Ratings & Reactions: Villa v West Ham

[DaveAV1]

8 hours ago, Jas10 said:

A fine example of how as a club, fans, players, management and the owners are very much singing from the same hymn sheet  fantastic to see and bodes very well for the future short and long term UTV!!

 

[DaveAV1]

13 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

We're a very good football team.

Seventeen goals in four home games is outstanding and we've looked good value for all of them.

We did an awful lot well today - we dominated for long periods with the ball, we scored good goals, we pressured them, we fought for everything in midfield, we looked dangerous on the break and we quietly defended the best team in the league at it through a whole series of second half corners.

We're a little short of depth and we have a lot of games, so we might fade come the spring, but right now, at home, we'd give any team on the planet a good game.

It's hard to pick people out today - everyone in the back four played well, I thought Konsa especially so, Martinez was reassuringly solid, even when they were offside there's something reassuring about watching him stop shots anyway, I thought Kamara was really good, I thought he won the ball really well and used it really well, that's the level he's capable of, Luiz was outstanding again and the addition of all these goals can only bring him that little bit more notice back home, McGinn was strong, smart and determined and played a lovely ball for Ollie's goal, Diaby was nifty and cunning, finding little pockets and disturbing the West Ham defence, I thought Zaniolo did a great job of driving us forward from deep positions and matching their midfield physicality and Ollie was occasionally wasteful, but diligently grafting and found another deserved goal. Even the subs did well, Bailey looks really sharp and Tielemans added a bit of calm.

A terrific performance against a very good side that we made look very average.

The gentleman on the sideline is something extraordinary - week after week, he makes the right decisions; tactically, in selection, in his man management, he just quietly gets everything right - he's a class act and we are lucky to have him. He seems happy and settled and if we can keep him around, the sky is the limit.

It's hard not to be excited right now, we're thrilling at home with some outstanding performers that have been with us long enough to be loved and a manager that's a step above almost any I can remember in my lifetime.

Awake.

Very awake.

 

Good morning!!

[rjw63]

7 hours ago, briny_ear said:

They always show the goals from Saturday on MOTD2. It’s part of the format.What was your case for them to change that for this edition?

I’ve never watched it before.

[sheepyvillian]

14 hours ago, Villaphan04 said:

 

 

Always remembers to give the fans a shout.

[sheepyvillian]

I just want to mention, kudos to a packed VP for a wonderful tribute to a wonderful man.

[KevinRichardsonsMoustache]

1 hour ago, tinker said:

 

Special mention goes to Carragher who had a right rant at Zaniolo for staying down with a head injury, their was clearly contact with the back of his head on the replay, which he never seen or wanted to see,  idiot. 

 

Carragher's rant about Zaniolo was really odd and felt totally out of place. Fair enough if you think the practice is unacceptable, but his response was so visceral. I was wondering if he would have made a similar comment if the player on the floor was English. Then Bowen went down late in the game and, predictably, he said nothing.

One thing I will say in Carragher's favour, though: I love it when a co-commentator reacts loudly to a goal. His groan when Ollie lashed the ball into the top of the net gave the goal a bit of extra sparkle.

Double edged sword I suppose.

 

[Stevo71]

7 minutes ago, KevinRichardsonsMoustache said:

Carragher's rant about Zaniolo was really odd and felt totally out of place. Fair enough if you think the practice is unacceptable, but his response was so visceral. I was wondering if he would have made a similar comment if the player on the floor was English. Then Bowen went down late in the game and, predictably, he said nothing.

One thing I will say in Carragher's favour, though: I love it when a co-commentator reacts loudly to a goal. His groan when Ollie lashed the ball into the top of the net gave the goal a bit of extra sparkle.

Double edged sword I suppose.

 

Carragher revealing he's neurologist wasn't something I was expecting tbh. And his ability to diagnose at distance is some talent. He's wasted as a football pundit.

[onmeedson]

There is a buzz around Aston Villa at the moment and that has to be Unai the Magnificent, when these players play well we look a decent team and could score a few in most games. West Ham was always a side we had problems with and always a close game but we just picked up another gear yesterday and blew them bubbles away. It's still a roller coaster at the minute but hey what a ride and wonderful for the fans after so many years of drab and fruitless matches we are on the rise again.

[TRO]

16 hours ago, Indigo said:

West Ham are always going to be a horrible team to play against. They're limited in parts but so effective at what they do well and I don't think you'll see anyone have an easy time with them this season. Cases in point even in games they've had this season against City, Liverpool, Newcastle etc.

The fact that Villa handled them so well outside of the burst of momentum their shitey deflected goal gave them is seriously impressive. That felt like the performance of a big team today, almost as much of a statement as the Brighton result given how much more sturdy of a side West Ham are than them defensively. 

I've no doubt we'll continue to fly under the radar and I'm happy for it to stay that way. The job Emery is doing is something else. Two points off the top after a relatively difficult set of fixtures, scoring for fun and battering quite fancied sides, it's a fun time right now.

.....and missing possibly 4 first team players through injury.....(if there is such a thing now).......The SQUAD is looking really good.

[TRO]

16 hours ago, Robtaylor200 said:

How good are we 

and only 10% of the work done......Oh my giddy aunt.

[TRO]

16 hours ago, AVTuco said:

Four home games, 17 goals. Not bad.

