Aston Villa v Norwich- Post Match Thread

[Chinchilla Bathhouse]

That was one of the oddest Villa games I have ever seen.   I thought we were totally incompetent in the extreme for the first twenty minutes then it all went like an LSD dream for twenty minutes and I thought the way we shut up shop in the second half was ultra professional.

I was quite amazed how Norwich fell to pieces. I thought we were bad at capitulation at times, but that was something else.

I agree, they reminded me very much of us at our worst.  Just goes to show how similar a lot of the teams in this division are.  Funnily enough, I had a wander over to the Norwich fans' forum (the Pink 'Un) for a curious little snoop, and it was exactly like reading one of our threads - identical arguments over the manager, identical arguments about inconsistency, identical use of phrases like "if you buy Championship players you'll get Championship football" and even the term "happy clappers" being liberally and furiously hurled at anyone attempting to see reason and/or stick up for the manager.  Uncanny.  If they'd had an off topic section featuring death and defecation I'd have thought I was on H&V. 

[damon loves JT]

I'd also like to add that I really hope Norwich get relegated. I can't stand their "two or three years in the top flight, we're massive" attitude.

I generally find myself hating all newly promoted clubs fans, but with Norwich it has lasted a fair while longer than normal.

They have made absolutely no impression on the division. Really, none. Like a distant family member who comes round for Christmas and does nothing but sit in the corner wearing a paper hat

[dave.woodhall]

That was one of the oddest Villa games I have ever seen.   I thought we were totally incompetent in the extreme for the first twenty minutes then it all went like an LSD dream for twenty minutes and I thought the way we shut up shop in the second half was ultra professional.

I was quite amazed how Norwich fell to pieces. I thought we were bad at capitulation at times, but that was something else.

I agree, they reminded me very much of us at our worst.  Just goes to show how similar a lot of the teams in this division are.  Funnily enough, I had a wander over to the Norwich fans' forum (the Pink 'Un) for a curious little snoop, and it was exactly like reading one of our threads - identical arguments over the manager, identical arguments about inconsistency, identical use of phrases like "if you buy Championship players you'll get Championship football" and even the term "happy clappers" being liberally and furiously hurled at anyone attempting to see reason and/or stick up for the manager.  Uncanny.  If they'd had an off topic section featuring death and defecation I'd have thought I was on H&V. 

I looked at that and thought exactly the same.

[pauliewalnuts]

If they'd had an off topic section featuring death and defecation I'd have thought I was on H&V. 

That's what distinguishes us from the rest.

*proud glow*

[Stu]

I'd also like to add that I really hope Norwich get relegated. I can't stand their "two or three years in the top flight, we're massive" attitude.

I generally find myself hating all newly promoted clubs fans, but with Norwich it has lasted a fair while longer than normal.

I know it's a Sunday but every time they visit their support gets less and less, maybe the novelty is wearing off.  About a hundred of them had all the lower allocation all to themselves.

The shitty kick off time and it being on the telly couldn't have helped to be fair.

That's before considering the nightmare journey from and back to Norwich, which I believe entails having to travel by horse and cart for the final 30 miles.

[Hoppo]

God I love The Villa.. Best part of the game The Rendition of "Lets all have a disco" on The Holte.
Also met Percy..top bloke.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The first 20 aside the other 70 was as good and comfortable as we're likely to see this season.

Or as Mister E put it, "A purple patch encased in shite". Whichever way you look at it, we got the three points and that's really all that matters.

Or as Mister E put it, "I am reluctant to give credit where credit is due so I will say the Villa were shite, except for 20 minutes".

Norwich are not a strong side and if you let them play, they will.  However, we deserved to win and it was generally a comfortable win.  A welcome 3 points and eases the pressure considerably on the team, manager and the growing negativity of some of the supporters.

What the hell does "Norwich are not a strong side and if you let them play, they will"? They played well first 20 minutes, should have been 2 up but we then smashed them. Second half we managed to stop them but also managed to stop ourselves. You'd have hoped at 4-1 we'd have been prepared to take a few risks. We weren't. There's a huge difference between being "negative" and being constructively critical. When confidence is so lacking in this team, the freedom to go out and express themselves when 4-1 up was not asking a great deal. There were some solid performances today throughout the side, I'm more than sure we could have ripped Norwich a third hole during the second half. For some reason we chose not to.

Obviously the three points are all that mattered but the second half for me was a missed opportunity to show what we can do. On the other hand, maybe the containment game was preparation for the Chelsea match.

[dave.woodhall]

The first 20 aside the other 70 was as good and comfortable as we're likely to see this season.

Or as Mister E put it, "A purple patch encased in shite". Whichever way you look at it, we got the three points and that's really all that matters.

Or as Mister E put it, "I am reluctant to give credit where credit is due so I will say the Villa were shite, except for 20 minutes".

