Re: Aston Villa v Burton Albion Pre & Match Thread

[achilles]

I think we underestimated Burton. They were up for it and we weren't.

Not happy but an acceptable 3  points to keep us ticking over. Grealish was great, Hogan worked his bollocks off, and Thor was again very good in his role.

I don't think I underestimated Burton but I definitely overestimated us, as I keep on thinking that one day we will actually impose ourselves on the opposition, just wistful thinking on my part!
The game was shocking and for once the defense looked all over the place, not picking up players and Johnstone has to learn to come for crosses everything else is fine.

Hourihane was anonymous, Onomah is not a left winger, Tuanzebe looks pretty quick and looks a good player on the brief sub appearance, Grealish starts really slowly and only seems to get going in the second half (great finish for his goal), Snodgrass great ball to Adomah for the first goal and easy tap in for Hogan, Hogan ran his socks off as he got no service/crosses again, Elmo (plonker) stuck the goal away brilliantly into the roof of the net gave Johnstone no chance, the rest all so so.
Burton played all the football and pressurised well but with no end product.

The referees just get worse if that is possible, I would even question some of the offside decisions made by the linesmen as well.
The 'penalty' decision that Grealish got booked for was up the other end so it was difficult to judge if the ref made the right call (probably not judged on the rest of his performance) but I notice it wasn't shown on the highlights!

Still we won and 6 games in a row now but if we play like that next week we will lose, no question about it!

[Saunders82]

Achillies writes, Still we won and 6 games in a row now but if we play like that next week we will lose, no question about it!

Saving ourselves for next week methinks.

[achilles]

Achillies writes, Still we won and 6 games in a row now but if we play like that next week we will lose, no question about it!

Saving ourselves for next week methinks.

I certainly hope so!

[De Kuip]

I know it didn't make much difference to the Wolves score but I literally cannot believe that yet again the opposition had a man sent off. Pretty much all our rivals that played today did so against ten men for some or most of their games. Just fecking unbelievable.

[AstonThriller]

I know it didn't make much difference to the Wolves score but I literally cannot believe that yet again the opposition had a man sent off. Pretty much all our rivals that played today did so against ten men for some or most of their games. Just fecking unbelievable.

Wolves have played against ten men at least TEN times this season. It's getting to the point now where folks might aswell start betting on a player to get sent off against them rather than guessing the score . How many times have we faced ten men this season? I can remember the Boro game and even then we managed to throw away the advantage. Every win this year we've had to battle whilst Wolves get stuff handed to them on a plate. Out of their last ten games I'm sure they've faced ten men at least six times.

[AstonThriller]

I don't think I underestimated Burton but I definitely overestimated us, as I keep on thinking that one day we will actually impose ourselves on the opposition, just wistful thinking on my part!
The game was shocking and for once the defense looked all over the place, not picking up players and Johnstone has to learn to come for crosses everything else is fine.

Aston Villa 5-0 Bristol City

[De Kuip]

I don't think I underestimated Burton but I definitely overestimated us, as I keep on thinking that one day we will actually impose ourselves on the opposition, just wistful thinking on my part!
The game was shocking and for once the defense looked all over the place, not picking up players and Johnstone has to learn to come for crosses everything else is fine.

Aston Villa 5-0 Bristol City

Burton Albion 0 Aston Villa 4
Aston Villa 4 Norwich 2

Although even given those examples I do get the post- there's been quite a few times where I've expected us to really show our superiority and we haven't. Got a feeling both Derby and Cardiff let alone wolves have battered far more teams than we have this season. Still, as I keep stating the obvious, we have to play all our rivals at our place yet so it's in our hands. Happy to be auto-promoted on the back of multiple 1-0s if it does the job.

[achilles]

I don't think I underestimated Burton but I definitely overestimated us, as I keep on thinking that one day we will actually impose ourselves on the opposition, just wistful thinking on my part!
The game was shocking and for once the defense looked all over the place, not picking up players and Johnstone has to learn to come for crosses everything else is fine.

Aston Villa 5-0 Bristol City

And that is the only game I have missed at home this season, perhaps it is just me!

[Dions_Bald_Head]

Not to excuse the performance but games against bottom-of-the-table teams can be banana skins, especially after the run we've had.

[deadbuzzardalive]

If you're going to get a wake up call, the best way to do it is whilst still getting the three points, which is what we did, and hopeful it does serve as a reminder that we can't be complacent going into games, in a strange way it might just be what we needed going into the birmingham game next weekend.

