Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Arsenal

[mjmooney]

10 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Didn't watch and we won. Not the first time this season. 

The other day we had a draw until I switched on and we conceeded within 30 secs. 

I GUESS I'm not watching shit this weekend. 

Exactly the same here. I avoided the Everton game until nearly the end - logged on, and... oh shit. This time I made sure it was over before I checked. Don't what will be worse on Sunday, watching or not watching. 

[KenjiOgiwara]

Just now, mjmooney said:

Exactly the same here. I avoided the Everton game until nearly the end - logged on, and... oh shit. This time I made sure it was over before I checked. Don't what will be worse on Sunday, watching or not watching. 

Same here. I even waited an extra 15 min just to be sure

[WakefieldVillan]

I am not too sure why you we're all sooooo worried in the second half - I didn't bat an eyelid...

 

...having said that I did go to bed at HT, switched my phone off to the world, and resisted looking until 5 AM  !

I'm a 42 year old man, I'm falling out of love with the game, dealing with real life trauma's has put football into real context, YET, there I was putting silly bets on Watford and Arsenal to win, and found myself unable to watch the game worrying that we would do the typical Villa thing and concede a couple of late goals - That's what this game does to you I suppose and of course this wonderful club. 

Watched the second half in full this morning, with no stress, no emotion and for a change it was nice to do that. Absolutely deserved the 3 points and the rebound of the post aside, we were resolute and the team performance, work-rate, desire, will to win was there in abundance and was fantastic to watch.

Hard to pick a MOTM, I voted Grealish, second half he was back to Jack pre-covid, Konsa was different class, Mings was solid, Guilbert looked like he's never been away, Luiz was rattling away and Trez, what can you say, he has me lost for words - He takes so much stick (myself included) but you can't help but like him when he is scoring key goals like he has this season.

Credit to the management and the coaching staff, they picked a team and tactics, with odd tweaks in-play that nullified a fairly strong Arsenal team coming off the back of two victories against class opponents and this is no mean feat and they deserve plaudits for that.

I'm still worried about Sunday and that it doesn't end well, but am extremely proud of the lads character and fight that they have shown in these last few matches and for giving us a real chance of survival last day which we all wanted so badly. 

UTV 

[newhavenhibby]

Blimey, you don't do things by halves.......squeeky bum time for virtually the time Trez scored.

Still a fantastic result and leads up to another nail biting game on Sunday.

Big thing is that it is in Villas hands now at West Ham .........

Still not convinced by McGinns fitness for a full game.......but Smith knows best 

'mon Villa

[Raver50032]

I found myself questioning where the sufficient points were going to come from. I always thought we might have a chance with Palace, but I couldn't bring myself to dream that we would break the Arsenal hoo-doo at Villa Park this time. I was kind of expecting another Man United situation. The match itself, was about as good as I can recall seeing us play all season. As someone else posted, the balance between attacking endeavour and defence clicked. There were spells where we were starting drag ourselves too deep and Arsenal looked like they were going to take control - biggest example for me was the few minutes before the second half drinks break.

Fair play to Villa... I was up out of my chair with the Trezeguet goal - what a strike that was. I'll be the first to admit that I have doubted whether he is good enough for this level, but three goals from the Palace match and last night is pretty decent going. Almost an instant legend, I am pleased for him, and thrilled for us. I thought Grealish had his best game for us since coming back from lockdown, a wonderful sequence where he put Davis through for the chance to score a second goal, not to be this time.

Defensively, we did our bit to chop up the play, to disrupt and make blocks at key times. Not bad for a collective defence that has been pretty questionable all season - pleased especially for Konsa, and Freddie. A stroke of luck with the rebound off the post and into Reina's arms. Everyone needs a slice of luck, and that was ours.

I gave Jack MOTM - he really showed the fact that it mattered, personally to him. Flat on his back with relief and cramp at the end. I just wonder if the answer dodge he gave the Sky reporter when asked about his future really does mean that he is off, come what may.

Up the Villa, on to Sunday and a decent chance to stay up now. I'm still smiling this morning... as good as a cup win that result. But we have to prepare to go again... (as Lambert may have once said). The fat lady hasn't reached the stage yet.

[stewiek2]

Arsenal's players definitely have something to play for on Sunday...

Their cup final places. And it's at the Emirates.

Edited July 22, 2020 by stewiek2

[stewiek2]

12 hours ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Didn't watch and we won. Not the first time this season. 

The other day we had a draw until I switched on and we conceeded within 30 secs. 

I GUESS I'm not watching shit this weekend. 

Never mind the lockdown, I'm coming over yours to smash your telly up!

[Teale's 'tache]

Only caught the second half, so pleased with the performance and obviously pleased we got the result we deserved which hasn't always been the case this season.

Tactically we look so much more switched on compared to earlier in the season, we've found the balance in the midfield we've been searching for, we have an organised press now, make good decisions during transition, we even make tactical fouls and waste time! That Lansbury sub was perfection, took up a full minute of extra time at least.

We've been so naive this season tactically and it's cost us time and again, so to see us playing smart is really pleasing.

Thought maybe we'd scored too early, there was so much time left in the game, but I must say it was about as comfortable as we could of hoped for in the end, no shots on target from Arsenal says it all.

Luiz has improved immeasurably, having a genuinely good defensive midfielder has been a complete game changer for us, along with a few of the other some summer signings beginning to look more comfortable and the return of McGinn we really have some momentum going now.

One more big performance, UTV!

Edited July 22, 2020 by Teale's 'tache
Missed a letter

[romavillan]

15 hours ago, TRO said:

But that game showed, that doing our job defensively, renders points.

we do need to score more goals, but our relegation plight has been conceding too many.

tonight, we showed how we could defend, much better.

