Ratings & Reactions: Burnley v Villa

[tinker]

Another thought, if we play like we did in the first half and have a bit of luck and the opposition don't have a one man brick wall in goal someone is going to get smashed by us . Another cricket score is on its way 

[The_Rev]

Slept on it.  Still doesn't feel any better.  I know we've come a long way, but I think this is the most pissed off I've been about a Villa result since we blew a two goal lead at home to Stoke and failed to qualify for the Champions League in 2008/09. 

[turvontour]

2 hours ago, tinker said:

Another thought, if we play like we did in the first half and have a bit of luck and the opposition don't have a one man brick wall in goal someone is going to get smashed by us . Another cricket score is on its way 

Did Pope play that well? He had a lot of shots straight at him. Couple from Grealish, Watkins one on one. He didnt keep them in it with great saves. Our finishing was really poor. Was surprised when he was given the tv man of the match over Grealish.

[TRO]

1 hour ago, The_Rev said:

Slept on it.  Still doesn't feel any better.  I know we've come a long way, but I think this is the most pissed off I've been about a Villa result since we blew a two goal lead at home to Stoke and failed to qualify for the Champions League in 2008/09. 

It was a wake up call to what we really was on the night.

You only have to look at the overwhelming vote for Jack grealish as MOTM......so what was the rest doing?

In the second half there was a golden opportunity for a defender to take that crown off him on the night.....by giving a dogged display, but no.

[TRO]

1 hour ago, turvontour said:

Did Pope play that well? He had a lot of shots straight at him. Couple from Grealish, Watkins one on one. He didnt keep them in it with great saves. Our finishing was really poor. Was surprised when he was given the tv man of the match over Grealish.

Yep...He kep't them in it.

[TRO]

18 hours ago, kiltorken said:

Burnley are a tricky outfit who have more success generally against the bigger teams. Fair play to them they out fought us second half. 

Thought we looked a bit arrogant second half if I'm being honest, trying to carry the ball past Burnley players  like they weren't there. Say what you like about them but they can all throw a tackle in. Needed to be more street smart in that second half. 

As much as I appreciate what a good footballer barkley is going forwards he doesn't offer a lot when we're on the back foot same with traore, lovely to watch going forwards but having both in the same team is dangerous. 

 

Nah.....Thats not the "modern Game"

they wouldn't make the team if they couldn't, thats Dyche's way.

Edited January 28, 2021 by TRO

[TRO]

7 hours ago, osmark86 said:

Honestly some fans are just too fickle and whiney. we're absolutely brilliant overall this year. this is football after all, win some lose some.

but we are talking about last nights game not the season....in fact, it goes even further, because, first half we played some of the best football of the season, that makes it even more gauling.

Its not being fickle or whiney......its about trying to examine how we failed to secure 3 points and how we can avoid such capitulations in the future.

That game takes nothing away from our season at all.....its talking grown up, of how we can improve and not succumb to such an easy mugging.

[turvontour]

46 minutes ago, TRO said:

Yep...He kep't them in it.

Really? When, which saves?

[villalad21]

You have to applaud their never say die attitude.

A lot of teams in the bottom would give up after we took the lead for the second time. 

They just kept going and believing.

Watching that i have no doubts they'll stay up.

[PaulC]

The day after my thoughts are its a joy to watch Villa under Smith.  Never looked forward to a game under Bruce. Hope he never changes his philosophy on the game. We have made huge strides this season.  

[mattyvilla]

frustrating , but some of the over reactions! Thankfully our first team squad isnt recovering from a potentially fatal virus outbreak!

[tinker]

3 hours ago, turvontour said:

Did Pope play that well? He had a lot of shots straight at him. Couple from Grealish, Watkins one on one. He didnt keep them in it with great saves. Our finishing was really poor. Was surprised when he was given the tv man of the match over Grealish.

Yes he played very well, pulled some good saves off and commanded his area well, he also cleared a few chances before they even got to his box. Pope on that showing is England's best keeper by a country mile. If Pickford would have been playing we would have won.

We played some of the best football I have seen us play first half last night and if Pope hadn't been in fantastic form it could have easily been 3-0 . Burnley looked defeated at half time and fair game to them and Dyke for getting them up for the second half, character is one thing they are not lacking in and it goes a long way in team sports and football especially. Well played Burnley. 

[flashingqwerty]

13 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

I am feeling better about that collapse yesterday. For two reasons:

1) we played amazing football at times. I was watching it in a hotel bar and neutrals were commenting specifically how good football we played.

2) I think that defensive collapse will go down as thunder on BMH. I have no doubts they will adress this and we will learn from it.

Its not the first time we've done it, and i know for sure it wont be the last.

Dean could have made changes to prevent that scoreline and either through pride, ignorance, or just plain stupidity, didnt make the necessary subs soon enough when it was clear the tide had turned.

Its the same in every game I watch.  No subs until its too late.

[flashingqwerty]

12 hours ago, osmark86 said:

I agree. He seems just as in disbelief as we all are. Then again I usually find that Dean is pretty bang on in every post match interview.

His disbelief is part of the problem.  I am sure many on here could see Burnley were getting on top of us long before the equaliser.  And there were plenty of tired legs.

Lots of things he could have done to change the pattern of the game and make us more solid.  Replace Traore with Trez, Barkley with Nakamba and instantly we are a tighter unit and harder to break down, while still offering plenty going forward.

[Stratvillan]

On 27/01/2021 at 21:10, flashingqwerty said:

And give away too many soft goals and take less chances than our opponents.  Exactly

Most goals are soft in some way. I can think of an awful lot if goals weve given away this season which have been top corner. Look at yesterday

Goal 1 soft

Goal 2 lucky

Goal 3 good goal. 

