Tactical analysis seems almost pointless, if ever there was a display based on mental qualities such as determination, commitment and spirit, this was it. The stats will speak for themselves, so I’ll just throw in a couple of factoids, tug my forelock and bid you good day.
Firstly, Stewart Downing. Not the best use of the ball when he saw it, but he struggled to get involved in the game. For once his central position in the average
Aston Villa carved out a vital three points today in an absolutely enthralling battle against Everton at Villa Park with Luke Young providing the only goal of the game in sublime, if unlikely style.
The day didn’t get off to the best of starts when Stephen Ireland pulled a hamstring in the warm up, but his replacement, Nigel Reo-Coker, probably provided that little extra steel that would prove vital in the middle. Nathan Delfouneso took Nigel’s place on the bench.
Everton
The last 4 minutes of this game suggested to me that David Moyes didn’t bring his side to Villa Park for a draw, a result which doesn’t help either side very much. However, with his nose in front, make no mistake, Everton parked the bus in the second half of this game.
Nothing wrong with that, it’s a perfectly valid tactic, we’ve done it ourselves many a time. Actually, we tended to do it in the past against opposition
Aston Villa had to come from behind to rescue a point for the third game running at Villa Park to finish 2-2 with Everton tonight. In a game that you wouldn’t exactly call a classic, it’s a point that may prove academic in the race for 4th place since Spurs inexplicably beat Arsenal 2-1 at White Hart Lane. Who saw that coming? Not me anyway.
Both of Everton’s goals came courtesy of Tim Cahill’s head following some extremely
Martin O’Neill has talked about needing to win the next 6 games to have a chance of finishing in the top 4. He’s probably right. That’s clearly the intention within the camp: Carlos Cuellar most recent updates on Twitter and Facebook talked about tonight being the first of our “cup finals” to get to the top four. That’s pretty encouraging, at least for me.
I suppose the only downside with that mentality is that the instant they fail
3-3 at Villa Park – another Thrilla from the Villa!!!! 6 games to go and 4th place slips another 2 points further away. It looks like a race with Everton for 5th now. That could be exciting, right??