Aston Villa 2 vs 1 Smethwick Post Match thread

[Jimbo]

My only disappointment from lastnight is that the whole ground didnt boing boing at the final wistle.

I would love it LOVE IT if we win Saturday & the whole ground done it.

Boing boing? We're not a bunch of apes, jumping up and down like over-excited bonobos and throwing our own excrement about the place. Leave that to the hairy-cheeked primates of Sandwell.

[walsall villain]

I've avoided making comment on Gabby because, as has been stated, for the last few years he has been played out of position. 433 is all well and good but morooning strikers, with limited ability, on the wing brings problems as we have seen. It's the same with Weimann.

Gabby's finest atribute, some would say only, is his pace. He needs to hunt along the back line, forcing the opposition to sit deep in fear. Last night was a good example.

As they did last year, baggies defended high up the pitch first half, that's ideal for Gabby. It's when teams sit deep he struggles as the space then disappears. One good run through defenders second half though.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

I've avoided making comment on Gabby because, as has been stated, for the last few years he has been played out of position. 433 is all well and good but morooning strikers, with limited ability, on the wing brings problems as we have seen. It's the same with Weimann.

Gabby's finest atribute, some would say only, is his pace. He needs to hunt along the back line, forcing the opposition to sit deep in fear. Last night was a good example.

Couldn't agree more Nev. I think we've all been pretty critical of him this season - and rightly so - last night was an almost perfect Gabby Agbonlahor performance.
More please!

[UK Redsox]

Have to eat humble pie on Clark - he has had a very good season and think him and Okore are best long term option.

That's my view as well.

Okore is prone to mistakes but he has the athleticism to get himself out of trouble.

As for Clark, my earlier comment about him being out of the team if another decent centre half is signed, is based on what's been done in the past. He seems to be the first one out. Even Baker has been preferred to him.

Maybe Sherwood will take a different approach to previous Villa managers and keep Clark in the team.

[UK Redsox]

Am I right it thinking Legion couldn't go last night?

Yep. Its Sunderland redux

He is however going on Saturday 

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Woke up this morning with a spring in my step and a song in my heart!

You can all join in with the song if you like...the words are:

"F**K the Albion..." repeat.


UTV!

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Am I right it thinking Legion couldn't go last night?

Yep. Its Sunderland redux

He is however going on Saturday 

Can someone please kidnap him and lock him in a cellar 'til the end of the season?

[rob_bridge]

Am I right it thinking Legion couldn't go last night?

Yep. Its Sunderland redux

He is however going on Saturday 

We should club together and send him on the Eurostar to Paris with his better half for the day.

Just to be on the safe side

[SashasGrandad]

The crowd was quite shocking though I thought.  Although it did feel more like 35k than 31k.

The club needs to do something to attract more to fixtures against the small clubs!

[Loxton01]

Such a great feeling to come into work today after a victory. As someone said on here best feeling since that Sunderland game.

We deserved the victory first half we were excellent, you could actually see a difference. We were playing to our strengths - Benteke's power, gabby actually running at defenders and interestingly our players were moving into positions of space. We played with a zip to our play for at least the first hour.

We pressed high up the pitch and were full of energy again for the first hour.

You can see we were visibly tiring and we looked a real bundle of nerves from every set piece which needs addressing.

I thought Cleverley and NZog ran themselves into the ground for an hour and played well. Lowton adds much more from a quality perspective going forward. Okore after a shocking first hour got some vital blocks in towards the end of the game. Clark was immense. Best ive seen of Benteke and Gabby for months and months.

We have to use this now as the platform for the rest of the season. That performance was the bar and we musnt drop from it.

Sherwood yes he might be a mouth and say some silly things but as fans we can relate to him more than Lambert. You can see he cares and he is having an effect. We stand a much better chance of staying up than we did under Lambert.

In terms of fans it was awesome last night but the club have got to get fans back. Perhaps for the rest of the season they should lower all prices in all ends to a comparable figure to what Season Ticket holders pay. That may get a few more thousand through the gate.

The fans will return with victories and I would expect with the exception of the Monday  night QPR game we will get 36,000 minimum for most games.

[remy]

Well I can honestlly say that was one of the most enthralling moments of being a Villa supporter EVER.

Remy Juniors I and II were with me in the middle Trinity to witness it. Tears and hugging, screaming and jumping. Why I love football, Why I love football.

Stripeys were making lots of noise to begin with but were drowned out many times - until they scored.

Extremely funny to see a neanderthal stripe being manhandled out the ground all the way past the North Stand and being cuffed on the head as he walked.

Okore I thought looked a bit cumbersome but a goal scoring prevention moment from him - wow.

Clark - Im putting salt on my hat and chewing slowly. Turned into a fabulous defender.

Hutton - had lots of the ball and could have been sent off with a different referee. Lucky there.

Lowton - played well and will be a regular starter I think.

Gabby - Were the FUCK have you been the last couple of years hay ? More of that please.

Benteke - Ice cool penalty - confidence roaring back.

Cleverly / Delph / Westwood - Trimuverate that drove forward, broke up their play, won possession back.

Zog - small flashes, not match fit but hopully might get a few decent crosses in.

Grealish - little kid was a menace for them.

Tim Shewood - Surprise on the team formation and selection but positive. Showed loads of passion and how much it means to him.

The fact that it was a derby made it all that bit special but we HAD To win. Simply had to. Thank you Lord.

[Edvard Remberg]

Get the fuck in.

Oh and have that you stripey bastard c***s

"Justice for football" my commentator said.

Probably not Poul Hansen - he is horrible - blamed Benteke for not even touching the ball, even if he had an assist. No wonder he got fired as a manager

[Kingthing]

Laugh?....a bit of wee came out

http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/2015/03/04/video-angry-albion-fans-speak-out-after-villa-loss/

[Mister E]

...
We deserved the victory first half we were excellent, you could actually see a difference. We were playing to our strengths - Benteke's power, gabby actually running at defenders and interestingly our players were moving into positions of space. We played with a zip to our play for at least the first hour.

We pressed high up the pitch and were full of energy again for the first hour.

You can see we were visibly tiring and we looked a real bundle of nerves from every set piece which needs addressing.

I thought Cleverley and NZog ran themselves into the ground for an hour and played well. Lowton adds much more from a quality perspective going forward. Okore after a shocking first hour got some vital blocks in towards the end of the game. Clark was immense. Best ive seen of Benteke and Gabby for months and months.
...

This is pretty much how I saw it. I'd add that for Grealish to make a real difference he has to be more decisive when in front of goal (as per his last-minute chance at Burnley, if he'd put his foot through his close-range shot last night he'd be the hero ths morning).
I got home just before midnight still with a slightly inane smile on my face. It felt like a cup tie; the crowd were generally excellent, and it felt good to have a 'feel-good' factor at VP.
We need to reproduce that feeling and atmosphere in the other league games we have.

Sherwood's biggest challenge now? - keeping players fit and reducing the number of yellow cards: our season still hangs on putting our best 14 out each week and getting them to play to their strengths. Injuries and suspensions may do for us.

[Damo70]

Can anyone enlighten me on all of these previous occasions they have apparently single handedly rescued us from relegation that they keep going on about?

Probably throwing away two goal leads twice last season.

It's also worth remembering, it's over 30 years since they beat us in a game that finished 11 v 11.

Was that the Carl Valentine Easter Monday game at The Hawthorns? I went to that. We were all over them but lost 1-0 if I've remembered it right. I was fourteen. I went home and watched Smokey And The Bandit on telly. Funny the little things you remember.