Went with my poor brother who has only known misery supporting the Villa and always seems to go to games where we lose and don't score. I probably put the kiss of death on it before the game saying we had scored in every game this season...
I know people are annoyed that for all our approach play we didn't test their keeper enough but to be honest, I've never seen us dominate a game like that under Bruce.
To be honest, it reminded me of a big team playing a plucky underdog away in the Cup - the crowd getting antsy in both first and second halves when we had sustained possession coupled with their fuckwit supporters throwing the ball to each other to time-waste and prevent us from getting on with the game (fucking hell Fernandes, a few ball boys on six quid an hour is hardly going to put a dent in your coffers).
Grealish was head and shoulders the best player on display - demanding the ball, taking it out of tight situations, probing and trying to get us going. Lack of end product more down to the lack of movement ahead of him and players on nowhere near the same wavelength. It was the first Villa game I've seen in the flesh this season and I thought he was outstanding and unfortunately, if he wants it, will definitely get a PL move next summer if we're still stuck here.
Abrahams got no change out of the centre back marking him but he seemed to be obsessed with anticipating the challenge from behind when a high ball came to him so much that he started to lean back into the defender and was off-balance when trying to control the ball and invariably lost it. He really needs to work at that or if coming in from the left is his stronger position as he has stated, let's try him there. Kodjia was his usual infuriating self...I was desperately hoping for Hogan to replace one of them such was their ineffectiveness.
One other observation - Bolasie looked like he couldn't run properly when he came on, he had a real awkward gait especially noticeable just after releasing the ball. I really hope we haven't signed a crock as he certainly has the ability to terrorise defences in this league. Is he always so quick at swinging a cross over? Makes a nice change from our usual dilly-dallying but I did wonder was he doing it due to physical pain.
