So, what a very strange game. Frankly all but for 20 mins we were rubbish, in fact more than that, abysmal might be the better word. However like all good teams we saw a weakness and exploited it for a magical 20 minutes to win 3 points and put us amongst the top 4 teams with some ‘easy’ games to come.
At 1-1 with 10 minutes of the 2nd half gone I was calling for Carew instead of Heskey, that is how bad it was. We could barely get our game together and the first half was as bad a first half as we have seen at Villa under MON. We could barely string passes together and looked like a relegation side, yet once Downing gave us the lead we looked a completely different side, one that finally had believed in itself.
Then we saw the real Villa, one where down the wings we totally exposed Burnley and for once were very clinical in front of goal. You would hope that this result now gives us the impetus to move forward and actually believe in ourselves as an attacking force.
With the other results today it means the whole battle for top 4 has become a 4 horse race and with the fixtures to come we have to be very confident that unlike last season we can push on for the rest of the season and grab the spot. when we get the belief we can be a very potent force it seems sometimes we lack the belief to do that and if this gives us the boost then today may be the start of a very successful last few months.
No defeat in 2010 is unlike the other MON seasons at the same stage and maybe being slightly defensive but with attacking poential will prove to be pivotal, we hope so.
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No, we played poorly and scored 1.
We played beautifully and scored 4.
I’ve read some very good reports on here but find this one frankly bizarre! Which game were you watching?
We were not great in the first half, but “abysmal”?? and for much of the second half we played some really lovely stuff.
As for wanting Carew on the Heskey..now I know you can’t have been watching. Heskey played really well. I know it’s taken a while for him to win people over (clearly still work in progress in your case), but didn’t you see his standing ovation when he came off?
good point Aero too bad we didn’t push on after the fifth i was hoping for a huge goal difference but i guess +3 goal difference is good enough and a win which puts us one point behind fourth place with one game in hand on liverpool and spurs and man city have to play chelsea next week so we should be able to overtake them if we get all three points after the carling cup final, good times
robbo, amazing how we can all watch the same game and have different analysis.
I really do believe the first half was that bad, nothing of note created, what I would call a ‘lucky’ goal. the first ten mins of the 2nd half were if anything worse
however as I said when in my view you play badly and win 5-2 something has to be right
as for Heskey everytime I would have him over Carew but really I thought he was bad.
it was a good job we were playing burnley today imagine if we played everton or some1 in form we would have been hammerd in that first half display
Why all the negativity? Unbeaten in 2010 in all competitions with good results against man utd and spurs and handsome wins against burnley and blackburn! 1 point off 4th with the easiest run in, 1 cup final and potentially another. It might not be pretty but it seems to be working – Cheer up!
We look a much better team when we concede goals, sometimes we have to be forced by circumstances to play our best football. The clean sheets aren’t doing us any favours.
I was calling for Heskey to be replaced when the teams were announced, and he didn’t get any better. His best work was done, as it so often is, in midfield, but that leaves Gabby totally isolated. Fortunately, James, Ashley and Stan pushed forward to give Gab a hand in the second half.
I’ve always thought Heskey’s a donkey and as a striker should be getting at least 10goals in the prem, however what you say about him doing his best work in the midfield is right and that is why he plays for Villa and England, it’s up to the midfielders to then get forward and exploit the spaces he creates, Young, Milner and Downing should score more.
totally agree Martin, we look so much better when forced to attack. Maybe we should go behind every game
same happened back two seasons ago when we scored 70 goals, we had to score that many because the defence was not good enough.
Of course there is abalance between the two and that seems to be returning, especially as game by game Ash i now getting back to his very best
This site’s a joke…please stop posting this dross. Actually, please stop posting anything, anywhere.
you a fan then ?