Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: kippaxvilla2 on February 07, 2024, 09:57:24 PM
-
Really upset with this one. Thought we had a genuine chance this year.
A terrible performance. I’m going to be shot but I honestly think he and we have been found out. Chelsea didn’t have to do a lot did they?
-
Shite.
-
Shite.
-
Problem is Manure are a counter attacking team so if we go one down we are in it.
-
Shite.
-
One step forward, multiples of one step back.
-
Hope it’s just injuries. How will we stay 4th? Why was lee Dixon a twat? Will we actually complete a pass? Join us next time at Villa park where we provide a lift for you.
-
Bobbins
-
Cannot understand why we didn't change the formation at HT or make subs till 66 mins?
-
Just one FA Cup win in my lifetime shouldn't be much to ask for. FFS Villa.
-
Embarrassing
-
I'll definitely be dead before Villa win this cup again.
-
Well for me top four takes priority. If we get that I won't care so much about tonight.
-
Shite
-
Shite.
Wasn't as good as that. Last Wednesday and tonight better barometers of us than putting 5 past one of the worst PL teams of all time. Where was the pace and movement of last Saturday ? Don't blame Konsa's absence, the midfield especially Kamara were awful.
-
Dismal from start to finish, and Emery did knack all to change things. Unacceptable.
-
Pathetic again, after Newcastle. Most worrying for me is Unai seems incapable of changing things at the moment.
All of them were dreadful, but special mention to Moreno, Kamara, DC and Doug who were worse than 0/10.
-
So shite we have more post match threads than decent passes
-
Stank the house out at home for the second game running. Absolutely appalling.
Listen, there's clearly truth in the problems we're having with key injured players at the moment but jeez, that doesn't excuse lack of effort or application.
Just watch Cash's ambling back before the first goal. It's like he's on a Sunday afternoon stroll with his grandparents. Unforgivable.
-
Embarrassingly shite.
-
Got what we deserved. And 67 years without winning it is embarrassing.
-
That whole performance was very suspect.
Let’s hope we threw it.
Chelsea had conceded 8 in the last 2 and have been ponderous.
But if that was the best we could do.
Then god help on Sunday and the rest of the season.
Be interesting to see how genuinely pissed off Emery will be when interviewed.
-
Really upset with this one. Thought we had a genuine chance this year.
A terrible performance. I’m going to be shot but I honestly think he and we have been found out. Chelsea didn’t have to do a lot did they?
You couldn't wait to post that we've been found out. I don't think we've been found out rather we've just had too many injuries than a team that doesn't cheat can cope with.
-
Weird that when we lose, we usually get blown away. Very few narrow loses.
Tactically that must be on Emery, when we go behind we seem to be very vulnerable. A tweak of the tactic book might be needed, i.e. be a bit more risk adverse for the first 20 minutes, do the tippy tippy defensive bit in increments, not from the off.
-
Having key injuries is an explanation but not an excuse. At a minimum, be more difficult to beat.
-
Just fucking gutted. Back to back absolute shit performances at VP having gone the best part of year sweeping all aside. We just love giving life to the downtrodden. Players need a goal, play us. Teams are in turmoil, play us. As mudh as things have improved we never stop being charitable. I’m fucking tired of it.
-
The killer goal was the third. A free kick for falling over - this is definite - had it been in the area and a penalty VAR would have overturned it. Villa were bad but our bad wasn’t much worse than their “brilliant”
-
The weird thing about us getting blown away when we lose is it’s not like we’re throwing caution to the wind and trying to attack. We get the worst of both worlds - massively open at the back and offer zero going forward, that’s quite an achievement in terms of ineptitude.
-
Thing is, we started so brightly with a fast, pressing game. And then after about five minutes we gave up on it
-
Fuck off, Villa. Just fuck off
-
The killer goal was the third. A free kick for falling over - this is definite - had it been in the area and a penalty VAR would have overturned it. Villa were bad but our bad wasn’t much worse than their “brilliant”
The first sensible comment in two pages….
-
Kamara and McGinn delivered disappointing performances.
Tielemans remained anonymous and was wrongly given a free kick against him for further insult.
Watkins, as well as Cash and Bailey, deserve praise for effort, but seeing such a poor performance was really disheartening.
I actually thought Martinez could have saved Gallagher goal as he seemed to expect it to go wide the way he dived.
.
Well done to Diaby for his goal.
Let's move on now to the next one and the league game v Man Utd.
-
The killer goal was the third. A free kick for falling over - this is definite - had it been in the area and a penalty VAR would have overturned it. Villa were bad but our bad wasn’t much worse than their “brilliant”
They were completely and utterly dominant. There was only one winner the moment they got their first.
-
Thing is, we started so brightly with a fast, pressing game. And then after about five minutes we gave up on it
Yeah I thought we came out of the traps strong. Couple of half chances after their first too but generally we looked so easy to play against, their players had acres to work with.
-
Too many players were off it tonight, and one or two were simply dreadful. I really hope Torres is OK for Sunday, JJ starts too as Sir John on the left is not a pretty sight. No panic yet but if we've been found out, we have to have a plan B
-
Cheers villa thanks for ruining our week and giving us another stevange performance
Gutless performance
-
I just want us to win the FA Cup again. 67 years and counting. My dad saw us win it for a record-breaking 7th time in 1957 when he was 14 years old and he died at 77 having watched Villa produce two limp appearances in the final since that match against the Busby Babes. Every year he hoped for a win and had a tenner on us to win it down the bookies. It's incredibly personal for me and every single year it's shit.
-
Absolutely rubbish
You're probably never going to beat anyone even half decent with that pair at centre back. They're just not very good.
Kamara-either play properly, or have a sit down on the bench. A good player, but one that when he starts having a stinker, can't seem to put a mistake behind him and crack on.
Unai - (domestic) cup manager, my arse.
Fucking hell Villa
-
The killer goal was the third. A free kick for falling over - this is definite - had it been in the area and a penalty VAR would have overturned it. Villa were bad but our bad wasn’t much worse than their “brilliant”
They were completely and utterly dominant. There was only one winner the moment they got their first.
It was surprisingly tepid by us apart from a spell after their first goal and the last 7 or so minutes apart from these small spells Chelsea were performing better than us.
-
We have a real problem once the opposition runs at us. We become wide open and we seemingly do nothing on the sidelines or on the pitch to try and alter it. Break up the play with niggly fouls? drop Tielemans back into midfield for 10 minutes so our mf is not wide open? go to 4-3-3 and hit them on the counter so they have to drop back? We do nothing but invite it on repeatedly. Man Utd, Newcastle and today have all been identical once the opposition have started attacking and sensing how fragile we look.
I love SUE but he's to loyal to the plan at times. I remember Brighton away in his first season, we went 1-2 up and he killed the game with a 6-4-0 formation for 30 minutes, Brighton didn't have a sniff for the remainder of the game, that should've been what we did for the end half at Old Trafford.
-
The killer goal was the third. A free kick for falling over - this is definite - had it been in the area and a penalty VAR would have overturned it. Villa were bad but our bad wasn’t much worse than their “brilliant”
The first sensible comment in two pages….
In what way? The comment suggests there wasn't much between the teams tonight. No disrespect but on the basis of what was served up tonight, how is that a sensible comment?
-
Just fucking gutted. Back to back absolute shit performances at VP having gone the best part of year sweeping all aside. We just love giving life to the downtrodden. Players need a goal, play us. Teams are in turmoil, play us. As mudh as things have improved we never stop being charitable. I’m fucking tired of it.
This is where I'm at. I'm tired of the whole "we can't expect to/next season we'll/we've come a long way in/we've got injuries to/it's not the right time to sign" excuses. I just want it to be easy, just once, like it is for properly big clubs. To just sail through a tournament and win it. We've put our time in, let's see some reward now, please.
-
Two identical home defeats in a row isn't good however you spin it. And they were scarily similar.
-
Too many players were off it tonight, and one or two were simply dreadful. I really hope Torres is OK for Sunday, JJ starts too as Sir John on the left is not a pretty sight. No panic yet but if we've been found out, we have to have a plan B
It was really poor showing by Ginny today for sure.
-
Our midfield collectively decided that top four is more important than the FA Cup. Handed it to Chelsea on a plate.
They owe us one against Man Utd.
-
Kamara and McGinn delivered disappointing performances.
Tielemans remained anonymous and was wrongly given a free kick against him for further insult.
Watkins, as well as Cash and Bailey, deserve praise for effort, but seeing such a poor performance was really disheartening.
I actually thought Martinez could have saved Gallagher goal as he seemed to expect it to go wide the way he dived.
.
Well done to Diaby for his goal.
Let's move on now to the next one and the league game v Man Utd.
I don't think they showed any more effort really than anyone else.
Agree that Emi could have got closer at least to the second goal. Even he didn't have a great game.
-
Two identical home defeats in a row isn't good however you spin it. And they were scarily similar.
Yep, completely outplayed from start to finish. And extremely worryingly, Emery couldn't do anything about it. This show, slow, slow build up just isn't working any more. Man U are going to absolutely have a field day if we play like that again.
-
Puke football.
-
Rotten from the first whistle. It's like we believed the hype from hammering a pub team. Douglas Luiz in particular played like running and tackling was beneath him. If we don't have application from 1-11 we don't have anything. Starting to fear PL standard managers (not Wilder!) have figured out how vulnerable we can be down the flanks with the likes of McGinn tucked in. Tactically Emery got it all wrong, we can't play a high line with Carlos and Lenglet and Konsa out. Let's hope Torres can start at the weekend as we can't play out from the back without him.
Possibly the only positive was Diaby scoring at the end. Might give him a lift, he made a very good run a few minutes later. Thought only giving Iroegbunam and Zaniolo a few minutes was borderline disrespectful given the rubbish being played by the regulars. No half time changes again killed any hope of a comeback.
An awful night and the fear is it's part of a trend. Last three first half performances, Sheff United aside, have been shambolic. Huge game on Sunday now.
-
The worst thing about it was the inevitability of them scoring soon after half time, I said 5 minutes and I was wrong, it was 8.
-
Three out of ten for all of them with the exception of Bailey who gets a 4, Martinez and Diaby 5 and Big Tim 6.
-
Body language post match - they didnt give a shit. Speaks volumes.
Now if we put on a fucking shit show like this against manure i am gonna bw furious
-
Our midfield collectively decided that top four is more important than the FA Cup. Handed it to Chelsea on a plate.
They owe us one against Man Utd.
I wish it was that - did they decide that against Newcastle too?
-
Manure are a counter attacking team so if they score first I fear for us.
-
We were shit and deserved fuck all. Something iffy going on with the 4 minutes injury time, should have been 7 or 8.
Oh well, we always win after a defeat, so looking forward to Sunday.
-
Utter shite apart from Emi, Ramsey, Diaby and if I'm being charitable, Bailey.
No urgency until the 92nd minute says it all.
-
absolutely abhorrent performance
-
Three out of ten for all of them with the exception of Bailey who gets a 4, Martinez and Diaby 5 and Big Tim 6.
I think thats incredibly generous
-
Three out of ten for all of them with the exception of Bailey who gets a 4, Martinez and Diaby 5 and Big Tim 6.
I think thats incredibly generous
As do I, I’d give most of them 0/10.
-
When's our Tyrone back?
-
Afraid for me Unai made a massive error not making changes at half time….first contribution Teilemans made to the whole game was the foul for their free kick.