That header off the inside of the post goes in though and everyone is caning Smith as being shit and talking about the same old faults just like people did after the Everton game. It's fine lines at both ends, had the WEsley or Samatta gambles turned out as better goalscorers at this level, or Davis, AEG etc. not missed sitters then we wouldn't be going into the final day in the situation we are in. Equally, cut out only 3 or 4 of the crazy individual defensive mistakes we've seen this season and you could say the same thing.

It's not one or the other, it's both, and doing one side better would help the other, it's the overall quality of the squad and Smith has flagged fitness as a problem that has affected concentration too. 

[PieFacE]

2 minutes ago, romavillan said:

That header off the inside of the post goes in though and everyone is caning Smith as being shit and talking about the same old faults just like people did after the Everton game. It's fine lines at both ends, had the WEsley or Samatta gambles turned out as better goalscorers at this level, or Davis, AEG etc. not missed sitters then we wouldn't be going into the final day in the situation we are in. Equally, cut out only 3 or 4 of the crazy individual defensive mistakes we've seen this season and you could say the same thing.

It's not one or the other, it's both, and doing one side better would help the other, it's the overall quality of the squad and Smith has flagged fitness as a problem that has affected concentration too. 

Yup. Our whole season has been defined by fine margins imo. We have been bad in places no doubt, but we've been unlucky a lot in the sense where a little more quality would have seen us kill games off. 

[Newry_Villan]

Is there full highlights about as I only listened on radio as I was working last night 

[AVTuco]

Last night, I needed to do the vacuuming when there was 15 minutes left to go in the match.

I saw the last bit only now. All has been said already, but we were unbelievable. The poise we had was something I haven't seen in Villa for a while. I think it was sparked by the performance of Grealish. His best game since restart for sure. 

Edited July 22, 2020 by AVTuco

[sidcow]

20 hours ago, ferguson1 said:

That geezer who puts the side of his face on Carews back always makes me laugh. 

[ferguson1]

8 minutes ago, sidcow said:

That geezer who puts the side of his face on Carews back always makes me laugh. 

Haha, is he just after a man hug or is he security telling Big John “touch the future king of England again and a sniper will shoot”. 

[TRO]

5 hours ago, romavillan said:

That header off the inside of the post goes in though and everyone is caning Smith as being shit and talking about the same old faults just like people did after the Everton game. It's fine lines at both ends, had the WEsley or Samatta gambles turned out as better goalscorers at this level, or Davis, AEG etc. not missed sitters then we wouldn't be going into the final day in the situation we are in. Equally, cut out only 3 or 4 of the crazy individual defensive mistakes we've seen this season and you could say the same thing.

It's not one or the other, it's both, and doing one side better would help the other, it's the overall quality of the squad and Smith has flagged fitness as a problem that has affected concentration too. 

You are confusing one game....with the whole season.

you have to view that game on its merits.....and equally the season on its merits.

Sure, those things happen in games.....might be equally as interesting if Peter Withes shin had skewed the ball wide.....luck plays its part in all games, but over a season, its more than just luck.....league tables rarely lie.

When you lose 21 games, its a bit deeper than that......a pattern emerges.

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by TRO

[Tomaszk]

Hopeful of some @OutByEaster?  post-walk thoughts. Always the highlights of these threads.

[sidcow]

On 22/07/2020 at 07:01, Genie said:

I’m quite confused why this post got 4 “confused” reactions?

Was it the Davis part or the everyone part?

I'm suprised it only got 4 confused reactions to be honest. 

Did you not notice how the ball had been coming back at us quicker before he came on.  I said it in the match thread.  Once he came on the ball started to stick up front more. 

He's getting stick for missing a chance, but everything else he did helped hold back the tide which had been slowly creeping in. 

[chappy]

What a team performance! One more hurdle UTV

Voted Conor MOTM but really could've given it to anyone. Douglas was excellent again, as was Guilbert coming in cold for his first game since the 4-0 at Leicester. Konsa also. 

Edited July 23, 2020 by chappy

[Genie]

8 minutes ago, sidcow said:

I'm suprised it only got 4 confused reactions to be honest. 

Did you not notice how the ball had been coming back at us quicker before he came on.  I said it in the match thread.  Once he came on the ball started to stick up front more. 

He's getting stick for missing a chance, but everything else he did helped hold back the tide which had been slowly creeping in. 

I didn't personally notice the ball staying at the attacking end any more if I'm honest. I thought he was all round low in quality and work rate.

From the match thread, and this is just a selection. I didn't notice a single complement about his play whilst I just scanned the pages since he came on.

Quote

Davis jogging about. Are you **** kidding?

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Davis is absolute **** shite.

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Davis is **** dreadful

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I think AEG would have been better up front than Davis

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Davis is dog shit

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Cack from davis ffs

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Davis plodding around in the centre circle, how about putting some pressure on the Arsenal centre halves???

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Move ffs Keinan!

You've only been on the pitch for 15 minutes, run your legs off kid!

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DAVIS!  DO BETTER!

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Davis has been atrocious.

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Wake up Davis, **** hell, run man

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If Davis keeps coming on, just how shit is Vassilev? Does he not have feet?

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Top strikers are gold dust, but Keinan HAS to do better than that.

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And Davis seems to have fallen to bits since that miss

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**** hell davis

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Davis you’re so **** shit that’s inexcusable 

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Keinan Davis is a **** abortion of a striker

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useless lump

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Davis is absolute shit

 

[sidcow]

1 hour ago, Genie said:

I didn't personally notice the ball staying at the attacking end any more if I'm honest. I thought he was all round low in quality and work rate.

From the match thread, and this is just a selection. I didn't notice a single complement about his play whilst I just scanned the pages since he came on.

 

Wow, you took all the effort to go through and find those