V Burnley

[westcountryvillain]

Great post Exiled, we are playing some excellent stuff a lot of the time and despite the defending last night we have had plenty of clean sheets to be encouraged by. However......we are not finishing enough of our chances which means the defence has to be near perfect to get a result - a lot of our efforts are straight at keepers or we've taken a touch too many. We should have murdered West Ham, Burnley at home and been out of sight by half-time against them yesterday, 1 of Brighton's 3 wins came against us.

All of that can be sorted out on the training ground, it's all about margins - which brings me onto the defence, our defending of set pieces against aerial teams isn't good at all, been a problem for a long time and that along with silly mistakes/switching off is why we lose most of the games we have lost.

Traore - up front he is looking very good, but if he doesn't help Cashy out at the back it's fruitless - hindsight's a wonderful thing but stick Trez & Nakamba on with 30 left there's no way we lose that game. As you say we are a work in progress and I am delighted with the direction we are going in - I just think that tweaks & substitutions (lack of) will leave us wondering what might have been. Reminds me of that pivotal game away at Leicester after being 2-0 up and our fortunes went in very different directions after losing 3-2.

UTV!

[picasso]

Yes, we should have won last night but definitely our own fault we didn’t. A combination of missed chances and perhaps some complacency due to the good start and some recent rave reviews. We switched off and failed to cope with a change of tactics by the opposition. Burnley are street fighters and they know how to survive. I kinda like that. Once they were ahead there was no way they were going to let us back in. As long as we put our feet back on the ground and learn from the mistakes we should be ok.

[alfinyalcabo]

Thanks for the much needed three points .. A game of two halves ,you should have been out of sight by half time,but thanks to bad finishing and Pope making some greet saves we kept in there. The second half we came out and somehow managed a great win against a Very good Villa side.. I know a lot of the footballing world hate our style of play and call us Anti Football,but we are what we are and its a miracle that we can play in this league when you look at the vast difference of money available to the big clubs. So long may we go on frustrating these big teams like Liverpool etc.. Dyche for all his defensive tactics really does work miracles with our small squad .. Another thing our goalkeeper is fantastic and how Southalll doesn't pick him before Pickford for England is unbelievable.

All the best for the rest of the season Alfie.

[TrianonDave]

I know you are right in everything you have said but it still sticks in your throat. I just hope the players have learnt and go to Southampton in a determined mood! Its a Saturday evening KO, this match , if it goes pear, could give me and my curry indigestion for the night..

[mondaze]

I was gutted to lose yesterday, but having watched all the other teams in this league in the last few weeks (something I never do, I'm a Villa fan not a football fan) I have to say i would rather watch us than any other team in the league... That's a first surely. They got a goal back because we didnt defend well, the other two goals went into the one spot which could get passed our brilliant keeper. We lost, we get over it and go again. I count the days to our next game, we are a joy to watch. Results are just that... results. I love my team as much now as I did in the 70's, and that's something I've not been able to say for 40 years. UTV

[TrianonDave]

Great post Mondaze, I feel better already 👍

[Exiledvillan]

Brilliant post Mondaze, you captured the feelings of us 'auld uns' perfectly. But I would add almost, as much as that team in the 70s.

[picasso]

I’m with you Mondaze but I would also say almost. It winds me up a treat watching Matty Cash playing 2v1. Other than that it’s all good.

I did enjoy the Young/Carew era too under MON.

[oldskoolvillan]

Yep definately an almost from me as well, 70s was when I first wore my claret and blue tinted specs and they were very much at their strongest, we never lost in those days we were only robbed, no team better they were just lucky, you get the idea no doubt! What this group does have I think is the potential to become as good maybe better but only if they learn from each setback and dont repeat it, and that very much goes for the coaching staff as well. At the moment Id say we are almost as much fun to watch as the best of the BFR years with most of the frailties but we are so going in the right direction. Looking for a tactical response from Dean and co tonight, and a heads up display from the team, onwards and upwards, "do you believe in the villa?" Always

[dazzyowen]

Came out second half too complacent imo n it was same against Newcastle but we got away with it.. but on a positive we played some lovely football and had loads of chances, and they was horrible n the way they took to the corner flags with 5 odd mins to go was awful..