Well, that’s just typical of football, isn’t it?
We all praise Heaton as possibly the bargain signing of the season and then he gives away a penalty in the first minute.
That’s just typical Villa and I certainly won’t hold it against him, as he also made a couple of very decent saves, which I’m sure he’ll continue to do this season.
Things were then compounded by Luiz leaving a ball to run, that just gave it to them, to cost us another goal.
I won’t hold that against him either, as he attoned with a lovely strike later on to pull one back for us.
So what happened?
Well, I thought we looked nervy from the start and appeared to be a side very much getting to know each other.
The good here is that I think we got better as the game went on, even though I couldn’t see us getting anything out of the game after going two goals down so early.
What was bad?
We gave the ball away, far too often and far too cheaply, is the simple answer.
We really need to sort this once and for all, as it’s been an ongoing problem for a long time.
You can argue that that’s what you get if you try and play a fast paced game, but the fact is the better sides manage to pass more accurately.
Apart from that, I can’t think of a player who I would particularly want to moan at.
Even Taylor, who I often picked out as a liability a good while back did a reasonable job.
More importantly, what was good?
Well, we improved as the game went on, I thought, but to be honest, Bournemouth didn’t need to work so hard, so perhaps they just made us look better? Discuss.
McGinn did his usual stuff and even though he was on the losing side, continues to look like a £50 mill player. There was one particularly nice strike from long range that their keeper did well to tip over.
Trezeguet impressed me and I think he definitely has the makings. He works well and cuts inside, offering us various options.
Despite his early clanger, Luiz also looks decent to me. He seems to read the game well and has an eye for a pass. I could easily see him bossing games at Championship level as it is and think he has the abilty to step up in the Premier league.
And Wesley looks to have the makings of a decent attacker.
He demonstrated the required physicality today and set up Trezuguet for a chance.
Note I said attacker as opposed to striker though.
My feeling is that he holds the ball up well and will contribute, but will not prove prolific.
I think he needs a poacher to play off him, which is where I’ll bet Smith is kicking himself for not getting one in, for whatever reason.
So there are things to be encouraged about, but the fact is it’s all about results and we didn’t get one against a team that we think will be in a similar place in the league, at home.
I’ve already said that I don’t have massive expectations this season and I’ll be looking more at the lower end of the league.
Where it’s interesting to note that Norwich beat Newcastle 3-1.
Comments
51 responses to “Villa 1 – 2 Bournemouth; good and bad”
Everton on Friday night at VP is next.
Hmm.
Way to lightweight up front its a worry for me against a team who were pathetic away crom home last season and conceded a lot on their trvels but trying to stay positive sorry for the negativity
Cant help but reflect that maupay would have been a half de ent signing would play well off wesley slipped up there
I see us moving to 2 up front, as we lack in attack, imo.
But Davis strikes me as too similar to Wesley, which is why we need to keep Kodjia, imo.
If Kodjia is sold, someone should call 999.
Sorry guys but can’t see us getting anything from Everton on Friday.
The reality is that we are lacking up front and, although I think, on the whole, we did well in the transfer window we should have gone all out to get a nailed on striker – we didn’t and so see us having to pay out a significant sum in January.
Now maybe you think I’m over reacting after just 2 games but I don’t think so – if you look at the game stats then you can argue positively that we created a sh*t load of chances but for me it screams lack of striker.
Totally agree, Hitch. Got my tickets for Friday and must admit, I’m not particularly looking forward to it. If Sturridge is still available, I really don’t see why he is a bad option. He is a natural goalscorer who can deal with the pressure of playing for Villa and has as much PL know-how as anybody around. He is a natural finisher. Why not give him a rolling contract? Before someone mentions his wages, anyone who can score goals consistently in the PL is worth whatever he wants. Because you’ll lose a shite-side more if you get relegated again! If we’re in a relegation battle by Christmas, it will be too late, because who in their right mind joins a sinking ship?
As for Heaton and Luiz, they have to deal with playing at VP. Both errors were inexplicable. Heaton should have ‘cleaned everything out’, as they say – gone to ground and gathered the ball. He looked in two minds, which can only be pressure of expectation..
Surely, at least one of the new full-backs has to start on Friday. And how the F is Jota not in the team after his pre-season???