For me our midfield aren’t as good or confident in front of these 2 centre halves as when it’s Torres and Konsa…Carlos in particular just makes me nervous…Konsa’s pace digs us out on the high line so often…these two feel way to slow to play it well.
Looks like I’ll have to renew my season ticket after all
-
Two identical home defeats in a row isn't good however you spin it. And they were scarily similar.
Identical scorelines. But Villa had far more possession Vs Newcastle
We didn't concede from corners tonight or own goals.
Tonight one of their goals was a direct free kick.
The manner of the defeat was a surprise again but I don't think it was an entirely similar performance.
-
Right, get Emery on, let's get the excuses out of the way.
-
Three out of ten for all of them with the exception of Bailey who gets a 4, Martinez and Diaby 5 and Big Tim 6.
I think thats incredibly generous
It is. I had McGinn, Kamara and Tielemans with negative ratings !
-
Utter shite apart from Emi, Ramsey, Diaby and if I'm being charitable, Bailey.
No urgency until the 92nd minute says it all.
Watkins and Cash deserve credit. Especially Watkins. He was tireless.
-
After a humbling defeat like that, the team I would like to be playing least is the one we've got. FML.
-
Right, get Emery on, let's get the excuses out of the way.
It’s finished on ITV.
-
its going to be a long few months it seems
-
A very disappointing night and it has been petering out a bit since right before the Sheffield United home game. I used to come on here, all fired up, ready to defend everything NSWE and Emery were doing as we finally seemed to have all the ingredients.
I don't think Emery has been found out, not at all. I still think we have good players. That said I wonder if something else has gone wrong somewhere and it is causing issues somewhere? There has been something a bit unsettling about the club's activity off the field in recent months and I hope it isn't a symptom of something bigger, financially
-
Utter shite apart from Emi, Ramsey, Diaby and if I'm being charitable, Bailey.
No urgency until the 92nd minute says it all.
Watkins and Cash deserve credit. Especially Watkins. He was tireless.
Cash was poor. His positional sense was laughable
-
I thought cash was shit.
As was the whole midfield
and defense
-
Three out of ten for all of them with the exception of Bailey who gets a 4, Martinez and Diaby 5 and Big Tim 6.
I think thats incredibly generous
Indeed, all should be deducted at least a point for not kicking over the North Stand that rat faced chav, Connor Gallagher. Until tonight I hadn't realised what an utter scumbag he is. Happy we never signed him.
-
I notice the ref is from Sheffield..a blades fan???
-
A very disappointing night and it has been petering out a bit since right before the Sheffield United home game. I used to come on here, all fired up, ready to defend everything NSWE and Emery were doing as we finally seemed to have all the ingredients.
I don't think Emery has been found out, not at all. I still think we have good players. That said I wonder if something else has gone wrong somewhere and it is causing issues somewhere? There has been something a bit unsettling about the club's activity off the field in recent months and I hope it isn't a symptom of something bigger, financially
I alluded to this in the match thread. It’s a bit odd. It just feels off
-
Two identical home defeats in a row isn't good however you spin it. And they were scarily similar.
Identical scorelines. But Villa had far more possession Vs Newcastle
We didn't concede from corners tonight or own goals.
Tonight one of their goals was a direct free kick.
The manner of the defeat was a surprise again but I don't think it was an entirely similar performance.
It was incredibly similar in terms of the underlying characteristics - completely out muscled, lack of intensity, no accuracy, inability to change the tide once it started going against us.
-
Utter shite apart from Emi, Ramsey, Diaby and if I'm being charitable, Bailey.
No urgency until the 92nd minute says it all.
Watkins and Cash deserve credit. Especially Watkins. He was tireless.
Cash was poor. His positional sense was laughable
Moreno was equally poor, if not worse
-
All coincidental of course, and THAT week was an obvious high point, but it does feel like all the noise surrounding the North Stand and the new branding broke our concentration.
Myself, I'm all for Emery to tell the Premier League to sod off if he's ever near a sniff of Manager of the Month again.
-
This is where we miss a grealish
A villa lad to dig you out when performances are dropping. As he will feel the fans pain
-
Our midfield collectively decided that top four is more important than the FA Cup. Handed it to Chelsea on a plate.
They owe us one against Man Utd.
For me top four takes priority over the fa cup this season as we have got ourselves into a good position in the league. If we get that I'll be happy. I'm not convinced we intentionality underperformed tonight though.
-
I think that without konsa or torres on the pitch that there are huge positional issues and a lack of understanding of the press, and konsa is often one of our most composed players on the pitch. We desperately need those two more than anyone else for the run in now.
Almost everyone was dire tonight, special shout out to youri and kamara though
-
Watkins and Cash deserve credit. Especially Watkins. He was tireless.
Cash banked no credit with me...he was technically, positionally, offensively and defensively bankrupt.
-
Chicago Lion, Dogtanian, mpls villa, ChrisW1, skerra, Dave P
Eamonn, Aldridge Boy, Somniloquism, VillaTim, Sid1964, N'Mav foresaw this would happen and said Villa would be knocked out to Chelsea.
I never expected such a result so fair play to your foresight.
-
Our midfield collectively decided that top four is more important than the FA Cup. Handed it to Chelsea on a plate.
They owe us one against Man Utd.
For me top four takes priority over the fa cup this season as we have got ourselves into a good position in the league. If we get that I'll be happy. I'm not convinced we intentionality underperformed tonight though.
Of course we didn’t, just look back to our last home game for proof of that.
-
If we do manage to stay top 4 when the European games start again. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw another couple of shite cup performances.
-
Cashless society
-
Our Holy Grail appears now to be reaching the 5th round, never mind winning the frigging thing.
-
Our midfield collectively decided that top four is more important than the FA Cup. Handed it to Chelsea on a plate.
They owe us one against Man Utd.
For me top four takes priority over the fa cup this season as we have got ourselves into a good position in the league. If we get that I'll be happy. I'm not convinced we intentionality underperformed tonight though.
Of course we didn’t, just look back to our last home game for proof of that.
We were way shitter than Newcastle especially 2nd half where we at least tried.
-
We have a real problem once the opposition runs at us. We become wide open and we seemingly do nothing on the sidelines or on the pitch to try and alter it. Break up the play with niggly fouls? drop Tielemans back into midfield for 10 minutes so our mf is not wide open? go to 4-3-3 and hit them on the counter so they have to drop back? We do nothing but invite it on repeatedly. Man Utd, Newcastle and today have all been identical once the opposition have started attacking and sensing how fragile we look.
I love SUE but he's to loyal to the plan at times. I remember Brighton away in his first season, we went 1-2 up and he killed the game with a 6-4-0 formation for 30 minutes, Brighton didn't have a sniff for the remainder of the game, that should've been what we did for the end half at Old Trafford.
I'm there too, we seem slaves to the system this season. Last season we were pragmatic in many games, Spurs away another one. There's nothing wrong with setting up a bit more conservatively or changing things quickly during a game.
Within the first 5 minutes, Luiz had been caught ahead of the ball three times. We can't have midfielders running unopposed at our fourth and fifth choice centre backs. Why are we allowing basketball type games to develop? Failing to check things tactically yet again.
-
When was the last time we played the offside trap?
We would do that umpteen times in a match but we cant do that anymore with tonight's back 4. This causes us to give teams more space to play in and then we cant press like we used too.
I'm afraid until Konsa, Torres and Digne are back we are going to really struggle.
-
I said to my Mrs before the start that it would be so Villa to fuck it up tonight and Sunday.
The next 2 games are massive. Win, with a good home draw in the next round, they had a fantastic opportunity to go deep in a competition and provide momentum for the most important league game of the season, (beat Manure and they pretty much guarantee 5th place barring a collapse).
What I didn't expect however, was a performance as bad as that. It was an absolute stinker. We made bang average Chelsea team look like Man City.
When we don't get the ball forward quickly, we are so ordinary and a number of players are simply not good enough.
-
I reckon in that side tonight, the ones who clearly are not good enough and need improving on are Carlos, Cash and Lenglet (I know he's just a loan, but fuck me).
Moreno was terrible, too, but has got a fair amount of credit in the bank. However, then again, we seemed to look much more balanced with Digne playing.
-
Two identical home defeats in a row isn't good however you spin it. And they were scarily similar.
Yep, completely outplayed from start to finish. And extremely worryingly, Emery couldn't do anything about it. This show, slow, slow build up just isn't working any more. Man U are going to absolutely have a field day if we play like that again.
The weird thing about the slow, slow, slow is that we started doing it after they scored. Before their goal we were on it.
We either need a Man City esque totally dedicated pressing performance on Sunday, or we need to sit deep and play direct. Not this worst of both worlds style we've used the last two home games.
-
Watkins and Cash deserve credit. Especially Watkins. He was tireless.
Cash banked no credit with me...he was technically, positionally, offensively and defensively bankrupt.
Watkins was gash too.
-
Chicago Lion, Dogtanian, mpls villa, ChrisW1, skerra, Dave P
Eamonn, Aldridge Boy, Somniloquism, VillaTim, Sid1964, N'Mav foresaw this would happen and said Villa would be knocked out to Chelsea.
I never expected such a result so fair play to your foresight.
cheers FV
-
Conf’ cup and CL qualification is where it is now. Major kick in the nuts that was. No one really showed up today, they wanted it far more than us and when our midfield have an off day like tonight we are done for. Very poor attitude from the team allowing Chelsea to look so dominant for so long. Work to be done to get us back to where we were. We miss Mings more than ever.
-
What gets me is that until five minutes in, there was one team going to win tonight - a real continuance of how we played Saturday. The potential was there, then Bailey gets tipped over, and we looked spooked as fuck. It was as if we suddenly flashed back to the Newcastle game.
-
I reckon in that side tonight, the ones who clearly are not good enough and need improving on are Carlos, Cash and Lenglet (I know he's just a loan, but fuck me).
Moreno was terrible, too, but has got a fair amount of credit in the bank. However, then again, we seemed to look much more balanced with Digne playing.
Totally agree.
Moreno wasn't great when he first started for us but massively improved so I think he can do that especially when he plays with a decent left footed centre half.
-
The space Newcastle and Chelsea found in the first halves was scarily similar, especially down the flanks. Something is going seriously wrong there and is the core of the problems.
It feels like the gap between the back four and midfield has got wider, maybe because of the lack of pace in the centre halves, but I’m not sure if that’s planned or they are just dropping off.
-
I watched most of the second half tonight with no commentary it was very blissful not having to listen to Twatterface
-
defeat against another team that had less time to recover from their previous game. It's becoming a trend.
There really are no excuses for that half arsed performance. None.
-
Appalling. Anything else is just a waste of words.
-
Watkins did score tonight. Marley for Kilmarnock.
-
Let’s just fucking hope we put in a show versus those ****** at the weekend to wash some of this away. Fuck sake man.
-
Appalling. Anything else is just a waste of words.
-
It was a really poor January both on and off the pitch. The injury to Konsa was unlucky, and this FFP Everton/Forest thing put the shits up everybody, but if we were talking about selling an asset, Cash should have been the first waved off. Somebody would have given us decent money because we seem to be the only ones who recognise how limited he is.
-
It's just the magic of the cup. Plucky underdogs cause yet another upset. No big deal, happens all the time.
-
It's just the magic of the cup. Plucky underdogs cause yet another upset. No big deal, happens all the time.
Bollocks
-
defeat against another team that had less time to recover from their previous game. It's becoming a trend.
There really are no excuses for that half arsed performance. None.
Not just less time, but one who had been comprehensively beasted by the Dogheads.
