Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: PeterWithesShin on April 26, 2025, 07:11:22 PM
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Fully deserved. We were shit.
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Play that defence. Concede three goals. Standard and predictable.
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When one specific team keeps annihilating you, its probably a good idea to try something different.
We had the momentum big time going into the Man City game and then our mentality changed.
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Abject.
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That defence can go fuck itself. Every time we play it we conceded a fucking raft of goals.
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Play that defence. Concede three goals. Standard and predictable.
100%
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Horror show. To say we were second best would be an exaggeration.
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Gutless. Spineless.
Poor tactics. Poor team selection.
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Pain
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Honestly, we look tired. Like Liverpool v PSG.
Self flagellate all you like.
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Time to ship a load out in the summer. Need to get some winners in.
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Utterly embarrassing, basically all of them and the coaching staff were terrible. It should be really apparent - slow and methodical build-up does not work for us against them. Then once it wasn’t working we didn’t react in time and the game was gone.
Season is completely falling on its face - and what the fuck does Malen have to do to get a decent chance?
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Unai got that horribly wrong.
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Awful..
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I agree with Percy.
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A real real let down.
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The defence were crap, but that doesn't mean we create 0 clear chances.
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The signal moment there was for the third goal. Youri stood still with the ball, the Palace player said thanks, I'll have that and it was then only going to finish one way
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Just fuck off Villa. So angry.
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Fucking pussies.
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In a long list of huge Wembley disappointments since 1996 I'd say that is right up there. Just glad it wasn't the actual final.
Considering how we've played in the build up and what is left I am completely empty and this season is over for me as I don't really care about finishing 5th or 6th over winning the FA Cup.
Today is why we've gone 30 years without winning anything. On the big occasions we shrink, don't want to take risks and want to wait for opposition to mess up. You very rarely win big trophies with that mentality.
Didn't like the line up, didn't like the subs, easily Emery's worst game for us as a manager.
Maybe it's a good thing the 2019/20 members of the squad start to break up now. Served us very well but PSG feels the last hurrah.
Next season we need to be seeing more of likes of Maatsen, Malen etc.
Conserving energy in play has its downsides and today was the worst of it. Completely crushed by watching us play like that in yet again big game at Wembley.
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68 years and counting.
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71% possession and yet we got properly thumped.
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In a long list of huge Wembley disappointments since 1996 I'd say that is right up there. Just glad it wasn't the actual final.
Considering how we've played in the build up and what is left I am completely empty and this season is over for me as I don't really care about finishing 5th or 6th over winning the FA Cup.
Today is why we've gone 30 years without winning anything. On the big occasions we shrink, don't want to take risks and want to wait for opposition to mess up. You very rarely win big trophies with that mentality.
Didn't like the line up, didn't like the subs, easily Emery's worst game for us as a manager.
Maybe it's a good thing the 2019/20 members of the squad start to break up now. Served us very well but PSG feels the last hurrah.
Next season we need to be seeing more of likes of Maatsen, Malen etc.
Conserving energy in play has its downsides and today was the worst of it. Completely crushed by watching us play like that in yet again big game at Wembley.
100%
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Umm welll…..
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Players to replace from this squad:
Cash, Torres, Asensio, Barkley and maybe even Konsa. Also, today Tielemans and Rogers were fucking annoyingly wank! Torres gave them first goal, Rogers let them in for penalty miss, Tielemans gave them second goal, Konsa the third.
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Why do we play big games like we want to go in 0-0 at half time?
First shot is a goal—again!
Another goal after 90 mins!!
Never turned up —-again!!
Could have lost this 6-0 !!
Just not good enough by everyone
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Utter shit from start to finish. Fair play to Palace though. They stepped up and played superbly when it mattered in a way that we just couldn't. They really are our Kryptonite though. Emery just can't get a handle on them.
Sarr must wish he could play us every week.
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Another in the long list of great Villa Cup no-shows. No one comes out of that with any credit. Of all the clubs to become our bogey team: Crystal-fucking-Palace.
There are all the indications of the PSG game being the club's highwater mark for the foreseeable future.
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Special shout out to the group of coked up pricks in block 112 who spent the entire game paying no attention to what was happening on the pitch, and chose instead to shout in people’s faces and calling them shit fans for not signing loudly enough.
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absolute rubbish .their manager had emery in his pocket
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Abject - too gutted to say to much. On unai today - wrong team and tactics and no excuse as this is the 4th time they’ve done in it less than a year.
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Konsa has been bad. Disappointing season for him.
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They were better than us in every dept and just outfought us in key positions and moments. Not sure why he took McGinn off but everyone else was fairly average to poor. Strong finish needed last four games but no matter where we finish there's been to many days like this this season, too many draws and games where we've looked extremely poor. I don't care who wins it as long as its not City.
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Utter shite. Palace deserved that as all they had to do was run at us. Furious as one of our best chances in years. I will probably be dead before we win any silverware at this rate.
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Awful. Abject. Gutless. Spineless. Disgraceful. Other synonyms.
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The defence were crap, but that doesn't mean we create 0 clear chances.
We had some decent chances, nothing as clear as theirs though.
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I agree with Percy.
I agree with reality that keeps slapping us in the face. Some people on here don’t, but each to their own.
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Comprehensively outplayed today. On all levels. Hope Palace go on to win it. They have our number and they were sensational today.
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Worst game in years. Maybe since relegation.
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Abject - too gutted to say to much. On unai today - wrong team and tactics and no excuse as this is the 4th time they’ve done in it less than a year.
Agree. Think Mings not playing was a mistake. Not having Maatsen at left back with his pace against a back 5 was poor. Rodgers knackered but stayed on. Asensio anonymous
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Absolutely shockingly poor performance. Some will point fingers at individual players but no one, not one of them get anything other than a zero out of ten maybe less awful
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That's our worst performance there for me. Again we made Palace look incredible and got a fucking beating off of a mid table team. We couldn't have been more subservient if we were drugged up. No intensity, no one winning there duels, no movement, no combativity. All one paced and played in front of them until they pressed and physically won the ball back.
A bad bad week from Emery too. You have to win these big games, not hope the opposition lose them. Really poor all round today. I'm getting pissed.
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They had someone on Tielemans for most of the match so as soon as the ball came to him, they closed him to stop him dictating play, we let Wharton play all match again.
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The players are clearly knackered but I expected more from them.
Emery picked the wrong team in a big game yet again.
Just frustrating!!!
Fair play to Palace though,completely deserved the win, I can’t see us ever beating them again.
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Aaaand that's why so many of us shat ourselves once we were drawn against them. They just have our number at the moment and we have just massively dropped last 2 games. I still don't like Rogers on the right, plus he's very clearly shattered. Really strange blind spot.
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Mings over Torres any day. Terrible performance. Adensio did nothing. Desperate display.
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The defence were crap, but that doesn't mean we create 0 clear chances.
We had some decent chances, nothing as clear as theirs though.
To be honest our lack of anything in the final third emboldened them. Like Citeh, we set up like we were afraid of them.
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Konsa has been bad. Disappointing season for him.
Konsa is pretty poor without Mings leadership and skill set next to him. That has been obvious for a while. We continue to pick Torres though and concede 3.
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Shocking, worst game of the season.
Only McGinn looked up for it.
Struggling to find the words
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Sh*t the bed when it matters. 30 years. Sick to the teeth of this losers mentality
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Martinez 3
Digne 3
Torres 1
Konsa 1
Cash 2
Tielemans 1
Kamara 1
McGinn 6
Asensio 1
Rogers 1
Watkins 2
Barkley 1
Maatsen 1
Ramsey 1
Malen 3
Bailey 5
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Hope City win it now so it means nothing to them. I must admit to my view being formed by living just outside Nottingham and wouldn’t want Forest to win a coin toss.
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Disgusting, totally embarrassing.
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Martinez 3
Digne 3
Torres 1
Konsa 1
Cash 2
Tielemans 1
Kamara 1
McGinn 6
Asensio 1
Rogers 1
Watkins 2
Barkley 1
Maatsen 1
Ramsey 1
Malen 3
Bailey 5
Very generous.
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Shocking, worst game of the season.
Only McGinn looked up for it.
Struggling to find the words
Bailey did really well as well, but no one else really.
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Martinez 3
Digne 3
Torres 1
Konsa 1
Cash 2
Tielemans 1
Kamara 1
McGinn 6
Asensio 1
Rogers 1
Watkins 2
Barkley 1
Maatsen 1
Ramsey 1
Malen 3
Bailey 5
Think 2 for cash is generous.
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I think 3 for Martinez is generous.
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Citeh to win it, means fuck all to them, seeing Palace or Forest win it instead of us will be irritating.
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I just hope Man City win it now so that we can completely forget this chance ever existed. I just so upset by today
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The performance I feared against these has happened with more on top.
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That defence can go fuck itself. Every time we play it we conceded a fucking raft of goals.
I think the only way we can play Torres would be in a 3….hes just not a great defender and that’s his bloody position!!!
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Konsa has been bad. Disappointing season for him.
Konsa is pretty poor without Mings leadership and skill set next to him. That has been obvious for a while. We continue to pick Torres though and concede 3.
We’ve done that twice have we of late? They were both crap, but this was a cross team problem. The set up was wrong and we were too passive.
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The defence were crap, but that doesn't mean we create 0 clear chances.
We had some decent chances, nothing as clear as theirs though.
To be honest our lack of anything in the final third emboldened them. Like Citeh, we set up like we were afraid of them.
Definitely, but Bailey's shot cleared by Torres in the only defensive thing he did, Konsa, and I can't remember who he Henderson had to dive across and push away from were still decent. Just not enough of it because they just put everyone round the box and then broke at pace when someone screwed up posesion.
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How we needed Mings on the pitch today
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Mings left out and McGinn and Rogers on the wrong side.
2nd goal was wonder strike and that was the end.
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When he sets the team up like that we badly lack pace, particularly in wide areas.
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Just got off a plane in Amsterdam and seen the score. Wtf? Reading the comments it sounds like one of our typical non performances.
When we're bad we're rotten.
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Just got off a plane in Amsterdam and seen the score. Wtf? Reading the comments it sounds like one of our typical non performances.
When we're bad we're rotten.
I blame you for not watching!
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How we needed Mings on the pitch today
Absolutely. You just have to look at the match thread with the line up comments on this. Baffling baffling decision
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Taken from our FB Group:
#AVFC have won the last eight games that Tyrone Mings has started, unbeaten in the last eleven and only lost one in the last eighteen.
Benched in the last two games, and we are fragile beyond belief.
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How we needed Mings on the pitch today
Which is what a load of people said before a ball was even kicked.
This hard-on for Torres is very strange.
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Mings might have made a difference, but this wasn’t just a defence thing. We produced barely anything and looked like we had no plan. The defence was bad, but so was the whole rest of the team.
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97 minutes of utter shit.
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Just got off a plane in Amsterdam and seen the score. Wtf? Reading the comments it sounds like one of our typical non performances.
When we're bad we're rotten.
I blame you for not watching!
Sounds like I should be glad circumstances dictated that I couldn't.
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I'd have played both Mings and Onana for their height as much as anything. Plenty of the Villa players underperformed but the subs were also poor and it's about time Emery realised that Torres and Konsa does not work. Another wasted chance at a cup win, another goal conceded with their first effort on goal, another 90 minute plus goal, another 3 goals game conceded. Not sure if 7th wins us Conference League football with the Barcodes likely to get Champs League and winning the League Cup. Doesn't winning the FA Cup get a Europa place?
I have to say, I am a tad angry but not in the least bit surprised by today as we are Villa, always the bridesmaid thanks to some players who need shifting.
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Sure it's been done to death, but do the stats back up that Pau is a wet fart and we shit the bed with him in defence?
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We'll never have a better opportunity than last season to win a European Cup, We'll probably not have a better opportunity than this season to win the FA Cup and for some unfathomable reason we seem to think the League Cup is below us.
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Aaaand that's why so many of us shat ourselves once we were drawn against them. They just have our number at the moment and we have just massively dropped last 2 games. I still don't like Rogers on the right, plus he's very clearly shattered. Really strange blind spot.
The maddest blind spot of all is that he keeps picking our worst defence, which anyone vaguely literate and numerate (no offence bronte) can work out from looking at a match programme.
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That's our worst performance there for me. Again we made Palace look incredible and got a fucking beating off of a mid table team.
A bad bad week from Emery too. You have to win these big games, not hope the opposition lose them. Really poor all round today. I'm getting pissed.
21 years since I last had a drink but I daren’t leave my flat tonight or it could be life changing. Arse biscuits.
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The signal moment there was for the third goal. Youri stood still with the ball, the Palace player said thanks, I'll have that and it was then only going to finish one way
That was a tactic from the off. They literally didn't allow our players to turn. Wharton must've picked Tielemans pocket 10 times during that game. They swarmed our midfield and packed the defence wherever we got forward. Basic stuff but totally effective and they knew it.
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A scratch team from Ward End Park would have beaten us today.
As for our team,
I wouldn’t pay them in washers.
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Pau Torres is the Robin Olsen of defenders.
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Just glad it was only 0-3. Could have been 6 easily.
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Play was soo slow again and we played right into their hands by messing about, losing possession and off they go on the attack . We were lucky it was only 3-0. The players just didn’t want it enough, god knows why!
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Mings might have made a difference, but this wasn’t just a defence thing. We produced barely anything and looked like we had no plan. The defence was bad, but so was the whole rest of the team.
At least we had sterile possession until Konsa and Torres both shat themselves, within two minutes of each other, under the first bit of pressure either faced all game. I am so fed up with it.
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Aaaand that's why so many of us shat ourselves once we were drawn against them. They just have our number at the moment and we have just massively dropped last 2 games. I still don't like Rogers on the right, plus he's very clearly shattered. Really strange blind spot.
The maddest blind spot of all is that he keeps picking our worst defence, which anyone vaguely literate and numerate (no offence bronte) can work out from looking at a match programme.
Mings was playing in the EFL game, albeit he had just come back so was probably rusty. Neither played at their place but then like today, that applied to the whole team. But yes, as soon as Mings, who you know would drive the club / players in this type of game wasn't picked, the fans would be nervous, and so would the team.
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Aaaand that's why so many of us shat ourselves once we were drawn against them. They just have our number at the moment and we have just massively dropped last 2 games. I still don't like Rogers on the right, plus he's very clearly shattered. Really strange blind spot.
The maddest blind spot of all is that he keeps picking our worst defence, which anyone vaguely literate and numerate (no offence bronte) can work out from looking at a match programme.
Torres's passing was shite today, and if you're not even getting that benefit, then there really is no point.
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They beat us with the exact same tactics they employed in all our recent meetings...Unai is the man, as far as I am concerned, BUT I'd love to know why we simply played the same old way against them again? Like Forest, they are physical, they sit back and counter, we all know this...why play into this kind of team's hands like that? It's all incredibly frustrating, but fair play to Palace.
Once the dust settles, this game will hopefully turn out to be another staging post on our evolutionary journey to the top. UTV.
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He’s had an iffy season, but only Leon Bailey comes out of that with any credit.
I am 58 years old with a life expectancy of early 80s. We will never win the FA Cup in my son’s lifetime probably.
Bloody disgrace. And Glasner is not a good manager because he can only motivate his team for selected games. They are very, very good and 11th for them is very poor.
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Sure it's been done to death, but do the stats back up that Pau is a wet fart and we shit the bed with him in defence?
I hate to labour this point - he wasn’t good, Konsa was worse. But he played against Bayern, Juventus, Citeh when we won, nearly all of our run in the first half of last season. The idea that he’s utterly hopeless isn’t true. Get he’s not done well at times of late, but the idea he’s useless just doesn’t stack up.
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I thought that Mings would start to battle with Matata, but how we played we would have still got battered. Dreadful all over, out fought out played and out sang.
Wharton took the ball off our midfield so many times, would love to see him in a Villa shirt, Bailey was the only one who did ok, the rest just so slow and poor.
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I thought it was our year after the corner that never was against west ham.
Rogers and tielimans passengers all game. Kamara had a poor game too. McGinn basicly on his own in midfield. Bailey caused them problems when he came on.
I just hope Villa are not like the old leeds team of the 2000s that went close for everything but ended up winning fuck all. No wonder we're looking at De bruyne we are big game bottlers.
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Absolute wankers. And I include the manager in that.
All that hope, all that desire, it's everything to us and it meant nothing to you.
Fuck all of you.
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Sure it's been done to death, but do the stats back up that Pau is a wet fart and we shit the bed with him in defence?
I hate to labour this point - he wasn’t good, Konsa was worse. But he played against Bayern, Juventus, Citeh when we won, nearly all of our run in the first half of last season. The idea that he’s utterly hopeless isn’t true. Get he’s not done well at times of late, but the idea he’s useless just doesn’t stack up.
Champs league is arguably a different type of football though. He isn't good enough for the rough and tumble of the Premier League perhaps? Personally, I think he's a waste of a shirt.
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I’ve been saying for years that we don’t have leaders on the pitch
SJM does his best by leading by example
We only have one other leader and for some bizarre reason he was left on the bench
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They beat us with the exact same tactics employed in our recent meetings...Unai is the man, as far as I am concerned, BUT I'd love to know why we simply played the same old way against them again? Like Forest, they are physical, they sit back and counter, we all know this...why play into this kind of team's hands like that? It's all incredibly frustrating, but fair play to Palace.
Once the dust settles, this game will hopefully turn out to be another staging post in our upwards evolution. UTV.
This is what’s driving me mad - glazner even said it’s easy to prepare to play Villa. How he got it so wrong again is beyond me
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Until Emery realises that over here we determine that effort, speed, determination are every bit as important than just having skill. While we tap the ball around, passing it from side to side, without making opponents chase about, we will lose to these sides like today who put the effort and determination in. On the two times we have used these efforts in the second half against PSG and against Newcastle we were on top and proved we were the better side.
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Don't want to totally scape goat him but my fag packet calculations are that with Torres at centre back we've conceded 71 in 47 games in the league.
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That's our worst performance there for me. Again we made Palace look incredible and got a fucking beating off of a mid table team.
A bad bad week from Emery too. You have to win these big games, not hope the opposition lose them. Really poor all round today. I'm getting pissed.
21 years since I last had a drink but I daren’t leave my flat tonight or it could be life changing. Arse biscuits.
Yeah, its 5 years since my last drink so I've instructed my fiancee to lock me in and thankfully theres no peeve in the house.
God, that was fucking woeful and sadly, predictable
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Best chance of a trophy for this team before it’s broken up. PSR will be out for us and a few players will be going.
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Aaaand that's why so many of us shat ourselves once we were drawn against them. They just have our number at the moment and we have just massively dropped last 2 games. I still don't like Rogers on the right, plus he's very clearly shattered. Really strange blind spot.
The maddest blind spot of all is that he keeps picking our worst defence, which anyone vaguely literate and numerate (no offence bronte) can work out from looking at a match programme.
Mings was playing in the EFL game, albeit he had just come back so was probably rusty. Neither played at their place but then like today, that applied to the whole team. But yes, as soon as Mings, who you know would drive the club / players in this type of game wasn't picked, the fans would be nervous, and so would the team.
His first game back after 14 months. Look at the results in games he’s played since, and count the goals conceded. Compare and contrast.
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Mings might have made a difference, but this wasn’t just a defence thing. We produced barely anything and looked like we had no plan. The defence was bad, but so was the whole rest of the team.
When you have a suspect base (as we do with that defensive combo) everything else goes to shite as well.
To buck the trend, I sort of the the logic of playing Torres today. Emery expected Palarse to sit deep for long periods (they did) and hit us on the counter.
That being the case - and if they match up so that Tielemans is out of the game - incisive passes from Torres could, in theory, open them up.
But even his passing is off at the moment.
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Abject - too gutted to say to much. On unai today - wrong team and tactics and no excuse as this is the 4th time they’ve done in it less than a year.
Agree. Think Mings not playing was a mistake. Not having Maatsen at left back with his pace against a back 5 was poor. Rodgers knackered but stayed on. Asensio anonymous
not far off with tha Leon
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For some reason, I did not get worked up before the game.
Sat shaking my head as to how dreadful we were and how they did to us what they have done before this season, press, bully and defend in numbers
Not a single player can leave with his head up
Our so called depth was as deep as a puddle
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Asensio a big no from me in the Summer. Massive wages.
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Disappointed. More so for my 87 year old Dad (who couldn't bear to watch the match) than me.
There's still good times ahead, days like this will make them all the sweeter.
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Martinez 3
Digne 3
Torres 1
Konsa 1
Cash 2
Tielemans 1
Kamara 1
McGinn 6
Asensio 1
Rogers 1
Watkins 2
Barkley 1
Maatsen 1
Ramsey 1
Malen 3
Bailey 5
Bronte could have posted those and I don’t think anyone would disagree. Absolute shocker of a “performance” from the team and Unai and his team.
Oh well…..
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Until Emery realises that over here we determine that effort, speed, determination are every bit as important than just having skill. While we tap the ball around, passing it from side to side, without making opponents chase about, we will lose to these sides like today who put the effort and determination in. On the two times we have used these efforts in the second half against PSG and against Newcastle we were on top and proved we were the better side.
Palace played like a smart counter punching boxer. We played like Fraudley Harrison.
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His first game back after 14 months. Look at the results in games he’s played since, and count the goals conceded. Compare and contrast.
Hence the rusty comment. And I was also in the Mings to start today camp and been in it all week. I even accepted playing Torres last week being a price to pay to have Mings today.
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Asensio a big no from me in the Summer. Massive wages.
If we don't make the Champions League he won't be back anyway. Starting to get vibes of Countinho with him
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Shocking, worst game of the season.
Only McGinn looked up for it.
Struggling to find the words
Worst game in a long, long time.
One of the worst. This is going to haunt me. I don't know where we go after this, properly feels like the end of an era.
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It's over for me, you can talk tactics all you you like but to do that to us, on our most important day is unforgivable.
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Unai keeps doing the same thing against Palace and they lap it up. It’s utterly bewildering when someone so obviously brilliant has such a big blind spot.
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They scored 3, missed a pen, had one wrongly ruled out and missed a couple of decent chances. We had a few half chances. That was an old school drubbing.
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Wrong team selection (Mings should have started).
That is down to Unai.
McGinn our best player on the day should not have been subbed.
That too is down to Unai.
We bottled it! The 11 players of Palace wanted it more than ours. The Palace fans appeared to want it more also. Some of our fans no doubt left their voices in the pub...again.
