Ratings and Reactions: Villa 4-1 Blackburn

[SilverPeacock]

None of our strikers over the last several years would have been in the positions Bent was in to "mess up". I thought he did ok, probably should have scored but I really wouldn't critisize the performance. I also think part of the problem is Ashley Young isn't a great passer of the ball making it hard for them to link up at times - tends to hit the ball too hard/inaccurately. Great performance otherwise from Young.

Very good team performance, we never would have kept the ball that well under our previous manager. Blackburn were poor but I wouldn't want to take away credit for what is becoming a good footballing side.

[Dodgyknees]

Clean sheet!

[NottingVilla]

I think Capello must have a season ticket at VP and be a secret fan because he always seems to be there at every home match !!

[Rich_D]

Just back from the game. Quality match especially second half. I'm not sure but am I the only one thinking we may need a little more than that against Man city next week. Also im thinking Young may have only played at the top of his game because Capello was in the crowd.

He probably didn't even know.

That was not Capello's first game watching Young though yet it was his stand out performance of the season so they do not add up.

I think it helped that the players were rested and look to have a very very good understand of each other now

[markavfc40]

Just back. Great second half best I've seen in a long time. Blackburn were shit but we can only take care of what we do and did everything very well today.

Everyone played well but stand out performers were Ash, Walker and Pires. Crap attendance with only 34k and Blackburn must have brought one of the smallest away followings I've seen in a while with only around 300. Not a bad atmosphere though although far too many songs about Sha for my liking.

[Shoody]

Just got back

I think people moaning about Bent didn't realise just how hard Ashley was hitting those balls. Every time Bent made the right run was in a great position, Young was also always in the right position, making the right balls but it was always just that bit too far ahead of Bent. Bent very unlucky not to score when Robinson took it from his toes and also when the ball got tangled in his + their defenders legs.. Unlucky but feel he'd have put Heskeys chance away.

Walker looked superb was never near him to see him defensively, but 2nd half coming forward I was right next to him and he looked brilliant.

Albrighton - okay, good spells took a few shots where he should have passed but if he's gunna try, id ratehr her tried at 3-0 up i guess. It will come in time.

Fantastic performance as a team, passing was brilliant, hopefully the start of a corner turn.

BUT. when we conceded, it looked to be falling apart straight away, they instantly had a few chances and could have got to 3-2 and would have been very nervy, defence seemed to lose confidence pretty quick. Once our 4th went in we were comfortable (yes only few minutes inbetween but think it would have been horrible 10 minutes if we hadn't got the 4th.)

Great performance, defence needs to keep working hard and not drop their heads too quickly.

[foreveryoung]

I think Capello must have a season ticket at VP and be a secret fan because he always seems to be there at every home match !!

Its blatently cause were one of the only teams in the premier league with the majority of English players no doubt.

[andymac12345]

Get in! Finally something to cheer about as a Villa fan!

We have a good run of games coming up now and with the league table looking a lot more healthy (position-wise) there's no reason why we can't sneak into that Europa League spot.

UTV!

[DamsonwoodVillan]

Thought Young, Albrighton and Downing really showed some class in the second half. I was totally bemused by the team selection but turned out to be a great switch by GH.

Supposing we go with the same team against Bolton I guess Collins, L Young, Cuellar, Bannan, Heskey and Agbonlahor will be nice and fresh and up for a big match on Wednesday. Its just nice to change the team around and win.. I've now said that twice after a Blackburn match in a matter of weeks.

I really hope certain people are right in these somewhat tentative claims that we are becoming a good footballing side. I felt sorry for Friedel and the defence today because I felt they all did well and didnt deserve to lose the clean sheet to a really fluky looped goal like that.

Putting a level headed look on it Blackburn let us play today, like they did in the cup, whereas Fulham and Blackpool didn't allow us to. Owen Coyle's Bolton will no way stand off and be that vulnerable to the counter attack as Blackburn were today. We need to develop a formula for those awkward tight teams we never seem to beat.

