Burnley 1-2 Villa. Jan 1st.
At last, an Aston Villa performance worthy of a professional football club, a well earned victory against a team also mired in relegation treacle. We badly needed this victory, not just for the three points but to restore the confidence of players and supporters alike, we’d started to resign ourselves to relegation. But while this victory couldn’t have come at a better time, it came at quite a cost.
When Wesley scored from close range after more fancy footwork from Grealish, we ought to have been one up already, VAR ruling out Grealish’s header because Wesley’s heel was deemed offside earlier in the move. This VAR farrago has to stop, the game suspended for three minutes while some bumpkin in a studio at the other end of the country cancels out a goal having looked at a replay twenty times over before making his decision. VAR has taken all of the spontaneity out of the game, supporters are reluctant to celebrate, fearing their joy will be curtailed, and when a goal is awarded, there’s a sigh of relief rather than a joyous celebration. It’s all wrong. This particular decision was ludicrous though, two studs of Wesley’s left boot apparently beyond their last defender. The world’s gone mad when we’re reduced to stalling a football match by fractions like that. Still, Wesley responded in just the right fashion, volleying in our opener after half an hour’s play, so up yours VAR.
Grealish thundered in Villa’s second before the break and we were in dreamland, two up against a Burnley side that hadn’t laid a glove on us. We’d been nervous about facing aggressive opponents like Burnley, their reputation preceding them, but thankfully they left their bully boy tactics at home and we took gleeful advantage. They pulled one back after 80 minutes, a good header from Woods, a guy who should be on our shopping list, but we rode the game out (in our appalling green away shirts) to win three critical points.
There was a penalty to pay though, our second best player of the season is now out for six months and our centre forward won’t be seen again this season either. Keeper Tom Heaton suffered a horrible knee injury and not to be outdone, so did Wesley, who’ll be out for nine months. That’s a heavy price to pay for an away victory, Heaton has been outstanding and despite his limitations, Wesley is one of only two central strikers we have at the club. The cheque book is going to have to come out this month if we’re to replace these two first team regulars, if we didn’t need to buy before, we certainly do now.
When Wesley scored from close range after more fancy footwork from Grealish, we ought to have been one up already, VAR ruling out Grealish’s header because Wesley’s heel was deemed offside earlier in the move. This VAR farrago has to stop, the game suspended for three minutes while some bumpkin in a studio at the other end of the country cancels out a goal having looked at a replay twenty times over before making his decision. VAR has taken all of the spontaneity out of the game, supporters are reluctant to celebrate, fearing their joy will be curtailed, and when a goal is awarded, there’s a sigh of relief rather than a joyous celebration. It’s all wrong. This particular decision was ludicrous though, two studs of Wesley’s left boot apparently beyond their last defender. The world’s gone mad when we’re reduced to stalling a football match by fractions like that. Still, Wesley responded in just the right fashion, volleying in our opener after half an hour’s play, so up yours VAR.
Grealish thundered in Villa’s second before the break and we were in dreamland, two up against a Burnley side that hadn’t laid a glove on us. We’d been nervous about facing aggressive opponents like Burnley, their reputation preceding them, but thankfully they left their bully boy tactics at home and we took gleeful advantage. They pulled one back after 80 minutes, a good header from Woods, a guy who should be on our shopping list, but we rode the game out (in our appalling green away shirts) to win three critical points.
There was a penalty to pay though, our second best player of the season is now out for six months and our centre forward won’t be seen again this season either. Keeper Tom Heaton suffered a horrible knee injury and not to be outdone, so did Wesley, who’ll be out for nine months. That’s a heavy price to pay for an away victory, Heaton has been outstanding and despite his limitations, Wesley is one of only two central strikers we have at the club. The cheque book is going to have to come out this month if we’re to replace these two first team regulars, if we didn’t need to buy before, we certainly do now.
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