Norwich are not a strong side and if you let them play, they will.  However, we deserved to win and it was generally a comfortable win.  A welcome 3 points and eases the pressure considerably on the team, manager and the growing negativity of some of the supporters.

What the hell does "Norwich are not a strong side and if you let them play, they will"? They played well first 20 minutes, should have been 2 up but we then smashed them. Second half we managed to stop them but also managed to stop ourselves. You'd have hoped at 4-1 we'd have been prepared to take a few risks. We weren't. There's a huge difference between being "negative" and being constructively critical. When confidence is so lacking in this team, the freedom to go out and express themselves when 4-1 up was not asking a great deal. There were some solid performances today throughout the side, I'm more than sure we could have ripped Norwich a third hole during the second half. For some reason we chose not to.

Obviously the three points are all that mattered but the second half for me was a missed opportunity to show what we can do. On the other hand, maybe the containment game was preparation for the Chelsea match.

Or maybe there was no point in risking players getting injured given the conditions.

[PeterWithesShin]

There were a few blokes a couple of rows behind me who spent most of the second half signing old Villa songs. Been a while since I heard Spinksy rolls the ball to Platty down VP. Even longer since I heard some of the player songs they sang.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The first 20 aside the other 70 was as good and comfortable as we're likely to see this season.

Or as Mister E put it, "A purple patch encased in shite". Whichever way you look at it, we got the three points and that's really all that matters.

Or as Mister E put it, "I am reluctant to give credit where credit is due so I will say the Villa were shite, except for 20 minutes".

Norwich are not a strong side and if you let them play, they will.  However, we deserved to win and it was generally a comfortable win.  A welcome 3 points and eases the pressure considerably on the team, manager and the growing negativity of some of the supporters.

What the hell does "Norwich are not a strong side and if you let them play, they will"? They played well first 20 minutes, should have been 2 up but we then smashed them. Second half we managed to stop them but also managed to stop ourselves. You'd have hoped at 4-1 we'd have been prepared to take a few risks. We weren't. There's a huge difference between being "negative" and being constructively critical. When confidence is so lacking in this team, the freedom to go out and express themselves when 4-1 up was not asking a great deal. There were some solid performances today throughout the side, I'm more than sure we could have ripped Norwich a third hole during the second half. For some reason we chose not to.

Obviously the three points are all that mattered but the second half for me was a missed opportunity to show what we can do. On the other hand, maybe the containment game was preparation for the Chelsea match.

Or maybe there was no point in risking players getting injured given the conditions.

For 45 minutes? Sorry Dave but that's the poorest excuse I think of for a team sitting back and not trying to do anything.

[pauliewalnuts]

What is the point taking risks at 4-1 at half time?

Yeah, we could have pushed the boat out and chased a sixth goal or something, but I was much more impressed with our brain - for a change - in effectively killing the game off.

Loads of good sides do that. How many times, for example, have you seen us play Man United at home, they'll score 3 by half time, it'll be game over, and they'll just spend the second half letting us have the ball a bit but they've effectively ended the game.

I take way more heart from us being clinical today than I would have from another goal or two.

[dave.woodhall]

The first 20 aside the other 70 was as good and comfortable as we're likely to see this season.

Or as Mister E put it, "A purple patch encased in shite". Whichever way you look at it, we got the three points and that's really all that matters.

Or as Mister E put it, "I am reluctant to give credit where credit is due so I will say the Villa were shite, except for 20 minutes".

Norwich are not a strong side and if you let them play, they will.  However, we deserved to win and it was generally a comfortable win.  A welcome 3 points and eases the pressure considerably on the team, manager and the growing negativity of some of the supporters.

What the hell does "Norwich are not a strong side and if you let them play, they will"? They played well first 20 minutes, should have been 2 up but we then smashed them. Second half we managed to stop them but also managed to stop ourselves. You'd have hoped at 4-1 we'd have been prepared to take a few risks. We weren't. There's a huge difference between being "negative" and being constructively critical. When confidence is so lacking in this team, the freedom to go out and express themselves when 4-1 up was not asking a great deal. There were some solid performances today throughout the side, I'm more than sure we could have ripped Norwich a third hole during the second half. For some reason we chose not to.

Obviously the three points are all that mattered but the second half for me was a missed opportunity to show what we can do. On the other hand, maybe the containment game was preparation for the Chelsea match.

Or maybe there was no point in risking players getting injured given the conditions.

For 45 minutes? Sorry Dave but that's the poorest excuse I think of for a team sitting back and not trying to do anything.

Tonight I've also seen some of the poorest excuses to avoid praising the team I've ever read. We won 4-1. Be happy.

[saunders_heroes]

The 2nd half was a dull affair, but what did we need to do? The most important thing was the 3 points. Good professional performance 2nd half.

[PeterWithesShin]

My only criticism of the second half is i'd have liked to see Robinson have 10 mins or so.

[Des Little]

What us the matter with people? I'd take a dull second half and a comfortable win every game. Would people prefer an 'exciting' defeat? Behave yourselves.