[Archived] Aston Villa. Post match chat

[Paul Mellelieu]

I think Scotty is on the money. The weaknesses that he's highlighted, and obvious to even the casual follower begs the question of what the hell Souness was doing in the last months before he left. We need a defensive midfielder - Gary Speed would have been my choice, but I think Souness allocated that role to Matteo. He buys two left sided players, both of whom look a long way from premiership standard. (And sells our best two strikers). Very very strange.

I'm echoing others here, but I left encouraged by the movement involved in our forward play. It reminded me, dare i say, of the way Arsenal play. Players getting forward quickly from midfield to support the front players, playing balls inside the fullbacks. Excellent! Maybe Eddie N is having an impact.

The defence was very poor, but with Tugay stood in front of the back four, and with Matt out wide left, giving the ball away regularly and Barry bombing forward, the back line was put under even more pressure.

The support seems to have totally collapsed though. 16k Rvoers fans. Only two seasons ago that figure would have been over 20k home fans.

Overall though very encouraging.

[bubblerrovers]

How can anyone kidd themselves and say that our defence needs coaching??? It's not like our defenders are young and still learning the game?? If they can't defend now then they will never know!! Noone should expect anything from them!!

AMO: He was made to look stupid week in week out at Rangers and there fans are still laughing we brought him.

Matteo: His team got relegated and let in the most goals what did we think would happen

Where did bolton find that jiadi guy he looks quality?? Come on JW and MH Get us a defence before it's too late

[Eddie]

How can anyone kidd themselves and say that our defence needs coaching??? It's not like our defenders are young and still learning the game?? If they can't defend now then they will never know!! Noone should expect anything from them!!

AMO: He was made to look stupid week in week out at Rangers and there fans are still laughing we brought him.

Matteo: His team got relegated and let in the most goals what did we think would happen

Where did bolton find that jiadi guy he looks quality?? Come on JW and MH Get us a defence before it's too late

Did he look quality when he screwed up and allowed Kanu to score the first goal yesterday? Players of the opposition always look better because you don't watch them every saturday and see all of their mistakes. Our defence needs to be worked on, but I have no doubt that in them we have several good premiership defenders.

[Nate]

Agree with Scotty, Flitcroft should take the role that Tugay played yesterday.

[Ozz]

Like Pompey two weeks ago, we came out better in the second half. Emerton has finally signed for Rovers, Dickov was ace, defending at set pieces was laughable. No fans either, I even managed to get a pint at half time!

[waggy]

do people realise unless we unearth some alien hughes will not be able to sign anyone till january,there aint 100's of youri about.i think over the last 2 games we have started to play football,if we can manage a point a game till xmas all is not lost.

the problem at ewood was sourness and his staff,he has flown the nest,i reckon hughes and co will turn it around.

all managers are as good as there workers,says it all

[Eddie]

Agree with Scotty, Flitcroft should take the role that Tugay played yesterday.

Funny how a week ago everyone was saying Tugay should be next to Bazza, now he's had his chance everyone is saying the opposite. Football is a confusing thing sometimes.

[Nate]

Agree with Scotty, Flitcroft should take the role that Tugay played yesterday.

Funny how a week ago everyone was saying Tugay should be next to Bazza, now he's had his chance everyone is saying the opposite. Football is a confusing thing sometimes.

Last season I would of agreed with you. This season I have not seen anything that Tugay has added to the team. Not that I get too see as many games as you lot, but yeah

[Ossyrob]

How can anyone kidd themselves and say that our defence needs coaching??? It's not like our defenders are young and still learning the game?? If they can't defend now then they will never know!! Noone should expect anything from them!!

AMO: He was made to look stupid week in week out at Rangers and there fans are still laughing we brought him.

Matteo: His team got relegated and let in the most goals what did we think would happen

Where did bolton find that jiadi guy he looks quality?? Come on JW and MH Get us a defence before it's too late

Totally agree mate

[Manchester Blue]

How can anyone kidd themselves and say that our defence needs coaching??? It's not like our defenders are young and still learning the game?? If they can't defend now then they will never know!! Noone should expect anything from them!!

AMO: He was made to look stupid week in week out at Rangers and there fans are still laughing we brought him.

