So it’s well done Stevie G, in getting that very much needed win. You only had to look at how the manager celebrated the first goal to see that he wanted it just as much as us fans.
And rightly so, as it means we don’t immediately have a downer about us and can now concentrate on getting behind the team.
First the good.
Gerrard’s substitutions worked well, mostly. Bailey coming on for Ings introduced a bit of flair as well as just a bit more involvement and energy.
I wondered what the manager was thinking when he introduced Ashley Young in place of Buendia, but it proved to be a pretty inspired choice, as the old fella played a major part in starting the play for that Ollie Watkins goal.
And what a cracker it was, with him driving at the Brighton defence and then unleashing one with his right foot that left the goalie no chance.
El Ghazi came on for Ramsey and again that seemed to inject a bit more urgency with the Egyptian getting involved in the box almost straight away.
I think it’s safe to say that the substitutions changed the game. How much of a change does that make from what we’ve seen in this season up to now?
And what about the second goal that was scored by Tyrone Mings, who I’m happy to say had a very good game, I thought?
Talk about a striker’s finish, he hit it with so much panache I was actually laughing. It was truly a thing of beauty from a central defender.
The interesting thing here is I find myself asking what Dean Smith would have done different?
And I think the answer is “not a lot”.
And from that I deduce that the “new manager bounce” was very much in play today.
It also backs up my thoughts that things had just become seriously stale under Smith and further confirms my thoughts that he had to go.
It’s not about what was, though and it’s all about what’s now, but I do think it worthy of mention, because I wonder how much of our recent form was down to pure lack of belief?
Certainly the effort was massively improved today and even if a lot of things didn’t work the team can’t be knocked in that area.
And yes, I’m as euphoric as all of you at that much needed three points, that at least eases the pressure in the immediate term.
But we have to be realistic about the whole performance and I think we have major problems.
Let’s go through the starting team, one by one;
Martinez; Can’t be faulted and did excellent work in rushing out to save what was a clear shot.
Cash; I thought he had a very good game against a wily Cucurella. He got forward on occasions and contributed with some good crosses.
Targett; He had a pretty torrid time, but that’s no big surprise as Lamptey has a lot about him and is good enough to give any left back problems. I often think he gets hung out to dry because of a lack of cover, but I’d agree he’s not in top form. Misses a more potent left sided attacker to combine with, imo.
Konsa; What can you say? If a defender’s performance is defined by how much you notice him, he was just fine. As per usual. I think he’s a great defender, enough said.
Mings; Heh, I love to slate him. But I’m also happy to say he did well, if he did. He was great in his defensive heading, only made one or two howlers in his distribution, which didn’t cost us and scored a cracker. A superb performance.
McGinn; Wow. I thought he was superb and my man of the match. Supreme workrate, his usual stick your butt out to beat the other player and loads of great balls into the box. He was everything I expect from him today and looked a £50 million+ player again.
Nakamba; He’s a strange one, as I know he’s Marmite amongst the fans. I like him. He made one excellent tackle and then got booked for trying to make another one straight after. Okay, it was a foul but he was overstretched, that’s all. How he can be criticised for trying his best, I don’t understand. I thought he did okay today.
Ramsey; I’m sorry, I know I really ought to, because it’s almost compulsory to praise everything our kids do, but I just don’t see it with him. He is nowhere near being the sort of midfielder we need just yet. Give him minutes, by all means, as I can see little bits about him.
We need to look for better in the short term. Unfortunately I don’t think we have much better available.
Buendia; Quite simply, he’s hopeless isn’t he? Nothing works for him and I don’t know if it’s a lack of confidence or he just isn’t up to it. I suspect it’s the former and I think Gerrard thinks the same. There was an injury at one stage and the manager seemed to be telling McGinn to get Buendia more involved and to link up more. The Argentinian seemed to be playing in pretty much a free role and had plenty of the ball, so there was no excuse. He seemed to throw a bit of a tantrum when he sat in his seat, which was encouraging, as at least it shows he cares. I think Gerrard will give him games to see if he can start producing the goods: with a view to outing him if he doesn’t.
