Aston Villa’s second XI comfortably disposed of Bristol City last night whilst removing an unwanted statistic. 26 Consecutive away games in all competitions without a clean sheet is not something to be proud of, certainly not for a club of our standing and ambition.
I admit to being rather concerned when I saw the team being fielded by Dean Smith – eleven changes from the line up that started against Sheffield United. Where would the goals come from and Elmo at centre back? I feared an(other) embarrassing result against lower league opposition particularly given our poor record against City who had started their season with four straight wins.
I was wrong; 3-0 and it probably should have been more.
We were on our game from the start, pressing high, moving the ball quickly and within 15 minutes 2-0 up and it should have been three. Davis or El Ghazi, on the rebound, should probably have scored but fair play to their GK who kept them out. The two goals though were classy efforts – worthy of a higher stage and both from open play – a refreshing change as the majority of our recent goals have come from set pieces.
Davis’ run into the box and along the goal line – dancing around several City defenders left floundering in his wake – before perfectly putting the ball at El Ghazi’s feet was a good example of why he’s so highly rated at Villa Park. If he can add 10 goals a season to the rest of his game he will be some player.
Two minutes later and Traore scores on his debut with a sublime cushioned volley from Jacob Ramsey’s perfect cross field pass.
We continued to press throughout the half and were, perhaps, unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty when Ramsey was brought down when clean through on goal.
Second half we opted to sit back more and play on the break – whether that was a deliberate tactical change by Smith or not is open to debate – but we still created a number of good chances – not taken – until Watkins came on to score with an accurate shot into the bottom corner from a cross field ball by Trezuguet.
Elmo was excellent looking like he’d played at centre-back for years with an assured defensive display and accurate distribution going forward (is he now the ultimate utility player?) but I made Ramsey man of the match. With his darting runs from midfield, so reminiscent of Ian Taylor, and his accurate passing, at 19 he looks every bit a class act for the future and I can see him challenging for an EPL start before the end of the season. I’m not sure that sending him out on loan would be a good move.
It’s been an excellent week for our three debutants and there may still be more additions to come. First impressions are that we have added real quality to the core of a team and are building on the work done over the last twelve months. The Lyon fans, it seems. were pleased to see the back of Traore – as they were when a certain John Carew joined us – and look how that turned out.
It’s been confirmed Samatta has left the club joining Fenerbahce on a four year contract for an undisclosed fee (rumoured to be in the region of £7m}. He was the first Tanzanian player to both play and score in the Premier League having netted on his debut at Bournemouth. Its fair to say that he probably didn’t get the best of opportunities given our position and the onset of Covid but Smith has presumably decided that he’s not going to make it in the EPL.
I wish him all the best at his new club.
So onto Fulham at Craven Cottage, on Monday night, as we continue to play ‘catch up’ in the league.
We haven’t managed an away win in the EPL since Burnley on New Years Day when both Wesley and Heaton were injured, nor do we have a good record at Fulham – last winning there in January 2010. Our last trip to The Cottage ended in a 2-1 defeat in the FA Cup, earlier this year.
Fulham have started with two defeats, shipping seven goals in the process, and will be looking to improve whilst Villa are on a five game undefeated run and will want to continue that and secure another away clean sheet.
A draw would be acceptable but, if we really are going to make progress this season, then this is a game we should be winning.
Such a different side from pre Covid and another change this season……is this down to Shakespeare ?
Probably.
“That one may smile, and smile,and be a Villain” Hamlet Act 1 Sc 5.
Hard to say.
Something definitely changed defence-wise during lockdown, and to my mind Konsa has gotten better with each game and become immense – maybe it’s just the ‘confidence thing’, especially now we seem to have a top-class keeper ?
I think Shakespeare has got something to do with the way villa seem to attack with faster release of the ball plus Watkins with his movements making space for others.
I also noticed that villa got more players into the box tonight midfielder’s getting up in support more. That must be Shakespeare.
Long may it continue utv
Love the Shakespeare connection – very clever 🙂
Last 8 games
W6 D2 L0
5 clean sheets in last 8 games
Whats gone wrong? 🙂
UTV
I’ll probably get slated for this but IMO Trezeguet is a vital part of our team. I appreciate that his football ability is limited but I’ve always loved ‘a grafter’ in our famous C and B shirt. Alex Cropley, Des Bremner, Frank Carrodus, Dennis Mortimer spring to mind.
