Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester City post match thread

[Meanwood Villa]

My assessment of the game as a whole is that we didn't really play well but we did enough. I think it says more about Leicester and how shit they are that they don't get something from a game like that. Having said which, they never had a go at us apart from on the break.

Anyway, a welcome three points and let's hope for a couple more scabby (or comfortable if it's going) wins against shite teams over the next 10 days.

[olaftab]

And a mention for Jacob for his role in setting up the winner. Lovely touch.

[JUAN PABLO]

Ramsey's involvement in goal 2 is not to be understated

he was brilliant for the second goal , put pressure on Justin and that touch/pass for maatsen was sublime.   and the pass for buendia who should have scored.

[Pat McMahon]

That was a hard watch though we did imprin the second half. I was shocked by how slow and lethargic we were in the first half and we had far too many instances of Konsa (mainly) and sometimes Mings keeping the ball for 5-10 seconds before playing the obvious pass to Cash or Digne.

We were more aggressive and moved the ball quickly after HT and Barkley took his goal well, good reward for a solid if unspectacular performance. I thought we immediately decided to go back to our slow sideways and backwards football and that bit us in the arse very quickly. Thankfully the subs helped swing the game back in our favour but without the third to finish them off I felt nervy, as did most people around
Me in K1.

MOTM probably goes to Barkley because of the goal but Kamara would be my choice otherwise.

[Scott Nielsen]

Our tempo was so slow. Something Unai has said he wants to change.

What did he say? I thought this slow, ponderous play was a hallmark of UE that very intentionally decreases tempo and intensity (and, in my view, excitement, but I'll take it as long as the results are good).

[eamonn]

Our fans are usually  quiet when weathers pants

Dolly said we were fickle. Now we're fairweather too? Feck sake

[Dave]

I agree re Digne, he was supposed to be our main attacking outlet and he never attacked enough. Tbf, Maatsen looked pretty woeful after his initial positive impact so I don't know what's for the best.

Digne did spend most of the first half in half a pitch of space and nobody bothered to lift a ball into that space.

[Chris Smith]

Our tempo was so slow. Something Unai has said he wants to change.

What did he say? I thought this slow, ponderous play was a hallmark of UE that very intentionally decreases tempo and intensity (and, in my view, excitement, but I'll take it as long as the results are good).

The thing that has hurt us most this season is losing possession cheaply and then being hit by a quick counter. I’ll take slow and ponderous while retaining control over that any day.

[eye digress]

Our tempo was so slow. Something Unai has said he wants to change.

What did he say? I thought this slow, ponderous play was a hallmark of UE that very intentionally decreases tempo and intensity (and, in my view, excitement, but I'll take it as long as the results are good).

The thing that has hurt us most this season is losing possession cheaply and then being hit by a quick counter. I’ll take slow and ponderous while retaining control over that any day.

In the post match interview, I thought I heard Emery point out to the fans that “doing everything fast” was not the way forward, rather we should prioritise control, domination (i.e., slow).

Anyhow, 3 badly needed points.

Great strike from Barkley, and at last a goal for Leon… let’s pray he’s turned the corner now.

Also good to see little Emi involved in a positive finale - shame about the chances, though the first was well defended and the second a bit harder than it looked (i.e., would have been a super goal if it had gone in).

UTV!

[RamboandBruno]

I agree re Digne, he was supposed to be our main attacking outlet and he never attacked enough. Tbf, Maatsen looked pretty woeful after his initial positive impact so I don't know what's for the best.

I don’t think Maatsen looked woeful at all?

[Villatillidie25]

Poor performance against relegation fodder but we needed a dirty win. Two moments of quality for our goals in fairness. I'm not a fan of Barkley but that was a cracking finish. Brilliant play from Maatsen for Bailey's winner. Their goal was scandalous defending yet again. Their only attack in the game possibly. 4 defenders v Vardy and he still gets to the cross first is ridiculous.

Martinez 7 - spectator but fine save from Vardy
Cash 8 - much maligned but my motm today. Defended well throughout and used the ball well
Konsa 3 - awful, let balls bounce regularly and let Vardy run off him for their goal. Blaming everyone but himself again
Mings 7 - use of ball average enough at times but solid defending was called for today and he delivered that
Digne 4 - ok defensively but if he's playing high on that side he has to provide a threat. So predictable.
Kamara 7 - poor enough for their goal but solid display
Barkley 6 - awful first half but much improved after the break. Great goal
McGinn/Ramsey 4 - let's hope McGinn's injury isn't too serious, Ramsey was poor I thought.
Bailey 5 - long overdue goal finally came and great shot late on smacked the bar. What came before was nearly a new low.
Tielemans 5 - a bit meh in all honesty. Would have hooked him before Barkley.
Watkins 5 - thought he should have been much sharper for the chance in first half, effort at end was unbelievable. Thought he could have worked two very average centre backs a bit more.

Maatsen 7 - quality with the ball told immediately. Carrying a bit of timber possibly? Buendia 6 could have scored a couple and was caught in possession too often. Took up good positions, mind.

Emery 6 - subs could have been made a lot earlier I felt. Faith in Bailey was rewarded with the winner. Spending ~50m on a midfielder to leave him on bench late on seems odd.

Barkley was by far our most composed player in the first half and MOM overall.
You’ve clearly got it in for him, as you hint at at the beginning.

The Digne 4 is a joke. Cash 8? You watched a different game to me.

Digne contributed zero going forward today I thought. With loads of space at times too. He doesn't want to get in behind a defence as he hasn't the pace to get back if we are turned over, see their goal. That changed within a couple of minutes once Maatsen came on. I thought that change should have been made at half time, we were crying out for an injection of pace out wide.

Shouldn’t the blame be at Emery’s door then? We knew how they’d set up and so it felt like we needed players who break the lines (Maatsen being obviously better at that than Digne).

[Clampy]

It was one of those games where the win was more important than the performance. Should have made it more convincing in the end though but it keeps us in touch with the top few teams.

[andyh]

Little Emi was awful in his cameo.
Consistently giving the ball away, poor passes, easily tackled and woeful finishing.
His energy is to be admired though.

[PeterWithe]

On the plus side, it was back to being a typical UE performance of previous years, we controlled the ball, restricted them to a single chance and took ours when they came.

On the negative side, bloody hell it was boring, is it any wonder the crowd are flat when its freezing cold and nothing at all is happening on the field. Also the chance we did give up was once again totally gifted to them and our finishing the other end again poor.

As for their fans, looks like we have another set of minor town bumpkins looking to create a plastic rivalry with the big boys.

[Meanwood Villa]

I agree re Digne, he was supposed to be our main attacking outlet and he never attacked enough. Tbf, Maatsen looked pretty woeful after his initial positive impact so I don't know what's for the best.

I don’t think Maatsen looked woeful at all?

Amazing initial impact but then didn't seem to want to get forward again. Maybe it was concern for protecting the lead but if it was, it was misplaced. There was one point in injury time where a straightforward pass to Ramsey up the line would have relieved pressure but he dithered and played it back to Mings and put us under more pressure.