"I thought those days were behind us."

[brontebilly]

Maybe those who see it differently can explain their rationale?

It's only two games, but we've been really badly beaten in both of them. The set up wasn't right, and when things started to go badly we had no answer in either of them. In addition, Watkins is on a run of 1 goal in 11 games, but yet again we didn't bring in another striker. Duran looks so far away from being ready for the Premier League it's not even funny.

Without taking away your valid points, I actually did find it funny when Duran tried the second time.

Would be funny if Archer hadn't hit two cracking shots the day before with technical ability that Duran can only dream of. He just charges around the place like a mad man.

[ez]

What was missing from the two defeats was Emery's ability to change the game. The substitutions had no effect on the games.

[PaulTheVillan]

I think we’ve got bigger problems off the pitch

[Risso]

I think we’ve got bigger problems off the pitch

Such as?

[LeonW]

Spot on. I also saw a few “reality check” comments - maybe for those who got ahead of themselves.

We got well beaten at Anfield, with a makeshift defence still bedding in, by a team that most expect to push City all the way this year. It’s not unexpected.

We are a million miles better than we have been for so, so long. You don’t have to look in the rear view mirror for too long before you see the 3-0 embarrassment at Craven Cottage less than a year ago.

I get the passion, the hope but some of the commentary is unreal.

It wasn’t the fans that decided to go toe to toe with Liverpool at anfield.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Spot on. I also saw a few “reality check” comments - maybe for those who got ahead of themselves.

We got well beaten at Anfield, with a makeshift defence still bedding in, by a team that most expect to push City all the way this year. It’s not unexpected.

We are a million miles better than we have been for so, so long. You don’t have to look in the rear view mirror for too long before you see the 3-0 embarrassment at Craven Cottage less than a year ago.

I get the passion, the hope but some of the commentary is unreal.

It wasn’t the fans that decided to go toe to toe with Liverpool at Anfield.

More comments like that and I don't need to post on here. I've yet to read a post of yours this season that I don't agree with 110%.

[kippaxvilla2]

He’s right.  The thing is some of us are getting very old.  It’s been virtually a generation since we won anything of note.  We are impatient.  We want to win something before we die. Why didn’t we just buy another fcuking striker.  Instead of having a 19 year old MLS YTS trainee as the main back up.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

We may be but I get the feeling it's Unai that's impatient. I think he wants a winning team and thereafter build on it. There seems little faith/time for youth, it's all geared to experience and ideally somebody he or Monchi have worked with previously.

Ex: Acuña. 31/32 years old and his best years were probably at Sporting three years ago.

[kippaxvilla2]

Which makes it worrying.  Out of all the strikers on the books before the window closed we’ve retained the worst one!

[SoccerHQ]

Which makes it worrying.  Out of all the strikers on the books before the window closed we’ve retained the worst one!

Duran is still very raw at prem level but he's shown in last few weeks he can contribute and score v moderate opposition.

I expect him to start the league cup match and at least 2 if not 3 europa matches so that will rest Ollie's legs for some premier league games as he certainly needs to do better in the next four league matches than what he's shown so far.

[VillaTim]

That was as bad as anything Gerrard served up. As was Newcastle. The manager and team need to wake up now and get off easy street . Just winning a 3rd tier euro thing isn't good enough.

[dr.chekov]

I would be very happy winning the 3rd tier euro thing.

[algy]

There's a lot of panicking going on here.

I'd obviously rather we didn't lose 3-0, but a bit of perspective here - Liverpool will likely be challenging for the title.  They're none too shabby a side, and they've hit form.   We're in the middle of an injury crisis, and with all the will in the world are not going to be pushing Manchester City just yet.

I'd still rather us go to Anfield trying to win, than going with our tail between our legs hoping for a draw.

[PeterWithesShin]

We've spent over a decade being shit, at times very very shit, stinking out the division levels of shit. 10 months of being pretty good and suddenly winning our first trophy in 28 years wouldn't be good enough. The mind boggles. And we took the piss out of Wolves for their delusions.

[SoccerHQ]

That was as bad as anything Gerrard served up. As was Newcastle. The manager and team need to wake up now and get off easy street . Just winning a 3rd tier euro thing isn't good enough.

Every villa manager will have performances like that. Ron probably had loads but no one remembers it for obvious reasons given he won the league and built the European cup winning team.

In 95/96 we lost 1-0 to Man. City and QPR within a month (didn't Nigel Spink randomly come on as outfield sub in the QPR match....) who both got relegated but no one remembers those games due to us winning our last major trophy two months later.

Also lost 2-0 at Sheff Weds a week before said final and then 3 of our last four matches of that season.