Player Match Ratings: Sob on the Thames!

[John]

Have we ever played as badly as this and won 3-1? I do not remember us doing so, myself. Villa were just lacking the deckchairs and the sand, to have been able to have been officially declared as being on the beach, for all but the last quarter of an hour yesterday.  

This was only the second time that we have fought back from being a goal behind to get something out of a game this season. It is also the first time that we have done so and won. There seemed little likelihood of the stalemate being broken until we gifted them the lead after 61 minutes, much to the despair of the Geordies, no doubt. I really did not see where a goal from us was going to come from, until our substitutions, breathed new life into us. Having finally woken up, three quick-fire goals were no doubt greeted as enthusiastically in the North East, as they were by claret & blue viewers.    

I really did not see that win coming, three goals in nine minutes, no less! The three points that we eventually took from this game, has taken us back into the top half of the table and above both Leeds, and Arsenal. We are currently now within five points of fifth placed Spurs, with a game in hand. That positive does however need to be considered alongside the fact, that we face a resurgent Liverpool and a relentless Manchester City, in our next two fixtures.

We produced another lack lustre start yesterday, which in this case continued until three late goals pushed Fulham back into the bottom three and lifted Geordie spirits immeasurably. There was little to choose between the two teams until the final fifteen minutes yesterday and that says it all about our performance, given Fulham’s perilous current league position. Our defence, other than for one potentially fatal error, were immune from criticism for me. We did seem too willing to settle for a point from a goalless draw yesterday, far too early into this match. Fulham fell into our trap though and went ahead. They certainly did pay a heavy price for taking that liberty though, during those delightful closing minutes.

Jack’s continued absence following an unexpected setback, had left us lacking any creativity in the final third for the bulk of this game. We made this game unbelievably easy for our visitors, until those three unexpected, but very welcome late goals snatched all three points from their grasp and gave us a double over them this season, along with some belated restitution for that grim play-off final defeat at Wembley in 2018.  

My player ratings from a game during which we cunningly, saved our best for last are:

Emiliano Martinez – 6 – Dived low to his left to keep out a 3rd minute Mitrovic shot from the edge of the box and pushed another shot from the same player, from just inside the area past his right-hand post 5 minutes later. Comfortably held a 27th minute Tete shot from just inside of the box, low at his left-hand post and easily held a 53rd minute De Cordova-Reid shot from 30 yards. Gathered a fiercely struck 92nd minute Onomah shot from the edge of the box, easily enough.         

Matty Cash – 6 – Such a good signing, wasn’t he?

Ezri Konsa – 6 – He is clearly international quality, tis a pity the “wally in the waistcoat” fails to appreciate it.  

Tyrone Mings – 6 – Made one awful 61st minute mistake that had looked destined to cost us this game, when he scuffed and under hit a ball played back towards Martinez, that Mitrovic gladly pounced upon, moving left past Emi on the edge of the box before hitting the ball into an unguarded net. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, Tyrone rolled his sleeves up and determined to make amends for his own error. He did exactly that when he received the ball on the left from Targett, before playing a one-two with him and whipping a sweet cross from the left edge of the box, from which Trez hit the equalizer.

Matt Targett – 6 – Another solid display in our solid defence.

Bertrand Traore – 5 – One late moment of magic in an otherwise frustratingly ineffective display, gave us our crucial third goal and Bertrand an assist that demonstrated the undoubted class that we know he has at his disposal. Hit a 75th minute shot from around 30 yards that Areola saved to his right before his 87th minute assist. Bert ran into the left of the box, bamboozled a defender, and then hit an inch perfect cross to Watkins, who was left with a simple tap-in from just inside of the left-hand side of the 6-yard box.    

Douglas Luiz – 5 – Headed a 25th minute ball played into the box by Cash, well wide of the right post. Below his best again.

John McGinn – 6 – Pushed further forward yesterday, where he had been so effective for Scotland. John started the game brightly. Ran from the half-way line before hitting a 10th minute shot from outside of the box well over the bar. The most effective of our starting midfield players yesterday.

Morgan Sanson - 5 – Had a couple of decent touches but has not hit the ground running, as such.    

Anwar El Ghazi – 4 – Very disappointing, particularly given the string of good performances he produced not so long ago, clearly demonstrated that he can offer so much more than this.                                         

Ollie Watkins – 6 – Once again Ollie was starved of service, until Bert created an 87th minute chance for him, that he just could not miss and that he did not, hitting home the decisive third, that put the result beyond any doubt.    

Substitutes:

Mahmoud Trezuguet – 8 – MOTM - Replaced El Ghazi on 62 minutes. It was at this stage of last season that Trez began the scoring streak, that did so much to help us to retain our PL place. Yesterday, his introduction brought us some previously lacking energy, someone with the desire to make an impression on the game and crucially two goals. Headed a 76th minute Traore cross about 8 yards wide of the right-hand post from the left edge of the 6-yard box. Hit a 78th minute Mings cross from a couple of yards inside of the box, sweetly and first-time, into the left corner of the net, giving him his first goal since July. Two minutes later, a Targett free kick was partly cleared by a defender and the ball fell to him inside the right of the box, but his shot fizzed wide of the right-hand post on that occasion. Completed his brace of goals on 81 minutes, with his fellow substitute Davis, claiming the assist.          

Keinan Davis – 7 - Replaced Sanson on 67 minutes. Like Trez he hit the ground running and his introduction was a shot in the arm for our hopes. Bullied Tosin off the ball and ran to the right edge of the box before crossing sublimely to Trez on the left-hand edge of the 6-yard box, who hit the second into the left of the goal. Keinan’s assist, was the product of some admirable tenacity and a deft cross that Jack himself, would have been proud of.    

Jacob Ramsey - 6 – Came on for Douglas after 74 minutes and like the other two substitutes provided some much-needed energy.

Up the Villa!

John Lewis

[daggy_333]

I think your ratings for Martinez and Konsa are perhaps a bit on the low side.

[John]

11 hours ago, daggy_333 said:

I think your ratings for Martinez and Konsa are perhaps a bit on the low side.

6 = Good. I thought that they both were, but Fulham for me, didn't quite test them enough for them to have been able to warrant a higher rating, in my opinion. Thanks for giving your opinion on this.