John Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 by John Darius got his usual goal and at least he did not celebrate this one in front of the Holte and he does deserve some credit for that but in the first half we looked more like the team of last season than the team of this. So we still just cling onto fifth place. Two home games that we expected 6 points from produced just 1. Martin told us that there would be days like this and if anything came out of this game it will show Randy beyond any doubt that we do need some serious investment in future transfer windows to achieve his, Martin’s and our aims over the next few years. A team unbeaten at home meets one with only one draw to show for their away games to date this season. There can surely only be one result unless the visitors are Manchester City and the venue is Villa Park. But, City have become our nemesis, they are a team we just can’t beat. Not for the reason that Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have become such teams, but because they work, run and hustle us better than we do them and they do also enjoy the rub of the green against us as well. Oh and they have a striker who just can’t help scoring against us, who if he did the same against everyone else would be an England regular, as he was when he played for us. Oh and where were the bookings for Barton and Corradi for their excessive goal celebrations in front of away fans after their second? My player ratings from a night on which their third killed us and the game off, just when we looked capable of staging a grandstand finish are: Stuart Taylor - 6 – MOTM – Good stops to deny Vassell’s well measured and struck shot on 16 minutes and a brilliant double save in the second half denying Darius a second when blocking his effort with his legs after the first save had rebounded into his path. Olof Mellberg - 5 – Left with two men to mark for their first but found Darius more than a handful and lacks the pace if not the will to manage with fast wide men. Liam Ridgewell - 4 – Outpaced by Distin for their all important third, not at his best. Gary Cahill - 5 – The best of our defenders last night looked steadier than those around him. Wilfred Bouma – 4 – Caught out when Samaras broke through to find Barton for their second and some way below his recent level of performances until being substituted on 63 minutes in a tactical switch. Gabriel Agbonlahor - 4 – Showed his pace but little else. Gavin McCann - 6 – The best of a midfield that struggled last night. Hit a glorious well placed and hit shot from distance on 66 minutes to bring us back into the game. Stiliyan Petrov - 5 – So unlucky to see the ball bounce on the line and go out rather than go in off the bar on 44 minutes when he hit a splendid free kick, oh how we needed that one. Had another effort deflected on 54 minutes although the deflection was not big enough and the shot not well enough hit to really trouble their keeper. Gareth Barry – 5 – Usually the player in our team that stands out in a game like this when others are finding it hard, but did not last night. Unlucky to see a second half effort not find the target when he beat a player, cut inside the box and hit one that could have gave us an equalizer just before their third ended the game as a contest. Milan Baros – 4 – Did little to put pressure on Sutton for a starting place although he did lack service. Juan Pablo Angel - 4 – Hit one just over on 48 minutes but was too easily marshaled by their defence. Substitutes: Steven Davis – 5 - Replaced Bouma on 63 minutes and did not make much impression on the game in the time he had available. Up the Villa! John Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted November 30, 2006 Moderator Share Posted November 30, 2006 Sounds like Petrov was a 'positive' from that game then ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 My ratings : Stuart Taylor - 6 – started positivly when coming out for a cross , does tend to parry a lot of shots though . some good saves but I also felt maybe , just maybe he could have done better with the barton goal ?? Olof Mellberg - 5 – Vassell seems to give him the jitters and he never looked comfortable Liam Ridgewell - 4 – the worse defending i've ever seen in the Prem for the Distin goal , a night to forget for Liam Gary Cahill - 6 – This guy is going to going to be better than John Terry , does seem to look as though he finds it all to easy at times and switches off a bit , almost the same thing that Rio Ferdinand is often guilty of ..now lets move Ollie back into the middle with him and give Villa a aprtnership to conquer Europe with Wilfred Bouma – 4 – it's no secret I don't rate Bouma .. this performance showed why Gabriel Agbonlahor - 4 – gave us nothing tonight , not the lads fault , just RM doesn't really suit him Gavin McCann - 5 – wasn't in the game for the first hour , then scored and played like his early season form . Stiliyan Petrov - 5 – really want him to be a big big player for us , didn't show enough last night to suggest MON has find the right role for him yet(hint he can play RM) Gareth Barry – 5 – probably the worse I've seen him play for years Milan Baros – 4 – will be gone in the new year ..a shame as I think he could have been good for us Juan Pablo Angel - 4 – his best work as always was being done around the half way line with some nice touch play , a good link up player , but not what we need and another player who may be under threat coem Jan Substitutes: Steven Davis – 5 - briefly helped us rally until Distin made the game safe thought City played some nice slick football today.. kind of how we started the season with the ball on the deck .. last night for some reason we decided to aim it pointlessly in the air ... and watch it come straight back at us . Our brief rally where we made City look average was when we played the ball on the floor and kept possession .... a lesson to be learnt me thinks Under Ellis we would have been worried as we knew it wouldn't get any better , at the moment we are all just hoping we can stay in touch until Jan and then push on with the new signings ..let's just hope those new signings match our dreams ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob Posted November 30, 2006 Share Posted November 30, 2006 Taylor MOM?! They were all poor and I understand that he only got a 6 and still won, but he let 3 goals in at his near post! I also thought Davis did well when he came on, better than his other appearances this season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCinSpain Posted December 1, 2006 Share Posted December 1, 2006 Liam Ridgewell - 4 – the worse defending i've ever seen in the Prem for the Distin goal ,/quote] Only saw it on TV, but although it looked bad, as last defender, if he'd brought him down, wouldn't that have been an automatic red and therefore suspension. With Laursen out, we can't afford to lose another central defender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted December 3, 2006 Share Posted December 3, 2006 if he'd brought him down, wouldn't that have been an automatic red and therefore suspension. and how about if he positioned himself correctly and made a challenge and won the ball ?? it was bad becuase he decided to play the man and not the ball and then thought of the repercussions and pulled out .. great run by Distin and not having a go at Ridgewell here I just doubt you will see a worse example of defending all season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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