Good grief, that was a poor performance wasn’t it?
Giving the ball away is bad enough and it feels like I’ve moaned about it all season.
But to combine it with what seemed like a lack of fight is shocking.
That said, I think I can put forward some mitigating circumstances, although I think many of you might not agree.
First, is a very obvious fact.
We quite simply are not good enough to compete with Man City, when they’re playing well.
The word “gulf” springs to mind and it’s perfectly accurate.
You only had to watch their midfielders and attackers quick thought and passing to see the difference. We’ve never shown that speed of thought and accuracy, because the players just can’t do it, particularly at pace.
Ok, I’ve seen the argument that we spent around £130 million in the window and we ought to be way better.
But that doesn’t wash with me. Dean Smith said himself that City paid £50 million for a Left back.
It galls, because we can’t do that, but it does demonstrate the difference.
We started Drinkwater. I guessed we would, because our midfield is frankly abysmal and has been since McGinn got injured.
But that massively backfired, as he looked way off the pace. My criticism here would be that did the coaching team not see that he’s obviously not fit?
Did Smith play him regardless, to try and get him up to pace quickly?
I said in the preview that he has more in the locker than Lansbury at least and I stand by that.
It’s all quite strange to my mind, because I thought Hause had an excellent game until even he caught the bug and gave the ball away for a goal.
Did we miss a striker today?
I personally don’t think so, as we never got hold of the ball enough to warrant having one on the pitch.
And that’s a damming indictment.
You might say my next criticism is an ongoing theme, but certainly today there were too many players who just aren’t good enough.
Hourihane was invisible, Taylor offers nothing in defence or attack and Elmohamady is judged by Smith to be a better defender than Guilbert (something I agree with, which says a lot about the RB position).
Having read around, it seems the “Sack Smith” mantra is slowly gaining momentum.
Certainly, I’d have agreed with it when the final whistle went, which is why I’ve given myself time to think about things before posting.
There’s nothing worse than a footy fan when you’ve just been spanked, after all.
But it’s a mantra I don’t agree with just yet.
Yes, you can take a rosey view, where we get a manager in, he adds one or two players and we suddenly click, going on to finish mid table easily.
But do we think that would be likely to happen? Really?
I think the only way we could massively improve things would be to change half the side for more quality and change the manager. And that definitely isn’t going to happen.
We could of course bring in a fat Sam type, who would probably improve the defence and while it might just keep us up, I’d see it as a backward step.
For me, we stick with Smith for the rest of the season, regardless.
I know what some of you might say.
“It just isn’t working” and “He’s out of his depth”.
While I’m inclined to agree at times, I’m not going to let an abject performance against one of the best sides in the world sway me.
That said, I thought our work-rate and effort today was awful. It was as if we were beaten before we started and that’s not acceptable.
If we maintain that against lesser sides then no doubt my opinion might change.
But we knew it was going to be tough this season.
It’s hard going though, isn’t it?
going forwards i believe smith should revert back to HIS philosophy and not listen to the ppl influencing him as much. smith teams never abandoned their games to stifle the opposition. last two games TO ME it seems we have played them with the idea of keeping the score down. rather than winning the games.
granted we were never going to beat city. but in going ultra defensive took away our offence, el ghazi up front could not get hold of anything. shows how hard that role is in our team.
i would abandon the 5 at back play el ghazi and trez wide and bring through a striker from the under 23’s . got to go back to trying to win games not try keep the score down.
lastly we do not have the players for the black arts of defending. we are as open as our borders. arsenal 1 nil team was the masters of closing down games, we are too naive.
I looked at our remaining fixtures yesterday. I really can’t see where enough points are coming from to keep us up. Being slightly optimistic I figured a max 34 points total.
No fret DS, we’re going to blast our way through the rest of the season 🙂 Got to go now, the men in white coats have arrived 🙂
Next two games Brighton (A), Watford (H). We need 4 points from these (6 would be fantastic). I really can’t see how we get them 🙁
Agreed. Pity we aren’t playing Bournemouth – just giving them chance to sort their problems out so we can play them as they return to form!
You’re right Nath. I said this to a mate. Smith setup to lose by 1 or 2 at best. He didn’t expect 6 but he also didn’t expect the players to down tools which they did. Which is probably the worst thing to come out of that game. I got the feeling the players probably thought how can you win a football match playing 9 at the back and 2 in midfield and gave up. Look, Smith would have won over the people (or most like me) despite losing had he actually thought OK we are unlikely to win but rather than accept defeat before kick off, if we go down lets go down fighting and put pressure on City’s weak defence, lets press high and get players in their box. If we get picked off because they have great passers and quick thinkers/movers then we wont be the only ones. We didn’t just lose that game we lost with a pathetic wimper, without a single ounce of attacking threat. This new striker doesn’t look like arriving any time soon!!.. I dont care if he’s only scored 2 goals or whatever, just get Benteke in now please. Big, strong and can hold the ball to bring the likes of Grealish, El Ghazi in to play to get the goals. As much as he got slated, we seriously miss that hold up play as we dont look capable of changing the way we play. He is the only player i can see linked that will suit our long ball tactics.
