I fully intended to write a post last night, but the truth is I sat down at the computer, messed around a while and then fell asleep, because I was shattered. Apologies.
I’d earlier thought about what I was going to say, which was along the lines of that I expected Steve Bruce to play a cagey game, with us looking to get a draw. QPR have beaten some very decent sides recently, after all.
So what a pleasant surprise it was to hear that it didn’t turn out anything like that and it was apparently a very open game.
I say apparently, because I was at work. I tried the AVTV commentary, but it was frankly rubbish and kept going down.
I got out of work at about 3.30 and legged it to the car, hoping that I could get the WM commentary.
I did, until that went down too.
It seems Loftus road is technologically antiquated.
I arrived home at about 4.15 and AVTV was working, hooray!
So while I missed most of the game, the latter part sounded pretty good and we seemed to be going for it.
Having had a look around, it seems we created plenty of chances, whereas QPR scored from their one chance in the first half.
I have yet to look at the goals.
So basically, I’m only really commenting on the result and nothing else.
For me, this was a brilliant result, as I really saw this as a banana skin game, which we could easily have lost.
I know we should beat the likes of QPR on paper, but it doesn’t always work like that does it?
I never foresaw the Sheffield loss, after all.
The truth is, when I heard we’d gone one down, I was thinking that it was game over, as we don’t really do comebacks do we?
But when I heard we’d equalised, so I was encouraged as AVTV’s co-commentator said he saw us winning after a decent start to the second half. That was a good shout.
So what more can we want?
We went one down and came back to win, away from home.
We also put one over Ian Holloway, who talked us down at the start of the season.
In fairness, he also said that we’d be a tough test today, which increased my opinion of him.
Not that I’ve ever really disliked him. His comments as Blackpool manager brightened the game, I thought.
Whatever, winning away, after going behind is not far off as good as it gets.
It’s another three points and I’m a very happy bunny.
Well chuffed and I’m going to (slightly) tie one on tonight.
Work again tomorrow 🙁
Quality result and performance once we’d gone a goal down. Proved me wrong as I thought the midfield would be too flimsy today but it worked. Everything flows through Davis. He brought our forwards and mids into play and we overran them. We will definitely make the playoffs with 4411 we just need to hang in there till Terry is back and we are going up in second place. As long as Davis is for we won’t mis kodjia.
That’s a point i made a while back, in that Kodjia is not as crucial as he was last season.
Adomah is doing the business, and while we can’t rely on him, so you have to think that when Kodjia does fully recover and start scoring, you could look at him as a new player this season.
It all goes back to my thinking that this is a very long, tough season.
We’re reasonably well positioned, I’d say (without wanting to jinx anything).
I took time out to stream that game, i can honesty say 11 players did fight to win the game, its now getting interesting to how we are now getting better and better, Tuesday will say it all , i feel even the player’s understand now it’s time to be an Aston Villa player, well done the lads.
There’s no debating that Bill.
Things are looking up, I think, although there will no doubt be more setbacks, where maybe we shouldn’t get on Bruce’s back so quickly?
Owen, I forgot to say that I totally agree about Davis.
He sounded a very dominant force today.
When you consider Biggleswade thought he’d never make it as a player, it just shows it’s a funny old game indeed.
Last time we came from behind to win away was 3-1 at Arse nal….Tony Luna etc….a long long time ago….
WE started nervously and couldnt hold the ball. Was just hoofing it up field all the time….then let the bad goal in.
Then all of a sudden we started holding the ball and running at them…..should have had 2 or 3 before we equalised .thought half time would stop the momentum but it didnt and scored again and could have had at least another 2.
But then it changed again and we slowed and let them get the ball too much.this and making subs to shore things up we could have let another goal in but it was not as bad as a lot of last 10 mins we have been involved in.
As well as Davis was he seems to have learned too much off Kodjia and refused to pass in the area too many times…we could have had a few open goal chances if he had.
http://www.nowsports1.com/2017/11/18/video-qpr-1-2-aston-villa-highlights-goals/
Davis is awesome- to think if Hogan and Gabby had been fit against Norwich he might have never got a chance. And if Green hadn’t have got injured then Adomah wouldn’t have got a chance either. Lucky Brucey.
villa this season are a different beast from last year. this is all down to bruce and his signings. being able to cope with expectations. coping with losing experienced and influential players like terry, kodji and others to injuries. recovering quickly from set backs and bad games like the wednesday game to win at a tough little ground where others had fallen. lastly style still might not be every bodies cuppa its effective at this level. yesterday they carved rangers open and the result flattered hollywood. had villa players beenn a touch more ruthless in front of goal, scoreline would have been more wider
i think chester was magnificent yesterday. he stepped into terry world and led by example also encouraged others. their is no doubt JT is rubbing off on chester, so if thats the case you can bet JT is rubbing off on others like the youth of ours. what a bloody good signing by bruce. not just to identify him as a possible signing but to convince him to join a shamble club in free fall. most fans thought he would be just like the other other mercenaries we always seem to sign. but terry is different he is a class act. we should be honoured he came to villa to help put us back on the map.
i am still a believer. its nice to see other posters like giddy and b6 still around and believing too. our fall from grace gets everybody down. but even if you don’t like bruce you have to admit he has got the club moving back into the right direction.
