Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Chelsea

[TRO]

15 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

Not having this one as a plucky performance against a big side, not having that we put in a performance, or gave a good account of ourselves, or any of those nice things - we deserved more out of this game and I'm gutted.

First half we were the better side; they struggled to deal with our shape and running, we had time at the back and played the ball around confidently and we got it out wide well and through the middle well, if Ings had shot first time, or Buendia had taken his chance, we'd have deservedly gone in ahead at the interval. 

Tuchel then won the game at half time, changing the shape and bringing on a forward for a centre half - it meant with four in the middle they were much tighter on our full backs and had another body in and amongst our defenders, it tightened the space for Mings and Luiz and lead to a second goal that they'd deserved through their start to the half.

But that period of twenty-five minutes after half time was the only time they were really on top in the game and it had late equaliser written all over it for the last ten minutes, we were all over them in that period, albeit without creating a really clear chance on goal. I couldn't see any other result coming except 2-2 and we'd have thoroughly deserved it.

I guess that's the advantage that having a £98m substitute gives you.

I thought Luiz was superb, especially in the first half when he recycled the ball better than Kante and passed it better than Jorginho, the sixty yard ball he played on the volley to Watkins on 19 minutes was worth the ticket price on its own. This formation really suits him, we've gone from having one full time holding midfielder to having three midfielders who all play slightly deeper - three half-holders* - they share the defensive stuff but can push forward a bit - he's blossoming in this shape.

Mings was Jekyll and Hyde, he was imperious in the first half, calm, confident and composed, then rattled in the second half by someone who could match him physically. Jittery, in two minds and hasty in possession. He's never at his best when he's against someone that's bigger and stronger than he is - thankfully there aren't many of those about.

I thought Martinez made a couple of really good saves in the second half and that Cash was excellent throughout, Konsa looked composed and Targett battled well with Reece James, Sanson looked decent enough and there's plenty of promise there while Jacob Ramsey continues to impress, Buendia worked his socks off and Watkins did okay, but Id sooner see him chasing through balls than trying to play them, Ings grafted a bit, but didn't look like doing more than that. Traore brought something to the game, Chukwuemeka got in good positions and did things that didn't come off and El Ghazi gives you a gamblers chance at the end of games like this with his keenness to shoot.

Overall, I thought we played really well, more than matched one of the three quality teams in this league and came out unlucky - we deserved more and we looked like a team that know we can play at this level.

We're not far off it and we might have been a bit closer today.

*I didn't say triple pivot.

I agree with that in the main, but just like a few players had moments of indifference, so did Luiz, have a few.

I agree he had some superb moments, but its fair to say on a few occasions he was second to the ball too....late second half he was left wanting on the edge of the area and they nearly scored.

I think Lukaku's introduction lifted Chelsea, not just his own work....and we stopped being first to the ball, we started giving it away cheaply and was confined to sitting in an containing, our threat dissipated.

I thought it was one of Luiz's better games, but he still had moments of fault, like the rest, just not quite so glaring.

 

Edited December 27, 2021 by TRO

[TRO]

15 hours ago, nick76 said:

I'd go even further I thought Silva was brilliant first half with some shades of McGrath in that him in the right place at the right time and looking composed when in trouble.  Never will be as good as McGrath but i liked some of the things he did and reminded me of the great man.

Fabulous readers of the game, both of them.

[TRO]

16 hours ago, sheepyvillian said:

What a terrible performance. Gave it to them gift- wrapped, which is apt really, considering the time of year. 

When Mings is like that, it's painful to watch. Just like Targetts crossing. Only Jacobs, for me, come away from that with any credit. 

It wasn't a terrible performance at all....it was defensive lapses, that undone us.

We were always in that game, despite the obvious tiredness that crept in.

[TRO]

16 hours ago, osmark86 said:

ok I'll rephrase.

