Player Match Ratings: Villa in seventh heaven!

[John]

Kenny Daglish, Kevin Keegan, Ian Rush, Graeme Souness, Jurgen Klopp, John Barnes, Alan Hansen, Mark Lawrenson, Robbie Fowler, Bruce Grobbelaar, Phil Thompson, John Aldridge, Michael Owen, Danny Murphy, Steve McManaman, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, John Bishop, Jimmy Tarbuck, Yosser Hughes. Your boys took a hell of a beating!

This was a night to remember and to tell your grandchildren about. It is a great pity that we could not have been there, and it is almost as much of a pity, that the Liverpool fans could not have been there to see this one. This result like the one in 1976, that I was lucky enough to witness, will send shock waves across the country, nay around the world! There would have been no wild celebrations into the night around Anfield last night and there is to be no long run of games without defeat from the start of this season for the Reds.

The reigning champions were mauled, soundly thrashed, humbled, and humiliated last night. The Liver bird was plucked, stuffed, and then deep fried too. Unbelievable Jeff? No, because the best team won on the night at a canter. Liverpool were not at their best, but they were not allowed to be, by a Villa team that executed their well-prepared plans exquisitely.       

This was a night when we extended our unbeaten league record to 7 games and we have now won our first three games of the season for the first time since 1962. This was the first time since 1952 that the reigning league champions have conceded 7 goals and the first time since 1963 that Liverpool have done so. It was the visitors first league defeat at Villa Park since 2011 and only their second league defeat in their last twenty league visits to us.      

Back in 1976 we were 5-1 up at half time against the current league champions, this time it was 4-1 and we went on to grab another 3 goals in the second half. There were no television cameras at the game back in 1976 and so 44 years on, we are reliant upon press reports, photographs and the lingering memories, of those of us that were there on that incredible night, to tell the story. This time there were live television cameras and the game was shown, as well as no doubt recorded around the world, so we and future Villa fans, will be able to watch the goals go in and in, and in, during the years that are to come.  

Liverpool played a high line last night and that was undone from start to finish, because we utterly dominated the midfield and were able to play balls past their usually solid defence, that had become shell-shocked well before the end of the game. The Villa players fought, pressed, and worked incredibly hard throughout. They have made us proud, one and all. They have put smiles on our faces that will be there for many days to come. There was to be no late comeback for Liverpool this season and fair play to Klopp, he took this heavy defeat on the chin and with good grace.

Aston Villa have climbed to second in the league table after winning this top of the table 6-pointer. We are three points behind the early leaders, with a game in hand and a plus nine goal difference. It is great to be a Villa fan isn’t it?

Will being at the top of the table now become the “new normal” for us? One thing that is for sure, is that we could do without the International break, although I am sure that Jack and Tyrone will enjoy meeting up with the Liverpool players again, as will John.

My player ratings from a game that finished Villa 7 (seven) Salah 2 are:

Emiliano Matinez – 9 – Did well to block Firmino’s 15th minute shot on the left of the 6-yard box, after Salah had played a ball into the box past Targett. Konsa played a ball back to him and he played the ball to his left and behind Mings. Douglas spared his blushes when the loose ball found its way to Keita, by blocking his shot. Did well to block a 21st minute Firmino shot at the near post, after he had made a run into the area.

Tipped a 28th minute Jota shot from the edge of the box over. Salah played the ball across to the left of the box to find an unmarked Robertson in the first minute of first half stoppage time, but Martinez did well to block his fierce shot at the near post. Reacted quickly on 59 minutes to gather a ball that had come off Minamino at his right-hand post and saved a Jota header at his right-hand post on 83 minutes.  

Matty Cash – 8 – He will only get better, an outstanding signing.  

Ezri Konsa – 9 – Gets better with every game.      

Tyrone Mings – 9 – Solid and will have been wearing his kit on the way home, after this one.      

Matt Targett – 8 – Faced a tough job and did it rather well.              

John McGinn - 8 – John added a third on 35 minutes to restore our two-goal advantage, hitting a partially cleared corner from just outside the area, that took a deflection off van Dijk that sent it past the hapless Adrian. Hit an 82nd minute shot, after Jack had found him inside the area, that lacked pace, but that Adrian was only able to push away. So busy throughout.    

Douglas Luiz – 8 – He is rather good, isn’t he?                      

Ross Barclay – 9 – Jack ran into the left of the box and hit the ball through Van Dijk’s legs to Barclay, who swept an 8th minute shot through Robertson’s legs but wide of the right-hand post from around 8 yards. Jack played a ball to the edge of the box for Barclay who had made a nicely timed run between van Dijk and Gomez, his 31st minute shot was just wide of the far post. Cash played a 34th minute ball onto him that he picked up on the edge of the box, before continuing his run and hitting a shot, which Adrian luckily blocked with his trailing left leg at the near post, as he was moving in the other direction.

