Valencia Match reaction

[rjw63]

Can't imagine many VT-ers actually went - I did see OBE and Sit Down Potato Head........anyone care to react to the match?

It was pretty ordinary in truth.....hope next Saturday is a whole lot better

[Ingram85]

Yeah i went, was an average run of the mill game tbh, few notes on the match; downing's positioning and movement is really sharp but his final product is so so poor, so frustrating to watch yet i bet he will play nearly every match, albrighton was mesmerising, top notch stuff from him, up and down the line all evening and cutting in now and again, looks really sharp and nrc had a good game aswell, hopefully will get more involved this season. Valencia might have well not turned up, much like their fans.

On a side note, was my first time right in the nosebleeds at the top of the holte in with the 'crazies', never been there before, hopefully not going to be again, they must take it turns to pass the braincell around, a fight started between to scumbags who differed in their opinions of one jimmy milner. Stewards obviously did an awesome job and told the smaller guy he would be kicked out and left the brickwall thicko to his own devices.

[OutByEaster?]

Interesting game for a few reasons really, firstly we seem to have started playing 4-2-3-1 like one of these new fangled modern football teams - it's crazy, but it might just work.

I thought Albrighton and Young looked sharp and Downing seemed very involved, he showed a good burst of pace but didn't quite have the end product.

Weimann impressed me when he came on, I pretty much wrote him off when he first started playing for the reserves, but he's looking better and better all the time - physically, he's different even from the end of last season and some of his movement was very, very good. He's got a little bit of the Robbie Fowler about him, he just needs to add a finish.

Reo Coker looked lively too and that's good becasue I think we'll need him this season - who knows. perhaps he could even be persuaded to stay. Not sure about that but you never know I guess.

Is it my imagination or did Salifou look a whole lot lighter than last year, he seems to have really slimmed down.

For them, I thought their left back looked excellent in the first half (Mattheu?), big, adventurous and good on the ball, but I think in general they didn't really give it everything they had - except the manager who is a whirling dervish on the sideline, in comparison, I don't think I saw O'Neill all night.

The big worry for me is that Gabby has now not played a full game and has hardly featured in our pre-season. We'll need him.

A decent work out and we played some quite progressive stuff at times in the new formation even if I'm not sure we'll keep it.

Albrighton has played a major part in every single one of our pre-season games - what price a starting place for him against West Ham?

[andym]

thought we showed some nice build up play but the final ball was pretty poor. some nice passing through the centre got us to near their box, but instead of shooting or looking for a little ball through it was shovelled out wide. then someone would try and bang in a cross through 4 defenders when we only had one striker attacking the 6 yard box. a bit frustrating and something we need to improve on. if we do get ireland in the milner deal hopefully he will be the one to provide that creativity down the middle

youngsters did well again and i was impressed by NRC, who seems to have improved his control and passing immensely. needs to be showing that week in week out in the prem though and not go back to giving it away as soon as he wins it.

[paddy]

Not the greatest game really but a decent run out. Luke Young and Albrighton impressed. Carew started brightly then faded.

Think Valencia will struggle this season with no Villa or Silva. Very little penetration without them.

[carew_villa]

Even though Weimann was only on for about 15 mins, he impressed me. Especially when Salifou whacked a great pass straight to Weimann's chest and he controlled the ball brilliantly and won a foul on the edge of the box. Really good play.

Salifou looked good as well.

I think our squad is a lot better than a lot of Villa fans think. I really don't think we need to sign a striker anymore. If we sell Heskey, we've got Gabby, Carew, Fonz and Weimann. If we get Ireland in we should play 4-5-1 and play Ireland in behind the striker. This means most of the time we wouldn't even need 4 strikers.

Basically I'm just saying the match showedme just how good some of our fringe players and youth players are. All of them looked like they should be playing for a club like Villa, not out of their depth.

[Condimentalist]

Decent performance. Clark, Albrighton and Reo-Coker were positives.

Don't think Ashley Young is very well suited to playing in the hole. Maybe Stephen Ireland (crosses fingers) would be better.

Heskey was Heskey, Sidwell was Sidwell. I do hope we can cut them loose from the wage bill before September, Sidwell especially, but I think that might be wishful thinking.

Looking forward to signing some players once Milner has gone, and I am excited for the league opener next week, which I haven't been at all up to now.

