We didn't lay down but were 2nd best were it mattered. Our starting 11 is the best we can put out unless Proctor can get match sharp or Newell & Robertson can get fit. Bringing Taylor & Forde on was throwing the towel in. They will never be up to this level. Away games show the players who are up for it. Vaulks tell me anyone better for us on the night. He was mopping up, passing was good. Why did Warney switch wings with Williams & Vassell 2nd H? Leave Williams on the right, Vassell on the left it works.

Move on to Notts F. Hope Newell is fit gives us another option.

If we played two up front they would be frustrated spectators. Vaulks did play well last night. Being critical he chased the ball and left the villa thrower-inner totally free with time and space to put in the cross for the second goal. Wood and Ajayi were static for the first. But its likely that over 90 minutes a team with the quality that villa have will find a way to score. Overall the effort is there and I think our fitness levels look really good. We did do better with the ball than on other away games and created some good opportunities. We are giving ourselves a chance and I think we are improving game on game. We need to keep the faith and stick with them.

I kind of disagree, our season will be defined on home results. We only need to win 12 more to stay up, as long as those around us don't take points from us. We will be learning more and more as the season goes on, but ball retention, if you want that to be better you need to buy better mentally technical players. Anyone can pass, but to get 8-9 players to consistently be able to keep possession takes cash purely from their decisions and movement - that's what you buy. Yes Warney and Co. will do their best to coach this, but it will only go so far. The coaching you can teach the players / reflect etc until you're blue in the face, whether they can enact it during a game themselves is down to the player.

All we can ask as fans is that we're seeing the management and players all trying their best for themselves and the club, and I don't think we can ever argue against that since Warney has been able to bring in his own good human beings.

It will be tight but I think we have the grit to do it - I really do.

My 2p worth is to play two up top and try and compete - Smith is isolated and loses the ball so it comes straight back. Might as well lose having a go than trying to nick a point - so far we havent nicked any away and didnt look like it last night. JT and AF are just not of the right calibre for this league but we have what we have.

T71 - I think you have to try and learn lessons. I am sure the management team will sit down and look with the players at the good bits and bad bits. In general terms I thought they all did well last night, Vaulks included and I agree he was one of the better performers on the night. But if you look at the goals in isolation, Wood gave Kodjia too much time and space on the edge of the box and Ajayi got caught ball watching. But credit to Villa, it was a well worked goal. For the second goal Vaulks was marking the thrower and when the ball was thrown in Vaulks went chasing it. The thrower was left wide open and he had the time and space to deliver a great cross that was difficult to defend. Maybe Vyner should have been a bit stronger defending it too. I know that Vaulks is your love child, but well as he played I think that is a fair analysis. In this league one bad decision can get punished in a heartbeat. That's what we are up against. But on the whole we did quite well, Vaulks included.

Exetermiller wrote:

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I kind of disagree, our season will be defined on home results. We only need to win 12 more to stay up, as long as those around us don't take points from us. We will be learning more and more as the season goes on, but ball retention, if you want that to be better you need to buy better mentally technical players. Anyone can pass, but to get 8-9 players to consistently be able to keep possession takes cash purely from their decisions and movement - that's what you buy. Yes Warney and Co. will do their best to coach this, but it will only go so far. The coaching you can teach the players / reflect etc until you're blue in the face, whether they can enact it during a game themselves is down to the player.

All we can ask as fans is that we're seeing the management and players all trying their best for themselves and the club, and I don't think we can ever argue against that since Warney has been able to bring in his own good human beings.

It will be tight but I think we have the grit to do it - I really do.

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Agree about the home form, and the post generally... but in the end its very unlikely we will get relegated on goal difference.

Therefore, a change of tactics away from home doesn't do us any harm. We need to score some goals away from home.

The stats show in the Villa and the Wigan game  - we had plenty of chances to score but didn't score any. It's only my opinion, but I'd rather see us play 3-5-2 a few times and play Proctor and encourage the midfield to play rather than kick the ball away... try and score some goals and pick up a few points - because in the end if we get beat 5-0 doing so, it doesn't matter as losing 1-0 gives us the same number of points - none.

Very happy with our season so far, but our away tactics are picking us zero points, so that has to change in my opinion, we have nothing to lose by trying something different. In our best spells last season, we didn’t play hoof ball, we played through teams. Whilst the opposition is better, I’d rather see us try it some times.

A further point is, the longer we go without getting any points away, the more this will add pressure - especially if we lose a few at home on the trot.. getting a few away points will keep the confidence up...

Just my thoughts.

11 that started couldn't have done much more. There 2nd goal you aren't going to stop all crosses coming in but were was the centre backs to deal with it. I've already said about Williams & Vassell switching wings, never works. Need Newell back fit. Taylor & Forde never been up to this level. Proctor I don't know if he's not match sharp. Do you stick with Smith or start with Proctor to get him up to speed cause potentially he's a better finisher. Get to January in touch & a few tweaks in the transfer window we should have a decent chance of stopping up.

i must agree with t71 about taylor just dont know apart from his roadrunner impersonation what he brings to the team
yes he pops up with the odd goal now again 2 v walsall and 1 v portsmouth and 1 v s****horpe

i agree the budget constraints and the players available warne has gone 4 1 4 1 home and away, but playing one up front is not going to get us many goals IMO

the mistakes warne made in hindsight are
sending out the two defenders on loan have prevented ajayi playing in the midfield role warne has said he prefers him to play
so he has a choice play jones or vaulks in the central defenders role until raggett and robertson come back

 

but there is a no reason why we cant play  4 1 3 2 

vyner vaulks wood mattock
ajayi
williams towell manning

proctor vassell

on bench price newell forde taylor smith wiles jones

-- Edited by hillsborough miller on Thursday 20th of September 2018 01:09:14 PM

The news that Raggett is out for three to four months and now Robertson out for four to eight weeks surely now means we have to play Ajayi at centre back. I still believe Ajayi can do the holding midfield at some point of the season but he is now most needed at centre back. Vaulks has filled in at centre back and done a decent job but to put one of our most influential players in my opinion out of his best position would be a grave mistake. We would miss his drive,energy,aerial ability in the middle of the park,his eye for goal,aggression and also would it limit his long throws for fear of being well out of position. No he has to play in the middle of the park
We let Ball and Ihiekwe go out on loan, which i agreed with because neither of them have much if any championship experience or do they appear up to that level and Warne obviously felt that. Unfortunately it has left us a bit short at the centre back. It would be a massive gamble to play Vyner there. He believes its his best position and theres a feeling Bristol City do but in such a key area, now is not the time for him to play there,and i also feel he is getting better at right back as predicted earlier. As for putting Jones there. Who knows,but it certainly isnt the time to gamble on him. I would be happy to see him coming on for twenty to thirty minutes in the middle or full back to see what he has to offer.