i heard a few fans suggest the players didn’t care, or downed tools. i am not sure they did. i just think city had a looked at what villa had to offer. they realised we set up to contain. they simply pressed the accelerator and blow us away. i think our set up was food and drink for them and this looked like we gave up. but we just couldn’t hurt them or trouble them in any way with that set up. it was over once the first goal went in,
i do 110% agree with your sentiment of fighting all the way and no surrendering of games. look i think we would have lost against city, had we pressed them high or played my preferred formation/ players. but in having a go, you cause them trouble / problems. i don’t think we would have lost by 6 1. because city knew we couldn’t hurt them, gave them more freedom to hurt us without any repercussion
Benteke now please. He is available, a proven premiership goal scorer, 29 not in his 30’s and if playing at villa where loved doesn’t motivate him nothing will.
Also if you look at his record at villa he didn’t usually start scoring until February and was the main reason we stayed up under Lamberk for a couple of seasons.
get in done before the weekend.
Our premier league hopes are clinging onto what happens in the next few days in this transfer window. I say next few days because I’m assuming everyone behind the scenes realises the importance of our opposition in the next couple of games. Unfortunately other clubs are aware of the desperation we are in and transfer fees / wages / agents fees are escalating by the minute. This is a fault of our recruitment in the summer. We all said our scoring hopes were on a rookie, a lazy tool and an injury prone youngster. Now we are paying the cost of our foolishness.
I know Smith has made mistakes but the ones behind the scenes are seriously lacking in the decision making and are mostly to blame. Badger is right in saying we are a club for ‘Premier’ apprentices to learn their trade, send us down, move on and develop for another teams benefit. It’s becoming more and more like 2015-16 with a few more points on the board!
i know i will get slaughtered by saying this. but i thought wesley was getting better and better each game. yes the goals were not coming. but he was a presence up front. i do think the goals would have come. davis is good but your right injury prone / doesn’t score many goals. i guess the lazy tool is that man kodjia less said about this man the better.
can i ask you Holte66 would you play el ghazi up front or promote a youth striker to the first team,just until you bring in the recruitments,
Nath, I think El Ghazi did okay with limited service. I think we missed a trick against Fulham to give the young lad Vassilev more of an opportunity. Hopefully we will get a proven striker in before Brighton game.
have we signed anybody ?? i saw reina announced last night. i am not lying when i say i am getting rather concern. i think we have put out load of feelers, so as the window starts to close down, if we do not see any incoming i guess they will be all waiting for the last hour. it drives up the prices and players can increase their wages on the last day and last hours. wrong month to quit drinking
Benteke is close but its wage dispute at the minute, word has it he’s on 125k and Villa been asked to pay 70% . To be honest I don’t think he’s the answer.
Benteke was awesome at Villa, and it would be hard to resist the chance to see if we could get the same level of performance out of him again. It’s unlikely I suppose, but we need something sooner rather than later. If we wait until the close of this window we could be adrift having played some of the clubs who we need to beat and finish above. The stakes are really high.
palace want to get this man out no doubts (don’t speak), but would they help villa ?? i guess it depends on how close palace are too 40 points come the close of window,
Sadly, I’m not a believer in fairy tales but in desperate times ……..
I am however intrigued by the Nzonzi rumour ……
Bl**dy hell – the media claim we have problems with FFP. Everton just announce losses of £112m – only allowed to lose £105m in a rolling three year period – where is the media FFP storm?
And yes, I’ve got my maths right this time 🙂
Assuming we haven’t signed anyone before Brighton game, what formation, what players will be selected by Smith?
I’m not expecting a formation change but he seriously can’t leave out Guilbert and Trezeguet on Saturday. I think it will be harsh on Nyland if he is dropped. We might be stuck with Taylor but Elmo is too slow for a wingback. Taggart when fit might work well with new formation where is defensive frailties aren’t so important. Personally I think we need two DM’s with Grealish as a number 10, behind El Ghazi and Trezeguet.
Drinkwater is too much of a risk for this game. Therefore it is a choice between Luiz, Nakamba and Lansbury. Hourihane should be on the bench because he seems to have more joy as an impact substitute.
Hopefully we will have a couple of signings before then to increase our options although I’m not holding my breath.
I see Collymore is at it again questioning Bentekes attitude.
He may be right but Pot and Kettle.
Collymore was the biggest disappointment that I ever saw put a Villa shirt on in 50 years of going to villa park.
Maybe he’s talking from personal experience and I don’t mean that in an unpleasant way.
It’s getting near to being Benteke to Villa, its only the wage that’s holding it up, I’m not so sure he’s the man for the job, looking back he’s not played since 21st December over injury, playing with us he wasn’t dynamic in being mobile, I personally think a forward that runs around is more needed at Villa.
Still what do I know , Smith and Terry should sort it out because time is running out.
