PL: Sunderland a Ratings & Reactions

[TOTTI-THE-GOD]

Godammit, I won't be home for any of them. If anyone has any highlights I'd love to see them. Only managed to catch the second half on the radio.

Great result though. I was so worried we'd follow up the OT result with a lacklustre display here, but Villa delivered. A brilliant birthday present!

Virgin media's website normally have all the highlights on , i'd give them a try

[Pricey_1984]

quality result... to be honest i thought we would come crashing back to earth after the man utd result.

fair to the lads though, you can see confidence is growing

Milner was quality yet again so hes got my vote, but on the defensive side dunne was class again and the more i see warnock he impresses me more and more, surely hes gotta go to the world cup as well because hes much better than bridge.

Has anyone noticed how this season how many blocks the defenders get in, we have defenders who are throwing themselves in the way of shots to get blocks in and its definately helping..

UP THE VILLA!

[ClaretMahoney]

Just overjoyed with this result. I thought the whole team, once again, played their part. What is really heartening, is that I finally have a lot of confidence in our defense. Don't get me wrong, I thought Laursen was excellent, but I was never comfortable, even when he was playing at his best. But lately I can see 3 CM's who just ooze class and Cuéllar in particular comes in for special mention by me - for turning around what wasn't the greatest of starts at the club and really showing what MON saw in him, and why we paid what we did.

I also remember a number of times when people have questioned the fee paid for Milner - and I've always said it was bloody peanuts compared to what his worth is going to be, and this season in particular he has shown why I've always believed that about him. Another incredible display and goal.

It was really tough to give MOTM to anyone, because I think they have all deserved some mention, but I have gone for Cuéllar - for no other reason than I think his improvement deserves some sort of recognition, and its so difficult to choose between him, Dunne and Milner, because all three were immense again, with everyone only a hairsbreadth behind.

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

I feel the same really

[vincef]

What was the formation last night ? I have to update my FIFA 10

[LondonLax]

I managed to watch this on Football First and I was really impressed with out performance and even though Sunderland had a couple of good goal-scoring chances, once again, our defence was remarkable. Props to all of the back four, especially Dunney - he's such a legend.

Milner... **** hell, HE IS SUCH A SIK PLAYER. His goal against Hull was incredible... I thought it couldn't get better, but oh my, whatabuuuty from him tonight. World class goal from him and a lovely through ball for Heskey's goal too.

Tonight's game was always going to be difficult, Sunderland had only lost game at home this season and that was to Chelsea but our victory tonight has sent out a big message to the teams around us and this was also a type of game tonight to prove we are top 4 material, I think we've certainly showed that now and beating Stoke on Saturday is every bit as important as winning tonight if we want to start to make a getaway from the rest.

Sik post! Props to ya homey.

He is just practicing the language before his move to OC

[Danwichmann]

These quotes from Steve Bruce say it all for me

We were beaten by the better team, I have to say that. ...But my opinion hasn't changed - if there is going to be one [team] that's going to be breaking into it [the top four], they are going to be there... I think this is Martin's fourth season and they are unrecognisable to where they were when he took over. The progress he has made and his players, it's an unbelievable difference."

I can't help it, with quotes like these, I'm actually starting to like Potato Head!!

[briny_ear]

What was the formation last night ? I have to update my FIFA 10

4-4-2 of course, you know, the one we always lose with.

[Nigel]

Memo to Rafael Benítez: aside, perhaps, from Sir Alex Ferguson’s clock-watching and Arsène Wenger’s myopia, very little is guaranteed in football.

The Liverpool manager can insist all he likes that his suffering, stuttering side will finish in the top four this season, but it is growing ever more apparent that Aston Villa do not concur. Stealthily, efficiently, they have laid down their marker.

Martin O’Neill’s team succeeded where Liverpool have failed and beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last night. No beach ball, no fuss. They negotiated the driving rain, the home support and a patchy performance from Steve Bruce’s players, wearing them down to the edge of impotence. By the end of it, Villa had scored twice and struck the woodwork the same number of times.

While Liverpool host Wigan Athletic this evening, Villa are now third in the Barclays Premier League, eight points and five places above them, courtesy of goals from Emile Heskey and James Milner. They are unbeaten in six matches, have conceded only 14 times in the league this season and have scored in every league game other than their first. It is a combination that suggests good form and efficiency, qualities lacking at Anfield.

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Unsurprisingly, O’Neill did not compete with Benítez’s bombast; it is not his way, or his club’s. “There’s a tendency when you win a couple of games to get incredibly excited,” he said. “I try to keep level-headed. My own view is that the top four teams have been there for a long time and those four teams, over the course of a 38-game season, will still command those positions.”

