I’m not going to make any bones about it.
Norwich are absolutely rubbish and are going down.
They lack quality, confidence, organisation, you name it. They simply aren’t good enough to stay up.
And with that in mind I have to temper what looks like a storming win if you just look at the headline score.
Don’t get me wrong. A lot of what we did was reasonably good. But with Norwich being so poor reasonably good was an absolute minimum.
Indeed, I found myself wondering what happened to the Norwich that gave Man Utd a pretty good run for their money the other day.
We quite frankly embarrassed Norwich at times, with crisp one touch passing that was for so long noticeable by it’s absence under Dean Smith. I’d say there’s been some serious practice on the training ground in that area and it mostly worked, with it being particularly noticeable that we didn’t give the ball away anywhere near as much as we had in the previous few months.
If practice on the training ground is all that was required to improve us, you have to wonder what the was going on under the previous regime.
But for all our dominance and that’s what it was for long periods, we still looked to be struggling to score goals.
If you consider that we never really created much and young Ramsey’s goal, which was a storming run from the halfway line and self-made, you’ll understand what I mean.
I know it doesn’t always go the way you want, but the dominance, with little to show for it concerns me. I’m sure it will do Stevie G too.
And then we took Young off to replace him with Danny Ings and Norwich came back into it.
There’s something not right about us and I can’t put my finger on it, but that was a typical example where you take a midfielder off and put an attacker on, expecting to put Norwich under even more pressure, only to find that we’ve massively weakened a midfield that still doesn’t seem right.
And where the game should really have been a 2-0 or even 3-0 at that stage, we struggled for a while.
I know. I should be happy, winning 2-0 away from home, whoever it is. And I am.
But I got the nagging feeling that if we were playing a decent side, we’d have seriously struggled tonight.
The amount of space and time we got to play was frankly a bit of a joke.
So while it looked like a training exercise at times, we did actually play well in the most part and you only look as good as the oppostion lets you, I suppose.
The defence were solid and while Norwich had a few limp headers, I don’t remember a shot from them. The 8 goals they’ve scored this season doesn’t lie.
Our midfield did okay and I thought Luiz pulled many strings. He still makes outrageous mistakes at times and I can see how some don’t like him, but I think he’s mostly a very good player who’s improving. Ramsey scored that blinder and I can hold my hands up and say he’s starting to look a very good player. I still think though, that he can drift out of games. Buendia is still improving, Young was okay and Chuckuemeka did really well in creating a simple tap in for Ollie. Out of the two kids, I think Chucky looks the more likely, especially when you consider the game time the two have had, but of course I want them both to become top players.
And then there’s the strikers. Watkins and Ings proved once again that they just don’t work together.
Two decent strikers with an understanding would have had a field day today, yet these two still look like they’ve never played together before. I’ll stick my neck out and say the pair will never gel.
I can’t moan though and that’s a satisfactory, if not storming result.
Burnley up next then and that’s another one I look forward to.
Happy days it is!
UTV!
Am I being too picky?
Maybe, but you have to keep the standards up!
Yeasts great win for the boys woo hoo
Sorry yeaaasss
People saying Norwich are poor thought they should of got something against manure
Correct. But as I said in the preview, Man U really aren’t very good, so it’s not really saying much.
And if they don’t improve soon, I can see us doubling them next month.
A fair assessment, Badger. Ings looks woefully short of match sharpness but at least when he comes on the commentators can pronounce his name. Alas poor Chuky. Chukwu Emeka – pronounced like that and meaning “God has done great things” seems to be beyond the man on the mike. Perhaps Chuky should go Brazilian and just have Carney on the shirt.
For any Villa fans wondering if Smith and Shakespeare should have been retained – this Norwich pantomime was the answer. The camera panned onto the ugly sisters standing by the dug-out. Smith, baffled as usual and Shakespeare rabbiting in his ear – but producing no reaction.
Finally the camera picked out Cinderella the directors’ box. Delia had a face like thunder: she knows a good recipe when she sees one – and this pair aren’t it.
“meaning “God has done great things” ”
Ah, I’m informed, cheers.
Hopefully in a couple of years we’ll shorten it to just God, er ok, God 2.
After tonight’s game I worry for Deano. He mentioned that he had 8 players missing and I hope for his sake that he gets them back quickly. Apart from Young’s careless back pass, I never felt like were in trouble, although at 1-0 you can never be sure.
