Emiliano! The Emir Of The Goalmouth

In the perishing cold that can be experienced at Brighton on a winter's day (I remember such an experience there at a business course I attended many years ago), our valiant custodian - Emiliano Martinez - had little time to freeze up. In contrast, his opposite number had so little to do that if one shot from us had gone near him late on he would most likely have been too frozen to save it!

Such was the state of affairs at the Amex stadium last night. Against bottom-half sides, we are again and again being shown up by teams that are well-organised and designed to repel invaders as well as to keep the opposition pinned in their own half. Last night, however, was perhaps the strongest example of that approach.

Brighton went into this match having been undefeated in five matches, but in each of those matches they had not scored more than one goal. Their shyness in front of goal is partly why we escaped punishment last night, but the major reason for our escape was Emi.

Emi must already rate as one of the best goalkeepers Villa have ever had, and his style reminds me of Nigel Sims at his best (1956-61), a keeper that I still regard as the best Villa keeper in my lifetime. Not long after Nigel came Colin Withers - another great shot-stopper. Both of these great men regularly kept Villa out of trouble in troublesome times and both have not long departed from us. Emi is the latest reason why Villa are maintaining a relatively high position in the table.

What passed for a Villa outfield was a shambles by comparison, with defenders bypassing their midfield partners with long balls. I have come to strongly disagree with Dean that it's just the defence that is not protecting the keeper well enough on occasions. Why blame them so much when Villa's midfield cannot cope, thereby letting through the invading hordes?  It has not been seen just in this match but other matches too - most recently at Southampton, where we somehow sneaked a winner.

In the current setup, as I have said before, we are light in front of defence, though McGinn and Luiz can play a good ball on their day. Further forward, and perhaps more seriously, I am seeing Barkley as being short of stamina and commitment. 

Furthermore, Barkley's placing on the field keeps Jack strapped on the wing too much and opponents have learnt how to deal with him out there. To get the best out of Jack he needs to roam freely, and supporting forward players also to adjust their playing roles to fit his. While I'm confident that Traore and Watkins can do that, I see Barkley - sadly - as an encumbrance.

So, dear friends, it's surely time to get Sanson started i.m.o. Lying behind Jack, Traore and Ollie he can fulfil two needs - one to help stop the rampaging of attacking hordes, and (two) to feed the three in front of him. Barkley - if fit - could probably do that, but for whatever reason, he looks to me as though he's out of sorts.

With Leicester next up - another well-organised side - some adjustment is needed, please, Dean. 

Our manager has done pretty well since he came - as Rob Bishop has rightly said - but a lot of that is to do with the excellent ownership and management now in place at Villa. Surely Dean can see that something needs to be adjusted tactically, and not just the imposition of extra concentration in the minds of the defence?

UTV!

If you would like to gain a bit more knowledge about our favourite club, why not take a look at the greatly updated Club History section of my originally researched Home Of Aston Villa History site - team pics are included. The whole site also includes a complete record of all competitive matches as well as details of all the key players in Villa's history, and much else besides. Many thanks.

Wow! That Was Edge-Of-The Seat Stuff!

Anyone looking purely at the possession statistics in this match would probably think that with 66% possession, Arsenal were robbed of a deserved win! But by looking at the shots on target tally - Villa 8 Arsenal 3 (BBC stats) - then a different impression is gained, particularly as Villa forced their keeper into about 5 fingertip saves. In contrast, ex-Gunner Martinez only had one big save to make - a glorious fingertip save from a free-kick that was heading into the top corner.

Yes, the Gunners could so easily have equalised with their impressive attacking play, but as the game wore on into the last 15 minutes it seemed unlikely against a stoic Villa defence. With only one goal in it, though, one defensive mistake could have cost Villa the game.

Yes, Villa's great defensive work earned them the win, but in the first 15 minutes of the second half and in other breakaway raids, Villa could so easily have increased the lead from the 2nd-minute opener. In contrast, Arsenal were given virtually no clear chances.

