Despite Nath’s super optimistic forecast, the stark fact is that we’ve only won one of our last 43 Premier League games against United. That came 11 years ago at Old Trafford courtesy of a goal from Agbonlahor.
But more of that later.
The positives
We completed an unbeaten December with the draw at Chelsea which also saw us move up to 5th place in the table; who would have predicted that having performed a Houdini act in Project Restart to retain our place in the EPL?
Villa still top the table in average shots per game, and the defence registered four clean sheets in December, making eight in total – again the best in the League. Dean Smith claims he has found the balance for the team and tactics and its very hard to argue against it.
Villa’s squad players have stepped up to the mark to cover for injuries and suspensions and have perhaps surprised us all. Ever since El Ghazi knocked in the late penalty against Wolves, it has lit a fire under them all. This can only bode well as when (rather than if) we suffer more injuries and suspensions players will come into the team wanting to succeed and be part of the team out on the pitch. In fact, apart from the cup game against Stoke, the level of performance from the bench has been first class.
Whilst January is a difficult transfer window, if we could pick up a couple of players to further improve the squad that would give Smith more options and opportunities to rest players when necessary.
We start 2021 in the best position we have seen for years with real competition for places – absolutely vital for any top team – an excellent management team and two owners who seem to know what they are doing and have the financial clout to deliver.
It’s good to be a Villa fan again
I feel that tonight’s game against United is the real test of how far we’ve come.
Villa have shown that they can win games playing fast flowing football which is a joy to watch but they can also scrap it out when necessary. Smith has been tactically very good this season (apart from the Leeds game that is, when maybe the Liverpool result went to our heads?) – how much of this is down to Craig Shakespeare’s influence is hard to tell.
Make no mistake, United are a good team with any number of players that can hurt Villa and we’ll need to be right on our game if we’re going to take anything away from Old Trafford. Their stats show that they like possession and to play through teams and 31 goals from 26.22 xG demonstrates their efficiency going forward – although they don’t score many goals at home – reinforcing their standing as one of the most dangerous counter attacking sides in the division. Whilst, defensively they are likely to concede a goal, they are not as weak at the back as some would like to make out.
Much like JG, Bruno Fernandes is the player that makes them tick. He has ten goals and seven assists this season and is at the heart of transitioning the play between defence and attack.
For United, Cavani is suspended and Lindelof may be absent again with a back injury. United played their last game 24 hours after Villa, so we do have the benefit of extra recuperation time. It remains to be seen whether Solskjaer rotates his squad.
Villa have Mings available after his suspension and Barkley should be available after his hamstring – should it be another no show then some questions might be asked given his injury history. If Barkley is fit then I assume he would also come into the team but who makes way – El Gahzi or Traore – or does Smith start Barkley on the bench and keep faith with those who’ve started the last few games?
Will Mings comes straight back into the team? To drop Hause would be very harsh on the big defender who has shown an all round improvement in his game, but how badly would the team miss Mings organisational skills? Is it madness to question Ming’s inclusion in the team or does it demonstrate the current strength in the squad right now?
United are on a nine game unbeaten run whilst Villa have gone five unbeaten. Smith has to get it tactically spot on tonight and the players have to be on their game from the off if we to get anything from the game.
United are undoubtedly Villa’s nemesis and tonight might be as much about psychology as ability. The law of averages would suggest we are due a bit of luck and a win but probability would have it otherwise.
2020 has been a terrible year for so many people but we can look forward to 2021 with renewed hope, the end of lockdowns and the return of fans to Villa Park.
Happy New Year
No wonder we can’t beat them – lucky or what!
we did ok but can do miles better if we relax. we are over doing things cause of the opposition, we need to play the game not the occasion. saying this the game is close except for our own mistake the game should be nil nil, mings not sure what he was trying to do he was in position to clear the ball but some how he got under it and missed it completely this wrong foots martinez
second half we need to get back to playing our game. stop over playing and start testing their goalie. more direct we need utd want us to slowly build up and send the numbers froward to counter us. get back to our game
we are not out of this, but need to create and convert the chances and be less nice and respectful get at them
Bloody mings Smith made bad CA should have kept hause in.and traore not at the game elomhady should get a game or Ramsey we just don’t handle seem to get anything from Man u
We look good for a goal. Come on Lads!!!!!!
