Aston Villa 2 The Arse 4 Post Match ah well what could have been thread

[Max Villan]

We certainly had our moments today against the team at the top, much better than last year when we were pathetically passive. But, we just can’t keep gifting goals like we do and expect anything against anyone.

The first two are an absolute joke. How many times did they double up and take a quick corner while we fell asleep? If only we had a set piece coach to specifically sort out these issues. I liked the look of Duran when he came on, he may be raw, but he’s willing and confident. As mentioned before, the script always seemed set, we expected they’d get a winner and so it proves.

On another note, we’ll be looking to move seats in the summer. The three new people in front of us are ruining games and I’m going to end up getting in trouble. They stand motionless all game, don’t support, sing or clap. What they do is turn round and shake their heads if they hear swearing or something they don’t agree with.

My lad has social anxiety problems and the football is one avenue where he feels comfortable and able to get involved. I swear if that turd in front turns around and looks at him one more time, he’ll wish he hadn’t.

When the ST’s increased in price, we lost the three good people in front and got Roger Neuveau and family.

Had this in the past, guy with his teenager son who thought he was at the theatre, ended up reporting me to the steward for telling an opposition player to fuck off 

Don't move, just make him as uncomfortable as he tries to make you every time he turns around.

[Ads]

I felt we really went at them first half. There's something a bit sub-Man City about the way Arsenal play, for want of a better term. They look to force you to peel space between your centre half and full back, as they consistently tried and failed to overload Cash.

They do move the ball nicely and it's interesting the O'Neillism of a centre half at full back too.

Pressed them well though, lovely finish from Ollie on his weaker foot, the 2nd goal was brilliant back to front and we deserved that half time lead.

Mings at fault for the 1st with a poor header. You don't play a ball inside your own 18 yard area like that. Pop it anywhere else and don't take the risk.

On the plus, he seems to be finding an extra passing gear into the attacking midfielder and quickening up that movement, which is good and was largely solid. But it is still another mistake and another goal.

2nd half they obviously upped it. We lost our concentration for their 2nd, let them in 1 on 1 thereafter and Konsa almost played them in for an hilarious miss.

Where we seem to struggle is taking the sting out of games when there is an inevitable momentum shift. We go through spells of giving it away too cheaply and it allows pressure to build and territory to be lost. Anybody not expecting that at times today though would be an extremely harsh critic.

That said, the games turned on a crossbar. Our effort from Bailey rattles the underside, could go anywhere. Their effort naturally hits the back of our keeper. On such margins events do turn.

If we want to be critical then Bailey ought to have been onside to press the initial ball and stop Arsenal with the quick transition.

Duran looks a handful. Unlucky with his effort and id very much like to see him start off Watkins with Phil at Goodison, given his height and pace.

Disappointing to lose, it always is. But there's been improvement and you sense the direction of travel. It just won't include a few of the current squad on the journey.

[aj2k77]

Buendia is poor. He's a bottom 6/7 player.

[Legion]

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/12814109/aston-villa-2-4-arsenal-premier-league-highlights

[Mister E]

11 conceded in 3 games is poor no matter who the opposition is. Worse still most of them have been self-inflicted. Leicester was a catalogue of errors and we get the same again today.
Martínez kicked the ball out for a cheap throw and then that leads to another error. A Stevenagesque  quick corner catches us out and before the late goals Konsa gifted them one and Nketiah fluffed his chance.
I'm getting fed up of Martínez's antics and others around me today thought likewise. His slow and poor distribution contributed to our downfall, his time wasting doesn't buy us time and he gets a free pass all the time.
Our relative strength is going forward (we have scored in every game since Emery arrived) and it's certainly not building painfully slowly at the back.

Yes, this pretty much sums it up for me.
Good points - Moreno, McGinn (after a slow start), Watkins, Kamara and Luiz all played well. Digne did okay when he came on.
Some worries - Mings' awful header for the 1st Arse goal, distribution from Martinez was pretty rubbish (slow and inaccurate), Ramsey's continuing poor form. I also felt that Duran should have had some time alongside Watkins, not be his immediate replacement.
Our management of set pieces continues to be a big concern - how many times did Arse take short corners which we seemed not be very aware of (of which one resulted in the Arse 2nd)? 
This afternoon's second half reminded me of last week's first: too passive, and we paid for it.

