Bit late again, due to being busy but also feeling very let down once again. Dont want to put a negative spin on it but it does feel like our fate has been sealed. I havent seen the goals back, or seen any footage of the game since as I simply couldnt face it! So apologies for any errors in advance.
THE GAME
Well we couldnt have asked for a better start to the game, we were well on top in the first half, and the much better side. It could quite easily have been 4 or 5-0 at half time but for a few great saves by Guzan in the Villa goal. But we managed to get the breakthrough after a decent shot and save by Guzan again, with Jenas getting the re-bound.
From then on in the first half it was almost one way traffic with Bosingwa hitting the post from a free kick. Rangers dominated thoroughly and were playing some very nice football, being patient and playing the killer ball at good times. But then almost from nothing straight after Bosingwa hit the post they went up the other end and somehow Agbonlahor scored when it looked like our defenders didnt really jump.
Unfortunately whatever happened at half time, we came out a completely different side and with Villa having got the equaliser from nothing it gave them the momentum they needed. Everything went wrong and Villa were on the front foot. Somehow we had gone from a solid performance to a vulnerable one. Villa got their 2nd after I think a Bosingwa free kick from deep where instead of playing the short simple ball he played a long punt upfield which we lost. From the counter attack they scored.
We then managed an equaliser which was a deflected effort from Townsend, which if im honest was a bit lucky. It seemed our luck was turning and a draw would be an ok result keeping us in touch. But then poor defending let Villa in for the third. Game over.
THE RATINGS
CESAR - 4.5 - poor all game really. poor kicks and didnt seem to have any confidence despite not being tested too much in the first half. Should have at least got to the first goal, and what he was doing for the third goal I dont know.
FABIO - 6.5 - a good first half performance running down the left wing countless times, but was often pulled out of position forcing townsend back deep. second half lost control of the wing which is where their 2nd and third came from.
HILL - 7 - did well considering he was against benteke but him and samba should have prevented the equaliser at a key time.
SAMBA - 7 - same as hill. lost concentration at the key moment in the game.
BOSINGWA - 5 - stupid long ball upfield led to the 2nd and gave possession away easily. out of position alot and generally didnt perform that well.
M'BIA - 6.5 - lots of running and despite a few poor touches in the first half did ok. but second half completely lost control of the midfield.
PARK - 7 - good first half display and always around to receive the ball and forced mistakes, but along with mbia lost control in the second half.
JENAS - 7 - got forward well and provided a good link to strikers/wingers. in the good place to catch the rebound for our first goal. passed well in the first half but completely lost control of the middle in the second half.
TOWNSEND - 7.5 - MOM - a constant threat a he has been recently. scored a good equaliser which seemed to get us back into the game from nothing really. tracked back to cover fabio very well and worked very hard indeed.
REMY - 6.5 - largely played on the wing but did move inside later on - but didnt do a huge deal and didnt use his pace often enough. hoilett almost put him through on goal in the second half.
ZAMORA - 6.5 - despite not winning too many headers he played a key role in bringing others into play and holding the ball up, we lost him badly in the second half and we never regained control of the game when he went off at half time.
SUBS
HOILETT - 4 - awful if im being honest. nothing went for him and he seemed very slow and easy to beat. their third goal came from him not trying enough to get a ball that seemed like it was heading out for a throw but a villa player got to it and set them up.
TAARABT - 6.5 - looked threatening but struggled to properly create alot.
MACKIE - N/A - only had three mins on the pitch bizarrely
FINAL WORD
I think the loss of Zamora proved the main reason for losing that game as we had no-one up front to hold the ball up in the second half. Which begs the question - why no Bothroyd on the bench, especially as he has played well. I asked Bothroyd on twitter if he was injured and he replied "no Im 100% raring to go". Big big error from Redknapp imo. Why was he not on the bench! We had nothing up front in the second half at all.
Overall, a positive first half, but massively overshadowed by the poor second half which has left us with a mountain to climb. Winning that game would have put us a point away from them, but being 2-1 down and going nowhere, I think we would have taken 2-2 to maintain a 4pt gap. But after getting back into it you would expect us to shut up shop and take the point. Now its a 7pt gap which I cannot see us doing now. If it was Villa on their own I may be more positive, but its also Sunderland, Southampton and Wigan who are well in front now.
