Unai Emery

[Sexual Ealing]

It really doesn't matter.

[Demitri_C]

I was abit suprised with some of unais choices last night.  I couldn't  believe Watkins  was again  started after such poor performances and yet again was poor. Tamny should have started, in fact should have been bought on sooner.

I also do not get why dougie came off as buendia was worse.i get the barkley sub but man he was crap as well. Thats on him not unai as we literally  have no one else in that position

[mrfuse]

I doubt anyone from Madrid is now watching us.

Maybe it’s all part of a cunning plan by the players to ensure Real Madrid stay well away from our Unai.


We’ve come a long way in the last 3 and a bit seasons. Think it’s worth just having faith that, maybe things aren’t working out right now, but Emery is a great manager and he’ll get us out of this slump.

The problem is will he get us out of it quickly enough before we bottle top 5?

Finish 6th and Rogers is probably sold, making all the more impossible to finish Top 4 or 5 next season, and so it continues.

It's shit or bust (not literally) this season.

At least I can get a balanced view from fans on here sometimes as I agree with both posts.
 I love Unai Emery but hes definitely testing my patience currently. Champions league is crucial if were are able to mount any sustainable challenge on the untouchables. It's not what I want but it looks like it might have to be winning Europa to get champions league.

[ROBBO]

Agreed, I thought Buendia would be first off.

[Ianu]

Basically the Jan transfer market has had the opposite effect to last year.

Before we got a much needed boost from Rashford and Asensio.

This year we shipped out one of most effective players and bought in a player who couldn’t get into the Forest team and a capable striker who was plying his trade in the Turkish league. (But still more of a goal threat than Watkins).

So very much self-inflicted.

Even so, if Unai can give Tammy a start, perhaps utilize Bogarde or Lindelof more to prop up an ineffective midfield and give Alysson more game time, finishing top 5 is still doable.

[Monty]

I just have this horrible feeling that we're coming towards the end of something. Hopefully not, but it does feel like it. And the best thing would be to get a trophy out of this period and, honestly, if fucking Ange's Spurs can do it, why can't we?

[cdbearsfan]

Because we are Villa and we don't do trophies.

[Monty]

Because we are Villa and we don't do trophies.

Apart from the Endless Malediction, I mean.

[Sexual Ealing]

I agree with cd.

[PeterWithe]

I wish he'd stop fucking off down the tunnel before shaking hands, it's basic respect and manners to not do that.

Did that definitely happen? I didn’t see them shake hands but thought maybe the camera missed it? If so I agree, it’s shit.

He did it at Arsenal the other week. Being a bad loser is one thing but he never goes over to the away fans to acknowledge their efforts. I mean, he never shakes the hand of anyone else but the opposing team's manager either (ie never their assistants) and always has that strange hurried efficient walk after games to get down the tunnel.

Maybe it's a tic in his personality like with the constant face-touching when watching the game or in interviews. He might just be an odd fella who lives to work.

Unai can shake hands with whom and whenever he chooses.

He can, and we can point out that when he doesn’t, it does him little credit.

[Steve67]

To be fair, like happened at Arsenal, their manager last night was busy celebrating, so, Unai didn't wait. 

[PaulWinch again]

A real symptom of our struggles at the moment is how ponderous our play out of the back is. They’re just doing it as something to do, rather than we a plan of how it supports a plan. The amount of times it’s played to Cash on the right who then gets boxed in. When we’re on it it helps us play through the lines. But at the moment it’s achieving nothing.

[AV82EC]

We seem to lack a quick switch long ball in either direction the amount of time last night Digne/Cash were standing in acres of space was mind blowing. All this while we were creating pretty triangles in the middle of the pitch getting nowhere fast. A bit like last week when we went 4-4-2 at the end of the game we were gaining ground and space really quickly. It was just a shame Maatsen seemed to have bought two right boots with him as his inability to cross at the right time last night was staggering.

The curse of playing a 3-5-2 team in a low block continues. It was very reminiscent of playing Palace.

[Ianu]

One thing I do think Unai underestimate is the power of momentum/good feeling, or what the Chinese would say “qi” .

Sometimes, you need to harness excitement and take a risk rather than being overly planned/cautious.

I say this, particularly with regards to new players. He hardly ever lets them loose as nearly all other clubs do. Instead he beds them in, makes sure they understand the system, can follow exactly what they have to do etc.

I just get the feeling he is missing something here. The feel good factor a new signing can give you. Throw them in, play them straight away, maybe they’ll do a woltemade, a guessand or malen and start scoring straight away.  This is  “qi” in action.


But Unai is just so cautious and likes all his I dotted and t crossed.

His way is “fantastic” but now and again, I feel he needs to be more flexible and open minded.

[pauliewalnuts]

I just have this horrible feeling that we're coming towards the end of something. Hopefully not, but it does feel like it. And the best thing would be to get a trophy out of this period and, honestly, if fucking Ange's Spurs can do it, why can't we?

I agree. Not great.