Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Chelsea

[May-Z]

Gerrard's tactics worked really well first half, and in a lot of replays of that half would have us a couple of goals up.

Second half, though, it showed what he lacks tactically. 

No adaptation or flexibility, random substitutions, and lack of understanding from the players regarding what the changes are supposed to achieve. 

If this was within the first 10 games or so of when he took over, he could have some leeway.

However, it's a year down the line with a pre-season  and thirty games later. 

[briny_ear]

Was only able to watch this until about 3:20 so missed the second goal - sounds like it was as soft as the first one. 

I think this formation looked one of the best of the many that Gerrard has tried this season and it is astounding that we didn’t go in at half time with at least a couple of goals in the bag. I wish he would just stick with this set up and let the players get used to playing this way. 

The first goal was infuriating and Watkins lack of confidence on the ball is now becoming embarrassing. If we go on letting in soft goals and failing to take easy chances, we are truly stuffed. 

Thought Bailey had a decent match so he’s my MOTM.
 

 

 

[AVTuco]

1 minute ago, foreveryoung said:

Naa, not avin that mate. I have seen some quality from these boys.

You, like everyone else here, just like to blame Gerrard for everything.

These boys have some skill, but they lack in many other departments. Bad thing is that to take us forward a new manager will have to get rid of expensive players that no-one wants.

[AVTuco]

2 minutes ago, penguin said:

The squad is considerably stronger than the one who finished 11th, yet even the players who were there then have regressed.

Would Gerrard with the PSG squad at Aston Villa be higher than or current position, of course. Doesn’t mean our current players aren’t better than what we are seeing though, round pegs square holes spring to mind.

That team had Jack, right?

You can bring in 11 Ollie Watkinsses or Buendias, but one Jack is ultimately more important.

[Guest av1]

As the overwhelming view on here is that we played ok today I’ll happily admit that maybe my view on Gerrard is possibly clouding my judgment on performances because I left the ground today thinking we were crap. 
 

I’m maybe just focusing on whole experience of VP under Gerrard rather than considering things in isolation, but it’s been grim. The atmosphere today was the worst it’s been in years, there wasn’t even enough enthusiasm to loudly cheer the team onto the pitch when they walked on. 
 

This has to end quickly. 
 

 

[John]

2 hours ago, macandally said:

We got exactly what we deserved

I don't agree, but we all have our opinions on that, whatever the reasons for it. 

[nick76]

1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said:

It's a day when I think we were too good for us to now make an immediate change, but one that showed we're too bad to carry on without something changing.

We generally play well against top teams, it’s what we do under Gerrard so today wasn’t a surprise to me but as somebody has said (needs to be verified) that despite that we have only taken 2 points from 30 points against the sky6.  The problem is then back to the lesser teams where we revert back to being poor.  This to me shows why Gerrard should be fired tonight, we don’t change! We did it against City, we did it against Chelsea so the team can do it but the other 90% of games against lesser teams we don’t do it which is where can get what should be most of our points.  

[imavillan]

1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said:

I dunno.

We played well, we created lots of chances, we got a number of them on target, their keeper was man of the match and yet I always felt we'd come out second best.

I worry, the style seems the same even when the tactics are tweaked - two strikers gave us something today, it was a good thing I think - I actually think the manager got most things right today - but the style, the way we play, the collective mentality of the side, it's "spirit" if you like has a thing. It's a thing where we're capable of playing really well against good sides, we can challenge them, match them, give them really good games - but we can't beat them - and then when we play the poorer sides, our thing means we don't seem able to break them down, we look awkward, disorganised and confused - and we don't beat them.

We've been unlucky today not to get something out of the game, we've been unlucky in a few games this season, we'll need to mind that we're not unlucky to be in the bottom three in a week's time, and that we're not unlucky to have gone down at the end of the season. 

That I'm thinking of 'not going down' as a base ambition for this season is in itself very disappointing, but it is where we are. I'm not sure we're going to play much better than this against top six sides, and we have another nine games against those sides - so for me, our focus should be on how we beat the teams around us - the 'other' games, the ones like Forest and Leeds where we couldn't break teams down.

I thought the two up two had promise, but we didn't score, again. That's 7 goals in 10 games this season and 5 games in which we haven't scored - goals are our problem - and yes, today we were unlucky, today Kepa had a worldie, today we hit the woodwork, today we created, but how many times can we be unlucky before it's not luck anymore?

Individually, I thought it was difficult really to find players that didn't do reasonably well, Mings had the mistake for the first goal and Luiz was quite quiet, but in general most players contributed to the performance. It's horrible. It's hard to really find a big fault in the way we played and we've lost 2-0.

I thought the referee was poor and Mason Mount was a knob, but there wasn't too much else to report from Chelsea, and though the Holte End half heartedly joined in when they sang 'sacked in the morning' at our manager, and there were boos at full time, I don't think it was a particularly hostile atmosphere either. 

It's a day when I think we were too good for us to now make an immediate change, but one that showed we're too bad to carry on without something changing.

Someone whose opinion matters on these things quoted Napoleon earlier this week in saying "Give me lucky Generals" and, if nothing else, I have a sad feeling that today might prove that amongst other things, Steven Gerrard isn't that.

We now have to win the next one, and for more than just the manager's sake.

 

The decision making in the final third was really poor. 

