Super, Super and Superlative!

From the goalkeeper to the two strikers upfront, the Aston Villa performance today was one of superlative and well-knit teamwork. Every player did his job, was exactly the right bolt size and put in the same, calm, mental and physical work.

The only drawback was that Villa had three gilt-edged chances to be leading before centre-back Hause showed his attackers how to finish with a wonderfully-contrived header. Did they, the players concerned that missed the chances, have nerves that they might actually score at Old Trafford?

Today's Villa performance was surely an indicator that the coaching at Villa Park must now be at an equally superlative level, providing the answer to every nuance on the problem of Aston Villa's poor history at the Reds' ground, and against Man U in general.

Villa's defence was virtually 100% watertight, the midfield moved as though it had been oiled with the best olives, and the two-prong attack strove with all their well-honed skills, though not - yet again - scoring. Well, just to keep them awake in that respect, young Archer came on late - all of a quiver! - to reward him for all his good work in the League Cup this season,

If we wondered why Hause had not been given a proper chance in the League this season after some storming games in the last campaign and at Chelsea on Wednesday, surely he cannot be left out yet again next week? 

I doubt that Tuanzebe - had he played - would have played better than Hause, whose only deficiency for me is his slowness in distribution on occasions. And he also scored his fourth goal for Villa - not a bad record for a defender with limited playing chances. Konsa, in contrast, just can't seem to get his headers on goal.

What was ironic was that Hause was adjudged to have handballed within a minute or two after his goal, a decision that would never have been made in the old days. Hause did not have time to think when it hit him. But justice was done when their erstwhile remarkable penalty-taker blasted high and wide deep into injury time.

Well, the writers were getting ready to write-off Dean Smith's future at Villa Park a couple of games ago. Now those writers have to find something else to write about!

The Villa is on the way up! No doubt about it.

UTV!