Ratings & Reactions: LC3: Chelsea v Villa

[paul514]

52 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

Sports science probably said no. Otherwise he would undoubtedly have had one of them on the bench if nothing else. 

This is why you have a squad. We put out a team that must have cost upwards of £150m regardless. 

Ollie has played one game no way could we not have put out one of them and changed them around early in the second half.

[fruitvilla]

Here's my definitive though incomplete take on the match.

The ref I thought was good. I did not see any horrendous decisions.

Interesting match from a coach's point of view. Some yesterday were suggesting go strong or go home strategy yesterday. While understandable, Smith elected to give others a run out instead. Also Understandable. Overall the chosen formation seem to do the trick. Regarding the penalties, I wonder if this was an unexpected contingency. At this point Smith has to balance, giving experience to the youngsters or trying choosing the players who you thing will likely score. Overall I rated Smith's performance excellent.

Overall ... ALL the players did well, though some shone more than others.

Steer -  I thought he did well during the 95 minutes. Some good saves. I would like to seem him be a bit more commanding in the six yard box though. Facing penalties, need some coaching here. I almost felt at 67, I would have been equally good.

Cash -  what can I say? Excellent cross for Archer. I enjoyed watching him more as a wingback rather than as a full back. Konsa -  did well, a good bit of sub management by Smith

Taunzebe and Hause -  Solid performances, the tackle on Lukaku by Hause was exquisite. 

Young -  not his best game but generally was back in time to defend. Except for the strategic yellow.

Sanson and Nakamba -  I thought Sanson had a good game, curious when he came off he went straight into the tunnel. Trust it is not too serious. Nakamba, I don't somehow pick him out, but that is a good thing too. Little Chuk ...  did not do anything spectacular in the first half but was solid in the second.

Traore -  my man of the match, worked hard, looked dangerous and was being fouled all the time. He seemed to slow down a bit for a while after Sarr's first foul on him. JPB -  again was solid. I don't get the criticism Beundia got - he worked really hard, might not be up to our hyped up expectations but he was good. El Ghazi -  I did not feel much came down the left side. What I  liked between, Traore, Beundia, El Ghazi and of course Archer how they pressed the Chelsea defence.

Archer -  of course he was poor as some have pointed out. He only scored one beautiful header and seems to have gone to the Ollie School of Pressing. He managed  to get himself into a few good scoring positions which he did not capitalize on. A bit like Ollie in our last couple of matches. 

Overall a really good performance!

 

 

Edited September 22, 2021 by fruitvilla

[nick76]

1 minute ago, paul514 said:

Ollie has played one game no way could we not have put out one of them and changed them around early in the second half.

Or playing last weekend, half a game on Wed and then another this weekend maybe too much after injury?!?! I don’t know but sounds reasonable as well

[fruitvilla]

14 minutes ago, TheMelvillan said:

very English and proper sporting agreement that we don't play the big boys

To be fair we played Hause all game long.

[TomC]

1 hour ago, AVFCDAN said:

I laughed to myself at the thought of Nakamba taking a pen at full time and sure enough up he steps, sorry Dean that’s an awful decision and totally on you. Everyone can miss but you don’t let Nakamba take a pen.

 

1 hour ago, Jono62 said:

Definitely. If Archer had missed, Smith would have been roasted for letting a youngster take one. 

 

I agree with Jono62...Nakamba wouldn't be in my first five in most circumstances, but you have to wonder if Deano had this summer's England-Italy match in mind, when everyone criticized Southgate for letting youngsters (Saka, age 19 and Sancho, age 21) take penalties, who then missed...

 

[Wainy316]

Fans brilliant, performance brilliant.  Great night down in Laaaaaandan tonight.  Still no idea why Nakamba took the all important penalty number 3 though 

[briny_ear]

2 hours ago, DaveAV1 said:

You should also know by now that even the slightest excuse to find fault will be gleefully taken by some posters and shouted as loudly as possible. To find criticism in almost any game, win, lose or draw is of course always possible and I’m pretty sure that every game is endlessly watched by an army of analysts, as well as the coaches and the bones well and truly picked out of every kick, but to endlessly find fault in Dean Smith is as boring now as it is baffling. The scornful criticism of anyone who shows support for Smith in the face of an almost constant diatribe of criticism by some posters is equally strange, given that it is showing support for the Villa manager on Villa forum. Perhaps I don’t understand the nature of being a supporter anymore?

I think this is a good example of the sort of OTT reaction I was referencing.