-
Terrible from start to finish. Both fullbacks caught out time and time again with no support from anyone in front of them.
We definitely have been sussed out because Chelsea used the same tactics as Newcastle did. They swamped central midfield, won the ball and exposed both fullbacks. Hopefully Torres is back for Sunday but we need a sitting midfielder to protect this defence without Konsa.
Emery will have to have a rethink and change something because that lot on Sunday play on the break. If we do the same then I fear for us.
-
It's just the magic of the cup. Plucky underdogs cause yet another upset. No big deal, happens all the time.
Ha ha, that cheered me up! Very good.
-
Also, what the fuck is going on with Kamara?
That was beyond terrible today, he's another player who, when he puts in a bad performance, puts in a truly awful one.
-
Emery thinks we “competed well”. Ummm, OK Unai.
-
I honestly think Emery won't rethink anything. Obviously his main tactic with us is working less and less because one by one each coach has worked it out, with only the most limited coaches and squads being unable to find a way to at least neutralise it. I find it frustrating when brilliant coaches like Emery don't seem to see the obvious.
-
Also, what the fuck is going on with Kamara?
That was beyond terrible today, he's another player who, when he puts in a bad performance, puts in a truly awful one.
Can't play well in dry shirts.
-
Terrible from start to finish. Both fullbacks caught out time and time again with no support from anyone in front of them.
We definitely have been sussed out because Chelsea used the same tactics as Newcastle did. They swamped central midfield, won the ball and exposed both fullbacks. Hopefully Torres is back for Sunday but we need a sitting midfielder to protect this defence without Konsa.
Emery will have to have a rethink and change something because that lot on Sunday play on the break. If we do the same then I fear for us.
They will tear us apart if we don't get our act together. They have players with lightning pace and they stretch the pitch. FFS
-
Also, what the fuck is going on with Kamara?
That was beyond terrible today, he's another player who, when he puts in a bad performance, puts in a truly awful one.
Can't play well in dry shirts.
Ha ha, good point, maybe he's suffering from severely dehydrated nip-nops or something. Needs to feel bathed in sweat before he can deliver.
-
Let’s just fucking hope we put in a show versus those ****** at the weekend to wash some of this away. Fuck sake man.
Yeah, I'm hoping Unai is furious and we take it out on them. If we're in the CL and lifting a trophy in Athens then it'll all be forgotten about, but we need a reaction on Sunday or the season could fizzle out.
-
It's just the magic of the cup. Plucky underdogs cause yet another upset. No big deal, happens all the time.
Bollocks
Indeed.
-
Terrible from start to finish. Both fullbacks caught out time and time again with no support from anyone in front of them.
We definitely have been sussed out because Chelsea used the same tactics as Newcastle did. They swamped central midfield, won the ball and exposed both fullbacks. Hopefully Torres is back for Sunday but we need a sitting midfielder to protect this defence without Konsa.
Emery will have to have a rethink and change something because that lot on Sunday play on the break. If we do the same then I fear for us.
They will tear us apart if we don't get our act together. They have players with lightning pace and they stretch the pitch. FFS
Yeah absolutely no chance Sunday without any pace and positional sense in defence.
-
Let’s just fucking hope we put in a show versus those ****** at the weekend to wash some of this away. Fuck sake man.
Yeah, I'm hoping Unai is furious and we take it out on them. If we're in the CL and lifting a trophy in Athens then it'll all be forgotten about, but we need a reaction on Sunday or the season could fizzle out.
Sunday is now our FA Cup final.
-
Let’s just fucking hope we put in a show versus those ****** at the weekend to wash some of this away. Fuck sake man.
Yeah, I'm hoping Unai is furious and we take it out on them. If we're in the CL and lifting a trophy in Athens then it'll all be forgotten about, but we need a reaction on Sunday or the season could fizzle out.
The one tiny silver lining I’m clinging to is we’ve generally followed up a crap performance with a win. Based on what I’ve seen tonight I’ve got no confidence in that, but got to hope.
-
Puke football.
You are Pat Spillane and I claim my £5.
-
Let’s just fucking hope we put in a show versus those ****** at the weekend to wash some of this away. Fuck sake man.
Yeah, I'm hoping Unai is furious and we take it out on them. If we're in the CL and lifting a trophy in Athens then it'll all be forgotten about, but we need a reaction on Sunday or the season could fizzle out.
The one tiny silver lining I’m clinging to is we’ve generally followed up a crap performance with a win. Based on what I’ve seen tonight I’ve got no confidence in that, but got to hope.
Yeah, but the last shit performance which we reacted to with a win, was only two matches before this one.
-
Like I said tiny silver lining….
The reality is Unai needs to do something to improve this, we can’t be performing like this. It’s one thing to lose, but to twice be completely outplayed at home by teams that are struggling just isn’t good enough.
-
The only way we'll win is if Emery has some magical revolutionary new tactics he's been withholding for no particular reason which will leave the rest of the league wondering where the hell they came from. Given there would be no reason not to have used it since late December, I can foresee we'll set up the same way as tonight, with the ponderous build-up from the back, trying to hit Watkins and failing.
-
Disappointed, but watching at home it was more a shrug of the shoulders - maybe different if I'd been there. Like watching a re run of Newcastle. Beforehand, I honestly wanted to win Sunday given the choice, so really hope Emery works out a way of dealing better with these kind of teams who cut through us so quickly. Oh and Torres has to be brought back in, it's now or never.
-
Something has not been right since that Brentford game. I don’t know what but I blame Heck.
-
I'm concerned about Sunday now. They've starting picking up results and know they need to beat us to start closing the gap on them and the top 4. We do seem to lack a plan B at the moment, which Bruce, Smith and Gerrard got hammered for (albeit the latter never appeared to have a plan A either), but Emery's lacked one at times and seems to be getting away with it because of 2023. He needs to be asked questions about the last two performances at home. I'm not saying get rid of him, not by a long shot, but tonight and last Wednesday were nowhere near good enough. Yes we've got players out injured, but then we took the piss out of Spurs for moaning about that, so we can hardly whinge about it ourselves.
-
Something has not been right since that Brentford game. I don’t know what but I blame Heck.
I can get on board with that. :)
-
Terrible from start to finish. Both fullbacks caught out time and time again with no support from anyone in front of them.
We definitely have been sussed out because Chelsea used the same tactics as Newcastle did. They swamped central midfield, won the ball and exposed both fullbacks. Hopefully Torres is back for Sunday but we need a sitting midfielder to protect this defence without Konsa.
Emery will have to have a rethink and change something because that lot on Sunday play on the break. If we do the same then I fear for us.
They will tear us apart if we don't get our act together. They have players with lightning pace and they stretch the pitch. FFS
Without Torres we were weaker but without Torres and Konsa we are so vulnerable. We cannot send both fullbacks flying forward without some sitting in front of them. We don’t have a lot of speed to recover and they will tear us a new one.
Emery is a top coach and I’m sure he’s seen it and I await another tactical masterclass. Sunday is so important now, win and tonight is forgotten, lose and we could struggle to recover.
-
Well I said you'd be stupid to write them off
-
Kamara hasn't been right since that ban, but he return coincided with the defence losing Torres, so I guess that's why.
-
Terrible from start to finish. Both fullbacks caught out time and time again with no support from anyone in front of them.
We definitely have been sussed out because Chelsea used the same tactics as Newcastle did. They swamped central midfield, won the ball and exposed both fullbacks. Hopefully Torres is back for Sunday but we need a sitting midfielder to protect this defence without Konsa.
Emery will have to have a rethink and change something because that lot on Sunday play on the break. If we do the same then I fear for us.
They will tear us apart if we don't get our act together. They have players with lightning pace and they stretch the pitch. FFS
Without Torres we were weaker but without Torres and Konsa we are so vulnerable. We cannot send both fullbacks flying forward without some sitting in front of them. We don’t have a lot of speed to recover and they will tear us a new one.
Emery is a top coach and I’m sure he’s seen it and I await another tactical masterclass. Sunday is so important now, win and tonight is forgotten, lose and we could struggle to recover.
I personally think we haven't recovered from Boxing Day. It really flicked a switch in our heads.
-
Really disappointing result and performance. Totally outplayed by a side who were quicker than us and wanted it more. We've had really poor cup performances under Unai Emery before, only to bounce back in the league at the weekend, so hopefully that is the case.
That back four tonight looks weak - Cash is getting worse, Carlos and Lenglet have got mistakes in them and I don't know what is happening with Moreno, who has had the body language of a petulant child for some time now. Luiz and Kamara got blown away in midfield for the second time in a row at home, McGinn looks out of sync when he doesn't play on the right and the attacking players were ineffective.
We haven't really got the squad options to change things at the moment either. Diaby is horribly out of form, Ramsey is struggling to find his form and Zaniolo has been ineffective. I found myself thinking tonight about what happens if Watkins gets injured or suspended. Seriously, what is the plan?
All that said and as disappointing as it was to go out tonight, its time to take a deep.breath. We are still 4th in the league and in the last 16 of a European competition. Hopefully, we'll get some players starting to come back and we can go again. We've got a decent run of fixtures now where we can hopefully cement ourselves in the top 5.
.
-
Thought we were dreadful first half. Only looked a bit more like it at 3-0 down. It's almost of they had one eye on Sunday.
-
Our narrow 4222 has been worked out. And Emery’s tactical set up at home in cup competitions has seen us win 1 draw 1 lose 3. That’s not ideal.
-
As bad as anything served up under Gerrard.
To coin a phrase, individually and collectively we were shite.
The only player who earned more than 3/10 for me would be Watkins.
Everyone else between 0 and 2.
To me, every single Chelsea player looked stronger, fitter and faster than our lot.
I never thought I’d see the day when Martinez would be beaten by a free kick from that distance.
Special mention for kamara……when he is bad he is fucking shocking. But it’s a thing with him. Every now and then he has an absolute stinker, but then comes back flying..let’s hope it’s the same again.
Oh well,it’s only the FA cup. We don’t do the FA cup anymore, do we ?
-
Shite.
-
we've even made Jackson look decent. It's a tough night this
-
Terrible from start to finish. Both fullbacks caught out time and time again with no support from anyone in front of them.
We definitely have been sussed out because Chelsea used the same tactics as Newcastle did. They swamped central midfield, won the ball and exposed both fullbacks. Hopefully Torres is back for Sunday but we need a sitting midfielder to protect this defence without Konsa.
Emery will have to have a rethink and change something because that lot on Sunday play on the break. If we do the same then I fear for us.
They will tear us apart if we don't get our act together. They have players with lightning pace and they stretch the pitch. FFS
Without Torres we were weaker but without Torres and Konsa we are so vulnerable. We cannot send both fullbacks flying forward without some sitting in front of them. We don’t have a lot of speed to recover and they will tear us a new one.
Emery is a top coach and I’m sure he’s seen it and I await another tactical masterclass. Sunday is so important now, win and tonight is forgotten, lose and we could struggle to recover.
I personally think we haven't recovered from Boxing Day. It really flicked a switch in our heads.
We’ve been spluttering since Arsenal. We don’t have the squad to soak up any injuries but we weren’t the same before. That loss had Aston Villa written all over it, one I’d hoped we wouldn’t see for a while. We have fought for results since but tonight even that left us.
-
I said to my Mrs before the start that it would be so Villa to fuck it up tonight and Sunday.
