| A Glimpse of the Future – Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa 23:13 - Feb 11 with 5694 views | HarryfromBath |
Early February is a favourite time of the year for me. When I lock my bookshop up at 5.30pm every evening and glance skyward, I can see faint traces of dark blue starting to replace the black of the previous three months and with each passing evening the darkness recedes with gathering pace.
Heading up the M5 this morning, the bitter wind and the snow dusting the hills outside Birmingham suggested that full-blown spring was still some weeks away. It was a proper two-scarf day, as the cheerful West Midlands Constable standing beside the programme-seller’s kiosk noted, and certainly not a day for the faint-hearted.
Nor indeed was Villa Park a stadium for the faint-hearted footballer. Only the most churlish visiting supporter would not concede that this is an impressive stadium, retaining its history and character and keeping its soul. A proper football ground and one which would test the mettle of whatever XI Mick chose to put out.
----------------------
When the line-ups were confirmed it was comforting to see that there was no Mile Jedinak to anchor the Villa defence, while the absence of Cole Skuse would give us a chance to see what a midfield of Toumani, Huws and Ward might achieve. It was interesting to note that Skuse’s absence was viewed more as an opportunity than a risk in pre-match conversations.
-----------------------
The game set off at a frantic pace and there was a predictable early West Midland storm to negotiate. Villa had not won since Boxing Day and there was a sense of wounded pride as they set up a series of chances which reminded us once again why Bart is such a brilliant goalkeeper.
The hosts were nervous and McGoldrick took advantage of one tentative Alan Hutton pass to set up a decent counter-attack. This was to establish an important pattern to the game, for as often as we were put on the back foot we never stopped looking for opportunities to take the game to Villa.
Josh Emmanuel had an outstanding game. We could gain a sense of his playing style when he cleverly used his physicality to deny the peppery Villa left wing-back Neil Taylor a good early chance. He looks to be clever footballer. All through the game, his strength and clever positioning were used as a bulwark to deny opponents space rather than as a wrecking ball lunging into challenges.
Midway through the first-half Villa won a freekick for a somewhat theatrical dive by the ever-alert Scott Hogan. There was a comical melee in the box before the kick was delivered, the highlight being Berra’s attempt to literally remove an opponent’s shirt. When the silliness subsided, they caught us out, pulling the ball back to Birkir ‘Thor’ Bjarnason who cracked a decent shot against the crossbar.
I was worried when we lost Steven Taylor as he had been a stabilising focus in the defence as well as being an absolute unit. Myles Kenlock played at left wing-back in the rejigged defence and, as with Josh, I was so impressed with the progress he has made. Calm and unflustered, he will become ‘Mr Reliability’ with experience and he was comfortable pushing forward when we attacked on his side.
Villa were careless throughout the game with the limited opportunities they had. Hogan could have given Bart more of a problem with one decent chance he had after half-an-hour, but Jonathan Kodjia was either over-elaborate or tepid on the few occasions he had sight of goal. One acrobatic effort soon after Hogan’s was as risible as it was ineffective.
“You’re not famous anymore!” As the first half drew to a close the sense among our fans was that we were properly in this game. Villa may have had some quality players on parade but much of their play was disjointed. In truth, both teams were still feeling their way and I was hoping that we might have tested their flaky keeper Sam Johnstone a bit more.
Villa also had a knack of taking small bites out of our players, snippy challenges designed to disrupt and sting rather than injure. This escalated before the break when Tommy Elphick flung an arm into Berra and poleaxed the Scot in their penalty area. The Villa back line was robust, albeit fair all afternoon but this was the one time the referee could have intervened.
-------------------
The first half fizzled out with a whimper and our concerns over the half-time concourse discussion were around what would be a makeshift back line and a lack of bench options. That said, everyone was delighted with a first 45 which was full of positive intent and which saw us taking the game to Villa at every opportunity.
-------------------
The second half began with the most unlikely back line of Spence, Chambers and Knudsen flanked by Josh and Myles on each wing. It may have been because they had no burden of expectation or it may have been because there was a blend of mobility, technique and Chambers’ experience, but it worked. The defence rode their luck at times but played with personality and comfort on the ball.
