Well, I’m pretty gutted after that.
I thought we were excellent in the first half and were probably the better side overall.
Axel Tuanzebe failed to stand up against Lukaku and it cost us, as we had a few chances and couldn’t score.
I suppose that’s the difference when you sign a £90 odd million player, but I thought we looked the more creative, worked harder and generally did the brighter stuff.
It was enough to make Chelsea, in their extremely quiet stadium (and that’s not a dig, just pure fact) look the inferior side, even if they’d had the majority of the possession.
The second half started okay, but then Mings seemed to totally lose his edge and concentration to allow a ball through to Lukaku again for an easy second.
I’ve consistently made no secret about my dislike for Mings. For an England international some of the stuff he does is ridiculous in a bad way. I’d be happy to see him gone and rate Konsa, who, it’s noticeable just doesn’t make those sort of mistakes, much higher.
Whatever, you could see it totally deflated the team and just took the edge off the game, as it was blatantly obvious that the result had been decided.
What else? Ah the ref, Stuart Atwell.
Well, I thought he was a total disgrace today. His early booking of Ramsey was definitely deserved, but wow, some of the decisions against us were harsh, while many of theirs went in their favour.
I never call refs out, but I feel his performance today needs looking into. Not that it will make any difference.
Otherwise, I was very pleased with what I saw.
I said that I expected a decent performance and I think we definitely got that in the first half. We worked hard, playing intelligently with purpose and all that we missed was a goal or two. As late as the last five minutes, I thought we were playing nice, fast football to feet and didn’t look to be lacking sharpness/fitness even at the end.
This was never a 3-0 game and we’d have troubled many teams today. It’s no disgrace to lose to Chelsea and I’m not worried after today’s showing.
Keep that up and it’ll start to come together, in my opinion.
Downbeat, but not too much.
In Canada so missed the game but stats suggest that 3-0 flattered Chelsea.
Having said that they scored three goals from 4 shots on target whereas we had more shots overall -18 and 6 on target. We have to be more clinical in front of goal or it’s going to cost us dear.
Watkins should have done better more than once and Ings never got a look in.
Quite strange really, given Ings is supposed to be the classier one.
I suppose some days it just doesn’t happen, but I hope he’s not another expensive failure up top.
I’ll give him the benefit.
Overall, I thought a good performance.Games always come down to individual mistakes and that is what cost us.
I really believed Ramsey had an excellent first half, especially as he was booked in the first 10 minutes. Conversely I thought McGinn was poor in the first half. If Ramsey keeps this up he will be starting in front of either McGinn or Luiz.
It was really great to see us attack all over the front line rather than down the left.
Now Smith has his challenge. Martinez will walk back into the team. Now it’s about Bailey and Buendia getting into the 1st 11. Does he play with 3 in the middle = only 1 winger or play with 2 in the middle. If 2 I would advocate Ramsey being one of them. Then again I am not the manager.
What do you think Badger?
I think Ramsey was okay, Sid. He looks decent for what he is; a young kid.
I’m not going to wax lyrical over him just yet because a) he’s had a lot of really average games and way too much game time for my liking and b) he still looks very immature/inexperienced to me, which is what cost him that silly booking.
That said, I’m definitely seeing the makings of a decent player and I don’t say that about many kids, because the fact is the vast majority of them flop.
It’s 3 in the middle for me, to stop us looking lightweight, but Smith gets paid the big bucks, so let’s see.
I know we have two excellent forward players in Watkins and Ings but I don’t think we should go 2 up front generally. Martinez will make us more solid at the back but I still would like to see 4 at the back with Luiz as the holding midfielder and Buendia alongside McGinn as the more attacking midfielders. Then play Ings down the middle with Watkins on the left and either Bailey or Traore on the right. If Ings doesn’t have any joy then substitute him as happened today and move Watkins to the middle and throw on another wide player.
Hopefully we won’t have too many games coming up where we face 12 players.
I would like to see Konsa and Hause play at the back for a few games but Smith just won’t drop Mings unless he’s injured.
As opposed to what Smith says, Holte.
Not that I believe a word Smith says, but the idea is supposed to be two up front.
I agree with your thoughts in that we now have options and can change it around somewhat.
What Holte said Spot on.
I’m pissed off after that game we better team 1st half and Chelsea only came into it after that Ming’s howler,I agree he should be dropped to the bench give him something to think about and bring in hause, also maybe keep the 3at the back as can always change it up if necessary.
What pissed me off most was Martinez not able to play but Silva was and how many times did he block the ball from going in I reckon he was their best player at the back.
And I think Martinez would have saved the goals he would have be out quickly for mings back pass.
But at least we looked like it’s coming together slowly
Havent seen any of the match/highlights but was the Atwell performance on par with the Friend one at the same stadium ?
Also from what I have read on forums Ramsey took a card as it would have been 4 on 2…….but i hate it when we keep pulling shirts and laying arms on them so they can cry to the ref all the time…..
Overall some great comments on here and in the forums….just Mings getting some shit.
He didn’t tug his shirt or lay his arms on . Well he did if that’s what you call grabbing hold of his arm with both hands, which is what he did.
