Papillon Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 My problem is our lack of set attacking pattern, it all seems so random. When we play I just don't know what will happen or what to expect, from the absolute terrible to decent, we don't sustain pressure over a long time during a game and our momentum is always pretty short. Last night we played a very weak team having a bad day, and even then we didn't really punish them much. They were extremely near 0-1 at 10 minutes, 15 minutes and 59 minutes, all being situations where they just pound the ball into the box and we have no control over it. We all know what happens when we are down by a goal, we are not really able to break down a defensive unit trying to play out the game. Like I said, I miss set patterns in our play. When we had Ashley Young for example, we had Barry collecting the ball from the right, then turning and slotting it over for Young on the left who cut right and curled it in for our strikers. I miss a midfielder carrying the ball forward, not just collecting and passing it instantly 5 ft to another player. Holman tries to keep the ball at times, but he is clumsy and doesn't really look up whilst doing it, often ending up with a bad shot attempt or losing out in a 50/50 tackle because of a bad touch. We won last night, much because the law of average dictates that our level of ability will result in a win once in a while - especially against a team like Reading. It was our 3rd win in 14 attempts, we have 11 goals in those 14, having let in twice as many. I have seen many long balls up to Benteke, which he controls and is ready to distribute - but there are no players around him so he just turns around and passes it backwards. No point in discussing what Lambert needs to do, that is his job, I just hope that we develop some set patterns in our play resulting in more attacking possession and more tricks up our sleeves. I am looking forward to the QPR-game in the weekend, because they will be really fired up and would be expecting a win. We on the other hand can play our normal game and exploit what is the team placed in the bottom of the table, I am sure we will create a few chances. 3 points there would be incredibly important, just to create some distance between us and the relegation zone. We have Stoke at home next Saturday again, a game we can win. 4 points from these two games would create some distance before we have Chelsea and Liverpool on the trot. I think as soon as we are placed safely over the relegation teams we will start to play a bit better, without the stress and fear following a battle down there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raver50032 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Good grief - there are a handful of people on this site who's only joy in life is slagging off the team and manager and winding up the rest of the forum We weren't at our best last night but we certainly weren't "dog shit" either. It was a must-win game, a nervous atmosphere, coming hot on the heels of a tiring run of games and with an injury hit squad of our youngest ever players Last season everyone was baying for youngsters to be given a chance - now that we have done that people are moaning that they are inconsistent - of course they are!! that's the natural course of gaining experience - some good games, some poor games, some average games. We had a mix of those last night - I thought Stevens (until his injury), Lowton (in particular), Baker and Clark all had decent games and a clean sheet proved that. Midfield was a little more mixed - they had performed well in the last few games, closing down teams and winning the ball but last night offered a different challenge. They had to unlock a team trying to close us down. For much of the time the main responsibility for this fell to Bannan, who struggled a little at times. Westwood looked a little nervous and Weimann a little weary. Gabby and Holman worked hard but needed a bit more help from CM - PL will work on all this during the rest of the week and the young team will learn and improve. I thought Benteke was again exactly what you would wish from a front man and despite all the clamour for his inclusion, I just could not see Bent fulfilling the same role. I'm guessing that Bent's exit from VP is signed and sealed and avioding injury is the main reason he is not making the bench - I can't imagine any other reason why he would'nt be there Ireland did very well when he came on, finding space in a tiring Reading midfield (maybe a very smart move from Lambert!) - Ireland's craft is what was missing but I worry that he has the work rate to put alongside that to be a regualr starter (don't start up the whole work rate / quality debate because I understand we need a balance of both) I don't care if S'ton beat Norwich tonight - that will keep Norwich involved at the bottom of the table. I can see us winning away on Saturday with Ron back and against a team that will be a little more open to the counter attack. By the time the transfer window opens I expect us to be in a much more comfortable position and to finish the season well up the table. Controvesially, I would be very happy for PL to continue to try and unearth a few more lower league gems and overseas bargains. I expect our new chief scout will have a list of suitable names ready. Fair enough, you watched a different game from me and you have your opinion. Kindly do not bracket me with the handful of negative dissenters on this forum. I am an advocate of Mr Lambert and the big plan he has. Last night was dire viewing, for whatever reason. It's not my joy in life to be negative about Aston Villa - I told last night how I saw it and how the people around me saw it too. We were lucky last night, which is great. January cannot come soon enough - I agree entirely with your last sentence, just not your first (in my particular case anyway). