Ratings & Reactions: Arsenal v Villa

[Keyblade]

That was the worst performance I've seen for at least a year. I thought we'd put these kinds of games behind us.

What worries me are the inconsistencies of performances. I know we'll be inconsistent in terms of results, but before the Spurs game we've been pretty consistent in our playing style and performance, bar that spell when Jack was out last year. But the United, Spurs, Wolves and Arsenal performances were all wildly different from each other and that's not good.

Also think we need to put the 5-3-2 back in our back pocket to use for certain games and go back to his tried and trusted 4-3-3. Our team is better suited for it. Until we have a proper left wing back, we'll have pretty much 0 width. The alternative could be playing Bailey as LWB but that's too limiting for him. Targett is very good in a back 4 but not so great in a 5. He's just not athletic enough.

 

 

[desensitized43]

I’ve been a supporter of smiths all along but playing that terrible 352 formation last night and making no personnel changes at all was just totally unacceptable.

Think he’s falling into the trap a lot of managers do around this time of being too loyal to your favourite players and being too stubborn when it’s obvious your favourite tactics just don’t work.

fair enough he changed it at half time and we were much better but it was too late by that point. Should have changed it way earlier than he did. Top managers wouldn’t have tried to limp on until half time at 1-0.

Fully deserved to lose and fully deserves to have to answer some very tough questions from the owners and fans. 

[Jareth]

2 hours ago, briny_ear said:

Just as a small side issue, I thought Buendia looked completely out of his depth this evening.

Yep - but it wasn't just him, complete across the board confidence fail - god knows what happened but it was everywhere. No good performance save Emi. 

Just seen the smith interview - unhappy - obvs - he will earn his corn now

Edited October 23, 2021 by Jareth

[villalad21]

Could have been a lot worse. 

Fernandes scores on that penalty and we are sitting on 8 points. 

[DaveAV1]

22 minutes ago, desensitized43 said:

I really don’t have to reel off a list of names to satisfy you do I? You know who I’m talking about. Would you have picked that team yesterday?

A top manager recognises when he’s got something wrong at the start and changes it before the situation becomes irredeemable. That’s not to say he shouldn’t make mistakes in selection or system, every manager does, but when you see him with his assistants in full blown discussion on what to do for more than 10 mins while we get overrun isn’t good.

I’m not saying he needs to go.

I don’t think it was unreasonable or unusual to wait until halftime. We didn’t need a tweak we needed a complete reorganisation. Then up steps our old friend VAR to make things even worse. Not defending Dean, last night was entirely on him but this obsession with making changes at the exact point that supporters deem it right is a bit done to death. Personally I think the time to change it was probably a few weeks ago anyway. We had a very good defence last season, I’m struggling to see the the reason we have made such a fundamental change but it needs to end. 

[M_Afro]

I’ve slept off my annoyance from last night now  but still I can’t understand what I saw in that first half. It was clear before the match even started that the midfield was going to be a massive issue. That was made even more obvious in the first 5 minutes of the game with Arsenal being totally dominant. To then watch the next 45 minutes unfold and do absolutely nothing! I just can’t understand that. It’s as if Smith just froze. I have never seen such a one sided half of football where the manager has not at least tried a few things to stem the flow. 
 

I am further perplexed that when the change did come at halftime, Ings and Watkins were left out on the pitch getting in each other’s way and offering absolutely nothing. I was surprised by the Ings signing when it happened and it is looking like an even more bizarre decision now. Much to ponder but unless Smith drops Ings and Axel he will not be picking our team for much longer!

[S-Platt]

20 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Could have been a lot worse. 

Fernandes scores on that penalty and we are sitting on 8 points. 

If your aunt had balls she'd be your uncle.

[Keyblade]

2 hours ago, desensitized43 said:

I’ve been a supporter of smiths all along but playing that terrible 352 formation last night and making no personnel changes at all was just totally unacceptable.

Think he’s falling into the trap a lot of managers do around this time of being too loyal to your favourite players and being too stubborn when it’s obvious your favourite tactics just don’t work.

fair enough he changed it at half time and we were much better but it was too late by that point. Should have changed it way earlier than he did. Top managers wouldn’t have tried to limp on until half time at 1-0.

