John Posted August 14, 2010 Share Posted August 14, 2010 Not bad for a club in crisis was it? So after the first day of the new season we stand third and level on points with champions Chelsea. I think this game could have gone one of two ways. The team could have come into it deflated by the current situation at Villa Park and showed that in a lack lustre performance or could as they did come into the game determined to show they will not give up the place in the top six that we have grown accustomed to and wave the white flag slipping without a fight into the bottom half of the table to keep the other three West Midlands clubs company there for the rest of this season. We showed a lot of attacking flair today. We also showed no lack of confidence. The fans also deserve a lot of credit for their reaction to the outward bound James Milner who if he is to go this week has left the club with a performance that was a credit to his professionalism. This 3-0 win might not cause him to have the same doubts about a move from Villa that Ireland seems to have about a move to us. But from a football rather than a financial point of view it might give him some cause for thought where previously there may have been none. As for our visitors they just could not live with us today and they were lucky to get none. How this game must have brought the painful memories of past defeats at the hands of Villa flooding back to Karen Brady, Sullivan and the Gold brothers! My player ratings from a game that gave us an early two point lead over Small Heath and Manchester City are: Brad Freidel – 7 – Rarely tested but did well to deny Boa Morte just after we had gone two ahead. Luke Young – 7 – A solid display and I trust he will now take the opportunity to secure his future with us and to make this position in the starting line up unquestionably his own. Ciaran Clark – 7 – Had time and confidence on the ball. A solid performance from a player who looks a good bet to make the sort of progress that Cahill has and that should this time be with us. Richard Dunne – 7 – Beaten for pace by Cole on 24 minutes who then whipped in a dangerous cross that only needed a touch that it did not get but he was not beaten a second time and was his usual solid self. Stephen Warnock - 6 – Had a couple of less than convincing moments early in the second half and was not at his best today. Marc Albrighton – 8 – MOTM – This is a real prospect that we have on our hands and he is clearly determined to take the opportunities that he will surely get this season. He had a hand in most of the positive things we did and was more than a handful for the defenders that he tortured. Shows shades of the old fashioned wingers of yesteryear who would take on and beat defenders for fun. James Milner – 8 – If he is to go as seems certain then what better way is there to go than with a goal and leaving the field to applause from fans you are on the verge of leaving? Hit our third and what seems likely to be his last goal for us on 65 minutes after Albrighton had beaten his man gone into the box and turned the ball back to the edge of the box for him to beat the keeper and find the corner of the net. Stiliyan Petrov - 7 – Got forward more than he has done for a long time whilst still holding the midfield together. Made a good run to get on the end of Ashley’s cross from the edge of the box on 40 minutes and planted his header past Green and into the corner of the net. Ashley Young – 7 – Hit a lovely chip from a Carew flick on that seemed destined for the net until Green did well to tip it over the bar. One of his many good displays and Harry can keep his money! Stewart Downing – 7 – Hit a good cross on 4 minutes that Dunne headed off target when unchallenged. Hit our first on 14 minutes when Young’s cross was pushed wide by Green into Albrighton’s path who hit the ball first time and forced a one handed save from Green who then had the ball hit past him by Stewart. Hit a good free kick from about 30 yards that had Green beaten and which hit the top of the bar on 48 minutes. John Carew – 6 – Fed by Tomkins on 9 minutes and left with the keeper to beat but took a heavy first touch and then appeared to be brought down by Green’s outstretched leg on the edge of the box which deflected the ball to Tomkins who was lucky to see the ball deflect off him and onto the inside of the post on its way to safety. Back healed a cross on 63 minutes that ran onto Downing whose shot from a tight angle was blocked at the far post. Rose unchallenged on 76 minutes but badly misdirected his header. Substitutes: Nigel Reo Coker – Replaced Milner on 85 minutes having possibly been unlucky to have not made the starting line up. But his opportunities should come thick and fast this season. Not on long enough to rate this time. Andreas Weimann – I was thinking bring on the Austrians with 5 minutes to go and we did bring on one when Andreas replaced Ashley on 86 minutes. Not on long enough to secure a rating. Barry Bannan – Replaced Albrighton on 89 minutes and had no time to earn a rating but he did give Marc the opportunity that the other two substituted players were given to milk the applause for a job well done. Up the Villa! John Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PittsburghVillaFan Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 Does someone have to cure cancer during the game to get higher than an rating?? Cmon Albrighton should be at least a 9. Cant remember him doing anything wrong! Also I thought Ash should be at least an 8. Everyone was excited by Marc, but Webcam was all over the pitch in the attacking half and really lead our attack in all fashions even if he didnt set up any goals. His presence is what created the room for Albrighton. Id give: Friedel - 7. Like you said not tested, but was his solid self. Luke Young - 7.5. Proved what a good right back can do. Broke up a lot of West Ham passes and even got in the attacking half a bit! Clark - 6.5. Didnt mess up, but needs to work on his positioning a bit. Cleared well when needed. Dunne- 7. Cole made him look slow, but was composed in winning balls a lot. Warnock - 6. Didnt do bad by any means, but got beat a couple times and looked silly when he missed the one header in his own box. Petrov - 8. Incredible first half controlling the midfield and his goal capped it off. Did slow a little as usual, but still played very well. Milner - 8. Not as much hustle as usual, but with the 4-5-1 he didnt need to. Took his goal very well, great technique. Downing - 7. Good freekick and did pretty good, but still needs crossing work. Still one of our best XI players. Lucky to score. Albrighton - 9.5. Set up two goals even if one was offside, and always cutting in and out made it a long day for West Ham's fullbacks. Young- 8.5. Played great in the free role behind Carew and was constantly moving and creating space for other. Cheeky chip lob attempt too. Carew - 7. Even though his headers were poor, his strength was enough for Tomkins/Upson combined and really was unlucky not to score off the post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moose Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 I agree, Marc definitely deserved a 9 