Aston Villa v Norwich City Post-Match Thread

[Somniloquism]

The win against Norwich doesn't change my opinion of the manager though even though I'm surprised he managed to actually win us a game. The true challenge is next week.

So a win against Norwich is expected (tell that to King Kenny and his £100 mil of spending) but if we lose to Spurs, then the manager is shit.

[Somniloquism]

Gabby has stepped up and is looking something else this year too.

Is he playing so well because he is really happy at the moment, or is it because he has seen his best mates all move and on wages he could only dream of at Villa and wants to show the top teams what he can do?

[old man villa fan]

That was a game we simply had to win and we did.

I do not understand how some can say this player was superb/sensational or that player was crap/useless.  I did not see those extremes today.  There were some good performances and some poor performances.  In the PL there is a thin dividing line between success and failure.  To be successful you require not only ability but workrate and unselfish running off the ball and you have to put this in for 90 minutes.

I thought we were very good for the first 20/25 minutes of the 2nd half but what about the rest.  The Norwich defence was dicey at best and crap at worst, as was proved in that period.  If we had put in that effort for the majority of the game, we would have scored 5 or 6.  As it was, we had too many players standing waiting for things to happen, rather than making them happen.  The result of this was that we allowed Norwich to get at us too many times and conceed, what is becoming customery, a couple of goals from set-pieces or high balls into the box.

I was pleased to see some of the players that have been struggling for form so far this season have better games but, against that, I was disappointed to see so much complacency, especially from the more experienced players.  If they think they are here just for the ride, they should be shipped out.

Gabby has looked very good this season and the pace he has shown when put through has been one of our few shining lights.  I think it is no coincidence that he looks to have lost a considerable amount of weight.  Last season he looked sluggish and I believe this was due to niggling injuries and being overweight.  Perhaps GH was right in his assessment but there again, I suppose some of his critics will say it was due to Gabby not being interested because of the manager.

Back to todays match, very good it parts but allowed a game Norwich side to run us closer than they should have.  Pleased to see us have more possession today than normal.

[caster troy]

More dynamic attacking display today with some good moments for all the front players. N'Zogbia is improving, a bit too selfish though. Three goals is a decent return.

Herd adds some steel and composure in midfield and he can pick out a pass. With Bannan's creativity hopefully to come back in we should look better overall.

We do concede too many soft free kicks and corners which puts us under more pressure than we should be. Hard to criticise the defence for the last goal as Hutton was injured and Ireland's attempt at covering the right back position left a lot to be desired.

Overall very happy with three points, I had us down to lose today. Special mention for Heskey, he's no Zidane but he really works hard and makes a nuisance of himself.

[Mister E]

The Norwich defence was dicey at best and crap at worst

You're right, but it is substantially the defence that only conceded 1 against Liverpool at Anfield and held ManUre for large parts of their game at Old Triffid (before, admittedly leaking 2).

[Jockey Randall]

Brontebilly mate, how harsh are you being on Bent?! He scored two goals, and got into the kind of positions where he could have had more. Isn't that what we bought him for? He ain't a Rooney-type player, he's not going to track back or hold it up. He just scores goals. So when he gets a brace, I say: job well done Daz!

And he's allowed to miss sometimes too. Funnily enough, when the Villa match ended my stream switched to the end of the Blackburn-Chelsea game, just in time to see Torres shin one into row Z from all of three yards out. Even the really pricey boys miss sitters.

My usual, boring repetitive statement re Bent

"Bent will score us 20 goals a year.  The trouble is he should have 40".

I'm happy to take the 20.  That would be amazing for us.  Gabby has stepped up and is looking something else this year too.

The thing is about Bent is that it's his movement into space which creates a lot of his chances. As you say he should have 40 but I don't think his finishing is actually that great, just his movement which especially for both of todays goals was class.

[old man villa fan]

The Norwich defence was dicey at best and crap at worst

You're right, but it is substantially the defence that only conceded 1 against Liverpool at Anfield and held ManUre for large parts of their game at Old Triffid (before, admittedly leaking 2).

You're right, but not having seen those games, I am not sure how!

[Walmley_Villa]

Well apart from the fingernails at the end I did enjoy that game. Best home game since Man Utd last season. A good open game and fair play to Norwich's open approach which made the game. You can analyse tactics etc but I just want to be entertained.

