Ratings & Reactions: Spurs v Villa

[MaVilla]

I didn't get to watch the game today.

Do people think targett, Guilbert and Luiz or Nakamba should come in for Bournemouth?, or did the starters today keep them out of the team?

[bojong]

I knew it was going to be different, but omg how different it is. So little time to make decisions. Players used to dominating the game now having to be patient and not have the ball for minutes. I'm proud of our players. This wasn't easy and they did well.

[leemond2008]

Just now, MaVilla said:

I didn't get to watch the game today.

Do people think targett, Guilbert and Luiz or Nakamba should come in for Bournemouth?, or did the starters today keep them out of the team?

Targett and Gilbert should still definitely come in for Bournemouth.

Hourihane did well but I would still like to see Marvelous or Luiz in the team ahead of him.

[terrytini]

Here’s a merry tale.

Having parked at turkey street I got train back, but wrong one, it forked off to Enfield. 

Came back a stop. Bloke sits down. 

Spurs fan who also got the wrong train, but the other way around... so he’s come back to get on the Enfield one.

Train arrives and we both get on.

He says, one of us must be on the wrong one. 

Turns out it was me. Got back off just in time , now waiting for the right one.

( unfortunately now I’m accompanied by some very very loud and aggressive spurs fans )

[tonyh29]

Before kick off I’d have been happy with 3-1 and a decent performance... we got the 3-1 but not quite a decent performance but Spurs are a top 4 side and the real test comes next week ... and the following weeks , early points on the board will help settle the nerves 

our midfield lacked the obligatory big powerhouse and that told more and more in the last 30 mins as we got muscled off the ball time after time .

el ghazi , Wesley and Trezeguet will need to learn to stay on their feet and not roll around looking for Oscar nominations , Jack and McGinn will need to learn to release it a tad earlier , but the makings of a decent side are there so we can’t be too disappointed or disheartened by that score  

kodjia should still not be anywhere near the team but we missed out on that elusive second striker so the damage is done there for now 

Engels or Heaton already look nailed on for a player of the season dog fight , Mings looks like he belongs in this league 

all my Spurs mates are messaging me to say they thought we looked ok , the only gloating so far has come from a bitter Fulham fan and even that is mainly cause I think Kane is over rated so his gloating was more about that 

 

[KenjiOgiwara]

Taylor did well today, but everytime he gets the ball I feel he is a fuckup waiting to happen. I just don't want him in the team

[Xela]

I was worried beforehand we would get tonked 5-0 or something so relatively pleased with some aspects of the game. Lets not forget we are playing a team who are pretty much in a different league to us quality wise. The difference in quality at the top is immense and it gets bigger every year. 

Next 2 home games are crucial. Struggle in those and i'll be worried but i'm quietly confident and another week or so of the new players assimilating will be a massive help. 

[Stratvillan]

Thought defensively we did well (including Taylor!). Felt we sat too deep and invited pressure. Thought Heaton and Engels were excellent.  Thought Trezeguet,  Wesley and Jota need to get a lot tougher quickly. 

 

[mottaloo]

Yeah,  I'd be more worried if our midfield disappeared at home esp vs Everton as opposed to Bournemouth (no disrespect to them).

Did we run out of steam ? Possibly. Did we dare to dream about nicking a point with 10 mins left ? Possibly. Their 3rd goal late though it was, didn't flatter them. It's over. We lost and will learn from it. Expect Nakamba to start next week; him or Luiz. Let's show some midfield steel early on and let the rest of the prem know we're not gonna be push overs.

We go again 

[sheepyvillian]

1 hour ago, CharlieAitken59 said:

Ifs mean nothing....points keep you up!...not ifs!

I didn't know that. 

[Darth Villa]

Dean Smith hit the nail on the head for me in his post match Sky interview. We were physically overpowered by Spurs in the second half, the better team won but our goal gave us hope that we couldn't capitalise on. 

Only out first game and plenty of positives to build on but Villa Park must become a fortress if we're to progress in this league.

For 65 minutes we competed and arguably controlled the game (despite the stats making us out as being hammered) but we fell deeper and lacked the experience to see it out. 

I believe Smith will be working on that out on the training pitch on Monday.. 

