Unai Emery

[CT Villan]

If Martinez is ever injured or suspended we'd be better playing rush-keeper than playing Olsen.

[N'ZMAV]

Stevie Wonder could help

[pauliewalnuts]

We played well for much of the match, got ourselves ahead and took the lead back when we’d lost it.

The keeper then had some kind of confidence crisis, threw a couple in and freaked out the rest of the defence.

Yeah it wasn’t the most uplifting of results or experiences, but that wasn’t even in the top twenty per cent of depressing matches from the last year. Those matches were ones when there was not a single positive to be taken. This was not like that.

Emery took the not exactly radical move of taking a look at Olsen, and having done so, hopefully will not be taking another look any time soon.

I understand why Emery did what he did, even if I was a bit disappointed when I saw the line up.

Some of the reaction to this is almost like that to the retreat from Moscow, though. That’s what I don’t get.

And fwiw I want to win cups as well, and I also don’t think anyone is sharpening the knives for the manager, criticising the manager does not mean you don’t want him here or anything like that.

I do, however, think that the reaction to this is somewhat over the top.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

We played well for much of the match, got ourselves ahead and took the lead back when we’d lost it.

The keeper then had some kind of confidence crisis, threw a couple in and freaked out the rest of the defence.

Yeah it wasn’t the most uplifting of results or experiences, but that wasn’t even in the top twenty per cent of depressing matches from the last year. Those matches were ones when there was not a single positive to be taken. This was not like that.

Emery took the not exactly radical move of taking a look at Olsen, and having done so, hopefully will not be taking another look any time soon.

I understand why Emery did what he did, even if I was a bit disappointed when I saw the line up.

Some of the reaction to this is almost like that to the retreat from Moscow, though. That’s what I don’t get.

And fwiw I want to win cups as well, and I also don’t think anyone is sharpening the knives for the manager, criticising the manager does not mean you don’t want him here or anything like that.

I do, however, think that the reaction to this is somewhat over the top.

This!

[Lastfootstamper]

Now he'll know who to play and not to play when our assault on The Big One commences in the new year.

[Clampy]

Couldn't agree more with Paulie's post. Some of the reaction has been way over the top. I've seen us play a lot lot worse than that.

[Bad English]

If Emery needed to have a 'look' at Olsen, why didn't he need a look at Archer?

[N'ZMAV]

he needed to see how bad Olsen actually is.
 

[martyn ellis]

I agree with Paulie. It's all been a bit over the top. As I mentioned on the post-match thread, it wasn't such a bad side on paper as some on here are making out. Olsen made a couple of very good saves but was found out in most other areas of his game; Kamara, our big signing just coming back from injury and needed game time; Chambers who people on here have been crying out for surprisingly had a poor game; McGinn moved further up the pitch didn't really work out; Ings and Watkins together has only worked out (ironically) under Aaron Danks against Brentford. I think UE's comments about doing well in the cups and then experimenting against a team like MUFC threw a lot of people and provoked an extreme reaction. After all said and done we didn't play badly, led twice and then threw it away in my view.

[achilles]

Unai had to find out if his back up keeper was up to the task and now he has found out - he isn't!
Unai tried different players to see what they could do, no big deal in my eyes as he will know a lot more from playing them.
We move on, I want to win the FA Cup anyway!

[pauliewalnuts]

If Emery needed to have a 'look' at Olsen, why didn't he need a look at Archer?

Because he’s not our only other striking option maybe?

Who knows what factors were in play, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to change the line up for a game like this.

[cdbearsfan]

Assuming he had managed the same points per game ratio, if we had appointed Emery instead of Gerrard we would have won last season's league by a point and would be eleven clear this year.

[olaftab]

Still miffed about Thursday.

[ez]

I like how he changes things depending on how the game is going. Could never see us winning todays game under Gerarrd.

[Footy-Vill]

El Maestro name should be added to the title thread.
The man is perfect, and our path is only up.
Of course, one can continue to debate and discuss, but it's already clear on Unai Emerys strategy and should be completely understood and fixed in our minds in order to understand the process and progress.

Emery approaches the squad as a whole, will rotate and make super use of quota in substitutions, and insists on building play from the back. He has a win-at-all-costs mentality when it comes to how to play and take advantage of situations in order to win a game and get the result. Sometimes it may not be completely agreed upon or in the best interests of what one believes should be done, but I have near complete faith in Emery.

I don't know football if this guy doesn't win us a trophy and feel it will be unrivalled success to any former Premier league manager we've ever had.

I'll return after the World Cup and in the coming year look forward
Up the Villa!