Well maybe not but four goals in as many games, spectacular shooting and showing his free kick abilities has certainly caught the eye. But not just that, his all round contribution has shifted to a new level.
I’ve always believed that El Ghazi has the ability to become a very good player but perhaps lacked the physical and mental strength to realise it. Some of the credit must go to Smith and the coaching staff, not least because of the way they encourage the players to express themselves and the way the team is set up to best utilise individual skills.
A great team performance and for me Watkins was MoM. His speed, and non stop intelligent running, had the Palace defence in disarray even when we went down to 10 men. Disappointed for him that he wasn’t able to top his all round display with a goal – but they will come – and at £28m, he’s starting to look like a real bargain.
Mings might count himself a little unlucky with the first yellow but he seemed ‘out of sorts’ making one or two unforced errors and appeared to allow Zaha to unsettle him.
Can’t help feeling for Traore, being substituted following Mings dismissal, when he was playing his best football since joining us – even scoring with his right foot – showing why we spent £17m to acquire his services. However, Smith clearly made the right call.
Three tough games to come, Chelsea and United away followed by a home FA Cup tie against Liverpool (who have still only lost once this season!).
Chelsea were pretty poor against Arsenal and I can’t see them playing that badly again on Monday, although they have lost three of their last four following a 17 game unbeaten run. Our recent record against Chelsea, home and away, is dismal. Chelsea have won 10 of their last 11 games against us including the last six in a row; our last win at Stamford Bridge came in December 2011 which is our only away success in this fixture in the last 18 years.
We’ll be without Mings and Barkley (who is ‘loan tied’) but Konsa looked a class act when he came on in yesterdays forced reshuffle and Hause is proving himself to be a reliable defender. What Mings does is organise the defence well and is known to be very vocal; something we have missed in the past so it will require others to step in. I see Martinez role as being crucial here.
It remains to be seen how big a miss Mings will be and might just be the difference between getting something from the game and coming away empty handed – again.
As we approach the notoriously difficult January transfer window, the old Grealish stories have been dusted off and lazily fill several column inches. It’s plainly obvious that Grealish is going nowhere in January – even if he wanted to leave (which I very much doubt) no one could afford him!
Kalinic leaves on loan to Hajduk Split on 18th January (when the Polish transfer window opens) and there maybe one or two other outgoings. A question mark must hang over Hourihane’s future at the club and it wouldn’t surprise me if he went out on loan; he will have plenty of suitors in the Championship. Similarly will Guilbert go on loan to a French club having (I believe) turned down a loan move in the summer. Elmo, Neil Taylor and Lansbury’s contracts are up at the end of the season and can talk to clubs in January; I really can’t see any of getting extensions although we are light at left back and Taylor is reputed to have a positive influence in the dressing room.
I really can’t see us doing much business in terms of bringing players in, preferring to concentrate our resources on bringing in new recruits in the summer. Having said that, if Wesley is going to be out for much of the season, which looks increasingly likely, then we may try to bring in striker to help Watkins. I suspect, however, that quite a number of Villa fans are hoping to see Louie Barry promoted to the first team squad!
No doubt there will also be interest in Ross Barkley’s future particularly given the rumours that he is not in Lampard’s plans – but we’ll have to wait until the summer on that one.
It’s been an excellent Christmas bringing cheer to all Villa fans in a horrible year; long may it continue.
nowt in the game, they had two chances before they scored and nothing else. we started and finished well, but not many chances if any clear cut ones. but it was never gonna be 100% full throttle for the entire 90 minutes. we will get chances second half and we need too covert them. next goal is vital we get it and we will win like my prediction. chelsea get it and loads of told you so will get posted up and down on the line
Promise not to say ‘told you so’ Nath but we’re not really creating anything and we look a little leggy. Watkins is totally isolated and Grealish has not really got into the game.
Traore has stopped tracking back and covering Cash which gave Chilwell a free cross.
Not sure what options Smith really has.
they played two days ago with a man less you and i would be legless if we had too do that. the first half was none event. they created nothing too. villa moved the game to 45 minutes they will step it up second half.
traore has linked up well with luiz, yeah i saw he tracked back well but for their goal he switched off and allowed chilwell to a free cross
fingers crossed we score next and keep the good form going
Notification sent to me from daily rag Hitch, then I looked on News now to see it again, it’s not beyond happening as we all know how that Russian is, loosing this from the wide players. They are spreading that ball out to the wing every time . I’m resigned to say we won’t get a result from this game we have 3 players on the last yellow card and won’t play at the Trafford if booked. Sorry to say lads.
YEEESSSSS!!!!!
El Ronaldo again 🙂
Offside!!!! Phew!!!
Shut my mouth ,
Has anyone else got the commentary on Amazon just ahead of the pictures?
Good point
chelsea 1 villa 1 well earned draw, nothing much between the sides. this game came one day too soon another day rest and we would have beaten them. grealish was fooked all our side got more leggy. but chelsea did not dominate us and we deserved a draw at least.
chilwell trying a marco van baston i nearly choked on my munchies. we hopefully will recover more for the utd game
5th place and 2 games in hand , yipppeee
Very happy with that. Players put in a shift and McGinn, ah if only what a goal that would have been to cape an outstanding performance.
That’s a point I would not have had us securing at the start of the season.
