I watched the match on a dodgy stream yesterday in not great resolution. It wasn't until I was in bed that I saw the game as I would have preferred. And I have a few things to say, but my key takeaway is that it's not bad and we were unlucky yesterday and I think if we played that game again today, we'd win.
First and you know this, their goals were fortunate. Fortunate because the first was just a silly mistake from a great keeper that doesn't often make silly mistakes and the second was a deflected shot. Sure, there was a mistake in the build up to the second, but the shot was deflected and we're not blaming anyone for either.
And what I'm about to write, isn't a criticism of anyone, it's just me writing my thoughts. Much like before the match yesterday I wrote that Bournemouth will see this as an opportunity and will likely come at us early, much like I wrote that their players will know what is expected and much like I wrote that if we don't start as we mean to end it, we might not have enough time.
By this, I mean yesterday played out as I thought it could and in this League, if I know this and you know this, you have to make sure these things don't happen. And sure, you can't factor in mistakes, but I don't believe in coincidences.
But I do think we looked good. And maybe that was because Bournemouth got fortunate and sat back, but maybe also it was because we just needed the wake up call.
But I think one thing is for sure and that is next Friday, we have to go out and for 95 minutes be absolutely focused, really on the ball and always be moving forward. There can be no trepidation against Everton or we will get punished and it wont be nice.
And now to my notes, because I have to write these. I don't like it that Jack is in a three on the left. I like that Jack roams and essentially plays where he wants to play, but I don't like that he's either going in with his head or having the shot or in the box creating chances. What I mean is, I think we're too light in the middle of the park in this League or we're too slow.
We're also playing with two wingers in Trézéguet and El Ghazi and while I like them both (there isn't a player I don't like at Aston Villa at the moment) it worries me that one or both needs more support. And it worries me that Wesley is up top all by himself.
I don't think I've seen Wesley before he joined us, but I get the impression that he's going to need balls into the box much quicker and if Trézéguet and El Ghazi are not going to be supported so they can be quicker, they're not going to get the opportunities to get the ball up as quickly as needed.
And again, give us another 30 minutes yesterday or play the game today and I think we'd win. But I don't want to win by one, I want to win by three every week and we've made it difficult for ourselves the last two weeks and it's on us. We've got to be able to say sometimes that it was because the other side was simply better.
Another positive; we looked better yesterday than against Spurs and we're going to have to be better against Everton to win. If we do, I'll be very happy.
But it's two games into a new season with lots of new players. I think it's going to take a few more games before we start seeing the real Aston Villa and I think it's fair to say that we all know this.