Ratings & Reactions: Fulham v Villa

[Gompedyret]

Is it fair to say that tonight we were "doing fulham"?

[Khizzy]

2 hours ago, sheepyvillian said:

Cash, motm, for me. He has a great engine and reminds me a bit of Tony Dorigo.

Certainly does. Dorigo was my hero as a teenager (weirdly enough) and he wasn't even at Villa. If we had someone half as good as him right now at left back we would be laughing.

[Junxs]

2 hours ago, blunther said:

Surprised Traore didn't get more of a run out. Around the hour mark we were struggling a bit, I thought it might be a good time to change things up a bit. Happy to see Ramsay get a chance though. 

Expect he'll get the full 90 or close to it in the upcoming cup game. Same for Ramsey and Nakamba 

[MadridVilla]

Based on the season start so far, it's clear we are looking like a better side already.

From the back Martinez is a massive upgrade on our previous GK corps, Cash was brilliant this evening and my MOTM, Konsa and Mings both look stronger than before and better organised, Targett was fairly unspectacular but remains part of a defensive line that has now kept 2 clean sheets in 2 games.

Across the midfield McGinn looked like the McGinn we all recognise, Luiz was tenacious as ever and Hourihane got forward well and put in a great shift for the team.

Up front Grealish is just Grealish (thought he was a little disappointing today, but those are his high standards), Trezeguet was great today and Watkins put in a big effort for the team, just needs to get his PL shooting boots on but he is getting in the right positions and making the right runs. As Smith said after the game he adds so much to Villa's counter-attacking game.

So many positives to take from the opening fixtures, though we haven't played against particularly strong opponents, I think that just shows we have moved forwards where others have moved backwards. We are still a long way from the finished article this season, and it's easy to look at a mostly fit squad and be impressed by it - when injuries pile up, we don't have a squad full of quality that can step in. But it's so exciting to be a Villa fan at the moment, as we seem to be on the up rather than the last decade of predominantly declining. 

I think also there were a few warning signs from today against an attacking side who managed 16 shots and dominated possession 65%-35% - we will get punished by better sides playing that way. I know it is easy to sit back at 3-0 up, but the way we played out of possession was probably my one concern from tonight. I really thought Smith got the tactics right for this game, because Fulham were absolutely woeful defending the counter-attack, but it will be interesting to see how Villa change to face other teams. 

[turnbull]

We certainly look a different proposition to this stage last season.

 

[PaulC]

53 minutes ago, MadridVilla said:

Based on the season start so far, it's clear we are looking like a better side already.

From the back Martinez is a massive upgrade on our previous GK corps, Cash was brilliant this evening and my MOTM, Konsa and Mings both look stronger than before and better organised, Targett was fairly unspectacular but remains part of a defensive line that has now kept 2 clean sheets in 2 games.

Across the midfield McGinn looked like the McGinn we all recognise, Luiz was tenacious as ever and Hourihane got forward well and put in a great shift for the team.

Up front Grealish is just Grealish (thought he was a little disappointing today, but those are his high standards), Trezeguet was great today and Watkins put in a big effort for the team, just needs to get his PL shooting boots on but he is getting in the right positions and making the right runs. As Smith said after the game he adds so much to Villa's counter-attacking game.

So many positives to take from the opening fixtures, though we haven't played against particularly strong opponents, I think that just shows we have moved forwards where others have moved backwards. We are still a long way from the finished article this season, and it's easy to look at a mostly fit squad and be impressed by it - when injuries pile up, we don't have a squad full of quality that can step in. But it's so exciting to be a Villa fan at the moment, as we seem to be on the up rather than the last decade of predominantly declining. 

I think also there were a few warning signs from today against an attacking side who managed 16 shots and dominated possession 65%-35% - we will get punished by better sides playing that way. I know it is easy to sit back at 3-0 up, but the way we played out of possession was probably my one concern from tonight. I really thought Smith got the tactics right for this game, because Fulham were absolutely woeful defending the counter-attack, but it will be interesting to see how Villa change to face other teams. 

Theres a few that said Grealish was dissappointing but he still produced some of the best moments in the game. Thats all you need to win a game really. 

[turnbull]

4 minutes ago, PaulC said:

Theres a few that said Grealish was dissappointing but he still produced some of the best moments in the game. Thats all you need to win a game really. 

No other English player can even dream of doing some of the things JG can do.

 

[TRO]

2 hours ago, Bazmonkey said:

Agreed.

The three times we did look good we scored.

The passing was poor....the decision making was poor....aimlessly hitting long....the standing off...allowing cross after cross....dropping to the edge of the box...no second balls.