FFS, he was only questioning if Nakamba was the best person to take the third penalty. (Having watched his effort, I would question if he should have been on the slate at anything higher than 11.)

So someone jumps up and says “Smith out”. Wow, so witty and profound I almost fell off my chair.

Edited September 22, 2021 by briny_ear

[Ponky]

3 hours ago, sheepyvillian said:

What was Jed Steer doing?  Some of them dives looked awful, like he wasn't even trying. 

Looked like when I control the keeper for penalties on FIFA

[Ponky]

3 hours ago, Eligius said:

At least Nakambas penalty was on target, why don't you single out Young who missed?

I thought Nakamba's penalty was at least as good as Noble's the other day and everyone was hailing de Gea as the hero. 

 

[Marka Ragnos]

We lost, but we won.

[TRO]

2 hours ago, fruitvilla said:

To be fair we played Hause all game long.

I like him....I hear West Ham was sniffing.....they can sniff off.

[TRO]

The performances of our younger players is really heartening.....they give us such a good vibe.

Its never ok to lose....but that was some monumental effort.

I think the experience they will get from that game is invaluable...rubbing shoulders with International players and holding your own is a great way to build confidence.

Dean has conkers to do that.

[fruitvilla]

Of the games I have watched this season,  for me this was far the most enjoyable.

Think ...  No Ings, Watkins, Bailey, Mings, Targett, Luiz, McGinn and Martinez.

And Ramsey an unused sub!

[mig4villa]

4 hours ago, CVByrne said:

Annoyed that Smith had Nakamba take a pen. Ruins the evening that. A player you know has no chance of scoring takes the 2nd pen

You think you know better than the Manager and highly qualified coaching staff. who watch  the players take penalties in training, who can and can't hit a good spot kick?  Unbelievable!!

[Farlz]

We’re incredibly unfortunate to come away with 2 defeats in these Chelsea games. We’ve smashed them in large parts over both games just haven’t been able to put our chances away. 

Only slight issue with the penalty taker decisions was Nakamba. He’s genuinely the last person I’d suggest but that won’t take away from what was a great performance overall on the night. 

Hopefully we can take this kind of performance into Saturday against United. We can trouble them. 

[mig4villa]

4 hours ago, CVByrne said:

Very very poor from Smith not letting any of the young players take a Pen. Nakamba took one and Archer didn't. Inexcusable from Smith that. 

1. Macphee Picked the penalty takers. 2. As I said to you elsewhere, He knows much better than you do who takes a good pen. 3.  The management and coaching staff were obviously wanting to protect the youngsters from the pressure of a shootout,  (and from fickle and brutal fans always looking for the next scapegoat) 4.  It's ridiculous to pick someone for the first 5  pens, who has not volunteered.  (again you were not there and have no Idea who stepped forward)  It's a good bet that Austin picked the best pen takers - in order of their record at taking penalties- from those who were feeling up to it at the time......5.  Nakamba's pen was on target, powerful. and just inside the post.  Kepa guessed the right way and made a good save.  

[villalad21]

2 hours ago, Farlz said:

We’re incredibly unfortunate to come away with 2 defeats in these Chelsea games. We’ve smashed them in large parts over both games just haven’t been able to put our chances away. 

Only slight issue with the penalty taker decisions was Nakamba. He’s genuinely the last person I’d suggest but that won’t take away from what was a great performance overall on the night. 

Hopefully we can take this kind of performance into Saturday against United. We can trouble them. 

18-10 in shots 

69-31 possession 

Certainly not undeserved win from Chelsea. 

1st half in both games we looked better.

Tuchel in both games adjusted second half and controlled the game. 

Edited September 23, 2021 by villalad21

[Villarocker]

59 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

18-10 in shots 

69-31 possession 

Certainly not undeserved win from Chelsea. 

1st half in both games we looked better.

Tuchel in both games adjusted second half and controlled the game. 

I'll take the bait. 

You do realise that the Chelsea forwards in that game cost more than our whole team? It's called a squad for a reason. If we'd gone and played all our best players and lost, like we did a couple of games ago, and then they were knackered for Saturday lunchtime, Smith would have been heavily criticised by more than just you. 

Please try to find more to be positive about because right now should be a very pleasing experience being a Villa fan. I'm loving it! 

[villa4europe]

Last night tuchel brought his £100m striker off the bench and Chelsea instantly looked better

Mans a genius 

[Stevo985]

3 hours ago, mig4villa said:

5.  Nakamba's pen was on target, powerful. and just inside the post.  Kepa guessed the right way and made a good save.  

No it wasn’t