6-1! How Did It Happen?

I am still perplexed. Nine attempts on target and six scored with only 39% possession. Actually, perhaps it says a lot about Brighton, who spend so much time passing the ball (though quickly) but against a defence like Villa's it did not help them much. Their one goal was through a freakish passback from Digne instead of whacking it out for a corner if that was his only real option, but at that stage there seemed to be a possibility that the Seagulls might claw their way back (so to speak!).

The replacement of Zaniolo with Ramsey was key I think. As Pete the Canadian directly put it in his analysis after the Everton fiasco, Zaniolo just now looks full of promise from time to time, but it is so little that comes from him to help the team in the entire period he's on the field. Ramsey made that needed difference to keep us looking purposeful.

So, an impressive scoreline to keep the fans happy. After Wednesday's match there were a lot who were far from happy, in particular the season ticket holders who no longer get a gratis cup match ticket and have to pay the full whack to attend a cup match. Quite a few were also complaining about what is being done to the Holte End to provide fresh 'experiences' - and at what cost to their pockets! Also the constant display of ads around the pitch. For me, watching on the box, I just find the pre-match flag waving and flame blowing all a bit too much ucky and almost a turnoff. Add to all that business about the sweaty shirts and the decision to review the Club's crest yet again (etc) I sometimes wonder when the backroom boys at Villa are going to get it right.

After all, what is the 'experience' that the fans really want? None of the commercial and glossy stuff but to watch a team that entertains with commitment ... and is successful.

As to success, I am pleased that Ollie has regained his scoring instincts. A tad lucky with one or two of them today, but he was there working his socks off and he got his rewards. His four goals in two league games must surely be giving him the boost he needs.

As for Tielemans I am almost shocked he's not producing more by now. He's had plenty of opportunity.

Well, away to Wolves next match. We have come unstuck against them before but perhaps this time we will put out a team that will hold things together.

UTV!

Some Villa Fans Need A Reality Check - For The Sake Of Their Health!

A win, partly thanks to a sending-off I feel, as I don't think there was much to choose between the teams. If 11 Chelsea men had remained on the field I think the final score could have been 5-5 without the performances put in by the two 'keepers. 

Both goalkeepers excelled themselves to keep down the number of goals. There were two thunderbolt shots from Villa and their keeper's response to both was superlative. But Emi also did his job very well, showing great anticipation.

Villa still are not quite 'there' yet, as numerous other writers would agree, but there's something satisfying about the players' commitment. Not only that but the fact that after this week-end's results, only Manchester City have won more points than the Villa this year! Yes, in the calendar year of 2023 it would seem that we have racked up 55 points - alongside Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal. We are therefore in joint second place for the year versus the steamroller that is Manchester City, on 74 points.

And yet I have just read a blog by a Villa fan that says that after the Liverpool match he did not know where to put himself and didn't view any further Villa match until Thursday just gone, in Warsaw.

If a Villa supporter can allow himself to do that having presumably experienced the hell years between 2011 and 2018 (dare I mention 2015-16 in particular?) then he surely needs a reality check. I am sorry, that is how I see it: life is far more than grumbling about the odd defeat in a general scenario that shows that the Villa is quietly 'getting there'. And thanks to Emery really. He may have some flaws but at least he owns up to his errors and generally gets things sorted pretty quickly. The fact that the players have 'bought' into his methods and decisions is a very positive sign. And I'm quite enjoying Villa's style of play.

I'm happy with the odd 'blip'.

As to today's match I'll not say anything more except mention our Belgian friend Tielemans. In the last two league matches he has come on as a sub and - for me at least - looks good. I feel he will show us some more of what he can do pretty soon.

Well, next up is a League Cup match against a resurgent Everton. But we can do it.

UTV!

Football Is Not Played By Robots - Yet!

Well, we lost in Warsaw. Defensively in particular, we looked naive. But with so many changes in that area I am not surprised at the misunderstanding showing in Villa's defensive ranks.

Most importantly, it's not the end of the world considering this is a group stage. We have a good chance to put things right and progress further. It was by no means a fluid Villa performance, but to some extent you have to give credit to Legia for that being the case. 

Legia managed things better, in addition to some muscle that stopped Villa from getting through on a few occasions. The time Duran was pulled back just when he was about to shoot comes to mind, plus a high kick to stop Bailey getting through. That was a red card incident in my view.

But if you were to read the knee-jerk reactions of some regular Villa supporters and their match assessment reports you'd think that there were some very awful individual performances from Villa players last night. I feel that much of it was lack of understanding; after all, it is a team game and understanding has to be built up. Chambers is rarely used and Lenglet was making his first appearance, so what we saw was, for me, not altogether surprising against a quick team like Legia. Otherwise those players played some good stuff last night in my view. 