The next 2 games are massive. Win, with a good home draw in the next round, they had a fantastic opportunity to go deep in a competition and provide momentum for the most important league game of the season, (beat Manure and they pretty much guarantee 5th place barring a collapse).
What I didn't expect however, was a performance as bad as that. It was an absolute stinker. We made bang average Chelsea team look like Man City.
When we don't get the ball forward quickly, we are so ordinary and a number of players are simply not good enough.
You are right, Chelsea got the ball forward quickly from their area,we win the ball in our area and only a few players moved quickly enough to cause them any problems
-
Although.
I see that Jackson, who has proven himself incapable of hitting a barn door from three paces, is playing.
Traditionally, we all know what would happen now.
*stabs self in face with large knife*
-
The slowness really fucks me off. We buy a load of pacy forwards and spend most of our possession thinking of ever more creative ways to keep the ball from reaching them.
-
I am totally devastated. A pathetic gutless performance. For all their good work this season McGinn and Luiz were absolutely useless tonight. They were lethargic and looked totally out of place. Like League 2 hod carriers up against top artisan masons.
-
Well for me top four takes priority. If we get that I won't care so much about tonight.
How does that work? Do you really think after these last two home performances we will do that?
-
Right, get Emery on, let's get the excuses out of the way.
Thats shit talk. It was utter garbage tonight but Emery has never made excuses.
-
Absolutely shitting myself for Sunday.
Terrible all round tonight, but a special shoutout for Alex Moreno. That was one of the worst defensive displays I think I have ever seen from a Villa player, and we’ve had our fill of those!
Digne has been as big a miss as Konsa and Torres in my opinion. Moreno not the same player since his injury.
-
Right, get Emery on, let's get the excuses out of the way.
Thats shit talk. It was utter garbage tonight but Emery has never made excuses.
Well he did tonight. “We competed well.” Did we fuck.
-
I kind of think Moreno isn't really fit. Not an excuse for poor displays, but he was definitely rushed back.
-
No need for any discussion about tactics / team selection etc etc ,, we outright threw that game tonight , and thats disgusting to the 42k that paid good money to witness a gutless show like that , you better win sunday emery cuz people by me on the holte are turning with these constant shit performances in cup games , you cant just switch it on and off when you like
-
We got away with things in the first game, especially in the first half. Every time they came forward they had 3 vs 2 in the wide areas. When we went wide it was our 2 against 3, so we turned back into midfield. All 3 of the midfield lost their battles or gave the ball away cheaply.
Like last Wednesday, Emery should have changed it at half time. Ramsey on for Tielemans would have made a difference.
-
Right, get Emery on, let's get the excuses out of the way.
Thats shit talk. It was utter garbage tonight but Emery has never made excuses.
Well he did tonight. “We competed well.” Did we fuck.
Im as pissed off as you, but your opening comment sounded like we’ve got a manager who wheels out excuses. However bad tonight and newcastle were, he has far more credit in the bank than that surely.
-
Has anyone else spotted how, if a team presses us high up, and we play out slowly, we cannot seem to get going. Chelsea, like Newcastle pressed high up, made quick passes and, we had no answer. Emery is the best manager we’ve had in years but, not having a different style of play when other teams don’t give us the time to mess around at the back, he needs to be able to come up with an alternative.
I didn’t like the way we played in the second half against Sheffield as, sometimes you get stuck in the groove you ended the last match ie.slow, slow and even slower. OK when you’re winning 5-0 against a crap side but not when you play against a team that has something about them.
-
Too many players have put in shite performances recently for it to be a problem with individuals.
There's something about the system that isn't working, but one thing is clear: we're not defending the same way. It's passive now, backing off instead of pushing up. I can't work out whether it's by design, or something the players are doing off their own bat. But our previously disciplined high line suddenly looks a shambles.
-
The slowness really fucks me off. We buy a load of pacy forwards and spend most of our possession thinking of ever more creative ways to keep the ball from reaching them.
It’s not the same as it was. When Emery came we played it slow and then bang, we were moving forward at speed. We don’t do that now for some reason and I just can’t work out why.
Maybe it’s because other teams are stopping us but we did have quite a few chances to ply it forward tonight and came back inside.
-
Speaking of Sunday, can Toronto Villa please start the pre-match and match threads? Seemed to work the last time we played that lot at home. 🙏🏻
-
The cause was that the defence was all over the place, no shape, no leadership no idea. If the back 4 is out to lunch then everything ahead of them suffers and it did tonight.
Cash Diego and Lenglet are not top end PL level players and they dragged the rest down to their level. Moreno who is decent having a shit game compounded matters.
Manure will rip us a new one. Losing Konsa Digne and Torres is just too much for our squad to cope with.
Mid table beckons.
-
Too many players have put in shite performances recently for it to be a problem with individuals.
There's something about the system that isn't working, but one thing is clear: we're not defending the same way. It's passive now, backing off instead of pushing up. I can't work out whether it's by design, or something the players are doing off their own bat. But our previously disciplined high line suddenly looks a shambles.
Missing three defenders who were fundamental to our form until Christmas is key to that…Carlos, Lenglet are not in the same class as Konsa & Torres….Moreno for all his good attacking is a poor defender. We lack pace there to play that line well
-
Emery is a victim of his own success in his short time with us. He's massively overachieved and now expectations have gotten ahead of themselves . We are more realistically a top 6-8 side and I suspect that's where we will finish . The injuries to key players haven't helped but that's par for the course really in this league nowadays .
-
Whole midfield was lethargic - Slow in the press, abysmal control, and even worse passing.
Can’t believe we go to Stamford Bridge, go to all that effort to grind out a replay, smash Sheffield Utd at the weekend, then put in a turgid performance like that. I’m angry as hell!
Also amazed that Diego Carlos stayed on the pitch for the full 90. He was a ticking time bomb tonight! That would have been the final nail in the coffin with zero recognised RCBs available with Konsa out too.
Can’t believe that Unai didn’t call that performance out for what it was - Shite all round.
Sunday is not going to be fun. Need Digne, Torres and Konsa back to full fitness asap, and Doug Luis to turn celibate and stop streaming COD until the early hours!
Crowd was shite too.
Really want that FA Cup win. Fucking angry..
Night all.
UTV
-
When was the last time we played the offside trap?
We would do that umpteen times in a match but we cant do that anymore with tonight's back 4. This causes us to give teams more space to play in and then we cant press like we used too.
I'm afraid until Konsa, Torres and Digne are back we are going to really struggle.
Just got back so haven't read through all of the thread but this is a major point. We normally get several offsides per game, I can't remember one tonight. Torres and/or Konsa manage the defence accordingly and I don't think anyone else is capable of adequately taking responsibility to take control.
-
Emery is a victim of his own success in his short time with us. He's massively overachieved and now expectations have gotten ahead of themselves . We are more realistically a top 6-8 side and I suspect that's where we will finish . The injuries to key players haven't helped but that's par for the course really in this league nowadays .
Can’t disagree with this. If we get players back over the next 3/4 weeks we can still finish strongly and then who knows.
-
The high back line is a thing of the past, well until we get Pau and Konsa back in tandem - this lot at the back don’t seem to be up to it mentally or physically. As for our distribution from the back, this is best viewed through your fingers…I really cannot see three of this current back four here next season, because as good as he is, Emery cannot get a tune out of the current back four, they’re mediocre at best.
-
Started well but it didn’t last long. Chelsea had time all over the pitch and we made Fernandez look like a £100m player and Madueke had an absolute field day.
I thought McGinn started ok and then went to absolute shite when he played that poor corner and Chelsea broke 3 on 1 against us, Doug was poor and how Kamara managed to stop on till the 86th minute is beyond me.
Only positives were both Diaby and Ramsey showed a few good signs and the return of Prize Where It Lies, although austerity has continued by not offering a free season ticket for a ‘bullseye’.
-
I for one won't be calling out the manager,I will be patience until that geezer at Aberdeen is free in the summer
-
Has anyone else spotted how, if a team presses us high up, and we play out slowly, we cannot seem to get going. Chelsea, like Newcastle pressed high up, made quick passes and, we had no answer. Emery is the best manager we’ve had in years but, not having a different style of play when other teams don’t give us the time to mess around at the back, he needs to be able to come up with an alternative.
I didn’t like the way we played in the second half against Sheffield as, sometimes you get stuck in the groove you ended the last match ie.slow, slow and even slower. OK when you’re winning 5-0 against a crap side but not when you play against a team that has something about them.
Yet last season at home to Newcastle, Martinez kicked it long almost every time and it worked a treat.
-
The high back line is a thing of the past, well until we get Pau and Konsa back in tandem - this lot at the back don’t seem to be up to it mentally or physically. As for our distribution from the back, this is best viewed through your fingers…I really cannot see three of this current back four here next season, because as good as he is, Emery cannot get a tune out of the current back four, they’re mediocre at best.
Man United can't afford to really play high up the pitch with Martinez out. That's a plus. I just think we need to match them up physically. McGinn on Shaw, Ramsey on Dalot. Bailey up with Watkins but dropping back onto the right wing at times to make a 5 in midfield. Keep our shape at all times with Kamara and Luiz staying goal side of the ball. Even the full backs to stay at home more. We can't have the likes of Garnacho and Rashford running unopposed at our CBs.
We are 8 points ahead of them in the table so a point is not a bad result. Let's turn it into a battle all over the pitch.
-
I for one won't be calling out the manager,I will be patience until that geezer at Aberdeen is free in the summer
Well, if he's half as good as the last Warnock we had...
-
There's nothing to excuse that. Absolutely nothing. Fucking embarrassing. To get out worked by a side as cowardly as Chelsea is utterly lamentable. We got nowhere near them, so loose in the press that it took a single pass time after time to beat. So loose in the pass that it lead to goals and nearly everything Chelsea created.
The marking for the 2nd. Just everything was fucking rotten. They quite clearly didn't give a single fuck about tonight. Emi aside, who didn't really have anything to do and wasn't at fault, the rest were fucking dire.
Cash is utter shite. Carlos and Lenglet look like the 4th and 5th choices they are. Fuck me I'd take Torres on one leg over those pair of clowns, who couldn't pass water, never mind play out. Fucking dire. Moreno, like Ramsey hasn't come back from injury. Kamara was probably the worst player on the park, aided by McGinn and Luiz who stunk the place out.
That was fucking disgusting. We've been hammered by 2 shite midtable teams and got lucky to concede just 3, at home in 2 games. Sort it the fuck out.
-
The lack of effort and uninterest shown by the players was a complete lack of respect to the paying home fans who turned up in numbers and deserved far better. Piss poor
-
Tomd, you’re backing up what I was saying. We are far too slow with our build up and, sometimes, it’s best to mix it up a bit like going long at times and playing short at other times. The way we played tonight was too predictable.
As someone else pointed out, we have 3 fairly quick players in Watkins, Bailey and Diaby but, we’re so slow getting the ball to them that they’re usually marked and no space to do much with the ball, other than play it backwards or sideways.
-
I don’t think I’ve seen our lads be as clueless, slow or bullied off the ball like this since the days of SG when nobody had any direction. I am very pleased to see Pau T back on the bench, hopefully to return and give the defence some purpose and if only we’d had him or Konsa tonight I think there would have been a lot more confidence overall. As it was, I wondered if Doug had fully recovered from whatever he had last week.
We’re a bit fragile when some key players are missing. Perhaps Chelsea’s prep was better than ours, this time, but the good news is that our key players will return and there’s still a useful gap in points between us and anybody below, in the PL. Onward!
