Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Fulham

[TRO]

12 hours ago, Giro said:

Just popping down to boots to get my sun cream for next season

we might draw Malmo?

[TRO]

12 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said:

Sometimes a shite opposition brings you down, too. That's how this felt. I think we would've risen to the occasional more with a better oppo.

I agree totally.....Man Utd will be different, there ego lets you play.

Edited April 26, 2023 by TRO

[TRO]

edgy, nervy.................but functional.

7 points from Newcastle, Brentford and Fulham.....what is there not to like?

[imavillan]

10 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

A game of two halves, a first in which we looked incredibly composed and a second in which we struggled a bit, but with two that didn't look like Fulham would score.

Those shouts of "get it forward" have gone - there were attacks that broke down today that resulted in us ending up passing back to the half way line and the reassuring feet of Ty and Ezri - and there were warm ripples of gentle applause instead of the urging to put it in the box. It's a plan that Unai Emery has taught us, the fans, we're on board with the plan, we're probably part of the plan, I don't think he leaves anything to chance, and the change is there, you can hear it at Villa Park,

 

 

10 hours ago, lapal_fan said:

Tactically, that was quite an absorbing watch I thought. 

My biggest take-away is that VP seems to have finally matured and learned patience.  Everything I want to say has already been said by @OutByEaster?.  We were in full control from 31 seconds in the first half until the whilstle. 

Silva made some pretty shrewd changes at halftime which put a bit more pressure on our full backs, meaning we had to play slightly quicker than the almost glacial first half.  

I don't quite understand the "we looked tired" comments.  I think we had a few more gears we didn't need to go into, to be honest. 

Luiz has a quieter game than usual, but I think that was part of the plan, to bypass him and Dedonker (who had a great first half btw).  

I just didn't break a sweat - at all - even with the last 10 mins.. We just controlled the game's speed completely. 

Again, well done to those at VP tonight, I actually said to the people I was with that that amount of patience would never have happened previously, even the MON days when we were 6th most of the time.   

The VP crowd is certainly changing.

I wasn't at the game but I was impressed how the Holte End got behind the team in the second half with plenty of chanting when nothing was really happening with us. It came across well on the TV.

You could see it gave the team a lift.

This wouldn't of happened 6 months ago.

[Zero7]

5 People voted Emery's performance as Poor, wtf!

[TRO]

12 hours ago, MikeMcKenna said:

A win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win, a win is a win.

Boring as f**k but a win is a win and if we get into a European competition, I will be very happy. UTV! 

I guess, a win is a win.

[TRO]

12 hours ago, Bizzzle said:

My god that second half was torture but **** it we won! McManaman is an irritating word removed and did my head in all game which didn’t help either!!

If his own team did a bit of that, they wouldn't be where they are....they'd be challenging.

[TRO]

13 hours ago, roonst83 said:

Poor performance overall but win is huge and that’s what counts as we know we have much better in us. 

We looked sound defensively throughout and Fulham rarely threatened. We were sloppy in possession which isn’t like us under Emery and our energy levels were also low but that’s perhaps understandable given we’re having to field pretty much the same team every week due to injuries to potential starters. 

Really tough games coming up so to take 7 points from the last three is a great return. We know we can play better and I’m hoping our press and energy is lifted against better teams who will expect to be on the front foot. 

Buendia’s worst game for a while for us, he gave the ball away too much and count influence enough in forward areas. He wasn’t alone with the latter as beside the defence the rest were below par and we couldn’t find Watkins atall and only once (from memory) so we play the ball behind the defence for him. 

Win is massive and a bit of a much needed rest before Sunday. UTV!

quite a few lacked aggression in possession, and second best in turn overs, we lost too many second balls too......as many say, probably ot of juice.

The shortfalls were there to see.....hopefully the summer recruitment drive, will help with this.

Edited April 26, 2023 by TRO

[TRO]

12 hours ago, avfc1982am said:

• McGinn
• Average
• Poor

Team performance average to poor, Buendia bloody awful. 3 valuable points. Boom

He is a real trier, and I love him for that....but in the cold light of day, gets negated too easily.

[Don_Simon]

1 hour ago, bobzy said:

You thought it was a good performance?

I thought it was what we needed to do. First half was very good. Second half was what was required. 

[TRO]

11 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

A game of two halves, a first in which we looked incredibly composed and a second in which we struggled a bit, but with two that didn't look like Fulham would score.

I thought the first half was an outstanding performance by the plan. The plan said we'll play out from the back with patience and draw them on to us - we'll use Dendoncker and Luiz to build through them and occasionally put it over them to Ramsey and Buendia - the plan said that when we had the ball in midfield we'd be patient, draw them over and then unleash Moreno down the left, the plan said that if Fulham had wanted to play, then they should have brought their own ball. 

We were confident, calm, controlled and utterly dominant, we barely broke a sweat, no one looked like they didn't have a complete understanding of their role and no one looked like they weren't utterly capable of doing it - we were outstanding in the plan - Emi Martinez standing on the edge of our box, taunting Fulham's forwards, Konsa and Mings effortless on the ball, Luiz and Dendoncker metronomic, Buendia, McGinn and Ramsey busy, Moreno electric and Ollie always willing - all to the benefit of the plan. 

