Match Thread Aston Villa v Everton - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll

[Rooney_Tunes]

My thoughts at the beginning of this season were to finish 15th, and then next season we kick on.

Next season Tosun, Sigurdson, Delph, James will all go and free up wages. Richarlison probably as well and FFP will not be a problem.

Then we have to spend wisely (hopefully with Benitez the sending will be more structured) and then we can go and challenge for Europe.

The start we have made this season has seen my expectations rise marginally from 15th to 12th...

 

[Winslow89]

Surprised to hear you were impressed by the home fans in all honesty. Other than after they’d scored, from the away end I could hardly hear a peep from the Holte end (though I was sat as far away from them as possible). Though when they were winning the whole ground was very noisy. In fairness I sit in the Park End at Goodison and sometimes can’t hear the Gwladys, even when my Gwlady’s mates say it was noisy, so maybe it’s just my hearing going with my age lol

Id agree with this. I think after 10 minutes the ground was pretty silent. Both sets of fans not exactly inspired by what we were seeing, especially in the early second half. At the start and when the goals went in, the place was booming. Good atmosphere from that perspective.

 

[Gareth Gibson]

We desperately missed our three best players at Villa Park and we were desperately unlucky with the Digne own goal. A bad day at the office but definitely not a portent of things to come. We will bounce back from this defeat.

I was actually at Villa Park last night (Holte End) because my son lives in Birmingham and I was so impressed by the atmosphere. The Villa fans got behind their players from the first whistle to the last. They were every bit the proverbial 12th man.

Great post. Agree with every point made.

 

[Bkk Andy]

We have played five matches this season. Keane has been involved and at fault, to varying degrees, to goals conceded in almost every game. Every opposition manager and player sees this too, this will continue until we drop/sell him.

I agree, he's had some absolute howlers and was deservedly criticized for them. Blaming him for everyone else's mistakes is unreasonable though. Zat shifts blame only one way to suit his narrative.

 

[Egil Olsen]

It was an even match. Something both the shot statistics and expected goals tell. Unfortunately, we had 4 of the regular first team players out, which made the task difficult, and when we also make such big personal mistakes, it becomes difficult to win football matches. So there is no need to make drama based on this loss.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

Having slept on it, still think it's harsh that we lost in that way, but just goes to show that if you play well for 60-70 minutes and don't take advantage then this kind of thing is more likely to happen.

 

[Johnniepk]

If only i this had arrived for yesterday..

 

[MACCA75]

I thought we were playing quite well until the goal tbh, which was 100% on Digne. It looked like 2 well matched sides.

The capitulation that followed was very worrying though, we just surrendered all control.

 

[1874]

I thought it was a pretty equal game until we went 1 up then you lot just collapsed. You had key players out, so wouldn’t worry too much about the result. We ran out comfortable winners in the end, mind. I don’t mind Benitez and I’ve got a soft spot for Everton, so good luck with the rest of the season. I expect both of us to be around mid table or in top half but just missing out on the European places. Would love to win a cup more so than getting in top 6-7

 

[Toffeelover]

To say I am peeved is an understatement. What reason has been given for the missing players?

 

[Simon Buttle]

To say I am peeved is an understatement. What reason has been given for the missing players?

The usual - injuries

 

[APN_EFC]

We desperately missed our three best players at Villa Park and we were desperately unlucky with the Digne own goal. A bad day at the office but definitely not a portent of things to come. We will bounce back from this defeat.

I was actually at Villa Park last night (Holte End) because my son lives in Birmingham and I was so impressed by the atmosphere. The Villa fans got behind their players from the first whistle to the last. They were every bit the proverbial 12th man.

apart from a bad day and bad luck, were there any good signs - any positives? Say Allan-Doucoure still doing well? Anything good from Rondon, Godfrey at RB? etc

 

[APN_EFC]

Unless we start to find more consistent quality most of our games will resemble this one and Burnley. Tight games where a few moments of quality one way or another tilt it. That's fine with me so long as we're getting into dangerous areas often enough that it looks like we could win it every time. So far that has been the case.

Yeah, later this season or next we'll have to learn to also control and attack ourselves - take the initiative rather than depending on counter attacks.

 

[Toffeelover]

The usual - injuries

What, I know Richie had a bad tackle but why was he kept playing against Burnley. How is Pickford and Coleman injured.

 

[ToffeeTim]

I thought it was a pretty equal game until we went 1 up then you lot just collapsed. You had key players out, so wouldn’t worry too much about the result. We ran out comfortable winners in the end, mind. I don’t mind Benitez and I’ve got a soft spot for Everton, so good luck with the rest of the season. I expect both of us to be around mid table or in top half but just missing out on the European places. Would love to win a cup more so than getting in top 6-7

Yep very even until the opening goal, but very disappointed in how we responded, or the lack of a response. I reckon with DCL and Richarlison we would have got the first goal but we lacked quality yesterday. Villa deserved to win based on the second half.

We have no squad depth despite the money spent and it hurt us yesterday and will continue to hurt until we have players back. Villa had good bench options but we couldn't fill ours.