Lets not try and disguise things and be polite. Southampton are absolutely awful and you can see exactly why they’re going down. A big part of me half expected the Saints to have a bit of a bounce after being relegated, sacking the manager and having no pressure. Which, when you add them all up, makes for a perfect “Villa mess it up again” scenario.
Fortunately and it’s proving difficult for me to get my head around, we’re better than that nowadays. The “it’s just the Villa way” doesn’t quite seem to apply anymore.
We’re up to fifth, which will almost certainly provide a Champions League place, although there’s a couple of teams who have games in hand. How much could we do with Man U beating Newcastle tomorrow?
As for the game itself, I struggled to get into it and found it easier to do some more research about a Solar panel install for the bungalow in Spain. I did keep a good eye on it though and found it pretty tedious for the most part, to be honest. We had tons of possession, but did very little with it. Morgan Rogers apart, practically every player was noticeable by their absence in my opinion. If I had to highlight another player, I’d say it was Tielemens, who rarely fails to impress me.
But after a poor penalty miss from Asensio, Villa got the breakthrough goal after a great ball from Youri, leading to a great first time effort from Watkins. Southampton threw in the towel even more (if that’s possible) and our total domination finally shone through.
Malen got the second with another well worked goal, with a pass from Rogers (I think) and we finally went on to get a third after Asensio fluffed his lines again on a second penalty, but McGinn managed to get to the rebound first. Asensio won’t be talking pens for a while, I hope as they were both frankly poor, I thought and I was wondering why Watkins wasn’t taking them. Or is that just an admission that Ollie doesn’t do straightforward shots and trickier chances are better for him?
So while it was a bit of a letdown for the most part, the result was great in the end and it keeps us on course for a possible CL qualification. That +3 will massively help with our goal difference too, which might prove very important at the end of the season.
We have a massive game against Newcastle at home up next in the Prem and that could prove somewhat decisive, followed by Man City away, just 3 days later. Let’s hope it doesn’t prove to be a disappointing week and a half.
From what I’ve just seen, the sports channels think we’re at a very important stage. Our next 4 games will be televised on either Sky or TNT.
The happy days continue.
UTV!
Comments
97 responses to “Southampton 0 – 3 Villa; Tedious, but a good win eventually.”
Not much to talk about, the great result apart.
I’ve just seen Forest were beaten by Everton. That’s massive!
Posted that earlier mate, great result from our perspective.
Just maybe it looks like Forest may have been bubbled?
Hopefully!
Also just seen that fifth = CL is confirmed after Arse beat Real.
IF we can keep the whole squad fit then we’re really in a good position to challenge on all three fronts but particularly in the EPL
Whilst I have a ‘soft spot’ for Forest, they’ve massively over achieved and theirs is the top 5 spot to hunt down.
Three very difficult EPL games to come – 7 points from those three and we’re in with a good chance of top 5.
Unfortunately, ManC have solved the ‘how to play without Haarland’ problem – so 3 points from them is a tough ask. But, momentum is an odd thing in football and if Villa’s players can leave PSG in a separate mental box they can go into EPL games with a massive belief, no matter who they face.
Tough end to the season for us were gonna need the squad
Well for a change, we do actually have a proper and bloody great squad!
The Palace/Barcodes result is important for us on Wednesday…
Any help will be gratfully received so 0-2 Chelsea v Ipswich is brill.
First half 76% to 24% Chelsea is very similar to us at Saints. 2 goals make a difference though
Only me and you Gerry on here. Man too beat Newcastle and it will look good for a Sunday.
It would Bill. We can hope.
Own goal and Chelsea get one back
I’m here rooting for Ipswich my wife’s cousin used to play for them so have sort of adopted them but definitely today.
Shame about own goal.
This is supposed to be Chelsea 3 point banker too.
Come on Ipswich where’s bidace we need him to help
Peterborough are ripping the noses a new one with young Harley Mills (a product of the Villa academy) having an absolute Stormer.
2-2 with Palmer the Ipswich goalie having a blinder. Level on points and Chelsea with as bad a run in as us.
Shame if only Ipswich had held on but at least only a draw.
I knew villa’s goal difference would come into it at end of season means we have to win every game I fear. Good weekend so far though I hate to say this I’m a man u fan now.for the day
Blue noses are their own worse enemy at football, playing safe in trying to go forward by playing back on every move. Right now for the Newcastle and Man utd game a Utd win would be welcome, then us next week.
Birmingham cos they’re a load of shiiihaaaite haaa
Mixed feelings today with the positives of Chelsea only drawing and Small Heath losing. The negative of course is the barcodes destroying Man Ure. A couple of months ago I genuinely felt we weren’t getting a European place. We have a tough run of games but we should be able to get at least the conference league. If we can somehow get 4-5 wins, we should get 5th minimum.
