Aston Villa v Sunderland Post-Match Thread

[Toronto Villa]

How many times did Man U during the numerous Ferguson title winning years did they find a way to win. However it came about, they played to the very end of games and scored late, late goals*. Thats what excellent sides do.


*Usually at our expense.

[cdbearsfan]

On the balance of play, Sunderland were maybe a bit unfortunate to be behind at half-time. We dominated second half though, and it would have been a travesty if we hadn't won.

[tomd2103]

Sancho can’t be trusted.

There are a few on the bench who now fall into that category unfortunately.  The drop.off in performance level when we began making substitutions was pretty alarming. 

[OzVilla]

I get the gnashing of teeth at the substitutions buts its a squad game these days.  And those subs also combined to get us the winner. Just a shame Tammy couldnt have celebrated it more.

Great to see Ollie officially now on one of his streaks too, great timimg that. UTFV.

[olaftab]

On the balance of play, Sunderland were maybe a bit unfortunate to be behind at half-time. We dominated second half though, and it would have been a travesty if we hadn't won.

Sunderland did not deserve a draw based on their general second half performance so the result was correct.

[ROBBO]

Unai defended Sancho and to a degree I can see his point, we were in cruise control when again we decided to play short out of defence, have a look at the replay we had at least two chances to play a long ball out but no we went tip tappy again before Sancho lost posession.
It's been  a feature all season, I know it's the way Unai wants us to play but sometimes our skill level lets us down at the back. It was a brilliant game, Sunderland came to play and had the better of the first half but we really looked a top four side in the second, we could have scored six easily. I think that is Watkins best game of the season, a proper centre forward.

[Brend'Watkins]

I get the gnashing of teeth at the substitutions buts its a squad game these days.  And those subs also combined to get us the winner. Just a shame Tammy couldnt have celebrated it more.

Great to see Ollie officially now on one of his streaks too, great timimg that. UTFV.

Yes, you’re right it’s a squad game. Even so, we have no midweek game so rest isn’t the issue that it normally is. Ollie looking for his hatrick might have been just as rewarding.

[Pat McMahon]

Landed in Kuala Lumpur a short while ago and from my messages I thought we’d lost. Luckily saw the score on BBc but sounds like I missed a rollercoaster of a game.

Chuffed at the result and at the 10 point gap with 6th

[Villafirst]

The shape of the team changed completely with the substitutes. The high line got exposed with those 3 passes through it - it looked vunerable. Thankfully Emi made that great save!

[Mister E]

Just home. Almost calmed down after that ending. Thursday was very unlike Villa and stress free. Today was also so comfortable until the 85th  minute. Complete chaos after that. I do think taking off McGinn and Watkins at the same time was a mistake. The right side substitution is causing us problems when McGinn goes off. That's Old Trafford, Bologna and today. Maybe a more defensive sub should be made in future. We really are in an amazing position...

Funny, Elliott plays right side and is probably more reliable.
Just saying ...


Cash and Konsa do have this habit of sometimes playing themselves in to a corner when trying to play out from the right side of defence - it's happened several times this season, and it requires a strong forward-right player to support their efforts. We didn't have that - which does not absolve C and K from being more capable in that situation.

[Hillbilly]

Too much entertainment.

[PeterWithe]

I hope we take more from the late winner than we worry about the absolute shambles that was the previous five minutes.

[martyn ellis]

The subs were key all round. If I'm not mistaken their two late goals were scored by subs as a result of one of our subs (Sancho) losing the ball. Our late goal was scored by Tammy (sub) from a great cross from Digne (sub). I can't remember when subs have had such an influence on a game.

[caster troy]

Their first goal Maatsen stumbled at the point he could have blocked the cross.

Before the second goal McGinn made arguably just as bad a mistake as Sancho did the only difference was the shot was straight at Emi. I think that was why he was subbed, likely tiredness.

For their second goal Emi should have cleared, Cash is marked and back-pedalling, he signals to Emi to boot it who doesn’t. Mings points for it to go long too. Sancho to be fair runs deep to help out but has the bad touch. The weird one is Konsa, who for some reason ran off the pitch, then charged to the ball when Sancho mis controlled leaving a gigantic hole that Hume strolls into.

The third goal when Sancho loses it we are in a decent shape with six men behind the ball, except Konsa is three yards deeper than Cash and Mings playing the striker onside. Emi slips.

The one v one, we try to counter press needing to win the game, Cash most culpable getting sucked in not tracking Hume. This time Mings is in no man’s land, we only have two men back and both are right side of the centre circle.

[rob_bridge]

I get the gnashing of teeth at the substitutions buts its a squad game these days.  And those subs also combined to get us the winner. Just a shame Tammy couldnt have celebrated it more.

Great to see Ollie officially now on one of his streaks too, great timimg that. UTFV.

Yes I hope he can get another 4 or 5 in the remaining 8 games.