Villa Post Match

[Exiled_red]

Thank **** at least a few other people saw the game I thought I did. I'm not saying it justifies our deficiencies or our form, but that wasn't, on its own, a bad performance apart from when it came to ball in net time.

I think today was one of those games like we had early in the season, where we created chances but couldn't score, rather than some of the performances lately where we've been awful. That was a game that had we had a decent finisher we'd have won.

[JHP]

One other thing i wanna know - Downing absolutely ****ed Hutton up early on, he skinned him in a manner i never thought i'd see Downing achieve. All you'd need for a confidence boost.

So why did he vanish after that? FFS He's ****ing capable, but either doesnt believe in himself or just cant be ****ed. Dear god.

I think the Villa fans constantly booing him was possibly the reason. He seems a little fragile and too easily put off. Think he needs a manager like Clough (or O'Neil) to constantly give him belief.

[el matador]

I think the Villa fans constantly booing him was possibly the reason. He seems a little fragile and too easily put off. Think he needs a manager like Clough (or O'Neil) to constantly give him belief.

I think there is an element to that. however, I think that downing could be a very good player in the right system and under the right manager.

he is a confidence player and he needs someone to clearly define his role for him. asking him to go and play and do his stuff isnt the right approach for him. you have to give him a specific job. keep things simple, dont ask him to dribble past players, but instead ask him to track his fullback, look to break quickly and play the ball into the 6 yard box. alternate this with balls played at the 20 yard line looking for runners or look to play in his fullback and then move back slightly for cover. just give him a specific role and ask him to perform that. like rafa did with kuyt. dirk could never get past anyone, he didnt have any pace and neither was he tricky in the slightest. but he did exactly what rafa told him and for three seasons he was top draw. if kuyt can become a top player why cant downing. keep things simple.

not one of our players bar agger has had a good season. you have to ask yourself how can the other nine or ten perform so badly. its simple, the tactics have been poorly thought out and the team lacks focus and direction.

if rafa had this team we would be knocking on top four now.

[danperkins]

Downing's **** and he's a wimp.

[el matador]

Downing's **** and he's a wimp.

in the right system he would look very good. this isnt the right system for him. none of our attacking players have done anything this season. carroll, suarez, bellamy, kuyt, henderson, downing, maxi have all been below standard.

if downing was **** by himself and the others were flying you could say all that. but theres a reason why these players havent performed.

[Rowan]

in the right system he would look very good. this isnt the right system for him. none of our attacking players have done anything this season. carroll, suarez, bellamy, kuyt, henderson, downing, maxi have all been below standard.

if downing was **** by himself and the others were flying you could say all that. but theres a reason why these players havent performed.

Dare I say it (given that I don't rate Downing at all and am convinced that if he wasn't left footed he'd be plying his trade at Hartlepool) but I think a Rafa style of system might work well for him. We could even see him make the leap from utterly mediocre to a more consistent level of slightly below average.

[el matador]

Dare I say it (given that I don't rate Downing at all and am convinced that if he wasn't left footed he'd be plying his trade at Hartlepool) but I think a Rafa style of system might work well for him. We could even see him make the leap from utterly mediocre to a more consistent level of slightly below average.

its exactly what I was thinking. downing is a rafa type player. he works very hard, he is tactically well disciplined and he will play to instruction. he has pace and can carry the ball from the middle third to the final third quickly and can provide good quality when hes got a target to hit.

what you need then is someone very creative either playing off the front man or wide right.

rafa would turn downing into a proper player not the **** wimp we're seeing at the moment. I also think he would do the same for henderson. most of the ingredients are already there for rafa. hes got two really good central defenders, two attack minded fulbacks, two central midfield players in henderson and lucas who will both suit his style, a hard working left sided player in downing. hes got suarez who can play on the right of a three.

he needs someone upfront and someone to play off him. if gerrard is ok after this summer then he could still possibly do that role or jovetic at fiorentia is a good option. striker signing is crucial though.

[Phoenix07]

How on earth did we get from Downing to Rafa? I'm waiting for the bizarre link between Easter and Benitez now to top it all off.

[fidget]

How on earth did we get from Downing to Rafa? I'm waiting for the bizarre link between Easter and Benitez now to top it all off.

Benitez would "egg" on our underachievers.

[dom9]

I didn't see the game yesterday. But reading some match reports just now, it looked like we battered them, hit the woodwork 4 times, and their keeper had a blinder.

This has happened at least 10 times this season. We've hit the woodwork 27 times this season. Desperately unlucky.

I'm trying to be objective here. But that to me sounds really like we're not far off from being a top 4 team. Appalling luck, and some bad finishing has conspired to scupper us.

[Mattshark]

I didn't see the game yesterday. But reading some match reports just now, it looked like we battered them, hit the woodwork 4 times, and their keeper had a blinder.

This has happened at least 10 times this season. We've hit the woodwork 27 times this season. Desperately unlucky.

I'm trying to be objective here. But that to me sounds really like we're not far off from being a top 4 team. Appalling luck, and some bad finishing has conspired to scupper us.

It isn't luck when you are midtable team after 32 games mate.

[Red_Polo]

Yeah, I agree. The points difference is too big for it to be down to bad luck.

Fact of the matter is we've been abysmal in 2012.

[dom9]

It isn't luck when you are midtable team after 32 games mate.

I realise that, but in how many games have we deserved to lose, or even draw? Bad finishing and bad luck have definitely played their part.

[Mattshark]

I realise that, but in how many games have we deserved to lose, or even draw? Bad finishing and bad luck have definitely played their part.

Bad midfield, bad final balls, bad tactics and bad fitness and a lack of depth.

[Muddled]

Bad midfield, bad final balls, bad tactics and bad fitness and a lack of depth.

Matt, your posts make me dislike sharks.