Aston Villa v Norwich- Post Match Thread

[MoetVillan]

20 minutes of pace, pressure, goals, width, desire, variety and putting the game well out of reach while putting space between us and the bottom teams....  I was expecting a dirty 2-1 victory, so this was brilliant.  They scored one, should have scored at least one other, and was touch and go to be left with elevn players.  I didnt get their substitutions, taking off their best two players.  Their fans were great, never stopped singing, cheered every pass when they were 4-1 down, and sang about loving Grant Holt.  Great entertainment

[Damo70]

Well said about the Norwich fans. Those that made the journey were fantastic. Personally I will settle for dull second halves in every home game of the season left if we are comfortably leading at half time. Have we got so used to going wild at the final whistle of nerve wracking single goal wins that we can't enjoy a 4-1 that turns into a stroll?

[amfy]

On twitter I have seen some Villa fans who are openly disappointed we won. The usual accompanying phrases "papers over cracks", "doesnt solve the real problem".

Honestly I dont understand the point of being a fan if you cant enjoy a nice 4-1 home win.

neither do I.

Unfortunately Villa attracts some absolute planks to supporter websites.

With the early booing, and the lack of a 'rocking' Villa Park atmosphere to go with a 4-1 win, I had a strong sense that we had a significant contingent who had turned up for 'Lambert Out Day' and were disappointed.

Still - that will go one way or the other. If we can put more football together they will be turned around, and if we don't, 'Lambert Out Day' will arrive at some point.

Personally, I am still very much in the wanting this to work camp, rather than having to start again. Simply because this working will be a lot quicker now than having to ask someone else to start making some sense of it.

[Clampy]

Yeah fair play to the Norwich fans who turned up but after frequenting their main forum over the last year or so, I haven't got a great deal of sympathy. They despise us and they still haven't got over Lambert leaving them for a new challenge.

[paul_e]

More importantly, we've got some really tough games coming up and we're at our best when we play with a high tempo, if we can have 45 minutes in 1st gear then it's a sensible and professional thing to do.  I said right at the start of this thread the only thing that I'm disappointed with is, like PWS, I think he should've given Robinson a run out.

Bacuna's goal - lovely move and a couple of great passes but the best bit, for me, was his first touch, watching it live I knew he was going to score after that touch, he just opened it up perfectly.

[MoetVillan]

I dont get the need for change now.  Take a look at the clubs who have changed managers, and how well are they truly doing?  Lambert has the team to do better than we are currently, our 15 mins yesterday and first half at Anfield is testament.  This is pretty much a team he brought together alongside our own youth players.  Im not saying its perfect, far from it, West Ham and Palace have been real low points.  Lambert out will solve nothing at all, apart from probably losing Benteke in the summer

[Ron Manager]

I can just imagine what would have happened if we'd gone out looking for more goals and got caught on the break within five minutes.

On twitter I have seen some Villa fans who are openly disappointed we won. The usual accompanying phrases "papers over cracks", "doesnt solve the real problem".

Honestly I dont understand the point of being a fan if you cant enjoy a nice 4-1 home win.

Exactly  Around 1965/66 we lost to Spurs at home 4-1. I throughly enjoyed that match. I thought we were very good that day deserved to win in my opinion. Might have been a Cup match. We dont win that many so be grateful for small mercies!

[Clampy]

It was a great win and much needed and after the results we've had, we deserve to enjoy it. We do need to try and carry it on though. Winning a game then losing three after that is the reason why we're down the wrong end of the table.

[London Villan]

A fan did go and have a go a Lambert after Lambert turned around and told a section of support behind the dug out to "fcuk off" after the third goal. The bloke did get escorted out, but was back in his seat about five minutes later, so he clearly wasn't chucked out.

The first 15 minutes were as bad as anything we've seen this season and I can't imagine too many fans were impressed.

A win is a win though, it's just amazing how fragile our confidence is.

[rob_bridge]

A win - the Big Eared Boys from the farm put to the sword.

3 points and dumps them in shit.

[not3bad]

We scored every shot on target.

Second half was back to normal, I don't think we were that good at all

In the second half we were as good as we needed to be.

[Chris Smith]

Like a boxer being knocked down with a sucker punch it took us twenty minutes to clear our heads and start fighting back.

From then until half time we were great and finished it off with a clinical, controlled second half where we hardly gave them a sniff.

I have been thinking for a few weeks that if Benteke found some form and confidence things would start looking very different. If he can play like that until the end of the season a nice comfortable mid table finish will be ours.

That doesn't sound too thrilling but after the mess of recent seasons it will do and it puts us in a decent position to exploit the improved financial position. Of course there are loads of 'ifs' in that but we won 4-1 and the sun is shining so time for a spot of positive thinking.

[not3bad]

So, are we probably safe?

10 games, might need 7-9 more points...
Good news is that we do play Stoke, Fulham, Southampton and Hull at VP among those 10 games.
Palace and Swansea might be some points away.
Love to steal anything at Tottenham too but realisticly as long as we not humiliated and still stay up I can repress a loss..

Norwich beat Spurs last week so it isn't out of the question...

[Brend'Watkins]

Benteke was really on his game yesterday.  When he's like that we look half decent as a team, when he isn't, well, you know exactly what we look like.  I didn't see the need for bringing him off and replacing him with Holt though.  We haven't got a game for 2 weeks so no need for saving energy of players.

[Dr Butler]

first 20 mins as said was poor, but when Vlaar picks out Beneteke for the equaliser we kept on top until the end of the first half, kept them at bay in the second and comfortably saw out the half.

and a special mention for Delph's block at the foot of the post from Hoolahan's header at 2-1.....vital moment in the game in my opinion.

well done Villa.