Got the goal he was looking for on 55 minutes and there was to be no coming back for Liverpool after that. He had a nice interchange of passes with Jack before hitting a shot from the edge of the box that took a deflection off Alexander-Arnold and flew over Adrian into the top right-hand corner. I loved Carragher’s comment following the goal, “He’s not the most popular with Evertonians, but he will be after that!”              

Jack Grealish – 10 – Got into the scoring act himself on 66 minutes, when Watkins won the ball before finding Jack on the edge of the box. He then ran into the area and hit a shot that was heading towards the right post, before taking a deflection off Fabinho and going in at the other side of the goal. He hit our seventh on 75 minutes. McGinn played a nice ball from inside his own half that Alexander-Arnold was unable to cut out near the half-way line and Jack had a clear run to the edge of the box. He then placed the ball sweetly to Adrian’s right and into the net.        

Mahmoud Trezeguet – 8 – Claimed an assist for the fourth and ran to the edge of the box before hitting a shot that had any pace took off it by striking a defender on its way to Adrian, who gathered it at his right-hand post. He is not going to give up his starting place too easily.                               

Ollie Watkins – 10 – MOTM – Ollie bagged a perfect hat-trick last night, his first goal and then his first hat-trick in the Premier League came in the first 39 minutes of this memorable game. His first came after just 4 minutes, after Adrian had seemed hurried in controlling a long pass back into the box from Robertson, when under pressure from the fast advancing Ollie. Adrian played the ball across the face of his goal, intended for Gomez, which was inaccurate and pounced upon by Jack, who squared the ball to the unmarked Ollie, who steered the ball past the keeper and into the right of the net from 10 yards. Ollie hit his second on 22 minutes. Jack played a ball for him to run with on the left, he moved into the box and hit the ball into the far corner sweetly, with his right foot.

His third followed a Barclay free kick that was played behind the wall and reached Trez on the left, whose 39th minute cross was headed home from close range by the unmarked Ollie. He might even have scored two more. Trez hit a ball from inside his own half that found Ollie unmarked, he ran just inside of the box and hit a 72nd minute shot, that Adrian blocked with his right foot. Mings found Trez on the right on 84 minutes and Ollie met his cross with his outstretched right foot, but the ball thudded against the crossbar with Adrian nowhere.                                  

Substitutes:

Marvelous Nakamba – Replaced Douglas on 80 minutes. Hit an 82nd minute shot from outside of the box that lacked the pace to prevent Adrian from collecting it relatively comfortably. Not on long enough to gather a rating.

Ahmed Elmohamady – Replaced Cash on 80 minutes. Not on long enough to get a rating.

Bertrand Traore – Came on for Trezeguet on 87 minutes. Mings took a quick free kick on 90 minutes which found Traore on the left edge of the box. A nice touch took him past Fabinho, but Milner got back to put the ball out at the near post to deny him a possible eighth Villa goal. Not on long enough to earn a rating, but he and his fellow substitutes will be able to say that they played, on the night that Liverpool were beaten by 5 clear goals in the future.  

Up the Villa!

John Lewis

Edited October 5, 2020 by John

[It's Your Round]

Excellent write up @John, I enjoyed reading that. 

[Made In Aston]

Here are the player ratings for the Liverpool team from the Echo...

 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-player-ratings-villa-7-19048797

 

[meregreen]

Remember that 1976 game well John. Thought we’d never top it, but I think last night did. Only missing the incredible atmosphere the crowd gave to that memorable match in the seventies. If we build on this, the future looks bright. Come on you Lions.

[VillaJ100]

2 hours ago, Made In Aston said:

Here are the player ratings for the Liverpool team from the Echo...

 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-player-ratings-villa-7-19048797

 

Bit generous if anything

[John]

2 hours ago, meregreen said:

Remember that 1976 game well John. Thought we’d never top it, but I think last night did. Only missing the incredible atmosphere the crowd gave to that memorable match in the seventies. If we build on this, the future looks bright. Come on you Lions.

Two great games for me. Two great Liverpool teams and both of them put to the sword by the mighty Villa.

Looked on one of the Liverpool sites today and the 76 game got a couple of mentions from chaps, that were at the game themselves. One of them, said he was glad that he couldn't go to this one, because he didn't to be at another heavy defeat like that one. Nice that they still remember that night and that it is still such a painful memory for them.  

