Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Southampton

[VillaChris]

We're just boring I'm afraid.

Play in a plodding manner with only real emphasis on getting crosses from deep which are mostly speculative from the distances the FBs or Bailey are hitting it from.

The odd occasion we string together decent one touch passing it all falls down when Ollie isn't quick enough to control or move the ball on. We play so slowly we very rarely get a one v one anywhere around the pitch.

All I can see this season is just doing the minimum of winning these type of games and hovering around 12-14th.

It's basically a replica of what we were like post cup final under Gregory, group of experienced internationals just trying to grind wins out every week and hoping a flair player can come up with something to win a game.

[M_Afro]

Just now, GingerCollins29 said:

We played differently against city - more open tonight 

I’m not saying we were any good to be honest (we clearly weren’t) but we did at least look solid. I never felt that they would score.

[imavillan]

It’s  hard to disagree…..and we’ve been involved in plenty of bad ones.

 

[AndyM3000]

It might be a win but the performance wasn't good, it's just so boring and this squad should not be that. Still have no idea what we are trying to do when we have the ball, time for change.

[OLDVILLAIN]

I have always enjoyed watching the villa since 74...but tonight it was turgid and id rather have gone to the pub.

Anyone still think that Gerrard is going to be the "man" who pushes us into europe...Its looking more like we are being pushed down the toilet.

[fruitvilla]

31 minutes ago, chappy said:

I voted Phil MOTM although it could’ve gone to Mings.

This! I would have given it to Mings, but in reality he had very little to do. If I were a Southampton fan I would be appalled. One shot on goal? That must have been the looping header into Martinez's hands.

The back line played fine ... I thought Digne had a good game. Young was Young. A couple of bobbles by Konsa ... nothing serious

Bailey had a poor game for Bailey.

Hope nothing serious for Kamara. Luiz was fine. Ramsey played OK. Watkins worked hard, would like to see him stay a bit more on his feet.

McGinn,  I just don't get it.

Gerrard? More or less what I expected.

Not a great game.

Watching Villa, I get a sense we are a counter attacking team and setting up the attack is not really helping the so called "creativity". On the whole enjoyed the game from my couch 7200 km away.

 

1 hour ago, Talldarkandransome said:

Thats twice I've seen that word [pyrrhic] tonight, I'm gonna have to Google it

You'll find it is used completely out of context. 

[NeilS]

59 minutes ago, Bizzzle said:

Christ imagine this place if we had lost lol! Not going to lie it was shite but a win is a win

I know. I just got in from the match thinking the mood might be a bit better on here tonight than normal. I was wrong 

In my view, yes it wasn’t a fluid performance at all, but we didn’t really  look troubled at any point either. I can’t recall Martinez being tested at all by Southampton.

I am not 100% convinced with Gerrard, but after our poor start to the season I am happy we are putting some points on the board. The performances will hopefully improve when our confidence does.

I hope Kamara is ok, and it’s nothing serious.

The referee was awful again, is there such thing as a decent referee in the PL? I think they are rarer than unicorn poo!

[flamingsombrero]

3 points is 3 points but... ooof.

[El Segundo]

That old paradox where you always want your team to win but doing so unfortunately serves to extend the tenure of a Manager you'd rather see gone.   

The first twenty five minutes was dreadful by both teams - it looked they were trying for the first ever minus 2 all draw in history.   It was very like watching a Steve Bruce team, no pattern, no tempo, no intensity,  no sense of knowing what they were meant to be trying to do, and hardly any creativity.  

I like McGinn, but he isn't playing well and he  was like a runaway miniature sumo wrestler the first few minutes, just running around barging into people. 

On the plus side Coutinho looked a lot better, and Mings was immense.  Dendoncker was strange, played about 25 minutes and only saw him touch the ball once. I didn't realise how huge he is.

Looked to me as if the ref gave a foul against McGinn at the end for winning the ball with his head while colliding with a high boot?  Incredible.

At least it's a win - but somehow it didn't really feel like one.

    

[The Fun Factory]

Dreadful turgid football not much difference from the west spam game apart they managed to knick a goal. Southampton look a poor side this season but hey its a win  and another 3 points to safety. Mcleish football but with a much bigger budget and better players.

Coutinho had his best of the season for us, everyone was committed and er, we won.

I think this forum doesn't necessarily reflect the wider fan base.

On Villa Talk it seems that everyone wants Gerrard out and we are a bunch of left leaning republicans.

At Villa Park tonight an impeccable minute silence and at least 2 god save the kings. Plus the Holte did Steve Gerrard claret and blue army throughout the match!

