Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: PeterWithesShin on April 21, 2024, 04:58:49 PM
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That's another one!!
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Splendid.
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What an excellent week. Brilliant at Arsenal. Pulled out a miracle in France. And a thoroughly professional performance today having gone a goal down. Well done Villa. Very well done.
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What an incredible week. Late April. In a European semi-final and 6 points clear in 4th.
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I hope Luiz looks at the last two games we won 5-1, and decides to book up his play and present in the next matches.
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Very good second half from us. Watkins, Diaby, Rodgers and Bailey all excellent and caused Bournemouth no end of problems.
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So proud to win in that fashion after such a tough game.
Rodgers and mcginn superb
Up the fucking villa!
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Superb all round. Where they get their energy from I don't know, but they work so, so hard.
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After Thursday, down to the bare bones and 0-1 down. This feels fucking huge.
Telemans and McGinn were fantastic but Ollie was next level. Never mind a drug test, they should be checking those boots for glue.
Huge, huge, huge win!
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What a week. Time for a wank.
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Good stuff.
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As good as sealed 4th with that win. Tottenham’s run in is brutal and cannot see them overtaking us now
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This team! Thought it would be a "typical Villa" at 0-1, but thanks to Rogers and then a brilliant second half we're smashed em.
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That’s as good as anything we’ve done this season given the circumstances. Onwards.
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No-one took any notice in the match thread so I’ll say it again - 101 goals for the season. Marvellous.
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Sound.
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What a week. Time for a wank.
This.
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Given the pressure of needing to win to keep ahead of Spurs, that was an excellent win. Bournemouth are no mugs and we’ve just come off two massive games.
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Superb 2nd half after what I saw as a measured first half where our aim seemed to be to use up as little energy as we could to protect ourselves from hitting a wall in the 2nd half.
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What a week. Time for a wank.
i am right behind you 👀
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What a week indeed! Thank you Villa for all these great moments. Thank you Unai. The beer will taste great this evening.
Very Happy.
Good evening all.
UTV
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Sound.
Soundioooooooo!
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Brilliant performamce, McGinn and Rodgers were fucking amazing. The rest weren't that far behind....
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Rogers vision is something else
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As good as sealed 4th with that win. Tottenham’s run in is brutal and cannot see them overtaking us now
Point(s) against Chelsea, and if they then drop some against Arsenal, and I think we have got the spot.
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Also, another comeback win. There's some proper mental toughness in this squad.
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What a week. Time for a wank.
i am right behind you 👀
If we finish fourth I'm up for anything.
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As good as sealed 4th with that win. Tottenham’s run in is brutal and cannot see them overtaking us now
I hope our players don't see it that way! They need to go into every game with the mentality that it's neck and neck
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Bloody well done Villa. For a number of reasons that could have been really tough - we had a physically and emotionally draining game Thursday, Bournemouth are a good side, and we went behind. It shows great character, and skill, to come through it. Massive win and puts huge pressure on Spurs.
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We've had worse weeks...
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Whatever about his form, I think Diaby looks a little bit happier at least lately. He really did look miserable for a while there. Rogers looks like he's absolutely loving life with us, which is great to see.
Obviously you don't want to be missing players for any reason but you know you've got some depth there when it's difficult to see how you put Luiz, Ramsey and Kamara back into that lineup.
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Rogers vision is something else
£16 million for him? We have absolutely taken the piss out of Middlesborough on that one!
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Rogers vision is something else
£16 million for him? We have absolutely taken the piss out of Middlesborough on that one!
Fair play to them for standing their ground on the price. I think we still got a bargain.
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Cracking stuff. Super win. Lots of good football. More assists from Watkins. Bailey & Diaby score & Rogers is looking like an absolute bargain.
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Big come back from Diaby in that game. Really poor in the lead up to their penalty, but did brilliantly to win the ball back near our goal to start the move for the first and then a lovely goal.
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Superb 2nd half performance today. Ollie played out of his skin. Rogers is some find. He is looking like one of the bargin buys of this and any other season. He reminds me of Gibbs White a bit. He is not as good as him...yet.
I think Spurs will get 7 or 8 points so one more win required for 4th.
Unai manager of the season if we get 4th.
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Diabys got 9 this season i think thats more than leon in his first season. He gonna get better.
Man rodgers is gonna be a fucking star. He looks unreal
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Diabys got 9 this season i think thats more than leon in his first season. He gonna get better.
Man rodgers is gonna be a fucking star. He looks unreal
Well yes, Bailey got one in his first season.
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What a week. Take a couple of days off lads. You’ve earned it.
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Diabys got 9 this season i think thats more than leon in his first season. He gonna get better.
That’s a very good return for his first season, especially when you include his assists. I mentioned it during the game, if you take a look at Baileys thread, it’s 150 pages plus of thinking we’ve been mugged off and saying he can’t play in this league. Most wanted him out the door and replaced.
If he can toughen up a bit I think that’s all he needs. The talent is certainly there.
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Great win over very a pretty good Bournemouth side.
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That was a top 4 performance second half.
Rogers or Youri motm
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No-one took any notice in the match thread so I’ll say it again - 101 goals for the season. Marvellous.
We still are!!!
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No-one took any notice in the match thread so I’ll say it again - 101 goals for the season. Marvellous.
We still are!!!
Haha, I know! Thanks though.
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Brilliant performamce, McGinn and Rodgers were fucking amazing. The rest weren't that far behind....
Yup. SJM made sure the engine was always purring, he was everywhere. Morgan Rogers opened up their defence for us to go on and win. What a talent! Watkins' energy is beyond Frank Carrodus' levels. Special mention to Youri Tielemans who I've rightly given tonnes of shit for some lazy performances. He's been absolutely brilliant these last few weeks, made the shirt his own and with Dougie back next week will cause Unai a few headaches.
First half we were okay but the 2nd half reminded me of the Everton game when we first came up, some liquid football and goals that each should be shortlisted for Goal of the Month. Makes you wonder why Unai can't get a decent tune out of the team in Europe. ;)
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Lovely.
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Brilliant performamce, McGinn and Rodgers were fucking amazing. The rest weren't that far behind....
Yup. SJM made sure the engine was always purring, he was everywhere. Morgan Rogers opened up their defence for us to go on and win. What a talent! Watkins' energy is beyond Frank Carrodus' levels. Special mention to Youri Tielemans who I've rightly given tonnes of shit for some lazy performances. He's been absolutely brilliant these last few weeks, made the shirt his own and with Dougie back next week will cause Unai a few headaches.
First half we were okay but the 2nd half reminded me of the Everton game when we first came up, some liquid football and goals that each should be shortlisted for Goal of the Month. Makes you wonder why Unai can't get a decent tune out of the team in Europe. ;)
I said in the Arse match, I don't think it is Luiz specifically, but you can't have the two of them playing central mid and need McGinn in there. So the selection problem for the Chelsea match is do we start Luiz or not, and then do we play Tielemans further forward or leave the front four as they are and he unfortunately is sub. As long as Unai doesn't decide a CM of Tielemans and Luiz is needed, we should be fine.
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Incredible week. Watkins absolutely outstanding, Diaby & Rogers coming into form at the perfect time and another astute performance from Konsa.
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We know that he does it though and I'll be gutted if he does. I don't give a shit who is dropped, you just can't have Luiz and Youri in the middle. We look so much better with McGinn there.
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Diabys got 9 this season i think thats more than leon in his first season. He gonna get better.
That’s a very good return for his first season, especially when you include his assists. I mentioned it during the game, if you take a look at Baileys thread, it’s 150 pages plus of thinking we’ve been mugged off and saying he can’t play in this league. Most wanted him out the door and replaced.
If he can toughen up a bit I think that’s all he needs. The talent is certainly there.
I think the price we paid for Diaby added a bit too much expectation. If we'd paid 25mil for him we'd probably be quite happy with that return. Last season behind Watkins, the most anyone scored in the league was 6.
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What a week. Time for a wank.
Post of the Season. You win a prize*.
*Not from me, obvs.
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What a week. Time for a wank.
Post of the Season. You win a prize*.
*Not from me, obvs.
Won't he get the prize 30 seconds later anyway?
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Well chuffed as I'd thought we'd draw! Just hope we can get something against Chelski now to really turn the screw onto Spurs!
McGinn back to his best: and quite right too! Youri played the best game I've seen him play as well.
Back to snigger over Man U now ...
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Rogers vision is something else
£16 million for him? We have absolutely taken the piss out of Middlesborough on that one!
£8-10m up front depending on where you read it plus add ons.
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What a week. Time for a wank.
Post of the Season. You win a prize*.
*Not from me, obvs.
To be fair, it's pretty much always time for a wank....
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What a week. Time for a wank.
Post of the Season. You win a prize*.
*Not from me, obvs.
To be fair, it's pretty much always time for a wank....
