Stunned. Just stunned.
I’ll update as I get my thoughts together, but we’ve just gone third, 2 points above City.
Wow. I’m still breathless.
I’ll cut to the quick.
We totally destroyed the the Champion’s league holder.
I’m listening to Pep now and he’s just said that quite simply the better team won. To me, that is some statement.
I’d said in the preview that City don’t look right. I suspect it’s tiredness and it showed. They offered very little and even Haarland never had a look in, the two quick sucession chances that Martinez saved apart.
Oops, I’m just listening to Unai, in a prolonged interview.
Interesting stuff. He said we need to remain balanced but we can also believe, while not being contenders.
I think even an old cynic like me already does, so I’m sure the new blood do, Unai. I have to say, the support sounded amazing today and I don’t know if that’s down to how Amazon set the sound up, but certainly my daughter said it was a great, buzzing atmosphere.
I don’t know where to start with the praise.
I said we needed to go at them and I don’t think the lads let us down in that area.
Were McGinn’s softer performances of late, deliberate, so he could save energy for this game?
It certainly seemed like it as he was a dynamo, that won us the all important midfield.
He was ably supported by Luiz, who helped to scare the crap out of City.
I don’t remember the last time I saw City put under the cosh like that.
I don’t currently have access to any stats, but I believe we won all of those that mattered. The last I saw, we’d had 16 shots against their 2.
We have now equalled a club record of 14 home wins. In our whole history. I’m honestly struggling to get my head round that one.
I’ve picked a couple of players out, but it seems a bit unfair, because this was simply a great all round performance. So many players would justify an 8 or even 9 out of ten.
I specifically left one player out on purpose.
Take a big fat bow, Leon Bailey.
I’d written this bloke off a few months back, but Emery made a point of saying how committed he now is. So obviously he wasn’t before. He was excellent today and contributed majorly in scaring Man City’s defence.
You can decide if he or McGinn get MOTM.
I’m giving 10 out of 10 to the fans, who sounded superb.
We should make no mistake here. What we witnessed today is on a par with as good as it gets.
Only winning silverware betters that, to my mind.
Amazon also get a big shout, because I really like their format.
It’s a shame we won’t be seeing them in the next allocation, imo.
Arsenal up next!
UTV!
Comments
63 responses to “Villa 1- 0 Man City: City battered and lucky to get away so lightly”
We really are the real deal.
That was probably the best Villa performance I have seen. The better team and Baileys best performance
Exactly my thoughts too; I can barely remember a better all-around team display in many, many years.
OK, not as spectacular as putting 5 or 7 past L’pool, but some of our play was simply sublime.
I’m really enjoying this new Villa. I always expect the old Villa to turn up for these games, but slowly but surely Emery has them believing they are the real deal. The stats for that game are unbelievable. A pure tactical masterclass by Emery. If we can beat Arsenal at the weekend we will be unable to stay under the radar anymore, but I’ll take that. UP THE VILLA.
Pep being interviewed just now and asked what went wrong. His reply “Villa were better”! What more can be said.
Totally and utterly wonderful. Best I’ve ever seen Bailey play.
Well done you Villa boys.
The answer of a Gentleman, facing the obvious. Not once, in any TV interview did Sir Alex ever admit it.
I wished I could have been at Villa Park today. It sounded like the place was rocking.
All the players were 10 out of 10. Bailey his best game in a Villa shirt. Emi finally gets a clean sheet!
Pep looked a bit shell shocked in his post match interview.
Can we beat Arsenal and take 6 out of 6 points?
Wonderful display and long may it continue. Hope we are as good on Saturday.
And Pep is quality in more than football management.
Tonight shows, I think, how much we missed Kamara on Sunday.
His ability to shield the defence, his skill on the ball and calmness and the way he and Luiz play together is outstanding – and he’s only 24.
I would go as far as to say he’s Villa’s Rodri!
How the hell we nicked him for nothing under the noses of the ‘big boys’ I have no idea but glad we did. Another plus mark for Purslow!
His only weakness is occasionaly playing a pass to nobody, but he didn’t do that tonight!
It does seem odd that we could get a recognised international at 24 for a freebie.
I’ve ate dreamed, slept and played football since I was a kid.
I’ve watched us win the European cup and be relegated.
Night’s like this are rare, breath it in, bask in the moment for these moments are few and fleeting but at the same time glorious.
The football tonight was at time sublime, dare I say a touch Brazil 82?
Time for another beer.
Enjoy lads and lasses.
Exactly what I’ve just said to one of the grandsons. This is close to as good as it gets.
Badger mate I was 17 when we went to Rotterdam a mate had a spare ticket and asked if I wanted to go?
My reply ” no mate, I’ll go to the next one.”