It was blatant and left the ref no option but to book him.
Really good performance from us. 3-0 wasn’t an unexpected scoreline but the manner of it was. First goal Ramsey had to let Kovacic past as he was already on a yellow. The resulting space helped the pass to Lukaku but Tuanzebe got himself in a muddle. Maybe a bit rusty? Second was a howler and third Targett was caught upfield and Mings came across to cover and tried to show the player outside but was done too easily.
All probably avoidable but let’s not get too down. Chelsea are a very good side and we caused them plenty of problems. I’m not too sure about the formation or team going forward as we have quite a few options when everyone is available.
Ref was pants.
Badger123 WARRIOR here you me and Graeme Sourness all watched the same game Mings cost us the game and his body language spoke volumes take the armband from him and give it to John Mcginn a proper Captain and sell mings in January as you can tell I also don’t like him at all I thought Stuart Attwell would have been better in a blue strip instead of black one UTV VTID WARRIOR
To be honest, I was a bit surprised McGinn didn’t get the armband.
I wonder if it was about trying to boost Mings’ confidence?
I think he does the most mental damage to himself when he messes up like that.
Someone with his mental frailty is not the best choice for me, but Smith’s the manager and he must see plenty of positives in him.
WARRIOR. Here I like all the comments on yesterday match and I reckon MINGS should be sent back to answering the phone in the estate agents because he shouldn’t be playing for us he’s crap and useless and only looks good if our other defence players carry him and he struts around shouting sorry for ranting but I don’t like Mings. UTV VTID WARRIORR
The only positive I see in Ming in his ability to arbitrate in any confrontation on the pitch, he does make my heart skip a beat ever time hes closed down. i honestly think he needs to wake up that hes not the bees knees in defences. Yes we was the better team in the first half but we lost it with stupid bad luck , we could have been in front but their goalkeeper had a brilliant bit of luck and we didn’t, as for the referee words fail me he was equivalent in being a parks amateur second rate stand in refereeing twat. Sorry for that.
If any more proof were needed about Mings, which I have been at pains many times to point out, then here is a Stat that I was informed of today.
Since Villa came back in to the Premier League, no player,of any team, has made more mistakes than Mings. I would wager that a large percentage of those cock-ups were down to pure and simple laziness and complacency, just because he is an England squad member. I would also put money on the fact that the majority of those mistakes has led to an opposition goal.
I firmly agree that he should not be captain. I also believe, as I have previously said, that he should be dropped. We can cope perfectly okay without him.
A perfect example being last season’s home game versus Crystal Palace.
He got booked and then, minutes later, he decided to do what he regularly does, and that was try to be the ‘ Big I am’ and wander in to Palace’s half.
Consequently he lost the ball, was out of position and tried, inevitably in vain, to chase Zaha. Having actually got close to the Palace winger, Mings unceremoniously, and stupidly, pulled Zaha back. A second yellow ensued and he even had the audacity to throw his arms up in disbelief at the Red card that followed. His body language seemed to be saying, to the referee, ” You can’t send me off. I play for England don’t you know ?”
Great example of a leader isn’t he ?
Low and behold, with the game goalless at that point, we went on to win 3-0, without ‘Emperor Mings’ Nothing more to say except, get rid in January.
Hmm, I thought I was massively in the minority wrt Mings, but it seems a few think similar to me and it’s not kneejerk reactions either.
What would he be worth, I wonder?
£40 million maybe?
Could we use that sort of money to get a younger replacement in and still have money left over? Would it lead to us improving the squad?
I think it’s all academic, because I don’t see Smith even thinking about selling him.
But it should be food for thought, because I certainly don’t think he’s going to improve or change now, hence his value is only going downwards.
SELL HIM SELL HIM SELL HIM Take what we can for him and cut an run. VTID. WARRIOR
Mark summed it up for me on Ming and if Smith chooses to ignores the attitude of Ming and his mistakes then fans will think the way I do on our goal of being a big club again. He’s dragging us down and its plain to see, I’m at a stage now of not bothered about if we do or don’t improve.
It’s like Badger said, there is no point in discussing whether Mings should be sold because Smith rates him highly enough to be captain. The biggest hope is he will eventually realise that you don’t get all the time in the world to dwell on the ball in the premier league. He did improve towards the end of last season, so hopefully the Chelsea game will be a wake up call although I’m not going to hold my breath.
WARRIOR, here I wonder how many Villans actually rate MINGS it would be good to know UTV VTID. WARRIOR
Warrior, I know quite a few Villa supporters who rate Mings highly. When he is on form he looks quality but he goes through spells of inconsistency where he gifts the opposition chances and it’s nearly always when he is complacent and lingers in possession. Personally if we could get £25m and sign another Mellberg or Laursen then I would let him go. If we are to move to the next level then I think we need improvements. I believe Cash and Konsa are good enough and hopefully Targett can recapture last season’s form. Mings will be one of Smith’s first names on the team sheet but his mistakes will prove costly and ultimately if we don’t improve on last season, then Smith might get his P45.
Holte, you say the right words I try but it doesn’t sound right but I love my Villa WARRIOR