Spence was impressive. His positioning and reading of the game were excellent and his mobility and technique were assets in transitioning into attack. He was also good at negotiating his way out of tight spaces. The contrast with the more physical and less technical Berra was palpable, the Scot at one point in the first half drilling a ball full-speed at McGoldrick who was stationed on the wing.
Knudsen was similarly comfortable to the left of Chambers using his mobility to read the danger while also getting in the faces of the opposition. Like Knudsen, Chambers was also in his natural role, and in his element directing operations at the heart of the back five and typically slicing clear one very dangerous cross just after the hour mark. He was at his confident best and it was great to see.
Diagouraga is an ungainly player in his playing style but he was effective, chiefly in offering a forward dimension to our midfield play. In contrast to Skuse he would bring the ball out and draw opponents on to him to create space for a simple pass. Other players need to see this and cover for him when he pushes forward from his post but this greatly enhanced the fluidity of our general play.
Grant Ward was out of his shell today and it was quickly evident that both Diagouraga and Emyr Huws are jigsaw pieces that have added a geometry to his play. The contrast in his movement and involvement with the Lincoln fiasco was as night and day. He could barely get the ball on that grim night, but he always had options to link play and he was constantly making himself available.
The second half started scrappily and this actually suited us. The ball was toing and froing in hallmark Championship style and we were starting to dominate play and create chances. McGoldrick at times was balletic evading Villa challenges, pirouetting out of danger and instinctively changing his centre of gravity to throw opponents off balance and link with Lawrence, Ward and Huws.
“I’m not sure what happened but I’m certain it was a penalty to us.” One Huws corner in this good spell caused a proper old-school goalmouth scramble in their box. You could sense the home crowd getting nervous. Although Lawrence did not find the net his presence distracted Villa players, his link-up play with McGoldrick was instinctive and he worried their fans when bearing down on goal.
Villa still posed a threat as the game drifted into the final quarter but their lack of confidence was betrayed by a habit of appealing for set-pieces instead of going for goal. The referee was wise to this and seemed to get the big calls right, although I have never seen an official be so ridiculously precise when directing the location at which thrown-ins should be taken.
With 10 minutes to go, I was expecting another Villa onslaught to match the one we had hurdled in the first 10 minutes, but then it happened. From a Bart clearance, Lawrence appeared to have been taken out by Elphick on the left of midfield but the ball broke to McGoldrick. He drove into the box and played an exquisite cross for Huws to crash the ball home from the edge of the six-yard box.
Pandemonium. Chaos. Watford. Scenes. The reaction to the goal was as telling as the goal itself. We were collectively giving a season which has mocked us a kick in the nuts. We are bloody good, we know we are and how f***ing dare this season happen to us. It was a f*** you to Derby, to Lincoln and to months of frustration and, by the way, this was as much from the men on the pitch as everyone enjoying the mayhem in the away end.
It was fitting that Emyr Huws rifled home the winner. This was a team with a point to prove and, of all the players on the pitch, here was someone refusing point-blank to let his career fizzle out. His hunger was evident and he was invariably in the thick of the action. The ovation he was given when leaving the field late in the game was not just for his goal.
“One-nil to the Tractor Boys!” The stunned silence from the home fans around the stadium was deafening and this added to the sharpness of our perfectly chorused tune. Villa won a series of set pieces but Bart had done most of his work in the first 10 minutes of the game and a few routine saves was as much as they could bring from him.
“How good is that!” The final whistle was preceded by a game of head-tennis and a limp Kodjia shot, which summed up the game well. This was a win born out of character, determination and self-belief and it had much of the never-say-die DNA of our pulsating draw at Bournemouth a few years ago.
--------------------------
Getting back to my car at 5.20pm, I glanced up at the sky and noticed its pale grey colour as we snatched a couple more minutes back from winter. We are still in the valley of darkness fixture-wise with a nasty trip to Sussex on Tuesday, but today gave reason to hope that this transitional winter of a season just may be coming to a close. We can look forward with some degree of optimism.
Today’s brilliant performance does not give Marcus licence to say that all is tickety-boo. There has been a paradigm shift this season and lottery tickets to remain competitive in the division have gone up in price. It does however give Mick food for thought if he wants to build a new second Town team out of the ashes of the side that reached the play-offs and which in many ways finally died today.