Fully deserved to lose and fully deserves to have to answer some very tough questions from the owners and fans. 

You very very rarely see tactical substitutions in the first half. Even Tuchel waited until halftime to sub off Saul against us, and he didn't even need to change the formation to do so. Waiting til halftime also has the added benefit of discussing the change in shape during the break.

[villalad21]

14 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

You very very rarely see tactical substitutions in the first half. Even Tuchel waited until halftime to sub off Saul against us, and he didn't even need to change the formation to do so. Waiting til halftime also has the added benefit of discussing the change in shape during the break.

You don't need to make subs to make changes.

This wasn't tactical or a formation issue. 

Players were simply not interested and Smith just stood there and watched.

Doesn't matter what formation you play if the players ain't doing the basics.

Edited October 23, 2021 by villalad21

[villalad21]

Looks like the Wolves collapse mentally broke them.

[villalad21]

10 hours ago, jim said:

Disgusting performance first half. All the the manager. 

It's his boyhood club though.

Can't sack a fan.

[Follyfoot]

First away game in ages and had to suffer that drivel. It was obviously wrong from the off. Needed changing after five minutes. The mad thing is if he had played 433 at the start we would’ve won. Not heard the Smyth interview because I blanked all radio stations that report on sport on the way back but if he’s blaming the players he Need to look in the mirror. Never want to see that Man United centre half again or that bastard system to accommodate him. I also hate driving in London, really pissed off

Edited October 23, 2021 by Follyfoot

[Vive_La_Villa]

Whilst the results of the next 3 games are key I think the manner of the performances are very important too. That first half yesterday is just not acceptable.  I really can’t see us being much worse than that again. 

[thunderball]

That’s performance has really set alarm bells with me, it was abject. Mings and Targett look poor, midfield has nothing right about it at all. Cash was isolated and didn’t turn up, Watkins looks a shadow of himself, I think Ings arriving has spooked him big time, Ings was anonymous. We didn’t press (which we can do), we had no plan or outlet, we were static and swamped. 
 

It’s gone totally rotten. We have the personnel, there is something very wrong though and I am sure it’s the system, but the basics are not there, nor balance, and this season we really don’t look like scoring. 

Our defence was great last season, but it’s now terrible. We allowed them to control the ball outside our box and gave them loads of space.

Buendia isn’t showing up, he actually looks poor and out of his depth at times. There is clearly a player in there but the management need to find it.

I couldn’t imagine sacking Smith was sensible until last night. But if this isn’t turned around quickly I think he will lose his job.

[string28]

Last night was awful and it was a worry seeing that first half. Dean needs to change not only the system but also get the players to keep the ball and pass it better.

[regular_john]

12 hours later, some perspective...

 

1st half was the worst I've seen us play under Smith. We made Arsenal look like Barca under Pep.

 

2nd half was more like I expect from us, played quite well, made plenty of chances, probably would have won the game had we played like that over the 90. Had that Watkins chance gone in just past 80 mins, reckon we'd have come away with a point. At that point, Arsenal looked like what they are - a midtable, no mark, bullshit club with shit fans. And the abuse against Emi after the years he gave that club? Classless

Edited October 23, 2021 by regular_john

[PieFacE]

That was the worst I've seen us play since the year we were nearly relegated pre-covid. Horrific stuff. 

Trying to force Ings and Watkins both in the team is becoming a problem I think. 

[Herman22]

I’m all for a bit of perspective, especially given a bit of time. 
The formation was wrong last night. We couldn’t keep the ball, we looked weak in defence and had nothing going forward. 
I think DS needs to go back to the basics. 4-3-3 has worked for him in the past but he needs the personnel to be right for that formation. For me we this is our best 11 right now:

Emi

Cash Konsa Mings Targett

JJ Luiz McGinn

Bailey Ings Buendia

We have real quality off the bench too. Tuanzebe, Marv, Sanson, Young, Traore, ElGhazi, Watkins… 

[rjw63]

Can we go back to playing in empty stadiums?

[Dante_Lockhart]

6 minutes ago, rjw63 said:

Can we go back to playing in empty stadiums?

I always said that when fans get back in stadiums we’ll look like a different team