Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Spurs

[Davkaus]

I'm struggling to take the Kane outrage seriously when Grealish does similar in pretty much every game.

[allani]

10 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

I'm struggling to take the Kane outrage seriously when Grealish does similar in pretty much every game.

The ball is usually in front of Grealish when he goes down...

[stegzy]

1 hour ago, romavillan said:

Poor result but we were alright actually mostly. Kane has conned the word removed of a referee, should be a yellow for simulation.

Lots of bed wetting again, until we can pay the wages of players like Moura (very soon) we can't really expect to be challenging the teams that can. The fact we have done already this season has set us up for people to over react through disappointment at the mo. Smith won't, he'll have learnt a lot from tonight I would think. Traore had a bad night and with Grealish out and Barkeley way off the boil it was clearly a step too far for Trez and AEG for me. Even if AEG was bright when he came on and both always give 100%. 

I think there's something in that midfield 3 that started, I'd like to see them again. Maybe with Jack at the top of a diamond and 2 up top.

Anyway, Konsa MOTM for me, he is just so **** good. Sees things very very early and can calmly snuff stuff out before it gets too dangerous. Good to see Cash back, had it not been for a soft first goal and the Kane and Mike Dean double act we could have had a point. 

Nice one Roma. First non over reaction in 4 pages. We were their equals all match but didn’t quite find that star quality in the final third (unsurprising, considering we’re missing the most creative player in the league).

[stewiek2]

We're like a Poundland Barcelona, Great with Jack/Messi, bereft of anything without.

Edited March 21, 2021 by stewiek2

[The Fun Factory]

47 minutes ago, flashingqwerty said:

Its more that i don't see us getting another win.  

Fulham

Liverpool

Man City

West Brom

Everton

Man Utd

Palace

Spurs

Chelsea

At least 6 nailed on defeats there.  I'll call it now, and predict we end the season on 44 pts.

I can see Wolves (9) and Soton (11) picking up enough points in 9 games.  Don't forget Soton were top of the league early doors too, so its not beyond them.

I think we will beat Albion and Palace maybe a draw v Fulham. The rest probably defeats maybe a draw at Everton. Like I said we will do well to get 50 points now.

[stegzy]

1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said:

Hard to know what to make of it. I don't think we played all that badly. I do think we've got huge problems up front.

I thought we defended pretty well apart from the complete brain fart in the first half - that's won Spurs the game, but then you shouldn't as a defence have to rely on being completely mistake free in order to earn a point. I thought Cash was really good on his return and Mings was good - Konsa had five minutes where his head had gone a bit and Targett was solid.

The second goal is a shameful bit of cheating from the England Captain, he's caught sight of Cash sliding out of the corner of his eye, turned away from the ball and rushed toward him in an effort to kick Cash and fall over. Good luck with your ankles Harry. Cockney Salah.

It wasn't important to the game, the first goal had won it for Spurs already. 

We don't score goals - it's our all, every and only problem. We compete in midfield, we get the ball moving forward into the opposition half, but then there's nothing, nothing at all.

It's one goal in over eight hours of football now and it's ending our season.

We need a striker who can pressure Watkins, who can start games instead of him when he's not in form, but Watkins isn't the problem - the three wingers we've got aren't good enough. In the summer we need to be looking at replacing two of them and we need to be looking at pushing the boat our for a player on the right hand side who brings a genuine threat to games - Trezeguet runs around a bit but doesn't have any quality, Traore has wonderful feet and the brain of a cat, El Ghazi is an average player who always tries to make things happen - he's the one I'd keep, but we desperately need a whole lot more in terms of wide attacking positions. 

I thought Luiz and McGinn did fine, Sansom struggled a bit but was okay - it's an area where we need another quality body to give us more competition or something different, but there midfield is more or less passable.

To put it into perspective, Arsenal, the team next to us in the table have scored more than once in seven of their last twelve games. we've managed that once in our last twelve - and we lost that game. 

It's not good enough. This season has been great, we're safe as houses and the injury to Grealish has given Trezeguet, Traore and El Ghazi a chance to show us what they're about and what we've learned is that we need to replace them if we're to continue to progress.

I guess Grealish will be back for our next one so there won't be the same problem, but for me Smith should have learned lessons while Jack has been out, he should have changed the shape or made an adjustment to our style - we've had too much faith in this shape and pattern and in these wingers over the last few weeks and perhaps it's not just them that's not taken the opportunity to show what they're about. Smith is lucky, he's a manager not an athlete, he can learn from that and improve - the wingers can't, they need replacing.

