Ratings & Reactions: Luton v Villa

[TRO]

On 03/03/2024 at 18:06, VillaChris said:

Our last trophy winning season we conceded 33 goals in the premier league which was incredible and testament to the fantastic system SBL built with Bosnich, Southgate, Ugo, Staunton, Alan Wright and God helping out when he could.

However we did have a spell that season where defence standards slipped. In the Feb/March period there was a 3-3 at Wimbledon, a 3-2 win over Sheff Weds and a 4-2 win over QPR. Then lost 2-0 at Sheff Weds and 3-0 in the FA cup SF to Liverpool.

I just think it's very very difficult to go through a nine month season expecting endless clean sheets every month especially when injuries hit and you're playing every 3/4 days.

We just need a full month left of the season where Pau and Konsa play every minute together and that will settle us down and it will be more like October-December when we were very hard to score against.

Actually between the middle of September up to Bournemouth away in Boxing day we played 14 prem games and only conceded more than a goal in just two of them so the set piece defending was working fine in that period of the season.

It's an interesting debate @TRO but the game has moved on in the last decade from just having stoppers at the back. As much as I loved them Laursen and Mellberg would both struggle with the modern demands of defending. Laursen because he lacked pace so would be no good in the high line and Ollie was brilliant but was never the greatest passer from the back.

I think that is a cop out, if you don't mind me saying, even though I understand the point.....and as old as I am, I haven't had any years away from the game, so I have seen the changes.....Today, is different, but you still have to stop the opposition, that bit hasn't changed.

I do watch other teams, and am well aware, of what others do....so my thoughts are not buried in yesteryear.

I can cite, many defenders in the Prem, who are competent at stopping, and playing out from the back.

you seem to interpret that one attribute negates the other.....Centre backs to day are quality footballers, but they have to acquire the skills to stop opponents too.

Stoppers are still there in the game, they have just become more sophisticated and Innovative in their play......Saliba and Gabriel are 2 examples, without touching on the obvious VVD

I accept that missing Mings and Torres, has heightened the frustrations, because they are up there, with the best......I am well aware, the poor aerial work, would not be, if they were both fit.

Would I be happy if Torres and Mings was back?....of course.

I think quoting our defensive record, is somewhat misleading, while it has merit, sure.......but did you know? only 1 team in the bottom 10 has failed to score against us, 3 have scored more than 3 .......it kinda tells another story doesn't it.

My main gripe, is the goals we concede are to easy to execute....we are having to muster, top quality football, to mask/negate them.

So, I am in the minority, stating this.....that's ok.

Ps I must admit, in an effort to discuss this, it's easy to get sucked in to appearing not being happy, with our overall position.....and nothing could be further from the truth.

 

 

[Vive_La_Villa]

4 minutes ago, DJBOB said:

We all know it's an issue. Opponents know it's an issue. 

And my point is that there's not a lot we can do to solve it given our personnel. We can put 100% maximum effort at defending corners and we will still not have the edge a majority of the time over any club that's not Sheffield.

The allusions you make and then reference other clubs as "tough" clubs to play against - Newcastle, Spurs, even West Ham, Brentford, etc. - those clubs have worse defenses than ours! Almost every other club, besides hapless Everton and the title challengers, have worse defenses than Villa.

So, for me, the discussion over our frailties is somewhat overblown because the problem and the solution are straight forward. It's just not one we can execute given our injuries and current personnel. Unai and co. are plainly looking to address it given the winter transfer focus but it will not be fixed this season.

This is what bothers me the most and when posters realise our defence is better than those teams they then point at the top 3. Well if we had a defence as good as the top 3 we’d be champions! 
 

Im all for constructive criticism but some go on about it as if they club are conceding poor set piece goals on purpose.  As you said we all know there’s room for improvement and I’m sure the club are working on it but if it was as bad a problem as some like to constantly go on about we wouldn’t be 4th in the league.

[TRO]

13 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

That's the best way.

And in fairness, it's what we did really well in the first half - we are a little vulnerable to a good ball into our box, none of our centre backs are particularly strong in the air - we defend best when we're not allowing those situations to develop. I thought we did a really good job of that in the first half against Luton and then a really bad job of it in the second half.

 

I agree, wholeheartedly

Ezri himself said we give away that many set pieces, in the second half....but that relies on defending well too.

you have crystalized, my point.

[Vive_La_Villa]

15 minutes ago, TRO said:

I think that is a cop out, if you don't mind me saying, even though I understand the point.....and as old as I am, I haven't had any years away from the game, so I have seen the changes.....Today, is different, but you still have to stop the opposition, that bit hasn't changed.

I do watch other teams, and am well aware, of what others do....so my thoughts are not buried in yesteryear.

