Well, we didn’t totally embarrass ourselves, but that was frankly rubbish wasn’t it?
The first half, I couldn’t understand what we were trying to do, as it seemed we were trying to play for a draw, which wouldn’t have suited us at all.
I think both sides created one chance each, which says it all, as we parked the bus and it made for incredibly tedious watching.
It seems both managers thought the same and the second half was totally different and the pace was immediately stepped up, meaning we had much more of what I was expecting in a cup tie.
The trouble is, as soon as the pace moved up a gear, so our deficiencies showed and Spurs were always more likely to score.
You don’t need me to tell you we lack creativity and I’m afraid Grealish, who should be having the same sort of laugh he has on his nights out at this level, doesn’t do enough for me. Perhaps I’m being unfair there, but we know he has more skill in his little finger than most Championship players. We just too rarely see it in my opinion.
I’m being critical, but you really have to remember that Spurs made nine changes for this game. Yes, Nine.
This was basically their second string and I’m afraid I find that very worrying, as they were easily the better side overall.
That said, there were plus points.
Tshibola worked hard and surely demonstrated that he’s way better than Westwood or Gardner as it stands.
And Johnstone looks way better in goal than any other option we have.
I immediately felt he positions himself better, not that I’m any expert when it comes to goal-keeping.
Once Spurs got the inevitable goal, Bruce bought Green and Davies on, which seems to demonstrate that he’s willing to look at the kids and that’s surely a good thing.
But the reality is the opposition were mostly at the same level, so it’s not a real test.
Baker seemed to twist his back or something, which is a concern, as we can’t afford to have him out.
I don’t know, perhaps you’ll think I’m being far too negative in my assessment.
But I can’t get away from their nine changes, where we played our strongest side.
Any incoming players can’t arrive fast enough, I’d say.
Comments
155 responses to “Spurs 2 – 0 Villa; Good and bad”
Poor, is the overall view and we should have taken it to them, as we need to learn how to bloody score!
I agree with every single word of that, which saddens me. The sooner Bruce can make his personnel changes, the better we’ll be. And he’s made a great start with Johnstone. He didn’t look out of place today and was easily our best player.
Why are some kicking out at Grealish, ? Bigger problems on that pitch, start with Obonglahor, In fact 6 other players that didn’t show any skills, wait till we get a decent midfielders then take a pop at a kid that will fit into Bruce’s way of playing.okay we all knew we would not get through, but by neck a better goalkeeper, and solid defending. Give it time.
Because he was rubbish, Bill.
When was the last time he stepped up and grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck?
Ok, he scored a great goal a few weeks back, that won the game. But he’s nowhere near as good as is made out, imo.
He ought to be head and shoulders better at this sort of level, but never imposes himself.
In fairness, our midfield is so, so poor overall, that that might explain it and he could be a world beater with better players around him.
Veretout is a classic example of that.
And I’m not sure why you’re picking on Gabby, while it comes to it.
I’ve been one of his biggest detractors, but our strikers just don’t get any service, which is why we never look like scoring from open play.
As I’ve consistently said, two mids as an absolute minimum, imo.
And it’s way more important than any other area.
We could have any top striker you care to name, but if you don’t get the ball where it matters, they’ll never score.
Bill i know Grealish is young, but in my opinon he thinks he is a super star and far from it and does himself no favours the way he presents himself on the field.
Now i am going to get my helmet and flackjacket. LoL
I’ve beaten you too it Dave 🙂
Have said before that surely Grealish would be able to get the ball and have a bit of space around him instead of only having a few feet before 2 are on him if some better players around to draw the markers….he can then run at space and have an effect on the game.
Yes, fair comment, Vad3.
If he’s being doubled, that should be creating space for someone else.
But we don’t have enough about us to take advantage.
Again, two better mids is the biggest requirement, by a country mile, imo.
In fact, that’s where I’d really push the boat out when it comes to spending.
