Ratings and Reactions: Arsenal 2-1 Villa

[Bunnski]

Why, why does watching Aston Villa have to be pure undiluted torture, every. single. **** game?

Because we have one of the worst managers around.

yeah its all the managers fault.  nothing to do with a shit squad and an owner that couldnt give a **** if we get relegated.

quick get big fat sam in for he is the messiah or even better get mcleish back.

[jackbauer24]

Same old, same old. It's slightly boring by how predictable it's getting - only twist to the tale was a good Weimann goal. I was hardly biting my nails hoping we'd hold on, it was obvious what was coming.

 

We can't cope with pressure, simple as that. And that means we're doomed for the drop. Arsenal started strongly after their poor week, we caved. Arsenal came back after conceding, we caved. Hardly the first time. Did anyone really think that Villa could hold on for a point?! Arsenal just needed to carry on going and it was a foregone conclusion.

Yes, we were always unlikely to get anything from this game but it's the manner of all these defeats and draws which leads me to believe we simply don't have the fight in us to stay up. The quality of the team is average at best anyway, but with no bottle we stand no chance. Baker, Clark, Bennett and Delph simply panic at the first sign of pressure.

Guzan - played well, solid as usual 8
Lowton - I think this guy is quite good and doesn't look out of place in the Premiership 7
Bennett - I think this guy is shit and would look out of place in the Championship 2
Baker/ Clark - much of a muchness, both throw their bodies at everything, both panic and both are average at best. 5
Delph - a liability, always more likely to get sent off that make an assist, or pass for that matter 4
Westwood - keeps things simple, solid lower Premiership player 6
N'Zogbia - blows hot or cold. Today cold. 5
Weimann - promising, good goal, runs well. MOTM today. 8
Agbonlahor - lost pace, lost strength but keeps going. 5
Benteke - off the pace today, head already left? 5

Dawkins/ El Ahmadi - hardly noticed them such was the desire to just boot the ball away anywhere. 5

Lambert - probably best tactic to just try and outscore Arsenal, no point with our defence of just trying to keep it tight. However, substitutions were pointless as didn't strengthen attack or defence. Arguably weakened both. And why get two players in January that aren't going to benefit the team immediately - you pay over the odds for players then so might as well make them have an instant impact. 5


So another weekend passes with the same old story, little chance of change and I'm almost at the point of shrugging my shoulders, taking it as routine and getting on with some work without a seconds thought. When I'm doing that at home games I'll know we're screwed.

[CrackpotForeigner]

Guzan: 8. Usual class act, couldn't do anything about the goals

Lowton: 5 I like him, but he gave the ball away cheaply leading to 1st goal and was mostly average the rest of the time.

Clark: 6 Nothing obviously wrong

Baker: 6 Nothing obviously wrong, unlucky for the 1st goal.

Bennett: 7 His best game defensively so far. Sliced the ball out for a throw once, otherwise did only good things as far as I saw.

N'Zogbia: 5 Listen carefully, kid, it doesn't matter how many **** players you dribble past if you give them the ball in the end.

Westwood: 6 Okay. Pretty anonymous.

Delph: 6 1/2. Still improving overall. No major howlers and occasional good work.

Agbonlahor: 7 Some good runs, good passing, a real threat on the counter. Never scores any more.

Weimann: 7 Good game but a couple of real howlers when defending.

Benteke: 6 Marked out of the game.

 

El Ahmadi: Did well, I thought. A bit more composed than Westwood today.

Dawkins: I'd have put him on for Zog about 20 minutes earlier. Didn't have much chance to do anything, but still put in one very very dangerous cross.

[privateer]

Expected nothing so I'm no more disheartened than I was at 14:59 today. If they had been more clinical they would have had at least another two before we had even scored and they continued to heavily pressurise us afterwards. They simply had too much possession and we were giving them too many set pieces for us to keep them down to one goal over the 90.

 

We did threaten at times against a very superior team and we gave it a go but the goal was a bit of a bolt from the blue and frankly a bit lucky. If Andi hadn't scored that I reckon some of his mates would have been yelling at him for not passing but the keeper helped him out a bit. 