-
https://youtu.be/33TgRK1M2e4?si=mTnHjBJMJtxrSZAM
-
Great free kick and all that, but that bloke taking his shirt off and pointing at his name?
Err, didn't you cost over 100 million? You've largely been utter shite.
-
I know there is a lot to point at as to why we lost but you can argue that Konsa playing RB or RCB is better than Cash, Carlos next to Pau with Digne is our best back four, and 3 of those are out right now. We are constantly shuffling the defenders and you can see they are not as comfortable with each other. Konsa would have played tonight and we’d have been so much better. I know the football media doesn’t recognize our long injury list but it’s real and it’s starting to hurt us.
-
Pathetic.
And yes, we’ve been well and truly found out. Put a bit of pressure on Luiz and Kamara and we fold.
Not one person involved comes out with any credit. But particular mentions to Cash, Lenglet, Kamara, Luiz and the star of the show; Diego Carlos who was not even fit to lace K. Hause or Engles boots tonight. What an absolute waste of money.
-
Play that back 4 for a season and you are in a relegation battle.
The foundation of a team is built on defence, games are won in midfield, if there is no foundation you lose the midfield battle.
Our back 4 was ragged and our midfield constantly under pressure.
Play the same way on Sunday we will get hammered.
Even Torres playing will not be enough, we need a change of plan.
-
There's nothing to excuse that. Absolutely nothing. Fucking embarrassing. To get out worked by a side as cowardly as Chelsea is utterly lamentable. We got nowhere near them, so loose in the press that it took a single pass time after time to beat. So loose in the pass that it lead to goals and nearly everything Chelsea created.
The marking for the 2nd. Just everything was fucking rotten. They quite clearly didn't give a single fuck about tonight. Emi aside, who didn't really have anything to do and wasn't at fault, the rest were fucking dire.
Cash is utter shite. Carlos and Lenglet look like the 4th and 5th choices they are. Fuck me I'd take Torres on one leg over those pair of clowns, who couldn't pass water, never mind play out. Fucking dire. Moreno, like Ramsey hasn't come back from injury. Kamara was probably the worst player on the park, aided by McGinn and Luiz who stunk the place out.
That was fucking disgusting. We've been hammered by 2 shite midtable teams and got lucky to concede just 3, at home in 2 games. Sort it the fuck out.
Glad you said all that as it is exactly how I feel
Apart from Torres back and Ramsey starting I can not see much that can change for Sunday.
Apart from, application, endeavour and a bit of actually giving a fuck.
-
This season is rapidly mirroring 1998/99. We imploded badly after January. Deadly Doug refused to push the boat out for Juninho and the season fizzled out.
-
Even Roy Keane and Karen Carney were bigging up the Villa before kick-off: "great team to watch, even though I'm a Birmingham fan, blah blah..."
And then they come out and blast projectile diarrhoea all over the park. Fucking typical!
-
Genuine question, why is the centre portion, the blue seats middle of the Trinity almost empty of spectators , when we have sold out ?
-
It was that bad last night that I wouldn't be completely surprised if reports came out of "suspicious betting patterns amongst Villa players friends and family"
Kamara, Carlos and Tielemans in particular played like they had a couple of weeks wages riding on a Chelsea win
-
When I saw that tickets were going for £3.50 and a voucher from the Argus, it seemed to foreshadow a not giving a fuck performance. I would have put it on the pre-match thread but I didn't.
-
It was another really poor night - the back 4 was awful but the midfield even worse. Worst display since Gerrards end days.
I’m not as bothered about the FA cup as some of you, and I can live with it if we beat Man Utd. But I was more concerned watching that than at any stage since Emery came in. It was worrying.
That said, we wasted a few great attacking opportunities early on and they scored with all of their chances (which were midfield calamities) and scored from has the softest of free kicks at a crucial time. As shit as we were, on another night we’d have scored one of the early chances, Bailey’s double effort would’ve gone in, McGinns shot would’ve gone either side of the keeper blah blah. As with Newcastle, it was a case of shit play and shit luck.
Anyway, it’s all about the weekend now. This game is so emotive. So many disappointments over the decades. Near misses, last minute goals for them that kickstarted their title winning runs. They love playing at VP etc etc. ******. I will forgive and forget last night if we sort those wankers out on the weekend.
-
Just read Emery’s after match comments. Think he was watching a completely different match to me!!
-
It's pretty obvious that, without 3 first choice centre backs and with naturally-attacking fullbacks, the system would need to be adapted and more cover be provided from midfield. That clearly didn't happen.
Sunday is massive.
-
What was going on with Watkins and the bloke in the Holte at full time?
-
Just read Emery’s after match comments. Think he was watching a completely different match to me!!
I do think we were better after 0-3, like we were against Newcastle, but it was too little, too late
-
Anyone noticed how in the press, if Chelsea beat a poor team away, it's sheer brilliance on their part. But if Villa do the same then it is largely due to how bad the opposition were...
-
What was going on with Watkins and the bloke in the Holte at full time?
He does seem to have a penchant for trying to get in amongst the crowd when we are doing badly
-
Last night was the first time I can remember being genuinely livid with this side with the performance they served up. To a man, it was absolutely pathetic across the board. Failing to pass and control the football seemed contagious. That can happen. But the lack of effort in tracking men and runs off the ball for the man in possession were just shocking. I hope this side haven’t started buying into the hype because they’re going to come crashing down to earth very very quickly if they have.
-
Genuine question, why is the centre portion, the blue seats middle of the Trinity almost empty of spectators , when we have sold out ?
Aren't these hospitality seats, where those in boxes can sit if they wish?
-
Was Carlos or Cash to blame for the first? I don’t want to watch it back but it appeared to me that Carlos was very reluctant or slow to get wide and engage the player before the cross came in, later he got away with a poor foul on the half way line but then still held onto the ball and gave the ref grief to get a yellow. He gave the ball away a lot as well but he wasn’t alone in that last night. There was a lot of competition last night but he was one of the worst performers.
-
Last night was the first time I can remember being genuinely livid with this side with the performance they served up. To a man, it was absolutely pathetic across the board. Failing to pass and control the football seemed contagious. That can happen. But the lack of effort in tracking men and runs off the ball for the man in possession were just shocking. I hope this side haven’t started buying into the hype because they’re going to come crashing down to earth very very quickly if they have.
agreed
-
Just read Emery’s after match comments. Think he was watching a completely different match to me!!
I do think we were better after 0-3, like we were against Newcastle, but it was too little, too late
That is down to the opposition sitting back and feeling like the game was won. Chelsea could have scored a couple more last night if they'd have been arsed
-
I think we were badly let down last night.
I can accept being beaten, but we were cowardly at home. An absolutely shameful showing.
-
Just read Emery’s after match comments. Think he was watching a completely different match to me!!
I do think we were better after 0-3, like we were against Newcastle, but it was too little, too late
That is down to the opposition sitting back and feeling like the game was won. Chelsea could have scored a couple more last night if they'd have been arsed
Yeah true 'nuff. Even though we were more lively and coherent after 0-3 they still looked like they could add a couple more if they wished
-
Their third was a great goal from a free kick which shouldn't have been given but Chelsea didn't have to do anything spector the first two. It was a case of drawing our full backs forward and playing the ball into the space behind them in order to pull our centre backs wide which left their midfielders loads of space in the penalty area.
-
Was Carlos or Cash to blame for the first? I don’t want to watch it back but it appeared to me that Carlos was very reluctant or slow to get wide and engage the player before the cross came in, later he got away with a poor foul on the half way line but then still held onto the ball and gave the ref grief to get a yellow. He gave the ball away a lot as well but he wasn’t alone in that last night. There was a lot of competition last night but he was one of the worst performers.
It was Kamara losing the ball in midfield (which happened countless times) that was the problem. The defending afterwards was shite too, but the catalyst was Kamara, who seems to have an absolute shocker now and again.
-
Villa were poor last night. Lowlights included how poorly the back 4 as a collective played. We didn’t catch them off side once. It was all so out of sync. From that the midfield decided to have a night off with Dougie trying to get off the pitch when the subs were being made. Why, when the game is over at 3-0 Unai didn’t take off Luiz who may have been suffering from whatever ailment he had on Saturday I do not know.
Emery said in his press conference that only one team over a season can win the cup but a number can get in to Europe, specifically the champions league. If that reflects a priority for this squad before the game it has to be our aim for the season now.
Please let’s not get battered by another mid table mediocre side on Sunday.
-
Emery said in his press conference that only one team over a season can win the cup but a number can get in to Europe, specifically the champions league. If that reflects a priority for this squad before the game it has to be our aim for the season now.
If Unai had shared those thoughts on priorities with the players beforehand it's baffling as to why he'd select his strongest possible team with a massive league game coming up this weekend.
-
Perhaps what is now most worrying is that whilst we know that last night's midfield can collectively improve significantly upon last night's showing, playing against reasonably decent opposition, it's equally clear that the back four can't.
-
Chelsea aren't your usual mid-table fodder. They are packed full with international players who cost a billion pounds to assemble. They've been extremely hit and miss this year, but when they've been more hit they've gone toe to toe with the best teams in the league. The problem isn't that we were beaten by Chelsea. Same with Newcastle. The problem is that we've been so far off it for our last two home games it'\s been unbelievable. The injuries are the main problem and we desperately need some luck now with that. We are going into an absolutely crucial period of the season, and I'm trying to avoid hyperbole here, but our history/future. If we miss out on CL this season, I can't honestly see us ever getting into the fucking competition again.
Man Utd won't be a bit average forever, and neither will Chelsea. It's this year or bust for this version of the Villa, and another version might not come along again in a hurry.
-
The early season start and European adventures are catching up with our thin/injured squad.
i think we should cut them some slack its been a great season regardless.
Some perspective.
-
Genuine question, why is the centre portion, the blue seats middle of the Trinity almost empty of spectators , when we have sold out ?
Aren't these hospitality seats, where those in boxes can sit if they wish?
Thanks
-
The early season start and European adventures are catching up with our thin/injured squad.
i think we should cut them some slack its been a great season regardless.
Some perspective.
No, sorry but no. I won't see 6th or lower as a good season now, even with a win in the conference league (which we are the most obvious favourites to win). I honestly don't care how that makes me sound. We are the only big club in the land not to have played in the top competition (in the modern era). We have to put that to bed.
-
After our little flurry, the one commentator said, Chelsea have weathered the storm, the other replied, more like a shower.
He could of been referring to us and our general performance.
-
Any side that has to start both their 4th and 5th choice CBs is going to see a drop off. Midfield needs to step up and last night they didn't, they were shit. Next 4 games are Man U (h), Fulham (a), Forest (h) and Luton (a). Plenty of points to be had there, it's up to the manger, coaches and players to get them.
-
Genuine question, why is the centre portion, the blue seats middle of the Trinity almost empty of spectators , when we have sold out ?
Those are the corporate seats - 1982 Restaurant / 1982 Lounge / Heineken Lounge etc . Looks like take up on tickets last night was poor or those in there didn't bother coming back out for the 2nd half and stayed inside in the warm watching the TV and drinking.
-
The early season start and European adventures are catching up with our thin/injured squad.
i think we should cut them some slack its been a great season regardless.
Some perspective.
Where we end up will determine whether it’s a great season - first half was exceptionally good, but if we completely fall away it won’t be good.
-
My priority every season is always shiny things and my one wish is to see us win the FA Cup so that performance in a long line of abysmal FA Cup submissions(including 2 bloody finals) was sooooo annoying.