On the plus side, our goal-difference is only -3 (bangs head against wall repeatedly)…
I think we are all in agreement that we should have got a proven goalscorer. I don’t see an improvement on Davis as far as Wesley is concerned. He might improve but I don’t expect him to be on the scoresheet very often. We do have a midfield capable of goals but we can’t rely on them all the time. I commented pre season that we were lacking in players with premier league experience despite signing so many players.
Lack of physicality was mentioned after Spurs game and a number of times today I felt apart from the CB’s we were out muscled on occasions. Everton up next and I’m not expecting much, maybe a draw. Still early days though so I won’t get too depressed just yet.
I was one of the ones in the poll that said we would be beat mainly as I thought they would run us ragged in defence…..it didn’t happen like that really but we gave them everything they got and couldn’t get any breaks ourselves. Stats gave us double on all the positive things and they won the fouls and should have been even worse if not for the Ref….waiting to see if anything is mentioned on MOTD but there again with 10 they might have held on even easier.
We need to get more in around the penalty area else we will never get anywhere near enough goals this season.
Here’s a riddle / joke for us all to solve:
What’s the difference between an Amavi, a Veretout, a Gueye, a Traore, a Gestede and a Gilbert, a Luiz, a Nakamba, a Trezeguet, and a Wesley?
Just a thought.
I hope history isn’t repeating itself and the promotion euphoria hasn’t masked the fact that the players we’ve bought have come from weaker leagues and have zero PL nous (as Holte mentions). They will have to learn bloody quickly or we’ll be up Shit Street come autumn.
Ron, I don’t really get it. Amavi, Veretourt and Gueye are all good players now playing for good teams (Gueye at PSG now).. All easily good enough for the Prem and it wasn’t their fault that the rest of the team was sub-standard as was the management at the time.
If you’re saying that e.g. Guilbert is in the same bracket as Amavi then he’s going to be a good buy for us.
Anyway we’ve only played two games. Let’s see where we are after ten.
Only Gueye made it as a premier league player. Amavi and Veretout have done well abroad but failed in English league. Gestede was a championship player and let’s not forget Carlos Sanchez? Actually probably best to forget! From the current crop we have Heaton who is proven and Targett to a lesser point when he was back up at Southampton. Guilbert we can’t judge yet although I believe he has the attributes to do well. Engels I have been impressed with. Can’t fault CB’s for goals scored. Luiz despite his error knuckled down and became our best player. Trezeguet has had his moments and gets into good positions. Jota was good in pre season but not had any impact from bench as yet. Konsa is one for the future or the new James Bree. As for Wesley, I don’t want to be hard on him but I don’t see anywhere near a 20 goals per season forward. I doubt whether he will make double figures. His hold up play is okay but he had a few headed chances yesterday and in all honesty their keeper could have thrown his cap on them (if he had one that is) Unless Kodja stays and becomes our saviour which I have my reservations about, we will need to splash big cash in January but it might be to late to attract a top drawer forward by then. Maybe a punt on Sturridge now wouldn’t be a bad idea.
I worry that we approach Everton game knowing a defeat will raise early doubts about Smith and our recruitment. Confidence is a massive thing and every defeat will make it harder and harder for us to turn things round. We have insisted we aren’t this years Fulham and now we have to prove it.
Pretty much what I was trying to get across, Holte.
Pat, I really don’t want to be negative and maybe it is too early. A chap on an earlier post mentioned the need for our players to ‘recalibrate’ to the PL pace and standard. It was a nicely made point; my point is that they’re going to have to do it quickly or the season will become a relegation battle come autumn, which is what nobody wants!
It’s early doors and we need to build on the positives. Our first two matches back have seen Villa more than hold there own, only for self inflicted errors to allow the opposition to score. Eradication of basic mistakes will significantly improve our chances.
During this match we had 22 shots of which 7 were on target. On another day we could have scored 2 or 3 goals, normally enough to win a match. Remember, this is from a team getting to know each other. It will take time, but the signs are positive.
The equivalent of 1 win in 3 matches is all we need to remain in this league. I believe we will do it. Conversely, we will have many more days where we are beaten than the in last 3 years.
