Ratings & Reactions: Sheff Utd v Villa

[OutByEaster?]

11 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

The fact we lose all game we go behind in is the most pathetic of all the stats about this Villa team.

And the reason we lose all the games in which we go behind is that we only score goals on the break. If you go ahead against us and then sit in, you've won.

[Xela]

Garbage result. 

Far too inconsistent. Had a feeling we'd be shit tonight. 

[CVByrne]

1 minute ago, OutByEaster? said:

Two very different things:

Firstly, I think Chris Wilder wins the game - in the first half, tactically, he got his shape and his tactics completely right, we struggled to get out, struggled to do anything with the ball and were outnumbered all over the pitch, particularly in wide areas - he completely out-thought us. In the second half, his team gave an organised, disciplined defensive performance full of character. We were out-managed tonight and that's to Wilder's credit.

Secondly, goals - we're very blunt indeed. Jack is a lightning bolt, he gives you a little bit of the impossible, but without him we don't threaten much. In the last half hour of this game, Utd invited us on to them and we proved just how bad we are at that - a series of weak and hopeful crosses to the back stick and a whole lot of missing imagination and threat. We seem to only score on the break and if the opposition don't push men forward, then we don't score. We don't score from set pieces, we don't score with long range efforts, and we don't even threaten down the middle - if we're not on the break, it's just a cross to the back post, time and time and time again - it's too easy to defend and we need a big rethink.

We've scored four goals in six games and it's a massive problem.

Individually I thought the back four were okay, in retrospect I don't think it was a game for Nakamba, Ramsey looks neat but offers no penetration, for us to succeed in future, the player in Ramsey's position needs to score ten times a season McGinn played the same ball from the same spot in the second half twenty times and none of them looked like they'd produce anything - I want to see him attacking teams through the middle. Sanson isn't ready yet, I thought that both last time out and tonight he didn't look at the pace of things. Traore had a decent game I thought and El Ghazi had a good first hour - but we need better options off the bench and maybe a better option in the summer in wide areas. Watkins wasn't quite sharp and we need a second option up front, we don't have that at the moment.

I think tonight probably signals the end of our European hopes, both as a result, but more as a performance. We're a team that have come a long way with plan A and we're having a great season, but we're going to need a plan B to progress and a little more quality in key areas.

We need a goal scorer and another wide forward. 

[Danishlad]

played ok, missed too many chances, could have won comfortably

[Johnnyp]

4 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Im calm babes just showing my passion at what a wasted opportunity.

This was best chance in ywars we could gwt europe and we have blown it. Midtable it is 

There is sensationalist and then there's this. This was a chance to get 3 points. We've 13 games left. Our form and the trajectory of it suggests we won't get Europe. Too up and down.

[hippo]

Peter Walton the ref commentator -towing the line now -having said it wasn't a red during the VAR review .

[osmark86]

1 minute ago, OutByEaster? said:

And the reason we lose all the games in which we go behind is that we only score goals on the break. If you go ahead against us and then sit in, you've won.

unfortunately this really is the case with us this season. fortunately we're also very much a team that also holds onto leads.

[Lerner's Driver]

Sideways, slowly.

Forward, slowly.

Sideways, slowly.

Forward, slowly.

(Player closes down the sideways pass)

Backwards, slowly.

Hoof it up from the back and lose possession, slowly.

OR

loop it up into the box and lose possession, slowly.

Utter cack.

The lack of imagination and composure without Jack reveals us for what we are. Mid-table also rans.

Which is fine, a lot better than last year, but I bet we aren't as good when the opposition fans put our lot under some real pressure next season.

We are looking almost certain to waste the opportunity we were presented with by sheer luck this year to push on way beyond expectation.

Typical Villa. 

[The_Steve]

2 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Two very different things:

Firstly, I think Chris Wilder wins the game - in the first half, tactically, he got his shape and his tactics completely right, we struggled to get out, struggled to do anything with the ball and were outnumbered all over the pitch, particularly in wide areas - he completely out-thought us. In the second half, his team gave an organised, disciplined defensive performance full of character. We were out-managed tonight and that's to Wilder's credit.

