dn1982

A very risky line-up ,in my opinion, but we got through. I don't know whether to say``Well done, Tim,'' or ``Don't ever do that again''.

If we had games like that every week I'd buy a **** box, let alone a season ticket. It was great.

 

I was a bit asleep last night and couldn't think - but I wanted to know if Gil did well? You might have said he did, but I was half asleep.

He was one of four of our players that I think played very well

 

Grealish

Gil

Sanchez

Veretout

 

Probably in that order.

I'm glad someone else thought Veretout played well. I think he's going to be a cracking player once fully up to speed. I can see him and Gueye being the midfield 2 soon with Westy or Sanchez coming I as DM when needed. Sinclair didn't do too much but he scores goals for that reason alone you've got to get him in the team some how.

He did score, not 100% sure what had happened to make it not count.

Offside (one of many).

On the positive side with this lad, you can see he's an athlete. He looks in good physical shape. That's as much as I can say positive right now. Like I said in the post-match thread, he was constantly offside, didn't read any of our attacking patterns, and was often to be found hidden behind a defender when midfielders were looking for a pass.

I think he needs to be taken out of the firing line for a while. Until he can read Grealish/Sinclair/Gil and their attacking patterns, he just isn't going to be of much use. Get him thinking on the same page on the training ground first for me. Right now he looks brainless like Gabby, but unlike Gabby, at least time is on his side.

Was he offside or someone else? He didn't look it

I think Bakers header hit Cole on the line then it fell to Ayew who scored but Cole was offside! He just needs a break to get him going.

Out of interest if our signings had cost 50% more would some be praising Lerner? Net spend is a load of crap ultimately it's how the team/squad is shaping up and so far it's looking decent. We still have 6 days to get some more in but to do that we need to create space in the squad. Let's judge the spend and the squad after the window closes.

It wasn't that bizarre when you saw how they lined up.

 

Sanchez was a dedicated CB so we had a normal back 4.

 

Veretout was a dedicated DM which meant Grealish and Gil played further forward.

 

Sinclair and Adama were wide with Ayew up front.

 

It's really not very bizarre at all. Yes it's weakened compared to our starting XI. But people are acting like we played 2-1-7

Can some one report this post it's too sensible today is outrage only day!!

It seems the only people who moaned about last nights performance are the ones who never watched it. Sherwood said afterwards he knew we'd be open but the players needed game time and he was confident we'd go through yet some ignore this to push their own anti Sherwood agenda. I thought so called tactics Tim and his 442 myth was dispelled last year when he out smarted Rodgers and very rarely played 442 but it seems some have short memories. Last night we achieved everything and more of what we wanted. We are through. Our players showed great character and also got some much needed game time. It also highlighted what we all know that we need strengthening at the back. We are a couple of players away from having a very strong squad now it's over to TS to get them in.

I thought he got involved quite well but kept going offside. I'm not sure if he's runs are out or the passes a bit slow. He good technically and will score goals as he always makes runs. Personally I'd rather a striker make runs all the time than stand still waiting for the ball like Gabby.

The only issue I had with the team prior to the game was Sanchez playing CB as it turned out he was our best defender. The defensive performances of Hutton Baker and Richardson should signal the end of their Villa careers. We looked decent enough going forward but looked very insecure at the back. I would've preferred a stronger bench but if we don't give players game time we won't find out about them. Overall it's been the perfect night for TS Veretout Gil Grealish and to a degree Sanchez have put down markers and got fitter. Sinclair is getting back to his Swansea goal scoring form and Adama has shown he is a very rough diamond. Even Ayew looked sharper he just needs to work on keeping onside a bit more. A crowd of 21000 watched a very enjoyable game even if we did make it hard for ourselves.