[carlitobrigante]

wow, just got back, what a second half!

We started and ended the first half well, the bit in the middle was pretty shoddy...

it was like a different team in the second half..the passing and movement was sublime.

Walker is going to be Englands right back for the next 10 years. Utterly superb.

To see Pires (one of my all time fave players) re-producing his Arsenal form in a Villa shirt was pure joy to me.

Delph filling in at LB and looking completely composed and confident was great to see. In Delph, Downing, Walker, Albrighton and Ash we have 5 players all skilled and confident with the ball when running at players at speed. When it clicks like it did today it can deadly.

Massive credit to Houllier. So many big calls today he got right, Delph in at LB to cover Bakers injury was bold. Leaving Petrov and Gabby aswell was unexpected.

I know Blackburn were very poor, but i cant help feeling that today was us turning a big corner. Im sold now on what Houllier is trying to do with the team, and willing to be patient while he does his thing.

We only need more fans turning out to the games now for things to be looking really positive again.

[HolteEndRob]

That's more like it Villa!

I must admit though, when I heard the starting line up with Pires playing I wasn't to pleased. Very frustrating 1st half although we were very comfortable. Should have definitely had a penalty and scored a couple. At half time I was thinking here we go again, more dropped points. 2nd half though we were brilliant. Yes Blackburn were poor but some of our football in the 2nd half was quality. I was abit disappointed that Petrov came on instead of Bradley though. Would have been a perfect opportunity for Bradley to come on as the game was already won. I just hope that we can build on this result now and hopefully start to move up the table. Next league game is Bolton away which will be a tough game but one where we should get at least a point really.

[wedge]

Brilliant, you can really start to see the way that GH wants us to play now, we played some awesome football today and the lads looked full of confidence. Delph was superb at LB although it was a shame that Baker had to go off, Pires, Ash and NRC were fantastic closely followed by Albrighton, Downing and Walker, hopefully that will give us confidence for the two massive games we have next week. UTV!

[rjw63]

First half was cack.

Second half was excellent.

Pires was quality.

And a big thumbs up to Paul Robinson, who reacted rather well to the stick I was giving him and had a laugh with us :-)

[barry'sboots]

Friedel - 6 - was he playing. Made one decent save which got Clark, I think, out of jail.

Walker - 7 - good performance but not really tested defensively

Dunne - 7 - looked better on the right and was winning headers in the opposition box so easily

Clark - 6 - did reasonably well but struggles against a real no. 9 and needs a big partner alongside IMO

Baker - 6 - did well enough until injured

Delph - 7 - fantastic job as a stand in left back. Can't wait to see him in CM again and not alongside Petrov!

NRC - 7.5 - everywhere today and played really well as the only defensive minded midfielder. Showed why he just has to be in front of Stan now and we have to get a new contract for him.

Albrighton - 5 first half/7 second half - struggled initially but hasn't had much game time of late. Looked much better H2 up against Salgado, who makes Pires look quick.

Pires - 7 - very good today and drew a couple of bookings. Still would have preferred to see Bradley start and Pires coming on for the last 20-25.

Young - 7 - played well but I would still prefer to see him out on the wing. He hasn't got the game to play in the hole and overhit through balls to Benty several times

Downing - 8.5 - Great today. He is a real footballer and showed how a wide player can work with a proper full back when they have played together and developed an understanding

Bant - 6 - worked hard but was not his usual ruthful self today

Subs - Delph above. Heskey looked sharp when he replaced Bent. Petrov showed why he has dropped right down the pecking order and I am hoping that Galatasary's interest is real.

Ged did okay but I think it was as much to do with Blackburn's poor selection. I thought the last 20 minutes today was the ideal chance to see a bit of Bradley. He has only got 10 games left to see if he can have an impact at this level and whether he is worth signing and if Ged doesn't give him a chance today when will he?