With a sense of perspective having slept on it it’s key that come Sunday we get back on the horse and see a reaction but it also highlights where the summer surgery is needed….Lenglet & Carlos are definitely not good enough, Mings if he comes back will need a few months to get back up to speed so in reality we need to buy two centre halves who are capable of standing in for & challenging Konsa and Torres. Right back, again Cash flatters and doesn’t give enough at either end of the pitch, willing but his touch is just not good enough. Decisions need to be made at left back too, personally I think you go with a Moreno or a Digne + a left back who can actually defend where needed.
The performance and the lack of reaction from the bench is still very raw but I think it’s clear that we are a work in progress and in reality with that back four we have been a little on quick sand since Christmas time…Torres and Konsa there with Kamara dropping in to allow the full backs to go we look fluid…these two just don’t cut it.
-
I wish we'd stop entering the stupid competition. No intention of winning it, so let's save our legs and save our money and not bother. Total waste of time.
-
I wish we'd stop entering the stupid competition. No intention of winning it, so let's save our legs and save our money and not bother. Total waste of time.
I kind of wish that were the case, though, because I fear that shit show last night WAS us trying to win the match.
That’s even more worrying.
-
I think an element of self-doubt/imposter syndrome has kicked in too. My fear is the Sheff Utd/Man Utd will go down as the turning point this season. The "Moscow/Stoke" moment.
-
Stick the kids in, play the home ties at Bescot and refuse any television coverage. Let's face it, the competition is cursed.
-
I wish we'd stop entering the stupid competition. No intention of winning it, so let's save our legs and save our money and not bother. Total waste of time.
I kind of wish that were the case, though, because I fear that shit show last night WAS us trying to win the match.
That’s even more worrying.
I dunno, they looked like they couldn't be arsed. We have to think about how spinless and cowardly a side we were playing. Then ponder how we couldn't be bothered to close or move off the ball. It wasn't just that we were absolute fucking shite, it was how lacking in effort we were too. That's what makes the performance so embarrassingly disgusting.
-
On the plus side, I left after an hour and the traffic wasn't a problem.
Once again, the abject pheromone was in the air and it was clear what would happen after about 10 minutes. I don't even want to think it but no further games in this competition may be a blessing given how thin we're spread right now.
-
No further games ever. What's the point. You will never see us win it.
-
The early season start and European adventures are catching up with our thin/injured squad.
i think we should cut them some slack its been a great season regardless.
Some perspective.
We’ve not even started March yet! That traditionally is even worse.
-
No further games ever. What's the point. You will never see us win it.
Yeah, I think I've resigned myself to that now.
-
The point about you knew the way the game was going to go after ten minutes of the match thread still holds true. Never at one point last night did I think we would get back into the game.
-
The atmosphere seemed really great aswell for the first 5 mins or so , it seemed like the ingredients were there for a great night
-
We’ve had some great nights at Villa Park this season
Last night wasn’t one of them
Last night was the worst of them
Embarrassing performance with no redeeming features whatsoever
You can look at the two makeshift central defenders who were rubbish, but what about the rest of the team who were also rubbish
Carbon copy of the Newcastle game in the first half, beggars belief You can sit and watch that for 45 minutes then turn out exactly the same tactics and players for the second half and expected to be any different.
I’ve no idea what Emery was doing last night but whatever it was it didn’t work
-
Maybe it’s because the players knew it would be a big tv audience? On straight after Corrie or at least that slot.
-
Played poorly for around 80 minutes last night, Kamara, Luiz and Tielemans were way off it with so many stray passes.
I can't recall Chelsea being caught offside once and Chelsea and Newcastle played similarly with the high press meaning we couldn't play the build up from the back as we normally would. The weekends game will be just as tough I think.
-
Any side that has to start both their 4th and 5th choice CBs is going to see a drop off. Midfield needs to step up and last night they didn't, they were shit. Next 4 games are Man U (h), Fulham (a), Forest (h) and Luton (a). Plenty of points to be had there, it's up to the manger, coaches and players to get them.
Totally agree about the centre back situation. Lenglet and Carlos are only fit for back up imo. Our defence was woeful last night so much so that the world's best keeper couldn't save us from a demoralising defeat.The midfield went missing in action and Kamara had a kamikaze night to forget. And as if things couldn't get any worse I spent the half time chatting to a Sikh chap in the Trinity Rd who was visibly upset after being racially abused in the gents. Seems we still have a section of bigoted neanderthals in our midst. A thoroughly depressing evening all round although I did get to spend it with my lad who travelled back from uni for our first match together this season. I said to him that hopefully he'll get to see us lift the FA cup in his lifetime because I probably won't.
-
Any side that has to start both their 4th and 5th choice CBs is going to see a drop off. Midfield needs to step up and last night they didn't, they were shit. Next 4 games are Man U (h), Fulham (a), Forest (h) and Luton (a). Plenty of points to be had there, it's up to the manger, coaches and players to get them.
Totally agree about the centre back situation. Lenglet and Carlos are only fit for back up imo. Our defence was woeful last night so much so that the world's best keeper couldn't save us from a demoralising defeat.The midfield went missing in action and Kamara had a kamikaze night to forget. And as if things couldn't get any worse I spent the half time chatting to a Sikh chap in the Trinity Rd who was visibly upset after being racially abused in the gents. Seems we still have a section of bigoted neanderthals in our midst. A thoroughly depressing evening all round although I did get to spend it with my lad who travelled back from uni for our first match together this season. I said to him that hopefully he'll get to see us lift the FA cup in his lifetime because I probably won't.
I wonder if it's chance that the abuse took place in the one place where the culprit couldn't be subsequently indentified on camera.
Fucking areshole.
-
The next month the biggest issue weve got to sort is this RB spot. Cash if he HAS to play then needs to treat it like a 3rd centre back and have zero license to go up field. His runs forward (and then snail pace cover/track back) meant Kamara was leaving CM to drop to RB and Tielemens dropping deeper to cover Kamara.
Doesnt work as moving key cogs out purely to cover
If Cash cannot do the disciplined RB role then we need to look at other options. Carlos maybe? pair Pau and Lenglet together for next few weeks?
Its a tricky one
-
The next month the biggest issue weve got to sort is this RB spot. Cash if he HAS to play then needs to treat it like a 3rd centre back and have zero license to go up field. His runs forward (and then snail pace cover/track back) meant Kamara was leaving CM to drop to RB and Tielemens dropping deeper to cover Kamara.
Doesnt work as moving key cogs out purely to cover
If Cash cannot do the disciplined RB role then we need to look at other options. Carlos maybe? pair Pau and Lenglet together for next few weeks?
Its a tricky one
Carlos hasn't got the pace or tactical nous to play in his natural position as a central defender. Moving him to right back would be a car crash and make things even worse.
-
I think Cash has regressed badly this season. Whether it’s a confidence thing but he just hardly ever seems to make runs forward now and his defending has always been suspect so not really adding much value currently.
-
Give KKH a go can’t be much worse.
-
The next month the biggest issue weve got to sort is this RB spot. Cash if he HAS to play then needs to treat it like a 3rd centre back and have zero license to go up field. His runs forward (and then snail pace cover/track back) meant Kamara was leaving CM to drop to RB and Tielemens dropping deeper to cover Kamara.
Doesnt work as moving key cogs out purely to cover
If Cash cannot do the disciplined RB role then we need to look at other options. Carlos maybe? pair Pau and Lenglet together for next few weeks?
Its a tricky one
Well Kessler-Hayden has had 3 weeks training with the squad now, throw him in
-
Profile wise, as close to Konsa as we can get. Bogarde
-
Any side that has to start both their 4th and 5th choice CBs is going to see a drop off. Midfield needs to step up and last night they didn't, they were shit. Next 4 games are Man U (h), Fulham (a), Forest (h) and Luton (a). Plenty of points to be had there, it's up to the manger, coaches and players to get them.
Totally agree about the centre back situation. Lenglet and Carlos are only fit for back up imo. Our defence was woeful last night so much so that the world's best keeper couldn't save us from a demoralising defeat.The midfield went missing in action and Kamara had a kamikaze night to forget. And as if things couldn't get any worse I spent the half time chatting to a Sikh chap in the Trinity Rd who was visibly upset after being racially abused in the gents. Seems we still have a section of bigoted neanderthals in our midst. A thoroughly depressing evening all round although I did get to spend it with my lad who travelled back from uni for our first match together this season. I said to him that hopefully he'll get to see us lift the FA cup in his lifetime because I probably won't.
I hope the fella reported it to the club. They could potentially identify him from CCTV on the concourse. It's sad that such shit still goes these days.
-
Last night it almost seemed as if the aim was to get through the match without any injuries or red cards.
-
Although.
I see that Jackson, who has proven himself incapable of hitting a barn door from three paces, is playing.
Traditionally, we all know what would happen now.
*stabs self in face with large knife*
I was just getting out of my car listening to the radio commentary when he scored, I immediately thought of this post.
-
Last night it almost seemed as if the aim was to get through the match without any injuries or red cards.
Carlos seemed to be going out of his way to get sent off. I can only put the lack of effort and intensity being down to instructions to conserve energy for Sunday.
-
We were rubbish.
They were half decent.
The subs were made too late.
The ref was awful.
-
We were rubbish.
They were half decent.
The subs were made too late.
The ref was awful.
The ref didn’t appear to be in possession of a pair of bollocks.
-
We were rubbish.
They were half decent.
The subs were made too late.
The ref was awful.
Was the ref awful though? I know football fans like to complain about referees but I don't think he did too much wrong to be honest. The free kick for the 3rd goal was incorrect but from the referees angle of view it may have looked different
-
Yes, the ref was a bit naff.
-
Yes, the ref was a bit naff.
I suspect that every single post match thread where we have been defeated will have numerous posters saying the ref was awful. I genuinely don't think the ref was that bad last night. One decision but again without knowing the angle the ref was viewing it from its difficult to assess.
-
It's nothing to do with how we played or the result, I just didn't think much of him.
-
He gave every marginal to them. Stopped us taking a FK from the incorrect place twice, but let them take one 20 yards from where it should've been taken. Let Palmer stop every FK with impunity, watched on as Chelsea held a touchline coaching session/break mid second half while they took an age over a sub. Booked their keeper for time wasting in response to the home crowd and added 4 mins in when it should've been 8/10.
He looked in thrall to them and dismissive of us. It didn't make a happ'orth of difference to the result but it doesn't make it right either.
-
How many times did Caicedo foul a player without a talking to let alone a yellow card.
-
Re the amount of injury time; I'm convinced that in games where it's one-sided, the referee (he still decides the number of minutes added-on, right?) opts not to apply the letter of the law when totting-up the true stoppages, instead suggesting a low amount to put the losing side out of their misery.
-
We were rubbish.
They were half decent.
The subs were made too late.
The ref was awful.
Was the ref awful though? I know football fans like to complain about referees but I don't think he did too much wrong to be honest. The free kick for the 3rd goal was incorrect but from the referees angle of view it may have looked different
He’s was as bad as they normally are. Refereeing in the richest league in the world is as bad as I’ve ever seen it. A mixture of VAR and rules changing like the wind doesn’t make it easier for them but let’s be honest the standards are very low.
-
Our injury list is now costing us. Too many key players out and their replacements nowhere near good enough. Couple that with the midfield all having an off night and you get the result we had. We have no option but to play Carlos but as someone mentioned earlier, Chambers might be better, he can't be that much worse and doesn't look like a yellow with every tackle.