Yet on the Villa supporters sites I mentioned there were scores of 3 and 4 given for individual performances. 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if they're not capable of making reasoned judgments then stay quiet, please. Otherwise all it does is encourage over-expectation for instant success. For goodness sake, Emery has been in the job for less than a year and what he has done in that time is quite remarkable. But on the way there are going to be blips, and this one was surely down to lack of mutual understanding at the back.

Robots have not yet taken over to make football perfect (and every game a 0-0 result!) and long may they stay away.

Let's see what happens on Sunday.

UTV!

VAR is a VAT! (Value Added Tax)

So goals are being refused by VAR when a toe is judged to be offside? I thought that the powers-that-be were trying to learn how to use VAR properly? How come that a goal scored with such skill can be chalked off because the player's toe is too long? What kind of game are they trying to create?

Hands up anyone who remembers that the 'three points for a win' law was introduced in 1981 to encourage more goals to be scored; to move away from the defensive mentality. Today we have the unfortunate situation that team managers are scared of losing, hence their support for VAR even though it remains so much a debatable tool in the way it is being used.

For a while yesterday, the refusal of Diaby's 'goal' had the effect of encouraging the Palace's mass defence and breakaway tactic to the point that it nearly made the game sterile. Until they scored just after the break. That had the benefit of making Villa realise they had to do more, and with a few team adjustments, 'more' was achieved in the shape of three goals. But even one of those brought about more controversy.

Well, we have to thank Jhon (spelling?!) for a remarkable goal to bring hope back to Villa Park. His shooting really is good; rarely does he shoot off target, but that shot was a cracker. Whether he is really the entire answer to Ollie's scoring difficulties just now, I'm not sure, but the thought does occur to me that perhaps we should play both of them, with Ollie lying deeper. One issue is, however, that there would be no other recognised striker to warm the bench in case of need unless Zaniolo is able to plug the gap.

One positive development for me, yesterday, was the better contribution from Tielemans. It was he who set Diaby racing through to provide the assist for the third goal, and Tielemans it was who provided the slide rule pass to Watkins, who won the penalty.

Ah, the penalty. I was impressed by the referee yesterday as he clearly stood his ground having recognised the intent of the defender to stop Ollie at all costs. It was a clever tackle, in my opinion, to give the impression that he was playing the ball, but this referee was having none of it. The VAR check again took so long, and the referee in charge at VAR HQ seems to have been taken in by the clever tackle. The ref on the turf, however, would not be intimidated. Good for him, and I am not saying that because he made a decision in our favour. Perhaps our ref was disgusted by the chalking-off of Diaby's goal! Justice was done in my view. And good for Douglas Luiz, too, as he also kept his nerve.

In the end a much-needed (and deserved) win to restore confidence, especially with a visit to Chelsea coming up who (despite - or because of - their league position) will be wanting to be top dog in that match), and then we have Brighton, who are really impressive just now.

UTV!

I Saw Red Today!

Well, if you play average opposition over four games and score 15 goals in the process I suppose you can get a bit complacent. But there is complacency and there is naivety, for surely everyone knows that if you go to Anfield they'll run at you and pass you by if you'll let them.

Unfortunately, no one seems to have told Mr. Torres that as he tried (what we now know is) his normal shimmy and was robbed of the ball, leading to a corner that produced a goal. And that in the third minute too. What a way to get shaken up, and then followed by Matty's own goal, which was just plain unfortunate. And in-between Carlos having to come off the field with yet further injury.

In reality, the final score could have been about 6-3, but a three-goal deficit whichever way you look at it. At no time in the match did we really look as though we might come back into it, but we had three fluffed chances that went begging, and if one had gone in who knows what might have happened.

I couldn't help but notice that after Messrs. Zaniolo and Duran came on there was a touch more sharpness, but being already 3-0 down didn't do much for their confidence as they couldn't put anything on target. But it was a general sharpness that Villa lacked today after their menu of average opposition in the last few weeks. After Newcastle and now Anfield we should by now have learnt our lesson and be following our Club's own ancient motto: "Prepared".

I suppose that having spent so much on new players the expectancy factor is so much higher, but that expenditure brings me to think about the sale of Aaron Ramsey, Archer and Philogene. Archer already shows quality for the Premiership - I saw it two years ago against Chelsea and two really good strikes for the Blades over the week-end confirms his quality. Yes, I know we have buy-back clauses for each of them, but these players really needed better massaging for first-team action last season, not to be dealt with in the way that has transpired, though I will accept that the Club's pragmatic target was European competition for this season.

Well, let's dust ourselves down and pick ourselves up for the visit of the once claret-and-blue team of Crystal Palace. We have two weeks nearly to work out how to do it! In particular, how do we solve the cenre-back crisis that has emerged now Carlos has gone down again. And will Mr. Torres not be so casual in the future? At present, I live in fear of what good opposing sides may do to our defence.

Still, there are plenty of average sides to practise against and get points off.

UTV!