One has to ask just what was that so-called fatigue against the Hammers on Wednesday that some Villa reporters claimed! Against the Hammers, Barkley looked completely unfit and short of ideas, but today - though still short of what he is capable of - it was a much better display. The rest of the team also looked very much more lively and showing complete concentration, unity and fight. 

The idea of fatigue, with virtually the same players as on Wednesday, is just phooey! On Wednesday, Villa just allowed the Hammers to outplay them, it seems to me, although there is the possibility that the players had just allowed themselves to settle into low gear.

I was a bit surprised at today's selection of Barkley (to start with, not afterwards) and also Nakamba, who did his job fairly well without being outstanding, but giving the impression to me that the post is waiting for 'the Warrior' to take over.

Traore's selection paid off straight away, he being alert to spot that he would get to the ball before a defender and put an excellent pass back to Ollie. Ollie, however, did not hit the ball with conviction, but the ball went in off a deflection. Traore had a fairly bright first half and might have scored himself after a lovely shimmy through their defence. It's good to see that kind of talent in the Villa ranks, but more important was the teamwork demonstrated today.

Well, a week off at last to re-stoke the embers during this cold spell. If Villa can maintain concentration then a European place might well be possible.

UTV!

What's needed: Dr. Zoom's All-action Pills!

Wh-oops.

Well, I always felt that David Moyes had the elements of a good manager (at a certain level) and perhaps he demonstrated last night exactly what he is about. The Hammers hammered; they were well organised, offering Villa little opportunity to breach their defence, and yet were equally organised and threatening in attack.

I sat through the first half wondering just how Villa could be so sloppy in their own half. "Why had El Ghazi been selected over Traore?" was my thought, as he did virtually nothing to help his side and gave the ball away. My thought must have got through to  Dean at half-time. Perhaps. But, equally, I felt that Barkley should have come off earlier.

I seemed to be watching a Villa team that was virtually devoid of ideas in the first half, and continually putting the ball back to the keeper - and sloppily, too, on occasions, presenting the Hammers with more opportunities than they should have had.

In contrast to the swiftness of the Hammers' raids, Villa looked stolid. The suggestion was quickly raised on at least one blog last night that the Villa were "fatigued", yet every team has had a fixture congestion. Or is it something to do with the COVID scare at Villa Park? Yet no Villa player was actually infected as I understand it.

Since the COVID episode, Villa have been giving me more concern. The win over Newcastle was achieved without much conviction in the second half; the defeat at Burnley was down to Villa facing a determined opposition that refused to lie down, plus a lack of killer instinct in the Villa ranks. The win at Southampton was fortunate against another determined side. And now West Ham, who were the most determined of all.

It seems that whenever Villa have faced determination and organisation in an opposing side, they've shown an inability to cope. Whether it's been Leeds, Southampton, Burnley or West Ham (all non-glamorous sides), flair alone has failed to win at Villa Park. 

Are we expecting too much from players who indulge in so much clever flicking of the ball - often straight to a defender? Where is a driving force that beats an opposition defence by swift passing? Last night any idea of urgency seemed to be lost on the Villa players. Until the 80th minute.

I was hoping that 'the Warrior' would be called upon last night, and he was, but too late in my view. I am sorry, but against stiff opposition, Luiz is not yet good enough i.m.o., so if - if - we have signed a more solid player in Sanson, I am relieved. The Villa certainly seemed to be a bit more energised as soon as he came on and scored a good goal. But then - for perhaps the second time - Martinez conceded a goal.

It's hard to criticise the keeper since it was the outfielders that were primarily the cause of Villa's problem, but he did seem to have an off-night by comparison to his recent exploits - even in his kicking.

Well, following the Hammers we now face the Gunners at VP. The Gunners seem to have found themselves of late, despite their defeat at Wolves, when they had two players sent off. However, if Villa are to win then they need to take some of Dr. Zoom's quick-action pills.

Still, we are doing a lot better than last season but, unless a sense of urgency (or determination) is found, it could all become undone.

UTV!