So I’m back over in Spain For a month and it hasn’t been a very good start. There’s a storm blowing over, it’s raining and decidely cool for the next few days.
I’d ordered a Christmas Tree and some lights because the missus likes that kind of thing and had pre-arranged to pick them up from the shop. Except when I got there, they’d only got the lights.
What use was that? and what’s the point of ordering online when they’re going to give your order to somebody else? Colour me rather peeved.
And then, to cap it all off, on Wednesday, I pre-ordered an Internet connection from the Telecoms company for a month (they do on-off), only to find I’ve got no internet. The order said it would be turned on for the day I ordered it to start (yesterday), no problem, except it hasn’t been. I remember reading somewhere that they don’t switch on at the weekend, so I’m assuming that’s the issue. So why take my money then? That’s Spain for you, I suppose. Automatic billing online, but seemingly manual switch on of the connection?
Anyway, the upside is that I’ve now got to go down the pub to watch it. It’s a hard life.
Onto the important stuff and straight into team news.
Emi Martinez is still suffering back problems and Pau Torres picked up a knock in the Arsenal game. Both apparently trained on Friday and yesterday, so they could be assessed and it’s going to be a very last minute decision as to whether they’re available or not. Tyrone Mings and Ross Barkley are still out.
West Ham have Oliver Scarles close, but today is too soon for him. Lukasz Fabianski is also out with a back injury, so Alphonse Areola will probably stand him for him again.
Prediction time and I see goals.
We’re on a great run, having won our last eight games in all competitions, which means I’ve been wondering when we’re bound to end that run.
Is today, the day? I don’t think so. West Ham have improved under Nuno, but they haven’t been able to create any space between themselves and the relegation zone.
I’ve actually been quite positive in my predictions lately and I’m obviously going to come unstuck somewhere, but I can’t see us losing this one.
I’m going for 2-1 to the Villa. Hopefully.
UTV!
Wow wow, about to say we don’t go forward enough then wham goal, tighten up now.
God, I love The Villa!!!!!!
At half time and 1-2 down I really didn’t see a win. O ye of little faith.
Never should we doubt the resilience or fight or quality in this team – that’s a mantra I need to keep telling myself.
UTMV
Great result but so many silly errors. Konsa, Morgan, Cash, Onana and don’t mention Ollie all guilty as sin. Great result though
Is Ollie under so much (personal) pressure to score that he only looks for that opportunity?
His hold up play is still good and he does look fitter and quicker but he just has to play the quick (easy) ball when on and not worry about scoring. It was his pressure that led to the first.
I’m sure the goals will come.
I heard an interesting comment about Ollie when he’ d messed up again.
“Oh,no. He’s thinking again.”
And our first goal made me think there was some merit to it.
Morgan will get MoM me thinks and his 2 goals justify it but what a great performance from Maatsen. As I said last week our match fitness is way off the scale this year.
Better or worse???!!!
Our focus is 100% better.
The comeback kings again. I think Emery lost his rag at half time because they were much improved second half. When we got our noses in front, they looked like a defeated team. Next week against Manure please 10 out of 10!
And despite shooting ourselves in the foot on a number of occasions- we won!
Rogers is now moving up another level. What a wonder goal he scored for our third. And considering we won without Martinez and Torres, a great result.
Now for Manuee next week!
UTV
Konsa benefits from having Martinez behind him. Konsa errors were responsible for the Hammer blows. Dithering over a pass to the keeper and then not stepping up sharply. Bowen is a handful – one for the England team at the World Cup. Maatsen contained him as best he could, including with a sprinting advantage. Fortunately on the other flank Matty was unable to prevent Summerville going past him, but Summerville fails to deliver.
The pattern was familiar. Villa enjoying possession but going nowhere so long as West Ham stayed in a tight block. However as soon as West Ham pushed forward Villa got in behind them. This year we have players who can shoot hard and straight from distance, that was the missing piece of the skill set. The rest is mental: pedal to the metal until we take the lead.
Pedal to the metal? I assume you mean in reverse?
Too many players giving the ball away again, including Rogers.
So many Villa fans in the sucker saying “get him off.”
And his goals are exactly why you shouldn’t.
Bit harsh Badger – it’s the way Emery plays but I agree we were well off it in the first half.
Hope you enjoyed the pub.
Not really Hitch. It’s why I rarely go anymore. Too many people more interested in the sound of their own voices than actually watching the game. I honestly felt like chinning the one cockney, but restrained myself and after he shouted “Come on you Irons”, I responded with “F*ck off you Irons”. He was doing my head in, totally.
And today was exactly what I like about football.
Shutting big mouths up.
Very subtle Badger – love it.
Remember being in Spain years ago in a pub with my son Chris watching Villa playing Arse. I got pissed off at the ref; Villa losing and was dragged out of the pub by Chris 🙂 before fisticuffs ensued.
I might have had a few too many LOL.
And it was Chris’ local pub at the time LOL
Just on the coach back. We are so damn difficult to beat, it’s like teams try everything against us, pull every string, but just cannot do it. We look like serious title contenders and the pundits would be silly to write us off. Let’s beat United on Sunday, UTV!
