Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Bristol City

[tyklip]

Folks, if everyone is back to good health, who plays CB next match? That is a might difficult decision. Obviously not Jedinak, but after that...

Edited April 13, 2019 by tyklip

[Designer1]

[Kingman]

[Stratvillan]

Special mention to Taylor - overlapping runs!!!!!!

[ferguson1]

Bristol or Villa, who do you prefer?  Yes, we know  

[OutByEaster?]

These are days you remember.

The sun shone, we sang songs and we were royally entertained by a team deservedly rewarded with an eighth straight victory.

Individually they impressed - El Ghazi was a livewire all day, taking on the left back time and again and beating him. Taylor was busy and determined behind him. Bruce was right, Jedinak can play centre back - it just took a better manager to get him there, Tuanzebe played like he hadn't missed a beat, Elmohamady is a revelation at the moment, Hourihane Hourihane'd, McGinn McGinn'd and Whelan Whelan'd wonderfully. Adomah is learning to live without pace and making it look easier all the time and Tammy Abraham has the calmest twenty one year old head you will ever see.

Individually schmindividually - this is a team, a team blessed with a fantastic attitude; positivity, determination, courage, responsibility, togetherness, belief and lots and lots of hard graft - what's more, Villa Park feels like it's part of that team, I can't remember a time when the team and the fans felt so closely joined together. This team tries; it's full of players that play for Villa like you and I would play for Villa if we were any good. The atmosphere at Villa Park is special - we're all in this together - genuinely together, not in a sloganeering way, genuinely together. 

What's more - the attitude and the atmosphere is developing the ability to transcend personnel - if I'd told you three months ago we'd be beating a playoff team with Jedinak at centre half, Steer in goal, Elmohamady, Lansbury and Davies you'd have thought I was crazy - but each of those players has slotted in and given us something good. The whole just seems to take on any new part and make it better - the team is making the players more and the team is taking the supporters with it.

On the game, I thought the first half was fairly even, both sides had chances - they missed a header and had a goal ruled out for offside that looked marginal (with the comic sight of Weimann refusing to celebrate until a Villa player told him he didn't have to anyway) we forced a couple of saves from their keeper including one which from where I was sat was clearly impossible. Bristol City and their angry manager would have gone in at half time thinking they were a match for us and might take advantage of our missing players.

We came out for the second half and upped it a gear. A gear Bristol City haven't got. A gear no one else in this division has got. From the start of the second half until they scored on 78 minutes we were brilliant - we could have had five or six. I have no idea if the penalty was a penalty, but once they're given you get on with it - their reactions were very poor and do them no credit. Seven bookings on the day and eight if you include the manager. Our players don't go in for that - they're too busy working their socks off and creating chances - Davies had a couple, McGinn on a run in from a short corner, Hourihane a header and a shot, Jedinak off the line, shots from El Ghazi - it's almost too much to remember the detail.

And today, and right now as a Villa fan, the detail doesn't matter - the feeling does - the feeling that this team won't give up on us, they won't shy away from the work, they'll give you what they've got and expect the same from you - the feeling that we've forgotten how to lose, that we can't lose, that we won't allow it to happen. It's not like any other love, this one's different because it's us. It might well take us all the way. 

Days to remember, dreams to be had.

 

 

 

[Shaw_nuff]

[El Zen]

I was only able to watch this in fragments, simultaniously trying to host my son’s birthday party. From what I did see, we looked terrific, certainly in the second half. I feel better about this team than I have ever felt about a Villa team before. To play like that and get such a massive result, whilst missing several key players, is great in itself. That this was our eighth win in a row is nothing less than phenomenal. 

[MaVilla]

How good was Davis?, I have been begging for him to be given some cameos!

[Brumerican]

I'm just glad we can't face ourselves in the playoffs.

We'd get battered.

[Vive_La_Villa]

No Grealish and no Mings yet their keep was motm. Say no more.

[Brumerican]

Even the pies stepped it up today. I put the slightly burnt corners down to all the hard work done in training. You can clearly see what the baker is trying to achieve these days.

Edited April 13, 2019 by Brumerican

[SuperTed]

The indifference that so many Villa fans have felt these past ten years is actually disappearing in my opinion. 

Genuinely feel proud supporting this club again. 

My old man keeps saying he’d rather see us finish 7th than lose another play off final.

We won’t. We’re going up. 

[8pints]

8 is a beautiful number.

[theboyangel]

10 minutes ago, 8pints said:

8 is a beautiful number.

Not as nice as 9, 10, 11, 12  

[Spoony]

Just seen the highlights. **** me how good was their keeper???

Also think it was unfair to blame Steer for their goal tbh

Edited April 13, 2019 by Spoony

[A'Villan]

I had a good stream for the 2nd half. What can I say? Well worth staying up to watch.

[lammy123]

The big change in the match was Smith changing the side of McGinn and Hourihane at half time.  Gave us so much more balance.  Cracking game  should have been 5 or 6.

[theboyangel]

Bristol City really have a Small-time beef with our club for some reason. 

Their pocket sized manager really doesn’t like us. 

[Mantis]

When Grealish is out but we still win and play well