Unai Emery

[eamonn]

There was effort on our part, we were quite quick comining out of the starting blocks but we looked over-eager to play the key pass all the time. Chelsea finally twigged tonight that they need to show more physicality on the pitch and match the opposition's energy.

Our heads dropped and theirs were held very high after two quick goals and after that they had the players (two in midfield that cost over £100m each plus a quality battler in Gallagher) to then exert control with the pressure removed.

Wrestling a game back when we're losing, especially at home, is something that Emery needs to learn how to do. It's infuriating to think of our reaction to conceding goals twice in a row at home now to Newcastle and Chelsea. At Old Trafford, we were in that position, and allowed them back in by continually playing a high line, they didn't have to play through us. Chelsea and Newcastle dropped deeper so we had to play through them. We had enough quality to get one goal back in each of these games and maybe could have got a second but there's a lot of learning for us to do with the "in-game management" stuff.

[PaulWinch again]

We just have to have a different way of playing when things aren’t going our way. That’s two games now where it’s been crying out for a change at half time - not necessarily personnel, but certainly tactically - but we’ve just come out and done exactly the same thing and unsurprisingly gone on to concede another goal. I’m sure he will, but Unai really needs to improve on this otherwise we will keep losing most games where we go behind.

[curiousorange]

Notably both of those consolations came fairly late in proceedings when we'd already shipped three. On Saturday, we eased off and nearly let Sheffield United come away with a consolation of their own, so I would suggest it was less about our endeavour and more about the opposition being secure in their win. But then I'm never in the mood to be clear sighted after a deserved loss.

[Footy-Vill]

I've had a think and Emery is hardly the issue or the way we play as  that has been successful
The players must step up, and some are clearly suffering with his demands. It's both a learning consistency and quality issue at the moment.

Those players will be replaced if they do not improve their consistency, ideally if we have the squad in place to do so otherwise, we will not make progress.

Emery has his philosophy, and it is up to the players to implement it.
Of course, they aren't all at that level every week, but we've won 15 home games in a row, and a handful of setbacks, despite 2 extremely poor performances, should not take from the greater picture.
Kamara and McGinn have been terrific this season, so it's probable that at times without competition for their position they will fall off with performances from time to time.

[curiousorange]

Tiredness is a factor, as are injuries, but they're not excuses. Every other club has fatigue and injuries and some didn't have most of last month off like we did.

[pauliewalnuts]

yeah, tiredness in these circumstances is an absolute bullshit excuse.

We couldn't lay a glove on them tonight, we were utterly awful from start to finish. He needs to sort this out.

[VillaTim]

there was no shape or structure to tonight. Can't quite believe what i've just witnessed

[Risso]

And absolutely no plan B, other than to do a Bruce and make subs far too late to make a difference.

[VillaTim]

And absolutely no plan B, other than to do a Bruce and make subs far too late to make a difference.

i listened to his interview yesterday and he was pretty dismissive of the FA Cup unless something was being lost in translation

[pauliewalnuts]

And absolutely no plan B, other than to do a Bruce and make subs far too late to make a difference.

i listened to his interview yesterday and he was pretty dismissive of the FA Cup unless something was being lost in translation

The problem with that is that, if he felt really dismissive of it and had sent out a much weakened side as a result - which he is totally entitled to do - and we'd limped out, that, at least for me, would have been way, way better than putting out a full strength side and getting completely owned at home to a mid table side.

[VillaTim]

And absolutely no plan B, other than to do a Bruce and make subs far too late to make a difference.

i listened to his interview yesterday and he was pretty dismissive of the FA Cup unless something was being lost in translation

The problem with that is that, if he felt really dismissive of it and had sent out a much weakened side as a result - which he is totally entitled to do - and we'd limped out, that, at least for me, would have been way, way better than putting out a full strength side and getting completely owned at home to a mid table side.

We've been through this already. Regardless of what team he put out , those players were not putting in a full performance. No pressing, no tracking runners . If you can't see that you need specsavers

[curiousorange]

And absolutely no plan B, other than to do a Bruce and make subs far too late to make a difference.

i listened to his interview yesterday and he was pretty dismissive of the FA Cup unless something was being lost in translation

The problem with that is that, if he felt really dismissive of it and had sent out a much weakened side as a result - which he is totally entitled to do - and we'd limped out, that, at least for me, would have been way, way better than putting out a full strength side and getting completely owned at home to a mid table side.

We've been through this already. Regardless of what team he put out , those players were not putting in a full performance. No pressing, no tracking runners . If you can't see that you need specsavers

But - at the risk of making this a circular argument - if you're not arsed about the competition, you send the reserves out and make sure your first XI aren't at risk. Instead, what happened was our best players played and got beat fair and square, not because they were encouraged not to take it seriously.

[pauliewalnuts]

And absolutely no plan B, other than to do a Bruce and make subs far too late to make a difference.

i listened to his interview yesterday and he was pretty dismissive of the FA Cup unless something was being lost in translation

The problem with that is that, if he felt really dismissive of it and had sent out a much weakened side as a result - which he is totally entitled to do - and we'd limped out, that, at least for me, would have been way, way better than putting out a full strength side and getting completely owned at home to a mid table side.

We've been through this already. Regardless of what team he put out , those players were not putting in a full performance. No pressing, no tracking runners . If you can't see that you need specsavers

The only thing I've been through with you already is dealing with your dribbling diarrhea posts when you used to be Cooper's Injury, Tim.

And as for:

Regardless of what team he put out , those players were not putting in a full performance. No pressing, no tracking runners

That's not even contrary to what I said. It's one thing being dismissive about the cup, it's another to then put out a full strength side and turn in a performance like that. Do you really think he said to them, "don't waste too much effort on this, don't track players, don't bother pressing"?

Of course he didn't.

That was us trying to win. And that's what is worrying.

[VillaTim]

And absolutely no plan B, other than to do a Bruce and make subs far too late to make a difference.

i listened to his interview yesterday and he was pretty dismissive of the FA Cup unless something was being lost in translation

The problem with that is that, if he felt really dismissive of it and had sent out a much weakened side as a result - which he is totally entitled to do - and we'd limped out, that, at least for me, would have been way, way better than putting out a full strength side and getting completely owned at home to a mid table side.

We've been through this already. Regardless of what team he put out , those players were not putting in a full performance. No pressing, no tracking runners . If you can't see that you need specsavers

But - at the risk of making this a circular argument - if you're not arsed about the competition, you send the reserves out and make sure your first XI aren't at risk. Instead, what happened was our best players played and got beat fair and square, not because they were encouraged not to take it seriously.

so how do you explain the lack of intensity

[pauliewalnuts]

And absolutely no plan B, other than to do a Bruce and make subs far too late to make a difference.

i listened to his interview yesterday and he was pretty dismissive of the FA Cup unless something was being lost in translation

The problem with that is that, if he felt really dismissive of it and had sent out a much weakened side as a result - which he is totally entitled to do - and we'd limped out, that, at least for me, would have been way, way better than putting out a full strength side and getting completely owned at home to a mid table side.

We've been through this already. Regardless of what team he put out , those players were not putting in a full performance. No pressing, no tracking runners . If you can't see that you need specsavers

But - at the risk of making this a circular argument - if you're not arsed about the competition, you send the reserves out and make sure your first XI aren't at risk. Instead, what happened was our best players played and got beat fair and square, not because they were encouraged not to take it seriously.

YES.

Exactly this. But Tim won't understand. Because, well, Tim doesn't tend to understand.