Aston Villa 1 Liverpool 3 Post Match Thread.

[Gareth]

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!

Not sure it’s doom and gloom (couple of people aside who would find misery in winning a cup final lol) but more frustration….we could and should have got something out of that game. 

[The Edge]

I really like Kamara. He's going to be a pivotal player going forward. I'm not convinced by Doug and I think it's time we move McGinn on. Ramsey, Kamara and an other should be the power in our engine room. A new keeper is an absolute must and two new strikers would be wonderful. Ings is ageing and Ollie is just too wasteful. I watched the re-run on motd and counted SEVEN really good chances to score. Converting just one of those tells the story of where we are right now. I think Unai will be given the time and the backing to make us a force to be reckoned with and I'm optimistic that he will be the one to break our 26 years of hurt without a trophy.

[Neil Hawkes]

It was obvious that Liverpool had played a recent competitive game in the last week, they came out in the first 45 minutes match sharp and we came out from a training session, slowly building up to speed.

I was crying out for subs towards the end of the 1st first half; then the 2nd half started and we played so much better that it was hard to see what subs could have made any difference to the much improved performance - excellent half time team talk.

If we have played any team other than Liverpool or City, (see above opening comment), I believe we would have won with that 2nd half performance, with a little more composure up front we should have earned the draw regardless.

I like what Emery is doing and showing, and we definitely need some better players.

[Abbeyfealeavfc]

Couldn’t attend last night. Watched the 1st half from ko on mute. Switched off when I saw that Cnut macmuncher on our sacred turf at h/t. What I saw was pish though we did create some good chances. I gather 2nd half we were better. Their lwb was afforded too much space. McGinn is not an auxiliary rb Young should never be one of 3 cbs, which is where he looked to be playing last night in the 1st 45. FO to the furrowed brow merchants!

[Baldy]

We are starting to play some excellent football mixed with schoolboy errors.

Unai has us playing with more confidence on the ball, more responsibility being taken by players (less sideways/backwards crap) and less hoof. We are heading in the right direction and I believe Unai is smart enough to know where the weaknesses lie.

Mings/Konsa partnership is on its last legs.
Buendia or Coutinho need to step up soon and be counted.
More clinical in front of goal.

Liverpool got the rub of the green. If it was a boxing match, a draw would have been a fair result.

[LeonW]

• Thought Liverpool’s first goal had real quality in the two passes to Salah. Yes, he probably should have been better marked but sometimes it’s easy to ignore the quality which creates the moment.
• Don’t think their second should have stood as Nunez looked offside before the corner. It also got a generous deflection on route in.
• I thought Emery’s approach was justified as we created a number of guilt edge chances which we didn’t take. I’d rather us have a go then not.
• For all his virtue’s, Ollie is simply not clinical enough as our leading striker to take us where we want to go. I think it might be a good thing for both parties to have a change.
• Apart from a couple of moments dropping the shoulder, thought Bailey was awful.
• Olsen puts the rest of the team under pressure. Did wonder whether he could have done better on the third goal. Seemed to push it out into the worst possible area. He did make a couple of good saves but he is a car crash waiting to happen.

[DeKuip]

Whatever else we did in the game, and there was some good stuff, we conceded three really poor goals - particularly the first where we were caught out by nobody (apart from Allison) spotting Robertson’s run from deep. The goal all came from that.
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?

[PaulTheVillan]

Quote from someone I know who went last night…. They’ve never heard so much racism and misogyny at a game before.

Oh dear.

[Ads]

I felt the game typified a few things, for both clubs and also individuals too.

Liverpool were better at one end of the pitch and had a player in Salah that was excellent. We defended poorly for two set pieces in the first half, one being the recycled ball showing Trent A-A's class in an attacking sense. About 5 minutes later he headed a defensive clearance inside his own box back to a central position and directly to an unmarked Villa player and we should have scored. I might copy those last for words of the previous sentence so I can paste them liberally across this post.

We made chances, excellent ones and we didn't capitalise. Watkins has been guilty for a long time of not being clinical enough and yesterday it cost us. Inside a minute, a header, a pulled back cross six yards to a space he vacated- frustrating.

Particularly so when he bullied Matip, won most things 30 yards from goal, squared them up plenty- but the key is what happens in the box.

Second half we improved and bossed them centrally for long periods. It was a credit to the Kamara (in particular) and Luiz axis that we overran them and forced them to cycle midfield options. We cut through them regularly and with some very good movement. Insert cut and paste line here. The silence of the away fans, despite winning, for a good 30 minutes in the second half, spoke volumes.

Nunez was a threat with his pace, our high line with Young a problem first half and second moreso because our midfield were 10 yards higher up creating more problems for Liverpool, but exposing us a little more. For £80m I'd expect somebody capable of finishing myself, but perhaps I'm picky.

I don't like us being plucky losers, but it was a good game in its openess, one where if we'd have secured a point, it wouldn't have been unjust. The absence of defensive cohesion on a few occasions not helped by missing 40% of our starting backline (60% I guess with Carlos). I feel Martinez in particular would have made a huge difference. If you're confident in your keeper, you're 100% concentrated on what's in front of you.

