Well, this is another tough game, which I’m sure is a statement I’ll be making repeatedly this season. Dean Smith has said they’re all tough games in the Premier league and he is of course, correct.
We’re nowhere near the stage where we can confidently predict a victory yet, in my opinion.
There’s been quite a bit of talk about how Norwich are playing pretty attractive, attacking football and Pukki’s goalscoring escapades, but the reality is they are only one point above us and have an inferior goal difference.
So while the Canaries have the pychological advantage after last season’s double over us, Smith has pointed out that we’re a very different team to last season, while they’ve not changed too much.
I guess what I’m saying is that this game isn’t a foregone conclusion, by any means.
Squad news is that Kodjia won’t be ready until after the international break and Chester isn’t ready either.
The good news is that Mings is ok after his knock last week, Lansbury is available and Targett is also good to play.
It’s not so good news for Norwich though as Tim Krull and five others are defintely out and they have doubts about another four, including their number 2 goalkeeper.
Which all in all probably makes it a good time to play them.
My money says Targett will start, as he offers way more going forward than Taylor, although he is also a poorer defender.
And then the other main talking point is Wesley, who is fit afer his head injury against Burnley.
Dean Smith has made the point that the young striker has trained well all week and looks determined. I reckon he’ll stick by him, in the hope that he can bag a goal, boosting his confidence, which looks shot.
Even so, I’d expect Davis to get some minutes either way.
So what do I think?
It’s all about our defence for me and they have to stay alert.
Norwich are dangerous and don’t have a problem scoring, but they also concede too, with Palace and Burnley both putting two past them recently.
We always look quite likely to score though and I definitely see goals.
A 2-2 draw looks a decent bet to me, as I just get the feeling that we look prone to lapses at the back. That, plus we don’t seem to have learned how to kill teams off yet.
While that would only be a single point, when we could really do with all three, I think it’s a result I’d be ok with.
Unless we maintain our habit of taking good leads and then throwing them away again, in which case I’ll probably be quite annoyed.
I just don’t see us having enough to win this game, and while that’s possibly a bit negative, we’re still finding our feet.
I’m sure I’ll be more confident in other games this season.
What a strike ..
I dont know what you think Badger, are we playjng better? Or are Norwich suffering lack of premier players being out. Whichever way it gives us confident in our games to come. Tyrone played well today in fact all the team.
I’ll tell you in the review, Bill 😉
“They” will say that Norwich have all those players out….but they did when they hammered City…
Just arrived at hotel and catching up – super excellent news.
You can only play the team in front of you and Norwich have a great record at Carrow Road. My Ipswich mate will be chuffed.
Got to give the lads confidence.
Fuck me, a stormer from luiz.
5!
and we concede one from a scrap Mings backpass.
Hmm.
5-1
fully deserved this win, we are not a bad team just made silly mistakes in previous game which cost us. apparently we have been leading more than losing in all the minutes away sofar but today is the first game we got the rewards. also today game had the most shot in any first half since they started these data stats.
dean smith is the man to keep if we want exciting football. two weeks break now to enjoy but more time for the new lads to buy in to the villa system.
only downer today was the goal we conceded, we switched off and got sloppy in in the build up to there goal. but understandable they were coasting by then 5 nil
It was an act of God Nath, Minngs tried to pass it back but miss judge it with the Sun in his eyes, .don’t know if you did see the game Nath but from what I seen it very much like it. Very interesting game today, hope to see more like that.
yeah i watched the game, mings pback pass was looping and short and heaton was distracted by the low sun, but they took the shine of a little with the goal. personally for me and most fans it doesn’t matter. but for the defence and goalie they thrive on clean sheets. they almost achieved one today and then this game answered all the queries. about wesley and defence leaking silly goals. also their were some questioning the team and manager switching off when in front. today they answered all apart from the silly goal. still first class result and what we deserved
True, Bill, but Mings shouldn’t have gone backwards. He needs to tidy up parts of his game!
A brilliant scoreline at any level away from home; well done the boys and coaching staff! I’ll get my gloat in first and say “told ‘ya” about Wesley – shame I’m not a betting man!
A few points which should delight all Villa fans:
– We’ve been saying we need a ‘poacher’; Wesley is averaging a goal every other game and all his goals have been in the box. Maybe he is the poacher?
– Smith has realised that Wesley needed the forward players closer; Jack and Anwar are now a proper front 3 with him, and it’s working!
– Conor deserves to be in the team and he’s fought his way back, just as he did with Bruce. Massively underrated player and our best team includes him in it!
– Trezeguet is working better as an impact sub (with Conor starting). Again, well done Smith for putting this right.
– Our midfield are scoring plenty of goals and they’re being shared around; I’d be interested to know how many teams have more different goalscorers that us so far this season. Not many, I would guess.
– This result has been coming; we played very well against Arsenal and Burnley (especially first halves). The fact is, we have shown we can be competitive in this league.
– Smith was disappointed and made a point of losing the clean sheet; I share his sentiments and these are the high standards that are needed. It’s not OK to concede, even when you’re 5 up!
I could go on. By and large, it’s been a good start to the season! If we can beat Brighton, it will make the games against the big boys particularly tasty. Remember last season when we smashed Derby and Boro when they were supposedly two of the top teams? Anything is possible in this league, as long as hard work and belief are running through the team. I’ll quote Paul Merson when Wenger took over Arsenal: “He’s given us unbelievable belief.”(sic). Well, if Smith can give the boys “unbelievable belief”, who knows what could happen?
UTV!
P.s. Conor’s and Luiz’s goals were top, top drawer. If Strerling and Silva or Salah and Mane had scored them, the pundits would be, well, I’ll let you complete the sentence…