Oh folly of youth🤦♂️
Ooh, blimey 🙁
I was one of Thatcher’s victims and quite simply couldn’t afford it.
I consoled myself with a 3 litre bottle of some piss weak bitter (Acorn?) and watched it on the telly.
I did see pretty much all the home games in the build up though.
Happy days and I believe my grandkids are witnessing very similar.
The good news is if Emery deems it necessary, I reckon the owners will cough up what’s needed. That is a real great place to be in.
Lmao – Chequer bitter or Jagger lager?
Happy days.
Telly, me too mate and on a YTS Creosoting fences at Windley Leisure centre.
What impressed me was the way we played after we scored. No scratching about hoping to survive the last 20 min but carrying on as before and nearly getting a second. A great performance from a really good side.
Perhaps an education for the legion of ‘pundits’ who can’t think beyond Arsenal, L’pool, MCFC, mufc and chelsea (lower case for the has-beens).
That was my big concern; that we’d back off and let them in.
I love that Emery’s best form of defence is to attack.
It’s exactly how it should be.
Rule 1; score more goals than the opponent.
Man City utterly destroyed.
I’m still getting my head around that.
I suspect Arteta is a bit worried now. I’m not counting my chickens in the slightest, but if we play like we did tonight, we’ll destroy them too.
If there’s one game Unai will definitely have them up for?
Indeed.
It will be interesting to see whether the media give Villa full credit for their performance or will stick to type and only be interested in ManC with excuses like ‘they were poor on the night’ and are ‘out of form’.
Fair play to Pep he said it as it was – Villa were the better team and he said it more than once in his interview.
We did to Man City what they do to just about everyone else. We controlled the game from start to finish, pressed well and played the better football. The stat I can’t get my head around is that, with Konsa playing full back and Carlos in who hasn’t played that many games, we only allowed Citeh two shots in the whole game.
A masterclass from Emery that even Pep had to admit to. I’m trying to think of a better performance than tonight’s but I’m honestly struggling.
You just can’t write down everything after watching you team perform like that. Everybody looked like a world beater today in my opinion! We didn’t fear them and to be honest for 75% of the game , we cut through them like butter. Thank you lads for a brilliant evening, an outstanding 3 points and up to third! I honestly would have been pleased with a point out the city and Arsenal games. After seeing that, 6 should absolutely be the goal!
Emery = Genius
I have never, ever seen a more dominant performance than that. The entire team were on fire. All of them get MOTM from me, although Bailey geets a gold star on top.
We were utterly fantastic. Better even than the 7-1 Liverpool game. This was the treble winning richest and best ŕun club in the world and we played them off the park. I don’t swallow the bit about them going through a bad patch. We could have woken up this morning with our home record destroyed. Citeh can turn it around at the drop of a hat but we simply slaughtered them.
Last night was like a dream…
Incredible.
I’m shattered, been playing football in my sleep 💤 got up onto utube and watch all the pundits and video and feeling as it I’m dreaming. Badger you saying about two outstanding players McGinn and Bailey McGinn takes it for me . He was the drive in midfield, yes Bailey comes close so does 9 others. I’m so proud of my team Aston Villa I only wished my son had seen this match , he would have been ecstatic like me .utv
Feeling the same way Bill! Like a dream. I might watch the whole game again this morning!
I’m sure your son is looking down enjoying this as much as you are, Bill. Holte Enders In The Sky…
As expected most of the media this morning concentrate on City rather than Villa’s exceptional performance last night – which is annoying given that it’s hardly a ‘one off’. It seems that the media just don’t have the wit to recognise anyone outside the ‘Sky Six’ plus, probably, their darlings on Tyneside.
Notable exceptions are The Times and, unusually, The BBC. Good, balanced piece by Phil McNulty this morning which is worth a read.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67644794
Not saying we are title contenders – well not this season 🙂 – but we have to now be taken seriously as a proper top four team.
UTMV
The Telegraph is behind our win too.
I hope the lads were tucked up in bed by 10.30pm. Another massive game in 48 hours.
On reflection, one of the best bits from last night was seeing Carlos grappling with Haaland. I’d guess that Haaland, being a unit, is used to pushing around defenders but he got nowhere with Carlos who, being a unit himself and as wide as a wardrobe, had the physical edge. I was a little surprised at seeing Carlos play but I’d guess that it was all Emery’s plan for dealing with Haaland and it was inspired.
Bring on the Arses.
Sad to hear of the passing of Benjamin Zephaniah who was a lifelong Villa fan and an ambassador for the Villa Foundation. https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/december/07/Tribute-to-Benjamin-Zephaniah/
Check out his hilarious poem Talking Turkeys -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4AgPSjzXkw
Bum. Bum I’m sure he is and thanks , I think that match will always be remembered because it’s been a long time in my years of remembering a team that gave 101% and to see that many fans cheering the team .seeing the media reports id say they didn’t believe it, I know this they will now know that we are a big club in many ways , What club in the league pulled themselves back from the brink of existence and 14 th in the league and now are 3rd and just 4 points from the top. Why it’s Aston Villa a club that founded the football league a Midland club.
