Unai Emery

[brontebilly]

Agree Unai seemed to get it wrong today. He had options and decided on Bailey and Sancho.

Playing SJM out wide on the right again despite it never working in the past. Unai needs to stop with this nonsense especially when Youri and Bogarde are not having much fun. Oh and the laws state it's allowed to make subs at half time. I assume we're paying Tammy by the minute and trying to save some money.

McGinn's best position is on the right

But not hogging the touchline. The more central he is the more control we have of the midfield, something we struggle to do when he's played there.

Think he was just sluggish today. Was that him that played Ollie through in second half? Credit to Fulham Cash/McGinn have been crucifying teams of late on that flank but Fulham dominated there today. Id have put McGinn into the centre at half time, mind.

[Toronto Villa]

No shit, Sherlock.

What’s that meant to mean? You just made the comment that it never works. Well clearly it does

[Percy McCarthy]

No shit, Sherlock.

What’s that meant to mean? You just made the comment that it never works. Well clearly it does

Correct. I think we could probably do with him in the middle from now on though, if Onana’s out.

Edit: changed my mind now thinking about it. Probably needs to support Cash against Williams on Thursday.

[Olneythelonely]

Yeah, McGinn on the right clearly works. It’s where McGinn works best. Just didn’t yesterday for some reason. Was unable to pin Sessegnon back.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

No shit, Sherlock.

What’s that meant to mean? You just made the comment that it never works. Well clearly it does

Unai playing SJM hugging the touchline may work on occasion but we're a better team and he's a better player when he's not. At our best SJM is dominating the midfield, driving us forward, we lose that when he's played as a winger. He's not as involved for a start. The odd goal here and there doesn't change it.

Right wing is our Bermuda Triangle, Sancho, Bailey and Guessand have all failed to deliver there, putting SJM there seems a desperate measure to stretch the opposition that does us few favours. Clarke has him there at times for Scotland and he's a shadow of the player we know and love. Call me old fashioned but I love to see us dominate midfield as we generally win more games than we don't.

As Olney pointed out, we failed to pin Sessegnon back, Percy worrying about Williams on Thursday, both valid points but surely the best way is to put the opposition on the back foot. Playing more narrow can congest the midfield but up against teams like Fulham and Forest we're more than good enough to pass the ball around them. SJM will still be playing on the right, just 10-15 yards further in from the touchline, it doesn't mean he can't go there, using the space when available. It's really that simple. A formula that has worked so well for us in the past.

[brontebilly]

No shit, Sherlock.

What’s that meant to mean? You just made the comment that it never works. Well clearly it does

Unai playing SJM hugging the touchline may work on occasion but we're a better team and he's a better player when he's not. At our best SJM is dominating the midfield, driving us forward, we lose that when he's played as a winger. He's not as involved for a start. The odd goal here and there doesn't change it.

Right wing is our Bermuda Triangle, Sancho, Bailey and Guessand have all failed to deliver there, putting SJM there seems a desperate measure to stretch the opposition that does us few favours. Clarke has him there at times for Scotland and he's a shadow of the player we know and love. Call me old fashioned but I love to see us dominate midfield as we generally win more games than we don't.

As Olney pointed out, we failed to pin Sessegnon back, Percy worrying about Williams on Thursday, both valid points but surely the best way is to put the opposition on the back foot. Playing more narrow can congest the midfield but up against teams like Fulham and Forest we're more than good enough to pass the ball around them. SJM will still be playing on the right, just 10-15 yards further in from the touchline, it doesn't mean he can't go there, using the space when available. It's really that simple. A formula that has worked so well for us in the past.

We don't play with wingers and McGinn certainly doesn't play as one for us. McGinn was outstanding in the same position v Forest in the previous game.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

So why has he been hugging the bloody touchline? That's my only real point, Bronte.

[Toronto Villa]

I’m not going to get into a massive quotathon on Mark’s post. I respect his opinion but I’ll make my point here. I disagree that McGinn playing wide right never works because it has. He’s been quite effective out there on several occasions from an attacking and defensive perspective. It’s why Emery plays him there. But I also agree he’s better suited to a slightly more central position where he can get much more involved in the action. Which in most games he does. I’d rather seen him there also.

Yes right wing has been a huge issue for us because Emery seems to like wingers who can cut inside. It’s hard to find those who are equally effective with both feet who can take a full back on the outside. As a fan I want to see the old fashioned winger right foot on the right side, left on the left who is fast, beats the full back and gets a cross in. But we’ve not had that under Emery. His right wingers are left footed. Ideally we need one who is equally adept with both feet. Not easy to find and if we do very expensive.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

That is just modern football, though, not just Emery. The winger cutting in on his stronger foot is just the norm because fullbacks provide the crosses from out wide. I wouldn't be expecting any manager to be doing much different. I do wish McGinn did use his right foot more, though.

[brontebilly]

So why has he been hugging the bloody touchline? That's my only real point, Bronte.

I don't think he has been though. There was a lot of this talk earlier in the season too in our bad run about why McGinn was on the wing. He has destroyed a serious of opposing full backs by pinning them in field and turning into midfield with the ball. Combines superbly with Cash on that side. Didn't work yesterday obviously.
 
I'd prefer if we stopped trying and failing with wingers in the traditional sense. It worked brilliantly with Bailey for one season but failed with every other one. Bailey mark 2 and Sancho need to be put out of their misery. Try and find the next McGinn or failing that get JJ back.

[Sexual Ealing]

So why has he been hugging the bloody touchline? That's my only real point, Bronte.

I don't think he has been though. There was a lot of this talk earlier in the season too in our bad run about why McGinn was on the wing. He has destroyed a serious of opposing full backs by pinning them in field and turning into midfield with the ball. Combines superbly with Cash on that side. Didn't work yesterday obviously.
 
I'd prefer if we stopped trying and failing with wingers in the traditional sense. It worked brilliantly with Bailey for one season but failed with every other one. Bailey mark 2 and Sancho need to be put out of their misery. Try and find the next McGinn or failing that get JJ back.

We really need to stop pining after former players, particularly ones as regularly underwhelming/injured as Ramsey. Plus we'd need to match or improve on the blood money he's on up there. Not going to happen, nor should it.

[ChicagoLion]

You point out the problem RCF, Bailey, Guessand and Sancho been a disaster, so we are shoring up the right side.
There are other ways we could do it but as you say the Bermuda Triangle is the problem.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

That is just modern football, though, not just Emery. The winger cutting in on his stronger foot is just the norm because fullbacks provide the crosses from out wide. I wouldn't be expecting any manager to be doing much different. I do wish McGinn did use his right foot more, though.

The only logical reason to have him out there is because Cash can't/won't cross a ball and will always feed it back. McGinn at least will put in a decent cross.

[Dave]

Not a big fan of this precedent:

The cushion should be substantial enough, with Villa eight to 12 points clear of the teams over whom a theoretical blanket could be thrown from sixth to 12th.

But that was a lethargic defeat which completely undermined Unai Emery’s pre-match message.

The Spaniard was burned in similar circumstances the last time he reached the semi-final of his beloved Europa League with a Premier League club. Arsenal lost their next three games immediately after reaching the last four, drawing one more and missing out on Champions League qualification to Spurs by a single point.

They did make the Europa League final, but lost it as Emery’s plate-spinning exploits resulted only in a shattered mess.

Villa remain on course to finish in the top five – leeway which did not exist for him in north London – and win the Europa, but Emery has shared his eggs between those baskets before and ended up with nothing.

[cdbearsfan]

Would be disappointed if we miss out from here, but burning the manager still seems a bit over the top, IMO.