Aston Villa v AZ Alkmaar Post-Match Thread

[rob_bridge]

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 .

He got Bailey/Diaby, Kamara/Tielemans and Torres/Digne all mixed up.

Skillfull black guys, skilful brown guys and skillfull white guys. Apart from Bailey they all have foreign names too. There’s a lot to mix up.

I used to mistake Draper and Curcic back in the day.

Weplayed Leeds once and was highlighting Carlton Palmers technical deficiencies from afar, somewhat unflattering. My mate pointed it that it was Brian Deane

[andyh]

We won, which is the main thing.
But, taking into account the level of opposition, championship at best, we struggled again to create clear chances.
For me, it looks like our style/approach has changed in the last few weeks.
Yes, we controlled the game, but what has happened to the pace and power we have showed in so many games this season.
Recently, we have spent more time ambling forward 3 or 4 yards, checking, and then playing a sideways or backwards pass, and it’s happening all over the pitch.
Possession appears to be everything without anything at the end of it.

Like when he first came in and started educating maybe Unai is developing and refining the way we play.
I am not questioning him in any way, I just think our style is changing, and I think we have become a bit less potent or explosive than a few games ago.

And Emi playing sweeper/keeper like last night ? I’m not sure.

[Taylor]

We won, which is the main thing.
But, taking into account the level of opposition, championship at best, we struggled again to create clear chances.
For me, it looks like our style/approach has changed in the last few weeks.
Yes, we controlled the game, but what has happened to the pace and power we have showed in so many games this season.
Recently, we have spent more time ambling forward 3 or 4 yards, checking, and then playing a sideways or backwards pass, and it’s happening all over the pitch.
Possession appears to be everything without anything at the end of it.

Like when he first came in and started educating maybe Unai is developing and refining the way we play.
I am not questioning him in any way, I just think our style is changing, and I think we have become a bit less potent or explosive than a few games ago.

And Emi playing sweeper/keeper like last night ? I’m not sure.

It’s easier to play with pace and power when a team commits players up the other end of the pitch.

[VillaTim]

We seem to struggle to get out of second gear in these euro home games and the players are definitely holding a bit back. Seem to be overplaying some of the moves when I think we could be a bit more direct. Still it's a win, gets Sunday out the system a bit and hopefully sets us up nicely for Fulham . A clean sheet at some point would be nice .

[RamboandBruno]

We won, which is the main thing.
But, taking into account the level of opposition, championship at best, we struggled again to create clear chances.
For me, it looks like our style/approach has changed in the last few weeks.
Yes, we controlled the game, but what has happened to the pace and power we have showed in so many games this season.
Recently, we have spent more time ambling forward 3 or 4 yards, checking, and then playing a sideways or backwards pass, and it’s happening all over the pitch.
Possession appears to be everything without anything at the end of it.

Like when he first came in and started educating maybe Unai is developing and refining the way we play.
I am not questioning him in any way, I just think our style is changing, and I think we have become a bit less potent or explosive than a few games ago.

And Emi playing sweeper/keeper like last night ? I’m not sure.

I really dont think they are championship at best.

[taylorsworkrate]

Their goal WAS offside. Just been clarified.
We shouldn’t have a corner. Obviously

But arise Doug n Ollie.

Clarified where? I turned BT off at FT.

Nothing has been mentioned about their goal but the Villa players have said the Ref apologised about our goal being disallowed.

The official has muddied the waters on that one. It's one you don't see often but by the laws of the game it was correctly given as offside

[Ads]

We're going to have to show a lot of patience at Villa Park by and large these days, next two visitors after Fulham notwithstanding.

Low block, 11 men behind the ball, compact spaces only looking for a long out ball. Sunday was exactly the same, as was the Sunday before that.

We may need a point of difference in our attack so we can go more direct by whipping balls in, percentage wise, when teams are happy to come and sacrifice the wide areas deep.

Look at last night, Sunday, Luton, Mostar etc etc, for where we manage to break beyond. It's usually 18-12 yards out. That's how deep the opposition sit and that's how hard it is we have to work to create opportunities.

I felt Tielemans played well and moved it quickly. Final ball was lacking from Bailey and Diaby, although the laters off the ball movement is excellent for making space.

We got the job done, which is what cup football is all about. Felt their goal was offside, despite the VAR and not seen it back. Our offside trap would frighten Admiral Akbar it's so effective.

Nobody wants to press us, nobody wants to mix it with us at home and for good reason. Direct runners in JJ and 3 Lungs Moreno will give us something different.

Didn't think Konsa worked at full back but understand Cash being rested.

Happy with the win. Thought their support was poor all round really. Surprised that they came in an Uber when it's easier to get to than us going to Selhurst Park.

Looking forward to Sunday and hoping for an early goal. If not, I'm prepared to be patient. 15 from 15 in the league and Europe.

[olaftab]

So are we saying that VAR fucked up again?...

Twice and both times against us.

I think VAR should have intervened at no corner corner and disallowed the goal for us.

[PeterWithe]

Did anything happen with the Cloggies in town before the match as the policing seemed very excessive for what looked to me like a few hundred fans?

We were prevented from going down Manor Rd and behind the North, then again from going out of the North stand gates after? And there were that many coppers it looked like a game v that lot. Maybe they were just practicing for Legia?

[Dave]

Did anything happen with the Cloggies in town before the match as the policing seemed very excessive for what looked to me like a few hundred fans?

We were prevented from going down Manor Rd and behind the North, then again from going out of the North stand gates after? And there were that many coppers it looked like a game v that lot. Maybe they were just practicing for Legia?

Guessing after all that business that Alkmaar had with West Ham the other season they thought it was better safe than sorry.

[VillaTim]

Their Ultras looked really menacing , half & half scarves and sparklers , straight out of the dark ages

[PeterWithe]

They did join in the Charlie Aitken tribute, apart from the yoot in black anoraks down the front, so fair play to them for that. Nicely done that I thought.

[Baldy]

Exactly Ads, with our new found status this is something we will have to get used to when we are playing the so called lesser teams.

Patience will be a virtue. Given time, we have the manager and squad to crack the nut.

[Villan82]

If our first had stood we would have run riot again. That being chalked off changed the dynamic of things but we still got the job done.

[Nunkin1965]

We won, which is the main thing.
But, taking into account the level of opposition, championship at best, we struggled again to create clear chances.
For me, it looks like our style/approach has changed in the last few weeks.
Yes, we controlled the game, but what has happened to the pace and power we have showed in so many games this season.
Recently, we have spent more time ambling forward 3 or 4 yards, checking, and then playing a sideways or backwards pass, and it’s happening all over the pitch.
Possession appears to be everything without anything at the end of it.

Like when he first came in and started educating maybe Unai is developing and refining the way we play.
I am not questioning him in any way, I just think our style is changing, and I think we have become a bit less potent or explosive than a few games ago.

And Emi playing sweeper/keeper like last night ? I’m not sure.

I really dont think they are championship at best.

Ontop of the fact that anybody who comes to VP apart from the top sides will just sit back and just try and beat our high line, this is a European campaign with tough games and plenty of squad rotation.
Not easy as Liverpool proved last night.
I liked the fact that we kept our patience despite going behind.
Sign of a very good side.