Apologies for the late post – any earlier and it would probably have been one long rant anyway.
I do have concerns tonight.
Is Targett available after going off injured on Wednesday? He put in an exceptional performance in defence and it showed just how well he had played when Taylor came on. In fact Targett has consistently defended well in recent games.
McGinn will be missing having picked up his 5th red card and a mandatory one match ban but Trezeguet comes back into the squad which is good news.
There have been a lot of calls for Barry to be included on the bench and if we’re not going to acquire a striker in this window, then it might not be a bad call, if only for experience. The issue I feel though is that he’s not currently training with the first team squad so it seems unlikely.
So, assuming Targett is fit, I can’t see Smith fiddling with the team too much. Trezeguet may come in for Traore or even for McGinn although I suspect Smith might keep faith with Ramsey.
Smith will be watching from the stands having picked up a one match touchline ban for telling Moss what a crap ref he is. Strange world when you get punished for telling the truth. I loved Smith’s comment – I’ve heard him (Moss) called a lot worse!
So prediction – Newcastle are on a terrible run of form but have been missing two of their key players through Long Covid although Saint-Maxim could be back and will add an attacking threat. Villa have only one one of the last 14 meetings with Newcastle and that in the same fixture last year.
Newcastle will be cautious as is Bruce’s want and look to counter attack on the break – something we seem peculiarly vulnerable to at home.
If we’re on our game and not too badly affected after Wednesday night, fitness wise, then it’s a game we should be looking to win.
I just don’t believe we losing now, we should have changed Barkley earlier. He was backing out of tackling and Traore slowing down in pace, golden chance this game was what we needed a win.
And now we are 3-2 down! That’s Burnley for you. If anything we were too cocky and 2nd half Barkley and Traore stopped performing. Subs too late. Need to do respond to shifting balance rather than wait until we are losing. Not too despondent though as we clearly have some talent.
I can’t believe it. How did we lose that game!? Missed a big opportunity to push up tonight, such a shame. Teams have worked out Traore doesn’t defend and poor Cash has to do it all on his own. They seem to target our right side. Think its time Trez started on the right and give Traore a break. Think he makes us a more solid unit.
I agree that Trezeguet is a more solid player defensively but Traore is better going forward.
If ever there was a smash and grab game then that was it. We had plenty of opportunities to put the game to bed. I still think Mings is a weak link at times. Why does someone 6ft 5” not pick up Woods! Substitutions came too late. I think Barkley especially was running on fumes. I will take solace in the fact that we outclassed them! We will win more games than lose playing as well as we did today.
Disappointing result but I hope we have learned a lesson. It’s not enough to be better footballers. You need to win your battles. Burnley were a bit lucky wit the second equaliser but they made us pay for our overconfidence.
We can compete with the best but we need to fight against the Burnleys as well. 3 points we should have had.
I think Sanson would be good in this kind of game. Proper battler.
A tale of 2 keepers.
Poor Martinez, his two worst errors since he joined us, and in the match where the best English keeper had a blinder. The second and third Burnley goals should never have crept in, but I think Martinez was rattled by the first goal where he was blocked from claiming it. You wonder too if Villa’s homework on Burnley was up to scratch on their set pieces – I have seen that corner routine before.
As other said – at the other end Barkley and Traore had run out of steam after 70 minutes – Smith evidently does not rate his bench would could provide answers.
You can make all the excuses you like. Fact, before tonight Burnley had scored just 10 goals and only 5 at home.
We looked good but we were not clinical enough and handed Burnley this win with poor defending second half.
For all our much vaunted away record that’s four games away without a win and only one draw.
The evidence was there last game that Covid has affected our stamina and Smith should have made changes earlier in the second half as Barkley and Traore became invisible.
All the plaudits will go to Burnley and Dyche
Really pi**ed off.
Or you could say Burnley scored 3 last game so the potential was there. Stats mean nothing. We made two fundamental mistakes tonight. First and foremost we knew we were better players and thought that was enough. Second was not making changes when the initiative moved towards Burnley (we agree there).
Be pissed off but let’s hope the management and the players realise that overconfidence will give you this outcome.
Their 2nd equaliser was a fluke. Their 3rd was totally predictable because that’s what they do.