[AstonThriller]

If you're going to get a wake up call, the best way to do it is whilst still getting the three points, which is what we did, and hopeful it does serve as a reminder that we can't be complacent going into games, in a strange way it might just be what we needed going into the birmingham game next weekend.

"There's nothing you can learn from losing, that you can't learn from almost losing"

Bruce Arians

[Saunders82]

I don't think I underestimated Burton but I definitely overestimated us, as I keep on thinking that one day we will actually impose ourselves on the opposition, just wistful thinking on my part!
The game was shocking and for once the defense looked all over the place, not picking up players and Johnstone has to learn to come for crosses everything else is fine.

Aston Villa 5-0 Bristol City

Burton Albion 0 Aston Villa 4
Aston Villa 4 Norwich 2

Although even given those examples I do get the post- there's been quite a few times where I've expected us to really show our superiority and we haven't. Got a feeling both Derby and Cardiff let alone wolves have battered far more teams than we have this season. Still, as I keep stating the obvious, we have to play all our rivals at our place yet so it's in our hands. Happy to be auto-promoted on the back of multiple 1-0s if it does the job.

Liverpool won the old First Division for years doing that very thing, perhaps thats the plan.

[De Kuip]

I don't think I underestimated Burton but I definitely overestimated us, as I keep on thinking that one day we will actually impose ourselves on the opposition, just wistful thinking on my part!
The game was shocking and for once the defense looked all over the place, not picking up players and Johnstone has to learn to come for crosses everything else is fine.

Aston Villa 5-0 Bristol City

Burton Albion 0 Aston Villa 4
Aston Villa 4 Norwich 2

Although even given those examples I do get the post- there's been quite a few times where I've expected us to really show our superiority and we haven't. Got a feeling both Derby and Cardiff let alone wolves have battered far more teams than we have this season. Still, as I keep stating the obvious, we have to play all our rivals at our place yet so it's in our hands. Happy to be auto-promoted on the back of multiple 1-0s if it does the job.

Liverpool won the old First Division for years doing that very thing, perhaps thats the plan.

And of course there's the famous "1-0 to the Arsenal" in the days of George Graham - they didn't do too badly either.....

Got to be honest - Burton's second was a shocker though - we need to close down those gaps - yes I know the game was all but won but seeing their guy drift in between defenders was like a return to the start of the season. Just need to learn from it and not to lose concentration, which was what it looked like.

[achilles]

I don't think I underestimated Burton but I definitely overestimated us, as I keep on thinking that one day we will actually impose ourselves on the opposition, just wistful thinking on my part!
The game was shocking and for once the defense looked all over the place, not picking up players and Johnstone has to learn to come for crosses everything else is fine.

Aston Villa 5-0 Bristol City

Burton Albion 0 Aston Villa 4
Aston Villa 4 Norwich 2

Although even given those examples I do get the post- there's been quite a few times where I've expected us to really show our superiority and we haven't. Got a feeling both Derby and Cardiff let alone wolves have battered far more teams than we have this season. Still, as I keep stating the obvious, we have to play all our rivals at our place yet so it's in our hands. Happy to be auto-promoted on the back of multiple 1-0s if it does the job.

Liverpool won the old First Division for years doing that very thing, perhaps thats the plan.

And of course there's the famous "1-0 to the Arsenal" in the days of George Graham - they didn't do too badly either.....

Got to be honest - Burton's second was a shocker though - we need to close down those gaps - yes I know the game was all but won but seeing their guy drift in between defenders was like a return to the start of the season. Just need to learn from it and not to lose concentration, which was what it looked like.

To be honest both of their goals were shocking, total lack of concentration, hopefully just a blip!

[Guest]

I'm still confused as to why :

1) Why O'Hare isn't even on the bench, yet Onomah is.

2) Why Elmo was seen as a better RB option that Bree.

[achilles]

I'm still confused as to why :

1) Why O'Hare isn't even on the bench, yet Onomah is.

2) Why Elmo was seen as a better RB option that Bree.

Obviously Bruce doesn't fancy O'Hare as I can't see him getting a look in for the rest of the season unless something dramatic/drastic happens!

Snodgrass went off on Saturday and Elmo was pushed into the his place with Tuanzebe taking Elmo's position of right back. Bree is another who won't get a look in either.
I can see Tuanzebe taking Elmo's position on Sunday as he is a much more physical presence and pretty quick to boot and he 'has' to play!