With everyone saying we would have had a point otherwise I should say, we (and by we I mean Tim Sherwood and therefore the team) didn't want a point. We weren't playing for a point, we were going for a win. Guzan was not thinking, "how can I play this safe so we have the least chance of conceding", he was thinking, "let's get this going quickly and we can counter...oh look there's Amavi". If Amavi had played it into midfield quickly and they had brought the ball forward and scored no one would complain about the "risky" pass

This is a Tim Sherwood team, everyone is being trained to take risks and to try and score rather than try and not concede. You want aimless (safe) long balls forward every time we potentially have a point against a mid table team then we should have just kept Lambert. 5 mins to go, 1-1, 2 choices, try and win or try and not lose? Tim Sherwood will try and win virtually every time and sometimes that will mean we lose, but it also means that sometimes we'll bang in an 89th minute winner in everyone will be ecstatic

Back on topic, there's no way in a million years that was a mistake by Brad

If Guzan's thinking about the win, why has he not played the ball beyond their CB that has pushed up into our half?

 

He's not thinking, and that's the problem. He's neither protecting the point, nor starting an attack.

 

Schmeichal back in the day, used to know how to start an attack with quick distribution. This was nothing like that.

He had time to throw it out to Adama who was on the half way line. If he got the ball his marker wouldn't have stood a chance. He shouldn't have thrown it out as Caragher just proved on Sky.

Bunn

Hutton Richards Clark Bennett

Adama Veretout Gueye Gil

Ayew Rudy

Rest Jack as it was his first 90 in a while let Ayew show Gabby how it's done and get some game time into Adama and Gil. Also I think Veretout and Gueye will be our best 2 eventually so see how they go. Both FB's need games to keep fit but the 2 CB need to learn to play together so keep playing them.

I doubt it, We got 18k last year v Orient and crowds are up from last year, plus I reckon County will bring a fair few say 2-3,000.  Should be around 21-24,000 for this one. We got 22,447 v Rotherham a few years back in the same round. Decent prices to- less than £20 to go in the posh seats, or 12 quid in the north lower. That's cheaper than most conference teams! Hopefully be a good game,

 

Bit early to say crowds are up, we've had one home game! The Man Utd game always attracts 40 - 42k there so isn't really an indicator of how our crowds will be this season.

 

I have my doubts about this one being over 20k but we shall see.

Season tickets are up= crowds should be up this season. Cup crowds will obviously be less but should have a trickle down effect.

We haven't sold out against United in years allied to the fact it was a Friday night on TV that's an improvement for us. We'll probably have the same amount as all the other Midlands clubs put together!!

Why are we talking about Okore in the Sherwood thread?

I think it's because Okore is shit Sherwood is shit Villa are shit the new signings are shit etc etc it's the usual let's all panic we are doomed mind set.

We have been 3/1 at best to win any of our 3 games so far so basically we were expected to lose every game so far and heavily but we have won one and lost two. All the games could've been draws and Saturday should've been at least a draw. We have a virtual new team that's held up very well in the circumstances and yet people are again jumping the gun and slating the team. Our Ayew out scored his brother last year and hasn't been at the club a month yet and Rudy has 1 goal in 3 app but actually about 150 min playing time so how can you right them off? Sunderland on Saturday will be the first game this season where we will be expected to win so let's see how we do then when we should have a virtual full squad to choose from.

Jordan Ayew outscored his brother as he plays as a striker and Andre is more of an attacking midfielder/2nd striker..

Andre out of the 2 is a much better player though and contributes more but i'm hoping Jordan shows his early potential from a few years back..

And yet we've played him wide right and as a 2nd striker with Gabby. I think he plays in more than one position the point still remains judging signings this early is stupid. Players settle at different rates hopefully he gets a start tomorrow.

We have been 3/1 at best to win any of our 3 games so far so basically we were expected to lose every game so far and heavily but we have won one and lost two. All the games could've been draws and Saturday should've been at least a draw. We have a virtual new team that's held up very well in the circumstances and yet people are again jumping the gun and slating the team. Our Ayew out scored his brother last year and hasn't been at the club a month yet and Rudy has 1 goal in 3 app but actually about 150 min playing time so how can you right them off? Sunderland on Saturday will be the first game this season where we will be expected to win so let's see how we do then when we should have a virtual full squad to choose from.

