Aston Villa 1 Liverpool 3 Post Match Thread.

[nigel]

The team largely picks itself every week, because of the paucity of alternatives, and too many in it aren't really up for it.

I appreciate there's an argument about the high defensive line and the slow substitutions, but the weakness today looked more about the players failing than the manager.

Luiz spent the entire first half giving the ball away absolutely hopelessly, Konsa just looks like he's nowhere near good enough for this level, Mings played his normal 'body-on-the-line-last-ditch' performance rather than the 'stop-the-last-ditch-from-happening-in-the-first-place' which a better defender would manage, Ashley Young looked his age, and Watkins showed us yet again how many chances he has to fluff before he converts one.

Not sure how many more times we're going to have to see the above, but hopefully not many.

On the positive side, McGinn played much better than he has done in most matches over the last two years, despite looking scary and frightening the defence Olsen did alright, and Kamara looked excellent.

It wasn't an awful performance, it was the sort of 'meh' showing that you're going to get from a team where we are.

What it did show was that we need to start getting a lot more realistic about some of these players, and begin to buy in improvements.

That's going to probably mean spending more on players than we usually do. Recent years, Wolves have been shopping for more expensive players than we have. That needs to change.

That’s about where I am, too.
That said, we know Luiz can be, and has been, much better, while Konsa, frustratingly, has been at a level where he was being touted for England.

I think Ollie is great, but he’s not the one to fire us up the table.
I suppose a bit like John Deehan, in the 70’s, not prolific, but will chip in with goals and assists. Certainly worth keeping.
Maybe he just needs his  ‘Andy Gray’ to play alongside in a front 3?

[Percy McCarthy]

And a shout out to the knob In front of me who got arsey with a misplaced pass from Mings after 80 odd minutes when he hadnt put a foot wrong all game. A few words were exchanged but I wish he hadn't come back when he fucked off when the second goal went in. Twat.

They're everywhere I'm afraid, Clampy.

But don't agree that Mings didn't put a foot wrong. He wasn't awful, but he wasn't great, either. Concentration levels leave much to be desired.

I do think that he needs a spell alongside Carlos when he's fit to return, however.

What exactly did he do wrong though?

Trying not be critical of the overall team performance yesterday but seeing as you asked; He only defelected two in for them and was part of the defence that conceded 3 and could have been more, nothing else.

They said Mings on MOTD but if you watch it closely it went in off Konsa’s arm.

[Mister E]

Can’t believe some of the doom and gloom on here.  Yes we are short of quality in some key areas but I saw a team beginning to come to terms with the new manager’s ways.  At times we were very good and had a top side on the ropes for large periods so for me it’s going in the right direction in what is only Emery’s third PL game, so give the guy a chance!

This was the thought I had as I walked away from the ground. We clearly need a top-class striker - Watkins could have had a hat-trick last night - but we are definitely brighter, more assertive and mobile than we have been this season.

[SoccerHQ]

People do realise we can lose to Liverpool and still finish top half?

Spurs and Liverpool both lost to them in similar circumstances and both for now are in the top 4.

If we're making bad errors and Emery is waiting until 85th minute to make a sub v Wolves in a game we're losing then I'll start getting worried that nothing much is going to change.

[Chris Smith]

Ads and Leon have both summed up my thoughts from the game. The same weaknesses that we knew about before the WC were major factors again - Nyland is an unreliable Keeper and we waste too many good chances.

Yes as he didn't even turn up yesterday. Apparently still celebrating Xmas in Leipzig.

Oops, I’m blaming too many mince pies for my brain fog.

[Risso]

People do realise we can lose to Liverpool and still finish top half?

Spurs and Liverpool both lost to them in similar circumstances and both for now are in the top 4.

If we're making bad errors and Emery is waiting until 85th minute to make a sub v Wolves in a game we're losing then I'll start getting worried that nothing much is going to change.

Liverpool playing themselves now? Same old Scousers, always cheating.

[Dr_Fegg]

What really annoyed me yesterday though was how many of our players fall to the ground as soon as an opponent breathes near them - We are so lightweight it’s pathetic. Luiz and Digne were guilty of it several times, Buendia and McGinn as well.

