Unai Emery

[andyh]

I have a bloke behind me who drives me mad.
Moans like billyo about how slow we play, constantly screams ‘it’s too easy’ when the opposition attack and is always just a little too quick to shout what a great pass or great move an opposing team have made.
He actually clapped and shouted ‘great goal’ when their disallowed goal went in yesterday.

I truly don’t know why he bothers.

[Olof's Beard]

I have a bloke behind me who drives me mad.
Moans like billyo about how slow we play, constantly screams ‘it’s too easy’ when the opposition attack and is always just a little too quick to shout what a great pass or great move an opposing team have made.
He actually clapped and shouted ‘great goal’ when their disallowed goal went in yesterday.

I truly don’t know why he bothers.

Exactly this. Why go to watch something you seem to despise and derive so little joy from? Especially at a high cost?

Yesterday these fellas were berating the team for 'letting the play' and of course Cash for not crossing from 35 yards back from the touchline (something which is a filthy though for Unai).

Feck knows the state of these fellas when Lambert, Sherwood and Garde were in charge. They must have exploded with rage.

[Dick Edwards]

Gotta admit, I gently applauded their offside goal. I will always appreciate great play, whether it's us or the opposition. Must be an age thing.

[PaulWinch again]

The bit I worry about, and this isn’t a secret, we still aren’t producing lots of good chances. Clearly we’re doing great and scoring some wonderful individual goals, but that isn’t going to be sustainable. We need to start producing a higher volume of simple chances if we’re going to keep pace.

[andyh]

I’m old.
I’ll never clap a goal against us, even if I secretly appreciate the quality.

[aj2k77]

We're playing without any effective wide players or centre forward really. How were in the top 4 I'll never know. It's a measure of Unai's ability that we've gone from free scoring but leaky to miserly and grinding things out with that Stevie Bruce little bit of magic. He's mastered a transition with lack of resources in a month. Imagine Guardiola having to act within the constraints Emery has faced. It's incredible really.

He needs a trophy though to take his place at the top table of Villa managers. Win something and he's only looking up at Saunders.

[andyh]

The bit I worry about, and this isn’t a secret, we still aren’t producing lots of good chances. Clearly we’re doing great and scoring some wonderful individual goals, but that isn’t going to be sustainable. We need to start producing a higher volume of simple chances if we’re going to keep pace.

I’m sorry, I don’t want to be disagreeable, but a goal is a goal is a goal.

We have climbed the table based on the goals we have scored and not conceded.
It doesn’t matter if they are worldies, tap ins or off Ginny’s arse.

[Sexual Ealing]

Yes, that we're suddenly shooting from the edge of the box isn't an accident.

[mrfuse]

In my opinion, Unai is the best tactical and hardest-working manager we’ve ever had. I sometimes wonder if some of our fans really watch what we’re trying to do. The days of end-to-end football and lumping it into the box are gone. It’s now about control and consistency, and that isn’t always going to look entertaining.

Sometimes when we break, the priority is keeping or regaining control of the ball rather than risking possession and getting countered. Heart and intensity can win games — as Leeds and Wolves have shown — but in the long run, quality and belief in the system usually prevail, and that’s exactly what we bring.

[aj2k77]

Just to highlight the defensive work done over Summer. We've conceded more than once in 3 of our 18 games this season. Prior to that it it was 21 times in 57 games last season and 22 times in 56 the season before.

Having a settled defence obviously makes a difference but it's more than just that.

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

Yes, that we're suddenly shooting from the edge of the box isn't an accident.

It’s almost like they’ve been practicing it.

[ChicagoLion]

Just to highlight the defensive work done over Summer. We've conceded more than once in 3 of our 18 games this season. Prior to that it it was 21 times in 57 games last season and 22 times in 56 the season before.

Having a settled defence obviously makes a difference but it's more than just that.

Martinez is making a couple of World class saves most games, so this and scoring worldies i don’t think is sustainable
A big issue is that we don’t have much penetration from the wings.

[eye digress]

There was endless grumbling around me on the Holte yesterday but where the fans don't have the patience, the Manager does. It's all about results, and he gets 'em.

In the post-match comments, Unai made a point of saying that the supporters "are learning [to understand our patient approach]".

[Brend'Watkins]

Just to highlight the defensive work done over Summer. We've conceded more than once in 3 of our 18 games this season. Prior to that it it was 21 times in 57 games last season and 22 times in 56 the season before.

Having a settled defence obviously makes a difference but it's more than just that.

Martinez is making a couple of World class saves most games, so this and scoring worldies i don’t think is sustainable
A big issue is that we don’t have much penetration from the wings.

It’s not seen as an issue because we don’t play that way and the reason we don’t is so that we are more compact on any counter attack. It’s not 100% effective though but clearly seen as more effective than assigning players to a wing role.

[ChicagoLion]

Just to highlight the defensive work done over Summer. We've conceded more than once in 3 of our 18 games this season. Prior to that it it was 21 times in 57 games last season and 22 times in 56 the season before.

Having a settled defence obviously makes a difference but it's more than just that.

Martinez is making a couple of World class saves most games, so this and scoring worldies i don’t think is sustainable
A big issue is that we don’t have much penetration from the wings.

It’s not seen as an issue because we don’t play that way and the reason we don’t is so that we are more compact on any counter attack. It’s not 100% effective though but clearly seen as more effective than assigning players to a wing role.

Pretty sure he bought Sancho and Guessand in to give us option's out wide.