Funny reading the comments after yesterday evening’s match. I watched it twice this time, and sometimes I do wonder if I’m seeing the same games as others. Since this was in high definition on a regular screen, I’m going to assume it was Villa, and that we did see the same game.
What was new to me was that I’d been given what I’d been asking for long before thoughts of Christmas. There was hustle, fight, tenacity, passing, and much more often than not, Villa were first to the ball.
We did lack a cutting edge in the final third, certainly. But elsewhere, things looked a lot better.
Clark had a very good game, for example. A couple errant passes, and the usual bits of inexperience on display. But his positioning was good, his reading of the game good, his anticipation good. The tackle on Whitehead was great.
Warnock played very solidly. Dunne had a very good game. Collins had some shaky moments, but he also was more aggressive and disruptive than usual, timing challenges better and getting stuck in more quickly. Kenwyne Jones didn’t really get anything going, and Villa had a lot to do with that.
Albrighton…well, it wasn’t brilliant, but it wasn’t tragic, either, and I think he’ll take some confidence from the game. N’Zogbia kept on showing the little bits of promise that almost certainly point to a breakthrough game coming sometime soon. And he worked very hard and smartly for the side both with and without the ball. Gabby had a good game. Cuellar had a good game, and even a couple lovely through balls.
Guzan had a good game. One flap, but otherwise solid and decisive, and not asked to do anything. His distribution could have been better. We hit the post, Stoke had one cleared off our line. The rest of the real chances, such as they were, went to Villa.
Villa looked, and were, the better, hungrier team. We haven’t been able to say that much, so I’m going to enjoy knowing it’s true, and just leave it at that.
What does it mean?
Well, many of you will see me being naively optimistic and dismiss my observations out of hand. Some will point to Heskey’s inclusion as a sign of the impending or currently unfolding Apocalypse. Some will say Stoke were poor. But building on the Arsenal showing, I’d like to think the team are starting to free themselves from their self-imposed shackles.
Sure, there were still a few aimless punts. But there was much, much more meaningful passing, even in tight areas; trying to play it out of defense; higher pressing up the pitch; more available players, better organization; more effort, graft and urgency. Villa were largely in control as a result. Whether or not the requisite cutting edge was there, the rest was much better. And we weathered the expected long-throw, long-ball barrage without too much trouble.
If the side keep playing in that vein, then things will be fine and results will follow.
So, I have to admit, nothing terribly insightful from me, unless it’s that the team were doing much more of what I’ve been imploring them to do, and it was a very comfortable point away as a result. All McLeish has to do is keep them playing that way and pushing on, and he’ll be here to torment Villans through to the close season at least.
Happy New Year!
The Author