Your wrong Badger and Dave, he’s playing in a team of no hopefuls, give him players that can play you would see a different player, at the moment he’s a kicking butt for fans that want to kick out, in time you will eat them words, I know he’s had media attention by being like we all was at that age. But their worse in that team ,
Mccormack can’t take free kicks, I’m starting to think what can he do??
He can play off a striker who’s getting balls that get knocked down.
And he can create his own, if the ball gets in the box.
Which is why he looks crap for us, imo.
We just don’t get the ball where it hurts, often enough.
And never will, with the midfield we have.
A minimum two mids and preferably three, with the expectation that one won’t work out, is what I want.
Am I getting boring yet?
Probably 🙁
Waste of time us turning up. i would much rather we played a couple of younger players from the start and have a go. It looked to me we just were trying not to be embarrassed. Against such a weakened Spurs team that’s not enough for me.
I’ll wait to see what Bruce does in Jan, plus the summer, but I’m not feeling very optimistic
good sensible post
why start gabby everyone knows what he does fuck all
should started green davis told its their chance who knows couldn t be any worse than bacuna gabby
6 defendefs in first half ,2 nd half they spurs take off striker we still have 6 defenders but none of them marking deli ali,even gabby was back defending when not a chance in hell he could get up the field if we broke
Totally agree JVillan. I just find it frustrating. I would sooner lose 5-2 having a crack, and a lot of press felt the opportunity would be there for us. I don’t really get the damage limitation approach to a cup game. What did we get out of the game? Absolutely nothing except avoid embarrassment – if you discount other fans taking the pi$$ because we didn’t really attempt to win the game. 15 mins at the end for a couple of youngsters plus McCormack? Nowhere near enough.
Since Paul Lambert lost his nerve (after we went from relegation certs to safety by having a go at each game) we have had a succession of cautious managers who have all failed. Bruce will go the same way if he takes the same approach – either because we don’t progress as a club, or just as likely that the fans turn against him after negative performances.
Take Cardiff as an example. A poor club, with players I refuse to believe are better than ours, yet we just rolled over. I’m not saying we are a great club but we should be up to taking the game to them.
Rant over.
There is something in that.
Fulham managed to beat them, after all.
I’m not fully despondent yet though 🙂
This is the problem DS do you seriously think if we had a go we would score 2 goals to their 5? How many times this season have we scored more than 1 goal and that’s in the championship. If we had played open football we would of got hammered end off. Spurs team out today were at best a top 6 championship side and became a mid table prem team when Ali came on. Yet they were miles better than us and if were still playing now we still wouldn’t have scored. Unless we get a brand new midfield we can forget top 6 this is a big test this month to see what Dr Xs ambitions really are. Bruce should not have played Baker today either he should of put Elphnick on why risk your best injury prone centre half in a game you’ve absolutely no chance of winning. As for Grealish the only game IV ever seen him play consistently well in was Liverpool in Semi final and possibly Leicester away last season. Why Badger has high expectations of a kid who has only had 2 good games in 2 years for us is beyond me. Yes he’s skillfull but that means nothing without the right mind set attitude etc. He was totally outshone by Weeks who I didn’t particularly rate either even though the London media mafia were having a hand fest over him!
You don’t score goals with Gabby as a lone striker,and a team that doesn’t get forward in numbers or press the opposition. Player for player we should be able to play better. Grealish is a massive disappointment
Bill, I do think there’s a good player in there.
But the best drag it out and make it happen.
I’ve not seen a sign of that today, which is what I’m basing my comments on.
We’ll have to agree to disagree mate 🙂
Fwiw, I really hope you’re proved right.
I think we need to be honest here. We are a club that has been systematically destroyed by Lerner over the last five years. Many of the players involved over that period are either in the team or around the club. Expecting significant change in 20 games is completely unrealistic.
Spurs are light years ahead of us in terms of their squad and player development and many on here we’re dreading a complete demolition job. Expecting Villa to go to Spurs and play expansive football is just silly – SB set up the team as best he could with the resources available and if he’d managed to earn a 0 – 0 draw I suspect many would have been happy.
Plus points – well oganised in defence, new goalie looks like an improvement and good energy levels, tshibola must get a run of starts and putting the kids on when we went a goal down which shows an honest assessment by Bruce.
