Aston Villa v AZ Alkmaar Post-Match Thread

[VillaTim]

Emery needs to make better use of Diaby , he looks lost . Playing infield in tight spaces where his main asset is lost . He isn't the best with the ball with time .

[Somniloquism]

Are us and Legia through already?

I’ve a feeling if AZ and us beat Legia, AZ go above them

If we lose our next two matches and Mostar win both, we would finish below them IF they beat us by more then 1-0. I don't believe AK can now qualify as they will always be below us in the table even if they get 6 from 6.

AZ have beaten Legia already, so are ahead in the head to head.
If they beat them and beat Zrinjski, and we beat Legia AZ go above them into 2nd.

Likewise with us and Zrinjski, although I’m not even thinking about that scenario.

Good to hear. I was thinking on a situation of us losing both our matches, then they couldn't. So all teams below us have to be open in attacking, which hopefully should mean we have spaces the other way against Mostar and not trying to break them down.

[pauliewalnuts]

So Im not sure what Mr & Mrs Dufus on TNT were talking about by rimming AZ all game. A

You must have been watching a different TNT to me, I thought they spent the entire 90 minutes practically sucking us off, they were so effusive in praising us.

The last ten minutes was borderline embarassing as they went on and on about how clever we are, closing down the game effortlessly.

I genuinely thought the whole match was the most fawning coverage I've heard in ages.

[rougegorge]

A subdued game on and off the pitch. Really glad we won, but it was a bit too pedestrian at times.

I thought Tielemans played well especially in the first half, but not sure Lenglet and Carlos are that suited to the high line, but I guess they don't play much.

[VillaTim]

So Im not sure what Mr & Mrs Dufus on TNT were talking about by rimming AZ all game. A

You must have been watching a different TNT to me, I thought they spent the entire 90 minutes practically sucking us off, they were so effusive in praising us.

The last ten minutes was borderline embarassing as they went on and on about how clever we are, closing down the game effortlessly.

I genuinely thought the whole match was the most fawning coverage I've heard in ages.

Yeah the bloke who kept calling Bailey Diaby is a massive fan of ours .

[SoccerHQ]

We didn't play great but getting back to 1-1 so quickly was important.

In the groups it's just about winning games and hopefully winning the group as we need a lighter February if possible rather than having to compete in a play off round.

Then once in last 16 it's about the performance aswell as the result.

Beating Warsaw next game confirms winning the group.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Thought Tielemans and Kamara both played well, McGinn good first half but anonymous in the second.

Martinez made some good saves and was quick off his line in the second half. Lenglet played well but he tried to play a few through balls like Torres but he just hasn’t got the technique for that and that helps open a team up. Not a great performance but it’s the result that matters.

Quite a queue for Upper North Stand with either the machines struggling to read the QR codes or supports using the wrong codes, quite a few didn’t get in for kick off.

[AV84]

Then once in last 16 it's about the performance aswell as the result.

I wonder what team selection will look like if/when we get to must win knock outs. Do we stick with the lineups that get us there, or do we play the same team that starts the league games. Although really, central defence and Tielemans seems to be the only difference between weekends and midweek.

[VillaTim]

If  we sign players in January will they be Cup tied ?

[tomd2103]

Made hard work of that, but did what we needed to do on the night.  Lenglet looked like he was going to get caught with that ball in behind him all night and it didn't help that the linesmen seemingly didn't have a clue when to raise the flag for offsides.  The ref was OKish, but I don't think he packed his yellow card with him as a couple of fouls they did in the 2nd half were the most blatant bookings you'll see. 

What was with the set up in the away end?  There was a main body of their support in the lower, then a gap and then a small section of them by the divide with the home fans.  Never seen that before.  Sat in the North Stand upper for the first time in years tonight, is it always a nightmare like that to get into before the game?

The games haven't been great on the whole, but I'm enjoying this European campaign so far.  "Oh what a night / watching Villa on a Thursday night"!!  Beat Legia Warsaw by 2 goals in the next game and we'll have won the group I think.

[Somniloquism]

If  we sign players in January will they be Cup tied ?

If they have played in European group rounds yes.

[AV84]

If  we sign players in January will they be Cup tied ?

Are qualifying, group stages and knockouts not deemed separate things?
I know Zaniolo couldn't play the qualifying rounds for us because he played for Galatasary in CL qualifying.
And I'm sure when talking about Kellyman being accidentally left out of the Conference squad they said the could be registered for the knockouts. He also played against Hibs, didn't he?

[Lastfootstamper]

A subdued game on and off the pitch. Really glad we won, but it was a bit too pedestrian at times.

I thought Tielemans played well especially in the first half, but not sure Lenglet and Carlos are that suited to the high line, but I guess they don't play much.

Whenever Konsa plays in the middle, he's in charge. No ifs, buts or maybes, it's Konsa's line. Without him there I get the impression they all know what they're supposed to be doing, but nobody's pulling the strings. They were all hokeycokeying tonight. We looked like spurs.

[AV84]

If  we sign players in January will they be Cup tied ?

Are qualifying, group stages and knockouts not deemed separate things?
I know Zaniolo couldn't play the qualifying rounds for us because he played for Galatasary in CL qualifying.
And I'm sure when talking about Kellyman being accidentally left out of the Conference squad they said the could be registered for the knockouts. He also played against Hibs, didn't he?

Here we are....

The UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League knockout hopefuls are allowed to register a maximum of three new eligible players during the winter. Since 2018/19, it no longer matters whether those players have already played in the competition for another club, even for another club still in the competition.

[Somniloquism]

If  we sign players in January will they be Cup tied ?

Are qualifying, group stages and knockouts not deemed separate things?
I know Zaniolo couldn't play the qualifying rounds for us because he played for Galatasary in CL qualifying.
And I'm sure when talking about Kellyman being accidentally left out of the Conference squad they said the could be registered for the knockouts. He also played against Hibs, didn't he?

You can register three new eligible players in the squad in January (Kellyman scenario). However we can only register one player who would be ineligible as long as that player has not already played in the competition but had played in another competition. This could be Zaniolo situation for us already so we can't do anyone else.

Edit: It seems Wiki needs updating if AV84 is drawing directly from UEFA. However if we bought four players, we could only field three in Europe.