Great effort by Trezeguet and the team last night. The only player who concerns me at the moment is Targett.
2 games, 4 scored and 0 conceded. Its a joy to wake up and see the League Table this morning!
P.S…as someone posted earlier I’m sure that Shakespeare’s coaching has been instrumental in our good start to the season. Because of that I think we might have the new Vardy in Ollie Watkins.
UTV
**** null and void the season now and we are in the CL****
Targett hasn’t got enough competition for his place.
Much as I appreciate what Neil Taylor’s done during his time at Villa, I think we really need an upgrade at left-back – if nothing else than to keep Targett on his feet.
You won’t get slated by me Charlie.
I like the bloke and feel he certainly has more to contribute than some.
Oh Charlie, can you confirm that your posts are working ok now and they don’t still go into moderation?
General question;
Tbh, I know Craig Shakespeare is massively popular because he’s a Villa fan, but I don’t have a clue what he actually brings to us.
I assume it’s good coaching, but what exactly is the evidence for this?
“B’ham Live” had a good piece on Shakespeare earlier today, but I can’t fnd it at the moment. It seems he ‘drills’ the troops before kick-off, and seems to be a bit of a disciplinarian.
Yes Badger. Posts getting through ok now. Thank you
Shakespeare was ‘very’ instrumental in Leicester winning the title. Hence why I mentioned him in the sentence about Vardy and Watkins. In short, he got the Leicester team playing a system that best suited Vardy. I believe we are trying the same with Watkins (in some games), especially the ‘winnable’ ones! Just my opinion of course!
i have been really busy i even missed the first two goals and most of first half. but i have watched it all back in its entirely. i thought it was a professional job by us and the first two games had to be 3 points cause i believe they both are in real danger this season. both sheff utd and fulham are below the premiership standards. its hard on utd but they have inferior players last year they massively over achieved. but the surprise element has gone so i expect them down. fulham play decent stuff but as we found out last season where it matters in this league is up front and in your own box, fulham can not defend or score enough to cancel the goals they concede.
take a breathe, as for Shakespeare he is not the reason we are better or the sole reason. villa have found the formula during the lock down. the penny dropped as they say. before that we were very unlucky in lots of games. injuries totally ruined us. but the lock down came and they got togther and worked out why we made mistakes.
having survived and the arrival of Shakespeare, along with new players plus the players from last season have now learned their lessons. this all stands us in very good shape for this season. but lets keep our feet on the ground we only beaten two teams that are gonna be in and around the relegation.
the team is so hungry to prove they are good enough and i like this and our new found mentality to win, liverpool next in league will be a much sterner test. but we will never be more confident as we are now. we are in great shape
Didn’t Shakespeare have a go in the hot seat when Ranieri was unceremoniously dumped and didn’t do very well.
Some will always be greats number twos, like Mike Phelan and that’s no insult! It sounds like he’s doing a great job!
yeah he was caretaker for a foxes. not sure how it went. but no doubt he is a fine coach and he will add to our backroom. i like to think they all add something. bigger fish to fry for us before we can single one of the coaches for a knighthood.
i also believe we are handling the situation of no fans better than other clubs. personally i hate this b/s ko times. they do not give fans enough time to get home and settle down, 5 45 ko is silly why can we not all kick off sat same time
The Villa-Fulham game was moved back to 17:45 so that the L’pool-Arse game could also be moved back – idea was that the latter game had to finish before the 10:00 pm pub-closing curfew..
Football with no fans really won’t survive very long, even with the PL clubs getting TV money; lower leagues (inc. Championship) are already hanging by a thread.
Barkley signed on season long loan!!!
Comically, and i do like Darren Bent, but he suggested that if Barkley came in, McGinn would have to go out on loan! What has that boy been smoking????
Let’s see whether he has the appetite – or turns into another Danny Drinkwater.
I hope he’ll show us what he can do, and as others said earlier, provide a bit of mean, hard edge to a team that’s often been too ‘nice’…
Might provide creative relief for Jack too…We can’t rely on the lad all season long…
Good move that Bum Bum, I hope it don’t spoil our players by sending out on loan, Mcginn is one of our top players and should be kept happy at Villa.
No way is McGinn going anywhere!
