Indigo

Unbelievable today. What a player.

We're absolutely blessed that Brighton went down to 10, we were appalling beforehand. VAR allowing we've the chance to make the most of it and need to keep the momentum going in the second half.

Check out @AVFC_Religion’s Tweet: Good strike, keeper might need to have a word though...

He's played plenty as a deeper lying midfielder. Plays there for Brazil U-23s, was being talked up as possibly being Fernandinho's understudy had he gotten a work permit, and literally said in an interview when he signed for us that it was his game to take the ball from the back and start moves. He can play and has played in different roles in central midfield but it really isn't nonsense to talk of him as being that sort of player when there's plenty of evidence that points to him being that.

Yeah I mean we're all Villa fans but in the grand scheme of things calling out moronic racism is definitely more important than us picking up three points against Norwich. This stuff just isn't on, misplaced endearment for our own players or otherwise racism is racism and everyone partaking in that song is an embarrassment.

The goal was a dodgy one from both him and Heaton (who could have reacted a bit quicker and been more convincing when he actually did) but I thought he was brilliant otherwise. Numerous blocks and clearances - the same things which were being cited as reasons he was great a few games ago. Not understanding the criticism outside of the goal.

What a player.

What a signing Nakamba looks by the way, such a tidy player on top of all the great defensive work. Love the guy already.

This game has been wild so far, we're that vulnerable ourselves at the back that we have to get out there second half and try to build on the lead, which fortunately enough looks very possible because they're even more dodgy than us. Great from Wesley outside of the penalty (which McGovern did very well with to be fair to him), he's such a confidence player that I hope that doesn't negatively impact him too much though. Please don't pull a Villa, Villa.

Should have taken that first time, get Keinan on immediately.

Would have liked to see Luiz come in for Hourihane as he probably influences general play more while Conor is the more dangerous off the bench, but otherwise can't really complain about going with the same team considering how well they did in the first half last week. It's just a matter of putting it together over the full 90 which we've struggled to do so far regardless of the starting XI. We've got to take some points over the next couple of games and really couldn't have asked for a better opportunity against Norwich than we've been presented with here. No pressure lads...

This has been the most notable thing for me. They battered Spurs until they got the third because their vulnerability was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Compare that to us vs Arsenal and the difference is stark. If we weren't so naive in how we manage games we'd be fine.

I was initially against playing Jack out left but I thought (at least in the first half) the compromise Smith found last week of having him doing it in that fluid 3 behind Wesley actually worked quite well, especially with Targett there to make up for the width that would have otherwise been lost. Get Luiz in for Hourihane (who just didn't influence the game enough last week) and I'd be pretty happy with that team starting. As much as he may not like it Hourihane is probably going to be more effective off the bench for us so it's two birds with one stone in that sense.

I mostly agree and have to say the criticism of him on the ball seems a bit strange to me as it's one of his best attributes really. BUT I'm not sure re: physical battles. At least serially anyway. Have to say it's one part of his game that is surprisingly lacking given how physically gifted he is, he's often beaten in the air by strikers far shorter than him, much less specialists like Burnley.

Yesterday (and much of the season so far) was so frustrating but have to say more than anything else that this guy has just been phenomenal. He looks...unique in how he goes about it but he's such a great all-rounder and at least right now looks more of a goal threat in the Premier League than he was in the Championship. Bids will start flooding in soon but if we can hang onto him I wouldn't be surprised to see him go on to be regarded one of the best we've seen play for us in this league.

Has shades of *that* Leicester game about it. Genuinely astonished at how terribly that game was managed given the advantage we had.

I do feel for him in that it really is the case that he doesn't have anyone to pick out much of the time (although granted tonight there was a couple of times where he miscued some decent openings) because of how poor our wide players have been, but now and again he does need to show some impetus himself and have a bit more killing instinct. Rather than hold the ball up at the edge of the box frustratingly waiting for someone to make a run he needs to be able to have a go himself now and again and try to get a shot away, teams are going to know what to expect of him and cut off passing lanes, so he's got to present a bit more direct danger himself.

Shock and horror as fans proclaiming a player to be shite after a couple of games turn out to not have a breeze what they're talking about. Thought some would've taken some lessons after the same happened with Tuanzebe. This guy was great tonight, still looks like he has another gear to go up in terms of fitness too which is all the more encouraging.

Funnily enough despite people's reservations about him not having the defensive skills needed to play as a DM, that was probably the strongest aspect of his game today in what was a good performance. Only real criticism from me is that - like much of the rest of the team - he looked like he wasn't used to the pace of the game at all and his distribution really suffered for it. A lot of the team are learning on the job when it comes to playing at this level, but I think he showed enough to suggest he'll be able to make the transition and become very useful for us this season.

Very happy with the window on the whole, don't think anyone expected us to make the amount of signings we have so anything else would've been a bonus really. I have reservations about our depth at striker purely because of how injury prone Kodjia and Davis have been, and I think with Green going out on loan we're a bit short out wide (regardless of how some don't rate him), but what we have should be good enough to see us through to January where we can add again if necessary.

No matter how underwhelming Diagne's clips are they fill me with more confidence than Maupay's...

That's fair, with the "weird" comment I was more so referring to how aesthetic things like his hair/wrist strapping has been used as a means of criticising his mentality when in reality they don't actually mean anything and just seem to be forcibly used as a stick to beat him with (that isn't referencing the harmless stuff in here from the other day btw, just down the months). I like The Villa View but one thing Bardell and a few others say is that he's more of a winger than a striker which I couldn't disagree with anymore, and I think he played there and occasionally well in the process in spite of the fact he's definitely not a winger. You're talking about him falling behind other wingers in the pecking order but when that's not actually his natural role I don't think it can be held against him too much, the fact Smith tried him so much there I'd argue is because he rated him higher than our actual wingers anyway, and thought the goal threat he could offer when out of position (a la Blues where he was getting into the box alongside Tammy) > their natural games. He was also brilliant when he came on against Rotherham, to date it as far back as Blues is harsh. We changed shape for the second half after Mings got sent off and he went up top with Tammy and completely changed the game as they hounded their defence and didn't allow them to dominate the game in the way they probably should have. The fact he did that there and maybe doesn't always do it isn't something I'll argue against, like I said he's not beyond criticism and there's a lot of give and take that comes with how much of a maverick style he has, but I find the extent of some of it a little bit peculiar, especially given the amount of rope certain other players like Hogan have been given in comparison.

Gets far, far more stick than he warrants given what he's actually done for us when he's not been sidelined. Especially given that some of the criticism is just weird. His decision making is a bit suspect at times but if he had that covered, coupled with his ability he would've been far too good for us to have ever signed in the Championship, so you have to take the rough with the smooth. As it stands I think he'll be capable back up in the PL because it's not a question of talent like it is with the likes of Hogan, though I'd still like us to get another striker in to go alongside Kodj and Wes (Hogan sold and Davis to get a decent loan move ideally).

Our best midfielder yesterday playing alongside Jack and McGinn, and scored two goals in the process. If any of our new midfield signings had done the same Conor's eulogy would have already been written by some Villa fans. The more he rises above all the stick he gets the more I rate him.

Hasn't been mentioned but I thought he was great last night, right up there with the best performers in the first half and (as he should have) looked a cut above the players he was up against. If he were a brand new signing as opposed to a returning player there'd probably be a bit more furore about it.