A Win Is A Win - I Suppose

Yes, Dean, you had to make changes - and you did. But why no Sanson start? And why speak of a game plan having worked very well when our team played little football of note apart from the first 15 minutes?

Today Villa were playing a below-strength Leeds side, although they were not pushovers. We, also, can say we were without two key players, but surely our team can play better than pumping the ball upfield, causing - again - the ball to come back at us time and again? 

I seem to remember that Dean talked of liking to play adventurous football, but is he now saying that without Grealish we can't do that?

Although I can accept that this is another season of establishment back in the Premiership, I am very puzzled indeed by his stated 'game plan' following what he has said before. Perhaps he feels he has to just say things for TV to explain away a period where Villa do seem to have lost their way a tad in going forward, though the defence is holding up.

As to Villa's players today, Traore stood out as a player who did little and was very disappointing.  Virtually all the other players put in a good stint - certainly in terms of effort and teamwork in resisting the opposition.

Well, a win is a win.

On the basis of that performance, I would expect Villa to beat the Blades in this week's midweek fixture, but they will be fighting, no doubt about that.

UTV

Emergency! Forget About 'Mind The Gap' - The Gap Needs Filling!

 Astonishing. Absolutely astonishing!

Wasn't it clear to everyone last week - after several weeks of similar scenarios - that the midfield needs attention? And with Jack declared unfit the need was even more emphasised!

Some of Villa's old managers would have dropped half of last week's team and put in the reserves, but perhaps that would be too much for our tender players of today. 

Anyhow, Barkley needed a rest to put his thoughts together and get fit, while Luiz surely also needed a further rest. For me, a front-of-defence combination of McGinn and Sanson seemed to make sense - at least to try it out - while young Ramsey should surely be started in place of Barkley. In today's game, I expected Sanson and Ramsey to be on the field by the 60th minute - if not at half-time. To bring them on so late was almost criminal i.m.o. Also Trez should have started on the right to provide energetic help to his Egyptian partner Elmo, while Traore could play on the left, surely?

And all Dean could say was that we "Started too slow!". I can hardly believe you said that Dean - the team selection was quite a lot off in my view. Straight from the 'off' Leicester were pressing - and so it continued for virtually all the first half with no-one to stop them.

Something has to change for the next game! Leeds were watching us today, I'm sure. They already had us 'sussed' in the earlier fixture.

UTV

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.