Ratings and reactions: Villa 0-1 Man Utd

[SeanO]

As I said before before I watch a game (recorded) I read the write up on here, big thanks to all for saving me 90mins of my life again!

**** off McClueless, were aren't fickle your just shit.

[rjw63]

First half was **** atrocious, second at least there was a bit of effort. Still not good enough.

I caught 2 t shirts. That was the highlight of my game.

Heskey's shot that went for a throw in was highly amusing.

man Ure fans are pricks.

Ashley who? (did his usual limp as well)

Shrek was **** shite, haha

[chappy]

NZogbia was left out for "breaching club discipline"

Anyone know anything about this ?

Think he had a few shots at goal during a training session.

[Harry]

I have mixed views about what I witnessed yesterday at Villa Park. I thought we would get stuffed so in some ways only losing one nil does not seem too bad. BTW its a sad condemnation of the state of Villa that I actually think that.

As for the game we were appalling in the first half but I thought we were better in the second particularly after the introduction of Heskey and Petrov. I know they are both well hated by most on this forum but they did introduce more stability and Heskey in particular added some much needed strength in the midfield. I totally agree that his 'finishing' is shite but we looked a better side in the last quarter of the game with him on the pitch.

In fact I will stick my neck out and say we looked OK in that last 20 minutes or so and could have nicked a point. United were definitely not at their best and we did actually nullify a lot of their attacking players for most of the game. Having said that their goal was yet another defensive howler where we have four defenders in the box who collectively managed to not mark three United players. There were two United players unmarked behind Jones had he missed it.

The real concern for me that was amply demonstrated yet again was how poor we are going forward. I genuinely feel sorry for Bent as he gets next to no service such that its a waste of time having him on the pitch. Gabby works very hard but gets little support as the link up play between the strikers and the midfield is non existent. For me the problem area is the midfield. We actually have some good players in that area but that just do not gel together in any way and we are probably short of a real midfield enforcer. Overall its just too lightweight and frankly lacks creativity.

As for McLeish he inspires no confidence in me as a fan and I find it very difficult to believe he inspires any confidence in the players. You can't help but think that the players were sent out today to try and not get beaten too badly although I will give him a little credit for starting both Bannan and Albrighton.

As a manager he is simply not good enough and he is leading us towards disaster. Whilst I don't want him back I feel genuinely envious of the feel good factor at Sunderland over the appointment of MON. We never had that with McLeish which tells me everything about the calibre of the manager we appointed. The only viable option for us is to get rid of him now before its too late but sadly I can't see that happening.

Final thought on the game. Why were some clowns booing Young when he got the ball? Utterly pathetic. A player who gave his all for us for four and half years who we sold for a handsome profit and to be blunt to a bigger and more successful club than us. I was nice to see him getting some applause when he took his first corner

[Dchitz]

Mcleish put out the team everyone wanted to see....fair play

But his instructions completely destroyed the players then, I don't blame the players for not keeping possession, midfielders are set to rigidly, it isn't bannan or jenas natural way to pass and sit, these players pass and go, he has obv instructed them to sit back after they pass and hold position, which is the job u would think herd was in there to do, no ones getting ahead of the ball hence there is no open passes forcing midfielders to play it backwards for the hoof.

Once early on yest bannan got ahead of the ball and made a penetrating run into the utd box and only for a poor touch would of created something. There are some good players there but everything mcleish does contradicts what he says. Numerous people on the site have said they have heard from players etc Ireland is amazing in training, mcleish says during the week he is one of best trainers, praises his forward runs and then at one down plays it safe with petrov when he had nothing to lose, a two or three nil loss is the same as one nil to me especially against united,

And then after the game he praises the second have performance, it was slighty better than the first but still pathetic.

Utterly clueless tripe talking clown

[Mantis]

Silly free t-shirts being handed out at half-time, arguments breaking out all over the Upper Holte, little kids running riot on the back row, the game being played solely in our own half, the national media laughing at the state of our Club, a team unable to create a contest against the worst United side seen at Villa Park in years.

