Player Match Ratings: It ain’t over till it’s over!

[John]

Dare we dream, that Villa could now go on to rise like a Phoenix from the flames? Our first win following the restart and our first league win since January, has at least given us back a little hope.    

Norwich were predictably relegated following another defeat, this time against fellow relegation strugglers West Ham on Saturday. But who would have guessed that the three teams above them would all win this weekend, as well? Watford and Bournemouth came back from behind thanks to two penalties and a Leicester team that are in freefall, respectively. We are therefore as we were, after this weekend. The positive for us is, that had we not won, we would have now been cut adrift.        

This was so much better. We probably shaded the first half, but our attack had continued to look punch less, as it had proved to be, in our last three goalless games. Our opening goal came in the fourth minute of first half stoppage time and it gave the players, a much-needed shot of confidence, to take with them into the dressing room.

We proceeded to dominate the second half, against a Palace side that thankfully did not offer too much resistance. We added a well-merited second on 59 minutes, which gave us a valuable two goal cushion, that provided some breathing space, when the visitors came more into the game, during what would otherwise have been a tense last 15 minutes. Our confidence flowed back, with that second goal and we moved forward with purpose, I have not seen us do that for a long, long time!    

Should the very worst still happen, at least we won a game again yesterday and we had a smile on our faces once again on Sunday evening. We have shown we are not quite prepared to go down meekly and without putting up any fight. A little bit like our former striker Benteke, was not yesterday!  

It may prove to be too little too late, but the players showed some fight and belief yesterday at long last. Let them do the same at Everton and then again against Arsenal. These are two teams, who might just be on the beach when we play them, we can but hope. The same may be the case for West Ham on the last day, or we may face them in a winner takes all game. If we have managed to get the points that would still give us something to play for on that last day, then I suspect that we would be up for it and that they would be worried.    

VAR again played a part yesterday and twice overturned the referee’s decision. Palace had a goal disallowed after just 7 minutes, when Sakho turned the ball in, with the top of his arm, rather than with his shoulder. It again intervened on 46 minutes to deny us a penalty award, after Jack had rather theatrically, gone to ground, having trodden on van Aanholt’s foot as he ran past him, rather than having been brought down by him. Shades of a recent penalty awarded against us there! For once, I think VAR got things right yesterday. It still owes us though!             

Our under-pressure manager’s plans were scuppered before kick-off, when Kortney Hause had to be pulled out of the game, following the warm-up. That led to Elmo coming in and Ezri moving into the centre. We then also lost Neil Taylor after 37 minutes, but Targett proved up to the job. Those changes worked out rather well though, given we managed a rare and most welcome clean sheet and both Elmo and Targett, offer us something in the opponent’s half.             

We will need to win one and draw two, probably win two and quite possibly draw the other one, or win every one of our last three games, to avoid the drop. We cannot afford to lose games now and we really need a win on Thursday, to bring ourselves within a point, of both Watford and West Ham, by the time they meet the following day. It will not be easy, but it is not impossible. A run of three wins would do it, and we did win ten on the trot at the end of last season, after all!   

My player ratings from a game, that gave us our first win on a Sunday since 2014, are:

Pepe Reina – 7 – Made a double save from Benteke on 42 minutes. The first with his legs at the near post from a shot from the edge of the 6-yard box and the second, from the rebound, a dive to his right to save comfortably. Gathered a sharp shot from Ayew, at the second attempt on 43 minutes. Saved a Benteke shot from the right-hand side of the box, at his near post a minute after we had gone ahead. Blocked a 75th minute van Aanholt shot on the edge of the 6-yard box with his right foot, at his left-hand post. This is the Pepe that we want to see!     

Ahmed Elmohamady - 6 – Did well and hit some nice crosses.  

Ezri Konsa – 6 – So unlucky not to have added a second on 58 minutes. Elmo nodded on Jack’s corner at the edge of the 6-yard box and it fell to Ezri, he got his foot to it before a defender, but it hit the fortunate Guaita on his goal line and bounced to safety. Benteke did not seem to get on with him.      

Tyrone Mings – 6 – A solid and error free performance.      

Neil Taylor – 6 – Did well to move across and beat Benteke to the ball, on the edge of the box, before prodding it back to Reyna on 19 minutes. Substituted on 37 minutes, having picked up an early knock.              

John McGinn - 5 – Showed more signs that he may soon be back to his best, he is not there yet though.      

Douglas Luiz – 7 – Another very good display.                      

Conor Hourihane – 7 – Played a one-two with Jack, before hitting a 3rd minute shot that was blocked by Ward on the edge of the box, deflecting it past the left-hand post. Curled a 58th minute free kick from the edge of the box around the wall, which Guaita pushed around his left-hand post for a corner. Had a 63rd minute shot from outside of the box, pushed wide of his left-hand post by Guaita, at full stretch. A welcome return to the team and to form. We need his dead ball delivery and his eye for goal.             

Jack Grealish – 6 – Had a 38th minute volley from a nicely floated Elmo cross, kept out by Guaita at his near post and hit a 63rd minute shot from the edge of the box, that Guaita easily gathered in the centre of his goal. An improvement on his recent performances.     

Mahmoud Trezeguet – 7 – MOTM – Gave us our two goals, say no more! Hourihane hit a free-kick from the left, it flicked Ward’s head on its way to Trez, who had drifted unmarked to the far post and he threaded the ball through the gap between Guaita and a defender, to give us the vital opening goal, in the 4th minute of first half stoppage time. Hourihane headed a Ward header out of the box back into it and it seemed to take a slight touch off Elmo on its way through to Trez, who coolly slotted the ball past Guaita, who had advanced to the edge of the 6-yard box, for our 59th minute second. Missed an opportunity to claim a hat-trick on 86 minutes, when Targett’s fine cross, eluded him.                             

Mbwana Samatta – 5 – Appeared to duck under the ball, as it made its way past him towards Sakho’s arm, whose 7th minute “goal” was chalked off by VAR. Missed a good chance when he failed to direct his header from a sweet 31st minute Elmo cross, which flew over the crossbar. Played a nice ball from the half-way line, down the right flank for Trezeguet to run onto, but his 61st minute shot was gathered at the near post by Guaita.                           

Substitutes:

Matt Targett – 6 - Replaced Taylor after 37 minutes. Hit a superb 86th minute cross into the box from a quickly taken Douglas free kick, that only needed a touch, but Trezeguet and then Davis behind him, failed to get a foot to it.      

Marvelous Nakamba – Came on for Hourihane on 80 minutes. Not on long enough to earn a rating.

Keinan Davis – Replaced Samatta on 80 minutes. Not on long enough to gather a rating either.   

Anwar El Ghazi - Replaced Trezeguet on 88 minutes. Not on long enough to merit a rating.

Stay up Villa!

John Lewis

[DaveAV1]

Thanks John. That post deserves a reply. UTV!!