Aston Villa v West Ham Post-Match Thread

[olaftab]

Huge result.
Watched in a bar in Amsterdam ( last half hour) I asked the bloke behind the bar if he could put the Villa game on, it was wall to wall Spurs Forest, he did and then poured me a Guinness with AV in the foam. Nice touch.

Great. Enjoy your evening but only window shopping mind!

[Baldy]

The tempo has returned.

I honestly think it's down to Unai conserving energy levels during a busy schedule. We have a break now so Unai told them to up the tempo today.


 

[brontebilly]

Yeah Traore was very predictable in his appallingly output.

Has been utterly dreadful other than a 6 month spell at Wolves, which he’s somehow still stealing a living off.

Roided up beefcake with zero football brain.

That effort with his left late on was awful but I thought he gave Cash more to think about when he came on. Far more than the guy he replaced in any case. Bringing on likes of Wilson and Traore kind of sums up why they are fighting relegation.

[Walmley_Villa]

Very comfortable game for us and it felt to me that Unai wanted us on the front foot from the start to get the crowd up which in my opinion definitely worked. Onana MOTM for me and it was great to see some of the players and BL from 1996 at halftime.
With Youri back and the break I don’t see why we can’t have a strong end to the season.

[brontebilly]

Meatball made the difference. Nice weekend let’s push on

Big time, thinking back to all those lifeless performances against Leeds, Wolves, Brighton et al. From the first whistle today we were on it. Quick restarts, throw ins, free kicks - some contrast. All with the same players bar one. Difference has to be a fully fit McGinn.

[dorsetvillian]

Finally home. So enjoyable to see Villa play well and get a truly massive 3 points. The team looked confident, organised and bright on the ball. Some very good patterns of play and very dominant for pretty much 90 mins. All topped off with an Ollie goal and Youri back on the pitch. Hopefully we have enough to make it over the line. Only downside was Bailey as a sub.

[ChicagoLion]

Yes I was thinking the same about Bailey, if we could just have someone competent enough to receive and then pass the ball to another Villa player.
In his cameo I think he pretty much lost possession every time he had the ball.
If we are ahead and running the clock down , surely there are better options.

[Somniloquism]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/videos/c74vjd8zg7vo

[usav]

So nice to have players back and Unai be able to play the team and structure/style he wants to play.  To have Buendia and Bailey on the bench and not starting is how it should be - and they can still play a role, just not as big as they have tried to over the last few weeks.

[eamonn]

I guess we were kinda lucky that the formation WHam have had success with recently - the three at the back that's banned on here, went out the window when one of their lads lad pulled-up injured during the warm-up. Must have shaken them a bit, glad we took advantage.

Delighted I got to see two 2-0s this week, a far more satisfying double-header than last time twenty-odd years ago.

[ROBBO]

Bailey again was the only disappointment in a back to normal Villa performance. Should have been five or six but the pure relief of at last getting back to the Villa we love overides everything.
The players on loan all played their part, keep that going and we may keep a couple.

[Sexual Ealing]

I guess we were kinda lucky that the formation WHam have had success with recently - the three at the back that's banned on here, went out the window when one of their lads lad pulled-up injured during the warm-up. Must have shaken them a bit, glad we took advantage.

Delighted I got to see two 2-0s this week, a far more satisfying double-header than last time twenty-odd years ago.

To defend three-(five)-at-the-back is a sin. To do so passive-aggressively is three-(five)-at-the-back behaviour.

[Hillbilly]

Let's not underestimate the impact of the return of Matty Cash either. He adds impetus going forward.

[brontebilly]

Let's not underestimate the impact of the return of Matty Cash either. He adds impetus going forward.

Weight of his pass has really improved. Set Sancho free on a few occasions in the first half. Bogarde doesn't have that in him.

[eamonn]

The only downside is that I have no beer in the house.

Lent or laziness ?