https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x55lx9r_qpr-vs-aston-villa-0-1-championship-all-goals-highlights-18-12-2016_sport
I have to say I really enjoyed that game as much as any I’ve watched in a while.
Okay, the quality wasn’t the best, but I felt the team did what I mostly want and that’s keep the pace up and try to entertain.
Unfortunately, it seems that keeping that pace up introduces more errors and we looked really poor early on, with simple passes being mislaid.
Fortunately, QPR’s quality is worse than ours and we won out in the end; a result that still keeps us in the promotion game.
Steve Bruce made several changes and my opinion says we looked better for them.
I’m going to concentrate on the pluses, as it’s alway easier to moan, isn’t it?
I know some of you don’t rate Bunn as any better than Gollini, but I have to massively disagree.
There were a few situations where Bunn commanded his area in a way I don’t believe Gollini would and I feel the defence trust him more.
Dare I say, I thought Hutton played well? That’s another one that many might disagree with, but for me, he simply did. Rangers certainly didn’t get much change out of him, but I should also point out that he had much better support, with Chester and Jedinak helping him out.
Chester? He was excellent along with Baker, who was a welcome return.
Amavi was very good, getting back for good defensive work, while also looking to get forward. I felt he faded somewhat in the second half, which wasn’t surprising, given his work-rate.
Jedinak, after a dodgy start, where all he seemed to do was give the ball away, got better and he really is a rock in covering the defence.
Adomah, I thought looked a threat and he also helps Hutton too.
Gardner didn’t do a fat lot, but he does provide more work than Westwood. This is the position we need to improve on, I’d say.
Bacuna looked like he deserves a run to me. I don’t think he was anything special, but he just offers more, especially over someone like Westwood.
McCormack? He was played out wide and it just doesn’t suit him, as he needs to be around the box more. He was again anonymous and as I’ve previously suggested, I don’t think he suits Bruce’s thinking.
Kodjia worked his socks and indeed his shirt off. He led the line and provided lots of movement. His penalty attempt was poor, but his hard work paid off and he got a thoroughly deserved goal.
Subs:
Gabby? I can only think that Bruce is trying to keep him in the shop window, with a view to getting rid. We all know he’s finished, after all. Who’s going to pay anywhere near his wages though?
Westwood was purely about fresh legs, surely. He offers nothing in attack and doesn’t help in defence in the last few minutes.
Gestede serves a purpose, but should he have done better in the one on one? I think so.
This game offered us a few things.
We won for the first time on Sky in ages.
We have another away win in the bag.
And it was an away clean sheet.
All in all, a very good day, where I believe we’re six points off the play-offs.
It’s all still to play for, which is no doubt a position we wouldn’t be in, if we were in the Prem. Well, not in a positive way, at least.
I’ll add the video as soon as I find it.
UTV!
Comments
170 responses to “QPR 0 -1 Villa: The wheels are back on.”
From Bruces’ Presser today;
“We always knew he (Kodjia) was going to the Africa Cup of Nations.
This is why we needed to get Gabby in some sort of shape which he is now, quietly and efficiently over the last three months he’s got back into condition.”
I think that puts paid to any of us who had Gabby’s departure on our Xmas list 🙁
https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2016/12/23/press-conference-pre-burton
That’s us fucked for a month, there’s me thinking things might be looking up.
I’ve got this scary feeling Bruce will play him too.
Unbelievable.
and you wonder why i don t like bruce
like we need an archangel for more than xmas
happy xmas to all including who dont agree with my post
that and the fact gardner has got a new 4 year deal what the fuck are they watching ,its bad enough westwood bacuna got 5 year deals
JV – even though you don’t like SB it’s hard to deny that he’s done a pretty good job since he joined us. I’m pretty sure that the deals for Gardner, Bacuna and Westwood were in place before SB arrived so you can hardly lay that at his door.
What I would love to know is who would you have appointed if not SB – and don’t go back to before RDM was appointed – that would be cheating 🙂
We don’t always agree but Happy Christmas mate and here’s to a sparkling 2017 for all us Villans.
Whoops – big slice of humble pie – didn’t realise that Gardner had just signed a new, improved contract. Still ‘tow out of three ain’t bad!) 🙂
Now, is that not trying to use your brains, Gabby? Ffs Bruce he’s got to be living in the past Gabby, he’s finished in the game and you don’t play speed at his age, doubt is now coming in about his abilities to me, Start useing the grey matter Bruce and don’t listen to has been coaches.
Bill – I hope that Gabby is there to cover any major injuries and not as a main player. McCormack must be ahead of him and I would like to see Murphy in before Gabby as well. We should be looking forward not backwards.
Here’s another thought though – if we’re paying Gabby all those wages the bl***y least we should expect is that the bloke is fit and can play when needed. Never did like the bomb squad approach – self defeating cr*p.
hitchens
that today gardner new contract is just like lerner time giving new contracts to duds and to be fair gardner has had enough chances
me i would have wanted someone fresh not of the merry go round managers wagner of huddersfield or rowet someone that the players want to play for and not none of this crap signing 3rd choice utd nobody keeper players from hull
allthe players i am seen linked are not good enough if we go up adoamh wasn t deemed good enough by boro and honestly i agree
we bought 9 in summer and we cannot make same mistake now
Fair enough JV but neither Rowett nor Wagner were available so I still maintain Bruce was the best choice given the managers available and the need to secure promotion – also all I’ve heard, read suggests the players do want to play for Bruce. As to the players we sign then the first priority is promotion not trying to buy PL players that either wouldn’t be interested in signing or would be on a last hurrah payday – we’ve tried the latter route already – Lescott, Richards anyone?
