Aston Villa v West Bromwich Albion Post-Match Thread

[class_of_82]

Jeff Astle, ally(Cropley crippling) brown ,frank overrated skinner, Adrian worst footy presenter on TV chiles, every tight arse yam yam stripey in the world.

we gave your boys one hell of a beating

[Jon Crofts]

Pre-match, walking down the Witton Lane past the Holte End, it made me smile to see the big Tesco sign all lit up!

I said to DB something along the lines of 'there's a Baggies club shop at the end of the road' as we walked along Witton lane

[cheltenhamlion]

It was very enjoyable and my hangover has at least subsided now.

[Bad English]

I just told my wife [knows next to fuck-all about football] that that ****** Anelka was roundly booed every time he touched the ball. She said, "Why, what do you mean, who does he play for now?" I said "West Brazil Olbiyun" She was actually shocked and said "What, you mean he plays for a bunch of small-timers?"

[eastie]

By James Nursey | 30/01/14 

Wednesday night's thrilling 4-3 derby win over West Brom will go along way to satisfying Aston Villa fans who have rightly felt short-changed by some poor home performances this season.

Fans will have been impressed by the side's stunning comeback from falling behind to two early goals.

Paul Lambert's developing side can take plenty of confidence and belief from their astonishing recovery too.

Lambert said post-match: "I thought we grew up an awful lot by turning that around."

It showed character and backbone having been 2-0 down inside nine minutes.

But what actually impressed me the most was that Villa now have a solid spine running throughout the side.

Because in keeper Brad Guzan, defender Ron Vlaar, midfielder Fabian Delph and striker Christian Benteke, Villa have quality players who are all in good form.

Guzan has been solid for months now in all fairness to him and is a safe pair of hands.

But Dutch stopper Vlaar, 28, has this season started to show exactly why Lambert signed him in August 2012 and made him skipper.

 

He has turned into a real leader and his rugged, determined defending in the closing stages against the Baggies did much to ensure all three points.

Then in front of him you have Delph, 24, who is also maturing well.

After his unfortunate own goal to put Albion 2-0 up, it would have been easy for Delph's head to drop.

But the England prospect,24, kept his work-rate up and grew into the game.

And his left-foot goal from Benteke's flick on to put Villa infront was a real screamer and worth watching.

Lambert said afterwards Benteke was "unplayable" at times and I feel the Belgian striker is definitely back to his best.

His woes this season from injury and loss of form have been well document.

But he now has three goals in three games to look back to the player that terrorised Premier League defences in his debut campaign in England.

It is ideal time ahead of the run-in with Villa hoping to overhaul ninth place Southampton.

I think that is well possible with Benteke in this current form.

 

He was dominant in the air and flicked the ball on for both Andreas Weimann and Delph to score.

The ball was also sticking to Benteke again when played up which wasn't happening when his confidence dropped prior to scoring against Arsenal.

He looks a different player now from the out of sorts figure who clearly wasn't fully fit as he toiled before Christmas.

He is Villa's star and headline grabber but it is the form of Guzan, Vlaar and Delph as well which has given Lambert's men a quality spine.

Together they helped Villa show their backbone against Albion.

And if the quartet can all stay fit then a highly-respectable mid-table finish around ninth or 10th is most definitely well on the cards.

[Legion]

I thought the guy came from the crowd to celebrate with Lambert who entered into the spirit of it and then ushered him back to his seat as did a steward.

That is how I saw it aswell. Judge for yourself:

[peter w]

When I woke up this morning the first thing I thought about was the crossbar twanging like a guitar string and the ball in the back of the net

Everything about that goal was utterly sexual.

72 mph baby

It made Brunt's effort look like a lob. It's been said elsewhere but I love it when the ball crashes in off the bar like that

I actually don't like the bar being touched, gives it an air of lucky. Clearly wasn't in this case but I prefer to see it rip into the net.

Have to say I don't think Lowton was that bad. Yes a couple of slips but he made up for them at the other end. Our excellent play between 1-2 and 3-3 was as much to do with his contribution as any. Whatever your views are on second season syndrome I do think that we have a few players who are showing symptoms of that. Lowton being one of them. He, like most, are doing better as a team compared to this time last season, and as a team overall, and I think that we'll see him back even better next season.

Some players may fall by the wayside but I think that Lowton, and maybe Westwood could develop into very good players still. I think Clark's performances next to Vlaar this season has shown how his experiences have helped him develop.