This is the cup I want more than anything else. I'm resigned to it never happening, especially after that fiasco today!
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Well that was shit.
All were awful. Too slow, played into Palaces hands and just so sloppy. One of the worst performances of the season.
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They beat us with the exact same tactics employed in our recent meetings...Unai is the man, as far as I am concerned, BUT I'd love to know why we simply played the same old way against them again? Like Forest, they are physical, they sit back and counter, we all know this...why play into this kind of team's hands like that? It's all incredibly frustrating, but fair play to Palace.
Maybe Unai thought it worked so well against Man City on Tuesday night. Let's face it, the Newcastle game was pretty much a one-off this season. It was that type of approach I was hoping for today. Instead we got once again shot ourselves in the foot. It was pathetic from start to finish.
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Asensio a big no from me in the Summer. Massive wages.
If we don't make the Champions League he won't be back anyway. Starting to get vibes of Countinho with him
I don;t think Coutinho, more that we are not playing with good balls into the box to capitalise on the late runs or against teams that crowd all our midfield out. Some of out slightly decent play came through him. Rogers was a damn site worse today.
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For some reason, I did not get worked up before the game.
Sat shaking my head as to how dreadful we were and how they did to us what they have done before this season, press, bully and defend in numbers
Not a single player can leave with his head up
Our so called depth was as deep as a puddle
Same. Devastated after PSG. Angry after Man City. Numb today and was from the first minute.
Second I saw the line-up I knew. Judging by the comments at the start of the match thread, so did a fair few others. We could've put a team out to beat them today.
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I’m 66 now and the wait goes on.
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All awful, except SJM, Bailey and (first half) Ollie. I understand the 'Konsa likes playing with Mings" stat, but he was awful.
They must love playing us. I hope they get absolutely ruined in the final.
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The defence were crap, but that doesn't mean we create 0 clear chances.
100% how much pressure is their on the defence when your forwards look totally incapable at the other end.
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Sure it's been done to death, but do the stats back up that Pau is a wet fart and we shit the bed with him in defence?
I hate to labour this point - he wasn’t good, Konsa was worse. But he played against Bayern, Juventus, Citeh when we won, nearly all of our run in the first half of last season. The idea that he’s utterly hopeless isn’t true. Get he’s not done well at times of late, but the idea he’s useless just doesn’t stack up.
It does stack up. The proven failure of the Konsa/Pau partnership didn’t play together in the great defensive performances in the CL or last season. It was Carlos/Pau ably supported by Konsa shoring up the right-hand side of the pitch instead of the defensive hologram that is Matty Cash.
As I’ve said many times, Konsa needs Mings, Pau needs a right-footed Mings. Neither of our two today are leaders or organisers.
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Rogers often struggles on the right as he’s easier to crowd out, plus he looks, understandably, knackered. He has been overplayed, as excellent as he has been.
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I think Asensio gets in the way of Rogers progress as the latter has to play out wide to make space. Unless Asensio is scoring goals, I don't think he offers much else. Clever movement but needs to be so much more involved.
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Asensio a big no from me in the Summer. Massive wages.
After a blistering start, he's been anonymous. Didn't even really put on a display against PSG when he had a point to prove. Signed permanently, he'd just be another Coutinho.
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Unai keeps doing the same thing against Palace and they lap it up. It’s utterly bewildering when someone so obviously brilliant has such a big blind spot.
I felt that way about Newcastle until about a week ago. We’ve had some shockers against Tottenham recently too.
I didn’t mind Torres starting too much but to not make changes after the penalty miss was desperately disappointing. That was a real opportunity to correct mistakes and we just limped on until it was 2-0.
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It’s not a coincidence that Asensio has been at his best when Rashford played wide left - I don’t get why Unai abandoned that. The pace and directness pulled teams back towards their line and Asensio is brilliant at finding the space.
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All awful, except SJM, Bailey and (first half) Ollie. I understand the 'Konsa likes playing with Mings" stat, but he was awful.
They must love playing us. I hope they get absolutely ruined in the final.
He definitely started the WTF was that moments before Torres thought you can pass the ball through a solid object.
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Absolutely gutted yes the players looked tired, but there is no excuse for a performance like that. I hope Palace go on to to win it now.
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All awful, except SJM, Bailey and (first half) Ollie. I understand the 'Konsa likes playing with Mings" stat, but he was awful.
They must love playing us. I hope they get absolutely ruined in the final.
For me, to be clear, Konsa is just as culpable as Torres. Neither take control. If Mings hides some of Konsa's weaknesses then that is a problem. I think he does.
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Asensio a big no from me in the Summer. Massive wages.
After a blistering start, he's been anonymous. Didn't even really put on a display against PSG when he had a point to prove. Signed permanently, he'd just be another Coutinho.
He mostly wasn't playing in the middle when he first arrived, he was on the right, coming inside. And looked much more effective.
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It’s not a coincidence that Asensio has been at his best when Rashford played wide left - I don’t get why Unai abandoned that. The pace and directness pulled teams back towards their line and Asensio is brilliant at finding the space.
No Mings at the back and no Rashford at all were the uh-oh I don't think we will win this moments.
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I hope Man City twat them in the final. Bollocks to seeing yet another club win it while i'm still waiting to see us do it.
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This is why we shouldn't be all "lets buy Sarr". (unless it is just to stop him doing us).
In his six career starts against Villa, Ismaila Sarr has either scored (seven goals) or assisted (two goals) in each one. :'(
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We've been in 2 semi finals now, against Olympiakos and Crystal Palace and lost 9-2. That's really shit. We've looked really ragged and wild in both of those ties.
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That defence can go fuck itself. Every time we play it we conceded a fucking raft of goals.
I think the only way we can play Torres would be in a 3….hes just not a great defender and that’s his bloody position!!!
His distribution was atrocious too. Twice near end when we were getting a bit of pressure on he put it out of play. Unfathomable decision really to start Torres over Mings today of all days.
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All awful, except SJM, Bailey and (first half) Ollie. I understand the 'Konsa likes playing with Mings" stat, but he was awful.
They must love playing us. I hope they get absolutely ruined in the final.
Really? I don’t like Palace but I’d rather they win it than Forest or City - and if they play like they did today they’ll deserve it.
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I paid 38 quid to watch that utter toss on the plane back from tokyo. That's our season finished I'm afraid, we're going to fade away, which is what we deserve, there have been far too many similar performances this season, even accounting for injuries
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Last season we were on fumes at the end with the injuries and the amount of matches, so not going to use last seasons one to knock him. But this season that excuse doesn't fly with the players he had available. He has run Tielemans and Rogers into the ground though. All he had to do to gee the players up for this was to start Mings and show them we haven't won it since 57 which is atrocious for this club.
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The thing is, this was their day....they will probably play like us today in the final.
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Aaaand that's why so many of us shat ourselves once we were drawn against them. They just have our number at the moment and we have just massively dropped last 2 games. I still don't like Rogers on the right, plus he's very clearly shattered. Really strange blind spot.
The maddest blind spot of all is that he keeps picking our worst defence, which anyone vaguely literate and numerate (no offence bronte) can work out from looking at a match programme.
Go to bed Perry.
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The thing is, this was their day....they will probably play like us today in the final.
Like the Liverpool semi for us.
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That defence can go fuck itself. Every time we play it we conceded a fucking raft of goals.
I think the only way we can play Torres would be in a 3….hes just not a great defender and that’s his bloody position!!!
His distribution was atrocious too. Twice near end when we were getting a bit of pressure on he put it out of play. Unfathomable decision really to start Torres over Mings today of all days.
Yes and they might be a fair shout, and suggest Pau isn’t in form. That’s fair enough and Mings should have started, but this weird vitriolic narrative towards Pau suggesting he’s a terrible player, hasn’t done anything, is just odd.
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Aaaand that's why so many of us shat ourselves once we were drawn against them. They just have our number at the moment and we have just massively dropped last 2 games. I still don't like Rogers on the right, plus he's very clearly shattered. Really strange blind spot.
The maddest blind spot of all is that he keeps picking our worst defence, which anyone vaguely literate and numerate (no offence bronte) can work out from looking at a match programme.
Go to bed Perry.
Behave.
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We've been in 2 semi finals now, against Olympiakos and Crystal Palace and lost 9-2. That's really shit. We've looked really ragged and wild in both of those ties.
Indeed.
No guarantee we'd have seen off Fiorentina in the final.
But we shouldn't have been losing 6-2 to a side as average as that over two legs.
Win that last year and it would've got the monkey off our back. Might have helped us this year n'all.
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We've been in 2 semi finals now, against Olympiakos and Crystal Palace and lost 9-2. That's really shit. We've looked really ragged and wild in both of those ties.
I think the Olympiakos one can be passed as CL was clearly the priority last season and we also had loads of injuries and looked completely done at that stage of the season.
No such excuses this time with the form and bar Rashford all our squad was fully fit for this. Just baffling team selection and in form players not even put on as the first subs again.
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You can argue with Torres that when he's on form he adds more to our overall play than we lose defensively. When he's not on form then you just lose out defensively.
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Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Mings
Maatsen
Kamara
Onana
Malen
McGinn
Ramsey
Watkins
I wanted to see something like that today. Solid at the back and take out your players running on fumes. Bailey in for Malen maybe, but only after seeing how well he did today, so probably not fair to call that in hindsight.
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Last season we were on fumes at the end with the injuries and the amount of matches, so not going to use last seasons one to knock him. But this season that excuse doesn't fly with the players he had available. He has run Tielemans and Rogers into the ground though. All he had to do to gee the players up for this was to start Mings and show them we haven't won it since 57 which is atrocious for this club.
That's what I don't really get. We had injuries in winter but since February we'd had about 20 decent players all available yet he only really seems to trust a core of 13/14, certainly in the big games.
I think Garcia was signed for next season but after starting a few in February he's barely played in last two months. Typed too much about Maatsen and Malen, their lack of minutes when actually in form and having very good games is there for all to see.
It's all become a bit O'Neill esque. Rogers should not be starting if it is on the right. Simply dosen't know how to get space and influence games like centrally yet.
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Also, 70% possession and pretty much did nothing with it. Holy fuck that was awful.
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Well, 56 years and counting. They can fucking count without me. What a shitshow.
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All awful, except SJM, Bailey and (first half) Ollie. I understand the 'Konsa likes playing with Mings" stat, but he was awful.
They must love playing us. I hope they get absolutely ruined in the final.
For me, to be clear, Konsa is just as culpable as Torres. Neither take control. If Mings hides some of Konsa's weaknesses then that is a problem. I think he does.
I don’t see it like that. Since I started going, there have been numerous centre-back partnerships where one has been powerful and dominant, one a bit more agile and nimble on their feet.
Chris Nichol and Ian Ross then Leighton Phillips; McNaught/Evans, Teale/God, Laursen and whoever he played with, Mings/Konsa. A good partnership DOES hide weaknesses. Neither Pau nor Konsa are dominant, but they have been good with a physical centre-back alongside them.
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After going out of Europe and then losing to man city I thought there's no way Emery will f**k this game up. How wrong I was. All the talk about the importance of winning trophies sounds hollow right now.
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You can argue with Torres that when he's on form he adds more to our overall play than we lose defensively. When he's not on form then you just lose out defensively.
Yup, but I also think that whilst the stats have some merit it’s not the be all and end all. For instance, anyone who watched the PSG away would have seen a team that played with real defensive discipline against a side playing at an astonishing level, who then scored 3 top class goals. Those goals also were exposed down the right. But for those minded this way - it’s 3 goals, Torres playing.
Just to be clear I’d have played Mings today, and I rate him, but I also appreciate the quality an in form Torres has and what he has done for us. I think some have got to the point of hate watching him for some reason.
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As last time we played Palace...when he fucks up, he really fucks up.
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That defence can go fuck itself. Every time we play it we conceded a fucking raft of goals.
I think the only way we can play Torres would be in a 3….hes just not a great defender and that’s his bloody position!!!
His distribution was atrocious too. Twice near end when we were getting a bit of pressure on he put it out of play. Unfathomable decision really to start Torres over Mings today of all days.
Yes and they might be a fair shout, and suggest Pau isn’t in form. That’s fair enough and Mings should have started, but this weird vitriolic narrative towards Pau suggesting he’s a terrible player, hasn’t done anything, is just odd.
Id agree Torres has had many fine games for us, personally I'm not his biggest fan and Konsa has had a very poor season in truth . But I guess people see Mings sitting on the bench for the last two games v Palace and see the four centre backs who played in those games ahead of him getting bullied beyond belief. But it's Emery that needs to take the flack for that decision. Rogers on the right is bullshit too, taking off McGinn again wtf.
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As last time we played Palace...when he fucks up, he really fucks up.
It’s a very specific blind spot against them. Maybe next time try something different.
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Also, 70% possession and pretty much did nothing with it. Holy fuck that was awful.
Yes, looking back at the stats, it would give the impression we were well on top. So much possession, more shots, 12 corners to 1, but we never looked like winning.
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I like the manager but he really needs to show us what he can do in terms of trophies.
And today wasn't just disappointing, it was embarrassing and that isn't good enough but a long, long way.
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Taking McGinn off was the worst decision for me. That man clearly wants to win us a trophy and would give everything to that end.
I am so annoyed with everything at the moment. I mean, that was the one we all wanted.
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I’m 66 now and the wait goes on.
I only turned 36 on Thursday and I'm fearing not seeing us win anything significant now until into my 40s. Today was a big chance and we spectacularly blew it which is concerning considering the standard we've generally shown in the last two years.
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That defence can go fuck itself. Every time we play it we conceded a fucking raft of goals.
I think the only way we can play Torres would be in a 3….hes just not a great defender and that’s his bloody position!!!
His distribution was atrocious too. Twice near end when we were getting a bit of pressure on he put it out of play. Unfathomable decision really to start Torres over Mings today of all days.
Wow! It’s almost as if you think a defence is better if it concedes fewer goals.
Has this account been hacked? Mods?
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You can argue with Torres that when he's on form he adds more to our overall play than we lose defensively. When he's not on form then you just lose out defensively.
PL teams know how to get to him though. He has no recovery pace and a liability in any duel. When teams step off he can be a great asset.
The man to the right of him should be taking far more flack though. Bar a brief resurgence lately next to Mings he has played like a pr*ck all season.
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Suddenly turned into a pretty crap season
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The end of the season can't now come fast enough. We might scrape Europa League, but the silverware-zone that is Villa Park will be even worse with not only Newcastle winning their first trophy since The Beatles split, but you just know now that Arsenal and Man U/Spurs will win their European competitions. Liverpool and probably Man C with the remaining two domestic trophies.
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Ian Maatsen, Ramsey and Mings should have started this one.
However those on the pitch were too easily beaten and didn’t seem to get the importance of the game. We gave the ball away too cheaply and didn’t seem to want it as much as them.
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I’m devastated. Full squad available apart from one loanee and we were destroyed. What a waste of a season this is turning out to be.
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36 conceded in 36 games since Emery took over for Mings. 71 in 47 for Torres. Massive discrepancy. I don't care if you can pass. You aren't worth 24 extra goals conceded.
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All awful, except SJM, Bailey and (first half) Ollie. I understand the 'Konsa likes playing with Mings" stat, but he was awful.
They must love playing us. I hope they get absolutely ruined in the final.
For me, to be clear, Konsa is just as culpable as Torres. Neither take control. If Mings hides some of Konsa's weaknesses then that is a problem. I think he does.
I don’t see it like that. Since I started going, there have been numerous centre-back partnerships where one has been powerful and dominant, one a bit more agile and nimble on their feet.
Chris Nichol and Ian Ross then Leighton Phillips; McNaught/Evans, Teale/God, Laursen and whoever he played with, Mings/Konsa. A good partnership DOES hide weaknesses. Neither Pau nor Konsa are dominant, but they have been good with a physical centre-back alongside them.
Let me put it another way, as I agree with what you're saying...I think Torres is a better player than Konsa. If Torres is as intelligent a player as people like to claim, he can learn to play right-sided centre half. Mings should be a lock.
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On the train home, not sure what I have just seen tbh. Can't think of one player who turned up in any fashion. Beyond a horrible one, Palace simply pounced on our mistakes trying to play out and buried us. As bad as anything I can remember. Funeralled like a Pope.
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36 conceded in 36 games since Emery took over for Mings. 71 in 47 for Torres. Massive discrepancy. I don't care if you can pass. You aren't worth 24 extra goals conceded.
Glad someone has finally done that, as I couldn't be arsed. Please email Emery.
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If its possible to put a shine on a turd, at least we don't have to go and get hammered by Man City in the final, plus lets face it that could have been 5 or even 6 nil, we have to concentrate on the Europa League now, although we may be better placed coming out of all these competitions and going for a complete team rebuild in the summer, terrible performance, made even worse by the fact that this is a team that have beaten us and making a habit out of doing it and we learn nothing after how many defeats? kinds tells you something.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
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I think it's safe to say we peaked too soon. Shot our bolt with the two magical nights against PSG and Newcastle. A possible Europa league spot is the best we can hope for. I just can't see how Unai can rally them to win the last four games to even give us a chance of a CL spot. The dressing room must be as flat as my misses after she breastfed the twins.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
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That was our seventh defeat in our last nine Wembley appearances.
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Offered nothing and got nothing.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
It is, when you have an agenda to prove.
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I think it's safe to say we peaked too soon. Shot our bolt with the two magical nights against PSG and Newcastle. A possible Europa league spot is the best we can hope for. I just can't see how Unai can rally them to win the last four games to even give us a chance of a CL spot. The dressing room must be as flat as my misses after she breastfed the twins.
I think if we don't make the Europa League, I think we could easily be looking for a new manager in the summer, Uni loves his Euro Comp's
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Well no, I’m not sure there isn’t validity there. But I doubt it translates to Mings is so significantly better for the team - which I think is the point of presenting it.
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Unai post-match interview
https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1463643484618974
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
I doubt it, the defences were very much the same. Martinez, Cash, Digne and Konsa for the vast majority of both players games. The rest of the team I'm not sure and don't have the heart to look tonight.
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36 conceded in 36 games since Emery took over for Mings. 71 in 47 for Torres. Massive discrepancy. I don't care if you can pass. You aren't worth 24 extra goals conceded.
Glad someone has finally done that, as I couldn't be arsed. Please email Emery.
That's great work aj. I've been getting more and more pissed off with Torres as the season wears on. I was fuming with his lack of effort to cut out the 95th minute cross against City and he started the rot today when he inexplicably smashed the ball straight into the oncoming Palace player which led to their opener. He gets the nod over Mings for his superior ball distribution but that seems to have deserted him. He was the wrong choice today especially against Mateta.
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That was as bad as the 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal 10 years ago!
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Lack of criticism of the keeper here is surprising! We sell Ollie and Emi in summer and get Duran type of CF, two good keepers and a world class RB
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Outplayed-just have to deal with it. That F.A. Cup better come before I'm in the grave...
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That was our seventh defeat in our last nine Wembley appearances.
We’ve got a really bad record there. Apart from that record, I hate the place as a venue. It’s still a shithole only now it’s a soulless shithole.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
No, but we also know that Carlos/Pau with Konsa at RB was better than Konsa/Pau with Cash at RB.
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That was as bad as the 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal 10 years ago!
Worse imv.
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That was our seventh defeat in our last nine Wembley appearances.
Wow.
Suddenly struck me that 25 years ago we beat Bolton at Wembley on penalties.
Tempus fuckin fugit.
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Zero excuses from all involved for that debacle
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That was as bad as the 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal 10 years ago!
That was my premonition and bad feeling.
Gone from anger to not caring at all tonight
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That was as bad as the 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal 10 years ago!
Worse imv.
Definitely worse. We had the bigger and better squad and turned out THAT selection and performance today.
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Best chance of a trophy for this team before it’s broken up. PSR will be out for us and a few players will be going.
after tonight , Im not that bothered ....
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That was as bad as the 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal 10 years ago!
Much much worse. Their disallowed goal should of stood and Mateta missed a penalty. Should of been 5-0 and they're Crystal Palace not fucking Arsenal.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
I doubt it, the defences were very much the same. Martinez, Cash, Digne and Konsa for the vast majority of both players games. The rest of the team I'm not sure and don't have the heart to look tonight.
Apart from the games (largely the only ones we played well defensively without Mings) when he was partnered by Carlos, with Konsa at RB. (13 clean sheets with Konsa at RB, 15 for Carlos/Pau altogether). Only Konsa/Mings can perform keep a miraculous number of clean sheets with Cashy dragging them down.
Without those Pau’s stats would be even worse.
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Everything everyone has said is bang on. I wonder how soon Unai knew of Rashford's absence which knocked our plans into a cocked hat.
We've tried matching Palace's line up & got tonked 4-1 at Selhurst earlier this season. The midfield is where is was lost - we were allowed no time on the ball & ultimately Youri being robbed twice led to Sarr's 2 goals.
Onana would have been a more dynamic replacement than Barkley.
Our season now demands 4 wins to rescue the best possible league position we can possibly muster. Europa League qualification is fine with me, but that will demolish our PSR.
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Suddenly turned into a pretty crap season
It hasn't been crap. We've juggled deep runs in three different competitions. Liverpool been runaway leaders for months but they blew up in three cups within two weeks. Man. United and Spurs gave up premier league months ago to win Europa league and at least one will fail, hopefully both. Arsenal also can prioritise the CL given their title bid ended in January.
What concerns me more than anything is yet again we're gone deep in a competition and looked completely petrified of actually winning something.
If we'd gone out today in PSG manner it would hurt but you have to accept that but too often we just don't believe we're going enough to win these trophies and today wasn't even a game against one of the tournament favourites.
We will never win a significant trophy again without taking the initiative and some risks in big games away from VP. Very concerned we chucked that performance in with a high level manager like Emery in charge.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
No, but we also know that Carlos/Pau with Konsa at RB was better than Konsa/Pau with Cash at RB.
Yes, precisely. Stats like that can be misleading, because there’s a whole host of variables. I don’t doubt Mings is a more dominant defender, I just don’t think it translates into Torres being a waste of space. I think in form and in the right combination they’re both proven to have been very valuable players.
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I think it's safe to say we peaked too soon. Shot our bolt with the two magical nights against PSG and Newcastle. A possible Europa league spot is the best we can hope for. I just can't see how Unai can rally them to win the last four games to even give us a chance of a CL spot. The dressing room must be as flat as my misses after she breastfed the twins.
