Aston Villa vs Brentford Post-Match Thread

[Demitri_C]

That was vintage villa. First  time this season we looked like the side of last year. We were excellent.

Shows how impressive our defensive performance was when quality players like wissa and mbeulo are not getting a sniff.

This is exactly what we need competition for places. If mings has a stinker torres will be on him like a rash to take his spot and vice versa

Once onana comes back and JJ that applies pressure on mcginn and youri too.

The biggest  area in which we dont have competition is wide. Bailey was average and philiogene again didnt take his chance when called upon.

Mings and digne in particular were excellent. Rogers looekd far better too.

Barkley was terrible. Worse game for us. He has generally been good so we can just put that as a bad day in office. But delighted we are back winning!

[VillaTim]

Thought Watkins did really well , assist for goal 1 , won the pen got up and took it for goal 2 .

[Monty]

Thought Watkins did really well , assist for goal 1 , won the pen got up and took it for goal 2 .

Agreed, even though it wasn't the best penalty ever I thought it was important for him to step up and take it himself.

[lovejoy]

I was surprised the third goal stood and I must admit I wasn't convinced by the pen decision either

I agree. Not moaning but would have been mad if they’d been given against us.

[simboy]

Kamara makes this team tick. He compliments the back four so well, dropping in or covering errors. He can see and execute a pass and, that turn to take out three midfielders to leave acres of space ahead of him was just brilliant. Our performance dipped as he became tired I thought.

Mings was solid at the back and, rather than the “either/or” with Torres, I think it offers more a “horses for courses”. A pacy, physical, high pressing opposition, Mings is an obvious choice when fit; more room at the back with time on the ball then it’s Torres. To dismiss the Torres contribution over the last season and a half seems to me to ignore where we finished last season, the Konsa/Torres partnership being an important part of that progression.

Bailey appears to be getting better, again I wonder if that’s partly down to the freedom he is allowed with Kamara covering him, pushing him slightly higher.

Overall, I thought a decent Emery-Villa performance, far better than over the last few weeks, certainly in the league. Makes a change to not go a goal down and be chasing the game.

[Rigadon]

It was better, but only just / that isn’t a criticism either.  Chelsea away aside, we haven’t been shit in any game I don’t think. The massive differences were that we won a lot of 50/50s, we took our chances more or less and got the rub of the green a couple of times.  Fine margins and all that.  Our position i the league is a false one. 

Also, how great to have the real Morgan Rogers back! 

[darren woolley]

I'm glad we are back to winning ways.

[Tayls_7]

Random observations. I thought Kamara was superb and if we had 11 players with his quality and commitment then we'd be top of the league. Rogers shaded MotM for me. That role really suits him and his confidence after that excellent goal rocketed - good. Digne and Konsa/Mings also stood out. Duran looked really up for it. What a player to have at your disposal when he's on it. Nothing special from Jayden but he's combative and isn't afraid to get stuck in, something you notice because Bailey doesn't. I like Maatsen. He's technically decent and has pace to burn. Buendia was really lively and our interchanges with him as the pivot was sublime, albeit against a defeated side.

Much, much better. Thank f##k.

[Somniloquism]

I was surprised the third goal stood and I must admit I wasn't convinced by the pen decision either

Pen was one of those were that if it was given on the field, VAR wasn't changing it. We have had a few where it went the other way with the ref making the call against us which VAR wouldn't overrule.

I also think the same with the offside, if the linesman had flagged, it would have been called on-field decision potentially similar to the Southampton one the other day. But as the lino didn't AND the defender had a decent chance to head it away with no "interference" from Watkins.......

[Mister E]

So, last night we finally saw what Philogene can do. There was a run he made  - about 7-8 minutes from the end - where he sashayed across the pitch, beating 4-5 players as he went, and then delivered the ball to a colleague. The guy has some skills.
Which leads me to ponder, why is it that neither he nor Bailey get down the wing enough? I honestly think that they are under instruction not to put the ball at risk or become isolated. Which - if that is true - then leads me to wonder why Emery is so keen on playing wingers when he does not want them to deliver wing-play?!
I'm confused!

[Mister E]

I was surprised the third goal stood and I must admit I wasn't convinced by the pen decision either

Pen was one of those were that if it was given on the field, VAR wasn't changing it. We have had a few where it went the other way with the ref making the call against us which VAR wouldn't overrule.
I also think the same with the offside, if the linesman had flagged, it would have been called on-field decision potentially similar to the Southampton one the other day. But as the lino didn't AND the defender had a decent chance to head it away with no "interference" from Watkins.......

... is the right answer.

[lovejoy]

The laws mention attempting to play the ball which Watkins clearly did.

The point about competition for places raising performances (in respect of Pau) is well made. It’s a shame Bailey doesn’t have Diaby to push him on too.

[Brend'Watkins]

Brentford were shockingly bad all over the pitch, their league position is a false one. Maybe they can only play at home or maybe their set up was to combat our usual slow build up. Whatever the reason our formation made them look championship level at best. When Mings is as dominant as he was you don’t notice Konsa, that’s the difference he makes. McPhee should work on him for attacking corner routines as he’s a real threat if he’s allowed to get on the end of crosses. Lots of very good individual performances from our lot which is great to see.  Their keeper maybe should have saved the penalty, it wasn’t a well hit shot. His attempt to punch away that 2nd half corner was comical, it would have ended up in the net if he hadn’t made amends with the follow up punch. More of the same V Southampton please.

[Smithy]

I was surprised the third goal stood and I must admit I wasn't convinced by the pen decision either

Pen was one of those were that if it was given on the field, VAR wasn't changing it. We have had a few where it went the other way with the ref making the call against us which VAR wouldn't overrule.

I also think the same with the offside, if the linesman had flagged, it would have been called on-field decision potentially similar to the Southampton one the other day. But as the lino didn't AND the defender had a decent chance to head it away with no "interference" from Watkins.......

The pen was the correct decision, as was the yellow card.  If he'd made an attempt to tackle, it would have been a red card.  It was only yellow was he wasn't attempting to stop or tackle Watkins.  It's still technically a foul, but not a deliberate attempt to prevent a goal-scoring opportunity.

[London Villan]

Great result in the context of the last few weeks.

But brentford gave us so much space to play, particularly Rogers.