Aston Villa v HŠK Zrinjski Mostar Post-Match Thread

[darren woolley]

I'm pleased with the win could have been more.

[Ads]

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??

We were given a lesson in what? Parallel parking a bus? Palace did the same. Teams will be coming to Villa Park to not shit the bed and stick 11 behind the ball a lot more regularly, as when they don't, we hammer them.

[PeterWithe]

I don't remember their keeper making any saves a competent keeper wouldn't? Thought he should have caught the one from Zaniola's overhead.

[olaftab]

I don't see this bleating about us being slow and ponderous, naive and wasteful etc etc. The Bosnian lads were absolutely up for it, they are a young athletic and strong team and they worked very very hard to stop us from playing. We found it tough going in the first half but imposed ourselves  on them in second half, backed it up with hardwork and  absolutely deserved our winner.  As some have said this is how good teams win games and their performances was how we lost many games, lot of honest effort but nothing more. I have no doubt we will thrash them at their place.

[Brend'Watkins]

They were no mugs but we deserved the win. I thought some of out 2nd string would step up, I thought wrong. We need to strengthen based on a lot of that.

[Risso]

I don't see this bleating about us being slow and ponderous, naive and wasteful etc etc.

Luckily Emery did, which is why 3 players got the curly finger at half time.

[chrisw1]

I enjoyed the second half, we hammered away and they chucked everything behind the ball and defended bravely.

There were a few decent performances, the changes at halftime made a huge difference and you could see the confidence grow.  After that it felt like only a matter of time, even though we cut it fine. 

I thought Cash was excellent, he was right up for it and absolutely terrified them.  He looked like our most likely outlet and I was pleased he got the assist.

[kipeye]

It's a fine margin between excellent and OK. I think Emery is hoping our squad players will improve with more game time, but it's not really happening yet. I suspect many of us would like to see at least one youngster playing each game as part of the rotation.
Changing to a back 3 showed Emery is very much aware of what to do when things don't go right.

[olaftab]

I don't see this bleating about us being slow and ponderous, naive and wasteful etc etc.

Luckily Emery did, which is why 3 players got the curly finger at half time.

At this stage 45 mins is enough for Jhon, Digne needed resting with Wolves on Sunday in mind. Dendoncker is just a space filler at the moment. So it may have been 3 off but nothing to be dramatised there. 

[Bully2345]

I was very encouraged by what I saw second half yesterday. It wasn't perfect by any means but they did all the right things.

- Good changes at half time adapting shape and getting more progressive players in important positions
- Carried on playing patient football and moving the defence around. A few around me seemed to get frustrated that we didn't go straight out to Cash when he was unmarked out wide but I think Mostar would have been far happier defending crosses than having to keep tracking players

Chance conversion should have been better (Carlos, Lenglet) but Mostar were organised and made it difficult.

Also an additional note. Tielemans isn't looking the best but he got on the ball a lot and was trying a lot of progressive passes. I think people see the final pass get cut out and start getting frustrated but there were a few occasions where his pass was only just cut out and we'd have likely scored had it reached its destination. He's not doing enough to start yet and needs to improve but I can see Emery finding a way to use him and make him effective again.

Anyway, I really enjoy a win like that. Banging on the door at the Holte End and a late winner. 6-1s are great but I really enjoyed my drive home last night after that celebration. Great endorphins

[chrisw1]

Anyway, I really enjoy a win like that. Banging on the door at the Holte End and a late winner. 6-1s are great but I really enjoyed my drive home last night after that celebration. Great endorphins

Agreed, really enjoyed it and was buzzing on the way home.

[AV82EC]

Anyway, I really enjoy a win like that. Banging on the door at the Holte End and a late winner. 6-1s are great but I really enjoyed my drive home last night after that celebration. Great endorphins

Agreed, really enjoyed it and was buzzing on the way home.

Yep buzzing endorphins got me to Stafford on the M6 before I calmed down. Love a last minute winner and the “limbs” in all parts of the ground.

[pauliewalnuts]

Those two saves Martinez made, I can't see Olsen making either of those.

[AV82EC]

Those two saves Martinez made, I can't see Olsen making either of those.

The second one was irrelevant anyway as the linesman had flagged for offside earlier in the build up.

[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??

We were given a lesson in what? Parallel parking a bus? Palace did the same. Teams will be coming to Villa Park to not shit the bed and stick 11 behind the ball a lot more regularly, as when they don't, we hammer them.

Not to underestimate the opposition (both players and fans) and realise we are up against teams with more European experience than us as a team. We were a header away from only having 1 point in the group. They also had the best chance in the first half too, which required a brilliant save by Emi. Not great for the favourites for the competition.

Fans booking hotels in Athens, the "only the conference" quotes and picking under strength team have shown a touch of over-confidence/arrogance towards European football so far.