Unai Emery - our manager

[pauliewalnuts]

I like absolutely everything I've seen so far from Unai....apart from that shiny coat.

Pete on the Holy Trinity channel said it'd look nice when it's finished, which I thought was quite appropriate.

[john e]

While waiting for the last 3 subs to come on, he had a full tactical discussion with Mings (from distance), and you could see this was something planned and discussed at training, as Mings walked away with nods and full understanding of who was going where and for why.

It has been so long since I've seen this in game management that I can't remember who was the last manager able to do this?

Not everything he does will work, but with his record to date, there should be more success than failure.

Looking forward to the next few years with U.E. in charge.

I love the fact that he was making changes here there and everywhere in the last 20-25 mins, some forced through injury some not and i didn’t have a scooby doo what he was doing. But unlike some of our other managers and notably the last one, Unai completely does know what his doing and what he wants from his tweaks to formation and player changes. Conte makes a change to change the course of the game, Unai negates immediately with an unexpected substitution (Cash for Bailey) he’s a chess master.
We have a manager that knows far more than us and it feels great. 

Behave yourself he doesn’t know more than me obvs

[paul_e]

How are we lining up with/without the ball? 

On the TV graphics they suggest we’re playing 442 but neither McGinn or Buendia strike me wide players in a traditional 442, plus Bailey is arguably a winger rather than a striker.

It's a funny one really. I reckon you'd write it down as a 4222 but the truth is our shape changes (but not off the cuff, it's clearly something we've trained for) as we move around the pitch, both in defence and attack. The only 4 who have what I'd consider fixed positions are Mings, Konsa, Kamara and Watkins.

The defensive shape (based on yesterday) is probably the easiest to explain. Until they get to halfway we have 2 banks of 4 and let Bailey and Watkins do some light pressing to limit where players can pass to. As they get over halfway Buendia and McGinn drop into more wingback style positions and Young and Digne press in so we end up as a 6 with far tighter gaps between players. The other 4 then track across the pitch in 2 pairs, with one closing the space and the other holding the centre of the pitch in the 2 lines. It means the only real space for teams is to either go over ther top or try to overload us down one side.

I think this will become pretty familiar away to teams that are expected to attack us.

[Lastfootstamper]

I like absolutely everything I've seen so far from Unai....apart from that shiny coat.

Pete on the Holy Trinity channel said it'd look nice when it's finished, which I thought was quite appropriate.

He's clearly been speaking to people from Birmingham too much if he's saying that about stuff.

[Brend'Watkins]

I like absolutely everything I've seen so far from Unai....apart from that shiny coat.

Pete on the Holy Trinity channel said it'd look nice when it's finished, which I thought was quite appropriate.

He’s got everything pretty much right in a short space of time. Just a thought, it might be us that are wrong about the coat. Another couple of victories and I’m getting one.

[RamboandBruno]

While waiting for the last 3 subs to come on, he had a full tactical discussion with Mings (from distance), and you could see this was something planned and discussed at training, as Mings walked away with nods and full understanding of who was going where and for why.

It has been so long since I've seen this in game management that I can't remember who was the last manager able to do this?

Not everything he does will work, but with his record to date, there should be more success than failure.

Looking forward to the next few years with U.E. in charge.

I love the fact that he was making changes here there and everywhere in the last 20-25 mins, some forced through injury some not and i didn’t have a scooby doo what he was doing. But unlike some of our other managers and notably the last one, Unai completely does know what his doing and what he wants from his tweaks to formation and player changes. Conte makes a change to change the course of the game, Unai negates immediately with an unexpected substitution (Cash for Bailey) he’s a chess master.
We have a manager that knows far more than us and it feels great. 

Behave yourself he doesn’t know more than me obvs

Sorry John, schoolboy error on my behalf 😉

[Lsvilla]

I like absolutely everything I've seen so far from Unai....apart from that shiny coat.

Pete on the Holy Trinity channel said it'd look nice when it's finished, which I thought was quite appropriate.