Secondly, goals - we're very blunt indeed. Jack is a lightning bolt, he gives you a little bit of the impossible, but without him we don't threaten much. In the last half hour of this game, Utd invited us on to them and we proved just how bad we are at that - a series of weak and hopeful crosses to the back stick and a whole lot of missing imagination and threat. We seem to only score on the break and if the opposition don't push men forward, then we don't score. We don't score from set pieces, we don't score with long range efforts, and we don't even threaten down the middle - if we're not on the break, it's just a cross to the back post, time and time and time again - it's too easy to defend and we need a big rethink.

We've scored four goals in six games and it's a massive problem.

Individually I thought the back four were okay, in retrospect I don't think it was a game for Nakamba, Ramsey looks neat but offers no penetration, for us to succeed in future, the player in Ramsey's position needs to score ten times a season McGinn played the same ball from the same spot in the second half twenty times and none of them looked like they'd produce anything - I want to see him attacking teams through the middle. Sanson isn't ready yet, I thought that both last time out and tonight he didn't look at the pace of things. Traore had a decent game I thought and El Ghazi had a good first hour - but we need better options off the bench and maybe a better option in the summer in wide areas. Watkins wasn't quite sharp and we need a second option up front, we don't have that at the moment.

I think tonight probably signals the end of our European hopes, both as a result, but more as a performance. We're a team that have come a long way with plan A and we're having a great season, but we're going to need a plan B to progress and a little more quality in key areas.

Good analysis, I will say, however, tonight shows how much we miss Cash. Elmo simply isn't good enough going forward, his passing was almost always away from goal, disrupting flow, or falling short. It's disjointing to watch.

[TheMelvillan]

Elmo's crossing was pretty wick. Always thought that was a strength of his 

[M_Afro]

1 minute ago, tomav84 said:

This one's not on Smith. The team selection was fine. The subs were fine. Shape and tactics fine. It was just a perfect storm of every single player to a man having a bad game. 

I thought the initial team selection was poor. You are playing the worst team in the league who have lost a load of games on the bounce. You pick a team to press high and go at them from the off. Do not invite them into the game. Luiz and Sanson should have started in my view. We needed energy and crisp movement of the ball.

He then waited way too long to make a substitution. To be fair. The first two subs were sensible but way too late.

He then took off the most likely person to score or create a goal and replaced him with someone immune to scoring! Why not take off a defender and go for it? Strange decisions all round for me.

We have been utter garbage for weeks though so none of the above would necessarily have worked but it just seems more sensible to me. I am really concerned about Saturday. It could be ugly.

[OxfordVillan]

I’ll leave it at this. 

[Stratvillan]

Fill backs really hinder us. Targett is awful going forward without jack. What we needed was overload, when we did we created half chances.

Crossing was atrocious. 

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

Funny how every time we get an unexpected win we’re on top of the world and dreaming of europe

then instantly get an unexpected loss and it feels like the end of the world again

Fine margins, we should have scored and didnt. Had plenty of chances, never took them, they had one and took it. Thats football. We arent scoring goals anymore and we arent putting back to back wins together. No better chance than tonight and we fluffed it. Feel like shit, but thats that now.

[TheMelvillan]

Credit to Sheffield too.class defending and dug in. Impressive. The clearings in the woods 

[Villa 59]

I think that we simply picked the wrong 3 in midfield for this one. Not a game when we needed Nakamba imo. And it's not about droppin him as we don't need him for every game! Craft and guile was needed today and we didn't have too much of it on show! 

Move on swiftly!

 

[TheMelvillan]

Just now, TheMelvillan said:

Credit to Sheffield too.class defending and dug in. Impressive. The clearings in the woods 

Just discovered what clearing in the woods means. Bonus

[Lerner's Driver]

1 minute ago, TheMelvillan said:

Credit to Sheffield too.class defending and dug in. Impressive. The clearings in the woods 

Yes, agreed, but still. Not good enough.

[hippo]

To many players in the starting 11 tonight, have 1 good game in 5. El Ghazi, Traroe, Ramsey, Nakamba -throw in a duff performance from both full backs, and you can see we are up against up.

[AvonVillain]

I think the pattern of the season is pretty established now and it was odds on tonight would be frustrating. I would hate to see this same approach in such games continue for the rest of the season. As much as I like Keinan Davis, this bringing him on with 10 minutes to go chasing a game simply has to stop now.

Louie Barry for 10 minutes. Konsa up front. ANYTHING  to show we are actively working on new ideas for a longstanding problem.