Sunderland v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[tomd2103]

I see we're above Real Swansea now.

Yep.  Would say that the curse of the Europa League is taking a toll on them this season though.  Good win for us today though and the table is looking a little better tonight. 

[Rudy65]

Thought Albrighton did well when he came on......despite the misses. give him a 5 game run instead of Andi. There is little point in only giving him the odd game, he need a run to build his confidence.

Thought Gabby did well today and was always an outlet

Defence looked comfortable, like against Swansea.

Given we will likely lose the next 2 this was a very important win

[ktvillan]

A very  welcome 3 points which should help confidence levels.  Overrun first 15-20 mins but I thought we played quite well second half, restricting them mostly to long range efforts and carving out several clear chances ourselves.  With more composed finishing we could have had 3 and should have had 2.  We got lucky with the offside decision though, he looked just on.  We look a different prospect with Vlaar and Benteke in the team, and actually had a couple of (very short) spells of possession football towards the end.  Westwood worries me though, he doesn't look up to scratch technique wise.

[villa_cads]

Win against a shit side

Who cares, we too are shit but it's better to win and be shit than to lose!

Agreed, but there are definitely big question marks still.  Those late misses by Albrighton and Delph were just ridiculous.  They can't put the ball on target from 16 yards out??   Fuck me.

This is what I find incredible as well. I'd love to know what they do at Bodymoor to coach shooting, retention of possession and defence.

I think its a pressure thing, those would have flown in if we didn't need the win so badly. I take comfort from the fact we're creating the chances.

[Summers]

Shit performance. Like.. horrible performance. Dreadful.

Fantastic win and much needed 3 points though.

[tomd2103]

We're just 2-3 good signings and Benteke finding his form, from having a good push to get well clear of Norwich down and start eyeing up Southamptons spot.

Agree Tom.  Just hope that this result doesn't persuade Lambert that the answers lie in what he already has at the club and changes aren't needed.

[Rudy65]

Shit performance. Like.. horrible performance. Dreadful..

There is no pleasing some. It wasnt that bad and we won. Sunderland were poor but we were better. Enjoy the win

[supertom]

Does anyone need a goal more desperately than Benteke does right now? If we had the beast of last season we'd be celebrating a convincing 4-0 win today. He looks scared anytime he's in the box with a little bit of space. And his pace has gone. He's probably not 100% fit, he's definitely trying and he's certainly lacking in confidence. It's a shame, it really is. It hurts seeing your major talent in a slump like this, particularly when you desperately need him to enliven shit games like this.

I think it'll take one goal and we'll get a snowball effect.

[olaftab]

Well I never. Absolutely delighted with that, not least since we're a terrible, terrible football team. Thankfully, Sunderland are worse. Massive three points.

Sunderland worse? Don't let the score fool you. They outplayed us and throughout but were equally wasteful, and had a perfectly good goal disallowed.

And are bottom of the table, nine points and nine places below us so clearly over the first twenty games of the season haven't been better than us.

But were today.

If it pleases you than yes we in 11th position are obviously much worse than the team in 20th who we also beat today.

[saunders_heroes]

Thank Christ for that. I don't care what the performance was like it's the 3 points that matters. Lets strengthen the squad now.

[levico]

Didn't really see that coming but nonetheless very welcome. Just couldn't see us beating anyone. Glad to be so wrong.

[treeve1]

Gabby was exceptional today, real character performance and when it mattered he didn't fluff his lines and that's the real difference between an established prem player and the collection of misfits we have. The times he could have been put through as well with a better pass. Top drawer Gabby.

[Monty]

A very  welcome 3 points which should help confidence levels.  Overrun first 15-20 mins but I thought we played quite well second half, restricting them mostly to long range efforts and carving out several clear chances ourselves.  With more composed finishing we could have had 3 and should have had 2.  We got lucky with the offside decision though, he looked just on.  We look a different prospect with Vlaar and Benteke in the team, and actually had a couple of (very short) spells of possession football towards the end.  Westwood worries me though, he doesn't look up to scratch technique wise.

Westwood's technique is fine, but I think he's completely lost the composure which made him look very good last season. Agreed about the better second half, had we played like that in the first that possession statistic would be significantly less damning.

[dave.woodhall]

We've now lost once on New Years Eve or New Years Day in twenty years.

[saunders_heroes]

When Gabby scores they're usually big goals when they matter. That's why he'd always be in my Villa team.