Villa played today!

[stateside]

Just in case none of ya noticed. LOL.

Saw very little of it but what I saw I'm happy with the draw. Nice to see Lansbury (look ma no D) score his first Villa goal. Lose the man bun grab a goal. Great job and that celebration. He looked happy and pissed off at the same time.

[Exiledvillan]

Yeah saw that mate. Watched on Sky, diabolical first half, decent second half.
For me;
Johnstone- nowt to do but he really stinks at corners, especially those crosses close to him. He sort of star jumps at the ball, for the last 6 games at least.
Hutton- Comes to the rescue, at his own car crashes.
Taylor- Actually like him, very solid last night and got up the nose of their playmaker.
Chester- Solid and reliable performance.
SambAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
Whelan- Did well but still has those horrendous brain fade passes up his sleeve.
Hourihane- Worked hard, not sure DM is his slot.
Snodgrass- Just don’t get him.
Adomah- Did Ok, recent form has earned a ceasefire from criticism for disappearing
Onomah- Still young but surely that is also a reason for him to only start every THIRD game.
Davis- Not a good game for him, but we have no choice as SB doesn’t seem to like O’Hara.
Subs- Changed the game, both Jack and Lansbury (the new slim version) did well. Jack did nowt special, but panic spread through Leeds every time he touched the ball.

We never seem to have more than four players on top of their games in any match, ball retention is as poor as it has been for the last 6 years. Davis and Onomah are not, imo, good enough to start every week as they’re learning their trades, this league campaign is not the time or place for that. Any team expecting automatic promotion would win these type of matches, we’ve been hammered by wolves & cardiff and drawn against the other competing teams, play offs beckon.

[westcountryvillain]

Some positives though Exiled - Samba has proved to be an astute signing, we continue to be solid at the back and have a fairly settled 11. Most games in this league are very physical encounters and we are winning most of them, the likes of Onomah & Grealish need to be starting against counter attacking teams who play through you. I'd throw Hogan in there as well, he'd get service from those two.

On Davis - feel that he needs a very experienced partner, big ask of a 19 year old to be our main man up front in the absence of the Kodj and Hogan not fitting in to SB's philosophy.

i read somewhere that Snodgrass has had the most assists in any league, much better than Bacuna ever was! Agree that Hourihane isn't a DM. If we sign a decent striker (would love Benteke on loan) early in January and we are still in the mix then I'd fancy us to mount a challenge for a top two place.

[Exiledvillan]

Very true WCV, and I still firmly believe that we will go up, eventually. I’d just prefer automatic promotion rather than the play offs.
Samba? We’ll agree to disagree mate.
Spot on regards Davis. Hogan is out till early January, so then another striker, as you suggest is a must, but what to do till then? O’Hara could come in, but he’s not ‘a very experienced partner’ for Davis. Playing O’Hara instead of Davis would mean changing the structure of the side to a wingless, narrow team. If O’Hara plays is it then a flat mid 4 with O’Hara at 10 and Adomah at 9 (or visa versa)?
For Snodgrass see Samba mate.
It all appears to be up in the air for now.

[stateside]

Exiled. Your ratings seem to be on par with what I've been reading. Hourihane is playing CDM? That is asinine. He's too lightweight and unlike small players such as Cowans, Cropley from my era he isn't one to get stuck in.

WCV. Can you explain your statement that Hogan and Kodj don't fit into SB's philosophy? He always plays Kodj when fit and he has given Hogan multiple chances to force him to use him, but for whatever reasons Hogan hasn't adjusted his game from Brentford's playing the ball on the carpet.

[westcountryvillain]

Statesey - I missed a comma after the Kodj mate, sorry. On Hogan - he's diminutive for a number 9, not cut out for aerial battles and so is unable to contribute to SB's preferred approach of 'bang it in the mixer'. He does however make loads of clever runs off the ball but no-one seems to spot him and slide a pass through.

Exiled - yep, it's the opinions amongst the fans that makes this game so great so for what it's worth up front I'd either push Hourihane/Onomah or Grealish to play off Davis. Midfield 4 of Adomah/Whelan/Lansbury/Snodgrass and go 4-5-1 when we don't have the ball.

[ozfan]

Well I think we're doing brilliantly considering the current horrendous injury list.if we're in the mix with ten games to go we'll give the tree a good shake. Real depth at last.

