It’s a funny old game indeed.
Just when everything was looking really bleak, so we get a superb (but awful quality) win at Middlesbrough and then cap it with a 5-0 trouncing of Bristol City.
Apparently it was our biggest win since we beat Sunderland 6-1 in April 2013. That’s some length of time and probably shows how poor we’ve been in recent years.
And make no mistake we did trounce City and it was a pleasure to watch, with us applying strong pressure over a very sustained period, which simply proved too much for the visitors.
Where on earth has that come from after some really turgid performances over the last month or so.
Whatever, it makes a really nice change to not have to point the finger at Steve Bruce today and I think about my only criticism is in asking why he didn’t get the kids on earlier. If you can’t give kids a go when you’re three or four goals up at home, when can you?
Of course, O’Hare and Murphy did get on eventually, but I’m just saying…
There were some excellent performances today, notably from Hutton, who linked well with Adomah: Hogan, who I thought looked sharp, Snodgrass who got two goals and looked for a third and particularly Jack Grealish, who grafted his nuts off to good effect for once.
He looked every bit the player we all think he should be and he pulled the strings for an excellent Villa performance.
What was most noticeable was that sustained effort, which I didn’t for one minute expect us to keep up.
If we could keep playing like that, we could walk this league, that’s how good our performance was.
Talking of which, we now sit fifth, just five points off Derby in second.
If we’ve had our bad run, how encouraging do things look all of a sudden?
And the bonus, for me anyway?
AVTV works fine via a paid-for VPN.
Very happy days.
Comments
131 responses to “Villa 5 – 0 Bristol City; It feels good to be a Villan today.”
Would anyone take Mccormack back this Jan? 10 goals in 13. Ok a shite league but that must bring confidence and some sort of fitness. Id have him back and play him for the next 5 or 6 games for the full 90 mins. Could be a stroke of genius by Bruce considering he has no money to spend!
Sadly Adam, I suspect the decision will be governed by the most advantageous FFP impact – although having said that I really don’t think Bruce wants him at the club anyway.
I think there is a personality clash between McCormack and Bruce. McCormack gives the impression he is arrogant for his pathetic excuse for missing training, but has he done worse than Gabby and Grealish? Probably because he was signed by Di Matteo maybe! Like Hogan he wasn’t played to his strengths so bad management all round proving very costly now there is no more money for new players, and I can’t see Bruce putting out a welcoming mat for him.
Yeah i would say he has done no worse than Grealish but i dont know the full situation obviously like has been said it is more a personality/relationship issue. I just dont feel hes been given a proper run of games to prove himself for us. Shame as we are crying out for a prolific goalscorer. Doubtful but id like Bruce to swallow his pride for half a season and bring him back for a last chance.
If interested u tube has tonight’s under 23 live Villa 1 up.
3-1 down now. Pretty shambolic.
In the space of 7 minutes Fulham scored 3, the defence is shite.
McCormack wants to stay in Australia and the claims are, Bruce is happy for him to stay far away from the club.
It’s sad isn’t it? We made that enquiry in 2013 for Coutinho, but it was a poor one so his agent and Inter moved on to sell him to Liverpool.So we decided to sign… Sylla instead. Now he’s been sold for 142m.
our under 23 are worst than i expected. slow and no supporting the man on the ball. that’s lack movement i spoke about before. you can pass brilliantly, but if your team mates are stationary or statues. you are not gonna be a passing team.
fulham are by far the more complete team. maybe their players are shit, but they work as a team and villa 23’s were individuals. much like the 1st team for most the season
That’s how I seen it, it was so easy for Fulham , our defence was none existent and as your saying like statues, all five was pure lazy no enthusiasm what so ever, do you think they know something we don’t like being moved on or sold.?
we are in trouble if we don’t drop some dead weights from our squad.
looking at the reserves or under 23 bullshit. fulham mirrored their first team. villa mirrored our own. fulham had plenty movement off the ball. lots of options for their guy on the ball. villa was the total polar opposite, our man on the ball was isolated. we had no options to pass, then they went long.
i blame this on lack of effort, damn right. they were like the first team, not working hard enough. with and without the ball. tishbola was the best player last night. but he was overall rubbish. he was thrown out of his loan for being bone idle.
