I couldn’t get a decent enough stream to write a more informed article about the game, but that did have a bit of a bonus, in that the picture froze dozens of times, with the focus nearly always on our defence.
This gave me a chance to analyse things better, even though I don’t really analyse, but more just get a “feel” for the overall game, normally.
We mostly lined up with a back four, with two just in front and still weren’t picking up players!
Is it zonal? I’m not convinced, but christ, it really is poor. Opposition players were stood in between two defenders all the time, with what seemed no clue as for who was concentrating on who. This is basic stuff.
Until this is addressed, we’re always going to be in trouble.
We missed Vlaar in my opinion and anyone who thinks we don’t is deluded (oohaah, LOL)
Which reminds me, how on earth is he injured again, after a prolonged break?
What are we doing in training?
And how come we never get to hear about it until the line-up is produced?
This smells worse than a bag of rotten herrings to me, but there you go.
Maybe it’s just about not giving anything to the opposition manager, in fairness.
We seemed decent going forwards, but I’m not convinced that’s saying much, given that Arsenal are almost as poor as us at the back.
Hence I’m somewhat disappointed today, as I thought Arsenal were there for the taking and predicted a win.
So no surprise that this one’s a bit downbeat then.
Apologies for that, but it’s all about the points and we failed to get any.
It appears we’re back in the relegation zone again… sigh.
Man City next up and I’ll be there.
I think we can do them, but we’ll see.
Decent enough performance today but absolutely no leadership out there once again. Cant believe Vlaar out again, i hope he wasnt this injury prone in Holland, as we should never have signed him.
We looked dangerous on the counter attack but always looked liked conceding…and eventually we did. First goal was very poor and 5 mins into the game, i dont think we had touched the ball.
If we go down, it will be because we didnt bring in a proper DM and experienced CB in the window. We have the attacking players but the younger players need some worse heads in with them. It doesnt really matter whether that is down to Lambert’s inability in the transfer market or Lerner’s unwillingness to spend, we are suffering as a team.
MOM for me was probably Weimann, created some great chances from the right hand side.
*worse-experienced (not even close!!)
Benno,
Weimann worked his balls off, as per.
And the look of despondency on his face when they equalised, said a lot to me.
I really hope he stays.
Gabby looked a threat, although I feel he’s lost a yard of pace of late.
N’zog seemed decent too, from what I actually saw.
I agree, the attacking side isn’t the problem and any goalscorers must be wondering what they have to do for us to get a result, when our defence seems so weak.
Defence is woeful and it has been from day one this season. Put Lowton, Baker, Clark and Bennett in defence for any of the team in the bottom half, and they would concede the most goals there too. None of them are good enough, not now, not ever.
Its nothing personal, they are simply not PL level players and you need the right level of quality and experience at this level, which we severely lack.
Who to blame, well it has to be lambert. He chose to buy inexperienced players, he chose not to bring in a CB in the Jan window.
As for relegation, its just a matter of when it happens that remains to be decided. Personally, I believe we will be gone 2-3 weeks before the season finishes. This team cannot keep clean sheets and you cannot rely on scoring 3 goals plus every week.
I don’t know about that mate.
I really can see it going down to the last game, which would surely be the most important since the formation of the Prem.
Bennett?
No comment.
I hope you are right, but I feel Wigan will pull away. Just seen their run in, looks pretty decent and they are known for getting back to back results this stage of the year.
On the other hand, we haven’t won back to back games since the 2010/2011 season. That has to change if we have any desire to stay up
Agreed, Wigan always seem to go on a run, at the end.
But they’ve been lucky in constantly doing that and that luck has to run out sometime.
Let’s hope it’s this year, eh?
I certainly hope so, but I cannot see it at all. They’ve got goals in them and momentum as well as the experience. I really do believe they will finish around 10 points clear of us.
Most important for us, that is.
well prob Vlaar will be out again for a while, seems far too injury prone and that means Bennett stays in … there is a disaster situation looming as the failure to buy a CB may haunt us
What I don’t understand is why lambert bought kea on. We just equalised and were starting to hurt arsenal then the headless chicken comes on and we were all of a sudden overrun in midfield. I thought the point of signing Sylla a Dm was for this type of game to sit in front of the back four and shore us up in the last 15 mins or am I missing something?!
I’m not convinced by that, Oohaah.
They ran through us at will down the middle, even before KEA came on, imo.
Fwiw, we scored against the run of play.
Point taken about Sylla though.
With a back four, closely fronted by a two, we still looked crap and you have to wonder why Sylla was bought in at all, if he’s not going to be started.
