Aston Villa v Wigan Athletic Post-Match Thread

[PeterWithesShin]

I was sat behind the Oompah Loompahs and Willy Wonka

I saw them wandering down Trinity Road before the game. I'm betting they were really happy that the day they chose to dress up like that was so hot.

[brontebilly]

Sure it's three points anyway. Clean sheet and both our strikers scoring so not too bad. The two sides we have beaten this season are heading for the drop I feel so home victories over them are a must. 11 points out of 21 still isn't great considering who we have played. Man City will tell a lot.

Fair play to Gabby, regardless of the clown in charge last season he was in awful form and condition. Right from early on this season he seems a far different player. Big season for him and he has started great. Pity he can't score more than one a game, I think the Man City hat trick was the last time? Bent needed that goal too.

McLeish has been a little unlucky with his signings. Aside from Given, the other three have been shit. Big part of that imo is that they aren't fit. Maybe take them out until they actually are? A number of the squad have improved under him too in fairness. But City will be the acid test. I'd bring Clark in for Delph for that one. We don't have many other options though so it's likely the sane formation will remain.

[Dave]

Man City will tell a lot.

I'm not sure it will.

We'll lose and be outclassed. All it means is that they have paid far more money for far better players than we have.

It won't be a reason for us to slit our wrists and it won't be a reason for us to decide that the team/board/manager need to be sacked.

It's just what happens.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

But City will be the acid test.

Acid bath more like.

[PeterWithesShin]

How will Man City tell us a lot? They are almost certainly going to finish 1st or 2nd, so unless we take an absolute trouncing it will just show that they are currently better than us having spent a few hundred million quid. Which I figure everyone in football already knows.

[Tony]

The idea that Man City will tell us a lot is just bizarre, they have far better players, are a far better team, if we get anything out of that game it will be a freak result.

[JUAN PABLO]

McLeish has been a little unlucky with his signings. Aside from Given, the other three have been shit. Big part of that imo is that they aren't fit. Maybe take them out until they actually are?

Blimey , Jenas hasn't even kicked a ball yet ...    I wasnt happy with the signing but at least give him a chance .

[ozzjim]

Out for another month with a groin problem


We did well today and Ireland and Bannan were a big reason for that. Heskey should never have come on and took the sting out of us going forward IMO, NZog or Albrighton should have got a run at that stage.

All in satisfying though, and Bannan is a supreme passer of a football, and usually forwards.

[Dave]

Incidentally, if this:

26 Al Habsi
05 Caldwell
17 Boyce
22 Van Aanholt
23 Stam (McArthur 56)
31 Figueroa
04 McCarthy (Sammon 85)
08 Watson
11 Moses
21 Diame (Maloney 71)
09 Di Santo


Isn't a team designed for the Championship then I don't know what is.

[PeterWithesShin]

Out for another month with a groin problem


We did well today and Ireland and Bannan were a big reason for that. Heskey should never have come on and took the sting out of us going forward IMO, NZog or Albrighton should have got a run at that stage.

All in satisfying though, and Bannan is a supreme passer of a football, and usually forwards.

Maybe he brought Heskey on as it was only 1-0 at the time so he wanted a more defensive player on?

[PaulWinch again]

I do think Delph will be a good player, give him a chance. He's shown enough to warrant that.

[Caiphus]

I was surprised when I saw the stats at the end of the game that Bannan covered the most ground.  Shows he isn't just clever he is a really hard worker too.  Delph was second, which didn't surprise me.

[Villafirst]

Ireland useless

Don't know what game you were watching, Ireland played pretty well I thought, easily his best performance in a Villa shirt.

not really difficult though.
I thought Ireland was just slight less shit than normal.

Gabby was unplayable.
Probably the best performance I have ever seen from him.

Dumb post - some people will criticise Ireland even if he scored a hat-trick. I watched him closely on Football First and he did a lot of simple, accurate and effective passing. He will only improve with more games which brings confidence. Still think Hutton is still getting match fit after a long spell on the sidelines under 'Arry.

[LeeB]

Ireland useless

Don't know what game you were watching, Ireland played pretty well I thought, easily his best performance in a Villa shirt.

not really difficult though.
I thought Ireland was just slight less shit than normal.

Gabby was unplayable.
Probably the best performance I have ever seen from him.

Dumb post - some people will criticise Ireland even if he scored a hat-trick. I watched him closely on Football First and he did a lot of simple, accurate and effective passing. He will only improve with more games which brings confidence. Still think Hutton is still getting match fit after a long spell on the sidelines under 'Arry.

It's not dumb at all. I think some people are getting carried away with a few green shoots of recovery from Ireland which is understandable, but misplaced, he's got a long way to go yet.

Really enjoyed yesterday, Gabby was worth the ticket price alone, and seeing as that was only £5 it made it all the more satisfying. There was a lovely jovial atmosphere down in the corner, just by Wonka and the Oompah Lumpahs, no screaming constant abuse at designated scapegoats, no howling derision when someone misplaced a pass, just lots of people enjoying going down the match. Lovely.

[Risso]

Well I've only watched the game on Football First on Sky, but it seemed to me that Ireland had a good game, Bannan was absolutely excellent, and Gabby looked like a complete striker, with a superb finish for his goal.