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
I honestly think we are good enough to be top 4, we are fighting Man utd fans from yesterday ere’s, refs are fans linesman are fans commentator are fans , we have nothing to be disappointed today we could have knick it but for Pogba tripping himself and fowl not given in parts of the game.
You know your team went to Old Trafford and lost 2-1 but your still proud of them. You know where they went wrong and why they lost but your still proud of them. You know that they frightened the shite out of man utd and were just unlucky and you remember in recent seasons that they could not compete and now you know that no team is safe from Villa beating them. It’s galling but you can cope. Well done lads. And for feck sake sort out this website.
Cant really fault that performance today. Thought all of the players did really well against a good and confident team. Konsa, Cash and Luiz exceptional. Traore was a bit of a passenger, especially in the first half, but hard to really fault any of the others. Barkley would have maybe made a difference in the final third, but all in all that was a good performance spoiled by a terrible decision.
1st half showing is has happened a few times now .I said tonight we will come out and play our game 2nd half. When club analyse this and a few other recent games they may go all out for someone to help out up top.
the only reason villa lost that game last night was utd referee. it was so obvious i txt a reply to mate on 10 minutes you have 12 men with that homer referee, in first ten mcginn got wiped out but no foul and grealish won a throw in opposite side but utd had a free kick. to which the co commentary jim beglin (twat) said well grealish now knows how it feels, to have a player fake a foul and go down easy as fred fell down. i said after chelsea the commentary always mention grealish going down it happens first ten minutes. the ref was up utd arses all game. i saw podga trip himself intentionally to win pen and replay confirms that but no var asking ref to look at monitors to make sure of his decision. also davis last minutes where he almost scored the utd defender handles the ball and his arms are not in a natural position but no official sees that. but within minutes of the game ending utd fans on their site highlight key points in video. it showed both pen and handball both decisions aided them and hindered us.
thats my bitching out the way. first half i thought we were too passive, we over played our game, i think some of them were in awe of the stadium of opposing players. we allowed the game to become a chess match and utd were slightly better team playing at the slower tempo. second half we addressed this and we got back to our aggressive style and finally tested their goalie more and had utd on the ropes with fine play. in my heart of hearts i was beaming with pride of how we played. we should have got something out of that game.
i am still deflated about the result, i am proud of my team and had that been any other team in the world we played last night we would have gotten a result. we played the one club that have 4 extra players referee two linesmen and var all had utd shirts on and where their better plyers on the night, good luck to them cheating fookers
Even with my normal Villa bias, it was blatantly obvious that the referee was not going to give us anything last night.
Matic came on and failed to connect with the ball once – seemed more intent in deliberately kicking our players – how he only got a yellow for persistent foul play is beyond me.
And don’t get me started on the penalty – VAR is an absolute farce and should be fined and banned for ten games for ‘bringing the game into disrepute’.
It hurts but at last we have a team we can be proud off and are worthy of the shirt – long may it last.
Onwards and upwards.
UTV
matic did about 4 or 5 yellow card fouls and only received a yellow at end of game. he was sent on to stop grealish
Another step forward in our learning curve. The team know that they have beaten Liverpool, Leicester, Arsenal and took a point off Chelsea away, with a tired team. On another day we could have run out winners at Old Trafford. Our team is starting to look like a team who know they belong at the top table of the Premier League. Well done to all those involved in our development.
It will be interesting to see if we buy another this transfer window. Smith is very clear sighted and wants at least 2 quality players in every position.
What I feel passionately against at the moment is the paper driven / Sky view Grealish needs to be at a Champions League Club. I dislike this entitlement that exists to keep Man Utd / Chelsea / Man City / Liverpool snapping up any talent. As it’s a sin that a quality player does not join them.
I believe that within 2 years, at the current rate of development we will be aiming a Champions League place.
Thought we were very good last night. It’s nice to see a Villa team that obviously feels it can compete against Utd. So many times in the last 20 years or more you can see we were just trying to hold on and as soon as we went behind the game was over.