Edited September 16, 2022 by The Fun Factory

[Podster]

Over the moon with the win, on the downside SG bought himself some extra time. We are so bad, an unpleasant thought flashed into my head, would I have sacrificed the win if it got SG out quicker, but I quickly dismissed that idea, however just the fact that is even poped into my head shows how bad I think our future is with that clueless noob in charge.

[Only2McInallys]

I wonder sometimes how when something is repeated a few times on here it influences other posters and becomes fact.

Mcginn in my opinion did quite well today much better than previous games.
Villa talk loves a scapegoat.One player who is responsible for a poor performance or general poor form.

Previous recipients of this award have been Elgazi,Trezeguet, Targett,Mings,Watkins etc.It’s strange that some of these players have left and we haven’t improved drastically.Mings for me is a classic example,when he doesn’t play we look considerably weaker but it was often discussed on here that he is the weak link in our defence.

We need to find one player who is responsible for all our woes who the manager still picks and when the manager realises his mistake and stops picking him we will be brilliant.

Unfortunately it’s a false dawn.When we drop this player and play the player everyone thinks should be playing we will still  lose.

[bannedfromHandV]

Shame it was such a shit match because the referee was actually very good for the most part and was willing to let the game flow, wasn’t giving soft fouls which was refreshing to see.

We were the better team, just about. Southampton were truly awful but it shouldn’t be ignored that it was our first clean sheet of the season and generally speaking, we defended well, including n a number of Ward-Prowse set pieces.

Poor in possession, struggled for creativity, players too quick to go backwards and little cohesion across the pitch. You can’t help but feel a better manager would get much more out of this squad. 

It’s something to build on though heading into a tough but winnable away game at Leeds.

[srsmithusa]

3 hours ago, CVByrne said:

Level on points with Newcastle. I assume they want their manager out for such a poor start to their season?

So. as good as newcastle is your ambition.  Fair enough, i suppose.  I hope for more.

[IrishVilla10]

25 minutes ago, Only2McInallys said:

I wonder sometimes how when something is repeated a few times on here it influences other posters and becomes fact.

Mcginn in my opinion did quite well today much better than previous games.
Villa talk loves a scapegoat.One player who is responsible for a poor performance or general poor form.

Previous recipients of this award have been Elgazi,Trezeguet, Targett,Mings,Watkins etc.It’s strange that some of these players have left and we haven’t improved drastically.Mings for me is a classic example,when he doesn’t play we look considerably weaker but it was often discussed on here that he is the weak link in our defence.

We need to find one player who is responsible for all our woes who the manager still picks and when the manager realises his mistake and stops picking him we will be brilliant.

Unfortunately it’s a false dawn.When we drop this player and play the player everyone thinks should be playing we will still  lose.

McGinn gave the ball away maybe 8? or so times in the first half unnecessarily. He genuinely looked out of place again in the midfield. A few hard tackles doesn’t cover for an overall poor performance imo. There’s no agenda. 

[est1874]

3 hours ago, CVByrne said:

Level on points with Newcastle. I assume they want their manager out for such a poor start to their season?

No, but when they do, they will act a lot faster than us and get Poch (or someone with similar acumen) in. We'll probably still be suffering this drab shit and counting points to safety when they're flying it.

[est1874]

2 minutes ago, IrishVilla10 said:

McGinn gave the ball away maybe 8? or so times in the first half unnecessarily. He genuinely looked out of place again in the midfield. A few hard tackles doesn’t cover for an overall poor performance imo. There’s no agenda. 

Yeah, he was the worst player bar Bailey in a Villa shirt tonight.

[robby b]

Amidst all the overall understandable doom and gloom, at least we've turned our record around against the saints: we've gone from a ridiculous run of no wins in eight league games to three in the last four. Southampton be gone, you fiends! Ha. 

[srsmithusa]

best summary of the day  we were better tha a bankrupt competitor

  

YAY  ????

[Only2McInallys]

7 minutes ago, IrishVilla10 said:

McGinn gave the ball away maybe 8? or so times in the first half unnecessarily. He genuinely looked out of place again in the midfield. A few hard tackles doesn’t cover for an overall poor performance imo. There’s no agenda. 

I didn’t count but I did think he did better than previous games.

He seems similar to Mings in some respects he takes responsibility.How often does Konsa give the ball away a few times but often he just passes to Mings and he is the one who has to take the blame if he misses a pass.

How often does Luiz make a forward pass.How often does he take responsibility?Rarely.

Mcginn and Mings have many similarities,both were in the Championship with us and both take risks with the ball.Often they make a forward pass and it doesn’t come off but who else is going to make forward risky passes.

I like players who don’t hide,who don’t give the ball to others so they can avoid making mistakes.

Mcginn for me has been poor this season but today he was OK.