rjenkins Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 We didn't deserve anything from the game really. We were substantially better after after time, but there's no point us having to dig and claw our way back into a game when we could just compete from the start. Cue all of those saying that today showed great 'McLeish fighting spirit' when really it showed that Villa can put themselves in a hole and just about get away with it against a team with no strikers. Given - 9 - Kept us in the game. Excellent as usual Hutton - 5 - Awful backpass. He did not do enough for me halt Everton's progress on the overlap, although that may well have been a tactical decision. Seems very much a like-for-like replacement for Luke Young is my first impression. Collins - 5 - He can't even start for Wales. He's the weak link in our back four now for me. Dunne - 7 - He had a very good game to be fair. Obviously he was high on confidence after his midweek display for Ireland Warnock - 6 - He's nothing more than average. Did nothing shockingly bad today and a couple of his crosses were good N'Zogbia - 6 - Got better as the match went on but he seems off the pace still. I'm not sure about his decision making in front of goal Petrov - 4 - Apart from his admittedly impressive goal, he was woeful today. However, I don't think he's helped by playing alongside Delph. Delph - 3 - He's Championship standard at best for me. I am trying to see what others see in him, but apart from a couple of glimpses of ability, it just looks to me like the rest of the team is carrying him. Agbonlahor - 7 - Anonymous in the first half but got much better after half-time and scored an important goal. He doesn't give up to be fair to the lad. Heskey - 5 - Hard to judge on quarter of an hour really, but he did nothing of note during the tie he was on the pitch Bent - 5 - Had two chances and fluffed them both. Plus, his touch wasn't good today. In fairness, he probably wasn't 100% fit. Subs: Bannan - 9 - I can't pick between Given and Bannan for MOTM. We look so much better with a midfielder who can actually run with the ball and keep his passes on the floor. He should be starting games for us now. Albrighton - 6 - One good cross, and one charge-down. He's starting to look better and hopefully that'll build his confidence Ireland - 7 - It was only a cameo really, but I think he showed a lot more than he has done previously. He looks like he's lost weight and he made two really good runs forward. If Gabby had picked him out when there was only Jagielka to beat we could have won the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumstopdogs Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Very very poor performance but still got a point. More down to luck than anything. Delph had a shocking game from the bits I saw. The team clearly isn't set up right so McLeish has a lot to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanBalaban Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Very poor performance, but a point away from home against a team competing at our level is not to be sniffed at. I'm hoping it was just a bad day at the office as so many players looked to have lead in their boots. Delph, Zog and Bent looked way off the pace - I'm hoping that with Bent and Zog it's down to fitness. Hutton was poor but I've seen him play a lot better than that. The encouraging bits are that Gabby has bagged another goal and Petrov was steady and got a lovely goal. Bannan was busy but needs other around him to be on their game too and Dunne, Collins and Given look great. Ireland even got some gametime too. Expect Jenas to figure in some way against Newcastle, possibly at the expense of Delph, and Bannan to keep his place in the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dchitz Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 full backs looked worryingly poor, hopefully that was hutton carrying a knock/unfit, we should be happy with todays result as we really robbed a point, Must remember this the next time we batter someone and give up a lead twice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diehardvillan Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 I am still waiting to see anything to warrant the praise that Delph seems to get from most Villa fans. He had a shocker today. Wasteful in possession, very wreckless at times, & always seems to find himself out of position. I am yet to be convinced that he can ever make the step up to Premiership football. When Jenas is fit, I would like to see a midfield of Jenas, Ireland, Albrighton & Nzogbia. Obviously this would leave us short in terms of a defensive midfielder, so slotting petrov in there behind them would work well with Bent up top in his own. However, Gabby has been our best player so far this season attacking wise so he cannot be dropped. Our midfield just looks very short of ideas creatively, and it needs shaking up a little. First game of the season I have been to, & I was very shocked by how poor we were...Especially first half. Dire isn't the word! Petrov scored a corker! However, other than his goal (which will probably be his only goal this season..) was shocking. Bannan looked lively when he came on..Still gets barged off the ball far too easily for my liking, but that isn't why he is in the team. Ireland looked decent when he came on for 10 mins. Dunne & Given were superb once again. Warnock was shocking! Hutton had a game to forget, but I think we can excuse him of that given that it was his first game & short of match fitness. Bent looked totally unfit. A point is a point in a game which I won't be remembering in a hurry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaRoy Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Without being harsh, I hope Heskey is out for a couple of weeks, to allow someone like Bannan, Ireland or potentially someone else cement a place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humanoid Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Funny how after changing the formation and getting albrighton on we looked better and managed to nick a point. There's no point playing the system we started with because it produces sod all. 40% possession and 2 attemps on goal by HT is pants. 