I went to the doctor once and he told me I'd have to stop masturbating. I asked why, and he said because I'm trying to examine you.
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Rogers vision is something else
£16 million for him? We have absolutely taken the piss out of Middlesborough on that one!
£8-10m up front depending on where you read it plus add ons.
Looking likely they'll be getting the add ons.
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Incredible second half performance, you'd think Bournemouth had played on Thursday night and we'd had a week off. No idea where they get the energy from, hats off to the lot of em.
And then I saw the Sheffield Wednesday result and the day got even better.
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Points on the board rather than games in hand. Always more important.
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Diabys got 9 this season i think thats more than leon in his first season. He gonna get better.
That’s a very good return for his first season, especially when you include his assists. I mentioned it during the game, if you take a look at Baileys thread, it’s 150 pages plus of thinking we’ve been mugged off and saying he can’t play in this league. Most wanted him out the door and replaced.
If he can toughen up a bit I think that’s all he needs. The talent is certainly there.
I agree ian. I think with diabs its more confidence than his ability. We know what he can do. He gonna get even better
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Some brilliant goals today! The movement, pace and passing in attack was outstanding, particularly 2nd half.
Rogers is going to be some player. Felt the 3rd was the pick of the lot mind and I'm not sure how he didn't score, but he murdered that lump at centre half.
Daft tackle by Cash, but looked a foul on the Moose to me. Good response and the 2nd half, we just looked several cuts above them! Great block from Pau at the end, just a brilliant end to a brilliant week for us!
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Thought we would tire as the match progressed and conceding early on was a worry. Can’t believe how we looked stronger and stronger in the second half.
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I thought we were superb second half. Our front line terrorised them. Ollie was different class second half.
Bailey as well as being a great dribbler has a fantastic eye for an early pass.
Rogers was brilliant and if he stays , Ramsey will need to be on his game to get ahead of him.
Konsa made some great challenges , especially in the first half.
EMi was , well Emi. I loved that Holte reception for him at just before kick off.
A great day , and Wednesday winning as a superb bonus.
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Good all round team performance.
Onwards
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If Carlsberg did weeks.
Special time to be a Villa fan.
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We seem to have our mojo back at just the right time
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If we as fans, looked at the table were 6 points back of Spurs even with 2 games in hand, on the back of a 4-0 battering, with those next three games coming up, would be very depressed this evening.
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Considering it’s our 3rd game in a week and after Thursday’s game I think that was unbelievable today. Going 1 down and then producing a second half performance like that not only shows the ability but the will to win.
Absolutely superb!!!!
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Proud, just so f*cking proud.
All incredible but a special mention for Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Pau, Digne, McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers, Diaby, Bailey and Watkins. Plus the subs, boss, staff and crowd.
:)
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Proud, just so f*cking proud.
All incredible but a special mention for Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Pau, Digne, McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers, Diaby, Bailey and Watkins. Plus the subs, boss, staff and crowd.
:)
Blimey! Thats a bit strong. It was an excellent second half but we were expected to beat a team in 13th place at home
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Really good win that. Good performance, especially after conceding a penalty against the run of play really. Important to get the equaliser before half time and then took control in the second half. Thought they all had decent games, but Rogers and Tielemans played really well.
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Thought we would tire as the match progressed and conceding early on was a worry. Can’t believe how we looked stronger and stronger in the second half.
I think playing at a snails pace for the vast majority of the game in Lille probably helped with the energy levels!
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My grandson attended his first Villa game today. Needless to say he enjoyed it. Another Holte Ender!
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https://www.skysports.com/football/video/12606/13120396/aston-villa-3-1-bournemouth-premier-league-highlights
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Is it going to happen? Is it really going to happen? I'm afraid to believe this, keep it up Villa.
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A full six days off must feel like a proper break after this week. Hopefully one or two players return to fitness and the rest can rest.
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A week ago some were calling us bottlers and that we'd be twatted by Arsenal and out of Europe.
2 late goals seal a win at Arsenal, a late goal and winning a shootout sees us into the semis and we came from behind today to win.
And doing that while we're clearly knackered, fucked by injuries so much we only had 4 senior outfield players on the bench today.
I think we can be very fucking proud of this team today.
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That was a top four performance. A tough game in Europe, then back to the league against a mid-table side. Top sides win games like this, and we are now a top side.
The second half was particularly good, at a time when I thought we’d tire after the midweek exertions, we seemed to get stronger. Is this one of the hidden benefits of Emery’s patient build up style? When we need to, we can slow it right down, play around them and conserve our energy.
I was hoping to be 6 points ahead of Spurs before they played again, the fact it could still be 9 is incredible!
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That was a really enjoyable game. Thought Bournemouth played well too but had a soft underbelly, which we basically battered second half.
We’re great.
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https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1782082218724388907
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This team, this wonderful team.
Absolute class today despite 150 minutes of effort and tension on Thursday night.
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How is our xG only 1.61? What are they classing Baileys goal from 6 inches out as? ???
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It's 2.02 on Flashscore.
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How is our xG only 1.61? What are they classing Baileys goal from 6 inches out as? ???
At this point, I wish to leave the planet.
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Great comeback. This team seem to really love playing together at Villa and long may it continue.
Rogers was delicious and continues to improve with every game. He hasn't found his ceiling yet which is very exciting for the future.
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https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1782082218724388907
I'm always surprised on how animated Digne is coming off the pitch.
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https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1782082218724388907
I'm always surprised on how animated Digne is coming off the pitch.
That's another one!!
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I'd like to see us continuing with Rodgers, Diaby and Bailey all starting.
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Did I miss Unai's post match rant about having to play a league game less than 72 hours after an away European fixture and complaining about not getting the game before cancelled to help his team?
Errrrrrrm appears not.
Why I ask myself?
All in all, a brlliant week of football. Winning three important games (aren't they all?) in different ways shows how we are growing as a squad.
Because he's not whinging whining Pep.
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I'd like to see us continuing with Rodgers, Diaby and Bailey all starting.
I would prefer starting with a player who we own, and also Diaby and Bailey.
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Ye ye ye ye ye ye ye ANOTHER ONE!
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First half was a real struggle. Bournemouth exactly the worst type of opponent to be playing after a tough European match.
Second half was brilliant though and for the second week running we stepped it up and won very comfortably.
PWS has it spot on. Despite all the negativity after Man. City and Brentford this side has shown fantastic bottle in the last week to step up again.
We are good enough to wrap up 4th in next two weeks and also win our first trophy for nearly 30 years, you could see it in the celebrations after the second goal that the players know what a historic season this will be if they keep putting in the hard yards.
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What a week. Time for a wank.
This.
The 2nd goal is worthy of a hand shandy alone.
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We have been hugely resilient under Emery. How many times have we salvaged a point or got a winner late on? how many times have we won a game coming from behind?
I know we tend to do better when we score first, and early (what team doesn't) but a lot of posters seem to think we are screwed if we concede first and I don't know why.
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https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1782082218724388907
Another won.
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Love digne 😂😂
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Love digne 😂😂
Here's "another one"
https://www.tiktok.com/@avfcofficial/video/7311651875433073952
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We have been hugely resilient under Emery. How many times have we salvaged a point or got a winner late on? how many times have we won a game coming from behind?
I know we tend to do better when we score first, and early (what team doesn't) but a lot of posters seem to think we are screwed if we concede first and I don't know why.
Same here. When the pen was scored, it was treated like we would just lose as we "never come back after conceding". There is quite a few teams who wished that was the truth. At worst I thought was we were only getting a point now rather then all three.
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Brilliant win and performance after the gruelling game in France.
20 wins from 34 is bonkers.
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I'd like to see us continuing with Rodgers, Diaby and Bailey all starting.
great to have the options but I’d prefer Luiz to come back in and Diaby dropping to the bench (subject to Bailey’s knee holding up).
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We come from behind a fair bit. We very rarely drop points after taking a lead. We score plenty of late goals. Those are very good habits to have.
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We come from behind a fair bit. We very rarely drop points after taking a lead. We score plenty of late goals. Those are very good habits to have.
We seem to not do as well when we go behind and not win which is great we overcame that this week!
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This another one bollocks is another thing that is going to get on my tits. Tsk!
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I'd like to see us continuing with Rodgers, Diaby and Bailey all starting.
great to have the options but I’d prefer Luiz to come back in and Diaby dropping to the bench (subject to Bailey’s knee holding up).
Dougie back in for Tielemans for me.
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This another one bollocks is another thing that is going to get on my tits. Tsk!
I think it’s fantastic and long may it continue. It means we won. And what’s got on my tits over the years is losing. Another one usually meant another defeat. Not anymore.
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It's monotonous, and will get boring if we win a lot. You are easily pleased. I am cantankerous and don't like this sort of shit.
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This another one bollocks is another thing that is going to get on my tits. Tsk!
Another wan.
