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Dearie me just seen the disallowed goal. Ffs this was a chance for a ref to finally disagree with a VAR referral and actually get it right.
unlike that fucker who pretended Hojberg wasn’t clearly fouled, Atkinson could and should have looked at the vision and said “yeah he was never saving it anyway so play on”
ffs
unlike that fucker who pretended Hojberg wasn’t clearly fouled, Atkinson could and should have looked at the vision and said “yeah he was never saving it anyway so play on”
ffs
Tbh I’m not unhappy the kilman handball was given either. His arm is out and they’ve been given ample warning.
not the same as the Doherty decisions where his arm is down (as opposed to “out”)
or indeed the Dier decision where he was jumping for a ball which went over his head and was nodded back.
not the same as the Doherty decisions where his arm is down (as opposed to “out”)
or indeed the Dier decision where he was jumping for a ball which went over his head and was nodded back.
To be fair, Dean Smith was actually doing a pretty damn good job with Brentford, who were doing really well, getting results and playing pretty good football on one of the smallest budgets in the Championship, one of the reasons Villa poached him. Sometimes it takes a while for managers methods to start to show, especially when they inherit a challenging job.
Just got round to watching some of the Arse game. Everyone's waxing on about Grealish as usual, but the chunk of it I watched, Berkley was far more influential in that game than Grealish, but I guess that wouldn't be a very hip opinion. Really liking Ollie Watkins too, that was money well spent IMO, boys got a brain as well as some ability.
Do you not think it's more a case that it's just got so much easier to play away without stadiums full of home fans?
Looks really comfortable at this level... Big bonus for him starting every week... It'd inevitably have been a slower process if we bagged him to merely deputise for Kane.
On that note, pleased to see Jose prepared to bring Vin on today; shows there's no residual from him getting hooked vs Antwerp
Personally still not 100% what to make of it all.... Afterall, away team still has to travel and do without the rest of the usual home comforts, sight lines etc. (+ most teams away dressing rooms are porta-cabins or tents atm).
Agree about Watkins, although he can play wide forward too, so under the right system and manager he could have got decent pitch time even with Kane, but you're right, playing every week as the main man is going to be much better for him.
I don't really get why he (Vinicius) was hooked at half time in that game, he wasn't terrible, definitely not the worst and he needs the games, and we need him to have games and have some confidence.
Me neither.
I don't think it's really much of a chore, the travelling and away dressing rooms these days, I think the not playing in front of 30-60k of baying, pissed up half wits is actually much more conducive.
Just a theory (and a couple of others have said similar) but I think many players in general are enjoying playing without the added stress and tension of big crowds around them. I think it's been something of a leveller for football in general, and some of the football we are seeing is as entertaining as I can remember for a sustained period of time.
It seems to me that Villa's rise this season is pretty much the players they had getting used to the level required in the Premier League anthey are riding off the high they would have got from the end of last season and fresh new faces hitting the ground running from the start. That's something you cannot underestimate.
They went unbeaten in the last 4 games of the league last season, beating Palace and Woolwich and drawing with Everton and West Ham. And gone into this season and already beaten Leicester (0-1), Liverpool (7-2) and Woolwich (0-3).
Villa for the most part when they came up, had a Championship squad. Few good players here and there in Grealish, Mings and McGinn for the most part. One hadn't played at the highest level in about 5 years, the other was a bit part player in a Bournemouth team and the other had never played at such a high level. It can take time to adapt to demands of Premier League football.
They spent BIG last summer. We're talking over £100,000,000. On twelve different players. Most of which just weren't good enough.
Guess how many of those 12 players have even started a Premier League game so far this season!? - 5.
Less than half.
This summer, they spent big yet again, but their transfer dealings were a lot more smarter.
Cash from Nottingham Forest. Years and years of experience of playing football in this country. Has all the attributes needed to make the step up. Ollie Watkins, another who has all the ingredients to be a star in the top flight, proven goalscorer in the level below. Martinez, who proved last season he was good enough to compete in the top half of the Premier League table. And Barkley on loan, who has been a revelation and knows the league.
The only player I'd have had doubts over is Bertrand Traore when they probably could have gone out and got someone like Benrahma instead who has played with Watkins before, knows the country and is something different to what they have.
I don't see a Leicester from them. Mainly because they haven't got that experienced Ranieri type in charge. But I genuinely wouldn't be surprised if they were the shock of the season and ended up higher than Southampton, Everton etc.
They went unbeaten in the last 4 games of the league last season, beating Palace and Woolwich and drawing with Everton and West Ham. And gone into this season and already beaten Leicester (0-1), Liverpool (7-2) and Woolwich (0-3).
Villa for the most part when they came up, had a Championship squad. Few good players here and there in Grealish, Mings and McGinn for the most part. One hadn't played at the highest level in about 5 years, the other was a bit part player in a Bournemouth team and the other had never played at such a high level. It can take time to adapt to demands of Premier League football.
They spent BIG last summer. We're talking over £100,000,000. On twelve different players. Most of which just weren't good enough.
Guess how many of those 12 players have even started a Premier League game so far this season!? - 5.
Less than half.
This summer, they spent big yet again, but their transfer dealings were a lot more smarter.
Cash from Nottingham Forest. Years and years of experience of playing football in this country. Has all the attributes needed to make the step up. Ollie Watkins, another who has all the ingredients to be a star in the top flight, proven goalscorer in the level below. Martinez, who proved last season he was good enough to compete in the top half of the Premier League table. And Barkley on loan, who has been a revelation and knows the league.
The only player I'd have had doubts over is Bertrand Traore when they probably could have gone out and got someone like Benrahma instead who has played with Watkins before, knows the country and is something different to what they have.
I don't see a Leicester from them. Mainly because they haven't got that experienced Ranieri type in charge. But I genuinely wouldn't be surprised if they were the shock of the season and ended up higher than Southampton, Everton etc.
Probably running in a different language that's all.
Just thought Adans is quite similar in style and stature (maybe a bit shorter) to Stan Collymore.
Makes the same kind of runs, strong, and plays the width of the pitch.
He has developed massively and now seems to believe he belongs.
I think you are that at times which gives me hope for Sesegnon amongst others.
But Adams is looking very decent at the present time. No doubt.
Chatting to a Villa fan this morning, said we could have signed him for £15m when they were in the Championship before takeover...
Barkley and Grealish set up the first goal between them, Barkley got the assist for the first Watkins goal and Grealish for the second. Grealish set up the one that was disallowed by the ludicrous VAR decision.
All 3 of them were very good in other words.
Mention for the rest of them as well, Matt Targett was very good, so were McGinn, Trezeguet and Luiz (the 3 of them totally owned Ceballos, Partey and ElNeny), and the back 5 were so solid that Woolwich had 1 chance in the 90 minutes.
'That's world class' - Oxford City defender stops certain goal
Watch as Oxford City defender Aaron Drewe saves a certain goal with a 'world class' clearance against Northampton Town in their FA Cup first round tie.
www.bbc.co.uk
Watched that game, Oxford City played very well and deserved to win, it was a pretty good game overall.'That's world class' - Oxford City defender stops certain goal
Watch as Oxford City defender Aaron Drewe saves a certain goal with a 'world class' clearance against Northampton Town in their FA Cup first round tie.www.bbc.co.uk