I really don’t understand what PL thinks, but I’d play Delph or Lichaj over Bennett at LB, as I don’t think he’s ready for games like today.
Agreed mate I thought last 20 mins or so was Taylor made for Dm to come and protect point IMHO of course
Sure I’ve just read somewhere Vlaar might be out for a month?
Concrete Ron?
More like breeze block Ron, for me, even though I think he’s OK.
I’ve never known a supposed hard man stopper to be so injury prone at the Villa.
With Dunne out for the season (again from what I’ve read, but no real surprise), it’s a major worry.
what Dunne will not play for us again, I am shocked !
I’m sure I read somewhere that cardboard Ron had some long spells out through injury with his other clubs. But surely our medical team would pick anything major up when he signed unless they are as incompetent as the rest of our management. Lambert and Lerner only got themselves to blame for not signing a centre half when he new we desperately needed one.
anon 3 mate any fan as only got to look at the fixture list to see that the only possible winnable games are against Reading & QPR as for the rest maybe get draws.
Yup, Wigan seem to always pick up points. It may a team like Sunderland or West Ham that ends up getting dragged down there fighting it out.
Its just alarming how easily we fold and concede goals.
What gets me is we havnt played for two weeks yet still concede in last 10 mins where arsenal who played in CL were fresher than us in that period. I really think the bottom 3 now will be qpr then reading then us I’m afraid
Oohah mate knew he would muck it up Claudio Ranerie was labeled Tinker Man bugger me he did not mess it up as much as this clown.Lamberk i don;t think as not played the same formation two games on the trot ,and this why we find ourselfe in the position we are in.There is in my view no excuse for it but he will always have one.
Agreed terry
Again,defence was terrible.
Again,defence was terrible.apart from benteke and wieman our side is shit.arsenal were quite beatable today.
Not sure why he brought KEA on and not Sylla? Surely Sylla was bought to be the DM cover that we have lacked all season??
My point exactly just don’t get lamberts thinking on that one
i thought the defence was not as bad as some have made out, i watched most of the game and thought we sat too deep and that is how Arsenal dominated, our midfield seem to push the defence back which then gives any opposing team more space.
I thought Bennett looked better than he has in previous games, wer lack something in the middle of the park and we have lacked it for sometime now. We looked what we are and that is a team fighting off relegation against a better team who could not score. KEA did not look too bad for us, Delph is a puzzle to me, i cant quite work out if he is any good or not.
One thing is for certain that was another loss and we cant afford too many of those or its Championship football next year, regardless.
I really dont think individually anyone was that bad. Our defence looked okay for the majority of the game but there is just no leadership at all. None at the back and none in midfield. This is why we can never hold onto leads and have the habit if collapsing under pressure.
Same old story.
I can’t wait for this season to be over.
Mate our season is already over as it never started it ended the day Lambert was appointed manager.Coming in with loony ideas that you can build a team from a bunch of kids from the lower leagues and expect them to be able to play premiership football.
Sorry to say next season will be no different to this one only that we will be proping up the championship and can;t see any half decent manager wanting to come in to sort the mess out as he as done to much damage to the club.Have been a fan for sixty three years and i don;t think Villa fans have anything to look forward to.Only that just maybe someone will come in whom as claret & Blue blood in their veins like a new owner whom understands football and can bring in a manager whom can attract the right type of players to the club and organise a team that plays a formation that suits every player in the team not just one man.
bit harsh chaps, did anybody really expect anything other than 0 points against arsenal away?
lots of worries though and the same as we’ve seen all season, late goals and lack of experience at the back.
i do agree about bennet though, id play almost anyone ahead of him at LB, defo Lichai or Baker, i really dont understand lambert sticking with him when its clear he is not coping.
Arsenal are dreadful, at 1-1 a point was there and then Lambert tried to win the game and lost it. It would have been a good point as it could decide between up and down and Lambert does not understand that.
Ian mate some are saying our survival rests on our home games.Have been looking at the fixture list there are only six left now out of those only QPR Fulham&Sunderland are realisticaly games that maybe we can take points from.Now away games Reading Stoke Man u Norwich& Wigan.Now out of those there is only the Reading game that may produce three points.So with 11 games left does anyone really think we have a chance as most of our games left are against teams above us apart from QPR & Reading.
What is your honest opinion mate as you seem to be in the minority whom tells it how it is.
Look at Wolves last season and where they are now and you see where Villa will be this time next year if that clueless manager of ours is still in charge.