Re: Mansfield v villa all in one match thread

[Guest]

So 4-3-3 in the first half and 4-4-2 in the second?  Is that right?

looked like 3 at the back to me 2nd half, but I never watched every minute to be honest.....Richardson and Hutton were well pushed on.

[Guest]

So 4-3-3 in the first half and 4-4-2 in the second?  Is that right?

looked like 3 at the back to me 2nd half, but I never watched every minute to be honest.....Richardson and Hutton were well pushed on.

Richardson and Hutton impressed me greatly .

[Guest]

So 4-3-3 in the first half and 4-4-2 in the second?  Is that right?

looked like 3 at the back to me 2nd half, but I never watched every minute to be honest.....Richardson and Hutton were well pushed on.

Richardson and Hutton impressed me greatly .

me too...suppose it must have been 4 across the back though....was it baker and heard at CB?

[Guest]

Nick Mashiter up next on Talksport guys...talking Villa!!!!

2320

[Trotters]

Just read Kendrick's report. A couple of things hit me:

"Villa started out with a familiar 4-2-3-1 shape...."

Eh? Familiar to whom? We rarely played this last season preferring 4-3-3.

And then this:

Mansfield, featuring several trialists, threatened in flashes before the break...opened the scoring on the stroke of half time.

So a bottom division side with trialists can get one over on us?
Yes, I know it's all about fitness and getting players familiar with each other and Lambert's tactics (HA!) but does the same not apply for Mansfield?

That's a proper WTF moment.

[expatvilla]

Just read Kendrick's report. A couple of things hit me:

"Villa started out with a familiar 4-2-3-1 shape...."

Eh? Familiar to whom? We rarely played this last season preferring 4-3-3.

And then this:

Mansfield, featuring several trialists, threatened in flashes before the break...opened the scoring on the stroke of half time.

So a bottom division side with trialists can get one over on us?
Yes, I know it's all about fitness and getting players familiar with each other and Lambert's tactics (HA!) but does the same not apply for Mansfield?

That's a proper WTF moment.

Sounds like you may have a chip on your shoulder for some reason.

[USVillan]

To the tactics, Villa apparently played a 3-4-3 in the 2nd half:
Steer
Herd. Westwood (sweeper). Baker.
Hutton. Gardner. KEA. Richardson
N'Zogbia. Bent. Weimann.

That's interesting news...particularly with how well Villa apparently played in this formation.

[Mazrim]

If the squad is used correctly, I don't think we really to buy again this summer, nothing desperately anyway

And I think you're crazy. We need some quality and desperately. This was a kickabout against a mickey mouse team. I'm glad we played OK but we're miles away from what we need.

"miles away"...interesting.

I'm assuming you expect us to be challenging for Europe next season then? we are certainly not "miles away from mid table.

Yeah, I expect us to be challenging for Europe.   
We're miles away from being a midtable team. We're miles away from having the sort of squad and infrastructure that will see us even relatively comfortable in the league from a survival point of view. That, as a Villa fan, is the very least I expect. I'd love to believe that the reintroduction of a few players who were frozen out means we're a decent side all of a sudden. But I don't think it works that way. It was a run out against Mansfield. A useful one, yes, but nothing more. I reckon we're three or four decent players away from having the sort of team that can be midtable (8th -12th) and short of a takeover, wont get them either. We also don't have the manager to motivate these players beyond their modest abilities and may still lose some of our better players. I'd be delighted to proven wrong.

Still, it was a reasonable performance and I don't want to go over things in this thread that are being discussed elsewhere. So I'll leave it at that.

[Trotters]

Just read Kendrick's report. A couple of things hit me:

"Villa started out with a familiar 4-2-3-1 shape...."

Eh? Familiar to whom? We rarely played this last season preferring 4-3-3.

And then this:

Mansfield, featuring several trialists, threatened in flashes before the break...opened the scoring on the stroke of half time.

So a bottom division side with trialists can get one over on us?
Yes, I know it's all about fitness and getting players familiar with each other and Lambert's tactics (HA!) but does the same not apply for Mansfield?

That's a proper WTF moment.

Sounds like you may have a chip on your shoulder for some reason.

Explain?

[CoE82]

Just read Kendrick's report. A couple of things hit me:

"Villa started out with a familiar 4-2-3-1 shape...."

Eh? Familiar to whom? We rarely played this last season preferring 4-3-3.

And then this:

Mansfield, featuring several trialists, threatened in flashes before the break...opened the scoring on the stroke of half time.

So a bottom division side with trialists can get one over on us?
Yes, I know it's all about fitness and getting players familiar with each other and Lambert's tactics (HA!) but does the same not apply for Mansfield?

That's a proper WTF moment.

Sounds like you may have a chip on your shoulder for some reason.

Explain?

[Dek of Villa]

For those who do not have AVTV, here are some brief highlights of the game with some good movement for the Villa goals.

brief highlights Mansfield 1-3 Aston Villa, pre-season friendly, 17July14..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV6WJ9ImtxE

[Trotters]

Thanks, Dek.

Shit defending all round there.

And how much timber is Bent carrying?

[Guest]

Bent does look a bit over weight.

[Trotters]

He looks like he ate Emile Heskey!

[Guest]

With a Richard Dunne side salad.

