PL: Chelsea h 2009/10/17 Reactions and Ratings

[marstonvilla]

what a great result, tactically i thought mon got it spot on. at home we have to start with 4-4-2 as it is up to us to win the game, even against the the likes of chelsea and man u.

i found it hard to pick a man of the match, as the likes of dunn, collins, milner and gabby were excellent.

i don't like to be negative after such a great game, but if carew can not be arsed against the likes of chelsea then we do have a major problem with him, he looked lazy not interested and to be honest i would have took him off at half time. how he has become a fans favorite with performances like that is beyond me.

never thought i would say this but maybe it is time to drop carew and start with heskey.

[NurembergVillan]

Is that Harry Redknapp in front of Rob?!

[wedge]

Freidel - 7 - Recovered very well after his misjudgement for their goal

Cuellar - 7 - Did well defensively but his distribution is awful

Collins - 9 - Calm, assured, solid, goal-saving tackle. Scored the winner!

Dunne - 8 - Great header for goal, kept Anelka quiet

Warnock - 8 - The Luke Young of left-backs, another cracking display

Milner - 8 - Worked so hard and never gave up, great challenge on Malouda in the 1st half

Sidwell - 7 - Effective performance from the ginger ninja!

Petrov - 8 - Looked a better player then Lampard

A.Young - 7 - Disappointing 1st half but ran Ivanovic ragged when Bosingwa came off

Big JC - 7 - Won nearly every header he went up for, needs a goal

Gabby - 8 - Looked like an international striker, great stuff

Sub:

Heskey - 7 - Perhaps the wrong sub for MON to make, but deserves a 7 just for scaring the shit out of Ashley Cole in the corner!

[Hiney]

Excellent performance and showed real character coming back from a goal behind against a team like Chelsea.

Stand outs for me were the defence, in particular Warnock. He's such a good player, his distribution is second to none.. rarely see him give the ball away, always finds a Villa man and he's good going forward to.

Dunne and Collins, solid and a goal a piece.

Thought the atmosphere was good, especially for an early kick. Throughly enjoyable day out 8)

[tinker]

What a game, Gabby was unplayable at times, he really is going to be special if he continues to improve his game at this rate, they all grew as the game went on and TBH, they all deserved at least 8 in my book. Collins and Dunne.......what can you say?

A Young battled and battled and put a few quality balls in (the one that found Milner who passed for Carew to miss was an exceptional cross + the pass from Milner, if only Carew had tapped it in it would have been one hell of a goal).

Anyway had a read of a few match reports, the one I liked the most was from a Chelsea blog and included the line "Even as a recently spoilt Chelsea fan you have to wonder why none of Agbonlahor, Young or the brilliant Milner are pulling on our shirt this season. I’d swap any of them for Kalou."

Chelsea Blog's Villa v Chelsea match report

UTV

[sting]

A fantastic result born from true British grit and determination. For the first 15 minutes we were the team who were actually playing the better football, but when Chelsea scored through a mistake by Freidal, then we returned to the hoofball fooball that has become common practice with our team.

Thank god that Chelsea were as poor at the back against set pieces as we used to be, because we never were going to score from open play. We have no-one to supply the killer pass to open up defences, although Petrov had his best game in a Villa shrt by a country mile, but we still lack the creativity that Chelsea had. They carved our defence open with some sublime passing but thankfully, couldn't put away their one on one's with our keeper. It wasn't actually good goalkeeping that kept Chelsea out, it was more Chelsea's poor finishing, as their shooting was directed soley at Freidal, rather than either side of him.

Neverthless, everyone in our team, apart from Carew, who is quickly becoming a waste of space, gave 100% to the cause and although the result flattered us slightly, we have now beaten both Liverpool and Chelsea and we are dealing with the high ball into our box a lot better!

I just wish we could show a little more creativity through the middle of our team as not every side in the Premiership will be unable to deal with our set pieces. The signing of a quality playmaker in January along with a quality striker will make us less predicable going forward!

[peterms]

Anyway had a read of a few match reports, the one I liked the most was from a Chelsea blog and included the line "Even as a recently spoilt Chelsea fan you have to wonder why none of Agbonlahor, Young or the brilliant Milner are pulling on our shirt this season. I’d swap any of them for Kalou."

Chelsea Blog's Villa v Chelsea match report

I see a couple of them are talking about getting rid of Ancelotti. Mad.

And a couple more talking about buying Milner - on your bike.

[The_Rev]

Anyway had a read of a few match reports, the one I liked the most was from a Chelsea blog and included the line "Even as a recently spoilt Chelsea fan you have to wonder why none of Agbonlahor, Young or the brilliant Milner are pulling on our shirt this season. I’d swap any of them for Kalou."

