Villa (a) Post Match Thread

[Johnny]

He started the match playing in the hole behind Torres with Keane on the left, he then switched to the left with Keane in the hole, then he moved to the right with Kuyt on the left.

Obviously none of these are his natural positions and for some one who has just come back off Olympic duty, it's a bit of a big ask to say the least.

RTE highlighted the fact that no matter what position he was supposed to be in he didn`t have the disipline to stay in his position and kept drifting into his usual middle position leaving huge gaps where he was supposed to be.

[lfc1394]

So what you're both saying is that we had three roaming players behind a lone frontman? With Alonso and Mascher doing the midfield marshalling?

That actually sounds quite good, but no we had a couple of players who really didin't know where they were supposed to be playing and ended up contributing very little to the team.

[lfc1394]

RTE highlighted the fact that no matter what position he was supposed to be in he didn`t have the disipline to stay in his position and kept drifting into his usual middle position leaving huge gaps where he was supposed to be.

Yep and Rafa was shouting at him to go forward. Keane also kept trying to go back to his position, and Rafa was gestating to him to go wide.

[calvoboy]

I think the reason that people have gone a bit overboard on the Villa game is that it is clear that the team selection and formation was wrong if we wanted to get a win. It was designed to negate Villa's tactics, and worked well from that point of view, but is that enough to win the title? To me it is an utter disgrace for a team with title-winning ambitions not to manage a single shot on target in 90 minutes of football.

Against Sunderland and Boro, we were ****e. But that could be rationalised as being because Torres doesn't look quite right since his exploits in the summer (might take him until Christmas to get over the Euros and disrupted pre-season), Gerrard was poor in both games as he was carrying a groin injury and missed much of the pre-season training, Mascherano and Babel were still missing, and Keane is still trying to settle into the side.

Against Villa though, we were never going to present much of an attacking threat with one up front, two defensive midfielders in Lucas and Mascher, Alonso sitting deep, and Keane and Kuyt on the 'wings'.

The only positives are that hopefully Gerrard will be sorted now his had his ops, hopefully Keane will hit some form soon, and hopefully Rafa will pick Riera on the wing now if he's going to play that negative formation, so that at least we've got a chance of attacking when we've got the ball. And the biggest positive is that we have somehow remained unbeaten and have picked up 7 points from 9, which is a league winning points ratio even though it's not been based on league winning performance.

With a bit of perspective, that I didn't always have after that bore-fest on Sunday, we are still in the chase and we haven't started playing yet. So things could be looking very good. We desperately need to hit some form though, and can't keep riding our luck for too much longer. The Mancs at home would be a great time for us to finally click into gear.

[lfc1394]

I think the reason that people have gone a bit overboard on the Villa game is that it is clear that the team selection and formation was wrong if we wanted to get a win. It was designed to negate Villa's tactics, and worked well from that point of view, but is that enough to win the title? To me it is an utter disgrace for a team with title-winning ambitions not to manage a single shot on target in 90 minutes of football.

Against Sunderland and Boro, we were ****e. But that could be rationalised as being because Torres doesn't look quite right since his exploits in the summer (might take him until Christmas to get over the Euros and disrupted pre-season), Gerrard was poor in both games as he was carrying a groin injury and missed much of the pre-season training, Mascherano and Babel were still missing, and Keane is still trying to settle into the side.

Against Villa though, we were never going to present much of an attacking threat with one up front, two defensive midfielders in Lucas and Mascher, Alonso sitting deep, and Keane and Kuyt on the 'wings'.

The only positives are that hopefully Gerrard will be sorted now his had his ops, hopefully Keane will hit some form soon, and hopefully Rafa will pick Riera on the wing now if he's going to play that negative formation, so that at least we've got a chance of attacking when we've got the ball. And the biggest positive is that we have somehow remained unbeaten and have picked up 7 points from 9, which is a league winning points ratio even though it's not been based on league winning performance.

With a bit of perspective, that I didn't always have after that bore-fest on Sunday, we are still in the chase and we haven't started playing yet. So things could be looking very good. We desperately need to hit some form though, and can't keep riding our luck for too much longer. The Mancs at home would be a great time for us to finally click into gear.

Spot on mate

[rage]

I think the reason that people have gone a bit overboard on the Villa game is that it is clear that the team selection and formation was wrong if we wanted to get a win. It was designed to negate Villa's tactics, and worked well from that point of view, but is that enough to win the title? To me it is an utter disgrace for a team with title-winning ambitions not to manage a single shot on target in 90 minutes of football.

Against Sunderland and Boro, we were ****e. But that could be rationalised as being because Torres doesn't look quite right since his exploits in the summer (might take him until Christmas to get over the Euros and disrupted pre-season), Gerrard was poor in both games as he was carrying a groin injury and missed much of the pre-season training, Mascherano and Babel were still missing, and Keane is still trying to settle into the side.

Against Villa though, we were never going to present much of an attacking threat with one up front, two defensive midfielders in Lucas and Mascher, Alonso sitting deep, and Keane and Kuyt on the 'wings'.

The only positives are that hopefully Gerrard will be sorted now his had his ops, hopefully Keane will hit some form soon, and hopefully Rafa will pick Riera on the wing now if he's going to play that negative formation, so that at least we've got a chance of attacking when we've got the ball. And the biggest positive is that we have somehow remained unbeaten and have picked up 7 points from 9, which is a league winning points ratio even though it's not been based on league winning performance.

