Thought Bradshaw was predictably ineffective when the ball was played high to him against a defender who towers over him and that cost us a lot today but other than that I thought we played ok. Want a 3-0 performance by any stretch. If it wasn't for a **** up and an awful refereeing decision it wouldn't have been
Agree with that. Just a very flat performance with a couple of howlers from long balls. Didn't deserve to win by any stretch. Bradshaw was never going to get anything against Terry and Chester on his own. Tried hard as always
Anything that could go wrong, did go wrong. We'll play far worse than that this season and come away with something. Much as it pains me to say it, John Terry was excellent.
We haven't a target man at the club. We haven't one player at the club who can play as a lone striker. A hugely important position that we just haven't got - it's like not having a centre back that can head the ball - or not having a midfielder that can tackle. Hence all the fuss recently after the deadline day debacle.
John Terry won't have an easier game all season. Wasn't made to run, tackle or challenge all game it was just a case of jumping and heading a ball clear. It's a shame that we got our tactics wrong in the final third but understandable considering it has worked so far
Good summing up. We weren't at our best and we were unlucky with the goals - in my opinion Davies was below his best for the first and the third, and the penalty was a rash challenge, even though he probably on balance got the ball. On another day, Davies would have saved them both and Jackson would not have dived in, and we may have scraped one. We certainly had enough of the ball, but in the wrong areas. On to Oakwell South, tonight has gone. Respect and best wishes to Mr Patrick Cryne, and to the fans who saluted you this evening!
We were a bit flat but still the better side first half. Not seen a replay of the pen but I thought Jackson got the ball from my viewpoint. But he had no need to dive in there and give the officials a decision. No idea what happened for the first goal but Davies was poor today. On another day he would have saved both the first and 3rd and been able to kick That said I thought we lacked the sparkle. Too many times we played the wrong save sideways pass when there was an easy forwards one on. Don't know if it was the TV. The occasion or the looming Wembley trip but we misfired
Game was over after the howler of a first goal. After that villa put everyone behind the ball and we didnt have the quality on the day to break them down. Bad day at the office, we move on.
It was def a penalty and apparently two more hit his arm sliding in which could have been 2 more penalties. Def think Hecky needs to stop Jackson going to ground so often. One of those bloody annoying games. The lads do struggle with 2 games in a week. Experience of Terry, Whelan, Conor was just too much. Actually thought we dealt with Kodija (£10m?) and Hogan (£15m) easily enough. My only slight gripe is we just don't look like stopping crosses. Fullbacks always miles from their men. But actually thought Pearson and McCarthy had decent enough games. Williams best player for us today in my opinion.
I thought there were a lot of similarities to the forest game last season where a ropey old goal changed the whole landscape of the game
What I find puzzling is why our fullbacks are always getting dragged into the middle when it's obvious where the ball is going? It leaves the winger with far too much time to cross the ball in. I thought Jackson looked like he was a little out of his depth at times, hammill looked very good, McCarthy looked ok, the rest were meh. Our final ball for the most part was so so poor, however when we did get a half decent ball into the box there was nobody attacking it.
Villa are poor and couldn't get a kick for the last 20 minutes of the first half. Wrong decision to go 442 for the second half, shouldn't have taken Barnes off or changed the formation. Mcgheehan could have replaced Moncur and Bradshaw shouldn't have started as lone striker. To be honest I'm pretty pissed off tonight , terrible first goal that shouldn't happen and the penalty was a joke.
Didn't need to run because he reads the game so well that his positioning is always spot on. He might be a prize lovely person, but he's still a quality defender.
We had a lot of the ball but did very little with it. Man for man villa are a much better side and it showed. Having said that if we had kwpt it at nil nil things could have been different.
Their older heads dominated the game. Thought Whelan ran the game for them, they kept their shape really well after our gift of the first goal, and they always looked dangerous going forwards, especially down the flanks. We played in front and across them and just couldn't get behind them. Men against boys quite literally. We looked a bit toothless today, although 3-0 was harsh, and no doubt the better side won. With the turnover we've had, and the inexperience of much of the squad, I think we're going to be inconsistent, but there was enough there today for me to remain optimistic.
