Keener window-cleaner

Fumbled with the ball that almost gifted them a goal, howler when Schade was through and should have scored, strange movement at the goal letting the ball through his feet. There weren't any big mistakes, but give him a whole game and it will come unfortunately...

It's just like with Nyland, instead of bringing calmness to the team he brings nervousness, it's like I start shivering everytime he has the ball at his feet and at every other moment he is involved it feels it's an accident just waiting to happen. It doesn't matter how good he plays for Sweden, he must be replaced asap.

Oh no, Olsen instead of Martinez...

I think we look a bit tired, we lack that spark. I'd take off Ramsey and bring on Duran at half time, moving Buendia to Ramsey's position.

Come on now Villa! A win here and the last games of the season will be so exciting!

Agree, that's a good comparison. Not quite as clever and not quite the same touch as JPA, but faster and presses more. Not quite as fast as Gabby, but more clever and better with the ball. So very much a hybrid with the best of both of them.

Perhaps

I wouldn't go that far yet, Benteke at his best was top class at everything, best you could get as a target player, in the air he almost jumped the height of the cross bar and scored many headers at corners, he dribbled and ran through defences and scored (against the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool), he even took free kicks at some point and scored. Watkins is better at pressing all game, and better at running on balls plyed in behind the defence. But Benteke was more complete. I really love watching Watkins now, with his confidence and him playing to his strenghts, what Emery has done is fantastic. But he still has a little bit of a heavy touch and does not have that smooth passing ability or always those clean strikes that many top class strikers have. With his commitment and willingness to improve it might come tough. And what he contributes with now with his goals and his pressing is just amazing, long may it continue!

I think it's strange how little attention he and Villa has got in the media, BBC or SKY Sports haven't written much at all except the usual pre game articles and reports after the games. When we end up in forth place they will.

Emery seems to have created such a good spirit and tight knit group already, I hope we don't mess that up by going out and buying loads of players in the summer. For me I'd be happy with one more winger/attacking midfielder, a central midfielder and a right back. Perhaps a new No 2 GK if we can find a suitable one. As winger/attacking midfielder I'd like us to go for Harvey Barnes, as central midfielder I dont know, but someone with very good passing ability and who is strong and good defensively wont come cheap. Same for the right back, if we don't go for my idea in the other thread and try out JJ there

He plays very good in this position now, few players can drive forward with pace like he does, and has a good shot and is a goal threat. Very good passer and careful with the ball as well. Still young so can develop further. A thought I had before, when he had a bit of a less good spell, was that if we were looking to upgrade on him in the summer - would an option be to try him out as right back? Imagine having him bombing down the right, with his passing ability and goal threat. He has showed enough defensive qualities in the position he plays now to suggest he would do a job defensively as well. The way he played yesterday he makes the attacking midfield position his own, but it's still an interesting idea imo to try him at right back.

I can't remember the last time I saw such a complete Villa performance, 10/10 all around. This is the best football we have played since the latter days of Houllier, and now even better. I started following Villa under Ron Atkinson and I don't think I can remember us ever playing this good, perhaps some time under Brian Little or some performance under MoN with Milner, Barry, Young, Petrov, Downing.

Immense today, he had the better of both Murphy and Trippier the whole game.

I thought this was perhaps his best game in a Villa shirt, he found so much space between their midfield and defence and was involved in everything. Really promising to see that he had such a good game against a team in the top 4. Previously I had some doubts if he could perform against the top teams, today he showed that.

BIG DONK! Such an accomplished performance, didn't put a foot wrong, reads the game perfectly and makes us solid in defence. Top player!

10/10 performance! Buendia, Moreno, Watkins 100 out of 10!

Immense today, played really good in the centre of the pitch, I'm a bit worried about his ball control and passing in that position, but he handled it superb today.

I don't really get the criticism, he is clearly adapting to the Emery style. Gone is the headless chicken bursting forward and hoping something good will come out of it, now he is much more careful with the ball, meaning he doesn't do the one on ones as much, but rather keeps the ball, passing it back to Young or to a midfielder. He has the trickery in his locker and it will come off now and then, a bit more confidence and he will get there. He stretched Leicester quite well by drifting out wide, and they often doubled up on him. He is not usless at all, he is just playing a bit smarter than before, being more careful with the ball. With a bit of luck he could have had a goal and then it would have sounded differently on here.

I wonder if we would have a chance to sign harvey Barnes and how much he would cost. He reminds me of a young Milner.

It was nice to see how glad he was after scoring and how glad everyone else seemed to be for him, not just the goal and points, shows how much he cares and how well liked he is. Also nice to see how Bailey ran up to him after the game and gave him a hug. Such a good team spirit!

For the first time in ages I felt we could actually take advantage of being one more on the pitch, and how we did it, it was like Ice Hockey-style power play the last 15 mins, possession was something like 15-85. This says so much about how we have progressed under Emery and how we have implemented a propoer possession based playing style. It's actually a bit similar to the total football that Ajax or AC Milan played in the 90's.

To be fair they put us under quite some preassure at time, for example towards the end of the first half where they also had a ball in the net that was disallowed for a bit of a soft foul. They also hit the post and Martinez made at least two top class saves. Mudryk had a chance one on one that he should have put away. It's of course super with three points away to Chelsea, we looked disciplined and organised, but we didn't see much of the great build up play and passing game that we have seen against the less good teams. Changing to a back three in the second half represents the game quite well imo.

Our first goal was fantastic, build up play from the back, ending in a move where we have 5(!) players in their penalty area and McGinn just outside. Our tactics and style of play is fantastic!

I think some of our build up play today was fantastic, the goal was an example of this, and we had another couple of build ups where we out-played them. I just love to see that we have a well settled passing based playing style with clear tactics and look well drilled. We didn't create very much, but we controlled the game, were patient, and had much quality in the chances we created. I don't know how the expected goal stats work, but teams just throwing in crosses will have more chances in the stats, but we would be more likely to score. I love the fact that when we get to the box and put a cross in we often have three or more players in and around the bow. That's well built up attacks.

All hail big Donk!