Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Luton

[TRO]

8 hours ago, gwi1890 said:

Good all round performance slightly sloppy at the end but that’s bottom of the barrel nit picking .

UE will have it on his agenda....He won't see it as nit picking.

[AJ]

6 hours ago, stewiek2 said:

Luckily staying with friends so all good 

In that case, avoid the jacuzzi.

[briny_ear]

1 hour ago, spiezels said:

Expand please 

That’s what the hot looking women say to you, I think.

Edited October 30, 2023 by briny_ear

[spiezels]

5 hours ago, Rugeley Villa said:

That’s one of my opinions too. We were just so expectant today and probably didn’t feel the need to get up for it ourselves. It was easy today. I actually thought during the game if our atmosphere would get worse if we got into top 4 which is madness really. Sunday games can be a bit dull as well .

All games being Sundays defo a thing too, less people on the piss. 

Looking at the footage of spurs ground after games with jealousy at moment, it’s bouncing 

[FLVillan]

6 hours ago, AVFCDAN said:

Lucky for us we’re playing so well that Zaniolos poor form isn’t hampering us. Feels like there could be a good player there but he needs to do something soon.

Apart from that it was a routine win and we haven’t been able to say that in years.

He needs a goal, or an extra-special moment to set up a goal.  You can see he's struggling for confidence.  Anything will do - a rebound, a tap-in, anything.  Then I think we'll see a top player.  

I don't think Unai replaced him at half-time today solely because of his performance, but also to change our shape by putting Bailey out wide and giving McGinn license to get wide on the left to counter their back-three.  Paid immediate dividends too with the second goal coming from a Digne cross after McGinn had put him in wide-left. Luton changed to a back-four a few minutes later. 

[6065_Villa]

Routine win played in mainly second gear. Unai will be pissed off with the O.G but otherwise as straight forward as they come.

Need to aim for maximum points to build a nice gap ready for the harder games to come. 

Would rather put Tim on when he's fully fit instead of Dendonker.

Onwards and upwards, enjoy every game guys because this could be a season to remember.

 

[FLVillan]

3 hours ago, srsmithusa said:

interesting today, that balls over the top on an inside channel were highly effective.  Also interesting is that few of them were to Watkins, who typically makes those runs.  Television coverage is great for seeing the key moments on the ball, but not good at all for seeing the movement off the ball.  Anybody have greater insight into what was happening that those balls were so effective?

on a similar note, who hit the ball to Bailey that ended in our third goal?

and who hit the one to Diaby after that?

Part of it was due to the way Luton set up - they essentially held a defensive line 40 yards from goal and didn't press until we crossed halfway line - tried to make the game compact so we couldn't play into the pockets that Zaniolo and McGinn usually occupy.  What they didn't do well was press Kamara/Luiz/Torres well enough and the ball behind them was on with well-timed runs by our front players.  

Second and third goals were a clear indicator that our manager is a bloody genius.  Luton started with a back five and were denying us any space in the channels first-half.  Brought on Bailey at half time to play wide-right, told Digne to roam forward more and gave McGinn license to get out wide left, hence stretching them sideways.  This forced their left/right centre backs into a stick or twist scenario and the wing-backs were getting 2v1 situations.  Diaby's goal was the result of a McGinn/Digne combination wide-left.  Then Luton switched to a back four and the channels opened up for Diaby and Watkins, hence the third goal.  Kamara played him in. 

[Caddy]

My Villa supporting life (which unfortunately started with McLeish) has consisted of our managers playing checkers while the others play chess; always out-thought and out-maneuvered. As much as I love Deano, even he was consistently exposed vs. top level cerebral managers. To be on the other end of this and watching Villa play the exact type of football I've spent a decade being jealous of is hard to process.

 

[Vive_La_Villa]

I went for 3-1 in the pre match thread but it should have been a lot more. Very comfortable and now a week off to be nice and fresh for Forest. 