[Sulberto21]

18 hours ago, John said:

Kenny Daglish, Kevin Keegan, Ian Rush, Graeme Souness, Jurgen Klopp, John Barnes, Alan Hansen, Mark Lawrenson, Robbie Fowler, Bruce Grobbelaar, Phil Thompson, John Aldridge, Michael Owen, Danny Murphy, Steve McManaman, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, John Bishop, Jimmy Tarbuck, Yosser Hughes. Your boys took a hell of a beating!

This was a night to remember and to tell your grandchildren about. It is a great pity that we could not have been there, and it is almost as much of a pity, that the Liverpool fans could not have been there to see this one. This result like the one in 1976, that I was lucky enough to witness, will send shock waves across the country, nay around the world! There would have been no wild celebrations into the night around Anfield last night and there is to be no long run of games without defeat from the start of this season for the Reds.

The reigning champions were mauled, soundly thrashed, humbled, and humiliated last night. The Liver bird was plucked, stuffed, and then deep fried too. Unbelievable Jeff? No, because the best team won on the night at a canter. Liverpool were not at their best, but they were not allowed to be, by a Villa team that executed their well-prepared plans exquisitely.       

This was a night when we extended our unbeaten league record to 7 games and we have now won our first three games of the season for the first time since 1962. This was the first time since 1952 that the reigning league champions have conceded 7 goals and the first time since 1963 that Liverpool have done so. It was the visitors first league defeat at Villa Park since 2011 and only their second league defeat in their last twenty league visits to us.      

Back in 1976 we were 5-1 up at half time against the current league champions, this time it was 4-1 and we went on to grab another 3 goals in the second half. There were no television cameras at the game back in 1976 and so 44 years on, we are reliant upon press reports, photographs and the lingering memories, of those of us that were there on that incredible night, to tell the story. This time there were live television cameras and the game was shown, as well as no doubt recorded around the world, so we and future Villa fans, will be able to watch the goals go in and in, and in, during the years that are to come.  

Liverpool played a high line last night and that was undone from start to finish, because we utterly dominated the midfield and were able to play balls past their usually solid defence, that had become shell-shocked well before the end of the game. The Villa players fought, pressed, and worked incredibly hard throughout. They have made us proud, one and all. They have put smiles on our faces that will be there for many days to come. There was to be no late comeback for Liverpool this season and fair play to Klopp, he took this heavy defeat on the chin and with good grace.

Aston Villa have climbed to second in the league table after winning this top of the table 6-pointer. We are three points behind the early leaders, with a game in hand and a plus nine goal difference. It is great to be a Villa fan isn’t it?

Will being at the top of the table now become the “new normal” for us? One thing that is for sure, is that we could do without the International break, although I am sure that Jack and Tyrone will enjoy meeting up with the Liverpool players again, as will John.

My player ratings from a game that finished Villa 7 (seven) Salah 2 are:

Emiliano Matinez – 9 – Did well to block Firmino’s 15th minute shot on the left of the 6-yard box, after Salah had played a ball into the box past Targett. Konsa played a ball back to him and he played the ball to his left and behind Mings. Douglas spared his blushes when the loose ball found its way to Keita, by blocking his shot. Did well to block a 21st minute Firmino shot at the near post, after he had made a run into the area.

Tipped a 28th minute Jota shot from the edge of the box over. Salah played the ball across to the left of the box to find an unmarked Robertson in the first minute of first half stoppage time, but Martinez did well to block his fierce shot at the near post. Reacted quickly on 59 minutes to gather a ball that had come off Minamino at his right-hand post and saved a Jota header at his right-hand post on 83 minutes.  

Matty Cash – 8 – He will only get better, an outstanding signing.  

Ezri Konsa – 9 – Gets better with every game.      

Tyrone Mings – 9 – Solid and will have been wearing his kit on the way home, after this one.      

Matt Targett – 8 – Faced a tough job and did it rather well.              

John McGinn - 8 – John added a third on 35 minutes to restore our two-goal advantage, hitting a partially cleared corner from just outside the area, that took a deflection off van Dijk that sent it past the hapless Adrian. Hit an 82nd minute shot, after Jack had found him inside the area, that lacked pace, but that Adrian was only able to push away. So busy throughout.    

Douglas Luiz – 8 – He is rather good, isn’t he?                      

Ross Barclay – 9 – Jack ran into the left of the box and hit the ball through Van Dijk’s legs to Barclay, who swept an 8th minute shot through Robertson’s legs but wide of the right-hand post from around 8 yards. Jack played a ball to the edge of the box for Barclay who had made a nicely timed run between van Dijk and Gomez, his 31st minute shot was just wide of the far post. Cash played a 34th minute ball onto him that he picked up on the edge of the box, before continuing his run and hitting a shot, which Adrian luckily blocked with his trailing left leg at the near post, as he was moving in the other direction.