Gabby and Herd were tremendous today.

[old man villa fan]

He ain't a Rooney-type player, he's not going to track back or hold it up. He just scores goals.

Bent's game is to play on the last defender and that is how he runs into space from long passes.  In these positions he should not be looking to hold the ball up.  The times he does hold the ball up is when he runs wide and then usually plays a controlled ball back to the supporting fullback before running into the box.  Granted, tracking back is not part of his game and he needs to track across the halfway line better when the opposition central defenders have the ball.

[JJ-AV]

Didn't think we'd win. We were comfortably the better side overall.

Gabby has matured so much, he's a joy to watch. Our most important player by far. I'd consider giving him the captaincy after Stan.

Nice to see us coming from a goal behind, the team does have a bit of fight about it.

The first goal was special, the second goal Hutton was injured and Ireland (covering right back) didn't get tight to the lad putting the cross in.

[Tony]

Very enjoyable game, Norwich play nice positive football, they are poor in defence but good going forward. We decided to do the same with good attacking play and some woeful defending, chances for both teams and a nice three points for The Villa.

Gabby was awesome, Heskey worked his socks off, Herd had a good second half, N'Zogbia is getting there, needs to get his head up a bit earlier.

[KevinGage]

Brontebilly mate, how harsh are you being on Bent?! He scored two goals, and got into the kind of positions where he could have had more. Isn't that what we bought him for? He ain't a Rooney-type player, he's not going to track back or hold it up. He just scores goals. So when he gets a brace, I say: job well done Daz!

And he's allowed to miss sometimes too. Funnily enough, when the Villa match ended my stream switched to the end of the Blackburn-Chelsea game, just in time to see Torres shin one into row Z from all of three yards out. Even the really pricey boys miss sitters.

My usual, boring repetitive statement re Bent

"Bent will score us 20 goals a year.  The trouble is he should have 40".

I'm happy to take the 20.  That would be amazing for us.  Gabby has stepped up and is looking something else this year too.

The thing is about Bent is that it's his movement into space which creates a lot of his chances. As you say he should have 40 but I don't think his finishing is actually that great, just his movement which especially for both of todays goals was class.

That's exactly it JR.

His finishing looks close to woeful at times, but credit to him he doesn't duck out and try to  avoid the ball (as I've seen other forwards in a Villa shirt do) if things don't go his way.  He puts himself back in the mix, will nick a yard or so on the last defender or outfox him with a sudden change of movement and will always get goals at this level because of that.

Good win today. Herd looks a find, Jenas got valuable game time, Gabby is in good nick and Bent has the taste for goals again.  Would be nice if we could put a decent run of form together now, but with the set of fixtures coming up that will be easier said than done.

[CJ]

Really entertaining game much helped by Norwich coming to play and not 'park the bus' - wouldn't mind seeing Paul Lambert at VP tbh.

Lots of positives today.  3 vital points obviously; Gabby clearly man of the match - superb throughout (although much helped by Leon Barnett being shit); DB doing what we bought him for; Chris Herd very good again; N'Zogbia showing more signs of what could be - pity he didn't either shoot or get his pass through to Ireland towards the end; Given kept us alive after a lively start by Norwich; Jenas looks much more composed than anything we currently have in midfield, and now that he's fit maybe McLeish can find a midfield which doesn't include Heskey (although to be fair I though he did OK today).

On the negative side - I wish we'd stop giving silly free kicks away; Hutton is poor and it's no coincidence that a lot of Norwich threat came down our right side - I'd rather see Herd at RB ( was brilliant there against Wolves) and maybe bring Clark or Gardner in if extra strength needed in MF.

As an aside - the minute's silence was impeccably respected by all.

[Eigentor]

Hopefully McLeish will change the defenders. Bring in Cuellar at right back and Clarke at left back. Yup, that's four central defenders, but it seems that both Collins and Dunne need an extra central defender to cover for them. If we concede two goals against WBA, Sunderland and Norwich, we need to do something different to do better against Spurs, Chelsea and ManU.

[Shrek]

Just got in, im buzzing, it's my Borthday tomorrow and I've just watched a really enjoyable game.

N'Zogbia was really involved if only he would just pass.

Gabby was quality, nailed on for England squad I'd say.

Hutton is rubbish and Warnock is dodgey at times but much improved. Clark has to replace Collins.

Overall a good result heading into a international break.