Unai Emery

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Southampton and Leeds were, as was Leicester. 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

[Mister E]

...And maybe that starts with not trying to play out the back with four defenders who are playing that magazine cover version of sensible soccer from the 90s where the football was a bomb. I can see that the defenders at the back cannot cope with being comfortable on the ball...

I genuinely don't know how many times I shout at my TV watching Villa play. My neighbours & my cat must think I am a mentalist. But it is so very very frustrating...

My opinion is different to yours, here. Most of the Prem League teams play across the back a lot - the Jawdie-RedScouse game earlier this evening was a good example; and I don't think we're rubbish at it, actually. The difference between us and others is (i) the ball often comes out from our keeper slowly and / or he puts a player in jeopardy (see Kamara vs Lesta); (ii) our outfield players are not creating space for themselves, particularly out wide.
We saw today and against Lesta just how important it is to have wide players making space and with the capacity to defend and come inside when necessary. We do not seem to have the personnel to play this way.
This is Emery's challenge: to get the players moving the ball more quickly to colleagues who can create and use the space effectively (as, for example, Bailey did late on when he clipped the bar - it happened from an unusually good clearance from Martinez).

[Dante Lavelli]

One interpretation is that he's noticed Emi being a Billy Big Bollocks since the World Cup, and that he thinks he needs bringing down to Earth.

Another is that it's shite, Gerrardesque management of a vital player.

I have no idea.

It is one of those two things. Neither are great for us.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't remember much of this sort of play under Carpethead

https://twitter.com/buendiazboyz/status/1627076929227739136?s=20

https://twitter.com/buendiazboyz/status/1627076933602410497?s=20

[LeeB]

I don't remember much of this sort of play under Carpethead

https://twitter.com/buendiazboyz/status/1627076929227739136?s=20

https://twitter.com/buendiazboyz/status/1627076933602410497?s=20

Yes it's night and day, and also I will never tire of the use of 'carpethead'

[pablo_picasso]

"Carpethead" made me chuckle. Definitely better than my "turniphead..."

[pablo_picasso]

...And maybe that starts with not trying to play out the back with four defenders who are playing that magazine cover version of sensible soccer from the 90s where the football was a bomb. I can see that the defenders at the back cannot cope with being comfortable on the ball...

I genuinely don't know how many times I shout at my TV watching Villa play. My neighbours & my cat must think I am a mentalist. But it is so very very frustrating...

My opinion is different to yours, here. Most of the Prem League teams play across the back a lot - the Jawdie-RedScouse game earlier this evening was a good example; and I don't think we're rubbish at it, actually. The difference between us and others is (i) the ball often comes out from our keeper slowly and / or he puts a player in jeopardy (see Kamara vs Lesta); (ii) our outfield players are not creating space for themselves, particularly out wide.
We saw today and against Lesta just how important it is to have wide players making space and with the capacity to defend and come inside when necessary. We do not seem to have the personnel to play this way.
This is Emery's challenge: to get the players moving the ball more quickly to colleagues who can create and use the space effectively (as, for example, Bailey did late on when he clipped the bar - it happened from an unusually good clearance from Martinez).

Don't get me wrong, I want us to play out from the back. I want progressive possession football at Villa.

But only when we have the personnel with the skillset to be able to do it properly.

Otherwise we are asking a pig to fly a kite.

Yes we can tie it to its tail for a bit, & it will catch a gust of wind every now & again before falling back down to earth into pigshit. But get someone who knows how to fly a kite properly, how to catch the wind, how to keep it airborne, & we are actually flying a kite instead of tying one near a pigs arsehole.

For the now, we should play to to strengths of the squad.

Over time, we start the rebuilding process at the back & make sure we have four people at the back who can muster several forward passes to team-mates & go from there...

Or, I hope Im wrong & if we carry on as we are, Mings & Konsa are turned into knock off versions of Baresi & Beckenbaur over time...

[Sexual Ealing]

...And maybe that starts with not trying to play out the back with four defenders who are playing that magazine cover version of sensible soccer from the 90s where the football was a bomb. I can see that the defenders at the back cannot cope with being comfortable on the ball...

I genuinely don't know how many times I shout at my TV watching Villa play. My neighbours & my cat must think I am a mentalist. But it is so very very frustrating...

My opinion is different to yours, here. Most of the Prem League teams play across the back a lot - the Jawdie-RedScouse game earlier this evening was a good example; and I don't think we're rubbish at it, actually. The difference between us and others is (i) the ball often comes out from our keeper slowly and / or he puts a player in jeopardy (see Kamara vs Lesta); (ii) our outfield players are not creating space for themselves, particularly out wide.
We saw today and against Lesta just how important it is to have wide players making space and with the capacity to defend and come inside when necessary. We do not seem to have the personnel to play this way.
This is Emery's challenge: to get the players moving the ball more quickly to colleagues who can create and use the space effectively (as, for example, Bailey did late on when he clipped the bar - it happened from an unusually good clearance from Martinez).

we are actually flying a kite instead of tying one near a pigs arsehole.

Have you been reading my PMs?

[Bully2345]

Is waiting for the right players to do it not suspending development for 6 months? Football is cut throat and Emery hasn’t got time to wait for the right players before he implements the style he wants to take us up a level. The style of play has already started and he isn’t changing so the players basically need to adapt or die.

