Number 47 Will Do Me Fine!

Watching number 47 today was, for me, a bit like watching the first matches that Deakin and Slogger played in around 1960 time. Young players who were keen and, most importantly, were good. So, too, is number 47, and his coming off today was more to do with tiredness than anything I think. Still, it was a good game to start him in and I think we'll see plenty more of him.

Recently I saw that the Villa were already bottom of the league. Well, in one sort of league: a league drawn up in order of who plays the most football (in minutes) during a match. This 'alternative league' showed Man City and Liverpool top, while Villa were bottom. But while Man City played on average more than 60 minutes of football in a match, the Villa apparently played only 52. This league is based on the amount of time taken out of a game by throw-ins and free-kicks.

But at half-time today I was almost thinking that Villa were bottom of the real league! Yes, Villa had the lead, but the stats revealed that Villa only had 40% possession against the real bottom-leaguers! And Villa - for most of the first half - did not really impress me. Perhaps Villa were being slowed down by Bailey's ailment, for as soon as Ings came on there was suddenly a spurt and Villa got a goal.

I had no problem with Chambers starting today as he rather unluckily lost his place on the return of Konsa, but he did not greatly impress in this match. I did expect Phil to be far more commanding than he was, however. At times he's lovely to watch, but after several matches without showing much in terms of effectiveness, I am beginning to wonder what he can really offer the Villa next season. For me, Buendia is the more effective and I am sorry that he does not start, or at least come on earlier in the match.

But, even then, Villa just seem to have that lack of general cohesion to make them really into a top-8 side, especially with players misplacing their passes around the penalty area or wanting to shoot instead of passing to someone better placed.

I was not happy with the second half, although it started quite brightly.

Well, I do 'get' it that getting points right now is more important than the niceties, but how come such expensive players cannot perform more cohesively?

One day we'll get there. And one day those pigs might fly, as well!

UTV!