I agree that Watkins and Ings don’t look like they will ever get an understanding but to be fair Gerrard hasn’t had much of an opportunity to work with them both yet.
Overall a very impressive performance and great to see Ramsey and Chuky shine. Strange that after 6 games under SG we finally have a dominant midfield performance with Luiz and McGinn both superb. Hopefully there aren’t any more injuries with Buendia and McGinn. Also let’s hope for no more Covid cases. Last season we fell apart after the Covid outbreak. 🤞
I suspect we might have a problem with both mids, Holte, particularly Buendia, who I’m totally going to guess has a metatarsal jobby, same as Rooney.
I hope I’m wrong and if both are knacked, the midfield suddenly looks really weak.
Indeed, if just McGinn is injured, it looks massively weaker.
Hopefully it’s just bruising.
Talking of mids, If we buy anyone in the winter window, I think it’ll be a mid.
Don’t worry. It will give Chuky the chance to nail down his spot in the first 11.
Oh, anyone else think Luiz should be playing more as a no 8 type mid?
Ie. it suits him better than fully DM.
He reminds me of a certain Mr Mortimer at times.
Platty. Mortimer was before my time. But yes, him and/or McGinn are brilliant in the ‘8’ role.
Just a quick reminder that Luiz is still only 23, which is the same age that Mortimer was when he joined Villa (back in 1975).
Give Luiz another 12 or 18 months as a 1st team regular and I suspect that he could could put even Dennis Mortimer in the shade.
A seriously talented player, IMO
Just thinking out loud;
Naka, with Luiz in front, Ramsey left, Buendia right.
Diamond.
Would that really be very different to what we already do?
Systems are so fluid now, that it’s hard to say how we set up really, imo.
Haha, I forgot McGinn. An option if he’s out though?
Total sense Badger…as I said in previous post we almost cocked it up by not really testing their goalie even….
Watching this, the game was never in any doubt. What a comparison with our last outing with LFC who crowded us out of anything! Norwich were poor in this game, and had they performed as they did against Manure we’d have seen more problems. Is it our superiority over the likes of united or is it just that Norwich were poor?
Who cares, as it was an easy win with some noteworthy performances from the youngsters – Ramsey and Chuk.
And we’re creeping up the table with another clean sheet.
I was really encouraged by the calm authority we had over this game. We are confident and able to go further.
UTV!
Watching the game I thought Ollie Watkins gave the ball away too many times but his stats are impressive:
XG 1.11
Shots 6 – 3 blocked but all 6 on target
Created chances – 4
Headed clearances 2
Plus the assist and goal
We did what was required of us and in doing so played some lovely football.
I’m sure Gerrard will pick up on some points but overall it’s all positive – although we need 100% negative results over the next few days 🙂
Burnley took 4 points from us last season in two games that we should have won. Important we don’t allow that to happen again.
UTV
Watkins is a strange one. Sometimes his touch and ball control are terrible and he can just look awful but otherwise he actually does well. His workrate keeps him in the side, I think.
I see a lot of comments from last night worrying that we didn’t score a shed-load of goals against Norwich – particularly when we totally dominated the 1st half.
Personally I’m not so concerned – with the obvious exception that I don’t think that the combination of Ings and Watkins will ever work – because whereas last season we seemed to rely almost completely on Ollie, this time we’re seeing all sorts of players scoring.
Konsa’s double a week or two back, Ramsey’s solo effort last night, just go to show that any team which tries to mark Watkins out of the game can get a nasty surprise from anywhere else within the Villa team.
On top of that, McGinn almost managed the goal of the season last night – and he’s trying those more often, so it won’t be long before one goes in, and Buendia is getting closer to the sort of form that made Villa splash so much money for him, and like BFR, I hope to see Luiz try a few of his long-distance shots too.
I’ve just noticed an interesting piece of news from last night on the B’ham Live / B’ham Mail site:
“there was no Gary McAllister. Technical coach Tom Culshaw and first-team coach Aaron Danks were also both missing from the bench”
– presumably because of Covid.
No doubt Badger will add that to his favourite conspiracy theory (Morgan Sansom’s absence) and tell us ‘there’s obviously something wrong behind the scenes’ !!