the whole damn squad is riddled with players all playing like they are in a comfort zone. no need to break sweat. or work hard for the team. we are on great wages win or lose attitudes. even the kids are paid way to much for their abilities.
i thought a new manager and backroom would finally conquer this bullshit. but its getting worst, hard to move players out, because other clubs won;t match their current wages. we are stuck with loads of deadwoods and we replace them with more worse deadwoods.
we should be able to beat peterbro with the 2nd string. the team we fielded should be able to win that game. was down to lack of effort. working hard off the ball was evident. under estimating your opponents.
long post so sue me. finally both fulham under 23 and peterbro we lost big style. we was out worked which is a fact. a embarrassing fact. but we was also out skilled. one by a team in the league below. without hard work we won’t ever achieve anything.
Nath I don’t claim to be as knowledgeable as you about football – I’ve just enjoyed watching Villa (well in a sort of masochistic way) for nigh on 50 years (oops make that 60 years!).
There is a good debate going on elsewhere over the future of Alan Hutton (as it appears there is interest in him from several Championship clubs). On one hand it seems his undoubted commitment to the cause, energy and 100% effort is well recognised by all in the debate but there is a dichotomy between those that find these qualities important and those that argue against keeping him on reasons of age and the (claimed) better footballing skills / youthfulness (relatively) of De Laet and Bree of recent FACup fame! The other negative is a concern over his ability to play in the Prem which I really don’t understand as (thelast time I looked) we are still only a decent Championship side with an outside chance of promotion.
So given your comments would you keep Hutton or not and, if not, why not?
hutton is a good example. i would be more inclined to keep him, i know this is not what most villa fans want to hear. but he gives 100% he might not be the best crosser of a ball. but he more than makes up for this in other areas.
i would like to weed out the lazy hitch. i know its hard to do with contracts and human rights. but somehow we need to get back to basics. our team work with the ball is appalling this season. its when the opposition are pressing the villa team effort should be increasing to make sure the man on ball has options. but they are found wanting, teams like millwall out worked us.
it has knock on effects. say you have a team of 6 hard workers and 3 or 4 they drop standards they all drop to their standards. we are so up and down.
also hitch its not just hard work we really need to find our identity. teams have their ways of playing. if its possession based or more direct. we seem to play how the opposition allow us to play rather than taking the game to them.
watching fulham youth they worked both with the ball and without. villa did neither. these are the youth of the club,they are lacking the basics, its no good turning it on for a game or two then going missing. if the youth are throwing it these pathetic performances now. think what will happen if they get better contracts.
i am not saying all the players, grealish has impressed me. watch him and then watch others its night and day. he is off course a good ball passer. but its his movement that is impressive. he also is directing the players around him. pointing, talking. some villa players pass the ball and stand to admire their work. when a opposition press somebody standing still is far easier to mark
You’re in the majority re Hutton – another site ran a poll with 78% in favour of keeping him – I would also keep him with a further one year extension to his contract.
Agree with your comments on Grealish – it’s no coincidence that we look a different side with him and Hourihane playing together. Grealish also seems to have beefed up and looks a lot stronger on the ball and seems to have curbed his petulant streak. Perhaps, amongst all the criticism, the coaches should be applauded for the work they appear to be doing with Grealish. In my mind he is key to the future of this team.
it does depend on which division we’re in i guess hitch. hutton still has a lot to offer in championship, bree looked a fine player at Barnsley. he might come again in pre season for next year. De Laet looks like his time at the club might be ending. and elmo is a all rounder
The Sun are reporting that Brighton and Hove Albion are eager to sign Keinan Davis this month for £3m.
The young striker, who has scored three goals this season, has led the line well in the absence of other senior strikers and has supposedly caught the eye of teams in the top tier.
