match I  looked at it, looked at the away record of spurs, look at spurs only threat is son. delli alli does nothing these days. The rest I can't see any danger and you're thinking we can get something today. Then you hear about mings and your heart sinks.

Its no suprise we lost really. Villa need all their top boys on the pitch to get anything. When you don't have mings you lose his influence.

 

But ....Smith should have started Nkamba and drinkwater. especially without mings there was a need to reinforce the shakey defence.  It's obvious to me Smith is playing press and guess with the squad. especially the midfield as the personel changes every week. Two DM's help the defence. Luiz is ok to bring on for 15mins  in an attacking sense. But I don't trust him in a defencive midfield role. can't concentrate. Also I see week in week out him getting the ball with space in front of him and he turns 180° to give it back to the centre halves, when he should drive forward.However I'm suprised Drinkwater is still not yet looking fit. Has he ever finised one match?

Nkamba and Drink are good at nicking ball in midfield. you dont get this with luiz. Drink had a crap first 5 mins kept giving it away but then he made some good tackles and nicked a few balls and was involved in some moves.

 

I can't wait for the day Reina Gillbert Mings Engels( still better than hause and konsa)  Drinkwater Nkaba McGinn Grealish and Smatter are all on the pitch at the same moment. I just hope it won't be too late.

 

 

 

[VillaChris]

51 minutes ago, TRO said:

Some how......"we played well, but the defending was a shambles" seems contradictory to me.

I always thought defending was an integral part of the game and part of the analysis of playing well.

 

Spurs were nearly as bad as us once we got into the final third looking at the game. Under two different managers they've kept four clean sheets all season in the league and their current one is more defensive minded than Poch.

I feel there's a real lack of top class CBs in the league compared to a decade ago and you also add into the mix they must all play out from the back which creates more individual errors than safety first football.

Most of top clubs just overload with quick players in final third so even under pressure they can break quickly and score a goal. We outplayed Spurs for 35 minutes today yet they could've easily scored three goals in that time despite having 30% possesion.

We've scored at a decent rate this season but lack quality to take chances at key times.

[villalad21]

This is why I never wanted Dean Smith in the first place.

His teams simply cannot defend. Ask any Brentford or Walsall fan and they'll tell you the same thing.

Look him much Brentford have defensively improved after he left.

[romavillan]

2 hours ago, villalad21 said:

This is why I never wanted Dean Smith in the first place.

His teams simply cannot defend. Ask any Brentford or Walsall fan and they'll tell you the same thing.

Look him much Brentford have defensively improved after he left.

Yeah Smith, what a word removed, took us from 15th in the Championship and playing like 11 random fans picked from the car park any given Saturday to being promoted and not in the relegation places with 12 games to play. Whilst playing some of the best football we've played in a very long time. Smith didn't let the ball run under his foot.

[Robtaylor200]

 Why do we keep tapping it about at the back we have seen what happens - Did McGrath tap it about. No he put it out of the stadium or out of play around the half way line. We knew how Spurs can break so why leave one defender in our half so far up the field that once beaten its one on one 

It all started so good, dont give them space, give them a few kicks, get in hard, It was working and then we stopped doing it I am at a loss

We keep doing it, we are not learning. We are now looking good up front so the whole team doesn't need to be up there any more 

 

[villalad21]

17 minutes ago, romavillan said:

Yeah Smith, what a word removed, took us from 15th in the Championship and playing like 11 random fans picked from the car park any given Saturday to being promoted and not in the relegation places with 12 games to play. Whilst playing some of the best football we've played in a very long time. Smith didn't let the ball run under his foot.

And we'll be back in the Championship if we keep conceding 2 goals per game and without Jack.

[Sid4ever]

30 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

And we'll be back in the Championship if we keep conceding 2 goals per game and without Jack.

What even if we score 3 in each of those games?

Benitez isn’t coming so we have to back the manager and the team.