He’s got everything pretty much right in a short space of time. Just a thought, it might be us that are wrong about the coat. Another couple of victories and I’m getting one.

I'm obviously not a fashion icon. But I want / need a new coat - and I liked it. Where can I get one ?

[Louzie0]

https://twitter.com/UnaiEmery_/status/1609653251057532930

Class act, although I am slightly disappointed he has Twitter. I like to think of him spending his free time reading Renaissance literature with a fine wine.

I do all that and still have Twitter.
Not mutually exclusive, Rory.

(I’d probably be a bit challenged organising the Villa midfield to outnumber Spurs’ though.)

[john e]

While waiting for the last 3 subs to come on, he had a full tactical discussion with Mings (from distance), and you could see this was something planned and discussed at training, as Mings walked away with nods and full understanding of who was going where and for why.

It has been so long since I've seen this in game management that I can't remember who was the last manager able to do this?

Not everything he does will work, but with his record to date, there should be more success than failure.

Looking forward to the next few years with U.E. in charge.

I love the fact that he was making changes here there and everywhere in the last 20-25 mins, some forced through injury some not and i didn’t have a scooby doo what he was doing. But unlike some of our other managers and notably the last one, Unai completely does know what his doing and what he wants from his tweaks to formation and player changes. Conte makes a change to change the course of the game, Unai negates immediately with an unexpected substitution (Cash for Bailey) he’s a chess master.
We have a manager that knows far more than us and it feels great. 

Behave yourself he doesn’t know more than me obvs

Sorry John, schoolboy error on my behalf 😉

No probs mate, just don’t let it happen again

[Toronto Villa]

There’s the coat that Dyche wear and the one that Emery wears. Kids get the one worn by bloke who speaks better English.

[Drummond]

How are we lining up with/without the ball? 

On the TV graphics they suggest we’re playing 442 but neither McGinn or Buendia strike me wide players in a traditional 442, plus Bailey is arguably a winger rather than a striker.

It's a funny one really. I reckon you'd write it down as a 4222 but the truth is our shape changes (but not off the cuff, it's clearly something we've trained for) as we move around the pitch, both in defence and attack. The only 4 who have what I'd consider fixed positions are Mings, Konsa, Kamara and Watkins.

The defensive shape (based on yesterday) is probably the easiest to explain. Until they get to halfway we have 2 banks of 4 and let Bailey and Watkins do some light pressing to limit where players can pass to. As they get over halfway Buendia and McGinn drop into more wingback style positions and Young and Digne press in so we end up as a 6 with far tighter gaps between players. The other 4 then track across the pitch in 2 pairs, with one closing the space and the other holding the centre of the pitch in the 2 lines. It means the only real space for teams is to either go over ther top or try to overload us down one side.

I think this will become pretty familiar away to teams that are expected to attack us.

It changes depending on the opposition.

[Chap]

There’s the coat that Dyche wear and the one that Emery wears. Kids get the one worn by bloke who speaks better English.

Brilliant 🤣🤣👍

[Footy-Vill]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/64147229

Highlights the geniuses of how we set up the midfield against Spurs.

[brontebilly]

The only concern I have at the moment is playing out from the back against a hard press. We got away with it at tottenham because it was very much a slow press.

Same v the Ronaldo/DvB double act at Villa Park. Wolves won't make it as easy for the likes of Konsa and Mings.

Kane and Son were appalling yesterday yet their so called fans took the easy option to boo Emerson Royal when he came on.

[Ad@m]

Obviously it’s early days, & I don’t want to get carried away only for Villa to spectacularly break my heart again, as per the norm, but he really does look like he knows what he is doing. It’s fabulous to see tactics. It’s incredible to see an actual team. And this is with another persons squad. I’m trying to imagine what it’s like with his own players… Only time will tell if this positivity lasts, but early on, he looks like an actual football manager…

You're right not to get carried away.

I'm not. I don't even think we'll win the Champions League until next year!