When people come out with stuff like "Okore is absolute shit" is really does make me wonder what they are seeing when they watch us play.

 

he's crap, he cant defend, wins fk all in the air from long balls and is positionally the worst centre half of the lot of them. He literally goes walk about.

 

But villa fans, as thick as most of them are when rating players just think he's a beast cos he runs fast, is built like a tank and has a worldy video on youtube against fernando torres.

 

Unfortunately there is more to central defending then running quick and knocking strikers off the ball, but then again that's what looks good on the highlights reel.

I bow down to your superior knowledge of a player that was wanted by Chelsea has played in the Champions League regularly and played with an injury for a 1/3 of last season he's first as a starter in the Premier League. I bet your dream team is unbelievable with such knowledge.

Westwood and Sanchez are both DM so for me you choose one or the other then depending on formation it's Gueye and Veretout. Hopefully he plays in a 2 with Gueye against County and does well. If we play a 3 he plays every time at the minute but probably loses out in a 2 in the PL until he finds his feet so against Sunderland I think he'll be back on the bench as at home we need more attacking intent.

His overall game is getting worse. Even though Amavi made the mistake he shouldn't have had the ball. Guzan gave it to him when he was under pressure. He could've thrown it out to Adama but decided to let Palace get men back then throw it out. You either go long early or take the sting completely out of the game and protect the point he did neither!

Well bar benteke and Cleverley's form I'm yet to really see a sustained difference between him and lambert.

Now benteke has left we don't really look like scoring too often.

You must have missed September-February and March-May last season then.

Nah not really. Sept - Feb we were shit. March - may we were half decent largely because of the form of Cleverley and Benteke.

We still finished a pathetic 17th.

I've seen nothing yet to suggest we won't be in another battle.

Well bar benteke and Cleverley's form I'm yet to really see a sustained difference between him and lambert.

Now benteke has left we don't really look like scoring too often.

If Lambert was still here we'd be playing the like of small heath and Rotherham this season

That's why I said - bar benteke and Cleverley's form. I mean I did say that didn't I? It's written clear enough.

It is, in your opinion, a complete coincidence that Benteke and Cleverley picked up form after Sherwood arrived? Just random chance?

No. It was clearly down to sherwood. The problem is we don't have them two now. And he can't seem to pick the form up of others.

Hence why the pathetic 6 sot this season emulate the dross we were used to under lambert.

 

Okay, thanks for clarifying. I don't agree (yet, though that's obviously subject to review) but now I understand what you're saying.

We've played 3 games! It's a brand new side getting to know each other saying he can't pick the form up of the players after just 3 games is beyond silly! Let them gel then you can moan all you like but at least give them a chance to prove you right!

Austin is that injury prone he's played more games in the last 3 years than Benteke!!

Austins performances dispute any injury concerns. £15m is too much IMO but someone may pay it. I'd have him for £12-13m but that'd be incentive based so about £8m up front the rest on goals and fitness

Arguably the worst signing ever made by the club.

Arguably yes realistically no

It seems Sherwood doesn't fancy Kozak or believes he needs time to get up to speed do you think he could use him to get Austin? Buy Austin and loan them Kozak with a view to a permanent? Or even just loan him for fitness?

What has he said or done that's arrogant or out spoken? Sherwood is a confident bloke which can be mistook for arrogance but I don't see it. He speaks very well about how you become a good player and having winning habits that's about it.

300 restricted views then?? I'm looking forward to this but I'm in the crap seats so won't see much!!!

We always only take the initial allocation as the next load have to be paid for. The TO need to communicate how they're selling better though as much to drive up interest as anything else.

Reading some of the posts on here it's like we'd been taken apart by a non league side instead of losing narrowly to a team that will be challenging for every honour. I might even agree with some of those points if we were a seasoned settled side and not one missing it's best attackers and with loads of players getting to know each other. Sherwood has shown enough last season to warrant backing for the whole of this season and that's without adding in the quality we seem to have assembled this summer.