This thing about Unai only winning once against Guardiola in 14 meetings is starting to grate on me so let’s look at this.
Of these 14 meetings, 10 took place while Unai was at the helm Valencia and Guardiola at Barcelona.
Of these meetings 6 resulted in victories for Barcelona and 4 draws but let’s get a little perspective on this.
During this period Barcelona spent a reputed whooping €1.63 billion whereas Unai’s spend at Valencia was around €56.5 million so we are hardly talking a level playing field.
In my opinion if this massive disparity of resources is taken into account it puts these heads to heads in a slightly different light but as someone once said, “There are lies, damned lies and statistics.”
https://www.grandoldteam.com/forum/threads/unai-emery.88438/
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/5-clubs-highest-net-spending-since-2012-psg-manchester-united
Bill, I remember you posting on here that you just wanted to see Villa back at the top, playing great football, winning something again and your despair in not believing it would happen.
That was when the club were deep in the slough of Despond struggling in the Championship and even in the EPL after promotion.
I am so happy for you that Villa are now rewarding you for all your years of service to the club – long may it continue and long may you enjoy it.
UTV
An often overlooked fact Bill. William McGregor invented the football league, the first of its type in the world. Before that most sports teams played opponents on the basis of shared status, and one team’s fixture list would not match anothers.
Aston Villa is the oldest League club in the world, because whether or not the Chairman of Accrington signed the membership list before McGregor is irrelevant, since that Accrington is defunct, it is no relation of Accrington Stanley.
Cheers Hitch I was taken back seeing my club playing them Manx off the park, even the missis was screaming when we went close bless her. I can remember when we was courting she said once to me playing the game and going to the game it’s me or football, my answer was I’m off to the game . Still that was 63 years ago and she still with me 😀😀😀😁I must have done something right .
Brilliant Bill – you certainly did do many things right.
I can only speak to 52 years together and during our courting – there’s an old fashioned term – I would take her to the Villa and we went to some memorable games together – the 2-1 win against ManU in the old League Cup SF and the 5-1 mauling of Liverpool for instance. What a romantic I was 🙂
I’m now just an armchair fan but watch every game on the wide screen TV relegating my wife to our den!
All our kids are Villa supporters – I remember taking all three to their first Villa game as a Christmas present – Boxing Day against Hull and a 5-1 win! Our grandsons are also Villa and one of our granddaughters is a good little footballer.
Last night might have only been 1-0 but it was up there in terms of total domination.
Other games that come to mind were our 3-0 win against Newcastle last season. I didn’t see the whole game against Brighton but 6-1 is impressive. My brother went to see Villa beat Liverpool 5-1 in the 70’s telling me it was 5-1 at half time. 7-2 against them a few years ago was also memorable.
Anyone else remember games of total domination against a top team?
Was at the Liverpool game when they were top dogs. It was surreal leading 5-1 at half time.
I would add the second leg of the League Cup SF against Tranmere Rovers. What a game that was. They used to show the game clock on a big screen and, with a few minutes to go, we were behind so Big Ron had the clock turned off – no one knew the time left – and of course Damien Atkinson scored the equaliser in front of the Holte End and right in front of where we were sitting in the Trinity Road Stand.
The resultant penalty shoot out and Bosnich’s brilliant performance is history – but what a night that was.
And the 3-1 win against United in the LC Final at Wembley which I went to with my three kids. Gary Shaw was sat in front of us – now that was a great day out.
Maybe not exactly what you asked Holte but they were great Villa days out!
*Dalian Atkinson – bl***y predictive text 🙂
I was at both of those games Hitch. The Tranmere semi final was one of the most nerve wracking games I’ve experienced. Beating Man Ure at Wembley in 1994 was memorable as we were massive underdogs.
Talking about clocks reminds me of the one at Rotterdam. The last 20 minutes constantly looking at the clock felt like an eternity.
Maybe Emery can bring us the great moments the two Ron’s gave us.
Villa 2 Barcelona 2
UEFA Cup Quarter Final 78
What a game 2 down with 5 to go then up pops Ken McNaught on 85 and John Deehan on 88 plus added the privilege of seeing Johan Cruyff play.
Was at that game RSS and you’re spot on
Didn’t Cruyff get both Barcelona’s goals or is my memory playing tricks on me?
Yes, he did Hitch. An absolute 1 man team and they were totally different when he went off. I was there too. Outstanding game, that.