Negatives – lack of creativity in midfield, poor decision making in possession – Grealish not the only player guilty of dwelling on the ball and playing Agbonlahor!
Apologies for the long winded post
what about derby millwall wins plymouths lincoln draws and preston performance last night none of them are in same leagues as teams playing but if you set up to fail only going be one result
So what JV – Good luck to them
“Spurs are light years ahead of us in terms of their squad and player development”
Absolutely agreed Hitch.
And when you put it like that, it puts it in some perspective and shows how poor Lerner was for us.
To think we were at least equal to Spurs a few years back 🙁
Fwiw, I wouldn’t have been happy with the draw, as it’s the last thing we need in this league.
Which is why I couldn’t understand the first half tactics.
In fairness, we did step it up to try and match Spurs in the second half.
And were found badly wanting.
Which makes this window all the more important, imo.
We need the right players in sharpish.
And we’ve supposedly improved our scouting network, with Round at the helm.
Now perhaps, we’ll see how good they actually are.
Have you ever noticed we never seem to find any diamonds?
No Hitch, no need to apologise spot on, we knew we wouldn’t win to be honest, what you said is correct, Ok Badger its we agree to disagree, there is a player in him and as I’ve said time will tell.but let’s knock far worse players we have, i.e. Abonglahor, Why the he’ll does he think he’s worth sending out? got to be contractual reason no other for me. He’s shite, and never get better, pay him off.
Bill, don’t get me wrong, I agree.
Gabby’s finished, simple as.
He’s done nothing for far too long and is yesterday’s man.
But who else would you realistically put in there?
McCormack is even worse leading the line.
And I’m sorry, but our kids are frankly over-rated and are just not good enough to step up, imo.
At least not in the environment as it stands, that is.
As much as it galls me to say it, a team full of kids today would have got murdered even more.
The point still remains that for me, today should be an eye-opener, as if we can’t compete with Spur’s second string, we’re in trouble and won’t have a prayer if we were to get promoted.
I hope Xia’s pockets are as deep as he has made out, as he’s going to need long arms too.
We were crap. Ultra defensive first half then when we decided to ‘go for it’ Spurs ‘B’ side ripped us open with ease. Thank god for the keeper!!
As for Grealish, somebody so 1 footed will always try to go one way, thus why players in both leagues are now finding it easy against him. If he were to reach his full potential he needs a move to a much better club with much better coaches.
Unless we get in some talent going forward I can not see us scoring in next few games.
Stan Collymore has taken a cheeky swipe at Danny Murphy for his comments criticising the atmosphere at Villa Park.
Earlier this season Murphy annoyed the claret and blue faithful by claiming Aston Villa were not a big club and that the stadium was dull.
Murphy is the BBC’s co-commentator for the FA Cup tie between Tottenham Hotstpur and Villa today.
And when the attendance was announced as 31,182, Collymore took to Twitter to have a lighthearted pop at former Spurs midfielder Murphy.
The ex-Villa striker tweeted: “10 thousand less than Villa v Burton then. Yet Danny Murphy promised they always sell out and Villa aren’t a big club. Hmmm.” Love him or hate him he’s Villa,
There’s no denying Spurs’ support was shit for most of the game.
bruce praises gabby after good performance verses spurs,mirror report
it just keeps getting better and better as a villa fan
watched the match gabby contributed nothing ,one half chance but slower than a snail on treacle
What we’re also witnessing is the failure of RDM to recognise the real problems with the team whilst wasting a good chunk of Dr. T’s money – hard lesson learned and Bruce has hinted as much.
Let’s see what Bruce does over the next three weeks or so but I hope he will prioritise the real problems which do not start with our RB.
The one area I believe every poster agrees on is the lack of quality in midfield and we should be looking to get at least two new quality players in this area. We also need a mobile battering ram up the middle striker – don’t laugh but I would take David Nugent over Rhodes.