[curiousorange]

I probably wasn't that pissed about the game until Forest took a point off Man City.

[N'ZMAV]

the defence is a shambles at the moment.

[Goldenballs]

Watkins, Luiz are playing well and Buendia has been here just over a year.

Since we last finished in the top half Newcastle, Fulham, West Brom, Everton, Swansea, West Ham, Southampton, Stoke, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Burnley, Leicester, Wolves, Sheffield Utd, Leeds Utd and Brighton have all done so. We stick rigidly by players and claim they're decent but they've not done something that the above have done. They're not as decent as we think they are. There's too many 1 in 4 players, poor performances punctuated by occasional decent ones.

That's depressing. Come the end of the season you can add Brentford to that list too.

[SamTheMouse]

Annoying to lose that, but we play some great football at times. I honestly don't think we're all that far away from being a very good side. With time and an injection of quality players, Emery will have us competing for a European spot.

[Rigadon]

Fulham are 3 points from 4th.  Fulham.  With fucking Newcastle in actually in 4th.  No doubt an unpopular point to regurgitate, but we missed a huge, huge opportunity in January to really build on the momentum Emery's arrival had sparked. 

[kippaxvilla2]

Don’t forget we are not ready for Europe.  Someone should tell Silva that he’s heading for disaster.

[aj2k77]

I think we're miles away from being a good side. All 4 defenders plus Luiz, McGinn and Buendia aren't good enough to consistently either play well enough or be solid enough to get enough results to be anywhere near European football. Martinez, Kamara and very arguably Watkins are and that's it. Obviously it's almost impossible to find players that could improve us though. Either our scouting is shit or we're just really unlucky and our results don't represent the quality we have in the squad. January was the rest of the season thrown down the pan.

[manic-road]

That was a decent game today against top opposition, we played some good stuff at times and if Ramsdale hadn't tipped Baileys effort onto the bar we could have got three points. Watkins has now scored in four consecutive league games and with the run of games coming up I think we can move up the league.

[aj2k77]

with the run of games coming up I think we can move up the league.

The famous Aston Villa bear trap.

[Nunkin1965]

I felt we really went at them first half. There's something a bit sub-Man City about the way Arsenal play, for want of a better term. They look to force you to peel space between your centre half and full back, as they consistently tried and failed to overload Cash.

They do move the ball nicely and it's interesting the O'Neillism of a centre half at full back too.

Pressed them well though, lovely finish from Ollie on his weaker foot, the 2nd goal was brilliant back to front and we deserved that half time lead.

Mings at fault for the 1st with a poor header. You don't play a ball inside your own 18 yard area like that. Pop it anywhere else and don't take the risk.

On the plus, he seems to be finding an extra passing gear into the attacking midfielder and quickening up that movement, which is good and was largely solid. But it is still another mistake and another goal.

2nd half they obviously upped it. We lost our concentration for their 2nd, let them in 1 on 1 thereafter and Konsa almost played them in for an hilarious miss.

Where we seem to struggle is taking the sting out of games when there is an inevitable momentum shift. We go through spells of giving it away too cheaply and it allows pressure to build and territory to be lost. Anybody not expecting that at times today though would be an extremely harsh critic.

That said, the games turned on a crossbar. Our effort from Bailey rattles the underside, could go anywhere. Their effort naturally hits the back of our keeper. On such margins events do turn.

If we want to be critical then Bailey ought to have been onside to press the initial ball and stop Arsenal with the quick transition.

Duran looks a handful. Unlucky with his effort and id very much like to see him start off Watkins with Phil at Goodison, given his height and pace.

Disappointing to lose, it always is. But there's been improvement and you sense the direction of travel. It just won't include a few of the current squad on the journey.

I'd say your review is spot on Ads.
Mistakes are still there but give me that Aston Villa compared last seasons effort against Arsenal.
We played some lovely football at times today although we still turn over the ball far too often especially when the opposition is in the ascendancy.