Went for a pee. We scored!!!!!! 😁😁😁😁😁😁👍👍
Snooze and you loose. UTV
I despise Pogba.
Pelican legs.
Feck.
Another homer soft penalty given to United
no way is that a pen b/s utd guy trips himself
That was my view as well Nath but when we play United we always seem to have to play the ref as well,
He kicked himself
why have we got only one win in 20 or 40 years at old trafford cause you play aginst ref and two linemen and now var as well as utd team
Soft penalty but Luiz is stupid for sticking his leg in there when he didn’t need to. Never going to be over turned.
If you look at the replay Adam, Luiz doesn’t actually stick his leg in anywhere.He is matching Pogba, stride for stride, whilst both him and Pogba put there arm across each other, Pogba kicks the back of Luiz’s leg, which then leads to Pogba kicking the back of his own right leg, with his left leg. He then goes down. Michael Oliver should have decided to go to VAR, whether he gave it or not, because that is what the bloody thing is there for
Watkins so needs a goal. His confidence is shattered.
Gerry, I think he’s shattered full stop.
We should rest him and a few others for the Cup game – sadly, these days the league is far more important.
Hitch, I was about to say exactly the same thing!!! He runs his arse off every game!!!
Proud proud proud, what a game, we made them work and believe me we have a football team , well done the lads ..
very very disappointed tonight not with villa we improved second half, we went stopped over playing at added a end product ie shot at goal on target. what pisses me off is how the fook can anybody beat utd when they get some many handouts off the ref. villa had to be shot down to get free kicks while all villa had to do was step on the utd shadows to infringe.
so angry i think at least we deserved a point here. that penalty was no where near a pen. first off the utd player tripped over his own feet. another point he has his arm across luiz. commentary say luiz had hold of utd diver. well if i had my arm across you hold you at bay you are gonna hold me back, no where a pen.
utd will get beat by pool next, cause utd wont be given 100% off every decisions. tonight they got everything and gifted wrapped the points motm was referee for utd was outstanding how shaw avoided yellow until 80 plus minutes is a joke matic came on just to foul and did that brilliantly collecting a yelllow after about 5 or 6 blatant yellows b/s game
What a let down villa making Same mistake as last year not having another striker to call on.
We played well but always uphill after mings calamity again.
I thought Smith said that if you playing well you keep the shirt why bring back mings for hause stupid management. Not happy with the new year start on way back down?
Really wasn’t a bad performance at all. Think we are lacking that 2nd striker. Much like Wolves, we easily could have got something from this game. Even last minute, Davis has a shot blocked that was destined to make it 2-2. Time to relax a little. We nearly got relegated last season. This season we have had results we would only have dreamt of and sitting nicely in the table almost half way through the season. There is not 1 person that wouldn’t have taken this situation at the start of last season. So fairway to us we have bought well, developed well and have a fantastic team ethic. A young team that can improve plenty.
A really good game, and the only way Utd could win was the usual iffy Penalty. Martinez nearly had that too. We matched them throughout, de Gea had to deal with more on target efforts than Martinez.
Our corners were good but the free kick delivery into the box is not going to pay dividends when Mings and Watkins cannot head the ball into goal accurately when under pressure, only Konsa can.
While on the subject of scoring under pressure, Watkins doesn’t. The goals he scores are when he has plenty of room, and generally when he gets a chance in the box he has a defender right with him. Laying the ball back to McGinn or Douglas Luiz and hoping they can shoot from distance may be better.
Pogba fouled himself. I was certain VAR would overrule it but stupid me….it’s Man Ure.