All Goals Fulham 2-0 Aston Villa (08-12-2013… by video4all
The rumour was that Martin Jol had lost the dressing room when he was at Tottenham and I suspect this was also the case at Fulham too.
Sod’s law then, that we get to play them so early in the new manager’s reign.
Fulham certainly didn’t look like a seriously struggling side today, did they?
And just as some of us feared, Berbatov turned it on today, with some great runs and some lovely flicks.
That’s enough about them though and I’ll get back to what matters, ie the Villa.
Even though we lost (and I don’t really think it was a 2-0 losing performance), I actually thought we played ok. The central defence handled most stuff pretty well and it was a pleasure for me to actually think that we seemed to have stopped the pathetic standard of basic passing that it seems I’ve been criticising for weeks.
If I’m going to be critical though, I have to say Bacuna was our weak link today. Not because of the penalty though.
Hopefully many of you know that I’m not as one eyed as some of us when it comes to penalties and my take is that while the pen was indeed very soft, Bacuna seemed to impede the attacker.
Hence I can see why it was given.
But by the same token, I could easily accept that the attacker looked for it.
My point is that I can see why it was given.
Not that it mattered ultimately, as we were already one down with what I thought was a good goal from Sidwell. I thought the ball was well on the way out, but Sidwell persisted and caught out Guzan, who had committed himself far too early.
It was a bit of an off day for the goalie in some ways, but he also made a few very good saves, so I’m not pointing the finger at him.
Actually I’m not pointing the finger at anybody.
I think Fulham played very well and while I’ve just heard commentators saying Villa were poor, I think that’s denying Fulham the credit they deserved today.
To put it in context, they created 20 attempts.
It was pretty obvious how we’d set up in the first half, with our typical long ball out to the breaking strikers and to be honest, I’m beginning to find it tedious.
Paul Merson made me laugh at half time, when he said that he thought we’d go long in the second half.
Huh? Like we hadn’t in the first half?
Anyway, Lambert never took any notice of his comments and at least did try to play it a bit wider with Tonev coming on for Al Ahmedi and Albrighton coming on later.
It didn’t work though and as the game went on, so I thought it was more unlikely that we would score.
As for Gabby’s pen shout, no doubt about that one.
The defender didn’t touch the ball and trod on Gabby’s foot.
Clear penalty and a bad decision at the end of the day, I say.
The disappointing bit?
Delph getting suspended for the next game against Man U, with yet another poor tackle.
I like the kid, but I’ve got more chance of playing for England than he has if he keeps doing that.
That and the fact that we are so obviously lacking a quality midfield player with real guile who can unlock a defence.
Just the same as we’ve all been saying for ages.
If this isn’t addressed in the window, I’ll be asking serious questions.
For me…the performances are far more disappointing than the results. We are so easy for opposition managers to sus out. If we cant break fast, we are fucked. Southampton fell into our trap, but Fulham certainly did not.
Fulham beat us at our own game….so we resort to kick and rush…the very worst type of football to watch IMO! Bacuna will never make a RB and Westwood will never be PL standard! He couldnt even give any height to corners FFS..thats both unbelievable and unforgiveable! It wont be too long before someone comes in for Delph. The boy was everywhere today. KEA done less than fuck all. We had a great chance to put this right in the summer. We could have comfortably covered Barry’s wages with the offloading of Bent and Ireland and now Given.
Biggest problem for me is that we are going ‘nowhere fast’ and the only answer IMO is for Lerner to loosen the purse strings in both Jan and in the summer. We are a pathetic, weak, ambitionless club at present….enough is enough!
Fuck off Lerner, the Villa is OURS!
Spot on, westwoods delivery has been crap for a long time, even lambert turned his head, how hard is it when you practice every day. KeA is a waste of a position, weiman ain’t doing nothing, can’t remember the last time I enjoyed watching villa play, all this long ball is so boring but think lambert has little choice, had a lot of luck this year, poor against Cardiff, City, Sunderland, Southampton and now Fulham, can’t see it changing while you reward players that play poor by playing them the week after!