I think if we don't make the Europa League, I think we could easily be looking for a new manager in the summer, Uni loves his Euro Comp's
If so we could do a lot worse than the guy that just embarrassed Emery - again - though we’d have a lot of competition
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Well no, I’m not sure there isn’t validity there. But I doubt it translates to Mings is so significantly better for the team - which I think is the point of presenting it.
Mings is definitely a better defender and provides much more of a physical presence although I think neither can be part of our defence if we're looking to get amongst the European elite.
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Had to babysit the grandkids while my lad went to Wembley because I wanted him to have the enjoyment I had of seeing Aston Villa winning trophies, kids were a nightmare just like our performance and absolutely gutted for those young people who have never seen jack shit especially the FA cup
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That was as bad as the 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal 10 years ago!
Worse surely. That Arsenal 11 was streets ahead of what we put out. Beyond the Palace front three we had more top level experience and probably quality and yet we stank it out today big time.
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A far worse result than Arsenal. They were simply a miles better side than us, and it showed. We were just shit today.
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There's still good times ahead, days like this will make them all the sweeter.
I said something very similar almost 25 years ago.
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Well no, I’m not sure there isn’t validity there. But I doubt it translates to Mings is so significantly better for the team - which I think is the point of presenting it.
Mings is definitely a better defender and provides much more of a physical presence although I think neither can be part of our defence if we're looking to get amongst the European elite.
I don’t know - we beat Bayern, PSG, and Man Citeh and in all those games Torres played.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
No, but we also know that Carlos/Pau with Konsa at RB was better than Konsa/Pau with Cash at RB.
Yes, precisely. Stats like that can be misleading, because there’s a whole host of variables. I don’t doubt Mings is a more dominant defender, I just don’t think it translates into Torres being a waste of space. I think in form and in the right combination they’re both proven to have been very valuable players.
Absolutely. Good players, not an effective partnership. Throw Cash in the mix and you’re asking for trouble. I’m amazed normal* people haven’t worked this out, no matter how many times it has been proven to be true.
* not amazed that half-wits haven’t worked it out as can be seen later in the thread.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
No, but we also know that Carlos/Pau with Konsa at RB was better than Konsa/Pau with Cash at RB.
Yes, precisely. Stats like that can be misleading, because there’s a whole host of variables. I don’t doubt Mings is a more dominant defender, I just don’t think it translates into Torres being a waste of space. I think in form and in the right combination they’re both proven to have been very valuable players.
Stats can prove a lot of things and nothing. See above, Diego Carlos 🚨
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That was our seventh defeat in our last nine Wembley appearances.
We’ve got a really bad record there. Apart from that record, I hate the place as a venue. It’s still a shithole only now it’s a soulless shithole.
Atmosphere really didn't sound great from our end compared to what Palace were doing at the start. Apparently the club stopped us doing a big TIFO at the start or wouldn't pay for some of it?
We just start games way too slow at Wembley and then we have to chase things letting in a cheap goal, pitch is also much slower than most prem grounds so perhaps next time it might be worth requesting to train on the pitch the night before if you're allowed to like in the CL.
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As last time we played Palace...when he fucks up, he really fucks up.
It’s a very specific blind spot against them. Maybe next time try something different.
Players not being able to do the basics doesn't help whatever manager you have. Midfield was shocking today. Konsa and Cash were awful as well. Watkins got nothing to work with. Bad midfield destroyed our defence. No fight or accuracy throughout the team today.
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I think it's safe to say we peaked too soon. Shot our bolt with the two magical nights against PSG and Newcastle. A possible Europa league spot is the best we can hope for. I just can't see how Unai can rally them to win the last four games to even give us a chance of a CL spot. The dressing room must be as flat as my misses after she breastfed the twins.
I think if we don't make the Europa League, I think we could easily be looking for a new manager in the summer, Uni loves his Euro Comp's
If so we could do a lot worse than the guy that just embarrassed Emery - again - though we’d have a lot of competition
The way the season is playing out you can already see a couple of likely takers on the horizon that he may well consider, pretty sure if Man Utd come in he would now consider that and if Chelsea qualify for CL think he would look at that, not forgetting clubs from Spain Germany.
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11 men didn't turn up today and neither did 45,000 Villa fans.
The two feed off one another and we let them down as much as we let them down.
And that hurts.
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I think for a lot of us of a certain age the F.A. Cup is what we really want to see us win and it’s just so frustrating that yet again we haven’t turned up.
Last Saturday we looked amazing against Newcastle and a few days before came back with a fantastic second half performance against PSG.
Now the season looks over and we may end up with Conference League if we are lucky.
We won’t be attracting the likes of Rashford if that is the case.
We certainly have come a long way under Emery but it still feels very deflating.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
No, but we also know that Carlos/Pau with Konsa at RB was better than Konsa/Pau with Cash at RB.
Yes, precisely. Stats like that can be misleading, because there’s a whole host of variables. I don’t doubt Mings is a more dominant defender, I just don’t think it translates into Torres being a waste of space. I think in form and in the right combination they’re both proven to have been very valuable players.
Stats can prove a lot of things and nothing. See above, Diego Carlos 🚨
Yeah, fuck facts. Vibes all the way!
Please use stats to prove that Konsa/Pau with Cash at right-back was a better defence than Carlos/Pau with Konsa at right-back.
I’ll wait.
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Another problem in some recent games - I’ve not seen it before but Bouba is kicking the ball, and running on the pitch, like he’s wearing diving boots.
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It’s never easy to say it but we weren’t good in supporting the team today. The whole thing was a shitshow from start to finish including in the stands. So so dispiriting.
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Such a missed opportunity. Difficult to see what Uni was trying to do with the team selection and tactics. We played exactly how Palace wanted and a no stage made it uncomfortable for them. Not one player performed to an acceptable level. Even a missed penalty couldn't raise the Villa performance. Was it complacency, arrogance or being shit scared of Palace that did for us. It's going to be very difficult to pick that squad up after such a terrible display. It would be such a shame for the season to end on such a downer.
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Can someone who knows, tell us about the who does what based on league standings please? We know the top 5 finish in the Champs League, Newcastle winning the League cup does what to the finishing places, Europa, Conference placings etc if Palace win the cup or not? ta.
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Agreed fans were piss poor today...
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Agreed fans were piss poor today...
If they were in not surprised given what was served up.
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Agreed fans were piss poor today...
If they were in not surprised given what was served up.
Yep we started badly the less said about the middle the better and the end was awful.
I’m here all week.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
No, but we also know that Carlos/Pau with Konsa at RB was better than Konsa/Pau with Cash at RB.
Yes, precisely. Stats like that can be misleading, because there’s a whole host of variables. I don’t doubt Mings is a more dominant defender, I just don’t think it translates into Torres being a waste of space. I think in form and in the right combination they’re both proven to have been very valuable players.
It doesn't translate to Torres being a waste of space. It translates to Tonsa being a waste of space and Tyrone Mings being our best, or at least most important, defender.
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Just wasn't like other Wembley occasions...
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Palace had clearly sold the section directly behind their goal to a select of their own support, and it worked.
No excuses though.
69 years it is.
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Can someone who knows, tell us about the who does what based on league standings please? We know the top 5 finish in the Champs League, Newcastle winning the League cup does what to the finishing places, Europa, Conference placings etc if Palace win the cup or not? ta.
That's what I was wondering.
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Best chance of a trophy for this team before it’s broken up. PSR will be out for us and a few players will be going.
after tonight , Im not that bothered ....
Snooker went on at 7pm on the dot.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
No, but we also know that Carlos/Pau with Konsa at RB was better than Konsa/Pau with Cash at RB.
Yes, precisely. Stats like that can be misleading, because there’s a whole host of variables. I don’t doubt Mings is a more dominant defender, I just don’t think it translates into Torres being a waste of space. I think in form and in the right combination they’re both proven to have been very valuable players.
Stats can prove a lot of things and nothing. See above, Diego Carlos 🚨
Please use stats to prove that Konsa/Pau with Cash at right-back was a better defence than Carlos/Pau with Konsa at right-back.
I’ll wait.
What about Carlos/Torres with Cash at right back? I'm not sure how much it has to do with Cash. He is fine in the Konsa/Mings setup.
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Lots of talk about the defence but how about the near total lack of energy or drive going forward?
All that pointless passing and stroking it around the middle of the pitch and hoping for a Hollywood pass to create something?
Just laughably shit. Embarrassing.
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Lots to dissect today.
And on the evidence of today, you could judge Rogers as a Championship level player. But we know that isn’t the case.
I do think Mings being a better option than Torres in a lot of situations is a valid conversation though.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
No, but we also know that Carlos/Pau with Konsa at RB was better than Konsa/Pau with Cash at RB.
Yes, precisely. Stats like that can be misleading, because there’s a whole host of variables. I don’t doubt Mings is a more dominant defender, I just don’t think it translates into Torres being a waste of space. I think in form and in the right combination they’re both proven to have been very valuable players.
Stats can prove a lot of things and nothing. See above, Diego Carlos 🚨
Please use stats to prove that Konsa/Pau with Cash at right-back was a better defence than Carlos/Pau with Konsa at right-back.
I’ll wait.
What about Carlos/Torres with Cash at right back? I'm not sure how much it has to do with Cash. He is fine in the Konsa/Mings setup.
Apologies but without wishing to take this down a Cash angle, he definitely isn’t fine in any setup. He’s not good enough imv.
As you were…
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Getting mugged off by Palace for 100 minutes at Wembley would kill the atmosphere for anyone.
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Getting mugged off by Palace for 100 minutes at Wembley would kill the atmosphere for anyone.
From the first minute?
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John McGinn, speaking to BBC:
"Obviously massive disappointment. The manager spoke at length in there to remind us of how far we've come. It's not to get away from the disappointment.
"What was at stake today was huge for both clubs, but for us we are craving success and a trophy. The club has not experienced that for a long time. But the manager doesn't have to rant and rave, it was a huge disappointment.
"We're going to use the hurt from today to come back stronger next season and hopefully get the supporters another trip to Wembley. The overriding feeling is hurt and disappointment. We've got an important last four games to achieve European football again and get us back to the Champions League so we can't sulk for too long."
"We have had a lot of praise for last couple of seasons, now we will get criticism. We've got to take it on the chin, puff our chests out and try to stay together.
"It is easy for a day like this to disrupt and dismantle what we are building but we are building something special. Everyone within the club and outside the club can see that. The manager, the staff and the owners we've got, this club is set up and we'll be back here.
"At the moment it stings, but some days football comes and punches you in the face and today is one of those days."
Strong comments.
Showing honesty and leadership.
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Getting mugged off by Palace for 100 minutes at Wembley would kill the atmosphere for anyone.
From the first minute?
You could clearly hear the Villa fans early on.
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Stanloi on on X:
FT 0-3 Huge congratulations to everyone at Palace, turned up on and off the pitch. On it, fresher, sharper and more tenacious, played the tactical game superbly and put a ponderous Villa to the sword when needed. 3 superb finishes befitting the Wembley stage. Villa simply didn't match Palace's tenacity at all, and in English football, you don't do that, you're pushing water up a hill. Villa played a European cagey second leg ( first half especially) when toe to toe at tempo was needed.
Good luck in the Final to @CEO4TAG (https://x.com/CEO4TAG) and everyone at Palace. Well done
https://x.com/StanCollymore/status/1916193279567188040 (https://x.com/StanCollymore/status/1916193279567188040)
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All awful, except SJM, Bailey and (first half) Ollie. I understand the 'Konsa likes playing with Mings" stat, but he was awful.
They must love playing us. I hope they get absolutely ruined in the final.
Really? I don’t like Palace but I’d rather they win it than Forest or City - and if they play like they did today they’ll deserve it.
I'm afraid so. I know it's petty, but their happiness has just compounded my misery today.
Man City ( I know, but who really cares if they win, they'll still consider it a shit season), Forest, Palace in that order.
That was Palace's cup final today, like ours was against Liverpool. A great day out and wild celebrations, but you've won nothing. The real thing will be a damp squib.
Absolutely fuck Wembley and semi finals.
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Lots of talk about the defence but how about the near total lack of energy or drive going forward?
All that pointless passing and stroking it around the middle of the pitch and hoping for a Hollywood pass to create something?
Just laughably shit. Embarrassing.
Yep and this is the biggest problem when we set up like this (whether it’s intended or not) we cannot go up through the gears. You can see the difference- against PSG we were 2-0 early but we had come out of the blocks with purpose so we could pick that up and carry through.
Today we did the thing where we just pass it around pointlessly, let the opposition reorganise and then go back. We pretty much never up the levels when we play like that. To make it all the worse we have done exactly this against Palace a lot of late and have got hammered each time. It’s disastrous on every level.
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Sorry but our fans were shit today - made Palace "ultras" sound like AC Milan ☹️
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Getting mugged off by Palace for 100 minutes at Wembley would kill the atmosphere for anyone.
From the first minute?
You could clearly hear the Villa fans early on.
Agreed.
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Calmed down a bit - a really disapointing evening.
My three big takeaways have been:
- Against physical, well orginsed teams we should play Mings - he is a very good leader and defender. And whilst I can understand Torres starting against PSG (for example), I understand - but against Mateta, Sarr et al we need to be more physical and Mings would have been the right choice. There is no point in having strength in depth if you dont use it
- Aseciso - clearly very talented - but he has had no impact recently. Rogers at number 10 works due to his completness as a player - and is our best number 10 as a starter. Marco does very well when the game is stretched but seems to struggle to make space for himself from the start. None of this is helped by overplaying Rogers which we have done this season
- Game plan against physical / high press teams - we got it spot on against foreset and newcastle - but today was unacceptably bad. We never tried to use our superior technical ability - we blitzed both the other teams by being on the front foot and moving the ball much, much quicker
A very bad day at the office.
[/list]
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Agreed fans were piss poor today...
If they were in not surprised given what was served up.
Gave as good as we got noise wise until we went behind. Penalty miss gave us a lift then Sarr goal killed it completely. Loads leaving on 80 mins around us and you can't blame them as we offered nothing. I've been at much quieter games tbh
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Getting mugged off by Palace for 100 minutes at Wembley would kill the atmosphere for anyone.
From the first minute?
There were a few cheers and chants in the first 30 minutes but as soon as Eze scored it deflated our whole end and we all seemed to take a collective sigh and go “here we go again”. Other than a couple of minutes after they missed the penalty we sat in stunned silence for the most part. Utterly dispiriting.
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Really hope Man City funeral Place👍
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
No, but we also know that Carlos/Pau with Konsa at RB was better than Konsa/Pau with Cash at RB.
Yes, precisely. Stats like that can be misleading, because there’s a whole host of variables. I don’t doubt Mings is a more dominant defender, I just don’t think it translates into Torres being a waste of space. I think in form and in the right combination they’re both proven to have been very valuable players.
Stats can prove a lot of things and nothing. See above, Diego Carlos 🚨
Please use stats to prove that Konsa/Pau with Cash at right-back was a better defence than Carlos/Pau with Konsa at right-back.
I’ll wait.
What about Carlos/Torres with Cash at right back? I'm not sure how much it has to do with Cash. He is fine in the Konsa/Mings setup.
Konsa/Mings are so good they bail Cash out. 37 year-old Ashley Young was probably better playing alongside those two.
I suspect the better defensive stats achieved by Carlos/Pau owed much to Konsa being at RB, which he almost always has been when the former two play at CB.
People who genuinely think Cash is a massive upgrade on Konsa in this position refer to this more effective defence as ‘The Dreaded Konsa Experiment’. Warning: check their player ratings before taking them seriously.
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I've made peace with the fact I could live another 100 years and Villa won't win the FAC again. We could be the only team in it one season and we'd still find a way to get ourselves kicked out.
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Getting mugged off by Palace for 100 minutes at Wembley would kill the atmosphere for anyone.
From the first minute?
You could clearly hear the Villa fans early on.
Agreed.
From the back of the stand behind our goal it sounded like palace throughout.
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I've made peace with the fact I could live another 100 years and Villa won't win the FAC again. We could be the only team in it one season and we'd still find a way to get ourselves kicked out.
Yep, in the unlikely event of a future pandemic, nuclear war, global environmental melt down and we by some strange quirk have to play Villa reserves in the final at Wembley, Villa would still lose.....
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I've made peace with the fact I could live another 100 years and Villa won't win the FAC again. We could be the only team in it one season and we'd still find a way to get ourselves kicked out.
We'd probably field an ineligible player!!
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Their warbuton MotM.
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Can someone who knows, tell us about the who does what based on league standings please? We know the top 5 finish in the Champs League, Newcastle winning the League cup does what to the finishing places, Europa, Conference placings etc if Palace win the cup or not? ta.
Yeah I have been trying to work this out. My thinking is:
1 - 5: UCL
6 - Europa
7 - Europa if A UCL team wins it (Man City or maybe Forest) Otherwise Conference League (assuming Newcastle finish in the top 6)
8 - Conference League assuming 7 is Europa
No idea what happens if Man Utd or Spurs win the Eurpa or Chelsea win teh Conference.
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At Oxford Services on the way back with many disappointed Villa fans. The radio pundits suggesting we’re looking tired (the reason for today’s no show), which made my mood even worse!
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(https://i.ibb.co/mVxgCDWq/FB-IMG-1745698915561.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mVxgCDWq)
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Cash did fine, support was quiet, mings should be on, ref dubious…last two games we have not looked like our Villa
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Agreed fans were piss poor today...
If they were in not surprised given what was served up.
Gave as good as we got noise wise until we went behind. Penalty miss gave us a lift then Sarr goal killed it completely. Loads leaving on 80 mins around us and you can't blame them as we offered nothing. I've been at much quieter games tbh
There's a thing, Emi celebrating the penalty miss as if he saved it.
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It’s not our year
:'(
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Can someone who knows, tell us about the who does what based on league standings please? We know the top 5 finish in the Champs League, Newcastle winning the League cup does what to the finishing places, Europa, Conference placings etc if Palace win the cup or not? ta.
Yeah I have been trying to work this out. My thinking is:
1 - 5: UCL
6 - Europa
7 - Europa if A UCL team wins it (Man City or maybe Forest) Otherwise Conference League (assuming Newcastle finish in the top 6)
8 - Conference League assuming 7 is Europa
No idea what happens if Man Utd or Spurs win the Eurpa or Chelsea win teh Conference.
Thanks, not really clear to work out is it? I read in an article recently that stated that we could have as many as 11 English teams in various competitions next season. I was wondering, if we beat Fulham, we pretty much guarantee ourselves 7th place and have Conference football. I guess we really need City or Forest (if they finish above us) to win the FA Cup to make absolutely sure.
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Just stopped feeling nauseous after watching that. Was trying to eat me tea in the second half and wished I had left it tbh. What a fooking let-down - they just bullied us pure and simple - as soon as I saw Kamara struggling it was obviously going to be a bad day. I always say I know nothing about football but just love the Villa so have no idea why we looked so lacklustre or what the answer is
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I tell you what statistically the old, “do you want to bet against us?” is heavily tipping towards - yes - sadly.
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Can someone who knows, tell us about the who does what based on league standings please? We know the top 5 finish in the Champs League, Newcastle winning the League cup does what to the finishing places, Europa, Conference placings etc if Palace win the cup or not? ta.
Yeah I have been trying to work this out. My thinking is:
1 - 5: UCL
6 - Europa
7 - Europa if A UCL team wins it (Man City or maybe Forest) Otherwise Conference League (assuming Newcastle finish in the top 6)
8 - Conference League assuming 7 is Europa
No idea what happens if Man Utd or Spurs win the Eurpa or Chelsea win teh Conference.
If Man U or Spurs win the Europa then they automatically go in the CL with no effect on anything else.
If Chelsea win the Conference League then they qualify for the Europa League but if they also qualify for the CL I think their Europa League place goes somewhere else and not England (?).
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Can someone who knows, tell us about the who does what based on league standings please? We know the top 5 finish in the Champs League, Newcastle winning the League cup does what to the finishing places, Europa, Conference placings etc if Palace win the cup or not? ta.
Yeah I have been trying to work this out. My thinking is:
1 - 5: UCL
6 - Europa
7 - Europa if A UCL team wins it (Man City or maybe Forest) Otherwise Conference League (assuming Newcastle finish in the top 6)
8 - Conference League assuming 7 is Europa
No idea what happens if Man Utd or Spurs win the Eurpa or Chelsea win teh Conference.
Thanks, not really clear to work out is it? I read in an article recently that stated that we could have as many as 11 English teams in various competitions next season. I was wondering, if we beat Fulham, we pretty much guarantee ourselves 7th place and have Conference football. I guess we really need City or Forest (if they finish above us) to win the FA Cup to make absolutely sure.
Sixth - Europa
Seventh - Europa. If Palace win the cup, then Conference
No effect on league if any English team wins any European competition.
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We needed far more physicality today. Mings and Onana are both physical players at 6'5". Can someone explain why both were ignored and stayed on the bench?? Completely baffling by Emery!
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(https://i.ibb.co/mVxgCDWq/FB-IMG-1745698915561.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mVxgCDWq)
Pinching that off your small heath mate sucks
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(https://i.ibb.co/mVxgCDWq/FB-IMG-1745698915561.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mVxgCDWq)
Pinching that off your small heath mate sucks
It still made me laugh.
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(https://i.ibb.co/mVxgCDWq/FB-IMG-1745698915561.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mVxgCDWq)
🤣
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I tell you what statistically the old, “do you want to bet against us?” is heavily tipping towards - yes - sadly.
Come on man that's just piling on the agony for no good reason.
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Even before kick off it strangely felt like Palace's day inside Wembley this afternoon. Their team and fans seemed more up for it than we were, their players often geeing up the crowd throughout the game. I only noticed Maatsen do the same late on... not that it makes that much difference but it felt like they collectively wanted it more than we did.
Maybe we've been spoilt with the recent run of high profile games and the increased expectation they bring.
Good luck to Palace, they thoroughly deserved it today.
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Once I saw Torres in the line up, I didn’t have much hope. Playing him basically means you are likely to concede at least once. Maybe he’s just not suited to the premier league.
Is it too old fashioned to judge strikers on how many they score and defenders on how many they keep out?
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What a shit show.Abjct.
Martinez 4 Best in the world?
