Aston Villa 1-0 Crystal Palace post match fat chewing

[LeonW]

Just back didn’t think it was that bad - I thought we looked like clicking a few times but still a work in progress. When Ollie hit the post that was a lovely move - and I think that Ramsey and Alex M weren’t on the same wave length often enough but could become a great link up.

Think SJM and Cash were good.  We didn’t do well against the ten men - but I think that was more because Kamara got injuried - he makes such a difference - and the down grade from him to chambers is ridiculous - he gave the ball away a few times when he shouldn’t have.

Thought Duran looked good but overall a clean sheet and 3 points I would have taken that before the game

When we lose Kamara I think our overall level as team drops a lot. Which just shows what a good player he is. Luiz is not the same player when he doesn’t have Kamara next to him.

[PeterWithesShin]

Olive looked way better then zaha whose body language was very much someone treading water to a £ transfer in summer.

[Gareth]

Olive looked way better then zaha whose body language was very much someone treading water to a £ transfer in summer.

Lol better haircut than OLISE! too lol

[aev]

The defence were good today, after the wake up call of the early disallowed goal. I thought Cash especially had a very good game. Moreno, I think he's the latest in a line of left backs who are alright, without looking miles better than the one before.

Buendia is frustrating, when he starts matchs, he seems to struggle to impose himself on the game. McGinn on the other hand continues to perform to a very good level. Ramsey is getting back to some sort of form. His running with the ball is great, just often lets himself down with the final ball.

Watkins ran himself into the ground again, but that was an absolutely horrible miss in the first half, when it seemed easier to score.  All in all though, a decent win and a huge improvement from the game against Palace earlier this season, when they could have had 6 or 7 quite easily.

He really struggles to keep the ball with his back to goal and a defender up tight. He is a completely different player with some space to move into.

[ChicagoLion]

That ref has a lot to answer for with the Bouba injury. He was letting Palace get away with countless fouls, so they kept in doing it. It took a serious injury for him to actually produce the first yellow.

Agree, it was obvious their strategy was to stick the boot in from half time and the ref was piss weak and encouraged this by letting it go.
Camara injury down to the ref allowing them to get away with it.

[VILLA MOLE]

I watched on tv today so when the defenders have possession i did wonder what the movement is like up ahead that you can’t always see .  But we seem
to struggle finding the next pass .


Too slow and ponderous at times and passing for the sake of it

I think we will need quite the overhaul to achieve what i think the manager wants

[Gareth]

The positives are Moreno, Mcginn Camara Watkins Buendia.

That’s 5 players we need to really push on.

Shows exactly how football is a game of opinions, I thought Buendia was comfortably the worst player on the pitch…seems to lose the ball time and time again

[Risso]

The positives are Moreno, Mcginn Camara Watkins Buendia.

That’s 5 players we need to really push on.

Shows exactly how football is a game of opinions, I thought Buendia was comfortably the worst player on the pitch…seems to lose the ball time and time again

Yep didn't rate Buendia that highly today. He did a couple of decent things but always seems to not look as effective when starting compared to coming on as a sub.

[eamonn]

If Sanson had bided his time a few more weeks, he may well have got a decent run in midfield. There's no one to push Luiz, Meatball or Ramsey at the moment apart from the Donk.

[martyn ellis]

Interesting comments throughout. there was some very ponderous, sluggish football going on which was punctuated by a couple of great moves - one for the goal and the other with Watkins hitting the post. We've heard quite a lot from Unai and various players about 'game management', which I thought was key today. Unfortunately, some of the practicalities of the game management bordered on the suicidal and had a decidedly negative affect on my life expectancy. So, please Villa, less fannying about in the penalty area and do the things you know how to do.

[brontebilly]

The positives are Moreno, Mcginn Camara Watkins Buendia.

That’s 5 players we need to really push on.

Shows exactly how football is a game of opinions, I thought Buendia was comfortably the worst player on the pitch…seems to lose the ball time and time again

He's a real enigma. Loses the ball often in dangerous positions but capable of moments of outstanding quality too like the perfect ball to put Watkins through before half time. Ramsey lost the ball a lot too and made many poor decisions, like looking for a penalty when Buendia was well placed inside of him.

[Risso]

That pissing around at the back will honestly be the death of me.

[brontebilly]

That pissing around at the back will honestly be the death of me.

Better than hoofing it long in the general direction of Watkins which seemed to be the tactic under Gerrard or even under Smith when Grealish wasn't around. Will need a better ball player than Konsa though, Mings was actually ok with the ball today. whenever we broke through their press in the first half we looked dangerous I thought.

Did anyone else think the pitch was maybe a bit dry today? The ball certainly wasn't zipping across the surface for either team.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Won 1-0 with an own goal against a 10-man team that haven’t won a game this year.

A win’s a win. And until the league table is based on xG I’m happy with getting 3 points.

[eamonn]

This is the type of game that we didn't win under Gerrard. I like this all or nothing "win or lose but never draw" approach.

Gregory and O'Neill could suck the life out of enjoying being a Villa fan with all the draws we racked-up in some of their seasons in charge.

Having said that, with the same number of wins, Newcastle are only ahead of us because they've prevented half a dozen draws become losses.