After what was a torrid fifteen or twenty minutes, where Wolves were sharper and frankly better than us, we managed to fight our way into it and went on to dominate for the rest of the game.
We had a bit of a scare and it was all quite strange, as Ait-Nouri found himself in front of goal in acres of space. It was almost like he and everybody else thought he was offside, hence everybody practically stopped, leaving him a free shot. Fortunately Emi was up to the task and managed a good stop.
That apart, I don’t really remember Wolves troubling us much and it was all in all a pretty convincing win, with Moussa Diaby hitting a corker to the top right of the goal and leaving the goalie with no chance.
Once we’d got that goal I felt quite comfortable, which is something I wasn’t expecting at all.
Then, Ezri Konsa of all people, crossed the ball, only for it to turn into an excellent shot, which again left the goalie helpless and crossed the line. If it hadn’t actually gone in, Duran would have netted anyway.
Once we got that second, I couldn’t see any way back for Wolves and for the first time in a good while, I was able to just relax and watch the game unfold.
I have to keep reminding myself that Wolves were seventh and in very good form, yet we beat them quite easily. Given that I thought they were a very, let’s say, physical side, I felt we held our own particularly well, especially given my worries about us missing John McGinn. In fact I’m not even sure we missed him at all and that’s a very nice thought.
The major plus point for me is we didn’t look like a team that are ready to fold and we still have plenty of fight left yet.
I also thought we played some really good football, with cross-field balls coming from lots of players. I do really like that kind of pass and they never fail to remind me of Sid Cowans.
Another surprising thing is that I didn’t think we looked tired either, which given our injuries is something else I didn’t expect.
So all in all, a very good day at the office and the lads and Unai should be very pleased with themselves.
I’m not even going to think about our upcoming games, but I think we only have eleven left to play. Who would have thought we’d be in this position so late in the season? Certainly I didn’t.
One last thing. I’m now beginning to hope that we can keep things going and end up above Spurs, if only to ram all the pundit’s words down their throats. I’ve nothing against Spurs at all and actually quite like them as a club, but it makes me sick that they are the darlings of the game at the moment. You’d think they’re the only team that can play nice footy.
I was going to say Onwards and upwards, but I guess we’re already at our pinnacle for now.
Onwards it is then!
UTV!
4-1 thanks to Chambers the idiot losing it on the edge of our box.
This is screwing our goal difference which could cost us 4th place.
Knew we would get a pasting with only 20% of a real team starting.
Olsen does do a passable impression of a statue although I’ve only really seen the first two Foden goals as at a pub quiz.
Isn’t that something like 14 consecutive wins for Citeh at home against us?
Anyway the silver lining is Foden being in my Fantasy Football Team! I think it’s called an eachway bet!
At least we should have Cash and McGinn back, hopefully a rested Pau back for the Brentford game. We’ll have to sweat on Ollie. If no Ollie, play Diaby in that position and Bailey on the right. Emi should be okay by then too if it’s an illness rather than an injury. Dodgy lasagne???
Win and we are 5 points ahead of Spuds. A great psychological advantage, especially with their tough run of games coming up.
Just don’t concede again tonight please! It was always gonna be tough…
Moreno and Digne on the pitch. I always wondered how that would work…
Best thing Chambers has done barging Grealish into the dugout!
And Chambers was carded. What about the identical penalty area barge on Konsa that was waved away. More Sky 4 refereeing tonight.
Where was Badger tonight?
I didn’t get back from work till gone six.
If I didn’t go and do myself some grub, I simply wouldn’t have got round to eating.
Unfortunately some things are more important.
Disappointed, but not too downbeat.
They were just too strong for us tonight.
I thought the ref was terrible and he gave us absolutely nothing.
We put it behind us and move on.
I was able to go to the Emptyhad tonight and, despite sitting in padded seats, I was amongst City fans and what strikes me is the sheer smugness of them, especially the older generation who seem to forget that they were nothing, without the money, 20 years ago.
When I first saw the teamsheet I had a bad feeling straight away but then when I saw that Olsen was in for Martinez, I was tempted to drive the 57 miles back home to Stafford and watch it on the telly where at least I could change channels or switch it off.
To be fair I can’t fault Olsen for any of the goals and he did well with what he had to do.
The same cannot be said for anyone else I’m afraid.
Here is my assessment, with marks out of 10
Olsen- 7 did okay and not to blame for any of the goals, in my view
Konsa – 6 went ballistic at the free kick, right on half-time going in but was as much to blame as Zaniolo for turning away and leaving the gap
Digne – 5 Was destroyed by Doku who is normally like a headless chicken
Iroegbunam – 5 out of his depth really but one or two signs that he may do well
Douglas Luiz – 5 didn’t really lead by example as captain and was lucky not to get a second booking when he gave away the foul for Foden’s free-kick goal, right on half-time which changed the complexion of the game
Lenglet – 5 I just don’t rate him. He, along with others, was far too weak in the tackle and clearing the ball. I wouldn’t sign him, if it was down to me
Diego Carlos – 6 Probably the better of the defenders, but not by much
Zaniolo – 6 gets dispossesed too easy in my opinion. Not good enough, from what I have seen and will not be needed when Buendia returns
Rogers- 5 I am at a loss as to why Emery and his advisors were so determined to get him in the January window
Diaby – 6 definitely has some pace but still to justify his large price tag in my view
Duran – 6 took his goal well but reminds me of a very rough and raw Emile Heskey where he spends most of the time on his backside.