Those shouts of "get it forward" have gone - there were attacks that broke down today that resulted in us ending up passing back to the half way line and the reassuring feet of Ty and Ezri - and there were warm ripples of gentle applause instead of the urging to put it in the box. It's a plan that Unai Emery has taught us, the fans, we're on board with the plan, we're probably part of the plan, I don't think he leaves anything to chance, and the change is there, you can hear it at Villa Park,

I don't recall ever seeing a Villa side so organised, so smooth and so well drilled as in that first half - it was just missing a second goal.

The second half was a bit more ragged, we struggled to get out, but we still created a few half chances and we continued to look like we can defend - we play the offside trap well, we're organised, we can hold you out with numbers with McGinn and Ramsey happy to dig in, we throw bodies at the ball, we put in the work and put in the tackles and we're underpinned by a big yellow obstacle with an iron will - that's the plan.

The last goal scored by the opposition at Villa Park was by Arsenal. We don't give anything away for nothing.

It matters too. People are talking about us. We're talking about us. Spurs fans must watch our results with a sense of dread. We're growing into it, becoming the team we want to be - and I have a feeling that might be in the plan too. Up to 5th and in a good spot to compete for European qualification over our final five games.

I wonder what Fulham fans who were at the last game at their place would have made of that first half? 

We're transformed, utterly, in the image of our manager, obsessed by our own detail, ruthlessly organised, deathly calm and entirely expressed in our plan.

It's an incredible season, let's hope we're planning to finish it on a high.

 

 

good resume, Scott......I have been waiting for this kind of football approach, for such a long time.

In the past, The gungho, open football, filled me with melancholy, because it was naive, with an air of vacuousness...our goals scored didn't negate that feeling, our games were passive and insipid.....so,so frustrating.

At last , we have a thinker, who's first priority is to win.....such a reassuring man to have in charge.

PS UE must be the no 1 manager on every football fans wish list, outside the top 4.....and he's ours.

 

 

Edited April 26, 2023 by TRO

[TRO]

11 hours ago, villaglint said:

I’m taking personal credit for tonight’s win. We had a few corners before the goal and I said to my pal Tyrone Mings is never ever going to score from a corner is he? 
 

Next one comes in and he wins the game. 
 

The perfect piece of know nothing punditry. 

pinch for you......I said exactly the same thing to my mate.....tempting providence does work.

[Herman22]

43 minutes ago, TRO said:

He is a real trier, and I love him for that....but in the cold light of day, gets negated too easily.

I think it was Watkins who won a header and it landed as a 50:50 between Bundia and a Fulham defender and he complete pulled out of it. He got a deserved ear full from Watkins. Mings have it to him late on too because of a misplaced pass. 

[TRO]

2 hours ago, Zhan_Zhuang said:

Interesting that a few are suggesting we are playing poorly and winning; we all would have killed for this form over the last ten years. Villa are tough, dogged, tactically aware and it's wonderful to see.

It could be that Villa under Emery are pacing, we are learning to keep something in the tank and put teams at arms length.

Hopefully they can regroup and put more effort into the game against Man Poo knowing they haven't exerted themselves too much.

Great to see the run Villa are on!

UTV

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE - Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

Edited April 26, 2023 by TRO

[BOF]

1 hour ago, Zero7 said:

5 People voted Emery's performance as Poor, wtf!

And 126 thought the ref was average or above.

Him and his team were the worst I've seen this season. I just hope he didn't back Fulham too heavily.

[Derryvillan]

4 hours ago, S-Platt said:

Also let Robinson foul throw all night it's little things like that! Basic stuff a referee should call up first time it don't happen again!

There was one late on was so bad it almost hit his own boots.

[rjw63]

37 minutes ago, TRO said:

pinch for you......I said exactly the same thing to my mate.....tempting providence does work.

Not very **** often it doesn't.

I've been saying WDFAFC since the days of Ron Atkinson, at the ground and at home, rarely does it make me look silly

 

[Sulberto21]

1 hour ago, imavillan said:

 

The VP crowd is certainly changing.

I wasn't at the game but I was impressed how the Holte End got behind the team in the second half with plenty of chanting when nothing was really happening with us. It came across well on the TV.

You could see it gave the team a lift.

This wouldn't have happened 6 months ago.

certainly is with the current prices…

[brummybloke]

Half of my hopes came true ( sort of) 2 players out injured in the first 20 mins ( willian before kickoff) ok neither were cbs but I will take it.

Lucky pants were not on head as we had guests round, so they were worn with one arm in on the shoulder as I didn't want to look ridiculous

Watkins since telling the world emerys new tactics for him, has looked totally ineffective, new baby ? Or opposite team knowing he now won't bother chasing them down or running the channels so concentrate on being in the middle? 

Not the most exciting win in terms of play, but the result is exciting as keeps ghe dream alive for another game.

My prematch post....

 

So tonight, obviously we need to shut down the 2 flair players of Fulham to get ourselves in a winnable position, young against willian rather than Chambers for me.

Ideally their 2 central defenders pull up injured and a sending off for them too please  

Monero again as left back to give them something to think about.

Probs already announced the team so won't go any further.

[chappy]

13 hours ago, Spoony said:

I don’t see the point in referee ratings on here. 11% say “very poor” and 35% day poor? Not sure he got anything wrong. The unqualified dislike of referees is tiresome to me and a big reason why no one wants to do it and the quality is dropping. 

Fulham were given two goal kicks late on in front of the Holte which should’ve 100% been corners. The Fulham defender high fived the keeper after clearing one of them! Hence my very poor rating - get the basics right.