Brighton are looking for a forward, and have been linked with Moussa Dembele of Celtic, but could move for Davis, according to the report
The sale begin’s,
i think davis is defiantly a keeper. he is the type of player we need. lack of goals is not a concern to me. he will score goals and create more. against peterbro he was the only one who worked his arse off with no support what so ever
its hard to put in words. movement when we have the ball. watch grealish. he moves constantly finding the pockets of space. dragging the defenders around so they give up following him.
he also very clever, with he good old give and go. its a nightmare for defenders. most of the villa team are not on his wave length. but he is pointing to them directing them to where he wants them to go.
the youth player jake doyle hayes has the same ability. he is always offering himself to the man on ball. this simple act makes life hell of a lot easier. pass and move didn’t pool make a song about it in 80’s more players doing this we will get promoted after trying so hard to fook ourselves up
agaisnt bristrol city and bro we have moved more, but i will hold my breathe. both these two allowed villa to have the ball. boro i was surprised they did. city had a massively hard game against wolves . they were knackard and could keep up the early press.
shaun teale spoke about the lack of movement a few weeks ago. being a major reason why villa are so poor this season. i can’t believe others are not mentioning it.watching the under 23 last night. fulham worked and their game became easy because they worked on movement. player on ball had 2 or 3 minimum options. everywhere they went.
villa with ball was the polar opposite,fulham pressed a little and villa ball player had no options and punted long to mckirdy who couldn’t get a hold of anything. because he not that type of player.
anybody watching that game could see this.plus what happened last night is very similar to our first team for most the year. apart from bristrol city we havent dominated any team, we havent really hammered anybody burton not included.
with the players we have at the club, to not have achieved this over half the season is a massive achievements. second half of season must be better or we have no chance. its last chance saloon
This is all fine and I don’t disagree. I don’t blame the players though. i blame Bruce. Most clubs and international teams try to to play the same way throughout the age groups. That way they have ready made replacements for injuries and players who leave. The younger ones slot into a system they understand and are more likely to succeed.
Bruce is the one who sets the aims and the standards for the teams. He is the one who appoints his own coaches to play the way he wants the club to play. If he was in favour of a passing/moving game that is what we would do. If he wanted his teams to press, that is what his coaches would teach. If he didn’t accept laziness, those players who didn’t pull their finger out would get dropped.
Villa don’t pass and move, don’t press, don’t work their socks off, and don’t attack in numbers because Bruce doesn’t insist on it. He is as lazy as the players. Until he goes I don’t expect any change. Why should it?
you are entitled to agree and disagree. but bruce cant be blamed for the time under rdm and garde we were no different then, we are a club full of achieving players, why i don’t know. under garde the players blatantly ignored his instructions. they were lazy then and some are still here laughing in the fans faces.
also the youth team are under different coaches and manager, but they mirrored the first team in their lackadaisical performances. all season the first team have played within themselves. then when they come against a team that puts pressure on their game they crumble
iam sorry if you all think i am a know it all. i don ‘t mean to be. its just obvious to me. also this is only part of the problem we have many more to address, but this movement is basics not starting with the difficult stuff
under achieving sorry for my stupidity i can spell but i can type
It’s obvious to me too. The answers not the same in all cases though.
RDM Spent loads and his rapid overhaul of the team and unbalanced squad didn’t pay off and he got fired. he was a strange appointment.
Remi Garde I feel really sorry for. He inherited set of players and had no funds to change anything. He’s probably a very good manager in a different situation.
Bruce has certain qualities. He has already outlived this though. he stopped the downward slide but doesn’t have what it takes to really move us forwards.
Yes all the teams at the club have different managers, but they are all appointed or approved of by Bruce. He sets the standards and if he says we need to pass and move, press, work our socks off etc that is what will happen unless everyone thinks he is a pillock and doesn’t listen to him. It’s just not his style though. He is closer to Alex McCleish really.
I think we might be arguing the same thing really, but you can’t change all the players (and we don’t need to). Bruce is Bruce. He isn’t going to change. What is going to change things at Villa? I can’t see anything. If we had Pep Guardiola (I know that’s ridiculous but bear with me) we would play a different style almost straight away. The same would happen to U23 etc. He would then start rooting out the players who couldn’t play the way he wanted, or just didn’t want to play that way, until he got what he was aiming for.
There must be managers out there who could get Villa to play better in every way than what we currently have. And they would be able to do it with the players we already have.