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 To be honest - we played like a team that had just played three of the best footballing teams in the league, in a row.. Before then going onto a huge relegation scrap needing a win! The football on our part wasn't great, nothing compared to the footy we have been playing for the last few weeks in fact. But the sheer fact that we won this particular battle, whilst making Reading look incredibly rubbish at the same time, was pretty good going in my opinion. One thing I will say is - Ireland, Bannan, and Westwood need to play together in the middle. That's clear for all to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raver50032 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 When you go to games you must wear a blindfold and sit faceing the stand. That's a load of rubbish right there fella. Anyone who thinks it's as bad as last season......well words fail me. I missed your response in amongst the other tit-for-tat exhanges on that page. I suggest you read my comments again and then come back and have another go. But I will make it simple for you so that you understand... Firstly, let me be clear... I do not suggest that this season is as bad as last season... I concede that I did compare last night's match with any number of equally dire home displays from last season. To be crystal for you and anyone else, in view of the opposition last night, and the fact that Lambert had all of his non defensive squad available (excluding N'Zogbia, who would've been unlikely to start anyway), we posed very little attacking threat and never really managed to break down a poor, poor side who conceded 3 to Wigan just a a few days earlier. We got lucky courtesy of some 'stray leg defending' and super Christian. Apart from the result, it was rubbish. I would have been better served with a blinfold as you so 'eloquently' put it. Hopefully, it was just a blip given the promise of prior performances this season. Oh yes... one final thing, the word 'faceing' is the only thing that seems to have failed you. I'm not normally one for such grammatical nazism, but hey, you want to try being a keyboard warrior, so can I... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaCas Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Kindly do not bracket me with the handful of negative dissenters on this forum. I am an advocate of Mr Lambert and the big plan he has. Fair enough, point taken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaCas Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 You fell into your own trap of ignorance. Brilliant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Raver, can you stop posting in italics please? It hurts my eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaAndLoyal Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Raver, yes we played well below what we are capable of last night. And well below recent performances of the last month or so. But I disagree that we were in any way 'lucky' or that we posed no attacking threat or failed to break Reading down. Despite our poor performance, we broke down the Reading defence on numerous occasions and created lots of chances. Wiemann, Bentekkers x2, Clark x2, Baker all had great chances before the winning goal so I can't see how you can say that with any seriousness. Reading, on the other hand, were truly dire all game and created very little bar a couple of half chances. If any team was going to win last night, it was us, and we did. At 0-0 my friend turned to me and said: 'Are Reading actually playing for the draw?' and he was right, they were, and time wasting to boot. So I think you are being a little negative in your summary of last night - we got the job done at the end of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic_bouma Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 i was a bit concerned about the lump it to Benteke tactics yesterday im sure lambert hasnt instructed that directly but our players certainly seem to favour it at the moment particularly Baker and Clark im backing PL in the Bent situation, i dont think he is the right player for us at the moment a few more quality wingers/midfielders and maybe but we havent got the squad to lay it on a plate for a lazy front man like Bent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciggiesnbeer Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 I think we should give some respect to reading for breaking up our play. They were at us from the get go. I was releived when they took off their forward who had been giving us so much trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Lambert's at White Hart lane tonight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaAndLoyal Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Preparing to launch a raid on Bale & Defoe in January? I can dream... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LockStockVilla Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Lambert's at White Hart lane tonight Downing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 We got them boxing day.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereford-Villan Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Preparing to launch a raid on Bale & Defoe in January? I can dream... hope not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morpheus Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Brilliant Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 hope not Really? I know its all hypothetical. But you wouldn't want Bale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 blimey, do you have to be negative because you say what you see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 blimey, do you have to be negative because you say what you see. If someone believes you're being overly negative are they not allowed to hold that opinion? Works both ways treacle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrytini Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 For those - the majority - who like good news how about this. Keep repeating it to all the fans you know and we might stop the pathetic negativity which appears to be the default position of some. had we simply reversed the result of ONE just ONE game- that aginst Everton - we would now be only 3 points behind a side who are commonly accepted to be, at different times, the following, 'a revelation', 'an example to other teams' ' genuine challengers' .....and the product of a building job that has taken their Manager YEARS. One reversal of a result and we would be a sniff away from them So please, a bit more positivity for a New Manager, and a young side who can go on to really good things. (And are still in both cups ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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