Colour me seriously impressed with that performance. I am honestly now beginning to believe that while I don’t think we’ll win the league, we might get second.
If you consider we’re supposed to have a totally threadbare midfield, it didn’t look like it today. Fair enough, Newcastle have their own problems in the middle too, but our lads held the ground well.
And if we could only sort out the really poor final passes that occurred lots of times today, we’d have scored a lot more goals. All while our defence was mostly excellent and Newcastle never really seriously threatened. Well they did, but Emi was up to the task every time.
It was a game played at a frenetic pace all the way through, which is quite impressive when you consider both teams played midweek and I wonder how much it might have taken out of the players, but that’s why it was so encouraging to see the likes of Bailey come in and actually put in one of his 1 in 10 performances. I definitely didn’t want him back, but thought he did well today, with some good work defending and going forward. He definitely gives us options when he’s fully on it and as has been said, knows how we play,
Who else do I think did well?
I’ve mentioned Martinez, who I thought secured us those two points and I thought edged it for MOTM. Buendia actually got the award and I’m not going to argue, because he was creative and his goal was superb to watch. Exactly the sort of thing Rogers does, in getting it up, down and bending at the same time. It’s like art and a joy to watch.
Who else? Maatsen. I’m not his biggest fan and I prefer Digne as our defensive left back. But fair play, he was excellent today and kept Trippier mostly quiet.
Rogers didn’t do a vast amount on the face of it, but he added plenty of strength and physicality, along with all the midfield, which was just as well, because the amount of stamps on ankles by Newcastle led to me thinking that it was more than coincidence and accidental. Along with blatant shoving, it’s looking much more prevalent these days and if it’s a deliberate tactic, it’ll only increase my disgust at the way fotball is going.
But black arts apart, this was a great performance and an even better result, which has made my weekend.
This was a game we normally write off as a loss and surely makes up for the Everton game?
The question now is, who’s capable of beating us, even though we have a couple of our best players out?
And I’m not seeing many teams.
It’s a great time to be a Villan!
When are they announcing Tammy? Surely his medical is done and dusted? Unless there’s a problem??
Gosh, this is exciting!
It’s weird reading about the troubles of so many teams from the top to the bottom of the Premier League. An awful lot of negativity around at the moment. Bottom line, it’s only football!
The Beautiful Game seems to reflect the outside world at the minute. Let’s all enjoy it!!!!! 😁😁😁😁😁
Beskitas have just announced he’s leaving to join Villa
Yeah, I want to see him being unveiled proper, not just some AI image!!!!
Villa won’t announce him until he signs
Aye, but when????
If we lose Tammy, it wouldn’t exactly break my heart, but it would show severe weakness in our recruitment team.
Looks like Tielemans is also out for a couple of months.
Losing Kamara, McGinn and now Tielemans for an extended period is very likely to derail our season. Have they been targeted?
Now we have to get in at least one, if not two, new midfield players – losing Tielemans for an extended period is disastrous.
Oh no! These players of ours HAVE been deliberately targeted. Out for 2 months!!!! Christ!!!
Arsenal. Spuds and now Newcastle all playing in the most cynical way because of their own failures. We need a Roy Keane of our own to balance it up a bit. A right ankle snapper. We only have the injury prone Onana fit out of 4 first choice midfielders? Time for Bogarde to shine?
Get Tyrone back in the team; he’ll stamp on a few heads.
Youri out is a f****** disaster. Dougie has pretty much an identical skills set. Need to get that over the line quickly…
Couldn’t agree more. It’s the most logical solution and he’s only up the road.
Why not the left ankle?
Luiz confirmed according to multiple press accounts!!!!!
Does anyone else find themselves holding their breath over all this? 🤣🤣🤣
Luiz agrees to sign for Villa on loan
Brilliant news. Let’s get it conformed on the OS, please.
Dougie – unfinished business? The floor is yours…
I’m sure other teams feel the same way at times, but I’m fuming with these injuries because they were preventable. If the ref had stamped his authority on the game early on instead of letting the opposition do that to us, this might not have happened. Kamara’s injury aside – which wasn’t…
No brainer for Dougie – I’m thrilled he’s coming back. I think he’s technically not as reliable as Youri but I think he’ll be motivated by our league position and a desire to earn a return to VP which I suspect he never really wanted to leave in the first place.
Also proud dad moment – watched the Newcastle game on Sunday and my 2 year old girl whenever she sees them on TV says “Oh Aston Villa” and stays to watch. As soon as Emi bangs in that rocket she shouts “Boosh!”. Couldn’t have been prouder 🙂
Love to that little lady or yours!!!!!! ❤️
Romano confirms Luiz. Happy with that because at least it shouldn’t take him too long to settle when we need him up and running straight away – smart business from the club.
Douglas back wud be amazing think he fits us like a glove hared when he left he never set the world alight at juve or forest but at villa he will fit just nice
I believe Luiz wants to come back because he recognises that Emery can get the best out of him. His career has nosedived since he left.
But, this is the fascinating angle – in his book Balague deals, in detail, with Luiz and his transfer. Emery had become frustrated with him because he felt he’d ’lost interest’ and his performances had plateaued even declined and therefore Emery agreed to his transfer; it wasn’t driven purely by PSR although that was a factor. Someone had to leave and Emery was content for it to be Luiz.
Perhaps all that adds up to Luiz realising and wanting to prove himself and Emery believing he can still get more from the player. Luiz will definitely get opportunities.
Luiz – loan with option to buy
The only matter ‘holding up’ official announcement from Villa re Abraham appears to be Ozcan medical which is scheduled for the next couple of days.
Beskitas have made an official announcement (seems similar to a plc company making an announcement to the stock exchange) which they are obliged to do ahead of completing the sale.
All looking good Bum Bum
Link to the above.
https://sportwitness.co.uk/besiktas-release-official-statement-on-tammy-abraham-to-aston-villa/
Thinking we should play:
Martinez Cash Konsa Lindelof Digne (or Maatsen, tough call at the min, leave that to Unai)
Torres as defensive mid
Onana Luiz as flat mids
Buendia and Rogers attacking mids
Watkins / Tammy up front
When you look at it like that it doesn’t look like we have that bad of a midfield crisis, hopefully tide us over before Youri and McGinn return
Abraham confirmed on the OS.
https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2026/january/27/signing-aston-villa-confirm-tammy-abraham-signing/