We could both justify our position.

You could also view it that we create a lot of chances. Glass half empty / full.

[TRO]

7 hours ago, turvontour said:

Really? When, which saves?

He saved at least 2 point blanks from Mings, Watkins

[TRO]

7 hours ago, PaulC said:

The day after my thoughts are its a joy to watch Villa under Smith.  Never looked forward to a game under Bruce. Hope he never changes his philosophy on the game. We have made huge strides this season.  

No you can't fault the overall style.....we just have to tighten up in certain games.

Against Man City, we were much tighter.....its as if, the better the team the better we defend....against the lower teams, we seem to relax defensively.

[TRO]

On 28/01/2021 at 11:28, darrenm said:

First chance I've had to write down my thoughts on last night.

I think we played well both halves but were let down by slopping defending for all 3 goals. Perhaps the players have such a swagger that they feel like they don't have to take some teams seriously.

Firstly, let's get the defending out of the way. I haven't re-watched their goals because I'm not a masochist but this is what I remember was wrong with each:

1. The corner. If you have Mee and Tarkowski both running in together at the back post, then zonal marking isn't going to work. It was a free header under almost no challenge while Mings and Konsa were near the front post. If you're playing a team like Burnley with huge defenders who will be looking to score from set pieces, you have to have a strategy for dealing with them. If that involves going man to man, putting Mings and Konsa on the 2 CBs at corners or some combination, then do it. I think it was Barkley who didn't track them and he's possibly big enough to at least make himself a nuisance and not allow a free header. Maybe he's protecting the hamstring and doesn't want the rough stuff. I did think it should have been a free kick for Mings before the corner anyway from the shirt pull but the ref seemed happy enough to let the big boys have a tussle.

2. The bizarre ghost ball. It's a recurring theme that we get caught out from that side. It was just a random not especially hard pass into the box. I think if Cash is a bit closer or he has more support from his winger then that doesn't come in. Once Martinez is unsure if he needs to cover the front or back post for either the deflection or not then he's always going to be struggling. I seem to remember Konsa being a bit slow to react and if you look at Burnley's defenders, at no point during the entire 90 mins were they slow to react to anything.

3. The cross and header. Just a superb header really. Maybe Mings could have been a bit better with the challenge and maybe the ball in should have been under more pressure but I think Cash stands off because it means no-one can skin him on the outside. Also, normally we're fine with crosses into the box because Konsa or Mings will always get there first, they get cleared to Douglas or McGinn who can quickly start breaks. Quickly turning defence into attack is how we get behind teams and why crosses in to the box are almost encouraged sometimes.

On to the attack. Grealish is just an incredible footballer. Beautiful football. I'd just love him (and others) to not let the rush of blood to the head get the better of him so he can do 1 last brilliant turn, drag-back, spin, feign, etc. Sit the defenders and goalkeeper down like on the training ground before slotting it away after a 60 yard run where he's sprinted past 6 players while still having the ball under perfect control to score goal of the decade. Then again, other times when he's got space to shoot and he could leather it (and with his quality he'd likely score more often than not) he stops to play someone else in and the other team can then pack the box and recover. So I'm asking all of the players to do the opposite of what they do in each situation. Which probably means there's no right answer and hindsight is a wonderful thing. We're still scoring 2 away to Burnley which should be enough and not many other teams will be able to do.

Talking of hindsight, plenty of people who were admittedly reacting straight after the game when still angry are blaming lack of subs for conceding the goals and I think it's too easy to make that criticism. If we're looking like scoring then there's no reason to pull any of your best 11 off the pitch to be replaced with a lesser player. A knackered Barkley or McGinn is still capable of cracking one into the top corner. With hindsight I'd have taken Traore off after we got back in front and replaced him with Elmo to shut down the right hand side and McGinn off, then replaced McGinn with Nakamba. But either one of those players I'm taking off might have been the difference on another night and scored some mad volley off a cross.

Oh yeah and penalties. We don't get anywhere near what we should considering how much time we spend in the opposition's box. Plenty of times last night all Grealish or Watkins had to do was run across the defender while under pressure and it's a penalty. I think they need to get a bit smarter with that because other teams are. Watkins 1 on 1, I know he's banking on scoring but when a defender is coming across you at speed in the box (Kenneth), it's them who has to avoid you. You don't alter your run to avoid them. If you still have control of the ball and they take you out, it's a penalty.

So, it's really that decision making in attack could be going better, Cash could do with getting a bit tighter, Traore needs to help out a bit more, attackers need to be a bit more cynical and marking on set pieces needs sorting.

But we still look brilliant to watch.

Brilliant resume

just one point, why can't one of the CDM's come across to the aid of Cash.....why always the winger?

I don't think Traore, will change, he is not defensive minded enough, he is a tricky, elusive chaos creater......I just don't think he is that sort of winger like Trez, who offers less attacking prowess.

Its balances.

The winger staying further up, is the out ball, when we win it back.....just a thought?

[PaulC]

21 hours ago, TRO said:

No you can't fault the overall style.....we just have to tighten up in certain games.

Against Man City, we were much tighter.....its as if, the better the team the better we defend....against the lower teams, we seem to relax defensively.

Look at the games against Southampton, West Ham and Burnley. 6 goals conceded from headers with tall  players. Its quite clear where our problems lies. We defend well against teams with smaller players and low crosses. 

[TRO]

3 hours ago, PaulC said:

Look at the games against Southampton, West Ham and Burnley. 6 goals conceded from headers with tall  players. Its quite clear where our problems lies. We defend well against teams with smaller players and low crosses. 

Precisely.

I thought it was quite obvious, and you do too.