[expatvilla]

Just read Kendrick's report. A couple of things hit me:

"Villa started out with a familiar 4-2-3-1 shape...."

Eh? Familiar to whom? We rarely played this last season preferring 4-3-3.

And then this:

Mansfield, featuring several trialists, threatened in flashes before the break...opened the scoring on the stroke of half time.

So a bottom division side with trialists can get one over on us?
Yes, I know it's all about fitness and getting players familiar with each other and Lambert's tactics (HA!) but does the same not apply for Mansfield?

That's a proper WTF moment.

Sounds like you may have a chip on your shoulder for some reason.

Explain?

Just a hunch.

[Guest]

Paul Lambert insists the early signs are encouraging after seeing his side come from behind to beat Mansfield 3-1 in their opening pre-season friendly.

Lambert was happy with the contribution of newboys like Joe Cole and Kieran Richardson - and returning stars like Alan Hutton, Darren Bent, Jores Okore, Chris Herd, Gary Gardner and Charles N'Zogbia.

Villa boss Lambert was satisfied with the display - and thrilled that everyone came through the match at the One Call Stadium unscathed.

He said: "It was a useful workout.

"It's our first game this season - two halves with different teams - and it was pleasing.

"What is more pleasing is that everyone has come through it unscathed.

"Jores hasn't played for a long time. Charles is the same. Chris and Gary have come back into it. Darren has returned from his loan spell at Fulham. Alan has come back and, I thought, was excellent.

"I was delighted with the whole group.

"We should have been one or two up in that first half. But the response after Mansfield scored was pleasing. The first half was really pleasing as well.

"I am delighted everyone has come through it."

Lambert was pleased to see Bent and Gardner on the scoresheet - and he was able also to speak of the acquisition of Richardson for the first time.

He added: "If there is one lad who deserves a break, it's Gary because of his injuries. He's a terrific lad. He will have to fight. But if he plays like that and does things like that, why not force his way in.

"Darren has the knack of being in the right place at the right time. To be fair to Darren, since he's come back for pre-season, he's knuckled down and gave it a right good go.

"We have Christian Benteke and Libor Kozak coming back shortly. Philippe Senderos will join up with us and Brad Guzan too while Ron Vlaar will have a couple of weeks more off.

"It was good to have Kieran out there. It was there for everyone to see what Kieran can bring.

"He hasn't been here long and probably doesn't know everybody. But he will be a major asset for us."

[Morpheus]

Jesus H Christ! Bent looks like Heskey there. Far, far too heavy and a lot of pre-season work needed before he's even close to being ready for the Premiership.

[Mr_Spadge]

Perhaps, but when did Heskey ever score 2 goals in one match (never mind a 45 minute spell).

I'm still a bit embarrased about how our great club has treated Bent and the Bomb-squad. I'm not saying he's been a model professional, but It's still not how a professional football club should behave.

And maybe I'm too busy watching him put the ball in the back of the net, but he didn't seem THAT chunky to me...

(I did still chuckle at the Richard Dunne Side Salad though :) )

[mickeywya]

So a bottom division side with trialists can get one over on us?
Yes, I know it's all about fitness and getting players familiar with each other and Lambert's tactics (HA!) but does the same not apply for Mansfield?

That's a proper WTF moment.

Crystal Palace won 13-1 the other night, so in your eyes does that mean theyre going to win the league?

[Green Villan]

So a bottom division side with trialists can get one over on us?
Yes, I know it's all about fitness and getting players familiar with each other and Lambert's tactics (HA!) but does the same not apply for Mansfield?

That's a proper WTF moment.

Crystal Palace won 13-1 the other night, so in your eyes does that mean theyre going to win the league?

Is that a pre-season record?

[Trotters]

I don't think it means they'll win the league, no. But it would tend to indicate that they have the basic ability to pass a ball about in order to get a goal or 13.

Likewise, the scoreline in our first half would tend to indicate that we are struggling to pass the ball about in a meaningful fashion. If it was against similar opposition, then fair enough. If it was against a Championship side, so be it. If it was against a League 1 side, then it's disappointing. If it was against a League 2 side then it's a bit of a concern indeed. But against a League 2 side who were giving some unknowns a run for a trial then, well, what the fuck?

I'd like to think the 2nd half players were dishing out all manner of shit to the clowns who went 1-0 down.

[villabromsgrove]

Positives (just) …. We passed the ball a bit better than Mansfield, and a few of the moves were what you would expect from a Premiership club. Negatives (unchanged) …. We still don't seem to have a clue about defending even the most basic division two style throw ins and flick ons.

Cole and Bent look like they know what they're doing, but at the moment neither appear to have the fitness or pace to cope with Premiership football. Hopefully a full pre-season will change this.

Okore looks sharp already, and we really have to make Vlaar an offer he can't refuse. (I think Vlaar will be sold unfortunately).

[heystally!]

How did Westwood get on in defence? Seems like an odd move, which is why I'm not surprised that Lambert did it.

[Trotters]

Didn't it seem odd? The only explanation I can put forward is that Lambert is getting him ready for a DM role and wants to teach him a few things defensively.

But as has been pointed out, he's not big and tough, he's not tall, he's not quick.

Let's see what the Dallas Cowboys throw at us.

[Sponsored content]