Some of you might be old enough and perhaps a bit zany, like me, in having been Python and particularly Eric Idle and Rutles fans.
In which case I’m going to quote George Harrison and say “I’m shocked and stunned. Stunned, very stunned.”
This is how good I thought we were.
It was all quite strange, really.
The first 20 minutes bored me witless and it was like both sides were checking each other out and I was moaning like mad that it was all too slow and lazy.
But then I began to see another side to our game.
On the face of it, all we do is pass backwards.
But then I began to realise that West Ham had absolutely no answer to the way we were playing.
Teams are geared to the opposition going forward and attacking. But we didn’t do that.
I expected Moyes to counter our game somehow at half time, but he didn’t, which I find intriguing, because he’s no mug.
I’m not convinced it’s a system that will win all the time, but we actually outdid Spam’s midfield in any metric you like put out there, regardless of anything that the likes of Sky might say.
I haven’t seen anyone else say this yet, but I will;
I was in a bar full of Spammers.
I told them they’d just been taught a footballing lesson by a really good manager, who’s managing a very good side, that’s only going to improve.
And not one of them disagreed.
Make no mistake about this.
West Ham were spanked today.
Maybe we’re not as bad as I think we are, after all.
Anyone else harping back to the Sir Ron days?
Keith Leonard was a superbly athletic, physically strong, gifted centre forward who, as Ardent said, formed a great partnership with Brian Little. If memory serves correct he suffered an ACL type injury which, at the time, was irreparable to the extent of allowing Leonard to continue his career.
Didn’t Little also have to retire early through a knee injury?
I think it was Little’s knees that finally gave way. Wasn’t he just 28 when he retired?
Looking forward to tonight’s game. KO at 5.45 don’t forget!!!
Yes, I also recall that BL suffered recurring knee problems leading to the early retirement. Good to see him still looking healthy and dapper at the recent Mostar game.
Wasn’t this injury picked up during a routine transfer medical to our less than illustrious neighbours?
Brian Little walks on water! Fantastic player.
Starting a new post now. Thanks for telling me it’s an early KO Bum bum!
Brian Little was the most naturally talented player I’ve ever seen in a Villa shirt. I’ll never forget the time he was running down the right wing towards the Holt and a long ball was aimed for him to run onto but it was falling short behind him. Without slowing down or breaking his stride, he backheeled the ball – mid air – over his shoulder, ran onto it and continued his run as though it was the most natural thing to do. Amazing. His Villa side as manager was a bit special too. (His autobiography is well worth reading – it seems Saunders didn’t like him at all.)
But not as effective as Shaw.
Player V maverick?