I intimated in the preview yesterday, that I have a lot of time for Sunderland as a club, but I saw nothing to suggest that the team are at best nothing more than relegation candidates.
Which is what makes today’s result so annoying.
We had around 62% possession and created lots of chances, but were nowhere near as clinical as we need to be.
Indeed, I thought we should easily have had at least three goals in the first half alone and a more clinical team would have had five or six, overall, no problem.
So if I think Sunderland are going to seriously struggle this season, where does that leave us?
Well, Grealish and Traore were massively missed today and the fact that we’ve got them to come back is encouraging, so I’m not unduly worried.
If they’d played today, I suspect we’d have tonked Sunderland, as Hutton was given acres of space down the right, although I felt he never really took advantage of it. His passes weren’t incisive enough and I don’t remember him really taking players on.
Imagine Traore in the same situation and I could easily see us having scored at least another two today, probably of his own making, as Sunderland’s defence is as poor as it gets, I reckon.
That said, it’s not as though I thought Hutton had a bad game really. It just could have been better.
Which is a theme that runs through my assessment of the whole side really.
There are points to complain about though.
First was what I thought was very poor positioning by Guzan for the free kick.
I know it’s standard practice by goalkeepers to stand right on one side of the goal, but I’ve never seen the sense in it and surely a slightly more central position makes sense, as at least you have a chance of getting to the opposite post?
Then again, it was a peach of a free kick. But it just seems to me that Guzan seems prone to conceding from them.
He was pretty blameless for the second goal and the only other Sunderland chance I recall, was easily knocked over the top.
That second goal, which leads me onto the second complaint.
Just as I said in the preview, our defence still has me worried.
We always look like conceding and so it proved again, with us looking awful in about the only time they were really needed.
Clark went for the ball and made a mess of it, but even if Lens hadn’t taken the shot, they had a player on the back post in yards of room.
It just looked incredibly poor to me.
Of course, you might say we’re always likely to concede in this way with the way we play, but I just find it worrying and I certainly don’t think we’ll be able to rely on our defence when we play the better sides.
Other than those points, there’s not a lot to complain about, as the team performed okay and just as last week, I find it difficult to really find fault with anyone in particular, although your views of course will probably differ.
Sanchez played well, although he was still sloppy at times.
Gana was industrious and got stuck in.
Amavi went forward well, but also looked iffy in defence at times.
Richards looked solid overall and should have scored when it seemed more difficult to miss, although I’d take the argument that the ball was behind him.
Gestede maybe could have done better, but no overall complaints, as he doesn’t look up to speed yet.
Gil looked fairly good, although I suspect Sherwood won’t be happy with what seemed like a dive in the box.
Bacuna being taken off was the right call today, in my opinion. He got involved in the first half, but things just weren’t happening for him.
And then we come to Sinclair who totally justified himself in replacing the ill/dropped Gabby.
Would Gabby have got that second goal today? My money says not a chance.
And there’s the theme. We did okay, but not well enough against a side that we should have beaten easily.
Anyone I’ve not mentioned, well, they were neither good or bad in any noticeable way.
I find myself wondering how massive those two points might prove at the end of the season, even though I’m still hopeful that we won’t be needing them.
But we really need to start taking our chances much better than we currently are.
Which is why I still think Sherwood is, or ought to be, after a goalscorer (Austin, anyone?).
Don’t agree Andrew. Clark hasn’t just made one mistake and for the record I think he will develop into a decent defender. He was very poor against Sunderland and whilst he reads the game quite well he makes naive rash tackles one of which got him booked and the second led directly to their equaliser.
Lescott is a good organiser which is a key element in a successful defence; Villa lack that. Richards and Lescott will be a good CB pairing and means we should have at least one experienced CB to play alongside our other young CBs should one get injured.
Totally agree Hitch ,Lescott a different class of player, Give me that type of player any day over Clarke, Clarke looks lost in realising if he tackles and don’t get it right its dangerous to our goal, the only time I’ve felt he’ll make it was the latter part of last season, this season he’s back to worrying me.
Yes I agree Richards & lescott will make a good pairing imo, we’ve got to sign him first.supposedly berbatov is flying in that links back on SSN.
Also Adebayor link is back. Could well see at least one loan signing today – we should use loans unless TS is holding them for January which might be a good strategic move.
Villa have bid for Dwight Gayle according to SSN.
A stupid bid according to SSN probably 1mil??? Maybe we’ll be doing alot of that today,just to make us look we’re busy in the market when probably lescott & 1 loan or freebie will be it.
Don’t think we have any money left . 6m would get Gayle he’s better than gabbie and ayew.
Agree the old Doug Ellis trick he was a master at that
i heard we asked for him on loan.
What’s lerners spend so far excluding the money from benteke & Delph???? We surely haven’t hit the 10 mil Mark yet???
