Villa 3 – 1 Fulham; Outstanding

I’m blown away by how good that was to watch.
I wouldn’t say we were 100% better than Fulham, as the cottagers did have a couple of spells where they dominated, but we were a good 75-80% better than them.
That’s 13 on the trot at home, I think, which equals a record and 6 wins on the trot, which is a record going back absolute donkey’s years.
Unfortunately, it’s Citeh at home next game, but who knows?

Man of the match?
Well for me it has to be John McGinn, who worked his guts out and got a goal from a great strike.
But I also thought Tielemans was a very close contender. I said before the game that I felt he just needed to get in the groove and boy, did he. He was outstanding and fed the pass for the first goal.
But McGinn edges it for me. It was a brilliant captain’s game and he won the vast majority of his battles.

In fact, the game didn’t really pan out how I expected it to at all.
It was the midfield that won this for us. As physical as Fulham are, we just bossed them and it was great to see, as we can often be out-fought in the middle.

I still feel we’re particularly susceptible to any good pacey counter attacking side and the Spurs game is making me drool at the mouth, because I feel that’s going to be a tactical masterpiece one way or the other, given both sides play a high line, but that’s for later.

There was plenty of passing back to Martinez, but it didn’t bother me today, because we mostly maintained a good pace.
It’s interesting, because it seems to me that as much as I realise the opposition will always have their good periods, so it always seems to be that if we drop the pace, it just lets the other team in and strongly dominate.
I can understand if it’s the very best teams just taking a rest, but we can look like we’re likely to concede.
Still, Fulham only scored once and I’ll take that.
A superb, well deserved win and we continue to keep the pressure on the other clubs.

UTV!

118 Comments

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  1. Badger123
    Badger123 November 16, 2023 at 4:17 pm . Reply

    There’s still talk about Luiz to Arsenal for £50 million.
    I wish they’d give it a rest, because there’s no way that’s happening at that price. It’s nowhere near an offer we can’t refuse, which is what it would take, imo.
    It just proves that someone comes out with a load of rubbish and the others just print variations on a theme.

    1. Hitchens60
      Hitchens60 November 16, 2023 at 5:07 pm . Reply

      Click bait to attract the Arse fans – pure and simple. I’ve stopped reading all this media muppetry!

      Arse probably could have got him for £30m last January but they wouldn’t increase their offer. Luiz, by all accounts didn’t make a fuss and it appears he’s happy at Villa having recently signed a five year contract.

      Arse spent £208m in the summer and only recouped £60m so they have to watch FFP not having a sovereign fund or dodgy Russian to fall back on. They spent £100m on Rice so (a) no way are they going to offer the sort of fee Villa would even consider – more like £80m as an opening bid and (b) Villa don’t have to sell.

      Suggestions are that Villa might offer a Luiz another new contract – probably as they bring their top players in line wage wise. Don’t be surprised to see McGinn and Martinez get new contracts as well.

      Villa are out to mix it with the big boys and they’ve got the manager backed by extremely wealthy owners to achieve it.

      1. BFR
        BFR November 17, 2023 at 8:33 pm . Reply

        Luiz is a far better player than Rice so they’d have to obliterate the fee we received for Grealish. Even then, the answer would be ‘do one.’

  2. Badger123
    Badger123 November 17, 2023 at 12:35 pm . Reply

    I see Azerbaijan beat Sweden 3-0, with one being a 40 yarder.
    Azer had a man sent off too, before the hour was out.
    Shocking result for the Swedes.
    I wonder how Olsen performed?

  3. Badger123
    Badger123 November 17, 2023 at 1:00 pm . Reply

    Everton deducted 10 points under the sustainability rules.
    I wonder if they’ll win an appeal?
    That’s a massive blow.

    1. Hitchens60
      Hitchens60 November 17, 2023 at 1:08 pm . Reply

      And their statement includes a non to veiled threat to the EPL that Everton will be closely watching the outcome of other cases -that will be the 100 charges against ManC and the latest (alleged) Chelsea financial improprieties.

