[Archived] Villa Semi Final Match Preview

[Paul]

We definitely need our team to have the sort of cohesion Fulham or Birmingham have, but I would have no idea how we would go about doing that.

I would hazard a guess this is part of the manager's job description.

I appreciate you're in Australia so can't go to games but you need to be a little more thoughtful before you post, much of what you have said tonight puts you on the same level as those you criticise so vehemently. We did play 4-5-1 / 4-4-1-1 it was most definetley not 4-4-2, it may look different on the TV but for those in the ground our formation was very clear, a ,lone striker supported by Dunn breaking from midfield, this is not 4-4-2 by any accepted interpretation of the game.

[Stuart]

Didn't come on here after the game and looking back at some of the comments (Miker, hang your head in shame) I'm glad I didn't.

Whilst the first half wasn't great, the second half was much improved and has actually given me some hope. But for the width of the post it could look very different this morning.

Listening to the arrogant Villa fans singing ce cera cera after 25 minutes makes me hope they choke on those words in the second half.

Half time in this one. Let's hope we can carry that second half into Sunday.

[Paul]

I don't think there's much to say that hasn't been said a thousand times in recent weeks. We're still in the tie, I'm feeling defiant and I'll be at Villa Park next week. I like Kalinic and don't understand why he has played so few games. None of the regulars, preston blue apart (you shouldn't swear that loudly at MGP Mike!! ) who sit near me where there last night.

Fulham is a big game, again for all the reasons we've discussed a million times. Time for work now.

[Mike Graham]

that was pathetic last night (I went)

absolutely pathetic

BFS has lost it, he publically criticises his players; the fans are walking away: and JW is silent.

God help us................Rovers are pathetic.

does anyone have a rope? For BFS not me.

[Athlete]

at times it looked like Villa where playing with 12 men we were that poor...much better for periods especially when the changes were made in the 2nd half but Villa still should of put the tie to bed...............but lets be honest our next 4/5 league games will shape our season Fulham at home , Wigan at home West Ham + Stoke away and Hull at home..

[Bobby G]

David Dunn looked slow, sluggish, and a bit fat. More the Dunn of seasons gone by than this one. By far his worst performance of the season and he gave the ball away each and every time he got it.

[ABBEY]

bobby we said same thing about dunny last night ,defo a few kilo heavier and why he was not subbed ive no idea he was out on his feet.....the game,tactics yet again was to bore arse off everyone yet again,killing football.1st half was awful 2nd bit better ...NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

HUGHSEY GLAD TO SEE ANOTHER OF YOUR INSIDE INFO CAME TO FRUIT ABOUT N01 BEING EMPTY.....IT WAS PACKED ....DOH!!!!!!!!!

[Bobby G]

I heard the Villa fans were mocking the stadium being "empty-ish".

[trueblue]

I really hope its a Hoilett, Kalinic and Di Santo front line starting at Chelsea. I think they would score more than a couple of goals. Which we'll need.

At where???

[thenodrog]

I'm home after a near 8 hours on the road getting there and back...........

Too tired to say much more now. Up for work in a few hours.

Credit where credits due there. A true supporter and a sterling effort Ricky given that it was such unpredictable weather and on the telly too. I'm fairly certain that if I were you I wouldn't bothered and would have elected to go to the 2nd leg at VP instead.

[Ossydave]

I heard the Villa fans were mocking the stadium being "empty-ish".

"Your support is we don't like that word, please don't use it ######" - hardly a new one for us.

Even Tugay (in a box on his own behind us in N01) was shaking his head last night.

Depressed.

[alexanders]

Ratings after watching the game on telly:

Robinson: 7, Some very good saves, but as many have said before me needs to command his area much better. We could've been down by 2 or 3 if it wasnt for Robinson. He also tried to play Nelsen and Samba in to the game instead of hoofing a couple of times.

Jacobsen: 4, Decent first half. No contribution offensively and had some problems defensively. He did save us a couple of times.

Samba: 5, Poor poor distribution. Lacks concentration, but is very good in the air. Seen him much better.

Nelsen: 5, Poor poor distribution for him as well. Our centre-backs are the ones who are hoofing and not trying to involve the midfielders. Don't know if they lack confidence or if they are just poor at passing the ball. Won some ball, but was caught of position on the goal.

Chimbonda: 6, struggled first half when on the left side against Youngs pace. Played better in the second half and some good forward runs creating us some opportunities. Also linked up nicely with Emerton.