Still thought we were good enough for 3 points tonight. I’m sort of pissed off but feel we could have lost that game in the past and just been second best. Tonight we weren’t but it was the kind of defeat that happens all the time when you play inferior teams who can only play one way and work for 90mins to win the game whether they are the better team or not.
what a shocker lol
1st we played great first half and not bad second. burnley allowed villa too much first half and second they imposed their game more, their second equalizer was a cross. its unfortunate to lose this game. but it was lost more in the first half when we should have put ball into their net more than the one time we did
hopefully we are not gonna sulk cause we lost, if you fight long enough you will gain some scars. today we learned a valuable lesson. to finish off teams when your on top. also we had complete control first half and second half we lost that control and when you lose control you have to defend better.
tough to take the defeat grealish was again mr angry leaving the pitch not quite sure why, burnley didnt deserve to win but they scored more so win the game no arguments from me
here is a score to cheer you up manure losing to sheff utd 1 nil. never fear referee to rescue
As disappointed as we all are losing a game that we should have won easily, let’s enjoy watching an entertaining Villa team when we could be watching a Newcastle type team. We are making great strides and hopefully Morgan Sanson will hit the ground running. Also isn’t it great to have the most talented premier league player who is also a Villa fan!
I have said it before, Mings has become ‘ Billy Big Time’ since he got in to the England squad. Whilst he is undoubtedly talented, his regularly complacency often leads to our detriment. The goal that Welbeck scored for Brighton, trying to control the ball against Man. City. He even had the audacity to pull Zaha back in the game against Palace, having just been booked, and was gobsmacked when he received his marching orders.
I hold him responsible for the first and third goals tonight.
When Hause is fit, I think Smith should put Mings on the bench, to make him focus. It won’t happen of course. The jury is very much out with Barkley. Maybe Sanson signing from Marseille will sort that.
I would definitely have taken where we are now, if offered it, at the start of the season. It doesn’t stop me feeling disappointed tonight though.
Got last nights result out of my system. We play open attractive football and unlike last season we have a number of quality players who are capable of winning a game. JG has flourished with improved players around him too and is getting better and better. I still get pissed with commentators suggesting he should move. Last night the BT commentary team mentioned Grealish and Luiz as moving on to ‘better things’ Personally speaking this really riles me as they should just concentrate on the game and not play as agents for the ‘big 6’
Anyway after last night I conclude Turf Moor as my unhappy place!
i am still proud of the villa even after the defeat, first half was excellent performance, some of the passing and moving was first class, only for pope it would have been 3 or even 4 nil.
second half burnley improved their game and altered their tactics to meet villa in a end to end battle. they scored three goals from three on target that says it all. sometimes its just one of those nights or games when you know its not yours.
i think the second goal burnley scored was a good cross and ended up in the net, it turned the game on its head. burnley are as i said before the game a tough team to beat. had we taken our chances first half it would have been game over. it was a tough physical game and both teams were knackered at the end
also watching burnley waste the last ten minutes in the corners made me laugh, what a scalp villa have become, where a team will time waste for last ten plus the 4 minutes injury time. i havent seen any team head into the corners like that against us since ??? i cant recall any congratulations to them
i said grealish was angry again leaving pitch i couldnt quite see who it was aimed at. but today on twitter it was claimed grealish had words with ian woan a ex forest winger who was rubbish maybe he was gealish of grealish magnificent run from the touchline in front of the dug outs past all the defenders and only for pope to save a another certain goal and prevented goal of the season
jealous not grealish lol been a long day
manure losing to sheff utd cheered me up, also their fans showing themselves up
I feel like Badger does about football but I can’t let it beat me. I feel like lost a £20 note and found a penny. How the hell we lost that beyond me, im trying to look where, im blaming Traore not tracking back, then I’m saying Barkley for losing midfield and being half soaked in tackles and not getting back, Mings for not checking the tallest centre back on corners, Cash was over run so was Targett both had no cover and that’s how they beat us in my mind. My big worry is thinking Grealish might throw the towel in and take a big club that’s in the European cups, I know I worry too much but I love my club and I have to think Bill your no spring chicken we need to be back in Europe.
bill don’t look to blame, honestly sometimes you can play perfectly and lose. this team is playing brilliantly, sometimes its just not your night. not sure why badger has fallen out of love with football. it can not be cause of villa as we are producing some lovely stuff not seen in ages. movement under big Ron was excellent, but under smith we are just as good on the eye.