Got the goal he was looking for on 55 minutes and there was to be no coming back for Liverpool after that. He had a nice interchange of passes with Jack before hitting a shot from the edge of the box that took a deflection off Alexander-Arnold and flew over Adrian into the top right-hand corner. I loved Carragher’s comment following the goal, “He’s not the most popular with Evertonians, but he will be after that!”              

Jack Grealish – 10 – Got into the scoring act himself on 66 minutes, when Watkins won the ball before finding Jack on the edge of the box. He then ran into the area and hit a shot that was heading towards the right post, before taking a deflection off Fabinho and going in at the other side of the goal. He hit our seventh on 75 minutes. McGinn played a nice ball from inside his own half that Alexander-Arnold was unable to cut out near the half-way line and Jack had a clear run to the edge of the box. He then placed the ball sweetly to Adrian’s right and into the net.        

Mahmoud Trezeguet – 8 – Claimed an assist for the fourth and ran to the edge of the box before hitting a shot that had any pace took off it by striking a defender on its way to Adrian, who gathered it at his right-hand post. He is not going to give up his starting place too easily.                               

Ollie Watkins – 10 – MOTM – Ollie bagged a perfect hat-trick last night, his first goal and then his first hat-trick in the Premier League came in the first 39 minutes of this memorable game. His first came after just 4 minutes, after Adrian had seemed hurried in controlling a long pass back into the box from Robertson, when under pressure from the fast advancing Ollie. Adrian played the ball across the face of his goal, intended for Gomez, which was inaccurate and pounced upon by Jack, who squared the ball to the unmarked Ollie, who steered the ball past the keeper and into the right of the net from 10 yards. Ollie hit his second on 22 minutes. Jack played a ball for him to run with on the left, he moved into the box and hit the ball into the far corner sweetly, with his right foot.

His third followed a Barclay free kick that was played behind the wall and reached Trez on the left, whose 39th minute cross was headed home from close range by the unmarked Ollie. He might even have scored two more. Trez hit a ball from inside his own half that found Ollie unmarked, he ran just inside of the box and hit a 72nd minute shot, that Adrian blocked with his right foot. Mings found Trez on the right on 84 minutes and Ollie met his cross with his outstretched right foot, but the ball thudded against the crossbar with Adrian nowhere.                                  

Substitutes:

Marvelous Nakamba – Replaced Douglas on 80 minutes. Hit an 82nd minute shot from outside of the box that lacked the pace to prevent Adrian from collecting it relatively comfortably. Not on long enough to gather a rating.

Ahmed Elmohamady – Replaced Cash on 80 minutes. Not on long enough to get a rating.

Bertrand Traore – Came on for Trezeguet on 87 minutes. Mings took a quick free kick on 90 minutes which found Traore on the left edge of the box. A nice touch took him past Fabinho, but Milner got back to put the ball out at the near post to deny him a possible eighth Villa goal. Not on long enough to earn a rating, but he and his fellow substitutes will be able to say that they played, on the night that Liverpool were beaten by 5 clear goals in the future.  

Up the Villa!

John Lewis

Sorry this is a woeful write up. You forgot Jimmy Corkhill , The girl from atomic kitten and lily savage! Lol 

Cracking post really as ever.

[sidcow]

On 05/10/2020 at 18:32, VillaJ100 said:

Bit generous if anything

I thought that.  How many do they have to lose by to get ones and twos? 

[sparrow1988]

On 06/10/2020 at 08:45, Sulberto21 said:

Sorry this is a woeful write up. You forgot Jimmy Corkhill , The girl from atomic kitten and lily savage! Lol 

Cracking post really as ever.

My thoughts exactly, however I was sorely disappointed with the omission of Cilla Black.

[Sulberto21]

1 minute ago, sparrow1988 said:

My thoughts exactly, however I was sorely disappointed with the omission of Cilla Black.

Unless John has one of these I think there's a good reason for her omission.

[sparrow1988]

20 minutes ago, Sulberto21 said:

Unless John has one of these I think there's a good reason for her omission.

Didn't Jimmy Corkhill end up underneath a patio?

[John]

2 hours ago, sparrow1988 said:

Didn't Jimmy Corkhill end up underneath a patio?

I am led to believe that he found the body, unless you know different? 

[John]

2 hours ago, sparrow1988 said:

My thoughts exactly, however I was sorely disappointed with the omission of Cilla Black.

Something tells me, anyone who had a heart, wouldn't have included our Cilla on that list. I'm sure that it would have been a big surprise, surprise, if I had.