22 Oct 202318.53 BSTOtherwise, that’s us done for today. Thanks for your company and comments; peace and love.
22 Oct 202318.52 BSTHere’s Peter Lansley’s match report.
What I really like about Watkins is that he’s an all-round, all-purpose centre-forward: he can drop, he can attack the space, he can hold it up, he can link the play, he can head, he can press, he can finish. And, at 27, he’s at his peak right now. This is his time, and he knows it.
22 Oct 202318.48 BSTThis is also interesting: Watkins has also told his full-backs not to bother sticking him balls into the corners, because he’ll not be running for those. Previously, he wanted to sacrifice for the team, but now he realises that he’s most useful near the goal so is trying to score as many as possible.
22 Oct 202318.46 BSTAsked about his goal, Watkins explains to Sky that if he goes inside Zouma, as he’s expected to do, any shot probably gets blocked – especially with a midfielder coming over. But going outside, he’s got a chance of getting a shot away, and only one man can possibly get in the road. “Not a bad finish,” he concludes, before explaining that for him it’s all in the mind; he used to get down on himself but today, he missed that chance in the first half but didn’t let it bother him, relaxing in the knowledge there’d be other opportunities.
22 Oct 202318.43 BSTI don’t know if Villa have any money left, but I guess if they’re able to go again, it’s the defence that needs a look. Which isn’t to say the one they have now isn’t doing well, it is, it’s just that their midfield and attack are formidable, the defence functional.
22 Oct 202318.38 BSTI mentioned that Villa are fifth, a point off Spurs – who play Fulham tomorrow night – and Liverpool. Well, West Ham stay ninth, a point off Man United and two in front of Chelsea.
22 Oct 202318.35 BSTThat was a really enjoyable game – Villa have got it going on. I really like the way Diaby has licence to roam, pulling defenders about while Watkins attacks space, and behind them Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara give solidity and a bit of wildness. The confidence, though, is what really sets them apart: they know exactly how good they are.
22 Oct 202318.28 BSTFULL TIME: Aston Villa 4-1 West Ham
Eleven home wins on the spin, a first win over West Ham in eight years, and Villa go fifth, just two points off the lead! They are flying!
22 Oct 202318.28 BST90+7 min The score makes this look like a hiding and I guess it has been. But there’s not much wrong at West Ham, they just need to tweak their tactics, reflecting a squad better than the one they’ve had the last few seasons.
22 Oct 202318.26 BST90+6 min Aston Villa, though. I worry for their defence against the better sides, but going forward they can give anyone a going-over.
22 Oct 202318.25 BST90+5 min Carragher gives Douglas Luiz player of the match and given he scored its first two goals, I can’t argue with that. I’d have gone for Watkins, though; he and Diaby have been the major difference between the teams.
22 Oct 202318.23 BST90+2 min “I was at the corresponding fixture last season,” admits Ian Sergeant. “Probably the worst game we saw all year. We were poor but were the better side, Villa’s fans all wanted rid of Stevie G. Thirteen months on this game has been very entertaining and Villa Park is a proper ground, their fans decent. I hope the conference league trophy keeps its claret and blue ribbons on.”
Yup, the change Emery has brought about is fantastic – though I bet he couldn’t believe how good a squad he inherited.
22 Oct 202318.21 BST90+1 min We’ll have seven additional minutes.
Updated at 18.21 BST22 Oct 202318.21 BST90 min Moyes sends Fornals on for Antonio. That should sort it.
Updated at 18.21 BST22 Oct 202318.20 BSTLOVELY GOAL! Aston Villa 4-1 West Ham (Bailey 89)
The unicorn’s breath on top of the cherry! Tielemans fires a short, hard, Roy Keane pass into Bailey who, inside the box, steps over left then dips right and around Aguerd, before digging out a sensational finish that rips into the far top corner!
87 min Digne crosses from the left and Kamara picks up outside the box, moving on to Bailey who comes in off the far side and curls low, just wide of the far post. Corner, apparently, which West Ham clear easily enough.
22 Oct 202318.16 BST86 min And Moyes sends on Ings for Paqueta.
22 Oct 202318.16 BST85 min Change for Villa, Tielemans – and what a player he is to have in reserve – on for the mercurial Diaby.
22 Oct 202318.15 BST83 min “I’m a neutral when it comes to Aston Villa,” emails Kári Tulinius, '“but I’m always happy to see Unai Emery celebrate a goal. It’s so intense and sudden, switching from one state to another like a poorly animated sprite from a 90s computer game, with no halfway stage between anxious and ecstatic.”
It’s so strange how certain types of manager are suited to certain circumstances. Emery: great at Sevilla, Villarreal and Aston Villa, which is to say anywhere with a double l suits him. Llandovery Rovers and Lloret de Mar Friday could well be next for him.
22 Oct 202318.13 BST82 min … which McGinn clears away. He’s played well today; he often does.
22 Oct 202318.12 BST81 min I keep saying this, but I think West Ham will give themselves a better chance of winning games like this one by going for them. You can still be solid at the back, but it’s pointless having Bowen, Paqueta and Ward-Prowse to then spend most of the 90 sitting off. Meantime, though, they have another corner…
22 Oct 202318.10 BST79 min “Reflecting on the death of Bobby Charlton led me to thinking about the ‘what ifs’ of life,” writes Richard Hirst. “In March 1967 I saw Fulham against Manchester United in the old First Division (look it up kids). Johnny Haynes v Bobby Charlton, the two best midfielders of their generation, and both essentially one-club men (with apologies to Preston). Because of the clubs they joined, one won everything and the other nothing, apart from the idolisation of Fulham supporters then and since. What if otherwise known as hindsight is a wonderful thing.”