I know some people look at stats and some dont...but if you look at the key ones

Possession 34%

Passes 208 to fulham 450

Crosses allowed 43 to fulham 8

Clearances 34 to fulham 7

A better team would have easily scored 3 maybe four tonight.

We need to be better on the ball against better teams....more composed...more organised than backs to the wall.

fortunately the best stat we got right.....the Result.

but you are not wrong.

[Kiwivillan]

You don't need majority possession if playing fast counter on the break which is what we've heard repeatedly the management is trying to get the team to play

[villadude]

3 hours ago, HanoiVillan said:

Hit play:

 

That’s quality!

[HanoiVillan]

3 minutes ago, villadude said:

That’s quality!

Uncanny, eh?

[ozvillafan]

2 hours ago, stewiek2 said:

Mallory approves

 

You're doing it wrong!

Cotton buds go in your ear, not taped under your right eye!!

[ozvillafan]

I'm not sure what to make of this game.

• Clean sheet, again.
• McGinn, Mings, Konsa all excellent
• 3 goals, 2 from open play
• Cash, Watkins and a cameo from Traore all impressed
• Good game management - Fulham didn't look like scoring
• An away win!

but then

• little possession
• Poor pass completion
• 3 yellow cards and some really disjointed play at times
• Luiz with an off game

Yet we were comfortable throughout and looked like we could score when we wanted.... but we didn't after the 3rd. I assume we left some gas in the tank for Stoke in a few days time, then Liverplop?

Result wise: Fantastic, so I'm really not complaining.

[srsmithusa]

NBC live commentary was clear that Villa was dominant and confidently in control with only a few moments that control slipped.  The NBC studio crew was equally clear, Fulham showed nothing, offered nothing, several as noted above have tipped Fulham for relegation already.

VT "we were terrible passing, no possession, off the pace, permitted crosses at will,  stood off too far.... etc"

ya'll are hilarious.

IMO.  We were largely in second gear, second gear was more than enough to comfortably see off an abysmal opponent.  they looked far worse than we did in the season we were relegated.  We were comfortable and in charge 98% of the time.

[Hornso]

Win away from home 3-0....I'm not going to complain about the performance. We got what we set out to do, mission accomplished.

Thought Cash, Konsa & Mings were great, for all Fulham huffed and puffed they produced very little and we made life very difficult for Mitrovic considering the amount of crosses they sent in. 

Martinez was lucky for the error, but winning to give him the benefit of the doubt as it looked like Mings blocked his line of sight. Other than a tip over, can't think of much else he was required to do. Some great distribution also.

Good to have Jack, John & Conor getting involved in the goals, Trez worked hard and Watkins is just desperate for that first league goal. Congrats to Ramsay for getting his league debut.

Big test next up in the league.

[Hornso]

Oh and last season we kept 7 clean sheets in all competitions. This season we've already kept 3 and we're only 4 games in.

[Kiwivillan]

1 hour ago, ozvillafan said:

I assume we left some gas in the tank for Stoke in a few days time, then Liverplop?

We don't need gas. The team that beat Bristol will line up against Stoke

[Adam2003]

8 hours ago, Made In Aston said:

The score really flattered us, as I thought it was very competitive

Amazed to see this. In three decades of watching us I don’t think I’ve ever seen us as comfortable in a Premier League game. From four minutes in we were cruising and could have won by twice as much.

Amazing how we all see it differently eh!

[Adam2003]

8 hours ago, Tomaszk said:

Some real pissing about on the attack was the most annoying I think. Everyone sloppy at times at both 2-0 and 3-0

I know what you mean but I also think... they knew they had it won. I mean, all last season we were scrapping. Looked shot at times. Felt like every mistake was a disaster. Then dragged ourselves to staying up with disciplined performances and a lot of luck.

And today a team, mostly the same group of young players, went out and were just so much better than their opponents. There were flicks, tricks, and they wasted the ball - but they were having fun. It must have been a solid 18 months since it was just fun playing for Villa and just tearing through a defence that couldn’t handle you.

They will learn and learn you can’t do that as sometimes it comes back to bite you - but if you can’t piss about a bit 3-0 up to a dire Fulham side when can you? Liverpool up next which will bring us back down to earth and need us laser focused again. For today I’ll forgive them some showboating and sloppy passing.

[Keyblade]

This thread's counterpart in the Fulham forum is absolutely brutal. What a great time to be a Villa fan. We genuinely look good and have a good structure from top to bottom. Been a while since we could say that. We've been in Fulham's liston not too long ago.