Aston Villa vs West Ham Match Thread

[BILL DE VALL]

we are playing brilliantly
I dont think I have seen us play this well in ages
very positive wide play-we have 4 players who can really cross the ball
and I can't believe petrov's run and header

[BedsVillain]

How do Villains?! Just about to head back home from the Edinburgh Festival. How we doing? What have I missed first half? Be very interested to know how Kev Mac likes his football to be played and hows Milner?

[bez]

I haven't enjoyed a half of football that much for quite a while.

Good to hear support for the Chairman and support (or certainly no audible boo's) for Milner.

[Tucson Villain]

More of the same please.

[usav]

Absolutely shite.

Sack the manager.

Lerner out.

Oops, wrong season.

[xbiggy]

After the last few days was feeling pretty aprehensive about today but the lads have all done brilliant and I am enjoying it. Lets hope we can carry on in the same way 2nd half.

UTV.

[achilles]

You can only beat whats put in front of you... and we are doing it superbly... no slacking off for the second half!

[Monty]

Clouds well and truly lifted.

That is some of the best football we''ve seen at VP in a long time. I said in the pre-match thread I expect Petrov to play a little further up, and he is. Because he has it in him. I thought the two young kids looked very assured indeed. West Ham don't like us running at them and the nice thing is when we scored we didn't just sit back. We went looking again.

ps. Very happy for Marlon Harewood. I thought the criticism at him was unfair during his time here. He didn't come in to save us, he came to be part of things. I hope he helps Blackpool this season. Great start by him.

Echo all of that, except a slight point - Petrov's not further forward, our huge amount of possession means he's more able to make late runs while basically playing most of the time as a holding player. And what a late run.

He is being given licence to come further forward which you rarely saw in the past few years. He was told to sit back and allow the likes of Barry or Milner to move forward. It created a big gap in our midfield which the better teams exploited. What I mean by further up is that the midefield is playing a lot more tighter and so it keeps the pressure up.

Couldn't be righter.

[alan_clarke]

I think Ireland can replace Milner in this system quite well if he brings the right attitude to Villa Park. The added £18m will be nice too.

[Shaun Teales mom]

 Playing brilliantly so far Albrighton having a great game anyone know why delfonso's not on the bench is he injured? ps harewoods scored 2 for blackpool lol

[Monty]

One thing I've found very interesting is the full backs not only getting forward but coming into inside-right and inside-left positions. It's working well.

[Jimbo]

Just joining this thread now, after watching the first half near the beach in Sri Lanka.

Well your day seems ok.

Well, it was a little bit cloudy for an hour or two earlier.

[PaulWinch again]

So unlucky Downing.

[Monty]

Oops. Well, at least we're exciting!

Great effort Stew, by the way.

[alan_clarke]

pretty impressed with Clark today