 

The one thing I'm most disappointed about is how badly Benteke stunk the place out. His mind didn't seem right and his heart didn't seem in it.  I don't expect him to be a monster every match but he was worrying today.

[Mantis]

 

Why, why does watching Aston Villa have to be pure undiluted torture, every. single. **** game?

Because we have one of the worst managers around.

yeah its all the managers fault.  nothing to do with a shit squad and an owner that couldnt give a **** if we get relegated.

quick get big fat sam in for he is the messiah or even better get mcleish back.

Where did I say it was all the manager's fault? Stop putting words into my mouth. All of those things are a factor but having an incredibly bad manager in Lambert really doesn't help.

 

[VillanousOne]

goal aside, we were terrible in the second half.

not getting turned over is s hollow bonus

Couldn't believe the marking out wide, especially on the right (our left). Seemed like they always had a player in space with no one around.

we didn't mark closely at all, we gave them fair too much room in the final third.

Bennett actually played ok in the end but losing Vlaar hurt us.

Benteke's was poor beyond belief, no idea why Lambert didn't take him off.

[poitier]

I thought we did ok considering we went a goal down in 5 minutes. The defence wasn't as bad as people expected, and we always looked capable of getting a goal. If Benteke and Nzogbia hadn't both had off days we would probably have got something from this game.

 

Ok, no points, but I think another step in the right direction in terms of looking like a premiership team as opposed to absolute no-hopers.

[Mantis]

I thought we did ok considering we went a goal down in 5 minutes. The defence wasn't as bad as people expected, and we always looked capable of getting a goal. If Benteke and Nzogbia hadn't both had off days we would probably have got something from this game.

 

Ok, no points, but I think another step in the right direction in terms of looking like a premiership team as opposed to absolute no-hopers.

I would agree with you except that conceding these late goals just can't continue if we have any chance of staying up. We did it against West Ham too but by then we already had a two goal lead. These players are just pathetic losers who don't know how to get a result.

Edited February 23, 2013 by Mantis

[Bunnski]

 

 

Why, why does watching Aston Villa have to be pure undiluted torture, every. single. **** game?

Because we have one of the worst managers around.

yeah its all the managers fault.  nothing to do with a shit squad and an owner that couldnt give a **** if we get relegated.

quick get big fat sam in for he is the messiah or even better get mcleish back.

Where did I say it was all the manager's fault? Stop putting words into my mouth. All of those things are a factor but having an incredibly bad manager in Lambert really doesn't help.

 

your reply to a question of why is watching villa torture every game was that we have one of the worst managers around! so just going on that reply alone you are implying that its all down to the manager.

[Mantis]

 

 

 

Why, why does watching Aston Villa have to be pure undiluted torture, every. single. **** game?

Because we have one of the worst managers around.

yeah its all the managers fault.  nothing to do with a shit squad and an owner that couldnt give a **** if we get relegated.

quick get big fat sam in for he is the messiah or even better get mcleish back.

Where did I say it was all the manager's fault? Stop putting words into my mouth. All of those things are a factor but having an incredibly bad manager in Lambert really doesn't help.

 

your reply to a question of why is watching villa torture every game was that we have one of the worst managers around! so just going on that reply alone you are implying that its all down to the manager.

I didn't imply that at all.

[Bunnski]

pretty sure you did. back on topic

[CrackpotForeigner]

 

 

 

 

Why, why does watching Aston Villa have to be pure undiluted torture, every. single. **** game?

Because we have one of the worst managers around.

yeah its all the managers fault.  nothing to do with a shit squad and an owner that couldnt give a **** if we get relegated.

quick get big fat sam in for he is the messiah or even better get mcleish back.

Where did I say it was all the manager's fault? Stop putting words into my mouth. All of those things are a factor but having an incredibly bad manager in Lambert really doesn't help.