You’re not a know all. Opinionated and passionate. Same as most of us. We are all pissed off. Well, except Owen. I used to be optimistic like him, but everything since O’Neill walked out (and a season or two before that in truth) has sucked away all my enthusiasm.
also another point is we can pass and move and we can press. we are doing this when it suits us.not importantly all the time. the players are choosing when to play ball. this is my point. in certain games you can see the pattern of play and then the opposition start to work harder making villa player face more pressure then we crumble, they cant seem to play under pressure. i mean pressing pressure. this is because the lack of movement of the other players.
instead of moving closer to man with ball whos being closed down they turn away its not my problem, we have very poor team qualities. lesser teams are matching villa because they work harder. i dont believe it all down to manager. i might be wrong i am wrong many times
Thing is, I think 100% commitment, working hard on and off the ball are the least any team should have. Even a poor player can work hard, and “lesser” teams beat better teams through attitude and work ethic regularly. If you spell that out to the players, and drop those who don’t play ball, and promote those who do you must be able to do that if you are a decent man manager. Then you appoint the coaches to reinforce that message day in day out on the training ground.
I’m sure there are other issues. Wyness for a start. Xia being an absent owner for another. The right manager really makes everything else knit together though.
Rowett for one. Did fantastically at Blues under really tough circumstances. Doing well at Derby too. All with a fraction of what Bruce has had to play with.
What absolutely sucks is Forest signed Karanka as their manager. They’re going to be dangerous Saturday.
ds
who is laziest player in villa history
GABBY
who put him back in team
BRUCE
so when the manager rewards a lazy ass gaby what does it say to everyone else
off to bed just to point out i don;t endorse ste bruce he is just another manager who cant get a tune out a poor villa squad. which should be top two or three if they showed the same commitments and work ethics as the other championship clubs. ste bruce maybe is the solution but i doubt he is the cause because it existed before he came.
that last message was down to being fooked i agree with your last statement ltrs
Me too. Head hurts from too much thinking/typing
last sentence should have said ste bruce maybe isn’t the solution.
That’s the problem when you have a manager with no tactics. You explained all of our problems incredibly well. The problem is, we have no structure, no one seems to have defined roles in the team. You’re sent out there and you do what you want in your position. Is it all down to the manager? no. The players should always give 100%, but as a man manager, you should at least be giving players defined roles, and none of them have one.
Brighton linked with a 3m bid for Davis according to the sun. Absolutely laughable thinking they could get him for 3m after he extended his contract when the sun linked him away for 5m+ to United earlier in the season.
Millwall have asked for Elphick on loan. Screw them. Stump up money or get lost. You need at least 4 center backs and if we’re gonna loan Sulliman out like we supposedly are, Elphick is a must to keep.
We’re linked to enquiring not only Ulloa but Daniel Amartey who is a defensive midfielder, while he can also cover for center back and right back.
hard to say one player suits one team, but that ulloa is a perfect match for villa he needs games and we need a decent cover for davis. without davis or kodjia up front we are lacking control of the ball right up top. without grealish we just cant support the striker well. adomhah did well last league game with a couple of decent crosses. and snodgrass stay out wide more.
defensive mid makes sense as our spine is really weak. lack of mobility in middle of midfield is a right handicap. jedi just hasn’t the legs to cover it any more. he just stands in front of the back four making it a back 5 at times. he doesn’t press. maybe this is why we are poor at pressing. i know he is decent and whelen is the only replacement.
Agreed. Ulloa is the striker I want. I was happy when we were linked to him over the summer and last January. Leicester have rejected letting him go the last 2 windows and screwed up his career. Even if Slimani leaves he won’t play, so they should let him go. Think he’s honestly the best we’ll be able to get.
Midfield is a weak spot, definitely. We’re easily overrun. I don’t know much about Amartey but at 23, he’s gotta have some kind of upside. Hasn’t played much but Ranieri signed him so I’d think he has something going for him.
If we do sign them on loan, I’d go with loan to buy Ulloa if we go up and loan to buy no matter what with Amartey. We’ll be financially screwed if we don’t go up so probably couldn’t afford Ulloa, but Amartey is a good financial signing with age and replacing two aging, dead leg midfielders.
davis will learn loads watching a professional train and play of the likes of ulloa.
I don’t think many now on here disagree about Villa performance of late, its been so obvious now that it makes us all keep questioning our coaching and management, i was in Bruce’s camp from the off but things he’s been doing made me think twice, watching the under twenty-three the other night got to me because you could see the lazy and sloppy play, Something not right, I question now the whole of Villa attitude in the way we play football at Villa Park.I so much wanted us to show willing but its not at the club. Bruce dont help in coming out with the same excuse week after week, i pick the wrong team he says.I think he’s lost the respect in the dressing room,if he hasn’t then it’s him being to soft. we have missed the boat in going up we don’t have fighters in our side.
