beasley14 Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Clearing set pieces is as much about desire to get to the ball first as it is personnel and position. We also need to give Martinez more protection so he has the freedom to come and claim crosses 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Field Posted March 18 Share Posted March 18 Never before known of a coach that got this much attention before. Truth is, non of us have any idea what he is doing or how he is doing - only thing we know is that Emery trusts him, which is good enough for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaJ100 Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 3 hours ago, Chicken Field said: Never before known of a coach that got this much attention before. Truth is, non of us have any idea what he is doing or how he is doing - only thing we know is that Emery trusts him, which is good enough for me. It's probably because before he joined we couldn't score a set piece for nuggets then first week he was there we were scoring overhead kicks off a throw in 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJBOB Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 (edited) 16 hours ago, Talldarkandransome said: Well we managed ok in the first game There is something to this. Konsa, Carlos, Pau, Digne have just enough in them I think to avoid set piece calamity. Certainly not as good as when we had Mings but Digne (as the stats have shown) is an underrated header of the ball. Carlos might not be great in the air but certainly much much more physically capable on the floor than Lenglet. If we actually would play Tim, then that would at least give us a fighting chance on corners. The Konsa-Lenglet-Pau-Moreno back line is just rife for getting exposed on set pieces. Really - any of the configurations with Lenglet and Moreno have been awful on set pieces. Edited March 19 by DJBOB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 On 18/03/2024 at 12:57, DJBOB said: Per fbref - We've given up 8 goals from dead balls - tied for last with Luton, Forest, and Sheffield. And remember that Luton are equally prolific at attacking set pieces but pants at defending them as well so this idea that because we're good at attacking set pieces means we should be good at defending them doesn't really hold water. In counter-point, we are second in the league at scoring from set pieces with 7 - again tied with Luton, Tottenham, and you guess it - West Ham. Arsenal lead with a staggering 15. If that doesn't stand out as an issue, for a 4th placed team....I don't know what does.....They are all relegation candidates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 (edited) 21 hours ago, beasley14 said: Clearing set pieces is as much about desire to get to the ball first as it is personnel and position. We also need to give Martinez more protection so he has the freedom to come and claim crosses I agree....but if you are sub 6ft....it's a big ask. and before anyone, misinterprets the narrative....6ft + players, can have ability on the ball, and can pass with aplomb....creative juices, do not have to be compromised, to think otherwise, is folly. We have become a target, for teams to clatter us, and referees are unsympathetic to that.....Since the "going to ground too easily" lobby have persuaded the PGMOL to firm up on that, The Dan Burns of this world, can use their frame, to out muscle, with impunity. This is not a cry, for a "land of the giants" claim....but it is a cry to match up, with those that intend to bully the ball in to the net....usually in the air. I think there has been many examples over the years, of teams getting away with this against us....even back to the play offs with Albion....it's nothing new. Some folk seem to think its defensive organisation, to a degree it is, it's part of it....but if you miss that first aerial ball, it then becomes a lottery.....too many times, that happens....If on the other hand, its dealt with conviction....that route dries up for the opposition..."necessity is the mother of invention" Give Emi martinez a chance to be the clean sheet specialist, we know he can be. I think with the current team as it is, Austin McPhee, has a tall order....That is not bailing him out, merely saying, I am not sure he has the tools, to fix it. Edited March 19 by TRO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJBOB Posted March 19 Share Posted March 19 Eh - as we've discussed before - it's just down to personnel. Last year with Mings, we were 5th in GA in 7th in xgA and that's even starting with Gerrard's fraudster matches. After the Arsenal match, we allowed only 8 goals in 15 matches. Of those 8 goals, only one of them were scored from a corner (Wolves away). We allow the 4th fewest touches in the final third, the 4th fewest touches in the penalty area, the 4th fewest shots, and 0 penalties conceded. For as incomplete and injured as our back line has been - that's not too bad. But we are, expectantly around 4th - a decent defensive team outside of the 18 and preventing opponents from getting a lot of touches in our penalty area, but susceptible to aerial bombardment. It's an issue insomuch in that it is a weakness, but unless you're a title contender, all teams will have a weakness - even the City/Arsenal/Liverpool's of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted March 31 VT Supporter Share Posted March 31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zak Posted April 11 Share Posted April 11 Maybe one of my favourite things of Villa this season is this guy's work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvilla28 Posted April 11 Share Posted April 11 He might be to blame , but gez some of that crap is pathetic school boy stuff basic marking of player and defending a high ball I put that on the players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJBOB Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 Not bad Nanny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ender4 Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 The commentary on TNT Sport last night mentioned something about an argument between MacPhee and i think the assistant manager Vichy. Did anyone else here that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allani Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 1 hour ago, ender4 said: The commentary on TNT Sport last night mentioned something about an argument between MacPhee and i think the assistant manager Vichy. Did anyone else here that? I think it was Pako and their goalkeeping coach who had an altercation in the tunnel at half-time and that both got sent off. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allani Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 It is interesting (I think) that MacPhee mainly gets a lot of **** on here (and elsewhere) about the goals we have given up from set pieces and yet TNT were also talking about how brilliant Villa are from set-pieces and referred to the fact that we've scored more goals from set-pieces in all competitions of any team in Europe (I haven't verified how accurate that is but they seemed pretty confident). I think the goals we concede will can be fairly easily remedied either if Ty returns next season or by upgrading on Carlos with someone who is better in the air and less wayward in his passing (there are quite a few players who meet those criteria who you'd think we would have a good chance of signing if we were interested / have the money). The goals we score tend to be very, very difficult for teams to defend. The movement for Ollie's goal was brilliant (although you have to question why Lille forgot to mark him) and the McGinn goal was just genius. I don't suppose that MacPhee is calling them from the touch-line but there is clearly a whole playbook that the team know and are ready to deal with some variations. We almost scored a worldie with Tielemans too - except for the fact that their defender decided to lie down almost after we'd taken the freekick. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 Maybe we need a defensive set piece Coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allani Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 (edited) On 19/03/2024 at 20:04, DJBOB said: Eh - as we've discussed before - it's just down to personnel. Last year with Mings, we were 5th in GA in 7th in xgA and that's even starting with Gerrard's fraudster matches. After the Arsenal match, we allowed only 8 goals in 15 matches. Of those 8 goals, only one of them were scored from a corner (Wolves away). We allow the 4th fewest touches in the final third, the 4th fewest touches in the penalty area, the 4th fewest shots, and 0 penalties conceded. For as incomplete and injured as our back line has been - that's not too bad. But we are, expectantly around 4th - a decent defensive team outside of the 18 and preventing opponents from getting a lot of touches in our penalty area, but susceptible to aerial bombardment. It's an issue insomuch in that it is a weakness, but unless you're a title contender, all teams will have a weakness - even the City/Arsenal/Liverpool's of the world. Like you say it is also connected to the fact that Mings has been out all season. We probably need another player like him - tall, good in the air but also pretty decent at playing the ball around - so that we have cover if he / they are out. Our other CBs (brought in by different managers) probably all have the same weakness when it comes to winning aerial battles. I can absolutely understand why Emery prioritised signing Pau (before Mings was injured) but I do think it's something we need to look at in the summer even if Mings is back at peak fitness / form. Edited April 12 by allani Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allani Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 1 minute ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Maybe we need a defensive set piece Coach. I think we just need a defender who is good in the air (i.e. Mings or someone similar). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allani Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 On 18/03/2024 at 13:57, DJBOB said: Per fbref - We've given up 8 goals from dead balls - tied for last with Luton, Forest, and Sheffield. And remember that Luton are equally prolific at attacking set pieces but pants at defending them as well so this idea that because we're good at attacking set pieces means we should be good at defending them doesn't really hold water. In counter-point, we are second in the league at scoring from set pieces with 7 - again tied with Luton, Tottenham, and you guess it - West Ham. Arsenal lead with a staggering 15. TNT commentators were saying that we'd scored the most goals from set pieces (in all competitions) of any team in Europe. I wonder whether fbref are "counting" a set piece goal differently because I can't believe that we've scored 20 goals in Europe, the FA Cup and the League Cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allani Posted April 12 Share Posted April 12 On 19/03/2024 at 19:59, TRO said: I agree....but if you are sub 6ft....it's a big ask. and before anyone, misinterprets the narrative....6ft + players, can have ability on the ball, and can pass with aplomb....creative juices, do not have to be compromised, to think otherwise, is folly. We have become a target, for teams to clatter us, and referees are unsympathetic to that.....Since the "going to ground too easily" lobby have persuaded the PGMOL to firm up on that, The Dan Burns of this world, can use their frame, to out muscle, with impunity. This is not a cry, for a "land of the giants" claim....but it is a cry to match up, with those that intend to bully the ball in to the net....usually in the air. I think there has been many examples over the years, of teams getting away with this against us....even back to the play offs with Albion....it's nothing new. Some folk seem to think its defensive organisation, to a degree it is, it's part of it....but if you miss that first aerial ball, it then becomes a lottery.....too many times, that happens....If on the other hand, its dealt with conviction....that route dries up for the opposition..."necessity is the mother of invention" Give Emi martinez a chance to be the clean sheet specialist, we know he can be. I think with the current team as it is, Austin McPhee, has a tall order....That is not bailing him out, merely saying, I am not sure he has the tools, to fix it. Mings and Buendia seemed to clear an awful lot of set pieces last year. Either Mings would clear at the near post or the ball was way to high and much easier for Martinez to deal with. Then I'm sure that if Mings just missed the header than Buendia mopped a lot up (despite his size) - although maybe that was more at the other end? Either way I do think that this is a solveable issue rather than an Achilles Heel that will compromise us season after season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted April 12 Moderator Share Posted April 12 44 minutes ago, allani said: I can't believe that we've scored 20 goals in Europe, the FA Cup and the League Cup. 29. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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