Edited August 10, 2019 by Darth Villa

[VillanousOne]

I doubt anyone expected to win and i'm sure everyone knows how good Spurs are and the gap in class between the top 6 and everyone else.

but I think comments about lack of midfield and possession are still valid as we have a long season ahead and it doesn't matter who we are playing we still need better organisation and composure.

I was thrilled by our attacking threat on the break though, Trez looked good.

El Ghazi, Grealish, Wesley will have many better games, but we can't have three of our best players falling over, claiming fouls that weren't fouls and giving away possession against anyone.

Edited August 10, 2019 by VillanousOne

[wedge]

Thought before the game we'd lose by 4+ goals so can't be too disappointed with that.The gulf in class between the Championship and Premier League is indescribable, and the gulf between the likes of Spurs, Man City and Liverpool and the rest of the PL is too. We were brilliant in the first half, tactically spot on, knew we'd tire in the second and maybe we could have tested them a bit more but I think we were knackered. Heaton, Elmo, Mings, Engels, Taylor, Hourihane, Jack (mistake aside), McGinn, Trezeguet and El Ghazi were all decent>very good and Wesley had a thankless task in his first game in English football up there on his own but thought he battled well. 

 

Never feels nice losing but if anyone was genuinely confident of us getting anything from the game, especially after watching Liverpool v Norwich last night, then I'll have some of what you're smoking! I would have been gutted if we'd have been annihilated but the fact we competed well, didn't look out of place and held the lead for so long has given me confidence. Long way to go!

 

UTV

[nick76]

I think generally people are judging many players from the game based on 1 game, 1st game back at this level, their 1st game at this level, 1st competitive game at this level....all against a team that were at home and were in the champions league final last season.....

[wedge]

1 minute ago, nick76 said:

I think generally people are judging many players from the game based on 1 game, 1st game back at this level, their 1st game at this level, 1st competitive game at this level....all against a team that were at home and were in the champions league final last season.....

These are Villa fans! It's what we do best.

 

[PompeyVillan]

We were given a good hiding today. But we showed fight and guts, and ultimately decent defensive organisation. We're light years away from Spurs, and we'll work towards trying to do what they're doing, but today was a stark reminder of how far away from that we are. 

But from what I have seen, we won't give up, our players will work their hearts out and they will want to learn and improve and they can improve.

A sobering experience back in the top division today.  But next week we have a game we can be more positive in, let's see where we are after that. 

[roonst83]

*Positives*

1. Overall first half display and our counter attacking 

2.Mings & Engles

3. Elmo & Taylor stepping up 

4. McGinn

5. Trezzy looked a threat 

6. It’s Spurs away and not many teams will win there

7. We can improve 

8. Some first teamers still to come in

9. Heaton was great. He’ll win us some games on his own

*Negatives*

1. Wesley - looked weak and bullied

2. Grealish, as class as he is, needs to learn in this league you can’t **** around on the edge of the box without getting punished. It’s Spurs not Rotherham. I’m certain he will leave this and tiredness may have been a factor. 

3. Jota looked a lost soul when he came on. Looked way out of his depth. I’m putting this down to it being a difficult game and situation to come into but he’s shown better. And needs to be better. 

4. Kodjia. Useless. 

5. El Ghazi looked lively but with nothing in the end of it. Lots of step overs but looked better just trying to take players on. Think Trezzy was far effective than him and with only Wesley up to, we need to be effective in the wings. But I appreciate it’s against Spurs.

 

Bring on the Cherries. 

[Johnnyp]

46 minutes ago, MaVilla said:

I didn't get to watch the game today.

Do people think targett, Guilbert and Luiz or Nakamba should come in for Bournemouth?, or did the starters today keep them out of the team?

I don't know now. The whole guilbert and jota overlap was the theme of pre season. Does it work with trezeguet. Guilbert will play, obviously. Jota didn't impress in his cameo but it's one game.

[Robbie09]

On the train back from the game and quite surprised how negative some fans are. Despite their possession until the equaliser Heaton wasn’t too busy and we didn’t look troubled.

Not sure about the hype about the stadium, might be state of the art but long queues to get a beer so no different to many other grounds. 

[RimmyJimmer]

1 hour ago, Davkaus said:

I haven't missed all of the snark if anyone dares to not get on board with the happy clapping. 

Close game, lads. We had them right where we wanted them.

 

Said nobody, ever.

 

Snark you say?