Now being linked with Slimani on loan at Monaco – looks doubtful as Leicester would, first, have to recall him from a season long loan. So, for it to happen, i suspect we would have to offer to buy him or at least a loan plus buy option.
Nzonzi still being talked about to Villa following problems at Galatasaray – I think this would be an excellent signing and would substantially reinforce our midfield in McGinn’s absence. It would also take pressure off Drinkwater whilst he gets up to match fitness.
There will be some truth in (some of) these rumours which suggests we are putting fingers in a number of pies. Just need to pull out a plum and soon.
As long as we don’t pull out a dead mouse from a cheap, shitty pie!
Can anyone explain the loan rules?
We have two loan players registered – Reina and Drinkwater. The rules say that a (EPL) club can have up to 4 loan players ( in a season) but can only register two ‘at any one time’. We have two so how can we register anymore yet the press keep talking about further loans.
Very confused.
I think you are right Hitch. Not sure how a loan with agreement to purchase at the end of the season would be treated though.
Most transfer rumours are just that, as we all know. You don’t need me to lecture you on the bollocks that the media writes.
DS – thanks mate; think I’ve found the answer.
A club can have two full season domestic loans or two short term domestic loans i.e. 2 between August and January and 2 between January and the end of the season.
The reason why we can have more loans is related to non-domestic clubs where loans appear to be unlimited and the rules don’t cover them.
So Reina doesn’t count as a loan under the rules which would also allow us to loan other non domestic players.
Not so confused 🙂
Yes that looks right.
Another day without new faces! Looks like playing Brighton without a recognised striker. Worrying times!
Whilst I agree, I suppose what it might indicate is that we’re refusing to ‘buy’ just any striker who happens to be available. I really hope that is the case although we may be forced to compromise at some point.
Of course things can move very quickly once a deal is struck so still time to get someone in before the weekend although no time for them to get ‘acquainted’ with the team – so bench at best?
I think with it being such a short window, and most clubs needing to set up a replacement for any decent player leaving, it probably gets complicated. The problem for a buying club is, if you don’t get a definitive yes/no to an approach, you then look for an alternative but try to keep that initial option open.
Villa, with their striker situation, don’t have the luxury of waiting any longer. To get clearance for a striker to play at Brighton they need to move tomorrow, unless it’s a UK player in which case they can probably get away with Friday. Play at Brighton without a recognised striker and I think we lose. Will Kodjia be “fit” and interested enough to help out? Seems unlikely.
We are deep in the mire at the moment. These next two weeks will determine our season, on and off the pitch.
Blimey, I leave you all alone for a while and you have a load of good debate behind my back!
Benteke, just no for me. I’d hate to obliterate the memories I have of him, but yes, better than no striker at all.
That and at least he’d have a chance of knowing where our crap high crosses might land.
Reading between the lines of the press stories, it seems players just don’t want to come to us, because of our position.
You can’t blame them, as no player wants to get relegated.
So it boils down to paying them enough money to make it worth the risk.
IE bloody expensive, as we all knew it would be.
Changing the subject, Elphick’s latest comments, absolute class and fair bring a tear to my eye;
“Straight away I knew deep inside I wanted to go there. It’s only when you are there that you fully appreciate how big it is. Everywhere you go, there are Villa fans, to captain that club was such an honour.
“When things go well, there is nowhere better, no better experience in football than having the Holte End roaring you on.
“If you gave me the choice again of staying in the Premier League with Bournemouth or dropping down to the Championship to captain Villa, I would make the same choice again every time”.
Get Obafemi Martins in to wind up the bluenoses or convert Tyrone Mings into a striker.
Good timing KJames, your comment goes straight up.
Welcome to the blog 🙂
Mings for striker?
Interesting.
I reckon Trezeguet looks the best bet, personally.
Just a thought but what about the guy from rangers Morelos he not been mentioned recently in the press.could villa still be persevering behind the scenes with this.he looks good.
Morelos is a bit of a loose cannon but would be great. Don’t think Rangers would sell apart from for huge money. Can’t see that one at all I’m afraid
Test
Being reported that Samatta is joining Villa for €10m from Genk.
Apparently this has been reported by the same Belgian journalist that broke the Wesley and Nakamba stories. If true this would me more than a decent signing.
Another unproven signing from Belgium? Better than nothing I suppose but Premier league football is another level above the standard they are used to. I would rather a prolific Championship striker such as Bowen even though it would cost more.
Samatta story gathering pace. He has a goal every 2.5 games ratio and a healthy assist total. 27 years old with Champions League experience so more experienced than Wesley.
Genk won the Belgian First Division title last season. There is a story that Villa tried to sign him in the summer but wouldn’t pay the €15m asking price.
Agree, PL experience would be preferable but then we’re looking at loans for players like Benteke with ridiculous wages which doesn’t fill me with confidence.
That Hitch will come to a full stop, I still think we need a midfield dynamo. Still lets see if he comes.
Bill – Smith said in today’s conference that they are only looking at strikers.
Bowen would be £20m+ and there’s no guarantee he could make the step up either.