Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Brentford

[S-Platt]

On the train back to home.  Point was fair.  I thought that team would get taken apart so proves what I know!

Only thing I would have changed was Nakamba starting and Chuck coming on against tired legs.  Though the game passed him by a little.

Happy enough nice break now to get everyone fit to take on Chelsea.

[useless]

I thought it was a poor result, much is made of the players we had missing but we had the players available to beat Brentford, I think it was a mistake playing just two specialist midfielders, especially when one of those is a seventeen year old making his debut, Nakamba should have played alongside Luiz and Chukwuemeka. Four points from Watford, Newcastle and Brentford is a disappointing start to the season.

Edited August 28, 2021 by useless

[darrenm]

Oh and that run back by Anwar where he made up 20 yards off their full back to get the ball when they were clear was amazing.

[Stratvillan]

Not a great performance, but with so many players out it was always going to be disjointed. Glad to see the vast majority appreciated this in the post match manager voting.

[darrenm]

This made me chuckle. Looks like the painter and decorator was checking what colour they wanted the dressing room.

[OutByEaster?]

I thought we did reasonably well, this isn't a team that will have played well before, and the lateness of the changes will have meant some have been learning the ins and outs of the system this morning. With that in mind I thought we were okay - perhaps slightly edged it but certainly did enough for at least a point.

Brentford's fans were much better than I thought they'd be, I was expecting that sort of 'nice' commuter belt London clappy thing - a sort of Business Park Fulham, but they were much more lively than that, fair play to them, they had a nice day out and they look like they're going to enjoy their adventure. 

Tactically, the first half of the game was dominated by their excellence in stopping teams getting out from the back, we really struggled and they pushed high up the pitch, snatched it off us and got a goal through Toney, who whilst not particularly skilful, pacey or technically excellent is big, strong, aggressive and has a nose for goal. I don't like him.

We discovered a way out with the long ball into the corner for Anwar/Ings and for ten minutes we hit that ball and had success with it, resulting in the eventual break that lets Buendia deliver a little wonder of a goal. He may not be big, but he's technically excellent, industrious and has a nose for goal. I like him.

Brentford adjusted and closed that 'out' and we struggled again until late in the second half - they're very good at it and the lack of fluency in a team that hadn't played together before made it difficult for us to find the right ways to deal with that.

We played a sort of 4-1-4-1 with Luiz holding and a seventeen year old on his first start and an old fella who's played 17 seasons, including none in this position. I thought Young did well considering, Chukwuemeka didn't get involved enough, but it'll be a good learning experience - I thought there was a lot of pressure on Luiz but he coped with it very well and had a very good game behind them.

El Ghazi was also excellent, he's in fantastic form and although he can be frustrating, the things he gets right are really very good, he was a proper handful for their defence today.

The second half was dominated by the idiot in the middle - in the first half he'd got most everything right, he'd been unfussy and quiet, a peripheral figure - sometimes the best referees are the ones you don't notice.

In the second half he was Elvis on a pink unicorn. Handing out yellow cards on a seemingly random basis, where you get one when a player runs past you and you don't get one for taking a runner from behind and where sometimes you get a yellow card for clipping an ankle, but not necessarily a couple of minutes later, and where you definitely don't get a yellow card if you've already got one, even if you kick someone in the face with your foot six feet off the ground. He did the thing that all bad referees do - he got the players wound up and then booked them for the frustrations he'd put into them.

Brentford were so terrified of what he might do next, they elected to try to let the clock run out every time the ball went out of play.

In fairness, once we'd hd forty minutes to get used to him and we got Ollie on, we might well have snatched it at the end - but it wasn't to be - it's not a bad draw, or a good draw really, it wasn't a game for the ages or one that will be talked about in pubs across Birmingham for weeks to come, but considering the very strange position we find ourselves in, I'll take it.

As a reminder, today we could have fielded a front six of McGinn, Sanson, J Ramsey, Bailey, Davis and Traore - all of whom are out injured - we finished the game also missing both of our first choice centre halves - and we have one of our star strikers working back from injury and only available today off the bench. 

So, yeah, it's a point and we might have hoped for more than four from these three opening fixtures, but it's become clear that this season will be one of transition, after three of real progress and whilst that might sometimes feel a little deflating, we're still more than capable and in some ways it says something about our development that we've still been able to edge a buoyant Brentford with half of our first team missing.

It's a slightly shruggy point, but we'll be just fine I think.

 

[calcifer]

 Our midfield today 

[TheMelvillan]

Thank goodness we signed tuanzebe. No harm to hause and no questioning his attitude, but that first touch of his 

 

I also hold the referee complete responsible for Ing's yellow card. Can't believe he missed the blatant foul that got him riled up

[WHY]

Thought a draw was a fair result, reading some of the players thread you would’ve thought we won 3/4-0. There were some ok performances today but nothing more. People giving players 8 must have watched a different game to me. Voted Luiz MOTM as he was fairly steady but he was no more than a 7. We barely looked like scoring 2nd half.