Some tough games coming now so hope we continue this form and pick up a few points. Then, with confidence still high we can look forward to some “easier” points.
Disappointed by the defeat but proud of the team
One of the papers the Daily Star .co.UK saying Pogba was caught telling Luke Shaw he should have dived in the box, and statements saying Pogba did just that. Worth a read lads.
See Luiz has posted a ‘criticsm’ of the penalty decision on Twitter. Whilst Ali think he’s absolutely right, knowing how patronisingly self righteous the football authorities are, I just hope he doesn’t get into trouble and attract a ban.
The authorities should be listening to all the criticisms of VAR from every part of footballs family instead of cocking a deaf ear and believing they’re above everyone else.
Controlled rant over.
When you play Man Ure or the other Sky 6, we know we have to beat the officials and VAR too. Last night we were cheated by VAR after referee couldn’t wait to point to the spot. I saw straight away that Pogba deliberately kicked himself to try and fool the referee. I watched the replays while waiting for VAR and became confident that the decision would be overturned! Of course that never happened.
Another gripe was the constant talk by the commentators of how Grealish needs to move so that he has better players around him. It’s about time that clubs like Villa lodge a complaint with the broadcasting companies that they shouldn’t play as agents for the Sky 6. It’s disrespectful and rubs salt into the wounds.
For the Liverpool game up next I hope Smith plays most of our second string. Watkins is definitely in need of a rest and no point in getting injuries when we have a relatively small squad. Maybe Barkley will be fit to play! Apparently he was close to starting a few weeks ago and now the conspiracy theories are going around that something is amiss. We already have Davis to keep the treatment room busy so if he is rarely fit send him back to Chelsea and save the wage bill.
I hope this gets read after awaiting moderation! 😂
Hi Holte; I keep checking back for any posts by you or OLL that have gone into moderation, apologies for the slight delay in approving it.
I have spoken to Badger about it and I know he’s on the case.
Thanks for your patience.
I just wanted to pick up on a point over the first goal. I’ve read in a number of places that Mings missed the cross. I’ve watched it several times and he didn’t miss it – he actually heads it away from goal but was (in my view) unlucky in that it found Martial running in who reacted very quickly.
If there is any criticism of Mings here, it might be that he tried to be too clever and simply heading it out for a corner would have been a better option – but then it’s easy to be wise in hindsight.
mings gets his feet and body position all wrong hitch. i think he is on the wrong foot and therefore is not in good shape to clear the ball he might glance it, but that is footy, players are human and make mistakes
I actually said Ming headed the ball then comments was made he missed it, if he headed the ball it’s classed in my mind as hard lines, Have you read the Daily Star as it’s saying they heard (and I don’t know how) Pogba telling Luke Shaw to dive in box, I’ve looked and looked that is not a pen all day long, we was robbed again.
Yes I did read it Bill as per your suggestion.
We can’t change the decision but I can’t help feeling that luck is not with us at the moment – maybe we used a lot up with the ‘ghost’ goal 🙂
Just thinking Bill, if the commentators et al missed him heading the ball even with all the replays – what chance those twits in the VAR studios getting anything right?
Gary Neville kept on about how Luiz had caught Pogbas leg – absolute rubbish.
I like Jose comment on the Villa, my favourite team is Aston Villa. I like their play they are my favourite in the league.
O Dear, what’s the odds on Lampard sacked tomorrow!! Down 3 nil to City 81 minutes into the game.
Holte and OLL, you have mail.
Badger, this is a test sent at 9.37.
Thanks Badger, fingers crossed!
Nope – still went into moderation Holte – I’ve just approved it.
Badger’s still on it.
Test
Bodymoor Heath shut after a ‘large number’ of players and staff tested positive for Covid-19. A second round of tests provided more positive tests.
Liverpool game off and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more games postponed.
If its as bad as reported, we may be forced to forfeit the Liverpool game.
Will professional football have to bow to the inevitable and shut up shop for a number of weeks?
The match would be rescheduled surely, why would we have to forfeit?