Now I don’t know about you, but I thought that was a much better game than the tedium that it seems I’ve been moaning about for weeks.
It had a bit of everything, from chances at both ends to plenty of incidents and what I thought was going to be imminent fisticuffs.
All good stuff, that actually made me feel entertained for once.
As for our actual performance, I think I might be a bit contrary here, but I thought we did better than of late.
Not that I thought we were great, just better.
Mind you, I’m not sure how much of that was down to us and how much was down to Sunderland being really poor. One of the commentators said that Sunderland weren’t the worse side and I’m minded to agree. But they do look totally toothless up front.
They were also apparently without three central defenders today and it showed.
Gabby took his goal well after some terrible defending from Cattermole, who got subbed at half time. We seemed to at least be creating chances and Gabby’s pace caused them plenty of problems. For me he was man of the match, but I found it a bit strange that he was getting involved in many of the incidents, as that’s not normally like him.
Then again, I blame the referee for that.
I don’t often mention the ref, but on this occasion I thought he was poor in that he didn’t take a tight enough grip of the players.
I thought the defence looked a bit more solid too. Vlaar seems to make a big difference and it was bit annoying that he had to go off, with what looks like a recurrence of his previous injury.
It was always a risk rushing him back, but I don’t really see what else Lambert could do.
This time I’m not blaming him.
And just to give a bit of credit where it’s due, while at the time I thought bringing Albrighton on to replace Vlaar was crazy, it did seem to work. It stopped Sunderland upping the pressure and allowed us to take it to them a bit more.
Which we did.
For once, I would agree with Lambert if he said we went for it.
Mind you it’s no more than we should have done.
There was a string of play halfway through the second half where we looked like Barcelona.
How nice was that to see?
Not that we were that good. It just demonstrated how poor Sunderland were, in my opinion.
Two final points.
The commentators accused us of timewasting as early as an hour into the game and it was mentioned later on. While I wasn’t convinced that we were much worse than we normally are at being slow, it did cross my mind that they might be right.
If so and it’s being used as a tactic, I’ll come straight out and say that’s a disgrace and I don’t want our club to be involved in any of that. It’s akin to cheating or at least not playing the game in the spirit it’s meant to be.
The commentator also mentioned that Bolton have posted accounts that show they have debts of £160 million, due to them not being in the Premier league for two successive seasons. And Lerner thinks we’re in trouble?
Take note Randy. How can you afford not to invest?
a win is a win, vital win but still shows the strengths and weakness of this side. It is purely a counter attacking one and we will have some success away from home and hence why like last season we will stay up.
However it will never work at home apart from a freak like Man City and unless quality is injected into the midfield the same old debates will continue for many a season yet.
Problem is Ian all Lerner cares about is that we stay up. If we get enough wins away from home but lose home games he won’t give a toss as long as we don’t go down.
Maybe but we will not go down this season and be safe enough because of the dross in the division from 7th downwards … We will always win just enough and that is what matters for Lerner, no need to spend his money on quality when he wants out.
On yer bike.
Agree Ian it’s a case of teams below us being utter shite. Lerner won’t care though.
F**k me are you ever happy? We win and you take your argument off on some bollox tangent and talk about anything but the match.
We won, played reasonably well, arrested the recent slide in results, showed togetherness, could/should have won by a bigger margin but no that’s of no relevance cause Lerner’s a twat…Whatever.
one result makes not a jot to the debate at all.
There again that is the short term satisfaction most fans have now.
And as a Villa fan when have you ever had long term satisfaction? Ye be chatting bubbles me thinks.
Like I said happy we won but sad for the future.
That could be said for any team outside the top 5/6 no Champions league money and you are never going to compete, shit yes but that’s the modern game for you.
Deserved win in my opinion. Harsh just to say Sunderland are shit. Takes away the fact that it was a classic away performance. Sunderland may be bottom, but they are no pushovers…..just ask Man City, Chelsea and Everton. Really pleased with the fighting spirit and the togetherness shown.
MOM …….Gabby. Luna gives me nightmares! Actually passed the ball to each other wow!
Fans….amazing (again)
Massive 3 pts
Happy New Year
That’s a fair point Langford and one that left me a bit confused, as I hope I hinted in the article.
