Centre Midfield

[Nymzee]

Silva got it badly wrong yesterday.

He put Schneiderlin and Gomes together and we tried to play how we would with Gueye in there.

Villa had three players with bags of energy and that half-a-yard of pace to get around them. As soon as they got a foothold they knew they could get at our midfield.

Silva then compounded the issue by taking off our only midfielder who can craft a chance, and not bringing on any energy in his place as we switched to a 4-4-2. So instead of a 4-4-2, we ended up playing a 4-2------4 with a massive gap in between the attack and midfield because neither Gomes or Schneiderlin were driving into the space.

Gomes had a dreadful game and Schneiderlin even worse. Awful. They can't be paired together unless it's against a team like Palace who have zero pace in the middle.

Even then they can't be paired as we weren't winning that game before the red card.

 

[dannyboy]

Our midfield, no pace, no energy (something Gana brought) no movement, as soon as the Villa midfield got in our faces we struggled, it was the same against Watford, they just ended up dominating the middle.

We had 65% of the ball last night but rarely looked like doing anything with it. Teams aren't soft. Sit off us and let Schneiderlin pass it backwards and sideways for a while.

We need to get rid of that position against the poorer teams and stick someone in there who can actually threaten the opposition.

 

[davek]

I don't think Gbamin has any injury record?

He only wasn't fit when we signed him as he'd had a month off after AFCON.

I didn't say he did. I said there was no due dilligence. That apllies just as much to his state coming off the back of AFCON.

It would explain a lot about his ropey performances for us to know that he was carrying injuries from that tournament into a PL campaign that is punishing.

I'd really like to know how well he did on the fitness tests.

What we do know is that his fitness was not there and his legs have been found out already.

It was a choice to bring in this player when Gueye left late in the window. It looks a rushed signing and we're now paying. Add that to the crazy Delph signing and that is a shocking carelessness with the cash and time of this club.

 

[dannyboy]

That set of players should beat 0 points Aston Villa.

No excuses.

The fact they were on 0 points and the ground would be bouncing made it a difficult game. We are not Liverpool and City, the players we have can be got at, quite easily actually.

DCL and Schneiderlin in the starting XI always gives the opposition hope too.

 

[BlueToff]

I didn't say he did. I said there was no due dilligence. That apllies just as much to his state coming off the back of AFCON.

It would explain a lot about his ropey performances for us to know that he was carrying injuries from that tournament into a PL campaign that is punishing.

I'd really like to know how well he did on the fitness tests.

What we do know is that his fitness was not there and his legs have been found out already.

It was a choice to bring in this player when Gueye left late in the window. It looks a rushed signing and we're now paying. Add that to the crazy Delph signing and that is a shocking carelessness with the cash and time of this club.

He's done his hamstring in training, Dave, by the sounds of it. Digne had a tight hamstring last week. Is that anything to do with his fitness or is it just that these things happen? Stop talking nonsense.

Delph - he'd have been a big help in these games. Though yes I'm worried about his injury record. However, we're evidenlty not wanting to rush him back to ensure that his injury is all healed and we don't get a repeat.

 

[nsno-chris]

He's hardly been handed Mane, Salah and Firmino... It is a good squad but it's not anywhere near the top 6. Results like last night whilst frustrating are going to happen with this set of players. If you think otherwise, you're overrating them a lot.

Villa were atrocious, really really poor side.

Awful tactics and team selection cost us last night

 

[nsno-chris]

You have no substantial come back here, so I understand your flippancy.

Yeah I do Dave, the manager cost us last night

The end. Thanks for playing

 

[davek]

He's done his hamstring in training, Dave, by the sounds of it. Digne had a tight hamstring last week. Is that anything to do with his fitness or is it just that these things happen? Stop talking nonsense.

Delph - he'd have been a big help in these games. Though yes I'm worried about his injury record. However, we're evidenlty not wanting to rush him back to ensure that his injury is all healed and we don't get a repeat.

Hold on. Digne played mate. He isn't facing months out.

 

[bilyaletdinov_]

Villa played rings around us in midfield, Gomes and Schneiderlin were like statues couldn’t get near them. And this is Villa we’re talking about, a team who will be lucky to finish in the Top 17. Something really has to change

 

[davek]

Yeah I do Dave, the manager cost us last night

The end. Thanks for playing

You got it wrong on this thread early doors. You and many others. It happens.

 

[davek]

Villa played rings around us in midfield, Gomes and Schneiderlin were like statues couldn’t get near them. And this is Villa we’re talking about, a team who will be lucky to finish in the Top 17. Something really has to change

Exactly.

We will be ripped apart every week by decent teams. FFS Palace waltzed through us.

 

[BlueToff]

Hold on. Digne played mate. He isn't facing months out.

yes, but he could easily have overstretched and been out for weeks. A hamstring injury isn't really anything to do with general fitness, it's one of those things.

Gbamin already improved in his 90 minutes on the pitch. During his time at Mainz he doesn't look to have had big fitness issues. The problem was always going to be adapting to the league which is evidently why we've got Delph (but again, an untimely injury) and tried for Doucoure too. And this is where I agree with you that the end of the window approach was scattergun.

 

[Nymzee]

The fact they were on 0 points and the ground would be bouncing made it a difficult game. We are not Liverpool and City, the players we have can be got at, quite easily actually.

DCL and Schneiderlin in the starting XI always gives the opposition hope too.

I like Villa, I think they'll have a strong season, but we should be beating them.

 

[dannyboy]

Villa were atrocious, really really poor side.

Awful tactics and team selection cost us last night

I don't think Silva excelled himself last night but you're kidding yourself if you think playing Kean, Iwobi and Davies wins us three points. Those three players aren't good enough to say the game completely turns on its head.

 

[nsno-chris]

You got it wrong on this thread early doors. You and many others. It happens.

Excuses, excuses, excuses

Fancy trying to lay that atrocious display last night at the feet of anyone but the manager

Good grief