Unai Emery

[Risso]

I'm enjoying the results more than the actual performances at the moment.  The last four wins have all been fairly dull "it's the result that's important, even if we haven't played that well" type performances. I hope we can properly funeral somebody soon, starting with Bournemouth this weekend.

[brontebilly]

I’m not sure it Emery’s fault we bought the Sweden number one and still can’t blame him for that cup exit. That team should have beat Stevenage.

A team with Ings and Coutinho on the pitch should have had a field day.

Agreed, the team was more than strong enough to get the job done. A number seem to have paid for that performance by no longer being at the club.

[Toronto Villa]

I’m not sure it Emery’s fault we bought the Sweden number one and still can’t blame him for that cup exit. That team should have beat Stevenage.

A team with Ings and Coutinho on the pitch should have had a field day.

Agreed, the team was more than strong enough to get the job done. A number seem to have paid for that performance by no longer being at the club.

As much as it was utterly shit to lose that game in a way it will have provided a lot of information to Emery and staff as to who is up for the fight and who isn't. Granted many of those players have featured since and have improved a lot so they are not all for the chop. But with Augustinsson, Bednarek and Ings gone, Sanson almost; if we also see the end of Olsen, Chambers, Bailey plus, more importantly a real change in culture it will have been worth the short term pain of that defeat.

[Beard82]

Ive quite enjoyed the performances - there has been some excellent passing periods, and I like the slow / quick passing changes. 

Its very much a work in progress, but its great that we can see progress.  Dont get me wrong, I would love to see us dick someone soon, but we're not exactly blessed with attacking options which I don't think helps. 

[OCD]

For years I've wanted us to control games and play a possession-based approach. Gerrard promised it early into his reign but failed to deliver.

There have been some lovely flowing moves at times and some have resulted in goals.

Have to remember that Emery's getting a tune out of group of players that his predecessors couldn't. I think some on here said that this group of players were incapable of that.

I think what Newcastle have been doing this year, we'll be doing next year. Namely being spoken about in terms of challenging for a Champions League place but probably ending up with a UEFA spot.

[Nii Lamptey]

The style of play can maybe come across as a little bit boring, but I'm really enjoying watching us tbh. I sit middle of Trinity upper, and you can see the players slowly and meticulously trying to push the ball around to expose a weakness in the opposition, and then we suddenly hit them with the pace of the fullbacks and Ollie.

If this is a sign of things to come (*even with our current crop of players), then I'm all in. Going to be tough to climb any higher than we are this season, as that cluster of teams above us show no signs of dropping in form, but it really does bode well for the future.

McGinn putting in possibly his best performances in a villa shirt recently, Ollie rocketing back into form, a fully functional midfield, and even Matty Cash with a a few assists recently.

#UTV

[Risso]

The football's not been great to watch but it's clearly Emery establishing his way of playing. Hopefully we'll get 4-5 new recruits in the summer who play his way, and add to the players we've already got who by then should be comfortable with it. I can see the likes of Konsa, Cash, Bailey, McGinn and Buendia all either not being here next season, or getting quite a bit less game time.

[SamTheMouse]

If you're not a fan of the way we're currently playing, I wouldn't get my hopes up too much about it improving under Emery - in terms of style, that is.

It's pretty similar to the Man City way - dominate possession, keep the tempo relatively slow and controlled, and attack with a rapier thrust when you've manoeuvred the opposition out of position/bored them into a coma. I get the distinct impression that Emery isn't a fan of breathless, end to end football.

What will improve, hopefully, with better players and more time, is the execution.

Anyway, it clearly works, and I'm all for it.

[Risso]

If you're not a fan of the way we're currently playing, I wouldn't get my hopes up too much about it improving under Emery - in terms of style, that is.

It's pretty similar to the Man City way - dominate possession, keep the tempo relatively slow and controlled, and attack with a rapier thrust when you've manoeuvred the opposition out of position/bored them into a coma. I get the distinct impression that Emery isn't a fan of breathless, end to end football.

What will improve, hopefully, with better players and more time, is the execution.

Anyway, it clearly works, and I'm all for it.

I don't mind the style, it's just at the moment we have too many players who aren't comfortable with it, eg Bailey and Konsa. Watching Bailey run about doing bugger all makes me cross, I really don't understand why Emery persists with him, he's terrible.  11 players all comfortable with the style and all contributing would make the team much better to watch I reckon.

[eamonn]

He might feel that Traore is the only alternative to Bailey and he's not quite up to speed yet. We do need a a more consistent wide player with real pace in the summer, preferably one who is not too one-footed. Might even be a better investment than an out and out centre forward.

[SamTheMouse]

I agree with all that, definitely (also puzzled by Emery's persistence with Bailey).

Really excited to see what happens in the summer.

We've got a Champion's League level coaching team, I reckon. Now we need the players to go with them.

[Clampy]

It's a lot fucking better than what Gerrard served up. We're a lot better, organised and more watchable.

[Monty]

Bailey fulfills a role in the side that nobody else quite does. Traoré isn't as fast off the ball and Big Jhon is a bit green.

Bailey's the one who runs the right channels, is available for the outballs, attacks at the right angles. It's just a shame that he can't do anything with it, anything at all, ever.

[Toronto Villa]

I still think Bailey is better on the left than right. I know he’s scored a couple from the right, but I find on that side he’s always trying to control the ball and then cut inside the LB, and he invariably fucks up the first bit and rarely if ever getting to the second.

[Monty]

I still think Bailey is better on the left than right. I know he’s scored a couple from the right, but I find on that side he’s always trying to control the ball and then cut inside the LB, and he invariably fucks up the first bit and rarely if ever getting to the second.

True I think, but all his other attributes best fit the set-up of the team coming in from the right, where he inevitably messes up. He's a bit stuck, basically - and so are we!