Let’s learn how to walk again before we start trying to run.
i just think it is 2 steps forward and 1 back
and back to last summer crazy as it sounds i would went back to remi garde he knew the problems within the club
never mind
happy xmas and hope for 6 points before the new year
I like Bruce but like the rest of use I can not understand why he is giving Gabby playing time. He is finished and not the answer in January.
Does that mean he’ll get the nod before Mccormack????
No Giddy , more like the No bell prize. How can any manager not understand fans feelings?.Gabby has had his day piss I’m off.
So Sam’s got the job, stood to reasons that, kick in the balls to the FA.
My god, who sanctioned that 4 year deal for GG?
I really like him and want him to come good, but the fact is he promised a lot and has looked poorer as time’s gone on, for us at least.
2 years at best, with options until he actually proves himself in a Villa shirt, would have been my offer.
Otherwise, I’d have let him go.
As it currently stands, that’s an incredibly mediocre signing and no, it isn’t just current form.
He’s done nothing apart from look a good prospect.
The worrying thing is, I’m not convinced this is down to Bruce.
Unless it’s yet another case of a player looking superb in training.
In fact, I’ll go further and say Bruce has had nothing to do with this, whatsoever.
well badger
what is bruce actually doing ,forced to play gabby,new contracts to one of the worst midfielder i have seen even lambert kept sending him out on loan, maybe i am not wrong on bruce
happy xmas mate keep up the goodwork with the site
I can’t agree with your views about Bruce at all and think you’re wrong about him.
I do however, think Xia has a lot more say than we realise, which would explain why Gabby and GG are being kept. They’re Villa and I think that counts for a lot to our owner.
But, as is my usual position, it’s all about the debate.
Hence merry Xmas to you fella 🙂
I’ll say the same generally when I do the preview tomorrow.
I have a suggestion for Bruce if he is tempted to play Gabby – and it isn’t go and lie down in a darkened room. Play him at left-back and move Amavi forward.
OLL That’s maybe not as daft as it first sounds. I sort of agree with Badger about Dr. T’s influence but I find it hard to accept that Bruce has been told to play Gabby or sign GG on a 4 year contract. We need to know more about the GG deal – specifically wages to determine whether it represents a good bit of business for the club – anyway surely 2 year contract is in no ones interest as it means no resale value after 12 months and can talk to clubs after 18months!
My only issue with Bruce like most is playing shabby & GG besides that I’m quite happy. If in general you just don’t like the chap well your going to find anything to pick holes in. We’re all villa fans & opinions differ I’ll still wish everyone a merry Christmas 🎄 even if we disagree UTV
What! A 4 yr deal for GG only just heard ffs
Interesting fact from the Mail –
‘All three Premier League managers – Paul Lambert, Brendan Rodgers and Alan Pardew – who have signed Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke have been sacked’
Got nothing but respect for Benteke after he almost single-handedly kept us up but it’s strange isn’t it?
Wonder if that will affect his future with managers scared that they might get the sack if they sign him? Come on Gianfranco put a bid in!
Yes, I saw that article.
I’d take Benteke back in a heartbeat.
It’s just coincidence and he’s a great player if you give him the service.
Lambert was just crap, Rodgers should never have bought him if he wasn’t going to use him correctly and I can’t comment on Pardew, as I haven’t watched a Prem game this season(!)
I do believe he’s scored a few for Palace though, so it’s not his fault.
Need to keep Zola at Blues – IMHO he’s a poor manager – another example of Chinese going for a ‘name’
Hitch I’m sure there’s some Chelsea link to China possibly they feel the club is lucky 🍀 so if you’ve been associated with them at some stage then your the right man for the job. It’s all Chinese to me 😁
Giddy – Confucius he say ‘there is more than one starling in a pie’ 🙂
Happy Christmas mate
Well the parts of Birmingham is now own by the Chinese , my old place where I grew up in Nechells, any house on the market is bought by Wing Yip for his staff and the ground.,you can spit on blues ground from Nechells. That island on Bristol road he paid for. It’s all Chinese now.
I know GG has received a lot of criticism of late but I don’t think he’s that bad. Yes he can give the ball away but his style of play is very much in the lampard mould in that he gets up and down the pitch easily and has a habbit of finding himself in good positions going forward. I think a season of being a regular starter will do his form and stability the world of good considering he’s not featured for villa hardly at all so far in his career. Next season will be the big one for me if he fails to deliver then I would say it’s time to go. I can see why 4 years suprises people but unless your 32 or a manager you don’t see many less than that these days.
Probably his reward for scoring against the Blues!
It was a great header to be fair!
I hope everyone out there is getting it down them enjoy folks I’m well merry enjoy your day 🍻🍺🍷🍹🍾🍸