I believe that our combination of supportive owners, a Villa fan as manager, a Villa fan as captain and our attacking style of play will be successful.
two games is far too soon to panic. i mean we only played spuds who finished runners up in champions league and Bournemouth who thou maybe a small club, are established under a top manager who has a settled team and squad. which consists of top players.
villa played very nervy in first half, they did concede a penalty in first 40 seconds. not a start villa needed, but perfect for Bournemouth. maybe this added to the already nervy players and panic set in.
second half we relaxed and looked far better, there is a good side there. iam sure smith will get this squad up to speed, sooner rather than ltrs. we moved the ball well from one side to the other, wesley held up the ball and looked much stronger than against spuds.
where villa went wrong was obvious, handing the opposition the initiatives right at the start of the match. it made the players nervous and the crowd. villa are trying to play patient football under smith. but with the crowd getting anxious, demanding villa cross the ball when it wasn’t on. villa players refusing to cross and feed the ball back inside, looking for better openings.
finally this game was mostly influenced by the referee, Bournemouth had a helping hand by villa, who gave away silly mistakes to um. also the referee gave them massive helping hand, by refusing to send of a player number 29 billing ? i forgot his name. but he must have fouled about 4 or 5 times to get the first yellow. referee demonstrated pointing here and there and mostly everywhere. so that yellow was for persistent fouling. but no sooner the game restarted he crashed into another player, without any contact on the ball. not once but twice or three times after that yellow, this player did not reappear second half and Bournemouth still had the 11 which was a massive helping hand.
so i award the Bournemouth mom to akinson. for being their twelve man.
There is a consensus that we should sign Sturridge. The problems here are – it goes against Villa’s strategy, his wages and probably the length of contract he would want (that’s assuming he’d be interested).
Whilst he is a proven scorer in the prem, his recent injury history is poor and it says quite a lot (given the paucity of strikers available) that no prem team appears to have been interested.
On balance, if he’d come on a payment by game type contract then I think it would be worth a punt but otherwise we’re going to have to live with what we have.
A twist to Badger’s conspiracy – Villa are talking to Sturridge about a short term deal which is subject to offloading Kodjia!
And there was you thinking how daft I am, Hitch 🙂
Seriously, it wouldn’t surprise me if this happens, but I have reservations.
Is Sturridge still up to it or does he even want it anymore?
Strikes me as a decision that could be a masterstroke or a total disaster.
IF it actually happens.
We were very unlucky really. 2 sloppy mistakes in 10 minutes and we were punished. Our final ball was sloppy and ineffective. Need to start guilbert and targett on Friday. Where is guilbert??
Adam, ‘sloppy mistakes’ are common place in poor teams that get relegated. Managers of these teams go on about this all season – how their team play well but need to cut out the individual errors, and eventually, the team drops down a division, because, basically, the players weren’t good enough.These mistakes need to disappear sharpish otherwise it stops being ‘unlucky’ and basically shows that the players aren’t good enough. I’m not saying that this is the case -yet – but Grealish himself said in the post match interview that mistakes are punished at this level. His missed headed sitter is also an individual error btw.
well bbc coverage is piss poor. didn’t reflect the game at all. did highlight the mistakes thou. luis has not had preseason with villa. so it will be much harder for him to be a instant success. he did make mistakes including their second, second half performance was better as he grew into the game. i wonder if his work permit had clauses, that villa had to play him. personally i would have slowly introduced him, he is basically playing with strangers and learning on the job his team mates strengths.
next game will be same as yesterday. very tough, but cut out the gift wrapped chances for the opposition. then we stand a chance, its one step at a time. maybe one point at at time. we are in tough league. where there are 13 teams all very closely matched. mistakes will cost us all, so cut them out and if you are beaten by class, then its hands up and we are not good enough, no excuses
Nath, I asked the same question about his work permit and also wondered whether it could be revoked?
i don’t know too hitch. but i cant see smith wanting to play him straight away. unless he has to under the strict rules,the work permit was granted. i have no doubts about him, he will come good. but there is no telling, how long hat will take. holding midfielders cant be giving away the ball, or letting the ball run across the field, just yards outside the box. that kind of play takes time with your teammates. he is basically forming relationships on the field in a premiership game. hardly ideal
Good question.
I find it puzzling that he hasn’t even made the bench.
