Aston Villa v W.B.A. Match Thread

[Irish villain]

Best Albrighton has been in ages. Looks good in that slightly more central role.

[Rigadon]

Good first half after the first 5 or 10 mins when we looked ragged.  We are playing some nice football and getting stuck in.  Benteke needs to be given a chance before being made a figure of ridicule.  He has been mixed, but he;s 21 and looks far more effective than, say, the Fonz who is the same age. 

[Chris Jameson]

Benteke...argh, so frustrating

He looks like Carlton Palmer playing up front.

Ade Akinbiyi springs to mind or Patrick Ageymang. He can trap it further than I can kick it.

[Tuscans]

West Brom the first 10, Villa that last 35. Holman is my hero, Gabby looks hungry, Delph better than I thought, Benteke needs time, full backs need to get forward a touch more. All in all a millions times more pleasing on the eye and a team in the making...Reasonably happy lets just get a goal or 2 lads 

[paul_e]

Created some chances and decent overall. Benteke has been very uncomposed. Holman excellent and gabby started very well.

Kea has Ben playing well too. I think the stage might be set for bent to get the winner. I wonder how long before he comes on?

Think Clark and vlaar have looked compose. delph decent, but why does he dawdle on the ball and go on recklessly at least once every game?

I don't think he does but I think refs are of the same opinion.  Not many players would've got a yellow for the tackle he was booked for, was very harsh.

As for dawdling, I only saw that once (I'm cooking as well so missed bits of the half) and I thought he was clearly fouled that time but the ref waved it on.

[Irish villain]

hahaha Chris!!

[Chris Jameson]

Thickie Neville in 'the fans never took to him' McLeish stupidity.

He has a point.

Only because we knew how shit he was, not where he came from...

Neville didn't make any mention of where he came from though.

[Matt Collins]

I'm not sure anyone's ridiculing benteke are they?

[Rigadon]

I'm not sure anyone's ridiculing benteke are they?

Cart horse etc. 

[pauliewalnuts]

We're playing pretty well, it has to be said.

You can tell, though, that these are still early days for us with this style of play - there are frequent reminders of that in terms of misplaced passes, and you can see Albion feel more comfortable playing that way, as they've been doing it for a while now.

Benteke is making a nuisance of himself, and perhaps needs to learn when to shoot and when to give the ball to someone else, but that's largely youthful exuberance, I think.

Holman just never stops running, and that was a quality shot that Foster tipped over from him.

All in all, good stuff, but we could do with three points here.

[Jimbo]

A very enjoyable half of football. Benteke is very eager to please, and I think that's affecting his instincts. He should have gone straight for goal with his last effort. We're causing them problems, but we'll need to make our chances count.

[Steve R]

It may be 0-0 but there's plenty to be pleased about.

I like the look at KEA and Delph in tandem. Albrighton is showing that he isn't just a right winger. Good contribution.

Carry on like this and it's our game.

[Rigadon]

HAHAHAHAHAHA.  Unlucky

[Jimbo]

Shit, that was close.

[Jimbo]

Shit.