I’ve had a little bit of time to clear my mind from today’s game. I’m sure for the neutral it was a decent game, a decent local derby and I would think, despite our two goals being off side (thought so at the game, now know so having watched the sky end of game summary that I’d recorded) Wolves should be fairly pleased with a draw? They are relegation threatened and we are in the mix – albeit maybe just outside (?) – for a top four place.
You can look at this any way you want but I said to my mates before kick off nothing but a win for all our remaining home games will be enough if we are seriously looking at 4th. Today we started so brightly and really appeared to be ready to give the Wolves a proper Lions mauling. It took John Carew just 16 minutes to convert from a nice forward flowing attack – now as said, it was marginally offside but hey, we weren’t complaining and we had had other chances before and after to put the game out of sight within 20 odd minutes.
AND THEN………
We always do it really, we just don’t kill off teams and as one caller said in the Tom Ross phone in on the way home, ‘this is why we aren’t talked about seriously for the top four’. Today’s game was never going to be easy, it is a local derby, Wolves have local pride to fight for, let alone their Premiership status, but we should have won. We should expect the quality in our team to shine through and we should be shooting more and scoring more.
Should and could don’t equal points sadly and as MON said in his post match reaction (see front page index for that) a draw was about the right result. Mick McCarthy might feel slightly differently but him and Wolves aren’t my concern, with no disrespect meant.
Ashley Young was great today, he was whipping in the ball left, right and centre. Carew got on the end of the one for his first goal. Heskey on the other hand? No, I’m not going to bother being ultra negi or going down that road, I’ve tried to so hard to support him and see the ‘other’ stuff he brings to the game but today I thought he was a liability, despite playing a part in the second goal. His ball control – sorry, his lack of ball control for an England international is a joke. He lost the ball leading to Wolves second goal and also miss-controlled pathetically by where I sit (touchline by the Villa bench) and we just sat there baffled as to why he was still on the pitch.
The most telling part of the game really was when our benched right-back (yes, we do have a proper right back, you might remember him, he was one of our players of the season last year) Luke Young ran to the Holte to warm up. The cheer was amazingly loud. Then Nathan Delfouneso ran towards them and got a similar very loud cheer. Villa fans even started singing to bring on The Fonz. Hint hint to MON?
MON brought on Marc Albrighton (what a future he has) to be …. right back, yes, that is right back and Steve Sidwell. Sidders put in the effort but that was hardly a game changing ‘risk’ was it?
Luke Young was standing by the bench looking totally fed up. What has gone on there? Surely this is more than just football? Carlos Cuellar, who I love in the centre, is simply not a right-back as many fans were heckling through the game. I feel sorry for him as he looks so out of position there and his distribution is sadly lacking. The stubbornness to make changes and use different players is costing us and costing us dear.
We have 14 points from the last 30, just three wins in 10. That is pushing us out of what could have been a strong challenge to the top four, or even the top three. It is a shame to see but this season is going the same way as last season, fizzling out. Now we could still salvage this if other results are kind to us but I did feel today we were starting the slow wave bye bye to 4th. The FA Cup semi will keep things alive, hopefully after it even more so and if we can get a swift win on Wednesday v Sunderland (Bent on fire again today I see) and get something from Stamford Bridge, then who knows?
We are unbeaten this year. You can look at it that way as well and also, we didn’t lose today either!
Opti’s? Negi’s? On the fencers?
I’m in some ways so happy with what is going on and in others (substitutions, lack of rotation etc) I’m baffled.
Think I’ll just keep doing what I do, shout myself hoarse, bang the boarding’s (my hands are bruised after today, my one finger is blue, I get the feeling it is going to hurt come the morning! LOL) and carry on along for the ride.
The bigger picture? I just can’t find the energy to over think it, what will be will be.
Player Ratings
Brad Friedel 5
not a great game I didn’t think and was caught flat footed for the first goal
Stephen Warnock 6
some good moments, SO close to connecting from a cross to put us (I think at the time anyway) 2 up
Richard Dunne 6
didn’t seem as active today and it has since been revealed he had a sore achilles
James Collins 6
well, the defence let in two goals today so can’t go much higher in ratings really!
Carlos Cueller 5
so harsh on him but he is out of place and his passing was way off… and we’d best not mention his ‘shot’ eh?! Put him back in the centre!
Ashley Young 8
great
James Milner 6
not as good a game but still worked tirelessly. He scored an own goal but had to try something as the Wolves player would have slotted it in anyway
Stiliyan Petrov 5
looks tired to me? Put in some good work but also lost his rag and could have been (should have been?) sent off. His one foul led to Wolves first goal. Bit ragged basically
Stewart Downing 5
pretty poor to be fair, awful crossing, not many passes connecting etc. Started brightly for us in his Villa career but in the last few games he seems to have faded. Hopefully he’ll be fully at the party next season with a full pre-season under his belt.
John Carew 8
that is the Carew we should see all the time, if we did no-one, including MON would have any complaints would they?
Emile Heskey 5
ball control pathetic for an international and a player of such experience.
Marc Albrighton (on for Dunne 70th min) 7
looked very bright, albeit going forward as is a wingers want. Luke Young looked gutted to have a winger ahead of him for right back!
Steve Sidwell (on for Downing 77th) 6
put in the effort for the short time he was on
Pie Scandal
I’m sorry to report the steak and kidney pies weren’t cooked on arrival and so I had to settle for a chicken and mushroom. I told the young lady who served me she had ruined my game (don’t worry, in a nice joking voice) and she apologised most profusely bless her!
