BFTG Villa

[Coppells Lost Coat]

I guess that Clement is still trying to get to grips with his team. Away at Villa wasn't a particularly winnable game and it makes sense for him to try things out.

He would have learnt a lot more about our team last night, how players react and their footballing brains. Could be a blessing in disguise as Clement would have seen the imbalance in the team and lack of leadership in defence if everyone was out of position.

[Zip]

Not you, but I’ve seen it around on social media. And others suddenly piping up saying they’re not fans of Clement. You did say you’d rather be watching Stam’s style though.

I wouldn’t read too much into the style of football we are playing at this point.

I find this very amusing.

Two weeks ago virtually everyone said anything was better than Stam, we needed to have more fight and be more direct, two games and three points later and people are missing possession no points.

Let me clarify my stance for the sake of avoiding confusion. I was making reference to Stam's "style", as despicable as it was, for the purpose of hyperbole to really express how bad I thought yesterday was. I probably didn't execute it right, besides as others have said in latter stages Stam's style didn't even resemble Stam's style but I digress.

This has nothing to do with playing style's per se and I am fully 100% behind Clement, one would have to be a complete reactionary tard to be other wise. Unlike the QPR game I didn't see any substantial effort to compete. Our game plan honestly was to give them the ball and let them attack us. Mannone would boot it up to Smith or Barrow who are hardly going to win anything in the air, but if they by chance did, they were entirely isolated and had no one with in 30 feet of them to try and pick up the second ball. It was clear there was very little sustained desire to go forward. It was only at 3-0 down when we had more then 1 player in their half for the first time in the second half. It wasn't like we were completely under the cosh from a supreme Villa side. The way I saw it was a professional performance and they did what they had to, they didn't have to work very hard to win the ball back. There were several occasions where in open play we were clear favourites to win a ball, but backed off completely to keep their defensive shape and surrender possession to Villa.

We can discard any praise for players going forward, because we didn't do anything, as Clement said in his interview afterwards "we forgot to attack". I thought defensively we poor, especially the fullbacks, gave Villa way too much space, and as I have said earlier I thought Gunter was anonymous, time and time again I saw Aluko trying hopelessly to pick up his man while Gunter was standing in the middle of no where marking no one and being completely ineffective. Blackett got no where near their wide men and had a torrid time. The only reason Ilori and Moore made so many clearances was just a percentage game. They had 53 crosses come into the box. It should also be mentioned that I felt we looked off the pace straight off the bat, we looked fatigued and lethargic off the back of the QPR game which I think explains a lot.

Also I had to laugh, that wonder strike which broke the deadlock was exactly that. The same lad had 4 or 5 long shots throughout the game and every single one was row z, apart from the one which almost went out for a throw. So for him to hit it first time so sweetly into the top corner was a bit annoying

If you are correct and the players looked off the pace because they were still tired from the QPR game then they really are unfit. We had an extra days rest compared to Villa!!
The other point in your post that stands out is the number of crosses Villa had.....if it was 53 then that is horrendous.

[Brum Royal]

Steve Bruce said in his post match interview on Radio WM, that his stats guy said to him at half time Villa had put 30 crosses into the box, so I can well believe it was 50+ at full time

[Brum Royal]

Also I had to laugh, that wonder strike which broke the deadlock was exactly that. The same lad had 4 or 5 long shots throughout the game and every single one was row z, apart from the one which almost went out for a throw. So for him to hit it first time so sweetly into the top corner was a bit annoying

Yeah agreed, the one he stuck top corner (a really good one), was the exception to the rule as all his other shots ended up in various parts of the Holte End.

[Sutekh]

The plan was clearly to hold Villa and try to catch them on the break, least it was until Edwards managed to cock it all up.

A completely understandable plan given the resources available and ruined by one player’s mistakes.

As to any comedians suggesting it’s all down to Paul Clement listening to Gilkes and Beasant in picking his team, one would suggest that the team selection is largely being determined by the awful injury list and a mixture of general fitness (which to my mind has been poor this season given the number of goals conceded in the last 15/20 minutes of games) and PC wanting to find out a little bit for himself about the players available.

Overall getting anything out of this one would have been a bonus - and the same goes for the expected debacle at Craven Cottage next Tuesday (which everyone will get upset about when it likely happens). Really and truly we ALL have to be concentrating on getting the approach to and results from the home games.

[Brum Royal]

Dave Edwards has come out with a public apology on Twitter following his red card last night. Fair play to him for doing so.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

Clement must be the only man who thinks that zonal marking is actually going to sure up a leaky defence

[Victor Meldrew]

Have just seen the goals on TV.
A message to Chris Gunter, after his pathetically weak attempt to challenge when the player headed the second goal, for him to use for himself:=-

"My New Manager Resolution is that I will from now on challenge opposition players both in the air and on the ground and I will make every attempt to get closer to opposition wide men and block crosses"
This would make a real change from how he has been playing all season and it might just prevent him from being the first player in the club's history to keep his place in a side that drops from Premier League to the third tier of English football.