There’s a large contingent of over-optimistic Villa fans pre season that were making top 8 / 10 predictions before a ball was even kicked. Being realistic, as a promoted side 17th is the initial target. Whether we won or lost the first two, that was always the case. I believe we’ve got enough to compete (bar perhaps the Man City games) but its going to be a season long battle where realistically we’ll be in and out of the relegation zone on a weekly basis.
As for the game, Bournemouth I thought we’re very smart in the way they managed the game, slowing down the tempo in the last 10 or so minutes and frustrating us. You can’t hand 2 goals to any opposition at this level and expect to win though. Cut down the errors, time for the new players to settle and we’ll get points. I think it might get worse before it gets better as Everton on Friday will be a very tough game which on current performances its hard to see us getting anything out of.
Beamo, seeing both games and seeing our silly mistakes its now making me more convinced we have nothing to worry about, we have the ability we only need the confidence. It will come. Lads my granddaughter playing her first game for Coventry Ladies and she’s been given centre back position, winning at the minute 5 nil and just scored a penalty. her first pro game, yippy.proud man.
sheff utd scored 1 nil (dean smith watching in the crowd )
Hmm, confirmed that Guilbert is not injured;
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2019/08/18/fred-guilbert-sends-twitter-messages-aston-villa-fans-respond/
JT spotted at the Chelsea game with a Peaky Blinders cap on.
Guess he’s an honorary Brummie now…
After watching Sheffield United v Palace, I thought it was a game low in quality. United had great intensity which made it difficult for Palace to string any passes together. They did this for the entire game and it is a lesson we need to learn. In possession I think we are better than United but without they are head and shoulders above us. Against Everton we will face a team with great work ethnic and we need to match that to give us any chance of getting a result.
I didn’t think we would beat Bournemouth [voted for the draw] but I think we will beat Everton, subject to 2 caveats. 1/ We manage to get into Heaton’s head that he must not come rushing out of his goal unless he is certain of claiming the ball with both hands. 2/ We have done our homework on Ricarlison – realise he only attacks at the right (from Everton’s perspective) goal-post at set pieces from either side – and have one of our top 2 markers on him. Strangely enough I don’t agree that Everton are as hard working a team as they once were.
There are other imponderables, Villa have yet to field some of their new signings and after 2 defeats they and bench warmers from last season may be given a chance. We can’t be so lucky as to buy 12 players – all of whom fit in well and are up to premier league standard. There are bound to be some flops, but that will only come clear after trying the combinations.
Well, if you’d told me that, after two games, we’d be just one point behind Chelsea I’d have bit your hand off….
🙂
Just listening to the Monday Night Social on 5 Live and they all thought that the three promoted clubs would do okay this season.
They quoted a stat that I’d forgotten – last season Newcastle had just three points from their first ten games and they ended up in 13th place.
I think the message was not to panic just yet.
That’s a good point Pat. Fulham panicked and the rest is history. We keep getting compared to Fulham albeit a lazy comparison through money spent. We have to remain patient and stick with the team and back Smith. He is learning about premier management and needs time to adjust himself. Any decisions he makes without results going our way will be scrutinised. With so many new players it will take time to work out his best eleven. If we cut out the sloppy mistakes we will soon get a positive result.
I have to admit that the team on 5 Live said quite strongly that we are no Fulham.
TBH Micah Richards was on the panel and was quite pro-Villa. I think he’ll make a good pundit. Nice to see him making a new career for himself
Kevin MacDonald has been sacked for bullying;
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/08/20/aston-villa-sack-head-football-development-kevin-macdonald-investigation/
So it seems he was a bully after all, his two under studies wasn’t the only one at the time they got sacked. I can see court case coming up.
Was it proper bullying or just old fashioned cajouling, though?
Gareth Farelly did make the grade, after all.
I’d never condone proper bullying at all, but it’s hard to comment, given that there’s hardly any facts/information come out.
My point is, I’ll bet we can all remember bullies and it was just the way it was back then.
I have to be careful what I say here, but times have changed now.
I suspect what I would have classed as a “proper bollocking” would now be classed as bulllying.
Clearly we don’t have enough information to form a judgement so I’ll just make a general comment.
I’m concerned we may be applying current behavioural expectations to historical events which, if true, is to my mind a dangerous way forward. The reality is that the accepted norms of behaviour have changed radically and it seems to me that in considering historical cases it must be done so by reference to what was or was not acceptable at the time of the alleged offence.