Giddy think we’ve broadly broken even on capital spend (dependent on sell on fee to Genk). Also 12 players out (including Tonev who was on loan last year) and 10 in so really shouldn’t be a problem squad wise.
Looks likely Lescott in and it seems TS is after another frontman. Expect Berbatov, Adebayor to figure and another bid for Gayle?
Should have added – experienced frontman
Apparently it was a loan move for Gayle.
Transfer deadline day is like Marmite in that you either love it or hate it. I noticed on Sky Sports News yesterday that the whole concept of transfer windows has gone mad, the German version was exactly the same, everything and everyone in yellow. At least Sky have seen sense and don’t report live from the training ground or anywhere else where the d***heads sabotage the camera by swearing and making obscene gestures in the background with one hand, holding their mobile phone in another as they talk to their other d***head friend to say “Can you see me ? Look I’m waving” The bid for Gayle quite clearly shows that we are in the market for another striker. Jordan Ayew is someone who, had we not paid for, would be put out on loan. I am not sure if he is, or will ever be, good enough for this level. Only time will tell. Personally I think we need to be looking at another goalkeeper as I don’t think Mark Bunn is of the standard we need and Guzan is still prone to mistakes that cost us. A quality centre-half, let’s ambush the Virgil Van Dijk deal to Southampton. Other clubs do it so why shouldn’t we ?. Another right back would be useful as well.
All in all, we are in a better place than this time last season and the quality of football is so much more pleasing on the eye. We obviously need to allow time for the squad to settle in. A bit of luck would also be welcome. Both winning goals for Man Ure and Palace had unfortunate deflections off Richards that, had they not happened, would have been straight at Guzan. Anyway, roll on 6pm when the “Will he or won’t he ?” will no longer be the theme and the “Sky Sources” ticker tape scrolling on the screen disappears………until January !!
Man U have played a blinder making sure De Geas paperwork didn’t arrive on time. We should of done that with Benteke imo
Apparently it’s Madrid who have played ‘the blinder’ and will probably get him for zilch next year having paid De Gea for (Madrid) having failed to complete the deal. You couldn’t make this stuff up 🙂
In a way it suits both parties Utd get him for another season where he has to play well and RM get him free next season and gives Utd time for a replacement
Giddy – net spend c£5m (plus the pay on fee to Genk)
CHEERS MATE so he’s not really out of pocket plus the bulk of high earners have now been fucked off.good window for him
Yep – see post below as well
Baker going out on loan – suggests Senderos is staying. May not be a bad arrangement.
Mirror reporting we are close to signing Berbatov; Adebayor deal off the table. Berbatov wouldn’t have to sign today as he’s a free agent. Would this be a good short term signing?
Adebayor think West ham will get him, as for Lescott very close to a deal with Gale, Baker in Bristol sorting out a loan deal.
Is Gayle any good?
It depends in flashes he is world class but those flashes are few and far between.
NO berbatov please! sad to say but tims forward signings look poor. gestede and ayew look poor so no to another lazy cant win a ball forward
we need a GOAL SCORER so get austin.
No chance on Austin I don’t think he’d one to us and Lerner wouldn’t pay 15m anyway
Lescott completes medical. Think this could be a very good move even if only for cover.
Lescott alongside Richards could be a brilliant bargain for us for a couple of seasons.
Ilori to the villa?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/33590187
Anyone got any views on this story?
Quick Tim get on the phone to United and get Dea Gea on loan for the season. Hehe
Liverpool flop really hope this one carries no weight.No ta
Loan move Giddy – might see a couple of those today
The scousers have our best on offer & we’ll take their dregs.yeah good business
i agree looks like no more money to spend now just second rate loan deals.
So effectively Lerner has spent naff all yet again
Villa have signed highly-rated goalkeeper Matija Sarkic from Anderlecht.
The 18-year-old stopper has penned a three-year deal .
He only looks about 12. Anyone know how tall he is he looks short for a keeper on photo
Who is this Sarkic we’ve meant to have signed from Anderlecht???
Sarkic WHO?????
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4972909,00.html
from official villa website .
and once again link to villa website fails. error comes up but click on news
Sky going on about the spend in this window being £800m..but what is the net spend? I.e. new money? Probably very little. The cash just changes hands…
what would be more interesting is how much money has left the premier league and has been spent abroad. most of it i would guess. the premier league is keeping the smaller leagues going with transfer fees for their better players.
Tim’s 6 ft so I’d say he’s about the same judging by the photo,ain’t it back to school tomorrow????
Looks shorter than Tim
Above post was a reply to Oohas 3.24 post
lescott done deal Sky sports news
Lescotts signed I have a feeling that’s it FOLKS
I think so too that was the only realistic signing today we were never signing anyone else of worth. Lerner gets away with spending fuck all yet again
BBC Sport, Aston Villa have ended their interest in Berbatov after being discouraged by the Bulgarian’s wage demands.
really not bothered about that to be honest.
Testing
Nor me I don’t think we were seriously in for him anyway