We looked a fair bit better, but I’m also wondering how we’d have looked with the same performance against a better side.
My head says we’d have looked poor. That Barcelona-esqe run of play suggests that.
I can’t think of another side that would have allowed us to get away with that. Certainly Palace wouldn’t/didn’t and they’re supposed to be the poorest side in the league.
About Albrighton for Vlaar: PL didn´t give It a go but he had to change the back for in taking Bacuna on right-back and Lowton for central defender, so he actually changed Albrighton for Bacuna. It looked more adventures than it was in the end. But Albrighton did a good job although he missed a sitter. Gabby was our Man of the match. And about time wasting I give it to our low confidence. Yes, we tried to do it but it showed the willingness to bag the 3 points anyway. Hopefully we will not see it in the future.
oh any idiot be it fan or manager who believes Gabby should be played on the wings should be taken out and firmly told off or sacked.
Robbo (bicycle repair man) for Villa manager!
Gabby did NOT play on the wing. He had mainly a free role and that was instrumental in us wining the game. Gabby outstanding today IMO!
Ha ha ha ha ha….fuckin hilarious to suggest we shouldn’t be time wasting when we’re ahead in a game away from home. How many teams do you see who take the lead and time waste? It’s part of the game. We won, we got 3 points, we played ok yet still people on here find negative shit to write. Unbelievable.
How’s it negative?
I said I thought we were better mate.
As for time wasting, I’ve criticised other teams for it, as I think it’s a despicable tactic.
Hence I have to do the same to us.
And anyway, there was no need to timewaste imo, especially with half an hour to go.
The times I’ve seen teams do it, go on to concede and make me think “serves you right”, well….
Fair play though, I should have said it was a great 3 points, although I would hope that goes without saying.
Mate it really doesn’t matter wether it’s negative or not, I believe you do what you have to do to win a game of football and if that includes timewasting, doing handstands or having a wankfest with oohah at the thought of Shawcross in a villa kit then I believe the team should do it. On a serious note though I weren’t saying your post is negative, I was implying that we get a good result, away from home, keep another clean sheet and still there’s something negative to write (timewasting). Enjoy the win and get that £50 ready. 😉
Haha, fair play mate.
I haven’t forgotten our bet and will be happy if I have to cough up 🙂
And besides, it weren’t time-wasting……it was possession football. 😉
Ffs folks just enjoy the moment.chillout we won didn’t we?
On a slightly different tangent anyone else pissed of the fa cup will be getting in the way of prem this sat. Almost as bad as internationals. Especially as we are on a winning run of one game now 🙂
No.
At least we have an outside chance of doing something in the FA cup.
As opposed to the national side.
I’d cut me right nut off for a day out at Wembley and to bring that cup back to VP.
BWS…..have you only got the one then? 🙂
League cup final against Utd mate.
I used to love the fa cup when I was a kid but the magic of the cup and going to corporate wembley to get ripped off just dosnt mean anything anymore. Wembley is like going to emirates and old Trafford these days but a big bigger. Another overhyped soulless stadium.
There’s more chance of bent eke staying for next season than us winning the cup. Btw funny how bent eke has suddenly come back and played well just in time for the January window! Or am I being cynical 🙂
Spot on BWS
Or the League Cup, Europey Cup or any Silver wear (please).
The European cup of course is different other than the prem that is the one to win. The domestic cups are meaningless even Wigan and Portsmouth have won fa cup recently because the sky four can’t really be arsed trying to win it anymore. The cups are a poisoned chalice as u go into the Europa league. Look how Swansea and Newcastle have struggled. If we were in the Europa league we would be bottom 3 now no doubt about ur.
Europa Cup, I’d take it mate.
We havnt got the squad to cope with the prem how would we cope with that as well. I’d take it if it means we have a large quality squad but that won’t happen.
BWS…were not there when Ray Graydon scored the pen against the Canaries?
Yep and when little scored winner v Everton. And yes great times but that was in the 70s when the league cup meant something.
“Football is about glory”
Glory is winning the European cup or prem league or even finishing fourth ffs. League cup and fa cup mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. Yes I’d rather win it than not win it but I’d rather finish 4th simply as that will put us on the map.