UTV
Hitch just been mentioned about Lampard and a replacement, It’s only might at the minute.
Ah, thanks Bill for all the info. The plot thickens!
I’m no Lampard fan but it’s ridiculous how owners constantly change managers and expect them to be an instant success – however success is measured?
Well agreed all, a good point and up to 5th as Bill says.
Happy New Year to you all and see you back here for the ManU game!
P.s. Nothing to fault from our performance yet again. Well done all.
Brilliant result again happy new year everyone woo hoo
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2805246103049512&id=500950080018066
Well worth watching lads ..
Decent point that. We worked hard against a team with some very good players who performed better than their last few games. Watkins was a bit isolated most of the game which was a shame.
We didn’t look overawed so that was nice to see. Onwards and upwards.
Now Jack is faking fouls after he has put a team mate through to lay on a goal………thank you Beglin for that insight.
Beglin was in the minority of one though; all the pundits disagreed with him, as did their tame ref. They were also critical of Christianson (sic) not getting up and on with the game.
Lampard didn’t mention it preferring to claim a hand ball in the build up!
I see the comment over Lampards job still going on. Now said the owner told Lampard after the Villa match his job in jeopardy.
Bill, PSG have sacked Tuchel and are rumoured to be lining up Poch. There may well be something in the Lampard sacking rumours.
It seems that some owners, like Abramovich, prefer to employ the biggest names rather than give young managers a real chance.
We seem to be lucky with owners that understand how to develop successful sports businesses through building a firm, sustainable base using a blend of experience and young talent and backed with the necessary funds.
After years of heart break, long may it continue at our beloved club.
UTV
finally we can be proud of our club again. new owners that do not mess around making statements about not making statements. manager that plays aggressively but equally sound defensively. has all the players knowing their jobs throughout the squad, so when they have to fill in for a injury or suspension they know the role inside and out.
if we were to recruit during this window the quality of player would be high, cause of the way we are be run,this will attract top class players wanting to be apart of something special.
chelsea yesterday swapped a good portion of their team, freshened it up not with box standard players but world class players. even bringing on substitutes two valuing over 200 million. but that was the only advantage they had villa matched them on field and if we had more time to recover properly between games. we would have stolen this game too.
next game is so important to me, i hope we can take our form to old trafford. beating man utd is only half the goal i want us to go there and humiliate um. it can be done they are not the force of old thou they have improved lately. we still are much better settled we have more about us as a team that is our strength. man utd and chelsea last night are better individuals but collectively we are stronger.
p/s man utd always find a way to beat us and cheat us last season we should have beaten them. its like a broken record with my associates lol they always take the piss about the comebacks and just once i want them to eat humble pie dished up by villa
Nath, more often than not they have the man in the middle to help them, problem now is VAR, that’s gone against us many times, Your right, Man Utd are not the team they was and we are improving every minute we play, I like yourself would ideally like us to bring them down a peg or two, I had Bein Sports on for Chelsea guess what!! the commentators we’re Chelsea supporters in their assumption of the game, I wanted to kick the tv up into the air, that’s our problem now, im glad to say Alan Shearer on our side and speaks the way he seen the game plus speaks highly of Aston Villa. VTID.
correct bill referees have aided utd in past.like not sending off vidic in cup final for blatantly bringing down gabby. excuse it was too early too send him off. they gave us a pen which we scored from, but the full letter of the law did not punish them properly. then you got fergie and his physiological hold over refs and reporters, they had too many advantages who remembers the game under houllier the 2 2 draw. we were magnificent that day with kids and some how blew the result. this Houdini act has to end some day next game is the time to end it with style
the commentary i had for chelsea game. i had a bet with mate that they would mention grealish falling to easy in first 5 minutes and they mentioned it on 1 min 30 seconds. the commentaries read from same scripts, they have stuff like grealish falling down to say villa bad record against todays opponents they love to keep throwing stuff in that will annoy you. you watch next villa game at utd . they will mention grealish falling over and our poor record at old trafford since the stone age. both or at least one will be said in first 5 mins
Nath / Bill – I felt the Amazon Prime commentary was more about Chelsea than Villa but then we’re probably sensitive.
No one believed Leicester could win the Prem; I remember everyone just waiting for them to fail. Not saying we’re going to win the Prem but it’s a similar story – after last seasons ‘lucky’ escape they can’t quite believe how good we are.
Hats off to Smith, JT, Shakespeare and our owners. Looking forward to seeing the real influence of Lange in the next two windows.
hitch i am so happy for smith and his backroom team. there was talk before this season whether we should change manager again. so glad the owners kept faith. finally we will benefit from being a settled club. too often clubs change for change sake. watford being one that changes to often and it will not end well for them.
smith has a dream and where he wants to take us and that can not be achieved in one season or two. this season has gone much better than even the optimistic fans dreams. i could see us finishing 9 to 15 that was the best i saw. basically would have been happy finish above what we did last seaosn. but each year we finish in the premiership we will increase the squad depth and quality. smith has some how fast track this process just like getting promotion with a squad not his own. so i totally agree hitch i raise a glass of bubbly to smith and his backroom staff.players ans defiantly the owners.we are going forwards at wharp speed hold on guys fun ride ahead
Diego Costa a free agent after terminating his contract with Athletico; would this be a good signing in January as a back up striker for Watkins – although maybe he would want guaranteed playing time.