-
Our injury list is now costing us. Too many key players out and their replacements nowhere near good enough. Couple that with the midfield all having an off night and you get the result we had. We have no option but to play Carlos but as someone mentioned earlier, Chambers might be better, he can't be that much worse and doesn't look like a yellow with every tackle.
It’s the second consecutive “off night” at home, it’s tactical as well as personnel.
-
Any side that has to start both their 4th and 5th choice CBs is going to see a drop off. Midfield needs to step up and last night they didn't, they were shit. Next 4 games are Man U (h), Fulham (a), Forest (h) and Luton (a). Plenty of points to be had there, it's up to the manger, coaches and players to get them.
Totally agree about the centre back situation. Lenglet and Carlos are only fit for back up imo. Our defence was woeful last night so much so that the world's best keeper couldn't save us from a demoralising defeat.The midfield went missing in action and Kamara had a kamikaze night to forget. And as if things couldn't get any worse I spent the half time chatting to a Sikh chap in the Trinity Rd who was visibly upset after being racially abused in the gents. Seems we still have a section of bigoted neanderthals in our midst. A thoroughly depressing evening all round although I did get to spend it with my lad who travelled back from uni for our first match together this season. I said to him that hopefully he'll get to see us lift the FA cup in his lifetime because I probably won't.
I hope the fella reported it to the club. They could potentially identify him from CCTV on the concourse. It's sad that such shit still goes these days.
He said he had spoken to a steward who asked him to stand opposite the toilet that the abuse took place at the half time interval to try and identify him. I don't think he did spot him so it's really difficult to identify him although he did give the steward a description. Hopefully it gets escalated because arseholes like that need kicking out.
-
We were rubbish.
They were half decent.
The subs were made too late.
The ref was awful.
Was the ref awful though? I know football fans like to complain about referees but I don't think he did too much wrong to be honest. The free kick for the 3rd goal was incorrect but from the referees angle of view it may have looked different
He’s was as bad as they normally are. Refereeing in the richest league in the world is as bad as I’ve ever seen it. A mixture of VAR and rules changing like the wind doesn’t make it easier for them but let’s be honest the standards are very low.
Let's face it if he makes a mistake that goes against a team like Chelsea it's all over the media, the other way 'round and it's more or less dismissed. Every bit of coverage was about the opposition in the build up to yesterdays game, Lee Dixon was cheerleading for Chelsea on TV sat alongside a Chelsea fan commentating. You can't tell me that ref's are immune to all this, there is an unconscious bias in the way they ref games for certain teams and it's been like this for decades.
-
The ref had bugger all to do with our inability to string two passes together, or for either of our full backs to actually mark somebody.
-
The pre-match talk about Poch being 'under pressure' didn't help. If we'd got a goal in those early attacks they may have crumbled, but it was all set up for a Chelsea 'performance' to relieve the 'beleaguered boss' etc.
-
The ref had bugger all to do with our inability to string two passes together, or for either of our full backs to actually mark somebody.
Yeah, our passing was a bad as I've seen it under Unai. No one seemed immune from it.
-
For me our midfield aren’t as good or confident in front of these 2 centre halves as when it’s Torres and Konsa…Carlos in particular just makes me nervous…Konsa’s pace digs us out on the high line so often…these two feel way to slow to play it well.
We weren't undone by our high-line last night though. Chelsea played through us with ease in the middle because they were more aggressive with their pressing and accurate with their passing. They also had too much pace and power on the flanks for our weedy full-backs (Leon struggled helping out too).
-
Blaming the ref is pathetic and just a cop out
-
Lots of misplaced passing, which I just don't understand. Not even difficult passes, we were just totally off it even with the simple stuff. Did Chelsea press so well that it threw off our rhythm? I hope not, as we really don't want to be creating a blue-print for how to beat us. I do think we tend to beat the press far better with Pau in the side, so hopefully that will improve starting this weekend.
-
Torres passing sets up a lot of our attacking intent and puts opposition on backfoot. He worked very well with Digne.
We have effectively a 2nd string defence and it shows.
-
Any side that has to start both their 4th and 5th choice CBs is going to see a drop off. Midfield needs to step up and last night they didn't, they were shit. Next 4 games are Man U (h), Fulham (a), Forest (h) and Luton (a). Plenty of points to be had there, it's up to the manger, coaches and players to get them.
Totally agree about the centre back situation. Lenglet and Carlos are only fit for back up imo. Our defence was woeful last night so much so that the world's best keeper couldn't save us from a demoralising defeat.The midfield went missing in action and Kamara had a kamikaze night to forget. And as if things couldn't get any worse I spent the half time chatting to a Sikh chap in the Trinity Rd who was visibly upset after being racially abused in the gents. Seems we still have a section of bigoted neanderthals in our midst. A thoroughly depressing evening all round although I did get to spend it with my lad who travelled back from uni for our first match together this season. I said to him that hopefully he'll get to see us lift the FA cup in his lifetime because I probably won't.
I hope the fella reported it to the club. They could potentially identify him from CCTV on the concourse. It's sad that such shit still goes these days.
He said he had spoken to a steward who asked him to stand opposite the toilet that the abuse took place at the half time interval to try and identify him. I don't think he did spot him so it's really difficult to identify him although he did give the steward a description. Hopefully it gets escalated because arseholes like that need kicking out.
there are some absolute arseholes out there.
-
For me our midfield aren’t as good or confident in front of these 2 centre halves as when it’s Torres and Konsa…Carlos in particular just makes me nervous…Konsa’s pace digs us out on the high line so often…these two feel way to slow to play it well.
We weren't undone by our high-line last night though. Chelsea played through us with ease in the middle because they were more aggressive with their pressing and accurate with their passing. They also had too much pace and power on the flanks for our weedy full-backs (Leon struggled helping out too).
Yep nothing to do with the high line last night. Their passing movement and finishing was just far superior. They hunted in packs.
They looked like what we did until about 6 weeks ago.
-
Blaming the ref is pathetic and just a cop out
I've not seen anyone blame the ref. I've questioned his performance, as have others, but also stated that it had nothing to do with the result.
-
Blaming the ref is pathetic and just a cop out
I've not seen anyone blame the ref. I've questioned his performance, as have others, but also stated that it had nothing to do with the result.
I'd question our performance rather than the Ref unless you are trying to shift the blame
-
Blaming the ref is pathetic and just a cop out
I've not seen anyone blame the ref. I've questioned his performance, as have others, but also stated that it had nothing to do with the result.
I'd question our performance rather than the Ref unless you are trying to shift the blame
And you are just trolling.
-
Blaming the ref is pathetic and just a cop out
I've not seen anyone blame the ref. I've questioned his performance, as have others, but also stated that it had nothing to do with the result.
He was very inkeeping with how we played. Awful ref.
-
When I saw that tickets were going for £3.50 and a voucher from the Argus, it seemed to foreshadow a not giving a fuck performance. I would have put it on the pre-match thread but I didn't.
The clues were there.
-
Blaming the ref is pathetic and just a cop out
I've not seen anyone blame the ref. I've questioned his performance, as have others, but also stated that it had nothing to do with the result.
Yeah, ref was poor but ot didn't affect the result in any way. He gave them pretty much everything when one of thir players went down, yet waved play on a fair few times when ours did in similar circumstances.
-
It was pretty clear they were told before the game that Sunday is the number one priority.
Hence the lack of effort and intensity.
-
It was pretty clear they were told before the game that Sunday is the number one priority.
Hence the lack of effort and intensity.
That doesn't explain a similar lack of intensity against Newcastle.
-
Emery should have just picked the kids for the boro game and taken inglorious exit right away back in the 3rd round.Two needless games against chelsea a massive waste of time. Clearly the players want their mid week days off back before the conf league starts. Tilemans was beyond crap last night and so was Kamara first half he might aswell been wearing a blue shirt. At least Diarby got a goal it might give him a boost.
-
Blaming the ref is pathetic and just a cop out
It is possible to be critical of the ref and at the same time accept that we were crap you know.
-
Blaming the ref is pathetic and just a cop out
I've not seen anyone blame the ref. I've questioned his performance, as have others, but also stated that it had nothing to do with the result.
He was very inkeeping with how we played. Awful ref.
Definitely no room……for errors.
-
Last night was my fault. I didn't wear my lucky shirt. Lesson learnt. if someone could just tell Unai that would be great.
-
It was pretty clear they were told before the game that Sunday is the number one priority.
Hence the lack of effort and intensity.
That doesn't explain a similar lack of intensity against Newcastle.
I actually thought that we did start with some intensity until the fuckers scored. Well, certainly more than against Newcastle anyway. It was a bit sods law that the ****** saved their performance of the season for last night, although i suppose you could argue that we allowed them to do so to an extent.
-
My son virtually never slates a player, but on the way home last night stated Cash isnt good enough for where we want to get to.
No one player to blame for the shit show, but i think unfortunately statement from R&B junior
-
We were really, really crap. Individually, collectively and tactically woeful. Had our arses handed to us by an utterly pathetic Chelsea side. Man U are much better and are likely to counter-attack us to death on Sunday.
Unai is slightly hamstrung with the changes he can make, given our injury issues. Although he and we seemed to give up last night.
Can we stop the fireworks now too please? Everything that follows becomes a damp squib. Also worried we could be one firework display from falling foul of FFP. A Catherine Wheel away from a 10-point deduction.
-
Left before our goal and can’t even bring myself to search it out.
-
We were really, really crap. Individually, collectively and tactically woeful. Had our arses handed to us by an utterly pathetic Chelsea side. Man U are much better and are likely to counter-attack us to death on Sunday.
Unai is slightly hamstrung with the changes he can make, given our injury issues. Although he and we seemed to give up last night.
Can we stop the fireworks now too please? Everything that follows becomes a damp squib. Also worried we could be one firework display from falling foul of FFP. A Catherine Wheel away from a 10-point deduction.
Well, we certainly need a rocket.
-
Left before our goal and can’t even bring myself to search it out.
Identical finish to his one from Burnley away, hopefully its the confidence boost he needed.
-
It was a great goal, despite Dixon's best efforts to write it off as a scuffed shot.
-
Did anyone else think Ollie Watkins was about to kick the Chelsea goalkeeper into the holte end in frustration when he chased him down near the end of the game?
-
Can we stop the fireworks now too please? Everything that follows becomes a damp squib. Also worried we could be one firework display from falling foul of FFP.
It was kind of ironic at half time that they put so much effort into telling us how Pyrotechnics inside the ground will not be tolerated. Apart from them being a pollutant waste of money why not practice what you preach.
-
We were really, really crap. Individually, collectively and tactically woeful. Had our arses handed to us by an utterly pathetic Chelsea side. Man U are much better and are likely to counter-attack us to death on Sunday.
Unai is slightly hamstrung with the changes he can make, given our injury issues. Although he and we seemed to give up last night.
Can we stop the fireworks now too please? Everything that follows becomes a damp squib. Also worried we could be one firework display from falling foul of FFP. A Catherine Wheel away from a 10-point deduction.
Yes agree with this. Also pretty much sums up the previous week against Newcastle?
-
Always gutted, when we go out of the FA Cup, but after the Sheffield United performance, the display last night was particularly hard to take.
67 years and still counting.
-
Looking at our abject defence it occurred to me that we don't seem to breed central defenders in the academy. Who was the last one to come through?
-
Looking at our abject defence it occurred to me that we don't seem to breed central defenders in the academy. Who was the last one to come through?
Cahill ?