 

 

 

Nice to read the second measured response in the thread.

[Essexvillian]

35 minutes ago, allani said:

I agree with almost all of the rest of your post.

I don't think that it was a rash challenge / penalty.  If you look at the lines that Kane and Cash are running they are never coming together in a month of Sundays.  Cash has slid in to block the cross - his "line of attack" is nowhere near where Kane is going.  Kane has lost control of his feet and "fallen" into the line that Cash has taken.  He has no control over the ball at the point that contact is made and if the ball wasn't out when contact was made - there is no way he gets to the ball before it does cross the line if there is no contact.  It is an appalling (but typical) Mike Dean decision.

I think the trouble is that the guys in front of Doug aren't on the same wavelength a lot of the time so they aren't making the space for the early ball.  He looks better when Jack is about because Jack spots the right movement to open space either for him or one of the other players ahead of Doug.  He does seem to lose confidence in the quick ball if a couple go awry and then, as you rightly say, does tend to try and play it a bit safer by dwelling on the ball and then kind of getting himself into a bit of a hole.  I don't think it helps that he is carrying McGinn so much at the moment either (both defensively and offensively).  Oh and he needs to just have a crack at goal more often.  We know he can hit an absolute screamer.

Watkins is so isolated at times - much like all our strikers have tended to be in recent times.  I'm beginning to think that we need a striker and to then either (a) play Ollie down the left, pushing Jack into the No 10 role or (b) keep Jack on the left and get Ollie to play in the hole.  A front 4 of Ollie, Jack, Bertie and Tammy / Eduardo looks pretty tasty.  If Wesley gets back to fitness then I think he could be a great option coming on to either make it closer to a 4-4-2 (by replacing the No 10 role) or just changing the angle of attack in the same formation.  Still need to bring in a new winger who can slot into that 4 should anyone get injured or to put real pressure on Bertie.  Maybe Bertie off the bench (if we can keep him motivated) would be a real super-sub type option?

Sorry but we are - at least in terms of an attacking force.  Almost all the forward players play better when Jack is on fire.  No-one else seems able to grab the game by the scruff of the neck when Jack is out or not playing well.  First few matches I thought that maybe Ross was the answer but he's so far off form at the moment it is untrue.  I think that is why I think a proper No 9 and allowing Ollie to run around like he does at the moment but still having someone in the box threatening the goal area gives us more options than just the "pass the ball to Jack" option.

I more meant that cash gave Kane the chance to make the pen happen, it was no way a pen, and if cash had slid to block the cross another foot away from Kane, then there would of not been an opportunity for the ref to mess it up! 

[Ingram85]

It’s never always rosy. I’ve called for Smith to go a few times last season but I know that was a bit hasty now. He got us promoted, he kept us up (just) and has got us top half (so far). That’s an improvement each year no matter how you look at it. Until the improvements stop then he has every right to carry on. We only need a couple of players to come in to improve the squad for next season. We need a lot less players coming in during the summer compared to recent years where we’ve had to overhaul the squad at times after Bruce. That’s also an improvement. I dunno. It ain’t good at the mo but it’s a huge improvement over last year and the year prior etc... 

[stegzy]

1 hour ago, Chindie said:

Not an awful performance generally, but we're toothless.

Martinez - an appalling attempt at a clearance, and that was the game done.

Cash - not up to standard. Unlucky with the penalty but put himself in a bag position and paid the price. Decent going forward first half.

Konsa - not as good as usual, contributed to the **** up for the goal.

Mings - not much wrong, not much outstanding.

Targett - had the best moment of the first half with the fluffed half chance, generally solid

Luiz - tepid

McGinn - a few nice passes, a lot of huff and puff, but much else.

Sanson - obviously still getting up to speed. Some glimpses of his ability and has a forward thinking mentality. Will get better.

Traore - wasn't at the races. He had his usual moments of great skill but he was also sloppy and didn't really look up to things.

Trez - usual game. He lacks ability but works hard and gets into good positions. But he's a poor shooter.

Watkins - hard work as we expect but nothing otherwise.

AEG - great 5 minutes, then vanished.

Barkley - useless.

Davis - did more telling stuff than Watkins in a 15 minutes cameo but the game was over and, well... He's just not a goalscorer.