Chambers – 2 nothing more to say except I hope his contract is up in June
The rest of the subs were not on long enough. Neither was Chambers but I feel he was still worth a mention for his abject performance.
Let’s be hones,tonight was always going to be a ‘free hit’, especially with the amount of absentees but it was the frustrating manner of the performance and lack of effort from a lot of the players that irritates me.
It’s not that long ago that we were being touted as potential title challengers but tonight’s performance makes a mockery of that statement.
Once we get our better players back, we still have something to play for. Keep the faith
“Rogers- 5 I am at a loss as to why Emery and his advisors were so determined to get him in the January window.”
Mark I do see where you are coming from, I have had my doubts but at £15m in todays market maybe worth a gamble?
I’ve been critical of aspects of his performances but then there are little flashes of brilliance such as that through ball to Duran, so perhaps our expectations are too high too soon?
So let’s not get on his back and give him maybe a year or so for Unai to work his magic on him and see what sort of a player we have then?
Rigged!
Not only a Customers Game in the team selection but I think there was an understanding that City would be ahead at half time, and if they were not they would be given a goal. How else to account for the pointless foul at exactly the optimum distance from goal and the suspicious hole in the wall. I will look again but it seems to me Foden struck the ball before the gap opened, and he would not have sent it at that height if he did not know there would be a gap.
What does Villa get in return? A fresher City for the Champions League may help with that 5th place. I hope also a guarantee from Guardiola of a full strength team when they meet Spurs.
Iroegbunam is a dud, likewise Kerryman as EPL material in the short term and neither looks like another Archer or Philogene who can be sold to the Championship. They are getting game time in the hope this changes but that looks forlorn. Neither would have featured in a game we intended to win.
Not rigged but, I suspect, a tough decision made by Emery. The chances of us winning were always going to be low whereas, depleted as we are, the chance of further injuries if we went all out were high. We lost but key players were rested and we should be able to field a strong team on Saturday. Brentford were apparently very lack lustre against Brighton with hardly a shot on goal. Let’s hope that’s the case when they come to VP.
That’s some conspiracy theory, OLL!
It’s all very well having a set piece coach but how to use a defensive wall might be worth looking at in training before all the other fancy stuff. Just a thought.
Ah, sod it. We all knew we were unlikely to get owt from last night. Main thing is they’ll do the same to Spuds.
Gonna be interesting to see who is fit for Brentford. Can’t wait for the next game!!!!!!
Last minute penalty to equalise for Chelsea
3-3 +1min
4-3 Chelsea
Hilarious stuff for Utd!!! That’s the end of their CL hopes…
Isn’t it great fun watching Man Utd fans heads explode on a regular basis
my non villa wish for the summer is to see Man Utd sack Ten Hag at the end of the season and to appoint Southgate, that will drive them all mental.
BBC article on EPL finances based on a financial database extending over the previous 10 years
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68713522
Pick and chose the interesting bits – isn’t what all statisticians do? – but just picking two – ManU’s debt is £663m whereas Villa’s is zero and for all our transfer dealings our net spend over 10 years is just -£30m yet there are rumblings that Villa might have to sell to stay within FFP rules.
FFP was introduced – allegedly – to protect clubs from getting into financial difficulty after issues such as the Portsmouth debacle. I think what these figures ably demonstrate is that (a) if that was the case it’s not fit for purpose and (b) as all fans know it’s really there to protect the ‘chosen few’.
Villa can afford their losses because they are funded by the owners through equity not debt.
Now I’m going to dismount my hobby horse 🙂
Ramsey confirmed out for the season.
Ollie and Emi back in the squad for tomorrow but final decisions made in the morning.
Start Pau and Bailey tomorrow as we can afford to be considerably less defensive than Wednesday.
3-1 Villa.
A loss would be catastrophic. We need to win this one.
Watkins and Martinez back in the squad for tomorrow with a decision in the morning about starting!!!!!
Ramsay out for the rest of the season.
Big moment for Unai tomorrow. Was it a massive call to play that side against City on Wednesday, thereby saving players for tomorrows game (of course he played our best 11). Its a must.
Sorry Bum Bum, we crossed.
Great minds!!!!! 😁
Mings, Buendia and now (no surprise really) that Ramsey is out for the whole season (even though Ramsey turned up for a few games he was a shadow of himself), add in Kamara and Villa’s injuries have been nothing short of catastrophic (particularly if you accept O’Neil’s view that the average injuries in a squad, at any one time, is 4).
We need Watkins, Martinez and McGinn back tomorrow – not just in the squad but on the pitch – not only because they are our best players but also for the big physiological boost it brings for both the team and the fans.
We have to win but Brentford are fighting for their EPL survival. I fully expect Franks to park the bus and hope to nick all three points – a strategy we haven’t managed too well in recent games!
Certainly the press have missed the number and quality of our players that are unfit. I have never known one club suffer so much. Praise indeed for those who have worked unrested to get us were we are. Things will get better though and soon it will be better days with a great squad.
For those, like me, that have no life, Lille are just starting on TNT 2.
Look forward to reading your assessment Gerry