A Game Of 2 Halves

The title refers to Villa's performance.  QPR were consistently good throughout the match and on balance they deserved their point.  As for us, our first half showing was dreadful.  Our goal was under constant threat due to our inability to keep possession for more than 2 passes.  Too often did we hoof it up the pitch to an isolated Gabby who didn't have one of his better games of the season.  Second half we came out looking completely unrecognisable as we kept it on the ground, passed it around and came forward with much more positivity and purpose.

It took us until about 40 minutes to produce our first shot on goal, Barry Bannan firing a peach of a free kick towards the top corner only for it to be clawed out.  That really summed us up first half.  We showed a lack of passion and positive thinking that was promised after the shambolick Bolton performance mid-week.  The whole side looked disjointed with no apparent link between defence, midfield and attack.  We simply weren't playing as a unit.  It seemed as though our game plan was to put our faith in Dunne and Given to produce more heroics and try and keep a clean sheet, perhaps nick a goal.  THIS SIMPLY DOES NOT WORK!

Thankfully Mcleish realised that this wasn't working and we came out second half looking refreshed.  Battling all over the pitch, even winning some of the 50-50's which recently just hasn't been happening.  We were pressing higher up the pitch, getting the ball down on the ground, playing short simple passes and looking a million times better.  Its not rocket science! Its not even that difficult!  Its just playing simple passes, moving into space and the chances will create themselves.  And so it proved with a couple of good opportunities before we made the breakthrough.  Im not going to talk about whether it was a penalty or not because the decision was made and we can't change that (not that we would!).  The fact of the matter is that it was given and Bannan stepped up and put away a very good penalty.  You know it's good when the Goalie guesses the right way but still can't keep it out.  I'm made up for Barry, finally starting to get some of the recognition he deserves.

Unfortunately for some reason Mcleish decided to take him off and replace him for a walking liability.  Don't get me wrong I think he is a good player, but defensively he gives away so many cheap free kicks and you really don't want that when you are trying to protect a lead.  Also by taking Bannan off we lost our creativity which led to a bit of a rearguard action in the last 15 minutes or so.  N'Zogbia was then taken off for young Weimann, and it wasn't a second too soon.  Zogs had a shocker, not for the first time this season and I think Villa fans are beginning to lose patience with him.

In terms of QPR's goal, we contributed to our own downfall.  I know the goal itself was very unfortunate but our negativity when protecting a lead is stupid.  I really don't understand the whole fascination with taking a corner short and protecting the ball.  Very rarely does it waste any more 15 seconds and when the opposition gets the ball back, you are inviting them to attack you.  If we had taken those couple of corners we got late in the game properly then I'm convinced we would be celebrating 3 points.  You usually waste much more time when you are pressing teams back and passing it around instead of fannying about in the corner.  Anyway, that's my rant over!

Overall I think that our second half performance has given us a platform to build on.  We looked a much more attacking side and, surprise surprise, IT WORKED!  For the first time since Blackburn I enjoyed watching us play and if we start games like that and get on top of our opponents from the first whistle, we will win more games than we lose for sure.