This wasn't a bad performance in most respects but for a couple of things. I've you can't really legislate for - a player dropping a clanger like Martinez fluffing a clearance. But also we just do not look like scoring at the moment. We aren't threatening teams. It's aimless cross after aimless cross, with no-one anywhere near it, not in the least bit threatening. And we don't change. Our creatively is awful. The moment the opposition starts to sit a little we're completely stumped. If we can't catch someone on the break we're stumped.

And that's on the manager.

Just had my finger on the like button then until I saw the last line. Of course it’s not on him, I don’t think many fans would have disagreed with the starting lineup. It’s what we have and it’s down to them!

[KentVillan]

Started brightly first 20, and looked on top.

Then total shite after first goal.

We do need Grealish back, but we also need other players back in form.

Cash looked shaky post injury, and I think Mourinho had deliberately targeted that flank with pace, knowing it would either be a slow Elmo or a slightly unfit Cash. Fair play, it worked. Hope we can move on from that.

[VillaChris]

2 hours ago, Chindie said:

Not an awful performance generally, but we're toothless.

Martinez - an appalling attempt at a clearance, and that was the game done.

Cash - not up to standard. Unlucky with the penalty but put himself in a bag position and paid the price. Decent going forward first half.

Konsa - not as good as usual, contributed to the **** up for the goal.

Mings - not much wrong, not much outstanding.

Targett - had the best moment of the first half with the fluffed half chance, generally solid

Luiz - tepid

McGinn - a few nice passes, a lot of huff and puff, but much else.

Sanson - obviously still getting up to speed. Some glimpses of his ability and has a forward thinking mentality. Will get better.

Traore - wasn't at the races. He had his usual moments of great skill but he was also sloppy and didn't really look up to things.

Trez - usual game. He lacks ability but works hard and gets into good positions. But he's a poor shooter.

Watkins - hard work as we expect but nothing otherwise.

AEG - great 5 minutes, then vanished.

Barkley - useless.

Davis - did more telling stuff than Watkins in a 15 minutes cameo but the game was over and, well... He's just not a goalscorer.

This wasn't a bad performance in most respects but for a couple of things. I've you can't really legislate for - a player dropping a clanger like Martinez fluffing a clearance. But also we just do not look like scoring at the moment. We aren't threatening teams. It's aimless cross after aimless cross, with no-one anywhere near it, not in the least bit threatening. And we don't change. Our creatively is awful. The moment the opposition starts to sit a little we're completely stumped. If we can't catch someone on the break we're stumped.

And that's on the manager.

Amongst all the hyperbole in this thread this is perfect summary.

[striker]

With Grealish injured Smith had two better wingers available to him than Traore or Gaz. Why didn’t he try Watkins and Cash (before he was injured) out wide with either Davis or Traore through the middle? It’s not as if those positions would have been foreign to Watkins and Cash having played there quite a bit before. Better quality going forward yet able to track back.

When Grealish comes back against Fulham Watkins could then revert to striker again although I still feel Watkins would be better out wide than as a sole striker.

Edited March 22, 2021 by striker

[Shomin Geki]

7 hours ago, Five Ken McNaughts said:

Imagine totally mis-controlling the ball with your left foot foot, then flicking out your right to ensure contact with the player who was trying to stop the cross (the guy who thought you were a bit better than that!).

Harry Kane may be the media’s darling but he sure as hell isn’t mine.

 

Cheers for this!  Another one to add to the already bulging 'Dark Arts of Harry Kane' compilation.  What a guy!  I fear the chap could currently go down holding his teeth after biting someone's nose and there still wouldn't be much more than euphemistic innuendo whispered between sucked in breaths from the pundit class.  I'd very much like a bold interviewer to ask Kane to take us through what exactly happened in incidents such as these.  Could be fascinating viewing. 

Maybe this is histrionic of me, but in an era in which there is such forensic scrutiny of all aspects of play, it seems absurd that such crucial actions are met with such professional omerta.  I suppose being captain of the England national team doesn't mean much these days...

I wish Grealish would stop with the theatrics too by the way.  He's better than that.  Somebody should tell him.  It's a far sweeter life when admirers don't feel obliged to add a big fat caveat when they're enthusing about your otherwise joyous play.

