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Aston Villa boss says it didn’t take a ‘brilliant performance’ to beat Newcastle United

3 years ago
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Dean Smith was a happy and relieved man.

Watford swept into a three goal lead last weekend, scoring a trio of goals from their seven efforts on target.

The promoted club willing to have a go at a much changed Villa team / squad from last season, missing some key players as well. The Hornets taking all three points despite Aston Villa’s late two goal fightback.

How different was today, as a far more conservative Steve Bruce decided to play on the counter-attack, despite having ASM, Wilson, Almiron and Willock all starting the match.

The net result being Aston Villa could play themselves into this game with Newcastle United failing to put them under proper pressure, with the exception of a long ball from the back that Callum Wilson ran onto and should have scored from. In the entire 90 minutes plus added time, BBC Sport reckoned NUFC had one shot on target, I can’t even recall that one.

Little wonder Dean Smith says it wasn’t a ‘brilliant performance’ that was needed to beat Newcastle United. Villa did the basics quite well and then took a couple of chances, one in each half.

A regulation home win you might say AND a regulation away defeat for Newcastle, when judged on the past two seasons under Steve Bruce.

Aston Villa are clearly going to get better this season, once key players get fully fit and come in, plus the major signings they have made, fully integrate.

As for Newcastle United, which direction they will now go in, looks to depend entirely on what happens in the remaining 10 days of the transfer window and whether Steve Bruce keeps his job. If Bruce remains AND no further signings, you have to be worried.

Dean Smith talking to Aston Villa TV:

“It wasn’t a brilliant performance by any stretch of the imagination.

“But it was a really good result.

“It’s always important to get that first win, especially at home, and it was nice to battle to get that win.

“It was brilliant, they [Aston Villa fans] have waited a long time for this.

“They certainly make themselves felt around the place and the intensity levels were certainly better today with the supporters here.

“It’s great to get the three points, especially in front of our own fans.”

Stats from BBC Sport:

Aston Villa 2 Newcastle 0 – Saturday 21 August 3pm

Goals:

Newcastle:

Aston Villa:

Ings 45+3, El Ghazi 62 pen

(In brackets the first half stats)

Possession was Aston Villa 47% (60%) Newcastle 53% (40%)

Total shots were Aston Villa 10 (5)  Newcastle 9 (3)

Shots on target were Aston Villa 2 (1) Newcastle 1 (0)

Corners were Aston Villa 3 (2) Newcastle 4 (1)

Referee: David Coote

Newcastle United:

Woodman, Fernandez (Joelinton 77), Lascelles, Schar, Murphy, Hayden (Sean Longstaff 46), Almiron, Willock (Fraser 89), Ritchie, Wilson, Saint-Maximin

Unused Subs:

Gillespie, Clark, Lewis, Hendrick, Krafth, Gayle

Crowd: 41,964 (2,950 Newcastle United)

(Steve Bruce totally embarrassing yet again, blames everybody but himself for Villa defeat – Read HERE)

(Match Report: Aston Villa 2 Newcastle 0 – Steve Bruce negativity sees NUFC fail and only have 1 shot on target – Read HERE)

(Aston Villa 2 Newcastle 0 – Instant NUFC fan/writer reaction to Saturday’s second defeat of season – Read HERE)

(Aston Villa 2 Newcastle 0 – Steve Bruce negativity sees NUFC fail and only have 1 shot on target – Read HERE)

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