Chelsea Blog's Villa v Chelsea match report

I see a couple of them are talking about getting rid of Ancelotti. Mad.

And a couple more talking about buying Milner - on your bike.

Interesting to see the other perspective on it.

Especially as the Chelsea guy thinks that Botswinga got tore to pieces by Ashley Young (which is odd considering how many Villa fans think that Botswinga had Young in his pocket all afternoon.)

I guess it just goes to show that the average fan who blogs or posts on forums is a reactionary git who often knows **** all about football and its safe to ignore anything they say within 24 hours of the final whistle being blown.

[PompeyVillan]

A fantastic result born from true British grit and determination. For the first 15 minutes we were the team who were actually playing the better football, but when Chelsea scored through a mistake by Freidal, then we returned to the hoofball fooball that has become common practice with our team.

Thank god that Chelsea were as poor at the back against set pieces as we used to be, because we never were going to score from open play. We have no-one to supply the killer pass to open up defences, although Petrov had his best game in a Villa shrt by a country mile, but we still lack the creativity that Chelsea had. They carved our defence open with some sublime passing but thankfully, couldn't put away their one on one's with our keeper. It wasn't actually good goalkeeping that kept Chelsea out, it was more Chelsea's poor finishing, as their shooting was directed soley at Freidal, rather than either side of him.

Neverthless, everyone in our team, apart from Carew, who is quickly becoming a waste of space, gave 100% to the cause and although the result flattered us slightly, we have now beaten both Liverpool and Chelsea and we are dealing with the high ball into our box a lot better!

I just wish we could show a little more creativity through the middle of our team as not every side in the Premiership will be unable to deal with our set pieces. The signing of a quality playmaker in January along with a quality striker will make us less predicable going forward!

Jesus wept. We beat Chelsea 2-1 and play extraordinarily well and you can only see negatives.

I think you were perhaps listening a bit too hard to statisticians . We clearly offered a significant threat from open play. What about the chance where we were denied a stonewall penalty? How about the fantastic cross from Young, that Milner played across to Carew, who was inches from scoring. We had plenty of chances, and 2 clear cut, well constructed ( 'creative') moves. And this was against what was the best defence in the league, I believe.

Unless you've not noticed, we're not Chelsea, nor are we as good as Chelsea, but we beat them today. Of course they've got more creativity, because they've got a better team (and they spent a few quid constructing it too). I think that's a given. It's good to aspire to the standards that they set, but we're miles away from them at the moment, so it's unrealistic to expect to exhibit the same level of creativity as they do.

I used to believe that we could do with a little midfield playmaker, but I'm not so sure now. The blend in the midfield seems right at the moment. I felt Petrov was excellent both in defence and attack yesterday and Sidwell seems to be the glue that keeps it all together. Sidwell is not the most eye-catching player, but he works hard and it seems to be working at the moment. Bring in a playmaker and we might become a little powderpuff in central midfield, especially with so much attacking intent down the wings.

Althought it is also worth mentioning that Downing will be back by late November (so I read this morning). Who know's where he will slot in? Maybe central midfield? I can't see him sitting patiently on the bench anyway.

[Derryvillan]

Agbonhalor - 9 -Class and i think he will get better, he is really using that extra weight and is set for SA if he continues on this form. I really thought he was heading for Luke Young Territory last year but he keeps upping his game when needed.

Luke Moore b6?

[rjshare]

I used to believe that we could do with a little midfield playmaker, but I'm not so sure now. The blend in the midfield seems right at the moment. I felt Petrov was excellent both in defence and attack yesterday and Sidwell seems to be the glue that keeps it all together. Sidwell is not the most eye-catching player, but he works hard and it seems to be working at the moment. Bring in a playmaker and we might become a little powderpuff in central midfield, especially with so much attacking intent down the wings.

Althought it is also worth mentioning that Downing will be back by late November (so I read this morning). Who know's where he will slot in? Maybe central midfield? I can't see him sitting patiently on the bench anyway.

i think you are probably right on that. we cant have a midfield of solely creative/attacking players. our creativity is focussed on width and that is why i am disappointed with ash's contribution lately. he is putting the effort in but it just isnt really happening for him when attacking. in an ideal world we would have downing available now and the three of them (with milner) could effectively rotate the two wing positions regularly.

having one single ball winner in your midfield is a bit suicidal i think, unless your name is ian taylor. at least we know that sidwell can hit them so its not like we pose no threat at all in the middle. i think sidwell is becoming like des bremner for us actually - you only notice his absence when he isnt there. i would persist with yesterdays line up and formation - especially at home because i think it covers all bases as best we can with the players available. we then have the option of bringing nrc in for carew and playing gabby up front on his own when away or holding on to a lead.

