PompeyVillan

This is rough.

I have no problem with it. It's not dangerous at all, it may affect his performance, in which case we must manage that. I hadn't considered this before, but now realise that must be really difficult for professional footballers as many fans like me wouldn't understand that they were fasting. I should imagine he was gasping for a drink after the game! Given the circumstances I thought he played well, he was lively and kept running at defenders. Tuesdays game is in the evening and by my calculations he'll be able to eat and drink during half time and the during second half.

Good example of how Jack creates space for other players. They've over committed trying to double up on Jack and left Hourihane on his own.

I think we have all seen that game before. It was the typical attack vs defense. Their ambition? Knick a goal and hang onto the lead. Ironically, I felt that their early goal played against them. After the mistake by Whelan West Brom decided that they would win the tie by defending for 160 minutes. They were dreaming of the same scenario in the final and anticipating getting promoted, being decimated in the Premier League, and then trying again. Boing, boing, boing, boring, boring, boring. Villa seemed complicit in the first half, we played into the narrative. Fortunately Smith decided to remove Whelan who was pedestrian and introduce Hourihane. Whelan, as hard as he tries is one dimensional. If he gets the ball in the middle of the pitch in the opposition third, he isn't shooting, he isn't taking a defender on. He's passing the ball on wide. Predictable, safe, boing, boing, happy. Enter Hourihane. Get the ball inside, and he wants to score. Predictable in a similar fashion, although Connor always has two options whereas Whelan only has one. Luckily for us, Hourihane showed what he can do. Give him space in the attacking third in he middle of the pitch and he doesn't pass the ball wide. After committing several defenders, Grealish releases Hourihane and BAM! We're back in it. Less frustrated and feeling optimistic. Momentum is massive in football. It's a cliche, but it's important. Before you know it another predictable narrative unfolds, Grealish fouled in the box. Tammy Abraham steps up, and you're never sure with Tammy. He spoons some great opportunities at times and scores some difficult chances. This time, no mistake. Boing, boing, b@llucks. Tammy foul in the box? My backside, watch it again, the Baggies clown is looking at the referee as his legs inexplicably buckle and he throws himself to the ground. We should have scored a third really and I salute Dean Smith for being disappointed that we didn't. That's the sort of Villa we want to watch. Oh and Gayle being sent off? Ahhaha, probably a bit harsh but when you try to waste time after only 15 minutes of a game, karma bites you on the arse. Bring on the second leg. Boing, boing. .

Rocket needed. Very disappointing so far. We're clearly the more ambitious team but bottling it so far.

I'm much more confident going into the playoffs this season with Smith than I was last season under Bruce. I joked from about March last season that we would reach the playoff final and lose to Fulham, and so it transpired. This season I'm not sure, I can see us going all the way.

That's disappointing indeed, we really don't deserve to lose this game. Let hope we can go up and get revenge next season.

Well that wasn't deserved.

It's not meaningless though, if we get spanked here it wouldn't be very good for confidence. A win would help to continue the momentum we've built up.

Whatever happens, we're going to have to beat two very good teams to get promoted.

A bit harsh, we've barely seen him under Smith.

I'd bring Davis on now.

This is one our better efforts.

What is happening?

What happened?

McGinn was like a man possessed. I have not seen such a gutsy performance from a Villa player, it was phenomenal. The amount of times he burst into midfield and beat several players and moved the ball on was incredible. He contested everything, and won everything. Wow. The first half was like a bad dream, very frustrating. Alot of credit goes to the players today for digging in and finding a way to win. You could see how hard they were all trying.

Looks like his style of play is starting to take shape. He is capable of getting the most out of good players although our style of play is heavily reliant on Jack's creativity in the middle of the park. I think our big squad weakness is that we have nobody else that can really play that role. That's not really Smith's fault but it is a worry. We're weak at full back and out wide as well, although Kodjia came on today and did well. I said while he was at Brentford a while ago that I thought he would do well in the Premier League, let's hope he gets that opportunity with us. If we keep churning out results like that, he will.

A win, 5th in the table! The dream is back on, a tough, tough game next week.

Surely they would be desperate for a general election, so that they can begin the revolution?

All in favour of european elections, but not general elections or by-elections, it seems.

You have to be joking? Jack has the worst hair and facial hair I have never seen.

Why are so many working people living in poverty? We've had a Conservative government for too long.

It sounds like anxiety to me. Which everyone suffers from. To be obviously so anxious and still achieve what you set out to do is amazing. It's also brave to share your experiences of anxiety. It's so easy to be hard on yourself. I became aware of a book a while ago called The Chimp Paradox. I bought it for my wife, who is a worrier. She didn't apply it chapter and verse but it was a good tool for understanding anxiety and worry. She called her chimp Bepe

Aye, it's a Google assistant more than a useful speaker. However the Google Home infrastructure is cool, you can hook up Google Chromecast audios to any audio output devices that you have, as well as Google home devices and group them together. You can activate these with your voice. For example, "Hey Google play Led Zeppelin on downstairs speakers." Then all the grouped devices will play music in sync, activated from this little pod thingy. It's cool because you don't need to shell out loads of money on new hardware if you already have decent speakers around, you just hook up a Chromecast audio. That's how I intend to use it, I was delighted to be able to get this because I'm doing up my house with this in mind. I'm just trying to figure out how to get a Google home attached speaker in the bathroom ceiling. I like the idea of casting audio books whilst on the crapper.

https://www.spotify.com/uk/family/