It is no discourtesy to disagree. Villa have a sound team and a good squad that is full of pace, solidity and invention, and while it took frailty from Sunderland to set them on the way — Stewart Downing had earlier hit the crossbar with a dipping free kick — they were rarely diverted. George McCartney’s pass into the no man’s land outside his penalty area in the 24th minute was aimless and witless, and fell invitingly into the stride of Stiliyan Petrov. The Bulgarian found Milner, who moved the ball on swiftly and Heskey’s first touch was a shot of some ferocity that beat Marton Fulop.

At that stage, Sunderland did not allow the blow to consume them. There was anger that Kevin Friend, the referee, did not live up to his surname (he was “shocking”, Bruce said) and a response, of sorts, when Andy Reid prompted a fine save from Brad Friedel. But Sunderland’s pressure was undermined by the largely unsatisfactory manner in which they used it.

Dominant for long periods, the home team left themselves open to the counter-attack, a weapon that Villa’s team, with their searing pace, are well suited to deploy. Twice, Heskey threatened to seize the advantage, first with an effort that was marginally off target and then by clipping a pass forward that Ashley Young knocked on to the right post.

That the second goal originated from a Sunderland throw-in was also appropriate. Darren Bent and Luke Young leapt to meet it on the left flank, but Milner beat Kieran Richardson to the loose ball, cut inside and unleashed a blistering shot from 25 yards. It was Milner’s third goal in his past four games and he is clearly relishing his central role. “He has been fantastic for us, colossal,” O’Neill said.

Sunderland, by contrast, are entrenched in an indifferent sequence of results, winning only once in their past eight league games, and while the early return from injury of Lee Cattermole as a second-half substitute was timely for Bruce, he has now lost Lorik Cana to suspension after the midfield player’s dismissal for two bookable offences 12 minutes from time.

“We’re on a poor run and now’s the time when you earn your corn,” Bruce said. “There are contributing factors, but the goals we gave away were sloppy and we have to get out of it, it’s as simple as that.”

And his view of Villa? “If there’s one team going to break into the top four, they’ll be it,” Bruce said. “They’re big, strong, powerful and they’ve got unbelievable strength in depth. They’re the club you’d like to emulate.”

After their 1-0 victory away to Manchester United on Saturday, Villa demonstrated no sign of wavering concentration or arrogance. “We’re playing some really delightful football, there’s a confidence about us and the players are enjoying it,” O’Neill said. “I was concerned beforehand after our exertions at Old Trafford, but our energy reserves were there.” Benítez has been warned.

Times

[Richard]

Another great result.

[kurtsimonw]

These quotes from Steve Bruce say it all for me

We were beaten by the better team, I have to say that. ...But my opinion hasn't changed - if there is going to be one [team] that's going to be breaking into it [the top four], they are going to be there... I think this is Martin's fourth season and they are unrecognisable to where they were when he took over. The progress he has made and his players, it's an unbelievable difference."

I can't help it, with quotes like these, I'm actually starting to like Potato Head!!

Yeah, Bruce does seem like a decent bloke to be fair. I'm glad he's no longer at sha because I couldn't help but hate him, didn't help matters that he's a good manager.

[vincef]

What was the formation last night ? I have to update my FIFA 10

4-4-2 of course, you know, the one we always lose with.

So was it :

Friedel

Warnock Cuellar- Dunne L.Young

Downing Petrov-Milner A.Young

Agbonlahor-Heskey

[kurtsimonw]

Yep, that's it.

[vincef]

Ok thanks

[briggaman]

Very good result. We played some good stuff and once again looked solid at the back. We didn't concede again which was also nice.

I said it was important that we got a win yesterday as we often go and win a big game and then lose against a lesser team. Yesterday the lads showed what they are made of in my opinion. They have now proven that they can do it so I won't be accepting any excuses as the season goes on.

One thing I do still worry about is injuries. If anyone gets injured (such as Milner) then we could have a torrid time. Fingers crossed nobody does get injured though.

Anyway, back to yersterday. That Milner goal was a cracker aswell. The fact that he hit it on the move and under pressure just made it even better. Great result at their ground. Well done to the lads and to MON once again for getting the tactics spot on. UTV!

[Vindiesel]

Just overjoyed with this result. I thought the whole team, once again, played their part. What is really heartening, is that I finally have a lot of confidence in our defense. Don't get me wrong, I thought Laursen was excellent, but I was never comfortable, even when he was playing at his best. But lately I can see 3 CM's who just ooze class and Cuéllar in particular comes in for special mention by me - for turning around what wasn't the greatest of starts at the club and really showing what MON saw in him, and why we paid what we did.

