You can’t be disappointed when you’ve won 4-1, but let’s be honest, was that a 4-1 type of game?
It wasn’t for me, as for the first 15 minutes Norwich were way better than us.
So much so that they were well worth their one goal lead after 15 minutes or so.
I can actually say that I felt embarrassed in that period, because we had absolutely nothing to offer (read bloody shocking).
While the line up looked like a 4-3-3, it was more a diamond, with Weimann playing behind the front two.
And it just didn’t work for me. Until Benteke scored. And what a nice goal it was.
It was immediately a game changer and when Benteke got his second within 2 minutes, I immediately felt much better.
Norwich collapsed and we looked a lot more confident.
So much so that we got another two goals. An absolute luxury of late.
But then, it just turned into another borefest for the rest of the game.
Is that unfair?
I don’t know, it’s just how I saw it.
Holt came on for the last 10 minutes and if that’s not a case of a manager just doing an ex player a favour, I don’t know what is.
Bring a bloody kid on instead of a has-been, imo.
And I thought MON was bad in that sense!
Lambert’s mumbling as I speak, but I really can’t be bothered to listen to a word he says.
We’re on 31 points, which should mean we’re safe now.
But I’m by no means convinced.
The fact that I saw Norwich as a major threat says it all.
oo, I dunno about that OLL I reckon man city will batter us.
delph did have a decent game but he’s got to stop this trying to take on 2 or 3 players 2 or 3 times and running into trouble and loosing the ball. kea seems to be playing his role better lately but we still need ‘that midfielder’ in the summer, going on the 1st half hoolahan looked decent but he faded massively in the 2nd, from his celebration I imagine he will still be coming to us in the summer.
some people have criticised the holt sub and it was purely a sentimental one but if you cant be sentimental at 4-1 up with 10 mins to go when can you?
Delph’s fine going forward one-on-one when he’s already moving but when he’s in a tricky situation with nowhere to run to and trying to get round people that’s where he gets into trouble.
Well Naughtius, it looks like Man City aren’t the next test after all. When I logged on this morning this site had Citeh up next but now it says Chelsea. Where did Citeh go? Now Chelsea are a side who really might batter us, a very physical side well versed in disguising the dirty tricks. I live in hope of seeing Terry on the receiving end of a tackle like the one he put on Gabby at Wembley. Much will depend on the referee in the Chelsea game.
I totally agree about Delph, it is too late to change him now. He keeps losing the ball in dangerous areas for us, because he will take on too many opponents.
City game perfect for our ca game esp as their defence is shit
“Defense is shit”… Arguable. Their defense isn’t nearly as bad as made out to be. Demichelis isn’t great but Kompany could mark out any striker in the EPL, Nastasic and Lescott are better than the Argentine but the Argentine’s clearly favored. Kolarov’s a talented Left Back and Zabaleta’s arguably the best RB in the league. Their defense isn’t shit, they playing a high-line allows Villa to counter.
I have felt that Lambert has got a lot wrong tactically this season but yesterday he did one thing right, having Bacuna on the right stopped Redmonds counter attack runs. This has been Norwichs strength for most of the season, so although i feel he has has got so much wrong i will applaud where i feel he got it right.
Bacuna’s goal looked good and well taken i feel he could play up front in the Wiemann or gabby role when we play 4-3-3, he cant cross though lol.
Another worry was the turn out, If we manage to get a point out of the next two games then that should keep us away from the bottom five
just heard aston villa have been drifting in relegation betting~ now 16~1 and heard loads of so called experts say villa are safe lmao i think the stoke fulham soton and hull at home and palace away we should aim to get another 3 wins and thats very reasonable plus other game should be a bonus ~ would be nice to do a number on chelsea for being cheated earlier in season
The Citeh game was postponed some time ago as they are in the FA quarter finals.
Shame as we’d planned an overnight stay.
That is probably a good thing not being negative but man City away gives me nightmares. If we get a draw against Chelsea 3 points against Stoke we should then have broken away from the pack fighting it out at the bottom fingers crossed
If Villa managed a draw against Chelsea, it would be huge. Though in first, most of their performances this season have been really poor, but defensively they’re just so strong that 1 goal is enough to consistently win. But Bertrand’s not gonna be available as no doubt they have in the contract he can’t play against his parent club and Luna/Bennett against Hazard? Yikes.