They might start charging us for over 3......got to get the money in.

[TRO]

16 hours ago, allani said:

Even if you include the 10 minutes after they scored where they had a bit of momentum - that was an excellent performance against a good team who will take points off the teams around us and in all probability won't be too far off the chase for European places.  But I can't help and look back to 12 months ago when this team could barely string 3 passes of no more than 5 yards together in a row and now watch them stroking the ball around, making space, not being scared of players closing them down and having the confidence to back themselves to play the ball out of trouble rather than just hoof it long at the first opportunity.  Sure, sometimes we give the ball away in silly positions - but we end up creating so much more space to attack teams, it is worth the gamble.  I'm happy to win 4-1 or 3-1 every week.

Thats the key imv.

He is getting them to embrace the "space" and then others look for it.....thats what top teams do.

Its hard to close down moving players......only static ones get negated.

We are starting to play a high level game.

[TRO]

17 hours ago, villa4europe said:

In terms of kicking a football around... Best villa team in my life

We're properly controlling games and dominating teams let alone winning them, this isn't counter attacking or snatching wins, this is executed game plans

Its quite incredible really what he's done, he's the real deal

its certainly in the conversation for me.....its hard for me to say, when I witnessed the European cup win......but despite the differences in the era's, I see some comparable traits.

I saw the balance, I have been seeking In Sunday's Performance.

[TRO]

17 hours ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Superb performance, great result. That Bailey goal was a thing of beauty.

Gave Watkins motm though could have given it to a few, Luiz and Konsa both excellent and Cash was good too. Didn’t give it to Luiz as there were 3 or 4 really sloppy passes which was frustrating but it’s nitpicking after a game like that.

Be just like us to go and lose to Luton now after obliterating so many better teams in the sequence of 11 straight home wins - let that sink in. For most of my villa supporting life I’d be delighted with 11 home wins all season long.

These are halcyon days, truly.

Its funny, because UE gave him a mild bollocking for that......My god, shows how far we have come and what standards we are setting.

That bit is Brian Clough style management....seeking perfection.

[TRO]

17 hours ago, sheepyvillian said:

He was there. We'll always be thankful to Deano .

I think Unai, said that to him.

[TRO]

17 hours ago, Philosopher said:

Commentary these days is trash. Most of them offer little insight, they're biased toward the London clubs and top 4, and the pundits regularly show through their ignorant comment how little they watch Villa.

Its lazy, its insulting to discerning fans intelligence and its all so lacking in research....they are just scratching the surface of all clubs out side the mythical 6.

They just seem to turn up, and get their swagger, and drift back to their life of celebrityism.

[villa4europe]

18 minutes ago, TRO said:

its certainly in the conversation for me.....its hard for me to say, when I witnessed the European cup win......but despite the differences in the era's, I see some comparable traits.

I saw the balance, I have been seeking In Sunday's Performance.

I wasn't born in 82!

Taylor and BFR I was too young and football wasn't as available

Gregory and little I can remember us being good but again still too young to understand what I was really watching

MON was great (until he wasn't...) but his football style was (exciting) kick and rush

Deano was good but limited football

Unai is something different, not only are we winning we are deserving to win, we look confident and in control

We're not blagging our position, we are one of the best footballing sides in the league

[TRO]

16 hours ago, thunderball said:

Wow, we are really developing something special. Getting better every game, Watkins looking very dangerous but importantly confident. Only Newcastle has scored more goals than us. Perversely, again, the score didn’t flatter us, quite the opposite, we could have scored a couple more and WHU were fortunate with theirs.

Glad to see Tielemans with a smile on his face, if him, Zaniolo and Bailey can starting chipping in, and players coming back, who knows….?

I thought Zaniolo offered quite a bit, with his presence and positional play, mostly off the ball, I think he gives us balance up front....Bailey seems to have found his belief, particularly at home and Tielemans will only get better, settling in.

The control we showed was the the key feature for me.

I thought the squad players, performances was very encouraging, on the back of such a professional display from our first 11 on the day.....That performance alone has to change some neutrals views of us.

[Pinebro]

Bowen is a player we should go for. Was impressed with him all game.

Fantastic tenacity and personality.

Also he always scores against us would be nice to remove that.

[TRO]

55 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

I wasn't born in 82!

Taylor and BFR I was too young and football wasn't as available

Gregory and little I can remember us being good but again still too young to understand what I was really watching

MON was great (until he wasn't...) but his football style was (exciting) kick and rush

Deano was good but limited football

Unai is something different, not only are we winning we are deserving to win, we look confident and in control

We're not blagging our position, we are one of the best footballing sides in the league

Look, you make a sound point.

I am seriously hard pressed, not to agree with you.....but I essentially do agree with you......The control I saw on Sunday, was the best ever, this is truly a very well coached and talented side when its in this mood, but consistency, (what we are currently doing), must continue.

West Ham are also a good outfit, that must be remembered despite the contrasting style...so this win had a significant connotation to it....they traditionally find a way against us, but that ended on Sunday, with an emphatic performance from us.

This present team are in some ways emulating the performances of Gray-Deehan - Little of the late 70's, where we was dismantling the top sides, with swashbuckling goals.

There is nuances in our present team, with some of our best teams of the past.

 

Edited October 23, 2023 by TRO