Cash 2 Terrible
Konsa 5 Average
Torres 3 Gave the first goal, did not see him make 1 decent pass , Should have played Mings
Digne 5 Ok
Tielemans 5 looked like the games are catching up with him
Rogers 4 knackered
SJM 6 the only midfielder that showed up
Assensio 4 the game passed him by
Kamara 5 no where near his best
Watkins 5 No service no help.
Emery 3, Selection and tactics totally wrong.
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Oh ar, we were partly to blame for being quiet. Fuck me, the money we spend, the sacrifices we make, people of all ages craving that glory that has eluded us for a generation, up at all hours, travelling from all over the place and it's down to us?
Don't make me laugh. The players and the manager should be ashamed tonight. A pathetic and limp approach to a game we could have, and should have won. Fuck the season, fuck the club, it means nothing to me now because it meant nothing to them today.
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Once I saw Torres in the line up, I didn’t have much hope. Playing him basically means you are likely to concede at least once. Maybe he’s just not suited to the premier league.
Is it too old fashioned to judge strikers on how many they score and defenders on how many they keep out?
My thoughts exactly
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Oh ar, we were partly to blame for being quiet. Fuck me, the money we spend, the sacrifices we make, people of all ages craving that glory that has eluded us for a generation, up at all hours, travelling from all over the place and it's down to us?
Don't make me laugh. The players and the manager should be ashamed tonight. A pathetic and limp approach to a game we could have, and should have won.
Agreed.
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I was at the game and our fans were fine before and at the start of the game. The atmosphere tailed off once everyone could see how we were going to play - it was pretty clear after about 5 minutes how the game was going to pan out.
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Once I saw Torres in the line up, I didn’t have much hope. Playing him basically means you are likely to concede at least once. Maybe he’s just not suited to the premier league.
Is it too old fashioned to judge strikers on how many they score and defenders on how many they keep out?
My thoughts exactly
Well he’s played in 49 Premier League games, won 26, drawn 11, lost 12. So he probably can manage.
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What a shit show.Abjct.
Martinez 4 Best in the world?
Cash 2 Terrible
Konsa 5 Average
Torres 3 Gave the first goal, did not see him make 1 decent pass , Should have played Mings
Digne 5 Ok
Tielemans 5 looked like the games are catching up with him
Rogers 4 knackered
SJM 6 the only midfielder that showed up
Assensio 4 the game passed him by
Kamara 5 no where near his best
Watkins 5 No service no help.
Emery 3, Selection and tactics totally wrong.
I think this is about right - other than Konsa who I would have given a 4. Needs more leadship in his game - and looked wobbly like he has most of this season.
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Oh ar, we were partly to blame for being quiet. Fuck me, the money we spend, the sacrifices we make, people of all ages craving that glory that has eluded us for a generation, up at all hours, travelling from all over the place and it's down to us?
Don't make me laugh. The players and the manager should be ashamed tonight. A pathetic and limp approach to a game we could have, and should have won.
Agreed.
100%
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Once I saw Torres in the line up, I didn’t have much hope. Playing him basically means you are likely to concede at least once. Maybe he’s just not suited to the premier league.
Is it too old fashioned to judge strikers on how many they score and defenders on how many they keep out?
My thoughts exactly
Well he’s played in 49 Premier League games, won 26, drawn 11, lost 12. So he probably can manage.
Those aren’t actually great stats.
How many did villa concede in those games?
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As I posted on the Match thread at half time that we were done and game was gone. Yes it was only 1-0 but there was nothing, no life in our dead body and it was pointless poking sticks in it. A horrific performance where our CF didn't have a single shot at goal and they simply ripped through our middle and back at will. A tactically inept a performance as I can remember This was Crystal fucking Palace. A team that had conceded 12 goals in their last 3 games.
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Once I saw Torres in the line up, I didn’t have much hope. Playing him basically means you are likely to concede at least once. Maybe he’s just not suited to the premier league.
Is it too old fashioned to judge strikers on how many they score and defenders on how many they keep out?
My thoughts exactly
Well he’s played in 49 Premier League games, won 26, drawn 11, lost 12. So he probably can manage.
Those aren’t actually great stats.
How many did villa concede in those games?
Forfteen Percent of people know stats can prove or disprove anything (and I work in stats). For me - the issue is that with what we've seen since Unai has come in - very few fans would have seen that line up and been pleased taht Pau was in over Ty. It was the wrong call.
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They’re not that bad that’s better than a win every other game. I don’t know, but I think the point is he can clearly be part of a strong Premier League team.
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Once I saw Torres in the line up, I didn’t have much hope. Playing him basically means you are likely to concede at least once. Maybe he’s just not suited to the premier league.
Is it too old fashioned to judge strikers on how many they score and defenders on how many they keep out?
My thoughts exactly
I had the same sinking feeling as the Arsenal cup final when I saw the selection.
As many have said, play that defence.
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You can argue all you like about players, the whole approach was a disgrace. We didn't want it, they did.
Disgraceful.
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Once I saw Torres in the line up, I didn’t have much hope. Playing him basically means you are likely to concede at least once. Maybe he’s just not suited to the premier league.
Is it too old fashioned to judge strikers on how many they score and defenders on how many they keep out?
My thoughts exactly
Well he’s played in 49 Premier League games, won 26, drawn 11, lost 12. So he probably can manage.
Those aren’t actually great stats.
How many did villa concede in those games?
Forfteen Percent of people know stats can prove or disprove anything (and I work in stats). For me - the issue is that with what we've seen since Unai has come in - very few fans would have seen that line up and been pleased taht Pau was in over Ty. It was the wrong call.
Not sure how much truth there is to that. There might be something to it of late and for this specific game, but that doesn’t equate to Pau being a bad player or more important us not functioning as a team with him in it.
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Rogers was also dreadful, but looks knackered. He has needed to be rotated for the last few weeks them he may have been sharper today.
-
Once I saw Torres in the line up, I didn’t have much hope. Playing him basically means you are likely to concede at least once. Maybe he’s just not suited to the premier league.
Is it too old fashioned to judge strikers on how many they score and defenders on how many they keep out?
My thoughts exactly
Well he’s played in 49 Premier League games, won 26, drawn 11, lost 12. So he probably can manage.
Those aren’t actually great stats.
How many did villa concede in those games?
Forfteen Percent of people know stats can prove or disprove anything (and I work in stats). For me - the issue is that with what we've seen since Unai has come in - very few fans would have seen that line up and been pleased taht Pau was in over Ty. It was the wrong call.
Not sure how much truth there is to that. There might be something to it of late and for this specific game, but that doesn’t equate to Pau being a bad player or more important us not functioning as a team with him in it.
We just concede a lot with Pau. That makes everything much harder.
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Rogers was also dreadful, but looks knackered. He has needed to be rotated for the last few weeks them he may have been sharper today.
I think many of us have been saying the same. He’s been giving away and losing the ball a lot in the last few weeks. Come on Unai give the lad a break.
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Once I saw Torres in the line up, I didn’t have much hope. Playing him basically means you are likely to concede at least once. Maybe he’s just not suited to the premier league.
Is it too old fashioned to judge strikers on how many they score and defenders on how many they keep out?
My thoughts exactly
Well he’s played in 49 Premier League games, won 26, drawn 11, lost 12. So he probably can manage.
Those aren’t actually great stats.
How many did villa concede in those games?
Forfteen Percent of people know stats can prove or disprove anything (and I work in stats). For me - the issue is that with what we've seen since Unai has come in - very few fans would have seen that line up and been pleased taht Pau was in over Ty. It was the wrong call.
Not sure how much truth there is to that. There might be something to it of late and for this specific game, but that doesn’t equate to Pau being a bad player or more important us not functioning as a team with him in it.
But my point is excatly that - for this specific game today Mings was the right LCB. thats not saying one is better then the other - just that I think Mings would have been more suited to todays game - and to be fair nothing today suggested otherwise.
My view is there both good players - and if they were combined into one they would be world class - but as there not we need to pick them based on there strengths and today the call was wrong.
Just as I was pleased to see Pau start against PSG and Man City - I was disapointed to see him start today and he made a mistake for the first goal, and our defense looked off all game.
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They’re not that bad that’s better than a win every other game. I don’t know, but I think the point is he can clearly be part of a strong Premier League team.
Lot of misguided and unfair comments are being made about Pau. Some people have an agenda so......
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People been mentioning how pissed off Watkins has been, but Mings has been overlooked for some massive games. I wonder how he’s feeling…
The last four games have been huge and the only one we won was against Newcastle. Guess what? Mings played in that one and that one alone.
Pau played in the other three we lost.
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If Pau is not picking passes and helping us set up attacking moves then he is completely pointless.
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If Pau is not picking passes and helping us set up attacking moves then he is completely pointless.
Maybe he can play further forward?
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I love Pau but he shouldn’t have been in that game today. It has to be said though that they had Mateta playing on Konsa who had an absolute mare against him imv. However both of them were gash.
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The last four games have been huge and the only one we won was against Newcastle. Guess what? Mings played in that one and that one alone.
Pau played in the other three we lost.
We won two but that's neither here nor there.
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If Pau is not picking passes and helping us set up attacking moves then he is completely pointless.
Maybe he can play further forward?
I am pretty sure there is a reason why he doesn’t.
I do think he would be a decent libero though.
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The last four games have been huge and the only one we won was against Newcastle. Guess what? Mings played in that one and that one alone.
Pau played in the other three we lost.
We won two but that's neither here nor there.
Ok technically won but lost the tie. In the game we “won” we conceded how many?
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Just got back.
Disgusted.
The only comfort is that we got well and truly batttered. It not like we lost out in a close game and we missed chances or were unlucky.
We were fucking abject.
A few things.
Torres. As I have said many, many times he is poor defensively. The myth of his brilliance because he can pass a ball, has and truly been busted.
Rogers on the right ? Why ?
Unai’s approach and tactics were shot to shit. Tippy, tippy, sideways and backwards is fucking wank, and when it’s not working, why not fucking change it ??
60% of that shite is on Unai. The rest is on the team.
Palace were miles better in all aspects.
Their fans were brilliant, their flags were better, their banners were better.
I know we had fuck all to cheer, but the Villa fans were very, very subdued.
All in all. A shit day.
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Rogers was also dreadful, but looks knackered. He has needed to be rotated for the last few weeks them he may have been sharper today.
I think many of us have been saying the same. He’s been giving away and losing the ball a lot in the last few weeks. Come on Unai give the lad a break.
He's played that badly more often than not for the past few months imo. Emery never gives him a rest, which probably doesn't help.
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Pau was a large part of why we were so good first half of last season but I don't think it's controversial to say he's been crap since he came back from his most recent injury and shouldn't have started today.
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It’s funny though Pau has a higher tackle success rate of his Premier League career than Ty - I’ve no idea what that means, but it sounds like a defensive stat.
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
No, but we also know that Carlos/Pau with Konsa at RB was better than Konsa/Pau with Cash at RB.
Yes, precisely. Stats like that can be misleading, because there’s a whole host of variables. I don’t doubt Mings is a more dominant defender, I just don’t think it translates into Torres being a waste of space. I think in form and in the right combination they’re both proven to have been very valuable players.
Stats can prove a lot of things and nothing. See above, Diego Carlos 🚨
Please use stats to prove that Konsa/Pau with Cash at right-back was a better defence than Carlos/Pau with Konsa at right-back.
I’ll wait.
We qualified for CL football with the former as our regular defence. Diego Carlos was in the main awful (yes but Haaland/Arsenal etc) and deservedly sold. Your loyalty towards him is quite something. Days like Ipswich convinced Emery that Konsa at RB wasn't going to work and I suspect the final straw for Carlos. Car crash at Spurs and Liverpool afterwards from the pair of them. Emery wanted Carlos gone so much we sold him and had to play Kamara CB for a few games. Why was that? When was the last time Konsa was played RB in the PL? Even after Disasi came in, has he played there even once?
The only debate worth having is why as a team we have dropped off maybe ~6 points from last season over 38 games and how we address it next season. It's a bit more nuanced than your selective stats.
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Ty should have started today in my view due to the profile of their team. But I don’t think it changes the result, the whole set up and approach was wrong. So those trying to essentially pin it back to that specific decision I think are wrong.
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I think we have established ourself as a top 8 team in Engalnd - and will have Europe for the 3rd season. Heavy investment and a world class coach means its a club to be at. We may have some that move up the chain - and we will be need due to FFP. But I think only the ones that make sense. To be fair the big outgoings have been Dougie (contract running down), Diaby and JD (didnt really settle)
To be honest since Jan I have been way less worried about the future. Unai and his team reconginsed the mistakes they made with last summer's recruuitment and put it right. Personally I think they have taken a while to fully understand the physical nature of the PL - but have worked that out now with Rogers, the new RB, Malen etc.
I have no doubt they have learnt from that and that whatever they do next will make us better.
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It’s funny though Pau has a higher tackle success rate of his Premier League career than Ty - I’ve no idea what that means, but it sounds like a defensive stat.
It may actually mean Pau doesn’t tackle a lot, a bit like when Duran had the highest goals per min rate.
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That was as bad as the 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal 10 years ago!
It really wasn’t
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We kept up our long tradition of fighting with each other in the stands when it goes tits up.
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Shame that Emery is a perennial trophy winner but just can’t seem to do it for us.
We had the luck of the draw in the CL, with playing all the 4 stronger teams at home, then playing the second legs at home in the knock out stages.
The FA cup draw couldn’t have been much more obliging for us.
I suggest Unai takes a good look at trying to win the easiest of the cups next season, in the form of the League Cup. Just any trophy would be really nice.
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That was as bad as the 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal 10 years ago!
It really wasn’t
We didn't turn up for both and I'm struggling to see the difference.....
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That was as bad as the 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal 10 years ago!
It really wasn’t
It was worse.
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They’re not that bad that’s better than a win every other game. I don’t know, but I think the point is he can clearly be part of a strong Premier League team.
Lot of misguided and unfair comments are being made about Pau. Some people have an agenda so......
I dont think people are being unfair to Pau - but just Mings was more suited to todays game. Thats the purpose of having a squad and Pau and Ty are both very good players. But its pointless having both if you dont use there strenfths,
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They’re not that bad that’s better than a win every other game. I don’t know, but I think the point is he can clearly be part of a strong Premier League team.
Lot of misguided and unfair comments are being made about Pau. Some people have an agenda so......
I dont think people are being unfair to Pau - but just Mings was more suited to todays game. Thats the purpose of having a squad and Pau and Ty are both very good players. But its pointless having both if you dont use there strenfths,
That’s on Emery not Pau.
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Much worse, based on our respective league positions, ambitions and squad.
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Shame that Emery is a perennial trophy winner but just can’t seem to do it for us.
We had the luck of the draw in the CL, with playing all the 4 stronger teams at home, then playing the second legs at home in the knock out stages.
The FA cup draw couldn’t have been much more obliging for us.
I suggest Unai takes a good look at trying to win the easiest of the cups next season, in the form of the League Cup. Just any trophy would be really nice.
I know what you mean, that's two semi finals I thought we'd win in the last two seasons and we've shit the bed in both. It's an important life lesson really, never expect anything good to happen. Ever.
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It’s funny though Pau has a higher tackle success rate of his Premier League career than Ty - I’ve no idea what that means, but it sounds like a defensive stat.
It may actually mean Pau doesn’t tackle a lot, a bit like when Duran had the highest goals per min rate.
If the Premier League stats are to believe he actually proportionally makes more than Ty.
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If Arsenal played well we had no chance that day as they were far better than us. They did play well and we got twatted. We got twatted today by a side below us in the league for the 3rd straight season, that makes today worse for me.
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That was as bad as the 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal 10 years ago!
It really wasn’t
It was worse.
I was at both. Today was definitely worse.
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That was as bad as the 4-0 thrashing by Arsenal 10 years ago!
It really wasn’t
It was worse.
Yes much worse based on the fact that we are now not relegation fodder and a CL/EL club.
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Yep agreed, today is such a missed opportunity.
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I'm always one for a measured and calm approach to a defeat, but I don't see it here. There is no bigger picture, no considerd and thoughtful view.
It was shit and we were shit.
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It’s funny though Pau has a higher tackle success rate of his Premier League career than Ty - I’ve no idea what that means, but it sounds like a defensive stat.
It may actually mean Pau doesn’t tackle a lot, a bit like when Duran had the highest goals per min rate.
If the Premier League stats are to believe he actually proportionally makes more than Ty.
How so? Stats please.
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If Arsenal played well we had no chance that day as they were far better than us. They did play well and we got twatted. We got twatted today by a side below us in the league for the 3rd straight season, that makes today worse for me.
Yeah thats my view. We lost against a worst team. The fact they always beat us is on us.
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Much worse, based on our respective league positions, ambitions and squad.
Worst ever for me all considered, that was an absolute catastrophe. I remember going down and losing limply 3-1 there under Gerrard and was the final straw, today we were even softer, 3-0 fucking flattered us.
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I'm always one for a measured and calm approach to a defeat, but I don't see it here. There is no bigger picture, no considerd and thoughtful view.
It was shit and we were shit.
I agree with Nev.
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To the Villa fan who found my phone in section 122 at half time around the toilets I think, and handed it a steward, I am eternally grateful.
Once I rang it the steward answered it.
Many thanks . Keep the faith villa
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There can’t be many more abject and dismal semi final performances ever…
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It’s funny though Pau has a higher tackle success rate of his Premier League career than Ty - I’ve no idea what that means, but it sounds like a defensive stat.
It may actually mean Pau doesn’t tackle a lot, a bit like when Duran had the highest goals per min rate.
If the Premier League stats are to believe he actually proportionally makes more than Ty.
How so? Stats please.
49 tackles in 49 games vs 106 tackles in 171 games apparently. Like I say I’ve no idea of what that means.
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It’s funny though Pau has a higher tackle success rate of his Premier League career than Ty - I’ve no idea what that means, but it sounds like a defensive stat.
It may actually mean Pau doesn’t tackle a lot, a bit like when Duran had the highest goals per min rate.
If the Premier League stats are to believe he actually proportionally makes more than Ty.
How so? Stats please.
Stats can prove anything. Mings shoudl have started - and there isnt a person on this planet that thinks in hindsight that we woudl have been worse with him.
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Outplayed
Outbattled
Outwitted
Outsung
Fucking dreadful
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There can’t be many more abject and dismal semi final performances ever…
Villa v Bolton, Villa v Chelsea.
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It’s funny though Pau has a higher tackle success rate of his Premier League career than Ty - I’ve no idea what that means, but it sounds like a defensive stat.
It may actually mean Pau doesn’t tackle a lot, a bit like when Duran had the highest goals per min rate.
If the Premier League stats are to believe he actually proportionally makes more than Ty.
How so? Stats please.
Stats can prove anything. Mings shoudl have started - and there isnt a person on this planet that thinks in hindsight that we woudl have been worse with him.
Is anyone saying that? I think the point I’m making is the preference over who should start has shifted into a narrative that Pau is hopeless - which is frankly bollocks, and disrespectful, towards a player who has been key to getting us to where we are and also to some of our biggest results in recent times.
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Hindsight Utd go unbeaten every season.
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It’s funny though Pau has a higher tackle success rate of his Premier League career than Ty - I’ve no idea what that means, but it sounds like a defensive stat.
It may actually mean Pau doesn’t tackle a lot, a bit like when Duran had the highest goals per min rate.
If the Premier League stats are to believe he actually proportionally makes more than Ty.
How so? Stats please.
Stats can prove anything. Mings shoudl have started - and there isnt a person on this planet that thinks in hindsight that we woudl have been worse with him.
Is anyone saying that? I think the point I’m making is the preference over who should start has shifted into a narrative that Pau is hopeless - which is frankly bollocks, and disrespectful, towards a player who has been key to getting us to where we are and also to some of our biggest results in recent times.
Yes - but equally I dont think anyone is saying Pau is hopeless. I think everyone can see his ability and contribution. I think hes excellent. As is Mings - but its pointless having both of them if you play the wrong one based on what lies infront of you.
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Brilliant players, arguably best squad we have ever had, media darlings, loan players who piss Champions Leagues, a manager universally acknowledged as a genius who always wins trophies, billionaire owners. But we are Aston Villa, and being bottling fucking shitebags is in our DNA. No trophies in three decades, they should be ashamed.
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It’s funny though Pau has a higher tackle success rate of his Premier League career than Ty - I’ve no idea what that means, but it sounds like a defensive stat.
It may actually mean Pau doesn’t tackle a lot, a bit like when Duran had the highest goals per min rate.
If the Premier League stats are to believe he actually proportionally makes more than Ty.
How so? Stats please.
Stats can prove anything. Mings shoudl have started - and there isnt a person on this planet that thinks in hindsight that we woudl have been worse with him.
Is anyone saying that? I think the point I’m making is the preference over who should start has shifted into a narrative that Pau is hopeless - which is frankly bollocks, and disrespectful, towards a player who has been key to getting us to where we are and also to some of our biggest results in recent times.
Paul Winch- it’s obvious you are a huge Pau fan. (I won’t use the pathetic word “agenda” that some use when someone has a differing viewpoint)
But Can you at least acknowledge that we concede more goals with Pau in the side?
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There can’t be many more abject and dismal semi final performances ever…
Villa v Bolton, Villa v Chelsea.
The 1996 semi-final wasn't much fun either.
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That was our seventh defeat in our last nine Wembley appearances.
Wow.
Suddenly struck me that 25 years ago we beat Bolton at Wembley on penalties.
Tempus fuckin fugit.
We were rubbish that day too...we totally roze on the big day and got away with it when Holdsworth missed the open goal from 4 yards out right at the death.
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I still feel sick about the game. To go out like that on such a big stage was beyond awful. It was a bit like the drubbing we got against Arsenal but even then we enjoyed a great win in the SF vs Liverpool and got to the final. Today was much worse. I know there is a process in place to get us to these stage much more frequently but today just felt like a huge step backwards. Any maybe we should expect a step backwards here or there to get to where we want to go and who we want to be long term. But today, in isolation was crushing in what has been a very good season. Just doesn’t feel like that right now.
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The season is in the bin for me. Not because of the result, but the approach.
They know they must, but still, they did that.
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There can’t be many more abject and dismal semi final performances ever…
Villa v Bolton, Villa v Chelsea.
The 1996 semi-final wasn't much fun either.
In the FA cup I have seen us play 5 semi finals, pathetic in itself. We won two and have been twatted 3-0 in others.
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Lucky for us it didn't end 5+.
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Shame we can't take the game to teams very often.