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It's monotonous, and will get boring if we win a lot. You are easily pleased. I am cantankerous and don't like this sort of shit.
Ha! I’m clearly not as miserable and easily pleased by winning.
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I thought we were pretty comfortable all through that, their goal was completely out of the blue and I never felt we wouldn't come back.
Great to see so many different players mentioned for MOM, the sign of an exceptional performance. For me Olly just shaded Rogers.
Only negative thing about today was that we had plenty of opportunities to put some distance between us and Spurs on the goal difference front but we were a little lacksadasical in the final third at times.
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This another one bollocks is another thing that is going to get on my tits. Tsk!
Another wan.
Another wank (for some on here anyway :-)
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It's monotonous, and will get boring if we win a lot. You are easily pleased. I am cantankerous and don't like this sort of shit.
Don't click twitter links, then you won't have to worry about it.....
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This another one bollocks is another thing that is going to get on my tits. Tsk!
Another wan.
Another wan kenobi.
Even references the cracking one off the fetlock some seem to be engaging in tonight as well. I have no idea what I am saying, but I am rather mental this week 😉
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How is our xG only 1.61? What are they classing Baileys goal from 6 inches out as? ???
Because it’s not a real thing
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Do the Real Madrid players do this? It's like that 'every week we follow' dirge, I'm praying we win the Champions League next year JUST so we can't sing it anymore.
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What a week, six points and Unai gives me a semi.
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I was really impressed with our capacity to play another 90 minutes after a tough European tie and not look like we had been on the piss for 48 hours.
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How is our xG only 1.61? What are they classing Baileys goal from 6 inches out as? ???
Because it’s not a real thing
Do you extra points for your XG rating ?
Exactly, that’s why its all sky/opta bollocks
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Do the Real Madrid players do this? It's like that 'every week we follow' dirge, I'm praying we win the Champions League next year JUST so we can't sing it anymore.
It's fucking terrible, n'est-ce pas?
I genuinely cringe every time I hear it cranking up, which seems to be about every 90 seconds.
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How is our xG only 1.61? What are they classing Baileys goal from 6 inches out as? ???
Because it’s not a real thing
Exactly, it all sky/opta bollocks
It's absolute bollocks for sport studies graduates with their own YouTube channels, the sort of beard-stroking twats who talk about 'gegenpressing' and everything being a 'low block' or 'in transition'.
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Overall, delighted at the professional display today. Just had a feeling we would need a 3rd goal and it duly came. If we can beat Chelsea next Saturday and, Spurs lose to arsenal on Sunday, we will almost be home and dry. Not an ideal k.o.time for us but, lets go for it!!
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Strange, the sky near me looks cloudless, they must all be at Leamington and Perpignan for the old fogies to shout at.
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ANOTHER WANIOOOOOOOOOOO
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Do the Real Madrid players do this? It's like that 'every week we follow' dirge, I'm praying we win the Champions League next year JUST so we can't sing it anymore.
It's fucking terrible, n'est-ce pas?
I genuinely cringe every time I hear it cranking up, which seems to be about every 90 seconds.
Fond memories of Tyrone Mings and some of the other players singing it after the Play Off final. I'd prefer some newer material, aye. But don't mind it.
Beats that god awful On The Piss nonsense that hung around us for far too long.
Lerner's messy divorce/ declining interest in soccerball, Lamberk followed in quick succession by Sherwood and the pair of wallies we had at centre half in 2015/16 have all been cited as contributing factors to our demise back then.
But I'm convinced it was that song.
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It's monotonous, and will get boring if we win a lot. You are easily pleased. I am cantankerous and don't like this sort of shit.
I would happily hear it fifty times a day for 365 days a year if it meant that we win every game...
"ANOTHER ONE!!!"
😉
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Strange, the sky near me looks cloudless, they must all be at Leamington and Perpignan for the old fogies to shout at.
While one is fucking BUZZING about doing Arse, Dogs and Pensioners in the space of a week, this does not mean one may not dislike xG, shit SM video memes and the boringly repetitive Every Week We Follow. But enjoy the sun!
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It's monotonous, and will get boring if we win a lot. You are easily pleased. I am cantankerous and don't like this sort of shit.
I would happily hear it fifty times a day for 365 days a year if it meant that we win every game...
"ANOTHER ONE!!!"
😉
Another one, ahem, who can’t get sick of it. After god knows how many years of being shit, I’m enjoying this and all that goes with it.
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Oh for the days of a bloke looking like a tramp in a doorway saying " we go again" after every match.
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Really happy for all of you. ;-)
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Just back from a sunny , emotional Villa Park. What a day. I'm absolutely delighted with that win, every inch as good and important as last Sunday's superb win. In very different ways . Watkins was unplayable today. Rogers was superb, what a signing he looks . The equaliser on HT was pivotal , Rogers took that goal with aplomb. Few well earned days off for the lads then bring on Chelsea .
UTFV !!
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Don't click twitter links, then you won't have to worry about it.....
Good advice, that we should all live by. ;)
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We go again gets on my tits too. Fucking stupid phrase.
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Strangely you like FTF though. I suppose because you posted it you have to like it.
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Do the Real Madrid players do this? It's like that 'every week we follow' dirge, I'm praying we win the Champions League next year JUST so we can't sing it anymore.
Now that I’ll agree wholeheartedly with you. It’s awful. And it’s not like it was ever our song. Other fans sing it too. But it’s that or Villa, Villa.
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https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1782107951005602296
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Don't click twitter links, then you won't have to worry about it.....
Good advice, that we should all live by. ;)
I don’t have twitter, facebook, instagram, TikTok or any of them. I make do with ResearchGate and LinkedIn.
What a great result. We have to favourites for 4th now.
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Strangely you like FTF though. I suppose because you posted it you have to like it.
You don't HAVE to do anything. Just be yourself. Post an opinion. Does FTF! annoy you? Say it! Liberate that pent-up rage and sexual frustration!
Breathe! Live! And keep on with the snarky comments that I don't care about. :-)
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We go again gets on my tits too. Fucking stupid phrase.
Well that’s because TSM2 trademarked it. And used it repeatedly after the latest 4-0 defeat. Usually we go again followed how we were excellent, with a whopping 18% possession.
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Strangely you like FTF though. I suppose because you posted it you have to like it.
You don't HAVE to do anything. Just be yourself. Post an opinion. Does FTF! annoy you? Say it! Liberate that pent-up rage and sexual frustration!
Breathe! Live! And keep on with the snarky comments that I don't care about. :-)
Ohh, I didn't realise you only moan about everything BECAUSE you are sexually frustrated. No wonder you used to post the South Park cum picture. Explains a lot.
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You're trying too hard. Bless!
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We go again gets on my tits too. Fucking stupid phrase.
You must have massive tits.
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My moobs are legendary.
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I remember coming away from Villa Park eight years ago after being outfought and outplayed by newly promoted Bournemouth (our eighth consecutive defeat) feeling utterly despondent and embarrassed. I turned to the bloke next to me and said "I absolutely hate this team".
Today I felt like yelling "I LOVE THIS TEAM". Such energy, integrity, style, teamwork and no little brilliance. Savour these moments.
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Watched the team walk in the building earlier , there's a lad in the corner in a wheelchair clapping them all in. The one player who went across and shook his hand gave him a hug. Massive Respect to Jhon Duran , there's a really nice human being in there .
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Promised missus I'd jet wash the patio ahead of 'stuff' happening at Casa Pablo over the next couple of weeks, so listened the BBC web coverage.
Apart from the appalling Alex Bruce on co-comms (McGinn was one of his dads' better signings...), the urgency of the game reflected in my Rolf Harris-esque jet washing speed.
Not big in superstitions, but our patio slabs will be blasted to sand by the end of the season.
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Yeah, today was really good. Some of the football was an absolute joy to watch. We're a good fucking team.
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If we as fans, looked at the table were 6 points back of Spurs even with 2 games in hand, on the back of a 4-0 battering, with those next three games coming up, would be very depressed this evening.
This. Totally
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Watched the team walk in the building earlier , there's a lad in the corner in a wheelchair clapping them all in. The one player who went across and shook his hand gave him a hug. Massive Respect to Jhon Duran , there's a really nice human being in there .
Was talking to that lad earlier, he had a Martinez shirt on, as Emi’s his favourite player.
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Watched the team walk in the building earlier , there's a lad in the corner in a wheelchair clapping them all in. The one player who went across and shook his hand gave him a hug. Massive Respect to Jhon Duran , there's a really nice human being in there .
Lovely that.
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Another one…na na na na na….another one….na na na na…..another one…
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Come on now everyone, we've all had a Buckfast.
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Tee-hee!
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Promised missus I'd jet wash the patio ahead of 'stuff' happening at Casa Pablo over the next couple of weeks, so listened the BBC web coverage.