[Malachite]

What a game, Gabby was unplayable at times, he really is going to be special if he continues to improve his game at this rate, they all grew as the game went on and TBH, they all deserved at least 8 in my book. Collins and Dunne.......what can you say?

A Young battled and battled and put a few quality balls in (the one that found Milner who passed for Carew to miss was an exceptional cross + the pass from Milner, if only Carew had tapped it in it would have been one hell of a goal).

Anyway had a read of a few match reports, the one I liked the most was from a Chelsea blog and included the line "Even as a recently spoilt Chelsea fan you have to wonder why none of Agbonlahor, Young or the brilliant Milner are pulling on our shirt this season. I’d swap any of them for Kalou."

Chelsea Blog's Villa v Chelsea match report

UTV

Tinker: Excellent link and report, not only is Gabby a top Premiership player IMO he's going much further than that, what this blogger probably couldn't get over is the fact that Gabby and Ash and Milner were one second defending in there own box and the next trying to ram the ball home in the Chelsea goal and wondering how they covered so much ground, actually i don't think Chelsea posses a player of Gabby's qualities, don't get me wrong Drogba can be a goal machine and so he should when you have so called world class midfielders feeding you, but does he really have anything else about his game.

This was my point about Gabby and England, i really don't think Capello knows how to use Gabby, that was evident in the second half v Belarus, also i don't like his motives, but it shouldn't be a question of IF Gabby gets the plane it should be first choice Rooney Gabby etc.

He'll never see that, my other concern is it has to be only a matter of time before top clubs around the world will want to sign Gabby.IMO.

[The_Rev]

Actually i don't think Chelsea posses a player of Gabby's qualities.

Be careful, Chelsea might try to sign him in January or next summer.

Oh, wait a minute...

[Phumfeinz]

Is that Harry Redknapp in front of Rob?!

Is that a hood or are those Rob's own luscious locks?

[Mr_Dogg]

actually i don't think Chelsea posses a player of Gabby's qualities, don't get me wrong Drogba can be a goal machine and so he should when you have so called world class midfielders feeding you, but does he really have anything else about his game.

Eh what? Drogba is an absolute beast who possesses everything you want in a forward leading the line. He's strong, creative, fast, great finisher, sets up goals, holds the ball up. :?

Gabby is great but he has a long way to go to match Drogba.

[villa_shere]

Is that Harry Redknapp in front of Rob?!

Is that a hood or are those Rob's own luscious locks?

Is that a hairband?

[rjshare]

i think we need to bear in mind that as yet gabby has acheived a lot less than say vassell - and look at the direction his career went off in!

gabby was only making his proper debut last week for england and despite the fact he is lightning quick he is not the second best striker in the country. he is looking great so far this season and is definately on an upward curve right now but lets not get too carried away. please dont anyone reply to this post as clueless "gabby-bashing" either because it isnt - he is good, but lets keep things in perspective.

(one thing i will say though is if walcott had done enough to justify going to the last world cup then gabby has too!)

[heystally!]

Awwww, is Petr Cech bitter at all? Poor boy.

Petr Cech claims Aston Villa's winning goal against Chelsea should have been disallowed.

Villa came from behind to shock Chelsea at Villa Park with James Collins netting the winner in the second half after Richard Dunne had cancelled out Didier Drogba's early opener.

Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti bemoaned the fact Chelsea conceded both goals from corners and Cech felt Collins' winner should have been ruled out for an infringement by John Carew on him as he came out to catch the corner.

"Two corner kicks, which we failed to defend, decided the game," Cech told his official website

"During the second one the crucial thing was that, while I was going to catch the ball, I was unpermittedly pulled by the jersey and by my right hand by [John]Carew, who stopped me from catching the ball before (James) Collins.

"Otherwise I would have easily collected the ball and had it under control.

"It is a pity that we have dropped the points, because mainly in the second half we had a lot of opportunities to at least equalise. However, that did not happen."

Sky Sports

You'd have definitely caught it Petr? Like you caught that cross at Stoke which you completely **** up? I actually hope Carew did foul him. Would make the goal even sweeter.

[Nigel]

From The Sunday Times October 18, 2009

James Collins condemns Chelsea to second loss

Aston Villa 2 Chelsea 1

Villa defender Richard Dunne heads golawards under pressure from Ricardo Carvalho

David Walsh, chief sports writer, at Villa Park

8 Comments

Recommend? (3)

IF IT is the old-fashioned game you love, where passion counted for more than pace and heart was as important as technique, then you would have enjoyed Villa Park. The tackling was tough but honest, most of Aston Villa’s players ran themselves to a standstill, and then goaded themselves into another effort. All the while Chelsea tried to match their fervour and came close, but Villa deserved their victory.