[RoyalBlue]

Dave Edwards has come out with a public apology on Twitter following his red card last night. Fair play to him for doing so.

Interesting to see that was his first ever red card! Couldn't have chosen a worse time to break his duck and, to be fair, pretty much admits that. I think he truly cares. Will probably pop up with the goal that guarantees our safety now!

[Hound]

Dave Edwards has come out with a public apology on Twitter following his red card last night. Fair play to him for doing so.

Interesting to see that was his first ever red card! Couldn't have chosen a worse time to break his duck and, to be fair, pretty much admits that. I think he truly cares. Will probably pop up with the goal that guarantees our safety now!

He’s obviously a sound bloke. Good on him for his message etc and he knows he messed up terribly

But that’s two serious game changing cock ups in 2 games. I can’t see Clement trusting him again this season

[Snowflake Royal]

Dave Edwards has come out with a public apology on Twitter following his red card last night. Fair play to him for doing so.

Interesting to see that was his first ever red card! Couldn't have chosen a worse time to break his duck and, to be fair, pretty much admits that. I think he truly cares. Will probably pop up with the goal that guarantees our safety now!

Get the feeling he and Kermit may have overreacted to Clement coming in and telling them to fight harder and be tougher.

Bar the stupid penalty, he was one of our better players against QPR IMO... very sill boy to get sent off so early and made the result inevitable against Villa, but we weren't very likely to get points there anyway. I find myself quite liking him.

[Snowflake Royal]

Ooof, terrible back stick from Gunter for the second... hardly out of character for him.

WTF Mannone was playing at for the third.... don't think there was really anything wrong with Kelly's backpass. Mannone just dicked about with it and got caught. Still, seemed like he made a number of good saves and it had no impact on the result. If we go down, it's unlikely to be by 1 GD.

Terrible challenge by Edwards to go for the second, under the circumstances I think a second yellow is a bit harsh... first one yeah, but it was clearly just ill-timed and ill-judged rather than malicious and unlike so often he was immediately hands up and looking to see if the player he'd caught was alright. I think you can put him on a final warning and that point personally. Can't argue it was wrong obvs.

[John Smith]

He’s obviously a sound bloke. Good on him for his message etc and he knows he messed up terribly

But that’s two serious game changing cock ups in 2 games. I can’t see Clement trusting him again this season

Nice guys finish last.

Dave Edwards needs to finish his career. This week. He goes.

[Royal Rother]

[tidus_mi2]

The third goal was obviously ridiculous from Mannone but as you say, game was gone by that point so it was just -1 GD. That's the second time I can recall this season we have conceded a stupid goal like that, the first being Burton's winner against us. I still feel more comfortable with Mannone when he's on the ball than Al Habsi despite that.

[John Smith]

I'd say Edwards should go back to Shrewsbury as that's more his level, but the irony is they will be promoted next season and he wouldn't be able to cut it there either!

Maybe Hereford United?

[Hendo]

Dave Edwards has come out with a public apology on Twitter following his red card last night. Fair play to him for doing so.

Interesting to see that was his first ever red card! Couldn't have chosen a worse time to break his duck and, to be fair, pretty much admits that. I think he truly cares. Will probably pop up with the goal that guarantees our safety now!

He’s obviously a sound bloke. Good on him for his message etc and he knows he messed up terribly

But that’s two serious game changing cock ups in 2 games. I can’t see Clement trusting him again this season

Tbf, the QPR mistake wasn't game changing as they never scored the pen. If he hadn't had made the challenge, it would probably have still finished 1-0.

[Warfield ED Stand]

I left after 70 minutes and went for a curry. Was gob smacked we kept it to 3. Curry was great though.

[Hound]

Interesting to see that was his first ever red card! Couldn't have chosen a worse time to break his duck and, to be fair, pretty much admits that. I think he truly cares. Will probably pop up with the goal that guarantees our safety now!

He’s obviously a sound bloke. Good on him for his message etc and he knows he messed up terribly

But that’s two serious game changing cock ups in 2 games. I can’t see Clement trusting him again this season

Tbf, the QPR mistake wasn't game changing as they never scored the pen. If he hadn't had made the challenge, it would probably have still finished 1-0.

pedantic, but it did change the game - QPR didn't look like scoring then suddenly had as good a chance to score out of nowhere.

What it didn't do is change the result.

[Zip]

Ooof, terrible back stick from Gunter for the second... hardly out of character for him.

WTF Mannone was playing at for the third.... don't think there was really anything wrong with Kelly's backpass. Mannone just dicked about with it and got caught. Still, seemed like he made a number of good saves and it had no impact on the result. If we go down, it's unlikely to be by 1 GD.

Terrible challenge by Edwards to go for the second, under the circumstances I think a second yellow is a bit harsh... first one yeah, but it was clearly just ill-timed and ill-judged rather than malicious and unlike so often he was immediately hands up and looking to see if the player he'd caught was alright. I think you can put him on a final warning and that point personally. Can't argue it was wrong obvs.

Very stupid challenge by Edwards as it was in the middle of the pitch with little danger but yes agreed the ref could have shown discretion and put him on a final warning.