-
Looking at our abject defence it occurred to me that we don't seem to breed central defenders in the academy. Who was the last one to come through?
Cahill ?
And we sold him to accommodate Zat Knight
-
Looking at our abject defence it occurred to me that we don't seem to breed central defenders in the academy. Who was the last one to come through?
Bogarde, Swinkels, and Feeney?! - don't know how good any of them are, other than that Feeney is highly rated and has been on our bench a couple of times.
-
Against the jawdies and Chelski, we were apparently out-pressed, exposing our CB's and leaving our FB adrift (I missed both games). It seems pretty obvious that, without 3 first choice centre backs and with naturally-attacking fullbacks, the system would need to be adapted and more cover be provided from midfield. That clearly didn't happen. For Sunday, given the CB situation, they'd be best off playing Watkins and Rogers and playing the ball out quickly and directly rather than fannying about at the back.
-
Torres beats the press and then waltzes into midfield and plays a ball Pirlo would be proud of. Hard to defend against that without disrupting your shape. And of course when you do, space opens up for the transition to quicken. We cannot play the way we do effectively without him.
-
Looking at our abject defence it occurred to me that we don't seem to breed central defenders in the academy. Who was the last one to come through?
Bogarde, Swinkels, and Feeney?! - don't know how good any of them are, other than that Feeney is highly rated and has been on our bench a couple of times.
None of them have made it yet. Who did we last blood and sell to do well?
-
Looking at our abject defence it occurred to me that we don't seem to breed central defenders in the academy. Who was the last one to come through?
Bogarde, Swinkels, and Feeney?! - don't know how good any of them are, other than that Feeney is highly rated and has been on our bench a couple of times.
None of them have made it yet. Who did we last blood and sell to do well?
Agreed.
Baker and Ridgewell at a pinch; Cahill; Barry (played CB when he first came in); Ormsby.
Not a great CB factory, I'll grant you!
-
I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch the goals, any care to explain how it went wrong each time?
-
Looking at our abject defence it occurred to me that we don't seem to breed central defenders in the academy. Who was the last one to come through?
Cahill ?
And we sold him to accommodate Zat Knight
we've certainly spunked some serious dollars on crap CB's down the years - Davis / Dunne / Collins / Engels / Okore / Lescott / Richards . etc
-
The repeated suggestions that we were holding back in preparation for Sunday is a little bit delusional, in my opinion. People are reaching for a reason, there isn't one (barring injuries), we were just shit.
-
Left before our goal and can’t even bring myself to search it out.
Me too. Still haven't seen his goal against Newcastle either.
-
interesting that our 4 best defenders not being available, and that's what happens.
-
Looking at our abject defence it occurred to me that we don't seem to breed central defenders in the academy. Who was the last one to come through?
Cahill ?
And we sold him to accommodate Zat Knight
Ciaran Clark
-
Nathan Baker
-
I thought that the Pike tribute should have ended pre match. Unfortunately our players decided to continue it into the game by playing like Dad's Army.
If we can get a result on Sunday I remain confident with the fixtures that follow it will be onwards and upwards.
-
I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch the goals, any care to explain how it went wrong each time?
From memory Kamara was in possession for the first and toe poked it straight to two Chelsea players allowing them to break quickly, Gallagher was unmarked.
Moreno had two players to mark on his own allowing the ball to come into the box, the worst striker in the league was unmarked.
The ref deemed that an air shot from a Chelsea player was a foul by Tielemens despite the lack of contact. The resulting free kick was sublime.
-
To be fair to Kamara, he was being pressed high up the field by 3x Chelsea players, exactly what the plan is, they are over committed, we play around them and attack. It didn't work. It has plenty of times over the last year.
High risk, high reward.
-
Looking back to that run we had between March and the end of last season, Mings cut out any mistakes and starting driving forwards in a way he never had before. Konsa was his immaculate usual self, Cash was fairly solid, Moreno was dynamic , especially combining with Ramsey down the left, but Unai still brought Digne on for a spell most games to do a shoring up job.
Then we bring in Torres in the summer and I think we can all see why now, to do exactly as Ads has described earlier in the thread-break the press.
Out of all that group, last night we had Moreno, who still hasnt got back to his old self yet after a serious injury and is still without a firing Ramsey supporting him. And we have Cash, who has largely lost any form, or has been found out as not up to top four level. Ill acknowledge i don’t like Konsa right back, but Emery is right to have him there instead of Cash.
Anyway, the point Im making is we’ve been decimated and even with Torres back we lose Konsa now. Emery is an amazing manager, but this is a huge test now to get certain players (Carlos and Cash in particular) to get to the required capability.
Hopefully Ramsey can get back to speed to help Moreno.
-
Even Roy Keane and Karen Carney were bigging up the Villa before kick-off: "great team to watch, even though I'm a Birmingham fan, blah blah..."
And then they come out and blast projectile diarrhoea all over the park. Fucking typical!
Karen is a good pundit
-
I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch the goals, any care to explain how it went wrong each time?
Painful but
1 - Kamara loses ball badly, Cash out of position on break letting Jackson have a free run into Carlos, cross gets laid out for Gallagher to side foot home past a pathetic Luiz effort to block shot
2 - Manduike gets turned on ball under no pressure in midfield and with both McGinn and Luiz caught ahead of the ball , free cross given to their right back, Jackson heads home while Carlos marks thin air
3 - harsh free kick given against Tielemans really but again a Chelsea player gets turned on ball behind our midfield, this happened all night. Fine strike though I think Martinez will be disappointed as he got fingers to it
Summary - full backs given no support, space between CBs and CMs far too big all night
-
Looking at our abject defence it occurred to me that we don't seem to breed central defenders in the academy. Who was the last one to come through?
Cahill ?
And we sold him to accommodate Zat Knight
Curtis Davies really, Knight was only ever a backup for Davies and Laursen
-
Looking at our abject defence it occurred to me that we don't seem to breed central defenders in the academy. Who was the last one to come through?
Cahill ?
And we sold him to accommodate Zat Knight
Curtis Davies really, Knight was only ever a backup for Davies and Laursen
The £10m pub player who we sold for £250k not long after. Atrocious signing
-
Looking at our abject defence it occurred to me that we don't seem to breed central defenders in the academy. Who was the last one to come through?
Cahill ?
And we sold him to accommodate Zat Knight
Curtis Davies really, Knight was only ever a backup for Davies and Laursen
The £10m pub player who we sold for £250k not long after. Atrocious signing
Not sure there were too many complaints at the time. He did ok for us next to Laursen anyway. MON didn't really need to go get Cuellar, Collins and Dunne, Cuellar was incredibly average for one.
Cahill didn't star immediately post Villa either, remember Carew destroying him on a couple of occasions. Miles better with the ball than Davies though.
All better than Carlos, including Zat Knight!
-
The next month the biggest issue weve got to sort is this RB spot. Cash if he HAS to play then needs to treat it like a 3rd centre back and have zero license to go up field. His runs forward (and then snail pace cover/track back) meant Kamara was leaving CM to drop to RB and Tielemens dropping deeper to cover Kamara.
Doesnt work as moving key cogs out purely to cover
If Cash cannot do the disciplined RB role then we need to look at other options. Carlos maybe? pair Pau and Lenglet together for next few weeks?
Its a tricky one
Carlos hasn't got the pace or tactical nous to play in his natural position as a central defender. Moving him to right back would be a car crash and make things even worse.
The only right back place for Carlos is right back to Sevilla.
-
I am a little disappointed that Emery seems stuck in playing out from the back even when injuries mean we have a drop in player quality. If we are constantly being pressed and losing the ball surely the game plan has to change. Would agree overall though that injuries have led to a loss of confidence, If we get a result against the reds then we are somewhat back on track.
-
I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch the goals, any care to explain how it went wrong each time?
Painful but
1 - Kamara loses ball badly, Cash out of position on break letting Jackson have a free run into Carlos, cross gets laid out for Gallagher to side foot home past a pathetic Luiz effort to block shot
2 - Manduike gets turned on ball under no pressure in midfield and with both McGinn and Luiz caught ahead of the ball , free cross given to their right back, Jackson heads home while Carlos marks thin air
3 - harsh free kick given against Tielemans really but again a Chelsea player gets turned on ball behind our midfield, this happened all night. Fine strike though I think Martinez will be disappointed as he got fingers to it
Summary - full backs given no support, space between CBs and CMs far too big all night
Cheers - masters of our own downfall in many ways. Fingers crossed for a reaction on Sunday.
-
I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch the goals, any care to explain how it went wrong each time?
Painful but
1 - Kamara loses ball badly, Cash out of position on break letting Jackson have a free run into Carlos, cross gets laid out for Gallagher to side foot home past a pathetic Luiz effort to block shot
2 - Manduike gets turned on ball under no pressure in midfield and with both McGinn and Luiz caught ahead of the ball , free cross given to their right back, Jackson heads home while Carlos marks thin air
3 - harsh free kick given against Tielemans really but again a Chelsea player gets turned on ball behind our midfield, this happened all night. Fine strike though I think Martinez will be disappointed as he got fingers to it
Summary - full backs given no support, space between CBs and CMs far too big all night
Brilliant summary. All self inflicted. It could have been way more but Chelsea went easy on us after the 2nd. But all will be forgiven if we show some mettle on Sunday. A battling draw is absolutely fine by me.
-
I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch the goals, any care to explain how it went wrong each time?
Painful but
1 - Kamara loses ball badly, Cash out of position on break letting Jackson have a free run into Carlos, cross gets laid out for Gallagher to side foot home past a pathetic Luiz effort to block shot
2 - Manduike gets turned on ball under no pressure in midfield and with both McGinn and Luiz caught ahead of the ball , free cross given to their right back, Jackson heads home while Carlos marks thin air
3 - harsh free kick given against Tielemans really but again a Chelsea player gets turned on ball behind our midfield, this happened all night. Fine strike though I think Martinez will be disappointed as he got fingers to it
Summary - full backs given no support, space between CBs and CMs far too big all night
Brilliant summary. All self inflicted. It could have been way more but Chelsea went easy on us after the 2nd. But all will be forgiven if we show some mettle on Sunday. A battling draw is absolutely fine by me.
Didn't just go easy on us. Their goalkeeper got booked for time-wasting when they were 3-0 up. Shows how low their confidence is from being shit the rest of the time.
-
I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch the goals, any care to explain how it went wrong each time?
Painful but
1 - Kamara loses ball badly, Cash out of position on break letting Jackson have a free run into Carlos, cross gets laid out for Gallagher to side foot home past a pathetic Luiz effort to block shot
2 - Manduike gets turned on ball under no pressure in midfield and with both McGinn and Luiz caught ahead of the ball , free cross given to their right back, Jackson heads home while Carlos marks thin air
3 - harsh free kick given against Tielemans really but again a Chelsea player gets turned on ball behind our midfield, this happened all night. Fine strike though I think Martinez will be disappointed as he got fingers to it
Summary - full backs given no support, space between CBs and CMs far too big all night
Brilliant summary. All self inflicted. It could have been way more but Chelsea went easy on us after the 2nd. But all will be forgiven if we show some mettle on Sunday. A battling draw is absolutely fine by me.
Didn't just go easy on us. Their goalkeeper got booked for time-wasting when they were 3-0 up. Shows how low their confidence is from being shit the rest of the time.
There's no way Chelsea eased up on us. They were as surprised as us to find themselves 3-0 up they weren't controlling the game in that way just enjoying the unexpected position in which they found themselves.