It’s been a very busy couple of days for me.
The missus had a hip replacement, which, coupled with work, took up all my time: Hence my not posting about the game beforehand.
Cutting to the important stuff, I thought that was a very decent win today.
I think we need to look at Mick McCarthy’s verdict, where I believe he gives a very honest assessment;
McCarthy said. “Prior to the goal I thought it was a foul on our goalkeeper equally as much as it was, if it was, on theirs when we scored. But sadly both incidents were treated differently.
“But it was appalling defending after that. We ran out under the ball and didn’t defend it properly and playing against good players, you get punished. And they don’t need any help.
“I thought we were the best team up until the first goal. And then the game changes. If my auntie had you know what, you’d know what she’d be, she’d be my uncle.
“If we had scored the first goal the place would have been very quiet, it was actually up until that goal.
“But they are if anything efficient and certainly when they got in front, they made it very difficult to play against them.”
While I might disagree that Ipswich were the better side, there certainly wasn’t much in it at a pretty subdued Villa Park.
But without doubt, I agree that the first goal was most important, as it would shape the game either way.
If we’d conceded first, I doubt we’d have pulled it back.
Fortunately we got the first one, which meant they had to chase us, which they never really threatened to do.
And once Adomah got the second, you just knew it was all over.
He’s on some roll isn’t he, Adomah? Good job too, but we can’t rely on him. If he gets injured, we’re in trouble.
It’ll be interesting to see how Bruce plays this, come the transfer window.
Still, it is what it is and the plain fact is that we won again, in what’s been a good week.
Yes, when we have as many injuries as we have, I can’t disagree that things are progressing well.
We currently look very well set up to mount a challenge for second place, although I don’t believe we’ll achieve it.
Then again, I have a friendly bet that we’ll finish above Wolves, so if that pays off, we’ll be doing better than i thought.
Leeds away next, isn’t it?
That’s a serious test and much more realistic of where our chances lie.
Bruce’s home form is 17 wins 7 draws and 4 defeats, 58 points from 28 games. That’s over 2 points per game – we play the “top teams” mostly at home now- so I’m confident. Even if we do lose to some of them our record so far against the teams 8th down to 24th is, 10 wins 3 draws 2 defeats. 33 points from 15, again over two points. Our form stacks up at home, against the majority of the league and we have a top 6 away record as well. All evidence to suggest confidence in the opinion we are going up automatically.
i agree with badger about the type of villa fans. but descriptions are alittle in accurate. but he has hit the nail on the head with there being three types
a) We’re brilliant, whatever we do and the glass is always half full.
while i am always a optimist. i wont say we were brilliant when we wasnt. i think i give a good honest assessments. i understand the game and know its not always as simple as we think.
take the goal which was rightfully disallowed against ipswich. some fans think the goalie was at fault. but i say it was a good corner, it was whipped in with pace and curve. also it was very accurate, the goalie was also fouled which is why he flapped.
also i played in goal once at school level, when our goalie was red carded and i wont slag of the goalie. its a tough position. you have to concentrate,even when their is nothing to do. in a split second your called upon to make lightening dives and you have to read the game. make split second decisions should you come off your line all the way or just to cut the angles down. then when you have 20 bodies all in your box, you have to watch the ball flight and the bodies in front of you, which might be on a collision coarse with your head.
you have to be mad to play in goal. also you get blamed for the goals you concede rightfully or not
All fair comments Nath 🙂
“I understand the game”
And that’s exactly my point.
We all think we understand the game, yet have massively differing views at times 🙂
Vive la difference, I say.
I totally agree that goalies have to be nutters though.
They’re either brilliant or totally rubbish.
my statement i understand the game is not saying others don’t, but if you have played the game at any levels. you do have a understanding of the game. which none players won’t have. they are still entitled to their opinions.
i was just stating a example, that i am a optimist but i am honest to say if we didnt play brilliant. the goal was example, when jonhston flapped. it was down to a wicked ball in. and he was fouled. even without the foul he might still have flapped because it was one of many brilliant crosses from the corners from them.
Look at January’s fixtures: Bristol City at home – Forest away – Barnsley at home – Sheff Utd away – I do not see us getting less than 10 points from those games. If we can get 12 points over the xmas period then come the end of January we should be top 2. December is the only slightly tricky month – if we are half decent this month I think we are odds on going up.
So Ipswich, who we ‘efficiently’ beat at the weekend, have just done us a favour by beating one of our competitors Derby away.
We might be a little better than we think.
yeah pat57
that was correct, derby beat middlesbrough with ease. then lose at home to ipswich who themselves were soundly beaten at villa with ease. all this info point to a very competitive league. so please guys respect the efforts of the villa players who have been tremendous. in the face of crippling injuries which has taken out most of our strikers and other important players. we still managed to get into a decent league position,
exactly right
I’ve seen a marked difference to our team over the last two matches, its what called coming together, shame that Terry got injured, my only concern now is young Taylor getting back to his best, i think the team in general now understands how important its getting to win games, that tweet from Xia got to mean working towards loan players have been going on under cover, 1 or two known players are on the cards imo.looking forwards now to us playing plus 4 games on the box coming soon. Utv
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-scout-norwegian-clash-13964934
Getting really interesting. I’m wondering why we’re scouting so many Norwegian games.
With only 6 players not from Ireland, England, Scotland or Wales that we have on the team, and only 1 player came from abroad, I do find it quite interesting Coton is in Norway on a few occasions this season. Odd game to choose though. 12th v 13th isn’t exactly teams we should be scouting, are they? Unless either has a rare gem. But I am happy we’re scouting, really, really scouting. Something we were going to do under Houllier but haven’t done in years because obviously illness screwed him and McLeish was never going to do it.
I know nothing about the players mentioned but reading up on Soccerway, find it interesting they mention Matthew but no mention of Krogstad who got both goals and is their second highest goal scorer with 5, as a 22 year old midfielder.
Should make for an interesting January/next Summer.
Another John Carew perhaps?
fuck me derby are invincible!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh, they just lost to Ipswich, just saying.
derby have been gradually getting better as have we. that defeat to ipswich is typical of this league. reasons why the teams that can keep the wins coming longest, will be more successful in this league. i never saw our sheffield wednesday defeat coming. on that day we were second best. they did a number on us. but as bad as we were that day, we got of the canvas and continued to win games. this durability will serve us well.
looking at the leeds games, we need to be aggressive because leeds will be. they are gonna hit villa fast and hard. they are third best in the league for h/t winning and villa are 2nd best. so it will be a fast frantic start with goals. it should be a good game,
i have a fear thou, wednesday pressed villa high and surrounded davis, this was all they did to knock us out of our strides. villa couldnt work out the solutions. was very late on when, villa started to create. but this was wednesday running out of steam. if leeds watched that game which they will have studied it. they are sure to adopt the same tactics. hopefully villa will be ready for this having learned the lesson or NOT