Ings; Here’s another one that I think might rub some fan’s backs up. I get it. He’s a brilliant goalscorer who has it all about him.
Yet let’s be honest here. He’s looked absolute garbage since he arrived. He was frankly invisible again and it just isn’t working. It’s quite shocking to think that the only plus about him is that he’s better backup than Davis.
Watkins; Okay, he got the much needed first goal. But he was another one who was frankly rubbish for the 80 odd minutes beforehand. He has the touch of a rapist and is so out of form, he’d be dropped if we had a realistic alternative. Hopefully that goal, which was a cracker, will help him mentally.
I predicted a draw and it seemed favourite, as Brighton are very organised, but have no real threat.
If you take the Claret and blue glasses off, you’ll realise that we offered very little either. I think we made their goalie make one decent save, but I think that was late on after we’d scored and had a massive burst of energy/desire.
I’m no tactician, but I think there was one thing I noticed about the game.
I might be wrong and I’d need to watch again to confirm it, but it seemed to me that we don’t get enough players backing up behind the strikers, which makes it all to easy for the opposition’s defenders.
We often go long to bypass the midfield and I think it’s that that causes a massive gap. The strikers get overwhelmed by too many defenders around them and that’s what makes them look so poor.
It all changed when we scored and Brighton sat back, allowing us to have at them, which was definitely noticable.
Whatever, I keep coming back to the fact that our midfield just isn’t good enough.
I would expect Gerrard will have seen this and will hopefully have somone in mind to help us out.
Bissouma looks just the sort of player we need, in my opinion and I’d bet we could persuade him to come too.
Enough of that trying to analyse things.
I’m just loving the win.
And boy, did we need it.
Couple of things I’d like to add Badger, El Ghazi I noticed when Ole score he didn’t seem to rejoice the goal, he was calling for the ball to him but Watkins took it on and a wonderful goal we had.might be reading into something that’s not, another thing to mention was Young, he added to our win and was brave in every way. Yes Beundia worrying me was he angree being pulled or as your saying upset on his performance? . all in all great game…
I think it was frustration on Buendia’s part. I never noticed AEG, but it all suggests that players are immediately feeling the pressure to perform, which is good.
Yes, I thought it was a good game even before we scored, but I also had the overwhelming feeling that effort apart, we offered very little.
Of course a couple goals changes the mood 🙂
As I said before the game, chaps. A messy win. And there you have it. 😉
Confidence.
That will be better now for the defence – they know they CAN still manage a clean sheet.
It will come for Buendia; he’s made a big step up from Norwich, and he’s still trying to find any real form – but that’s where the coaches have their work to do with him. Far, far too soon IMO to start writing him off yet.
McGinn seems to have been rejunevated already – maybe it was the games for Scotland last week.
Agreeing with most of what you say. Ings and Buendia are clearly having trouble fitting in and it’s an area that Gerrard has to fix either by getting them to work or bringing others in.
I thought we showed more bite to our game today and I put that down to a new belief that Gerrard instilled in them. It’s early days but I am glad we came out an improved side, especially in the second half which seems to show that we can adjust in a positive way and win matches late on. I also thought the substitutions all worked out well.
Brighton are a very good side and I think today’s win may signal a transformation in our season. I definitely hope so.
UTV
Actually, I meant to say that, but my comment was getting a bit too long.
Yes, the one single most notable thing was the much improved workrate. I definitely think Smith was too nice a bloke and couldn’t motivate the players anymore.
I very much doubt Gerrard will give any quarter in that sense and will demand 100% in every game.
I’m hoping it’s very much a case of it takes a battling midfielder to sort our midfield out.
It is always great to win. Well done Stevie G.
Badger, great analysis as usual. Totally agree about our midfield. I note according to Wikipedia Bissouma is in court in December for alleged sexual assault.
Sid, I forgot about that re Bissouma.
Of course, we have to see what a court decides before we come to any judgement, but if he’s found guilty, I’d guess that would preclude any chance of us signing him.
Gerrard in his post-match interview: “”You should see me in staff games, five or six-a-side, I want to win, I tell you. I hate losing.”
That’s all I need to know. We talked a lot about who was going to come in after Smith’s departure. This is the kind of guy you want running an elite club at the highest level. To repeat myself, the kind of guy who would “rather eat his own testicles than lose a game of football.” That can’t fail to rub off on players, the will to win and competitiveness, the never-say-die attitude.
It’s only one game and a pretty average performance, but I’m feeling really positive about this one. We’ve talked about game plans, tactics, clean sheets, structure and being hard to play against. It was all there today after just a few days work. The attacking flair will come later. He knows what’s needed now and how to deliver it. This guy’s the real deal.
I hope you’re right BFR.
Today was very encouraging, there’s no doubt about that.
I think the question has to be, would we have won that under Smith?
I think that’s a resounding “No”.
SG said he expected to work towards a possession based game: we had 38% in that one so this is going to be a long haul with the present squad. Watkins goal was moved from our area up-field at speed which is the opposite of a possession based team’s tactic.
Most of our squad IMO are counter-attack minded, the exception being Ings whose forte is his quick reactions to fashion a shot or header close to goal. He does not have the speed to join in a counter attack.
If Ings plays against Palace, their defence is sloppy in their own area so he may get chances not through his teammates but via Palace turn-overs.
OLL, Gerrard also said in his pre match pressie that (and I précis) – Villa have a decent goal scoring record but can’t defend, we need to tighten up.
It would appear that after just a few days, he and his coaching staff have made a more than decent start in addressing the latter even given the frailty of our mid field. It will be interesting to see whether he plays Luiz and Nakamba together when the former is fit. Luiz coming back will certainly strengthen our defence.
From all accounts it’s a reborn McGinn and one has to wonder whether the former coaching team had managed to stifle his game. Of all our players Gerrard might know most about McGinn from his time in Scotland.
Buendia is a concern. I’m reminded of Shankly’s comment. ‘Is he a good player having a great game or a great player having a good game’?
And then there is the enigma that is Sanson?
Next week we travel to Palace – another ground at which we have an abysmal record. Performance and result there might prove a better marker.
In the interim though I’m going to just enjoy the pleasure of winning.
UTV
Hitch, I heard SG make that comment about defending. Brighton are the team of choice to meet when trying to improve the defence. Next match we meet the polar opposite. Though Liverpool and City have more potent attacks that is because they are very good at their preferred form of it. Their variety is not as wide as Palace’s. Palace will be a thorough test of all the skills needed in defence. We may need to score 3 to win.
Agreed OLL.
Next game will be a better marker on how we’ve improved defensively.
As you say though, Palace are vulnerable defensively.
“And then there is the enigma that is Sanson?” – like everyone else I’m curious about that.
I know it’s very easy to write him off already, but to look at it from a wider perspective: he came in the January window and picked up what seemed to be quite a seerious injury early on. Since then ther’s been a truncated pre-season, an apparent recurrence of his first injury, etc.
Maybe I’m giving him too much benefit of the doubt, but surely at this stage he’s simply not going to be match-fit even if he’s over his injuries?
Unless there really is something a bit ‘odd’ going on in the background, I’d have thought thagt he needs some game time – either with the U23’s or just by playing a few half-hours as sub in 1st team matches before he can be expected to be ready for a starting position.
Just quickly to add –
When we signed Young, most comments focussed on the benefits of signing a winner – even at 36.
In Gerrard we’ve signed another winner – how much better might that be?
Just watched MoTD.
Mings scored a superb goal but it was not just the goal. He put a lot of energy into pressing the defender right on the touch line, winning the ball and keeping it in play which almost directly led to the goal. I don’t remember seeing so much energy from Mings for some time.
