Sgl

I thought Traore was excellent, gave him my MOTM but in actuality, there were a lot of contenders. 
we were In Total control well before the Red card, but it could have been a lot trickier if Hause had been red carded - and let’s face it, we’ve all seen them given for that kind of contact.

I love how far we’ve come in such a short time. We are without two first choice players and easily dispatched a relegation candidate -not something we have reliably done in over a decade.

I gave smith an average only because I felt he could have rested a few guys with 10-15 minutes to go. But that’s another sign of our progress, that I consider the manager average when we the baggies by 3 - it really shows how Deano has shifted our expectations in 2020.

3 hours ago, blunther said:

Would have to average 4.5 points a game for that. Seems unlikely.

14 hours ago, Adam2003 said:

I wonder if after he’d skinned Coady and was running at goal from halfway if he had gone down when the lad pulled him back if it would have been a red like Sheffield United? Anyway I was glad he didn’t but they got away with it and it shows WHY players dive since you don’t get anything if you stay up.

This is so true. I get so annoyed watching players built like tanks go over screaming in agony after the slightest touch and then jumping up and jogging off after they get the free - but what is their alternative? If they don’t make a meal of it, the ref won’t enforce the laws - diving is not just incentivised and rewarded, it’s actually the only way to get ‘justice’ for the infringement. I’m always glad when players stay on their feet - I feel they are more honest, it’s just a shame that the honesty is so rarely rewarded.

Just now, KenjiOgiwara said:

Mental progress 

Exactly what I was thinking watching that game. We are so much better than in January.we are a solid team with an attacking threat - its great to feel this way again 

33 minutes ago, flashingqwerty said:

Anyone know if this can be watched on sky in ireland?  Cant seem to find it anywhere

Only if you stump up €16.95 on sky box office 

which, full disclosure, I just did 

And I feel dirty

50 minutes ago, It's Your Round said:

I was getting a little bit anxious about tonight’s game, but then I spotted a sign that proves we’ll win. 
 

Yesterday’s games went: draw, draw, home win, away win. 
 

Today’s first two were both draws, so as long as Spuds beat Spam, we are due an away win. 
 

Im happy to take this as proof, don’t question it. 

Seems like iron clad logic to me. 

On 12/10/2020 at 09:08, Rodders said:

He's played two full matches now, and probably a 3rd on wednesday. Hope he doesn't play in that one tbf, but if he does, I wonder if it's worth then resting him against Leicester? 3 international matches in a week is a joke. 

On 12/10/2020 at 09:48, barry'sboots said:

I can see the logic BUT I wouldn't want to rest SJM against Leicester.  It's a tough game and we will need his energy (even a tired SJM brings more energy than CH!).  The next two games - Leicester (a) and Leeds (h) - are huge for me.  Maybe rest him against Southampton (h) on 1.11?

It would be interesting to see who people view as the cover for a rested SJM?  CH or Ramsey.  It would be the latter for me from what I have seen this season.

Conor has played 2 games with Ireland as well (and may well play the Wed game in Finland), so if we were contemplating resting McGinn because of excessive international games the same would apply to CH and so it would make sense to start Ramsey.

6 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

• I love bullet point answers.
• I love them in work emails too.
• Bullet points make the world a better place.
• They organise, structure, consise everything.
• Maybe it's my ocpd getting pleased.
• Anyway more bullet points! 

FTFY

8 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Man this guys a step above conor. We need to try sign him in the summer 

I like Conor. Conor’s done well for us and we wouldn’t be where we are without him. But Barkley is playing a completely different sport to Conor - fair play to deano for getting him and throwing him straight in. 
 

Lampard is nuts for letting him go.

8 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

What a surprise that he looks even better with better players around him. 

He's going to have a sensational season. Teams can't just focus on him. 

Such an important point. Last year, teams focused on him and he was always under pressure. This year, they can’t do that because we have quality players who can hurt them across the pitch. He is going to have way more freedom this year and even an inch more freedom for Jack equals goals for us. 

I haven’t enjoyed 45 consecutive minutes of villa football this much since about 2010

1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said:

This one is a free hit - our season won't be about whether we beat Liverpool so we can approach it with a certain amount of fearlessness.

Ultimately I think they just have way too much for us, I think we'll take a 0-3 defeat.

 

This is how I feel too. It’s a completely free swing, it’s more about how we play than the outcome. There will be games this year, where we just won’t have quality across the 11 to get a result, but losing while giving them a fight and letting them know they have been in a competitive game won’t hurt our momentum or confidence. I just don’t want us to roll over for them.

14 hours ago, wilko154 said:

                    Steer

Guilbert  Elmo  Hause  Taylor

                  Nakamba

       Lansbury       Ramsey

Traore        Davis      El Ghazi

 

Never change a winning team or a defence that have kept a clean sheet.

We played well last night, I feel that Grealish has been holding us back.

 Thats a cunning trap. . . 

4 minutes ago, villarule123 said:

Traore to have one moment of poor control and everyone to write him off by 7.03pm

There. Fixed that for you.

17 minutes ago, villan-scott said:

 

What. A. Save. 

16 minutes ago, yayoboy said:

Just ****in WOW

13 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

Started with both feet on the line too, didn't need the literal leg up that other keepers seem to.

I thought it was a really well taken penalty, not some soft, placed tap into the corner - makes the save ridiculously impressive. It will do his confidence and the squad confidence in him no end of good.

First and foremost, 3 points and a win. lots of promising debuts - watkins runs were great and Martinez made us look secure under a high ball and with back passes (and what a save!).

once they parked the bus, it was always going to be hard to get past them, but we got the win and got important minutes into the players. The bench always looked like we had no real ‘impact’ player there, hopefully Traore will give us more options.

I know almost nothing about him really - I hope that he improves us.
Not underwhelmed, not overwhelmed. Until I see him play in a villa shirt in the system Dean wants, I’ll just stay firmly whelmed.

1 hour ago, gaffer85 said:

Let's buy all the strikers

If we own all the strikers, then nobody will be able to score on us. . . ..

Villa playing 4D chess in the transfer market.

1 hour ago, Rds1983 said:

Don't trust Villareport, I'll believe it when I hear it direct from Guilbert. 

Never gets old. Just like Elmo.

29 minutes ago, beachboys1 said:

at the moment smith and purslow aren't the answer

16 minutes ago, Okonokos said:

The men who have taken us from mid table in the Championship to promotion, surviving the first season back up and a cup final in under 2 years aren't the answer? What are you smoking?

I like to criticise as much as the next villa fan (it’s practically a nervous tic at this point) but come on, be realistic. I would have bitten my own arm off for the outcome (despite some individual results) of the last 2 years. They have earned our thanks given where they have brought (and kept) us. If they are not the answer, then I think @beachboys1and I are asking very different questions. 

August 19th

5 signings for main squad (1 loan, 4 permanent)

92 million 

Sky sports announcing Saudis have pulled out - takeover is off !