Apart from the appalling Alex Bruce on co-comms (McGinn was one of his dads' better signings...), the urgency of the game reflected in my Rolf Harris-esque jet washing speed.
Not big in superstitions, but our patio slabs will be blasted to sand by the end of the season.
Haha! Superstitions I shat on today:
1) Went into the match thread (to find links to our goals). I’d been avoiding them the last three games because a) I was at the Lille home leg and b) I was fed up of all the massive fannies going on about how shit we are and how we’ve ‘absolutely blown it’ week after week.
2) Told some persistent Jehovah’s Witnesses to stop coming round and bothering us. This was particularly risky as we were 2-1 up at the time.
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Watched the team walk in the building earlier , there's a lad in the corner in a wheelchair clapping them all in. The one player who went across and shook his hand gave him a hug. Massive Respect to Jhon Duran , there's a really nice human being in there .
Was talking to that lad earlier, he had a Martinez shirt on, as Emi’s his favourite player.
Fabulous stuff. We got to the ground about 115pm you could sense a special atmosphere. Gutted I missed John Gregory on the guitar on stage .
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I'd like to see us continuing with Rodgers, Diaby and Bailey all starting.
great to have the options but I’d prefer Luiz to come back in and Diaby dropping to the bench (subject to Bailey’s knee holding up).
Dougie back in for Tielemans for me.
Noooooo…Yurri was brilliant today.
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I'd like to see us continuing with Rodgers, Diaby and Bailey all starting.
great to have the options but I’d prefer Luiz to come back in and Diaby dropping to the bench (subject to Bailey’s knee holding up).
Dougie back in for Tielemans for me.
Noooooo…Yurri was brilliant today.
Yep my motm today
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Did I miss Unai's post match rant about having to play a league game less than 72 hours after an away European fixture and complaining about not getting the game before cancelled to help his team?
Errrrrrrm appears not.
Why I ask myself?
All in all, a brlliant week of football. Winning three important games (aren't they all?) in different ways shows how we are growing as a squad.
Because he's not whinging whining Pep.
With no game till Saturday evening I have heard Emery had arranged a friendly at Millwall on Wednesday to keep us sharp😃
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Interesting we've not missed Luiz at all , in fact looked better .
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Interesting we've not missed Luiz at all , in fact looked better .
Would you be happy to take £100M from Arsenal?
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Watched the team walk in the building earlier , there's a lad in the corner in a wheelchair clapping them all in. The one player who went across and shook his hand gave him a hug. Massive Respect to Jhon Duran , there's a really nice human being in there .
Was talking to that lad earlier, he had a Martinez shirt on, as Emi’s his favourite player.
Fabulous stuff. We got to the ground about 115pm you could sense a special atmosphere. Gutted I missed John Gregory on the guitar on stage .
Sorry, what? Is this true?
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Interesting we've not missed Luiz at all , in fact looked better .
It’s showing that others have stepped up when we need them to. Very good and great clubs have that. Real Madrid, Man City etc have benches that could finish top 6. We are a long way from that but it’s great to see when top players are missing for a few games others are approaching a level that ensures the drop off isn’t a lot. At least not as a short term requirement. And next season we need to bring in players that long term can replace players in the first XI some of the starters we have now.
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I'd like to see us continuing with Rodgers, Diaby and Bailey all starting.
great to have the options but I’d prefer Luiz to come back in and Diaby dropping to the bench (subject to Bailey’s knee holding up).
Dougie back in for Tielemans for me.
Noooooo…Yurri was brilliant today.
I assume it will be a case of managing fitness for this last run of games, both league and Europe. You'd be tempted to say if it's not broke, but at the same time there's a lot of minutes to squeeze in between now and the end of May.
Would be great if between us winning and Spurs losing we could sew up 4th place sooner rather than later. We don't have to throw our last league games but you could probably ask certain players to give 110% for the next 4, for example, if you know they can all basically finish their season early.
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Watched the team walk in the building earlier , there's a lad in the corner in a wheelchair clapping them all in. The one player who went across and shook his hand gave him a hug. Massive Respect to Jhon Duran , there's a really nice human being in there .
Was talking to that lad earlier, he had a Martinez shirt on, as Emi’s his favourite player.
Fabulous stuff. We got to the ground about 115pm you could sense a special atmosphere. Gutted I missed John Gregory on the guitar on stage .
Sorry, what? Is this true?
https://x.com/lukerobinson89/status/1782028751162802278?s=46
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Had some young lads over from Derry to watch the match, the hotel they booked into the Villa team were also booked into the same hotel,one who's actually a Villa supporter got his photo with Uri Emery
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Fabulous stuff. We got to the ground about 115pm you could sense a special atmosphere. Gutted I missed John Gregory on the guitar on stage .
Sorry, what? Is this true?
https://x.com/lukerobinson89/status/1782028751162802278?s=46
We have John Gregory playing guitar at Villa Park, they have the world-famous UB40 playing at theirs. #Levels :(
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Of course, they're obsessed with us you know.
;-)
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Had some young lads over from Derry to watch the match, the hotel they booked into the Villa team were also booked into the same hotel,one who's actually a Villa supporter got his photo with Uri Emery
The spoon bending tactical genius?
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https://twitter.com/AVFCOfficial/status/1782107951005602296
Oh FFS !
Has no one told him he has to sign off with Up The Villa?
Standards.
This club is going to shit.
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Interesting we've not missed Luiz at all , in fact looked better .
Yes, probably a coincidence, but we have won both games he's missed with conviction and style, and Tielemans has been really good in both.
Rogers was excellent and he's surprised me with his rapid progression so far.
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Interesting we've not missed Luiz at all , in fact looked better .
Would you be happy to take £100M from Arsenal?
No. I'd like to keep him he's a very good player. If we make champions league we need a squad with quality and depth .
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Interesting we've not missed Luiz at all , in fact looked better .
Yes, probably a coincidence, but we have won both games he's missed with conviction and style, and Tielemans has been really good in both.
Rogers was excellent and he's surprised me with his rapid progression so far.
We have but I think the Man City at home was still the best performance of the season and Dougie was possibly the best player that day. I just can’t believe how many really top players we have in this squad / how Emery gets so much from them.
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Watched the team walk in the building earlier , there's a lad in the corner in a wheelchair clapping them all in. The one player who went across and shook his hand gave him a hug. Massive Respect to Jhon Duran , there's a really nice human being in there .
Was talking to that lad earlier, he had a Martinez shirt on, as Emi’s his favourite player.
Fabulous stuff. We got to the ground about 115pm you could sense a special atmosphere. Gutted I missed John Gregory on the guitar on stage .
Sorry, what? Is this true?
Yeah man . Special day in Aston today . Gutted I missed this though .
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Interesting we've not missed Luiz at all , in fact looked better .
Yes, probably a coincidence, but we have won both games he's missed with conviction and style, and Tielemans has been really good in both.
Rogers was excellent and he's surprised me with his rapid progression so far.
We have but I think the Man City at home was still the best performance of the season and Dougie was possibly the best player that day. I just can’t believe how many really top players we have in this squad / how Emery gets so much from them.
Plus quite a few to return next season. Spoilt for choice.
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Very good second half from us. Watkins, Diaby, Rodgers and Bailey all excellent and caused Bournemouth no end of problems.
Rogers. Rogers. Rogers.
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So proud to win in that fashion after such a tough game.
Rodgers and mcginn superb
Up the fucking villa!
Rogers. Rogers. Rogers.
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Brilliant performamce, McGinn and Rodgers were fucking amazing. The rest weren't that far behind....
Rogers. Rogers. Rogers.
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Diabys got 9 this season i think thats more than leon in his first season. He gonna get better.
Man rodgers is gonna be a fucking star. He looks unreal
Rogers. Rogers. Rogers.
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Brilliant performamce, McGinn and Rodgers were fucking amazing. The rest weren't that far behind....
Rogers. Rogers. Rogers.
Oi! Oi! Oi!
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My moobs are legendary.
Moobs like Jabba?
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Interesting we've not missed Luiz at all , in fact looked better .
Would you be happy to take £100M from Arsenal?
No. I'd like to keep him he's a very good player. If we make champions league we need a squad with quality and depth .
I do agree with your original point though. McGinn and Tielemans have worked well together in the central midfield in the last two league games
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Only saw highlights on motd but a great result. Rogers looks a hell of a buy, sorry for doubting you on this one Emery 😂
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Ollie was unplayable today.
Today he went up another notch.
£120m.
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Can you just imagine how good we are going to be next season with the injured players back and a couple of more new signings.
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Interesting we've not missed Luiz at all , in fact looked better .
Yes, probably a coincidence, but we have won both games he's missed with conviction and style, and Tielemans has been really good in both.
Rogers was excellent and he's surprised me with his rapid progression so far.
I thoughtt Tielemans was excellent today 2nd half.