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Before I log off and try to stop being a miserable cnut, perhaps our senior football leadership and marketing department may want to reconsider plastering social media with celebratory rallies in front of the fans before a ball has been kicked (in the semi-final, a round three other teams had 'achieved' qualification for).
Neil Kinnock lost an election for less.
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Before I log off and try to stop being a miserable cnut, perhaps our senior football leadership and marketing department may want to reconsider plastering social media with celebratory rallies in front of the fans before a ball has been kicked (in the semi-final, a round three other teams had 'achieved' qualification for).
Neil Kinnock lost an election for less.
We’re alright….
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Palace are a good attacking side.
They rested for this game.
And they beat a better side because we a bit knackered.
Plus they are a our bogey side.
Shit happens.
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It’s funny though Pau has a higher tackle success rate of his Premier League career than Ty - I’ve no idea what that means, but it sounds like a defensive stat.
It may actually mean Pau doesn’t tackle a lot, a bit like when Duran had the highest goals per min rate.
If the Premier League stats are to believe he actually proportionally makes more than Ty.
How so? Stats please.
Stats can prove anything. Mings shoudl have started - and there isnt a person on this planet that thinks in hindsight that we woudl have been worse with him.
Is anyone saying that? I think the point I’m making is the preference over who should start has shifted into a narrative that Pau is hopeless - which is frankly bollocks, and disrespectful, towards a player who has been key to getting us to where we are and also to some of our biggest results in recent times.
Paul Winch- it’s obvious you are a huge Pau fan. (I won’t use the pathetic word “agenda” that some use when someone has a differing viewpoint)
But Can you at least acknowledge that we concede more goals with Pau in the side?
I like Pau and I like Mings, because I can see the value they’ve provided across their respective Villa careers (obviously Ty will go down as a key player in our return). I suspect we do concede more with Pau, but we’ve also had our best run in the top flight in a very long time with him in the side and had some of our best moments in recent history with him in the side. I’m not saying I wouldn’t have picked Ty today, I would have. But it has been proven many times that Pau can be a key part of the team that beats top teams.
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Palace are a good attacking side.
They rested for this game.
And they beat a better side because we a bit knackered.
Plus they are a our bogey side.
Shit happens.
I am not having any of this tired bollocks. Preston would've given them more of a game today.
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Sign a bloody right back and CH and we will be formidable next season.
Not holding my breath for right back.
How many seasons?
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We needed far more physicality today. Mings and Onana are both physical players at 6'5". Can someone explain why both were ignored and stayed on the bench?? Completely baffling by Emery!
I said the same on the train there today. I was very surpised by the selection.
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Palace are a good attacking side.
They rested for this game.
And they beat a better side because we a bit knackered.
Plus they are a our bogey side.
Shit happens.
I'd generally agree, but we didn't "try a leg" today. That, for me, is unforgivable in a game of such magnitude.
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We've played them 4 times this season, we knew how they'd play. Packed defence & midfield then pounce when we lost the ball. And we walked right into the same trap again. No width, no movement, no aggression & walking pace football. We looked like we weren't interested. The complete opposite of what we did only 7 days ago.
I hope & I'm sure they do, feel as bad as I do tonight, because they all, including Emery, let us & themselves down today & that hasn't happened in a long time.
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I think the tiredness could be a thing with Rogers and Tielemans. not just physical but mental as well. Those are the 2 that aren't really ever rested and are the 2 I think are key to how we perform. When they are on it we tend to be, when they aren't we tend to look a bit slow and pants.
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I was at the game and our fans were fine before and at the start of the game. The atmosphere tailed off once everyone could see how we were going to play - it was pretty clear after about 5 minutes how the game was going to pan out.
I said to the guy next to me after only 5 mins that our play was too slow and we were getting 'stuck' at the back and therefore we could not get out. If we play like that we are done...the system does not work.
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I just got up and started watching without knowing the score and turned off after Eze scored. Too predictable.
Add me to the Mings should have started brigade. And probably Onana with Tielemans up in place of Asensio. Palace have that physical spine with Wharton and Mateta. The patient build up stuff doesn’t work against them because they are very patient too. They let us tie ourselves in knots and pick us off.
Emery really has a blind spot here.
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Yeah, Kamara, Tielemans and Rogers had poor games today (and Tuesday) which probably explains why it's been such a disappointing week.
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Yeah, Kamara, Tielemans and Rogers had poor games today (and Tuesday) which probably explains why it's been such a disappointing week.
My son said pretty much the same when we chatted after the match. Those three are often the catalyst and none of the three of them turned up.
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I don’t see why Ty didn’t start or come on as a sub. I love Unai but find he’s a bit underwhelmed / narrow thinking where Mings is concerned. As we didn’t have Marcus R, it would have made sense to play TM.
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For me neither Mings or Pau are top 4 players..both have too many mistakes in the locker. Questions need to be asked about Martinez, he's becoming a victim of this world's no 1 moniker, how many times has he conceded from the first shot on target this season? Half of our problem today was that Kamara and Tielemans played like they had there bootlaces tied together, and were dispossessed easily resulting with us being hit with pace on numerous occasions. We were a rabble today
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I think the tiredness could be a thing with Rogers and Tielemans. not just physical but mental as well. Those are the 2 that aren't really ever rested and are the 2 I think are key to how we perform. When they are on it we tend to be, when they aren't we tend to look a bit slow and pants.
Rogers is on Emery anyway. He has ran him into the ground and consistently played him out of position. Today was to accommodate Asensio. It's not as if we don't have options to rotate him a bit.
Tielemans was bullied today, a game too far perhaps but still the right selection for me. Onana didn't show up at Man City during the week when given a big chance so no surprise he wasn't started. Kamara had a nightmare again but not sure we should ever be trying Barkley and Tielemans in a 2. Game was probably gone anyway.
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Emi is on a downward slope, I fear.
Tielemans has started 51 games this season. Rogers can’t be far off. Today they looked it.
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I think today was the 56th game of the season for Tielemans and all are starts. It takes its toll.
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For me neither Mings or Pau are top 4 players..both have too many mistakes in the locker. Questions need to be asked about Martinez, he's becoming a victim of this world's no 1 moniker, how many times has he conceded from the first shot on target this season? Half of our problem today was that Kamara and Tielemans played like they had there bootlaces tied together, and were dispossessed easily resulting with us being hit with pace on numerous occasions. We were a rabble today
Someone said it's 21 times this season we've conceded first shot, if correct that's absolutely mental.
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For me neither Mings or Pau are top 4 players..both have too many mistakes in the locker. Questions need to be asked about Martinez, he's becoming a victim of this world's no 1 moniker, how many times has he conceded from the first shot on target this season? Half of our problem today was that Kamara and Tielemans played like they had there bootlaces tied together, and were dispossessed easily resulting with us being hit with pace on numerous occasions. We were a rabble today
Someone said it's 21 times this season we've conceded first shot, if correct that's absolutely mental.
Today made it 22.
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I think today was the 56th game of the season for Tielemans and all are starts. It takes its toll.
Yeah and that is utterly crazy - I’m sure the Barkley and Onana fitness issues haven’t helped, but you can’t have such a key player starting so many games.
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Christ on a shiny bike.
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If ever you could sum up the history of Aston Villa in a week….
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Before I log off and try to stop being a miserable cnut, perhaps our senior football leadership and marketing department may want to reconsider plastering social media with celebratory rallies in front of the fans before a ball has been kicked (in the semi-final, a round three other teams had 'achieved' qualification for).
Neil Kinnock lost an election for less.
Ha - yeah fair point!
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Emi is on a downward slope, I fear.
Tielemans has started 51 games this season. Rogers can’t be far off. Today they looked it.
Nothing wrong with Emi or Tielemans. But if Rogers isn’t contributing from the off and he did less than fuck all today then you have an issue. I’d sell Rogers personally, if we got a. daftish price. I had strong words with a bloke in the front of me about his ineffectiveness he wasn’t having any of it until he was.
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For me neither Mings or Pau are top 4 players..both have too many mistakes in the locker. Questions need to be asked about Martinez, he's becoming a victim of this world's no 1 moniker, how many times has he conceded from the first shot on target this season? Half of our problem today was that Kamara and Tielemans played like they had there bootlaces tied together, and were dispossessed easily resulting with us being hit with pace on numerous occasions. We were a rabble today
Someone said it's 21 times this season we've conceded first shot, if correct that's absolutely mental.
Today made it 22.
If I was playing v Villa I would just shoot first time
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Emi is on a downward slope, I fear.
Tielemans has started 51 games this season. Rogers can’t be far off. Today they looked it.
Nothing wrong with Emi or Tielemans. But if Rogers isn’t contributing from the off and he did less than fuck all today then you have an issue. I’d sell Rogers personally, if we got a. daftish price. I had strong words with a bloke in the front of me about his ineffectiveness he wasn’t having any of it until he was.
I'd sell any of the fuckers for the right money after today.
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Rogers has been run into the ground but he's still great. Eighteen months ago most Middlesbrough fans didn't rate him, his rise has been stratospheric and he's still nowhere near his peak. We'd be insane to sell unless someone gave us Mbappe money for him.
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Emi is on a downward slope, I fear.
Tielemans has started 51 games this season. Rogers can’t be far off. Today they looked it.
Nothing wrong with Emi or Tielemans. But if Rogers isn’t contributing from the off and he did less than fuck all today then you have an issue. I’d sell Rogers personally, if we got a. daftish price. I had strong words with a bloke in the front of me about his ineffectiveness he wasn’t having any of it until he was.
I'd sell any of the fuckers for the right money after today.
Me too. I rarely suffer from Match Thread-itis but fuck me I hate all of the players tonight.
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Emi is on a downward slope, I fear.
Tielemans has started 51 games this season. Rogers can’t be far off. Today they looked it.
Nothing wrong with Emi or Tielemans. But if Rogers isn’t contributing from the off and he did less than fuck all today then you have an issue. I’d sell Rogers personally, if we got a. daftish price. I had strong words with a bloke in the front of me about his ineffectiveness he wasn’t having any of it until he was.
All about opinions I guess, but that’s a crazy take in my view. He’s a young player, playing his first full season in the top flight. His ascent has been remarkable and our reliance on him is testament to that, but we have overplayed him and he’s knackered. Of course he needs to work on his game off the ball, but the amount he creates he is sensational. Selling him would be utterly bonkers, we have an absolute diamond - a couple of ropey games because he’s knackered, and arguably out of position, shouldn’t confuse that position.
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Have you not noticed virtually every time since we’ve been back in the PL that the defence makes a fuck up passing or blocking just outside the box or even 20 yards outside. We concede a goal. Most of our goals conceded are not from brilliant play from the opposition.
This is simple shit to be sorted with better players in defence.
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Rogers has been run into the ground but he's still great. Eighteen months ago most Middlesbrough fans didn't rate him, his rise has been stratospheric and he's still nowhere near his peak. We'd be insane to sell unless someone gave us Mbappe money for him.
Exactly - in fact, if push came to shove I think he’s the absolute last player I’d sell.
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Rogers is great and still has loads more potential. CD is right though, in the approx 15 months since we signed him he's played 70 senior games for us and England. Plus some England U21 games.
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Emi is on a downward slope, I fear.
Tielemans has started 51 games this season. Rogers can’t be far off. Today they looked it.
Nothing wrong with Emi or Tielemans. But if Rogers isn’t contributing from the off and he did less than fuck all today then you have an issue. I’d sell Rogers personally, if we got a. daftish price. I had strong words with a bloke in the front of me about his ineffectiveness he wasn’t having any of it until he was.
I'd sell any of the fuckers for the right money after today.
Me too. I rarely suffer from Match Thread-itis but fuck me I hate all of the players tonight.
It's honestly been a comfort to come back and read someone as reasonable and wise as yourself as thoroughly pissed off as I am.
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I love Pau, very open about it, but I thought Mings should of started today, but (again) I think it makes fuck all difference, we never had a meaningful attack or shot all game.
Olaftab said he knew it was done at half time and queing for a beer I didn’t really want or need, I said the same to a mate. Palace were organised and had a plan, but we were just flat, nothing. Tired, half cut, 30 mins home, moody, totally and utterly fucked off, the worst performance.
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I can't remember the last time I felt so shit after a game. I thought I was too old to get so upset by a bunch of strangers kicking a ball around. Fucking mug.
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I think today was the 56th game of the season for Tielemans and all are starts. It takes its toll.
Started today for a reason, he's been fantastic for the majority of the season.
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Rogers went off the boil when Asensio joined.
Not sure what to make of this.
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I think thats some of the problem, Rogers, Teilemans have been overplayed.
There key players - but you need to use the squad to ensure there at there peak at the most important times. Mings for Pau in games like today. Cash has been good but is a limited player - particularly in our system.
We got it wrong today - and frustratingly - we had the squad available to mean we could have put out a better team
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I can't remember the last time I felt so shit after a game. I thought I was too old to get so upset by a bunch of strangers kicking a ball around. Fucking mug.
I thought the first play off final was the worst but this tops it.
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Rogers went off the boil when Asensio joined.
Not sure what to make of this.
Could be because he is now playing on the right instead of down the middle.
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I can't remember the last time I felt so shit after a game. I thought I was too old to get so upset by a bunch of strangers kicking a ball around. Fucking mug.
Mate. It is always great to be Villa.
Would you have it any other way?
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Yes.
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I can't remember the last time I felt so shit after a game. I thought I was too old to get so upset by a bunch of strangers kicking a ball around. Fucking mug.
I thought the first play off final was the worst but this tops it.
I left at HT vs. Fulham. I knew we wouldn't have a go. Another pathetic Wembley day
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Yes.
Right now, 100%
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It wasn’t Our Year.
I thought it was, until today.
(Go, Forest! 😄)
Oh well, onward and upward. 👍
We’re still in for a CL place!
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I hope someone steals the cup. I'd rather war broke out than any other team wins it now.
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Not long got back after being at the match earlier. Just felt flat from the off and without wishing to talk with the benefit of hindsight, the team selection looked all wrong.
The really frustrating thing was that Palace really didn't have to do that much to win convincingly. They just had to keep their shape and wait for us to make a mistake. We couldn't have been a more perfect opponent for them today.
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Palace don't seem a bad bunch, apart from that homophobic always scores against us prick Sarr. And I like Mark Steel. But if they win the cup, I'll be reminded of today for all eternity. So let them lose, please.
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I want Palace to win it. A non-objectionable team with some fucking wicked players. I'd then like us to sign four of their wicked players. I think that's a fair deal for my goodwill.
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I can't remember the last time I felt so shit after a game. I thought I was too old to get so upset by a bunch of strangers kicking a ball around. Fucking mug.
I thought the first play off final was the worst but this tops it.
I was going to post earlier that this is the lowest I've felt after a game since that play-off final loss.
It's the hope that kills you.
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Been back for a while , watched the boxing to try and calm down , great to see Konsa Rashford and Watkins there enjoying themselves.
As for the game , disgrace. Let's be honest though when the teamsheet came out and we saw Torres startinng all villa fans near us or we spoke to agreed it was a fatal mistake and so it proved , he is such a weak defender, poor communicator and cannot organise the backline . The 1st goal is on him too, pathetic.
Mings should have been playing leading that backline today , shocking decision from Emery .
Kamara was pathetic today , I think he's hugely overrated by most villa fans .
McGinn and Bailey were the only positives and to a smaller extent Maatsen and Malen .
Huge missed opportunity and embarrassing defeat could easily have been 0-6 .
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Not long got back after being at the match earlier. Just felt flat from the off and without wishing to talk with the benefit of hindsight, the team selection looked all wrong.
The really frustrating thing was that Palace really didn't have to do that much to win convincingly. They just had to keep their shape and wait for us to make a mistake. We couldn't have been a more perfect opponent for them today.
16:34 BST
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, speaking to BBC One:
"Aston Villa is doing so well in the league and Champions League. We know how they play and if we're very disciplined in our defending - we will get our chances."
On Aston Villa: "This is a very attacking formation, they move the ball quickly, but then we have to wait for those errors.
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I want Palace to win it. A non-objectionable team with some fucking wicked players. I'd then like us to sign four of their wicked players. I think that's a fair deal for my goodwill.
I agree (to the extent thst I actually care who wins it now). I'd add that Glasner seems a decent chap and he's clearly a good manager.
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I want Palace to win it. A non-objectionable team with some fucking wicked players. I'd then like us to sign four of their wicked players. I think that's a fair deal for my goodwill.
I've no issue with Palace, good luck to them. But as usual, once we go out of a tournament, I don't really give a toss who wins it.
Of greater concern is our ongoing allergy to silverware.
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I want Palace to win it. A non-objectionable team with some fucking wicked players. I'd then like us to sign four of their wicked players. I think that's a fair deal for my goodwill.
If they win the cup it reduces our already small chances of signing their players. I'll be quite happy if Eze and Sarr fuck off to Saudi Arabia and we never have to play them again.
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Not long got back after being at the match earlier. Just felt flat from the off and without wishing to talk with the benefit of hindsight, the team selection looked all wrong.
The really frustrating thing was that Palace really didn't have to do that much to win convincingly. They just had to keep their shape and wait for us to make a mistake. We couldn't have been a more perfect opponent for them today.
Best comment in here tonight.
Absolutely spot on!
Wondering now what would have happened if Mings had played away leg at PSG and the semi final. So grateful for everything Unai has done at Villa but don’t understand why the winning run hasn’t altered his thinking.
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Ah fuck Palace and fuck being some gracious loser. I am fucking gutted and absolutely seething.
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Not long got back after being at the match earlier. Just felt flat from the off and without wishing to talk with the benefit of hindsight, the team selection looked all wrong.
The really frustrating thing was that Palace really didn't have to do that much to win convincingly. They just had to keep their shape and wait for us to make a mistake. We couldn't have been a more perfect opponent for them today.
16:34 BST
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, speaking to BBC One:
"Aston Villa is doing so well in the league and Champions League. We know how they play and if we're very disciplined in our defending - we will get our chances."
On Aston Villa: "This is a very attacking formation, they move the ball quickly, but then we have to wait for those errors.
Which is what they did and it worked perfectly for them. Our starting line up was devoid of any real pace, so we weren't able to stretch them.
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Ah fuck Palace and fuck being some gracious loser. I am fucking gutted and absolutely seething.
Same for me but with greater sadness and less anger.
Had I spent my money going to the game, I suspect I'd be a lot more angry!
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We are (or were) close to having a side that deserves to be seen as one of our best in the last 40 years.
But the successful sides we've had in that time all had good defences.
The back four combo we put out today has shown time and again it's not up to snuff. I hope we don't see it again for the rest of this campaign. And def not next season.
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Got back about 10:30pm the whole day felt off the atmosphere before the game was rubbish and carried on all the way through along with watching Villa fans fighting with each other. Rubbish team selection from Emery for the second time this week as soon as I saw Pau was starting I knew we'd lose. I'll be 52 this year I don't think I'll ever see us win this cup it's the one I've always wanted to see us lift, we'll never get a better chance. Really can't be arsed with the rest of the season.
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Sitting down that east end felt odd , probably didn't help .
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Out of interest, across those games is the only difference Mings or Torres playing?
Of course not, but if you're discounting data that conclusive then all statistical analysis involving variables needs to be ruled void.
No, but we also know that Carlos/Pau with Konsa at RB was better than Konsa/Pau with Cash at RB.
Yes, precisely. Stats like that can be misleading, because there’s a whole host of variables. I don’t doubt Mings is a more dominant defender, I just don’t think it translates into Torres being a waste of space. I think in form and in the right combination they’re both proven to have been very valuable players.
Stats can prove a lot of things and nothing. See above, Diego Carlos 🚨
Please use stats to prove that Konsa/Pau with Cash at right-back was a better defence than Carlos/Pau with Konsa at right-back.
I’ll wait.
We qualified for CL football with the former as our regular defence. Diego Carlos was in the main awful (yes but Haaland/Arsenal etc) and deservedly sold. Your loyalty towards him is quite something. Days like Ipswich convinced Emery that Konsa at RB wasn't going to work and I suspect the final straw for Carlos. Car crash at Spurs and Liverpool afterwards from the pair of them. Emery wanted Carlos gone so much we sold him and had to play Kamara CB for a few games. Why was that? When was the last time Konsa was played RB in the PL? Even after Disasi came in, has he played there even once?
The only debate worth having is why as a team we have dropped off maybe ~6 points from last season over 38 games and how we address it next season. It's a bit more nuanced than your selective stats.
Well, we got 5 fewer points against Arsenal for a start, but then again, we didn’t concede any goals against them last season. Defence must have played well, whoever they were… I forget.
Anyway, it’s not loyalty to Carlos, or else why do you think I prefer Mings? All I’m ‘loyal’ to is conceding fewer goals and keeping more clean sheets. Aren’t we all, except you? That’s what happens when Konsa/Mings play, what happened sometimes but less often when Carlos/Pau played with Konsa at RB, and almost never happens when Konsa/Pau play with Cash at RB.
If you’re going to criticise the use of selective stats, you probably shouldn’t dismiss 15 of the last 21 clean sheets we kept before Mings’ return as “Haaland/Arsenal etc.” But as you were even more selective yourself, here’s what you meant by “Haaland/Arsenal” and a comparison with the defence you think is so much better…
Clean sheets with Carlos @ CB since Mings injury:
Hibs 0 Villa 5
Villa 1 Mostar 0
Villa 1 Man City 0
Villa 1 Arsenal 0
Everton 0 Villa 0
Sheff Utd 0 Villa 5
Villa 4 Ajax 0
Villa 2 Wolves 0
Arsenal 0 Villa 2
Young Boys 0 Villa 3
Villa 1 Bayern 0
Man Utd 0-0*
Villa 2 Bologna 0
Juventus 0-0
Southampton 1-0
*Cash played RB. Konsa played RB in 13 of the above games, I forget which other one he missed.
Now, I know that don’t impress you much, so let’s move England’s Ezri Konsa over to replace the absolutely shit Carlos, and replace Konsa with “massive upgrade” Matty Cash, play them in more games against worse teams, and enjoy the improvement…
Clean sheets without Carlos and with Konsa @ CB and Cash @RB (since Mings injury and before his return):
Villa 4 Everton 0
Villa 3 Hibs 0
Boro 0 Villa 1
Ajax 0 Villa 0
Chelsea 0 Villa 1
Chelsea 0 Villa 0
Now, I don’t think for a minute we were perfect when Carlos/Pau played with Konsa at RB and I was happy enough when Carlos sorted himself a deal (as Emery said) that didn’t result in an FFP loss. Sometimes, that defence was shocking. But sometimes it was outstanding, and it was outstanding in the toughest games, which as you can see from the list above, was when Emery relied on it. The defence you preferred while Mings was out was (sometimes) shocking against any old shite, and when it had the chance over the last couple of weeks to match up to those results in the first list above, it flopped badly.