      This could all get rather unpleasant.

      1. BFR
        BFR November 17, 2023 at 4:39 pm . Reply

        Paddy Power: “Everton’s biggest mistake was limiting themselves to a single FFP breach. 114 additional ones and they would’ve got away scot-free.”

        Surely, surely, this is beyond ridiculous? Is there a (non-swear) word for when an organisation charging another organisation with corruption/fraud etc is actually more corrupt than the organisation it’s just charged?

        How can City not be deducted points then? And Chelsea? How much have they spent on transfers and contracts? Their books are less balanced than Wesley’s legs, bless him…

  4. Badger123
    Badger123 November 17, 2023 at 1:04 pm . Reply

    Having read the story, it seems a lot of the losses are due to building the new stadium.
    I thought infrastructure wasn’t included in FFP stuff?

    1. Hitchens60
      Hitchens60 November 17, 2023 at 1:15 pm . Reply

      My understanding as well Badger – unless Everton have been overstating the allocation of costs to the stadium to avoid the FFP rules. If you recall Derby got ‘done’ on a sale and leaseback of the stadium where it was deemed the deal wasn’t at ‘arms length’ and the value of the stadium over stated.

      There were noises at the time over Villa doing a similar financial transaction but I can only assume it passed the financial tests or Villa were cute and completed the deal in their last financial year in the EPL so no sanctions could be applied – that was rumoured at the time!

      1. BFR
        BFR November 17, 2023 at 4:45 pm . Reply

        Thank you, Mr Purslow!

        1. Hitchens60
          Hitchens60 November 17, 2023 at 5:02 pm . Reply

          🙂

          1. Sidforever
            Sidforever November 17, 2023 at 8:41 pm . Reply

            Watching England and bored silly. Scrolling through the “clickbate”. I’ve just come across the ultimate arrogant Arsenal comment. Justarsenal.com says of Douglas Luiz “ But he will not come cheap if we force Aston Villa to cash in on him”. No wonder I can’t stand Arsenal.

    2. Hitchens60
      Hitchens60 November 19, 2023 at 10:00 pm . Reply

      Badger, one of the issues – it’s claimed by Everton – is the treatment of interest on the loan to build the stadium.

      They acknowledge it’s an accounting error but claim the penalty is disproportionate!

      The Commission were clearly not convinced by Everton’s arguments.

      1. Ardent Villain
        Ardent Villain November 20, 2023 at 3:12 pm . Reply

        It looks to me that the Everton result (which I suspect may be reduced slightly on appeal) was to set the ground for what they’re going to hit Mancs & Chelsea with in a short time.

  5. Badger123
    Badger123 November 17, 2023 at 1:34 pm . Reply

    Good point Hitch.
    The reason we didn’t get charged with anything was because we probably valued it too cheaply at £56.7 mill, whereas from memory Derby sold for £80 mill.
    For a very average, same all the way round bowl!

    https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-villa-park-ffp-16504236

    1. Hitchens60
      Hitchens60 November 17, 2023 at 3:53 pm . Reply

      If you’re interested Badger here’s the BBC article

      https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67448714

      It seems the independent commission took the view that Everton ‘knowingly’ brought the problem upon themselves through ‘mismanagement’ in the transfer market and budgeting.

      Reckon this is going to rumble on for some time; if ManC get exonerated then a whole ton of sh*t is going to hit a very large fan!

      1. BFR
        BFR November 17, 2023 at 4:40 pm . Reply

        Start the fans and launch the shit, I say! At the Etihad Stadium, preferably!

