Aston Villa v West Ham Post-Match Thread

[luke95]

When Leicester won the league in 15-16 they were 5th after 9 games.

Be nice to go in the champions league as champions.

[Legion]

It was the first match for one of my grandson's today. Still buzzing over how much he enjoyed it.

Ace. What a great first game.

[Somniloquism]

Fucking Ben Mee. Dirty bastard.

[Meanwood Villa]

What a 12 months it's been. Mad that winning games at home comfortably has become so routine. I'm with Unai on Dougie after the West Ham goal, he had a poor 10/15 mins (to be fair he wasn't the only one) and it got nervy. Cue two crackers on the break to make it safe. Happy days down the Villa right now (in the league, we've still got the midweek reserve games in the cup to keep our feet on the ground)

[Footy-Vill]

David Moyes, Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst, Sir Trevor Brooking, Ray Winston, Danny Dyer, Lady Brady, Mark Noble can you hear me? Mark Noble!! your boys took a hell of a beating!

Up The Villa!

[Smirker]

From our first game in the Championship.

Yes it says predicted but that was pretty our team except Gardner started in place of Tshibola and Cissokho for Amavi.

[wince]

Up the fucking villa!!!!!!

[Keeno]

From our first game in the Championship.

Yes it says predicted but that was pretty our team except Gardner started in place of Tshibola and Cissokho for Amavi.

oh wow.

[dorsetvillian]

Watching Villa at home is an absolute joy. Some of the best controlled performances I've ever seen..

[SoccerHQ]

From our first game in the Championship.

Yes it says predicted but that was pretty our team except Gardner started in place of Tshibola and Cissokho for Amavi.

Even just three years ago we were still starting likes of Hourihane, Trez and El Ghazi most weeks.

They've all played big parts in our revival up the league by scoring critical goals at key moments. AEG of course with the play off goal but if Trez skies that volley v Arsenal into the North stand we go back down and we have to start afresh.

I have soft spots for all three but the quality we're now watching in final third is lightyears ahead of that.

The cool thing is Luiz and McGinn have been on the premier league journey since day 1 so that's where existing players can considerably improve under the right manager, Mings and Konsa aswell.

[astonvilla82]

Just seen West Ham goal took a massive deflection

[Olof's Beard]

We were brilliant, nobody had a bad game. West Ham are no mugs and we stuck four goals past them without really shifting through the gears. This is a prolonged period of form/results no, it's no fluke. Sides are well aware of our home record but they aren't stopping us. Our manager is routinely outwitting his opposite number.

You can see how much the players have bought into the philosophy. The effort and skill is there but it's the concentration levels and brainpower that makes us so impressive. If the cross isn't on (i.e. it's likely to hit the first man or we don't have the sufficient movement in the box) then go backwards and start again.

It's all about percentages and picking your moments. I enjoyed the spontaneous round of applause which erupted when we went all the way back to Martinez from an advanced crossing position late on rather than just toss the ball in. I know it's easy to support them at 4-1 but the pained appeals to 'get it in the fucking box' are subsiding and the fans are fully understanding the approach now.

Seventeen goals in four league games. Pretty sure it's usually February/March before we score 17 home goals, what this manager has done continues to astound. And he's putting every home hoodoo to bed, one by one, as well. Only Man City left to go.

[olaftab]

Moyes and Bowen both talking about us as a "top 6" team, which is nice. They both said that it shows the level you have to play at consistently to be a top 6 team and they have some way to go from today's performance. I always find it quite refreshing when post match interviews are honest and reflect reality. I don't mean that in a condescending way either.

Ward-Prowse made similar comments by saying "this is when you realise the gap we still have to overcome"

[LeeB]

We were brilliant, nobody had a bad game. West Ham are no mugs and we stuck four goals past them without really shifting through the gears. This is a prolonged period of form/results no, it's no fluke. Sides are well aware of our home record but they aren't stopping us. Our manager is routinely outwitting his opposite number.

You can see how much the players have bought into the philosophy. The effort and skill is there but it's the concentration levels and brainpower that makes us so impressive. If the cross isn't on (i.e. it's likely to hit the first man or we don't have the sufficient movement in the box) then go backwards and start again.

It's all about percentages and picking your moments. I enjoyed the spontaneous round of applause which erupted when we went all the way back to Martinez from an advanced crossing position late on rather than just toss the ball in. I know it's easy to support them at 4-1 but the pained appeals to 'get it in the fucking box' are subsiding and the fans are fully understanding the approach now.

Seventeen goals in four league games. Pretty sure it's usually February/March before we score 17 home goals, what this manager has done continues to astound. And he's putting every home hoodoo to bed, one by one, as well. Only Man City left to go.

If we best Citeh at home I think we're properly in it, well as much as anyone else is.

And not only is he burying hoodoos, his funeraling preconceptions about our support being fickle and hard to please dreamt up by shit managers to shift the blame along the way.

[AV84]

Today was the 9th game of the season, which is just about the quarter way point, if there's such a thing. 5th in the table, 2 points off the top spot, is a fantastic place to be at this stage, especially after that opening day defeat.