Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Crystal Palace

[TheMightyVillans]

Very important win considering kamara injury looks like it could be a bad one. Going to be rough seeing our midfield for the next games. 

 

[Mantis]

Haha **** off Zaha

[Lerner's Driver]

[Davkaus]

Just now, The_Steve said:

Gotta love that bitter BBC attitude because one of their London babies lost to us.

They're not wrong though, are they? I was so bored I started playing Chess in the second half.

[TomC]

A dull match...we are not dull going forward, but Unai's approach requires some patience waiting for us to break forwards. You could say that we were fortunate to win on an OG but we dominated the match enough that the result is fair.

I do think that patiently playing from the back is counterproductive when the other side is down to 10 men and chasing the game. They have to commit men forwards, so press your numerical advantage when you win the ball back.

I had written McGinn off earlier this season. I was very wrong. Unai is getting the best out of him. MOTM, obviously.

JJ, on the other hand, is still struggling. We can only hope for a similar turnaround.

The back line has 2 clean sheets in a row...enough said.

Kamara influenced the game in so many ways and would be my runner-up for MOTM. Worrisome to see him hurt.

Dougie was kind of quiet in the first half but stepped up after Kamara went off.

Bueni was Bueni, often brilliant but occasionally frustrating.

Bailey was trying too hard...he seemed to think the best way to earn his way back into the side was to force things, when that's got him out in the first place. He is one player that Unai has not sorted out.

Ollie was OK other than the miss at the end of the first half.

Chambers' lack of pace was even more obvious in midfield than when he plays in back, but I thought he did well enough.

Sorry to see Chelsea win...still 11th. What a hole SG dug us...

 

[allani]

Just now, CVByrne said:

Palace posed no danger all game. Well managed by us. I think Emery wanted to keep it tight to get some results going at home

Plus a win over Palace means that we have at worst a 6 point gap to the next team below us (Forest if they win their match in hand) but more likely 7 - so that's a 3 match turn around.  Really important to help us really focus now on what is above us.  We are now the same number of points off 5th as we are 12th (although a few of the teams above us have games in hand).  We won't finish 5th but we shouldn't finish 12th either.

[Spoony]

I’m just glad we survived without more injuries tbh

[The_Steve]

Just now, Davkaus said:

They're not wrong though, are they? I was so bored I started playing Chess in the second half.

Yeah, not a great game by any stretch. The beeb couldn't care less about us though. The comments in the live thread is full of weird bitterness and wrong info - like, they claimed it was McGinn not Buendia who almost got the assist for Ollie.

[sheepyvillian]

Surprised Konsa didn't get some votes. I thought his football IQ was top - notch today.

[Farlz]

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Edited March 4, 2023 by Farlz

[Paul33]

Poor team beats poorer team with an even poorer referee. Thank god it’s over !!!

[ROTTERDAM1982]

Missed opportunity for me today.

Should have brought Duran on earlier, played 2 up front to see how he and Watkins played together.

[TomC]

4 minutes ago, srsmithusa said:

Moreno looked a beast attacking on the left.

The other players have learned to trust him quickly. They seem to like giving him the ball.

[Ghost]

Not the best game or the most fluid performance, but I'll take the 3 points thank you very much. 

[PieFacE]

Thought we played well in a controlled manner. Our high line scares me a bit but we seemed to play the offside trap quite well. Just lacking a bit going forward but if Ollie scores that chance then maybe my view changes a bit in that regard.

[Jareth]

2 minutes ago, ROTTERDAM1982 said:

Missed opportunity for me today.

Should have brought Duran on earlier, played 2 up front to see how he and Watkins played together.

3 points

[The_Steve]

2 minutes ago, ROTTERDAM1982 said:

Missed opportunity for me today.

Should have brought Duran on earlier, played 2 up front to see how he and Watkins played together.

The injury to Bouba changed that though

[CVByrne]

5 minutes ago, KMitch said:

So, not happening then?

He's out of contract in a few months. That's as cheap as it gets to sign a player

[lexicon]

The players very much stuck to his game plan today. Could clearly see that when we were 1-0 up and Palace were a man down - didn't overextend looking for the second, just slowed it down and controlled the game. Probably a little frustrating for the fans watching at times but it's all about points at the end of the day. 

[Talldarkandransome]

7 minutes ago, Jareth said:

Would like it if we signed Zaha actually - he's quality. Only if cheap. 

I wouldnt want him on a free transfer and free wages. I couldn't look at his miserable whinging face every game.