  6. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum November 17, 2023 at 8:25 pm . Reply

    So how did Citeh get away with the sponsorship of their own stadium by a sister company of their owners for £400m???
    The biggest deal at the time was Old Trafford for £80m, and that was when Fergie was still there…

  7. BFR
    BFR November 17, 2023 at 8:29 pm . Reply

    Kudos to the ref tonight for booking Kane for diving for a peno! Kane’s look of astonishment was a picture. Yes you! About time! A ref with a brain! PL refs, take note. Although it’s too late now he’s left. 🙄

    1. BFR
      BFR November 17, 2023 at 8:42 pm . Reply

      The panel of Lescott, Defoe, and Joe Cole admitted Kane dived yet insist the ref got it wrong! 🤷

      1. Badger123
        Badger123 November 17, 2023 at 11:10 pm . Reply

        My first thought was Kane dived.
        But the replay looked slightly different to me.
        I don’t believe the goalie took him out (he was trying to get out of the way, if anything) but I also don’t think Kane dived.
        So Kane didn’t deserve a yellow, for me.
        It was a nothing incident, to my mind.

        1. BFR
          BFR November 19, 2023 at 12:15 pm . Reply

          Badger, I was gonna leave it but I can’t help myself. Kane saw the keeper coming so dangled his trailing leg, ensuring contact was made, as he always does and did to us at VP. Even Lineker called him out that night. The panel last night said he ‘bought’ the penalty. So he’s a (clever and professionl) cheat and deserved to be booked. The ref did his homework and I applaud him, not so much for the decision but for having the coconuts to book the untouchable one on his stomping ground. Kane’s look of astonishment was more “do you know who I am and where you are?” than “I didn’t dive.” Nonetheless, a shitty borefest. Roll on next weekend!

  8. Hitchens60
    Hitchens60 November 17, 2023 at 9:27 pm . Reply

    What a borefest watching England.

    At least Malta have given it a real go.

  9. Holte
    Holte November 17, 2023 at 9:36 pm . Reply

    Sums it up when the crowd groaned because of 6 minutes added time. The few that haven’t already left anyway! 😂

    1. Badger123
      Badger123 November 17, 2023 at 11:04 pm . Reply

      I said to the missus “thank god for that” to the missus when they flashed up 1 minute at half time :-).
      I also said “aren’t you glad you haven’t paid for a ticket to watch that crap?”

  10. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson November 17, 2023 at 9:47 pm . Reply

    Absolutely a boring game , and they celebrated at the end , that game needed a footballer in midfield every player passed it back to the defence and didn’t go forward. He’s due to pick his team next week, it will be the same old players you’ll see .

  11. Badger123
    Badger123 November 17, 2023 at 11:01 pm . Reply

    Horseface. The most boring, non-productive manager ever.
    90 games and he’s still no closer to winning anything.
    He was bad enough beforehand, but I’ll never forgive him for that final against Italy.
    Never, I tell you! 🙂
    Terrible manager, imo.

    1. Hitchens60
      Hitchens60 November 18, 2023 at 7:05 am . Reply

      His football is a reflection of his own miserable, boring personality.

    2. Ardent Villain
      Ardent Villain November 18, 2023 at 10:50 am . Reply

      The trouble is that as far as the suits at the FA are concerned the stats overall can be made to look good – England consistently in the top 5 or 6 apparently, lose few games (except the really imprtant ones…), and generally not controversial – ‘respectable’, etc.

      That the team will never actually win anything, and that much of their football is plain old boring, isn’t held against Southgate.

      He’ll be there until his contract expires, and thrn they’ll try to replace him with a clone.

    3. Bill Pearson
      Bill Pearson November 18, 2023 at 3:24 pm . Reply

      Badger I could have kick the TV in seeing that game. Horse face even though the stats say different is a boring waste of being a head coach for England. He’s been the luckiest excuse of a player come manager there is . When will the FA wake up? We will not go far after qualifying that’s for sure he’s bloody useless.

  12. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson November 18, 2023 at 3:28 pm . Reply

    Sorry Ardent villain never got to read what you had posted, you have said the same as I have Southgate is a lucky sod .

