Burnley - Aston Villa 3-1 En rapport från läktaren.
Pete Bland var på bortasektionen och ger oss följande bild av katastrofen.
I feel entitled to have a bit of a rant, and here's as good a place as any.
I will get on to the match, but the first target for some scorn is the state of the railway. I live approximately 34 miles from Burnley, so why the hell did it take 3 hours to get there on the train? Well the first one broke down. They tried to fix the train, and eventually claimed they had. Then a small and deeply unattractive brat threw up on it. I would maybe have changed trains at this point, but all the TVs with the train info on were out of order, so it was impossible to size up my options. I sat on the train "waiting for a cleaner" before we could leave. Then they said "This service is cancelled". They hadn't actually fixed it at all.
I got on the next train, an hour late. There were signalling problems, also at Preston Station. I was now an hour and a half late, and at this rate going to miss the match. I set off by the way at 4 O'Clock from home. I tried to remain unworried by the loss of my beer time. After all, many worse things happen than a train breaking. John Peel had sadly passed away, the local paper said "Woman finds Son dead".
Perspective.
Eventually the slow train reached "Burnley Central". Coud have fooled me. A deserted tiny station at the back of a "shopping complex" with not a soul in site. Too late for the pub, I headed towards the distant floodlights, past, well, nothing much. Just deserted streets, shops and bars. No people, no cars, just the sound of my footsteps in a strange town. I eventually found people and followed them to arrive on'
t Turf 7:20 pm. 2 hoovered scoops in the dingy concourse with a pal I should have met in a pub and then into the stand, clearly signposted "Only sit in your designated seat" Asking a steward where AA 62 was I got the reply "sit where you like mate". Just as well as with a
(startlingly) full away end, I would have taken forever to find it.
So to the game. It kicked off in front of about 9000 Burnley fans and 4000 in the Villa end. Actually before the game, a question. Why on earth did 4000 of us decide to turn up on a Tuesday night at a low key cup game in Lancashire? Was it the 17 quid ticket price? what? Beats me, but there's something to be learnt there if anyone can fathom it.
Anyway, the game. Ah, yes, well. Burnley deservedly won, and could have won by more. It wouldn't have been unfair. I don't know how they usually play, but they were good tonight. Villa were dreadful.
Ulises was rested, with Mark Delaney restored to full back and Ridgewell in the middle alongside Olly. Cole in for the crocked Darius.
We started OK' ish for 10 minutes, with Burnley looking wary of something that would never come. Perhaps they thought that if 4000 noisy fans go all this way, Villa must be good. They were wrong. After maybe 12 minutes, Delany fell over, and the Left midfielder crossed for a Burnley player to nod in - beating Ridge to the ball right in front of us. Burnley's quiet fans roused to cheer and two blokes with flags ran along the longside to loud music. Oh dear.
The rest of the half followed a pattern. Villa looking like a team of strangers kept trying to do the hard thing instead of simple pass and move. We were awful. Only Olly and Gav were looking OK. JPA had little service and the rest, notably Nobby and Whitts were dreadfully poor.
Half time came and went, only notable for an ill matching expensive suit and coat/naff training shoe combo worn by DO'L as he walked down the tunnel and a rousing round of applause for Tony Morley and some raffle thingy. Get your boots Tone.
Villa came out early and we roared at them to give us something to, er, roar, about.
Obviously, things continued to be poor. JLloyd gave away a penalty. And lo and behold a touch of quality from Villa. Tommy saved very well.
Revitalised Villa, um, stayed poor. Passes going astray, hopeful balls up to no-one in particular, offside flags (many very dubious).
Disconnected drivel.
Burnley scored a second. A cross come shot lashed in from their left again, maybe glanced in by Camara? hard to see.
Jlloyd off injured (sore arm) and Hitz on with Whitts to LB. Luke Moore on for a dire Nobby.
Finally some drive from Villa. Luke skinned their left back looked up and crossed for JPA to head into the net. Easy. Why had it taken 78 minutes and a young sub to show them what should be done?
Villa put pressure on, but still we were poor. Burnley got a late breakaway third, another good goal, by I think, Blake.
Mass exodus from away end.
A sprint back to the Train station. The train was late.
What to make of the day? Were Villa tired? were they complacent? under confident away from home? Were the tactics a bit awry?
Yes to all of these, I think, though I know little about tactics really. Some amateur analysis from my viewpoint says that our shape was all wrong. Whitts either under instruction or "initiative" didn't stay wide left but played in the middle. No width, Jlloyd asked to defend and attack on his own.
Cole and Angel. We know JPA. He needs quick balls into the area, or to feet. But Cole was making the same runs, wanting to peel off and run at people. He does it well at times, but there's zero understanding between them. I doubt they exchanged a pass all night.
Nobby was awful, Whitts mostly poor, Hendrie invisible - starved of ball. Gav put in a huge effort, but a lack of response from the rest meant he was trying to do 4 menas work. He failed. But not through his own fault.
Ridge looked rusty, and is forgiven as it's his first game back after injury.
Delaney used now to Centre-half, wasn't at all solid, but was not helped by Nobby's poor form.
Pluses? Well Luke did well for the 12 minutes that he was on, Olly was Olly and JPA showed that he can score in a flash.
So that's it.
RIP John Peel and that lady's Son.
Pete Bland
Lytham