Interesting comment from Ian Wright regarding Gerrard’s potential influence on the development of Jacob Ramsey who Wright clearly rates highly.
I wonder if SG has put the frighteners on Mings? We all know he can be awesome but his mistakes are intolerable. I don’t think either Deano or Southgate has that aura. Gerrard has. He strikes me he can be a nasty b*****d and I think we’ve been missing that for decades. Winning teams need it.
I was watching MOTD on catch up, paused it to make a coffee and the rubbish iPlayer app crashed. Missed the highlights 🙁
Very excited about the Palace game!!!!! I still look at the table and as usual we look at the “what could have been” scenario. We could/should have beaten Spuds. We threw the Wolves game and those players should have been strung up for that. That lost us our momentum and paved the way for the string of results that led to Smith getting the sack. Probably Smith’s fault that he didn’t scare the bejaysus out of them after that capitulation. Winning those 2 we’d be top six. Funny old game innit.
That worries me Bum Bum (alias But Bum 😂) players can turn on managers like Chelsea, Man Utd, and others have. That game yesterday put the love back in the game for me but now wondering if we still have one or two in our dressing room that might not like Gerrard ?. I think he will be the right guy for the job and as you say won’t stand for any nonsense. He did something yesterday being the head coach ,he stood out and voiced his instruction too individual players and confered with his staff. To me the making of a good manager. I like him.. ever though he fiddled a pen out of us, and took a free kick and scored before the ref blew his whistle.
“He strikes me he can be a nasty b*****d”…
You know, I always suspected the same from his playing days; behind the polite facade I think there’s a completely ruthless, driven individual who won’t let anything stand in the way of what he wants.
And as you say, Villa have been ‘too nice’ – as a club and a team – for many years. Much as I admire that, sometimes getting to the top requires a bit of nastiness and steel. We should be nobody’s pushovers!
I always remember Ronaldo first time around saying his favourite place to play was Villa Park. He said we were always so nice and considerate and welcoming. While I like that it puts players at their ease. We should be making them uncomfortable if we want to win.
Have I said it’s a funny old game???
You change your username nearly as often as I change my y-fronts! 😉
Yes, I always liked that we were known as a club that did things properly.
We probably still do mostly, but you’re right, it needs to change.
Winners these days are mostly not gentlemanly.
I still want us to do things ‘properly’ – as a club.
I also want our teams to play like ‘gentlemen’…
But I also want any team out on the pitch in Villa shirts to be as hard in the middle as a block of tungsten.
Walk softly, talk softly, but carry a very big stick – as someone almost said once.
A win and a clean sheet against a team unbeaten away from home is very satisfying. Brighton are an established possession based team so when we failed to take advantage of our good start, they began to take the sting out of our play and for the last 30 minutes of the first half we had to dig deep. Buendia and Ings couldn’t match Watkins for pressing at the top and it was inevitable that they found it easy to get at us. The substitutions made the difference in the end. Young made a significant contribution with a brave block on the edge of our box before playing his way out and threading a great ball through to Watkins for him to score.
It was clear that the confidence levels were instantly improved and we looked like the shackles had been taken off.
Credit to Stevie G for making the correct changes. The only downside was the performance of Ings and Buendia who were both ineffective. Hopefully with another week on the training pitch for the coaching team we will see improvements throughout.
On a separate note, congratulations to Dean Smith on a winning start.
30 minutes in and Rangers are 2 down, dear me …
Bill, Gerrard left just at the right time then 🙂
Leeds winning at Spurs and if it stays like that we’ll be in 16th despite yesterday’s win!
What remains of concern is that only Norwich have lost more games than us!
Don’t worry.
Given that ManUre have appointed Ole’s two completely useless assistants as caretakers before they appoint an ‘interim manager’ for the rest of this season (-before they presumably appoint a ‘permanent’ one for next season) I hope to see their smug owners, players & fans down in the relegation positions within a couple of weeks !!