  13. Hitchens60
    Hitchens60 November 18, 2023 at 5:27 pm . Reply

    BBC ran a poll as to who should be Kane’s understudy at Euro 24.

    Watkins ran away with it at 47% of the votes – I believe in an earlier poll he got 54% of the votes.

    What’s the odds that Southgate will punt for players like Toney and Wilson or even Cole Palmer – who gets his first full cap after just 6 EPL games!

    Southgate is not only a useless manager, he’s also disingenuous and a hypocrite to boot.

    No doubt he’s telling Ollie he needs to move to a bigger club – Middlesbrough for instance 🙂

    1. The Ron Saunders Stand
      The Ron Saunders Stand November 20, 2023 at 8:36 pm . Reply

      What a shower 🤦‍♂️

  14. The Ron Saunders Stand
    The Ron Saunders Stand November 20, 2023 at 8:36 pm . Reply

    What a shower 🤦‍♂️

  15. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson November 20, 2023 at 8:47 pm . Reply

    Well my prediction was at the start we will get through but humiliated playing better teams. Unfortunately even poor teams are showing us we are nobody to worry about . Watkins will be made to look inept because the team are not in tune to his style of play . Poor poor game.

    1. The Ron Saunders Stand
      The Ron Saunders Stand November 20, 2023 at 8:53 pm . Reply

      The wicked witch of the west jumping around demanding dubious penalties?
      Goodness the guy is so dislikeable.
      Go Macedonia go.

  16. Badger123
    Badger123 November 20, 2023 at 8:52 pm . Reply

    I thought the MacGuire incident was a pen. A blatant push for me, even if he didn’t mean it.
    Me and the missus were just debating the Lewis pen.
    She thinks it was no way, because he didn’t mean it. My argument is intent doesn’t come into it and there was a chance their striker was robbed of a goal chance.
    It just goes to show how tough it is to be a ref.

    That apart, Horseface said Grealish needed to be playing regularly in the Prem before he could be picked.
    Yet Lewis has only ever played 8 games in his career!
    He’s doing really well, mind, but that’s not the point.
    God I hate Southgate.

  17. Badger123
    Badger123 November 20, 2023 at 8:53 pm . Reply

    Oh, yes.
    We’re crap.

    1. The Ron Saunders Stand
      The Ron Saunders Stand November 20, 2023 at 9:12 pm . Reply

      The really unfortunate thing is he is the wrong man in the job at the right time (from his point of view).
      This very talented squad just keep getting the useless plank out of jail.
      It’s really frustrating and heaven forbid we actually win something and he ends with a peerage 😢

      1. Hitchens60
        Hitchens60 November 20, 2023 at 9:38 pm . Reply

        Lord Horseface of Middlesbrough methinks 🙂 🙂

      2. BFR
        BFR November 21, 2023 at 9:49 am . Reply

        Wait until the FA install Potter as his replacement when he goes after the Euros. More of the same…

  18. Hitchens60
    Hitchens60 November 20, 2023 at 9:40 pm . Reply

    Fortunately, I’m not watching the game – thank goodness.

    Our position at the top of the group is, I think, more a reflection of the quality of the other teams than that of England!

  19. Holte
    Holte November 20, 2023 at 9:51 pm . Reply

    Yawn! Decided to watch the game to help my insomnia.
    I suppose England didn’t need to win the game or draw but it’s Southgate’s style of play. It’s absolute garbage and fortunately for him he has a few quality players, with Kane in particular who saves his sorry ass.
    Roll on next year for the proper tournament and wait until we meet a half decent team before we get knocked out.
    Felt sorry for Watkins who had disinterested teammates to support him. At least on Sunday he will have a structured team who know how best to get him involved.

  20. Adam
    Adam November 20, 2023 at 9:56 pm . Reply

    Absolute shocking service to Watkins tonight, pathetic by England. Its Macedonia ffs. We are so slow and negative its so boring. Roll on club football thank god no internationals for a few months.

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