Cant see us doing it now unfortunately.
THE GAME
Well we couldnt have asked for a better start to the game, we were well on top in the first half, and the much better side. It could quite easily have been 4 or 5-0 at half time but for a few great saves by Guzan in the Villa goal. But we managed to get the breakthrough after a decent shot and save by Guzan again, with Jenas getting the re-bound.
From then on in the first half it was almost one way traffic with Bosingwa hitting the post from a free kick. Rangers dominated thoroughly and were playing some very nice football, being patient and playing the killer ball at good times. But then almost from nothing straight after Bosingwa hit the post they went up the other end and somehow Agbonlahor scored when it looked like our defenders didnt really jump.
Unfortunately whatever happened at half time, we came out a completely different side and with Villa having got the equaliser from nothing it gave them the momentum they needed. Everything went wrong and Villa were on the front foot. Somehow we had gone from a solid performance to a vulnerable one. Villa got their 2nd after I think a Bosingwa free kick from deep where instead of playing the short simple ball he played a long punt upfield which we lost. From the counter attack they scored.
We then managed an equaliser which was a deflected effort from Townsend, which if im honest was a bit lucky. It seemed our luck was turning and a draw would be an ok result keeping us in touch. But then poor defending let Villa in for the third. Game over.
THE RATINGS
CESAR - 4.5 - poor all game really. poor kicks and didnt seem to have any confidence despite not being tested too much in the first half. Should have at least got to the first goal, and what he was doing for the third goal I dont know.
FABIO - 6.5 - a good first half performance running down the left wing countless times, but was often pulled out of position forcing townsend back deep. second half lost control of the wing which is where their 2nd and third came from.
HILL - 7 - did well considering he was against benteke but him and samba should have prevented the equaliser at a key time.
SAMBA - 7 - same as hill. lost concentration at the key moment in the game.
BOSINGWA - 5 - stupid long ball upfield led to the 2nd and gave possession away easily. out of position alot and generally didnt perform that well.
M'BIA - 6.5 - lots of running and despite a few poor touches in the first half did ok. but second half completely lost control of the midfield.
PARK - 7 - good first half display and always around to receive the ball and forced mistakes, but along with mbia lost control in the second half.
JENAS - 7 - got forward well and provided a good link to strikers/wingers. in the good place to catch the rebound for our first goal. passed well in the first half but completely lost control of the middle in the second half.
TOWNSEND - 7.5 - MOM - a constant threat a he has been recently. scored a good equaliser which seemed to get us back into the game from nothing really. tracked back to cover fabio very well and worked very hard indeed.
REMY - 6.5 - largely played on the wing but did move inside later on - but didnt do a huge deal and didnt use his pace often enough. hoilett almost put him through on goal in the second half.
ZAMORA - 6.5 - despite not winning too many headers he played a key role in bringing others into play and holding the ball up, we lost him badly in the second half and we never regained control of the game when he went off at half time.
SUBS
HOILETT - 4 - awful if im being honest. nothing went for him and he seemed very slow and easy to beat. their third goal came from him not trying enough to get a ball that seemed like it was heading out for a throw but a villa player got to it and set them up.
TAARABT - 6.5 - looked threatening but struggled to properly create alot.
MACKIE - N/A - only had three mins on the pitch bizarrely
FINAL WORD
I think the loss of Zamora proved the main reason for losing that game as we had no-one up front to hold the ball up in the second half. Which begs the question - why no Bothroyd on the bench, especially as he has played well. I asked Bothroyd on twitter if he was injured and he replied "no Im 100% raring to go". Big big error from Redknapp imo. Why was he not on the bench! We had nothing up front in the second half at all.
Overall, a positive first half, but massively overshadowed by the poor second half which has left us with a mountain to climb. Winning that game would have put us a point away from them, but being 2-1 down and going nowhere, I think we would have taken 2-2 to maintain a 4pt gap. But after getting back into it you would expect us to shut up shop and take the point. Now its a 7pt gap which I cannot see us doing now. If it was Villa on their own I may be more positive, but its also Sunderland, Southampton and Wigan who are well in front now.
Cant see us doing it now unfortunately.
yes our defence was awful when we started playing 3 at the back. but I guess we had to go for it. For some reason I put SWP rather than Taarabt, corrected that now!