My bottom 3 prediction for the end of December as of this moment is Norwich, Newcastle & Manure.
Thinking similar thoughts Ardent although I doubt, with the talent they have available, being in the relegation zone is likely. One can but dream though!
How does putting the assistant coaches in charge improve anything? And then they talk about another interim manager – Big Sam perhaps? 🙂
Compare how United have gone about things and NSWE’s actions at Villa.
Whatever one thinks about Gerrard’s appointment (or even the removal of Smith) the process was well considered and executed without having to resort to assistants or interim managers being temporarily in charge with all the consequent uncertainty and disruption.
I’ve seen a few comparisons of the same sort on the web this afternoon – e.g. from Gary Neville; most are of course on about Spurs, rather than Villa (typical of the media), but make the point that Utd should have bitten the bullet two weeks ago – but yet again delayed and deferred making a decision for no sensible reason.
As for Big Sam, I’d made that joke to one of my sons earlier this afternoon – although I was actually being (almost) serious – they might just be calling on Sam to try and rescue them after Christmas!
Think sol Campbell made a very good suggestion for united manager but it will always be ignored. Steve Bruce
See he’s being tipped for that role Tom – Bruce that is.
What about the bloke recommended to us by Fergie? What was his name? …..oh that’s right, it was McLeish 😏
Turning back to matters Villa, I note that Gerrard has been linked with yet another Rangers player in the media – I think that makes four in total!
Maybe we should run a book on how many Rangers players are linked before the end of the January transfer window 🙂
Personally I hope he doesn’t go for any of them.
One or two might survive in the lower reaches of the Premier League, but surely as a club we should be recruiting players for higher?
As far as I’m concerned, neither Rangers nor Celtic’s current teams would make much of an impact in the English Championship, let alone the Premier League.
Someone posted that they thought AEG didn’t look too pleased about Watkins goal having wanted Watkins to pass to him.
After having watched Watkins goal a few times 🙂 , two things struck me.
1. El Ghazi took out three defenders with his run to the left side of the box which opened up the space for Watkins to run into – well done AEG
2. When Watkins scored there was a clear fist pump from AEG so the celebration may have been controlled but it was there.
UTV
Yes, that run was clever, because it pulled the defence to pieces.
I did mean to mention that, but forgot.
He’s still rubbish though 🙂
I think AEG has bags of talent. His problem is his attitude. If Gerrard’s man-management and coaching are up to scratch, he may have a real asset on his hands. Your description of how his run took out several of the opposition sounded like what Grealish used to provide for the team. Speaking of whom, anyone seen his recently? He could’ve been tearing it up for his boyhood team in the upper reaches of the league. Instead, he’s now a squad player who isn’t needed. Shame.
Is Grealish injured? I thought I saw that he wasn’t even on the bench for MancCs on Saturday?
Injured against Albania, apparently.
I can’t say I noticed, tbh.
Yes, I believe that Badger is being a bit harsh on AEG (again).
I admit he is a bit Marmite, but has scored some very important goals for us over the last couple of years – although in fairness he’s also missed a few that looked like ‘sitters’.
Certainly he can put in a good shift when he wants to: it may well come down to man-manangement with him; there were games where I thought he did really well, but then found himself benched for the next game and suddenly he just looked angry and sullen.
Another job for the new coaches to sort!
That Hitch was pointed out to me and I had to agree, it was the fact he never rejoiced the goal that throu me. He did pull defender’s away and it helped Oli,
Roll on the next game ,
Didn’t realise it was you Bill – just remembered reading it and was interested in watching his reaction.
Garth Crook includes Martinez and Mings in his Premier Team of the week. We are famous again. Must say how pleased I am for DS.
It’s really quite weird. I don’t remember a manager that was sacked who was so well regarded as Dean Smith.
I’m really glad he didn’t outstay his welcome.