There is much to admire about Martin O’Neill’s work-in-progress. In a game where it has become almost uncool to roll up your sleeves and fight, his team does just that. Through the last 35 minutes, when hanging on to a 2-1 lead, every Villa player saw himself as a defender and queued up to play a part. Ten, perhaps 15 minutes from the end, they had tackled Chelsea into submission.

You could pick from any one of a hundred challenges but one from James Milner defined the team’s essence. With 72 minutes on the clock, Nicolas Anelka had broken free on the right and, against Villa’s stretched defence there was the chance of an equalising goal. Anelka’s cross flew towards Florent Malouda but Milner, who had tracked back from halfway, got himself in front of the French international to head away. Villa immediately regrouped and attacked down the left, Gabriel Agbonlahor swept in a fine cross beyond the far post and there was Milner guiding a volleyed pass into John Carew’s path. Although the Norwegian failed to finish, you just marvelled at Milner’s enthusiasm. Of course he’s from Yorkshire, so the grit was probably licked from the side of the road.

When the game was perfectly balanced in the first half, Stiliyan Petrov played with that mixture of aggression and authority that forces the away team into thinking a draw wouldn’t be a bad result. If there was a Chelsea weakness, that was it: they would have taken a draw from an early stage in the match. Villa’s desire to win was so desperate that when James Collins headed them 2-1 up in the 52nd minute, they just wanted to dig in and give Chelsea nothing to shoot at. It was dangerous but they managed it.

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O’Neill’s achievement isn’t just his ability to create a committed team. He has bought astutely. Needing to reinforce his defence this season, he brought in an Irish centre-back, a Welsh centre-back and an English full-back. Richard Dunne, Collins and Stephen Warnock all played terrifically and the centre-backs got the goals, both from corners. Warnock is a steady defender, old-style in the pride he takes in his performance and you can see why O’Neill wanted him.

Villa’s manager has never hidden his admiration for Chelsea and you wondered in the first period if his players were too respectful. They probed carefully but were mostly content to stay tight and tactically disciplined. That suited Chelsea, who wanted to ease themselves into the battle.

It was Petrov who threw down the gauntlet, making a fine run down the right and delivering an intelligent pass to Agbonlahor, who was readying himself to shoot when Jose Bosingwa’s clumsy challenge brought him down. It looked a penalty but referee Kevin Friend, the fourth official who was a late replacement for the ill Steve Bennett, didn’t give it. As the home crowd voiced their disapproval and Villa’s players nursed their sense of injustice, Chelsea went in front. Didier Drogba got the goal, turning away from Collins about 30 yards from goal and firing in a shot that Brad Friedel should have saved.

That came in the 15th minute and it was equalised in the 32nd when Frank Lampard rose to clear Ashley Young’s corner but miscued and Dunne reacted sharply to head his second goal for Villa.

The first half had been a fine contest, the second was even better. Chelsea weren’t playing badly and Friedel did well to keep out efforts from Deco, Malouda and Anelka. Coming seven minutes after the break, Villa’s winning goal was delivered by a thunderous header from Collins after Petr Cech misjudged the flight of Young’s corner.

Sometime before the end, Petrov, Milner and a few more Villa players were out on their feet. They didn’t give in but it made you wonder how many games they can play like this before a more long-term fatigue afflicts them and it raises the question of squad rotation which, up to now, O’Neill hasn’t done.

That is about to change. “This season we have more depth and I hope we can rotate the squad,” said O’Neill. “I’ve said this to the players, but for whatever reason, when Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal do it, it is called rotating players, when we do it, it’s called dropping players.” Sixth for the past two seasons, on yesterday’s form, it’s not unrealistic for Villa to believe they can climb higher this campaign.

Chelsea, meanwhile, must work on defending set-pieces, as both goals came from corners. Their manager, Carlo Ancelotti, said: “Chelsea played a good game and we don’t want to lose the game in that situation, only if the other team play better than us. Aston Villa were very able on the set plays. We want to do better for sure. We need more concentration.”

Star man: Stiliyan Petrov (Aston Villa)

Yellow cards: Aston Villa: Agbonlahor, Milner Chelsea: A Cole

Referee: K Friend

Attendance: 39,047

VILLA: Friedel 7, Cuellar 7, Dunne 7, Collins 7, Warnock 7, Milner 8, Sidwell 6, Petrov 9, Young 6, Agbonlahor 7, Carew 6 (Heskey 82min)

CHELSEA: Cech 5, Bosingwa 6 (Ivanovic 69min), Carvalho 6, Terry 7, A Cole 6, Deco 6, Essien 6, Lampard 7, Anelka 6, Drogba 6, Malouda 5 (J Cole 85min)

Times

[rjshare]

^^^^ not a bad report that and doesnt sound like it was written by someone who has never ventured outside of the m25 for a change.

not sure about all of the ratings though as i thought bosingwa played better than a 6 and dunne and collins were better than 7s.