Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Sheff United

[Kjøttbacken]

Great start to the season. Not pretty, but we won a game we would've lost half a year ago.

 

My biggest worry after today is McGinn, he looks nowhere near the player he was when we started last season. Poor passing accuracy and lazy tracking back today. Trez looked like himself on a poor day, but I'm in the group of people that see a player in there. Watkins looked rusty, but will hopefully get better with improved match fitness. Targett and Hourihane underwhelming, and decent match by Jack who could have gotten a couple goals. Mings was solid, and ruled his aerial duels, his assist included. Solid games by the rest and an impressive debut from Cash. Faultless game by Martinez with a terrific save. Good goal from Konsa. Luiz MOTM for me, except for that last attempt at goal he was great today.

 

Martinez - 7 

Cash - 7

Konsa - 7

Mings - 6

Targett - 5

Luiz - 7

McGinn - 3

Hourihane - 5

Trez - 4

Grealish - 6

Watkins - 4

 

[pacbuddies]

2 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

I thought we did well. We looked solid defensively which is a continuation from the back end of last season. Good debuts from Watkins, Martinez and Cash.

Going forward we were too pedestrian at times and really struggled to break Sheff Utd down at 0-0 but you have to give credit to them as they defended really well and allowed us no space. As soon as we scored the game opened up and better use of the ball and we could have had another couple.

That is now 5 league games unbeaten, six if you include the cup. Three good debuts in the bag, more to come and plenty of improvement still within us certainly attacking wise. I think there is much to be positive about.

 

The defence had nothing to do and when they did they gave away a penalty!

[Johnnyp]

Just now, MCU said:

What on earth is wrong with McGinn? How can a player look like a world beater one game and so sloppy the next? 

Not to sound harsh as it’s the first game after the break but he was showing hints of inconsistency in his game last season. 

McGinn has been poor for Villa in most of his PL games. Pre injury, post. We are clouded by the championship days. He lit that up but his strengths to his game are almost negated by the quality in this league. Not Luiz quality on the ball. Don't care if people come at me. Calling a spade a spade. 

[GingerCollins29]

Just now, BG_Villa_Fan said:

Good 3 points against a tough team. Looked rusty but wouldn’t have won it last season so clearly an improvement.

Exactly this. Not a great performance, bit rusty but last year we would have crumbled. Lessons will be learned to take to fulham. Plus potential of more new vlood. Utv!!

[pintpotvilla]

2 minutes ago, Kjøttbacken said:

Great start to the season. Not pretty, but we won a game we would've lost half a year ago.

 

My biggest worry after today is McGinn, he looks nowhere near the player he was when we started last season. Poor passing accuracy and lazy tracking back today. Trez looked like himself on a poor day, but I'm in the group of people that see a player in there. Watkins looked rusty, but will hopefully get better with improved match fitness. Targett and Hourihane underwhelming, and decent match by Jack who could have gotten a couple goals. Mings was solid, and ruled his aerial duels, his assist included. Solid games by the rest and an impressive debut from Cash. Faultless game by Martinez with a terrific save. Good goal from Konsa. Luiz MOTM for me, except for that last attempt at goal he was great today.

 

Martinez - 7 

Cash - 7

Konsa - 7

Mings - 6

Targett - 5

Luiz - 7

McGinn - 3

Hourihane - 5

Trez - 4

Grealish - 6

Watkins - 4

 

Watkins 4????

[allani]

9 minutes ago, rayk said:

Absolutely buzzing with the result. With our delayed start to the season it was SO important to get off to a good start and we did!

Delighted for Martinez.

We’ll get better, we’ve got Bertrand to come in, we’ll go into the market still for a player or two.......but today was really about the result for me.

UTV!!!

First I find myself agreeing with Piers Morgan and now I'm agreeing with @rayk...... The world has spun off its axis!!!    

Edited September 21, 2020 by allani

[ciggiesnbeer]

1 minute ago, Johnnyp said:

McGinn has been poor for Villa in most of his PL games. Pre injury, post. We are clouded by the championship days. He lit that up but his strengths to his game are almost negated by the quality in this league. Not Luiz quality on the ball. Don't care if people come at me. Calling a spade a spade. 

I want to disagree but....