for that outing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 In terms of finishing Big John had a mare. However, on another occasion, given the same opportunities he could bag a hatful. Albrightons ability to beat his full back & put the ball on the money from either flank bodes well for the future. Ciaran Clark was awesome & Stewart Downing showed a sweet left foot. All in all this was a magnificent team performance but tougher tests lie ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b6bloke Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 Watched a football programme on sky this morning and all the people on there from the press spoke shit! MON is God, Lerner reality check, Alll down hill from here, you name it and if it was slagging us off they said it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RunRickyRun Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 Watched a football programme on sky this morning and all the people on there from the press spoke shit! MON is God, Lerner reality check, Alll down hill from here, you name it and if it was slagging us off they said it! Take the dish off the wall and chuck it in the bin. Problem solved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xliosive Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 Only thing that could make this article better would be an apostrophe in the title! Usually, this can be written off as pedantic, but here it either sounds like an afterthought about some bubbles that have burst in the past or a future tense statement about the predicament of bubbles! Ah, nothing quite like the internet after a bottle of wine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted August 20, 2010 Administrator Share Posted August 20, 2010 Only thing that could make this article better would be an apostrophe in the title! Usually, this can be written off as pedantic, but here it either sounds like an afterthought about some bubbles that have burst in the past or a future tense statement about the predicament of bubbles! Ah, nothing quite like the internet after a bottle of wine! Ah, nothing quite like demonstrating you don't know how to use apostrophes in such a public way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted August 20, 2010 Author Share Posted August 20, 2010 Marc was the MOTM and got a solid 8. Yes, Villa4Life11 & Moose I rarely give 9s but I suspect it is the starting point on how you base ratings that is most in question here as for me 6 is average, 7 good, 8 very good, 9 excellent and 10 out of this world (I don't give half points). As I have often said in the past it is all a matter of opinion and your opinions are as valid as my own thanks for giving them. Well noticed xliosive! I would like to say the title served as a grammar test that you have clearly passed or was some sensationalist reference to the late Michael Jackson's former monkey. But it was simply a schoolboy error on my part that I half noticed on read through but then failed to correct. I will stand in the corner of the classroom for the rest of the day (not for the first time I might add). :oops: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted August 20, 2010 Administrator Share Posted August 20, 2010 Unless I've missed a pun, it should not have an apostrophe. Bubbles were burst. There's no contraction or possessive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 Unless I've missed a pun, it should not have an apostrophe. Bubbles were burst. There's no contraction or possessive. My take on it too Si. We have burst many bubbles, hence bubbles burst is correct. If we had only burst one bubble, then it would have been bubble's burst. Is this not right? :? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted August 20, 2010 Administrator Share Posted August 20, 2010 Yep, because that would then be a contraction of "is". The "bubbles" refers (I assume) to the song they sing, in which it is always a plural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted August 20, 2010 Moderator Share Posted August 20, 2010 whatever happened to MJ's minkey? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xliosive Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 Unless I've missed a pun, it should not have an apostrophe. Bubbles were burst. There's no contraction or possessive. My take on it too Si. We have burst many bubbles, hence bubbles burst is correct. If we had only burst one bubble, then it would have been bubble's burst. Is this not right? :? I would have thought that the article would be referring to a single situation of the bubble bursting (singular, but applied metaphorically as a generalisation) hence saying 'bubble's burst!' as an abbrieviated colloquial way for saying 'the bubble has burst!'? To have it as a plural sounds strange as a colloquial abbrieviation alluding to many bubbles that have burst in one go, as if you were to say something like: 'Oh, the bubbles burst, ay?!' - thinking about all the bubbles that have burst in the past, or maybe: 'Look at all the bubbles that have now burst!' You surely would have to add something like 'Many' at the front for it to sit right, if this were the case? 'Many Bubbles Burst!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted August 20, 2010 Administrator Share Posted August 20, 2010 I actually think everyone is correct. It works both with and without the apostrophe. It depends on what you think "bubble" refers to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xliosive Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 true that brother...true that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted August 20, 2010 Author Share Posted August 20, 2010 I actually think everyone is correct. I am very happy to agree that both can be correct. Without the apostrophe it's a statement - the bubbles burst as a plural noun is alongside the verb 'to burst' (they burst). With the apostrophe - the bubble's burst - you get that the bubbles have burst and the apostrophe serves to show that there is a contraction omitting the have, although that's more informal than grammatical canon! Can you imagine the same level of debate taking place on a Small Heath web site? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xliosive Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 I actually think everyone is correct. I am very happy to agree that both can be correct. Without the apostrophe it's a statement - the bubbles burst as a plural noun is alongside the verb 'to burst' (they burst). With the apostrophe - the bubble's burst - you get that the bubbles have burst and the apostrophe serves to show that there is a contraction omitting the have, although that's more informal than grammatical canon! Can you imagine the same level of debate taking place on a Small Heath web site? 8) :winkold: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tismyk Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 Still burtsin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry'sboots Posted August 21, 2010 Share Posted August 21, 2010 Does the West Ham v Bolton result put our performance/result into a slightly different perspective?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts