Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: PeterWithesShin on February 04, 2023, 04:58:47 PM
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At least it's not boring.
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Wank!
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It's not Southampton either.
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Emery has been seriously let down by some individual performances today. Some terrible decision making and lack of concentration cost us today.
You could’ve rolled two six-sided dice and gotten the result for today. 1-1, 6-6.. could’ve gone any direction. We had a ton of shots, a ton of possession but missed our chances.
We keep our current spot in the table and need to focus on some difficult matches coming up. Really disappointed in the players today, we have no choice but to do better.
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Err....Southampton?
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Unacceptably shite and entirely predictable.
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Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
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I don't want to resuscitate an old argument but .....
THAT litany of missed chances is exactly why some of us were angry we didn't buy a proven striker and moved one on.
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Players at fault.
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Somehow despite typing Leicester I managed to click something so that it autofilled in a previous title i'd used. That's nearly as shit a mistake as our defence today.
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Booooo.
Hate losing to them more than anyone else.
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I don't want to resuscitate an old argument but .....
Please don't. It's been a long week on here.
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If we include Stevenage, that is four unconvincing games in a row at home. That worries me.
Can't say we played well. Yes, our attacking play looked very good but thoroughly offset by on-going chaos in the defence.
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A bit fed up of how negative people are. Beginning to think the likes of Wenger wouldn't have been given time here.
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On the whole I was more disappointed in our defending than our profligacy in front of goal. And Buendia was brilliant for three quarters.
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A bit fed up of how negative people are. Beginning to think the likes of Wenger wouldn't have been given time here.
I don't think that anyone is in the least bit concerned about the manager.
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On the whole I was more disappointed in our defending than our profligacy in front of goal. And Buendia was brilliant for three quarters.
Agree.
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Buckets of missed sitters.
Oodles of mistakes.
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Scores out of 10
Martinez - 3
Young - 5, Cash - 4
Mings - 2
Konsa - 3
Digne - 3, Moreno - 3
Kamara - 1
Luiz - 5
Buendia - 6
Ramsey - 2, Coutinho -5
Bailey - 4
Watkins - 5
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We were stupid not to get a striker in, and also a decent central defender. Or two.
Carlos might be that man, but who knows. Mings and Konsa hardly ever fill me with confidence. Fuck our defence today, faffing about, dozing off. Ineptitude gone wild.
We looked decent going forward but just aren't clinical, and that's about it.
So so stupid not to sign a new striker.
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Today showed why there's a lot of potential in the future, and also why we're frustrating as fuck.
They had 4 shots on target for most of the game, all of them gift wrapped by us. And proper gift wrapped, with bows on. And not those cheap bows you get in packs from the Card Factory. These were proper gift wrapped with bows, bows hand made with fancy ribbon no less.
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Stupid mistakes cost us today rather than lack of investment. Duran looks promising.
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I'm fuming about that. Defensive shitshow, crap finishing, and no more options to shake things up. I'm having trouble dismissing it as "one of those days" when you've only got the same players to put it right.
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Back to life, back to reality. A mid table squad. Be honest. It needs a fair few quality signings if we need to get our passports out.
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And if we beat Manchester City next week, everything will be fine again, and Emery will be hailed as the genius that he is.
Let us just say that it's all a work in progress! No need to get too despondent here.
As today vs Leicester it was one of those games where defensive mistakes cost us.
We created and could have had what we wanted, but we didn't and were extremely unlucky.
Still hoping to replicate our away form at home, and I see Man City as a good challenge and a test of Emery's ability to compete against top coaches.
Today was a learning experience, and those who are willing and capable will improve.
Up The Villa!
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A bit fed up of how negative people are. Beginning to think the likes of Wenger wouldn't have been given time here.
I don't think that anyone is in the least bit concerned about the manager.
I haven't read one comment saying Emery isn't a great manager. Maybe somebody has written such a comment, but I haven't read it.
Emery is a great manager. It feels like we fucked up the transfer window (momentum, lost. Again.) Those two things can both be true.
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Think we played a lot worse lately and won. 3 individual errors cost us three goals. Thought we played some very good stuff with the ball at times creating lots of chances. Without the ball we were a mess though, tactically all over the place. Kamara had a horror show for two goals but offered no protection to their counter attacks either. Far too easy to get at our centre backs throughout.
While Coutinho showed nice touches, we can't get away with a trio of Bailey, Buendia and Coutinho without the ball. Thought Emery went far too attacking at half time. Moreno showed what we can offer going forward for the rest of the season though defensively he will need to improve. Luiz and Buendia were very good. Ollie led the line well, missed his easiest chance but very sharp for our first.
Yet another example today unfortunately as to how we urgently need a centre back comfortable of stepping into midfield and passing through the lines. See Konsa just after half time when they should have scored.
Martinez 6, Young 5 (Cash 5), Konsa 5, Mings 5, Digne 4 (Moreno 6), Luiz 8, Kamara 3, Buendia 8, Bailey 6, Ramsey 4 (Coutinho 6), Watkins 8. Duran showed a couple of nice touches and pace.
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Chances of us beating Man City away. Less than zero.
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And if we beat Manchester City next week, everything will be fine again, and Emery will be hailed as the genius that he is.
Let us just say that it's all a work in progress! No need to get too despondent here.
As today vs Leicester it was one of those games where defensive mistakes cost us.
We created and could have had what we wanted, but we didn't and were extremely unlucky.
Still hoping to replicate our away form at home, and I see Man City as a good challenge and a test of Emery's ability to compete against top coaches.
Today was a learning experience, and those who are willing and capable will improve.
Up The Villa!
Spot on. It’s a process. UTV
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Shocking, another shit home show.
Défense unbelievable that this is a premier league set up
For all the good skills going forward no one finishes, Watkins and bailey should have scored.
I missed the kick off, did we lose the toss, attacking the Holte again in the first half.
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I'm more likely to win the lottery tonight, and I haven't bought a ticket.
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Chances of us beating Man City away. Less than zero.
Agreed. We'll get absolutely battered with our pathetic defence if they don't learn how to defend this upcoming week.
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Aston Villa 2-4 Leicester City: Tete scores on debut in Foxes win - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64436128
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We made a lot of errors and Kamara had shocker, but Watkins has to score that tap-in open goal and Bailey has to put his foot through that ball played to him by the penalty spot. These players cost us countless points over and over.
Mistakes happen and we are going to lose, but it's so frustrating when we had the chances to make up for them.
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Unacceptably shite and entirely predictable.
Oh, what odds did you get? You'll have made a few quid on that.
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Hard to believe we were actually leading in that game and looking comfortable.
Bit like a re-run of Liverpool at home. Against sides that press well in midfield and move the ball quickly our high line gets exposed big time.
No idea how we didn't score second half but that sums up our lack of clinical edge in final third. Ollie taking an hour to get his shot away from a lovely throughball was poor and why so many of us get frustrated with him even in games when he scores and creates.
Just another in endless decade of frustration. Chance to go above Liverpool and Chelsea with three points and we chuck in our worst defensive performance for months with a top class player giving away two goals pretty much.
Classic classic Villa.
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A bit fed up of how negative people are. Beginning to think the likes of Wenger wouldn't have been given time here.
I don't think that anyone is in the least bit concerned about the manager.
I haven't read one comment saying Emery isn't a great manager. Maybe somebody has written such a comment, but I haven't read it.
Emery is a great manager. It feels like we fucked up the transfer window (momentum, lost. Again.) Those two things can both be true.
Agree, I've haven't seen a single negative post about having Emery as manager. Bizarre comment.
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We made a lot of errors and Kamara had shocker, but Watkins has to score that tap-in open goal and Bailey has to put his foot through that ball played to him by the penalty spot. These players cost us countless points over and over.
Mistakes happen and we are going to lose, but it's so frustrating when we had the chances to make up for them.
That may be true, but now we have Emery El Maestro, who will only encourage players and be positive with them, rather than the SG tough love psychology. I believe the players are all aware, and it is beneficial that we have a coach who will look to develop and teach rather than some rookie who seeks to blame.
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What was wrong with the Coutinho 'goal'? It looked OK to me in real time and on the one replay I saw of it?
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Unacceptably shite and entirely predictable.
Oh, what odds did you get? You'll have made a few quid on that.
My money is on Villa to beat Man City next sunday.
It's how things go in football especially after defeat today
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We weren’t shit. But good grief we made 4 massive errors and they took full advantage. A little like that Spurs game at home. We did more than enough in attack to win 2 games. But those errors were truly terrible and punished.
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On the whole I was more disappointed in our defending than our profligacy in front of goal. And Buendia was brilliant for three quarters.
Agreed. I expect our defence to be a lot more solid and organised than they were today; considering our front two I'm not really surprised we miss so many sitters. Buendia had one of his best games in a Villa shirt for a very long time.
Not sure what the plan was today. We looked so disjointed, too many players in the same place, complete lack of movement, schoolboy errors, the Kamara-Luiz axis looked as poor as any midfield partnership we've seen in years. Both far too casual. Somebody needs to tell Luiz he needs to dominate the midfield not cruise his way through a game.
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We really badgered that one up.
Feeling very frustrated.
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What was wrong with the Coutinho 'goal'? It looked OK to me in real time and on the one replay I saw of it?
Luiz offside
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No, we won the toss again and decided to kick towards the Holte again. This is something that really needs to stop!!
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What was wrong with the Coutinho 'goal'? It looked OK to me in real time and on the one replay I saw of it?
Luiz offside
Cheers, I totally missed that!
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Absolutely not down to Emery. If anyone is suggesting that.
Didn't even play shit. Just stupid errors and shit finishing.
Oh well.
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It was a true defensive masterclass today. I’m sure Emery has seen enough already.
Mings and Konsa. Dumb and Dumber.
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We made a lot of errors and Kamara had shocker, but Watkins has to score that tap-in open goal and Bailey has to put his foot through that ball played to him by the penalty spot. These players cost us countless points over and over.
Mistakes happen and we are going to lose, but it's so frustrating when we had the chances to make up for them.
About right
Relying on Watkins to be your goalscorer, yes he scored but he's got to stop missing these chances.
Bailey has boots full of feathers .
Plus he don't beat many his man very often .
One plus u still think Phil can give us something that through ball for Watkins who shood have hit it first time .
Oh JJ was crap
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A bit fed up of how negative people are. Beginning to think the likes of Wenger wouldn't have been given time here.
People are just pissed off at losing 2-4 (FOUR) to the crisp munchers. I wouldn't worry about it.
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Villa have a way of kicking you in the nads when you just start to have hope. Onwards and upwards.
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Not sure how we managed to lose that 4 - 2 - only watched the first 30 mins and we looked comfortable.
The challenge we keep on having is that we have mid table players - who do mid table things. We essentially have 17 players likely to play and most of them are capable of being rubbish at any given time.
I get all this talk of there being different players in these positions in 18 months but we have been saying that for the past 18 months. Emery is clearly a good coach - but we have had great chances in the cups and the league to kick on and we haven’t taken them.
If we don’t progress quickly we will lose the likes of Emi and Kamara and we saw when Grealish left that actually no money can compensate for losing your best players - or at least we’re not capable of using the money.
It’s only 1 bad game - but we have seen this before from these players. I just struggle to see how we’ll get these players that are a clear step up if we continue to finish mid table.
As Risso said this just seems to be very villa. Clearly there will be set backs on the way, etc but at some point we will have to take the opportunities in front of us rather then trying to be strategic - which we have tried to do before and has never really worked.
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Somehow despite typing Leicester I managed to click something so that it autofilled in a previous title i'd used. That's nearly as shit a mistake as our defence today.
You must have got the old one wrong too because it said 'Match Post Thread' as well as Southampton.
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Scores out of 10
Martinez - 3
Young - 5, Cash - 4
Mings - 2
Konsa - 3
Digne - 3, Moreno - 3
Kamara - 1
Luiz - 5
Buendia - 6
Ramsey - 2, Coutinho -5
Bailey - 4
Watkins - 5
Negative scores. Harsh but fair.
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Somehow despite typing Leicester I managed to click something so that it autofilled in a previous title i'd used. That's nearly as shit a mistake as our defence today.
You must have got the old one wrong too because it said 'Match Post Thread' as well as Southampton.
And yet still not as shit as our defence.
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Scores out of 10
Martinez - 3
Young - 5, Cash - 4
Mings - 2
Konsa - 3
Digne - 3, Moreno - 3
Kamara - 1
Luiz - 5
Buendia - 6
Ramsey - 2, Coutinho -5
Bailey - 4
Watkins - 5
Agree mostly, except too high for Bailey and Coutinho. Generous to Martínez as well as he started the circus at the back.
Moreno would have been worth more than a 3 had it not been for his mistake at the back.
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Somehow despite typing Leicester I managed to click something so that it autofilled in a previous title i'd used. That's nearly as shit a mistake as our defence today.
You must have got the old one wrong too because it said 'Match Post Thread' as well as Southampton.
And yet still not as shit as our defence.
Agreed.
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I don't want to resuscitate an old argument but .....
THAT litany of missed chances is exactly why some of us were angry we didn't buy a proven striker and moved one on.
Which proven striker?
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I’ve always hated walkers crisps.
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That was a defensive shit show mixed in with our usual prolifigacy in front of goal. No Strikers or attackers to bring on when we are a goal down so once it went 2-3 it was game over. A Striker was a MUST in January, instead we made our usual excuses. We'll finish 12th ish, see the better players want to leave and we're back in the cycle of trying to replace from positions of weakness.
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That was a defensive shit show mixed in with our usual prolifigacy in front of goal. No Strikers or attackers to bring on when we are a goal down so once it went 2-3 it was game over. A Striker was a MUST in January, instead we made our usual excuses. We'll finish 12th ish, see the better players want to leave and we're back in the cycle of trying to replace from positions of weakness.
Yep
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Absolute garbage, worse performance of the season.
Players need to take a good hard look at themselves as they let everybody down today.
Buendia gets a 6
Watkins gets a 5
The rest get 4 and below.
Luckily a lot of these players won't be here after next season!
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Absolute garbage, worse performance of the season.
Players need to take a good hard look at themselves as they let everybody down today.
Buendia gets a 6
Watkins gets a 5
The rest get 4 and below.
Luckily a lot of these players won't be here after next season!
I think they will tbh.
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On what planet is a player, whether that be the goalkeeper, one of 2 CH’s, or a midfielder, deemed to be playing football or doing something constructive, by standing just outside the box with their foot on the ball just looking at the pitch in front of them for 30 odd seconds.
What exactly the fucking purpose of that wank ???
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Four of the easiest goals an away team will ever score.
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Fuming about that one. If we'd have been outplayed then fair enough, but we were the better side for periods of the game, only to go and gift them goals with terrible defending.
Their first goal set the tone really and then it was just littered with sloppy mistakes throughout. If the tone of the transfer window was "we'll just settle with our lot" the performance today was an epitome of that attitude.
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Two problems.
The defensive clownery and clangers were just uncharacteristically terrible from us. Really, really poor. We won't be that bad again this season.
The profligacy up front is a problem we knew we had and that was a perfect example of it today,. We didn't do anything to address it in the window (in fact, we made it worse), so we are going to have to live with it for the remainder and hope we start to convert more chances.
Not the manager's fault today, it was the players who fucked it up.
I wonder if - at the back, certainly - we were starting to believe some of our own publicity.
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Absolute garbage, worse performance of the season.
Players need to take a good hard look at themselves as they let everybody down today.
Buendia gets a 6
Watkins gets a 5
The rest get 4 and below.
Luckily a lot of these players won't be here after next season!
They will. We will be too busy replacing Martinez and Kamara to find the time to upgrade Bailey, Mings, Watkins etc. It will be like the Grealish scenario again. The Summer spent trying to replace what we've lost. We take too much time over things, we've done fuck all for decades now and there's always a reason why we can't go out and do something rather than making it happen. Look at the joke appointment of Gerrard, the belief that no one decent would actually come. The eternal excuse ''like who?'' which covers any new players or managers. Other teams get a bit of momentum and move past us. All the money in the world but no belief or thrust to make things happen.
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No Strikers or attackers to bring on when we are a goal down so once it went 2-3 it was game over.
I know what you mean, but he did bring on Coutinho and Duran, who are strikers or attackers.
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We are trying to play it out from the back, and I never want us to go back to lump it football. If we make mistakes on that journey and get players in ultimately then I’m all for it.
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Thought we played alright in the main but the defensive mistakes cost us. Thought Leicester played a very good high press which we sometimes passed through with ease but both Kamara and Luiz at times utterly failed to find space. Bailey, what can you say, beats his man about 4 times in the first ten minutes then disappears off the face of the earth and quite frankly played like a total fanny. That’s probably the best we’ve played at home this year and yet we’ve lost….ho hum. Onwards….
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https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/12803181/aston-villa-2-4-leicester-premier-league-highlights
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Playing it from the back and moving it fast is one thing
passing it to a centre half or midfielder that stands on it, gives away possession or passes it to someone else who losses is it something all together different.
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Scores out of 10
Martinez - 3
Young - 5, Cash - 4
Mings - 2
Konsa - 3
Digne - 3, Moreno - 3
Kamara - 1
Luiz - 5
Buendia - 6
Ramsey - 2, Coutinho -5
Bailey - 4
Watkins - 5
There is a lot of nonsense in here and a couple of points of truth. Martinez??? Luiz?? Watkins??? I agree Bailey was poor and the big lad did more in 5 mins and all that.
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We are £200m away from a top 4 place
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We are £200m away from a top 4 place
That would be fucking cheap.
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Think we played a lot worse lately and won. 3 individual errors cost us three goals. Thought we played some very good stuff with the ball at times creating lots of chances. Without the ball we were a mess though, tactically all over the place. Kamara had a horror show for two goals but offered no protection to their counter attacks either. Far too easy to get at our centre backs throughout.
While Coutinho showed nice touches, we can't get away with a trio of Bailey, Buendia and Coutinho without the ball. Thought Emery went far too attacking at half time. Moreno showed what we can offer going forward for the rest of the season though defensively he will need to improve. Luiz and Buendia were very good. Ollie led the line well, missed his easiest chance but very sharp for our first.
Yet another example today unfortunately as to how we urgently need a centre back comfortable of stepping into midfield and passing through the lines. See Konsa just after half time when they should have scored.
Martinez 6, Young 5 (Cash 5), Konsa 5, Mings 5, Digne 4 (Moreno 6), Luiz 8, Kamara 3, Buendia 8, Bailey 6, Ramsey 4 (Coutinho 6), Watkins 8. Duran showed a couple of nice touches and pace.
This is a spot on summary
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Their first goal was a shambles of an embarrassment inside a calamity. Shocking.
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Scores out of 10
Martinez - 3
Young - 5, Cash - 4
Mings - 2
Konsa - 3
Digne - 3, Moreno - 3
Kamara - 1
Luiz - 5
Buendia - 6
Ramsey - 2, Coutinho -5
Bailey - 4
Watkins - 5
There is a lot of nonsense in here and a couple of points of truth. Martinez??? Luiz?? Watkins??? I agree Bailey was poor and the big lad did more in 5 mins and all that.
If you think as 5 as a player having an average game where they don't do much of note, Watkins scored one but missed several. Martinez was partly to blame for the first goal, and any keeper letting in 4 has generally had a bad game, howver poor the defensive lapses. Luiz was pretty average I thought, certainly nowhere near as bad as Kamara, who we'll have to put it down to a one off bad game hopefully, but it was as poor a midfield display from him as you're ever going to see. Two goals directly his fault and did nothing right all game.
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We are £200m away from a top 4 place
I'd like us not to be 200m away from being a 9th place team one day.
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We are £200m away from a top 4 place
I admire your optimism
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Playing from the back is fine if you have quick defenders with good foot skills, we don't. Martinez's posturing is starting to annoy me as good as he is. Thought Buendia had a fine game but Watkins again had to take that extra touch that a natural finisher wouldn't. All in all it wasn't a disaster, just stupid individual errors cost us, Kamara especially.
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We are £200m away from a top 4 place
That would be fucking cheap.
Agree.And out of our reach. Still might make a cup semi final one day.
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I enjoyed large parts of todays game, but we basically gifted them a couple of goals and weren’t clinical with our finishing.
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Agree.And out of our reach. Still might make a cup semi final one day.
Hold your horses. The 4th round would be a start.
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And that is why my Dad dreads us having players featured on Football Focus.
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Scores out of 10
Martinez - 3
Young - 5, Cash - 4
Mings - 2
Konsa - 3
Digne - 3, Moreno - 3
Kamara - 1
Luiz - 5
Buendia - 6
Ramsey - 2, Coutinho -5
Bailey - 4
Watkins - 5
There is a lot of nonsense in here and a couple of points of truth. Martinez??? Luiz?? Watkins??? I agree Bailey was poor and the big lad did more in 5 mins and all that.
If you think as 5 as a player having an average game where they don't do much of note, Watkins scored one but missed several. Martinez was partly to blame for the first goal, and any keeper letting in 4 has generally had a bad game, howver poor the defensive lapses. Luiz was pretty average I thought, certainly nowhere near as bad as Kamara, who we'll have to put it down to a one off bad game hopefully, but it was as poor a midfield display from him as you're ever going to see. Two goals directly his fault and did nothing right all game.
Not long home and need to look back at the highlights, but i dint think Martinez could of done much about any of the goals. I thought Luiz was really good today and Beundia was bad at all. Watkins missed a sitter first half but dont think he did much wrong with the Coutinhio through ball. Anyway, its is what it is, big mistakes from two decent players cost us.
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Agree.And out of our reach. Still might make a cup semi final one day.
Hold your horses. The 4th round would be a start.
I love dark humour.
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Thought I’d calm down before posting but that clearly is not going to happen for many days.
No criticism of the manager but it did look to me that we were trying to play his system but we don’t have the quality to achieve it.
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That is unacceptably shit - sort it out.
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We are £200m away from a top 4 place
I admire your optimism
Chelsea have spent a billion and are 9th and Brighton have spent fuck all and 6th.
Hopefully with this manager we’re heading the right way. He’s not been here that long, shifted much of the deadwood, he’s changing the way we play, actually having a plan for a start.
We’ve had three managers now, all with their different approaches and many of these players have played for all three so we’re certainly going to have a few bumps along the way.
I’m sure we’ll be ok this season and somewhere in the top half which after the disaster with Gerrard, which relegation looked possible, I’m very happy with that.
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We are trying to play it out from the back, and I never want us to go back to lump it football. If we make mistakes on that journey and get players in ultimately then I’m all for it.
There surely has to be a modicum of sense applied though. It cost us a place in the next round of the FA Cup against a League Two side the other week and has cost us again today.
I was in the North Stand lower today and Kamara received the ball just past the penalty spot in our own box with a player right on him. Completely unnecessary risk when we had started well and it went flat from there.
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Maybe giving up in the January transfer window wasn’t such a good idea.
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We are trying to play it out from the back, and I never want us to go back to lump it football. If we make mistakes on that journey and get players in ultimately then I’m all for it.
When you are actually there watching them trying to play pantomime football at the back, you just want to tear your hair out as they are incapable of it!
All for it when we have the players able to actually do it!
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Uncharacteristically bad performance from Kamara, only beaten by the absolute garbage served up by the defence.
Thought Coutinho did well and Jhon is a big unit that doesn't mind a bit of physicality.
We go again.
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Maybe giving up in the January transfer window wasn’t such a good idea.
It all depends on your ambitions I suppose.
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Our defenders are not technically good enough to play it about quite so dangerously at the back.
That first goal had been coming for a long time now. I’d say in that case it was 70% Martinez’s fault.
Kamara had three Leicester players bearing down on him, he should not have been given the ball.
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There surely has to be a modicum of sense applied though. It cost us a place in the next round of the FA Cup against a League Two side the other week and has cost us again today.
I was in the North Stand slower today and Kamara received the ball just past the penalty spot in our own box with a player right on him. Completely unnecessary risk when we had started well and it went flat from there.
Agree with this, I'm happy for us to play out from the back but sometimes you just get rid of it.
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I was in the North Stand slower today and Kamara received the ball just past the penalty spot in our own box with a player right on him.
True, but all he had to do was pass it straight back to Emi and he would hoof it up the field. Bad decision-making all round.
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We need to spend big in the summer - because history repeats itself time and time again. We miss too many’s chances and gift too many goals.
To fundamentally change that we can’t have the same core of a team as we did 2 seasons ago. Watkins will always miss chances - he’s a useful player but will never be consistently clinical- similar with Phil, Emi and Bailey - they will blow hot and cold. Hopefully Unai can get them to have more good days and fewer bad games but while they’re still the core of the team we’ll have days like today.
Today is really frustrating - because somehow despite having an inept manager for half the season so far - we’re still in with a small shout for Europe - but too many days like today and that will be a pipe dream and another lost season.
I can’t see we’ll keep Emi in the summer if finish say 12th he’s just to good
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Oh, and when the Villa Social Media bod does think pieces with players about how Unai is changing their perception of the game and improving their understanding and tactics, could those players not then come out playing like they have spent seven hours in the pub and curry house the night before? Ta!
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Maybe giving up in the January transfer window wasn’t such a good idea.
Dunno about you, but I didn't even really bother with the result today - was too busy celebrating the amortisation win on Ings' contract.
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Disappointing! Expected the win today. Maybe this has been coming at home following the wolves and Leeds performances. We seem to be a better away team at the moment! Unai will sort it! UTV!
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I’m sure Emery has seen all he needs to now and I hope he’s decided that defensively we need 2 new central defenders, 2 wide men and depending on Durans development at least 1 forward.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen defending like that, unprofessional and slapdash. Up front is as people worried, we won’t be free scoring because both Bailey and Watkins just cannot take the chances we create. It’s going to be a long run in and if we finish 11th with this squad I’d be happy.
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I enjoyed the game. I thought we were very good in how we attacked and opened up Leicester time and again. Laid siege on their goal until the 4th goal and could have and should have scored more. It’s disappointing that we made errors for their 3 goals and that needs sorting by Unai however we look very inventive when attacking and Unai needs to continue with that. Better players needed to replace Coutinho and Bailey.
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Maybe giving up in the January transfer window wasn’t such a good idea.
Dunno about you, but I didn't even really bother with the result today - was too busy celebrating the amortisation win on Ings' contract.
Very good!
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I didn't think we played that bad though, we was maybe the most annoying thing.
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Achilles described it as pantomime football at the back and that’s exactly what it is
And there’s really no need for it. Why take massive massive risks when you’re one nil up and running the game
Martinez and Kamara normally dependable but today shockers
Konsa, Mings, Digne not normally dependable playing out simply because they are not good enough to do it so why even bother trying
Like asking a fish to try and fly
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I didn't think we played that bad though, we was maybe the most annoying thing.
Doesn’t really matter though if you concede 4 at home it’s a pretty shit effort.
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Well let's get to 40 pts. Then we can relax and look forward to next season. It's the way of the villa.
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Embarrassing case study on how to chuck away three points with kamikaze defending. Fecking stupid.
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The problem is the next two are Citeh and Arsenal - every chance they’ll be defeats, because they’re better teams. Losing today is really poor and if we do lose the next two we’re on a ropey run and our decision to do barely anything in January means we’ve got very few options in terms of changing things up - that’s why January was so poor, we’ve left ourselves exposed.
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The problem is the next two are Citeh and Arsenal - every chance they’ll be defeats, because they’re better teams. Losing today is really poor and if we do lose the next two we’re on a ropey run and our decision to do barely anything in January means we’ve got very few options in terms of changing things up - that’s why January was so poor, we’ve left ourselves exposed.
So what's new
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Maybe giving up in the January transfer window wasn’t such a good idea.
Dunno about you, but I didn't even really bother with the result today - was too busy celebrating the amortisation win on Ings' contract.
Very good!
Yep, I like self-depreciating humour as well.
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No, we won the toss again and decided to kick towards the Holte again. This is something that really needs to stop!!
Why?
We always come out firing when we do that, today, Leeds, Brentford and Man. United all leading within 10 minutes so I actually think it's a really good tactic I assume Emery has insisted on when you think of last decade and so many home games we've started at snail pace and fallen behind.
It's not the reason we lost today anyhow.
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The problem is the next two are Citeh and Arsenal - every chance they’ll be defeats, because they’re better teams. Losing today is really poor and if we do lose the next two we’re on a ropey run and our decision to do barely anything in January means we’ve got very few options in terms of changing things up - that’s why January was so poor, we’ve left ourselves exposed.
Everton away is going to be very hard to win aswell given what they did today.
Seems we go on these great runs to get up to giddy heights of 11th and then are content with our lot and lose focus/ambition.
It would be nice to have a season where we "overachieve" and finish 8th. We certainly spend enough to be capable of it by now.
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The only hope I have is the reason we didn’t invest in January is that zEmery has realized that this team is so far away from a top 6 team that we are better off keeping our powder dry until the summer.
Clutching at straws
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There were whispers - whispers I don't give much credence to - that Emery isn't that fussed by Martinez based on working with him at Arsenal. If that has any basis at all, it makes me wonder if it's because of incidents like their equaliser.
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It’s dead set. When there is the slightest chance of 3 points getting us into a good position. We fuck it up. I reckon I’ve seen 20 years of it.
That’s why at 2-1 I bet on Leicester winning. I might as well get some joy out of it.
I’d have been very happy to lose my stake. Extremely happy.
But it was not to be.
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There were whispers - whispers I don't give much credence to - that Emery isn't that fussed by Martinez based on working with him at Arsenal. If that has any basis at all, it makes me wonder if it's because of incidents like their equaliser.
I thought that canard had long been kicked into touch
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The tone was set by that first goal. A wholly innocuous situation after a speculative ball went out for a goal kick was turned into an absolute sitter for the opposition. What on earth was Martínez thinking, even though Kamara compounded things.
For the 3rd, I could hear a loud shout of 'man on' from another player to Kamara, but he shouldn't have needed that warning.
The defeat was almost entirely self-inflicted and certainly not what's needed given the next two games.
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Stupid decision not to replace Danny Ings in the January window. Stupid to keep playing cat and mouse with the ball on the edge of our box - you'd think what happened against mighty Stevenage would be a lesson. This club is so frustrating when presented with an opportunity to push for the top 8.
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There wasn't much wrong with the tactics today. Individual errors meant that we gifted them a few goals and, as ever, missed a load of chances to score more goals. We (still) need a top entry half and a top centre forward. As far as I'm concerned we are two players away from competing regularly with the top 7 (as it will no doubt soon be called).
As it stands, we have a solid squad that lacks top quality in two ket areas. If we had a goal scorer, the out of character mistakes from Kamara would be a footnote rather than a taking point.
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The only hope I have is the reason we didn’t invest in January is that zEmery has realized that this team is so far away from a top 6 team that we are better off keeping our powder dry until the summer.
Clutching at straws
We need to replace loads of them. We've had 4 years of Mings and McGinn and Co, and they're just not consistently good enough. Two or three decent recruits this January were needed, and the same then in the summer. As it is, we'll probably bring 2 or 3 in the summer, then all act surprised when we finish bottom half again.
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The only hope I have is the reason we didn’t invest in January is that zEmery has realized that this team is so far away from a top 6 team that we are better off keeping our powder dry until the summer.
Clutching at straws
We need to replace loads of them. We've had 4 years of Mings and McGinn and Co, and they're just not consistently good enough. Two or three decent recruits this January were needed, and the same then in the summer. As it is, we'll probably bring 2 or 3 in the summer, then all act surprised when we finish bottom half again.
Depressingly, I reckon this is probably correct.
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The only hope I have is the reason we didn’t invest in January is that zEmery has realized that this team is so far away from a top 6 team that we are better off keeping our powder dry until the summer.
Clutching at straws
We need to replace loads of them. We've had 4 years of Mings and McGinn and Co, and they're just not consistently good enough. Two or three decent recruits this January were needed, and the same then in the summer. As it is, we'll probably bring 2 or 3 in the summer, then all act surprised when we finish bottom half again.
Depressingly, I reckon this is probably correct.
I'm pretty frustrated with trying to reach success the 'right' way. Spend some money and buy some great players. Ultimately that's what's going to get us there.
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
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The number of times we meekly coughed up possession in our own half way crazy. You can't afford to do that against anyone.
We need some ball-playing defenders quickly, for a start, but the midfield was guilty of dicking about a lot too.
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It’s dead set. When there is the slightest chance of 3 points getting us into a good position. We fuck it up. I reckon I’ve seen 20 years of it.
That’s why at 2-1 I bet on Leicester winning. I might as well get some joy out of it.
I’d have been very happy to lose my stake. Extremely happy.
But it was not to be.
Same here. Disappointing, but easy money at 5/2 seeing the dangerous game we were playing.
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Think we played a lot worse lately and won. 3 individual errors cost us three goals. Thought we played some very good stuff with the ball at times creating lots of chances. Without the ball we were a mess though, tactically all over the place. Kamara had a horror show for two goals but offered no protection to their counter attacks either. Far too easy to get at our centre backs throughout.
While Coutinho showed nice touches, we can't get away with a trio of Bailey, Buendia and Coutinho without the ball. Thought Emery went far too attacking at half time. Moreno showed what we can offer going forward for the rest of the season though defensively he will need to improve. Luiz and Buendia were very good. Ollie led the line well, missed his easiest chance but very sharp for our first.
Yet another example today unfortunately as to how we urgently need a centre back comfortable of stepping into midfield and passing through the lines. See Konsa just after half time when they should have scored.
Martinez 6, Young 5 (Cash 5), Konsa 5, Mings 5, Digne 4 (Moreno 6), Luiz 8, Kamara 3, Buendia 8, Bailey 6, Ramsey 4 (Coutinho 6), Watkins 8. Duran showed a couple of nice touches and pace.
This is a spot on summary
Yeah, I'd go with these comments but the player-scoring is a little high.
It was the slowness with moving the ball and a little bit of poor movement from the forward players that did for us - it ed to Kamara getting caught twice for the first two oppo goals.
Really, really annoying to lose to Lesta; particularly with their greasy manager and poor current form.
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
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Thing is if you do that all in one window it’ll be impossible to mesh them together for a while. That’s why you should do it in stages and not jack in the January window.
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
I think there has to be a realisation, as Risso said, that some players, who are big names around the club, need to be improved on.
McGinn, Mings, Konsa, Watkins (I know that sounds harsh today).
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
I think there has to be a realisation, as Risso said, that some players, who are big names around the club, need to be improved on.
McGinn, Mings, Konsa, Watkins (I know that sounds harsh today).
I’d keep Watkins in the squad but not the first 11. The rest I’d agree with 100% and I suspect Emery has seen it as well. I’d be looking at Bailey very closely as well until the end of the season.
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We played a similar basketball type game v Liverpool earlier in the season. Ignore the three goals due to individual errors, Leicester had a number of other clear chances to score. Tactically we were all over the place without the ball. Distances between full backs and centre backs, centre backs and centre midfielders. Leicester do have dangerous attackers on the counter and we played into their hands at times.
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I always viewed it happening in three or four stages: a squad to keep us up, giving way to a squad to establish us, giving way to a squad capable of a consistent European push. I also thought the cost would roughly double for each one. At the moment, we're playing with elements of all three when really, there should be none from the first one left.
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
I think there has to be a realisation, as Risso said, that some players, who are big names around the club, need to be improved on.
McGinn, Mings, Konsa, Watkins (I know that sounds harsh today).
I’d keep Watkins in the squad but not the first 11. The rest I’d agree with 100% and I suspect Emery has seen it as well. I’d be looking at Bailey very closely as well until the end of the season.
Yes, that is fair enough with Watkins. And Bailey.
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I always viewed it happening in three or four stages: a squad to keep us up, giving way to a squad to establish us, giving way to a squad capable of a consistent European push. I also thought the cost would roughly double for each one. At the moment, we're playing with elements of all three when really, there should be none from the first one left.
Our net spend the last few windows is small (comparatively). We should be ok to go on a proper spree this summer, so hopefully we get in some players significantly better than the ones we have now.
No more excuses. Walk the walk time.
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I always viewed it happening in three or four stages: a squad to keep us up, giving way to a squad to establish us, giving way to a squad capable of a consistent European push. I also thought the cost would roughly double for each one. At the moment, we're playing with elements of all three when really, there should be none from the first one left.
I agree - we haven’t managed to strengthen the team consistently or successfully
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I don't really get why FFP is a thing people keep bringing up either. Chelsea found such a creative way around it that UEFA let them do it and then banned it. They don't play by the rules so why do we have to be honourable about it? And Newcastle? Yeah, of course they're going to go after trophies organically.
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It’s dead set. When there is the slightest chance of 3 points getting us into a good position. We fuck it up. I reckon I’ve seen 20 years of it.
That’s why at 2-1 I bet on Leicester winning. I might as well get some joy out of it.
I’d have been very happy to lose my stake. Extremely happy.
But it was not to be.
Fair play.
I hope the bookies advertising has always been squeaky clean, SR!
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It’s dead set. When there is the slightest chance of 3 points getting us into a good position. We fuck it up. I reckon I’ve seen 20 years of it.
That’s why at 2-1 I bet on Leicester winning. I might as well get some joy out of it.
I’d have been very happy to lose my stake. Extremely happy.
But it was not to be.
Fair play.
I hope the bookies advertising has always been squeaky clean, SR!
Yes. There were no prepubescent girls involved. Just a fat old bloke shouting odds.
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I yearn for the days of hoofing it up to the big fella to flick on for the little man.
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First time in person for a while.
The packed ground is a sight to behold and don't ever take it for granted - I was at Saints game under Lambert when it was half full. The Holte was in great voice pre 4th goal.
As for the match - stupid mistake after mistake yet we created bucketloads in the first half and should have been 2 ahead. We defended rubbishly and paid the price at this level.
Thems the breaks. Lots to work on. Watkins Buendia, Bailey, Konsa and a few others have 15 or so games left to impress.
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I yearn for the days of hoofing it up to the big fella to flick on for the little man.
You are Warren Aspinall and I claim my £1.50
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I always viewed it happening in three or four stages: a squad to keep us up, giving way to a squad to establish us, giving way to a squad capable of a consistent European push. I also thought the cost would roughly double for each one. At the moment, we're playing with elements of all three when really, there should be none from the first one left.
Our net spend the last few windows is small (comparatively). We should be ok to go on a proper spree this summer, so hopefully we get in some players significantly better than the ones we have now.
No more excuses. Walk the walk time.
Watkins missed one good chance today, one much more difficult chance and scored two, one albeit with a deflection. He had nothing to do with us losing that game today.
In terms of the general point about an overhaul of players, this comes up everytime we lose. Its highly unlikely we’ll have an overhaul, its more like we need 2 or 3 players of quality in key positions, one CB, one midfielder, one forward.
We have to give Luiz and Kamara more than half a season together, Morena has just signed, Beundia was pretty good today, the goalie we all know about.
The player i more have issue with is Bailey, completely ineffective today. Duran looked far more dangerous in his 10 minute cameo
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It’s dead set. When there is the slightest chance of 3 points getting us into a good position. We fuck it up. I reckon I’ve seen 20 years of it.
That’s why at 2-1 I bet on Leicester winning. I might as well get some joy out of it.
I’d have been very happy to lose my stake. Extremely happy.
But it was not to be.
Same here. Disappointing, but easy money at 5/2 seeing the dangerous game we were playing.
Leicester must've been ridiculous odds to be leading at half time. That's a punt that sets the paupers from the princes.
And having a cheeky double on SHA winning at full time aswell.....
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In terms of the general point about an overhaul of players, this comes up everytime we lose. Its highly unlikely we’ll have an overhaul, its more like we need 2 or 3 players of quality in key positions, one CB, one midfielder, one forward.
I hate to single you out because lots of people say it but I don't think in recent seasons we've ever been 2 or 3 players away from having the squad we need. In fact, I'd say that if we were to lose just one player - Martinez - we'd be in trouble.
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
Do that though and we'll get endless comments about it needing months to gel.
What we must do this summer is sign a good quality FB (will have to be RB given we might not be able to shift Digne and Moreno has just signed), enough so one of Konsa/Mings isn't a regular starter next season and also same for midfield and someone like McGinn. And of course someone who's reliable in final third given how wildly inconsistent Bailey and Watkins are even from half to half.
At least Buendia is getting there. He was good today and really should've had much more than one assist so he's getting there in Emery's system which is a big positive.
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In terms of the general point about an overhaul of players, this comes up everytime we lose. Its highly unlikely we’ll have an overhaul, its more like we need 2 or 3 players of quality in key positions, one CB, one midfielder, one forward.
I hate to single you out because lots of people say it but I don't think in recent seasons we've ever been 2 or 3 players away from having the squad we need. In fact, I'd say that if we were to lose just one player - Martinez - we'd be in trouble.
In depends what the context is. If we are on about reaching top 2 or 3, then yes, total overhaul needed. If we are on about top 6, i really dont think we need 6 or 7 new players, considering we are currently 4 points off 7th. The argument will be that Liverpool and Chelsea will get better, but then Brighton, Fulham, Brentford will probably be worse.
When people say total overhaul, i would ask to achieve what?? We quite clearly have the players, with this manager to be comfortably mid table, so again, i think 2 or 3 quality additions and a bit of luck, with this manager, gets us to the next level above mid table.
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There wasn't many mentioning the transfer window when we were deservedly 2-1 up in the first half and playing very well....considering McGinn didn't even get on there wasn't much wrong with our squad depth today. Still Carlos and Traore to come back in.
Bit worried about Ramsey, position doesn't seem to suit on right side but he isn't doing enough anyway. Really poor without the ball too for a fine athlete, rarely wins a tackle or a header. McGinn will come back in there. Bailey as usual lacking conviction. Cash and Digne poor and their careers at Villa Park very much under pressure.
I get why Emery wants to keep Bailey up near Watkins for a bit more goal threat but it leaves us horribly unbalanced at times. Ideal to switch to 4231 for next couple of games.
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There wasn't many mentioning the transfer window when we were deservedly 2-1 up in the first half and playing very well....considering McGinn didn't even get on there wasn't much wrong with our squad depth today. Still Carlos and Traore to come back in.
Bit worried about Ramsey, position doesn't seem to suit on right side but he isn't doing enough anyway. Really poor without the ball too for a fine athlete, rarely wins a tackle or a header. McGinn will come back in there. Bailey as usual lacking conviction. Cash and Digne poor and their careers at Villa Park very much under pressure.
I get why Emery wants to keep Bailey up near Watkins for a bit more goal threat but it leaves us horribly unbalanced at times. Ideal to switch to 4231 for next couple of games.
Well you’re unlikely to complain about bench strength when you’re winning in first half aren’t you? The whole point is to have a range of options to change the game. So the lack of bench strength really becomes relevant in the second half, particularly when you’re losing.
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Buendia, Luiz, Ash Young, Watkins - they all played well today and more than put a shift in.
Kamara - his worst game: maybe the oppo have sussed out whom we play the ball through these days: Lesta were all over him, all the time (this is why I'd love Guendouzi to have joined us - to provide more imagination, intensity and focal points in our midfield).
Digne, Mings, Konsa and Martinez - slowed the game down and were badly caught out at different times during the game.
Ramsey - seemed unsure of what was expected of him and faded badly.
Bailey - dominated by his fullback (on the FB's debut?); did well to set up the first goal for Watkins (via Buendia) but desperately lacking in stature, guile and finishing. Really poor. Why is he not playing on the left, FF?!
Lesta showed resilience and talent, as well as breaking really well (Tete looked very good - very direct).
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There wasn't many mentioning the transfer window when we were deservedly 2-1 up in the first half and playing very well....considering McGinn didn't even get on there wasn't much wrong with our squad depth today. Still Carlos and Traore to come back in.
Bit worried about Ramsey, position doesn't seem to suit on right side but he isn't doing enough anyway. Really poor without the ball too for a fine athlete, rarely wins a tackle or a header. McGinn will come back in there. Bailey as usual lacking conviction. Cash and Digne poor and their careers at Villa Park very much under pressure.
I get why Emery wants to keep Bailey up near Watkins for a bit more goal threat but it leaves us horribly unbalanced at times. Ideal to switch to 4231 for next couple of games.
It was only 10 mins against a tiring side who had the game won, but i thought Duran’s first touch and laying off, of the ball, looked really promising. He looks far more robust than a really flaky Bailey.
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In depends what the context is. If we are on about reaching top 2 or 3, then yes, total overhaul needed. If we are on about top 6, i really dont think we need 6 or 7 new players, considering we are currently 4 points off 7th. The argument will be that Liverpool and Chelsea will get better, but then Brighton, Fulham, Brentford will probably be worse.
When people say total overhaul, i would ask to achieve what?? We quite clearly have the players, with this manager to be comfortably mid table, so again, i think 2 or 3 quality additions and a bit of luck, with this manager, gets us to the next level above mid table.
Fair enough. My point really is that we ALWAYS seem to be these 2 or 3 players short and there always seem to be excuses for us not getting them.
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In terms of the general point about an overhaul of players, this comes up everytime we lose. Its highly unlikely we’ll have an overhaul, its more like we need 2 or 3 players of quality in key positions, one CB, one midfielder, one forward.
I hate to single you out because lots of people say it but I don't think in recent seasons we've ever been 2 or 3 players away from having the squad we need. In fact, I'd say that if we were to lose just one player - Martinez - we'd be in trouble.
In depends what the context is. If we are on about reaching top 2 or 3, then yes, total overhaul needed. If we are on about top 6, i really dont think we need 6 or 7 new players, considering we are currently 4 points off 7th. The argument will be that Liverpool and Chelsea will get better, but then Brighton, Fulham, Brentford will probably be worse.
When people say total overhaul, i would ask to achieve what?? We quite clearly have the players, with this manager to be comfortably mid table, so again, i think 2 or 3 quality additions and a bot of luck, with this manager, gets us to the next kevel above mid table.
This is a long term project and a patience to the approach under Emery is required.
Building from the back is a non-negotiable under Emery.
Players like Cash and McGinn, who were supported by former manager Gerrard, will be among those who clearly are struggling to adapt. Some may feel surprised if they don't make the starting line up. However, as I watched them as footballers, I realise that they are not the best fit and may even be sold out as certainly neither have much preference to be in the team under Unai.
By the end of the season, several here of our players will have reached a crossroads.
I would truthfully add Goalkeeper Martinez's strength is in his handling, not his footwork and he too is at risk.
These 3 players to me in particular are going to wonder how much they want to change the way they play or see the game when they could all think they could be at other clubs who will utilise their undoubted abilities but with Emery the fit isn't there.
Cash and McGinn certainly are players who wouldn't surprise me at all at being phased out as they are very old school British players rather than footy intelligence players.
In time I see all 3 being replaced for the different characteristics that Emery has talked about and needs to carry out his footballing beliefs.
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There wasn't many mentioning the transfer window when we were deservedly 2-1 up in the first half and playing very well....considering McGinn didn't even get on there wasn't much wrong with our squad depth today. Still Carlos and Traore to come back in.
Bit worried about Ramsey, position doesn't seem to suit on right side but he isn't doing enough anyway. Really poor without the ball too for a fine athlete, rarely wins a tackle or a header. McGinn will come back in there. Bailey as usual lacking conviction. Cash and Digne poor and their careers at Villa Park very much under pressure.
I get why Emery wants to keep Bailey up near Watkins for a bit more goal threat but it leaves us horribly unbalanced at times. Ideal to switch to 4231 for next couple of games.
Well you’re unlikely to complain about bench strength when you’re winning in first half aren’t you? The whole point is to have a range of options to change the game. So the lack of bench strength really becomes relevant in the second half, particularly when you’re losing.
We had plenty of options on the bench today including two recent signings. Not the reason we lost.
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
Do that though and we'll get endless comments about it needing months to gel.
What we must do this summer is sign a good quality FB (will have to be RB given we might not be able to shift Digne and Moreno has just signed), enough so one of Konsa/Mings isn't a regular starter next season and also same for midfield and someone like McGinn. And of course someone who's reliable in final third given how wildly inconsistent Bailey and Watkins are even from half to half.
At least Buendia is getting there. He was good today and really should've had much more than one assist so he's getting there in Emery's system which is a big positive.
I don’t think either Mings or Konsa are good enough for Emery’s style of passing it out from the back. I can see both being replaced for that reason.
Bailey needs to have a very good end to the season otherwise he’ll either end up being sold or warming the bench. Then there’s the goalscorer we are crying out for. We may keep 1 or 2 of them but I can’t see any of them being automatic starters as they are now. He may want to bolster the centre of midfield as well. These are, for me issues that stand out a mile that we need to sort. We may have to wait a few windows but just a couple in during the summer won’t be enough.
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Leicester have used the transfer window well,strengthened an awful defence and the right winger was good.Their midfield is brilliant.Why praise Leicester ? Because for long intervals we outplayed them with some superb football,especially from Luiz,Buendia and at times Kamara..and then there were those incredible cock ups from Kamara and then I despair at Bailey's efforts.
Our transfer window ?Well,the cameo from Duran was excellent.
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What did he do that was excellent? Can't say I really noticed him, apart from taking ages to get up after a foul.
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
Do that though and we'll get endless comments about it needing months to gel.
What we must do this summer is sign a good quality FB (will have to be RB given we might not be able to shift Digne and Moreno has just signed), enough so one of Konsa/Mings isn't a regular starter next season and also same for midfield and someone like McGinn. And of course someone who's reliable in final third given how wildly inconsistent Bailey and Watkins are even from half to half.
At least Buendia is getting there. He was good today and really should've had much more than one assist so he's getting there in Emery's system which is a big positive.
I don’t think either Mings or Konsa are good enough for Emery’s style of passing it out from the back. I can see both being replaced for that reason.
Bailey needs to have a very good end to the season otherwise he’ll either end up being sold or warming the bench. Then there’s the goalscorer we are crying out for. We may keep 1 or 2 of them but I can’t see any of them being automatic starters as they are now. He may want to bolster the centre of midfield as well. These are, for me issues that stand out a mile that we need to sort. We may have to wait a few windows but just a couple in during the summer won’t be enough.
People always say that though and due to most of our new signings immediately getting injured we then go back to the established players.
Mings has plenty of flaws but he at least talks constantly so no good signing CBs who don't speak and so we concede goals from short corners that knocked us out of the cup as one example when a talking CB would've noticed that and told Ollie to get out quicker.
Guendouzi potential signing does at least have feel of upgrade on McGinn after four years.
Given the lack of activity in this window I'm expecting a pretty good final third upgrade on Watkins aswell.
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
Do that though and we'll get endless comments about it needing months to gel.
What we must do this summer is sign a good quality FB (will have to be RB given we might not be able to shift Digne and Moreno has just signed), enough so one of Konsa/Mings isn't a regular starter next season and also same for midfield and someone like McGinn. And of course someone who's reliable in final third given how wildly inconsistent Bailey and Watkins are even from half to half.
At least Buendia is getting there. He was good today and really should've had much more than one assist so he's getting there in Emery's system which is a big positive.
I don’t think either Mings or Konsa are good enough for Emery’s style of passing it out from the back. I can see both being replaced for that reason.
Bailey needs to have a very good end to the season otherwise he’ll either end up being sold or warming the bench. Then there’s the goalscorer we are crying out for. We may keep 1 or 2 of them but I can’t see any of them being automatic starters as they are now. He may want to bolster the centre of midfield as well. These are, for me issues that stand out a mile that we need to sort. We may have to wait a few windows but just a couple in during the summer won’t be enough.
The goalkeeper is where it all begins.
Do you believe Martinez is a good fit for this style of play? What do you say about him considering that you wanted to mention Konsa and Mings as well but where are you on the role of the goalkeeper?
Mings and Konsa have both expressed a willingness to learn and, at the very least, appear open and receptive.
There are centre backs with superior possession skills out there than both of them, but now that we have a top coach, everyone has a chance to grow.
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On a lighter note, did anyone see that clown from Leicester getting turfed out of the Bartons. His refrain on departure was "Champions of England...you'll never sing that". Bless.
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
Do that though and we'll get endless comments about it needing months to gel.
What we must do this summer is sign a good quality FB (will have to be RB given we might not be able to shift Digne and Moreno has just signed), enough so one of Konsa/Mings isn't a regular starter next season and also same for midfield and someone like McGinn. And of course someone who's reliable in final third given how wildly inconsistent Bailey and Watkins are even from half to half.
At least Buendia is getting there. He was good today and really should've had much more than one assist so he's getting there in Emery's system which is a big positive.
I don’t think either Mings or Konsa are good enough for Emery’s style of passing it out from the back. I can see both being replaced for that reason.
Bailey needs to have a very good end to the season otherwise he’ll either end up being sold or warming the bench. Then there’s the goalscorer we are crying out for. We may keep 1 or 2 of them but I can’t see any of them being automatic starters as they are now. He may want to bolster the centre of midfield as well. These are, for me issues that stand out a mile that we need to sort. We may have to wait a few windows but just a couple in during the summer won’t be enough.
People always say that though and due to most of our new signings immediately getting injured we then go back to the established players.
Mings has plenty of flaws but he at least talks constantly so no good signing CBs who don't speak and so we concede goals from short corners that knocked us out of the cup as one example when a talking CB would've noticed that and told Ollie to get out quicker.
Guendouzi potential signing does at least have feel of upgrade on McGinn after four years.
Given the lack of activity in this window I'm expecting a pretty good final third upgrade on Watkins aswell.
Too many mistakes at the back over the last few seasons for me. Today, the midfield was mostly to blame but if we are truly looking to move on then we’ve got to address it and I think we will. We also give the ball away too much, it’s got better under Emery but add that extra quality and that will really improve us. Still very confident Emery will have us in the top half next season and with the added quality who knows. It’s time this club was in Europe again.
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Leicester have used the transfer window well,strengthened an awful defence and the right winger was good.Their midfield is brilliant.Why praise Leicester ? Because for long intervals we outplayed them with some superb football,especially from Luiz,Buendia and at times Kamara..and then there were those incredible cock ups from Kamara and then I despair at Bailey's efforts.
Our transfer window ?Well,the cameo from Duran was excellent.
I pretty much agree with that. We had many more chances than them. They had 4 goals, 1 break, 1 quality cross and 2 defensive cock ups, plus one or two others. Far too many of course, but on another day they could have scored one and we wouldn’t be having the conversation. We could have scored 4 or 5.
Kamara had a poor day but I think they’re the first side to really work out how we play out, and they have a bit of space to our centre backs but closed Kamara with 2 players every time.
Bailey is a worry. So often runs straight at the defender, and doesn’t look up. Does just enough to keep good place but we could get so much more out of that position.
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On a lighter note, did anyone see that clown from Leicester getting turfed out of the Bartons. His refrain on departure was "Champions of England...you'll never sing that". Bless.
No, but I heard them singing we’d not won anything for 40 years. Maths really isn’t there thing is it?
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
Do that though and we'll get endless comments about it needing months to gel.
What we must do this summer is sign a good quality FB (will have to be RB given we might not be able to shift Digne and Moreno has just signed), enough so one of Konsa/Mings isn't a regular starter next season and also same for midfield and someone like McGinn. And of course someone who's reliable in final third given how wildly inconsistent Bailey and Watkins are even from half to half.
At least Buendia is getting there. He was good today and really should've had much more than one assist so he's getting there in Emery's system which is a big positive.
I don’t think either Mings or Konsa are good enough for Emery’s style of passing it out from the back. I can see both being replaced for that reason.
Bailey needs to have a very good end to the season otherwise he’ll either end up being sold or warming the bench. Then there’s the goalscorer we are crying out for. We may keep 1 or 2 of them but I can’t see any of them being automatic starters as they are now. He may want to bolster the centre of midfield as well. These are, for me issues that stand out a mile that we need to sort. We may have to wait a few windows but just a couple in during the summer won’t be enough.
The goalkeeper is where it all begins.
Do you believe Martinez is a good fit for this style of play? What do you say about him considering that you wanted to mention Konsa and Mings as well but where are you on the role of the goalkeeper?
Mings and Konsa have both expressed a willingness to learn and, at the very least, appear open and receptive.
There are centre backs with superior possession skills out there than both of them, but now that we have a top coach, everyone has a chance to grow.
My view on Martinez is that he’s a world class goalkeeper and more than capable with his feet. 1 mistake doesn’t change my view.
Neither Mings or Konsa good enough with the ball or defensively for me. They have the rest of the season to impress and improve but both ends of the pitch need upgrading.
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Can someone with good statto knowledge (footy) put my mind at rest and tell me we are going to be safe this season?
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
Do that though and we'll get endless comments about it needing months to gel.
What we must do this summer is sign a good quality FB (will have to be RB given we might not be able to shift Digne and Moreno has just signed), enough so one of Konsa/Mings isn't a regular starter next season and also same for midfield and someone like McGinn. And of course someone who's reliable in final third given how wildly inconsistent Bailey and Watkins are even from half to half.
At least Buendia is getting there. He was good today and really should've had much more than one assist so he's getting there in Emery's system which is a big positive.
I don’t think either Mings or Konsa are good enough for Emery’s style of passing it out from the back. I can see both being replaced for that reason.
Bailey needs to have a very good end to the season otherwise he’ll either end up being sold or warming the bench. Then there’s the goalscorer we are crying out for. We may keep 1 or 2 of them but I can’t see any of them being automatic starters as they are now. He may want to bolster the centre of midfield as well. These are, for me issues that stand out a mile that we need to sort. We may have to wait a few windows but just a couple in during the summer won’t be enough.
The goalkeeper is where it all begins.
Do you believe Martinez is a good fit for this style of play? What do you say about him considering that you wanted to mention Konsa and Mings as well but where are you on the role of the goalkeeper?
Mings and Konsa have both expressed a willingness to learn and, at the very least, appear open and receptive.
There are centre backs with superior possession skills out there than both of them, but now that we have a top coach, everyone has a chance to grow.
My view on Martinez is that he’s a world class goalkeeper and more than capable with his feet. 1 mistake doesn’t change my view.
Neither Mings or Konsa good enough with the ball or defensively for me. They have the rest of the season to impress and improve but both ends of the pitch need upgrading.
Thats fair enough.
I think we'll all hoping for a stong summer with impressive signings and before then all the playing squad need to demonstrate whatever abilities to they have for a good remainder of season!
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Can someone with good statto knowledge (footy) put my mind at rest and tell me we are going to be safe this season?
We're going to be safe this season. It would have to be the worst form we've experienced since we went down to get relegated. 17 games left, and three wins pretty well guarantees safety. If we only win three more games all season then Emery will be joining Smith and Gerrard on the dole queue.
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I prefer it when we are understated and don't get ahead of ourselves as this shower will constantly let us down. That said, we are halfway, largely because the set of players we have, apart from Kamara and Emi are mid-table players, particularly defensively. It needs ripping up and starting again, this will take time, three to four windows, hopefully the really decent players, will stick with us. Kamara cost us two goals today. Unusual for him as he's been brilliant. Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Luiz, McGinn Watkins, Bailey will all need upgrades if we have the ambitions to go higher. Emery can only do so much but some of the will need to be replaced if we can get rid of them. Consistency is the key at the moment, until we start trading for better players.
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Can someone with good statto knowledge (footy) put my mind at rest and tell me we are going to be safe this season?
The teams we still have to play at home below us in the league are Palace, Bournemouth, Forest. So lets hope we learnt from Leicester.
We are on 29pts . 7 more will do it from 17 games as each season, teams must earn an average of 35.7 points—basically 36—to stay in the Premier League on stats.
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On a lighter note, did anyone see that clown from Leicester getting turfed out of the Bartons. His refrain on departure was "Champions of England...you'll never sing that". Bless.
No, but I heard them singing we’d not won anything for 40 years. Maths really isn’t there thing is it?
their. Sorry. Can't help myself.
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Can someone with good statto knowledge (footy) put my mind at rest and tell me we are going to be safe this season?
The teams we still have to play at home below us in the league are Palace, Bournemouth, Forest. So lets hope we learnt from Leicester.
We are on 29pts . 7 more will do it from 17 games as each season, teams must earn an average of 35.7 points—basically 36—to stay in the Premier League on stats.
Not on 29 are we yet? Anyway this reassures me along with Martins rationale. Thank you. Sooner we get them on the board the better. I do hope the defence isn’t going to turn to shit now.
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
Do that though and we'll get endless comments about it needing months to gel.
What we must do this summer is sign a good quality FB (will have to be RB given we might not be able to shift Digne and Moreno has just signed), enough so one of Konsa/Mings isn't a regular starter next season and also same for midfield and someone like McGinn. And of course someone who's reliable in final third given how wildly inconsistent Bailey and Watkins are even from half to half.
At least Buendia is getting there. He was good today and really should've had much more than one assist so he's getting there in Emery's system which is a big positive.
I don’t think either Mings or Konsa are good enough for Emery’s style of passing it out from the back. I can see both being replaced for that reason.
Bailey needs to have a very good end to the season otherwise he’ll either end up being sold or warming the bench. Then there’s the goalscorer we are crying out for. We may keep 1 or 2 of them but I can’t see any of them being automatic starters as they are now. He may want to bolster the centre of midfield as well. These are, for me issues that stand out a mile that we need to sort. We may have to wait a few windows but just a couple in during the summer won’t be enough.
The goalkeeper is where it all begins.
Do you believe Martinez is a good fit for this style of play? What do you say about him considering that you wanted to mention Konsa and Mings as well but where are you on the role of the goalkeeper?
Mings and Konsa have both expressed a willingness to learn and, at the very least, appear open and receptive.
There are centre backs with superior possession skills out there than both of them, but now that we have a top coach, everyone has a chance to grow.
My view on Martinez is that he’s a world class goalkeeper and more than capable with his feet. 1 mistake doesn’t change my view.
Neither Mings or Konsa good enough with the ball or defensively for me. They have the rest of the season to impress and improve but both ends of the pitch need upgrading.
Thats fair enough.
I think we'll all hoping for a stong summer with impressive signings and before then all the playing squad need to demonstrate whatever abilities to they have for a good remainder of season!
We’ve been told we will have a strong summer so let’s hold them to that but nothing would make me happier than a lot of this squad to improve and stay with us. Whatever happens I will never knock any of them for not giving 100%.
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Can someone with good statto knowledge (footy) put my mind at rest and tell me we are going to be safe this season?
We have a really tough February with Man City. Arsenal and Everton but then things pick up in March and that is when we will get points on the board. Like you though, I will be happier once we get to around 38 points as Everton, West ham and Wolves are all a bit closer to us tonight. Bournemouth, Southampton look doomed, not sure yet who that third team is. Might be a surprise package.
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Can someone with good statto knowledge (footy) put my mind at rest and tell me we are going to be safe this season?
The teams we still have to play at home below us in the league are Palace, Bournemouth, Forest. So lets hope we learnt from Leicester.
We are on 29pts . 7 more will do it from 17 games as each season, teams must earn an average of 35.7 points—basically 36—to stay in the Premier League on stats.
Not on 29 are we yet? Anyway this reassures me along with Martins rationale. Thank you. Sooner we get them on the board the better. I do hope the defence isn’t going to turn to shit now.
28 points currently. We can't slip more than one place even if we lose the next two games, probable as that may be. So confidence most likely won't be high and then the game at Everton assumes big importance in order not to get sucked back into the lower reaches.
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Can someone with good statto knowledge (footy) put my mind at rest and tell me we are going to be safe this season?
The teams we still have to play at home below us in the league are Palace, Bournemouth, Forest. So lets hope we learnt from Leicester.
We are on 29pts . 7 more will do it from 17 games as each season, teams must earn an average of 35.7 points—basically 36—to stay in the Premier League on stats.
Not on 29 are we yet? Anyway this reassures me along with Martins rationale. Thank you. Sooner we get them on the board the better. I do hope the defence isn’t going to turn to shit now.
Oh yes 28pts
Last time I looked at table was just after kick off and had us at 29pts. Hands up i messed up!
So maybe 8pts then needed as it were
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Yep this idea that we’re going to fix all our issues in the summer is pie in the sky.
if we only get a couple in then there’s no chance. A total revamp is needed with quite a few out as well as in. We must improve defensively, out wide and upfront. If we do then there’s a chance we’ll improve and challenge for 6th/7th. It’ll cost and we’ll soon see how ambitious we really are.
Do that though and we'll get endless comments about it needing months to gel.
What we must do this summer is sign a good quality FB (will have to be RB given we might not be able to shift Digne and Moreno has just signed), enough so one of Konsa/Mings isn't a regular starter next season and also same for midfield and someone like McGinn. And of course someone who's reliable in final third given how wildly inconsistent Bailey and Watkins are even from half to half.
At least Buendia is getting there. He was good today and really should've had much more than one assist so he's getting there in Emery's system which is a big positive.
I don’t think either Mings or Konsa are good enough for Emery’s style of passing it out from the back. I can see both being replaced for that reason.
Bailey needs to have a very good end to the season otherwise he’ll either end up being sold or warming the bench. Then there’s the goalscorer we are crying out for. We may keep 1 or 2 of them but I can’t see any of them being automatic starters as they are now. He may want to bolster the centre of midfield as well. These are, for me issues that stand out a mile that we need to sort. We may have to wait a few windows but just a couple in during the summer won’t be enough.
The goalkeeper is where it all begins.
Do you believe Martinez is a good fit for this style of play? What do you say about him considering that you wanted to mention Konsa and Mings as well but where are you on the role of the goalkeeper?
Mings and Konsa have both expressed a willingness to learn and, at the very least, appear open and receptive.
There are centre backs with superior possession skills out there than both of them, but now that we have a top coach, everyone has a chance to grow.
Martinez does ok playing possession football for Argentina...
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Not sure why Mings and Konsa are getting so much grief here. Twice Kamara got done and put the defence in strife when we were transitioning forward and then Moreno stuffed up. It’s a pity Buendia’s best game coincided with Kamara’s worst. Fair play to Branton for short-circuiting how we play from the back, Emery needs to counter that now other managers will follow suite.
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I think we saw today why Kamara is already so important to this side that when he has one bad game it affects us massively. I don’t think some our players were expecting him to lose possession in the areas he did and had already started moving forward. It happened a number of times. I think Leicester targeted him for this reason and pressed his options which is why we saw what we did irrespective of him just having a bad game. They also pressed us more on the right to let Mings have more possession which led to lots of punts down the pitch and them regaining possession. Thought we regained control of the game in the second half after a kamikaze first half. Unfortunately, it’s the same problems: Mings ability on the ball, Ollie not being anywhere near clinical and two many inconsistent players. Emery can only do such much. Until we have viable alternatives/improvements in the squad, things aren’t going to change much and the challenge is then about keeping our best players whilst that happens.
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance, and made a mess of the opportunity Coutinho laid on for him. But he did very well to react first for the goal, something he gets criticized a lot for. Stroke of luck for the own goal but his movement was sharp and he got a good shot off. Aside from those moments, he worked hard, held the ball up well and was a threat throughout. Miles better than he was v Southampton anyway.
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance, and made a mess of the opportunity Coutinho laid on for him. But he did very well to react first for the goal, something he gets criticized a lot for. Stroke of luck for the own goal but his movement was sharp and he got a good shot off. Aside from those moments, he worked hard, held the ball up well and was a threat throughout. Miles better than he was v Southampton anyway.
With respect Bronte, why can't he put them all away? He did brilliantly from the crossbar rebound but then misses some crazy easy chances through having a really poor touch. I think he's a really hard working player but is so very inconsistent. Perhaps we can agree on that?
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance.
The bold bit is why the criticism is justified.
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance.
The bold bit is why the criticism is justified.
Every forward misses chances. Watching back the highlights here, Bailey's miss at start of second half was arguably worse. Watkins had a very good game today.
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All he had to do was tap it into an empty net.
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance, and made a mess of the opportunity Coutinho laid on for him. But he did very well to react first for the goal, something he gets criticized a lot for. Stroke of luck for the own goal but his movement was sharp and he got a good shot off. Aside from those moments, he worked hard, held the ball up well and was a threat throughout. Miles better than he was v Southampton anyway.
As a forward player, part of his role is making and taking chances so it’s entirely relevant to analyze that part of his game. It would be strange not to. It would be akin to saying that Olsen’s throwing is excellent but people shouldn’t criticize his shot stopping when 4 sail past him. And today whilst scoring one good goal demonstrating excellent reactions, Ollie missed 2/3 other presentable chances.
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance, and made a mess of the opportunity Coutinho laid on for him. But he did very well to react first for the goal, something he gets criticized a lot for. Stroke of luck for the own goal but his movement was sharp and he got a good shot off. Aside from those moments, he worked hard, held the ball up well and was a threat throughout. Miles better than he was v Southampton anyway.
With respect Bronte, why can't he put them all away? He did brilliantly from the crossbar rebound but then misses some crazy easy chances through having a really poor touch. I think he's a really hard working player but is so very inconsistent. Perhaps we can agree on that?
No striker scores them all, even the easiest ones. I've been critical of his first touch for a long time but didn't notice it as much today. Talk of replacing him is madness. He lost a year of his career under Gerrard and the madness trying to get him and Ings to "work", I think he'll improve a lot with Emery.
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Rodgers 'we thoroughly deserved to win it.' Balls.
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While I think he should have scored, the tap in for Watkins wasn’t as straightforward as that. It came at him really fast and he didn’t react fast enough. It just looks worse given how close it was to goal. A better striker likely scores it and the other chances. And that’s the thing. Watkins is a perfectly fine PL striker for a mid table side. To get into the top 6 we need someone way more reliable. That goes for a few of our players not just Ollie. I want us to keep playing out from the back. But that’s going to require these players to improve or more likely, players who are already better at it. We are in the storming phase of Tuckman’s Development Model.
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I think to be truly comfortable playing it out from the back you have to be a lot less one footed than Mings is, and just generally miles more comfortable on the ball.
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Watching it back, we still did create a lot of good chances in the second half. Bailey had to score his one, brilliant play from Buendia. Cracking delivery from Coutinho that nearly resulted in another own goal. Likes of Moreno and Coutinho had other decent chances. Watkins not sharp enough when slipped through by Coutinho another time. Our attacking play today was far better than it was against the likes of Southampton, Leeds or Wolves.
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I think to be truly comfortable playing it out from the back you have to be a lot less one footed than Mings is, and just generally miles more comfortable on the ball.
After today the most positive I can be is that he wasn’t as bad as Konsa. I think he has it in him, but today wasn’t one of those days. Along with everyone else in the defence.
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All he had to do was tap it into an empty net.
It did flick off the keeper's hand so wasn't straight infront of him.
I get the feeling he'll do enough and still be around next season. I mean if we sell him given we don't tend to sign replacements ahead all we'll have in the squad then will be Archer and Duran so immediately puts big pressure on the summer market.
The second half chance annoyed me more tbh. Coutinho plays through a lovely ball and he takes ages to decide to shoot and the defender easily blocked it. Leicester players gave a masterclass in how to time their run and round the keeper today so hopefully Ollie was watching properly as too often he hesitates and delays and the chance is lost.
Seems to be this idea there's hardly anyone we could realistically sign who could provide good competition for him. Iheanacho also scored and assisted today, is mid 20s and will probably be available for 20m in the summer so he seems an obvious player to target given he can play in a two or upfront on his own.
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First time I have seen it. No way we lose that other than a defensive performance of Peter Sutcliffe proportions.
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I think to be truly comfortable playing it out from the back you have to be a lot less one footed than Mings is, and just generally miles more comfortable on the ball.
Is he any more one footed than Konsa? As often suggested, just stands out as its his left
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I think to be truly comfortable playing it out from the back you have to be a lot less one footed than Mings is, and just generally miles more comfortable on the ball.
Is he any more one footed than Konsa? As often suggested, just stands out as its his left
Dunno. I'd replace the pair of them to be honest.
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Maybe giving up in the January transfer window wasn’t such a good idea.
Dunno about you, but I didn't even really bother with the result today - was too busy celebrating the amortisation win on Ings' contract.
Very good!
Yep, I like self-depreciating humour as well.
Lol - you must be in finance!
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I think to be truly comfortable playing it out from the back you have to be a lot less one footed than Mings is, and just generally miles more comfortable on the ball.
Is he any more one footed than Konsa? As often suggested, just stands out as its his left
Dunno. I'd replace the pair of them to be honest.
Those pair have gone on for far too long. They have the odd good game, which just isn't enough to be challenging at the top end of the table.
I really hope Carlos comes back as the player we need, and someone is bought to go alongside him.
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I think to be truly comfortable playing it out from the back you have to be a lot less one footed than Mings is, and just generally miles more comfortable on the ball.
The problem hasn’t been when the defenders split and receive the ball on the edges of the box. To be fair to Konsa and Mings, they do it OK and even if they were to make a mistake, it isn’t in the danger area.
Playing a ball out to a central midfielder with his back to play, right in front of goal and on the edge of or inside our own box is very risky unless they are in acres of space. It has cost us a few goals under Unai Emery already.
That's not to criticise Unai Emery and I understand what he is trying to implement. It's the decision making of the players that lets us down too many times.
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We beat ourselves today with those defensive mistakes. I get we are learning to play out from the back but I think the players have to assess the situation in front of them and not slavishly follow a plan. Leicester were very sharp today and laid traps for us and we were happy to oblige them. 3 of the goals were handed to them.
Once again the playing across the back is very slow and turgid. I don’t mind us sucking the opposition in to break their press but there were several occasions when Mings and Konsa each had 4-5 seconds with the ball at feet waiting for inspiration. Mings tends to stand out more than Konsa as the latter tends to pass the buck whereas Mings will eventually take responsibility and carry the ball as he did with one notable surge in the 2nd half.
Today was a lost opportunity to jump up into the top half of the table but I think this type of inconsistency is why we are in our current position. I trust Emery to develop the players and improve the squad in the summer.
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Maybe giving up in the January transfer window wasn’t such a good idea.
Dunno about you, but I didn't even really bother with the result today - was too busy celebrating the amortisation win on Ings' contract.
Very good!
Yep, I like self-depreciating humour as well.
Lol - you must be in finance!
'Fraid so although in Ireland we also studied accounting in school from the age of 12 to 18. In those days we simply knew it as depreciation and so I've always viewed amortisation as a bit of an Americanism even though there are technical differences between the two terms.
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Emery has been in long enough to know what our shortfalls are. Emi was at fault for their first with a suicidal pass inside our own box! (Not for the first time this season!). That goal changed the game, as we were looking like getting a 2nd.
We just haven't got good enough players in defence to play out all the time.
Mings' long ball game is rubbish and Emi has proven time and time again that he is willing to take silly risks with the ball.
That was a home win all day long, just tossed in the bin!
We played well going forward yes, but the errors killed us.
Watkins took his chance well and runs all day, but he will never be a top class finisher.
Unai sees the same games we do and we should keep the faith that he will sort things out.
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The galling thing is we lost to a team with Harry Soutar in defence. He’s a mix of Scottish, Aussie, Championship donkey and Maguire, none of which are positives for defender.
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To me that was typical villa. Soon when we can really push up the league and make a challenge we put in a performance like this. Get our hopes up to crush them in no time.
With Man City and Arsenal we be hovering around 11th for a good time now. Opportunity is lost.
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Watching it back, we still did create a lot of good chances in the second half. Bailey had to score his one, brilliant play from Buendia. Cracking delivery from Coutinho that nearly resulted in another own goal. Likes of Moreno and Coutinho had other decent chances. Watkins not sharp enough when slipped through by Coutinho another time. Our attacking play today was far better than it was against the likes of Southampton, Leeds or Wolves.
I agree with this but maybe out attacking prowess was the cause of our defensive disintegration. Leicester scored four away from home but, frankly, they could have had one or two or more, we were that bad defensively.
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Today is really frustrating - because somehow despite having an inept manager for half the season so far - we’re still in with a small shout for Europe - but too many days like today and that will be a pipe dream and another lost season.
Europe is demonstrably not on the agenda. The club has made that clear with the January window and the comments from Emery how avoiding relegation is the priority. Obviously I assume the latter is an attempt at re-setting expectations but it sets the tone nonetheless.
Time will tell if the club has made the right decision with this approach.
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No, we won the toss again and decided to kick towards the Holte again. This is something that really needs to stop!!
Why?
We always come out firing when we do that, today, Leeds, Brentford and Man. United all leading within 10 minutes so I actually think it's a really good tactic
Yes, I mentioned those latter 3 games in the match thread just before we scored.
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Today is really frustrating - because somehow despite having an inept manager for half the season so far - we’re still in with a small shout for Europe - but too many days like today and that will be a pipe dream and another lost season.
Europe is demonstrably not on the agenda. The club has made that clear with the January window and the comments from Emery how avoiding relegation is the priority. Obviously I assume the latter is an attempt at re-setting expectations but it sets the tone nonetheless.
Time will tell if the club has made the right decision with this approach.
I would say the approach of the hierarchy is about being shrewd ‘at the right moments’ with recruiting certain players but not significantly progressing things in the short term to accelerate progress. Which always runs the risk of losing the best players who won’t wait until everything is in place. I do sometimes wonder whether the Joe camp actually correctly gauged this.
Did they make a mistake in the window just gone? I would say yes, in the sense that there was an opportunity which we didn’t take advantage off whilst there was flux. The rest of the world is-rightly or wrongly- feeder clubs to the money of the premier league, so there are markets to exploit and in the case of La Liga -where Emery has sound knowledge- players, all of whom have buy out clauses . Yet we’ve been focused on counting pennies with the sale of Ings and moving players off the wage bill until the summer and how much that might save us. When did we get to the stage of counting every bean again if we’re serious about kicking on? I said it recently and I’ll say it again, I’m getting Doug vibes with alot of things recently.
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance.
The bold bit is why the criticism is justified.
Every forward misses chances. Watching back the highlights here, Bailey's miss at start of second half was arguably worse. Watkins had a very good game today.
I agree with this, Watkins has 3 in 2 games, the first half chance was a bad miss, the second chance with the through ball from Coutinho, wasnt easy and i dont think it was a bad effort from him. Crazy someone asking why cant he score them all, who does, 100 million pound forwards perhaps. Watkins played well and is on good form.
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I think with some fans, they have a player they don't like and they jump on anything they do wrong. Watkins was fine yesterday, his goal was a very good finish.
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That performance was so sloppy, not something I expected under Emery. Once we went one up I thought we would control the game and win comfortably. Once Emi sold Kamara down the river, Kamara didn’t play his get out of jail card, choosing to try to beat two rather than off load the ball, I thought, well one mistake, it’s Brighton again.
However, it seemed to knock the stuffing out of Kamara, he became tentative to the point that he was poor for the third goal and got substituted for Dendonker … probably the ultimate insult to him.
At the moment if Kamara doesn’t play we don’t play properly defensively. We look the team Gerrard had at the start of the season. He really is very important to this team.
Add in a hatful of chances we missed - Watkins and Bailey the most obvious, but Ramsey had two opportunities he does better with most days as well as Buendia - and Mings having an awful game it really was an opportunity missed.
I suspect we will play better in the next two even though we may get nothing out of them. But so frustrating.
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Very disappointing result of course, so on the positive side;
- As stated above, Watkins a good game again and got his scoring boot on at least, encouraging
- Buendia very good game
- Konsa still a very good defender (IMO, a personal favourite of mine)
- we are set up to dominate game ISH with a ballplaying central midfield (even whwn they and CB where at fault for goals against - they did dominate for most of the game ish?)
- We have a good manager (every sign of it IMO) and probl the most important thing now
- We do look like a proper team
- Very lovely to be able to watch us in proper colours at Villa park - even by some muddy rivers (thank to all that did PM me)
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If you make 4 unforced mistakes in a game, you lose it.
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance.
The bold bit is why the criticism is justified.
Every forward misses chances. Watching back the highlights here, Bailey's miss at start of second half was arguably worse. Watkins had a very good game today.
I agree with this, Watkins has 3 in 2 games, the first half chance was a bad miss, the second chance with the through ball from Coutinho, wasnt easy and i dont think it was a bad effort from him. Crazy someone asking why cant he score them all, who does, 100 million pound forwards perhaps. Watkins played well and is on good form.
Do you mean the open goal when he couldn’t sort his feet out?
The Coutinho chance was because he took a touch as opposed to getting his shot away.
His all round play was good, I like his endeavour and commitment but these chances show his limitations.
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I agree, a heavy touch and bad decision making. And he had one of his better games.
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance.
The bold bit is why the criticism is justified.
Every forward misses chances. Watching back the highlights here, Bailey's miss at start of second half was arguably worse. Watkins had a very good game today.
I agree with this, Watkins has 3 in 2 games, the first half chance was a bad miss, the second chance with the through ball from Coutinho, wasnt easy and i dont think it was a bad effort from him. Crazy someone asking why cant he score them all, who does, 100 million pound forwards perhaps. Watkins played well and is on good form.
Do you mean the open goal when he couldn’t sort his feet out?
The Coutinho chance was because he took a touch as opposed to getting his shot away.
His all round play was good, I like his endeavour and commitment but these chances show his limitations.
This is an example of the kind of thing I mean. No praise at all for his goal but focusing on the one he missed. He's not going to score with every chance he gets.
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My dearest dad, sitting in the Holte Lower, really enjoyed the match. He's Leicester through and through, but I know he loves us more than those c untish crisps.
Trying and failing to play it out from the back aside, he thought we were superior to Leicester, loved Buendia and Moreno, and can't believe they took all three points.
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My dearest dad, sitting in the Holte Lower, really enjoyed the match. He's Leicester through and through, but I know he loves us more than those c untish crisps.
Trying and failing to play it out from the back aside, he thought we were superior to Leicester, loved Buendia and Moreno, and can't believe they took all three points.
That's great. Hope he enjoyed his day.
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Cheers Clampy.
He goes almost every season to this fixture. His mate gets him tickets somehow, and my dad reckons it makes him feel closer to me, seeing as though I've been living abroad since 2003 :D
To be honest, going to Villa Park with my dad is the main thing I miss about home.
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From the off we were too casual, then, became arrogant to the point complacency set in. Leicester didn’t win this match we lost it, gave it to them. Thought Bailey was poor throughout, not once did he beat his marker and capped it by missing a great chance.
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Typical Villa chance to get into the top half, and we blew it, but at least we can take some positives from the match. Could have done with the points with Man City, Arsenal coming up and then Everton away, which now is gonna be a lot tougher than it would have been a few weeks ago.
Regarding kicking towards the Holte in the first half, yes it has benefited in a couple of games, but as a general rule we're always gonna win more matches kicking towards the Holte in the second half. When it's a tough game, going into the last quarter of a match, looking for a winner it's always gonna benefit us more, that's why it's called our 12th man and why we've always done that in our history and every other club in the country does it.
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance.
The bold bit is why the criticism is justified.
Every forward misses chances. Watching back the highlights here, Bailey's miss at start of second half was arguably worse. Watkins had a very good game today.
I agree with this, Watkins has 3 in 2 games, the first half chance was a bad miss, the second chance with the through ball from Coutinho, wasnt easy and i dont think it was a bad effort from him. Crazy someone asking why cant he score them all, who does, 100 million pound forwards perhaps. Watkins played well and is on good form.
Do you mean the open goal when he couldn’t sort his feet out?
The Coutinho chance was because he took a touch as opposed to getting his shot away.
His all round play was good, I like his endeavour and commitment but these chances show his limitations.
This is an example of the kind of thing I mean. No praise at all for his goal but focusing on the one he missed. He's not going to score with every chance he gets.
Ok, he took the chance well,.
Looking forward to all the praise from you for the good posts people make. :)
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Bailey as usual blew hot and cold but he beat his marker to create that first minute chance and then again to force that first half save from the edge of the box. Pretty poor second half mind
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance.
The bold bit is why the criticism is justified.
Every forward misses chances. Watching back the highlights here, Bailey's miss at start of second half was arguably worse. Watkins had a very good game today.
I agree with this, Watkins has 3 in 2 games, the first half chance was a bad miss, the second chance with the through ball from Coutinho, wasnt easy and i dont think it was a bad effort from him. Crazy someone asking why cant he score them all, who does, 100 million pound forwards perhaps. Watkins played well and is on good form.
Do you mean the open goal when he couldn’t sort his feet out?
The Coutinho chance was because he took a touch as opposed to getting his shot away.
His all round play was good, I like his endeavour and commitment but these chances show his limitations.
Totally agree CL. We all love his workrate, commitment etc but how many times can we ignore his total lack of ability to put away easy chances? He missed that absolute sitter to put us 3-1 up which would have been a mountain for Leicester to climb. I've watched it half a dozen times now and I still can't fathom how he failed so badly.
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Apart from one or two understandbly pissed off posts straight after the match, it seems people are more disappointed with how we gave it away than how we played, which at times was very very good and like Peter Withe said on another thread, we still could have won it. I'm disappointed but encouraged at the same time.
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Typical Villa chance to get into the top half, and we blew it, but at least we can take some positives from the match. Could have done with the points with Man City, Arsenal coming up and then Everton away, which now is gonna be a lot tougher than it would have been a few weeks ago.
Regarding kicking towards the Holte in the first half, yes it has benefited in a couple of games, but as a general rule we're always gonna win more matches kicking towards the Holte in the second half. When it's a tough game, going into the last quarter of a match, looking for a winner it's always gonna benefit us more, that's why it's called our 12th man and why we've always done that in our history and every other club in the country does it.
Not for me that. I think in today’s football the first goal is more important than it’s ever been.
I’d like to see percentages for how many teams win after scoring first against the percentages for wins after going behind, and base my preference on that.
Obviously, I already know the former is far higher.
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Apart from one or two understandbly pissed off posts straight after the match, it seems people are more disappointed with how we gave it away than how we played, which at times was very very good and like Peter Withe said on another thread, we still could have won it. I'm disappointed but encouraged at the same time.
Absolutely. I thought we looked really good going forward, and am optimistic about what Duran and Bertie T can add to that. Over the next few weeks I’d like to see big Jhon eased into the Bailey role.
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Getting beaten is more exciting than it used to be.
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Criticising Watkins for his performance today is ridiculous. Sure he missed his easiest chance, and made a mess of the opportunity Coutinho laid on for him. But he did very well to react first for the goal, something he gets criticized a lot for. Stroke of luck for the own goal but his movement was sharp and he got a good shot off. Aside from those moments, he worked hard, held the ball up well and was a threat throughout. Miles better than he was v Southampton anyway.
As a forward player, part of his role is making and taking chances so it’s entirely relevant to analyze that part of his game. It would be strange not to. It would be akin to saying that Olsen’s throwing is excellent but people shouldn’t criticize his shot stopping when 4 sail past him. And today whilst scoring one good goal demonstrating excellent reactions, Ollie missed 2/3 other presentable chances.
I think herein lies the problem - Watkins is a mid table player so he scored 1 when a better player would have scored 2 or 3. Some worse strikers would have scored none.
But if we are to progress Watkins needs to take more of the chances or we need other options. We now have fewer options then before.
Without being overly negative this idea of Jam tomorrow misses the key point that we won’t keep better players and then it becomes a consitent rebuild
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Leicester have the quality to beat anyone on their day, and they have shown in recent seasons that they are a top 6 to near top 4 side, so it wasn't a simple 3 points, but taking the lead twice and the current form of both teams, it was very disappointing to get no points at all. This appears to be an indication that we are still finding our way and that teams, despite being lower in the table, will be difficult to beat.
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A disappointing day in the office due to schoolboy errors but encouraging to see us getting better every week at passing and moving, particularly when going forward.
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Down to earth with a bump for Kamara and to a lesser extent Moreno. Three of the goals we conceded were down to their mistakes. Hopefully they’ll leant from it but when you gift goals to any team in this division you are going to struggle to win the game. Lots of positives from our attacking play though.
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Thought I'd give myself sometime to chew over that to clear the head, as a litany of four letter words wouldn't contribute much, as carthatic as it may have been.
Sometimes you're going to lose and sometimes you're going to be beaten by a better side. Sometimes you're going to make individual errors and they'll be costly.
Yesterday I saw us concede 4 and have to wait until the 95th minute for the opposition to play through us to create a chance, in a game where we should have conceded 5 and all 5 would have been absolute (I cannot emphasise that word enough) gifts.
I'm not sure I've seen that before in 30 odd years. The fact I can't suggests it's a fresh horror the Villa has inflicted on me or something so awful that it's suppressed deep within my unconscious.
Kamara is a stupendous player, but my word, that performance was incredibly poor. Giving the ball away, giving a pair of goals away. Crikey. Players being unmarked 6 yards out and a fresh air swipe. Horror shows and calamitous one and all.
We actually played some nice stuff, broke through them regularly enough where we should have buried a pair of chances 2nd half, while Ramsey and Watkins should have scored too.
If you're laying out from the back, and we should, it's not new and it's not foreign, it creates space and that is the key to the objective of the game- then we should do it smartly and with some pace. I think we're too pedestrian with it, so even half hearted presses can work us out.
The variation is weak too, as Mings long balls are hoofs and don't cause problems. Carlos will change that, as a huge part of his game in possession are long and accurate passes. Elongate the spaces to press at your peril. Konsa needs to be more patient and wait for that central pass. Ignore the groans of the crowd and move it, quickly, elsewhere. Stop playing the midfield into trouble. There's lots of little things they can and will improve on, but I think both centre halves days are numbered.
A stupid game, one we should have won and won at ease. To be beaten in that manner is incredibly irritating. I think if the first goal didn't happen or perhaps the nature of it was different then perhaps the game pans out another way. The first 9 minutes was so dominating and the drop off for the next 20-ish so severe, the ayers heads had clearly fallen off.
I like what we're doing, I like our manager a great deal. I like how proactive he is, I like the way we play. I am lookimg forward to the upgrades in the summer and I'm looking forward to the last 18 games of this season. I don't think we've given up on it.
6 at the back incoming though.
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A great shame to lose our first Saturday 3pm for an age, the atmosphere in the pubs in town was great.
As has been said, a game with much to be happy about and we aren't going to be the team that Emery envisages for a while yet. It's flattened the weekend but Rome wasn't built in a day.
I got the score right on the pre match thread, just the wrong way 'round.
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It was a basketball style game because both midfields allowed the other team to play.
Leicester did press though high up the pitch hence the errors
I don’t care about Leicester but I do worry that we don’t have the personnel to press, particularly in midfield, so that good teams ( and Leicester have clever forward players) can exploit us.
Kamara, Luiz and Ramsey all have their qualities but pressing isn’t one of them.
Letting teams play will kill you.
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Was this some kind of special occasion or day out for Leicester? they seemed to have far more, very pissed, very gobby wannabe hardmen in the coach park than I’ve ever noticed before?
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Was this some kind of special occasion or day out for Leicester? they seemed to have far more, very pissed, very gobby wannabe hardmen in the coach park than I’ve ever noticed before?
Rodgers told them it was a "derby"
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Was this some kind of special occasion or day out for Leicester? they seemed to have far more, very pissed, very gobby wannabe hardmen in the coach park than I’ve ever noticed before?
Rodgers told them it was a "derby"
Last season too. Quite a bunch of in your face fans about the place.
They need to relax a bit.
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Was this some kind of special occasion or day out for Leicester? they seemed to have far more, very pissed, very gobby wannabe hardmen in the coach park than I’ve ever noticed before?
I forgot my sons coat so went to the club shop to pick something up and did notice there was a lot of them barely old enough to drink and not currently shaving that were getting the badge in. They even had a song about us and our silverware.
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They're from Leicestershire, it's a given they'll be weird coming from that backwater shithole. Everyone from there is.
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Was this some kind of special occasion or day out for Leicester? they seemed to have far more, very pissed, very gobby wannabe hardmen in the coach park than I’ve ever noticed before?
I forgot my sons coat so went to the club shop to pick something up and did notice there was a lot of them barely old enough to drink and not currently shaving that were getting the badge in. They even had a song about us and our silverware.
Yes they were singing that and one about our city being blue, I nearly died of shame when I realised the truth they spoke.
Kind of heartwarming how even Midlands teams we don’t even think about measure themselves against us.
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Was this some kind of special occasion or day out for Leicester? they seemed to have far more, very pissed, very gobby wannabe hardmen in the coach park than I’ve ever noticed before?
I forgot my sons coat so went to the club shop to pick something up and did notice there was a lot of them barely old enough to drink and not currently shaving that were getting the badge in. They even had a song about us and our silverware.
Yes they were singing that and one about our city being blue, I nearly died of shame when I realised the truth they spoke.
Kind of heartwarming how even Midlands teams we don’t even think about measure themselves against us.
Yes sadly they are correct broadly in their calculations!
Maybe that could be the new motto instead of Prepared?
"Aston Villa: the yardstick for shit, small clubs in the Midlands since 1874"
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It was a basketball style game because both midfields allowed the other team to play.
Leicester did press though high up the pitch hence the errors
I don’t care about Leicester but I do worry that we don’t have the personnel to press, particularly in midfield, so that good teams ( and Leicester have clever forward players) can exploit us.
Kamara, Luiz and Ramsey all have their qualities but pressing isn’t one of them.
Letting teams play will kill you.
I always say it's like a 5 a side or 7 a side football game because basketball is a totally different sport from football and not all football fans are familiar with its game style. Fortunately, though I'm a big NBA fan and a decent basketball player myself. One thing though I've never understood why this term is used here and in UK commentary when talking about football as if it were basketball games even though the scoring and the number of points awarded are very different and men's football players aren't all 6 feet 3 or taller. I can only conclude that if a game is relatively 'high scoring' and end to end and why people use this term.
Five aside or seven aside is apt as scores there are open as is junior level football. Fascinating really how people see things. Anyway I depart these internet shores as away from midday and will hope to be in line for next Sunday when we beat Man City if my theory is proved correct. Best wishes and no offences as get its an example that I don't comprehend due to my level of understanding of both sports.
Yours intriguingly Footy.
And up the villa!
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Every forward misses chances. Watching back the highlights here, Bailey's miss at start of second half was arguably worse. Watkins had a very good game today.
You're right. The one Watkins nearly got to in the first half came through a bunch of players at warp factor 8; many top class strikers would have failed to get on the end of it.
Bailey is the weak link, accentuated by the great game Tete had.
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That Tete seems to have a good head on him
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It was a basketball style game because both midfields allowed the other team to play.
Leicester did press though high up the pitch hence the errors
I don’t care about Leicester but I do worry that we don’t have the personnel to press, particularly in midfield, so that good teams ( and Leicester have clever forward players) can exploit us.
Kamara, Luiz and Ramsey all have their qualities but pressing isn’t one of them.
Letting teams play will kill you.
I always say it's like a 5 a side or 7 a side football game because basketball is a totally different sport from football and not all football fans are familiar with its game style. Fortunately, though I'm a big NBA fan and a decent basketball player myself. One thing though I've never understood why this term is used here and in UK commentary when talking about football as if it were basketball games even though the scoring and the number of points awarded are very different and men's football players aren't all 6 feet 3 or taller. I can only conclude that if a game is relatively 'high scoring' and end to end and why people use this term.
Five aside or seven aside is apt as scores there are open as is junior level football. Fascinating really how people see things. Anyway I depart these internet shores as away from midday and will hope to be in line for next Sunday when we beat Man City if my theory is proved correct. Best wishes and no offences as get its an example that I don't comprehend due to my level of understanding of both sports.
Yours intriguingly Footy.
And up the villa!
It means end to end with both teams looking dangerous when they attack. For someone who sees things that aren’t there and posts like the Wizard of Oz talking to a load of simpletons you don’t half struggle with the simple stuff. Look up Dunning-Kruger effect.
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Was at the game (thank God for 3pm KOs now and again), have seen the highlights, have read this thread and have to say that (obviously apart from the loss), it was a decent game to watch with even the revered Lineker mentioning on MOTD that Villa played very well. How we managed to lose that is beyond me. Even with Kamara in a tight spot, he still had chance to clear instead of fannying about in the area, and, although not mentioned on here (?), watching live and then on the highlights, he was definitely clipped in the lead up to their 3rd. Ref played on because K took a while to go down but it was the result of the 'foul'. Some good performances, especially from Ollie and I felt for him as he failed to put away what looked like a sitter which would have made it 3-1. Bailey was OK first half but needs to re-learn how to beat a man. Even Coutinho, who many have given up on, injected invention and some positive accurate passing when he came on. Buendia had one of his better games and when many refs would have stopped the game for a head injury as he was clattered near the Holte, he played on and that led directly to their second goal. Overall I like the 'process' of our developing style even if the execution lets us down at times, but surely that will come. We've played a lot worse and won this season.
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Didn’t we need a winger according to Emery? Why not that Tete?
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Was this some kind of special occasion or day out for Leicester? they seemed to have far more, very pissed, very gobby wannabe hardmen in the coach park than I’ve ever noticed before?
They've been like that when they have come to Villa Park for a few seasons now. We gifted them a win yesterday, but I thought they were pretty poor on the whole and will be in trouble next season when Maddison and Barnes leave in the summer.
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Was this some kind of special occasion or day out for Leicester? they seemed to have far more, very pissed, very gobby wannabe hardmen in the coach park than I’ve ever noticed before?
They've been like that when they have come to Villa Park for a few seasons now. We gifted them a win yesterday, but I thought they were pretty poor on the whole and will be in trouble next season when Maddison and Barnes leave in the summer.
And that Tielmans
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Out of interest, what's this sitter that Watkins is supposed to have missed?
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
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The "we should have bought a proven Striker" comment every time Watkins misses a chance is already getting on my nerves. Who was this proven striker that always scores that was available at a decent price?
I thought Ollie Watkins had a decent game and the blame wasn't with him for us loosing the match. The chance where he got it caught up in his feet, I thought the keepers touch was enough to stop it becoming a tap in.
The other big talking point is obviously the playing out from the back. This is not going to change its Emery's way and rightly so, we just have to get better at it. In this match one of our best players this season Kamara was to blame for not playing out from the back correctly and if he isint good enough then I don't know who is. Yes he made a massive mistake but he is good enough to improve and he had an uncharacteristically bad day.
Just on Kamara did he not get tripped for Leicesters 3rd goal? He could have been stronger but I've seen it a few times and it does look like a foul.
We are going to loose matches and today was one of those games where we shot ourselves in the foot. Its disappointing because a win would have taken us up a few places but I cant say im fuming with the loss which was the often the case when Gerrard was in charge.
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
Was that when the cross came in at 100mph which he could not reach? That's the only one I can think of in the first half.
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
Was that when the cross came in at 100mph which he could not reach? That's the only one I can think of in the first half.
And the keeper gets fingers too it which affects the trajectory of the ball at speed.
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
Was that when the cross came in at 100mph which he could not reach? That's the only one I can think of in the first half.
No, he reached it fine.
I like Ollie, and rate him for everything he brings to the team. But it WAS a sitter. However, I’m not sure it would have made it 3-1. I thought it was 1-1 at the time, so the miss proved irrelevant to the rest of the game as we went ahead shortly afterwards. Or have I misremembered?
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
Was that when the cross came in at 100mph which he could not reach? That's the only one I can think of in the first half.
He was about 2 yards from the goal line with a completely open goal in front of him.He somehow got his feet tangled and the ball bobbled between his legs before trickling away from him. It was a fucking awful effort however you look at it.
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
Was that when the cross came in at 100mph which he could not reach? That's the only one I can think of in the first half.
No, he reached it fine.
I like Ollie, and rate him for everything he brings to the team. But it WAS a sitter. However, I’m not sure it would have made it 3-1. I thought it was 1-1 at the time, so the miss proved irrelevant to the rest of the game as we went ahead shortly afterwards. Or have I misremembered?
I can't remember that one, I'll need to watch the highlights back again.
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
Was that when the cross came in at 100mph which he could not reach? That's the only one I can think of in the first half.
He was about 2 yards from the goal line with a completely open goal in front of him.He somehow got his feet tangled and the ball bobbled between his legs before trickling away from him. It was a fucking awful effort however you look at it.
I'll say it again, did you not see the keeper get a touch to it which at the speed the ball came in cause Watkins to have to adjust?
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
Was that when the cross came in at 100mph which he could not reach? That's the only one I can think of in the first half.
He was about 2 yards from the goal line with a completely open goal in front of him.He somehow got his feet tangled and the ball bobbled between his legs before trickling away from him. It was a fucking awful effort however you look at it.
I'll say it again, did you not see the keeper get a touch to it which at the speed the ball came in cause Watkins to have to adjust?
I saw the slightest of touches from the keepers gloves and I don't think it altered the trajectory of the ball.
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With regards to kicking towards the Holte in the second half, you can hear the groans from the crowd when we win the toss and elect to play towards the Holte in the first half. I played football for a very long time and we always kicked towards our favourite end in the second half if we won the toss. Also, every team has a favourite end to kick towards in the second half and, I don’t see them throwing away that advantage when they win the toss. I’ve also watched Villa for many years so, maybe I’m a traditionalist and always like us attacking the Holte in the second half. It’s the same as that shit music the players come out too, it’s excruciating.
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
Was that when the cross came in at 100mph which he could not reach? That's the only one I can think of in the first half.
No, he reached it fine.
I like Ollie, and rate him for everything he brings to the team. But it WAS a sitter. However, I’m not sure it would have made it 3-1. I thought it was 1-1 at the time, so the miss proved irrelevant to the rest of the game as we went ahead shortly afterwards. Or have I misremembered?
I can't remember that one, I'll need to watch the highlights back again.
Just watched again on iplayer. It was 1-1 so there’s no knowing what would have happened in the rest of the game had he scored.
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
Was that when the cross came in at 100mph which he could not reach? That's the only one I can think of in the first half.
He was about 2 yards from the goal line with a completely open goal in front of him.He somehow got his feet tangled and the ball bobbled between his legs before trickling away from him. It was a fucking awful effort however you look at it.
I'll say it again, did you not see the keeper get a touch to it which at the speed the ball came in cause Watkins to have to adjust?
I saw the slightest of touches from the keepers gloves and I don't think it altered the trajectory of the ball.
He had plenty of time to adjust.
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Watkins had a great game, he did miss a simple goal scoring opportunity but so do the best.
A very strange game, the play wasn't bad but we are lacking quality in a number of areas. Letting in 4 goals at home to Leicester City isn't acceptable and now we have the league Champions and league leaders up next. This was a fantastic opportunity to get into the top 10 and we threw it away.
I'm sorry but if the board/owners aren't going to invest properly in the team then it's pointless them talking up Europe and building new stands.
I'm bloody sick of it.
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
Was that when the cross came in at 100mph which he could not reach? That's the only one I can think of in the first half.
Maybe a better striker scores it. That said it came at him very hard and he couldn’t adjust his body and feet fast enough. It wasn’t a sitter that rolled over to him and made a use cock up of it in front of goal. It’s because it was in front of any empty net that it looks a lot worse.
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First half when he was right in front of the goal.
Was that when the cross came in at 100mph which he could not reach? That's the only one I can think of in the first half.
He was about 2 yards from the goal line with a completely open goal in front of him.He somehow got his feet tangled and the ball bobbled between his legs before trickling away from him. It was a fucking awful effort however you look at it.
I'll say it again, did you not see the keeper get a touch to it which at the speed the ball came in cause Watkins to have to adjust?
I saw the slightest of touches from the keepers gloves and I don't think it altered the trajectory of the ball.
He had plenty of time to adjust.
Easy for us to say from the angle we see it and knowing that it happened, I don't think he did.
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Watkins had a great game, he did miss a simple goal scoring opportunity but so do the best.
A very strange game, the play wasn't bad but we are lacking quality in a number of areas. Letting in 4 goals at home to Leicester City isn't acceptable and now we have the league Champions and league leaders up next. This was a fantastic opportunity to get into the top 10 and we threw it away.
I'm sorry but if the board/owners aren't going to invest properly in the team then it's pointless them talking up Europe and building new stands.
I'm bloody sick of it.
On the bright side, it was a sell-out mate so you must have been happy about that.
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My view was that the one Watkins misses is easier to score than the one he did. I will add that he at least got in the right place which was something he wasn’t a few weeks ago. It happens. He had an all around good game but “centre forwards” are judged by their performances in front of goal. .
He’s a one in 4 or 5 chance striker not the one in 2 or 3 that distinguishes top quality number 9’s.
I suspect if Emery gets who he wants in the summer it’s Bailey rather than Watkins who will make way. Watkins is far more consistent, seemingly works harder and when he played there under Smith/Emery he helped his full back out more than Bailey seems to. 10 goals with 6 or 7 assists a season from a wider starting position is better than Bailey will give us.
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I suppose we were due a league defeat. It's a pity as results went our way yesterday. We would have been 9th and people would have taken notice of us at last.
It's strange that with all the piss poor defending it's our goalscorer who's getting the pelters.
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It’s time for a kill..get Duran Duran playing instead of Bailey
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It’s time for a kill..get Duran Duran playing instead of Bailey
Thought Bailey was very poor yesterday l
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Watkins had a great game, he did miss a simple goal scoring opportunity but so do the best.
A very strange game, the play wasn't bad but we are lacking quality in a number of areas. Letting in 4 goals at home to Leicester City isn't acceptable and now we have the league Champions and league leaders up next. This was a fantastic opportunity to get into the top 10 and we threw it away.
I'm sorry but if the board/owners aren't going to invest properly in the team then it's pointless them talking up Europe and building new stands.
I'm bloody sick of it.
On the bright side, it was a sell-out mate so you must have been happy about that.
Yes mate
It seemed like it was s semi-final or a close rivalry to the Leicester fans. Bizzare
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Watkins had a great game, he did miss a simple goal scoring opportunity but so do the best.
A very strange game, the play wasn't bad but we are lacking quality in a number of areas. Letting in 4 goals at home to Leicester City isn't acceptable and now we have the league Champions and league leaders up next. This was a fantastic opportunity to get into the top 10 and we threw it away.
I'm sorry but if the board/owners aren't going to invest properly in the team then it's pointless them talking up Europe and building new stands.
I'm bloody sick of it.
Can't argue with a lot of that, and I'm pretty sick of it too. Chucking away cup runs, seeing the top 6 tantalisingly within reach and doing nothing to take a step forward.
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Disappointed with yesterday hopefully we learn from it.
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With regards to kicking towards the Holte in the second half, you can hear the groans from the crowd when we win the toss and elect to play towards the Holte in the first half. I played football for a very long time and we always kicked towards our favourite end in the second half if we won the toss. Also, every team has a favourite end to kick towards in the second half and, I don’t see them throwing away that advantage when they win the toss. I’ve also watched Villa for many years so, maybe I’m a traditionalist and always like us attacking the Holte in the second half. It’s the same as that shit music the players come out too, it’s excruciating.
On average in the top league we win about 7-8 home games a season. Certainly been the case since even the MON years.
Since the kicking ends strategy has been adopted we've won three out of five games.
If kicking towards the Holte second half is constantly leading us to great league finishes I'd agree but it's not, we simply don't win enough home games over a season to justify it.
Looking at the games we have kicked towards the Holte in second this season we've only scored 3 goals in six games so this time I'd say the stats exceed tradition here.
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I can just imagine the Liverpool Kop clapping that their team has won the toss and deciding to kick towards the Kop in the first half.😂
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Only Bruce had us winning regularly at Villa Park. Deano not bad overall. Under MON we were more of a counter attacking team so when at home we generally had little idea when required to take the game to the opposition. It's early days, granted but it's a little concerning that Emery is also struggling to get us fully functioning at Villa Park.
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Watkins had a great game, he did miss a simple goal scoring opportunity but so do the best.
A very strange game, the play wasn't bad but we are lacking quality in a number of areas. Letting in 4 goals at home to Leicester City isn't acceptable and now we have the league Champions and league leaders up next. This was a fantastic opportunity to get into the top 10 and we threw it away.
I'm sorry but if the board/owners aren't going to invest properly in the team then it's pointless them talking up Europe and building new stands.
I'm bloody sick of it.
Can't argue with a lot of that, and I'm pretty sick of it too. Chucking away cup runs, seeing the top 6 tantalisingly within reach and doing nothing to take a step forward.
I feel exactly the same each time the league positions come up on TV.
Grrrr.
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I’m one of Watkins biggest critics on here but he did ok against Leicester even his open goal miss was slightly deflected by their goalie and ended up arriving behind him
He’s never going to turn into Paolo Rossi but he scored one and made one yesterday and wasn’t the one who cost us the game he was the one who could’ve have won it for us. We will need better but no blame from me yesterday
Konsa and Mings are reasonable defenders but piss poor footballers especially Konsa who doesn’t really belong in the premier league
they were at fault yesterday a few times but nothing any different to any other game, they both need replacing for players more comfortable on the ball hopefully one will be Costa but we wait and see
so the above players are normally my go to scapegoats but not this time
The culprits yesterday are the two best players we have at the club
Martinez and Kamara I love them both but they cost us the match yesterday it’s as simple as that
on a positive we played some good stuff yesterday and like others thought we were better than some of the games we have won under Emery
still don’t like the defensive conservative football when we go ahead though we’re just not good enough yet to play that way even though we’ve done it a couple of times with Emery
we’re better in the oppositions half than in our own half
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Is it just me or is it a case of being Villa fans we are always waiting for tomorrow. Results , transfers come what may it always seems a case of tomorrow will bring a brighter dawn
.Where is the brighter dawn ?. Great manager now that's given but as a club are we ever going to trouble the top 4 ?
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Yeah this is my ongoing concern - yesterday on top of such a conservative window really makes me feel well never get beyond the if only. Newcastle have achieved our aims in 12 months and 3 years on we’re still no further forward
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Beard, exactly my thoughts too. Mind you, we should be used to it by now that the next window is going to be the special one and, any new players we sign will either get injured in their first couple of games or will take months to bed in.
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Yeah this is my ongoing concern - yesterday on top of such a conservative window really makes me feel well never get beyond the if only. Newcastle have achieved our aims in 12 months and 3 years on we’re still no further forward
Yep. Look at us and look at Newcastle. Makes me weep.
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I know it’s mainly because I’ve got a shit day at work tomorrow - but i do get fucked off of this nearly man bollocks.
See spurs - who have won fuck all for 30 odd years like us - but somehow they can keep one of the best strikers in the world who has just scored his 200th PL goal for them
But we have to put up with all our best players fucking off at their earliest opportunity. We now have one of the best managers in the world - but he has to spend is first transfer window flogging off all the mistake from the previous few transfer windows.
Literally villa are the definition of being on the loo when opportunity comes knocking
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
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Same under Lerner. We spent years signing the likes of Zat Knight and Marlon Harewood and then Man City's new owners came along and the landscape changed. We move too slow and always put off something we could do today until tomorrow on the premise of ''who's better that will realistically come'' and the like. Until we make things happen instead of making excuses for why they can't we aren't going to progress in to the dizzy heights of .... the top half of the table. We wait so long the players get pissed off and move on and we then spend our time replacing (badly) our better players instead of improving the team.
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I know it’s mainly because I’ve got a shit day at work tomorrow - but i do get fucked off of this nearly man bollocks.
See spurs - who have won fuck all for 30 odd years like us - but somehow they can keep one of the best strikers in the world who has just scored his 200th PL goal for them
But we have to put up with all our best players fucking off at their earliest opportunity. We now have one of the best managers in the world - but he has to spend is first transfer window flogging off all the mistake from the previous few transfer windows.
Literally villa are the definition of being on the loo when opportunity comes knocking
We’ve had Emery, a really top drawer manager for 8 league games, of which he has a W5 D1 L2 record. Maybe we should just get over yesterday, see it for what it was, a bad defensive day at the office and have some patience. Theres no point referencing Newcastle as a comparator, they made a good managerial appointment in Howe, we made what turned out to be an appalling one in Gerard. Whether it feels like we’ve been here before or not, Emery simply needs time and our patience.
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
100% - all this you’ve got to trust the process bollocks. I get we have got to give Unai time and happy with that. But it’s all these people pretending to sagely rub their chins and say it’s all part of the process. Most said exactly the same with Gerrard while the rest of us could see straight through the whole empires new clothes routine
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Yeah this is my ongoing concern - yesterday on top of such a conservative window really makes me feel well never get beyond the if only. Newcastle have achieved our aims in 12 months and 3 years on we’re still no further forward
Yep. Look at us and look at Newcastle. Makes me weep.
Errr!? Newcastle have not done anything yet. They are in a cup final same as us a couple of seasons ago, so what?
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
100% - all this you’ve got to trust the process bollocks. I get we have got to give Unai time and happy with that. But it’s all these people pretending to sagely rub their chins and say it’s all part of the process. Most said exactly the same with Gerrard while the rest of us could see straight through the whole empires new clothes routine
So what do you want to happen now?
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
Yep, "trust the process" is the mantra of the new better-fan-than-you, as if weakening your team is some sort of super new tactic that nobody else has thought of before.
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
100% - all this you’ve got to trust the process bollocks. I get we have got to give Unai time and happy with that. But it’s all these people pretending to sagely rub their chins and say it’s all part of the process. Most said exactly the same with Gerrard while the rest of us could see straight through the whole empires new clothes routine
Lose the next two and Emery will have a similar record to Gerrard after 10 or so games. Nothing has changed just yet. We will improve if the manager is given better resources.
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
Yep, "trust the process" is the mantra of the new better-fan-than-you, as if weakening your team is some sort of super new tactic that nobody else has thought of before.
We sold Danny Ings, he who blows out of his arse after 60 mins, he’s now crocked, its hardly dismantling spine of the team stuff??
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I know it’s mainly because I’ve got a shit day at work tomorrow - but i do get fucked off of this nearly man bollocks.
See spurs - who have won fuck all for 30 odd years like us - but somehow they can keep one of the best strikers in the world who has just scored his 200th PL goal for them
But we have to put up with all our best players fucking off at their earliest opportunity. We now have one of the best managers in the world - but he has to spend is first transfer window flogging off all the mistake from the previous few transfer windows.
Literally villa are the definition of being on the loo when opportunity comes knocking
We’ve had Emery, a really top drawer manager for 8 league games, of which he has a W5 D1 L2 record. Maybe we should just get over yesterday, see it for what it was, a bad defensive day at the office and have some patience. Theres no point referencing Newcastle as a comparator, they made a good managerial appointment in Howe, we made what turned out to be an appalling one in Gerard. Whether it feels like we’ve been here before or not, Emery simply needs time and our patience.
You’re probably right - Unai is clearly a top manager - and yesterday was a case of us beating ourselves. I’m not blaming anyone specifically - it’s just I am fed up with opportunities slipping. Whether that is wasting our time with Gerrard, or signing Coutinho only for him to turn into peak Curcic, or selling our top goal scorer when where 3 points of 6th - I don’t dobut Unai - but i worry we’ll over think it and keep on building for the long term whilst never actually making progress
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
100% - all this you’ve got to trust the process bollocks. I get we have got to give Unai time and happy with that. But it’s all these people pretending to sagely rub their chins and say it’s all part of the process. Most said exactly the same with Gerrard while the rest of us could see straight through the whole empires new clothes routine
Lose the next two and Emery will have a similar record to Gerrard after 10 or so games. Nothing has changed just yet. We will improve if the manager is given better resources.
Yeah but even then we'd still have a manager regarded as one of the best in the world, rather than one with loads of media mates and a pointless - and even then slightly meh - back story in a shit league nobody cares about.
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
100% - all this you’ve got to trust the process bollocks. I get we have got to give Unai time and happy with that. But it’s all these people pretending to sagely rub their chins and say it’s all part of the process. Most said exactly the same with Gerrard while the rest of us could see straight through the whole empires new clothes routine
So what do you want to happen now?
I want us to finish the season as strongly - top half ideally - not sell Emi and fully back Unai with whatever he is trying to do.
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
Yep, "trust the process" is the mantra of the new better-fan-than-you, as if weakening your team is some sort of super new tactic that nobody else has thought of before.
We sold Danny Ings, he who blows out of his arse after 60 mins, he’s now crocked, its hardly dismantling spine of the team stuff??
Danny Ings our top scorer? Who came off the bench and won us 3 points against Brighton and 1 against Wolves? Danny Ings who played against Newcastle yesterday and who therefore very much isn't crocked?
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
100% - all this you’ve got to trust the process bollocks. I get we have got to give Unai time and happy with that. But it’s all these people pretending to sagely rub their chins and say it’s all part of the process. Most said exactly the same with Gerrard while the rest of us could see straight through the whole empires new clothes routine
Lose the next two and Emery will have a similar record to Gerrard after 10 or so games. Nothing has changed just yet. We will improve if the manager is given better resources.
Yeah but even then we'd still have a manager regarded as one of the best in the world, rather than one with loads of media mates and a pointless - and even then slightly meh - back story in a shit league nobody cares about.
Yes we will - but I think the point is we were told the same thing when SG was the a manger by the same people. I don’t think anyone is suggesting that Unai isn’t good - just the fact that if anyone questions anything the response is trust the process. Which is what the same people safe under SG
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
Yep, "trust the process" is the mantra of the new better-fan-than-you, as if weakening your team is some sort of super new tactic that nobody else has thought of before.
We sold Danny Ings, he who blows out of his arse after 60 mins, he’s now crocked, its hardly dismantling spine of the team stuff??
Danny Ings our top scorer? Who came off the bench and won us 3 points against Brighton and 1 against Wolves? Danny Ings who played against Newcastle yesterday and who therefore very much isn't crocked?
Right, my mistake i thought he was still injured. However, point still stands, losing Danny Ings really isn’t going to make or break the season. Watkins is one goal behind in league goals, Bailey despite his infuriating inconsistencies is two goals behind him, the top scorer rhetoric that has been mentioned a lot on here this week, alludes to loads of goals being taken out of the team, which just isn’t the case and whilst i didn’t mind Ings, he didn’t add enough else to the team.
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
Yep, "trust the process" is the mantra of the new better-fan-than-you, as if weakening your team is some sort of super new tactic that nobody else has thought of before.
We sold Danny Ings, he who blows out of his arse after 60 mins, he’s now crocked, its hardly dismantling spine of the team stuff??
I think there’s more to it than that. It’s not just about selling a player -who was and still is our top scorer this season-it’s about not replacing him and selling him before getting a replacement in which in itself automatically puts the price up on anyone we buy when they know we’ve just got money in. If someone wasn’t available, don’t sell him. It’s poor squad management which leaves a very good manager we appointed short of an option. And for what? A little bit extra on top of the amortized amount of Ings remaining contract. That’s no benefit at all. A higher league placing would automatically achieve that anyway and having a higher league placing is important in terms of attracting players for next season and keeping those that will help us kick on. This season is not dead for us to have a decent league finish but I’m struggling to see what the benefit is of what we did in January apart from saving what accounts to peanuts in premier league terms for 5 months.
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
100% - all this you’ve got to trust the process bollocks. I get we have got to give Unai time and happy with that. But it’s all these people pretending to sagely rub their chins and say it’s all part of the process. Most said exactly the same with Gerrard while the rest of us could see straight through the whole empires new clothes routine
Lose the next two and Emery will have a similar record to Gerrard after 10 or so games. Nothing has changed just yet. We will improve if the manager is given better resources.
Yeah but even then we'd still have a manager regarded as one of the best in the world, rather than one with loads of media mates and a pointless - and even then slightly meh - back story in a shit league nobody cares about.
Yes we will - but I think the point is we were told the same thing when SG was the a manger by the same people. I don’t think anyone is suggesting that Unai isn’t good - just the fact that if anyone questions anything the response is trust the process. Which is what the same people safe under SG
Any one of us is allowed to be pissed off, annoyed etc etc, im no apologist for those running the club, and was gutted yesterday. However, the records of Gerrard and Emery are incomparable whichever way you look at it, so whatever we did or didnt do in January, there is room for not blind faith, but optimism in my view.
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I know it’s mainly because I’ve got a shit day at work tomorrow - but i do get fucked off of this nearly man bollocks.
See spurs - who have won fuck all for 30 odd years like us - but somehow they can keep one of the best strikers in the world who has just scored his 200th PL goal for them
But we have to put up with all our best players fucking off at their earliest opportunity. We now have one of the best managers in the world - but he has to spend is first transfer window flogging off all the mistake from the previous few transfer windows.
Literally villa are the definition of being on the loo when opportunity comes knocking
We’ve had Emery, a really top drawer manager for 8 league games, of which he has a W5 D1 L2 record. Maybe we should just get over yesterday, see it for what it was, a bad defensive day at the office and have some patience. Theres no point referencing Newcastle as a comparator, they made a good managerial appointment in Howe, we made what turned out to be an appalling one in Gerard. Whether it feels like we’ve been here before or not, Emery simply needs time and our patience.
And there's the problem. Every few years we look like we're doing something, but we never get there. It's hard to have patience when you've been let down so many times.
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
Yep, "trust the process" is the mantra of the new better-fan-than-you, as if weakening your team is some sort of super new tactic that nobody else has thought of before.
We sold Danny Ings, he who blows out of his arse after 60 mins, he’s now crocked, its hardly dismantling spine of the team stuff??
Danny Ings our top scorer? Who came off the bench and won us 3 points against Brighton and 1 against Wolves? Danny Ings who played against Newcastle yesterday and who therefore very much isn't crocked?
What about the Danny Ings that hardly touched the ball against a League 2 side? The Danny Ings that didn't do anything against Leeds to name just one game where hes been anonymous. The Danny Ings that said he didn't want to play for us anymore?
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If we didn’t replace Danny Ings who was that bloke who came on for Bailey yesterday? Yes, he’s going to take time to get up to speed but if you sell one striker and sign another it’s pretty difficult to argue that he isn’t a replacement.
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I know it’s mainly because I’ve got a shit day at work tomorrow - but i do get fucked off of this nearly man bollocks.
See spurs - who have won fuck all for 30 odd years like us - but somehow they can keep one of the best strikers in the world who has just scored his 200th PL goal for them
But we have to put up with all our best players fucking off at their earliest opportunity. We now have one of the best managers in the world - but he has to spend is first transfer window flogging off all the mistake from the previous few transfer windows.
Literally villa are the definition of being on the loo when opportunity comes knocking
We’ve had Emery, a really top drawer manager for 8 league games, of which he has a W5 D1 L2 record. Maybe we should just get over yesterday, see it for what it was, a bad defensive day at the office and have some patience. Theres no point referencing Newcastle as a comparator, they made a good managerial appointment in Howe, we made what turned out to be an appalling one in Gerard. Whether it feels like we’ve been here before or not, Emery simply needs time and our patience.
And there's the problem. Every few years we look like we're doing something, but we never get there. It's hard to have patience when you've been let down so many times.
Yes and I’m not at all convinced the club hierarchy are prepared to take the financial steps necessary to move us beyond being a mid table side. Maybe come august 31st we’ll have seen otherwise but I don’t think we will. From the outside, it looks as though our plan is to give Emery the keys to kingdom and let him shape the club in his image with some financial support, supplemented by all of what we make from selling our best players.
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
Yep, "trust the process" is the mantra of the new better-fan-than-you, as if weakening your team is some sort of super new tactic that nobody else has thought of before.
We sold Danny Ings, he who blows out of his arse after 60 mins, he’s now crocked, its hardly dismantling spine of the team stuff??
Ings seems to have swapped his last 10-15 mins role for another team in claret and blue.
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If we didn’t replace Danny Ings who was that bloke who came on for Bailey yesterday? Yes, he’s going to take time to get up to speed but if you sell one striker and sign another it’s pretty difficult to argue that he isn’t a replacement.
Do you think he’s been signed to be the automatic replacement for Ings? Or is it a role he’s having to fill?
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I know it’s mainly because I’ve got a shit day at work tomorrow - but i do get fucked off of this nearly man bollocks.
See spurs - who have won fuck all for 30 odd years like us - but somehow they can keep one of the best strikers in the world who has just scored his 200th PL goal for them
But we have to put up with all our best players fucking off at their earliest opportunity. We now have one of the best managers in the world - but he has to spend is first transfer window flogging off all the mistake from the previous few transfer windows.
Literally villa are the definition of being on the loo when opportunity comes knocking
We’ve had Emery, a really top drawer manager for 8 league games, of which he has a W5 D1 L2 record. Maybe we should just get over yesterday, see it for what it was, a bad defensive day at the office and have some patience. Theres no point referencing Newcastle as a comparator, they made a good managerial appointment in Howe, we made what turned out to be an appalling one in Gerard. Whether it feels like we’ve been here before or not, Emery simply needs time and our patience.
And there's the problem. Every few years we look like we're doing something, but we never get there. It's hard to have patience when you've been let down so many times.
I see that Dave, I’ve spent 40 of my 48 years on this earth going down to Villa Park. But Emery has had 8 league games, of which of our record, even including yesterday is some of the top form in the division. Im just struggling a bit with the angst at the moment, i can feel this building to a crescendo with man city and Arsenal coming up.
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Yeah - unai deserves all the good faith in the world - but at the same time I’m 40 and so far blind faith hasn’t worked out great for me!
That’s not saying I don’t have faith in Unai - I think there is a good chance he’s the most respected manager most of us will ever see manage the Villa - but the PL is so ridiculous that it takes more than just one good element. You need a good manager a good squad and to be backed. And I’m just concerned the other two will never happen because we’re too busy trying to find a short cut
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I know it’s mainly because I’ve got a shit day at work tomorrow - but i do get fucked off of this nearly man bollocks.
See spurs - who have won fuck all for 30 odd years like us - but somehow they can keep one of the best strikers in the world who has just scored his 200th PL goal for them
But we have to put up with all our best players fucking off at their earliest opportunity. We now have one of the best managers in the world - but he has to spend is first transfer window flogging off all the mistake from the previous few transfer windows.
Literally villa are the definition of being on the loo when opportunity comes knocking
We’ve had Emery, a really top drawer manager for 8 league games, of which he has a W5 D1 L2 record. Maybe we should just get over yesterday, see it for what it was, a bad defensive day at the office and have some patience. Theres no point referencing Newcastle as a comparator, they made a good managerial appointment in Howe, we made what turned out to be an appalling one in Gerard. Whether it feels like we’ve been here before or not, Emery simply needs time and our patience.
And there's the problem. Every few years we look like we're doing something, but we never get there. It's hard to have patience when you've been let down so many times.
I see that Dave, I’ve spent 40 of my 48 years on this earth going down to Villa Park. But Emery has had 8 league games, of which of our record, even including yesterday is some of the top form in the division. Im just struggling a bit with the angst at the moment, i can feel this building to a crescendo with man city and Arsenal coming up.
I don’t think any of this about is Unai
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
100% - all this you’ve got to trust the process bollocks. I get we have got to give Unai time and happy with that. But it’s all these people pretending to sagely rub their chins and say it’s all part of the process. Most said exactly the same with Gerrard while the rest of us could see straight through the whole empires new clothes routine
I feel this a lot - spend 5 minutes on browsing Twitter and I'm an idiot for not thinking some of our players are world class, a moron for thinking the other half can ever be Premier League players and just generally getting being a fan wrong.
But, having said that, I am someone that is rubbing my chin and saying that this is all part of the process... I am really excited to have Emery as our manager, and I really believe that there is a plan here that could make us a proper team again. A modern team, that plays lovely football as well as grinding out results when they need to. I think we've seen glimpses of that - one positive thing about Twitter is the mini-compilations you get after a game. Some of our passing recently has been a joy to watch, and I am certain that will continue to get better.
And I wasn't saying this under Gerrard. From early 2022, I was certain that he wouldn't make it to Christmas, I'm actually surprised he lasted as long as he did. I couldn't work out what he was trying to do, I couldn't see what he was aiming for.
The thing is, though, I don't think it's reasonable to expect any Villa fan to buy into this at the moment. We have had so many, not so much false dawns, but more like those winters you get in some north Norwegian towns where the sun doesn't come up at all. Of course we're going to be cynical. Of course we're going to be nervous. Add in the fact that we're now playing a much riskier tactic and you can see why we're, as a whole, a bit jumpy. It will take the fans longer than it will take the players to adapt to this new style.
The main reasons I am fully behind it is not because I'm a football expert or know any better than people who are a bit more wary, but I think partly because I was so convinced that Gerrard was a complete waste of space and so our players are nowhere near as bad as he had them playing, partly because I like watching us pass and take risks, but also, a bit more troublingly, because I am terrified about what happens if this goes wrong. We have billionaire owners and one of the best managers around - if it doesn't work this time, maybe I really am part of the problem. That's why I am being positive, and that's why I am hoarse today from desperately trying to not let chants fizzle in the upper Holte yesterday. Failure isn't an option this time. It just isn't. That's why I feel I have to be a True Believer, and why I really think the Emperor's new shiny coat looks fantastic.
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What's also pissing me off, and I know this is a Twitter thing, is that some of our supporters believe it's all going to happen automatically and anyone who isn't a True Believer is one of the reasons why we've got the worst fanbase in the world.
100% - all this you’ve got to trust the process bollocks. I get we have got to give Unai time and happy with that. But it’s all these people pretending to sagely rub their chins and say it’s all part of the process. Most said exactly the same with Gerrard while the rest of us could see straight through the whole empires new clothes routine
I feel this a lot - spend 5 minutes on browsing Twitter and I'm an idiot for not thinking some of our players are world class, a moron for thinking the other half can ever be Premier League players and just generally getting being a fan wrong.
But, having said that, I am someone that is rubbing my chin and saying that this is all part of the process... I am really excited to have Emery as our manager, and I really believe that there is a plan here that could make us a proper team again. A modern team, that plays lovely football as well as grinding out results when they need to. I think we've seen glimpses of that - one positive thing about Twitter is the mini-compilations you get after a game. Some of our passing recently has been a joy to watch, and I am certain that will continue to get better.
And I wasn't saying this under Gerrard. From early 2022, I was certain that he wouldn't make it to Christmas, I'm actually surprised he lasted as long as he did. I couldn't work out what he was trying to do, I couldn't see what he was aiming for.
The thing is, though, I don't think it's reasonable to expect any Villa fan to buy into this at the moment. We have had so many, not so much false dawns, but more like those winters you get in some north Norwegian towns where the sun doesn't come up at all. Of course we're going to be cynical. Of course we're going to be nervous. Add in the fact that we're now playing a much riskier tactic and you can see why we're, as a whole, a bit jumpy. It will take the fans longer than it will take the players to adapt to this new style.
The main reasons I am fully behind it is not because I'm a football expert or know any better than people who are a bit more wary, but I think partly because I was so convinced that Gerrard was a complete waste of space and so our players are nowhere near as bad as he had them playing, partly because I like watching us pass and take risks, but also, a bit more troublingly, because I am terrified about what happens if this goes wrong. We have billionaire owners and one of the best managers around - if it doesn't work this time, maybe I really am part of the problem. That's why I am being positive, and that's why I am hoarse today from desperately trying to not let chants fizzle in the upper Holte yesterday. Failure isn't an option this time. It just isn't. That's why I feel I have to be a True Believer, and why I really think the Emperor's new shiny coat looks fantastic.
Boozey - you have to be one of my favourite posters
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I know it’s mainly because I’ve got a shit day at work tomorrow - but i do get fucked off of this nearly man bollocks.
See spurs - who have won fuck all for 30 odd years like us - but somehow they can keep one of the best strikers in the world who has just scored his 200th PL goal for them
But we have to put up with all our best players fucking off at their earliest opportunity. We now have one of the best managers in the world - but he has to spend is first transfer window flogging off all the mistake from the previous few transfer windows.
Literally villa are the definition of being on the loo when opportunity comes knocking
We’ve had Emery, a really top drawer manager for 8 league games, of which he has a W5 D1 L2 record. Maybe we should just get over yesterday, see it for what it was, a bad defensive day at the office and have some patience. Theres no point referencing Newcastle as a comparator, they made a good managerial appointment in Howe, we made what turned out to be an appalling one in Gerard. Whether it feels like we’ve been here before or not, Emery simply needs time and our patience.
And there's the problem. Every few years we look like we're doing something, but we never get there. It's hard to have patience when you've been let down so many times.
I see that Dave, I’ve spent 40 of my 48 years on this earth going down to Villa Park. But Emery has had 8 league games, of which of our record, even including yesterday is some of the top form in the division. Im just struggling a bit with the angst at the moment, i can feel this building to a crescendo with man city and Arsenal coming up.
I don’t think any of this about is Unai
I didnt say it was, my point i suppose is he and his record as a manager are the reasons i am optimistic.
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I get what people are saying. Since promotion we do seem to be in a permanent state of consolidating in the Premier league.
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Great post again Boozey.
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I am still of the belief that the appointment of Emery is a statement of intent.
That he has been given assurances that he will be backed financially.
I am expecting a big summer and that we will have a team ready to complete for a European place.
My concern is that the Club does not have the situation regardless of finance to attract the sort of players we need to achieve this.
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If we didn’t replace Danny Ings who was that bloke who came on for Bailey yesterday? Yes, he’s going to take time to get up to speed but if you sell one striker and sign another it’s pretty difficult to argue that he isn’t a replacement.
It's not when your manager has specifically said "he's not a replacement for Danny Ings."
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As the man said, failure isn't an option this time because if this owner/manager combination doesn't work, what else is there?
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As the man said, failure isn't an option this time because if this owner/manager combination doesn't work, what else is there?
Years and years of mid-table obscurity, probably. Which is obviously a big improvement on the position when they took over, but once the memory of that starts to dim somewhat, it's not going to fill a 50,000 seat stadium.
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If we didn’t replace Danny Ings who was that bloke who came on for Bailey yesterday? Yes, he’s going to take time to get up to speed but if you sell one striker and sign another it’s pretty difficult to argue that he isn’t a replacement.
It's not when your manager has specifically said "he's not a replacement for Danny Ings."
I took that as a manager not wanting to put pressure on a young player. The fact that at the first opportunity he used him from the bench in the same way he’d previously done with Ings was more telling in my opinion.
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As the man said, failure isn't an option this time because if this owner/manager combination doesn't work, what else is there?
That's a concern for me.
This feels a bit like Everton/Ancelotti to me. I think he'll be in it for the long haul here but who knows what would happen if one of the Madrid clubs seriously want him as manager.
That said if he establishes us in europe for 2-3 years you'd like to think we'd have enough about us to tempt another on his level rather than just an uproven project manager. Perhaps Pochettino or Tuchel would actually return our calls this time.
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As the man said, failure isn't an option this time because if this owner/manager combination doesn't work, what else is there?
That's a concern for me.
This feels a bit like Everton/Ancelotti to me. I think he'll be in it for the long haul here but who knows what would happen if one of the Madrid clubs seriously want him as manager.
That said if he establishes us in europe for 2-3 years you'd like to think we'd have enough about us to tempt another on his level rather than just an uproven project manager. Perhaps Pochettino or Tuchel would actually return our calls this time.
Well hopefully a long time before we have to consider that, but I can't see either of them coming to not be given any money to spend. Tuchel has been at Chelsea, and lack of backing was one of the reasons Poch and Spurs parted ways.
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I just watched the first leg of Deportivo v Villa to cheer myself up. Halcyon days.
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Well said Boozey my sentiments exactly.
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As the man said, failure isn't an option this time because if this owner/manager combination doesn't work, what else is there?
As fans we want Emery to cook a fine meal in the time it takes to cook a Pot Noodle. It’s not going to work that way. He needs the time and resources to do this properly. I don’t blame our impatience given what we’ve endured. And especially when at times it feels a lot closer than it is. But we also have to give a highly experienced and successful manager time with his staff, and support of the owners to shape the organization in every aspect. The thought of any other combination of manager/owner doesn’t bare thinking about because I can’t think what realistically could be better.
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Mings, Konza, Luiz are just not good enough if we are going to challenge for european football next season, hopefully next we will have far better in those positions and they will be on the subs bench.
We need far more quality through the middle of the team
Supposedly Mings was signing for Wolves for £30 million until the Carlos injury scuppered those plans, Mr. Gerrard very nearly got him out of the club.
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Mings, Konza, Luiz are just not good enough if we are going to challenge for european football next season, hopefully next we will have far better in those positions and they will be on the subs bench.
We need far more quality through the middle of the team
Supposedly Mings was signing for Wolves for £30 million until the Carlos injury scuppered those plans, Mr. Gerrard very nearly got him out of the club.
Luiz has generally been very good since Emery took over and played very well on Saturday.
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Since the club trod water under Ellis, it's had so many owners in such a short amount of time - each with their own people, ideas, connections, failings. Its no wonder we haven't been able to kick on. My hope is that the current ownership are able to stay and remain competitive, even if it doesn't work first time.
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As the man said, failure isn't an option this time because if this owner/manager combination doesn't work, what else is there?
That's a concern for me.
This feels a bit like Everton/Ancelotti to me. I think he'll be in it for the long haul here but who knows what would happen if one of the Madrid clubs seriously want him as manager.
That said if he establishes us in europe for 2-3 years you'd like to think we'd have enough about us to tempt another on his level rather than just an uproven project manager. Perhaps Pochettino or Tuchel would actually return our calls this time.
Isn't he from the Basque region? If so I expect the chances of either Madrid tempting him would be zero. Barca, maybe. I suspect they will want higher profile than Emery or "one of their own" currently. So, if he gets the call from there in 3 or 4 years time we will have been on one helluva ride.
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As the man said, failure isn't an option this time because if this owner/manager combination doesn't work, what else is there?
Years and years of mid-table obscurity, probably. Which is obviously a big improvement on the position when they took over, but once the memory of that starts to dim somewhat, it's not going to fill a 50,000 seat stadium.
I was discussing this some years ago on a long flight with a sports journalist who said that every PL club other than the elite ones at some point ends up in a relegation fight and faces the possibility to get relegated.
So unless we embed ourselves at that end of the table , which requires smart and constant investment at some point we will be down there fighting it out again.
This pattern gets repeated, Wolves had their time in the sun and have been down there and maybe now recovering again, there is no way Brentford will sustain where they are above a couple of seasons etc etc. Brighton are the new Southampton.
So have our owners made that decision to make us an elite club? Newcastle obviously have.
The investment in the new stand and manager indicates they have, the investment on the pitch is a little less confirmative.
This is a long way of saying its very difficult to tread water for long, we are either on the way up or down unless we decide to join those that expect to compete every season.
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As the man said, failure isn't an option this time because if this owner/manager combination doesn't work, what else is there?
We go again?
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Looking at a tactics thread on Twitter, there is a fine example of Brighton's centre halves playing a quicker ball (they play slow as a default to draw the opposition on). Dunk knocks a first time pass some 40 yards on the deck into midfield and they spin and break beyond. That's why you play out from the back and I think that's why Carlos, when fit, will be instrumental to improving that ability to build.
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Mings, Konza, Luiz are just not good enough if we are going to challenge for european football next season, hopefully next we will have far better in those positions and they will be on the subs bench.
We need far more quality through the middle of the team
Supposedly Mings was signing for Wolves for £30 million until the Carlos injury scuppered those plans, Mr. Gerrard very nearly got him out of the club.
Luiz does need to get a bit spikier in the challenge, a half stone of extra muscle wouldn't go astray over the summer, but he is a fine footballer. Thought he was the best midfielder by a country mile on display last Saturday. He's developing into a fine playmaker and excellent at set pieces too.