Thanks for **** nothing, Lerner, you prick. Get the **** out of my club and take the two ginger clearings in the woods and the billy big bollock General with you!

That is all.

Arguments, about what? It's almost universally agreed upon that McLeish must go.

[CI]

I think there will be banners unfolded soon, it's getting ridiculously dull down B6

[VillaAndLoyal]

Silly free t-shirts being handed out at half-time, arguments breaking out all over the Upper Holte, little kids running riot on the back row, the game being played solely in our own half, the national media laughing at the state of our Club, a team unable to create a contest against the worst United side seen at Villa Park in years.

Thanks for **** nothing, Lerner, you prick. Get the **** out of my club and take the two ginger clearings in the woods and the billy big bollock General with you!

That is all.

Arguments, about what? It's almost universally agreed upon that McLeish must go.

About the game, who should come on, arguments with stewards, arguments about the w*nkers running amok on the back row and jumping into other people's seats. Arguments about anything and everything. It happened at Swansea too in the second half, although that was a full-on fight, rather than an argument.

I fully believe a lot of it is translated from the shit we have to watch on the pitch. Fans are getting so bored and frustrated that it is translating to the stands. That, and the fact we have some right morons who come to home games.

[CI]

At least there's passion in the stands if not in the pitch

Right, I'm off to find an old bedsheet and a spray can

[Die_Hard]

Was pleased to see a more adventurous starting line up but ended up witnessing the same lacklustre, over cautious crap we're fast becoming accustomed to and a side completely bereft of confidence and creativity.

That we managed to keep it at just 1-nil is almost something to cheer about. Had Hernandez not gone off and Utd stepped things up a gear, we'd have been absolutely murdered. Ferguson's face was beaming everytime the cameras turned on him (and not just because of all the scotch) He couldn't believe his luck, easiest points Utd will get all season.

[Villaboy69]

Was pleased to see a more adventurous starting line up but ended up witnessing the same lacklustre, over cautious crap we're fast becoming accustomed to and a side completely bereft of confidence and creativity.

And its very quickly transferred this lack of belief to the crowd. cant ever remember the crowd so quiet for a united game.

He's managed in just 13 games to remove any belief throughout the whole club.

I never thought i'd dislike a manager more than gh until the board appointed this clearing in the woods

[cbr600rr]

getting a bit fed up of teams asking villa to roll over while they tickle our tummys!

[srsmithusa]

Two positive things I learned.

Guzan really impressed me with his distribution. He helped the play be a bit better as he often looked for a long, accurate, throw to keep some possession, rather than just put it long and hope, or short to an unchallenged defender. He kept possession, while bypassing several opponents. I thought it was very helpful.

Petrov, I've never been his biggest fan. He has always seemed too safe, no real speed, rarely create the incisive attack. But it was obvious that is defensive positioning and safe possession were very helpful and much needed. His insertion clearly created a better period for us.

That's about all the real positives I could see.

[Brumstopdogs]

Gabby has given Vidic lots of problems when he has played up front before - you would have thought our manager might have cottened on to that and played him up front!

No, let's just play Bent on his own up front where he looks isolated and watch it not work for yet another week whilst Gabby spends time looking like a left back!

Mcleish has to go and before the transfer window so a proper manager can come in and try and sort out this mess.

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

Its truely disgustng how we have self destructed since the end of the 09\10 season. I thought ok ast season was tough to take and its got 10 times worse this season. How can that ginger mug not see that the team dont gave a clue. To not make any changes tactically or in personnel at half time in the tottenham game was criminal, I thought that game would act as a kick up the arse but yesterday was on par with that performance.

We are in big trouble, ginger bollox needs to go while wer still in the premier league, randy get mark hughes in to sort out the mess that youve sat back and watched happen. Theres a lot of depressed propper fans out there that NEED to see action made. Get that bluenose out our club