The beauty of today’s display was that it was something different, something new and something to build on. A new cohort of players and a new philosophy and style of play, a young confident side and the death of the sterile football which has driven so many fans away. I hope it’s not just wishful thinking, but spring definitely appears to be on the horizon.
|  |
| |  |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 23:20 - Feb 11 with 5552 views | Mullet |
Good to see you as ever fella.
Decent stuff wasn't it? Thought we were heading for another Wolves style admirable 0-0 in the Midlands. We get a Watford away instead. |  |
| |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 23:21 - Feb 11 with 5532 views | Superfrans |
Insightful, entertaining read. Thanks Harry. |  |
| |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 23:31 - Feb 11 with 5453 views | Tendring_Blue |
Brilliant read as ever!
COYB |  | | |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 23:38 - Feb 11 with 5398 views | Pendejo |
Salutations
My throat is sore, I'm tired but can't yet retire to bed, nice summary, especially last 2 paragraphs... a few swallows don't make a summer
BUT there was something there, something that has been missing recently, but was definitely there today.
Even the 87 minute delay to our journey home to London was ignored due to the euphoria of the smash & grab.
Mick do you have any more miracles to work? [Post edited 11 Feb 2017 23:38]
|  |
| |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 00:19 - Feb 12 with 5212 views | bluewein |
I'm going to meet you one day.
Then buy you many beers.
Proper football fan who talks sense.
HARRY! GIVE US A WAVE! HARRY, HARRY GIVE US A WAVE! |  |
| |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 00:30 - Feb 12 with 5185 views | BlueBadger |
Harry, you've just made an early contender for post of the year and I'm just going off to create hundreds more logins just so's I can give you more 'up' arrows. [Post edited 12 Feb 2017 9:56]
|  |
| |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 01:00 - Feb 12 with 5095 views | Illinoisblue |
Lovely stuff, thank you. |  |
| |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 01:03 - Feb 12 with 5088 views | jimsymBLUE |
I Fooking love you Harry...Yep I've said it. Deal withb it!
Cracking read dear boy, cheers. |  |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 01:05 - Feb 12 with 5082 views | hoppy |
Thank you so much Harry. I'd just written a fairly lengthy reply on here, clicked on 'add reply' and my wifi dropped out, so I lost all that I'd typed so won't do it all again. You've been busy with this one, obviously. I was at the science museum, catching snippets of the text commentary on sky football app, which hardly tells you anything, so was good to read this to get a flavour of it and how the shuffled defence coped particularly. |  |
| |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 06:35 - Feb 12 with 4954 views | trncbluearmy |
"Pandemonium. Chaos. Watford. Scenes. The reaction to the goal was as telling as the goal itself. We were collectively giving a season which has mocked us a kick in the nuts. We are bloody good, we know we are and how f***ing dare this season happen to us. It was a f*** you to Derby, to Lincoln and to months of frustration and, by the way, this was as much from the men on the pitch as everyone enjoying the mayhem in the away end"
Just keep rereading that paragragh.
It has given me hope that there is light at what has been a long dark tunnel
Thank you |  | | |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 10:58 - Feb 12 with 4126 views | Herbivore |
Great read, Harry. In the gloom of this season there have been a few bright performances that have ultimately turned out to be false dawns but let's hope yesterday is something to really build on. First team to win away at Villa this season and to do so after losing two CBs to injury in the first half is pretty stunning. |  |
| |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 11:11 - Feb 12 with 4053 views | Bluebell |
Fantastic read Harry.
I'm just sorry it was a game I had to miss due to other commitments.
The rest of the season is looking good if that game is anything to go by. |  | | |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 11:27 - Feb 12 with 3952 views | greyhound |
A compelling read. Thank you |  | | |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 12:11 - Feb 12 with 3772 views | hadleighboyblue |
A brilliant read as always Harry , thanks .
Things are starting to look a lot better , with a young hungry team that can only get better .
For that back line to perform so well against million pound players in front of the biggest crowd of their careers is brilliant .
The new look midfield has lifted the whole team , the question is can we manage to keep the 2 loan players and get them under contract , or will their performances put them out of our price range .
