Ratings & Reactions: Liverpool v Villa

[TRO]

1 hour ago, pacbuddies said:

9 home games without a win and 6 home defeats on the trot but don't worry Smith's Villa will gift you a win!

That for me is a worrying statement.....but if you watch our games carefully, it screams at you.

our defensive stats are good overall.....but we still have a habit of conceding such sloppy goals.....its not compatable, some how.

[Philosopher]

7 minutes ago, TRO said:

Barkley is just a part of the frustration....I would just guess that pressure was on Dean to play him, not sure where from, but I feel he is anxious to get him firing.....The Midfield is sorely inadequate, its just defence or attack, there is no control, in the middle, no ball winning, no second balls, no interceptions, no headed duels to write home about, blimey even Jedinak with his lower standard, won them for us.....its just poor......we have " we'll get your season back on track" written all over us.

We have players who are simply not being appraised properly, by all concerned.....fans and coaches.....some of our players just do not have the consistency for this league, bless 'em.

It's not really the midfielder fault. The tactics completely bypass them. The defense and goalkeeper constantly hit long but our midfielders are a bunch of shorties! We are a long ball counter attacking team. Problem with that is our midfielders aren't the most combative out of possession and there isn't a consistent long passer amongst them. 

We need to get the passing out defense right. We do that there will be plenty of space for them to carry the ball out once we pass out of the press. If we don't get high pressed and the midfield don't feel rushed to get the ball to the forwards and the forwards are closer to the play we.can look to pass and move. However Mcginn would have to make way, as JJ, Luiz and Sanson are better short passers.

[VillaFaninLondon]

Just now, brummybloke said:

Barkley isn't good enough to be a scape goat. Goats run around.

His pathetic attempt at ... God knows what it was, when he had clear site of goal a decent angle and easily in shooting range just dithers until the defender removes the ball from him, they then literally go down the other end and score.

It was a direct result of yet more lazy terrible birkley decision making.

Since his injury he has been worse than traore and that's saying something. At least traore has been half decent in 1 game in 5. Birkley has possibly, being generous, 4 good or decent games for us.

And it is pure laziness and gutlessness which has effected his level of performance. He has skill but doesn't bother moving unless it's directly on his foot and then his slow jog gradually ends in his giving the ball away killing off any forward momentum or possession.

Traore has a purple patch of 4 or 5 games and apart from that has 1 in 4 good games.

 

Birkley has 100 bad games each time he plays and wastes a space on the pitch.

 

From being super excited we had him to dreading to look at the team sheet incase he is anywhere near the first team shows that it is 100% down to his lack of performance rather than any preconceived ideas.

 

Traore I had doubts about, that he disappears for weeks at a time, scores a goal or two and then disappears again, we'll thats turned out to be reasonably accurate but was something I half expected.

Maybe I’m being too lenient on Barkley, he’s clearly well below par, but none of our other midfielders create anything so when he comes on I have hope he might actually be the provider for us. It’s probably misplaced hope in all honesty and he’s been shite for ages now. Maybe he’s just a lost cause now and we should give up on him, I don’t know, but without Jack there’s no one else to create anything for us.

 

Traore was awful in my view and couldn’t even control the ball, McGinn likewise. Watkins was my motm but even he was sloppy at times. No one was great in all honesty against a poor Plop.

[darrenm]

We were pretty poor but the ref had a shocker. Every 50/50 their way. Blatant penalty for Trez not given.

[TRO]

3 minutes ago, Philosopher said:

It's not really the midfielder fault. The tactics completely bypass them. The defense and goalkeeper constantly hit long but our midfielders are a bunch of shorties! We are a long ball counter attacking team. Problem with that is our midfielders aren't the most combative out of possession and there isn't a consistent long passer amongst them. 

We need to get the passing out defense right. We do that there will be plenty of space for them to carry the ball out once we pass out of the press. If we don't get high pressed and the midfield don't feel rushed to get the ball to the forwards and the forwards are closer to the play we.can look to pass and move. However Mcginn would have to make way, as JJ, Luiz and Sanson are better short passers.

We have the wrong mix in midfield that is the fault of who constructs the squad...but we are Wip.

The tactics have to be altered to suit what we have got.....if its not working through midfield, alternatives have to be sought....we have to find a way to win games.

I am sure, I know whats wrong, that is not me being arrogant or holier than thou, I am sure, I can see the problem....but that's just me.....I have no doubt at all a winger and a Striker will come in, but for me Midfield is not right, the balance is not right and I don't think that will be fixed.....just saying.

[fruitvilla]

Only watched the last 30 min

I thought the Villa were deserved of the 1:1 score ...  the L'pool goal aside .. In fact I thought Villa was playing some attractive stuff, pressing in Liverpool's half. 

The bit I saw as an attractive game to watch.

Edited April 10, 2021 by fruitvilla

[PaulC]

48 minutes ago, TRO said:

its because we get closed down too easily, we lack the will to win, we allow teams to get their foot in and disrupt our passing, in contrast, we just watch them pass it around us and win the second ball......thats a lack of Aggression, it's being on the beach...call it what you will.

Yes but we also give the ball away too often when players are not under any  under pressure. 

[TRO]

1 hour ago, Delphinho123 said:

We deserved to lose. We were abysmal. Voted Traore MOTM because he finally realised he was so sh*t, he took himself off. You have to respect that. 

