There was lots of excitement during the build up for the game against Stoke City. Tim Sherwood has come in, given some excellent interviews lifting fans and giving us confidence. Hiring Kevin McDonald was a great move, a popular move. However, come game-day, things went sour.
The line up was interesting and promising, the biggest surprises was the inclusion of Kieran Richardson at left-back, the return of Sanchez after 3 games and Agbonlahor playing behind Benteke. The line up was exciting it was attacking, Sherwood had actual wingers and two forwards, it was awfully positive!
But before I dive deeper into the underlying issue as to what went wrong, a few players impressed. I thought that Richardson had played well at left-back, he linked the attack well and got forward well. Ironically, after his injury, Stoke scored 3 minutes later after a Stephen Ireland cross from the left hand side of our defensive. Scott Sinclair did well to score the goal, he has offered the club with another attacking option and looks to be an exciting new addition. Yet one could argue that Sherwood failed to get him more engaged with the action.
Now onto the negatives, starting with Agbonlahor. He was absolutely invisible all throughout the game. Playing as a centre-forward he failed to make many runs, he failed to link up with Benteke and failed to create many chances. All in all it was a terrible performance by Agbonlahor and questions have to be asked as to why was he playing behind Benteke and not with Benteke.
Carles Gil really struggled against Stoke, it looks apparent that Gil may struggle against more physical sides. He failed to make an impact and received a match rating of 5.9, the second worst rating in Villa side. Could it be the way that Sherwood asked Gil to play? Perhaps, but I can’t feel but wonder if Gil would’ve been more effective playing behind Benteke instead of Agbonlahor?
Lastly, Ron Vlaar. That’s right our Villa captain had seriously let down the football club this weekend. Some argue that he was at fault for the first goal, allowing Diouf to get in front of Vlaar. But what is certain, is that Vlaar lost Villa the single point. That single point would’ve been enough to see Villa climb out of the relegation spot in favour of QPR. Vlaar’s first touch, which led up the penalty was poor, but that was nothing compared to the horrific tackle that resulted in a penalty and a second yellow. As a captain, Vlaar needs to step up, as experienced as Vlaar is, he should’ve known that Villa needed to finish the game off. Ciaran Clark acted more of a captain that Ron Vlaar yesterday, some even argue that Clark should be now made captain instead of Vlaar. That might be questionable, but what is for certain is that Clark has been all around a better defender, more committed and better organised than Vlaar this season.
Moving away from the players, the manner in which Villa played was largely disappointing. Villa had 11 corners, yet more often than not struggled to get the ball past the first man. If the ball did get past the first men, if often flew over every bodies head and went out for a Stoke throw-in. The inconsistency of corner takers was also ridiculous, the likes of Gil, Weimann, Delph and Sinclair all took a jab at taking corners. This is something that Sherwood needs to work on the training field.
Villa played a long-ball style of play, with frequent crosses into the box. This is all dandy, especially with Benteke in the side. However, if he is double marked we need to see Agbonlahor run into that box more frequently. Gil and Sinclair also had to make more runs into the box to increase the chances of picking up a knock-down ball. The central midfielders failed to stay on the edge of the box and try to get a shot at goal.
It was a poor display by the Villa players and something needs to change. Next up Villa are away to Newcastle, a side that I think is a little vulnerable since the departure of Pardew. Time is running out, points are running out. Villa need to win against Newcastle if they are to have any chance of staying up. Against Stoke there were very few positives/strengths that can be taken out off. This week Sherwood needs to fire up the boys and perhaps maybe change the side a little. Perhaps giving FA Cup goal scorer Bacuna a place instead of Agbonlahor?
At the end of the day Sherwood has never been in a relegation dog fight so he may not know what it feels like to be down there at the bottom.The players he has at his disposal are not as good as what he had at his disposal at Spurs.You could see his dissapointment in his interview after the game and a certain look of shit what am I going to do now.Sherwood is an unproven quantity not slagging him off but he has only had 28 games in charge of a pretty decent premier league side not the dogshit players we offer up.I really hope Sherwood can save us but it’s a bit much to ask isn’t it.Yes he’s been probably handsomely paid but that doesn’t change the reality of can he can’t he.We are in the shit big time and only have Lerner the cheapskate to blame utv
That about sums it up Jay Dee
Feel quite a bit better now I’ve given up all hope of staying up (let’s face it if we can’t beat Stoke at home, who were beaten 4-1 in their two previous games and had half the team out then we’re doomed).