Subs were late, but I'm not sure what I'd have done as a manager to change matters. Given the way Liverpool play, Ings wouldn't have created the issues Watkins did. Coutinho hasn't put a game in for a significant period, so it's a tricky one. We need a forward and another wide player with pace.

Plenty not good enough and plenty to be encouraged by. Very "12th".

Merry Christmas.

[Villatillidie25]

I felt the game typified a few things, for both clubs and also individuals too.

Liverpool were better at one end of the pitch and had a player in Salah that was excellent. We defended poorly for two set pieces in the first half, one being the recycled ball showing Trent A-A's class in an attacking sense. About 5 minutes later he headed a defensive clearance inside his own box back to a central position and directly to an unmarked Villa player and we should have scored. I might copy those last for words of the previous sentence so I can paste them liberally across this post.

We made chances, excellent ones and we didn't capitalise. Watkins has been guilty for a long time of not being clinical enough and yesterday it cost us. Inside a minute, a header, a pulled back cross six yards to a space he vacated- frustrating.

Particularly so when he bullied Matip, won most things 30 yards from goal, squared them up plenty- but the key is what happens in the box.

Second half we improved and bossed them centrally for long periods. It was a credit to the Kamara (in particular) and Luiz axis that we overran them and forced them to cycle midfield options. We cut through them regularly and with some very good movement. Insert cut and paste line here. The silence of the away fans, despite winning, for a good 30 minutes in the second half, spoke volumes.

Nunez was a threat with his pace, our high line with Young a problem first half and second moreso because our midfield were 10 yards higher up creating more problems for Liverpool, but exposing us a little more. For £80m I'd expect somebody capable of finishing myself, but perhaps I'm picky.

I don't like us being plucky losers, but it was a good game in its openess, one where if we'd have secured a point, it wouldn't have been unjust. The absence of defensive cohesion on a few occasions not helped by missing 40% of our starting backline (60% I guess with Carlos). I feel Martinez in particular would have made a huge difference. If you're confident in your keeper, you're 100% concentrated on what's in front of you.

Subs were late, but I'm not sure what I'd have done as a manager to change matters. Given the way Liverpool play, Ings wouldn't have created the issues Watkins did. Coutinho hasn't put a game in for a significant period, so it's a tricky one. We need a forward and another wide player with pace.

Plenty not good enough and plenty to be encouraged by. Very "12th".

Merry Christmas.

Nailed it

[Nunkin1965]

I felt the game typified a few things, for both clubs and also individuals too.

Liverpool were better at one end of the pitch and had a player in Salah that was excellent. We defended poorly for two set pieces in the first half, one being the recycled ball showing Trent A-A's class in an attacking sense. About 5 minutes later he headed a defensive clearance inside his own box back to a central position and directly to an unmarked Villa player and we should have scored. I might copy those last for words of the previous sentence so I can paste them liberally across this post.

We made chances, excellent ones and we didn't capitalise. Watkins has been guilty for a long time of not being clinical enough and yesterday it cost us. Inside a minute, a header, a pulled back cross six yards to a space he vacated- frustrating.

Particularly so when he bullied Matip, won most things 30 yards from goal, squared them up plenty- but the key is what happens in the box.

Second half we improved and bossed them centrally for long periods. It was a credit to the Kamara (in particular) and Luiz axis that we overran them and forced them to cycle midfield options. We cut through them regularly and with some very good movement. Insert cut and paste line here. The silence of the away fans, despite winning, for a good 30 minutes in the second half, spoke volumes.

Nunez was a threat with his pace, our high line with Young a problem first half and second moreso because our midfield were 10 yards higher up creating more problems for Liverpool, but exposing us a little more. For £80m I'd expect somebody capable of finishing myself, but perhaps I'm picky.

I don't like us being plucky losers, but it was a good game in its openess, one where if we'd have secured a point, it wouldn't have been unjust. The absence of defensive cohesion on a few occasions not helped by missing 40% of our starting backline (60% I guess with Carlos). I feel Martinez in particular would have made a huge difference. If you're confident in your keeper, you're 100% concentrated on what's in front of you.

Subs were late, but I'm not sure what I'd have done as a manager to change matters. Given the way Liverpool play, Ings wouldn't have created the issues Watkins did. Coutinho hasn't put a game in for a significant period, so it's a tricky one. We need a forward and another wide player with pace.

Plenty not good enough and plenty to be encouraged by. Very "12th".

Merry Christmas.

Nailed it

Was about to post the same.
I came away disappointed with the result but with plenty of positives from our display.
It's obvious I know but we created more than enough and we missed the influence of Martinez hugely.
Kamara at times was magnificent to watch

[olaftab]

Was Kamara excellent? I still don't really see it with him. Technically decent but is he the player that's going to drive the midfield forward?

Yes Kamara was good. He could be an awesome player for us with a little bit of help from Unai.

[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.

[olaftab]

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.

[olaftab]

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.