Matteo: His team got relegated and let in the most goals what did we think would happen

Where did bolton find that jiadi guy he looks quality?? Come on JW and MH Get us a defence before it's too late

The day any footballer is too old not to learn anything is the day they should retire. It is utter nonsense to suggest that with decent coaching and someone pointing out certain things that players a) won't improve and most importantly the team won't improve. One of the things the that has already been worked on from the stuff being shouted on Saturday is the stopping of crosses. It may seem obvious and laughable but too many easy crosses were being allowed and were costing us goals. There was a marked improvement on Saturday.

The problems from set pieces is down to the team as a whole not just the defence. I have utmost confidence that the coaching team in place will improve this issue.

As for your comments on Amo & Matteo. Ask a number of Rangers fans if they wanted him to leave and the majority will tell you no. A few may well mock him now but when he was the fan's favourite he wasn't mocked but fans are fickle. As for the Matteo comment well should Newcastle not have bought Milner or Boro not bought Viduka, after all they were relegated in a side that didn't score enough goals.

Clearly certain players will have to be brought in but if you really believe that no improvement can be gained then all I can say is thank god the coaching staff are not as negative as you are.

[McClarky]

As for your comments on Amo. A few may well mock him now but when he was the fan's favourite he wasn't mocked but fans are fickle.

Oh yes he was.

[American]

Why isn't Hughes finding a way to use Bothroyd in the starting lineup, or in yesterday's case, use him at all? He can't be any worse than Jansen on the left, or Stead up top. From listening to the match, it sounds like Stead just had a shocker yesterday, missing 2 or 3 easy chances.

[blue phil]

Agree with Scotty, Flitcroft should take the role that Tugay played yesterday.

Funny how a week ago everyone was saying Tugay should be next to Bazza, now he's had his chance everyone is saying the opposite. Football is a confusing thing sometimes.

I was one of them , Eddie , but yesterday was the day when I reluctantly accepted that Tugay is probably past it . Too many stray balls and he looked really tired . A great pity but he's been a marvelous player for us over the years with a wonderful attitude . The bad news is that he'll be replaced either by the equally aged but far less talented Flitcroft or by Thompson who'll doubtless pick up an injury after a couple of minutes .

[RoverDrake]

I'm praying that all is not lost with Thommo, he is one of my fav Rover players and I think we could really turn the corner if he returns free from injury, but of course the problem of our crap defence remains.

Is there really no good defensive prospect in our youth?

Has McEveley really faded away now? What's the situation with him?*

Find a confident, young defender with some pace from our youth team alongside Amo and see what happens.

*- No jokes about him being dead or on the missing person's list.

[philipl]

Is there really no good defensive prospect in our youth?

Has McEveley really faded away now? What's the situation with him?*

Find a confident, young defender with some pace from our youth team alongside Amo and see what happens.

*- No jokes about him being dead or on the missing person's list.

Why not read the thread about the reserves this week rather than post non-amusing questions?

[Martin]

Steady has lost all confidence and to be quite honest he looks every bit a third divsion or league 2 player at the present time. But we all know what he is capable of so lets just stick with him.

Dickov is wonderful isn't he?

We can't defend set peices but Hughes will sort that.

Overall I thought we passed it well, the more time Hughes gets with the players the better we will become. We are actually playing football now.

Villa are a good side and will be top six, it's just a shame we couldn't hang on.

I think there are plenty of reasons for us to be optimistic at this time.

[grizfoot]

If we play with a defensive midfielder like we did yesterday, we must play with Flitty there casue Tugay was awful he just aien't a defensive midfielder and he very rarely puts in any sort of tackle. Whereas Flitty will put tackles in, okay he may give free-kicks away but it gives the "defenders" a chance to get back in postion.

Something like this would be good me thinks:

-------------- Flitty -----------

Emo -------- Bazza ------ MGP--

------------ Youri -------------

I think that would work a lot better. Also i noticed that Youri sloted in very well when Bazza got foward.

Edited October 3, 2004 by grizfoot

[Manchester Blue]

Tugay was poor yesterday and the odd careless ball that he gives away is typical of him and very annoying. However I see no alternative to that position. Flitcroft has some attributes but positional sense isn't one of them and for me he would just be off wandering. As for the other point yes he puts the tackles in but he's best doing that in the middle of the pitch where he can get in amongst the opposition and break them up not giving free-kicks away which we clearly can't defend from.

I would expect Tugay to continue until at least January until Hughes can bring someone in to carry out the role. I initally thought Matteo would be ok in the role but like Flitty he is not disciplined enough and his distribution is poor. The thing with the role is that the player has to mop everything up and then pass it on to Fergie or Djorkaeff.