7 attemps on goal, 42% possesion and NO corners by full time is just not acceptable. Hutton needs a few games, Im confident he'll come good. Dunne held the defence together. Collins not at his best, and warnock played like he did under GH. Delph just aint cutting it, drop him. Even though zog is playing shit, we need him play to be able to get into form. We need gaby up front because he's doing well when he gets in front of goal. Next game i'd like to see something a bit more adventerous like; Hutton ----- Dunne --- Collins ------ Warnock Alby --- Ireland/Jenas --- Petrov ----- Zog -----------Gaby ------- Bent ----------------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponky Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Thought the teams were pretty even after half time but Everton will surely be aggrieved at dropping 2 points against us after our deplorable first half. It was surreal at times in that first half - Everton had acres of space when they had the ball and we had none when we had it. Dunne was fantastic & effectively played CB and LB because Warnock was out of position so often. I am very happy with the point and we scored two top-class goals and had Given down the other end making some very fine saves. Delph had a match he'd much rather forget & it will be a challenge for him to come back from that. Will be interesting now to see if he will make way for Jenas next match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonsXI Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Got away with that so still unbeaten with a decent point at a hard place to visit. Given buy of the summer easily! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenavfc1874 Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 I was scathing at half time and in fairness, we were lucky to even be in the game after 45 minutes. Half time team talk worked, but we need to compete for 90, not just 20 minutes per game. Very lucky and still cannot see what McLeish brings with respect to offensive play. We lucked clueless for most of the game. Screamer again from Petrov (about all he did) and one quality delivery for the goal, all game. no worse than MON or GH in this respect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steaknchips Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 We look far better when we try and play it on the ground..Far too many long wasted balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pelle Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Much better 2nd half, but we didn't really deserve that, did we? And Stan the 60th minute disappearing man strikes again. :-Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 We look far better when we try and play it on the ground..Far too many long wasted balls. This. Totally agree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niall Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Dunne was brilliant. Composed, dominant in the air and made some vital interceptions. Given was good but his fondness for punching rather than catching the ball is going to prove costly some day. Hutton needs to adapt and on that display is no better than Cuellar at right back. Warnock was back to his worst today and should be paying Dunne commission for bailing him out on several occassions today. Delph was disappointing and lacks physical presence and hasn't been very creative at all so far. Bannan was a little lost and only really shines when he drifts into the middle. Bent had an off day and Agbonlahor was positive and a threat to Everton but saw too little of the ball, took his chance well though. N'Zogbia hasn't impressed me at all so far but I'm willing to wait and see. Think Ireland looked up for it and would like to see him get more time on the pitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CI Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 The unbeaten run goes on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieB Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 TBF to Emile...we weren't playing too badly in midfield until Heskey went off injured early on... they outmuscled us with Petrov & Delph. 1 defeat now in 13 games in all competitions.. Crisis.... What crisis? Looking forward to seeing what difference Jenas makes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieB Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 Much better 2nd half, but we didn't really deserve that, did we? And Stan the 60th minute disappearing man strikes again. :-Pat Someone forgot to mention his fantastic block in about the 87th minute as well to stop a shot on goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 From what I saw, it was piss poor. Hoofing it and crossing your fingers. At one point we had a free kick when just hoofing it into the box would actually make strategic sense, but whoever took the kick, made a short pass that turned into nothing. That summed it up for me. No direction or belief going forward. Zog is a steep drop off from Ashley Young... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 The unbeaten run goes on 1 point off 4th place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nabby Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 TBF to Emile...we weren't playing too badly in midfield until Heskey went off injured early on... they outmuscled us with Petrov & Delph. 1 defeat now in 13 games in all competitions.. Crisis.... What crisis? Looking forward to seeing what difference Jenas makes I agree Fellani and Rodwell bullied the midfield which led to us releasing the ball too early at times. Cahill held the ball up much better than Bent who looked far from fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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