rendelc Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Spot on VillaCas. Boring to watch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingysilvers Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Don't think anything can really be read into that match in terms of what the season holds. I think McLeish went I thinking the aim was a clean sheet and everything else would be a bonus, a loss would of just whipped up the negativity round the club and things would be an uphill struggle from there on in. Instead we've got a draw, away against a decent side so we can go into the match against Blackburn who are a poorer side and with us having home advantage with this result as a platform to build on. I expect the team selection to get more adventurous/attacking as the season progresses but he knows if he takes those risks early on and they backfire people will want his head on a plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiggyrichard Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 There really isnt some pleasing some people! 1st game of the season, away from home against a team who started competative football 3 weeks ago, our 1st clean sheet away from home in 25 matches. Fulham are a very decent team. Some of you havnt got a clue about football and tactics, you expect us to go full out attack away from home?!?!? Well....thank **** your not in charge because we'd be relegated by Xmas! 1 point away from home and a clean sheet...decent start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanky Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Will take an away point and a clean sheet on the first day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smetrov Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Is this the most unanimous MOTM award in VT history ? 85% given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie1874 Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Most of it has already been said, bit I'll say my bit anyway. Given was clearly the MOTM and ultimately kept this from being a defeat. Although it was good to get a clean sheet and a point from side who started their season early, so are well into the swing of things, I don't see this as being a positive. It smacks of complacency to me and a failure to sieze control of the game. We could've done much better if we had a decent presence in the midfield. The middle of the pitch was left pretty much open for Fulham to exploit, but fortunately they didn't make us pay for it. Against bigger and better clubs this will see us get completely overrun. At least the defence seemed pretty stable, which is good. I felt Heskey did his usual roaming around between midfield and attack without actually achieving much. Either one of the central midfield should have come off, as together they were not effective, certainly after halftime. N'Zogbia too was not as effective as hoped. To me the biggest problem was that the gaffer didn't change things early in the second half, as it was clear things were not working. I would have liked to have seen Bannan or Makoun come on for a decent spell. Overall it wasn't inspiring and just lke so many matches last season, we could have done much better if we could have grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck, as I say it was there for the taking. Three strikers on the pitch and very little threat to the Fulham goal tells me that the plan at Craven Cottage didn't work. We ned to plug the midfield gap and take contol of the game if we want to compete or it will be a dull struggle all season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatty Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 I would have liked 3 points yesterday but a clean sheet and a point away from home first game of the season isnt too bad at all. I have no great expectations for this season at all and the performance really backed up what I have been posting on here for the last couple of months. We lack creativity and the ability to create/score chances. Bent cannot do it all himself. We looked okay at the back but had to rely on Given more that really we'd like. Given was cracking for us and confirm what I think we all thought anyway, that he is a great replacement for Friedel. I hope that Mcleish and the board will take our opening performances as an indication as to how our season will shape up ie lack of goals/threat going forward and do a bit of something before the window closes. Pleased with the result. Not thrilled with the performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa_shere Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Went to the game, great atmosphere first half, bit quiet the second due to the dullness of the game. First half we mixed it up a bit, delph is always looking for the ball but Petorv is **** turd! The guys pretty much kills our team, he is in the most influential position on the park and all he does is pass sideways. We have no faith in passing to him, hence reverting to long ball in the second half. Gabby had a poor game, offered nothing on the wing. HE IS NOT A WINGER so why play him there. Bent ended up putting a couple crosses in to nobody as he was doing others jobs. Defense was solid, well played all round, would have liked to have seen Warnock run past the RB on a few occasions. I would like to see Petrov dropped for Makoun and Gabyy off for Albrighton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallam Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 There really isnt some pleasing some people! 1st game of the season, away from home against a team who started competative football 3 weeks ago, our 1st clean sheet away from home in 25 matches. Fulham are a very decent team. Some of you havnt got a clue about football and tactics, you expect us to go full out attack away from home?!?!? Well....thank **** your not in charge because we'd be relegated by Xmas! 1 point away from home and a clean sheet...decent start. this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ih8bcfc1875 Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Defensive sound, Given was good some top class saves but what we already knew would get, needs to work on catching crossesa nice feeling of safety at back. Collins was my MOTM headed and won everything that came his way Delph nice to see him talented young english player speed and good footwork Bent was reletively quiet was not much service Charleyboy very lively and good signing Fans need to give time and not expect a instant impact and expect win win