[DaveAV1]

We spent a lot of years going to games when it felt inevitable thst we’d loose, now people are finding it difficult to get up for games when it feels inevitable thst we’ll win easily! Funny world you all seem to live in. Perhaps Unai should be forced to appoint a really crap assistant to add balance to his obvious genius. Then don’t announce who has prepared the team match by match. Reading the match thread posters always seam to find things to moan about regardless of how we’re playing. I’m not sure if football is really the game for some of you. Sad situation if we are finally a club to envy from top to bottom and still people can’t be happy. Perhaps VT needs to invest in a sports psychologist? How to cope with the misery of certain victory? I’m sure we’ll find plenty of sympathy across the city. We can’t win with some people. Freud would have a field day. I survived the misery of the early 80s, this is just the late 70s so if you can’t cope now, I’ve got bad news for the near future support your team and enjoy the ride, if you can manage to?

[oishiiniku_uk]

4 hours ago, Caddy said:

As much as I love Deano, even he was consistently exposed vs. top level cerebral managers.

 

Even though there were a lot of great memories under Deano, one consistent flaw with him was an inability to break down teams that sat deep against us. The game we lost 1-0 against 10 man Sheff Utd is burned into my brain especially. Right now it feels like an opponent could have 15 men sat in their own half and we'd still pick them apart and slot one home.

[oishiiniku_uk]

I watched a Luton Fan's vlog to see their perspective and they said that this is the first time they've been completely outclassed, which is a fair compliment when you consider they've played Brighton, Spurs, Chelsea, West Ham etc. already.
Our home form is only getting better (5 out of 5 wins with an aggregate score of 20-4)! Only slight annoyance is that we should have more clean sheets when we're completely dominating in every game. I think Emery will be warning strongly about complacency as it's crept in a bit in the last two home games. Still, what a time to be a Villa fan! Slightly annoying that we're still 5th (in most seasons we'd be 3rd or 4th with 22 points after 10 games) but also great to continue to be a bit under the radar because of the form of others above us.

More general stats:
We've scored 3 goals or more in 6 out of 10 games this season, which is more than any other team.
20 wins in 2023 (second behind Man City)
65 pts in 2023 (joint 2nd with Arsenal)
4 players with 3+ goals (no other team has this spread)

[DaveAV1]

33 minutes ago, oishiiniku_uk said:

I watched a Luton Fan's vlog to see their perspective and they said that this is the first time they've been completely outclassed, which is a fair compliment when you consider they've played Brighton, Spurs, Chelsea, West Ham etc. already.
Our home form is only getting better (5 out of 5 wins with an aggregate score of 20-4)! Only slight annoyance is that we should have more clean sheets when we're completely dominating in every game. I think Emery will be warning strongly about complacency as it's crept in a bit in the last two home games. Still, what a time to be a Villa fan! Slightly annoying that we're still 5th (in most seasons we'd be 3rd or 4th with 22 points after 10 games) but also great to continue to be a bit under the radar because of the form of others above us.

More general stats:
We've scored 3 goals or more in 6 out of 10 games this season, which is more than any other team.
20 wins in 2023 (second behind Man City)
65 pts in 2023 (joint 2nd with Arsenal)
4 players with 3+ goals (no other team has this spread)

This is all true and a very positive post, I hope other posters can enjoy what’s happening currently at our club and get behind it without finding reasons to not enjoy it or fully get behind the team and help create a winning atmosphere, which  Unai is trying to foster. UTV, even the boring, hammer everyone version!

[El Segundo]

Just a few years ago, especially under Bruce, people would talk about the likes of City and Liverpool playing an altogether different sport or being on another planet.  We're now on that planet and playing the same sport. 

The players did what they had to do then basically rested a bit, which can be frustrating, and maybe missed an opportunity to improve goal difference, but made sense given our fixtures and injury list. 

The front three of Bailey Diaby and Watkins in the second half looked a bit tasty, especially now that Bailey seems to have found some confidence and been encouraged to use his trickery a bit more. 

Atmosphere seemed fine to me, but as OutByEaster said, the football is now more cerebral and less up and at 'em - City have played like that for years, and it can be a bit boring for some.  May explain why people say the Etihad atmosphere is poor.     