Got to add to this. I’d love him, and obviously us to do well this season and bump into him. He’ll always be very highly rated at VP. He made a few mistakes and the squad let him down badly.
Onwards and upwards for us all!!!! Hoorah!!! And for Tiny Tim too!!!!!
Haha, I do have a tendency to go all or nothing in my view of players 🙂
It all helps debate!
Seriously, I do really rate AEG for his skill and his penalty taking.
But he’s similar to Hourihane, in that in the vast majority of games, he’s just anonymous and has no effect on the game whatsoever. I honestly think too many people overlook that.
And if a player is anonymous, you might as well play with ten men, it’s as simple as that for me.
Buendia and Ings are also going down the same road.
There’s a Birmingham Mail article today that says if Buendia doesn’t start performing, he won’t be playing. Which is exactly as it should be.
Same for Ings, particularly, but also anyone else.
Ollie gets let off for now because he is just so massively out of form, but he’s still working his guts out. I’m sure he will come good again.
But Gerrard won’t stand him not performing for long either.
If one of the strikers (if we’re going to persist with two up top) isn’t performing, I’d have no problem with Archer getting a run of games.
He’s hungry, that lad.
Christ Badger, that’s £50m plus worth of talent you’ve writing off there. I do hope you’re wrong. I really want both to work out but we may have made a mistake with Ings. Great player but does he fit our athletes?
When you’re aspiring to the level we want, binning £50 mill will be nothing, unfortunately.
You could bin the whole Man U squad, for how they’re performing, for example 🙂
It won’t come to that anyway, as apparently Roma are going to offer £17 mill for AEG.
Oh, I did laugh when I read that one.
As for Ings, I offer Hogan as an example. We’ve binned so many players at a massive loss over the years, it’s embarrassing.
Agree with you.
I’m not convinced that picking any individual player and saying that they’re out of form, not got the skill, or not up for the fight, etc., gets anywhere near explaining what’s happened at Villa during 2020.
There was a gradual collective slip into some sort of lethargy and lack of any ideas as we’d gone from a ‘high’ last Christmas/ New Year. In my mind it was more noticeable from the start of this season – after O’Kelly and Terry had gone. (And no, I still don’t think there was anything ‘sinister’ about those departures).
IMO when DS was just left with that lump Shakespare as his main sidekick, the whole squad slipped further into a rut – some more than others, but FFS, even Martinez ‘(the one genuine world-class player we currently boast) form had dropped in the last few weeks before the management change.
If I’m anywhere near right, I’d expect that the new regime will get the best out of all the current lot – starting perhaps by playing a few of them in their more natural positions -,although some will still take longer than others. But I really don’t think we can criticise any single player too harshly just at the moment.
( I was actually replying to Bum Bum, but Badger’s post appeared while I was writing..)
Ardent, I think you’re being a bit naive if you think nothing went on to lead to JT and ROK going.
Friends/partners/workmates do not just split up after years together for no reason.
At a bare minimum there’s been a serious row between them.
If it was all friendly and agreed, it would have been announced beforehand in ROK’s case, like any retirement is.
Look at the timing; it stinks.
I don’t really give a toss about JT, but I suspect ROK backed him up against Purslow, which made his position untenable. And Smith didn’t.
That’s total guesswork on my part, but there’s no way on earth it was as was explained.
As for criticising players, you’re right.
I’ll try to give them a clean slate.
But they won’t get long. Just the same as they won’t under Gerrard.
He won’t stand for them not doing the business. I’m convinced of that and he’ll be in the market in January.
Just my opinion 🙂
OK, I’ll come clean!
I’m a big fan of AEG – there is a lot of ability there and when he’s on his game he’s a very dangerous player.
Having said that his lack of consistency is a massive challenge. If Gerrard and, more importantly, his coaching team, can harness that undoubted talent on a consistent basis then, I believe we have a hell of a player.
Over to you Badger 🙂