I've kind of given up on Konsa to be honest. Real pity because he looked top class maybe 18 months ago. But those days look long gone. Will be interesting to see which of them Carlos displaces considering Mings contract situation but I'd say it could be Konsa initially.
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Konsa doesn't seem to engage quick enough and his distribution is poor. He's fine for mid-table, but the higher you het, the smaller the margins become and the more important minor details are. The difference between top and bottom is 1 maybe 2%, tops, but it might as well be a chasm.
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I've only just realised their excellent left back is 20 and they signed him from Lange's old club, whilst were paying Digne god knows what. FFS.
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I've only just realised their excellent left back is 20 and they signed him from Lange's old club, whilst were paying Digne god knows what. FFS.
Yes he did look a real find, he was excellent with and without the ball.
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As the man said, failure isn't an option this time because if this owner/manager combination doesn't work, what else is there?
Years and years of mid-table obscurity, probably. Which is obviously a big improvement on the position when they took over, but once the memory of that starts to dim somewhat, it's not going to fill a 50,000 seat stadium.
I was discussing this some years ago on a long flight with a sports journalist who said that every PL club other than the elite ones at some point ends up in a relegation fight and faces the possibility to get relegated.
So unless we embed ourselves at that end of the table , which requires smart and constant investment at some point we will be down there fighting it out again.
This pattern gets repeated, Wolves had their time in the sun and have been down there and maybe now recovering again, there is no way Brentford will sustain where they are above a couple of seasons etc etc. Brighton are the new Southampton.
So have our owners made that decision to make us an elite club? Newcastle obviously have.
The investment in the new stand and manager indicates they have, the investment on the pitch is a little less confirmative.
This is a long way of saying it’s very difficult to tread water for long,we are either on the way up or down unless we decide to join those that expect to compete every season.
Yeah - I think that's we're some of the nervousness comes from. Since JG left the level of net investment doesn't seem to be great - and if reports are to be believed, we have been reluctant to pay what it tales to get JWP, Bissoma and this guy in the last window.
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Mings, Konza, Luiz are just not good enough if we are going to challenge for european football next season, hopefully next we will have far better in those positions and they will be on the subs bench.
We need far more quality through the middle of the team
Supposedly Mings was signing for Wolves for £30 million until the Carlos injury scuppered those plans, Mr. Gerrard very nearly got him out of the club.
I can't believe we still have fans who think Luiz is rubbish. He's one of our best players and certainly good enough for where we are at the moment. There's 9 other positions that need improving before him.
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Yes Luiz is excellent.
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I wouldn't say he's excellent, but I do agree he's not one of the immediate concerns to be replaced. Rough order for me would be:
Bailey/Konsa/McGinn/Mings/Watkins/Cash
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I wouldn't say he's excellent, but I do agree he's not one of the immediate concerns to be replaced. Rough order for me would be:
Bailey/Konsa/McGinn/Mings/Watkins/Cash
Move Cash the other side of Mings and Watkins and I'd be totally with you
*And also shove Digne in there wherever, I'd swear he was Itallian as he only seems to have reverse gear
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I wouldn't say he's excellent, but I do agree he's not one of the immediate concerns to be replaced. Rough order for me would be:
Bailey/Konsa/McGinn/Mings/Watkins/Cash
Move Cash the other side of Mings and Watkins and I'd be totally with you
*And also shove Digne in there wherever, I'd swear he was Itallian as he only seems to have reverse gear
Yep, another one on the list, probably around the McGinn/Mings area.
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I've only just realised their excellent left back is 20 and they signed him from Lange's old club, whilst were paying Digne god knows what. FFS.
Yes he did look a real find, he was excellent with and without the ball.
I haven't watched the higlights back but I'm sure for the second goal, the only one which was not the result of us aiming directly at our own foot, he whipped Mings' clearance first time straight out to the winger to cross. The speed and accuarcy of that is why their forward was on his own at the back post to score.
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I haven't watched the higlights back but I'm sure for the second goal, the only one which was not the result of us aiming directly at our own foot, he whipped Mings' clearance first time straight out to the winger to cross. The speed and accuarcy of that is why their forward was on his own at the back post to score.
My take on it is slightly different. I've only seen the highlights once (on MOTD2) but I was surprised that no one thought Ming was at least partially to blame for that second goal. His poor mishit clearance gave the ball straight back to Leicester in the middle of our half. Then when the (admittedly good) ball came in from their winger, he was in no man's land on the edge of our 6 yard box and Iheanacho had a free header to score.
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Mings totally at fault in my view.
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Mings totally at fault in my view.
Yep, poor clearance and then went walk about.
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Mings totally at fault in my view.
Yep, poor clearance and then went walk about.
Digne was playing statues
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Mings totally at fault in my view.
Yep, poor clearance and then went walk about.
Digne was playing statues
I wasn't looking to pin blame just highlighting the sharp play of the Leicester lad, but look at all of the other defenders that are between Mings and the crosser doing absolutely fuck all. It seems once again Mings is getting the blame for being the only the only one actually trying to defend
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That Watkins effort when he had an open goal wasn't that easy; the keeper got a hand to the cross and changed the trajectory of the ball.
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Mings totally at fault in my view.
Yep, poor clearance and then went walk about.
Digne was playing statues
I wasn't looking to pin blame just highlighting the sharp play of the Leicester lad, but look at all of the other defenders that are between Mings and the crosser doing absolutely fuck all. It seems once again Mings is getting the blame for being the only the only one actually trying to defend
noticed that a lot concerning the crossing of the ball for other football teams,main objective is to stop it happening and agree with it's all mings fault again
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Just watched it again, Mings was marking Ineacho, clears the ball, Ineacho walks to the far post spot whilst Mings is ball watching and gets a free header.
At no point does he look at ,let alone try to mark the guy he is marking.
Its Mings fault.
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Mings totally at fault in my view.
Yep, poor clearance and then went walk about.
Digne was playing statues
I wasn't looking to pin blame just highlighting the sharp play of the Leicester lad, but look at all of the other defenders that are between Mings and the crosser doing absolutely fuck all. It seems once again Mings is getting the blame for being the only the only one actually trying to defend
Watch it back again mate, I'd say Mings and Digne are equally at fault. Mings first of all for clearing it out straight to their player, but also for then not marking anybdoy whatsoever as the ball came back in. Digne wanders off to mark a player (Castagne) who Buendia is already tracking, and both Mings and Digne both leave Iheanacho and Martins completely unmarked. Digne should have left Castagne to Buendia, and dropped back to mark Martins, leaving Ihenacho to Mings. Both Mings and Digne stood there doing absolutely knack all though.
After Kamara loses the ball again for their third, Mings completely fails to notice Tete running in behind him, and we end up with one of his trademark last minute slides to try to prevent a certain goal, when better positioning to start with is what was needed.
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Mings, Konza, Luiz are just not good enough if we are going to challenge for european football next season, hopefully next we will have far better in those positions and they will be on the subs bench.
We need far more quality through the middle of the team
Supposedly Mings was signing for Wolves for £30 million until the Carlos injury scuppered those plans, Mr. Gerrard very nearly got him out of the club.
I can't believe we still have fans who think Luiz is rubbish. He's one of our best players and certainly good enough for where we are at the moment. There's 9 other positions that need improving before him.
That is spot on. Particularly in defence and a quality striker is a must. Luiz is the least of our problems
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Mings totally at fault in my view.
Yep, poor clearance and then went walk about.
Digne was playing statues
I wasn't looking to pin blame just highlighting the sharp play of the Leicester lad, but look at all of the other defenders that are between Mings and the crosser doing absolutely fuck all. It seems once again Mings is getting the blame for being the only the only one actually trying to defend
Watch it back again mate, I'd say Mings and Digne are equally at fault. Mings first of all for clearing it out straight to their player, but also for then not marking anybdoy whatsoever as the ball came back in. Digne wanders off to mark a player (Castagne) who Buendia is already tracking, and both Mings and Digne both leave Iheanacho and Martins completely unmarked. Digne should have left Castagne to Buendia, and dropped back to mark Martins, leaving Ihenacho to Mings. Both Mings and Digne stood there doing absolutely knack all though.
After Kamara loses the ball again for their third, Mings completely fails to notice Tete running in behind him, and we end up with one of his trademark last minute slides to try to prevent a certain goal, when better positioning to start with is what was needed.
I've looked again, he stretches to clear first time, then checks over his shoulder when the ball goes back out wide and and the guy was offside, but then moved back onside.
Have a look at Konsa doing an invisible man act in front of him though.
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Mings totally at fault in my view.
Yep, poor clearance and then went walk about.
Digne was playing statues
I wasn't looking to pin blame just highlighting the sharp play of the Leicester lad, but look at all of the other defenders that are between Mings and the crosser doing absolutely fuck all. It seems once again Mings is getting the blame for being the only the only one actually trying to defend
Watch it back again mate, I'd say Mings and Digne are equally at fault. Mings first of all for clearing it out straight to their player, but also for then not marking anybdoy whatsoever as the ball came back in. Digne wanders off to mark a player (Castagne) who Buendia is already tracking, and both Mings and Digne both leave Iheanacho and Martins completely unmarked. Digne should have left Castagne to Buendia, and dropped back to mark Martins, leaving Ihenacho to Mings. Both Mings and Digne stood there doing absolutely knack all though.
After Kamara loses the ball again for their third, Mings completely fails to notice Tete running in behind him, and we end up with one of his trademark last minute slides to try to prevent a certain goal, when better positioning to start with is what was needed.
Harsh to blame Mings for the third to be honest. No pressure on the pass and with our high line that's a recipe for disaster. I'd actually question Martinez starting position. He made it easy for Tete. It was brilliant all round from Tete to be fair. He was outstanding.
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If Martinez thinks it's a good idea to pass the ball out to a guy with his back to 3 opposition players at the edge of our box then I'd rather he went back to basics and hoofed it down the pitch.
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Just watched it again, Mings was marking Ineacho, clears the ball, Ineacho walks to the far post spot whilst Mings is ball watching and gets a free header.
At no point does he look at ,let alone try to mark the guy he is marking.
Its Mings fault.
I totally agree, I was thinking the same at the time, Mings should know where his man is in that situation
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Just watched it again, Mings was marking Ineacho, clears the ball, Ineacho walks to the far post spot whilst Mings is ball watching and gets a free header.
At no point does he look at ,let alone try to mark the guy he is marking.
Its Mings fault.
I totally agree, I was thinking the same at the time, Mings should know where his man is in that situation
Yes he does, clear as day, but when he does Iheanacho is a few yards offside
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If Martinez thinks it's a good idea to pass the ball out to a guy with his back to 3 opposition players at the edge of our box then I'd rather he went back to basics and hoofed it down the pitch.
It doesn't even need to be a hoof. If there are two or three Leicester players closing Kamara down then there must be at least one player unmarked. Usually in the wide midfield areas.
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If Martinez thinks it's a good idea to pass the ball out to a guy with his back to 3 opposition players at the edge of our box then I'd rather he went back to basics and hoofed it down the pitch.
It doesn't even need to be a hoof. If there are two or three Leicester players closing Kamara down then there must be at least one player unmarked. Usually in the wide midfield areas.
Even so, Kamara could've took a touch and played it back, or played it to Mings, or even just fucked it up the pitch.
I've watched it back a couple of times today and it's a utter shitshow, including Konsa going to the shops for Maddison at the end.
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We've spent so much money on full backs, and none of them are that good.
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If Martinez thinks it's a good idea to pass the ball out to a guy with his back to 3 opposition players at the edge of our box then I'd rather he went back to basics and hoofed it down the pitch.
It doesn't even need to be a hoof. If there are two or three Leicester players closing Kamara down then there must be at least one player unmarked. Usually in the wide midfield areas.
I watched the replay again today from motd. After the goal you can clearly see Konsa go to Emi and question him. He gestured to where Kamara recieved the ball and appeared to say "what's the point" It's done now but we have got to learn from that. It was a ridiculous way to lose a game.
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As the man said, failure isn't an option this time because if this owner/manager combination doesn't work, what else is there?
That's a concern for me.
This feels a bit like Everton/Ancelotti to me. I think he'll be in it for the long haul here but who knows what would happen if one of the Madrid clubs seriously want him as manager.
That said if he establishes us in europe for 2-3 years you'd like to think we'd have enough about us to tempt another on his level rather than just an uproven project manager. Perhaps Pochettino or Tuchel would actually return our calls this time.
Isn't he from the Basque region? If so I expect the chances of either Madrid tempting him would be zero. Barca, maybe. I suspect they will want higher profile than Emery or "one of their own" currently. So, if he gets the call from there in 3 or 4 years time we will have been on one helluva ride.
Lopetegui is Basque. He agreed to join Real Madrid just before 2018 world cup but forgot to tell Spanish FA who sacked him on the spot.
Barca also had Ernesto Valverde for years, he's managed Bilbao a few times so could be from those parts.
I think Unai's record is certainly good enough to see him in contention for one of those jobs but you'd like to think he's the sort that likes building clubs which he did very well at Sevilla and Villareal so he's in for next 18 months I'm sure.
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We've spent so much money on full backs, and none of them are that good.
Cash just looks more and more like he's not good enough.
It's pretty damning that we've spent 27m on one of them, got a Polish international for another, just spent 15m for one more and our most convincing full back is 82 year old Ashley Young.
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Cash did fine first season, how many clean sheets did we keep and he played good number of those games.
He's probably like Konsa now. We got a couple of good years out of him and he's reached his level at premier league and probably not a good fit for a manager who'll require more technical excellence at the back rather than huff and puff.
Was going to say we'll sell but he signed a new long term deal just last summer so can't see anyone realistically affording him of clubs it's realistic for him to play for.
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If Martinez thinks it's a good idea to pass the ball out to a guy with his back to 3 opposition players at the edge of our box then I'd rather he went back to basics and hoofed it down the pitch.
It doesn't even need to be a hoof. If there are two or three Leicester players closing Kamara down then there must be at least one player unmarked. Usually in the wide midfield areas.
I watched the replay again today from motd. After the goal you can clearly see Konsa go to Emi and question him. He pointed to where Kamara recieved the ball and appeared to say "what's the point" It's done now but we have got to learn from that. It was a ridiculous way to lose a game.
Another frustrating aspect was that even after the initial half challenge by the Leicester player Kamara still had a chance to pass or clear it to the left but dallied again and was then dispossessed.
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I reckon he's prime Everton material.
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We've spent so much money on full backs, and none of them are that good.
Cash just looks more and more like he's not good enough.
It's pretty damning that we've spent 27m on one of them, got a Polish international for another, just spent 15m for one more and our most convincing full back is 82 year old Ashley Young.
Dan Bardell was saying on the Villa View podcast that Emery was demonstrably losing his shit on the sidelines about a couple of things Cash did during the game on Saturday. It suggests that he's not convinced that Cash can follow his instructions.
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We've spent so much money on full backs, and none of them are that good.
Cash just looks more and more like he's not good enough.
It's pretty damning that we've spent 27m on one of them, got a Polish international for another, just spent 15m for one more and our most convincing full back is 82 year old Ashley Young.
Dan Bardell was saying on the Villa View podcast that Emery was demonstrably losing his shit on the sidelines about a couple of things Cash did during the game on Saturday. It suggests that he's not convinced that Cash can follow his instructions.
He must have been apoplectic watching Kamara and Mings then.
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We've spent so much money on full backs, and none of them are that good.
Cash just looks more and more like he's not good enough.
It's pretty damning that we've spent 27m on one of them, got a Polish international for another, just spent 15m for one more and our most convincing full back is 82 year old Ashley Young.
Dan Bardell was saying on the Villa View podcast that Emery was demonstrably losing his shit on the sidelines about a couple of things Cash did during the game on Saturday. It suggests that he's not convinced that Cash can follow his instructions.
He must have been apoplectic watching Kamara and Mings then.
I don't think Mings will be here beyond this summer, mate.
We'll never be challenging at the top end of the table with him and Konsa at the back. They're not very dependable.
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I agree.
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Mings has 12 months on his contract I think, so a summer move would seem likely.
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Better make sure we've got a replacement lined up then. Mings' organisation at the back is so easy to understate.
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We don't look very organised at the back to me, so I don't think replacing Tyrone will be that much of a problem.
It may be well one of those, 'you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone' type scenarios, though.
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We don't look very organised at the back to me, so I don't think replacing Tyrone will be that much of a problem.
It may be well one of those, 'you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone' type scenarios, though.
We’ll given how much better we (usually) seem with him than without him I think we already know that.
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We don't look very organised at the back to me, so I don't think replacing Tyrone will be that much of a problem.
It may be well one of those, 'you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone' type scenarios, though.
We’ll given how much better we (usually) seem with him than without him I think we already know that.
That's because we've only had the likes of Hause and Chambers as back ups, both of whom are mostly useless. The idea surely is to get somebody in better than Mings (and Konsa) and relegate one or both of them to the position of back up.
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Mings is better than Konsa so replace Konsa first
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We don't look very organised at the back to me, so I don't think replacing Tyrone will be that much of a problem.
It may be well one of those, 'you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone' type scenarios, though.
We’ll given how much better we (usually) seem with him than without him I think we already know that.
That's a fair point.
Though we're not exactly great at the back when he's in there, either.
As Risso points out above, Mings' usual replacements are pretty dreadful, also.
We definitely won't be solid at the back until Mings and Konsa are sold off.
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We don't look very organised at the back to me, so I don't think replacing Tyrone will be that much of a problem.
It may be well one of those, 'you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone' type scenarios, though.
I suppose the yardstick for that will be to see which clubs come in for him at the end of the season.
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Mings is an absolutely top bloke and I admire him, but keeping a player for that reason is the sort of thing that holds teams back.
It's a shame but you have to be ruthless these days.
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I think both of them, as with many players, will need to show they can do it. They've the rest of the season to prove it.
I happen to think Mings can do it, but I'm becoming less sure about Konsa's ability/confidence on the ball. Mings also adds that leadership and organisation.
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I think both of them, as with many players, will need to show they can do it. They've the rest of the season to prove it.
I happen to think Mings can do it, but I'm becoming less sure about Konsa's ability/confidence on the ball. Mings also adds that leadership and organisation.
There wasn't much of that in evidence at the weekend.
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We don't look very organised at the back to me, so I don't think replacing Tyrone will be that much of a problem.
It may be well one of those, 'you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone' type scenarios, though.
At least he's a good communicator generally.
Without him we basically had Stevenage walking in a short corner to knock us out of the cup because no one told Ollie to increase his jogging to close down the scorer.
Carlos-Konsa on the first day just watching as Kieffer Moore scored unmarked at the back post was as poor as what we conceded on Saturday.
With Mings on the pitch we don't actually concede that many goals from set pieces. I'd keep him around but if he's only got a year left and no talk of a new deal that feels pretty ominous. Leicester, West Ham and Everton would all be interested if they stay up.
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On his day Mings is an excellent centre half and then there are those other days.
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I don't think the Leicester supporters would take to Mings kindly. They were singing he's fucking shit all afternoon last Saturday.
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Mings is a massive player for us, I'd offer him a new deal.
Should still be captain!
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Mings is a last gasp body on the line type of defender.
We need more tactically switched on centre halves who will concentrate on stopping the bodies on the line defending being required in the first place.
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I don't think it should be underestimated how significant his influence as a leader is...
Carlos returning and a replacement for Chambers/Hause to compete would be fine, whilst we improve our goal-scoring options.
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Mings is a last gasp body on the line type of defender.
We need more tactically switched on centre halves who will concentrate on stopping the bodies on the line defending being required in the first place.
I don’t agree with that at all. Like every centre back he needs to do that at times but he’s also a decent reader of the game and provides vocal leadership (along with Young) in an otherwise quiet team.
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I think both of them, as with many players, will need to show they can do it. They've the rest of the season to prove it.
I happen to think Mings can do it, but I'm becoming less sure about Konsa's ability/confidence on the ball. Mings also adds that leadership and organisation.
Agreed and that's the reason I think Konsa will most under pressure when Carlos returns.