 

[KMitch]

5 minutes ago, pacbuddies said:

Smith should have changed tactics after they went down to 10.

He did...  We went 4-4-2 with Davis on...

[lapal_fan]

You can tell it's a game of fine margins.

From the top of my head, we created the following;

- jack scuffing near post a foot wide, good chance.

- jack towards end of game 3 on 2, his shot deflected and bounced onto the roof of the net.

- Watkins from the edge of the box, a curling effort which clipped the bar.

- trez hard low cross to Watkins who beat his man and the effort went wide.

If one of those goes in (and on another day they would have), you're talking about the 2nd goal against 10 men, and then you're talking about a done and dusted performance with a 2/3/4-0 victory.

We created enough chances to beat them a few times.  Unfortunately only one went in.

Were we fluid and a constant threat? No.

But we were disciplined, and last season against 10 men on a few occasions we didn't get the 3 points.

I'm chuffed to ****.

[allani]

4 minutes ago, Kjøttbacken said:

Luiz MOTM for me, except for that last attempt at goal he was great today.

Best thing to do with 15 seconds of the game left is to shoot high, wide and handsome.  No chance of the keeper catching it and punting the ball upfield to give them one more chance.

[TRO]

We will play much better than that during the season and not get 3 points.

we all see the shortfalls and we still need reinforcements, but.

The result is all that matters to me......we can always improve our play, but you can't improve on the points taken.

ps Thought the new boys did good.

[The Fun Factory]

A win is a win. I will take a boring one nil every time over  a exciting game in which we drop points.  Need to be a bit more clinical in the final third. Great start for Martinez and Konsa is going to be fun to watch this season.

I think its a interesting point that the starting XI today only 3 of them were last summer signings (if you exclude Mings as he was already on loan at Villa).

I know Heaton and Wes are injured but I think it shows overall Smith is/was not convinced by a fair few of them- Guilbert, Engels,Nakamba spring to mind.

Despite nearly 200 mil having been spent in about 15 months our bench looked rubbish.

Football is a game in which billionaire owners can quickly become millionaire owners. Do they have the stomach for it?!

[Kjøttbacken]

2 minutes ago, pintpotvilla said:

Watkins 4????

He didn't get much to work with, but with what little he got i don't think he did very well. 

[Mantis]

Laboured but job done and got the points, therefore:

[VillaFaninLondon]

39 minutes ago, Enda said:

Three points against a team that finished 8th last season....

9th.

[pacbuddies]

1 minute ago, KMitch said:

He did...  We went 4-4-2 with Davis on...

That wasn't on 12 minutes and why do we need 4 at the back against 10 men?

 

8 minutes ago, Johnnyp said:

McGinn has been poor for Villa in most of his PL games. Pre injury, post. We are clouded by the championship days. He lit that up but his strengths to his game are almost negated by the quality in this league. Not Luiz quality on the ball. Don't care if people come at me. Calling a spade a spade. 

I couldn't agree more. The 'We've Got John McGinn' brigade are blind to the reality!

[TRO]

15 minutes ago, Johnnyp said:

McGinn has been poor for Villa in most of his PL games. Pre injury, post. We are clouded by the championship days. He lit that up but his strengths to his game are almost negated by the quality in this league. Not Luiz quality on the ball. Don't care if people come at me. Calling a spade a spade. 

You are right.

Edited September 21, 2020 by TRO

[Sulberto21]

12 minutes ago, Johnnyp said:

McGinn has been poor for Villa in most of his PL games. Pre injury, post. We are clouded by the championship days. He lit that up but his strengths to his game are almost negated by the quality in this league. Not Luiz quality on the ball. Don't care if people come at me. Calling a spade a spade. 

It's imo too quick and too strong for him physically.

[bannedfromHandV]

18 shots, 2 on target and the other one (aside from the goal) was that weak Luiz header early in the game.

 

[thunderball]

3 points

Clean sheet

Martinez, Cash and Watkins all did well.

I know it was against 10 men but we did dominate possession and did get a goal past the parked bus.

We all know we can play much better.

There were some minor negatives but nothing that more game time and new faces won’t improve.

Edit: and apparently that’s three PL consecutive home wins too (first time for 13 years)

Edited September 21, 2020 by thunderball