Hear fucking hear! I’m convinced he was lucky with Davis and Adomah but his signing of Terry and Whelan who will dig out the wasters if they don’t work have been brilliant. We haven’t lost Terry as when he’s injured he’s still there making sure everyone is doing what they should be. Top six definitely, top two maybe!
An away win after falling behind is an achievement that has eluded several recent Villa managers, So congratulations SB! The team played with the belief that they could turn it around – and so they did. It looked a wide open game on the highlights.
The ref did well to spot that handball, which was far from obvious.
So we are now up into a ‘false’ position according to my estimates because the highest placed team Villa have beaten this season are in 11th place, and we are 5th. No reason for wild optimism – wait until we do beat a team above us.
Was a good battling performance yesterday after we conceded a poor goal. Should have won more convincingly really.
Davis was outstanding and Onomah was also excellent. I also thought Hourihane played really well. Im wondering whether Jedinak will end up replacing Whelan, who made a few mistakes yesterday. I think he will on Tuesday anyway, just to give him a rest.
I would still like to see Grealish/O’Hare playing in that number 10 role just to give us some more creativity, which would mean Onomah maybe playing on the right?
just been reading some reactions from our fans on the game yesterday. i am amazed at the abuse aimed at whelan. i just don’t think some fans know what they are talking about. he is not the type of player that passes for fun spraying the ball around one touch. that isnt why he was bought. all teams have a donkey mule bottle carrier. you know what i mean. he is the guy that protects the back four. breaks up all good stuff the opposition try to do. his work is dirty and damn hard to judge. but winning the game means he did his job and we won. like westy before him who is currently above us in the premiership. they are good at what they do. without them our team just wouldnt function the same. you cant have all brilliant ball players with nobody tackling
love for oohahaha or badger to organize a poll on whelan to see if he is appreciated by anybody on here. please spare me the hate mail on this issue. i just wondering what fans watch when they watch football. i love watching brazil and spain teams both do this dirty side of the game too.
Whelan far better than Westwood, has fearless grit and determination. Helps control the dressing room as well. Last season we would have lost. Even with Jedinak last year we lost games. Whelan is a big reason why our midfield looks strong this year. Whelan holds up the opposition when they attack and allows our midfield to get back and our defence to reposition.
Yes Whelan is employed as a DM, but he gave the ball away in really bad areas a few times against QPR and it nearly cost us. This has happened a number of times this season too.
I dont think he is terrible at all, I just think there are much better players out there. In the role he is playing, I think Jedinak might be more effective.
jedinak is less mobile and can not play every match, that is why their was a need to find alternative. whelan will make mistakes because he is right in the middle of everything villa do and try to stop the opposition doing. i see your point and i see his mistakes. but he does more good than harm sofar. without him harassing the opposition and protecting the back four we would be a lesser team. its just conflicting views nothing to worry about. but there are certain fans crossing the mark with the abuse of him and thats wrong
Whelan isn’t far better than Westwood, maybe as a defensive midfielder because that’s what he is, and Westwood isn’t. Whelan is similar to De Rossi, not even close to being as good, but he’s disciplined in his job. He’s there to protect the defense, that’s his whole goal. Westwood isn’t a defensive midfielder, he’s more of a Pirlo, Scholes type, most similar to like Leon Britton. They sit next too or just in front of a defensive midfielder and spray the ball around, yes they’ll do their fair share of tackling but they won’t be as good at it as a defensive midfielder.
It’s been a long time since we’ve had a Whelan type, and we’ve desperately needed one for ages. Closest thing we had was Sanchez, but he wasn’t an out and out defensive midfielder as he tried to be too creative when our other players couldn’t be.
Whelan certainly has his good games, but very much has his bad. He’s good enough for now, but if we have plans to stay up if we go up, he needs replacing instantly.
Whatever he is Whelan contributes something – Westwood contributed nothing and he’s doing the same at Burnley.
I’ve noticed Lowton on MOTD now and then but never Westwood….does he play ?
Westwood gets on as a sub every now and then, He usually just shuffles sideways up and down the bench without touching anyone.