He acknowledges that this is a difficult step to take but if we keep playing like underdogs, we’ll forever be underdogs

[pablo_picasso]

...And maybe that starts with not trying to play out the back with four defenders who are playing that magazine cover version of sensible soccer from the 90s where the football was a bomb. I can see that the defenders at the back cannot cope with being comfortable on the ball...

I genuinely don't know how many times I shout at my TV watching Villa play. My neighbours & my cat must think I am a mentalist. But it is so very very frustrating...

My opinion is different to yours, here. Most of the Prem League teams play across the back a lot - the Jawdie-RedScouse game earlier this evening was a good example; and I don't think we're rubbish at it, actually. The difference between us and others is (i) the ball often comes out from our keeper slowly and / or he puts a player in jeopardy (see Kamara vs Lesta); (ii) our outfield players are not creating space for themselves, particularly out wide.
We saw today and against Lesta just how important it is to have wide players making space and with the capacity to defend and come inside when necessary. We do not seem to have the personnel to play this way.
This is Emery's  challenge: to get the players moving the ball more quickly to colleagues who can create and use the space effectively  (as, for example, Bailey did late on when he clipped the bar - it happened from an unusually good clearance from Martinez).

we are actually flying a kite instead of tying one near a pigs arsehole.

Have you been reading my PMs?

Your kinks are your own business sir... 

[LeeB]

Is waiting for the right players to do it not suspending development for 6 months? Football is cut throat and Emery hasn’t got time to wait for the right players before he implements the style he wants to take us up a level. The style of play has already started and he isn’t changing so the players basically need to adapt or die.

He acknowledges that this is a difficult step to take but if we keep playing like underdogs, we’ll forever be underdogs

I appreciate pablo's point but I'm with you, we need to do this shot and we need to do it now.

[pablo_picasso]

Is waiting for the right players to do it not suspending development for 6 months? Football is cut throat and Emery hasn’t got time to wait for the right players before he implements the style he wants to take us up a level. The style of play has already started and he isn’t changing so the players basically need to adapt or die.

He acknowledges that this is a difficult step to take but if we keep playing like underdogs, we’ll forever be underdogs

Yes. It probably is suspending development for 6 months.

But its the situation we find ourselves in. We simply do not have the playing personnel to play like he wants.

Im sure clubs like Macclesfield want to play like Manchester City too, but they do not have the playing personnel to play that way either.

Look, I would much rather we brought in a couple of defenders in January to fit the managers system, but even with the "patience" with transfers we are being asked to show, there was little sign we tried for any other defenders other than Moreno.

And with Mings being given a new contract, one can only assume that he is in the long term planning.

Which scares the shit out of me...

[brontebilly]

The last few games have shown how big the rebuilding job is.
If we are about sticking around the middle of the PL it’s minor adjustments,if we want to genuinely compete for European places it’s major surgery.
No idea what us going on with our WC winning goalkeeper but his distribution is piss poor.
Neither centre backs are good enough with the ball,
Still not convinced by any of our full backs.
The central midfield of Luiz and Kamara is the only properly functioning part of the team.
It’s hit and miss at best with Ramsey Buendia Coutinho Bailey Mcginn.
Watkins is limited but his energy and commitment is a positive.
So where we go from here I have no idea but it is going to take more than1 transfer window to turn this lot into a European qualifying team.

We definitely need at least one centre half comfortable with the ball at his feet and also happy to play in a high line. I'm sure Carlos will be given every chance to prove he is that player shortly. I think we need more athleticism/raw pace further up the pitch. Whether that's Bailey and/or Ramsey remains to be seen. The interest in the likes of Henrique last month suggest Emery wants to strengthen there too.

Disappointing result today but compare performance against these last season and it's night and day. Moreno's first assist, Coutinho's first goal of season, Watkins best goal for club, McGinn showing his worth etc...lots of positives.

[eamonn]

He’s got the same record as Gerrard after ten games but Gerrard had easier games at least the first few. 

Gerrard had Brighton, Palace, Man City, Leicester, Liverpool, Norwich, Chelsea, Brentford, Man U and Everton. Emery has had Man U, Brighton, Liverpool, Spurs, Wolves, Leeds, Southampton, Leicester, Man City and Arsenal. 5 of the same teams. Gerrard had Chelsea rather than Spurs, and Everton and Norwich rather than Southampton and Leeds, so all in all pretty well identical really. After a decent start the players let Gerrard down, and they're now doing the same for Emery.

Give it a rest mate

Why, pretty decent observation based on facts.

Emery has overseen victories against Yanited and Spurs, comfortable ones too. Don't think we got close to beating a SkySix team under Gerrard.

[SoccerHQ]

A year ago we lost 1-0 at home to Watford who after that game pretty much lost all their remaining fixtures and were down by the start of April.

That was the game where the alarm bells starting ringing for me with regards his football style and we had a very poor end to the season.

I'm not expecting the same here. Infact I believe we should be winning 3 of our next four which will gets us realistically safe and then we can attempt to break 50 points which should still be a realistic target based on the games we have left.

Dosen't bode well for most of this squad if they can't be bothered to win some games and try to secure places in the squad next season under a top class manager.