Villa 2 – 0; Happy days are here again!

First, let me get my complaint about AVTV and the live commentary out of the way.
Why the hell am I paying for this when it takes me 15 minutes to access the service, meaning I miss 10 minutes of the game?
I could have turned the radio on and got the lot for nothing!
Whoever is in charge of this needs sacking, as it simply isn’t providing what people are paying for.

I’ve complained officially and never got a reply.
This isn’t good enough, simple and I hope this comment gets passed higher than the numpties who are controlling it.

That said, let’s talk about the game.
While it might have sounded quite tight from my rushed stabbings at what the commentary was saying, it really sounded quite comfortable overall.

Johnstone dropped one, which really doesn’t instil confidence (again), but the facts will say he kept a clean sheet.
And that’s two on the trot, which can’t be bad.

I think the telling point about this game for me, was the fact that the commentators were talking about how tentative we played early on and how it was noticeable that the crowd reflected this, in getting tetchy and easy to pick faults.

I feel that’s somewhat unfair and my opinion say you have to give the fans something to shout about.
It’s just been missing for so long, hasn’t it?

But this game sounded a bit different.
A commentary is only a small part of the whole, but the game sounded like we were trying to go for it and at least looking to win.
That’s a big plus.

And as the game went on, so the commentator’s were suggesting the game was safe, even though Bristol were trying too.

Kodjia got some abuse, but seemed to come through it, which is all good.

Green nearly had a worldy and got plenty of plaudits from the fans, before going off with a hamstring.
Just our bloody luck; But I suspect this kid will come good in a way Grealish won’t. Go on son.

Hutton was another shout for MOTM. I’ve always struggled to seriously fault him, but how long can he keep this up?
Prospective big fat contracts always bring the best out of us, I suppose.
Just keep it reasonable Steve and don’t over-pay.
Which it seems we did with Kodjia.
Hmm.

Apparently Kodjia should have fed Bjarnason a sitter tonight.
I’ll live with it, when he’s performing.

The main point is the fans massively got behind the players when it looked like they were going for it.

Bruce felt confident and the players backed it up.
Or so it seems.

Let’s see more of it, I say.
Stop fannying around with clubs that should be below us and go for them from the off.

Rotherham next and the attitude ought to be “how many are we going to beat these by?”

Come on Steve, wind these players up and we’ll batter them, imo.

35 Comments

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  1. nath
    nath March 1, 2017 at 7:03 am . Reply

    sounds like green shoots of recovery. about bloody time. i didnt see game or listen to it. i have heard bruce interview and this blogs updates on game 🙂 the goalie is still a baby in goalkeeping terms. he will make mistakes and more when the confidence is low in team. i just dont get why we are nurturing another clubs goalie.

    kodjia is a goalscorer and they are a stingy breeds, we all know the type they should have a ball all to themselves.they won’t pass or even lend you the ball they have only goals on their mind. but they also bring touches of magic score great goals and goals out of the blue.

    the crowd were great so say all of you 🙂 and pat murphy saying to bruce the holte end asking bruce to wave to them.

    we are low on confidence but with each game winning and clean sheets the confidence will flow back, each further game will bring more freedom to play. the crowd is the 12th man. so if the crowd can buy into this venture. we will be back. sooner rather than later. if we could finish the season like a express train this would allow us to carry this confidence into the next season. most important we do this

    1. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 March 1, 2017 at 7:10 am . Reply

      Momentum – we haven’t seen that from a Villa side since ‘he who shall not be named’ left in a huff. Agreed Nath – vital for next season that we build some now and end the season on a winning run – can we do it?

      1. bws
        bws March 1, 2017 at 9:41 am . Reply

        The thing is Hitchy he who shall not be named was bang on the money, he had LR and his intentions for the club nailed.

        1. Hitchens 60
          Hitchens 60 March 1, 2017 at 9:52 am . Reply

          Can’t really argue with that BWS but at times it seemed like his ego (aka a certain Mr Clough) transcended his common sense – particularly in the transfer market.

          1. bws
            bws March 1, 2017 at 10:23 am . Reply

            Hitchy anyway you look at it RL (imo) run the club into the ground, I don’t believe the blame can be leveled at MON ok he got some deals wrong but top six finishes, EPL stabiity and Cup finals to boot!
            What more could we ask for??