i honestly think the three games we returned we have improved with each game, burnley are flying right now, what they lack in skills they make up with all the other stuff. villa just got beaten by a very tough side who can run for days and they are strong physically too. the football we played in first half would have broken all the sides in premiership except burnley. they are the duracell of the premiership. instead of feeling sorry for themselves they played villa second half at our game. they didnt retreat they ploughed forwards and got their just deserves. well they were brave so they deserve something. they scored lucky goals too but thats football
another thing we will improve further cause players like manager will be head scratching. to fathom how we lost a game we had total control off
Totally agree Nath. Nobody qualified for real blame. Maybe two of the goals were a bit soft. But it is an absolute pleasure watching Villa at the moment. I have never seen a our team as destructive as this and some of the movement in the first half down the right was breathtaking. We are not half bad down the left either. Ollie does need to convert a few more because we do make so many chances. So many ex villa managers must be wondering why they couldn’t do what Smith is doing. Bill and Badger, you know better than to sulk.
Gerry, don’t think anyone is sulking nor denying we play some exciting football which is a joy to watch but we also need to be winning these games – add Brighton & West Ham and we’ve let slip a number of points.
Again would I take where we are now if offered at the opening of the season – too right I would.
But being satisfied with performances will not get us to the next level that we all want to see. Enjoy, give credit where it’s due but always strive for improvement.
Burnley’s second goal was a fluke but then again Cash allowed him time to put the ball across the box. The other two goals were poor defending given everyone knows how Burnley play.
Our two goals were class from open play taking Burnley’s defence apart; with better finishing we could and should have been 2 or 3 ahead at half time.
Last point – I think Smith failed to learn from the Newcastle game when we clearly tired in the second half. Failing to make earlier substitutions in the second half contributed to the defeat – doesn’t he trust the bench because he really does have to use it more strategically.
Should have added that Traore was less effective tracking back as he tired which contributed to the second goal – hence my point about using substitutes.
I think the biggest issue with Smith is resting players when we all can see the likes of Barkley and Traore flagging. He should be able to trust the bench. El Ghazi and Trezeguet have proven more than capable and Nakamba was excellent against Newcastle. I also think McGinn looks a little below his usual high standards recently. The most controversial player is Mings. It seems a lot of fans believe he has got to laid back in his play. I wonder if Burnley would have scored those 2 headers if Hause was fit and playing. He is undoubtedly the best we have for heading the ball. Mings on the other hand is vocal and a leader on the pitch.
As for tomorrow I don’t expect any changes unless Trezeguet comes in for Traore to help out Cash. We will do well to get a point based on our previous record against the saints.
i thought mcgin had a decent game against burnley, thou he has been off colour since returning from bad injury. mings i don’t think deserves the criticism, again he had a decent game at burnley. the goals we conceded were poor but it was hard to blame mings. corner was the way we defend um we use blockers and they both went to sleep allowing their centre backs free runs. the cross which went straight in was a fluke. the cross and wood header he peeled off our defenders and out jumped target. but he was going away from goal and that header was sublime.
i do however agree we have a problem down the right WITHOUT the ball. traore has improved his game and settled in well, scored 4 or 5 lately but without the ball he needs a lot more work. but to say he doesnt track back is wrong he does but its not his game or his strength
first off i didn’t claim anyone was sulking, i was just replying to bill who also wasn’t sulking he was expressing how he was feeling. he also wasn’t blaming anyone he was asking whether he should be blaming. basically after the game i went through every emotion you could think off. my overwhelming feeling was one of sickness to the pit of my stomach. like bill was questioning how the hell we lost that. also i never sulk myself just ask my misses well forget that.
also badger i expect has real life tasks to work on and maybe he is pissed at the games rules who constantly keep getting it wrong, but i can not intelligently speak for others just guessing. i know the game gets me down not villa. the club chose me and without it i would be bored.
so villa under smith is ticking my boxes. i just hope us fans appreciate these players are giving their best. look at the progression we made in such a short period. if we were just to finish top ten that would be brilliant. it is possible that we could gate crash into the top 6 who knows that is half the fun innit the journey. main thing is we enjoy sit back and like giddy says crack open a can or two