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We do need a couple of top class signings, it will be interesting to see where Unai thinks that we need to strengthen the team, also there will be players leaving us in the summer
The current injured players - both Buendia and Mings will be good squad players, and may be able to come on to help us later in games, if we are struggling.
Yesterday, some of our passing was superb, although it did take us 30 mins to get into our stride - Watkins was MOTM although both Tielemans and Rogers were both excellent.
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I liked Rogers taking on players in the middle.of the park. When did we last have someone who did that?
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Defensive midfielder and rightback are essential. Other than that it will be squad rotation ins and outs.
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I love the fact we've hit 70 +.league goals again, the only time we've done that in the top flight in my time was the second O'Neill year. Typically over the years we've usually only managed on average between mid 40s to mid 50s numbers, even in 90 and 93 we weren't a hugely prolific side. I'm talking top flight only.
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I didn’t realise how in form Bournemouth were in prior to yesterday. I heard during the game that their form since November is as good as the teams in the top five.
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From The Athletic - Jacob Tanswell makes some really good points.
RELENTLESS ASTON VILLA ARE BEING ROARED TO THE FINISH LINE BY A WONDERFUL CROWD
“We shall not be moved!” echoed around Villa Park.
After 132 nights in the Premier League’s top four for Aston Villa, the finish line is in view.
Those Villa supporters have hard evidence that, after a potentially definitive eight days resulting in two league wins and progress into a European semi-final, their team have the durability to qualify for the 2024-25 Champions League.
Barriers leading into the forecourt made a pathway for the players and music played from the adjacent stage, with Crazy Train, written and performed by Birmingham’s own Ozzy Osbourne, on repeat.
Flags and scarves were handed out to those who stood close to those barriers, awaiting the players. They arrived to plumes of blue smoke, children on parents’ shoulders and the catalogue of songs being sung for most in the squad. Crazy Train stayed in the background, an appropriate song title given where Villa found themselves: on a journey that nobody wants to get off.
“We arrived here and the supporters were waiting for us,” said Emery. “They helped us. We transmitted it on the pitch.”
In Villa’s words, the plan was to give “players a pre-match boost” — Thursday’s exertions in northern France, the lack of preparation time for this game and the natural wear and tear that had taken hold were sensed to be a threat.
According to Emery, players had one “so, so quiet” training session before Bournemouth, at a later scheduled time on Saturday morning to allow them a lie-in. Friday, having got back late from Lille the night before, had simply been a recovery day. “Most of the preparation was done at the team hotel yesterday evening (Saturday) with meetings,” said Emery.
“The key is getting used to (the) Thursday-Sunday (schedule that comes with UEFA’s second- and third-tier club competitions),” added McGinn. “The manager has got a complete no-excuse strategy. We’ve got a lot of injuries. A lot of players carrying knocks — you see Leon (Bailey) there, heavily strapped up.”
Multiple players are indeed pushing through the pain barrier — Bailey has an issue with his left knee, McGinn himself routinely tries to stretch out his right calf and Pau Torres wore strapping high up on both thighs. Still, in a testament to their robustness, the only two changes Emery made from Thursday were enforced; Douglas Luiz remained suspended domestically and Nicolo Zaniolo was injured against Lille and had to come off before half-time.
In an era where Premier League managers, boasting unimaginable riches, squad depth and experience in European competitions, moan about the schedule and inevitably end up having things their own way, Emery prefers to just get on with it.
From a stylistic viewpoint, Emery knew Bournemouth would require Villa to bank on their resolve.
Andoni Iraola’s side are based on high-pressing and man-marking schemes, set traps out of possession that teams, without precision in their passing, walk into and arrived fresh from a full week without a game. “When you’re tired, a team you don’t want to play is Bournemouth,” said McGinn, citing their man-marking system being comparable to Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United sides of the recent past.
Bournemouth took the lead from the spot just past the half-hour after Matty Cash brought down Milos Kerkez, yet the initial danger came when Moussa Diaby got nudged off the ball by centre-back Marcos Senesi, a by-product of the visitors’ man-marking scheme that involves following opposing attackers into deep areas.
Villa, though, have built an inherent toughness and an ability to ride moments of pressure while still thinking clearly. Through Saturday’s light training session and video meetings, Emery had crafted a plan to exploit Bournemouth’s shortcomings.
McGinn explained that Emery wanted his players to start deeper, attempting to draw Bournemouth’s players higher, making space for a pacy front line of Bailey, Diaby and Ollie Watkins, all in one-v-ones, to exploit.
The equaliser came on transition, with Villa regaining the ball deep in their half and five Bournemouth players caught ahead of play. It was Bailey, shortly after his patched-up left knee was clattered into, who struck a whipped, outside-of-the-foot pass for Morgan Rogers, the 21-year-old winter-window signing cutting inside, scoring and providing another timely reminder of his precociousness.
McGinn, all the while, was playing chest pointed to the floor, backside protruding and charging around. He would lean his body into challenges, run without stopping and scream at team-mates. At the break, the Scot exchanged words with his new midfield partner Youri Tielemans, in apparent disbelief that the Belgium international had not played a cross into the box with seconds left until the interval.
Tielemans argued he did not want to risk Villa being stung on the counter. It was a matter swiftly squashed, yet pointed to further proof of sharpened minds.
After the break, Emiliano Martinez noted the late-afternoon sun was in the eyes of his goalkeeping counterpart Neto. Before one inswinging corner, he ran over to set-piece coach Austin MacPhee to advise that deliveries should be directed towards the Brazilian, with Villa players putting pressure on him.
Villa’s second half was among their best of the season.
Other wins have been more notable, but this was a demonstration of steeliness and know-how.
Emery did not make his first substitution until the 87th minute, a sign of how Villa — against the expected odds — had overpowered their opponents as the game wore on.
Perhaps it should not have been a surprise. In the 10 matches that have directly followed a European fixture since qualifying for the group stage in August, Villa have only lost once. In Emery’s mind, the decision whether to prioritise chasing a top-four finish and the Champions League spot that brings or winning a trophy is non-existent. In his eyes, they can do both.
It was a 20th Premier League victory, Villa’s most in a single season since the competition’s 1992-93 inaugural year.
Players have now been given two days off and some, including McGinn, will head for the golf course to decompress.
They will reconvene later in the week to prepare for Saturday night’s visit of Chelsea, with the finish line in sight.
The stuff about Unsi wanting to get the team geed up by the crowd as they arrived at the ground, and his tactical tweaks demonstrate to me that he's a bloody genius.
He admitted he got it wrong against Brentford and then leads/coaches/cajoles the team to wins at Arsenal, Lille and yesterday.
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I thoughtt Tielemans was excellent today 2nd half.
I tought he was excellent, possibly his best game for us. Breaking up play, generally getting himself around the pitch, and some lovely skill at times.
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Is it funny how our slight dip in form coincides with the break from the Conference cup over December and January.
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Good game. It was fairly even in the first half, second half we blew them away.
They are a good side, Kluivert looks a good player.
Watkins was unplayable, best i've seen him and he didn't even score. Rogers excellent game, what a prospect. Diaby and Bailey both looked confident.
Overall defence played well, midfield too, only gripe was Matty Cash being reckless. He knew straight away it was a bad mistake, and afterwards i thought he was playing hard to put it right.
Is that the first penalty we've conceded this season? can't think of any others.
Overall good game, great result. Nice to come from behind to get the win. The third goal made it a lot more enjoyable. Bournemouth are actually a decent side. We open up a points gap ahead of Spurs and the pressure is on them to catch us up.
What a great week.
UTV
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I thought we were pretty comfortable all through that, their goal was completely out of the blue and I never felt we wouldn't come back.
Agreed, and yet MOTD's coverage suggested that B'mouth were well on top and that Rogers' goal came out of the blue. Tsk.
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Only saw highlights on motd but a great result. Rogers looks a hell of a buy, sorry for doubting you on this one Emery 😂
The highlights definitely give B'mouth false equivalence.
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Interesting we've not missed Luiz at all , in fact looked better .
Yes, probably a coincidence, but we have won both games he's missed with conviction and style, and Tielemans has been really good in both.
Rogers was excellent and he's surprised me with his rapid progression so far.
I thoughtt Tielemans was excellent today 2nd half.
The McGinn-Tielemans axis has been excellent ... Luiz can be guilty of slowing the game down too much; but a think all three are brilliant for us.
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We are so close to being a title race team, in fact it’s only a couple of results.
We do have some frailties when decent teams Mount attacks but we are able to scramble defence and then we have The Goalkeeper.
And when we go forward with the skill and running we showed yesterday we look fantastic.
Brilliant players, team , manager and club.
UTV.
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I thought we were pretty comfortable all through that, their goal was completely out of the blue and I never felt we wouldn't come back.
Agreed, and yet MOTD's coverage suggested that B'mouth were well on top and that Rogers' goal came out of the blue. Tsk.