🙂
Well, Ardent, I doubt he was dropped totally. He was either Ill, had COVID or was injured. Take your pick 😁
Piles.
I have no idea what the Covid rules are now (I mean for football in particular, but much the same in general- ) so I’m guessing that anyone who was out of yesterday’s game for that reason would presumably also still have to miss Saturday’s?
I’m not so worried as some on here, yes second half we seemed to drag our feet a bit but let’s face it our defence dealt with it. I could see in the second half that Young was flagging and even I called for a change, that change didn’t do us any favour as we all could see our defence suffered in that Ings and Watking don’t do it being on the pitch together. But and a big But so did Gerrard bringing on the subs ,we got that second goal so let’s all celebrate that fact. we are in with a chance for the top 6 and if it was Dean Smith we would not be where we are now, let’s enjoy that fact.
Bill, watching the dug out after the second goal and absolutely loved the passion showed by Young who was up and celebrating with the coaches.
I don’t know who was the driving force in bringing him back to VP but they should get a big ‘pay on the back’; his ability to play in different positions to a high standard has been important – he’s been excellent and seems to be thriving under Gerrard.
Good to see Buendia starting to find his feet (and good to hear it’s not a metatarsal injury) – can’t fault his commitment either.
Hitch I’ve no doubt Young brings something to the game, he showed that for 70 -80 minutes on the pitch, but his legs was showing the stamina was waining, running got to trotting. He’s an asset to us in his determination and urging the players on. Love the guy Hitch, but I’m glad Gerrard could see it as well. I’d start him every game and use his knowledge, it’s what we want.
You’re right about Young.
He has the top-level experience which the rest of the squad lack – something that hopefully they’ll pick-up from him, and become a bit more ‘street-wise’ when dealing with players from the ‘top 4’ in the league.
I feel like we are playing a false 9, and it’s completely working. The front 3 are working a treat, it’s like having a flat midfield as your front three, nobody is ever left alone and I admire the way the front 3 are getting Matty Cash involved and the midfield are playing up and down the park. The whole team is always given an option, whether it’s Luiz, Ings or anyone no matter what they are always surrounded by claret and blue shirts. One player who doesn’t work in the false 9 in my opinion, though, is Danny Ings. He is passed the days of Tiki Taka and is a bit old for it, no offence Danny haha, and he just wants to put the ball in the net, he can’t adapt to the way we play at the moment and the injury is because of it. This is the reason why I feel like we’ll struggle getting him in the team, also one of them is Leon Bailey I feel he is good but doesn’t play that direct passing style he just makes runs for Emi Buendia to find him. Talk of Emi, very good shift and you could see how much he wanted to get his own on the Norwich fans that booed him, which is what I want to see. It worked in our favour that he got booed and I can’t talk considering our fan base booed Jim Prealish.
Another good performance – maybe giving Norwich too much of the ball in the second half – and we should be proud of ourselves. All the ones who doubted Gerrard are gobbling up their words as I am writing this – hahaha don’t get too full up 🙂 Great job from our new Gaffa, Smith was stunned tonight with how we played I can tell with the new tactics, and I can tell you he’ll be chuffed for Ramsey and not so much Chukweumeka considering he is the reason he might be going, but that’ll give him confidence to thrive and Gerrard confidence in him to ultimately play him.
This shows that Smith needed to go but I am glad he has found a new home quickly at Norwich after visiting his son who lives in New York, what it’s all about. I think he can keep Norwich up bearing in my mind that they were missing many key players tonight.
Alfie, if Norwich stay up, I’ll eat a canary and wash it down with a liquid of your choice. 🙂
I’d never be that cruel to an animal I’d rather just take money instead hahaha
Bad news – Nakamba out for three (at best) to four months after knee operation – according to SG. Sounds to me like he’s unlikely to figure in any serious way for the rest of the season.
Feel gutted for him as he was really starting to show what a good player he is.
Opportunity for the Invisible Man but more likely we’ll see more of Chuky.
Depends on whether we play at all Hitch! Covid could spoil things yet again. Sanson or as I will now call him Mr Glass (aka Samuel L Jackson in Unbreakable) won’t feature because of the 10 day isolation period. Hopefully we can get the fixture played and bank 3 points while a number of other teams will be playing catch-up with all the postponements.