Ezri Konsa - Aston Villa & England

[john e]

He’s been described as a Rolls Royce of a defender

I think he’s more a Volvo estate, solid enough does the job without any frills

[N'ZMAV]

Most of our players have shown good ability to get us towards the top end of the table.
What we're now seeing is tiredness, a lack of concentration and mentality and expectation that they're not used to.
It hasn't helped having some key injuries, add that to a squad that is lacking in real depth to play and compete twice a week.

[Risso]

We've had one European game since November and went out of the FA Cup at our usual piss poor early stage. This tiredness thing is a shit excuse.

[Woofles The Wonder Dog]

When Konsa plays right back, it reminds me of the old days when the centre back Earl Barrett was asked to do the same and was equally as ineffective doing it.

Earl was RB when I took my older daughter to he first match, a risk as she knew nothing about the game. Can't remember who we played but some way through the first half, she turned to me: "Daddy, aren't the players in Claret supposed to pass others in Claret?". "Err yes", "So why doesn't he?" She pointed at Earl Barrett.

She never saw us score in three games, scoring I told her, was even better that getting a sack full of My Little Pony stuff.

Boxing Day, "Want to come with me?". "No thanks". "OK". Villa 3 Chelsea 0.

She is now Managing Director for a leading satellite company, and on Thursday is having an informal meeting with some bloke from Disney who want to head-hunt her, as do Apple. Which may not have happened if she turned into a Villa fan and as a consequence spent half her time mentally distressed.

[Brend'Watkins]

Good story Nick and well done her, you must be very proud. Does she still see herself as a Villa Fan, looks for our results, will watch us on TV now and then?

[eamonn]

I thought the tale was going to end with the head-hunter from Disney being in fact, one Earl Barrett.

As for Konsa - it looked like Spurs targeted him when pressing-us on Sunday. He over-elaborated but it's always a judgement call and as Emery wants us to build-up this way, he has to take some of the blame.

[ROBBO]

Yep we were done for speed all over the park.

[manic-road]

We have already played 41 games with mainly the same small squad of players this season, Spurs will only play 41 competitive games in total all season. I don't think it's unreasonable to say players look jaded on the pitch, the last two games we have lacked energy. Not sure if that affected Konsas performance against Spurs but that was one of the worst games I have seen him play.

[Risso]

We have already played 41 games with mainly the same small squad of players this season, Spurs will only play 41 competitive games in total all season. I don't think it's unreasonable to say players look jaded on the pitch, the last two games we have lacked energy. Not sure if that affected Konsas performance against Spurs but that was one of the worst games I have seen him play.

There is no 'we', there are individual players. None of Cash, Konsa, Torres, Carlos, Digne, Moreno, Ramsey, Bailey, Tielemans or Diaby have played anything like that number of games, for reasons of injury, selection or suspension. In fact the only players who'd actually have the excuse of being jaded, in Watkins, McGinn and Luiz, are about the only players who have kept their individual standards high and don't look tired.

[Drummond]

We have already played 41 games with mainly the same small squad of players this season, Spurs will only play 41 competitive games in total all season. I don't think it's unreasonable to say players look jaded on the pitch, the last two games we have lacked energy. Not sure if that affected Konsas performance against Spurs but that was one of the worst games I have seen him play.

There is no 'we', there are individual players. None of Cash, Konsa, Torres, Carlos, Digne, Moreno, Ramsey, Bailey, Tielemans or Diaby have played anything like that number of games, for reasons of injury, selection or suspension. In fact the only players who'd actually have the excuse of being jaded, in Watkins, McGinn and Luiz, are about the only players who have kept their individual standards high and don't look tired.

Don't forget the element of mental fatigue though.

[AV82EC]

We have already played 41 games with mainly the same small squad of players this season, Spurs will only play 41 competitive games in total all season. I don't think it's unreasonable to say players look jaded on the pitch, the last two games we have lacked energy. Not sure if that affected Konsas performance against Spurs but that was one of the worst games I have seen him play.

There is no 'we', there are individual players. None of Cash, Konsa, Torres, Carlos, Digne, Moreno, Ramsey, Bailey, Tielemans or Diaby have played anything like that number of games, for reasons of injury, selection or suspension. In fact the only players who'd actually have the excuse of being jaded, in Watkins, McGinn and Luiz, are about the only players who have kept their individual standards high and don't look tired.

Don't forget the element of mental fatigue though.

I think this season will have been instructive for Unai and his team as to who in the squad can deal with that side of it as well as the physical demands.

[Risso]

I don't think we looked tired against Spurs. Emery just got the tactics wrong, then that along with individual errors and McGinn's sending just combined for a terrible day. Being 2-0 down and then having a man sent off must be just about the hardest thing in football to come back from, doubly so when you've got players like Zaniolo just standing around waving his arms in the air before they score a third.

[PeterWithesShin]

Tielemans has played in 40 games this season. Konsa 36. Cash 40. Bailey 38. Digne 32. Torres 28. Diaby 39. Totals include internationals. Obviously not all are full games, and do include internationals but they're playing more than some people think.

[Risso]

Tielemans has played 1,588 minutes of football this season, that's the equivalent of 17 and a half games.

[PeterWithesShin]

There's still everything physically and mentally required to play in 40 games. I haven't blamed tiredness, just pointing out they are playing in a lot of games.