Think Bruce is keeping all his options open, which is fair enough in the position we find ourselves, there is no point in taking any risks and leaving ourselves short of players.
It really is all or nothing now, opinions count for nothing, it is all about results!

[Guest]

It's just stupid giving the loanees so much pitch time. The team has largely settled now. What happens when we don't get promoted and Johnstone, Snodgrass etc. disappear next season?

[FoxyAV]

It's just stupid giving the loanees so much pitch time. The team has largely settled now. What happens when we don't get promoted and Johnstone, Snodgrass etc. disappear next season?

For me it's either Bruce thinking he's fielding his strongest set of subs, all the attacking players (bar one striker) are injured or he's contractually obliged to play Onomah.

I still don't get why we put one striker, three defensive midfielders and one defender who wants to be a defensive midfielder on the bench. As I said before the match, Green's correct position is left wing and he's an attacking player, so he's either a straight swap for Adomah or if Snodgrass gets injured Adomah can play on the right. Onomah's not a winger and he isn't an attacking player. I'd have had O'Hare, Green, Davis, Jedi, Tuanzebe and whoever the spare goalie was. Lots of options there and cover for all positions.

[deadbuzzardalive]

Having both Whelan and Jedinak on the bench is ridiculous, one of them should have been left out to accommodate, one of Green, O'Hare or Hepburn-Murphy, there's really no need for five players who can play defensive midfield in one match day squad. Bruce made a big deal at the start of the season, about how he was giving youth a chance, but it's evidently not true, the only exception being Davis, but that was forced upon him, and even he will probably get dropped from the squad once Grabban gets going.

If we reach the Premier league, our young players chances will be even more limited under Bruce.

[achilles]

It is obvious that Bruce has no intention of using any of our youth players, if I was any of them I would want out!

[deadbuzzardalive]

I'm not one for saying that we should play the youth players for the sake of it, or that they should be playing ahead of players currently on loan, but when they can't get on the bench because there's three or four players being picked ahead of them in one position, defensive midfield on Saturday, but previous to that it's been right-backs, then it does make me wonder.

It's been suggested that Green isn't match fit, but even then, Hepburn-Murphy can play as a wide forward and O'Hare can play in several attacking positions, surely they or one of them would have been a better option than all defensive substitutes. A part of me thinks that because the club is already wasting money on the likes of McCormack, Richards and Agbonlahor, and that's why Bruce isn't keen on leaving one of Whelan or Jedinak out the squad, as that would be yet another player on big wages we're not using.

[De Kuip]

It's frustrating not seeing them at least get on the bench, I agree.

If I was a youth player I'd be starting to wonder what the future might have in store for me at Villa cos if they can't even get on the bench in the championship, I can't see them having a cat in hell's chance of getting a game if we did get get into the Prem.

[Guest]

Pretty much. If I were a talented footballer I'd never come to AVFC. We simply don't give them a chance unless they are 110% ready, and even then we prefer to stick with old and proven. It's always been this way. I envy other clubs who actually actively give young players pitch time.

[FoxyAV]

I think we do give academy players time on the pitch, just not as much time as we'd like! Grealish, Green, Davis, Audrey and O'Hare this season (any more?), which isn't bad. Of late we've had Baker and Clark too. I can't see any comparisons with other teams on the internet, there are lots of articles listing the top 20 academies based on how many graduates play in the Premier League but how well the likes of Albrighton and Cahill are doing is of little consequence to us now!

[achilles]

I'm not one for saying that we should play the youth players for the sake of it, or that they should be playing ahead of players currently on loan, but when they can't get on the bench because there's three or four players being picked ahead of them in one position, defensive midfield on Saturday, but previous to that it's been right-backs, then it does make me wonder.

It's been suggested that Green isn't match fit, but even then, Hepburn-Murphy can play as a wide forward and O'Hare can play in several attacking positions, surely they or one of them would have been a better option than all defensive substitutes. A part of me thinks that because the club is already wasting money on the likes of McCormack, Richards and Agbonlahor, and that's why Bruce isn't keen on leaving one of Whelan or Jedinak out the squad, as that would be yet another player on big wages we're not using.

Is it because Bruce bought these players so he has to justify his decision by at least putting them on the bench?
His bench on Saturday was ridiculous as he had only defensive options available besides Davis, so he couldn't really change the setup once the game had started in an attacking sense.
This epitomises Bruce's failings as he has a plan A which starts the game and that is it.
I don't think it even crosses his mind that he might what to change the way we are playing during a game, the bench is for injuries and using at 70 minutes whatever is happening!

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