We have the makings of a young , keen team which is great for the future and credit too to Chambers and Knudsen who get a lot of stick on here , but both played their part in a terrific performance . | | | |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 12:31 - Feb 12 with 3664 views | noel |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 12:11 - Feb 12 by hadleighboyblue |
A brilliant read as always Harry , thanks .
Things are starting to look a lot better , with a young hungry team that can only get better .
For that back line to perform so well against million pound players in front of the biggest crowd of their careers is brilliant .
The new look midfield has lifted the whole team , the question is can we manage to keep the 2 loan players and get them under contract , or will their performances put them out of our price range .
We have the makings of a young , keen team which is great for the future and credit too to Chambers and Knudsen who get a lot of stick on here , but both played their part in a terrific performance . |
Oh well written Harry. Enjoyed that report immensely. |  | | |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 13:50 - Feb 12 with 3496 views | JakeITFC |
Cheers for that Harry.
You are a master of scene setting, a joy to read your reports. |  | | |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 15:34 - Feb 12 with 3318 views | The_Romford_Blue |
Great read Harry
Each paragraph brought back the images so clearly in my mind
A truly brilliant day out |  |
| |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 16:04 - Feb 12 with 3229 views | blueislander |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 15:34 - Feb 12 by The_Romford_Blue |
Great read Harry
Each paragraph brought back the images so clearly in my mind
A truly brilliant day out |
Indeed a great summary. It was my first "live" match of the season. Expectations were pretty much rock bottom. It was a huge sea change from what I have seen on TV. What really needs to be done is to get the players to find space for Bart to throw the ball , and get us to build attacks. It is pretty pointless, for him to lump it towards McGoldrick. He won virtually nothing in the air. We did get a few second balls, but that team has the ability to pass the ball accurately and retain possession. | | | |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 16:30 - Feb 12 with 3141 views | Portwoman |
Thank you, Harry. I enjoyed reading that. For most of this season, I have been attending Portman Road with a certain amount of trepidation. Your report on yesterday's match gave me cause for optimism as to our future.
I know he's only featured in 2 games so far, but dare we hope that Huws may be our player next season?
Perhaps we'll know more about this 'new' team before the arrival of the 'hated' Leeds next Saturday. The one match I always desperately want us to win as I like them even less than I like Naaridge. | | | |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 17:20 - Feb 12 with 3038 views | Mullet |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 16:30 - Feb 12 by Portwoman |
Thank you, Harry. I enjoyed reading that. For most of this season, I have been attending Portman Road with a certain amount of trepidation. Your report on yesterday's match gave me cause for optimism as to our future.
I know he's only featured in 2 games so far, but dare we hope that Huws may be our player next season?
Perhaps we'll know more about this 'new' team before the arrival of the 'hated' Leeds next Saturday. The one match I always desperately want us to win as I like them even less than I like Naaridge. |
I think Huws and Diagouraga are likely signings if Mick stays. Seems hard to believe ME would sign them with a new man to come in though which makes me think all three are likely to leave. | |
| |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 22:06 - Feb 12 with 2733 views | gerard1947 |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 17:20 - Feb 12 by Mullet |
I think Huws and Diagouraga are likely signings if Mick stays. Seems hard to believe ME would sign them with a new man to come in though which makes me think all three are likely to leave. |
I pretty much agree. I suppose how things pan out for the rest of the season will have an input but we could well still part company with Mick, even if ME wants him to stay.
I just hope if there is a new man he is capable of shopping in the bargain basement. I've not liked what I've seen this season, with a few exceptions, but injuries have been a major factor too.
As it stands a good run in 'til May with a few decent crowds and a good result at Carrot Rud will make us all feel better. I'd take Mick for another season with signing of some of our loan successes. I'm sure Lawrence won't be one of those, he'll likely be playing against us for Leicester. |  | | |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 23:14 - Feb 12 with 2602 views | Royal_Blue |
Excellent report, but has Harry 'caught' Tourettes? | | | |
| A Glimpse of the Future — Reflections on today’s game at Aston Villa on 09:20 - Feb 13 with 2389 views | caught-in-limbo |
Great stuff.
Am I right in thinking that February will determine Mick's future at Portman Road or is this his swan song? |  |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
