Reluctant Striker

High praise indeed! But I'm still delighted the first choice MotD line up did Saturday.

Didn't quite feel like a 4-1 game to me, but also Villa just continue to be free scoring at home. And, Antonio did not cause too much trouble. Before Emery, Villa would 100% have crumbled when pulled back to 2-1. With mostly the same players. Everton 4-0, Palace 3-1, Brighton 6-1, West Ham 4-1.. Luton next (after AZ on Thursday) Still 3rd in calendar year table. This side already feels comparable to the sides of Big Ron (Atkinson), Brian Little, John Gregory & Martin O'Neill. They've been away so long, it will be a challenge to keep this up. Or be taken particularly seriously. But definitely just enjoying for what it is right now.

Adequate first half. Douglas Luiz (Dougie) has now scored in 6 consecutive matches at Villa Park. Mainly because he's on penalties now, but still the best Premier League run since Dwight Yorke. And Villa on run of most consecutive home league wins since 1983. The top half of the table starting to take shape, looking quite stacked, with even Chelsea & Man United finding hints of form. Getting a win here would be great.

If Emi Martinez played for 1 of a few other clubs, there would be a fuss made about Arsenal's mistake in letting him go (Salah-Chelsea) and there would at least be a 3 way conversation going on. Internationally, Brazil & Argentina very much flip the conversation for many non Premier League bubble football followers. Including FIFA teams of whatever & the Ballon D'or thing.

Best performance by England for a long time. At least a little bit of pride back.

Wolves are certainly doing better than many predicted. Including their last manager, who left after not seeing a Top 7 finish on the menu & a bit of a tantrum. Bournemouth's mistake turning out to be Wolves gain. O'Neill certainly seems happy with the job spec of stay up. And sometimes it can be who accepts & embraces that challenge best.

Very sad. Another of the '66 side leaves us. Not sure how many others remain, other than Geoff Hurst. The stories of the Busby Babes, the disaster, how by all accounts Duncan Edwards was the Jude Bellingham of his day, the Bobby Charlton & George Best Man United side, were all still frequently told back in the 90's.

Villa are in a relegation battle..

Youri Tielemans.. I did look at him & genuinely wonder where he was getting into Villa's starting 11. Especially as we had seen such dramatic improvement with the 2 DM approach. And so far, he hasn't. Only a few European & cup starts. He was quoted Maguire-Phillips style when with Belgium, that he had gone to Villa to play. Their media would obviously have been asking questions. I put it all down to hot air of that type. But then after another international break.. unsourced suggestions he could be off to Spain in January. But, now, apparently with an English media interview, he is just disappointed not to be in ahead of Douglas Luiz, Kamara or McGinn (or maybe whatever other relegation fodder Villa player..) but is fighting for his place & getting on ok with Unai Emery. Learning & developing. I think this whole saga could very much be put down to being lost in translation. Yet also would not surprise me if he was sold on sooner than later. With a better fit option being brought in. And is kind of an issue the club could face. The club was apparently not wanted by Joao Felix. Or Federico Chiesa. According to rumour writers. Who are already going with Watkins to Arsenal in January. Again. Already. Realistically Villa has not been one of the cool names of the last 20 years. Which even Newcastle could still claim to an extent, before this last few seasons. Villa is maybe not a place right now that someone who thinks they are good, feels they themselves are an established name, wants to concede to being an occasional squad player.

I do think the BBC get their licence fee payer aim of neutrality fairly often. I do tend to notice 'left' moments of being very critical of Trump, of criticism of Conservatives doing routine media interviews with Union Jack flags, the coverage of racial tensions in America or India or wherever. And of extensively detailing the conveyor belt of Conservative & Boris failings. And the tone has moved on significantly during my life. They are being criticised right now for referring to Hamas as militants rather than terrorists. We now have Ireland's PM sometimes appearing on Sunday morning political talk show. Not Sinn Fein leaders voiced over if & when given any screen time. etc. But as a nation I sense plenty of Brits would generally look & sound 'right' to some. Many just tend to come across that way, I think. And all things recent history, even World Wars, some want to wrap up as all being 'right' I do tend to think of right & left as more societal directions. I think it does get a bit confusing when some apply it to continents, the world & historic nation borders. And at the end of the day every border in the world was put there by colonial deals, war, mutual defence, etc. None of them because good, friendly vibes..

Villa vs West Ham an interesting match up. Not just 2 claret & blues, but also last season's UECL winner & this seasons entrant. Also 2 sides who have somewhat embarrassed Brighton. While looking fairly bad at Anfield. Villa's 1-1 at Wolves an unusually low scoring match, this season so far. At this stage it's difficult not to feel confident in Emery's Villa (vee-ah) especially at Villa Park. But, West Ham replaced Rice with Ward Prowse. Both have beaten up Villa in recent pre-Emery years. They also have Danny Ings, and we all know ex-players tendencies. Of the rest, particularly interested by the Man City vs Brighton match. And Chelsea vs Arsenal.

It does seem odd seeing Joe Biden & friends batting for the other side.