[dekko]

Stick a harder and quicker midfielder than KEA in front of Lowton to give him a bit more cover and he'll be less of a defensive liability maybe?

Lowton is pretty good going forward, and has the best cross out of anyone on the team - I think we really lose something with him out of the side.

[SoccerHQ]

Just stick Bacuna right of midfield. Looked a fish out of water there v Liverpool but has improved since then and could be a good player for us in the Milner mould in that position.

[Tony Erdington]

Happy with the 3 points, happy with the home win, happy there was no trouble to speak of, and a lesson for some on how fans of different clubs are meant to "support" their team. Good banter.
Some signs of improvement, But we took the lead then went backward allowing albion back into the game.

The second half, I thought we started poorly and as ive seen too many times this season, we totally stop playing. I mean a villa player has the ball makes a run and every villa player stands still, until the player with the ball looses it.

It seems if/when we take the lead the players are scared stiff that it is them that makes the mistake that costs us the lead. that has to be down to paul lambert and I don't think he see's it, cuz to many times at villa park this season that has happened.

I just hope the players can take some belief from this result, we have a long way to go.

[peter w]

Happy with the 3 points, happy with the home win, happy there was no trouble to speak of, and a lesson for some on how fans of different clubs are meant to "support" their team. Good banter.
Some signs of improvement, But we took the lead then went backward allowing albion back into the game.

The second half, I thought we started poorly and as ive seen too many times this season, we totally stop playing. I mean a villa player has the ball makes a run and every villa player stands still, until the player with the ball looses it.

It seems if/when we take the lead the players are scared stiff that it is them that makes the mistake that costs us the lead. that has to be down to paul lambert and I don't think he see's it, cuz to many times at villa park this season that has happened.

I just hope the players can take some belief from this result, we have a long way to go.

Disagree. I think he wants them to take time on the ball more hence we do try a pass. When we are playing poorly it doesn't come off and we look terrible. When it does come off, though, it suggests that Lambert is right to stick with his policy.

[Tony Erdington]

I had to follow this on the phone as I was working late

Can someone briefly summarise how it went?

Broadly speaking, it was like this.

*start*
OMG!
OMFG! What the fuck is going on?
GET IN THERE!
How the fuck did he manage to score from there?
WHAT A GOAL! WHAT A FUCKING GOAL!
Oh, FFS, shit defending, FFS Villa
They're all over us.
Penalty!
SCORES!

There now occurred several heart attacks, the odd stroke and at least one full-on nervous breakdown

*ends*

now that is why I come on, Sir great post, pmsl. UTV

[Tony Erdington]

Happy with the 3 points, happy with the home win, happy there was no trouble to speak of, and a lesson for some on how fans of different clubs are meant to "support" their team. Good banter.
Some signs of improvement, But we took the lead then went backward allowing albion back into the game.

The second half, I thought we started poorly and as ive seen too many times this season, we totally stop playing. I mean a villa player has the ball makes a run and every villa player stands still, until the player with the ball looses it.

It seems if/when we take the lead the players are scared stiff that it is them that makes the mistake that costs us the lead. that has to be down to paul lambert and I don't think he see's it, cuz to many times at villa park this season that has happened.

I just hope the players can take some belief from this result, we have a long way to go.

Disagree. I think he wants them to take time on the ball more hence we do try a pass. When we are playing poorly it doesn't come off and we look terrible. When it does come off, though, it suggests that Lambert is right to stick with his policy.

its about opinions,

what I am trying to say is , there are times one villa player goes off on a run and there is no movement of other villa players giving the player with the ball options, the player with the ball looses it or is wrestled from it. back to square one.

im hoping its a confidence thing and that we will have gained some from that last night.

[Villa in Denmark]

its about opinions,

what I am trying to say is , there are times one villa player goes off on a run and there is no movement of other villa players giving the player with the ball options, the player with the ball looses it or is wrestled from it. back to square one.

im hoping its a confidence thing and that we will have gained some from that last night.

I think this contributed to Sylla looking poor.  There were a few occasions just after he'd come on where he'd win the ball and beat 1 or 2 players then just run out of road because there was no one within 15 yards of him to lay it off to.

I thought Holt also suffered from this a bit.  Four or five times he got himself isolated on the left wing, although there were a couple of those where he declined to pass to Benteke when he came over to help out.

[pauliewalnuts]

One thing I noticed last night was how often Westwood would give the ball away, but then compound the error by watching the game totally pass him by as a result of this.

I think he's potentially a good passer of the ball, but it's just not working for him at the moment, and he constantly gets caught out like that.