            1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
              OohAhPaulMcGrath March 1, 2017 at 5:13 pm . Reply

              MON can never be forgiven for walking out just 5?days before season started. Timed to cause maximum damage. Horrible little man can’t stand the bloke!

          2. Hitchens 60
            Hitchens 60 March 1, 2017 at 11:23 am . Reply

            Fair enough – no doubt RL did more financial damage to the club than anyone else in it’s history – although the Board of the ’60’s did their best but ”twas different then as the financial gulf fuelled by Sky didn’t exist.

          3. Hitchens 60
            Hitchens 60 March 1, 2017 at 11:27 am . Reply

            * ‘did their best’ – that is meant sarcastically as they were responsible for our first decline! Remember volunteers turning up to paint the ground after the financial restructuring.

          4. bws
            bws March 1, 2017 at 5:37 pm . Reply

            OOHAH that is true but you’ve have to admit he called RL right?

        2. jvillan
          jvillan March 1, 2017 at 1:34 pm . Reply

          mon 4 years cost about 30m on transfers fees
          houiller 2 players cost about 23/5 bent went for free, makuon figures vary 1.5/2.5m biggest wage in history for bent
          mcleish 20m spent only 1 player got over 100 games given had to be paid to leave, zog worse value than ireland

  2. Hitchens 60
    Hitchens 60 March 1, 2017 at 9:57 am . Reply

    Hourihane’s goal may have been a ‘tap in’ arriving fortuitously through a sublime miskick by Adomah but an observation – how often have we bemoaned our midfield players not getting into the box? Hourihane was supporting the attack and well positioned to take advantage of any second ball. Hallelujah – and long may he continue to do so. 8 goals and 8 assists suggests that it will.

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
      OohAhPaulMcGrath March 1, 2017 at 5:14 pm . Reply

      He was in the right place at the right time can’t argue with that

  3. Rocky1
    Rocky1 March 1, 2017 at 1:43 pm . Reply

    Take nothing away from Bristol City last night as they have a knack of scoring a few goals away from home, reference Derby 0-3 up and drew 3-3 and Newcastle 0-2 up and drew 2-2 but then squandering decent leads seems to be their downfall. If we had gone 2 or 3 nil down I doubt we would have come back?
    First half we rode our luck but in the 2nd half the midfield certainly looked in good shape and with Jed having a good game covering the back four it gave the others room to press and support in attack.
    6 points from 2 games is a good return compared to recent results both home and away, The players seem to have a better understanding of each other, we just need to win at Rotherham and who knows it is all about confidence and putting a decent run together.

  4. nath
    nath March 1, 2017 at 6:24 pm . Reply

    thanks bws for that link was a good read 🙂

  5. BCVILLA
    BCVILLA March 1, 2017 at 7:57 pm . Reply

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/02/28/aston-villa-warned-bullying-young-players-u-23-coach-kevin-macdonald/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_tw

    Did anyone else see this?

    Something that has come up before in our recent demise

    Oh.. and good win. We need to smash Rotherham to get this momentum going UTV

    1. bws
      bws March 2, 2017 at 4:38 pm . Reply

      I don’t know what to make of all that? Kevin MacDonald hardly comes across as Attila the Hun does he? But there again I suppose there must be some foundation to it but in this age of daren’t say boo to a goose without someone’s sensitivities being offended who knows??

      1. originallondonlion
        originallondonlion March 2, 2017 at 5:09 pm . Reply

        It is in the Times also. There were rumours of substance abuse when the last two team coaches (not Cowans) were sacked and a side note at that time mentioned another charge of bullying, but I thought that concerned those two. As you say KM does not come across as a bullying type.

        1. BCVILLA
          BCVILLA March 2, 2017 at 6:43 pm . Reply

          That’s just it, is it a case of he said-he said and are they being overly sensitive? Is he being harsh in some cases which factors against him in more innocent situations or banter ?

          I live in Vancouver right now, and the level of overly sensitive cry babies in the younger generations here are awful. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is similar for young footballers who are likely a bit more pampered and coddled than your average teenager.

          But at the same time – Young players asking to stay for extra training, do you think a young Messi or Ronaldo were told to f*** off back inside? I highly doubt it

          1. Hitchens 60
            Hitchens 60 March 2, 2017 at 7:57 pm . Reply

            Great city Vancouver – so now understand the ‘BC’ bit. We have really good friends who live near Sidney on Vancouver Island and visited a couple of times. Did the Rocky Mountaineer last year – brilliant.