But it could have been worse. Imagine if Emery had picked yesterday’s defence against Arsenal or Man City last season, or in the CL league phase this season. We’d have less wonderful memories and a lot less money.
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Not long got back. There's not much you can say about that is there? There was so much wrong , it's hard to know where to start. Gutting.
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John McGinn, speaking to BBC:
"Obviously massive disappointment. The manager spoke at length in there to remind us of how far we've come. It's not to get away from the disappointment.
"What was at stake today was huge for both clubs, but for us we are craving success and a trophy. The club has not experienced that for a long time. But the manager doesn't have to rant and rave, it was a huge disappointment.
"We're going to use the hurt from today to come back stronger next season and hopefully get the supporters another trip to Wembley. The overriding feeling is hurt and disappointment. We've got an important last four games to achieve European football again and get us back to the Champions League so we can't sulk for too long."
"We have had a lot of praise for last couple of seasons, now we will get criticism. We've got to take it on the chin, puff our chests out and try to stay together.
"It is easy for a day like this to disrupt and dismantle what we are building but we are building something special. Everyone within the club and outside the club can see that. The manager, the staff and the owners we've got, this club is set up and we'll be back here.
"At the moment it stings, but some days football comes and punches you in the face and today is one of those days."
Strong comments.
Showing honesty and leadership.
Fantastic. Great. But don’t tell me, show me.
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We were poor I'm very disappointed because I thought we had a chance to win the FA Cup but what do I know.
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That Glasner could end up at spurzz , hes a good manager . Easily out witted Unai again . Even Chavski should look at him.
Anyway , still gutted , no sleep tonight .
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Unai has a stubborness about him and i believe plays favourites, taking Mings out of the side when he has been brilliant the last games he has played has an I know better feel about it. Playing Rogers on the right when it has been proven over the last weeks how inafectual he is in that position, most of all though this slow build up from the back is killing any momentum, I scream at the telly when our keeper stands with his foot on the ball looking around which side to pass it too. We play best with a high tempo game, moving the ball quickly, we havn't seen that too often lately except The Newcastle game when stupidly I thought we were back on it.
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Writing this 2am because can’t sleep with the sheer disappointment. Couldn’t get a ticket so bravo to those who spent £££ and got behind the team there.
Team selection announced and I have a bad feeling. 15mins in and we’re doing the away leg European cagey thing against an English blood and thunder side who are closing us down, forcing the error because we are giving them time to do it and not moving quick enough. 1-0 down and despite some pressure think SUE will change it HT.
Same lads for 2nd half and game will now be lost due to him sticking not twisting was my feeling.
We should have started the tempo like we do at VP and be on the front foot. Swarm all over them. So fucking disappointed and don’t know or care whether we rouse ourselves v Fulham.
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I think we’ve run our race this season now. Will absolutely take Europa League if offered now. But a week ago it felt so different.
They do that to you this club and I really ought to know better by now.
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Such a huge chance to write this Villa team into our History thrown away.
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One of the most disappointing performances I can remember. I reckon that’ll be my last visit to Wembley. Horrible place and even worse when you keep losing there.
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Such a huge chance to write this Villa team into our History thrown away.
Pretty much feel the same, disappointment is huge. No excuses moving forwards.
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I’m not sure my all you can eat breakfast will be enough to lessen the feeling of yesterday.
Just looking back at the stats, they had four shots, three went in. How can we keep allowing teams to be so clinical against us from our own errors. It’s something we’ve had all season to contend with. It can’t just be bad luck.
It’s got be to do with the way we play when we try and slow it down too much, it’s inviting trouble and when we play a side with too much attacking quality we get punished.
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Took a moment to think about it; what a gutless, cowardly and tactically inept display that was.
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I’m not sure my all you can eat breakfast will be enough to lessen the feeling of yesterday.
Just looking back at the stats, they had four shots, three went in. How can we keep allowing teams to be so clinical against us from our own errors. It’s something we’ve had all season to contend with. It can’t just be bad luck.
It’s got be to do with the way we play when we try and slow it down too much, it’s inviting trouble and when we play a side with too much attacking quality we get punished.
Another first chance and goal. Someone said that has happened 14 times this season.
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We have no playmaker replacement for Youri if he’s having an off day
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22 times in all competitions apparently.
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22 times in all competitions apparently.
That’s mad.
That and conceding more times than anyone except S Hampton after 90 minutes points to mentality.
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We’ll probably win the next 3 games in the EPL and when it comes down to having the win the last game of the season away at Man Utd to qualify for the champions league, we’ll probably fold like a pack of cards when the pressure is on because that’s what we do.
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Took a moment to think about it; what a gutless, cowardly and tactically inept display that was.
Exactly. We also had plenty of prior notice of what we were up against. It's not like it was a surprise, Emery walked us right into the trap, this one is on him.
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Took a moment to think about it; what a gutless, cowardly and tactically inept display that was.
Exactly. We also had plenty of prior notice of what we were up against. It's not like it was a surprise, Emery walked us right into the trap, this one is on him.
That’s what makes it worse. Especially considering our available squad.
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After sleeping on it I’m still seething. Waste of an opportunity yesterday. Been a shitty end to season
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Took a moment to think about it; what a gutless, cowardly and tactically inept display that was.
Exactly. We also had plenty of prior notice of what we were up against. It's not like it was a surprise, Emery walked us right into the trap, this one is on him.
So was the Citeh performance.
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After sleeping on it I’m still seething. Waste of an opportunity yesterday. Been a shitty end to season
I’m still livid this morning. A pathetic performance. I’m waiting for someone to take the baton on an excuse for it. It was an embarrassment and suggests we’re not a serious side.
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We’ll probably win the next 3 games in the EPL and when it comes down to having the win the last game of the season away at Man Utd to qualify for the champions league, we’ll probably fold like a pack of cards when the pressure is on because that’s what we do.
I'm pretty sure this is what will happen.
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There can’t be many more abject and dismal semi final performances ever…
Villa v Bolton, Villa v Chelsea.
The 1996 semi-final wasn't much fun either.
Only difference is we played miles better in the 96 semi final than yesterday.
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At this stage of the season, it’s not about ‘process,’ or anything else; it’s about results and trophies. The road has to lead us to somewhere.
We have to bypass our opponents and get things correct. We need a manager to take us there.
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After Great wins against the likes of Brentford, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Brighton and Newcastle, we put ourselves back into contention but always seem to fail at the final hurdle. Clearly, we have a mentality problem and clearly there are a few blindspots. The season isn’t quite over yet and I hope that we come back fighting but yesterday was yet another example of folding at the final hurdle. Typical Villa, so very disappointing.
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Hindsight, Mings and Onana should have started instead of Pau and Asensio.
Let’s take nothing away from Palace, they were excellent, but Konsa, Torres and Kamara having their worse game for a long time certainly made it easier for them.
I’d definitely look at ways to get Eze in, but I’ve a feeling he’s 100% a London boy who won’t leave.
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Which leads to the pressure of a life potential successful …
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Ah fuck Palace and fuck being some gracious loser. I am fucking gutted and absolutely seething.
Agreed.
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The good points,
1. Despite the fears of train armageddon the longest wait for one was a few minutes at the start of the day to get to New St.
2. Leon Bailey did very well and gave us the width and pace we were crying out for. Probably summed up the day when he has our best chance of the game and Torres clears it off the line.
3. We restricted Palace to very few clear cut chances.
The bad points.
1. They scored them all.
2. Everything else.
Seemed we set up very much like the PSG away game, keep it slow, keep it tight and try and draw them on keep it level and grow into the game as it goes on. But fucking Palace aren't PSG are they, they are a two bit club well down the list of who you should be showing too much respect to. That mindset works right up until they lash a couple past you from 25 yards and you can't go up the gears to counter it. A really poor performance that offered none of the qualities you need to win a big game. I'd guess only Bailey and Ramsey will be thinking they played anywhere near what they are capable of.
I've given up hoping we'll win the FA cup, its not going to happen in my lifetime.
I may have been more dejected after a game, maybe Fulham, but it's close.
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Shit or bust, all out now for the Champions League. I suspect to those in charge of Villa that the FA Cup would gladly be sacrificed if it meant finishing inside the top five. Not my choice btw. Feels shit now but we have to fight back and not lose another game this season. Four games to go, let the real Aston Villa stand up.
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Shit or bust, all out now for the Champions League. I suspect to those in charge of Villa that the FA Cup would gladly be sacrificed if it meant finishing inside the top five. Not my choice btw. Feels shit now but we have to fight back and not lose another game this season. Four games to go, let the real Aston Villa stand up.
I couldn't care less any more.
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I'd go along with others who've recently said that this is the strongest Villa squad ever, and its not going to win anything, and will probably finish 6th or 7th. We've come a long way but seem to lack something, a killer instinct.
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Shit or bust, all out now for the Champions League. I suspect to those in charge of Villa that the FA Cup would gladly be sacrificed if it meant finishing inside the top five. Not my choice btw. Feels shit now but we have to fight back and not lose another game this season. Four games to go, let the real Aston Villa stand up.
I couldn't care less any more.
Same here.
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I'd go along with others who've recently said that this is the strongest Villa squad ever, and its not going to win anything, and will probably finish 6th or 7th. We've come along way but seem to lack something, a killer instinct.
We are lacking utilising this incredible squad to near its potential.
That is down to selection, subs and tactics.
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Just had the nihilistic urge to watch the goals again for the first time, is it unfair to suggest that Emi might have done better for all three?
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Just had the nihilistic urge to watch the goals again for the first time, is it unfair to suggest that Emi might have done better for all three?
Me too, just watched the highlights. I agree, most definitely the first two.
To be honest all three goals were avoidable, all three from mistakes due to careless passing, holding onto the ball and allowing them space.
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Haven't read the whole thread but to paraphrase a memorable quote:
"We saved the worst performance of all for the biggest stage of all".
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We came up against a well organised team who all put in a huge shift and coupled with their youth and athleticism it did for us. They had massive belief in themselves because of their recent record against us.
We knew exactly what they'd do for the same reasons. Emery must've expected them to be hounding our midfield but did nothing to overcome it. Every time Tielemans got the ball they got tight and did not allow him to turn and dictate the play. Time after time he was dispossessed and usually by Wharton.
We needed more physicality in our team yesterday. Mings in defence and Onana plus Ramsey on the field from the off to try and match them.
It feels like they had our number from the outset and so it proved. I fear it will be a long time before we get a better chance to lift the FA cup and it really feels like a massive chance blown. I love the guy and I trust him to build us a great side in the coming years but yesterday was all on Unai Emery.
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Now is not the time to ‘appreciate the journey’ or recognise where we have come from.
We can do that at the end of the season.
We have just been battered in the semi final of the FA cup and it stinks to fucking high heaven.
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Just had the nihilistic urge to watch the goals again for the first time, is it unfair to suggest that Emi might have done better for all three?
Me too, just watched the highlights. I agree, most definitely the first two.
He seems to go down early for the third inviting Sarr to put the ball where he did, I mean, the game seemed lost after the first one but there you go..
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Football is mad. Last week I was thinking how amazing our squad is, that we’d finally win the thing this year and with the right additions in the summer we could seriously compete for the title next year.
Now I think we could lose/sell half of the squad and I wouldn’t worry.
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A bit disappointed with McGinns post match interview.
Don’t tell us we have 4 massive games coming up when you have just failed to raise your game in one of the most important matches for years.
Don’t say we can’t sulk for too long.
Read the room, feel the pain, disappointment and fury that the fans are feeling.
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He’s talking about the team sulking and of course they can’t. It’s not going to make it any better if we don’t perform in the last 4 games. I’m still pissed off this morning, but I’m not going to feel better if we lose to Fulham, I might feel a bit better if we win.
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I'm sure he's just as disappointed as we all are. All you can do is try and put it right in the next game though, what else can they do? They can't mope on it. I haven't got a problem with what he's said.
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I'm glad I had the foresight to put some tinnies in the fridge for when I got home.
My match review: Fuck, arse, shit, bollocks and wank.
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A bit disappointed with McGinns post match interview.
Don’t tell us we have 4 massive games coming up when you have just failed to raise your game in one of the most important matches for years.
Don’t say we can’t sulk for too long.
Read the room, feel the pain, disappointment and fury that the fans are feeling.
As I posted in the Emery thread it is pretty clear that the club saw the FA cup semi final as the least important of our remaining games and that is why I am fuming. Usually defend Unai to the hilt but this has serious stench of Moscow.
Not as bad as playing the u-12s but we played with the handbrake on in the semi final of the one trophy we crave the most.
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A bit disappointed with McGinns post match interview.
Don’t tell us we have 4 massive games coming up when you have just failed to raise your game in one of the most important matches for years.
Don’t say we can’t sulk for too long.
Read the room, feel the pain, disappointment and fury that the fans are feeling.
Mcginn was one of a few that looked like he was genuinely trying.
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Football is mad. Last week I was thinking how amazing our squad is, that we’d finally win the thing this year and with the right additions in the summer we could seriously compete for the title next year.
Now I think we could lose/sell half of the squad and I wouldn’t worry.
Palace were brilliant v City in first half then went missing for 2.5 games, They were dreadful. Then they woke up mid week and easily matched Arsenal.
We batter form sides Forest, Newcastle and PSG - current form all Top 20 in Europe, latter maybe number 1, lose narrowly to City in midweek.
Then we get battered by Palace. Football I hate it sometimes
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The Moscow comparison is nonsense - other than Mings, which obviously was a preference not a decision to rest, what about that side wasn’t pretty much full strength? We played badly, but I don’t think we intended to play badly.
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I'm sure he's just as disappointed as we all are. All you can do is try and put it right in the next game though, what else can they do? They can't mope on it. I haven't got a problem with what he's said.
Nor me. There are 4 games left. I wish it were 5, but it isn't.
Let's just win them all and finish as high as possible.
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I'm sure he's just as disappointed as we all are. All you can do is try and put it right in the next game though, what else can they do? They can't mope on it. I haven't got a problem with what he's said.
A few minutes after being battered by fucking Crystal Palace in an FA Cup semi final is not the time to say ‘we’ll try harder next time’.
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The Moscow comparison is nonsense - other than Mings, which obviously was a preference not a decision to rest, what about that side wasn’t pretty much full strength? We played badly, but I don’t think we intended to play badly.
The Moscow comparison is utter twaddle. We played badly. Palace played really well. A couple of selections were debatable - that is true every game with this squad.
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I'm not sure what else he could say. He knew they weren't good enough, they know that themselves. All they can do as players is learn from it and try and end the season on as high as note as possible. If they mope on it, they'll lose the next four as well.
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The Moscow comparison is nonsense - other than Mings, which obviously was a preference not a decision to rest, what about that side wasn’t pretty much full strength? We played badly, but I don’t think we intended to play badly.
Yup, I cant see anything to suggest that we didn't take the game as seriously as a league game, we just got the tactics wrong and all the players played badly on the same day. So we got deservedly beaten.
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Fifteen minutes in, I said to the chap next to me, if we don't score the first goal in this game, we'll lose. It was so obvious our game plan would take us nowhere.
By far the best part of the day was the ease of leaving the place, getting on the tube so quickly, and being home much earlier than I had expected.
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The Moscow comparison is nonsense - other than Mings, which obviously was a preference not a decision to rest, what about that side wasn’t pretty much full strength? We played badly, but I don’t think we intended to play badly.
Yup, I cant see anything to suggest that we didn't take the game as seriously as a league game, we just got the tactics wrong and all the players played badly on the same day. So we got deservedly beaten.
I think you can add selection as a huge factor.
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Another thing with the selection, if we're going all cagey and fine margins, then ignoring advantage from having Onana and Mings at set pieces, the most physical and aerially dominant players we have seems odd.
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Just because some of the team selection was wrong, doesn't mean it wasn't taken seriously. Mings, Ramsey and possibly Onana should have started for me with maybe a pacey full back on the pitch. It wasn't just the team selection though, it just wasn't good enough full stop.
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Hindsight, Mings and Onana should have started instead of Pau and Asensio.
That’s the frustrating thing…..half of that statement isn't hindsight is it?
Go and take a look at the match thread from yesterday, before a ball was even kicked.
There were alot of posts regarding the decision to play Pau over Mings.
Why could we see it and not the manager?
I’m still fuming about that 17 hours and a nights sleep later.
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The Moscow comparison is nonsense - other than Mings, which obviously was a preference not a decision to rest, what about that side wasn’t pretty much full strength? We played badly, but I don’t think we intended to play badly.
Yup, I cant see anything to suggest that we didn't take the game as seriously as a league game, we just got the tactics wrong and all the players played badly on the same day. So we got deservedly beaten.
I think you can selection was a huge factor.
I said before the game that not playing Mings seemed like a mistake and so it turned out although not for the reasons I thought, that Mateta would bully Torres, but he didn't, he was pretty well policed by Konsa and was largely quiet. Out of possession that Mings, Konsa, Bouba triangle looks a lot less fragile than the one we went with.
Ah fuck it, I just need to let it go.
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I wanted Mings and Onana to start as a buffer to their physicality.
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And I really wish they'd stop having semi finals at Wembley. Surely that place has been paid for by now?
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And I really wish they'd stop having semi finals at Wembley. Surely that place has been paid for by now?
Well I'll not be adding to the fund again, that's for sure.
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And I really wish they'd stop having semi finals at Wembley. Surely that place has been paid for by now?
I hate the place.
It was Ken Bates that decided to break the bank with the stadium.
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It's proper disappointing to lose a semi-final, but I don't think you can say we didn't take it as seriously as we should've. As usual, they scored from every single mistake we made and we didn't take our chances (or, if I'm being honest, create enough of them). All of a sudden, we look a really tired team.
Short term, we need to play Mings and Konsa in each of the next 4 games. Pau Torres looks like he's suffering from a severe lack of confidence.
My main reflection from the ashes of that game, is that we are going to need a new GK unless this turns out to be a temporary (pretty much all season) form thing for Martinez. The fact that teams always score from their first shot is more than a coincidence - he is letting too many in. To be fair, he isn't helped by having an ever changing CB pairing in front of him, but he just isn't the same keeper as he has been and he doesn't look confident to me either.
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By far the best part of the day was the ease of leaving the place, getting on the tube so quickly, and being home much earlier than I had expected.
True that, I left on the final whistle, straight on the tube to Euston, then straight on the train to NS, then straight on the train home and nursing a sorrowful pint in the local by 10pm.
Transport, wonderful. Football, not so much.
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Wholeheartedly agree on having semi-finals at Wembley. Finals and internationals only please.
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Still numb to how abject and ineffective we were yesterday. Not being a professional footballer, I just can't comprehend how you can play so badly when you are one game away from a cup final and a potential trophy/winners medal.
The one player to come out with any slight credit yesterday was Leon Bailey.... Jacob Ramsey at a push.
Few things I'd point out:
- Loved Asensio when he came in, but has done the square root of nothing ever since, and looks to be going down the Coutinho mk2 route.
- Morgan Rogers. Looks totally out of form, but I think this is Unai's fault by pushing him out to the wing. Everyone on this forum/in Villa Park knows that his most effective position is through the middle.
- Pau Torres. 2 seasons in, he has not cut out his defensive frailties - Time to cash in. Mings should have ONE HUNDRED PERCENT been in that starting lineup.
- The slow build up play - It's boring, frustrating and gives opponents time to set in when they have our number. We look so much more effective when attacking with the wind at our heels! All this talk about conserving energy - There are just FOUR fucking games left. If you're not going to take your foot off the gas now, then when?!
It's been a season that promised so much, but at this present moment in time, we've mirrored the kind of season Spurs would have achieved a few years back. Not good enough - And the manager is not without blame either.
To come so far, for it all to fizzle out in a matter of days. Same old Villa, just in a slightly more expensive coat.
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I wanted Mings and Onana to start as a buffer to their physicality.
It wasn't their physicality that did us.
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Fear it's a mix of stubbornness and favouritism getting the better of Emery . Starting Torres over Mings was idiotic and suicidal.
Time to move Torres along while he still has some book value .
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You also have the issue that Mings, by his own admission, is playing through pain in every game. And also is a mistake a game himself and has poor distribution, paticularly when playing XI men behind the ball.
A Pau/Mings hybrid would be just wonderful stuff.
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A bit disappointed with McGinns post match interview.
Don’t tell us we have 4 massive games coming up when you have just failed to raise your game in one of the most important matches for years.
Don’t say we can’t sulk for too long.
Read the room, feel the pain, disappointment and fury that the fans are feeling.
Funny that as I saw it totally other way round. He was trying to lift us.
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I wanted Mings and Onana to start as a buffer to their physicality.
It wasn't their physicality that did us.
I get what you mean but we seem to lose all the 50/50 challenges in the middle and the first goal came from Mateta harassing Torres.
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It was Sarr.
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Fear it's a mix of stubbornness and favouritism getting the better of Emery . Starting Torres over Mings was idiotic and suicidal.
Time to move Torres along while he still has some book value .
Absolute rubbish.
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Now the alcohol has worn off and the cold light of day has set in i just feel numb at how bad we were. Going out of both cups to Barcapalace is galling but its the nature of the defeats thats hard to swallow. Glasner has got Unai by the throat and it shows. Torres should not have started and does seem to be a liability at times. We are increasingly ponderous playing out from the back and it gives the opposition time to drop back and make us play through them - its fair to say our best moments this season are when we go early and catch teams upfield but it never even looked likely yesterday. Palace were worth every goal and we actually got off lightly, the disallowed one should have stood i thought. Unai has got a lot of credit in the bank but he definitely used some of it yesterday.
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I wanted Mings and Onana to start as a buffer to their physicality.
It wasn't their physicality that did us.
It had a lot to do with it imo. Couldn't handle Mateta he was everywhere. It wasn't just physicality though. We seemed to lack energy and they had bundles of it. Roger's has looked like he's dragging a tyre for the last few games. Ramsey would have been a far better option.
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I wanted Mings and Onana to start as a buffer to their physicality.
It wasn't their physicality that did us.