Is it any surprise we lost, Bacuna isn’t a right full back, Baker isn’t a left full back, Herd isn’t a centre half. KEA and Westwood aren’t PL players either.
Oh and will someone at Villa please, please, please, take Westwood off corner duty, his overall play is bad enough but his dead ball deliveries have got to be the worst in the division.
Don’t forget how shit tonev is either. Another waste of space. Out of all lamberks signings vlaar is the only one that’s been decent this season. And I never thought I’d say that. Our other good performers gabby Delph and Clark are not his signings. Says it all.
Agreed Ritchie…back line should have been Lowton-Baker-Clark- Delph IMO
Mdfield Albrighton – Sylla – Helenius – Gabby – Tonev
Benteke
Plenty of width with Gabby roaming, Sylla holding and Helenius in the hole creating chance..I think the lad has the skill to play just behind Benteke and thread passes through to him…
Does anyone think that this formation would work against Manure (I presume, if fit, Luna wiill be replacing Delph!
I don’t actually think its westwoods fault on the corners, i know it sounds crazy but every ball put in from a set piece is a floated crap ball and it wasn’t just westwood doing this bannan was when Lambert had him on set piece duty, but look at bannans set pieces now at palace, he whips it in with pace and curve like a set piece should be, i think its Lambert who wants these shit floated balls and again is too stubborn to change something that quite simply isn’t working! But at the end of the day if i was westwood i would whip a few in to at least keep the defenders guessing cause at the moment everybody knows exactly what kind of ball is comin in and its an easy ball for goalkeepers and defenders, and a near impossible ball to score from.
His corners didn’t even clear first man his free kick was straight out how is all that not his fault
He makes a good point though. Look at Bannan under Houllier. Before his loan move to Leeds, his free kicks/corner’s were some of the best we’ve had, and then look at him under McLeish and then Lambert. They were lofted garbage, hope the big man gets high enough. Now look at it under both Pulis and Holloway. They’re again some of the best you’ll see, and far more natural for him. While I don’t think Westwood will ever be good enough at dead ball situations, he, like Bannan, were clearly told to take them a certain way, despite them not working. If Westwood was allowed to whip them in, he’d no doubt pass the first guy 90% of the time.
Kerry…but on several occasions from corners, the ball went no higher than knee height. How the fuck he can even do that is beyond belief…..FFS, the average man in the street would, at least, be able to get more height on the ball than that!
The corners and free-kicks are a joke. All we do id float the ball in, we never try and put in a decent whipped in ball. Lowton should take corners if he is on the field. Best crosser at the club.
From the sounds of it as i never saw or heard the game we were basically shite,with a number of players questionable PL standard.is this young & hungry mentality working.utd next i suppose you can say new manager syndrome isn’t applicable here.pretty worrying imo.
Utd aren’t the side they were and hopefully Rooney and Van Percy will still be out so we should be in with a shout.
Rooney was suspended for 1 game so he’ll be back unfortunately.
Isn’t delp suspended for the utd game for too many yellows?
Yeah he is.
Yep and delph suspended next wee
Rvp will play and prob Rooney. Her affix and welbeck can knock a few in to. Be a close game bite can see them shading it
Oaha if they are back then we’re fucked pure & simple,like langford said yesterday i wouldn’t of put it past kiddy harriers wipeing the floor with them if they were drawn together.it’s just bollox atm.
Bws even with them missing i have little faith mate,and by the way fairplay to you for proving me wrong yesterday.lambert out fuck off lerner.
Cheers mate just wish I’d been wrong.
Even the shitest of teams seem pick up for a couple of games when a new manager takes over (just our luck), shame we couldn’t have play them 2 weeks ago.
Bws do you know what the possession stats were mate?
Pretty even Giddy 52% (Fulham) 48% Villa, shots they had 20 to our 10 but as bad as it was we should have still come away with a point if the ref had not had a mare, giving them the softest of soft penalties and then turning down Gabbys shout.
I suppose you carn’t always get the rub of the green.but don’t you think our tactics are far too transparent to other teams now mate?any manager with half a braincell would see this.