We got ourselves into some really good positions then made bad decision, McGinn shooting when he should have passed it to Ings in the box, Young putting in a deep early cross that went past everyone when he should have carried the ball further to name but two.

 

[imavillan]

Not an excuse or anything like that, we lost and that's it, but the referee and the VAR ref were shite

I really don't understand how this was not a red card. I get the ref can miss it or see it differently in real time, but for the VAR to look at it and say, yes, that's a yellow card i just do not get it.

Bonkers

 

 

Edited October 16, 2022 by imavillan

[briny_ear]

3 minutes ago, imavillan said:

Not an excuse or anything like that, we lost and that's it, but the referee and the VAR ref were shite

I really don't understand how this was not a red card. I get the ref can miss it or see it differently in real time, but for the VAR to look at it and say, yes, that's a yellow card i just do not get it.

Bonkers

 

 

I agree.

I think there was a similar shocking tackle in the Liverpool, Man C game that only got a yellow. As you say, shouldn’t VAR be imposing some common standards here.

[MakemineVanilla]

After Mings effed-up for the first goal, I was expecting a mauling and the fact that it didn't happen is the only consolation.

Since his goal for England, Mount has been enjoying a purple patch and the combination of his gift off Mings and his second confirmed that.

Once again we see the very thing VAR was supposed to prevent happen and we can only question the officials' integrity: it was too late and too reckless for it not to be a red card.

[Paul33]

Thought we were the better side for at least 70 minutes. Both goals were errors ..... misreading the spinning ball was more excusable than Emi's complete positional fail on goal #2. Had a little more quality up top than in previous games ..... good passes, some decent crosses. Foiled more by good saves than bad misses for once. Thought Watkins was a real handful up front for once too.

Take out the two gaffs and serve up a goal from even 50% of the big chances and we beat a supposed top side by 2 or 3 goals. Would fans have still dismissed the performance ? No ! Would they still be shouting out to lose SG ? No ..... they'd be hammering through boxes of tissues and claiming they always rated him !

Villa fans fickle ..... yep, generally they ****ing are.

Now flame me !!!

[a m ole]

38 minutes ago, imavillan said:

Not an excuse or anything like that, we lost and that's it, but the referee and the VAR ref were shite

I really don't understand how this was not a red card. I get the ref can miss it or see it differently in real time, but for the VAR to look at it and say, yes, that's a yellow card i just do not get it.

Bonkers

 

 

I’d be sent off in Sunday league for that

[bielesibub]

1 hour ago, skell said:

Surely there is someone else out there!   The age old question. If not gerrard , who?

I'm with you.

People should get their heads out of the clouds if they think we'll get any big name manager. If Gerrard gets sacked, who in their right mind would want to risk their career on the Villa job? If things go bad for Gerrard, we'll end up with a sacked international manager after the World Cup - Southgate float anyones boat? careful what you wish for.

[smg]

3 minutes ago, bielesibub said:

I'm with you.

People should get their heads out of the clouds if they think we'll get any big name manager. If Gerrard gets sacked, who in their right mind would want to risk their career on the Villa job? If things go bad for Gerrard, we'll end up with a sacked international manager after the World Cup - Southgate float anyones boat? careful what you wish for.

Sean Dyche really can’t wait for that .

[AVFCDAN]

Chelsea won’t play worse than that this season and we still couldn’t score and comfortably lost 2-0.

We don’t beat teams around us, we don’t beat teams above us, we never come from behind or show any fighting spirit. Too many individual errors, not scoring anywhere near enough goals, no identify to the team as a whole, strange substitutions. Yeah apart from that everything is great…

[WakefieldVillan]

Not sure why Gerrard is getting stick for today. Well I do. It's because people want him out and whatever happens with our performances/results from now on this aint going to change (for many VT'ers).

Unfortunately, we do a typical Villa against the better sides, play well but make stupid mistakes and ultimately lose - so with that said, I suppose it falls on Gerrard like it does all managers BUT on balance of play today I think we deserved at least a point. And those saying Chelsea were poor / only in first gear etc hows about giving our lads credit for maybe not allowing them to play? Also the subs, I get it didn't work out but if he leaves it as it is then people would have been baying for his blood for not using Buendia or Coutinho so he couldn't really win. The timing and manner of the second goal killed us as much as anything and that was on Martinez not Gerrard. 

Unfortunately, the results in other games are clearly affecting views on this one IMO.

 

[Paul33]

5 minutes ago, AVFCDAN said:

Chelsea won’t play worse than that this season and we still couldn’t score and comfortably lost 2-0.

Chelsea played as well as they were allowed to play !

[Thug]

1 hour ago, Tayls said:

It’s not. We didn’t win a football match, again. It can’t be bad luck for almost 12 months. We suck. 

We have sucked for 12 months.

And it hasn't been bad luck for 12 months.

He's out of his depth and needs to go.

But today was bad luck.  The Ings header, the Ramsay chance, the Bailey chance.  All three should've been goals.  Their keeper played a blinder.

 

[paul514]

1 hour ago, May-Z said:

Gerrard's tactics worked really well first half, and in a lot of replays of that half would have us a couple of goals up.

Second half, though, it showed what he lacks tactically. 

No adaptation or flexibility, random substitutions, and lack of understanding from the players regarding what the changes are supposed to achieve. 

If this was within the first 10 games or so of when he took over, he could have some leeway.

However, it's a year down the line with a pre-season  and thirty games later. 

Let’s not forget Sterling was play wing back in the first half