They didnt exactly roll over for us.
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I wanted Mings and Onana to start as a buffer to their physicality.
Onana is shit though and hardly got a kick at Citeh during the week. The Mings decision was simply unfathomable.
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A bit disappointed with McGinns post match interview.
Don’t tell us we have 4 massive games coming up when you have just failed to raise your game in one of the most important matches for years.
Don’t say we can’t sulk for too long.
Read the room, feel the pain, disappointment and fury that the fans are feeling.
Funny that as I saw it totally other way round. He was trying to lift us.
I agree he was being a captain, and to be fair on the pitch, probably the only one to come out with any credit in that first half.
Im really not sure what else he could of said. We have gor 4 games left and we do need to try and win them.
I feel fooking empty this morning, tired, slightly hungover, but just miserable. Football and Villa is a passion and escapism from the shite of life and a major element of that vanished yesterday and whats worse with such a tepid performance.
I was still in the boxpark when the team sheet came out and I was surprised there was no Mings and Ramsey, but it wasn’t a major shock. It was a shock that Rashford wasn’t on the bench, I do feel he would off at least given Palace something else to think about alongside Bailey, who did ok.
It is with hindsight that I think we should off started Ramsey and Mastsen to try and break through their lines.
The whole Torres/Mings debate is a bit of a side issue for me in terms of yesterdays game. The biggest is issue is we never really laid a glove on them and never looked like doing so at any stage of the game.
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People commenting that we've thrown it or bottled it or have greater priorities seem to have conveniently forgotten that we've thrown a number of away performances in like this, this season. I'd argue that this passive, anaemic display is more the norm than the exception.
Palace, Spurs, Chelsea all come to mind but we turned in v similar non performances in every European away game bar Leipzig when they bizarrely pressed us high.
I'm sure they know that this is a major stumbling block to success and I'd hope we can seriously address in the summer as Bournemouth could easily do the same as Palace did yesterday, in a few weeks.
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Supporting Aston Villa is like having a fluffer for a non existent porn film; they get you going but there's no one there to finish you off.
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When we're bad, we're oh shit that's my tyre accelerating past me level of wheels coming off.
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After spectacularly fucking up yesterday, I have no confidence we can raise ourselves to win the last 4 games of the season.
If we do, and we squeak CL qualification then it will go some way to redemption.
I’m not even sure that winning all 4 will get in anyway.
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People commenting that we've thrown it or bottled it or have greater priorities seem to have conveniently forgotten that we've thrown a number of away performances in like this, this season. I'd argue that this passive, anaemic display is more the norm than the exception.
Palace, Spurs, Chelsea all come to mind but we turned in v similar non performances in every European away game bar Leipzig when they bizarrely pressed us high.
I think that's a good point, and - putting aside for now any reasons for it - that's one of the differences between last year and this in terms of the league. Some of the great away results last year, were not there this year and here we are, in seventh as a result.
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I've got no intention of watching the whole game again but there at the time, I didn't think Mateta played particularly well, he wasn't the threat against Torres I'd feared, it was elsewhere we lost the game.
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After spectacularly fucking up yesterday, I have no confidence we can raise ourselves to win the last 4 games of the season.
If we do, and we squeak CL qualification then it will go some way to redemption.
I’m not even sure that winning all 4 will get in anyway.
Some of the contenders have to play each other and Chelsea have a tough run in and a Europa Final to think about. Might help us I hope.
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I've got no intention of watching the whole game again but there at the time, I didn't think Mateta played particularly well, he wasn't the threat against Torres I'd feared, it was elsewhere we lost the game.
He played a fucking blinder on the telly.
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Still gutted - I don’t think it will effect what happens in the summer - as much as not getting UCL and I think the nature of the game means we have to accept that some of our best players will be moved on.
What I am gutted about most is just how inexcusable that performance was - we knew exactly how they would play and that we would struggle to handle it but we played right into there hands.
If we get Europa then - I would have settled for that at the start of the season - but the frustration is we’re coming out of this season knowing we should have got more from it.
The last 2 games have demonstrated it - concede with the first shot and concede 80+. That happened across both legs at PSG and countless other times this season and is why there is a feeling of under achievement about this season - despite there being lots of positives.
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I have came to the realisation that I’ll never see us win anything again in my lifetime.
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Emery's favoured tactics are just particularly weak against the way Palace set up. We find it difficult against physical sides that get men behind the ball and break at pace in numbers. They have the talent to do that very well. And we don't have the natural width to exploit the space in behind their wing-backs when they do attack, as most of our players prefer to come inside. It's no accident that Bailey had some joy as he occasionally looks to go outside the full-back. Wingers are effective against sides like that and they give you a quick out ball on the turnover. But Emery doesn't seem to like them, so he's always going to struggle against the likes of Palace.
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I don't like semi-finals at Wembley, on the flipside if they were held at club grounds there'd be a lot less tickets. Yesterday would have been at Spurs or Arsenal, that's 8-10k fewer tickets for us. Considering the scramble for them as it was, imagine that scenario. Personally i'd do the semis in Cardiff, still a big ground and keeps Wembley for the final.
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I've got no intention of watching the whole game again but there at the time, I didn't think Mateta played particularly well, he wasn't the threat against Torres I'd feared, it was elsewhere we lost the game.
He played a fucking blinder on the telly.
He was an absolute handful all game. He's a bit of strange one in that he looks very ungainly and not like a striker but he's very effective at what he does. Yesterday surely must be his best game for them. That run down the touchline after he'd dispossessed on of ours for the 100th time, was brilliant and the cross was perfect and should of led to another goal. I don't think it was a foul on Konsa either so that should of stood. Then there was his tackle on one of our players about 12 yards out lining up a shot. He was a solid 9/10 for them. Anyone thinking he wasn't really a problem for us must of been watching a different game to me.
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Yep, Cardiff would be prefect. I went years ago for a Play Off final with Walsall. It's a cracking ground.
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The FA Cup this season and Conference League last season were golden opportunities for a trophy, and we got hammered in both semi finals, despite being favourites, with better players. It's the Villa way I'm afraid
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Yep, Cardiff would be prefect. I went years ago for a Play Off final with Walsall. It's a cracking ground.
It's a great shout. I've never been to the ground but I've got family in Cardiff and the location right in the city centre is superb. Someone should start a petition amongst football fans to stop the semi finals being played at Wembley. I'm sure fans of every club would get behind it.
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Emery's favoured tactics are just particularly weak against the way Palace set up. We find it difficult against physical sides that get men behind the ball and break at pace in numbers.
However 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle a few days ago would suggest otherwise.
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I don't like semi-finals at Wembley, on the flipside if they were held at club grounds there'd be a lot less tickets. Yesterday would have been at Spurs or Arsenal, that's 8-10k fewer tickets for us. Considering the scramble for them as it was, imagine that scenario. Personally i'd do the semis in Cardiff, still a big ground and keeps Wembley for the final.
As a satirical post this is good.
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I've got no intention of watching the whole game again but there at the time, I didn't think Mateta played particularly well, he wasn't the threat against Torres I'd feared, it was elsewhere we lost the game.
He played a fucking blinder on the telly.
He was an absolute handful all game. He's a bit of strange one in that he looks very ungainly and not like a striker but he's very effective at what he does. Yesterday surely must be his best game for them. That run down the touchline after he'd dispossessed on of ours for the 100th time, was brilliant and the cross was perfect and should of led to another goal. I don't think it was a foul on Konsa either so that should of stood. Then there was his tackle on one of our players about 12 yards out lining up a shot. He was a solid 9/10 for them. Anyone thinking he wasn't really a problem for us must of been watching a different game to me.
Perhaps its me, it normally is, in fact it must be as someone else has just said he 'humiliated' Konsa as well. I like him, I think he's been immense in the last few games against us, so much so that I would have played Mings to specifically counter his physical threat.
But I hardly noticed him yesterday, and if he were to know that, I reckon he wouldn't be quite so happy about getting to the FA cup final.
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Haha!
I'd take him (Mateta) in a heartbeat.
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Emery's favoured tactics are just particularly weak against the way Palace set up. We find it difficult against physical sides that get men behind the ball and break at pace in numbers.
However 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle a few days ago would suggest otherwise.
True, although we have struggled against Saudi FC in the past in much the same way as we struggled yesterday. Fortunately, Emery finally worked out that Trippier was their weak spot.
I don't think Newcastle get behind the ball that much, though. They commit plenty forward and leave big gaps behind, whereas Palace were very compact and let us have all the possession in front of them. Newcastle actually had more possession than us last week, if I remember rightly.
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Bottom line is, Glasner has Emery’s number as he’s proved this season. They’ve beaten us three times out of four games this season with a seemingly inferior squad.
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Glasner didn't out-think Unai, they played exactly as you'd expect. Unai out-thought Unai.
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Bottom line is, Glasner has Emery’s number as he’s proved this season. They’ve beaten us three times out of four games this season with a seemingly inferior squad.
Bullshit. Uni tried the same thing that hasn't worked previously and expected it to be different this time.
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Went to the cutlery drawer in the kitchen this morning to lay the table for breakfast and all I could find was spoons.
My wife had taken the precaution of hiding away all the knives and sharp stuff!
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Went to the cutlery drawer in the kitchen this morning to lay the table for breakfast and all I could find was spoons.
My wife had taken the precaution of hiding away all the knives and sharp stuff!
I think your wife deserves a medal for putting up with being married to Alanis Morrisette all these years.
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Went to the cutlery drawer in the kitchen this morning to lay the table for breakfast and all I could find was spoons.
My wife had taken the precaution of hiding away all the knives and sharp stuff!
I think your wife deserves a medal for putting up with being married to Alanis Morrisette all these years.
You'll have to explain that one to me SE.
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I didn't sleep much last night and that's down to the Villa. I'd have thought that at the start of my seventh decade I'd manage to shrug off what is, frankly, the norm. Obviously not. And I think what hurts the most is, for once, the competition opened up for us. The Cup was there for the winning. Not saying it would be easy, but on our day with the current squad we should be able to beat any of the three remaining teams.
I don't know who I want to blame, but ultimately it's just twenty-first century football. Year-after-year, we have to watch the same cartel take all the silverware and this season it'll be no different. I wouldn't be surprised if all three European trophies end up in England, just to rub salt into the wounds. Of course, Newcastle are the exception that proves the rule, which in a way makes it worse. Us and Everton are now the undoubted serial underachievers of the big city clubs.
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They missed a penalty and had a player miss an easy put away, it could have easily been worse. When he took JM off with enough time left I thought that Unai doesn't rate the F.A CUP.
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Went to the cutlery drawer in the kitchen this morning to lay the table for breakfast and all I could find was spoons.
My wife had taken the precaution of hiding away all the knives and sharp stuff!
I think your wife deserves a medal for putting up with being married to Alanis Morrisette all these years.
You'll have to explain that one to me SE.
Isn’t it ironic etc etc
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Went to the cutlery drawer in the kitchen this morning to lay the table for breakfast and all I could find was spoons.
My wife had taken the precaution of hiding away all the knives and sharp stuff!
I think your wife deserves a medal for putting up with being married to Alanis Morrisette all these years.
You'll have to explain that one to me SE.
Ah, apologies. I won't link to the song on account of it being shite, but Alanis Morrissette's most famous song, Ironic, in which she lists things that aren't ironic, contains the line: 'it's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife.'
It wasn't really worth the effort of the weak gag in the end!
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They missed a penalty and had a player miss an easy put away, it could have easily been worse. When he took JM off with enough time left I thought that Unai doesn't rate the F.A CUP.
Not to mention the goal that was chalked off in sympathy for Konsa's powder puffery.
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Thought the gag was pretty solid tbf
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Thought the gag was pretty solid tbf
Well you oughta know.
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Thought the gag was pretty solid tbf
Well you oughta know.
As the forums biggest Morisette fan or for my curated Bob Monkhouse Barry Cryer collection?
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Yet if you'd solely looked at the stats you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a smash and grab from them.
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The morning after the day before and it feels like a nightmare this morning. I suppose it hurts more as the FA Cup is probably the one trophy I'd like ti see us lift most and it felt like it finally might happen this season. To go there and offer up that kind of performance yesterday was so disappointing though and has just left a feeling of emptiness today really.
I do wonder how much Tuesday night impacted on them. Just put us on a bit of a downer going into such a big game.
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Hindsight, Mings and Onana should have started instead of Pau and Asensio.
That’s the frustrating thing…..half of that statement isn't hindsight is it?
Go and take a look at the match thread from yesterday, before a ball was even kicked.
There were alot of posts regarding the decision to play Pau over Mings.
Yes, I got told off.
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Yep, Cardiff would be prefect. I went years ago for a Play Off final with Walsall. It's a cracking ground.
Hopefully we wouldn’t get schooled there.
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
Agreed on the flares, not sure how they managed that.
As for their support, I thought it was magnificent.
Fair play to them
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You also have the issue that Mings, by his own admission, is playing through pain in every game. And also is a mistake a game himself and has poor distribution, paticularly when playing XI men behind the ball.
We’ve won the last eight games that Tyrone Mings has started, are unbeaten in the last eleven and only lost one in the last eighteen.
That’s not bad for a player who makes a mistake a game, or as I see it, an error leading to a goal every 2,340 minutes, or 26 games.
Then again, as billybronte would have it, facts prove nothing.
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
Agreed on the flares, not sure how they managed that.
As for their support, I thought it was magnificent.
Fair play to them
They were so much more up for it, I was waiting for our fans to get going but once they scored it just felt so flat and inevitable.
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
And how do they manage to get an entire block of seats for themselves?
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
And how do they manage to get an entire block of seats for themselves?
As Palace a dedicated “Ultra” area then pretty easy for them to locate all the wankers seats in one area.
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The drumming is just annoying plastic fan shite in the same way the PSG fans were just chanting moronically no matter what was happening in the game. Are the Palace drummers even watching the bloody football.
Our support was fine before the game and at the start, but it was such a flat first twenty minutes or so from the team, it sucked the life out of us, then Eze scored and that was it. When they missed the penalty, their support piped down and if we’d managed to rouse ourselves and equalise in that period, the noise inside the ground would of been different.
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
And how do they manage to get an entire block of seats for themselves?
As Palace a dedicated “Ultra” area then pretty easy for them to locate all the wankers seats in one area.
Was it something the club arranged with Wembley or did they manage to contact the fans individually and then redistribute them between themselves?
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Went to the cutlery drawer in the kitchen this morning to lay the table for breakfast and all I could find was spoons.
My wife had taken the precaution of hiding away all the knives and sharp stuff!
I think your wife deserves a medal for putting up with being married to Alanis Morrisette all these years.
You'll have to explain that one to me SE.
Ah, apologies. I won't link to the song on account of it being shite, but Alanis Morrissette's most famous song, Ironic, in which she lists things that aren't ironic, contains the line: 'it's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife.'
It wasn't really worth the effort of the weak gag in the end!
Cheers SE.
It was worth it, one of which I'd most certainly have chuckled at, had my knowledge of Alanis Morissette's catalogue been greater than the big fat zero it is.
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We sounded alright on telly up until the penalty. You could hear quite a few songs and that bloody annoying Allez allez allez as usual. There were strains of Pride of Birmingham early second half but didn't really get going from sounds of it. At 2-0 though all you could hear was them.
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We sounded alright on telly up until the penalty. You could hear quite a few songs and that bloody annoying Allez allez allez as usual. There were strains of Pride of Birmingham early second half but didn't really get going from sounds of it. At 2-0 though all you could hear was them.
I was on the half way line and they were making much more noise consistently.
The only time when it wasn’t like that was immediately after the penalty miss but it was short lived.
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
And how do they manage to get an entire block of seats for themselves?
Palace wouldn't have had the demand we did for tickets so I get the feeling they quietly organised it so their ultra lot were right behind the goal like they are at Selhurst. When I went to the VP game last season v them they didn't sell out the upper Witton section so guess it is easier to arrange where 25k want to sit than what we had.
Looking elsewhere and seems there were problems from kick off with the issue being those who wanted to stand and those who wanted to sit and watch the game so we need to sort that out for future visits and maybe identify sections and sell tickets directly for fans who want to stand.
Palace identified a small win and their team fed off it on the day.
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We sounded alright on telly up until the penalty. You could hear quite a few songs and that bloody annoying Allez allez allez as usual. There were strains of Pride of Birmingham early second half but didn't really get going from sounds of it. At 2-0 though all you could hear was them.
I was on the half way line and they were making much more noise consistently.
The only time when it wasn’t like that was immediately after the penalty miss but it was short lived.
Of course they're making more noise if they had drums, FFS. Anyone can make noise with drums, that's their principal purpose. They should be banned, the cheating twats.
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Things I hate about modern football:
1. Drums
2. Cocaine
3. Anything other than a 3pm kick off for a semi final
4. The bloke who sat next to me who came in 15 minutes late, watched 10 mins of football, went off, came back for 10 minutes in the second half just to abuse the Palace fans and then fucked off.
5. Drums.
6. Tippy tappy at the back
7. People on the phone waving to mates in another stand
8. The cheerleaders in black. You can stick your 'ultras' up your arse
9. Flares. The trousers and the flaming kind. They look shit.
10. Drums. Personally, I would line the streets with crucified drummers as a deterrent. Security should be instructed to punch a hole through any drum skin within a mile of a football stadium. Annoying ******.
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Thought I’d wait to post reflections. Sadly wrong team, again following City. After such a display v a very good Newcastle I don’t know why Unai didn’t just let the Hounds loose again. Olly and Maathsen were so good v Newcastle and Onana’s cameo to
Not involve them Tuesday and yesterday (I think Rashford would have started if fit) was not great. We know how Palace play and seemed to have learnt nothing. Mings had to start and lead from the back, Pau looked so weak. Youri and Roger’s are running on empty and Rogers on the right has never worked. Fair play to Bailey who I often criticise and Maathsen when they can on.
I think seeing the team sheet we all feared the worst and that hit the support imo plus the bloody drum which was all I could hear at the front of the top row behind the goal.
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Didn’t turn up. Unacceptable. Had a great day out apart from the 90 minutes football.
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Looking elsewhere and seems there were problems from kick off with the issue being those who wanted to stand and those who wanted to sit and watch the game so we need to sort that out for future visits and maybe identify sections and sell tickets directly for fans who want to stand.
Yes, I was in Block 104, 20 rows back, bang in line with the 18 yard line, with a very fine view of the entire pitch, and I had not anticipated having to stand through the entire game, which became necessary once those in approximately Row 10 decided that they were going to stand. It didn't affect me personally overly much (or my enjoyment of the game, such as it was), but I really felt for the family of four to my left, the mum and dad having to stand throughout the game, while doing their best to hold up their two young children. Even if we'd won the game, these people would have been left wishing they had stayed at home and watched the game on tv.
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Looking elsewhere and seems there were problems from kick off with the issue being those who wanted to stand and those who wanted to sit and watch the game so we need to sort that out for future visits and maybe identify sections and sell tickets directly for fans who want to stand.
Yes, I was in Block 104, 20 rows back, bang in line with the 18 yard line, with a very fine view of the entire pitch, and I had not anticipated having to stand through the entire game, which became necessary once those in approximately Row 10 decided that they were going to stand. It didn't affect me personally overly much (or my enjoyment of the game, such as it was), but I really felt for the family of four to my left, the mum and dad having to stand throughout the game, while doing their best to hold up their two young children. Even if we'd won the game, these people would have been left wishing they had stayed at home and watched the game on tv.
At Villa Park in the stands behind the goal standing is taken for granted at every game so it’s hardly a surprise that is what happened yesterday. There were plenty of other sections where those with kids could choose to sit, as happened with a couple of groups on our minibus.
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I can kind of understand people who feel the need to stand up behind the goal. We were in block 519 upstairs and there were a scattered few standing up and there wasn't really any need to.
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As I said (this is in response to Chris Smith above), we were in line with the 18 yard line, not behind the goal. I know people stand in the Holte End.
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The flares was a joke . Could barely see the pitch first 10 mins.
As for the HT DJ , whilst easy on the eye she played some rubbish .
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You also have the issue that Mings, by his own admission, is playing through pain in every game. And also is a mistake a game himself and has poor distribution, paticularly when playing XI men behind the ball.
We’ve won the last eight games that Tyrone Mings has started, are unbeaten in the last eleven and only lost one in the last eighteen.
That’s not bad for a player who makes a mistake a game, or as I see it, an error leading to a goal every 2,340 minutes, or 26 games.
Then again, as billybronte would have it, facts prove nothing.
Not playing Mings has cost us the ECL run and now the FA Cup run . Absolute lunacy from Emery .
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
Agreed on the flares, not sure how they managed that.
As for their support, I thought it was magnificent.
Fair play to them
Agreed. I was sat on half way and they completely drowned us out. Organised or not, they made it like a home game for them, credit where it’s due.
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I was under the impression that Pyrotechnics weren’t allowed at football matches? I had no issue with them as such but that drum. FFS!
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Drums are for ******. Come on City, smash those Nigel wankers.
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We were outplayed on the pitch and out sung in the stands, and that’s the first time that’s ever happened at Wembley
Even their flags and Tifo were better than ours, not that it’s of much importance
they were just too powerful for us as it has been in every game between Unai and Glasner,
They are very similar to Forest in the way they play. You’re not going to play silky football through them so you have to match them up physically and mentally which we failed to do
Having said all that there’s not many games if any way where you can say every single starting Villa player had an off day and every single opposition player produced a 9 out of 10 performance
Just our luck for it to happen in the semi-final of the FA Cup which we haven’t won in near on 60 bloody years
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For me I'd have gone with pace and power to trap their wing backs. Seeing Morgan and McGinn fold to create a six first half was pathetic stuff.
Marlen wide, Ramsey wide, Rogers close to Ollie to bludgeon through the middle, Cash and Maatsen given licence to overload and trap one of the wing backs, with an energetic press that we witnessed 7 days ago. Run the inferior ****** off the park. But no.
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Didn’t turn up. Unacceptable. Had a great day out apart from the 90 minutes football.
Same here.
Had a great day. Travel in and out of London was spot on.
Baffling team selection and I wondered why we just didn't have a real good go at Palace.
Surely Maatsen & Ramsey on the left would have caused so many more problems.
Such a wasted opportunity for me.
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For me I'd have gone with pace and power to trap their wing backs. Seeing Morgan and McGinn fold to create a six first half was pathetic stuff.