Do we have any mate? At times we look like a Sunday morning outfit, Lambert there just to cut up the oranges and supply the fags at half time!
Lol mate i think he’d struggle with that simple task,he’s far too reliant on the strike force getting us the goals when the midfield & minus vlaar in defence is a shambles.have you heard any news on vlaar mate?
He’s supposed to be doubtful for the utd game (calf injury).
Just read on another site Lambert’s apparently fell out with Lowton because he’s moved back to Sheffield.
I would of thought it’s fuck all to do with lambert where a player lives as long as they turn up on time to training.vlaar has dodgy calves so im not expecting him back soon unfortunately like last season shite.
The club policy had always been players should live within an hr of bmh. It’s not like he can’t pop up there now and then it’s about an 1.5 hrs away
I think they were 50 50 as they allowed us to play at the back more and thus like a home team. Clever eh
Ps im now in the negative prick camp.
Lol….
Only just read this article and cant beleave you are not “Downbeat” yesterday was embarrasing from start to finish and having gone to Southampton last week we were awfull there aswell and how we won i will never know. The man utd score next weekend has all the hall marks of a thrashing they have something to prove and we are championship quality its going to be messy.
I’ve got that feeling to about us getting our seasonal spanking this season Man Ushited but Lambert was not pleased at the Fulham performance either and will rally the troops come on you Lions COYL SOTC SOTB SOMU UTV
I certainly don’t like this ride our luck tactics,lambert wipe those fucking glasses of yours & see where to extract that head of yours.
Well looks like i am the only one getting fair results after the last three fishing matches am now over 1600 euros better off.Although it was nice to put one over the scuners seems we are having the same old problems win one lose five and can;t see us winning many more games this season.Looking like yet another skin of our teeth job to me.So will stick to the fishing won;t waste any more money on watching tiddlers in a big pond get gobbled up.
You was lucky Terry that i didn’t go with you fishing, Terry did you send me a Twitter over the weekend asking me to start tweeting, only do facebook tel. As for yesterday better not start me off. No ffs,.’g comment.
Congratulations tel j nice to hear some good news mate.
Awful performance, we were playing much better last season, we seem to have reverted back to hoofball, it’s becoming embarrassing now.
If the AM position isn’t addressed soon i think we are going to suffer as we seem to have been found out.
Not like you Guest.
Lambert’s post match bullshit, I mean comments – “I couldn’t fault the lads for the way they tried to get themselves back into it.”
“I can’t fault the lads though because the effort was there.”
Good god how many times are we going to hear this from Lambert? It’s becoming a little Groundhog Day-ish.
Time to call a spade a spade at the moment, the football is becoming dull, no imagination, no penetration, no end product, bit like my relationship with my ex.
The comments don’t really bother me, to be honest i couldn’t give a toss what the excuses are, if he felt the need to come out in the post match interview, doing a stupid eastern european accent like that annoying fucking Meerkat advert, and at the end of the usual “we’ll pick ourselves up and go again” bollocks finished off with “simples” whilst simultaneously hopping on one leg and trying to lick his forehead, that would be absolutely fine, as long as we had just come out and played decent football instead of looking clueless and bewildered whilst being rolled over by the most average of average.
I’m not saying it’s all Lamberts fault, just that something needs to be addressed as i can’t bear to watch us embarrassing ourselves by masquerading as a football team.
It’s a combination of things but the club is run as a shambles from top to bottom IMO. Other than the acorns stuff which I applaud the club have no idea how to succeed as a club and take us forward unless they don’t want to if course!!
Guest what’s happened to you. You’ve woke up and smelt the coffee good on you.
He is starting to sound like a stuck record now,just spoke to bill p & he’s well fucked & carn’t see how anyone on here can be positive which i for one agree with.aggborough here i come watch decent footy played.uth
This counter attacking is all well and good, as long as you score. Let’s be honest, we could have been a couple of goals down against Southampton before we took the lead.Lambert’s favourite quote appears to be “We will give it a right good go ” Personally I don’t call 23 per cent possession giving it a go.I call it skating on thin ice.