By present standards, I suspect most of my age would be considered to have behaved pretty badly when we were younger but that doesn’t mean we committed any offence at that time.
Yes, you put it much better than me, Hitch.
Here’s what I think is the telling line;
“Aston Villa wishes to apologise to all former players who were affected by behaviour which would not be tolerated by the club today”
In other words, it was tolerated then, because it was accepted as normal practice.
It just strikes me as maybe a belated retrospective punishment.
Not that I’m defending him and if he was way over the top, he deserves everything he’s got.
But I’d bet Fergie’s famous “hairdryer” treatment would be classed as bullying now.
I really don’t get it, are people saying that in this present time anyone can go back in time and shout foul play. How about the teachers that turned my hands red with the cane, can I sue them. How about me in the army kicking beds up in the air and shouting abuse at them men. If you ask me McDonald has done something far more than shout abuse and that’s to be identified if true. It’s about time we stop the past coming back at people, if its not dealt with at the time then it’s done with. Them poor sods that’s been accused and now died to be found innocent but the family have to live with the lies been told. It’s people after money and has to be stopped.
That’s the question Bill.
Is McDonald being judged by today’s standards or was he totally out of order, even back then?
We don’t know, is the simple answer.
But no doubt it will all come out eventually.
Do I think he was literally kicking arse?
I very much doubt it, but have no doubt he got in player’s faces and called out what he saw as wrong.
I’m very tempted to say that the younger generations are just a load of fannies, who have been encouraged to complain about anything that they don’t like.
But that would be totally wrong, of course (ahem).
Different generations and different approaches, Bill.
Going back to footy, it’s why Pogba got Maureen sacked, imo.
‘Woke Politics’ is the phrase you’re looking for. Blame student and left wing politics for it.
Not really. ‘Woke’ is about the awareness of racism in the US and comes from the black community there.
When I was a kid many, many decades ago we had bullies in the playground and nasty little shits some of them were.
Don’t make excuses for MacDonald – a bully is a bully no matter when or where.
Pat – my comments were of a general nature; as I said we’re not privy to the evidence. I think,however, the phrase used by AVFC in it’s statement ‘which would not be tolerated by the club today’ is unhelpful in that it suggests that McDonald has been tried on today’s standards?
In hindsight it would have been better to have omitted those words.
Well from what I’ve read MacDonald was harsh and incredibly negative with the young players who were entrusted to him. TBH I’d have sacked him solely for that, we might have had a lot more players coming through the system if it wasn’t for his somewhat dictatorial and entirely negative attitude.
The young players lost a lot through MacDonald’s ‘approach’ to coaching but so did the club. Just getting the sack is probably going light on him IMHO.
I totally agree Pat. Our large academy run by MacDonald for many years produced very few players for the pro team. Now it must be admitted that the drop out rate of youth players who mature but are not quite good enough is very high, but that is true for all clubs’ academies. Therefore Villa’s youth pipe line can be judged only relative to other large clubs. My impression is it was relatively unsuccessful. Perhaps we are now hearing why.
I think that now we are a lot more aware of mental health issues and to encourage and motivate by praise is much more beneficial than the ‘old days’ when a bollocking and name calling were considered the way you sort the men from the boys.
With regards to McDonald, I’m sure that it must be serious if after such long service he has been dismissed.
I don’t like bullying and belittling of any sort. Those who cause upset, do so to make themselves feel superior and to try to appeal to their own insecurities.
But that’s exactly the point Holte. Today’s society is much more ‘touchy feely’.
As a lad I was told – ‘man up and stop being a girl’. Nowadays that’s criticised for all the reasons you give but it was the norm. As was attitudes towards sexual behaviour (I’m not including clear criminal activities such as rape etc. which don’t change with time), racism and the like.
By modern standards of behaviour they are indefensible but that’s the way it was – we’ve changed as a society – but imho that doesn’t make it right to retrospectively judge people’s behaviour by modern standards.
We risk opening an uncontrollable Pandora’s Box here.
Hitch “as a lad I was told – ‘man up and stop being a girl’. Nowadays that’s criticised for all the reasons you give but it was the norm.”
The norm was wrong then and it’s wrong now.