The Doc's Diagnosis: Villa v Bolton
Tuesday, 19 December 06, 10:18 AM · Comments (6)
When you write your first match review, you don't expect a tester like this. Let's face it, Villa outplayed Bolton all over the park, but took nothing home to show for it.
I could moan about Villa's finishing. I could complain about some weird referee's decisions. In fact, I'm going to do neither - because I'm the Doc and there are other more interesting things to draw out.
Firstly, I was born in Bolton. I sat with Bolton fans, my own relatives (albeit at the Villa end). I was told, proudly, that Bolton would bully Villa, win every ball in the air and stand firm in defence. As it turned out, Villa were first to every ball in midfield.
Cahill and Ridgewell won everything at the back. Sutton won almost all of the ball up front. And Bolton were outrun, out battled and outcompeted all over the field.
Secondly, some individual positives. Steven Davis was unequivocally excellent throughout. Busy and accurate with his passing, he looked a threat for 90 minutes. Gary Cahill, despite some shaky moments in recent games, looked strong and positive - and always keen to get forward.
If Jaaskelainen hadn't got his fingernails to that strike from 35 yards, the net would have been in the Holte End. McCann bossed the midfield in the first half, and Gardner was superb in the second - despite his miss.
Still on the positive side, Villa played all the football, went forward positively, stopped Bolton constructing any meaningful attacks and showed more desire throughout. Gabby made a monkey of Pedersen from minute 1 to minute 90.
Of course, there are negatives. I don't like Barry at left back - not because he can't fulfil the role, but because he is too important an attacking player for the Villa. He needs to be stamping more authority on the game, not less.
Baros seems to want to play now, but his positioning and vision are often feckless - if we had a striker with Angel's positional sense and Baros' pace, then we might be talking. At the moment, neither fits the bill.
Mellberg's raids from right back are exciting, until he gets so far forward that he runs out of ideas.
Villa played some good stuff against Bolton and deserved to win. My fear is that they are beginning to show a lack of ruthlessness. Points are going begging because Villa lack a killer instinct.
I hope MON has his eyes on some winners in January. We need some nastiness.
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6 Comments · Add yours
Doc mate, we need strikers who can score goals, Bent and Keane with Reo Cocker in midfield, am i asking for too much?? dont we have the money???
It was a good display with a terrible conclusion.
There are lots to applaud in the attitude and the fight of the players these days, but you hit in on the head, no killer instinct.
There's not a lot of mileage in the Baros and Angel strike force, Baros needs a bar to lean on to stop him falling over, and Angel now thinks he can run about a lot and make tackles, but has forgot that he's supposed to score goals.
It comes to something when old Chris Sutton shows them up out there.
The kids are getting better, and on Saturday, with a pair of goal getters up front, we would have destroyed Bolton.
Just to add, I'd like to see Gabby as a central striker more often, he's deadly there.
Craig Gardner superb? I must have been watching another match.
I'm just wondering when villa will produce a truly exciting player.Davis, osbourne, gardner...i'm sick of these box to box, holding, combative midfield types!i hear fans saying we need full backs but i reckon MON may dispense altogether with them considering the dross we've had in those positions and play a 3-5-2 with a 3 man central defence, barry (left of centre of midfield), McCann and Petrov(behind the front 2). I'm sure MON will try to bring in 2 genuine wingers to play on either side.personally i don't think we have a serious problem upfront-what's this fixation with big target men who can hold the ball up?do Utd, arse, chelski have 1?MON should just unleash Gabby and Luke!
you lost! :)
Interesting comment re 3-5-2 from Dee: having seen Laursen's awesome displays before injuring the other knee, and with Ridge a natural left-footer - you could easily see Mellberg (right), Laursen (centre) and Ridgewell (left) forming a useful back three. McCann's anchor man role would suit - but yes, we would need two real wingers to make it work. Tend to agree that the answer to the limp displays of Angel and Baros is with Luke Moore and Gabby. Interesting times...