Salgado: 5, Split fault for the first goal with Ryan Nelsen. He should've followed his man. You can see that this guy has some football in him, but it is far away. At least he tries to play it on the deck and has some nice crosses. Total lack of pace.

Better suited at RB against slow wingers.

Nzonzi: 6, Very ordinary from Nzonzi. Got better in the second half when he had the opportunity to soread the ball around to both Chimbonda and Olsson on each flank. Close with the header.

Emerton: 6, If I see one more back-heel I'll snap. As the rest of the team much better in the second half and had a great shot blocked. Runs a lot and makes him self available.

Gamst: 5, What can you say? I don't understand this guy. At one second he has some great crosses whipped in from left and the next he is struggling with taking a decent free-kick. Had some really poor passes in the first half which led to the attacks stopping. Combined better with Olsson than with Chimbonda.

Dunn: 6, A shawod of his former self tonight. Looked a bit tired, but tried to get the guys going. You can see that he wants to win. Also had a great effort in the first 10 minutes of the game. Linked up well with Niko.

Niko: 8, This guy is going to be a star. Held the ball up very very good. Don't he lost the ball many times. Very good link-up play with the others and has great movement and technique. Very very unlucky. MOTM

Subs:

Olsson: 7, struggled for the first 5 minutes with Ashley Young, but then started standing higher up in the field. Won a lot of balls and combined nicely with Peds and Dunn. I think he deserves a start whether it is on LW or LB.

Benni: 5, Didnt do anything while out there. Sell.

Reid: 6, Nice to see him back. A good performance and distributed the ball well. He also likes to fight in that midfield area.

Feel free to disagree.

[Bobby G]

I disagree I thought Nzonzi was very good. Other than Kalinic and Robinson, he was our best player out there.

[thenodrog]

Kalinic was a gem. I think Sam got this decision right. Kalinic is the future of the Rovers.

I thought Salgado's performance was more than satisfactory. He defended well (for the most part) and was in charge when he had the ball. Unlike a few Rovers, he did not habitually give the ball away on a pass. While he may have tired, I really question Sam's decision to bring him off and replace him with Reid. Hoilett I could see. But Reid?

Bringing Reid on just to send Emo out wide on the right baffled me too and was a huge mistake by SA. We were on top at that time and Reids appearence seemed to swing the emphasis back towards AV again. Villa's entire defence was rocking and well and truly on the back foot. Bringing Reid on simply allowed them to slow the match down again and play time out. The last thing the formidable but ponderous (and tiring imo) players on Villa's back line would want would have been Hoilett running at them at speed and with the ball at his feet. The only way they could have stopped him would have been to foul him.

As is becoming the norm our 1st half performance was woeful. Dreadful in fact. I am afraid I simply cannot begin to guess what is going on before a match to make the team so disjointed only for a resurgence to occur in the 2nd half after 15 mins in the same dressing room at HT.

BUT whatever it is and for all the eternal optimists out there, take heart..... it's only half time in this tie and we are always better in the 2nd half.

[thenodrog]

I would hazard a guess this is part of the manager's job description.

I appreciate you're in Australia so can't go to games but you need to be a little more thoughtful before you post, much of what you have said tonight puts you on the same level as those you criticise so vehemently. We did play 4-5-1 / 4-4-1-1 it was most definetley not 4-4-2, it may look different on the TV but for those in the ground our formation was very clear, a ,lone striker supported by Dunn breaking from midfield, this is not 4-4-2 by any accepted interpretation of the game.

It certainly improved after HT but was the manager to blame or Dunny to blame Paul? On the other hand maybe Villa were simply pressing and forcing Dunn deep. Whatever it was Kalinic was cut adrift far too often in the first half and was being repeatedly fouled in the back by Collins with the LadyBoy in the middle seemingly oblivious to it.

On a side note I was interviewed by a reporter in August about the tactics at ewood and I suggested that playing 4-4-1-1 was fine but dangerous as it meant us placing far too much reliance on Dunn who though he possesses much quality is unfortunately not the fittest and most athletic of players and is a notorious sicknote to boot and would never manage more than a few matches on the run. If I could see it why couldn't SA and why do we not have Plan B that does not place too much reliance on Dunny?

[Iceman]

i have no idea what to say anymore

[Paul]

It certainly improved after HT but was the manager to blame or Dunny to blame Paul?