[The_Rev]

Just got back. Cant believe some of the abuse Darren Bent is getting in this thread, he played very well today and was let down by a few poor balls from Ash (there were a lot of overhit passes today) and a couple of bad bounces and a great save from Robinson when he scooped the ball away from his toe. Its just refreshing to see a striker move about as much as DB does, he is constantly giving the centre half something to think about and I dont think we have had that since the Dion Dublin of 1998/99.

Blackburn were a bit like their fans in that they didnt really bother turning up. They pressed like maniacs for the first half hour then ran out of steam and ideas, thankfully we had it in us to punish them for their lack of ambition. Pires looked way off the pace for 20 minutes, there were so many times where he turned and tried to beat a player, which he would have done with ease in his Arsenal days but he just doesnt have the pace any more. He does know how to pick a pass though and he was superb when afforded the space he got in the second half. I still dont think he is first choice when Makoun comes back though.

I thought Ash, Downing and Albrighton were fantastic today. Kyle Walker had another very good game (I cant see Spurs selling a player of his ability, sadly) and Delph played some delightful passes when he came on. A shame we didnt keep a clean sheet, but it speaks volumes that they needed a wicked deflection to make any kind of threat on our goal.

[Shoody]

Also, the attendance today was not too bad [34,500] considering only 15 Blackburn fans turned up

[brummybloke]

first half we were average at best, yet again playing players in thei wrong positions

second half we kept the ball far more, i think playing delph at left back made us far better as 3 out of the back 4 were able to play the ball out confidently to villa players.

first half everyone gets a 6 at best

second half everyone gets an 8 bar pires, he gets a 9 as he was good in both halves ( walker was as well but it was not expected of pires)

today downing scored despite being on the wrong side , i didnt see youngs second goal but albrightons cross was from a corner so that one wasnt because he was a left winger today, it is becasue he took up the position he always takes up at the far post.

youngs penalty win was equally down to walker as it was young, they both played their part in the penalty.

there was some great football to watch from a illa point of view in the second half, there are a few negatives which is not a bad thing, it is constuctive critisism

although downing scored a lovely goal today and was less negative, he should NOT be on the right, how many crosses again did he put in today , i cant think of any that were not dead ball situations.

albrighton, how many times did he get down the line but then have to move inside or check back because he didnt want to try with his weaker foot? i remember 6 or 7 times.

well if downing and albrighton were on their proper sides BOTH would have played the ball in many times.

i cant comment on young becuase most of our team were poor in the first half and i missed the last couple minutes but i did notice hom dropping back a lot more to pick the ball up.

and one last negative thing is blackburn were very shit today, i mean really very very shit.

yes the way we kept the ball and moved it around made them look worse but that was the weekest opponents since west ham on the opening day.

i would like to see delph at left back in our next game and also clarke in the middle, we looked very good bringing the ball out today, again it may be becasue they were shit but unless we try it against a couple other teams we wont know.

ashley cole is not the greatest at defending but decent defending mixed with good passing and good attacking skills mak him a very good player. hopefully delph can be that player at left back for us. it would solve a big problem of having lots of midfielders and not many fullbacks.

overall, a win is a win so im happy, the way we played in the second half was very pleasing, it would have been icing on the cake had benty popped a couple in, he should really have got a couple today. im not too concerned, i just dont want his confidence to dip.

i still think he can get another 7 or 8 goals before the end of the season, especially if young lets him take a penalty.

[Gingerlad]

Apparently Stan refused captains armband when offered by Ash when he came on according to Skysports..

He did, I saw this.

[Demitri_C]

pires, ash young, downing and walker were outstanding, tahst what we are about. forget our position today wa sthe real villa and finally we are seeing signs of what we can achieve once we have a squad and play with confidence

well done lads keep it up. up the villa

[maqroll]

Finally a game (or at least a second half) to watch without any stress

Great goals from Young and Downing, another top job from Walker, who I'll be very sad to see go, Pires looked stuck in molasses, but his brain is still quick, and you could see his quality of movement and vision. I would have liked Bradley to come on instead of Petrov or Heskey.

Massive three points, and looking at the rest of the schedule, I can't remember a stretch of games to end a season that all but one look winnable.

UTV