Rating and Reactions: Villa 2-1 West Ham

[Nigel]

Its lucky that Weimann didn't score that early chance, there is no way we would have held out for 85 minutes!

[Richard]

3points , enough said

[Villamad08]

anyone got a gif of either of the goals or guzans celebration

[Daniel]

Its lucky that Weimann didn't score that early chance, there is no way we would have held out for 85 minutes!

 

Was thinking the same. Would the game have turn out different if we scored that chance?

[R.I.C.O.]

Thank you god (and the crossbar)

 

That is all.

[chappy]

I'm nearly crying.

 

I almost did too after the game. Was still shaking for ages! Haven't felt that relief after a final whistle in absolutely ages, possibly the Fulham home game last year.

 

 

N'Zogbia won us the game by winning the pen and scoring the free kick (can't remember the last time we scored from a direct free kick?) and worked hard, always an outlet so he is my MOTM. 

 

Guzan, Clark and Baker all had great games at the back. This should be the back five for the rest of the season IMO.

 

Bowery made sense because of his extra height for defending set pieces and to be fair to him I thought he looked alright just nervous with a few heavy touches which is understandable really. We showed that we can play a 4-4-2 when Bent came on and he looked really up for it which was good. 

 

In a strange way it might have been a more stressful afternoon had Weimann buried that golden chance in the second minute.

 

Dawkins looked pretty good when he came on, I would like to see more of him off the bench.

 

Delph and Westwood is our best midfield pairing IMO, Delp was brilliant today.

 

3 huge points, onwards and upwards UTV.

[Milfner]

[NurembergVillan]

So without Bannan we've scored 5 goals in 2 games, come bloody close to winning both of them and look like we're playing 11 v 11.

 

Interesting...

[Villamad08]

you sir are a diamond

[VillanousOne]

Amused by fat Sam claiming they played well and deserved something from the game! I think he must have been watching a different match!

[VillaForever1970]

I'd give Clark motm.

The bloke has had some kickings this season, game after game of having his pants pulled down.

Today he was in the right place at the right time more than once and hopefully give him the world of confidence.

Well played.

Edited February 10, 2013 by VillaForever1970

[Gompedyret]

[AvfcTheObsession]

Massive win. Could feel the relief at the end of the game after that 3 points!

CNZ played with the flair we needed in that final third, and we had him to thank for both goals.

Delph was very energetic in the middle, looked to drive us forward.

Preferred the backline with the extra physical presence of Baker at LB.

Bowery looked lost out on the right, bit tough on someone who was playing league 2 last season to be thrown in for his first start out of position.

Need to kick on now in the run-in, vital 12 games ahead and this gives us hope. It will still be very tough, only have to look at our next 2 fixtures - Arsenal away and Man City at VP, to see that.

[OutByEaster?]

Guzan- 8 - when we needed a big character we got one - generally solid and excellent at the end.

 

Lowton - 6 - Fairly solid - no big rights, but more importantly, no big wrongs.

 

Vlaar - 7 - I thought he was very good today, he battled away with the dinosaurs and more than held his own.

 

Clark - 6 - Did a decent job against Carroll and Nolan.

 

Baker - 7 - Out of position but suited to this game, he added something in the middle and took the fight to them.

 

Westwood - 5 - Slightly off the pace, but reasonable enough.

 

Delph - 8 - MotM for me - he's gone from being the big question mark to becoming our best central midfielder - I've been wondering if it's him progressing or us getting worse and wasn't sure, but I heard someone on the way out of the ground mention that he no longer follows a poor touch with a lunge - and that's true - it's a small difference that makes a big difference, he's not dragging a yellow card around for an hour or finding himself out of the game and on the deck - he was fab today, masses of energy and plenty of positive contributions.

 

Weimann - 6 - terrible miss, tried hard to get over it and gets a little bit of sympathy for being moved from the right hand side to the left hand side to cover for Gabby.

 

Bowery - 6 - Looks promising, and worked hard down the right - it'd be interesting to see him in the middle - he needs to just quicken up his thinking, you can sometimes see him deciding what he's about to do instead of doing it - if he does that, he can really push on.

 

N'Zogbia - 7 - good free kick, worked hard and buzzed around - as a team we sometimes don't look like we've got much movement off the ball which can make us easy to defend - N'Zogbia gives us the ability to move defences around and take the ball into odd places - if he doesn't always know where he's going, you can be sure defences don't too.

 

Benteke - 6 - quiet really, but he won more than his share of flick ons and gives everyone else an easy ball - he takes the pressure of the rest of the team and he's got just a little bit of a cool head on him from 12 yards.

 

subs.

 

Bowery getting tired meant a change of formation, so bringing on Bent and Dawkins for the two wide men and going with two up top wasn't a bad idea I thought. Bent kept the defence distracted and Dawkins added a little energy. Both can have a six. Sylla wasn't really on long enough.

 

West Ham looked short of ideas, Carroll's first half dive was laughable, Nolan is vile and I wish we had one, I thought Demel was very good down the right for them.

 

Ref was meh.

 

Crowd was okay.

 

Weather was shite.

 

Three points was **** marvellous.

[AValon]

Former Aston Villa defender Paul McGrath on Twitter:

"Brilliant win for Villa, onwards and upwards now."

 

 

GOD has spoken!

 

 

Clark looked much more in control, possibly his best game for ages. Good penalty and a well deserved goal for N'Zogbia.

 

Dawkins looks as though he could ave a few moves as well.

 

Onwards and upwards......as the great man says.

[tarjei]

Interesting to see a fair few players getting mentioned for MOM. That's a good thing! I picked N'Zogbia, purly for the fact that he got us the win, but thought there were plenty of others that impressed and had a good game.

I imagine the atmosphere after the game was great and the players were relieved. Anyone who was there that care to tell about it?

Edited February 10, 2013 by tarjei

[leevilla]

Massive 3 points,lets put a run together now

[CI]

Just back from Villa Park. My nerves are totally shot, those last few minutes were excruciating

Hopefully we can kick on now. My MoM is Charlie, pen assist and a wonder goal.

[Stevo985]

Amused by fat Sam claiming they played well and deserved something from the game! I think he must have been watching a different match!

 

Said we created "absolutely nothing" in front of goal first half.

 

He must have still been tipping coffee down his fat mullerrice face when Weimann missed a sitter.

[Morley_crosses_to_Withe]

Thank **** for that. I was expecting a loss, but I'm so happy to be wrong. Fair play to Zog, Brad, Clark, Baker and Delph. Well done to the others and Benty...good defending on the post, son.