Unai Emery

[Sexual Ealing]

They need to reaffirm who they are, what they want and what they're about while hugging and pretending George Harrison's solo work is really good.

[TonyD]

They need to reaffirm who they are, what they want and what they're about while hugging and pretending George Harrison's solo work is really good.

There is something in what you are saying there.

[aj2k77]

Pivotal game for Unai on Thursday. Lose and finish 6th and I think he walks in the Summer. Win a trophy and come 5th and he becomes a legend. Sliding doors moment approaching.

[ROBBO]

We play far too narrow but that's his style, playing out from the back, slowing everything down and encouraging the opposition to hard press which they do and we immediately come under pressure. we sold two very decent players and got rubbish in return, there's so much about this season that it's hard to comprehend. We were hopeless the first month and were relegation material, then we go on a fantastic run of wins and look very much a top side, we now have reverted to start of season form and look terrible. Same players, same manager, what gives.

[Rory]

Pivotal game for Unai on Thursday. Lose and finish 6th and I think he walks in the Summer. Win a trophy and come 5th and he becomes a legend. Sliding doors moment approaching.

The first is conceivable, the second unlikely albeit not impossible, but if both were to happen I think it would be reasonable for us to conclude that he's lost the dressing room.

We would then face the choice of getting assurance of a long-term commitment from Unai and backing him fully with a total squad overhaul - even if we can't afford it without sanctions - or trying somebody new.

I love Unai. I think he's been working miracles with us, frankly.

But thinking in terms of psychology, if we were to be knocked out on Thursday and finish 6th, after the way last season ended, I would put money on our current core players (Martinez, Cash, SJM, Kamara, Youri, Watkins), regardless of their own culpability, losing faith in the manager's ability to keep us moving forward.

[Smirker]

He's polished the turd that Smith and Gerrard assembled and given us a great journey, sadly the players signed in his tenure have been largely shite...it's the Villa way 😔

So we get Smith back in and in charge of our transfers.

Sorted 

[Rory]

He's polished the turd that Smith and Gerrard assembled and given us a great journey, sadly the players signed in his tenure have been largely shite...it's the Villa way 😔

So we get Smith back in and in charge of our transfers.

Sorted 

But Deano bought Watkins, and what a fuck-up that was! So he's far from perfect.

[Steve67]

Dean Smith as DOF? That would be kinda cool.

[PaulWinch again]

I’m going to go with that’d be a terrible idea.

[algy]

Think it’s perfectly conceivable that we simply didn’t see the game against Spurs as being worth expending energy on. As long as we finish top 5 the exact position isn’t that important if you’re not in a title race. The game against Forest on Thursday has a very real impact on how our season looks.

Disappointing result, but I’m not concerned by it.

Oh, and Deano as DoF … no.

[Steve67]

Sorry, sarcasm doesn’t really work on the internet! Talking about Dean as DOF!!

[Villan82]

Should have taken the chance to bury Spurs.

In some ways that was a bigger opportunity for our future than Thursday.

Will take a long time to get over.

[itbrvilla]

Should have taken the chance to bury Spurs.

In some ways that was a bigger opportunity for our future than Thursday.

Will take a long time to get over.

Yep, I outraged about it. Another team who will likely be improved next season, competing for signings with us. We could have hit their confidence after their last win and kept the in the bottom 3. We've all but guaranteed they stay up with that performance.

[Billy Walker]

Should have taken the chance to bury Spurs.

In some ways that was a bigger opportunity for our future than Thursday.

Will take a long time to get over.

I'm over it already.

I'd much rather we try our very best to win a trophy *and* claim a Champs League spot.   Thursday can't come quick enough - UTV.

[Ads]

There is no possible way to construe not beating Tottenham as being in anyway close to beating Forest and getting to Istanbul. Not one compelling case.

Spurs are fucking wank and have finished below us every season under Emery, because they're not as good. Long may they continue to "steal" our transfers like Gallagher, when we make enough bad choices of our own.

Stop contorting yourselves into the most miserable take possible because you have nervous energy you don't know how to dispalce. Didplace it where I cant read it. Go piss around in your gardens, go for a walk. Play with your kids. Impulse buy a pet. Wash the car.

We're all nervous, its fucking great. We're under huge pressure, as we absolutely should be. An absolute privilege, learn to cope better.