Also, I really don’t see the London Stadium as an awful stadium. My view was brilliant and the facilities were nice, and a win. Good score from me.
There you go. You enjoyed it and that’s all that matters. Happy days!
A good point Alfie. From the away fans perspective The London Stadium is roomy with a good view, helped by distance from the pitch. The whinges about it come mainly from Hammers fans who liked Upton Park – which like Villa Park had 4 different stands square on to the pitch. Season tickets for the old ground were on family hand-me-down basis. There are double the number available now and a lot of less passionate holders.
The other gripe is about Stratford Tube station which has an entrance in a shopping mall. Utterly inadequate for a 60K crowd trying to go home. The truth for Hammers fans is the old ground was too small to generate the revenue needed by a London club so they need to put up with their bowl – which they rent on advantageous terms.
Hope you’re feeling better Alfie – well done getting a win for us; best medicine in the World.
Just a shame us taxpayers paid for it Alfie!!
Explain please?
Yippeeee amazing result again we certainly know how to grind out a win enjoy Spain badger despite your poor start I’m sure you will have a great break
Interesting comment made about Rogers by comms during match.
Villa buying Rogers only came about because of our cup tie with Middlesbrough – that’s obvious but went on to say that Emery then watched every match Rogers subsequently played before deciding to buy him. Emery’s attention to detail is staggering.
Emery clearly saw something nobody else did – not even the Middlesbrough fans who thought they’d got the best end of the deal!
Let’s hope Alysson falls into the same category.
£8m as well. It just shows there is a well of untapped, untrained and underdeveloped talent out there.
Staying up for MOTD2!!!
And the boys have a whole week off before the next game. Boy do they need it. A trip to Alton Towers and Pizza Express on the cards I hope!!!
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…🎅🎅🎅🎅🎅”!!!
Thought I might watch the Bournemouth game on Sky – hope they screw United.
Now a rant – in the analysis of the weekend games (pre-match) which teams got a mention? Yep – Arse, Citeh and Pool of which Pool got about 20 minutes of analysis and review; Carragher talking for at least 21 of those minutes!
So, which team has the best record over the last 11 games in the EPL and in the top five leagues in Europe – ah must be Pool?! All the pundits damn us with faint praise whilst predicting failure; remember Leicester!
Villa are becoming an acute embarrassment for the Sky prejudice and long may it continue – if they want to ignore us, fine, suits us to play under the radar – I truly hope they will have to wipe an enormous amount of egg off their face come the end of the season,
UTMV
Hitch, I hope they continue in this. They’re just embarrassing themselves the bunch of w@nkers. Especially the odious ‘Carrah’, the spitter.
ManUre’s defence is shite. I hope we absolutely SLAUGHTER them at Villa Park on Sunday. Entitled bunch of prats, and their fans.
Come on Bournemouth!!!!!
I’ve given up on any of the national media giving us any credit and airtime. They believe we will fall apart sooner or later. Maybe they are right but we deserve better than the biased ‘super 6’ constantly get regardless of their league position.
As for Manure, we owe them one after last season.
Was on the top criteria for the Spurs FA Cup game as they lowered it slightly due to the 8,903 allocation. Anyone else a Season Ticket Holder or Member (guaranteed to drop to season ticket holders, not guaranteed members but I think it will) here? You’ve got a good chance of getting tickets to that game if you’d like and want to go to an away game. Thought I’d give a heads up as there are always people gutted they can’t get away tickets!
Got my ticket this morning. I know that I am not usually, but to be in the top away criteria for the current third best team in the country… that felt special to me.
That’s a stadium I fancy going to some time. It’s supposed to be something else.
Bloody marvellous, after Sunday’s game with Utd, we have two away games, Arsenal, Chelsea, Are the FA making sure no other teams bar London clubs get anywhere near the top of the Premiership?. Trying hard to knock us down. Utv.
So we paid £33 million for Pau, but apparently, now we’ve improved him, we’re going to give him to Barce for £25 mill?
Absolutely laughable,
Not going to happen Badger – media load of bo**ocks.
If Barca want to pay us €50 or €60m we might entertain it, otherwise they can ‘do one’.
When will the laughable media hacks realise we are no longer a selling club. If we sell, it will be part of a well structured financial plan for the future benefit of the club.
Otherwise the message is – SOD OFF!
UTMV
Anyone getting excited about the ManUre game yet???
Let’s put it this way. I’m not dreading the game like I normally am, but more of that tomorrow.
Villa will be taking 9000 fans to the Spurs cup game.
And the club sold the lot within half an hour of them going on sale.
Blimey.
https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2025/12/19/aston-villa-set-to-take-a-huge-9k-following-on-the-road-in-fa-cup-clash-against-tottenham/
6,000 went out to Season Ticket Holders (flat STH’s – no away points) and they effectively sold out in half an hour, minus the odd pop up which always occurs.
I checked the sales window this morning just after I’d got home from the pharmacy, quite literally all gone. What a huge success, and will likely encourage other clubs to give us a high allocation. Though in saying this, as much as I’m not going to deliver a step-by-step of the criteria for the game, I think members who went to every FA Cup game last season have been seriously hard done by given that there were Season Ticket Holders who didn’t bother to go despite them being reasonably priced at £25.