With a bit of perspective, that I didn't always have after that bore-fest on Sunday, we are still in the chase and we haven't started playing yet. So things could be looking very good. We desperately need to hit some form though, and can't keep riding our luck for too much longer. The Mancs at home would be a great time for us to finally click into gear.

[Fierce]

Believe it or not winning is not our divine right and is quite often dependent on the opposition too. They turn up with tactics to try and win or 'not lose' just as we will. Some of these posts assume that, home and away, we are going to walk all over the 16 teams outside of the top 4. That's not going to happen. Not to us, not to ManU, not to Chelsea or Arsenal.

As for the starting 11 argument, apart from Lucas out on the left who were the other 'shocking' selections? Overreactions like this constantly baffle me. It's been said on here that we tried to nullify a Villa attack that never materialised. Wouldn't that suggest that our tactics worked rather than Villa were ****? Saying that, I do agree that we were poor in the final third and Keane should stick to the centre and let the defensive midfielders cover the fullbacks but I am sure these issues will be addressed in the coming weeks.

Now I already know the response of some posters by saying this. Anyone saying something positive is branded as a 'RCDNW' member and anyone saying something negative 'has an agenda' but in my opinion the overtly negative posters on here are more extreme than the positive and, in the most part, appear to offer little in the way of balance or constructive argument.

And for those of you ready to quote the dictionary definition of 'discussion', have a read of the meaning and act on it, don't just heckle. It will be far more appreciated.

[Rashid]

Believe it or not winning is not our divine right and is quite often dependent on the opposition too. They turn up with tactics to try and win or 'not lose' just as we will. Some of these posts assume that, home and away, we are going to walk all over the 16 teams outside of the top 4. That's not going to happen. Not to us, not to ManU, not to Chelsea or Arsenal.

As for the starting 11 argument, apart from Lucas out on the left who were the other 'shocking' selections? Overreactions like this constantly baffle me. It's been said on here that we tried to nullify a Villa attack that never materialised. Wouldn't that suggest that our tactics worked rather than Villa were ****? Saying that, I do agree that we were poor in the final third and Keane should stick to the centre and let the defensive midfielders cover the fullbacks but I am sure these issues will be addressed in the coming weeks.

Now I already know the response of some posters by saying this. Anyone saying something positive is branded as a 'RCDNW' member and anyone saying something negative 'has an agenda' but in my opinion the overtly negative posters on here are more extreme than the positive and, in the most part, appear to offer little in the way of balance or constructive argument.

And for those of you ready to quote the dictionary definition of 'discussion', have a read of the meaning and act on it, don't just heckle. It will be far more appreciated.

It doesn't matter about which player played where even if we did have £30m worth of strikers on the wing. What matters is a manager of this great club whent to a small time club looking for a draw - that's disgraceful.

[Kronenburg1892]

Or we went to an up-and-coming side to break them over 90 minutes. If Torres hadn't pulled up with a hamstring twang, then I'm sure Babbel would have been subbed ahead of Benayoun.

I'm afraid all Raffas subs made sense in the course of that game.

I'd like you to point out where he made a mistake.

[Johnny]

It doesn't matter about which player played where even if we did have £30m worth of strikers on the wing. What matters is a manager of this great club whent to a small time club looking for a draw - that's disgraceful.

No he didn`t but it suits your agenda to think otherwise.

[El Jefecito]

No he didn`t but it suits your agenda to think otherwise.

Johnny, why are you wasting your time dealing with the guy that thinks it is OK to discriminate against homosexuals? The guy is a straight up discriminator. I'd not even speak to most of them. Why are you wasting your time?

[Elvoz]

Johnny, why are you wasting your time dealing with the guy that thinks it is OK to discriminate against homosexuals? The guy is a straight up discriminator. I'd not even speak to most of them. Why are you wasting your time?

i agree it was wrong to go looking for a draw

rashid is right

[Tee]

I don't think Rafa went looking for a draw, its just that Rafa went looking to do a smash and grab job on them, and we nearly did in fairness.

Problem is we are just not playing good football, so in hindsight, given the awful football we are playing it is a creditable result - put it this way, Aston Villa could not beat us when we played ****e.

My concern is that our quality of football is just miles and miles behind where it should be under Rafa. He now has to take full responsibility because it is his team and all his players.

Lets see how we improve over the next few months before writing everyone off - lets be honest, our football cannot get any worse!!

[Elvoz]

I don't think Rafa went looking for a draw, its just that Rafa went looking to do a smash and grab job on them, and we nearly did in fairness.

Problem is we are just not playing good football, so in hindsight, given the awful football we are playing it is a creditable result - put it this way, Aston Villa could not beat us when we played ****e.

My concern is that our quality of football is just miles and miles behind where it should be under Rafa. He now has to take full responsibility because it is his team and all his players.

Lets see how we improve over the next few months before writing everyone off - lets be honest, our football cannot get any worse!!

no shots on target is hardly a "near smash n grab " pal

[Laz]

Yes because of course Rafa instructed the players to get no shots on target so he could get the nil nil that some of you think he went for.