As for the game, well, I don't wish to add to this downer of an evening, but I do feel obliged to share my honest feelings.  Something tells me the sheer alienness of playing the game to constantly empty stadia, with little to no breathers, as a stupefying pandemic clouds every waking moment, must be such a sapping existential funk that I find it difficult to be too critical of our players.  It's a deeply weird time and I mustn't be the only one who finds this whole sodden era of the game, a shadow of its roaring, shared glory, a troublingly depressing sight.  Honestly, the whole dreary ceremony kinda haunts me.  I can't wait for it to become a strange memory.

Of course, there are teams that still maintain a real sense of energy and urgency in their hearts and boots, but without wishing to diminish the very fair criticisms and raw feelings of many of my fellow Villans, it just doesn't feel right for me to stick my boot in.  Something tells me we'd be wise to plan very carefully for next season, with the return of fans, some normalcy, and, you know, actual, proper, beautiful football.  By that time hopefully any rants and rages I may feel swelling in my chest might not feel so hollow.

Edited March 22, 2021 by Shomin Geki

[a-k]

8 hours ago, Davkaus said:

I'm struggling to take the Kane outrage seriously when Grealish does similar in pretty much every game.

I have never seen Grealish dive for a penalty (even though I believe he is #1 for touches in opposition's box), nor have I seen him barge into the back of defenders who are already airborne.

[villalad21]

5 points in 6 games without Grealish.

That's relegation form.

[OutByEaster?]

I'm amazed to see that Konsa has romped Man of the match for this - I thought the first half was the worst he's had this season. 

 

[Raver50032]

Hmmmm... been bang out of actual form (a couple of shithouse wins notwithstanding) for getting on for 2 months now, even before Jack got injured. I kind of think that we are done for this season. Nothing to play for... other than pride I guess. Really struggled with a lack of quality across the front three last night, and we failed, abjectly FAILED to capitalise on Spurs' iffy start and our possession monopoly. Once Spurs began to show their better quality (yes) across the pitch, it was just a matter of time before we conceded. 

Yep, I love the club, most of the players and the manager. But I can't help thinking that we're now on the beach. And in a 'climax' to the season that will probably set the tone for the summer. Some comings and goings. Our current lack of depth, especially to come on and actually positively change a game is very telling. 

The season is now actually tail-spinning into a bit a of a disappointment after what we have experienced before Christmas. From a season where I expected nothing really and hoped to survive and build, we have been royally cock-teased up to Christmas. Since then, it's like I've lost my Aston Villa again. Covid? Attitude? Nuance? Ability? Application? I don't know what it is, but we are definitely no longer on an upwards trajectory. 

Cannot see where our next goal... next good performance, our next win or even next clean sheet will come from. I'm just thankful (I guess) that I have the memories of pre-Christmas Villa to cherish for this season. For now, we're done. 

[Lochheads twin]

Set aside the disappointment of the last few games and look forward. This then gives us a very clear picture of where we need to strengthen in the next transfer window.

The major problem is where are the goals going to come, thats with and without Grealish. (or at least someone to share the burden)

We need to add quality to the attacking aspect of the team. An attacking/driving midfield player. We hoped it would be Barkley but that does not look likely, unless he gets a reset in the summer and starts again fresh (and at a competitive price.). A classy/speedy winger who can beat a defender and get a quality cross in. I really liked the look of Lucas Moura yesterday, someone of that ilk would be nice. Could Traore or Sanson do this role for us? We need an alternative to Ollie, hopefully we see enough of Wesley before the end of season so can make a judgment. Finally what ever we do, we need to do it a bit quicker. We are very ponderous and predictable at the moment.

We are still a work in progress and need to add quality and depth in the summer.

Onwards!

[trevor]

Another soft give away for the first goal, I’m not certain but it feels like matches are more dependent on who scores first in this odd season.

Sanson subbed as soon as he started to have more of an effect. Strange?

Never a penalty, man had no control of the ball.

Toothless up front, could still be playing now and not score.

[imavillan]

4 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

I'm amazed to see that Konsa has romped Man of the match for this - I thought the first half was the worst he's had this season. 

 

It's surprising me too. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's the worst he's been this season but for me it was most definitely not a motm performance.

He was flat footed and got caught out for the ball over the top that led to the goal. Obviously Martinez doing an impression of Alisson didn't help. The defending for the first goal was ''Keystone Cops like'' 

I Have not voted for motm because yet again it's difficult to pick out an individual stand out performance in an overall poor team performance. I would not give anyone a score above 6 for that game. 

I Would like to see the option of being able to vote for nobody. 

With that option in place i could then vote on the managers and referees performance. At the moment you have to complete all of the fields.