Man of the match - Player ratings

[Garry Powell]

I have been critical of Lees this season, but today he was back to his best. Great all round team performance. Bannan or Butterfield MOM cant decide

[legendaryswan]

I thought BANNAN once again ran the game for us,may well have got the 2nd goal himself had Rhodes not took it on.

Reach once more stood out,Butterfield was equally involved,barely put a foot wrong and starting to look the part for us.

The early goal set the tone,rocked villa and once Terry went it was game over.Could and should have had third and dissapointed to conceed so late.

Grealish looked dangerous in the late stages,happy he didnt start to be honest,and Jack hunt kept the other dangerman quiet all afternoon.

Job well done.

Slight concerns over Wallace with his injury,chance for the more direct Matias maybe?

Who can tell,thought Lees benefited hugely from Loovens return,he looks so calm and assured beside GL.

Yeah very chuffed,Ive had mixed fortunes at villa park and a few friends are villa fans,so it was nice to go and bash em up today on their own patch,specially after that horror show there last season.

Nice to go into the break on a high

WAWAW

 

[Gparrish]

Westwood 6 Wasn't tested, did what he had to do.

 

Hunt 7

Loovens 7

Lees 7

Fox 8

 

Wallace 6

Butterfield 8 Broke up play well, tidy on the ball

Bannan 9 Ran the game for me

Reach 8 Goal aside, thought he looked dangerous going forward and solid when defending.

 

Rhodes 8

Hooper 8

 

Palmer 6 Plenty of energy, looked a bit lost with the ball at his feet.

Edited November 6, 2017 by Gparrish

[prowl]

On ‎04‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 22:06, Garry Powell said:

I have been critical of Lees this season, but today he was back to his best. Great all round team performance. Bannan or Butterfield MOM cant decide

Lees struggles without Loovens. He was out of sorts last year alongside Hutch and struggled alongside Van Aken.

 

Loovens won't be around much longer to hold his hand so I hope Lees sorts this out.

[Owl Be Back]

Reach for me. Not just because of the goal (I actually thought our second was better; some lovely interplay) but because his all round play was excellent. He looks a different player when he is given more license to attack.

[Dutch McLovin]

On 04/11/2017 at 20:11, frastheowl said:

 

Westwood - 7 - Routine saves. Handled crosses/corners well. Kicking seemed a bit better today also

 

Hunt - 7 - Solid performance, especially defensively. Kept Adomah quiet for the most part.

 

Lees - 7 - Much better display today, and dominated the youngster Davis. More like it Thomas!

 

Loovens - 7-  Assured, calm, exactly what we expect from our captain. The Loovens/Lee partnership was like of old today.

 

Fox - 8 - I think the role he's performing is vastly underrated. Played as a out and out wing back, with Reach playing from a narrow position finding space in the half space. Kept Snodgrass really quiet early on, always an option out wide and used the ball well. Great performance. 

 

Butterfield - 8 - Fantastic display. Screened the defensive line very well, worked hard and won his tackles and interceptions. Kept things simple when on the ball, and allowed Bannan to run the show. Thought he and Bannan both looked much more comfortable in that double pivot role today.

 

Bannan - 9 - MOTM - He's in the form of his life at the minute, in my opinion. Ran the show from start to finish. Used the ball superbly, always looking for the positive ball forward, and if it wasn't on, ensured we kept possession. Really like the potential of a Butterfield/Bannan pairing. The injury of Lee, in a strange way, could lead us to finding exactly what we need. 

 

Reach - 9 - Fanastic, yet again. In the first half, his movement was superb. Starting from a narrow position, he found space inbetween full back and centre halves, and was a constant option for the run in behind El-Mohammedy. And obviously, what a goal!

 

Hooper - 8 - Played as a playmaker today. Very much in a No.10 role. Dropped very deep as a result, often alongside Bannan/Butterfield. As a result, found an abundance of space.

 

Wallace - 7 - Better display from him than of late. Just felt he could've used the ball slightly better on occasions, but the change of shape, which allowed him to play much higher up the field, certainly helped his game.

 

Rhodes - 8 - An improved performance to Tuesday night, and another goal. Typical Jordan Rhodes goal, right place, right time, very unglamorous finish. But that's why he signed him. If we can get him to perform that lone striker role, with Reach, Wallace and Hooper all around him, he could get a lot of goals. Positive.

 

Overall - That opening 30 minutes, was the best display I've seen from Wednesday since God knows when. It was text book. Carlos, to give him his dues, got it 100% spot on today. To be fair, I think Villa underestimated us, and tactically, they were awful. Played right into our hands.

 

Butterfield/Bannan completely over ran Whelan and Hourinhane who both looked poor and off the pace, and because they were playing with only two midfielders, Hooper found an abundance of space. El-Mohammedy was appalling at right back, and the space he left in behind, allowed Reach anf Fox to really expose their left flank.

 

The definite shift to a 4-2-3-1 is a positive for me. Hooper is allowed to roam wherever and find space, and with Wallace and Reach playing higher up the field, it allows us to do, what we did so well in that 1st season, which was press from the front. Without getting too carried away, I think Carlos may have finally found his best side, and system. 

This for me 

[Buxtongent]

11 minutes ago, Owl Be Back said:

Reach for me. Not just because of the goal (I actually thought our second was better; some lovely interplay) but because his all round play was excellent. He looks a different player when he is given more license to attack.

