United –
Wow. Not sure what other word sums up that. The whole performance was almost perfect. The first half was unbelievable and we absolutely smashed a previously unbeaten Villa. A side that is on huge wages and still cost a hell of a lot more than our side. They have some really good players despite a few new ones not playing and them losing some in the summer; they are a side you expect to be around the top 6. We absolutely destroyed them. Make no mistake they were not great but we made them look so poor. It had everything you would want of a United team. Passion, energy, guts, tackling, pressurising and total effort. Then on the ball we were superb, moving it quickly at pace, combination play, clever football. The whole team were involved in most moves and there was not one weak link. It was 3-0 and could have been a lot more. It was simply scintillating stuff. On the rare occasions when they did have it; the home side swarmed all over them and got it back and it was soon in the last third of the visiting half again. Every single United player were bang at it and the possession one touch stuff was a joy to watch. It was all done at pace too.
My descriptions may seem hyperbole but I am not exaggerating and those that saw it will clearly agree. It was as good as anything I have seen down there for a long, long time. That is saying a lot with some great performances under Wilder’s tenure. Individually there were some great performances but this more about the team and the collective unit. We scored three good goals but the keeper made saves, we hit the post and it could have been more. The referee was pretty rubbish too and could have sent off a Villa defender for a blatant trip on McGoldrick. Villa barely got into our half and looked shell shocked.
The first half was so good, you expected a come down but we still played well second half but a different kind of performance. We scored and you sensed it may be a cricket score but then inevitably they would have spell and Grealish started to pull the strings a bit. A great player but very sulky and constantly looking for fouls. We eased off and were probably tired from all the effort in the first hour of the game and the game sort of petered out which helped us in the end. We dug in and stopped them coming back any further and saw out the game professionally. We committed quite a few fouls today which I liked. If they had a chance of getting anywhere the few times we did not tackle them; we shut them down other means and were not a soft touch at all. We were so hard to play against. Villa probably could not wait to get off the field.
We are now up to third and with Coutts on the way back, a few new signings; things are very much on the up/ Hopefully Fleck was not hurt too badly and also Clarke will be back. We have a few weeks to get them fit and time to get Coutts even closer. We have a few tough games coming up I feel but the start now has been excellent and mirrored last season when we lost a few early and then went on a run. Just before the international break; we did the same to Derby in a statement win and I felt today was very much the same. We have simply hammered two sides in consecutive weeks now. Norwood has made a huge difference, being man of the match in every game and the Evans-Norwood manoeuvre was a master stroke. Credit to Wilder in that he shuffled things around and also for admitting that the January signings did not work. He has not hung around and also made a profit. I felt Leonard had done ok this season but Wilder saw enough to suggest he would not feature much.
Villa – They were awful but we made them look so bad. I felt we never gave them a chance to get going. They are a team packed full of experience and lots of ex-Premier League players. Sure, they do not have Terry anymore and some of the new lads were not available or not fit but they still have lots of quality players and probably a wage bill way in excess of ours. They got absolutely destroyed and could not get the ball. They hardly had an attack. They simply could not cope with us. The defence was pulled about, the midfield did not get into the game at all and Kodjia was isolated. I cannot remember a team that has so many decent, experienced players get so embarrassed at the Lane – maybe Spurs 6-0 back in 1993 is the last time and the game reminded me of that and could have been a similar score line. They still will be up near the top and the pace they have in Adomah, Abraham and Bolaise will give them a real zip and glad they did not play today although doubt they would have got a kick but gives them an outlet. They kind of played one up top with the new lad El Ghazi and Grealish kind of supporting Kodjia but it did not work. A few players like Whelan and Hutton look on their last legs.
Opponent man of the match – Not sure there was any. The keeper made some saves but made some howlers. Individually and collectively they were appalling. Kodjia worked hard when he could and I suppose as annoying as he is; Grealish at least got on the ball (when the game was over at 4-0 – where was he then?) and made some things happen. He is a good player but looks for the free kicks way too much. We did kick him a bit but also, we tackled him fairly a lot and he constantly was on the ground and then suddenly jumped up. Surprised he has stayed there and looked frustrated with his teammates.
Weak link – Could be anybody. The goalie made a few poor mistakes and the third goal was really poor and the defence had no confidence in him at all but they were shocking too. The centre halves were poor and Jedinak was all over the place. The full backs could not stem the tide and I barely noticed Whelan and the highly rated McGinn. Their whole team was the weak link today!