  6. Adam
    Adam March 1, 2017 at 10:02 pm . Reply

    Yep echo that point about the midfield getting in the box, great to see. Continuity is key now. Apart from maybe Bree thats probably our best 11. If we can stick with it and keep them fit they can build that harmony on the pitch. Just hope Gardner and Green arent injured too badly.

  7. brian bainbridge
    brian bainbridge March 2, 2017 at 12:04 am . Reply

    Woo hoo nice to see us winning again FANTASTIC.

  8. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson March 2, 2017 at 2:20 pm . Reply

    Bit better news,?
    Wyness has told Villa fans: There’s no cause for concern over our finances.

    Villa recorded a loss of more than £81m for the last financial year and that sparked immediate panic among supporters.

    The figures for the 2015-16 period show that with an operating loss of £81.3m the deficit more than trebled, up from £26.6m, before Villa were relegated from the Premier League.

    But Wyness, the man responsible for the day-to-day running of the club, told the Birmingham Mail:

    “There’s absolutely no cause for concern.

    “Since we bought the club we have actually reduced the debt in overdraft facilities.

    “And Tony is funding the growth himself out of our own over-funds.

    “So the club has probably never been in better financial shape than it is right now.”

    1. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 March 2, 2017 at 3:37 pm . Reply

      Bill, the operating loss was only about £3m the rest of the loss was referred to as ‘exceptional items (sic)’ Wyness said most of that was through a revaluation of the club on the balance sheet. I posted previously that I thought it was mostly RL (or more precisely his accountants) doing some ‘tax restructuring’ ahead of the sale. I am sure there are other posters who could probably explain it better than me.

    2. bws
      bws March 2, 2017 at 4:44 pm . Reply

      Hey Bill what’s happened to your mucker Giddy?

      1. nath
        nath March 2, 2017 at 7:55 pm . Reply

        giddy i think he was getting fed up with somebody trying to wind him up. so he probably having a break and celebrating the last two wins down his local

        i was worrying about them debts so happy with that post bill 🙂

        another stat which shows how dog shit we have been over the recent years. apparently we havent won three games on the bounce since mon days. we have to put that record straight this weekend

  9. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson March 2, 2017 at 5:08 pm . Reply

    Glad you asked BWS, i did notice. With the problems I’ve had not kept up with ringing him, think it my have been what a poster came back with. I’ll find out.

    1. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 March 2, 2017 at 5:13 pm . Reply

      I can’t guess which one but if I mention his name he’ll start complaining. 🙂

      1. Bill Pearson
        Bill Pearson March 2, 2017 at 6:09 pm . Reply

        Hitch , that was explained to me earlier it was covered up by Lerner , he definitely rape the club of money even though he sold it cheap.. I’ve left a message on giddy mobile I think he still looks in, shame really but time will tell.

    2. Guest
      Guest March 3, 2017 at 10:49 am . Reply

      Bill tell Giddy we miss him.

  10. originallondonlion
    originallondonlion March 3, 2017 at 10:27 am . Reply

    BC raises an interesting point. It is easy for the OAPs writing on here, of which I am one, to imagine that trends in education don’t produce young people with different mind sets from ours.

    We were brought up to be competitive at school. There was always something you were better than most at, and something at which you were a duffer. I can still remember having the piss taken out of me for my complete inability to sing in tune or clear a high jump. I got my own back of course.

    I am chairman of the local Sunday League, not only is there a dearth of players in the 20-25 age group there is no willingness at all in those 20-30 to volunteer for the league management committee. I am told that for age 18 down now there will be a flood of players wanting to play parks football and this is due to competition being returned to the curriculum. Hopefully some will volunteer as well as play.

    I suppose Villa’s academy has suffered a few years of the intake being effete and over sensitive. Too bad, the top players need mental and physical resilience.

  11. Hitchens 60
    Hitchens 60 March 3, 2017 at 11:44 am . Reply

    And in other news…

    Six game ban for Bacuna – really?
    Hutton triggers a one year extension on his contract – that’s OK by me – the guy has earned it.

    1. Guest
      Guest March 3, 2017 at 11:51 am . Reply

      I’d have banned him for life for impersonating a footballer.

      1. Bill Pearson
        Bill Pearson March 3, 2017 at 12:47 pm . Reply

        Guest, I’ve left message to text or ring but no response, he might be slumming it in hotter places, I do hope he’s not ill because he works on roads, Giddy get your arse back mate we miss you mate.

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