We have plenty of spoilers and if Flitcroft plays then it has to be somewhere like yesterday where he can impact on the opposition and get amongst them. Tugay is frustrating but to me the best of a bad bunch in that role at present.

[1864roverite]

Odd carless ball !!!

Come on MB 8 out of 10 wnet to a Villa player yesterday and all he had to offer was a hand up apology token gesture, he just couldnt be arsed yesterday

[roversWASmylife]

Even though we let slip two points, the performance was very encouraging once again.

I thought the team looked nervous in the first half, Ferguson and Dickov were two players, who stood out for me in the first half, probably the only ones.

I’m sick and tired of seeing Amoruso and Tugay on the pitch. Amoruso isn’t good enough, his passing is nervous to watch, he isn’t quick enough to play as a centre half against top quality strikers, week in week out.

Although I think it depends on the type of striker Amoruso plays against which can depend on whether he’ll have a good game or not.

Tugay yet again gave away most of his passes again.

There were a lot more positives to take from the game, that’s a first to be said after a game at Ewood within a good year.

Dickov, Emerton, Barry and Youri, who had a very good debut game, all played well and contributed and looked most threaten against Villa.

Overall I think a draw was a fair result. Villa had their faire share of chances in the first half and always looked dangerous.

From our point of view, the way we conceded their second goal was typical Rovers defending.

On the whole I believe we’re under the right manager and are heading in the right direction.

Mark Hughes is managing very well with the squad that has been left for him.

[Manchester Blue]

Odd carless ball !!!

Come on MB 8 out of 10 wnet to a Villa player yesterday and all he had to offer was a hand up apology token gesture, he just couldnt be arsed yesterday

What do you want him to do? Get down on his knees and pray for forgiveness. I'm not defending his performance it was poor and IMO he gets away with stuff other players haven't because he goes and applauds the Blackburn End longer than anyone else. Face it he plays you lot like a fiddle, he can be poor quite often and it's usually oh well Tugay at least he cares. All that doesn't alter the fact that I don't believe we have a player who plays that role better. If someone comes in and does it better great drop Tugay, it wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

[Radagast]

As for your comments on Amo.  A few may well mock him now but when he was the fan's favourite he wasn't mocked but fans are fickle.

Oh yes he was.

Not the ones I know (but then, they are quite sensible people, and we all know the opinion of such people is never worth considering in football - much too boring).

[McClarky]

As for your comments on Amo.  A few may well mock him now but when he was the fan's favourite he wasn't mocked but fans are fickle.

Oh yes he was.

Not the ones I know (but then, they are quite sensible people, and we all know the opinion of such people is never worth considering in football - much too boring).

Agree that the opinion of many Huns is often cliouded by non-football matters and you don't hear much from the more sensible but silent majority.

Lets face it though. The guy is a clown who just isn't good enough. He used to make many blunders up north but would usually get away with it as someone big huddy like Craig Brewster would trundle after the ball at an even slower pace than Amo. In the Premiership his mistakes are punished and he makes far too many for any good points of his game to compensate for them. He would probably do OK in the lower divisions and if he carries on he might just get the chance to prove it next season.

[92er]

Amuroso didn't follow his man for the first goal-and Matteo appeared to be pointing this out to him after it had gone in.

He was also marking the scorer when the corner was taken but had gone to sleep by the time Delanay knocked it down.

Later on, a Rovers player appeared to want to talk to him, but he brushed him aside.There were a number of other mistakes he made.

[Alan75]

Hey whats going on at Ewood Park, I even took the wife out and spoke to her on Saturday night.

Yes I was disappointed that we didnt hold on for a win but I came away having been entertained. Hughes has been in charge for nearly two weeks and I can start to see the changes out there on the field.

Not so long ago heads would have dropped when the opposition took the lead, but no Saturday the team fought back, equalised and even took the lead.

Even the warm up was entertaining, they used a ball yes they did, none of this running back and fore across the pitch jumping up and down like a bunch of pregnant ballet dancers. The strikers praticed shootng at goal as well.

I wish there wasnt a break next week, as I'm looking forward to see what further improvements Hughes and his backroom staff are going to do next.

Last season against Villa was one of the worst games I'd seen at Ewood, this season I was entertained plus had the bonus of getting a point.and very nearly 3 points.