Big stage fright?

[samtheseagull]

What really bothered me, and it's probably related, was our complete surrendering of territory and control to 10 men. After we scored, we had a couple of great chances to put the game to bed, but the last 10 minutes, Villa (with nothing particular to play for) looked like the team with the extra man. Our midfield were suddenly over-run and we had no outlet. Scary.

Agree with this. We could not keep the ball which we are usually pretty good at even when 11v11

 

[Icy Gull]

Having a 7 point advantage turned into a 1 point disadvantage over 3 games is not the stuff of Champions.

Second place will do fine thanks and I think the last few seasons are proof enough that we don't finish the last three games very well.

 

[Bodian]

As next season goes on, we may well lose whatever big stage fright we have as the players become more accustomed to it - rather than them being odd occasions.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Having a 7 point advantage turned into a 1 point disadvantage over 3 games is not the stuff of Champions.

Second place will do fine thanks and I think the last few seasons are proof enough that we don't finish the last three games very well.

I would hate to go into next season with every Albion fan imagining that we were invincible, just because we'd finished top.

 

[Icy Gull]

I would hate to go into next season with every Albion fan imagining that we were invincible, just because we'd finished top.

Winning one and losing two would have ensured that wasn't going to happen

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

For me its got nothing to do with home or away,look at our improved record vs the top 6 this season compared to last,then look at where the improvement came most,it was at home versus those top 6 clubs..

Additionally we beat (did the double) over virtually every bottom half side,perhaps with the exception of Bristol & Forest (who them selves beat a few top sides anyway) and increased the number of away wins overall.. so improvement has been made home and away.

Only one win against a relegated Premier side and a single point away from home tells a story,in fact home and away against those 3 we only picked up a possible 5 points from 18.

We learned not to choke enough to get promoted and not just any only promotion,to do what they did after the last season was nothing short of miraculous,perhaps we did/have not learned to not choke enough to get the silverware and the lesson (a harsh lesson) here is it's that (Newcastle's) and to a degree (Villa's) long standing Premier league status that shows they will never give up,i hope the lesson has been learned for next season..

The overall progression is upwards..

 

[neilbard]

In hindsight they were bloody lucky to get away with a 1-1 draw given the 2nd half.

Are you saying Villa were lucky to get away with a 1-1?

 

[chaileyjem]

Are you saying Villa were lucky to get away with a 1-1?

Yes

 

[neilbard]

Yes

I think you must have been watching a slightly different game, Villa could have been out of sight in the first half. We did improve in the 2nd period but couldn't kill a 10 man Villa off

and to be fair in the last 10 mins Villa were the only side that looked like scoring.

 

[Don Tmatter]

This is why getting 4-5 experienced PL quality players is an absolute necessity to stay up.

 

[theboybilly]

This is why getting 4-5 experienced PL quality players is an absolute necessity to stay up.

Indeed, somebody to sit in and protect the back four especially - we have Sidwell who has been great since his return but maybe we need somebody with less miles under his belt. A PL- experienced striker won't be cheap even if he's half-decent.

 

[Spanish Seagulls]

Every team had a couple of slips this season and unfortunately one of ours was at the death. We had our surge at just the right time considering Huddersfield were closing in on us and we went onto win 5 on the bounce whilst they & Newcastle had slips thus freeing ourselves from what happened last season. All told we have to be happy with what we achieved and we are really but it's just that we were so close. So close.
Lets face it, over the last 8 games we would have snatched fates hand off to get the 5 wins that got us promotion when we got them rather than go through spreading out those results and losing sleep over whether we would make it or not.

I'm just being Devils advocate. I think.

Probably just spouting bollix.

 

[chaileyjem]

I think you must have been watching a slightly different game, Villa could have been out of sight in the first half.

The 2 Poco errors, self inflicted, the free kicks (well saved) - self inflicted and the grealish shot - what else ?

 

[mreprice]

Dunks stone cold penalty

 

[Notters]

Er, you what? Villa Park was like a morgue until they scored.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Er, you what? Villa Park was like a morgue until they scored.

You're saying Villa Park in front of 32000 needing to win to clinch the championship with 2700 of us singing non stop isn't a big match just because the Holte End were a bit quiet? Ok then.


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[Notters]

You're saying Villa Park in front of 32000 needing to win to clinch the championship with 2700 of us singing non stop isn't a big match just because the Holte End were a bit quiet? Ok then.


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Sorry, I have re-read your post and you did say "us being very noisy"...

 

[neilbard]

Our ball retention yesterday against 10 men Villa was a little poor more so after we had scored.

In hindsight we were probably lucky to get away with a 1-1 draw.

In hindsight they were bloody lucky to get away with a 1-1 draw given the 2nd half.

I think you must have been watching a slightly different game, Villa could have been out of sight in the first half. We did improve in the 2nd period but couldn't kill a 10 man Villa off

and to be fair in the last 10 mins Villa were the only side that looked like scoring.

The 2 Poco errors, self inflicted, the free kicks (well saved) - self inflicted and the grealish shot - what else ?

The first save Johnstone had to make was from Baldock in the 2nd half, Stockdale made numerous saves during the whole game. Villa down to 10 men pressed us and looked dangerous.

But as you say Villa were lucky to escape with a 1-1 draw.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Sorry, I have re-read your post and you did say "us being very noisy"...

It's not even really that. The point I'm labouring at is that we've had some aways this season that have been Premier League in occasion and some that definitely haven't, and we've done better in the latter. Nine points from Barnsley, Rotherham and Burton, one from Newcastle, Leeds & Villa.

You could make perfectly good cases either way for Fulham & Sheff Weds where we did pick up six points & people have reasonably pointed out we've done well at Elland Rd in the past. But - totally IMHO - we'll need to add a lot of Premier League experience to pick up a lot of points away next season.


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[chaileyjem]

The first save Johnstone had to make was from Baldock in the 2nd half, Stockdale made numerous saves during the whole game. Villa down to 10 men pressed us

They equalised in the last minute to what was arguably a poor GK error and had been playing with 10 men for 30 mins. We'd missed a couple of sitters.
Thus - lucky to get the draw. Didn't seem likely to me with rational head on.

Obviously with fan hat on I was expecting the worse and so it proved.