Is our attack all that?

1. Over the last two seasons we've only scored 31 and 27 goals respectively and how many attacking players in this current squad do we have that wasn't part of those squads? Mccormack, Kodjia and Adomah. Just THREE players and one hasn't even started a game yet while another has only played three. So for most of this campaign we've relied on the same crap that couldn't hit a barn door last season and the year before.

2. Ayew has only scored over ten goals in a season ONCE, Grealish only has three goals to his name in his entire career, Westwood has scored two goals in two years and barely has any assists, Jedinak didn't score a single goal last season, Tshibola never scored a single goal for Reading, Bacuna only scored one goal last season and Gardner hasn't scored a single goal for us so the majority of our squad simply don't have experience of being productive in the final third of the pitch. Yes we have Mccormack, Gestede and Kodjia but what's the point when only Adomah in the entire squad has a track record of getting eight or more assists in a season?

3. We've only scored two goals in five away games this season (including Luton) and interestingly the two games we scored in we were leading and collapsed to a 3-1 defeat. Where the league is concerned we've failed to score at Wednesday, Derby and Ipswich now.

4. Since the start of last season our central midfield has scored the sum total of THREE goals (Gana in the cup and two for Westwood vs Southampton) with one assist

So to sum it up we only really have one player behind the strikers who has proven he can get assists (Adomah) so is it any wonder we're only averaging a goal a game and can't finish off teams? Mccormack can get the odd assists as well but then where is the service for him too? The more the games pile up the more it becomes obvious that we desperately need more creative midfielders in this squad and goals from other areas of the pitch too.

Im starting to think that Ayew and Grealish are part of the problem. They both take far to much time on the ball - they slow our attacks down. Grealish won't shoot unless he is about 3 ft from goal - and whilst Ayew will shoot - he isn't very good at it.
Id be tempted to only play with one of this pair for the next game.

Yet again Ayew misses a sitter from 5 yards and fluffs our only real chance of the game! So overrated it's unreal! He must score about one in 10 chances which it's nowhere near good enough. He has attributes yes of course but just not very good at assists or scoring

Ayew is major major problem. He is greedy, he is only.out for himself and is not a team player and his finishing is diabolical. He should be the first one out once were able tongued a fully fit side

We have a good forward line but no wingers or midfielders capable of a defence splitting pass.

I watched yesterday as Ipswich sat almost unmoving on the edge of their own box and the only thing we could think to do was to try and blast it time and again through a sea of legs.

Is this lack of creativity something that we've bought or is it purely down to a lack of decent training?

Then again, that was against Ipswich. In previous games we've created so much it's crazy!

Ayew is a definite problem for me. Largely extremely selfish and can't seem to finish . Needs to be dropped ASAP.


Unsettled squad, a manager who is clearly not handling the pressure he's brought upon himself and the self doubt is, once again, destroying us.

Ayew is a box of madness.

Joppe84 wrote:Ayew is a box of msadness.

Fixed

I'm sure I read that up until the Brentford game (it might even still be the case) we'd created the most chances in all the leagues, it's more finishing chances that's been our problem for the most part.

Central midfield definitely needs improving though.

Ten goals in eleven games. IMO it's been a massive failure and part of the reason why we're in this dire position. We can blame the post, the bar, the keeper making great saves etc but we spent over over 20m on two strikers and they've scored the grand total of three goals between them. Meanwhile our top scorer sits on the bench week after week. The whole thing is a mess.

We have the best forward line in the championship - sadly we have one of the worse midfields and one of the worse managers.

Boldfinger wrote:We have the best forward line in the championship - sadly we have one of the worse midfields and one of the worse managers.

Spot on.

I think if we had a better midfield - or even just ONE more good CM, we could play 433 with Kodjia, McCormack and Ayew up top, but we totally lack the engine and steel in midfield.

Jae1411 wrote:Ayew is major major problem. He is greedy, he is only.out for himself and is not a team player and his finishing is diabolical. He should be the first one out once were able tongued a fully fit side

I've been saying this for days now, we all know Villa an expensively put together squad, we are the scalp that everyone wants, we have to be up to combating this, which is obvious to everyone we can't, the midfield is very poor tish & Jedi plus anyone/someone even one of the kids would be better than Westwood. Then as soon as possible in January we need to address the problem, and hopefully move on.