We should also add that, following the abolition of the £20 maximum wage, Haynes was the first £100 a week footballer.
22 Oct 202318.09 BST78 min If Villa see this out, they go fifth, and will sit two points off leaders Man City.
22 Oct 202318.08 BST76 min “No goalie should ever be beaten at their near post. I am very clever.” Next time you hear someone say that, show them that Watkins goal – the finish was no unlike Ryan Giggs’ against Arsenal in the 1999 FA Cup semi-fonal replay.
22 Oct 202318.06 BST75 min Villa send on Bailey for Zaniolo.
22 Oct 202318.06 BSTOHHHHH WHAT A GOAL! Aston Villa 3-1 West Ham (Watkins 74)
Torres passes out poorly but after Kudus intercepts, McGinn collects the loose ball and immediately sends Watkins away at inside-left, running at Zouma. He steadies, dips outside and looks to have taken the ball too wide, except he then unloads a rising brute that hisses, burns and shrieks high past Areola, high into the roof of the net at his near post! Villa are on absolute flames!
73 min West Ham win another corner and Martinez comes, collects and stays down. At least with him, we can be sure he won’t milk the chance to stay down.
22 Oct 202318.03 BST71 min Brilliant from Antonio, barrelling down the right and crossing low … but Cash does superbly to slide in, tanking towards his own net, to stick the ball behind.
22 Oct 202318.02 BST70 min “Re the players play-acting and getting the game stopped,” emails Samuel Campbell. “The only way I can think of to stop it is if a player goes down holding his head then he has to go off without a replacement coming on for at least five minutes in order to get a concussion check done.”
The problem with that is you penalise players doing nothing wrong. The only way I can think of is to review all circumstances someone takes advantage of the situation, punishing heavily if a player is deemed to have infringed.
22 Oct 202317.59 BST69 min Antonio spreads to Kudus, who beats Cash to the ball. West Ham work it right and Coufal crosses well … but to no one.
22 Oct 202317.58 BST68 min Kudus is playing off the left, I think, with Paqueta in behind Antonio.
22 Oct 202317.57 BST67 min Now here comes that change: Kudus replaces Soucek, a move I daresay we’ll see from the start before long.
22 Oct 202317.56 BST65 min Konsa’s arm was up as he tried to block the shot, but there was no contact so no penalty; the corner yields another, which comes to nowt.
22 Oct 202317.56 BST64 min The tenor has changed as West Ham win a corner, Kudus preparing to come on. And again, Ward-Powase’s delivery is decent, Alvarez competing for the ball at the back post before Aguerd hooks a shot that Cash does really well to head behind, though Martinez had it covered. But there’s a penalty check a-comin’ – for what I’m not sure.
22 Oct 202317.53 BST62 min Ahahaha, Zaniolo is fine. I guess it makes sense in theory for stopping the game to be at the ref’s discretion – I’m sure David Coote knew nothing had happened there – but can we really give them that responsibility, when they’re already doing all they can to run the game? Maybe we need to start banning players retrospectively, because I’m not sure we can enforce in the moment, for fear of the consequences.
22 Oct 202317.51 BST60 min Zaniolo loses possession then goes down clutching the back of his head after Edson Alvarez blatantly looked at it. So the ref blows up and, in co-comms, Carragher is furious.
22 Oct 202317.50 BST58 min “I’d share a bottle of Barolo with Angelo Ogbonna,” says Ian Sergeant. “Top man with a lovely family. Had a lovely conversation with his wife and Said Benrhama’s mum on the walk back from the Conference final in june. They were so proud of their men – just as we were. Either that or seven pints of Ruddles’ best at any ‘Spoons with Kevin Nolan.”
Ah that sounds lovely and wholesome. I celebrated Carlos Tevez’s late equaliser in Lyon in 2008 with his mum and sister, a moment i’m sure they remember fondly to this day.
22 Oct 202317.48 BSTGOAL! Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham (Bowen 56)
Bowen exchanges passes with Alvarez, a lovely first touch, on the half-turn out on the right, taking him away from his man and moving the ball into his stride. But his shot is going miles wide … until it takes a massive deflection off Pau Torres that wrongfoots Martinez and takes the ball inside the near post! Game on!
55 min Emerson fouls Cash and is booked; he’ll be suspended for West Ham’s game with Everton next weekend.
22 Oct 202317.45 BST54 min Here’s the thing: there are more brilliant footballers in the world than there’ve ever been before, which means clubs like Villa – and West Ham – who have more money than most of their European rivals are able to attract enough of them to have a very serious team. I can’t wait to see how they and Brighton grow from here.
22 Oct 202317.43 BST53 min Villa Park is LOUD. What a team Emery has built!
22 Oct 202317.42 BSTGOAL! Aston Villa 2-0 West Ham (Douglas Luiz pen 52)
Areola dives left and Luiz curls high down the middle. He’s a goalmachine!
50 min PENALTY TO VILLA!
Paqueta, pinned inside his own half, again rolls studs over the ball, looking to keep possession and build. But instead, he puts Alvarez into trouble, and when Konsa bursts by him, the desperate slide to which he’d already committed hands over a tame penalty.
49 min I love Diaby’s partnership with Watkins – every time he has the ball, he looks for his mate, and after drifting wide, he crosses low, Zouma doing brilliantly to dart across his man and prevent him shooting.
22 Oct 202317.39 BST49 min And as soon as I hit save, Carragher tells us Moyes has pulled Soucek further back, I think with Paqueta in behind Antonio.
22 Oct 202317.38 BST48 min Now that you ask, I’d take off Soucek and bring on Kudus. I’d also think about putting Ward-Prowse onto the right and Bowen up top, matching Vill'a’s 4-4-2.
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