Villa (A) - FA Cup - 8/1/2021 - 19:45

[dockers_strike]

Even though we won 4-1, that was a massively disappointing performance. Last season, we'd have embarrassed those Villa young lads and done a thoroughly professional job.

 

Tonight was anything but. Even when Bobby came on, he looked like he thought it's only against kids so I'll try a few party tricks and shoot from almost impossible angles.

 

The first half was dire even though we got off to a great start with Sadio nodding in. Tyler and his co hort kept banging on about Villa's 'excellent' keeper' Bullshit. Once again we made virtually every save for him easy. He only held one effort all game albeit a powerful header.

 

Yet again we wanted to walk the ball into the net or, players wanting an extra touch. The chance either went begging or it gave a villa boot or head time to get in the way.

 

All this oppos blocking our attempts on goal isnt coincidence. It's a sign of being too slow, extra touch required play and it gives oppos the time to make the block. The likes of Mo, Gini, Hendo and Neco were the main culprits.

 

And here's a tip for the players and coaching staff, if you have a player like Rhys williams, dont fucking leave him one of one as the last man. Fucking give the lad some protection. We didnt and that allowed Villa to score. Might be a bit harsh on Kelleher but he made himself small crouching down like that.

 

Probably wouldnt have made much difference if he had stood tall because the lad finished well to make it 1-1 with just about their only shot on target.

 

Second half was headed the same way as the first until we got 3 goals in pretty quick succession to spare our blushes. Not quite a 6 minutes in Istanbul but those 6 minutes changed the game and I dread to think what might have happened if it had gone to pens. But really, we should have put 7 or 8 past them with more concentration and guile.

 

Hate slagging the boys off when we've won and scored 4 but really, that performance simply doesnt cut it. If that had been Villa's or virtually anyone's first team, we'd probably have lost that game.

 

Jurgen has major problems and I dont think Jota is solving many of them. Too many players seem to be going through the motions or at the very least being careless in the final 3rd of the pitch and oppos box.

 

Some of Hendo's balls tonight were shocking. Neco needs to fuck off with the cruyff turns and understand he needs to cross the ball and not fuck about with it. Sorry, but Curtis was anonymous for what was his 3rd consecutive game and in this one, he's playing against lads of a similar age group.

 

I dont know what the answer is because Im not coaching staff but fucking hell lads, sort it out otherwise our season is going tits up in very short order.

 

 

[Baltar]

We play like we did in the 1st half against United and we are getting thoroughly twatted. Our 2nd half performance should get us a draw. Hopefully.

[manwiththestick]

7 minutes ago, John102 said:

A young Louie Barry

Just needs Grealish to sort him out with that bird of his.

[magicrat]

Just now, 3 Stacks said:

No real complaint? That 1st half will be shown on loop in hell to all the Liverpool fans who have the misfortune of heading there when their time on earth is over. 

Not saying we were good to watch but we were coasting most of that 1st half, keeping the  ball and making them chase and tire . They were always going to run out of gas after the break. We won easily in the end and crucially no injuries 

[Colonel Bumcunt]

Tsimikas has been a cracking signing. 

[3 Stacks]

1 minute ago, magicrat said:

Not saying we were good to watch but we were coasting most of that 1st half, keeping the  ball and making them chase and tire . They were always going to run out of gas after the break. We won easily in the end and crucially no injuries 

It's great that we had to make them tire. 

[Bjornebye]

2 minutes ago, manwiththestick said:

Just needs Grealish to sort him out with that bird of his.

Hahahahaa

[Trumo]

We were always on a hiding to nothing whatever the result.

 

Villa aquitted themselves well (without doing anything with the ball or in our half) but after having taken an early lead, we were too pedestrian. It was as though we were saying "you're no match for us physically and we'll prove it". Instead of moving the ball about quickly and pulling them all over the place tactically, we tried too much aerial stuff and looked for one-on-one foot races.

 

The only successful foot race in that first half was in favour of Villa. That Louis Barry has a bit of pace but he's not lightning quick. But then you don't need to be when you're up against Rhys, who turns like an oil tanker and runs like he's doing the Tough Mudder Challenge.

 

The boss gave the players a deserved kick up the arse at half time and, though we'd brought on El Maestro for Hendo, it was also noticeable that we had upped the pace with which we moved the ball. Villa just could get out of their own half now.

 

We finally got the goal blitz I was ecpecting in the first half, and thereafter it was all about conserving energy.

 

We won fairly comfortably in the end, but it has been an absolute age since we've had a really comfortable FA tie. Even in those years where we won the cup, it's been a bit of a slog and/or a nailbiter at times. More of an effort to absolutely kill these games off early would really help redress that.

[an tha]

Looking forward to Everton or Chelsea away in next round.

[Colonel Bumcunt]

I'm not sure how Rhys Williams has a professional contract with such a lack of pace.  

[an tha]

Just now, Colonel Bumcunt said:

I'm not sure how Rhys Williams has a professional contract with such a lack of pace.  

Yeah he's never gonna make it with us, you can't train pace into a player...and sadly he is still naive positionally as well, so that just compounds things.

[Captain Howdy]

3 minutes ago, an tha said:

Looking forward to Everton or Chelsea away in next round.

Just about any game against a prem team is enough to not fancy our chances, we’re shot to fuck.

[johnsusername]

17 minutes ago, Colonel Bumcunt said:

Tsimikas has been a cracking signing. 

It's not been a very Merry Tsimikas for Liverpool. 

[sir roger]

The only two highlights were:

 

Their goalies dive for Mane's second - even Karl Darlow negged him for that, 

 

Suzy's stream being that bad that she was celebrating our second after we went 3 1 up.

[halewood pete]

[dockers_strike]

Pray we dont have any positive tests after tonight and Villa's 'fast track' covid tests.

[VladimirIlyich]

3 minutes ago, halewood pete said:

So this Gemma Collins is a big unit then?

[suzy]

28 minutes ago, sir roger said:

The only two highlights were:

 

Their goalies dive for Mane's second - even Karl Darlow negged him for that, 

 

Suzy's stream being that bad that she was celebrating our second after we went 3 1 up.

Haha

[Trumo]

30 minutes ago, sir roger said:

The only two highlights were:

 

Their goalies dive for Mane's second - even Karl Darlow negged him for that, 

 

Suzy's stream being that bad that she was celebrating our second after we went 3 1 up.

 

It took until the second half for me to realise he was wearing a hairband and didn't just have a pencil tucked behind his ear.

[aws]

Just now, Trumo said:

 

It took until the second half to realise he was wearing a hairband and didn't just have a pencil tucked behind his ear.

I thought it was a crayon. 

[sir roger]

1 minute ago, aws said:

I thought it was a crayon. 

No he eat that first half

[Arnaud]

We look jaded, physically and emotionally. It will come back at some point, hopefully sooner than later. 
 

 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

2 hours ago, Grinch said:

The whole game easy as fuck with another reminder why we need a centre back.

 

Not looking forward to next week.  United won't fuck up like spurs did and will put five past us like they should have if we keep defending as we have been. 

Hopefully our front 3 won't spend half the match thinking they can score goals without breaking sweat.

 

Talking of the centre-back, I was getting pissed off with the commentators saying Williams was at fault for the equaliser.  He was at fault for the goal, but it shouldn't have been an equaliser, because we should have been about 4 up by then.

[Code]

So this Barry kid, is he relater to G.Barry?

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Jeez, guys, get a room!