Match Stats

Villa Are The Better Side But Still Lose – At Least Mike Dean Gets A Medal – Match Stats

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With Aston Villa going through a sticky and inconsistent run of form in 2021, we have undoubtedly dropped points that we shouldn’t have – but it’s been a strange old season and in some ways, there may not have been a better time to welcome Jose Mourinho’s struggling Tottenham Hotspur side to Villa Park for this evening’s Premier League clash.

Least, that’s what we were hoping ahead of kick off as the worry was, with seven changes made, they would actually show a reaction to their last two poor defeats.

It was a slow start from both sides, but Spurs were certainly in a more offensive frame of mind and for large periods ran the game in attack without actually achieving much or testing Emi Martinez in goal. As the half drew on we got more into it and did actually fashion the better and more clear clearances but sadly just couldn’t make it count.

A rare, poor, Emi clearance just ahead of the half hour mark granted Spurs the softest goal you will see and at that point, it was against the run of play and they probably couldn’t believe their luck. We should’ve still defended better mind you and the tracking was woeful.

We lost the momentum but Spurs didn’t really step up a gear either. The half time break was welcome given the utter tragedy that had become our attempts at crossing the ball – the old joke is ‘was that our good half’ but tonight a single shot off target would seem like progress.

The second half started slowly, but we again got ourselves on top but we just weren’t right in the final third again – although we did finally manage to muster an effort on target.

But we shouldn’t have forgotten the Mike Dean effect of celebrating Tottenham goals.

Harry Kane chases a dead ball, the ball is out of play, Kane attacks Matty Cash’s leg for reasons absolutely everyone can see, so it’s totally conceivable that the utter failure in charge of the game gives a penalty.

Oh look, a previously dead and in extreme pain Kane is suddenly well enough to take the shot from 12 yards.

Sums up the game, sums up 2021 for us and whilst some of the criticism at head coach Dean Smith is wildly and massively over the top. Criticism aimed at why we have no alternative formation when this one hasn’t worked for the last three months, criticism centred around why we make the same substitutions at the same times in games regardless of what is actually happening and why for the love of God Bertie is an automatic starter (at least Trez works for the team) and why Barkley still gets minutes is absolutely fair play.

We don’t have a plethora of options on the bench, but when the same things fail to make a difference, at what point will we try something new?

2-0 – now can we drop the European aspiration nonsense and realise exactly where we are as we rebuild?

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Aston Villa
0 – 2
Tottenham Hotspur

Villa Park

Premier League

21/03/2021 7:30 pm

Attendance: 0

Referee: Mike Dean

Aston Villa Tottenham Hotspur
Alves Morais (29), Kane (68 pen)
Martinez Lloris
Cash
 
Tanganga
Konsa Rodon
Mings Sanchez
Targett
 
Reguilon 57
Sanson 66 Lucas Moura
Douglas Luiz Hojbjerg
McGinn
 
Ndombele 81
Traore 60 Lo Celso
 
66
Watkins Alves Morais
 
Trezeguet 79 Kane

Substitutes

Heaton Bale
Taylor Hart
Nakamba Dier
Barkley 66 Sissoko 81
El Ghazi 60 Alli
Engels Bergwijn 66
Elmohamady Davies 57
Davis 79 Scarlett
Ramsey Devine

Game Statistics

8 Goal attempts 9
1 On Target 3
5 Corners 8
18 Fouls 13
3 Yellow Cards 2
0 Red Cards 0
49 % 51

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0 comments

  • Villalifer says:

    Cant agree, we need more bite…something alongside complaints JG…they managed the game really well and took the chances…we didn’t deserve to win but maybe a draw would have been a better result…we lost and can’t have any compl

  • Will Freeman says:

    You have one shot on target and you are the better side? How do you work that out?

    • Mike Field says:

      Because the better side can often be cheated by a fan referee when you don’t otherwise test our goalkeeper either.

      Happy to help, and for the record, what Mourinho has turned you into would disgust me if I was a Spurs fan.

  • Richard Locke says:

    good entertaining game without Grealish wasn’t much of a threat of scoring but better than last year so some progress

  • Andy5759 says:

    I agree with everything you said Mike, including the comment about José. I will never understand why they sacked Poch after getting them to a European cup final, then recruiting a man who has damaged clubs before. I feel sorry for Spurs fans right now.

    • Mike Field says:

      Don’t get me wrong, we weren’t miles better, it was very narrow. That would’ve only happened if we’d got on the end of some of our moves and actually tested Lloris properly. But on balance of play we were slightly better (with absolutely no end product) in attack. Spurs don’t win without Emi’s rare error and had they not made us chase it more at that point, the penalty wouldn’t have followed – but sadly these days they get given even though it’s a joke.

      I’d have said a draw was a fair result, and I’d be saying that if we had their luck and had nicked it in the same manner as we weren’t enough on top for me, to take all three points.

      But that’s also where they have the experience (Kane) and we’re still massively in development so we have to use it as yet another lesson from 2020/21 and get that nous even if tricks like that are one of the reasons I’m falling out of love with the game.

      Nah Mourinho – just not for me Jeff.

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