[Junxs]

Have to express my disappointment at Stewart Downing tonight, or should that read all preseason - worse still - since we bought him.

[the_eristic]

For them, I thought their left back looked excellent in the first half (Mattheu?), big, adventurous and good on the ball

Jérémy Mathieu. Excellent player, can also play on the wing and in central midfield. Wouldn't mind him here at all, but he's only been in Spain for one season.

[Daholteend]

Have to express my disappointment at Stewart Downing tonight, or should that read all preseason - worse still - since we bought him.

Disagree. I thought Downing had some good touches and was showing improved confidence and strength last night. Unlucky not to score on a couple of occasions. I thought he looked sharp.

[moonstone]

Impressed with Beye, solid at RB then did a reasonable job in the centre. Albrighton deserves his chance in the PL, Young did not do enough, nor Downing. Well done NRC. Valencia took it easy with another game today yet still we could not score.

[billy_loes]

Many positives and a few negatives.

Carew - A master at holding the ball in the box but those f***ing flick ons that go to the other side.

Albrighton - Very lively and a real player. He looks ready and Downing wants to watch out or he'll be down the road.

Reo-Coker - Picked some nice passes tonight and did job in the middle and got forward too. Keep him I say.

Luke Young - Got man of the match. Whoever gets him will not be disappointed and good luck to him.

Clark - Not far off the first team and a very solid display.

Beye - My man of the match. A real athlete played right back and centre half. The best header of a ball at the club.

Fonz, Weimann and Lichaj all looked good as well.

In what was a more serious friendly a lot of positives and a couple of class acts brought in and we're away.

[lexicon]

I just watched the highlights as I was unable to watch the game last night - looked like an encouraging performance from us with some lovely passing around the pitch.

Maybe not signing as many players as before is actually going to work out very well for us in terms of having a squad which knows each other very well and having youngsters coming through. I'm looking forward to taking on West Ham next week.

[Rainer]

I had to laugh, i was sitting in the Holte Lower and people sitting behind me were talking about how much of a good result it was against the team that finished 3rd in the Spanish League last season... Ill leave it at that..

I thought Dunne was brilliant as ever first half, some of the long range passes he picked out were brilliant. Albrighton looked excellent, just waiting for the £20 million bid from Man City for him now.. Reo Cokers shorts look bigger than his body bless him, did ok but i just dont think hes what we need in the middle of the park. Carew looked lively, Ash not so much so. I thought Downing played ok. Is it just me or can Beye not travel with the ball? Everytime he gets it he wants rid asap.

[DalianDaley]

Watched from the Holte Lower yesterday

Both Albrighton and Reo looked good last night.

Heskey was abismal as usual, squandered a good chance with a header at goal and also completely failed to control the ball that would have allowed him a 1 on 1 with the keeper, not good enough really

[Junxs]

Have to express my disappointment at Stewart Downing tonight, or should that read all preseason - worse still - since we bought him.

Disagree. I thought Downing had some good touches and was showing improved confidence and strength last night. Unlucky not to score on a couple of occasions. I thought he looked sharp.

You must have been watching a different game, apart from his shot against the bar he was abysmal. Had plenty of opportunities to get a cross in and failed to find a Villa player every time. Even co commentator Chris Coleman commented on his poor performance.

I'm glad you think he had some good touches, but I expect a bit more than good touches from what is supposed to be our playmaker from the left.

[parisvilla]

was in L6 last night and quite enjoyed the game. played a passing game and seemingly played ashley behing Carew in a 4-2-3-1/4-4-1-1. Albrighton, Downing, NRC and L. Young were impressive in my opinion. i've seen beye getting some praise on here and whilst i thought he was decent his positioning was really poor at times. I REALLY hope we continue playing this formation into the season proper with NRC offering vital protection to the back 4.

Other quick observations:

- cant stress enough how good Ireland would be in a 4-2-3-1, desperate for O'Neill to get him.

- surely Mo'N can forgive Luke Young for whatever he supposedly did in the past - the guy is our best right back AND left back

- albrighton deserves plenty of playing time this season

[dudley_villa]

Any one know where i can get the full 90mins, Any links please cheers...

[Junxs]

Perhaps ITVplayer?

[wedge]

What was the attendance?