They had some decent chances first half, when we definitely weren't at our best. We were quite sloppy and kept giving the ball away. Miles better after the break, that Rogers goal came at a brilliant time.
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I thought we were pretty comfortable all through that, their goal was completely out of the blue and I never felt we wouldn't come back.
Agreed, and yet MOTD's coverage suggested that B'mouth were well on top and that Rogers' goal came out of the blue. Tsk.
They had some decent chances first half, when we definitely weren't at our best. We were quite sloppy and kept giving the ball away. Miles better after the break, that Rogers goal came at a brilliant time.
You're right that they had a couple of very good chances - as did we, in the first half, when both Pau and Diaby could have converted incisive crosses.
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Good article that, in the Athletic. Compare that to The Times where the report is relegated to a small corner of the football section and then concentrates on whether Emery will be tempted to Bayern.
They just don’t get what’s happening at Villa Park, do they?
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I thought we were pretty comfortable all through that, their goal was completely out of the blue and I never felt we wouldn't come back.
Agreed, and yet MOTD's coverage suggested that B'mouth were well on top and that Rogers' goal came out of the blue. Tsk.
They had some decent chances first half, when we definitely weren't at our best. We were quite sloppy and kept giving the ball away. Miles better after the break, that Rogers goal came at a brilliant time.
We did create a couple of decent chances first half, Diaby probably should have scored that one . We just looked a bit sluggish first half, understandably .
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Andoni Iraola did his homework very well judging by Bournmouth’s closing down first half. They just about shaded the first half. The 2nd we were dominant in large part due to Watkins. He had the better of his marker throughout. I’ve never seen him so dominant against a CH before, he won everything. A quite outstanding performance. Rogers, SJM, Teilemans and Konsa were all very good too. In fact, everyone was on their game.
What was pleasing to me too was that we weren’t giving away stupid fouls in dangerous areas.
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What was pleasing to me too was that we Douglas Luiz weren’t wasn't giving away stupid fouls in dangerous areas.
I've scapegoated that for you.
-
From The Athletic - Jacob Tanswell makes some really good points.
RELENTLESS ASTON VILLA ARE BEING ROARED TO THE FINISH LINE BY A WONDERFUL CROWD
“We shall not be moved!” echoed around Villa Park.
After 132 nights in the Premier League’s top four for Aston Villa, the finish line is in view.
Those Villa supporters have hard evidence that, after a potentially definitive eight days resulting in two league wins and progress into a European semi-final, their team have the durability to qualify for the 2024-25 Champions League.
Barriers leading into the forecourt made a pathway for the players and music played from the adjacent stage, with Crazy Train, written and performed by Birmingham’s own Ozzy Osbourne, on repeat.
Flags and scarves were handed out to those who stood close to those barriers, awaiting the players. They arrived to plumes of blue smoke, children on parents’ shoulders and the catalogue of songs being sung for most in the squad. Crazy Train stayed in the background, an appropriate song title given where Villa found themselves: on a journey that nobody wants to get off.
“We arrived here and the supporters were waiting for us,” said Emery. “They helped us. We transmitted it on the pitch.”
In Villa’s words, the plan was to give “players a pre-match boost” — Thursday’s exertions in northern France, the lack of preparation time for this game and the natural wear and tear that had taken hold were sensed to be a threat.
According to Emery, players had one “so, so quiet” training session before Bournemouth, at a later scheduled time on Saturday morning to allow them a lie-in. Friday, having got back late from Lille the night before, had simply been a recovery day. “Most of the preparation was done at the team hotel yesterday evening (Saturday) with meetings,” said Emery.
“The key is getting used to (the) Thursday-Sunday (schedule that comes with UEFA’s second- and third-tier club competitions),” added McGinn. “The manager has got a complete no-excuse strategy. We’ve got a lot of injuries. A lot of players carrying knocks — you see Leon (Bailey) there, heavily strapped up.”
Multiple players are indeed pushing through the pain barrier — Bailey has an issue with his left knee, McGinn himself routinely tries to stretch out his right calf and Pau Torres wore strapping high up on both thighs. Still, in a testament to their robustness, the only two changes Emery made from Thursday were enforced; Douglas Luiz remained suspended domestically and Nicolo Zaniolo was injured against Lille and had to come off before half-time.
In an era where Premier League managers, boasting unimaginable riches, squad depth and experience in European competitions, moan about the schedule and inevitably end up having things their own way, Emery prefers to just get on with it.
From a stylistic viewpoint, Emery knew Bournemouth would require Villa to bank on their resolve.
Andoni Iraola’s side are based on high-pressing and man-marking schemes, set traps out of possession that teams, without precision in their passing, walk into and arrived fresh from a full week without a game. “When you’re tired, a team you don’t want to play is Bournemouth,” said McGinn, citing their man-marking system being comparable to Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United sides of the recent past.
Bournemouth took the lead from the spot just past the half-hour after Matty Cash brought down Milos Kerkez, yet the initial danger came when Moussa Diaby got nudged off the ball by centre-back Marcos Senesi, a by-product of the visitors’ man-marking scheme that involves following opposing attackers into deep areas.
Villa, though, have built an inherent toughness and an ability to ride moments of pressure while still thinking clearly. Through Saturday’s light training session and video meetings, Emery had crafted a plan to exploit Bournemouth’s shortcomings.
McGinn explained that Emery wanted his players to start deeper, attempting to draw Bournemouth’s players higher, making space for a pacy front line of Bailey, Diaby and Ollie Watkins, all in one-v-ones, to exploit.
The equaliser came on transition, with Villa regaining the ball deep in their half and five Bournemouth players caught ahead of play. It was Bailey, shortly after his patched-up left knee was clattered into, who struck a whipped, outside-of-the-foot pass for Morgan Rogers, the 21-year-old winter-window signing cutting inside, scoring and providing another timely reminder of his precociousness.
McGinn, all the while, was playing chest pointed to the floor, backside protruding and charging around. He would lean his body into challenges, run without stopping and scream at team-mates. At the break, the Scot exchanged words with his new midfield partner Youri Tielemans, in apparent disbelief that the Belgium international had not played a cross into the box with seconds left until the interval.
Tielemans argued he did not want to risk Villa being stung on the counter. It was a matter swiftly squashed, yet pointed to further proof of sharpened minds.
After the break, Emiliano Martinez noted the late-afternoon sun was in the eyes of his goalkeeping counterpart Neto. Before one inswinging corner, he ran over to set-piece coach Austin MacPhee to advise that deliveries should be directed towards the Brazilian, with Villa players putting pressure on him.
Villa’s second half was among their best of the season.
Other wins have been more notable, but this was a demonstration of steeliness and know-how.
Emery did not make his first substitution until the 87th minute, a sign of how Villa — against the expected odds — had overpowered their opponents as the game wore on.
Perhaps it should not have been a surprise. In the 10 matches that have directly followed a European fixture since qualifying for the group stage in August, Villa have only lost once. In Emery’s mind, the decision whether to prioritise chasing a top-four finish and the Champions League spot that brings or winning a trophy is non-existent. In his eyes, they can do both.
It was a 20th Premier League victory, Villa’s most in a single season since the competition’s 1992-93 inaugural year.
Players have now been given two days off and some, including McGinn, will head for the golf course to decompress.
They will reconvene later in the week to prepare for Saturday night’s visit of Chelsea, with the finish line in sight.
The stuff about Unsi wanting to get the team geed up by the crowd as they arrived at the ground, and his tactical tweaks demonstrate to me that he's a bloody genius.
He admitted he got it wrong against Brentford and then leads/coaches/cajoles the team to wins at Arsenal, Lille and yesterday.
Excellent stuff.
-
Considering the week we've had and against a decent team, that was a superb performnce. Ollie once again brilliant, MOTD showed a stat for goal involvements in Europe's top 5 leagues and he's 2nd to Kane with 31, which says it all. I thought our 3rd goal has to be a contender for goal of the month. We've now got a week off, hooray.
Message to the Holte Enders, please can we have another song for Ollie, the present one's useless, the great man deserves a lot better.
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I thought Bournemouth did OK. Came to play and not shut up shop, which made for a decent game.
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This another one bollocks is another thing that is going to get on my tits. Tsk!
Another wan.
Another wan kenobi.
Even references the cracking one off the fetlock some seem to be engaging in tonight as well. I have no idea what I am saying, but I am rather mental this week 😉
You'll be fine, more wanking and less wincing.
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I thought Bournemouth did OK. Came to play and not shut up shop, which made for a decent game.
Ah, the mask has slipped Pep!
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Had some young lads over from Derry to watch the match, the hotel they booked into the Villa team were also booked into the same hotel,one who's actually a Villa supporter got his photo with Uri Emery
How did they afford it? Tech jobs by the banks of the Foyle now, huh? Or maybe the Villa are "slumming it" in an Ibis.
