Player Match Ratings: It's a knockout!

[John]

Our makeshift second XI demonstrated exactly why they are our second choices last night. They seemed to be going through the motions and failed abjectly to press any individual claims for a starting place, that they may have had prior to last night, in all but a couple of cases.

This was a bitterly disappointing performance and we got what we deserved from the game, a humiliating cup exit. Eleven team changes proved to be our undoing. We might have got away with playing 3 or 4 of our first team, but there was no experienced player who was on the field to take this game or even a couple of our under-performing starting line-up by the scruff of the neck!    

The question is, were we right to make such wholesale team changes? Games are coming thick and fast, so something had to give, it turned out to be our involvement in this cup competition. It should not have been our first team players, who cannot be expected to play three games a week and to maintain the terrific start that we have made in the league. Making a lot of changes worked at Ashton Gate, it could also have worked last night, had we had any sharpness up front and had we taken one or two of the three very good scoring opportunities that Davis, Lansbury and El Ghazi squandered.       

Players who do not in my opinion, share the responsibility for this defeat are few. Steer did nothing wrong and demonstrated on his return to fitness that he is a reliable keeper to have on our bench. The three substitutes had limited time to pull this game out of the fire, but they all improved us. Ramsey cannot yet be expected to make a midfield tick without adequate assistance at this early point in his career (although he did well enough himself) and Traore deserves the benefit of any doubt, given he is so new to those around him. The rest could and should have done much better.     

Stoke deserved their home tie with Spurs last night. They did what Stoke teams so often do against us’ They had a solid defence, were well organised, kept their shape and did what was expected of each of them. They had the will to win that we did not. They unlike us, had players such as Campbell, Powell, and Souttar that looked good and were up for this game. Would we have lifted the trophy had we have won last night? Probably not and us fans, would have been highly unlikely to have got a trip to Wembley had we got there, in any case. It was the way that we went out, that was the issue for me.  

We started the game as if those wearing claret & blue, were disinterested in the game. Having a crowd there would have made it less likely that our players would not be shaken out of any complacency. There was a slight improvement in the second half, although it was not a significant one and I would have expected more reaction to what should have been a lot of cups being thrown around the dressing room, during the interval.

One bleak performance from a second choice starting line-up should not in any way tarnish the great start that our first team have made to this season. They bare no responsibility for this, and their confidence will remain intact. This was a night to forget and that is what we all need to do, we are now free to concentrate on the league.  

My player ratings from a game that did for our hopes of a second successive cup final in this competition are:

Jed Steer – 6 - MOTM – Did well to push a 25th minute Powell shot from a Brown cross over the bar for the corner from which they scored their winner. Vokes left three defenders behind him, as he moved to the right edge of the 6-yard box, where he glanced the ball between Jed and Elmo into the net. Would have loved this one to have gone to penalties!    

Frederic Guilbert – 4 – Some way below last season’s best.  

Ahmed Elmohamady – 5 – Did as well as could be expected, playing in what was an unaccustomed position.      

Kortney Hause – 4 – Missed having the reassurance of having someone of the experience of Mings alongside him. Was only able to watch the ball fly over him, when an unchallenged Vokes headed a 54th minute Tymon cross wide of the left-hand post, when he so easily could have extended their lead.      

Neil Taylor – 4 – Has performed better than this and a lack of experience, is something he does not suffer from.              

Bertrand Traore - 5 – Needs to improve on this and I am sure he will. He looked understandably frustrated but seemed a touch too ready to let this game drift by him. These are early days for Bert though and he will not have been at all familiar with what to expect or not to expect, from the players that were around him last night. Will hopefully react positively to playing alongside our first-choice selections.  

Marvelous Nakamba – 4 – I expected a bigger impact on a game than this, when things were going wrong around him.                      

Jacob Ramsey – 6 – Unable to get enough on an 9th minute header from a Taylor cross, which was gathered by Davies. Did well to bring a 22nd minute El Ghazi cross under control, but his shot was easily gathered by Davies at the near post. Substituted on 71 minutes.             

Henri Lansbury – 3 – Skied a shot from the edge of the box well over the bar on 12 minutes. Totally mistimed a header from a 31st minute Guilbert cross, sending the ball harmlessly wide of the keeper’s left-hand post and a golden opportunity for an early equaliser was gone.      

Anwar El Ghazi – 5 – Hit a 45th minute free kick from outside of the box that was comfortably gathered by Davies at the left post. Failed to reach or stretch for a cross from Davis on the hour that just needed prodding in, he reacted slowly to the chance and showed no anticipation. Made a good run into the box on 67 minutes, through a Stoke defence that parted before him, but the shot at the end of the run was easily gathered by Davies at his left. Had some bright moments again, but not enough of them.                                 

Keinan Davis – 4 – Traore found El Ghazi who hit a nice 39th minute cross to the far post that just needed a finish, sadly Davis was only able to steer the ball wide of the post. Not a lot of service, but he could have been expected to have made life more difficult for the defenders he was up against.                              

Substitute:

Ezri Konsa – 6 – Replaced the injured Hause on 58 minutes. Made a noticeable positive improvement on our defence.   

Ollie Watkins – 6 - Came on for Ramsey on 71 minutes and hit a sweet 72nd minute shot from the edge of the box that was destined for the top right-hand corner, before Davies tipped it over.

Jota – 6 - Replaced Traore on 77 minutes and with hindsight probably should have started.

Up the Villa!

John Lewis

Edited October 2, 2020 by John

[Sulberto21]

I'd add Harry Souttar who had Davies in his pocket 9.

Tyrese Campbell gotta be a 7.75 he looked lively and he's got good pace. 

Their keeper deserves an 8 as he made some stunning saves. 

That 67th minute run from El-Ghazi summed the whole game up. Did anyone notice our Biggleswade Town Drogba crumple to the ground because of Martins indi? Lol.

Edited October 3, 2020 by Sulberto21

[John]

7 hours ago, Sulberto21 said:

I'd add Harry Souttar who had Davies in his pocket 9.

Tyrese Campbell gotta be a 7.75 he looked lively and he's got good pace. 

Their keeper deserves an 8 as he made some stunning saves. 

That 67th minute run from El-Ghazi summed the whole game up. Did anyone notice our Biggleswade Town Drogba crumple to the ground because of Martins indi? Lol.

I'm not giving ratings for Stoke players, they got enough out of the game as it is!