Three vital points in the bag against the Hammers. It’s been so long since we’ve won in the league, that Aston Villa fans had to re-learn how to celebrate again. But what else did we learn from a tense afternoon at Villa Park?
1 – We CAN hold on to a lead
It was nervy, it wasn’t pleasant, and it was ugly as sin, but we’ve proved that three points aren’t beyond us and when things go our way we won’t buckle under the pressure. We’ve looked as good during the past three games as we have all season and there is now a sense that we can pull through this. West Ham weren’t anything special today, but sometimes an ugly win is just what’s needed.
2 – Nathan Baker: Left-back
It worked, and worked so well that it’s amazing that he wasn’t used there soon (either side of Ron Vlaar’s injury.) He provided a steadiness at the back and could be moved into the centre for set pieces, but still ventured forward without getting carried away. He’s a better all round footballer than Joe Bennett and Eric Lichaj and there’s an inkling that we can expect to see him in that position for a while now.
3 – A change will do you good
Poor old Ciaran Clark hasn’t been having the best of seasons. Some of it has been his fault, but then again, some hasn’t. During the week he marked one of Europe’s hottest strikers, Borussia Dortmund’s Robert Lewandowski, out of the game and notched his first international goal in the process. Whether some of the more senior member’s of the Irish squad put an arm around him and offered some sage advice is unknown, but whatever happened to him whilst he was away certainly fired him up for the game against West Ham.
4 – Deep pockets for a big man
Earlier this week Paul Lambert gave an interview in which he expressed that any clubs interested in signing Christian Benteke over the summer will have to dig deep. Now while many of us would have preferred him to say that he’s not for sale, he would have only needed to for posterity’s sake. Benteke is under a three-year contract and since joining has already tripled his value in today’s market. Regardless of whether we stay up or go down, we won’t be in a position where we have to sell. Either way, if he stays; we get to keep an incredible young striker, and if he goes we’ll make back a hell of a lot more than what we paid.
5 – Brad Guzan is God
That is all.
UTV
Steven Green is one of the hosts of the very cool AVFC Review podcast and writer for Shoot Magazine and a fellow Real Oviedo shareholder
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