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We are so close to being a title race team, in fact it’s only a couple of results.
Man Utd x2
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Had some young lads over from Derry to watch the match, the hotel they booked into the Villa team were also booked into the same hotel,one who's actually a Villa supporter got his photo with Uri Emery
How did they afford it? Tech jobs by the banks of the Foyle now, huh? Or maybe the Villa are "slumming it" in an Ibis.
Villa use the Clayton nowadays I believe. Can be pricey still at about 150 a night.
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We are so close to being a title race team, in fact it’s only a couple of results.
Man Utd x2
Forest more importantly.
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We are so close to being a title race team, in fact it’s only a couple of results.
Man Utd x2
Forest more importantly.
What do you mean by more importantly? We never looked like getting out of first gear against Forest. In both Man Utd games we should or could have won.
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Thought it was probably a foul on Diaby before their goal. In fact he got given a softer one later in the game in a similar position.
It'd been quite a tight game to that point and we'd done okay without getting the final ball quite right.
Cash's foul was disappointing, in part because I didn't want the good will he's got at the moment to dissipate quickly given he's probably the most maligned regular in our squad (often unfairly).
However, I thought he recovered well in the game and really looked intent on making up for that sloppy tackle. There was a worry we might capitulate, but in truth, it's that long-standing expectation that comes with being a Villa fan. But of course, though we still have our 'unmistakably villa' moments, they're fewer and farther between under Master Unai.
We stayed patient and upped the pace a bit. From the equaliser on, we bossed it and the result seemed pleasingly inevitable and almost comfortable by the end. There are moments too, where Emi makes big saves that you're almost blase over, as if it's as normal as breathing. You just expect it as a given.
The front four were excellent. Everyone was on it to be fair and in the end, we looked way more vibrant than I expected we might after a challenging week.
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We are so close to being a title race team, in fact it’s only a couple of results.
Man Utd x2
Forest more importantly.
What do you mean by more importantly? We never looked like getting out of first gear against Forest. In both Man Utd games we should or could have won.
More importantly is probably the wrong term but dropping points against a team that's challenging for a european place is frustrating (regardless of the circumstances) whereas dropping points to a team in the relegation battle is poor. Only getting a draw against Sheffield U was a terrible result as well.
Every team drops points in games they'd have expected to win but for those 2 we went into the games in good form and probably would've been looking at padding the goal difference.
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We are so close to being a title race team, in fact it’s only a couple of results.
Man Utd x2
Forest more importantly.
Sheff Utd - robbed by the officials . And Everton Away .
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Just rewatched the game. Our second goal was poetry I motion. I didn't realise it came from our throw in jus a few yard from the corner flag. A 10 pass move involving our goalkeeper which covered the length of the pitch and just totally bamboozled Bournemouth. Fantastic football.
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Just rewatched the game. Our second goal was poetry I motion. I didn't realise it came from our throw in jus a few yard from the corner flag. A 10 pass move involving our goalkeeper which covered the length of the pitch and just totally bamboozled Bournemouth. Fantastic football.
Yep, amazing stuff that was a joy to behold!
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Just rewatched the game. Our second goal was poetry I motion. I didn't realise it came from our throw in jus a few yard from the corner flag. A 10 pass move involving our goalkeeper which covered the length of the pitch and just totally bamboozled Bournemouth. Fantastic football.
I reckon it's in the mix for goal of the season. From the first ball into Watkins and his superb hold up and then the 3 passes from the edge of our box to the goal with Bournemouth completely taken out of the game, it's not often you see a team torn apart like that without them doing much wrong.
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Had some young lads over from Derry to watch the match, the hotel they booked into the Villa team were also booked into the same hotel,one who's actually a Villa supporter got his photo with Uri Emery
How did they afford it? Tech jobs by the banks of the Foyle now, huh? Or maybe the Villa are "slumming it" in an Ibis.
Villa use the Clayton nowadays I believe. Can be pricey still at about 150 a night.
Heh, remembering Withey saying he used to get up at 1pm on home match days to be at VP for 2...
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Brilliant win after going behind this team just never gives up.
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Had some young lads over from Derry to watch the match, the hotel they booked into the Villa team were also booked into the same hotel,one who's actually a Villa supporter got his photo with Uri Emery
How did they afford it? Tech jobs by the banks of the Foyle now, huh? Or maybe the Villa are "slumming it" in an Ibis.
Villa use the Clayton nowadays I believe. Can be pricey still at about 150 a night.
Heh, remembering Withey saying he used to get up at 1pm on home match days to be at VP for 2...
He would have missed Human League on Tiswas.
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I'm not sure enough has been made of Baileys pass to Rogers for the equaliser . Brilliant pass .
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We are so close to being a title race team, in fact it’s only a couple of results.
Man Utd x2
Forest more importantly.
Sheff Utd - robbed by the officials . And Everton Away .
Wins against Sheffield Utd and Manchester United over Christmas and a win against Brentford the other week and we'd have been right in it. Those results and Ollie Watkins' header in the last seconds at Wolves goes a couple of inches the inches the other side of the post and we'd be top!!
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Had some young lads over from Derry to watch the match, the hotel they booked into the Villa team were also booked into the same hotel,one who's actually a Villa supporter got his photo with Uri Emery
How did they afford it? Tech jobs by the banks of the Foyle now, huh? Or maybe the Villa are "slumming it" in an Ibis.
Villa use the Clayton nowadays I believe. Can be pricey still at about 150 a night.
That the one near Curzon Street.
I remember during the MON days they used to meet at the Marriott at Five Ways then coach it in.
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Yes I remember seeing them take a walk around on the day of the matches. Teams playing Villa and Albion also used to use it regularly.
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Cash's foul was disappointing, in part because I didn't want the good will he's got at the moment to dissipate quickly given he's probably the most maligned regular in our squad (often unfairly).
As disappointing it as it was, their winger pulled the ball back which I don't think anybody would have predicted. It was a brilliant bit of skill and I won't blame Cash for getting caught out. 99.99% of defenders would have fallen for it. Hindsight says he shouldn't have even tried to make the tackle in the box but that will only be the response of boorish know-alls. Any other day it would have been a lovely tackle.
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From The Athletic - Jacob Tanswell makes some really good points.
RELENTLESS ASTON VILLA ARE BEING ROARED TO THE FINISH LINE BY A WONDERFUL CROWD
“We shall not be moved!” echoed around Villa Park.
After 132 nights in the Premier League’s top four for Aston Villa, the finish line is in view.
Those Villa supporters have hard evidence that, after a potentially definitive eight days resulting in two league wins and progress into a European semi-final, their team have the durability to qualify for the 2024-25 Champions League.
Barriers leading into the forecourt made a pathway for the players and music played from the adjacent stage, with Crazy Train, written and performed by Birmingham’s own Ozzy Osbourne, on repeat.
Flags and scarves were handed out to those who stood close to those barriers, awaiting the players. They arrived to plumes of blue smoke, children on parents’ shoulders and the catalogue of songs being sung for most in the squad. Crazy Train stayed in the background, an appropriate song title given where Villa found themselves: on a journey that nobody wants to get off.
“We arrived here and the supporters were waiting for us,” said Emery. “They helped us. We transmitted it on the pitch.”
In Villa’s words, the plan was to give “players a pre-match boost” — Thursday’s exertions in northern France, the lack of preparation time for this game and the natural wear and tear that had taken hold were sensed to be a threat.
According to Emery, players had one “so, so quiet” training session before Bournemouth, at a later scheduled time on Saturday morning to allow them a lie-in. Friday, having got back late from Lille the night before, had simply been a recovery day. “Most of the preparation was done at the team hotel yesterday evening (Saturday) with meetings,” said Emery.
“The key is getting used to (the) Thursday-Sunday (schedule that comes with UEFA’s second- and third-tier club competitions),” added McGinn. “The manager has got a complete no-excuse strategy. We’ve got a lot of injuries. A lot of players carrying knocks — you see Leon (Bailey) there, heavily strapped up.”
Multiple players are indeed pushing through the pain barrier — Bailey has an issue with his left knee, McGinn himself routinely tries to stretch out his right calf and Pau Torres wore strapping high up on both thighs. Still, in a testament to their robustness, the only two changes Emery made from Thursday were enforced; Douglas Luiz remained suspended domestically and Nicolo Zaniolo was injured against Lille and had to come off before half-time.
In an era where Premier League managers, boasting unimaginable riches, squad depth and experience in European competitions, moan about the schedule and inevitably end up having things their own way, Emery prefers to just get on with it.
From a stylistic viewpoint, Emery knew Bournemouth would require Villa to bank on their resolve.
Andoni Iraola’s side are based on high-pressing and man-marking schemes, set traps out of possession that teams, without precision in their passing, walk into and arrived fresh from a full week without a game. “When you’re tired, a team you don’t want to play is Bournemouth,” said McGinn, citing their man-marking system being comparable to Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United sides of the recent past.
