Masina and Dawson can hold their heads reasonably high. Chalobah and Capoue too. But everyone dropped off late in the game - some much more than others.
Problem we got is that with a 4-2-3-1 Deeney will play basically at least 80 mins and is our captain. So we would be asking someone to join us as a striker who is very good and tell them they will be likely be a backup. That will be hard to do. (Welbeck may get fit one day but its a long shot). I think Mariappa wouldn't play at RB with Femenia fit. Pereyra's performance would've disappointed the manager but I guess he wanted to see what he could do.
Pereyra couldn’t care less anymore and is in search for a few more ‘wonder’ goals to add to his Youtube highlight reel before he heads off back to Italy whilst Mariappa is simply far too pathetically slow and weak to be playing for us anymore. In addition, Nigel decides that taking the calmest player on the pitch (Chalobah) off was a good idea, whilst leaving Pereyra, who was visibly exhausted out on our left wing... Attempting to clinch it at the end, Nigel then decides now is a good time to take off Pereyra who is by now jogging about like he’s had a spleen surgery... Who does he pick to replace him, Joao Pedro, whom has been hyped about by the club over the past few weeks, touted the Brazilian ‘Wonderkid’, the “New but better Richarlison”???? Nah, goes for Andre ******* Gray.... Proper Javi type sub that! As far as we were all concerned by that point, a draw wasn’t good enough but worst case, we’ve earnt a point away to Villa, not great but not the worst considering the circumstances and how other matches were going. But then... The worst decision of the game for me.... Pearson decides to test how inept our defence can be in the final stages of a game where we’re just about clinging onto... by subbing off our *only* attacking threat (Deulofeu), off for Kabasele. The way it played out really makes me laugh... Albeit a laugh with a tear of sadness sliding down my cheek. We have to be honest though, Pearson’s poor choices have to be accounted for as if it were QSF or Javi, they would have been undeniably scolded and booed by the fans. Fortunately for Pearson though, this poor result has come off a really good run of form and he’s in everyones good book’s at the moment. It’s now really down to how we bounce back from this result. We’ll either sink or swim
It was a must win game for us. Take a look at the table. It was a must win game for us and we were negative and ****.
Block Q, Row U, Seat 10. More than sure. I didn’t mean to praise Gray for chasing balls but merely was pointing out he did little to criticise. It can’t work both ways when taking tonight in isolation - Deulofeu ran his heart out? So did Gray when he was on. If people want to make a list of 10 reasons why we lost today, Andre Gray should be culpable in none of them regardless of what fans think of him. In a wider sense, sure. But to make that the first pint of criticism in posts within 10 mins of the whistle? Odd. Having read it back - I accept my criticism of Deulofeu’s work rate is perhaps off. But he picked a lot of wrong options tonight. Tonight was a night for strong ‘lead from the front’ stuff from him and too often it was a fall back to how frustrating he can be.
Agreed. I’d much rather he implodes over one bad result. There is no need for calmness in this situation, I’d much rather he unsettled the team and was more jittery.
Can't see the point in moaning about decisions like Ming's 2nd booking. Them being down to 10 men isn't going to make much difference when we play so poorly, with such a woeful performance going forward and we make such poor subs, such as bringing on Gray for Chalobah, It wasn't the ref that lost us the game, it was ourselves. There was plenty of effort and fight, though, just a bad day at the office all round and hopefully we learn from our mistakes.
Didn't see you much after the games we won.. A defeat doesn't mean we are doomed but ceratainly a point would have been useful. Anyway annoying we have no league games for 10 days so got to chew over this for a whille.
The quote that this result against this team at this stage of the season “ isn’t a bad thing” is one of the most idiotic things I’ve even seen written ever, let along in this forum or even on the internet.
Dogsh!te performance. Perreyra can go before the 31st, total passenger. Pedro would have offered more energy and intent. Midfield non existent. Deulofeu turning into another Iggy.
yeh. coming in as a back up striker for a team that could be relegated in a January transfer window. not a great sell really.
I should add - from Mings reaction, he knew EXACTLY what he was doing and immediately got as far away from the referee as possible. He exploited yet another VAR loophole though - neither ref or linesman could see it in real time and I don’t blame them - it was at close quarters. But any sort of review would have shown it obvious, deliberate and in a key area. Short changed again and I wonder at what point we get a public apology for how many times it’s cost us.
Well, that was disappointing. Fair play to Villa. They were well up for it and were always a yard ahead of us in the second half. We didn't come anywhere near matching them for determination. I was disappointed in Nigel's substitutions tonight. Taking off Del for a central defender was a stupid, negative move that invited them further onto us in the closing minutes. Yeah, Mings should have walked, but we didn't make our own luck with things like that. If Nigel was unhappy with Del's crappy decision making then he could have switched him for Quina and put Pussetto on the flank. Instead he renders us a man down upfield, guaranteeing that the last few minutes would be mostly in and around our own box. Better still, he could have rolled the Pedro dice. What was that song playing just before the second half kicked off?
Such a missed opportunity. Couldn't believe the arrogant assumption on here before the game that it would be an easy win. Confidence boosting wins for AV and Muff puts us back amongst the favourites for the drop.
If Gray goes, I really doubt he’ll be replaced. We have Joao Pedro and Welbeck. And then Success. We have decent numbers - just not the confidence/fitness. Gray will leave because it’s good money for someone not playing much.
We won’t be signing anyone at the back. Our owners and Giraldi are utterly clueless over extended sample size. Mariappa remains first choice.
We were playing the match with 10 men ourselves until Pereyra went off. It would just have evened it up
Was sitting in the upper trininty with my mates tonight, thkugh we were on course with the goal and the villa fans getting in to the players, Reina with a great save which Deeney should have scored, that was the turning point and essentially Grealish got his motors going and they turned it around. Tactically, the switchbwas always on for villa, but they never used it, after Luiz came on they where switching it out to the left and getting chances. Was crap that we conceded in the last minute and gave a lift to a direct relegation rival, but I believe we have more that enough about us to keep above water. If Sarr was on the pitch we would have won that game easy, Pereyra is not the outlet we need, would like to see Pussetto in there. Roll on the next game.
Chalobah injured apparently. Fell awkwardly on his hip in the first half and couldn’t run it off. So it was a forced sub.
