Aston Villa 1-0 Wigan Post Match Thread

[olaftab]

For me Amavi was excellent and MotM.

[Pat McMahon]

Just home and dried off, food in my belly too.

Generally we were awful. We started brightly  but did very little and Wigan were more fluid than us for a good 15-20 minutes o ft he first half. I put that down to our two man midfield.

Second half was soporific, and we were guilty of playing in front Wigan. Several players were guilty of far too many touches in possession (Ayew, Kodjia, Adomah), we didn't move the ball quickly enough and our crossing was abysmal. Gardner and Jedinak seemed to have a private battle to see who could give the ball away the most, though the latter was good defensively and showed great skill to create one decent shot for himself.

Gestede substitution added little as we didn't get any crosses for him from out wide. The goal was completely out of context with this game, but it's a wonderful feeling to score a late winner.
Long may  it continue.

Chuffed we won, but we made hard work of it. Jack's goal was a beauty but it wasn't as if a goal was coming. I'm relieved but worried by our disjointedness.

[West Derby Villan]

Wigan haven't changed since the last time we played them at home. Boring team looking for a point at any cost, horrible team. Teams are going to park the bus more and more as we move up the league so we are just going to get used to it. Very important to get three points today. Love this winning at home thing

[four fornicholl]

When was the last time we scored late to win???

Reading.

Rotterdam

[Brend'Watkins]

Against teams who 'park the bus' we need to have not just much better movement off the ball we just need some movement.

[nick harper]

Westwood is limited as has been discussed ad infinitum but he gives the ball away far less than Gardner. He is really poor. We will look much better when Bruce gets the right players around Jedinak.

[Old Kodjia]

I think that Wigan did very well today and we are perhaps not giving them credit here.  They made it very, very difficult for us and if that header out had fallen to anyone else other than Grealish, I'd wager that Wigan would have been heading home with a draw.

I'm a fan of Jordan Ayew but he needs to start bringing more to the table.  His confidence is probably low but somehow, he needs to start producing.
I'm now more convinced than ever that Kodjia is not a number 9 and needs to be played out wide, preferably from the left, as his chip today showed that he is weaker coming in from the right.  He just isn't physical enough to play number 9 and this may explain why he has never played at the top level.  I'm now more convinced than ever that we need a number 9 in sooner, rather than later as Gestede isn't the answer.
I'm surprised that nobody mentioned Alan Hutton as I thought he had an excellent game today.  You always know that you are going to get 100% from AH and I'm not as critical of him as many are.  A great run in the second half that somehow ended in him being booked.
I disagree with others about Adomah.  I think he is doing fine, a proper winger who causes problems and is aware of his duties when we don't have the ball.
Jack Grealish showed exactly why he is rated so highly.  One moment of brilliance changed the result.
We need to replace Gardner, which makes me sad to say, given he's a local lad but how he manages to start ahead of Tish is beyond me.

I think its clear that we aren't going to be thrashing many teams but we are certainly robust and we are certainly a team that will go for 90+ minutes.

All in all, an awful game but the Notts Forest game at home was really entertaining.  How many would prefer todays result though?

[KevinGage]

All in all, an awful game but the Notts Forest game at home was really entertaining.  How many would prefer todays result though?

That's it for me. We made a pact with the devil when we went with Bruce.

You can't appoint Steve Bruce and then complain when his team plays like a Steve Bruce side.

[Pat McMahon]

Wigan haven't changed since the last time we played them at home. Boring team looking for a point at any cost, horrible team. Teams are going to park the bus more and more as we move up the league so we are just going to get used to it. Very important to get three points today. Love this winning at home thing

Didn't they murder us 3-0 the last time they came to Villa Park?

[rob_bridge]

15 minutes of domination, 73 minutes of the dullest rubbish going and then one moment of brilliance.

Liverpool 79-87?

[rob_bridge]

I think that Wigan did very well today and we are perhaps not giving them credit here.  They made it very, very difficult for us and if that header out had fallen to anyone else other than Grealish, I'd wager that Wigan would have been heading home with a draw.

I'm a fan of Jordan Ayew but he needs to start bringing more to the table.  His confidence is probably low but somehow, he needs to start producing.
I'm now more convinced than ever that Kodjia is not a number 9 and needs to be played out wide, preferably from the left, as his chip today showed that he is weaker coming in from the right.  He just isn't physical enough to play number 9 and this may explain why he has never played at the top level.  I'm now more convinced than ever that we need a number 9 in sooner, rather than later as Gestede isn't the answer.
I'm surprised that nobody mentioned Alan Hutton as I thought he had an excellent game today.  You always know that you are going to get 100% from AH and I'm not as critical of him as many are.  A great run in the second half that somehow ended in him being booked.
I disagree with others about Adomah.  I think he is doing fine, a proper winger who causes problems and is aware of his duties when we don't have the ball.
Jack Grealish showed exactly why he is rated so highly.  One moment of brilliance changed the result.
We need to replace Gardner, which makes me sad to say, given he's a local lad but how he manages to start ahead of Tish is beyond me.

I think its clear that we aren't going to be thrashing many teams but we are certainly robust and we are certainly a team that will go for 90+ minutes.

All in all, an awful game but the Notts Forest game at home was really entertaining.  How many would prefer todays result though?

Ayew is awful with an appalling attitude.

As for 'Notts' Forest it would be unwise to describe them as 'Notts' to most of their fans. Regardless of their geographical location. I lived there for 15 years.

[Villafirst]

You have to accept that some days it just doesn't go right. But we won without playing well. For me our best home performance this season was Forest, but we only got one point.

[Matt C]

Sides who keep finding a way to win, even when they're not playing well, generally do rather well. I'll take that.

[berneboy]

Elphick was very angry with Gollini when he didn't come for a Wigan cross in the closing minutes. I expect the McGregor rumour is true and he'll be our regular keeper come January.

[rob_bridge]

Elphick was very angry with Gollini when he didn't come for a Wigan cross in the closing minutes. I expect the McGregor rumour is true and he'll be our regular keeper come January.

Jeeps. A poor replacement