[TRO]

9 hours ago, 6065_Villa said:

Routine win played in mainly second gear. Unai will be pissed off with the O.G but otherwise as straight forward as they come.

Need to aim for maximum points to build a nice gap ready for the harder games to come. 

Would rather put Tim on when he's fully fit instead of Dendonker.

Onwards and upwards, enjoy every game guys because this could be a season to remember.

 

I am.....Thats the level this team has taken me to.

Clean sheets are a barometer, to Elite status.

Edited October 30, 2023 by TRO

[TRO]

3 hours ago, DaveAV1 said:

We spent a lot of years going to games when it felt inevitable thst we’d loose, now people are finding it difficult to get up for games when it feels inevitable thst we’ll win easily! Funny world you all seem to live in. Perhaps Unai should be forced to appoint a really crap assistant to add balance to his obvious genius. Then don’t announce who has prepared the team match by match. Reading the match thread posters always seam to find things to moan about regardless of how we’re playing. I’m not sure if football is really the game for some of you. Sad situation if we are finally a club to envy from top to bottom and still people can’t be happy. Perhaps VT needs to invest in a sports psychologist? How to cope with the misery of certain victory? I’m sure we’ll find plenty of sympathy across the city. We can’t win with some people. Freud would have a field day. I survived the misery of the early 80s, this is just the late 70s so if you can’t cope now, I’ve got bad news for the near future support your team and enjoy the ride, if you can manage to?

I don't go in to games thinking we will win, I hope we do. I know we have the talent, but the hard work still has to be applied.

Some of the cup games, keeps me grounded.

Edited October 30, 2023 by TRO

[turvontour]

2 hours ago, oishiiniku_uk said:

I watched a Luton Fan's vlog to see their perspective and they said that this is the first time they've been completely outclassed, which is a fair compliment when you consider they've played Brighton, Spurs, Chelsea, West Ham etc. already.
Our home form is only getting better (5 out of 5 wins with an aggregate score of 20-4)! Only slight annoyance is that we should have more clean sheets when we're completely dominating in every game. I think Emery will be warning strongly about complacency as it's crept in a bit in the last two home games. Still, what a time to be a Villa fan! Slightly annoying that we're still 5th (in most seasons we'd be 3rd or 4th with 22 points after 10 games) but also great to continue to be a bit under the radar because of the form of others above us.

More general stats:
We've scored 3 goals or more in 6 out of 10 games this season, which is more than any other team.
20 wins in 2023 (second behind Man City)
65 pts in 2023 (joint 2nd with Arsenal)
4 players with 3+ goals (no other team has this spread)

We were also the first time that Brighton, West Ham, Chelsea etc have been completely outclassed.

[oishiiniku_uk]

1 minute ago, turvontour said:

We were also the first time that Brighton, West Ham, Chelsea etc have been completely outclassed.

Yeah, they wouldn't admit it though! They'd all find excuses about how they had an off day, we got the rub of the green etc. etc.

[TRO]

12 minutes ago, oishiiniku_uk said:

Yeah, they wouldn't admit it though! They'd all find excuses about how they had an off day, we got the rub of the green etc. etc.

Thats the mitigation, all our opposing teams cling to....it was the same in 1980/81

nothing changes in that respect.

[gwi1890]

4 hours ago, El Segundo said:

Just a few years ago, especially under Bruce, people would talk about the likes of City and Liverpool playing an altogether different sport or being on another planet.  We're now on that planet and playing the same sport. 

The players did what they had to do then basically rested a bit, which can be frustrating, and maybe missed an opportunity to improve goal difference, but made sense given our fixtures and injury list. 

The front three of Bailey Diaby and Watkins in the second half looked a bit tasty, especially now that Bailey seems to have found some confidence and been encouraged to use his trickery a bit more. 

Atmosphere seemed fine to me, but as OutByEaster said, the football is now more cerebral and less up and at 'em - City have played like that for years, and it can be a bit boring for some.  May explain why people say the Etihad atmosphere is poor.     

I personally absolutely our love play style I find the build up and patterns fascinating it quality football give me that any day for hoof it to row z.

Edited October 30, 2023 by gwi1890