Might even be best in the long run. A young manager like TS given time in the Championship to mould a team in is own image might be the best result. Certainly better than having us hanging on by our fingernails in the PL every season.
TBH all this hoping is just too bloody painful, like having a dentists appointment that lasts 9 months.
UTV
Sherwood’s POV, as opposed to Lambert’s bag of shit comments, where we all did well and some players were great, when in reality we played crap?
I know what I’d rather have.
Expect Sherwood to thrash the players with his gob and at least make them sit up and take notice, imo.
The simple fact is that many of us agree that the squad overall is better than our current position.
If that’s true, they need their arses kicking, big time.
And Sherwood, like him or not, is the man to do it, imo.
It’s still bloody tight down the bottom,it’s not over yet folks.I’m trying my best to hold on to something other than a fucking pint pot I think the newky game will tell us more about ts he’d then had a full week with them & I hope he’s ruffled a few feathers.FFS cheer up
Ps until we’re mathematically fucked then I’ll give up,so if I’m on my own til then then so be it. UTV
Good for you Giddy – you’re right if course. It’s just that 12 points from 22 games is the real issue. Without that ‘lucky’ first 4 games we’d be gone by now. I don’t agree that we’re good enough to be mid table; this is a poor side lacking in quality and, additionally, it seems to me that one or two players are not putting their soul into it – Benteke for one.
Ps I’ll try and stay positive with you Giddy; better apologise to my liver now! 🙂
Cheers MUCKER that makes 2 of us now.
Three of us. Although I must admit, I’m sh**ing myself now…Lerner – you have a lot to answer for…
I am really down over the defeat yesterday, pat is right we are to use to losing and in a rut and the so called players mind set is all wrong and that comes from Lambert. Sherwood has is hands full. I hope he can do it.
Leicester leading that narrows the gap,Martinez for the chop????’
Can,t see villa getting anything from both west Bromwich Albion games,tony pull is has done a good job,well drilled,a couple of good strikers,hard too beat,and these are the easier group of games for villa,need too win at Newcastle and Sunderland and draw with baggies,but I fear that won,t happen.
Leicester unlucky to only get a draw away, Burnley the same yesterday and away against Chelsea ffs. They’re both in the bottom 3 with us and both showing some fight.
Wish I could say the same about the Villa but I can’t.
Giddy and Hitchens – good on you for still hoping but I’m finding it just about impossible.
TS is going to have to kick a lot of arses to stand any chance against Newcastle next week but I’m not sure what he can do, there’s just no belief in the players is there?
How we hoped and prayed that players like Benteke, Vlaar and Delph would stay at the Villa, now I’d flog them to anyone for a fiver each.
Sherwood’s post match comments named some players he thought were good. 4 of them. I am sure on Monday he will be talking to the other 10.
Gil and Sinclair are not true midfield players. A midfield player makes an immediate effort to get back behind the ball as soon as the opposition have it. These two sometimes drop, other times stay up-field of the ball to assist with a counter. Really a team cannot afford that both players fail to drop, the one nearest the ball has to. So we have not yet played 4-4-2. More like 4-2-4.
Gabby and Benteke think like the same player, they should never be on the pitch together. Good managers occasionally have blind spots about this, look at the England bosses with Lampard and Gerrard – who had the same problem.
As a few pointed out above, Benteke is not a great header of the ball – either at goal or as a flick-on distributor. He loses out at least half the time to centre halves. This does not matter if: 1/ when near halfway, he moves well wide of the centre and takes one or two markers with him, leaving a big space on the other flank. 2/ when attacking at set pieces he goes to the near post for a glance off the top of the forehead, leaving the back post for a dropping ball.
See how next week?