The manager puts the side out, selected Dunn and chose the formation. I don't think Dunn was fit and looked to be carrying extra weight. So Dunn is at fault for being overweight but if he was chucked in half fit because we have no alternative that's down to the manager.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

I disagree I thought Nzonzi was very good. Other than Kalinic and Robinson, he was our best player out there.

Watch a re-run of the match. I am Nzonzi's biggest fan - but his first-half display was awful, the second half was an improvement - but still nowhere near his previous standards.

Three things stood out for me :-

Tactics - how can one man get it so wrong ? The dip in form of players like MGP isn't his fault - but tactics that immediately give the advantage to the opposition are hard to beleive. I think I understand what he is attempting - but it ain't working.

Referee - can't really blame the ref, most of the problems were of our own making. But I did wonder where in the Midlands he came from and which of the Villa coaches he would travel home on. In the Chelsea FA semi a few seasons back I got the feeling the establishment didn't want us in the final - got same feeling all over again (though daft I know).

Kalanic - this guy is either going to be just unlucky - or we have a real star on our hands. Is hitting the post twice bad finishing or just unlucky (I'll go with the latter). For once - I think Sam may have got this one right.

[M2XLY]

Does noone else think that Nelson is one of our worst players? This guy is also our captin and i think that is where we are going wrong! He is a liability on the pitch and every single time he gets the ball he just kicks it as hard as he can, usually out of play!

Also Robbo last night was trying to play quick balls out to defenders last night but it was obvious that they wernt expencting it as they just stood there not having a clue why Robbo wasnt hoofing it!

SAM has to go, he and Nelson (captin) are taking this club down!

[thenodrog]

The manager puts the side out, selected Dunn and chose the formation. I don't think Dunn was fit and looked to be carrying extra weight. So Dunn is at fault for being overweight but if he was chucked in half fit because we have no alternative that's down to the manager.

Unfortunately Dunny's natural replacement in that formation is also carrying too much blubber. How can a manager ensure that players control their own weight during the season? It must be mighty difficult with some.

[broadsword]

Unfortunately Dunny's natural replacement in that formation is also carrying too much blubber. How can a manager ensure that players control their own weight during the season? It must be mighty difficult with some.

Millionaire players are difficult to control, and I think it needs more carrot than stick.

But certainly they can't be forced to get themselves right, although if I was manager I'd have a go.

Imagine being paid all that dosh and not even being bothered to eat the right things and stay fit. Disgrace really.

[thenodrog]

Does noone else think that Nelson is one of our worst players? This guy is also our captin and i think that is where we are going wrong! He is a liability on the pitch and every single time he gets the ball he just kicks it as hard as he can, usually out of play!

Me. I commented last night at the match that I have never seen our defence so shaky. They defended as individuals not as one unit.

I knew SA signing for us last season would see less attractive football but the one thing I expected when SA came last season was to make us supremely organised defensively and difficult to beat. A return to the 'dogs of war' day, a club where other teams fear to tread. That simply hasn't happened and it damned well needs to.

Might sound daft but Nelsens feet are too big for a footballer.

[eddiewac]

I actually wouldn't put it past Big Sam playing 4-5-1 and trying to nick a 1-0 win to take it to extra time, where "anything can happen", if only to make a point to those that sang 4-4-2, stubborn git

[jod]

Watch a re-run of the match. I am Nzonzi's biggest fan - but his first-half display was awful, the second half was an improvement - but still nowhere near his previous standards.

Three things stood out for me :-

Tactics - how can one man get it so wrong ? The dip in form of players like MGP isn't his fault - but tactics that immediately give the advantage to the opposition are hard to beleive. I think I understand what he is attempting - but it ain't working.

Referee - can't really blame the ref, most of the problems were of our own making. But I did wonder where in the Midlands he came from and which of the Villa coaches he would travel home on. In the Chelsea FA semi a few seasons back I got the feeling the establishment didn't want us in the final - got same feeling all over again (though daft I know).

Kalanic - this guy is either going to be just unlucky - or we have a real star on our hands. Is hitting the post twice bad finishing or just unlucky (I'll go with the latter). For once - I think Sam may have got this one right.

The referee was pro villa? He turned down two blatant penalties and booked Agbonlahor for an imaginary dive! If it wasn't for the ref this tie would already be over.

[Bobby G]

He also missed a handball from Chimbonda in the box giving us a free-kick for God knows what.