Finally a question – is Bruce bigging up Gabby with the desperate hope someone will actually take him off our hands! 🙂
@H60
Agree with you on Nugent v Rhodes. However what’s happened to Abel Hernandez? Scored lots of goals in the Championship and a big, strong CF.
However you can argue about strikers but it’s mid-field that is going to decide where we end up this season. Glad Tshibola had a decent game but I’d imagine he’d be mainly cover for a while. We need a minimum of two decent mid-fielders, perhaps Lansbury might be one, and the other?
Not totally sure myself but I would like to see Brady in a Villa shirt.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
hernaandez
20 goals in 39 championship matches
5 goals in 36 pleague matches
one season wonder like so many
20 goals in 39 Championship matches is the bit that interests me
In fairness to Abel he was never a goal scorer. He scored 14 for Palermo is Serie B but the most he ever scored for them in Serie A was 7. He also didn’t start every game, averages a goal every 400 minutes of 4 1/2 games in the Premier League. But his 21 goals in 42 championship games, 37 being starts and averaging 1 every game and a half or so if we’re counting minutes is big. I’d honestly take both of Hull’s front two men (Mnokani too, he’s a beast) and Snodgrass and we’d be golden. Hull are just awful.
We need more than 2 midfielders. What if one or 2 were injured or suspended then were bk to square one. Jedinek is the only half decent midfielder we have that’s it there is no one else. So 2 midfielders will bring us up to 3 half decent ones. We need at least 2 more quality midfielders in the summer.
Which you’d assume is likely. Xia’s going to allow Bruce his way and his signings and if that means 20 players go and 20 new ones come in, Xia will sign off on that. Be interesting to see what Bruce can do with real money,
if you put hutton in barcelona team he would still be shite ,if there is a hole in a bucket it will always let water out same as hutton playing football,he is that bad spurs didnt bother closing him down all they had to do was wait he would pass the ball to them,as for his crossing even devil is safe when hutton crosses
David Nugent? His record is similar to Rhodes.For Bruce’s style he’d probably work, though heard the only Championship side he’d play for is Preston.
If we’re sticking to strikers who have Championship experience (who knows why though as homegrown players tend to be awful, McCormack…) why not chance it with Ulloa? He gets goals and is great in the box. Gotta be annoyed he’s not even starting for a team struggling.
Have to give SB credit for being direct. He apparently asked Dele Alli if he wanted to come and play for the Villa.
Dele replied ‘Some day, Steve I’d love too.’ What a great reply, the more I hear about Alli the more I like him. Seems to take his football very seriously, Jack please take note.
Hitch just read your last post, what your said about Agbonglahor looks that way, I cannot see for the life of me why he’s sticking with him.Badger asked who should you play up front? Any available young wanting Villa youth is my answer.that has to be a improvement.
villa lack 2 maybe 3 decent midfielders, one being a left winger type, one being forward thinking midfielder another just a regular all-rounder midfielder. we lack creativity. we have no platform to create anything for the attackers. this problem has been there since selling young downing and milner. these three creative players were never replaced. we all know this problem,. another attacker wouldnt make much difference if they cant create their own chances like kodjia.
Whole heartedly agree Nath, a big hole in Villa when Villa was on a cut back with players wages, and started looking for cheap up and coming youngsters, that when it went tits up.
totally agree. lerner and his stupidity.
i agree with hitch lets wait to see what bruce actually does. hes seems to be hunting for the right players. this lansbury seems to score goals from midfield in a crap forest team. but like oohahah said we need a few midfielders. depth and quality our midfield lacks oh and as we all know creativity also
Pat Murphy tweeting on Lansbury –
‘Seems there’s no need for @AVFCOfficial to increase their bid of £3m this month because they believe Lansbury won’t go elsewhere’
Seems that Watford are sort of interested but won’t pay the wages.
Hope Pat’s right.
Hope it’s not dragged out we need midfield reinforcements now
Giddy we could do with him in for the Wolves game on Saturday. They’re on a high after beating Stoke in the cup so we’ll need all the help we can get.
