Phew! It may only be three points, but the significance of this victory could be absolutely huge come the end of the season. Coming off the back of two defeats, this was a game where we simply couldn't afford to lose. In fact, given the way other results went today, even a draw wouldn't have done us much good. For psychological reasons alone we just had to win. Thankfully, we did. The performance was patchy, but at times we played some excellent football, and the absence of the long ball was pleasing. Of course, without Heskey to aim at, the long ball would have been pointless anyway, and on this evidence Emile will have his work cut out getting back into the side.
Jari was sensational, with his penalty miss the only blot on a wonderful performance. I'd still preferred to have seen him playing behind a front two instead of up front, but on the whole I have no complaints about the team selection, which was very bold and worked well.
I prefer us playing with a midfield diamond, and I made that very point in the report from Sunday's game with the Arse. The system suits the players better, with Paddy, Vladi and Didi all better suited to this particular formation. Stevie G is also more at home in this system than he is on the right wing, and the midfield performed pretty well today.
Having Hamann back in the side makes such a difference, and it's becoming boring giving him the star man award week after week. I could have given it to Jari or Paddy, but Didi was just so effective that I couldnm't not give it to him. When we come under pressure at the end, he was always there making tackles and interceptions (as well as the now customary dramatic fall to win a free kick and relieve the pressure!), and his value to the side cannot be overstated.
It was an entertaining game, which I felt we just shaded, although no doubt Villa fans will disagree. Still, I don't really give a shit what Villa fans think, as they're possibly the saddest, most irritating bunch in the Premiership (Leeds, Everton and Sunderland apart of course!). The "sit down Pinocchio" chant has become so tedious and boring now, as every team we face sings it and it just isn't original anymore. Still, wit and originality are foreign concepts to the Holte End, and it was inevitable that Thommo would be on the end of some of legendary "Brummy Wit". Villa fans also think 'Harry Enfield" impressions are original and funny, and as for 'sign on'? Well, my sides were splitting.
But if Villa's fans have no idea when it comes to humour, thankfully their goalkeeper does, and I have to say that when his throw hit the ref on the arse and allowed Jari a tap in, it was undoubtedly one of the funniest things I've ever seen. It couldn't have happened to a nicer fella either! The way Jari took the goal so coolly just made it all the more special. Pure nonchalance from the Mighty Mullet. It was no more than we deserved after a bright opening, but Villa then started to come back into it, with the dangerous front pair of Vassell and Angel looking lively.
Their equaliser really should have been avoided though. First a sloppy clearance went straight to a Villa player, and then we allowed someone (Merson?) too much space on the right. Angel found himself in too much space, and after Jerzy pulled off a smart save, the ball fell to Hendrie and it was 1-1. Jerzy's not having much luck lately. Three of Chelsea's goals last week came from rebounds after he'd pulled off good saves too. There was also a hand ball by Boetand in the build up, but given the part Andy D'Urso played in our opening goal, we can't really criticise him too much for not spotting it.
The fact that it was Hendrie who scored distressed me though, as I can't stand the little shit. He has a bad attitude, he wears an earing, he goes on a sunbed, and he has a middle part. He's also the world's ugliest pretty boy, and a spiteful little wanker to boot. Mind you, he did wind up Danny Mills a few weeks ago so he ain't all bad I suppose!
It was disappointing to concede in such a sloppy manner, but we should have regained the lead when Stevie G was fouled in the box (haven't seen any replays of it, so I don't know if it was a pen or not, but the Villa fans weren't happy about it and gave Stevie G loads of stick after that). I was positive Jari would score, and I thought he had. It was down the far end from where I was sat (actually, we were stood up for the whole game), and when I saw Rudolph go the wrong way I just assumed it was in, so I couldn't believe it when all the Villa fans were going crazy. Jari just doesn't miss pens, so how could this happen? Basically, it was one of those things and I just hope that Jari is allowed to continue taking them.
With the way the other results had gone, it was clear that this was a game we really needed to win, but it could have gone either way. Villa had a really good spell in the second half where we were under a lot of pressure, but we defended well and had a massive stroke of luck when they hit the post, and Riise somehow managed to block Merson's follow up effort. Once we weathered that storm though, we began to look the more threatening.
Berger got better and better as the game wore on, and Smicer also began having more of an influence. When Jari was subbed I was disgusted, as up until that point he'd been our best player. I long to see him playing behind Owen and Anelka, as that's as good an attacking trio as you'll fine anywhere. For me, Vladi should have been the one to make way for Anelka, but then Vladi popped up with the winner, so what do I know? Sorry Thommo!
The goal was superb, and demonstrates the kind of football which we are capable fo playing. Let's just hope we start to see it more often. We have extremely talented footballers in Smicer, Litmanen, Berger, Owen, Gerrard, Anelka etc. so there's no reason why we should be more adventurous. Today was a good start.
Owen again wasn't himself, and there were reports before the game that he wouldn't be playing because his hamstring isn't right. Well he played, but he was definitely not 100%. He still could have had his 100th goal, but instead of the instinctive finish we are used to, he hesitated for a slit second before hitting straight at Schmeichel. Michael studies keepers, and knows that the way to beat Rudolph is to go through his legs, so for him to have tried to dink it over the giant Dane was a sign that he had something on his mind. Maybe the pressure of getting goal number 100 out of the way (so people like me can stop writing about it), but more likely it was his hamstring playing on his mind. Either that, or he could just be human!
We held on after that without too many scares, although Rudolph did get pretty close to getting on the end of a couple of corners. He'd taken quite a bit of stick from the travelling reds, and was taunted with "Are you Barthez in disguise?" after he presented Jari with the opener. He took more stick when he had to return to his goal after going up for those corners, but to his credit, he applauded us at the final whistle. He may be a fat, red nosed manc racist, but at least he isn't bitter!
Only time will tell how important this win was, but right now it feels absolutely huge. It could be a major turning point in our season, because had we lost this one the mental damage would have been hard to come back from. At this stage of the season the games come thick and fast, and with another tough away game at West Ham coming up, defeat here could have seen things go pear shaped. Now we can go to Upton Park with confidence.
I'd expect Anelka to start that game, as if Michael is suffering with his hamstrings, it makes sense to give him a rest. Anelka was excellent when he came on today. He won several good flick ons (which surprised me as I didn't remember him being too good in the air in his Arsenal days) and everything he did was neat and tidy. He'll do well, and is perfectly suited to our style of play. I just hope that Jari keeps his place.
TEAM: Jerzy Dudek; Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia, Stephane Henchoz, John Arne Riise; Steven Gerrard (Danny Murphy), Didi Hamann, Vladimir Smicer (Gary McAllister), Patrik Berger; Michael Owen, Jari Litmanen (Nicolas Anelka):