I also remember a number of times when people have questioned the fee paid for Milner - and I've always said it was bloody peanuts compared to what his worth is going to be, and this season in particular he has shown why I've always believed that about him. Another incredible display and goal.

It was really tough to give MOTM to anyone, because I think they have all deserved some mention, but I have gone for Cuéllar - for no other reason than I think his improvement deserves some sort of recognition, and its so difficult to choose between him, Dunne and Milner, because all three were immense again, with everyone only a hairsbreadth behind.

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

I feel the same really

Working in Leeds yesterday and made the de-tour home to birmingham via the A1M to Sunderland. The trip home was all the more sweet with

great performance. Got home at 2:30 am with match sticks keeping the eyes open on drive back.

Potatoe Head put in his place again.

I think Bruce is haunted by villa fans which ever club he moves to.

He has a permanent black cloud over his head when the villa fans turn up.

Next level for us is to kill off teams early so we can bring subs on to rest key players. We had some good chances to bury them early i.e young hitting post for one & downing hitting bar with goal keeper stranded

8)

[dAVe80]

Just an opinion regarding the turn out at the match. I couldn't give a flying one how many we took. At the end of the day, we're 10 days way from Christmas, it's the second time we've played at the SOL in 2 months, we're still on the back end of a recession, it was a Tuesday night, it was a freezing, tickets were £27, and a lot of people had just paid £50ish to go to Man Ure 3 days ago.

Looking at the some Sunderland sites, they're panning us for our turn out, but I can 100% confirm the 700 odd of us that were there could not have been more passionate and vocal. So to reiterate I couldn't give a shit if we take 50 or 5000 to an away game. We still all get behind the lads and make a good time of it no matter what.

[kurtsimonw]

I thought the fans were very, very loud. I don't think Sunderland fans have a right co complain. What is it, a 48k stadium? and it was only about 60% full. Also, like you say, our fans were far noisier than theirs.

[Vindiesel]

Just an opinion regarding the turn out at the match. I couldn't give a flying one how many we took. At the end of the day, we're 10 days way from Christmas, it's the second time we've played at the SOL in 2 months, we're still on the back end of a recession, it was a Tuesday night, it was a freezing, tickets were £27, and a lot of people had just paid £50ish to go to Man Ure 3 days ago.

Looking at the some Sunderland sites, they're panning us for our turn out, but I can 100% confirm the 700 odd of us that were there could not have been more passionate and vocal. So to reiterate I couldn't give a shit if we take 50 or 5000 to an away game. We still all get behind the lads and make a good time of it no matter what.

I will second that.

Smoke screen from sunderland fans because their turn out was s**te.

There were large gaps all over the sunderland ground and they had their strongest side out and were crap. The stand opposite behind the goal to villa fans was akin to Boro attendances.

We Villa gave them s**t support number so they need not take the high ground over out turnout.

When they have to pay out all the shekels that we are doing for the glut of games coming up, due our current run, then maybe they can offer excuses. But for now button it Brucey no mates team.

Correct 700 villa out chanted that poor excuse for another north east lumbering so called giant.

Only 34k attendence in 49K stadium says it all and they are the home side.

Theirs only one Jimmy Milner( & Stuart Downing), sunderland suckers.

Thats grattitude for you when we shoved the magpies over the cliff for them and saved their bacon along with Hull, last season end.

UTV

8)

[tonyh29]

was anger that Kevin Friend, the referee, did not live up to his surname (he was “shocking”, Bruce said)

i thought the ref was very good yesterday and didn't get anything wrong .. every time the Blunderland players and fans were baying for a free kick the ref was proved right

Or did i just have claret & blue tinted classes on (like the ref :-) )

[VillaAndLoyal]

To be fair, any Sunderland fans we spoke to last night were sound as anything. One even thanked us in BK for sending the barcodes down, so any keyboard warriors saying that on the internet are perhaps just a bit fed up that they got torn apart by a class side last night.

Like I said in my initial post in this thread though, personally I can't help but be dissappointed by the turn-out last night. At the moment we're playing like a top four side, had just recorded a historic win at OT and it would be brilliant if we had the fan-base (in terms of numbers) to match that current standing. I was also dissappointed that a section of our fans were more than happy to sit down throughout the game, which I don't like to see at away games, but that's just my personal opinion.

Having said that, I CAN definitely see why the factors mentioned by someone above would contribute significantly to our rather low turn-out. I understand it completely and it is not surprising in the slightest, but it still doesn't help me being dissappointed by the numbers for a team that is flying so high lately. Those that did sing though did the Villa proud and I thought we were quite loud considering everything.

And of course, things on the pitch, are great.