10 players are doing well, but that last player isn't putting away any of the chances the rest of the team provides. So change that one player with another one that is firing on all cylinders. profit.

would you say that the one player change in the above scenario made a difference? the other players continued to perform, but the player subbed in outperformed the previous player and so made the differ....

 

...come on mate

I think Lakaku's introduction lifted all the chelsea players, in addition to his own work....He was the main difference.

I think we should have cut off the supply to him and not treat him like just another player.....Mings and Target handled him poorly.

[TRO]

I thought in the first half, it was some of the best football we have played for some time....just toothless up front....We lack Pace.

but when they scored from the Pen, new belief got in to them and they started that inevitabe top 3 trait of stopping you playing, being first to the ball and closing down....Lakaku just tipped the balance in their favour.

I also thought, we had so many of our passes, blocked.....need to be quicker, in our work.

Edited December 27, 2021 by TRO

[hippo]

37 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said:

I can see that. First half we barely had possession anyway, we just defended well(mostly) and were really good on the counter

You often get higher possession stats in games you lose as you are chasing the game and/or the opposition don't commit to as much forward player.

[villalad21]

26 minutes ago, TRO said:

I thought in the first half, it was some of the best football we have played for some time....just toothless up front....We lack Pace.

but when they scored from the Pen, new belief got in to them and they started that inevitabe top 3 trait of stopping you playing, being first to the ball and closing down....Lakaku just tipped the balance in their favour.

I also thought, we had so many of our passes, blocked.....need to be quicker, in our work.

2nd half showed the frail mentality is still very much there.

I think some of these players simply are too weak.

Lots of things still needs to be done in the Summer.

[StefanAVFC]

There is an edit button you know. And a function to quote multiple posts in one go. 

[onmeedson]

Lukaku was the difference and bullied our defence so easily, we came gift wrapped with glitter and admired the luka show. The messiah arrived and the three wise men presented gifts, our innkeeper was not at home and Luka shone as the brightest  star.

[skell]

11 hours ago, OLDVILLAIN said:

Ings and Watkins together do not suit the way gerrard wants us to play..

Poor performance from one or two today and we really missed the presence of mcginn in mid.

1 shot on target tells the tale and with 2 disaster tackle penalties and the plastic chelsea fans outsinging us the writing was on the wall.

I'm hoping traore will blossom  behind Watkins or ings and next to  buen dia

[skell]

45 minutes ago, TRO said:

I thought in the first half, it was some of the best football we have played for some time....just toothless up front....We lack Pace.

but when they scored from the Pen, new belief got in to them and they started that inevitabe top 3 trait of stopping you playing, being first to the ball and closing down....Lakaku just tipped the balance in their favour.

I also thought, we had so many of our passes, blocked.....need to be quicker, in our work.

I agree. I really hope traore will add that sharpness next to buendia

[a m ole]

27 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

There is an edit button you know. And a function to quote multiple posts in one go. 

[sheepyvillian]

1 hour ago, TRO said:

It wasn't a terrible performance at all....it was defensive lapses, that undone us.

We were always in that game, despite the obvious tiredness that crept in.

Different song, same old dance. 

You couldn't make it up.

[sheepyvillian]

11 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said:

Not much of a footballologist, but I’m thinking we need forwards who can put the ball in the net. 

Spot on there, my friend. It really is that simple.

[tinker]

13 hours ago, Made In Aston said:

I thought a key part of the win was stopping us picking up second balls when we had an attack. Everytime we attacked they were very proactive at getting on the end of clearances, which prevented us putting them under any sustained pressure. 

Yea 2nd half they did, our slow transition from attack to defense was exposed by it as well. 

He's a top manager and changed the game to counter our good 1st half showing. This is what the top managers can do. We saw it with England against Croatia in the Semi we lost  and Italy in Final we lost. 

Hopefully when Gerrard is on the bench we can counter the changes made by the top managers with our own. This is what makes good managers great . 

