Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Burnley

[the_eristic]

Scraped through, made it so hard on ourselves through plain ol' lapses in concentration again, really should've been out of sight given the chances created. Praise be to Duran's sensitive sole.

[HanoiVillan]

The result was desperately needed, but the performance was very unconvincing. That was a victory a mid-table would get against relegation candidates, not a team with top 4 pretensions. Watkins our MOTM for the two assists and how he ran the channels, but Bailey also excellent. My real MOTM is Lyle Foster, who really impressed me, and if Burnley do go down and are looking to sell and we're in the market for a Watkins understudy/rotation option I think we could do a lot worse. 

[flamingsombrero]

Made life difficult spurning chance after chance to wrap it up and make it 3-1.

Far from our best but after a couple of disappointing results finding a way out of that with all three is extremely positive. Every team is going to have a dip and we are still picking up decent points in ours.

[Zhan_Zhuang]

A win is a win, Villa have needed for many a year to grind out wins. Did just that today.

Thought Diaby was much improved but then again he missed a couple of good chances, after their sending off Villa should really have scored a couple to make it comfortable.

Kamara back will add some stability and bolster the first eleven, we need him and he'll be fresh.

[Zero7]

5 minutes ago, Icarium said:

I don't think we have ever deserved 3 points less than we did today. 

This team continues to do my head in, apart from manc and arsenal we have been playing poorly for weeks, yet somehow still keep putting points on the board. 

The January window can't come soon enough.

That’s the sign of a bloody good team

[Dale]

Got what we came for. Not great in defence, created oodles of chances. Diaby should've had a hattrick. James Trafford is some keeper too! 

[Zero7]

My heart aged a lot in that game - massive 3 points 

[Xela]

3 minutes ago, The_Steve said:

Trafford pulled off at least 3 great saves too. But we persevered and deserve it.

Yep. Not a classic win, but shows resolve. A good reaction to the last week. 

[Sulberto21]

A couple of poor goals to concede however we should have been 4 up and won comfortably by about 6 or 7. Missing chances at key points in the game is what we need to cut out. 

[maqroll]

A win is a win, but we are massively unconvincing at the moment.

Everyone can get a bit of rest now and hopefully we can being in a couple of new players help us stay in the races.

Ollie MOTM.

A switched-on Kamara is critical to our success. I expect that we will be back to our best vs Everton. 

 

 

[brummybloke]

Happy with the result, not overly happy we are still using certain players from the start.

Injuries and suspension has cost us at least 3 points in the last 2 games so 3 today was vital.

Ramsey not fit enough shouldn't be starting

Lenget back to the bench please

Diaby back to the bench please 

Torres comes on and all of a sudden we have the whole pitch we can play in.

Bailey the best on the pitch by far, the only one who looked like he wanted to take them on.

We need a rest and 2 good players to be brought in to help, a defensive midfielder who can pass the ball and a quick right back who can pass the ball.

Well done for 2023, beyind 99% of fans imagination after the fulham away game.

let's try and keep it going in 2024

[Davkaus]

Just now, maqroll said:

A switched-on Kamara is critical to our success. I expect that we will be back to our best vs Everton. 

 

Kamara and Konsa back in the centre and we'll look a different team, I hope.

[479Villan]

6 minutes ago, Annoyman said:

"That Konsa yellow is stupid. Grown men should be able to regulate their emotions" is a hell of a take coming from, uh, the VillaTalk match thread

Hang this in the Louvre

[Condimentalist]

That was a bit more 'entertaining' to watch than it needed to be. 

Still, got the job done. The mentality is there at the moment even when the performances have been hit and miss (Brentford, Sheff Utd, Burnley). 

[rjw63]

7 minutes ago, The_Steve said:

Trafford pulled off at least 3

[Marka Ragnos]

Ugly way to get three more beautiful points.
 

Obligatory Captain Obvious Comments: Need to finish better and stop conceding goals. Oh, and: We showed mettle. 

Edited December 30, 2023 by Marka Ragnos

[allani]

3 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

The result was desperately needed, but the performance was very unconvincing. That was a victory a mid-table would get against relegation candidates, not a team with top 4 pretensions. Watkins our MOTM for the two assists and how he ran the channels, but Bailey also excellent. My real MOTM is Lyle Foster, who really impressed me, and if Burnley do go down and are looking to sell and we're in the market for a Watkins understudy/rotation option I think we could do a lot worse. 

What like Arsenal beating Luton 3-2 with an even later winner.  **** me every team in the top half has salvaged wins / draws against weaker opposition.  Man City lost a 2-0 lead against Palace of all teams.  Honestly I think some people just don't look at any other results in the league.

[KevinRichardsonsMoustache]

I was v nervous before the game and I think the players were too. It showed. I’ll take the three points.
 

For some perspective, these players are knackered. The system is physically and mentally so intense: the level of discipline needed in Unai’s system puts extra demands on them. They’re playing at a higher level of expectation than before and this is taking an emotional and psychological toll. It might be that some of them aren’t resilient enough, but coming through this will make some of them stronger for it.

All of them need a rest. Didn’t see myself saying this but I don’t care about the Boro game in the Cup: need to rest them and get them working cohesively as a unit again in time for Everton. Our strength has been consistency of system and few large scale changes from match to match. Need to get back there. 
 

I am utterly utterly proud of our club, those players and this wonderful manager and staff. We as fans need to back them and understand how much they have achieved for us. We don’t just deserve this because we’re AVFC, all of that suffering doesn’t make us automatically get this: we need to dig in deep too, just like those players are doing. Understand that we’re here in merit but that we are having the ride of our **** lives.
 

Above all, and as others have said better, we have had a hell of a season so far.

[Troglodyte]

9 minutes ago, BG_Villa_Fan said:

They were all visibly tired, even McGinn.

Love this.  "Even McGinn"!  The man who looks like his athlete's diet is pies and kebabs but he happens to run uphill a lot carrying a particularly heavy set of bagpipes.

Not having a pop - I love John and he's been **** brilliant and will clearly run himself into the ground for the cause, but he'd look tired 30 mins into a friendly against Solihull Moors!

[TomC]

4 minutes ago, Zhan_Zhuang said:

Thought Diaby was much improved but then again he missed a couple of good chances, after their sending off Villa should really have scored a couple to make it comfortable.

Agreed. He finished one of his chances and did a lot of good things. He hoofed a few over but just needs to avoid getting under the ball. He's not missing left-to-right.