Villa Post Match

[Armchairkopite]

I don't think Gerrard has really shown any great form. He looks to be getting fitter but his general play hasn't overly impressed me.

I'm not asking Kuyt to run the flanks though - just to move out there to give and option at times. I think that sort of opportunist wide play is where he is good - not having to attack a wide position fro deeper. Last season he did well as we played higher up the pitch and Alonso played great diagonal balls to put him in positions in the inside right sort of channel a lot. We don't have that in the team at the minute.

Gerrard is slowly getting back into the groove but he is still off his game for the most part.

Hopefully Aquiliani will be able to hold onto possession so the team can get forward and supply the same diagonal balls that Xabi did, frustratingly enough i think Lucas is capable of doing it but he just isn't assured enough yet to do it.

[badpiggy]

interesting the way this has developed into a pretty good analysis of kuyt. i think it boils down to the fact that when we're playing well kuyt takes up better positions further up the pitch where he can actually get in decent crosses - as well as chipping in with a few goals - and his defensive workrate and tracking back is inspirational. when we're not playing that well though he just seems very ordinary and lacking in any sort extra ability to change the pattern of a game. he can hold onto the ball but he slows us down a lot when he does this at the moment. i like the idea of SG being out on the right and kuyt being more central (as i'm completely against the idea of SG being in the centre of midfield)

[Armchairkopite]

Quite- people were in outrage at the thought of paying such high prices for such mediocre players at the time.

Good call.

[Armchairkopite]

interesting the way this has developed into a pretty good analysis of kuyt. i think it boils down to the fact that when we're playing well kuyt takes up better positions further up the pitch where he can actually get in decent crosses - as well as chipping in with a few goals - and his defensive workrate and tracking back is inspirational. when we're not playing that well though he just seems very ordinary and lacking in any sort extra ability to change the pattern of a game. he can hold onto the ball but he slows us down a lot when he does this at the moment. i like the idea of SG being out on the right and kuyt being more central (as i'm completely against the idea of SG being in the centre of midfield)

Kuyt needs to be played in behind the full back when he has exploited the full backs position which he is excellent at doing. I think team watch him a lot more closely this season as well but when we get our tails up and start shring the load with the left wing he will get back to his best.

Kuyt hasn't got the technical ability to play in the hole imo.

[Redspin]

Pepe Reina! ****ing legend. If it wasn't for him we would never have had a chance. He kept us in this game all the way to the end

Torres got 1 chance and he took it.

Thats the difference right there, 2 world class players doing what they do

Reina only had two saves to make all game. You speak as if he was flinging himself around all match keeping the ball out. If it wasn't for Friedel we'd have been one up from Gerrard's shot before Reina saved from Downing- leaving aside the fact that we had a blatant penalty turned down so could have been 2 up. Villa created very little for a team that was playing at home and we controlled the game from start to finish. Only our final ball at the edge of the box constantly let us down after good midfield passing

[Redspin]

Thought we were decent but gave the ball away far, far too much.

Lovely finish from Torres who, to be fair, looked pretty disinterested until that point. I feel sorry for him playing up front by himself.

Two wins now against Reading in the FA Cup and Spurs in the league would make this season seem vaguely salvagable...

Strongest team against Reading please Rafa.

A pedant writes: I think you mean "uninterested". "Disinterested" means impartial, like a referee for instance

[badpiggy]

Kuyt needs to be played in behind the full back when he has exploited the full backs position which he is excellent at doing. I think team watch him a lot more closely this season as well but when we get our tails up and start shring the load with the left wing he will get back to his best.

Kuyt hasn't got the technical ability to play in the hole imo.

agree really. he's never anywhere near the full back these days though except well in front of him and he ain't ever going to get past one with skill or pace. 4-4-2 with SG on the right sounds good to me. but that leaves right back a bit exposed... **** this - rafa's problem , not mine. thankfully for the club.

[Redspin]

How exactly ?! He offers absolutely nothing. Didn't even break up Villa's play or win many tackles.

As you are a professional Lucas-hater and see nothing positive in him, your views are pointless and irrelevant. Lucas was our best player last night, rarely wasting a pass, as has been the case for most of the season

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Lucas was superb, simple as that! wasn't fazed by the yellow card and carried on getting stuck in right til the end.

Aquilani was poor, expected a bit more after the Wolves performance but maybe the weather and the packed midfield didn't help him

Torres is a LEGEND

[Armchairkopite]

As you are a professional Lucas-hater and see nothing positive in him, your views are pointless and irrelevant. Lucas was our best player last night, rarely wasting a pass, as has been the case for most of the season

Lucas was superb, simple as that! wasn't fazed by the yellow card and carried on getting stuck in right til the end.

Agree 100% Lucas was fantastic last night winning the ball, showing for passes and picking out some nice ones he is developing nicely, funny thing with Lucas is i think he is capable of a lot more but hes slowly coming out of his shell.

I cant wait for him to start scoring goals.

[red g]

Agree 100% Lucas was fantastic last night winning the ball, showing for passes and picking out some nice ones he is developing nicely, funny thing with Lucas is i think he is capable of a lot more but hes slowly coming out of his shell.

I cant wait for him to start scoring goals.

think we will be waiting a long time for that!!!

[javier_monsterano]

Lucas will get better.

[Armchairkopite]

think we will be waiting a long time for that!!!

He used to score from distance regularly in Brazil so its in his locker.

Its no coinicidence that both Gerrard and Lampard didn't really get scoring until they hit the age of 25 before that they averaged about 5.8 goals per season. Now they hit the high teens.

[red g]

He used to score from distance regularly in Brazil so its in his locker.
Its no coinicidence that both Gerrard and Lampard didn't really get scoring until they hit the age of 25 before that they averaged about 5.8 goals per season. Now they hit the high teens.

but he didnt! he has scored maybe 4/5 outside the box, the others were a deflection or 2, a goalkeeper howler and a couple of poachers goals as well.

Gerrard only started scoring heavily when benitez came in, Lampard has always been a scorer and obviously started scoring more as chelsea got better, he also scored 14 goals in 49 games when he was at west ham and same age as lucas

I dont think lucas will ever be more than a 5 goal a season midfielder.

[SK]

He used to score from distance regularly in Brazil so its in his locker.

Its no coinicidence that both Gerrard and Lampard didn't really get scoring until they hit the age of 25 before that they averaged about 5.8 goals per season. Now they hit the high teens.

he scored 11 goals in 75 apperances over three years whilst at gremio, and i wouldn't call that "scoring reguraly".


i agree however, that he's getting better with each season, and may benefit if masch goes to barca or wherever else he wants to go.