Managed to get a feed for second half, which kept including replays of both goals. Superb individual strike from Reach, and a classic team goal for the second. Thought Palmer played well when he was on, and he should have put the game to bed with his strike, but don't forget two important things - he's not played as a forward (though I think he has makings of a good winger/wing forward) and he's not the only player to miss sitters. Bannan, much as I like him, is atrocious at shooting at goal in particular. 

The thing that impressed me was the way ALL the players were prepared to have a go from any distance, instead of just leaving it for the nominated striker. Don't forget the old adage - if you don't shoot you, won't score - and the more you shoot the more chance you have of scoring.

As for the game, don't critisize Villa over much. A team only plays as well as their opponents allow them. and Wed. didn't allow them to play their normal game.

Butterfield for me, closely followed by Reach and Bannan.  

[A E Neuman NYowl]

On 04/11/2017 at 20:11, frastheowl said:

 

Westwood - 7 - Routine saves. Handled crosses/corners well. Kicking seemed a bit better today also

 

Hunt - 7 - Solid performance, especially defensively. Kept Adomah quiet for the most part.

 

Lees - 7 - Much better display today, and dominated the youngster Davis. More like it Thomas!

 

Loovens - 7-  Assured, calm, exactly what we expect from our captain. The Loovens/Lee partnership was like of old today.

 

Fox - 8 - I think the role he's performing is vastly underrated. Played as a out and out wing back, with Reach playing from a narrow position finding space in the half space. Kept Snodgrass really quiet early on, always an option out wide and used the ball well. Great performance. 

 

Butterfield - 8 - Fantastic display. Screened the defensive line very well, worked hard and won his tackles and interceptions. Kept things simple when on the ball, and allowed Bannan to run the show. Thought he and Bannan both looked much more comfortable in that double pivot role today.

 

Bannan - 9 - MOTM - He's in the form of his life at the minute, in my opinion. Ran the show from start to finish. Used the ball superbly, always looking for the positive ball forward, and if it wasn't on, ensured we kept possession. Really like the potential of a Butterfield/Bannan pairing. The injury of Lee, in a strange way, could lead us to finding exactly what we need. 

 

Reach - 9 - Fanastic, yet again. In the first half, his movement was superb. Starting from a narrow position, he found space inbetween full back and centre halves, and was a constant option for the run in behind El-Mohammedy. And obviously, what a goal!

 

Hooper - 8 - Played as a playmaker today. Very much in a No.10 role. Dropped very deep as a result, often alongside Bannan/Butterfield. As a result, found an abundance of space.

 

Wallace - 7 - Better display from him than of late. Just felt he could've used the ball slightly better on occasions, but the change of shape, which allowed him to play much higher up the field, certainly helped his game.

 

Rhodes - 8 - An improved performance to Tuesday night, and another goal. Typical Jordan Rhodes goal, right place, right time, very unglamorous finish. But that's why he signed him. If we can get him to perform that lone striker role, with Reach, Wallace and Hooper all around him, he could get a lot of goals. Positive.

 

Overall - That opening 30 minutes, was the best display I've seen from Wednesday since God knows when. It was text book. Carlos, to give him his dues, got it 100% spot on today. To be fair, I think Villa underestimated us, and tactically, they were awful. Played right into our hands.

 

Butterfield/Bannan completely over ran Whelan and Hourinhane who both looked poor and off the pace, and because they were playing with only two midfielders, Hooper found an abundance of space. El-Mohammedy was appalling at right back, and the space he left in behind, allowed Reach anf Fox to really expose their left flank.

 

The definite shift to a 4-2-3-1 is a positive for me. Hooper is allowed to roam wherever and find space, and with Wallace and Reach playing higher up the field, it allows us to do, what we did so well in that 1st season, which was press from the front. Without getting too carried away, I think Carlos may have finally found his best side, and system. 

Well put, that system is far more flexible than the standard 442, the last sentence really sums it up for me, Hooper defenitly playing a little deeper breaking into the box later at the moment rather than up there with the main striker. I didn't think he had this in is armoury, have to give a lot of credit to him as I don't think it is his natural game, but doing really well. 

 

Also Butterfield rather Jones makes a big difference, he seems to have a bit more steel and energy  about him with a better eye for a pass.

[Halifax Owls]

To a man we were superb, a real team performance similar I thought to the job we did on the Toon last Boxing Day.

 

MOM for me was Butterfield who gave us the type of central midfield display we've not had for some time, harassing the opposition, a foot in, cleaning up then getting rid. This combination with Bannan seemed to work really well, our fullbacks were a little more circumspect and I'm sure this gave the boys at the back a bit more cover and we were harder to break down as a result.

 

After Butters, it's Adam Reach who is just getting better and better with every game and probably already bagged the goal of the season, barring an injury crisis he'll never be played at fullback again..........surely? Tom Lees was outstanding also, we're lucky to have him.

 

Moment of the match for me was about 10 minutes from time and Butterfield made a 70\30 in to a 50\50 and put a great tackle in on a Villa player.....summed up the teams performance.

 

Damn these international breaks....       

[Hack-Abusi]

Bannan - involved with practically everything going forward .. wanted to show the Villa fans what they are missing. Plenty of energy and drive with Butterfield protecting. Very good game from him

[Lord Snooty]

Baz & Butters passing against Villa.

 

[owlandished]

and that was just during the warm up