Well, of course I am with the result. How can you not be?
But I’m looking a bit deeper than that and I’m not in the slightest bit convinced by that game.
Hands up. My source went haywire just before the game, which meant I missed the first 20 minutes and the first two goals. I managed to sort it, only for it to go down again just before HT, which meant I missed the one just after the restart too. Colour me bloody livid, but that’s how it goes sometimes, isn’t it?
Anyway, I did manage to see most of it and I can’t say I thought much of it today.
I know what many of you are thinking.
“What the hell do you want Badger?”
And I know. Just call me Scrooge.
But I’m sorry, I’m here to say it how I see it.
And what I saw was a team where the words “they never laid a glove on us” has ever been more apt.
Sheffield were worse than woeful and I’m struggling to think of a worse capitulation in a game.
From what I saw, Villa were ticking over in second gear and just playing around Sheffield with ease. Apparently Wilder had assembled his eleven for the first time and wow, did it show.
In the second half, we dropped down into a tickover in first gear, which actually allowed Sheffield to make it look like they were making a game of it. That’s something else that annoyed me, along with some shocking defending in the 77th minute, where we were lucky to not concede.
They had another chance later, which I would have given, but it was called off via VAR. Even the line didn’t look parallel to the line marked out on the pitch, in my opinion, but in fairness, I’d have to see it again. The game couldn’t possibly be doing anything in our favour, could it?
I still don’t know who scored all the goals, but I think Ollie got one (good). I saw Bailey’s goal for our third and it was a lovely take and I saw Tielemans’ strike after he was unlucky just a minute earlier. I’m sure both players will have been encouraged by them.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a great win, which keeps us in the game.
But I can’t get away from thinking “what happened to that battling, tenacious side we faced at VP?” and I suspect the answer is that they know they’re finished.
It’s Man Utd on Sunday. A team who are 11 points below us, but with a very similar run of form of late and a team we really struggle to beat historically.
Do them, then I might believe we’re back.
But I’m afraid today has done very little to make me believe.
Losing konsa is massive he’s absolutely brilliant and will only get better anyone know how long he’s out for
3 to 4 weeks according to the athletic Little 8 🤦♂️
3-4 weeks confirmed on the OS. Let’s hope that’s not being over optimistic – we need him back asap.
That news is a killer. Bloody hell. Let’s hope he’s back fighting for before that. Bare bones is an understatement…
We’ve had some crazy injuries this season. 2 ACLs, 2 players colliding with the posts…Do we have anyone we can recall? Hause???
I’d be more interested to know if there is a decent CB in the youth team ready to taste first team action. Probably not…
The team pick’s itself tomorrow night then! Carlos and Lenglet with Cash and Moreno as full backs. We can’t afford another defensive injury or we are in major trouble.
We might need Callum Chambers after all. This is why we can’t compete with Citeh or Pool. Once our first XI suffer injuries we are struggling to find good alternatives.
Game on ITV tonight don’t forget! 7.30 KO.
A back line of Cash, Carlos, Lenglet and Moreno with Chambers to come on if one gets tired looks too slow and leaky to me. We have kept Chelsea scoreless for 3 consecutive games, never before run up 4 clean sheets against them. So I think we are pinning hopes on our attack getting on top of them, which is possible because Chelsea’s defence looks worse than ours, reduced though that is.
Don’t worry, Torres on the way back… 🤞
Our attack should have too much for them if they play like Saturday…