How do they ever manage to bring a round back from the bar in a crowded pub?

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Dr_Fegg]

Agree with most of the comments but it was still a massive3 improvement on any Gerrard performance.

Three things confused me though;
1. Have we removed all timepieces and clocks from anywhere near the dugout? Its the only reason i have left for not playing subs. They put 4 on and 1 of them scored.
2. How does Luiz stay on? No change that,how does he start?! He's a player who hides regardless of who has the ball. I watched him for 10 mins and he did nothing. Get Rid
3. Fine to try different formations but we dont have the squad for a 4-4-2 with a high line. 4-2-3-1 suits our squad better i feel.

Ah well, spuds next. So win villa, just win. dont care how just fuck 'em up.

The most wanky supporters in the league (and thats a high bar!)

[pablo_picasso]

I don’t think there is a club in world football that I despise more than Liverpool. It has nothing to do with the fact that they have some of the best players in the world & are successful. Albeit, their success breeds everything I despise about them. It’s the whole superiority complex around the club, their fans & their media. The constant media fawning about everything they do sickens me to my core. Their fans whole, “we deserve success & if we don’t get it, it’s dolly chucking time” attitude. The fact that nothing is ever their fault. The fact that the majority of their fans couldn’t point out Liverpool on a map yet support them solely so they can laud it over other clubs fans that’s ”their club is the best & everything about your club is shit”. The fact that having the best players in the world isn’t enough that the officials are always on their side too. And yet still, this isn’t enough & they whine that everything is unfair & against them, so much so that it puts extra pressure on officials who are already in their pocket. The fact that we cannot beat them & I have to put up with about 712 texts from my mates in Devon who have never been further north than Exeter that “their” club is so much better than my club… Most people despise Man Utd. For obvious reasons. But Liverpool were the original Man Utd & continue to be to this day. And I despise everything about them…

[Axl Rose]

Same here, Pablo.

The ultimate turd of a club.

[Border villan]

Wrong thread, I know.

Norwich have just sacked Deano.

[Villatillidie25]

Agree with most of the comments but it was still a massive3 improvement on any Gerrard performance.

Three things confused me though;
1. Have we removed all timepieces and clocks from anywhere near the dugout? Its the only reason i have left for not playing subs. They put 4 on and 1 of them scored.
2. How does Luiz stay on? No change that,how does he start?! He's a player who hides regardless of who has the ball. I watched him for 10 mins and he did nothing. Get Rid
3. Fine to try different formations but we dont have the squad for a 4-4-2 with a high line. 4-2-3-1 suits our squad better i feel.

Ah well, spuds next. So win villa, just win. dont care how just fuck 'em up.

The most wanky supporters in the league (and thats a high bar!)

Disagree, disagree, agree. But then that’s the joy of football and everyone having different opinions 😃.
We were playing well so not sure if the team needed changing tbh. Luiz is easily our second best midfielder, if not our best.
We do have players more suited to 4231.

[rougegorge]

Wrong thread, I know.

Norwich have just sacked Deano.

Maybe the wrong thread, but no surprise

[colin69]

I actually thought we played well for big spells of the game but needed to put our chances away when we got them. As much as I like Ollie he needs far too many chances to score.
I hope in a months time with some new additions in the right areas we will be moving in the right direction.
I’ve only just warmed up though, bloody freezing, yet there were blokes with bloody shorts on in the crowd.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

But Liverpool were the original Man Utd & continue to be to this day. And I despise everything about them…

The Plastics have been at it since the Munich air crash, it was a defining day when the country rightly took pity on them, Busby then successfully rebuilt and the gloryhunters followed. Liverpool were built from Division II where the genius of Shankly took them to the top and they've pretty much been there or there about ever since.

Said it before but I'll talk all day about football with Scousers, they're probably the most obsessed football fans you're likely to find. I've lost count of the times I've been amazed that they know so much about us, our players, our honours and history, where we bought our players from, they live football and obviously pride themselves on the knowledge.

As for Manc or any other type of Man U fan, as soon as I here them say they support 'United' I just walk away. Tossers to a man.