I was at that game and I saw Cruyff do something incredible but I hadn’t a clue what it was. All I know is that our full back went one way and Cruyff went the other leaving him a good 5 yards to do what he wanted. It was a few years later that I heard about the ‘Cruyff Turn’ and realised that’s what it was. Great to see such a wonderful player even if it was in his twilight years.
Blimey, this is a refreshing read.
https://cityxtra.co.uk/7905/five-things-learned-aston-villa-1-0-manchester-city-premier-league/
West ham beat spuds 2-1 and Newcastle lost to Everton.
We are 5 points ahead of fifth place!
Next up, Spurs are at home to Newcastle and Man U are at home to Bournemouth.
How intriguing. Both of those look drawish to me.
A defeat to Arse might not be so bad, not that it’s going to happen, I hasten to add 🙂
TBH both Spurs and especially Newcastle looked totally knackered. Trippier, normally their best player, looked totally depleted towards the end and gave away three goals. It’s a wonder that Emery is somehow keeping our players fresh and full of running. Looking forward to Ramsey and Moreno making a comeback and I’d guess that we might get one or two in the January window. Talks of Alex Baeno from Villareal joining us and I wouldn’t object. He’s only 22 and is certainly a gifted player.
Onwards and upwards.
That’s a really good point.
We haven’t really rotated much, europe aside.
It’s yet another indicator as to how the lads have bought into Emery’s way.
I would imagine if you really believe, you give the extra.
Of course, it can only last so long and the lads are only human.
Hence your points are even more valid.
Quality signings, even if only on loan must surely be incoming.
Maybe even top notch buys if the owners believe, as we do.
The stars are in alignment? 🤞
Well, that’s certainly one of the requirements RSS.
Without things going right, you have no hope.
I do know there’s a difference of late. I talked about it before in making your own luck.
We now occasionally get the shout. We’re doing well with injuries.
And we seem to be getting that rub of the green, that’s been lacking for god knows how long.
I’ve just had a re-read of my preview.
I think I called this part right;
“Hopefully it’ll be a case of City don’t like it up ’em.”
I think that was definitely proved and more clubs will follow what’s happened. City will have lost their “fear factor” and my money is now against them winning the title.
I’m thinking that our game against Arse could well prove to be a bit of a title decider, either way, for them.
Don’t know about you guys but I’m not fond of the comparisons between us and Leicester. While their title win was legendary, Villa are a massive club. We have a bigger history, trophy cabinet, fanbase and profile, but we’ve seriously underachieved for the last 4 decades. If it wasn’t for the dodgy money flowing into Citeh and Chel$ea (formerly known as Chelski), I’d say one of the top 4 English sides of all time.
Am I being over sensitive? 🤣🤣🤣
Quite agree. Apart from anything else, Leicester went from just avoiding relegation the season prior to winning the league, obviously we finished rather better last season, having qualified for Europe; so being in or arounf top-4 this season isn’t as surprising as Leicester coming from nowhere.
We played pretty well during the 1990’s (Big Ron, Brian Little & John Gregory’s teams were always competetive) but only managed the League Cup that decade. Poor for a few years after that until MON came in, but his teams were also generally competetive – trying to break the glass ceiling to go top-4 without ever quite making it.
Then we had that disasterous spell starting when Lerner ran out of money…
Meantime, as you say, both Chelski & Citeh acquired more cash than had ever been seen in English football; ManUre, for all of their size, had no idea how to replace old Red-face – pretty much like Arsenal and Wenger.
The problem is really that the media have become totally obsessed by the soap-operas at ManUre and Liverpool, and similar threatrics by Arteta at Arsenal, and they can’t ignore Citeh simply because of their record over the last 10 years. So all they ever really talk about are those 4 clubs – regardless of which teams are actually ‘top 4’ at any given time.
To 4:
Liverpool, United, Arsenal, Villa. 👍
No Bum Bum you’re spot on.
Loved what the Dortmund fans did.
https://twitter.com/archiert1/status/1721963491249074682/photo/1
Probably not.
If you think about it, pretty much all the “top” clubs have had some success in that last 4 decades.
Arsenal, Chelsea, both Mancs, Pool, etc.
It all depends where you draw the line, I suppose.
Newcastle had a stint challenging, as have Spurs.
League-wise, you would have thought we’d have done better.
Regardless, I’d say if we do actually manage to achieve anything, we ought to be better placed than Leicester to maintain it.
And then, there’s no reason why we wouldn’t be equally as big as most of those clubs.
Baby steps first though, obviously 🙂
“Morgan Sanson has reaffirmed his desire to leave Aston Villa.”
Just how long was this fella’s contract? 🤦♂️
Too long!
This is one is a Purslow black mark alongside Wesley (although he was unlucky to get such a bad injury at Burnley)
Absolutely Hitch.
More comebacks than Lazarus. 😂