Quite clearly Bacuna is not a right back.The penalty award was a joke.It seems that if you are a West London team playing at home against a West Midlands side, all you have to do is fall over in the area after extremely minimal contact, and you will get a penalty.Ramires against West Brom was the same. When Lowton came on against Cardiff at nil – nil, Bacuna moved up to right midfield. Before you knew it,he was pulled back, following a good run, and then scored the resultant free kick. Benteke doesn’t look at all interested to me. Will he go in January ? Who would want him at the moment ? Our record against Man utd in the Premier League speaks for itself. In theory there has probably never been a better time to play them. However Lambert is tactically inept at home games. I think we will be lucky to score nil against Rooney and co. Van Persie always scores against us. Whilst I don’t see us fighting relegation (famous last words),our inconsistency will see us in the bottom half come May. Then what ?
Well well, Blackburn rovers match fixing, could be a bit of luck the way its going Man utd, Arsenal, any above us get relegated and we end up top. Its the only way we would manage top ten ever with headless chickens at Villa Park.
well iam still fuming and reading these posts lots are
I just can’t believe how we surrendered the game without a fight, playing gabby benteke and weimann means less options in the midfield, the wing backs are clueless 2 wot their jobs are.
we have 2 get back 2 basics cos the front three are making the same runs and getting into each other way. midfield is so narrow and lacking of ideas creatively.
it was so dire we really need 2 perform against utd to get the fans back onside. this system we av played is probably the rite system 4 utd game but we must play 442 against lesser sides and at home when u need 2 get at the opposition. iam sure we av 2 wingers at the club
delph did the graft and the forward running,other two cm were nowhere 2b seen apart from wwestwood who constantly fluffed corner after corner also the free kick he converted 4 the lions. I don’t buy this we had a bad day. we had a terrible day and more 2 come if they don’t do the basics rite.
Lads whichever way we dress it up.. we have issues..
We have no wide men.. we have no ball winner.. we have no creative player.. we NEED a min of 3 midfielders.. a Winger AM and DM..
The possession stat is clouding the issue.. no one is saying lets have the ball for 90% of the time.. what most are saying we can not seem to string two passes together.. while we could end of last season..
Some of that is down to players out fo form.. like Benteke and Weimann and the rest is down to K EA Westy basically being pi$$ poor..
CB wise i think we are ok as long as Vlaar is fit.. RB i would bring back Lowton after the weekends display..
Injuries happen..
But the KEY issue is that the midfield is pathetic.. No one can grab the ball from the back and play a simple pass forward like Barry ( sadly ) did Sunday.. that doesn’t make it possesion football it is a simple prerequiste..
We are not even Stoke.. they has a structure.. midfielders who were better then what we have.. right now we are a team that hoofs it towards Gabby and Benteke and we hope something happens..
I hope there are major funds available.. if u call 35-40M major with the sky boost and Benteke sale.. but the fact we can not pas the ball and some people are making excuses regarding it mentioning our league position in the same breathe as Man U’s or our defeat being compared to Chelsea’s is ludicrous..
Lionheart basically we’re shite mate,getting back to basics like passing a ball a few yards.what the fuck do they do all day at BH is beyond me.what you stated is correct in an ideal world but not ebernezzer lerner’s.
Giddy well in that case we as fans need to boycott buying season tickets next year until we have answers.. enough is enough..
This cost cutting i only went along with was that once Dunne Collins Cuellar Warnock Bent Ireland Hutton and co were off the books we would re invest…
Lionheart couldn’t agree more mate,but are we the minority?
I don’t think we are… i was pro PL.. knew RL was taking the pi$$ but went along with it.. if performances do not improving i can see serious trouble heading RL’s way when the next season starts and its the same old 1M 15K cr@p…
He won’t care mate he gets his sky money and season ticket sales are always around 20k plus regardless of how we are doing. Then there will be the usual spin that we are after some £10 m plus player that never materialises.
It doesn’t seem to matter how much I lower my expectations, Villa still manage to disappoint me. We seem to a bunch of square pegs in round holes. It is all so depressing.