However Stoke at home is winnable. If it was at the Britannia I wouldn’t be confident as they can beat anyone there they’re just that good, but at home? Still can beat them.
I can see us getting something v Chelsea as they will attack us and we can counter. Plus mourinho has never won at VP
I got to the Bertrand bit of your post and wept
I don’t know if anyone else noticed,after hoolahan scored he tried not to celebrate his goal.so possibly that deal isn’t over yet.just an observation
I noticed and was appalled total disrespect for his club and everything that’s wrong about football today
I suppose thats a different way of looking at it.obviously a player who wants out.
Definitely wants out but to show it in that way is bad form. Looks like he will be joining and also means lamberk is hereto stay now. Another season of mediocrity to look fwd to next year now. ;-(
Looks like he wants to come, doesn’t mean he will, but 99% likely if Lambert’s here. I can see him given one more season with more money than the usual 20m and not as many players, meaning more on a few than the typical 8ish a transfer window.
Why would Lerner give lambert more than usual when he disnt need to ffs. He only needs to spend 10-15 m tops to keep us up there is no point spending to get to mid table or even top ten is pointless. For me it’s shit or bust either give him £100m and go for CL or fuck if out the club and let someone else have a go
100m to Lambert for the CL? God… We’d be back into the crapper within 2 seasons, in massive debt, failing to get CL or even Europa League. Lambert should go, but I can see him getting 30-40m still.
shame we never got hoolahan ~ it shows he wanted to come 2 villa. he was by far their best player caused us loads of problems. but his chance 2 come has been and gone ~we want some serious investment this summer.
Even if Villa seriously invested, if Lambert is still here, a deal for Hoolahan is still very likely. Its Lambert after all, he’ll never turn down an old friend.
And as he should, he’s definitely a good player, and someone that’s a good player and really wants to be at Villa is someone we should be signing. Doesn’t matter of him aging, not being an exciting signing.
Appalling attitude and complete disrespect for the club paying his wages. After half hr he did a petrov and completely faded out the game. Don’t want a player like that at vp
If he wanted to disrespect the club, he wouldn’t be playing, he’d be… Going on strike.
He won’t go on strike as he will lose money and be in breach of contract and if we don’t buy him he’s got nowhere to go. If one if our players did that I’d be fuming obviously u think that would be acceptable
“Obviously”… Lol.
I wouldn’t be fuming if a player didn’t celebrate. Now I’d be pissed if he went on strike, but I couldn’t care if a player celebrates.
But Lambert wouldn’t be playing a player who wanted out in the first place…..They’d be straight into the bomb squad training with the youth team.
He was the best player until we got first goal then he died a death. He was playing against a piss poor midfield as well. Remember those Moroccan guys we signed from Coventry because they had one good game against us hadji and someone else. Both useless.
Quote……”as for the first 15 minutes Norwich were way better than us.”………versus Man U. we were all over them and they couldn’t pass the ball at the start……they got a cross in and goodbye game…bit like yesterday.
Got to agree about a non game after it went 4-1…they were scared of 6 or 7 and we were scared of 4-4 or worse….so they all just settled for 4-1.
we’ve been criticised a bit for sitting back but it was up to Norwich to come at us and they clearly seemed to think accepting a 4-1 defeat was better than trying to get back in the game but maybe concede another goal or two which is really poor in my opinion.
I think we did the right thing, we took the sting out of anything they might have been trying 2nd half and killed the game something we’ve often acused the lads of failing to do, had we conceded a goal in the 1st 15 of the 2nd half it could have got messey, what we did was just professional.
In retrospect, you’re right NM.
I shouldn’t really complain, but I suspect it comes from watching shit all season.
It probably was quite professional, but like I said on here at the time, I wanted 10.
Or more realistically, just a bit more entertainment.
I’m being greedy.
I’ll just take the win.
There are several games this season that I would have gladly ‘closed out’ at halftime, but when we actually do it it’s boring shit.
I do wonder what some on here want at times. A 4-1 home win, that wasn’t that good, and was a poor game in the second half lol !
I think you can get back to slating Lambert and Lerner full bore a week on Saturday.
It wasn’t great to watch 2nd half but that has to be down to Norwich, im sure we were expecting them to come at us all guns blazing especially upto 60/70 mins, to give it a real go to get back in the game but they weren’t really interested.