I can cite, many defenders in the Prem, who are competent at stopping, and playing out from the back.

you seem to interpret that one attribute negates the other.....Centre backs to day are quality footballers, but they have to acquire the skills to stop opponents too.

Stoppers are still there in the game, they have just become more sophisticated and Innovative in their play......Saliba and Gabriel are 2 examples, without touching on the obvious VVD

I accept that missing Mings and Torres, has heightened the frustrations, because they are up there, with the best......I am well aware, the poor aerial work, would not be, if they were both fit.

Would I be happy if Torres and Mings was back?....of course.

I think quoting our defensive record, is somewhat misleading, while it has merit, sure.......but did you know? only 1 team in the bottom 10 has failed to score against us, 3 have scored more than 3 .......it kinda tells another story doesn't it.

My main gripe, is the goals we concede are to easy to execute....we are having to muster, top quality football, to mask/negate them.

So, I am in the minority, stating this.....that's ok.

Ps I must admit, in an effort to discuss this, it's easy to get sucked in to appearing not being happy, with our overall position.....and nothing could be further from the truth.

 

 

It does start to come across this way at times. That’s probably why people get defensive.

Edited March 4 by Vive_La_Villa

[TRO]

14 minutes ago, DJBOB said:

We all know it's an issue. Opponents know it's an issue. 

And my point is that there's not a lot we can do to solve it given our personnel. We can put 100% maximum effort at defending corners and we will still not have the edge a majority of the time over any club that's not Sheffield.

The allusions you make and then reference other clubs as "tough" clubs to play against - Newcastle, Spurs, even West Ham, Brentford, etc. - those clubs have worse defenses than ours! Almost every other club, besides hapless Everton and the title challengers, have worse defenses than Villa.

So, for me, the discussion over our frailties is somewhat overblown because the problem and the solution are straight forward. It's just not one we can execute given our injuries and current personnel. Unai and co. are plainly looking to address it given the winter transfer focus but it will not be fixed this season.

If that's the case....my defending discussing the issue, has been all in vain.

[TRO]

6 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

It does starts to come across this way at times. That’s probably why people get defensive.

what comes first, the chicken or the egg?

I was defending a point on defending, of which I wasn't happy about.....the overall result, I was delighted with.

was that so hard to seperate?

 

[TRO]

17 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

This is what bothers me the most and when posters realise our defence is better than those teams they then point at the top 3. Well if we had a defence as good as the top 3 we’d be champions! 
 

Im all for constructive criticism but some go on about it as if they club are conceding poor set piece goals on purpose.  As you said we all know there’s room for improvement and I’m sure the club are working on it but if it was as bad a problem as some like to constantly go on about we wouldn’t be 4th in the league.

our attack is.

who has intimated that?.....on purpose, come on VLV ...no wonder, i come back.

If you was happy with the 2 goals we conceded, that's your call...shame it can't be discussed, without criticising critics.

 

Edited March 4 by TRO

[Vive_La_Villa]

1 minute ago, TRO said:

what comes first, the chicken or the egg?

I was defending a point on defending, of which I wasn't happy about.....the overall result, I was delighted with.

was that so hard to seperate?

 

You’ve been moaning for weeks. We all accept there’s an issue. I don’t want to get in to an argument over it, Night mate.

[TRO]

5 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

You’ve been moaning for weeks.We all accept there’s an issue. I don’t want to get in to an argument over it, Night mate.

No you don't, that's why you are reluctant to talk about it, and you denigrate the exchange, call it moaning......that is ironically, the way to get in to an argument.

your being prickly, because you don't want to discuss THE issue....fine.

Good night too.

[Sulberto21]

Defending set pieces and crosses is easier when you have a settled defence. Because of injuries we’ve played every CB we have. 

We take more of the chances we create then there’s no discussion but we’ve been very lax in our finishing recently (except Ollie). 

[VILLAMARV]

Watched that one in Berlin, Found a bar with the most screens in I've ever seen and I kept it together pretty much until the Digne header. Got a few glances cast my way Even though the second half was a tough watch I just thought we'd nick it for some reason. However much we dropped off in the second half the subs combined for the winner. Ergo I'm giving the gaffer much props. You can count my number in the ref was absolutely terrible column. Respect to Luton, they're not easy to beat at home by any means as others have already pointed out. Great start to my saturday night. Watkins was brilliant again. I especially liked the control from the out balls from the left back area and the flat-ish kicks from Emi. He's a joy to watch at the moment.

[AVTuco]

Having watched the highlights, Konsa is at fault for both goals really. In the first he heads the ball to the front of the goal, and in the second he gets turned over for the free kick from which they score. Not his day.