5 points off second with 20 games left hardly missing the boat…..
Owen, look at the bigger picture, how did we get to where we are? Some of the games we where lucky, i hope your right in thinking this is our year with us only 5 points off second place, have you seen anything different to other’s, is that team going to get us there, you think so , i don’t. I hope and pray I’m wrong.
Nath, a unusual email came to me just, asking my views on the club.
I’m going to lock my house door.
😈😈😈😲
seriously ??? rant rant rant lol keep it under 5000 words and no swearing
I will reserve judgment on whether we realistically can make automatic promotion till after Forest game. Bruce will not be able to use the injury excuse with the likes of Terry, Lansbury and Green back. Also no excuses about tiredness after blowing FA cup game. By the way the club should refund villa fans who attended after that shambles against Peterborough. Time for players and management to step up their game and prove they are worthy of being at our great club. Too long have we suffered mercenaries and poor attitudes from top to bottom.
which players do we expect to lose this January ??? i expect they want to shift somebody and we don’t have many saleable assets. apart from grealish
i remembered a interview with ian taylor on avtv i think over christmas.
he was talking about snodgrass and adomah that they should swap sides during the games. the interviewer asked him if the manager allowed that sort of thing. taylor went on to explain. he was in a three man midfield and they swapped their men,that they were supposed to be marking. if the opposition mid was getting the better of one of our three they would swap their men. he said its man management of the game.
the manager doesn’t restrict all the players, they are given instructions like who they pick up at corners and set pieces. who they are up against in open play and the team tactics. but soon as the game starts the players have to adaptable.
we are not gonna walk back into the premiership, but we are there with a fighters chance. we will need to improve on the first half of the season. but we have the players. that should be able to succeed in this division. if they work harder. we will not be a million miles away.
i know we touched on the peterbrough game. but bill has highlighted something which bruce claims after the defeat. which gets fans angry. thats saying he maybe he picked the wrong side.
its a excuse we don’t need to hear. its not the first time he paints a clueless manager of himself. personally i think the side was about the strongest we could field. IF the idea was to rest the main players. rest um after a hectic christmas and new year.
the team against peterbro were well and truly beaten, we were really poor and holte66 is spot on that fans should be refunded. having to pay to watch their team get turned over by posh.
ohhhhh one more. posh third goal i saw grealish chasing back as one of two last defenders. this is not were we need grealish to be. also begs a question why our attacking midfielder was our last man. no organization, i know we were meant to be chasing the game, but there is chasing and giving another goal away
I can’t really get too worked up about the Cup game – we made 10 changes and put out an unbalanced side with several players returning from injury or lacking game time. If you want to blame Bruce – fine but to compare it with our general performances in the Championship seems illogical.
However, we continue to be inconsistent in the Championship a problem that has afflicted the club for years under differing managers and owners. I have no real idea why that is but it seems to have become endemic – perhaps it has something to do with the weight of expectation.
FFP continues to be a real problem – if Bruce can pull off a loan deal for Ulloa that would be quite something.
Ulloa funnily enough on my spellcheck changed to unload, but he is one name that I think could add something to our squad. I didn’t realise he was 31 so he has plenty of experience although clubs in la liga showing an interest, so depends a bit whether he wants to stay in England. Regarding links to Hutton leaving I hope he stays purely down to him having the right attitude, sadly missing by some. He has become a fan favourite and playing better at left back than Taylor. As far as players leaving, I think we all have the same names on our wishlist, but players like Bree and Suliman on loan look most likely with maybe Thor going back to Italy according to reports. Also hold onto Elphick unless he wants to leave of course.
That email I received, news@enews.avfc.co.uk I’m still at a loss why i got it, still I did reply and have to say its what we all talking about , player out of their comfort zone, and excuses being made picking the wrong team, injuries in training and not on the pitch. If its genuine I might be the next manager.😃😊
lmao pick me for the assistant. you can be mr good cop and i can be your bad cop
Would 45 thousand be ok, would have to get rid of 1 or 2 time wasters.