My opinion is we go full throttle straight from the kick off on Tuesday to try and get the first goal. If they score first then take off our key players such as Tielemans, Konsa and Rogers because our priorities will shift to Premier League.
Could call H.
The Barcodes won but how bad were Utd? They gifted them three goals, absolutely woeful performance.
Haven’t posted for a while but all for good reason, been at the last 3 away days bar PSG. Must say from the perspective of someone who’s seen the 3,000 Villans who go week in week out all over the country in the last 2 weeks, the vibe is so positive right now, and they’ve been an absolute delight all three of them ending 0-3 courtesy of their respective second halves, and all in the sunshine!
The only down side of going to away days is… certain things impair your memory of the match 😉 and you’re constantly looking at their fans and soaking in the atmosphere, so I couldn’t fully pinpoint our top performers in any of the games but Malen is a superstar!
The point is there is a real sense of positive energy right now and if we can project that on Tuesday we may just have the slightest of chances, who knows?
Results fairly our way in the PL as they usually are I must admit it’s something I never fail to pick up on, our luck is much better than people make out!! Man U couldn’t do us the favour in beating Newcastle today sadly but oh well, Ipswich thank you!!
And up the POSH!!! 🙂
UTV!
Unai will never see it like that Holte, as much as I think you’re right.
Unai is confident we’re going to win – love it
Newcastle should be 3rd by Wednesday evening, with Palace at home. Our game against them at the weekend at VP is arguably as big as tomorrow’s, and probably just as tough, with the two opponents playing similar styles of press them relentlessly until they wither and die – this week will take a lot out of the players. Expect to see them (try to) control the games with some walking football.
Regarding tomorrow (and Wembley), please, please no penalties. I experienced my first tournament with my 5 a sides (my lad included) yesterday and we lost the final on sudden death penalties to a team who haven’t beaten us in 4 attempts this year, having equalised for 2-2 in the closing stages to prise it from our fingertips – absolutely gut-wrenching, and I wouldn’t wish it on Unai or the players at the level their at!
UTV!
p.s. Malen’s shooting from wide right is rather impressive! Keep ’em comin’…
Sorry BFR but you do flatter the Barcodes, PSG – Barcelona they most certainly ain’t! More a modern Wimbledon with brass knobs on (IMO).
Big, aggressive and physical definitely, but easy on the eye?
They play some decent stuff and are pretty relentless, RSS, which was the comparison I was making. Quality wise, of course PSG are (literally) in a different league.
I appreciate what you are saying Ron and all credit to Eddie Howe (get well soon) he’s done a brilliant job up there and gets the best from and improves some pretty mediocre players but I can’t say, hand on heart, I enjoy watching them.
I know you have to do what it takes but I find them a little cynical, exponents of the “Dark Arts” but with Mr Howe being an alleged admirer of Simeone that figures.
The barcodes are definitely one of those teams that ‘get in your face’ and Joelinton especially is a thug IMO. Some of the ‘tackles’ he makes and gets away with are shocking. They do have some quality forward players in Isak, Gordon, Barnes and Murphy plus the betting cheat, Tonoli. They do successfully play a high line which we have struggled against. They do go forward with pace and we will have to be at our best to win on Saturday. They play on Wednesday so they will have 24 hours less to prepare which hopefully will benefit us. Palace won’t be an easy game either. They could and should have been 3-0 up against Citeh if Eze had timed is run better.
If the Barcodes beat Palace and win against us, then the best we probably can hope for is 5th as Citeh won’t drop many points after looking at their run in.
We should be 2nd with the points dropped against Ipswich (x4), Bournemouth (x2), Brighton (x2), and Forest (x1). Just saying.
Funny rhing. If Slabhead would have noticed where the target was Forest would be in danger of losing their CL spot. Likewise if we’d have beaten 10 man Ipswich at home.
You can’t plan a bloody thing can you?
I don’t think anynof us are expecting success this time tomorrow night, but if we do…If we do…If we do…
Several clubs make the mistake of travelling to Newcastle on the day overland, it is exhausting. Villa have been one of them. Flying is the only sensible on the day travel, but clubs can book an overnight hotel and get a proper sleep before a short coach journey to St James’s. When that does not happen the visitors under-perform.
Just looking at tonights game and as usual our opponents have not played since last Wednesday. I won’t be surprised if Uni sends them out to play a similar style as he did on Saturday’s second half. It was fairly obvious that he told them to shoot a lot more. Even Mings got one off.