Results-wise, the past three games (bringing 7 points out of 9) have surely restored some faith that the early season run was not entirely a fluke! However ... these last three matches have left me a little drained! Perhaps the reader feels the same, but please allow me to explain anyway...
First - the match against Wolves. I felt that if it hadn't been for the excellent Martinez, we may well have lost that match. He really seems to have big hands, doesn't he, and because of his heroics in that match we eventually obtained a win - albeit via a penalty and after Douglas Luiz had been given his marching orders. The match was also extraordinary in that two players called Traore were playing, with one being a former Villan. It was the latter that looked the potential match-winner, however, with his swift runs and dangerous centres, an ability that Villa would have done well to have hung onto i.m.o., instead of letting him go.
Second - versus lowly Burnley. How - on Earth - can you have 27 shots and not score?! The score could easily have been 10-2 instead of 0-0, and resulted in both El Ghazi and Traore getting the thumbs-down from a good number of Villa fans: El Ghazi for his profligacy. He had 8 shots, with only a free-kick giving trouble to their 'keeper. And the Villa drove forward with such myopia that on at least 2 or 3 occasions, players in better scoring positions were ignored.
Third - last night versus Albion. Both El Ghazi and Traore were restored to some level of respect as they finished the only scorers in a 3-0 win that took until the last 10 minutes for Villa's superiority to be reflected in the scoreline, after taking an early lead. At times, Villa looked too ponderous (as they have in other games) to stand any chance of breaking through Albion's 10-man team, and I suspect that the fact that Villa improved the scoreline at the end was at least part due to the subs that Allardyce introduced to try to force a draw.
So, 7 points obtained after a lot of huff and puff! And a goalkeeper that always seems to remain so very alert even when not much is thrown at him. We surely have found a jewel there and now seem to have a great richness in the goalkeeping department.
Another talking point - yet again - is surely VAR. Maybe I'm the only one of this opinion, but how was that a valid sending off of the Albion player? Yes, there was a certain aggression about his tackle that probably warranted a yellow card, but did he really touch Grealish? And i.m.o. he went for and took the ball, not the man. I feel the ref's first judgment was the correct one.
Then, another Watkins 'goal' disallowed. As I recall it, his previous goal that was disallowed (vs West Ham) was because his arm was offside (!), and yet vs Albion the defender's arm surely put Watkins' onside!
If we are to have such stringent rules, let they be at least consistently interpreted! It seems that the human decision (the referee) has been transferred to a studio to be essentially decided on by another referee, and usually after some delay! Where is the logic in this - especially when consistency is as lacking as it was before?! Bah! Humbug! 😒
Well, Are we going to transform Boxing Day as meaning to Box the ears of Crystal Palace?! Their ears must already be sore after their humiliation at home vs 'Pool the other day, and since we put 7 past the 'Pool, does it mean that we'll achieve double-figures in this match?! No, of course not! Such is football that it may well be a case of a tightly-fought match with a draw at the end of it. But who am I to make predictions.
But, to finish on a good note: I am happy to see Traore quietly blossoming. He and Jack seem to be like twins in their artistry, though Traore's game has not yet quite come alight. And, as they said on MotD, McGinn's passing and industry is worth a lot. I do think we have a "Bright Future" - but (thankfully) without Lerner and Co.!
UTV!
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