[The Fun Factory]

Good first half. Them bringing on a £90 million striker and switching to four at the back changed the game. What heroics from Tuchel in having to bring on bench players to get the win. Its so hard for  a club like Chelsea what with their billionaire Russian owner and 500 players on loan. The more we lose to the top 6 the more I sometimes think they should just sod off and form their own league with their own rules. 

Ings and Watkins will never work and Ings was a massive panic buy. Our best players this season have been an academy player (Ramsey) and McGinn who cost £2.75 million. The 3 big signings have really not hit the ground yet.

 

Edited December 27, 2021 by The Fun Factory

[danceoftheshamen]

I was somewhat disappointed with that second half. First half I thought we did well albeit ruined by another rash tackle by Cash. What a difference though in the second. Partly down to the changes Chelsea made but largely down to our sudden inability to pass the football properly and thus getting pushed further & further back until we conceded. 

One thing which really annoyed me was the dog awful delivery into the box even in the first half which killed our attacking threat. Even our goal was basically a misshit cross which got deflected. The delivery from out wide was abysmal. The through balls from the centre were woeful too and as a result we created practically nothing against a resolute but nothing special Chelsea team. 

Negatives: We clearly Missed McGinn. Buendia tried but just kept giving the ball away. Watkins was totally anonymous as was Ings and again the opportunities to deliver the ball in from wide usually fell to Targett & Cash and were all spurned....aside from the misshit from Targett which fortuitously got deflected in.

Positives: Traore, Sanson, Chuk & Ings all getting minutes and even Trez getting on the bench. Some decent passing (In our half) in the first half in which we matched the European Champs (Albeit with both teams weakened)

 

Edited December 27, 2021 by danceoftheshamen

[PaulC]

All the good work first half was undone by a rash moment by Cash. You cant give teams like Chelsea that type of break. 1-0 at half time we have something to hang on to. Lukaku titled the balance but they were by far the better side second half and could have scored a couple more. Overall I think its our poorest showing under Gerrard but maybe that was because he was at home. Think everybody is a 6/10 with Cash a 4 or 5 

[sheepyvillian]

22 hours ago, danceoftheshamen said:

I was somewhat disappointed with that second half. First half I thought we did well albeit ruined by another rash tackle by Cash. What a difference though in the second. Partly down to the changes Chelsea made but largely down to our sudden inability to pass the football properly and thus getting pushed further & further back until we conceded. 

One thing which really annoyed me was the dog awful delivery into the box even in the first half which killed our attacking threat. Even our goal was basically a misshit cross which got deflected. The delivery from out wide was abysmal. The through balls from the centre were woeful too and as a result we created practically nothing against a resolute but nothing special Chelsea team. 

Negatives: We clearly Missed McGinn. Buendia tried but just kept giving the ball away. Watkins was totally anonymous as was Ings and again the opportunities to deliver the ball in from wide usually fell to Targett & Cash and were all spurned....aside from the misshit from Targett which fortuitously got deflected in.

Positives: Traore, Sanson, Chuk & Ings all getting minutes and even Trez getting on the bench. Some decent passing (In our half) in the first half in which we matched the European Champs (Albeit with both teams weakened)

 

Now that is a proper reflection on last nights game. 

I honestly thought Chelsea were cruising. For all our possession we looked toothless. 

As for the defensive side. Those aren't lapses, they're mistakes that should never be made at this level, and what's more, it isn't the first time that those very mistakes have been made. Cash and Mings are surely becoming the usual suspects, and rightly so, imo.

Edited December 28, 2021 by sheepyvillian

[MakemineVanilla]

As our very sensible manager might say, Chelsea are at a higher level than us, and we have to be at our best to get anywhere near to closing the gap.

Villa definitely weren't that and lacked the quality to finish off the few moments of quality they enjoyed, and then through too many unforced errors, allowed Chelsea to dominate.

I thought the absence of McGinn was a big loss to the team and once again the Watkins-Ings pairing never looked like bearing fruit.

Villa are still a midtable team trying to punch above their weight, but best-of-the-rest is still a realistic aspiration.