Alex McLeish slams ‘calamitous’ Aston Villa defending against Tottenham
Tuesday 22nd November 2011, 10:00AM GMT.
Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish labelled his side’s defending at Tottenham as “calamitous” and demanded an improvement against Swansea in their next match.
The Villa boss was left to pick the bones out of an emphatic defeat to Spurs in last night’s defeat, knowing his side were probably flattered by a 2-0 scoreline having been completely outplayed at White Hart Lane.
A first-half double from Emmanuel Adebayor was enough to give Tottenham the points and prompt manager Harry Redknapp to place Spurs among the Premier League title contenders.
But, despite the home side’s dominance, McLeish still expected more, from his defence in particular.
He said: “It was a bad night for a few of our players – a bad day at the office – and they know they owe us one. They owe the fans and me a performance in the next game.
“The goals we lost were calamitous – we’ve got to defend better than that. Spurs were gifted two goals and the second one was a circus.”
Read the full story in today’s Express & Star.
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I bet them bluenoses really laughing at us now,they could well be taking our place next season,get rid of this clown.
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McLeish is deluded. He picked a team to defend for ninety minutes at White Hart Lane. The last time he did that it got the Blues relegated. Spurs had 70 per cent of the ball and this clueless manager did nothing a half-time to change matters and actually try to attack Spurs. This was the most passionless Villa performance in years. No one except McLeish thinks that Hutton is a winger or Heskey is a midfielder. Remember when we used to play with wingers? Get Albrighton and N’Zog playing, drop Hutton, Collins and Heskey, bring in Clarke and Bannan and appoint Mark Hughes as manager before we get relegated playing like this.
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Agree with #2
Always thought that attack is the best defence .
The idea of the game is to score goals !!!
Not sit back with no coherance in play .
Even long balls yeild rewards .
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a totally inept, clueless and passionless performance.
why bring on Delph with 4 minutes to go when the game is already lost?
I was one who did not want McLeish appointed but thought the bloke had to be given a chance. Based on recent performances, my mind is made up – go now while we can still rescue our season.
Mark Hughes please Mr Lerner……
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It’s not just the bluesnoses laughing at us, it’s everyone!! I have always been a proud villa fan and glouted how we are pride of the midlands, I have took great satisfaction from this when the majority of my friends are Wolves and Albion fans. Lastnight was pathetic, I’ve actually been to White Hart Lane for the past two seasons and the performances have warranted praise, lastnights performce was passionless (as pointed out). It hurts me to see how far our team has fallen behind Tottenham when we have always been a match if not better. Mcleish is the WORST manager I have ever seen up at the Villa, the football is dyer, tatics are so negative, the atmosphere is solemn, he is basically killing the club. Why can’t the board see this?
Do something before it is to late please. I for one won’t be wasting my money watching the Villa and supporting Mcleish while he is in charge. Yes it’s the club I support but unless us supporters make a stance all will be ignored!!
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Lets face it we have 4 Big matches to go this year and at this rate we won’t get a point! Next match is Swansea and the way they are playing, we will be lucky to get a point. I wish McCleish would listen to us fans and have a bit of drive, creativity and flowing in Villa’s football, other teams can do it, so why can’t we? However he can over look Delph for Herd goes beyond me! Put Weimann on aswell, give the lad a chance!
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I can handle playing well and losing but playing a bizarre formation and hopeless football I cannot accept (just like the Citeh game). Starting with six defenders on the pitch – WHY?? Heskey wide left – WHY?? Any Villa fan could have picked a better starting eleven than McLeish last night. Why didn’t he make any changes at half time whilst we still had a chance of clawing something back?? If we had got wide and had a go at Spuds in the second half we may have got something out of it OR it may have been 4-0 in the end, but at least we would have had a go at them instead of lying down and giving up.
McLeish out now if not sooner
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