[alreadyexists]

That penalty shout against Hause seemed like we got away with one... one only seen it once but I was nervous. If that was Man Utd then they’d have given it I’m sure

[Follyfoot]

1 hour ago, Xela said:

He was a self confessed Liverpool fan as a kid.

Just had it confirmed and also been reported online as correct. What a strange reaction promoting the hooligan firm of your opponents biggest rival whilst having no connection yourself. Maybe something to do with that rat full back of theirs. Regardless he should be fined heavily, that sign could have potentially caused him getting clumped if certain individuals had witnessed it

 

[chappy]

Ref was terrible is the first headline today. On train back now. He completely lost control and got to that stage where he was making up for farcical yellows with the next foul by the other team. Ings’ yellow in particular was ridiculous.

 

Obviously annoyed we didn’t win but we were without 3, arguably 4/5 first team players. Assume McGinn and Mings have Covid? What about J Ramsey?

 

Anyway, given the line up, we did pretty well. A fit Watkins buries one of those late chances.

Martinez 7 solid enough

Cash 5 skittish today

Konsa 7 solid

Tuanzebe,zebe,zebe 8 solid

Targett 6 also skittish

Dougie 8 did his job

Ash 6 not a CM but did fine

Carney 7 decent on full debut, did what he needed to, obvious player there

Anwar 7 always an option and did some good things. Once again the fellas in front of me embarrassed themselves with the anti AEG agenda. I called them out today but either they didn’t hear me or ignored me. Unfortunately there are others around who lap it up. You’re boring lads!

Ings 7 decent without much service. One of the least deserved yellows I've ever seen.

Buendia 8 MOTM brilliant. Everything I hoped we were signing and more. Up to speed now and a lovely goal to boot.

 

Other grumbles:

O2 signal… I couldn’t get on data from being in the Aston Tavern onwards. Needs sorting!

Beers in the ground… I was at the Purity bar in the lower Holte, they really need to sort a system where pints are ready before half time, maybe a machine like you see at cricket and festivals. 
 

Representatives for Wellingborough in front of me going after El Ghazi again

The ref

 

[WHY]

28 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

I thought we did reasonably well, this isn't a team that will have played well before, and the lateness of the changes will have meant some have been learning the ins and outs of the system this morning. With that in mind I thought we were okay - perhaps slightly edged it but certainly did enough for at least a point.

Brentford's fans were much better than I thought they'd be, I was expecting that sort of 'nice' commuter belt London clappy thing - a sort of Business Park Fulham, but they were much more lively than that, fair play to them, they had a nice day out and they look like they're going to enjoy their adventure. 

Tactically, the first half of the game was dominated by their excellence in stopping teams getting out from the back, we really struggled and they pushed high up the pitch, snatched it off us and got a goal through Toney, who whilst not particularly skilful, pacey or technically excellent is big, strong, aggressive and has a nose for goal. I don't like him.

We discovered a way out with the long ball into the corner for Anwar/Ings and for ten minutes we hit that ball and had success with it, resulting in the eventual break that lets Buendia deliver a little wonder of a goal. He may not be big, but he's technically excellent, industrious and has a nose for goal. I like him.

Brentford adjusted and closed that 'out' and we struggled again until late in the second half - they're very good at it and the lack of fluency in a team that hadn't played together before made it difficult for us to find the right ways to deal with that.

We played a sort of 4-1-4-1 with Luiz holding and a seventeen year old on his first start and an old fella who's played 17 seasons, including none in this position. I thought Young did well considering, Chukwuemeka didn't get involved enough, but it'll be a good learning experience - I thought there was a lot of pressure on Luiz but he coped with it very well and had a very good game behind them.

El Ghazi was also excellent, he's in fantastic form and although he can be frustrating, the things he gets right are really very good, he was a proper handful for their defence today.

The second half was dominated by the idiot in the middle - in the first half he'd got most everything right, he'd been unfussy and quiet, a peripheral figure - sometimes the best referees are the ones you don't notice.

In the second half he was Elvis on a pink unicorn. Handing out yellow cards on a seemingly random basis, where you get one when a player runs past you and you don't get one for taking a runner from behind and where sometimes you get a yellow card for clipping an ankle, but not necessarily a couple of minutes later, and where you definitely don't get a yellow card if you've already got one, even if you kick someone in the face with your foot six feet off the ground. He did the thing that all bad referees do - he got the players wound up and then booked them for the frustrations he'd put into them.

Brentford were so terrified of what he might do next, they elected to try to let the clock run out every time the ball went out of play.

In fairness, once we'd hd forty minutes to get used to him and we got Ollie on, we might well have snatched it at the end - but it wasn't to be - it's not a bad draw, or a good draw really, it wasn't a game for the ages or one that will be talked about in pubs across Birmingham for weeks to come, but considering the very strange position we find ourselves in, I'll take it.

As a reminder, today we could have fielded a front six of McGinn, Sanson, J Ramsey, Bailey, Davis and Traore - all of whom are out injured - we finished the game also missing both of our first choice centre halves - and we have one of our star strikers working back from injury and only available today off the bench. 

So, yeah, it's a point and we might have hoped for more than four from these three opening fixtures, but it's become clear that this season will be one of transition, after three of real progress and whilst that might sometimes feel a little deflating, we're still more than capable and in some ways it says something about our development that we've still been able to edge a buoyant Brentford with half of our first team missing.

It's a slightly shruggy point, but we'll be just fine I think.

 

El Ghazi was better than he usually is but to describe him as excellent is a little OTT imo. Excellent implies he had an assist or 2 and a goal. Did he actually create a chance, I remember one cross in the first half when he went outside his man, which is rare in itself. He gave countless stupid fouls away as well, which wether you like it or not were fouls, you can’t keep putting your hands on the opposition, infuriates me as he does it all the time.

[Follyfoot]

3 minutes ago, chappy said:

Ref was terrible is the first headline today. On train back now. He completely lost control and got to that stage where he was making up for farcical yellows with the next foul by the other team. Ings’ yellow in particular was ridiculous.

 

Obviously annoyed we didn’t win but we were without 3, arguably 4/5 first team players. Assume McGinn and Mings have Covid? What about J Ramsey?

 

Anyway, given the line up, we did pretty well. A fit Watkins buries one of those late chances.

Martinez 7 solid enough

Cash 5 skittish today

Konsa 7 solid

Tuanzebe,zebe,zebe 8 solid

Targett 6 also skittish

Dougie 8 did his job

Ash 6 not a CM but did fine

Carney 7 decent on full debut, did what he needed to, obvious player there

Anwar 7 always an option and did some good things. Once again the fellas in front of me embarrassed themselves with the anti AEG agenda. I called them out today but either they didn’t hear me or ignored me. Unfortunately there are others around who lap it up. You’re boring lads!

Ings 7 decent without much service. One of the least deserved yellows I've ever seen.

Buendia 8 MOTM brilliant. Everything I hoped we were signing and more. Up to speed now and a lovely goal to boot.

 

Other grumbles:

O2 signal… I couldn’t get on data from being in the Aston Tavern onwards. Needs sorting!

Beers in the ground… I was at the Purity bar in the lower Holte, they really need to sort a system where pints are ready before half time, maybe a machine like you see at cricket and festivals. 
 

Representatives for Wellingborough in front of me going after El Ghazi again

The ref

 

I thought he had a great game always looking to make things happen. Where do you sit in the lower Holte as a matter of interest as no anti Anwar agenda near me  or That i can hear, Like you if I heard it I would certainly make comment back

[Xela]

4 minutes ago, Follyfoot said:

Just had it confirmed and also been reported online as correct. What a strange reaction promoting the hooligan firm of your opponents biggest rival whilst having no connection yourself. Maybe something to do with that rat full back of theirs. Regardless he should be fined heavily, that sign could have potentially caused him getting clumped if certain individuals had witnessed it

 

Where was it confirmed? 

Henry isn't a nose... Villa fan as a kid (as was his Dad), but got rejected by us on trial so his Dad  started watching blues out of revenge, but said he doesn't have a team anymore! 

[il_serpente]

Not a bad point, considering circumstances.

I didn't think anyone was outstanding.

AEG reversed his usual ratio of times dribbling into trouble and losing the ball vs. making a good decision and troubling the defense, which was a huge plus.

Cash had a 'mare defensively, I thought.  Got schooled a few times in dangerous areas when he should have had things under control.

Carney was pretty anonymous.   Too soon for a PL start,  I thought.

Emi M. had a. brain fart 2nd week in a row.  You just can't release the ball for a punt that close to a pressing opponent and hope either he won't go for it or the referee will bail you out.

Emi B. with a great strike and some other nice moments, but still dribbled into trouble or got pushed off the ball a few times.

Terrible defending for their goal.

Ollie's return is going to be huge, you could tell.

[Follyfoot]

4 minutes ago, Xela said:

Where was it confirmed? 

Henry isn't a nose... Villa fan as a kid (as was his Dad), but got rejected by us on trial so his Dad  started watching blues out of revenge, but said he doesn't have a team anymore! 

My lad days on one football ?

[Xela]

1 minute ago, Follyfoot said:

My lad days on one football ?

I have no idea what that means?!  

[OutByEaster?]

2 minutes ago, Follyfoot said:

My lad days on one football ?

Your lad what?

 

[Follyfoot]

4 minutes ago, Xela said:

I have no idea what that means?!  

Sorry my lad says it was on ‘one football’ whatever that is

Edited August 28, 2021 by Follyfoot