Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Norwich

[TomC]

2 hours ago, briny_ear said:

Further confirmation for me that somewhere in there is an effective attacking line that contains both Watkins and Ings. Not sure why it is proving so hard to bring it together.

My theory is that, early in the season, when Deano first tried to play both, Ings was the out-and-out striker with Watkins off to the left or in the hole. (P.S. I admit that I was one of the people who thought that we should play them that way.) Having seen over the course of the season how good Ings is in the buildup, and how uncomfortable Watkins is outside of a true striker role, the early attempts to play both of them were all backwards. I think they've clicked a bit better now because Ings is more withdrawn.

[May-Z]

44 minutes ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

The main reason why we give the ball away is that our main way of attacking is very direct. Villa progress the ball faster up the pitch than almost every other team, and playing with high risk and a lot of one-touch passes (sometimes on a level the players can’t control) often leads to losing possession and having to start over.

I'm not trying to be awkward here, but I think it's because we're just a bit crap at the basics and the formation further highlights that.

Although, that is exaggerated by not having an option of a quick out-ball out wide. There's been so many occasions when a CM gets the ball deep in our half, and needs to quickly shuffle it wide. They look up, haven't got an option because we're so narrow, and try and go direct/central/get caught 'dallying' because they're not the players that can do that well. McGinn probably the biggest example of this.

[QldVilla]

I must of been watching a different game considering some of the comments, we could of had 5 or 6 goals today, but the final pass, one too many touches or poor finishing prevented it, Krul also made a great save on Bailey. Gerrard is trying different things, it may not look great to some but we will hopefully see the benefits next season.

We had an 18 and 20 yo starting in the midfield today, not many managers would have the courage to make that decision, especially in the PL.

[Stevo985]

Fine result but absolutely shit game of football. Probably anyone other than Norwich today and we lose. 

We were really very crap

[AvonVillain]

13 minutes ago, QldVilla said:

We had an 18 and 20 yo starting in the midfield today, not many managers would have the courage to make that decision, especially in the PL.

It's doesn't take a massive amount of courage given the position we're in, it's instead giving the fans something to cheer in another joyless season.

[Stevo985]

If he’s going to survive he needs to figure out how to play our best players at the same time

Ings and Buendia we’re the best players on the pitch today yet they hardly get a look in

We can’t keep carrying players like McGinn and Bailey

[The Fun Factory]

Got the win. McGinn looked better by having a actual dm next to him. Well done Tim on your senior Villa Park debut. Watkins lively.  Chambers didn't do anything wrong and all of our recent wins have come with him starting. Mings was solid as well but wasn't a diffcult afternoon given the opposition.  Coutinho v Buendia looks a tricky decision, do we sign Phil? Even though he was quiet today I would say probably yes.  Bailey was the main negative point. The guy has not looked fit all year. I thought with our super duper facilities at Bodymoor that this could be resolved by now. 

Norwich are a championship side and have looked like that all season. I expect Deano will get them up again.  They looked doomed to relegation since about September and the apathy is growing in the fan base given the away turnout. Not even a murmur when Burnley took the lead.

Not much else to add. We are safe for another season but still a way to go to challenge for a european spot. A big summer awaits. 

 

[QldVilla]

1 minute ago, AvonVillain said:

It's doesn't take a massive amount of courage given the position we're in, it's instead giving the fans something to cheer in another joyless season.

Ok so your a half glass empty type of person then.

If you set unrealistic expectations you will always be let down.

[ciggiesnbeer]

4 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Doesn't paper over the fact that if we could finish we should have scored about 5 either

We did have some decent sequences of football as well.

Thanks for posting this. This is the game I watched. Us being in control and being the better side by far even if we didnt get out of first gear. I was delighted with the game and result. Winless streaks are not easy to turn around as we know all too well. I am happy.

[Don_Simon]

3 hours ago, briny_ear said:

You almost sound a bit disappointed we scored. 

Anyway, glad the Holte End were frustrated in their desire to be pointlessly hostile and negative

Or, I was just forecasting what was potentially coming next.

I cheered with my son and friends as wildly as the next person when we scored. 

You're better than this  @briny_ear.

[lexicon]

Today wasn't great, wasn't bad either.

The thing that tells us a bit about Gerrard is that we were much more effective when Ings came on IMO - yet this wasn't his plan or what he thought was the best way to play it. So do you give him credit for making that decision or do you deride him for not setting us up correctly? Or both? 

In any case, I felt the players got us over the line this time - same as they'd cost us before. 

The worry for me is that we're too dependant on individual performances rather than having a sound tactical approach to the game. 

[Keyblade]

Solid if unspectacular performance. Needs to start Buendia the next game. 

[Beastmix]

Not sure how the ref has scored 'average' there. I'm guessing a lot of people weren't at the game because that was one of the worst/most one-sided refereeing performances I've ever seen. Dreadful.

[Louis]

The crowd sounded dead on VillaTV radio. Lowest attendance too I think.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Elmo

 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

4 hours ago, mykeyb said:

This. It's Bruceball but different

So. NOT Bruceball?

48 minutes ago, lexicon said:

Today wasn't great, wasn't bad either.

The thing that tells us a bit about Gerrard is that we were much more effective when Ings came on IMO - yet this wasn't his plan or what he thought was the best way to play it. So do you give him credit for making that decision or do you deride him for not setting us up correctly? Or both? 

Do what everyone else did, go back in time and slag him off for bringing on Ings instead of Buendia first. Lol

Edited April 30, 2022 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[ciggiesnbeer]

Maybe he wanted to give game time to players who he wants to see more of before the window so they can prove themselves to him (Bailey & Coutinho) . 

I do worry about Buendia though. He has a great attitude but there has got to be a limit. he is so good I would hate to see his attitude turn. I would have started him against his former club, like with Chambers and Arsenal it felt disrespectful not to when both players had been playing so well.

Edited April 30, 2022 by ciggiesnbeer

[ciggiesnbeer]

21 minutes ago, Beastmix said:

Not sure how the ref has scored 'average' there. I'm guessing a lot of people weren't at the game because that was one of the worst/most one-sided refereeing performances I've ever seen. Dreadful.

Good point , I am just so immune to terrible premier league refereeing these days it washed over me. But you are right he doesnt deserve an "average" rating. I went and changed my rating for you to poor 

[Django_Zooms]

After the last 12 years & that expletive deleted Randy Lerner, getting to 40 points in any season has to be a cause for gigantic sighs of relief.

[ender4]

33 minutes ago, Louis said:

The crowd sounded dead on VillaTV radio. Lowest attendance too I think.

All Villa tickets were sold out. But the away section was only 35-40% full. Away fans usually add more noise to stadiums and help the atmosphere.