I do think Italy did the best they could. Tactically. And perhaps with the level of players they have now. But for me, I really did feel it was there if England got themselves going. In the 1st half especially Italy were often threatening down England's injury weakened left. And they did have lots of what felt like flukey or average play getting through. On other days they could have been 2-1 up at HT. But best way I can describe it, was that it genuinely felt to me like a mid table team somehow taking the lead against Man City. England looking much more composed & higher quality. Going forward. Going the other direction though, Phillips just was never really in the match. And Trippier did look out of position on the left. Maguire is not playing much club football. Stones was making his England return before his Man City return. And none of the chances for Italy felt like it was especially top level kind of plays. I can't imagine too many of the older Italians feeling genuinely happy at HT.

It does look like Ukraine will need to win Vs Italy. Will be an interesting final match !

Satisfying to see them take the win that was there for the taking. I do just feel if & when this England come up against a France, or host Germany, or whoever emerges, at some later stage, that Bellingham can be 1 to help control the game from a little deeper. I think he's one of those who could play any position & be 1 of the best around.

Still not sure it benefits England for Bellingham to be the 10-CAM. We have other options & have always lacked a Pirlo.. Still not sure about Phillips & Maguire, still in, just because. Phillips looks out of touch to me. Italy looking consistently dangerous down Trippier's side, on the left. Overall, there's been so much reason to believe we should be beating this Italy side, quite comfortably. But 1-1 at HT. And chance after chance just appearing for Italy, as much by luck as having any real classic Italian excellence.

Yeah, something really odd with England having not one other elite nation side in the group. And then somehow getting Fiji rather than Australia or Wales in the Quarters. But really does not seem like England are an actual contender to win. Cricket is sort of my 2nd team sport. Never been sure of either rugby. But Union does somehow pitch itself better I think. It's 6 Nations thing. The world cup, that had the 'world in union' theme for a while. I think a lot of the mild notice takers would tend toward Union.

Yes, I do think there must be a reason why West Ham let Lehmann go, Everton did not make a loan permanent & Villa were able to get her. And then important players for Villa from last season, like Staniforth, Nobbs, Corsie & Daly are all over 30, so likely to be dipping sooner than later. Feels like, if 5th & higher is what the aim is, as a long term, regular thing, a batch of highly promising younger players will be needed. Right now, if that was a mens Villa team, they would look a bit too MLS really.

Yes. 0-1 at Half Time. But was starting to look more like an attack vs defence training session. Will they do a Leicester ?

Horrible start by Villa women. Last minute loss to Man United. Lost away to Liverpool. Would not have got zero points last season, when they got their best ever finish, in 5th. And now 3rd match is away to Arsenal. Who have been teasing Beth Mead could be ready to return. And are nearly filling The Emirates now. I did watch the Villa vs Man United opener, and have to say, if Lehmann played like a star footballer rather than a star Instagrammer model, she should really have scored at least 1. Perhaps Lehmann's recent long term contract is a sign of something going wrong in strategy.

I'm no expert at all, and do not actively follow half of what goes around the world, etc, so forgive me anyone if this does not sound correct enough. I just don't like seeing & hearing this kind of stuff going on. But it seems to me that perhaps some countries where 'multiculturalism' has been an approach to life. Maybe it has kind of worked. But is usually where other cultures have actively chosen to move in, of their own will. And even then there are still issues & tensions in America, Britain, France, etc. The issue with Israel, to Hamas & everyone sympathetic to them, is how Israel was formed. By colonialists who thought they knew best.. and so is a huge political hammer to bash people with. And presumably feels very justifiable to those holding it. Israel was formed even more recently than Northern Ireland. And as a side note there, a different northern part of Ireland historically had been Ulster. And at least one of its political parties still wants Ulster Unionism. Never mind choosing between UK or Ireland. It's perhaps the 2 most comparable nations - regions. And there may perhaps be a case that a bit more of a 'multiculturalism' approach from all sides could have improved things. Arrived at better tension levels this long after. Especially when the goal for so many is, at this point, to revert back to the days of great, great grandparents, or further. Or just rip it all up & literally do away with any ideas contrary to their own. It's definitely a question of how to do away with the pretty much totalitarian xenophobic mindsets. On both sides. Suggestions of multiculturalism just unlikely to have much impact. When the other side seem legit crazy.

Not properly. Just enough to have been wondering more than once why Jude Bellingham was playing so badly & then realising it was TAA in midfield. And I think I may have seen what the Phil Foden hype is all about. He did look particularly impressive with beer goggles. Running around. Gliding past a few Australians. Without really actually doing anything. But it looked very good.

Highlight of the evening a close run thing between Ollie! Ollie! Ollie! or my cans of Fosters.

Should be several goals already. Australia with the best chance near 45 mins. Several bookings. Australia lining up very rigidly. Like a more open chance packed version of the England vs USA match from the World Cup. Watkins & Bowen threatening to do things, but neither quite doing it. Bit weird that Gallagher & Henderson seem a bit flat in the middle. Any others in midfield & it would feel it needs one of them coming on at half time to liven it up a bit.

Watkins slightly unlucky with his 2 chances. 1st took a clip off 1 of a crowd of 2 Australians or Bowen. Then sent through on goal, but had to take it on his left. Did think he'd score off the 2nd chance. Definitely a 2nd 11 sort of match so far. Johnstone has been needed a couple of times.