The CL is shit now, as well as fixed IMO. Lets have the old system back with a straight draw without any of this seeded bollox which is mainly to ensure that the ‘rich boys’ reach the group stage for the purpose of TV. Its all bollox. We were ‘proper’ Champions of Europe!
Spot on Langford we won it as champions without the luxury of playing shit teams until we reached the quarters
Interestingly lamberk states cup is not priority the arsenal game is.http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-paul-lambert-rest-6460333?
I’m more happy for Gabby dedicated,loyal,model professional and sticks his neck out when we most needed it.Well done AVFC as a team.Well done Gabby supporter Villa through & through….UTV
I do believe we’re better than bayern munich now.
Hoc hic lol
In 1982 we were UTV
Vlaar was great today too
PL is saying that a couple of experienced players will give the fans and club a lift..
We must SURELY have players lined up..
I wonder who they could be..
Probably Heskey and Richard Dunne!!! It won’t happen unless it’s a loan just a ploy to appease the fans and get half year st sales
Can you ever give a reply that is nothing but negativity.. obv it won’t be Dunne and Heskey..!!
Heskey is ‘the new’ Benteke! Dunne is ‘the new Vlaar! 🙂
Ha ha good one 🙂
Bringing in two or three quality, experienced players would definitely give the team and the fans a massive lift. Come on Lambert, give us something to smile about!
I thought both sides were poor tbh, they had the ball for most of the game without creating much while we capitalized on a gift – The did have a second string defense out though and yet will still couldn’t score unless they put it on a plate.
Cant understand why we don’t work as hard when in possession as we do once we’ve lost it.
3 points though, and atm its more than welcome!!
Benteke almost has his touch back and was unlucky not to score.
If we can get in needed experience and creativity in the midfield this window all could be ok because i’m getting bored of this counter malarky. Pass the ball lads and not just when the opposition have lost hope!!!
My concern going forward is that we have 6 absolutely tough away games
Liverpool
Everton
Man City
Man Utd
Newcastle
Tottenham
Right now we have 18 games left and these 6 seem beyond us, not to mention Chelsea and Arsenal at home.
A win is a win but we need another 18 – 20 points to be sure naff it is going to be a another nail biting 4 months or so
Ken, you are absolutely right. It will be another roller-coaster. But we are capable of doing the unexpected. So, who knows, maybe we can clinch some surprising points on our next 6 travels. But it will be a though season once again.
But for the moment, let´s enjoy today´s success. And let´s hope for some acquisitions in transfer window.
We won let’s all enjoy it. UTV
All our games remaining are tough ones some possible 3 pointers but the rest tough.I think that’s why he’s bringing in the experienced heads lets hope there good ones UTV
A win is a win and 3 vital points added. We could have won by four or five if we were a little more clinical today. Benteke looked a lot better and Vlaar showed just how important he is to us this season!
Stiill not convinced though, this was an embarassingly poor Sunderland team who could have played for 6 hours straight and struggled to score.
We need to do business this month. Experience please Lambert.
Lambert Out!
Trekkers is back just in time to play himself into the shop window.
Don’t think anyone would go for him at the moment mate
Spurs or arsenal might especially as solado is crap and giround is injury prone.
agree with many of the comments tonight. a big 3 points I didn’t expect after what ive seen lately, no coincidence for me that vlarrs return was influential showing once again how even just a little experience helps the team on the pitch and lamberts comments re needing one or 2 experienced players I hope to god we are getting one or two ‘quality’ players.
the games we have going forward are tough, Liverpool and arsenal next so not seriously expecting anything out of those games, we still have a long way to go yet before we can start to feel comfortable, to go without bringing some significant quality will be one hell of a gamble.
A good result, I was definitely entertained. Obviously we struggled on the left and our possession again was pretty poor, but today was an improvement. Overall, better movement, some nice passing, and it was great to see Benteke and Vlaar. Personally I’m still a little worried about Benteke’s fitness, but it was great to see someone actually able to hold the ball up today. Gabby really was unstoppable.
To be honest, I think today’s lineup was Lambert’s preferred team. I just wish we could keep Vlaar fit for more than one game, we’ve really missed him. Anyways, hopefully we can do some early business this month and push on from here.
Agree about Benteke mate, his hold up play was great but he still does look like he’s carrying a niggle when he’s running. Maybe that will do us wonders and stop any bids in for him