Aston Villa v HŠK Zrinjski Mostar Post-Match Thread

[Percy McCarthy]

The late winner just magically made the whole occasion much more enjoyable - everybody singing on the way out and personally speaking, two happy if tired kids on the way home.

Happy that we managed to get the job done without our short-term injured, and with some of our other nailed-on starters for Sunday getting 45 minutes rest at least.

Useful game time for Langlet, Tielemans, Zaniolo, Bailey and Bert; I feel a tiny bit encouraged about them if just one or two of them at a time are called on to play in our best team. Four or five - not so much. Donk didn’t do himself any favours and Big Emi needs to play every game.

Someone asked about Tim earlier in the thread - I think he’s back in training.

[PeterWithesShin]

[Rory]

Unai's hybrid language makes me love him more. I could not begin to understand or answer a question in Spanish or Basque.

[taylorsworkrate]

Thank fuck. What a relief.. Couldn't watch the gam so followed it on here and all I was often readin was everbody was shit so was very worried. Were the boys that bad?
UTV.

No they weren't.  It was just a bit frantic as we were desperate for the win.  Mostar worked hard and played with their whole squad behind the ball.  Difficult to break down.

First half we were poor. Slow and laboured and defensively not particularly organised. Second half we were a lot better.

[Bad English]

I really 'enjoyed' the fact that we just kept plugging away: they were looking at a hard-earned point against superior opposition and probably topping the group after the final'whistle but we got the very later goal and FTF. It's happened to us on many occasions and it's a bastard. It's great to be doing it to other teams when it really matters.

[PaulWinch again]

Bit that impressed me about with Tielemans was it was an incredibly hard game for a player who is trying to create. They deliberately sat deep and compressed space. In spite of clearly not being on form or confident he kept trying to play the difficult passes. A couple were very nearly brilliant, and would have unlocked the defence. Doing that gave a glimpse of what he can do and also showed steel. Hope he can build on that second half.

[Nev]

It's hard to have the patience that the Manager and team demonstrate, there were plenty round me expressing their frustration late on but this ethos works. Sometimes it might take until the last minute and rather this than bunging as many forewards on as possible and hoping for the best as we have seen many times before.

As for Tielemans, you can see he's trying too hard, lacks confidence, plays balls too long or too short as a result of this, then plays it safe bourne out of fear but he'll get there. His biggest problem was that interview, out of context or not, it's put him in a shitty position. As a caller to WM said, kudos to the Manager for keeping him on when it would've been easier to sub him last night

[Ads]

Some very big club behaviour last night, with the 2nd half. About as dominant and one sided as its possible to be. Attack and defence, chance after chance, until finally, the Bosnian bus is breached. Lovely stuff.

[Ads]

For context their manager said before last night that it was the biggest game in the clubs history, that we were at the top end of the Premier League and more efficient than Man City.

We look out on the Holte to words the celebrate the biggest game against our history and they defended like the European Cup was on the line. Fair play to them I suppose, flattering for us, battering for them in December when they have to open up a bit more at home.

[john e]

First half we were too slow Laboured didn’t put any pressure on their goal, Ridiculous really for a team
we should be all over from the start

Second half we stepped it up with good substitutions, put a lot of pressure on their goal but left it late

The first thing Emery should do is get on the phone to try and buy their goalie, can’t see him being very expensive but he was tremendous last night

That goal itself was a thing of beauty, superb header from a difficult position, nice cross in from cash, but don’t forget Traoré’s part he took three players out with a reverse pass, thought he looked good when he came on

Atmosphere at the very start of the game was good I thought fans were up for it, but as the first half went on the performance sucked the life out of us

End of the day you can’t be a last-minute goal to send you home happy

[PaulTheVillan]

The first thing Emery should do is get on the phone to try and buy their goalie, can’t see him being very expensive but he was tremendous last night

I thought that last night. He would be an improvement on Olsen

[LeonW]

We may grow into the competition but the first two group stage games demonstrated that we’re not ready yet ready to seriously compete. Our lack of experience really showed tonight with regards winning/giving away free kicks, buying time and exploiting the opposition. I think we did well to turn the pressure up from midway in the second half onwards but their keeper didn’t have any significant saves to make whereas Emi had 2 during the game to make.  Future learning.  I have to say, having watched Tielemans so far, he can be very lax with possession, he gives it away in crucial areas and the pace he puts on passes is often off. I thought Zaniola was also very poor again.

[Gareth]

Thought Teilemans did just fine, was way better 2nd half when he had a progressive player in there in Dougie than Donk who is the definition of a crab, literally no forward intent.  Almost feels like we are rehabilitating Teilemans after his last 12 months at Leicester, this was his best performance in a proper game.  The lack of pace in both of them is a concern though.

Lenglet also looked better although he wasn’t up against much.

Can’t beat a last minute winner :-)

Their fans were a lively lot

[London Villan]

We've been given a couple of European footballing lessons by "inferior" teams. We need to be a bit smarter, not be suckered into stupid fouls and move the ball more quickly. They deserve a lot of credit for a team that were 12/1 to draw and 30/1 to win last night.

Is SJM now at legend status at Aston Villa??

[Somniloquism]

We've been given a couple of European footballing lessons by "inferior" teams. We need to be a bit smarter, not be suckered into stupid fouls and move the ball more quickly. They deserve a lot of credit for a team that were 12/1 to draw and 30/1 to win last night.

Is SJM now at legend status at Aston Villa??

Even Emery is referring to him as "Super John McGinn" so maybe.