More than just one game

[Hookeysmith]

We are all excited by the game and result on saturday but more than both of those it was the mentality i saw change that impressed me the most.

The togetherness of the team prior to coming out for warming up - laughing , joking they look like a group reqady to work / fight together

The warm up - in the past 1st team did their warm up whilst the subs just kicked a ball about on the side - now all of them do the warm up together - no one left out

The new players - up close they really do look like kids (thats probably more my age) yet they all have a maturity about them that is really good to see.

Attitude - not one of them comes across as billy big bollocks, and that includces the more experienced pro's - the whole attitude of the club seems to have changed from the last couple of years

The mentality of the manager - a very tricky Swansea team (who i think pass the ball as well as any team in the premiership) was out thought, and more importantly out grafted for huge parts of the game. The change of Given for Guzan took balls, especially pre newcastle game mentioned by Shearer on MOTD, which in my mind really put a stake in the ground for any player to understand their place can be lost with poor performances, too long players keep their place due to reputation rather than output.

The tactics, the motivation from the sideline, the way the players came over listened to what was said and acted immediately upon the instructions shows a level of respect for the Manager unseen for the last 2/3 years (maybe thats the difference in having a younger, inexperienced squad?)

The substitutions - not being afraid to throw Westwood into CM, to go after more goals rather than sit tight - if we had sat back and drew that game the pressure was on yet he had the belief in himself and the team to get the reuslt by still going forward.
The confidence in the team, especially in the 2nd half where Swansea (Moore chance aside) never had a look in was just great to see

It is easy to get carried away after one win - but it was the manner of the whole performance that made me think that although there will be cock ups along the way we really do have the basis here for a really good team and bright future

Well done Randy and Paul F - it took a while but we not only have our club back but we have the most important thing a football fan needs - and that is the feeling that we can compete. And at this moment i look forward to playing anyone - home or away

UTV

[kipeye]

Early days indeed-and we have been here before but I have the same feeling too Hookey. It was the manner more than the result. It makes me want to see them -win or lose.

[onje_villa]

Well said, agree with all of that.
You're absolutely right about the lack of Billy Big Bollockses in the side, they seem to be great team players.
Lambert is astute and our squad which looked painfully short to most of us (me included) a few weeks ago, suddenly looks very solid.

This is due to Lambert getting them playing for their places. The best thing is we have options all over the pitch, very excited about Benteke as he offers something completely different, in fact all 4 of our strikers offer something different. If it's not working, bring on Gabby etc

Plus lots of young, hungry mature players and a manager who knows what he's doing, is a winner and likes playing proper football.

Is it a dream?

[eastie]

The last 2 games have been hugely enjoyable to watch indeed and we are on the right track with lambert at the helm- lets enjoy the journey and see where it takes us!

[Brend'Watkins]

I'm excited about how good a side we can become. 

We have virtually a completely new team who have only played 5 competitive games so far.  What will they do once they get to know and understand each other better?  We are unrecognizable from last season and many a season for that matter.  The work ethic amongst all of them is a joy to behold.

[N'ZMAV]

I'm not sure what Gabby's role is going to be in this new revolution. Benteke scored. Bent linked the play well on Saturday, Ok, he wasn't much of a threat, but his all round game is improving. And Weimann could have scored twice, looked lively.

[Oscar Arce]

It was a treat everyone coming away from the ground on Saturday happy, smiling and enthusing about the performance.
It's been a long time since I saw a Villa team with as much passion, effort and commitment as the last two performances, but we must not get too carried away, we play very open and i thinkj although we are going to have perfomances like Saturday's we're also going to have a few tatterings along the way, but we must stick with them.
I thought Bent was superb leading the line, something he is not known for, and his workrate, commitment and attitude summed up the new Villa.
Haven't read all the other threads but does anyone know if the captainvy was changed because Bent didn't want it, or just Lambert's choice ?

[badluckeric(gates)]

Top post Hookey I agree with every word. I would sum up by saying we have our team back. I't doesn't mean we will pull up any trees but what it does mean is that any team who thinks we will roll over is now in for one hell of a shock and that makes me proud.

[Ger Regan]

It was a treat everyone coming away from the ground on Saturday happy, smiling and enthusing about the performance.
It's been a long time since I saw a Villa team with as much passion, effort and commitment as the last two performances, but we must not get too carried away, we play very open and i thinkj although we are going to have perfomances like Saturday's we're also going to have a few tatterings along the way, but we must stick with them.
I thought Bent was superb leading the line, something he is not known for, and his workrate, commitment and attitude summed up the new Villa.
Haven't read all the other threads but does anyone know if the captainvy was changed because Bent didn't want it, or just Lambert's choice ?

Not sure, but I'd imagine it was Lambert's choice. If this is the case, then Bent's reaction to it was very encouraging, other players might well have sulked.

[Boz]

Definitely moving in the right direction, and if we screw Soton next match, as we should expect to, it'll be about how we compete against the top four/five.

I'm optimistic, based on what we've seen in the last two games and Lambert's philosophy last season at Norwich. We can be a top 6/8 team.

It'll be a pleasure to know Savage's prediction shoved right up his a*se, as well as the rest of the pundits like Lawro patronising us with comments such as we'll be OK if Bent starts scoring. I think we might have one or two other options now.

UTV

[Jarpie]

I agree with the OP, these last two games have shown the change. We're bound to have some poor games where nothing seems to work and lose games, and that'll be the test of the season on how the players and Lambert reacts to them and gets up and running again.

Bent seems a bit like a different player than before; he gets involved more and create chances for other players too, hopefully this won't affect his ability to score goals and we'll see him scoring once or twice against Southampton.

[Chris Smith]

I agree with most of the post, Hookey, but not the conclusion. There was so much to admire in the effort, skill and application of every one of them. However, it really is just one game and will mean the square root of fuck all if the players don't use that performance as a baseline that we can expect to see week in week out.

The framework is clearly there but I've seen to many false dawns and need to see them produce the same levels of ability, commitment and intensity over a period of months. My bet is that you'll be proved right but for now I'm going to wait and see.

[Clampy]

I said in the Swansea post match thread that the one thing that's pleased me most is the fact that we're not giving the opposition time on the ball. For the first time in a while, Swansea looked ordinary and that was largely down to us.

We're also passing the ball quite well at times too and whilst i don't want to go over old ground, i wonder how good Jean Makoun would be in that midfield of ours at the minute.

[Dante Lavelli]

Bent seems a bit like a different player than before; he gets involved more and create chances for other players too, hopefully this won't affect his ability to score goals and we'll see him scoring once or twice against Southampton.

I think this as a result of the work ethic that Lambert has insisted on.  It would be hard for Bent to play a fox in the box type game when everyone else is being so selfless.  He would stick out like a saw thumb if he only played off the centre backs shoulder.

It’s a testament to Bent’s character and the apparent feeling within the squad that he has changed his style of play for the team.

[paul_e]

The only bit I disagree with is with Given being dropped for poor performance, I just don't think that's the case and I think it belittles the quality of the performances from Guzan since.  Guzan got a start int he cup and played well enough to earn the place for the Newcastle game.  He then played superbly and has now followed it up with another superb performance.  The emphasis has got to  be on if you play well enough you'll get game time, not if you play badly you get dropped.

I know it's not easy to apply that for goalkeepers who tend to only get the odd chance to impress when they're out of the team but Guzan left before because previous managers were waiting for the current keeper to make enough mistakes to be dropped, which totally ignores his form.  Everyone on here agrees that Guzan should have stayed in the team last season but because Given hadn't played badly enough to lose his spot he got it back as soon as he was fit.