Season is done. We’ve been horrible to watch for about 10 games now. 

sadly, you are not wrong.

I have consoled myself, when we have won the odd game, but we have issues for sure.

[tezzaleed]

poor performance but yet again Deano no plan B.  Davis not given a chance after changing the game last time out.  never going to improve without a bit of faith.  can't keep playing 451/433 with Grealish out as we don't have the players for it.  nakamba is so poor though.  I couldn't give a motm today but I could easily name him worst and most pointless player on the pitch.  he can't tackle.  whats the point if a defensive midfielder that can't tackle. he just strolled through the game a yard or two off the pace.  directly at fault for their first goal just letting the attacker stroll into the box under no pressure.

[pacbuddies]

Relegation form going into the last part of the season. Not a good omen for next season. Smith out.

[TRO]

1 minute ago, PaulC said:

Yes but we also give the ball away too often when players are not under any  under pressure. 

because the recipient is being closed down, on many occasions....yes its more than just one issue.

How many headers in midfield do we win?....that's testimony to aggression and the ability to compete.....our midfield stature is not commensurate with winning the ball in the air...we lose ground and territory as a consequence.

[PaulC]

1 minute ago, TRO said:

because the recipient is being closed down, on many occasions....yes its more than just one issue.

How many headers in midfield do we win?....that's testimony to aggression and the ability to compete.....our midfield stature is not commensurate with winning the ball in the air...we lose ground and territory as a consequence.

Yes midfield is a major problem and I think Traore is a big problem too. We cant carry players in the hope they will produce a moment of brilliance. 

[juanpablosaliceband]

20 minutes ago, TRO said:

That for me is a worrying statement.....but if you watch our games carefully, it screams at you.

our defensive stats are good overall.....but we still have a habit of conceding such sloppy goals.....its not compatable, some how.

Yes, our league position is baffling considering our clean sheet record, which is easily top 4 level. 
 

Losing games is one thing but the galling thing for me is that we are now throwing away points by individual errors and a lack of focus. Ramsey today not sprinting out to the immediate danger, Mings last week (although we got away with that one) and McGinn jogging to block the cross against Newcastle. 
 

Whatever about Smith as a tactician, I’d like to see him clamping down on these moments where our players seem to switch off. 

[TRO]

1 hour ago, PieFacE said:

We weren't terrible but it wasn't good either. I feel like i'm saying the same thing every game atm, still a lot of work to do with this squad.

Traore was awful 
Nakamba is pretty much only useful when he can get the ball and pass to Grealish. 
McGinn....  looks like a player who doesn't know what his role is.
Barkley should just leave alre
adyThought Trez tried hard but lacks so much as a footballer, kinda gets masked by effort. 

Need to invest heavily in the attacking areas this summer imo and have a bit of a clear out. 

 

Much of these are fairly recent signings, so what are we looking at?, when we scout them....or is it a case of just incremental improvement, until we can get better.....hope we can sell them on for what we bought them for?

[TRO]

1 minute ago, juanpablosaliceband said:

Yes, our league position is baffling considering our clean sheet record, which is easily top 4 level. 
 

Losing games is one thing but the galling thing for me is that we are now throwing away points by individual errors and a lack of focus. Ramsey today not sprinting out to the immediate danger, Mings last week (although we got away with that one) and McGinn jogging to block the cross against Newcastle. 
 

Whatever about Smith as a tactician, I’d like to see him clamping down on these moments where our players seem to switch off. 

I am not going to go in to the Smith Debate....but I would imagine Tuchel and Biesla would have some of their balls hanging from the dressing room ceiling..... We looked laboured at times, are they working them hard enough in training?

sometimes a few cups need to be strewn.

[The Fun Factory]

Lets be honest bar the odd 5-10 minute spell here and there since January we have  looked a bottom half side. I think we have done well to scrabble enough points since then to be completly safe however a bit of me feels like this has been a lost opportunity to push on given how poor many sides above us have looked this season.

[claretman]

Usually I would be devastated by a last gasp loss but I'm not even that bothered.  End the season now.

[TRO]

21 minutes ago, fruitvilla said:

Only watched the last 30 min

I thought the Villa were deserved of the 1:1 score ...  the L'pool goal aside .. In fact I thought Villa was playing some attractive stuff, pressing in Liverpool's half. 

The bit I saw as an attractive game to watch.

you needed to watch the whole game.....we was so open, the Blues would have looked good.

[juanpablosaliceband]

7 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said:

Lets be honest bar the odd 5-10 minute spell here and there since January we have  looked a bottom half side. I think we have done well to scrabble enough points since then to be completly safe however a bit of me feels like this has been a lost opportunity to push on given how poor many sides above us have looked this season.

What is the real Aston Villa? We had 25 points after 13 games, on course for over 70 points, and being lauded as the next club to trouble the top teams. Now we look more like a team that narrowly avoids relegation. 

[TRO]

1 hour ago, claretman said:

Usually I would be devastated by a last gasp loss but I'm not even that bothered.  End the season now.

Thats like a boxer saying, I have won 9 rounds, do i have to carry on?......or a Jockey way out in front saying do I have to run the rest?

We will be judged on 38 games and rightfully so.....that's how it works.

Edited April 10, 2021 by TRO