I’m always nervous going into a match, regardless of what I might write before the match. Last weekend, it was the first match of the season and you just don’t know what is going to happen. We could be playing a third tier team tomorrow and I’d be nervous because it’s the Cup Final for them.
This weekend I’m nervous because it’s Arsenal and many pundits after last weekend all of a sudden think they’re going to win the League. Personally, I still can’t see past Manchester City, but that’s just me.
My point I’m trying to make is, even if on paper we are supposed to win, I get nervous and if we are playing a side that many think will beat us, I’m nervous too. It doesn’t matter. But last weekend, we did look good.
It wasn’t that we were creating chance after chance, it was that there was a degree of composure. It was like every play understood what they needed to do and it felt like there was always another gear to move into. After 20 minutes, I knew we were going to win.
But on the West Ham equaliser, VAR baffles me. It was nice to not see so many VAR interventions, but at the same time if VAR is going to intervene, they have to get it right and I don’t think they did. For me, Matty Cash got the ball and then there was a coming together of legs.
Football is a contact sport and when making tackles you have to make contact. And he did get the ball and play it away from the West Ham player. Had he not touched the ball I’d have understood it, but he did. The referee clearly didn’t see it so he awarded a penalty, but VAR would have seen it and should have said he played the ball.
It’s wrong. But even when it was awarded, I wasn’t that worried, because we were creating chances and we were going through the gears. This isn’t something I’ve seen much over the years supporting Aston Villa.
But I will be nervous five minutes before kick off on Saturday, but if we see the same approach and performance as last weekend, we stand every chance. And on first look, Onana looks a very solid player.
Player news
And I know you all know this, there is no more breaking news on the blog, but Moreno has joined Nottingham Forest on loan for the season and Emi Martinez has signed a contract extension to 2029.
And I suspect we will maybe see one or two leave, either on loan or permanently and I still expect to see someone else coming in.
Right, I’ve got work but I’m really looking forward to the weekend!
