So we beat Brentford, beat Southampton and won in Europe again to make it three wins on the trot. Can we make it four?
Just as it frankly amazes me that we’re sixth in the league, given our recent form, it amazes me even more that Forest are actually a place higher. I’m sure that says something about the Premier league this season, but I’m not sure what. It’s probably that most teams have been pretty rubbish.
I really ought to be confident about this game, but I’m not quite there yet. I know results show that we look like we’ve turned the corner and got through a rough patch, yet I have a feeling that the Champion’s league is taking more and more out of the squad. We so badly need to automatically qualify and by-pass that next stage so the lads have a couple of months away from Europe, but then of course, we might be fighting on the FA cup front.
Squad news and Ollie Watkins will have a late assessment. I’m not sure it matters much, because I think Unai will start Jhon Duran, who surely deserves a start? It would however be nice to see Ollie on the bench if we require an option. Jacob Ramsey and Leon Bailey’s fitness hasn’t been updated, so the assumption is nothing has changed and they won’t feature.
Forest don’t have many problems, but Alex Moreno isn’t eligible, which is probably a bit of a loss for them, as he’s apparently been very good, while Ibrahim Sangare and Danilo are both long term injured.
Forest have a very similar record to us this season. They’re on the same points, but have a better goal difference. Not much, but they concede less and score more at the same time. Given that we’ve conceded 23 in 15 games, it’s really not hard to see where our problem lies. It’s in the defence and we need a right back so Konsa can return to by far his best position. But we’ve been saying that for ages and I have a feeling it won’t be addressed in the upcoming window either. Given our position in the CL and even the Prem, considering we’ve been so poor, it’s hard to criticise Emery though, I suppose.
I certainly didn’t expect us to be doing so well in Europe.
All this begs the question of if we don’t buy a right back, what position will be strengthened? Not long until we find out, but you’d expect we’ll get at least one player in.
This seems to me to be a game all about strikers. Duran is going to start, it’s just been confirmed, as is Mings, who will surely be wanted in trying to keep a lid on Chris Wood, who’s on a roll.
This game looks drawish to me and I’m going for a 1-1, which I’d be okay with.
UTV!
Superb performance today!
I would include Cash in the list of stars for the job he did on Jack. Two beautiful team goals to enliven MOTD tonight and another remarkable save from Martinez. Now for Brentford to beat Forest by 2 goals and we are back in 4th place.
Everyone watch out, we’ve got our mojo back.
How good was that?
Duran really gives us an edge, Ollie for all his strengths but is no natural finisher?
Duran most certainly is.
Keep him and Chesty fit and who knows just how far this team could go?
we are the giants of aston. bow down before us mere mortals !!!
Yeaaaaaaaaass great win wooo hooo
Brentford hammering Forest would propel us up a place! And come on Palace!!!!
I recorded the game so have just watched it after avoiding phone, radio etc.
Fantastic win and all the Villa players were minimum 8/10. Tielemans was superb with Rogers, Duran and McGinn all excellent in the timing of their runs. Citeh couldn’t cope defensively. Ortega made an incredible save from Torres which made me worry they would score from their first attack. The only disappointment was conceding at the end which set my heart racing unnecessarily.
2-1 like last seasons 1-0 looks like they were tight games but both times we should have won by many more.
Duran is now our number one striker and Watkins has to improve to get back into the side. Durans all round game is improving massively which is all down to the work by Emery and his staff. Hopefully Onana can stay fit because his presence alongside Kamara allows Tielemans to do the creative things he did today.
Newcastle next away on Boxing Day is a chance to finally get a result at a ground we usually get stuffed. Here’s hoping they have eaten too much turkey!
Team seemed much better balanced today.
Onana & Kamara sitting in front of a back four gives our defence a more solid look and it releases Tielemans to play a more attacking role where he was superb today. Andy Grey gave him man of the match but he could have picked two or three Villa players for that honour.
Now, as Emery says, we have to back it up with a performance against Newcastle and avoid our usual Boxing Day blues!
If we’d held on at Forest and Ipswich, and beat Palace and Bournemouth at home – all of which were very close but ballsed up – we’d be top on 37 points.
The 4 proper midfielders was what got us the brilliant results this time last year. It makes such a difference. 2 wingers behind the striker rarely works at this level, maybe against the bottom third teams. Tielemans is not s holding midfielder and showed it today. His and McGinn’s eye for a pass are real weapons and capable of splitting defences. They have to be used much more! If Bouba and Onana can get a run going…but it’s a big if!
Today, 4 of my 7 2017s didn’t play in their 5 a side due to festive family commitments. We had to draft in 4 2018s to fill in. We lost 10-4 (I think) – I stopped counting in the end. My point? When your best, most experienced players are out, it makes a massive impact on everything. Even those 2017s who made it – one of whom is usually brilliant – looked lost and made so many stupid mistakes they wouldn’t normally. It was as if they were thinking ‘what’s the point?’ Now I’m starting to realise how so so difficult it is when you can’t field your best 11. I will moan a lot less when Unai has key injuries in future! He never uses it as an excuse, which is admirable.
UTV!
Steady on, Villans! Before we get carried away – we only just beat a side who, on present form, are headed for relegation! Ho Ho Ho!
Let’s see how we perform on Boxing Day – usually cold turkey all round. We owe the barcodes some stuffing after last season’s mishap.