AWAY TO VILLA

Can Saints take advantage of the mess Villa are in or will they be out to prove a point??

Anything less than a win for Saints would look a very poor result

Slightly nervous that Villa may actually start playing without the worry over relegation now all done and dusted. If we take our chances then I think we should win. Going there with my mate as he has corporate box tickets so report will be Sunday once have sobered up!

Well need not have worried about villa, they were poor, main risk was our complacency. Game we controlled for long periods, ,crowd on their back for most of the game yet we still managed to let them back into the game twice. Was surprised when team sheets read out Villa fans booed half their team! Then lescott and Bacuna were booed throughout the game, paper aeroplanes thrown throughout, that's what the mess looks like if watching MOTD.
We could have gone in front in first few minutes Long created the chance and had only Guzan to beat but hit the underside of the bar. But pretty much controlled the game, Villa with no confidence played a high back line 1 up front and quite negative. Saints took the lead with a really simple goal. Bertrand got the ball on left swung in a cross and Long totally unmarked made amends heading past Guzan. Pretty much one way traffic with saints creating and wasting chances. Second goal was a good example while Villa are down, ball over the top, lescott should have cleared but Long out paced him, Guzan came out and got a hand to push wide but Long played the ball back to Tadic who calmly slotted home from around penalty spot. Should have been comfortable but sloppy defending just before the break allowed their player an easy run down by line missed tackles didn't defend cross ,and from inside box drilled low past Forster.

Second half we were again creating chances but not taking them, Jrod had a shot in the box but cleared for corner, Davies had a shot parried but we kept giving the ball away, then so simply we got the third goal break from saints, ball to long who held up then played to Tadic and shot low past Guzan. We had several crosses into the box which caused some scrambles then with 10 minutes left again sloppy play from a corner gave villa a second goal. Corner partially cleared came back to left side of box and unmarked villa player shot into far corner. That got the crowd fired up and all of a sudden a draw looked a possibility. 5 minutes of extra time and saints restored the 2 goal lead, Tadic, Cedric and Davis worked the ball down the right, Cedric cut in box, put up a cross to far post where Mane headed in.

Still time for saints to let Grealish have another chance to shoot at goal. 3 points and 4 points away from home should be happy but performance patchy good in places and just sloppy in others.

Forster 6 not at fault for goals but no spectacular saves
Cedric 6 got forward well but out of position a few times as we charged forward
Fonte 6 okay game but no cf to mark
Virgil 7 unlucky not score, hit woodwork and defended comfortably
Bertrand 7 had a good game getting forward
Davies 6 plenty of energy but rarely looks like scoring
Wanyama 5 of the pace and struggled to make an impression, subbed at half time for Classie
Romeu 7 thought he had a good game
Tadic 7 has to be a 7 due to 2 goals but is so lazy when he doesn't have the ball
JRod 5 still some way of the pace , think he started as thought might get the goal his confidence needs Cple of decent chances 2nd half
Long 6 did score and set up Tadic goals but missed some other chances
Subs
Classie 6 did okay winning tackles and more mobile than Wanyama
Mane 6 did not look overly interested but took his goal well

Thanks Matty.

Watched the highlights and pretty well agreed with your markings. But didn't think Forster looked too confident.....and I would have given Tadic an 8, although not able to comment on lazinesss.

Thanks for the report Matty. How was the corporate box ?

Mike yeah when you look at Tadics contributions in passes he does bring creativity, problem is when his pass doe go astray he just jogs back, second villa goal he should have picked up Westward, but he is the creativity, for me has to be Mane or Tadic but not both.

Pete was good as quite small, sat 10, had seats outside so not stuck in box like man Utd so could see game and sample the atmosphere, though that wasn't great if you were a Villa player🙁. Three course meal, cheese and biscuits half time and plenty of alcohol

Sounds like a good day to me Matty.

I remember sitting very close to a box years ago at a cricket match at the WACA in Perth. Here was me sweltering in approx 40+ heat and a few feet away were these blokes knocking down beers in air conditioned comfort. It didn't seem fair at the time.