[Exiledvillan]

Agree WCV, Onomah is due a performance, one performance in 3/4 games is fair expectation for one so inexperienced, so maybe Saturday’s the day, same as Davis but he looks jaded tbh.
Hourihane has done well up there this season bagging quite a few. Grealish has to sh1t or get off the pot really, and O’Hara is still about, chomping at the bit. If he is continually left out he’ll lose confidence.
Shocking that we have no cover at CF, and RMC is not the answer for that position, imo.

[bongosdad]

I would probably put adoma or Grealish up front. I think we get bogged down at times with the position on the pitch. Ashley Young Milner and Delph have adapted to left back because they are good players. Like Barry did when he moved to Central midfield.

[stateside]

It's funny though, Villa's best years have been when we had a real number 9. But, I think Adomah might be the answer to replace Davis so he can recover from whatever it is the fans think he has.

[Exiledvillan]

I think that Davis has been carrying a knock for some time mate. He’s passed several late fitness tests in recent weeks and has been a shadow of the wrecking ball that ate Norwich earlier in the season. Not the pace, power or mobility of September, mind you he never could hit a donkey’s ass with a banjo with regards scoring.
He needs a break, but unfortunately for us, a half fit Davis is the only option open to us.
I would love us to go all ‘funky’ with false No9s and the like, problem is ‘funky’ doesn’t work with hoofball or feeding the slowest left footed RW in the league the ball inside his own half.

I’m still convinced that we’ll go up tho, couldn’t care less about the style, twenty six more 1 nils will do for me.

Onwards & hoofing it Upwards

[stateside]

Didn't know about the injury. Every match lately they just seem to complain he seems jaded. Thanks.

[Exiledvillan]

Didn't know about the injury. Every match lately they just seem to complain he seems jaded. Thanks.

I’d say playing whilst not 100% will cause strain to most other areas of the body, resulting in him looking jaded. In September he was smashing everything and everyone, now he kind of lumbers around in a jaded manner. If Davis is not still carrying that knock (the Wolves and noses games he started having these late fitness tests) and is NOT jaded, then he’s out of form and should be dropped. But alas SB hasn’t trusted O’Hara or McKirdy to start, both of whom are as inexperienced as Davis. Strange one aint it?
So which one is it? Injured, Jaded or out of form, OR all 3?

[stateside]

I think Bruce trusts O Hare, but as an attacking midfielder, not someone to lead the line. I agree with him on that. The good news is that Hogan and Gabby are getting fit so can take over on the hour mark tomorrow if Davis is fading. He

[stateside]

Well Bruce got it wrong big time against Millwall. The fans are screaming for three weeks that Hourihane, Davis and Onomah are fading and need to be rested. Then he gets lucky with Lansbury and Grealish hitting form as subs against Leeds and saving a point. He then gets Hogan back, so the obvious line up was to drop Hourihane and Onomah and start Lansbury and Grealish, then sub in Hogan on the hour.
But, he only uses Lansbury, figuring he will unleash Grealish in the second half. After that sub, for some reason Hutton was withdrawn, I'm not sure if he was knackered or injured, but he was playing brilliantly again. Finally he had Hogan ready to go and Samba goes down injured.
So now we go into the next game with Hogan getting no match time once again and Davis looking worse by the minute, yet he will probably have to start again the next game.

[Exiledvillan]

Wow, almost word for word as my family’s sentiments Statesie, apart from Hutton. My family who were in the Trinity, and were champions of Hutton’s recent unHutton like form, have said that Hutts has reverted to his ‘factory settings’ and was shocking. The rest is a bloody spooky coincidence regarding the analysis and turn of phrase.

[stateside]

Wow, almost word for word as my family’s sentiments Statesie, apart from Hutton. My family who were in the Trinity, and were champions of Hutton’s recent unHutton like form, have said that Hutts has reverted to his ‘factory settings’ and was shocking. The rest is a bloody spooky coincidence regarding the analysis and turn of phrase. I will bow to there opinion, as the fact is I was watching on a tiny IPhone 6 on a stream that stopped every 6 seconds all while installing a room of carpet. However, many were saying how good he was, some saying best of our outfield players.

The rest, you didn't need to watch the game to figure out he screwed it up

[Exiledvillan]

Maybe, but using faded instead of jaded re.Hourihane and Davis and faded instead of down right sh1t for Onomah. Then Bruce got lucky regards Lansbury and Jack, and Hogan needing some playing time followed by Davis looking worse by the minute are word for word in my sister’s ‘in match text messages’. I think the poetic ‘unleash Grealish’ text at half time did it for me this morning when I read your post.

Maybe she was texting you as well? :confused:
You auld dog ;D