Bournemouth took the lead from the spot just past the half-hour after Matty Cash brought down Milos Kerkez, yet the initial danger came when Moussa Diaby got nudged off the ball by centre-back Marcos Senesi, a by-product of the visitors’ man-marking scheme that involves following opposing attackers into deep areas.
Villa, though, have built an inherent toughness and an ability to ride moments of pressure while still thinking clearly. Through Saturday’s light training session and video meetings, Emery had crafted a plan to exploit Bournemouth’s shortcomings.
McGinn explained that Emery wanted his players to start deeper, attempting to draw Bournemouth’s players higher, making space for a pacy front line of Bailey, Diaby and Ollie Watkins, all in one-v-ones, to exploit.
The equaliser came on transition, with Villa regaining the ball deep in their half and five Bournemouth players caught ahead of play. It was Bailey, shortly after his patched-up left knee was clattered into, who struck a whipped, outside-of-the-foot pass for Morgan Rogers, the 21-year-old winter-window signing cutting inside, scoring and providing another timely reminder of his precociousness.
McGinn, all the while, was playing chest pointed to the floor, backside protruding and charging around. He would lean his body into challenges, run without stopping and scream at team-mates. At the break, the Scot exchanged words with his new midfield partner Youri Tielemans, in apparent disbelief that the Belgium international had not played a cross into the box with seconds left until the interval.
Tielemans argued he did not want to risk Villa being stung on the counter. It was a matter swiftly squashed, yet pointed to further proof of sharpened minds.
After the break, Emiliano Martinez noted the late-afternoon sun was in the eyes of his goalkeeping counterpart Neto. Before one inswinging corner, he ran over to set-piece coach Austin MacPhee to advise that deliveries should be directed towards the Brazilian, with Villa players putting pressure on him.
Villa’s second half was among their best of the season.
Other wins have been more notable, but this was a demonstration of steeliness and know-how.
Emery did not make his first substitution until the 87th minute, a sign of how Villa — against the expected odds — had overpowered their opponents as the game wore on.
Perhaps it should not have been a surprise. In the 10 matches that have directly followed a European fixture since qualifying for the group stage in August, Villa have only lost once. In Emery’s mind, the decision whether to prioritise chasing a top-four finish and the Champions League spot that brings or winning a trophy is non-existent. In his eyes, they can do both.
It was a 20th Premier League victory, Villa’s most in a single season since the competition’s 1992-93 inaugural year.
Players have now been given two days off and some, including McGinn, will head for the golf course to decompress.
They will reconvene later in the week to prepare for Saturday night’s visit of Chelsea, with the finish line in sight.
The stuff about Unsi wanting to get the team geed up by the crowd as they arrived at the ground, and his tactical tweaks demonstrate to me that he's a bloody genius.
He admitted he got it wrong against Brentford and then leads/coaches/cajoles the team to wins at Arsenal, Lille and yesterday.
Children on parent’s shoulders takes me back to May 1957…
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Cash's foul was disappointing, in part because I didn't want the good will he's got at the moment to dissipate quickly given he's probably the most maligned regular in our squad (often unfairly).
As disappointing it as it was, their winger pulled the ball back which I don't think anybody would have predicted. It was a brilliant bit of skill and I won't blame Cash for getting caught out. 99.99% of defenders would have fallen for it. Hindsight says he shouldn't have even tried to make the tackle in the box but that will only be the response of boorish know-alls. Any other day it would have been a lovely tackle.
Not how I saw it, yes some skill involved but you don’t go to ground sliding in the penalty area unless you know you will win the ball.
I like a lot about Cash but he is rash and makes poor decisions defensively.
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Cash's foul was disappointing, in part because I didn't want the good will he's got at the moment to dissipate quickly given he's probably the most maligned regular in our squad (often unfairly).
As disappointing it as it was, their winger pulled the ball back which I don't think anybody would have predicted. It was a brilliant bit of skill and I won't blame Cash for getting caught out. 99.99% of defenders would have fallen for it. Hindsight says he shouldn't have even tried to make the tackle in the box but that will only be the response of boorish know-alls. Any other day it would have been a lovely tackle.
Not how I saw it, yes some skill involved but you don’t go to ground sliding in the penalty area unless you know you will win the ball.
I like a lot about Cash but he is rash and makes poor decisions defensively.
You're a hard man to please, Chicago. A fucking great full back obviously but a hard man to please.
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Cash's foul was disappointing, in part because I didn't want the good will he's got at the moment to dissipate quickly given he's probably the most maligned regular in our squad (often unfairly).
As disappointing it as it was, their winger pulled the ball back which I don't think anybody would have predicted. It was a brilliant bit of skill and I won't blame Cash for getting caught out. 99.99% of defenders would have fallen for it. Hindsight says he shouldn't have even tried to make the tackle in the box but that will only be the response of boorish know-alls. Any other day it would have been a lovely tackle.
Not how I saw it, yes some skill involved but you don’t go to ground sliding in the penalty area unless you know you will win the ball.
I like a lot about Cash but he is rash and makes poor decisions defensively.
You're a hard man to please, Chicago. A fucking great full back obviously but a hard man to please.
No mate, I was the bloke using a bit of trickery, putting the full back on his arse and going down like a felled tree to win the pen.
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Cash's foul was disappointing, in part because I didn't want the good will he's got at the moment to dissipate quickly given he's probably the most maligned regular in our squad (often unfairly).
As disappointing it as it was, their winger pulled the ball back which I don't think anybody would have predicted. It was a brilliant bit of skill and I won't blame Cash for getting caught out. 99.99% of defenders would have fallen for it. Hindsight says he shouldn't have even tried to make the tackle in the box but that will only be the response of boorish know-alls. Any other day it would have been a lovely tackle.
Also, Cash has credit in the bank from last Thursday when he seemed to be the only outfield player capable of changing the course of the game in the regulation 90.
Got kinda lost amid the penalty antics.
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Cash's foul was disappointing, in part because I didn't want the good will he's got at the moment to dissipate quickly given he's probably the most maligned regular in our squad (often unfairly).
As disappointing it as it was, their winger pulled the ball back which I don't think anybody would have predicted. It was a brilliant bit of skill and I won't blame Cash for getting caught out. 99.99% of defenders would have fallen for it. Hindsight says he shouldn't have even tried to make the tackle in the box but that will only be the response of boorish know-alls. Any other day it would have been a lovely tackle.
Defenders should only be going to ground in the box as a last resort 😂 was poor from Cash
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That was mental fatigue we saw with Cash , a brain fart moment and he knew it instantly . Tiredness can lead to poor decision making. Fair play to him he had a good game after that . He was dead on his feet last 10 mins .
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That was mental fatigue we saw with Cash , a brain fart moment and he knew it instantly . Tiredness can lead to poor decision making. Fair play to him he had a good game after that . He was dead on his feet last 10 mins .
I also noticed him trying to cover 2 players, he moved from one to the other as they passed the ball so it could be as much someone else not being where they should have been.
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Them bloody flame things before the game. God knows how hot it must be for Witton Lower patrons, but it gives off a right blast to the chops in the Upper tier.
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Them bloody flame things before the game. God knows how hot it must be for Witton Lower patrons, but it gives off a right blast to the chops in the Upper tier.
They'll come in handy if the Stripeys get promoted.
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That was mental fatigue we saw with Cash , a brain fart moment and he knew it instantly . Tiredness can lead to poor decision making. Fair play to him he had a good game after that . He was dead on his feet last 10 mins .
I also noticed him trying to cover 2 players, he moved from one to the other as they passed the ball so it could be as much someone else not being where they should have been.
Yes, he deserves a lot of credit. Returned from injury to play 120 minutes and then 90 minutes 3 days later. No wonder he was knackered.
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Them bloody flame things before the game. God knows how hot it must be for Witton Lower patrons, but it gives off a right blast to the chops in the Upper tier.
I was in the rail seating where the away fans normally sit. Didn't really notice it from there, but every time i look at the fireworks shooting up i worry about one misfiring and having someones eye out !
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every time i look at the fireworks shooting up i worry about one misfiring and having someones eye out !
Gidmanesque.
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Them bloody flame things before the game. God knows how hot it must be for Witton Lower patrons, but it gives off a right blast to the chops in the Upper tier.
I was in the rail seating where the away fans normally sit. Didn't really notice it from there, but every time i look at the fireworks shooting up i worry about one misfiring and having someones eye out !
It's so environmentally friendly...
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every time i look at the fireworks shooting up i worry about one misfiring and having someones eye out !
Gidmanesque.
Thats one for the kids ;)
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I did think that they'd be given a couple of days rest after the exertions of the last eight days.
I bet SJM is whacking it five under par right now...
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Unless he's nipped off to Dublin for some 'relaxation'.