Hope SB plays Tshibola too.He didn’t have a bad game against Spurs.
lamberts revenge day
It’s not just creativity we lack but a commanding mid field player that makes well timed late runs into the box which I see Lansbury as. Agreed on two more, one central ‘foot on the ball type’ and a left sided player.
Grealish consistently plays well for England with better players around him so hoping he responds when he gets more help on the pitch. It’s too easy for teams to pick out our limited strengths and mark them out of the game.
See Nugent is going to Derby for £2m – possibly not a bad bit of business for the money
Sky Sports saying Middlesbrough are willing to let Downing leave, seems some fans would love to him back. Falls into the same category as Delph for me, don’t think there’s much credibility to such a move and not sure I’d want him back anyway.
As for targets, interesting to hear Bruce say there’s “4 or 5 actively moving along” after the match yesterday. If his first signing is anything to go by, we could be in for a good window. Our first one in years where the manager and his team seem to have actually done their homework on targets for areas which we really do need strengthening.
Hope you’re right
Well I did read yesterday Bruce has targeted 40 midfielders. ?
40???? Lol 😁 I know the midfield needs bolstering
While everybody is riding their usual hobby horses, I am not going to abandon mine – which is “You build teams from the back.”
So I was delighted to see our new goalie! Anybody who comes as a young GK to Manure and stays on their books has to be exceptional, United have such a wide choice. I was impressed with his performance, he could do nothing about either goal except make a guess before the ball was headed/kicked and get lucky.
The game turned on Baker’s jarring injury, he isn’t quick at the best of times and that slowed him. Villa’s defence lacks reinforcements and a replacement for Hutton.
Because teams are built from the back and the midfield is still crap, I think its is not worth criticising the forwards for not creating. If they are still as bad when they do have a good midfield behind them, then we can let rip. Gabby however is not going to improve. He does not know what to do when a defender is blocking a shot at goal except hit the ball and hope it misses the defender but not the target.
OLL agree with pretty much all of that – strange how Baker has gone from Villan to hero but It’s good to see one of our younger players coming through the ranks.
Whilst I agree we do need to improve our RB I don’t think it’s an absolute priority in this window over improving the mid field.
Johnstone looked the real deal on Sunday – here’s hoping.
Giddy – latest transfer rumours – Bruce to swop McCormack for Brady which is just possible assuming Brady is prepared to stay in the Championship. Bidding for Barnsley’s 19 year old RB – James Bree (£4m suggested) but that’s according to the Sun!
Also more legs on Bruce in for Downing on loan.
If that swop were to happen expect us to go for another striker.
Giddy, you beat me to it 🙂
Oops, Hitch, I mean.
I beat you to what???
I see it now 😀
Nothing mate, my mistake.
A couple of interesting reports, but they’re from the Sun.
Reminds me of the MON days all over again, when you look at the wages.
I hope it doesn’t blow up in our faces, but my opinion is you have to push the boat out and pay stupid money to make them come;
“Aston Villa have lodged a “quick” bid for Norwich left-sided flyer Robbie Brady, according to a report.
The Sun claim the cash-rich Championship club have offered striker Ross Ross McCormack as a straight swap for Republic of Ireland international Brady.
It is said that Villa have proposed the one-on-one exchange as manager Steve Bruce steps up plans to strengthen his squad this week.
The Sun report that Villa are ready to tempt Brady with a £50,000-a-week contract offer to prise him away from Carrow Road.”
and;
“Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce is ready to offer £4million to Barnsley for defender James Bree, according to a report.
The Sun claims that Bruce wants to purchase the 19-year-old and place him straight into his side as he plans an overhaul at the Midlands giants.
It is reported that that the young right-back has been watched by top Premier League sides, but Villa are optimistic about their chances with the first serious cash offer.”
It definitely seems Bruce isn’t too keen on McCormack, doesn’t it?
Remember I suggested it before the Mirror and it seemed a daft idea?
Very surprised I was right, tbh, as I thought the amount we paid for him would prove a barrier to selling.
I now suspect Bruce will take a scalping on him, as long as he can get a replacement.
I can see Norwich playing hardball