win. Just remember villa havent kept an away clean sheet since 21st april 2010 our defence was leaky last season. Fulham have been playing since late june in the europa league its a hard place to go having lost only 4times last season at Craven Cottage and we dont have a prolific record there. Would have liked to seen ireland or bannan as we needed a player with a different dimensions on the field Rome wasnt built in a day. KEEP THE FAITH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makouns_grin Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 1 shot on target, underpins what I dont like about our manager. That happened a hell of a lot of the time under one of our previous managers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjshare Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 mcleish knows that if he has a bad start there will be a witch hunt by the fans. he knows a lot of people dont want him here and the slightest slip up could easily turn the majority against him. the last thing he is going to risk doing is losing the opening game of the season. people who are citicising him already for a conservative performance should realise that the conservative performance is a direct consequence of your reactions to his appointment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaAlex Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Spot on! It should give the lads more confidence to go into the game next week, as there will be less pressure on us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 1 shot on target, underpins what I dont like about our manager. That happened a hell of a lot of the time under one of our previous managers. And happened all the time at a different club under our current manager. Not doing anything to suggest that record is about to change at the Villa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 To anyone saying we would have lost if it wasn't for Given. Well surely that's the point of buying top players?! Are you really saying we shouldn't have a top goalkeeper because if they save a lot it doesn't make it a real victory? If Man U didn't have Van Der Sar all these years they would have been 3rd every season. Now we have Given, we can enjoy the fact that we're going to concede less, and we're going to have a better chance at winning games from not having to come from behind every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 mcleish knows that if he has a bad start there will be a witch hunt by the fans. he knows a lot of people dont want him here and the slightest slip up could easily turn the majority against him. the last thing he is going to risk doing is losing the opening game of the season. people who are citicising him already for a conservative performance should realise that the conservative performance is a direct consequence of your reactions to his appointment. Or is it just a continuation of the main reason that most didnt/dont want him here? Not like this style of play is anything new to him...to suggest hes only just doing it now to save face against the fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaAndLoyal Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 mcleish knows that if he has a bad start there will be a witch hunt by the fans. he knows a lot of people dont want him here and the slightest slip up could easily turn the majority against him. the last thing he is going to risk doing is losing the opening game of the season. people who are citicising him already for a conservative performance should realise that the conservative performance is a direct consequence of your reactions to his appointment. I'm sorry but what a load of rubbish. He's always played that way, plus, as he showed a lot of bottle in even taking the job you really think his tactics are now going to be geared towards damage limitation with the fans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhan_Zhuang Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Given Man of the Match by a country mile. Defenders all of them were solid. Delph looked pretty good. Not much else of note... Good point as far as I am concerned. First things first we need to get the defence sorted and then we can build from there. I think many people underestimate Fulham, they've got some very good players many of whom featured high in the Opta statistics last season including Hangeland, Dempsey and Zamora. They'll be comfortably top ten in my view. Early days for Big Eck's Villa but this point will give the team confidence for the next match; the test is to see whether we can play with a little more attacking intent at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaCas Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 There really isnt some pleasing some people! 1st game of the season, away from home against a team who started competative football 3 weeks ago, our 1st clean sheet away from home in 25 matches. Fulham are a very decent team. Some of you havnt got a clue about football and tactics, you expect us to go full out attack away from home?!?!? Well....thank **** your not in charge because we'd be relegated by Xmas! 1 point away from home and a clean sheet...decent start. I'm happy with the point but I'm not happy with the performance. If you are content that Villa are going to go through the season playing SHA style, safety-first hoofball then thats your perogative. Obviously people are not expecting full out attack but what they would like is some adventure - I was at the game and we looked short of ideas and short of options. I felt sorry for Bent - it's going to be a long lonely season for DB9 What a sad state of affairs that people are delighted with this tripe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaCas Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 mcleish knows that if he has a bad start there will be a witch hunt by the fans. he knows a lot of people dont want him here and the slightest slip up could easily turn the majority against him. the last thing he is going to risk doing is losing the opening game of the season. people who are citicising him already for a conservative performance should realise that the conservative performance is a direct consequence of your reactions to his appointment. Clever - I see what you've done there! Yes, I'm sure that without the criticism we would have turned in a flamboyant, Barcelona-style ping-pong football display McDull will serve this drivel up all season so get used to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts