Credit to https://www.flickr.com/photos/graham_pride/albums/72157662420335941
A very happy new year!
It is for us Villa fans anyway.
How great was it for us to get three points today when practically everybody, myself included had written this one off a a “no chance”?
Maybe Dean Smith reads the Villa websites after all, but it wasn’t rocket science that made him go five at the back, was it?
Whatever, it worked and the defence in the first half particularly, looked much more confident.
Jack Grealish played more centrally and you can see the difference it makes.
He’s much more involved where the real action is and even managed to bring Wesley into it for a goal.
It’s taken the manager a while to realise this, but fair play, he made the changes and they worked.
That said and I’m not trying to detract from the performance, but Burnley looked a really poor side, especially in that same first half. We were beating them to all the second balls in midfield, which made a really pleasant change.
As for the goal that was ruled out for Wesley being offside, what an absolute joke.
Even BBC sport said the goal should have stood. I was reminded of Liverpool’s goal against us and it was almost identical. I said then that their goal should have been classed as good, so you can’t say it’s bias on my part.
VAR is supposed to be looking at obvious and clear errors.
That simply wasn’t one.
My hope is that they will sort this over time, but in the meantime my concern is that it’s decisions like this that can turn games and maybe even get a team relegated.
If it’s that close to call, just don’t bother with VAR, simple.
I’m tempted to brush over the second half, but basically we knew Burnley would come out all guns blazing and we looked a lot poorer, being sloppy, sitting back and nearly letting them back into the game.
The bad news is that both Wesley and Heaton have possibly suffered Anterior Cruciate Ligament injuries, which can leave a player out for many months. As a worst case, we might not even see them again this season.
But I’m sure another player had the same injury not so long back and recovered a lot quicker. I just can’t think who it was.
Regardless, we have no choice now, but to get a decent striker in and hopefully we’ll have already been planning for it.
Kodjia, who I’ve often espoused should start for us, looked horrendous today. Some say it was a lack of interest, but the commentators I listened to said he looked leggy, even though he’d only been on a few minutes.
Which makes sense, given that you’d think he might want to put himself on display for a move. He definitely didn’t look in good shape.
Ultimately, it was a decent first half against a very poor Burnley which got us three points and got us out of the relegation places.
I’m not sure how long that will last, but I’m happy to say I got it wrong in my prediction.
Up the Villa and happy new year!
Comments
89 responses to “Burnley 1 -2 Villa; Massive three points, but bad news too”
See that it’s still being reported that Stoke will let a Hogan return from his loan spell. Rather him than Kodjia leading the line – can’t possibly be any worse and if we can’t get a new striker in quickly seems eminently sensible
Nath that was exactly my point, why didn’t he. Yes fans would like myself understand it. If you ask me he’s leaving himself wide open for fans to forget he’s Villa and turn on him.Grealish got into the first team by not being a choice from managers but fans . Why is it that Villa don’t nurture our youngsters? I tell you why because frightened, as we are always struggling.
Or perhaps Smith was making a point to Purslow and the owners 🙂
It won’t be if he don’t get the service Hitch. After seeing Kodja missing some good chances I suppose it could be. Who else hey.
It seems Villa are going to recall Hogan. Think that’s a good move.
Football management has become a no win situation. The older generations amongst us probably despise the sickening amount of money which dictates decisions clubs make in relation to what team is picked. The dawn of Sky and Premier league heralded greed and a distancing between players and fans. Our time in the championship to many rekindled a memory of what football was like before 1992. The obsession with being in the premier league and chasing top 4 for further greed has killed our domestic cups. Personally I hate the way modern football has become. I will always support Villa because it’s in my blood but I don’t enjoy football in the same way I used to. Unfortunately things aren’t going to change. The big six clubs call the shots and Sky caters for their needs.
As for Wednesday, I won’t be happy if Smith ‘throws’ this game as well by picking an under strength team. Leicester might be favourites but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t give it everything. A chance to get to Wembley should be taken seriously. It’s not like our fans have anything else to look forward to this season.
Agreed
I don’t agree with throwing loads of kids in because if they don’t perform, they’re branded as poor straightaway.
It’s ok saying we might have a gem, but the managers and coaches watch them day in, day out, so surely they’d know?
I fully understand why managers won’t do it.
I see Liverpool have just played a very young side and beat Everton, but we’re in a totally different position, where we need to give as many minutes as possible to squad players.
Yes, some of them are playing poorly, but is it the setup doesn’t suit, they’re simply out of form, or are they just plain crap?
Nakamba has been slated lately, but he has played well earlier in the season.
Does that mean he’s crap, full stop?
I don’t think so, personally.
Hourihane, on the other hand, I think I know all I need to about him.
He’s invisible in open play, but gets you goals through shots and set pieces.
And that’s the extent of his game for me.
They’re just examples, as I could easily look at Jota, Luiz and Trezeguet in a similar light.
Taylor should be gone, as soon as we can get a half decent LB in to replace Targett.
The point is that Dean Smith will be asking all these questions too.
And it takes more than a few months.
All that said, I didn’t do a review yesterday, although I watched the game.
It was utter tripe from start to finish.
A really poor attendance, with weakened sides played by clubs that don’t give a toss.
It’s a recipe for disaster and it just wasn’t worth my time watching or writing about it.
It won’t be long before the FA cup is devalued down to the League cup’s level, imo.
They really ought to reinstate the old position, where the winners qualify for European competition.
Then it’s instantly worth going for again.
I think there is general agreement that the Cups have been devalued particularly the FA Cup given its long and distinguished history.
The question is why do we need two cup competitions – more if you add cup competitions specifically for the lower leagues? With complaints about the number of games (already recognised by abolishing replays in the Carabao Cup and limited to one in the FA Cup and no extra time) why isn’t the Carabao Cup just scrapped? Oh well I suppose that would mean less money!
Frankly and objectively we don’t need two cup competitions particularly if, as Badger says, European qualification is out of the window.
Maybe reverting to one FA Cup competition might rekindle some of the old magic?
Badger, there are a number of factors that have devalued the FA Cup.
1) The introduction of the Premier league.
2) Sky sports.
3) Champions league.
4) Too many games at Wembley (especially semi-finals)
5) Europa league.
6) Too many foreign players / coaches! Please don’t go politically correct on me!
If I had my way the Champions league would be scrapped and returned to a cup knockout tournament for champions ONLY!
Scrap Europa league completely.
Finals only at Wembley.
I would try to implement a minimum of English players within a squad.
Obviously none of the above will ever happen because greed means more than the history of our game.
That Holte sums it up nicely, the FA cup was at one time a cup to play for, I can remember taking two coaches to see the first game for both clubs B Ham , Villa .We would meet in any working man clubs a have a good day out win or loose.Badger I’m not saying a full squad of youngster, we must have some that could give more than some we have, how many can we name that as made it into our first team ?, 1 and that Grealish, the rest have moved on and done better in other sides.
nobody said throw loads of kids in badger. there was no harm in giving the two kids who came on a full debut and maybe another, so the front three were all familiar with each other. they would have given fulham more to worry about than el ghazi jota and kodija gave them. fans would also appreciate losing knowing we tried blooding kids instead of playing the same old dross.
we apparently wanted to lose and go out. so where was the harm in playing three kids against a championship club. they had experienced players in midfield and defence to guide them. was hardly throwing them to the lions = everybody has to get wet sometimes when you swim.
next conundrum will be Wednesday. if smith wants to win or wants to try win by not risking his better players. i for one do not rate the league cup whatever its calling itself this season. i would not pick grealish or mings for any of the legs. winning this cup means nothing, where surviving means everything.
making no headway in recruiting new strikers. god help us if kodija leads the line on Wednesday and Saturday. Glenn Murray i see has been linked. loads showing their disapproval’s. but i would much rather have him than kodija. underwhelming signing granted, but what he lacks in flamboyancy he ticks the boxes on experience and knows how to score goals and important ones.
can not see us buying a top striker, so loaning one is the only option. but then why would teams like brighton want to help villa find a striker, when they are competing with villa to stay up.
we are in a tough situation, getting a forward in with premiership experience will be impossible. getting a forward from abroad will not come cheap and then will they want to come to a club, who look like being one of the three who drop out. they will demand massive wages to counter this negative and we can not afford a striker on big wages and long contract
So if we had beaten Fulham we would be away to Citeh next round!
As for Wednesday, it looks grim on the striker front. Not hearing anything about Davis and whether he will be fit. If it’s Kodja we might be better playing a 10-0-0 and hope for a clean sheet.