When the game started, I wondered what was going on, as it became immediately apparent that the three centre backs were pretty much holding each other’s hands, while the wingbacks seemed to take their normal positions.
Even though we’re normally quite narrow for the most part, it was just something that immediately hit me and something I’d never noticed before.
I don’t profess to be a master tactician and I don’t really study our positioning etc, but it seemed that as the game went on it was a specific tactic in going out of our way in stopping the Man City attack coming straight down the middle, something they always do to great effect.
I’d appreciate your comments on that, if indeed there’s anything to talk about there, but to me, it just seemed different. Something that seemed at odds with the way Lambert normally sets us up.
Back to my usual generalities then and didn’t we look poor for the first twenty minutes or so?
It was totally backs to the wall stuff and I believe possession at one stage was down to 22 or 23%.
Exactly what I didn’t want to see from a side that had nothing to lose.
But, even though City had chances, the defence held out and then around the 30-40 minute period, we actually had the audacity to outplay the Champions-elect on their own turf.
“I knew we should have gone at them” I was saying to myself.
But City’s class brought them back into it and both teams went in 0-0 at half time.
What was pretty much a siege continued and it was pretty obvious we’d concede eventually.
When we did, our heads dropped somewhat, as you’d expect.
But the lads didn’t give up and indeed came back with some play of their own.
A few minutes later, it was 2-0 and then with the pressure off City, there was only way things were going to go.
Not that we deserved to lose 4-0, after holding out so well for an hour.
The gulf in class was there for all to see tonight.
But do you know something?
I was actually proud of that performance.
Ok, it wasn’t the out and out entertainment I wanted, but I felt they tried their hearts out and you can’t ask more than that.
At least we didn’t totally roll over from the off (McLeish anybody?) and we put up a fight, that earned a ten out of ten award for effort from me.
But then, I’m not totally happy.
I don’t want to see a Villa team play like that.
It’s just that we aren’t good enough to have realistically done anything different, are we?
Let’s hope that changes next season.
I actually felt claustrophobic watching us play last night! We need to stop being so negative. Why not leave two up top and then an attacking mid in the center when we have to defend and saying bollocks to it, we have a much better chance of scoring then when we win the ball back as we have more players in attacking positions, that’s obvious. Yes we are more at risk of conceding a goal too but swings and roundabouts it’s better to go out with the outlook of trying to score 1 or two and maybe conceding than defend for dear lives and hope we win 1-0 every game.
So we win on Saturday and many people back up and say give Lambert until Christmas, lose last night and he’s back to being shit and has to go now. Yes we played very defensively last night, but at half time pundits and fans alike said how well we had done. It was obvious if they got one early in the second half they’d get more but I personally don’t feel 4-0 was a fair reflection on the game.
More importantly, face facts for McGraths sake – our starting 11 last night cost less than the transfer fee we received for James Milner! And the weekly wage for that 11 adds up to less than Toure alone earns. The leagues moved on and now Lerner needs to. Lambert’s done everything asked of him by Lerner and kept us up, for that I feel if money is available he should get 6 months to see what he can do with it.
UTV
Rubbish!! Lambert is tactically clueless and totally out of his depth.
McLeish did what was asked of him, ie keep the team in the division, and was sacked rightly so after 1 season. The results this idiot has had, I just don’t know how he or the club have survived.
Lambert is a shocking manager and is totally out of his depth.
All this ‘give him 6 months and then see where we are’ talk is a joke.
The difference between Mcliesh and Lambert is that Mcleish knew what he was doing and Lambert doesn’t.
Both are terrible to watch.
Right the wrong now fuck this give him another six months bollox.I couldn’t take it.
HI ALL JUST PUT NEW POST UP
How is it rubbish? Eck had the bomb squad to choose from, better players on huuuuge wages. Lerner obviously saw he weren’t capable of having a tight budget, plus never had the bollox to tell certain players they aint ever playing again!! Lambert did. He almost had to buy a complete squad, totalling around £40m (Nothing for 15 players) while only allowed to pay them peanuts. His job being to keep us up. Well played Lambert.
While his tactics have been questionable (if you can do better with this lot – fair play) he has completed the task Lerner set……and NOBODY can say he is going to be shit with loads of money available……because the proof isn’t there…..yet.
JAYMO83….your talking far too much sense mate….you will be getting a lifetime ban from the Randolph Lerner apologist…AKA…..oohah…he’s the bloke that didnt even know we played Hull AT HOME last Saturday and thinks we didnt defend well up until the first goal….he his of course right on both counts…he has got to be right as he us clearly the only one whis knows what he’s talking about.
HI ALL JUST PUT NEW POST UP
Its a real shame your back on here.
Your comments are as idiotic as Lamberts!
Langford what are you like, its nearly the end of season ,poor Oohah he needs a break. Oohah stop butting in we know we have a new post.
Jaymo83 that don’t hide the fact of poor decisive positional play in the team, How obvious does it have to show he is not able to work things out on the pitch. He’s not for Villa park as a so called manager, OK he took on a job that nearly put us in a lower league 3 times, out of competitions by lower team and humiliation to us fans ,sorry not my kind of man for my team. He has to go and now.
HI ALL JUST PUT NEW POST UP
I agree Bill fuck him off mate.
Lambert has now come out and said that he achieved his objective of keeping us in the premier league. So the truth is to stay in Prem is all we aspire to.
Maybe the club should tell us what their objectives are for next season as a pre-requisite to selling season tickets.
HI ALL JUST PUT NEW POST UP
I didn’t see the first half last night, returned my ticket when it moved from the Saturday and have a regular commitment on a Wednesday.
I was frankly gobsmacked that it was 0-0 with an hour gone.
I got into the pub just as they scored, and then scored again. Weimann should have done better with his header, that may have made it interesting.
As for Ya Ya Toure’s goal, that was just sublime, a treat to see even if it was against us.
Those screaming that it was shocking tactics, would have been even more incensed if we’d gone with three up front, lost 10-0 and brought derision from the media.
To many, the current set up are dead men walking, and only a billionaire sugar daddy will do.
I wish you well and hope your dreams come true, just can’t see it personally.