Darren Bent has obviously spent too long in self-isolation.
So we sign Barkley – excellent move – and then send McGinn out on loan! How does that improve the side, particularly after McGinn’s performance Monday evening. I’m assuming though, that we’ve promised him game time to persuade him to move.
Think Barkley will come in for Hourihane initially but he will challenge our midfielders which is what we need. As Badger said on Monday, at the moment the side pretty well picks itself.
I think comparing Barkley with Drinkwater is misplaced – world of difference between them
Agree that Hourihane is likely to be the one to make way for him – it’s not going to be McGinn or Luiz.
I was kidding about Drinkwater (well, sort-of) but I’m always a bit wary of players who were once ‘the next big thing’ and then end-up being loaned-out to clubs who they wouldn’t have thought about joining just a couple of years earlier.
Hope I’m proved wrong!!
Why would we send Mcginn out on loan?
Midfield 3 will be Luiz, Mcginn and Barkley, strong, Barkley has it all in his locker, good signing.
Just wonder how much the JT – Chelsea connection helped with persuading Barkley to join us – like getting Abraham a couple of seasons ago?
This is turning out to be an excellent window.
Is there still a left winger to come in?
I know I’m being greedy but a top LW would give us real options, allowIng Jack to play more centrally.
UTV
Would prefer a new LB
Blimey, I never saw that one coming off.
Barkley is a great signing.
I’ve said that we needed some competition in midfield but didn’t expect us to get someone of his calibre.
He has the lot; decent enough pace, power, strength and workrate to match McGinn, but also has guile, meaning he could step in for Jack too.
Hourihane is now defintely the weak link, in open play at least, but I now suspect he’ll be kept.
The only concern about Barkley is the fact that he’s never pushed on since his Everton days.
But he’s still a very decent player.
Given that Jack and McGinn are guaranteed starters, you have to wonder what Smith has promised him?
No doubt money will have helped, but the lad strikes me as the sort who’d definitely want to play.
That’s not my worry though and I’m well happy, as we now have a very decent, competitive midfield, imo.
If we can get a decent left back in I think that would be as close to a perfect window as I could have dared to expect.
A few days ago when Barkley was first linked to Villa, I saw a report somewhere that one of the ‘potential stumbling blocks’ was that he was apparently on over £120k/week at Chelsea, and that they were expecting anyone taking him to pay that in full.
Given that we’vew only recently supposedly put Grealish on ‘over £100k’, I do wonder who’s paying Barkley how much – and what that might do to Villa’s wage structure?
If that’s true Ardent, I think Villa could ‘sell it’ to other players on the basis that it’s a loan deal. I realise it’s being creative but, actually, Villa are paying Chelsea wages not Villa wages.
Alternatively Villa may be paying a higher loan fee with Chelsea picking up part of Barkley’s wages. That would probably make more more sense from an FFP perspective.
Whatever – this signing shows a level of quality intent we haven’t seen since a certain Irishman became manager!
Barkley has said that JG played a (big) part in convincing to come to Villa and Dean Smith also sold the club to him.
Was it you Badger, who said that keeping Jack was vital in attracting better quality players to the club?
Prem take note ‘we’re back’
We are.
At the moment I’d think we’ve put some real fear into the likes of Newcastle, West Ham, Burnley, Brighton – even Wolves on their present form.
Now let’s see if we can also do it to the “Sky 6″…
I can’t remember if I said we needed to keep Jack to attract other players, but it’s certainly a view I agree with.
As for the wage structure, that’s been totally smashed to pieces.
I suspect that’s one of the lessons that was learned from last season; you cannot compete in the Prem with wages peaking at around £65k a week.
We are definitely back.
We’re paying reasonably competitive wages and we’ve seen the results of it in this window.
It’s great, isn’t it? 🙂
My thought that Shakespeare could be having an influence was because all of a sudden our tempo has gone up and also we are becoming a bit “nastier”……but I dont want us to be another Leeds in that respect as I want my club to be a fair one……a reason why I soon went off Ashley Young….hate cheating.
Just told my grandson the good news and he’s over the moon, what a mark change from last season’s nail biting games, yes we are back and even the media are taking note that Villa is and always be the top team in the Midlands, bring it on you Londoners and northen teams who’s laughing now.Must get my passport renewal done and soon.