Marlen wide, Ramsey wide, Rogers close to Ollie to bludgeon through the middle, Cash and Maatsen given licence to overload and trap one of the wing backs, with an energetic press that we witnessed 7 days ago. Run the inferior ****** off the park. But no.
Glasner didn't out-think Unai, they played exactly as you'd expect. Unai out-thought Unai.
Bang on; you've both summed it up very succinctly.
Playing it through the middle (whilst Watkins was plying his trade on the left throughout the first half) and sitting deeper than usual just meant CP could bring Guehi and Lacroix further forward on their left to flood the MF. Kamara's soft yellow in the first 15 meant he was less effective than was expected. Sarr played a blinder, coming inside to mark Tielemans when we had the ball at the back.
Glasner once again got it right .... but their set-up was pretty predictable, which makes our inability to tactically manage it even more strange.
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Are we genuinely blaming drums now? It was far more visible on the PSG comms and that didn't seem to impact our play, indeed it probably enhanced the atmosphere.
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Nobody is blaming drums, they're just used by ******.
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Are we genuinely blaming drums now? It was far more visible on the PSG comms and that didn't seem to impact our play, indeed it probably enhanced the atmosphere.
No.
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Having seen the real thing, European Ultras are bell ends. The Palace ones are even worse because they should know better.
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Having seen the real thing, European Ultras are bell ends. The Palace ones are even worse because they should know better.
Completely agree. They're just irritating. Watch the game you fucking idiots.
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
When you employ security staff on minimum wage with no or near no training that's what you get.
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It was a truly pathetic performance. Utterly abject. Every single player and Emery were outthought and outfought.
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
When you employ security staff on minimum wage with no or near no training that's what you get.
Leaving the ground I was directed with others down a stairwell to exit. But the exit, emergency doors, were locked. The type with a big metal bar. I pulled myself up back to where we were sent from. I had to bang on the door for them to open. And they did not give a shit. It’s like Hillsborough never happened. They will receive an angry email and more.
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As I said (this is in response to Chris Smith above), we were in line with the 18 yard line, not behind the goal. I know people stand in the Holte End.
Ah, gotcha I thought you meant the 18 yard box from behind the goal, my mistake.
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For me I'd have gone with pace and power to trap their wing backs. Seeing Morgan and McGinn fold to create a six first half was pathetic stuff.
Marlen wide, Ramsey wide, Rogers close to Ollie to bludgeon through the middle, Cash and Maatsen given licence to overload and trap one of the wing backs, with an energetic press that we witnessed 7 days ago. Run the inferior ****** off the park. But no.
Yes, got to agree with that. Palace aren’t world beaters, and other teams have demonstrated how to play against them. I really don’t understand what Unai was trying to do yesterday.
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If we could play all our games at Villa Park we’d be fine
But they keep making us go to nasty places what we don’t like and we get all scared and vulnerable
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We've been shit away from Villa Park all season. Our giving away of soft goals under pressure and lack of pace seems to do for us away.
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He’s made us almost unbeatable against any side at Villa Park but insists on a much more passive, almost negative and subservient approach away. I don’t get it. We look awful, we invite trouble and get it. Not saying it needs to be all guns blazing when on the road but it shouldn’t be so blunt and predictable.
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Are we genuinely blaming drums now? It was far more visible on the PSG comms and that didn't seem to impact our play, indeed it probably enhanced the atmosphere.
Definitely down to the drums.
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It's weird, I don't really think we were outplayed or that Palace "wanted it more". We just played our usual type of game that Unai has instilled in them - controlled possession, try and open-up space with swivels on the half-turn and flood their area with options. Unfortunately, we didn't respect Palace's strengths and their proven abilities to counter our own.
Tielemans had his pocket picked for their second and third when he was trying to play a quick ball to get us on the attack. Eze's goal is a worldie that even by his standards is out of the ordinary and once they could low-block and use their pace and power to counter, we had once again played into their hands.
As for Sarr...fuck me, talk about a nemesis. I bet on Palace forums they usually talk about him the way we do about Bailey - an inconsistent, unreliable winger. Then he takes it out on us every time we come up against him. Did he reject us back in the day or did Watford turn-down the offer? Either way, have a day off mate.
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
When you employ security staff on minimum wage with no or near no training that's what you get.
Leaving the ground I was directed with others down a stairwell to exit. But the exit, emergency doors, were locked. The type with a big metal bar. I pulled myself up back to where we were sent from. I had to bang on the door for them to open. And they did not give a shit. It’s like Hillsborough never happened. They will receive an angry email and more.
report to the local council and HSE. Serious breach if true
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I read this morning that 50% of the goals scored by Sarr is against us this season. What a absolute shit bag.
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I didn’t think Palace were that good which made our abject performance even worse. They didn’t really have to work particularly hard to get the result.
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I’ve been too gutted to post until now and I’m sure that what I say is simply echoing comments of many others on the 38 pages thus far.
Selection - I’d have played Mings to counter the physicality of Mateta. He completely dominated Konsa at their place 2 months ago and never looked comfortable yesterday. I’d have also played Rogers centrally and left Asensio on the bench for Ramsey.
Tactics - I was in the very last row of the top tier level with our goal line. Palace were happy to let us fanny about at the back but pressed as soon as we gave the ball to Cash and Digne, who were forced back or inside into congestion. They had a triangle around Tielemans and sprung into action when he had the ball and it feels like he had his pocket picked many times. Only in the early stages with Watkins out left and when Bailey came on the right did we push them backwards.
Support - I’ve seen Villa at Wembley 12 times now and that is the quietest support I’ve heard. We didn’t have a lot to cheer but I thought our support was flat even at0-0. I’m not sure why this was but I and a lot of mates struggled massively to get tickets and loads of people I know were sat alone and away from their usual groups. That can’t have helped. Palace by contrast had their organised support and were galvanised by us being pedestrian and going ahead.
A massive lost opportunity. There’s plenty more but I haven’t got the heart.
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I read this morning that 50% of the goals scored by Sarr is against us this season. What a absolute shit bag.
Well not quite. Just 45.45% 😉
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It's weird, I don't really think we were outplayed or that Palace "wanted it more". We just played our usual type of game that Unai has instilled in them - controlled possession, try and open-up space with swivels on the half-turn and flood their area with options. Unfortunately, we didn't respect Palace's strengths and their proven abilities to counter our own.
Tielemans had his pocket picked for their second and third when he was trying to play a quick ball to get us on the attack. Eze's goal is a worldie that even by his standards is out of the ordinary and once they could low-block and use their pace and power to counter, we had once again played into their hands.
As for Sarr...fuck me, talk about a nemesis. I bet on Palace forums they usually talk about him the way we do about Bailey - an inconsistent, unreliable winger. Then he takes it out on us every time we come up against him. Did he reject us back in the day or did Watford turn-down the offer? Either way, have a day off mate.
We agreed the deal but Gerrard vetoed it.
Lange did push through a deal for Dendocker shortly after that even though the manager at the time (who was on a sticky wicket anyway) didn't want him. Should've done the same with Sarr.
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I mean he shouldn’t for the very reason outlined above. He’s not good enough - just because he has blinders against us doesn’t change that.
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It's weird, I don't really think we were outplayed or that Palace "wanted it more". We just played our usual type of game that Unai has instilled in them - controlled possession, try and open-up space with swivels on the half-turn and flood their area with options. Unfortunately, we didn't respect Palace's strengths and their proven abilities to counter our own.
Tielemans had his pocket picked for their second and third when he was trying to play a quick ball to get us on the attack. Eze's goal is a worldie that even by his standards is out of the ordinary and once they could low-block and use their pace and power to counter, we had once again played into their hands.
As for Sarr...fuck me, talk about a nemesis. I bet on Palace forums they usually talk about him the way we do about Bailey - an inconsistent, unreliable winger. Then he takes it out on us every time we come up against him. Did he reject us back in the day or did Watford turn-down the offer? Either way, have a day off mate.
We agreed the deal but Gerrard vetoed it.
Lange did push through a deal for Dendocker shortly after that even though the manager at the time (who was on a sticky wicket anyway) didn't want him. Should've done the same with Sarr.
I don’t know the personal views of our players, but we know his and he’s a homophobic twat. Im glad we never signed him.
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I read this morning that 50% of the goals scored by Sarr is against us this season. What a absolute shit bag.
The new Robbie Fowler
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As an aside, how can a whole bunch of pyrotechnics be allowed into the ground through security? And who decides that it is in order for an FA Cup Semi Final to be played against the background noise of organised and continuous drumming?
When you employ security staff on minimum wage with no or near no training that's what you get.
Leaving the ground I was directed with others down a stairwell to exit. But the exit, emergency doors, were locked. The type with a big metal bar. I pulled myself up back to where we were sent from. I had to bang on the door for them to open. And they did not give a shit. It’s like Hillsborough never happened. They will receive an angry email and more.
report to the local council and HSE. Serious breach if true
I will do. I was fuming.
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I didn’t think Palace were that good which made our abject performance even worse. They didn’t really have to work particularly hard to get the result.
Palace played as though they wanted to reach the final.
We played as though we couldn't be arsed
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As I’m getting older these late kick off’s annoy me more and more….saw one geezer chuck up on the way to the turnstiles, another pair next to us were at it with each other when Palace scored their 2nd. Dick heads taking beer up into the stands with them when already clearly pissed. I tried to remain seated as much as I could because an older chap behind me could not stand up all game, which meant that I watched the back of the bloke in front of me for most of the game. I couldn’t wait to get out the place, and when that happened I couldn’t get out with the bloomin gates locked. Perhaps football isn’t for me anymore…..
As for the game, yeah whatever Villa
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I didn’t think Palace were that good which made our abject performance even worse. They didn’t really have to work particularly hard to get the result.
Palace played as though they wanted to reach the final.
We played as though we couldn't be arsed
Palace are like the Bournemouth and Brighton of the league although not going to set the world on fire know what's it means to even reach the FA cup final, thought we had it same attitude but obviously not
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I read this morning that 50% of the goals scored by Sarr is against us this season. What a absolute shit bag.
Well not quite. Just 45.45% 😉
I am sure there are players with much higher percentage of their goals scored this season against us including 100%, so nothing to see here folks.
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Credit to Palace fans, if i was 30 years younger and a Palace fan , behind the goal looked like the place to be , they had it rocking .
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Special shout out to the group of coked up pricks in block 112 who spent the entire game paying no attention to what was happening on the pitch, and chose instead to shout in people’s faces and calling them shit fans for not signing loudly enough.
Similar in 525. Bloke behind my lad putting his feet on the chair, the bloke next to him spreading his legs and taking more space and the row of about 6 behind shouting to said bloke. All moaning about how shit our fans were, how the beer wasn't strong enough etc.
Wankers.
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Our fans may not be great sometimes, but I'd channel the frustration at the team and management to be fair for that shitshow yesterday .
This no show from the team and manger is going down in villa folklore. "I was there when ......" etc .
Proper gutless shitshow , up there with Oldham A
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Credit to Palace fans, if i was 30 years younger and a Palace fan , behind the goal looked like the place to be , they had it rocking .
If you like that sort of organised, choreographed ‘you will have fun’ type stuff. Nuremberg was similar.
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Credit to Palace fans, if i was 30 years younger and a Palace fan , behind the goal looked like the place to be , they had it rocking .
If you like that sort of organised, choreographed ‘you will have fun’ type stuff. Nuremberg was similar.
Ehh ?
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Just annoying that palace conceded ten goals in two games very recently and then completely outplay us.
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Complete surprise to me when Rashford did not appear for the warm up - anyone know when was he declared unfit?
Praps playing him on the left wing was going to be Unai's change of tactics against Palace and that injury scr*wed all the week's planning and meant Asensio had to come in and McGinn moved?
Too late to care much, but ....
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Our fans may not be great sometimes, but I'd channel the frustration at the team and management to be fair for that shitshow yesterday .
This no show from the team and manger is going down in villa folklore. "I was there when ......" etc .
Proper gutless shitshow , up there with Oldham A
Tim, there are dickheads in society, some of whom are in our fanbase as well as every other club. The performance and result doesn’t negate the fact they are dickheads.
There were lots of fans who had a good drink yesterday, including myself to be honest, but most of them didn’t act like what TaxDodger and Drummond describe, the performance has nothing to do with it.
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Complete surprise to me when Rashford did not appear for the warm up - anyone know when was he declared unfit?
Praps playing him on the left wing was going to be Unai's change of tactics against Palace and that injury scr*wed all the week's planning and meant Asensio had to come in and McGinn moved?
Too late to care much, but ....
Out for the season. It was in most of the papers today
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Complete surprise to me when Rashford did not appear for the warm up - anyone know when was he declared unfit?
Praps playing him on the left wing was going to be Unai's change of tactics against Palace and that injury scr*wed all the week's planning and meant Asensio had to come in and McGinn moved?
Too late to care much, but ....
Out for the season. It was in most of the papers today
Your username has cheered me up somewhat…..in a carry on film kind of way
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Complete surprise to me when Rashford did not appear for the warm up - anyone know when was he declared unfit?
Praps playing him on the left wing was going to be Unai's change of tactics against Palace and that injury scr*wed all the week's planning and meant Asensio had to come in and McGinn moved?
Too late to care much, but ....
Out for the season. It was in most of the papers today
Thanks - but when did he/they decide he was unfit? Was it at start of last week so they had loads of time to prep? Or was it Friday afternoon/yesterday? Main pre-match article in yesterday's Guardian was all about the impact Rashford was going to make (and Unai saying he wanted to pair Rashford and Ollie).
Unai's subsequent reaction to the question about Rashford's injury just seemed more abrupt than normal....
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He didn't seem in any pain at the boxing last night.
Another waster , good riddance to him .
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As for Palace fans being good, it's a fucking drum that kills what makes football good. The ebb and flow, ups and downs, the oohs and ahhs if you like, all it leaves is constant noise like a misfiring propellor aircraft.
I enjoying hearing both sets of fans singing at a match, back and forth, but what they produce ignores and drowns out the football in front of it.
There was no class there, they weren't waving flags just heavy duty bin bags on sticks. Now they face a side whose fans can't be arsed to turn up, such is the boredom of being at Wembley again, their owners trying to cleanse the stain of their regime by buying everything in sight.
The TV companies will no doubt celebrate the finalists, but in reality the true spectacle would have been Forest v Villa, the two more storied and bigger clubs, fighting to return to where they should be, and with supporters who know what it means.
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Time to get Rashford and Pau in the stocks outside of Aston Hall on Monday morning so VillaNiceButTim can throw rotten veg at them
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As for Palace fans being good, it's a fucking drum that kills what makes football good. The ebb and flow, ups and downs, the oohs and ahhs if you like, all it leaves is constant noise like a misfiring propellor aircraft.
I enjoying hearing both sets of fans singing at a match, back and forth, but what they produce ignores and drowns out the football in front of it.
There was no class there, they weren't waving flags just heavy duty bin bags on sticks. Now they face a side whose fans can't be arsed to turn up, such is the boredom of being at Wembley again, their owners trying to cleanse the stain of their regime by buying everything in sight.
The TV companies will no doubt celebrate the finalists, but in reality the true spectacle would have been Forest v Villa, the two more storied and bigger clubs, fighting to return to where they should be, and with supporters who know what it means.
Even though I agree with all of the above, the Palace fans were clearly (and audibly) more up for it than we were. 25 mins of slow motion tippy tappy tiki taka seemed to neutralise our fans as much as our players.
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He didn't seem in any pain at the boxing last night.
Another waster , good riddance to him .
You don't half talk some shite. I'm quite capable of sitting down for a whole boxing match. It doesn't mean I have the required fitness level to play top-flight football.
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He didn't seem in any pain at the boxing last night.
Another waster , good riddance to him .
We've got rid of a few wasters on here as well. CoopersInjury was one, SilhillVilla was another. Good riddance to both of them.
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I can see us losing 2 and winning 2 in our last 4 matches.
Let’s face it, being Villa, whatever European competition we end up playing in, we ain’t going to win it.
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This is how much it means to a Palace supporting friend of mine. And how we are seen as a “bigger” club. (He’s also a mean Hammond organ player for The Gene Drayton Unit and French Boutik…check em out.)
“I'm currently weighing up whether or not it was the greatest day in my Palace supporting history...
When we won the semi in 1990, Cleo wasn't born. In 2016 we beat Watford, but she was travelling in S America.
Yesterday we were together, and it was quite possibly the most complete performance I've seen from any Palace team. Absolute magic”
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This is how much it means to a Palace supporting friend of mine. And how we are seen as a “bigger” club. (He’s also a mean Hammond organ player for The Gene Drayton Unit and French Boutik…check em out.)
“I'm currently weighing up whether or not it was the greatest day in my Palace supporting history...
When we won the semi in 1990, Cleo wasn't born. In 2016 we beat Watford, but she was travelling in S America.
Yesterday we were together, and it was quite possibly the most complete performance I've seen from any Palace team. Absolute magic”
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Good for him, I hope they win the final. Before we beat ourselves up too much, I can't imagine Liverpool fans were too impressed by losing their semi-final to the 2015 version of Villa. They still did okay in subsequent seasons.
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It's not the same though. They're Liverpool, they always win trophies. That's why their "supporters" choose to support them, and also why anything they win doesn't count.
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The TV companies will no doubt celebrate the finalists, but in reality the true spectacle would have been Forest v Villa, the two more storied and bigger clubs, fighting to return to where they should be, and with supporters who know what it means.
Maybe we could ask the FA if we can both come back to Wembley for a 3rd/4th place play-off. Winner gets a shield or a plate...
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It's not the same though. They're Liverpool, they always win trophies. That's why their "supporters" choose to support them, and also why anything they win doesn't count.
Too right.
I think there was an attitude (which I was guilty of falling into) a few weeks ago along the lines of whatever that quote was about us 'knocking on more doors than a pair of Jehova's Witnesses', and as shit as this analogy may be, it's how I see it.
Three doors simultaneously, to be precise, and the feeling was that one of them might just answer.
The CL-winning door was always a toughie, with a 'no canvassers, no free newspapers' sign next to the letterbox, and a sofa and contaminated needles on the yard.
The 'top five' door may still be a go-er, who knows. But we're about five steps up the path and, after Man City, have realised the lunatic who owns the place hates Jehova's Witnesses and has laid a minefield in expectation of us calling.
The 'FA Cup' door was the most appealing. It had a beautiful front garden, flowers around the door, and a welcome mat with a cute jack russell on it. The old lady who lived there even invited us in.
Then the old lady spiked our tea, broke our arms and legs, and the jack russell bit our nuts off.
Within a few days, and now with broken limbs and sans bollocks, we've gone from trying our luck at three houses, to having to try to negotiate the rest of that 'top-five' path or end up dead on every doorstep.
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People been mentioning how pissed off Watkins has been, but Mings has been overlooked for some massive games. I wonder how he’s feeling…
The last four games have been huge and the only one we won was against Newcastle. Guess what? Mings played in that one and that one alone.
Pau played in the other three we lost.
Is it unfair to make a comment on a forum to exchange views about the match that it was a mistake to not start Mings instead of Torres. Most at not denigrating Pau simply saying that on the basis of previous games against Palace Torres has struggled with the physicality of players like Mateya. Unai made a mistake !
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Complete surprise to me when Rashford did not appear for the warm up - anyone know when was he declared unfit?
Praps playing him on the left wing was going to be Unai's change of tactics against Palace and that injury scr*wed all the week's planning and meant Asensio had to come in and McGinn moved?
Too late to care much, but ....
Out for the season. It was in most of the papers today
Thanks - but when did he/they decide he was unfit? Was it at start of last week so they had loads of time to prep? Or was it Friday afternoon/yesterday? Main pre-match article in yesterday's Guardian was all about the impact Rashford was going to make (and Unai saying he wanted to pair Rashford and Ollie).
Unai's subsequent reaction to the question about Rashford's injury just seemed more abrupt than normal....
It's a fair point. As far as I'm aware no one knew he was injured before the team came out.
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As in, none of us fans. So when did the coaching team know.
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It's not the same though. They're Liverpool, they always win trophies. That's why their "supporters" choose to support them, and also why anything they win doesn't count.
Amen
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Nice analogy too Rory
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Beautiful imagery, Ruaidhrí Óg.
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Just had the nihilistic urge to watch the goals again for the first time, is it unfair to suggest that Emi might have done better for all three?
Me too, just watched the highlights. I agree, most definitely the first two.
He seems to go down early for the third inviting Sarr to put the ball where he did, I mean, the game seemed lost after the first one but there you go..
How about looking at the shambles that happened in front of him that led up to Eze and Sarr being free to pick their spot?
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All of our issues this season have been around our defence. A negative goal difference until a couple of weeks ago in the league says it all. Conceding with the opponents first attempt on goal has become a regular thing. Emi standing on the ball for 30 seconds looking around when we are behind..?? Having 70% possession is great, but the better teams have a lot of that in their opponents half, whereas our possession is the defence passing sideways often with little end product. How many touches did Konsa have compared to Watkins? We need a clear out, a reset and a rethink.
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As in, none of us fans. So when did the coaching team know.
That’s the question. I find it hard to believe the master tactician, Emery, wasn’t planning something different with Rashford (who did not start at Palace) and then his plan got b*ggered by a very late injury. His interview response reflected how p’d off he was, but he wasn’t going to make excuses.
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Complete surprise to me when Rashford did not appear for the warm up - anyone know when was he declared unfit?
Praps playing him on the left wing was going to be Unai's change of tactics against Palace and that injury scr*wed all the week's planning and meant Asensio had to come in and McGinn moved?
Too late to care much, but ....
Out for the season. It was in most of the papers today
Thanks - but when did he/they decide he was unfit? Was it at start of last week so they had loads of time to prep? Or was it Friday afternoon/yesterday? Main pre-match article in yesterday's Guardian was all about the impact Rashford was going to make (and Unai saying he wanted to pair Rashford and Ollie).
Unai's subsequent reaction to the question about Rashford's injury just seemed more abrupt than normal....
It's a fair point. As far as I'm aware no one knew he was injured before the team came out.
Didn’t Emery say he has full squad available to choose in his Press Conf on Friday?
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That was what I thought Saturday morning.
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Ah well, though we rightly complain on here about Citeh and Chelsea buying up the league, these three recent results suggest that jeopardy is alive and well at the top level:
Newcastle 5, Palace 0
Villa 4, Newcastle 1
Palace 3, Villa 0.
Sort that little lot out!