 

your reply to a question of why is watching villa torture every game was that we have one of the worst managers around! so just going on that reply alone you are implying that its all down to the manager.

I didn't imply that at all.

[Richard]

Better result and performance than I expected. Unlucky not to get a point. Play like that for the remaining games this season and we may just get enough points to give ourselves a chance here.

[chappy]

I thought we did ok considering we went a goal down in 5 minutes. The defence wasn't as bad as people expected, and we always looked capable of getting a goal. If Benteke and Nzogbia hadn't both had off days we would probably have got something from this game.

 

Ok, no points, but I think another step in the right direction in terms of looking like a premiership team as opposed to absolute no-hopers.

I would agree with you except that conceding these late goals just can't continue if we have any chance of staying up. We did it against West Ham too but by then we already had a two goal lead. These players are just pathetic losers who don't know how to get a result.

 

we got results in our last two games. but yes apart from that they are pathetic losers who don't know how to get a result.

[Mantis]

pretty sure you did. back on topic

 

Nope, I didn't. If I wanted to imply that I would've just said "Lambert is the sole reason why we concede late goals".

 

Better result and performance than I expected. Unlucky not to get a point. Play like that for the remaining games this season and we may just get enough points to give ourselves a chance here.

The problem is Richard we won't play like that in the games that are really really important. See the pathetic defeats against Southampton, Newcastle and Wigan.

 

 

 

I

thought we did ok considering we went a goal down in 5 minutes. The

defence wasn't as bad as people expected, and we always looked capable

of getting a goal. If Benteke and Nzogbia hadn't both had off days we

would probably have got something from this game.

 

Ok,

no points, but I think another step in the right direction in terms of

looking like a premiership team as opposed to absolute no-hopers.

I

would agree with you except that conceding these late goals just can't

continue if we have any chance of staying up. We did it against West Ham

too but by then we already had a two goal lead. These players are just

pathetic losers who don't know how to get a result.

 

we got results in our last two games. but yes apart from that they are pathetic losers who don't know how to get a result.

So my words are being taken completely literally now? Yeah we beat West Ham but if anything the result against Everton just proves my point. 3-1 up but we can't see out the game.

Edited February 23, 2013 by Mantis

[AVFCAM]

Yes, Arsenal are in a bad way at the moment, so are we....

To only lose 2-1 to a team who are much better than us isn't a bad thing...

We need points, but we didn't expect anything out of this or next week anyway

Edited February 23, 2013 by AVFCAM

[supernova26]

We'd have robbed Arsenal had we got anything out of that game, they were by a distance the better team. I think our forward men could have closed down a lot more/better we seem to just let them play and play they did in the 2nd half especially. We could/should have got something out of that I feel. Benteke was marked out the game but was a non-trier on occasions.

[Woodytom]

Expected result - Next!

[Bunnski]

pretty sure you did. back on topic

 

Nope, I didn't. If I wanted to imply that I would've just said "Lambert is the sole reason why we concede late goals". 

 

 

 

then you would be stating as fact that its all lamberts fault. what you did was imply that it was all down to lambert.  **** hell its ok to be wrong sometimes, move on

[briny_ear]

Just coming back from the match feeling a bit deflated because although Arsenal were clearly light years ahead of us in terms of skill, they were having an off-day, they were clueless in midfield and in front of goal and slack in defence. We battled hard and I really thought we were going to get a point after Andi's excellent goal.

It was not to be of course. Put a bit of pressure on our defence and they collapse like a stack of cards. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if we had gone out with a bit more attacking intent. Their defence looked very suspect to me.

Strange performance from us. Benteke did **** all, Weimann and N'Zogbia ran around a lot to not much effect, Gabby worked hard but it's not his best position and he has lost pace. The defence was dogged but not very good and the midfield got caught in possession a lot. I thought Lowton was the best of the bunch, particularly when going forward. He troubled the Arsenal defence a lot in the first half.

The Emirates is a strangely quiet and soulless place. For a lot of the match all I could hear was Villa fans, who were partying well as ever. Great renditon of "Where's McGrath" today!