Bournemouth - 2 Aston Villa - 2 Post-Match

[VillaTim]

It's a fantastic headed goal , I didn't think Watkins had that one in his locker.

[PaulTheVillan]

Our squad is missing Mings & Buendia.

January. We need a RB, DM & CF.

Not the best today but to draw shows we have some mentality.

4 points in a week away from home. I’d have taken that.

[brontebilly]

We missed Kamara too against these shithouses

Tielemans sold himself constantly going to ground. Watkins had to come back from a corner one time and bail him out. Don't think Emery will be too keen playing him there again. With the Donk likely on the way out I wouldn't be surprised if we strengthened our CM options in Jan.

Zaniolo and Carlos won't get many more chances I think. Kamara and Luiz sitting in front of our regular back 5 and we will be a lot more secure.

[Ads]

It's not his position. I'd have put McGinn in there myself and had him further forward.

[SamTheMouse]

The performance showed very little in the way of control though, like most of our away games this season, which is the surprising thing because it's Emery's trademark.

Last season we seemed much more solid in these sorts of fixtures. I remember watching the game at Brighton and feeling relaxed from start to finish because we held them at arm's length.

This season we spend a lot of time putting out fires rather than keeping possession and calming the game. We seemed to manage it better in the second half when Cash came on, mind.

[Sexual Ealing]

The performance showed very little in the way of control though, like most of our away games this season, which is the surprising thing because it's Emery's trademark.

Last season we seemed much more solid in these sorts of fixtures. I remember watching the game at Brighton and feeling relaxed from start to finish because we held them at arm's length.

This season we spend a lot of time putting out fires rather than keeping possession and calming the game. We seemed to manage it better in the second half when Cash came on, mind.

I assume it's because we've gone behind early in the away losses/today. Plan A is out the window at that stage.

[Risso]

Sorry, our away form really isn't very good, and it mostly stems from not being set up right from the start. It happens every game, and there just doesn't seem to be any need for it. Starting Zaniolo? Absolutely mental decision, however much people are expecting that "worldie any game now" he's been mostly abysmal. Dropping Cash and moving Konsa to right back. Why? Carlos isn't as good in the middle as Konsa, and Konsa isn't as good at right back as Cash. McGinn on the left? He never plays especially well there. There was no good reason for any of that, and it was all avoidable.

[Ads]

Absolutely. The first today was absolutely criminal.

[Risso]

The performance showed very little in the way of control though, like most of our away games this season, which is the surprising thing because it's Emery's trademark.

Last season we seemed much more solid in these sorts of fixtures. I remember watching the game at Brighton and feeling relaxed from start to finish because we held them at arm's length.

This season we spend a lot of time putting out fires rather than keeping possession and calming the game. We seemed to manage it better in the second half when Cash came on, mind.

I assume it's because we've gone behind early in the away losses/today. Plan A is out the window at that stage.

And we keep going behind early because Emery keeps messing around with the defence in away games. It's bizarre, why wouldn't you just pick your best defenders in their preferred positions? It works amazingly well at home, so here's a thought, perhaps try it away?

[Clampy]

Just looked at the table. 4th. A point behind Man City, three points off the leaders. All is good. All is really good.

[RamboandBruno]

The performance showed very little in the way of control though, like most of our away games this season, which is the surprising thing because it's Emery's trademark.

Last season we seemed much more solid in these sorts of fixtures. I remember watching the game at Brighton and feeling relaxed from start to finish because we held them at arm's length.

This season we spend a lot of time putting out fires rather than keeping possession and calming the game. We seemed to manage it better in the second half when Cash came on, mind.

I assume it's because we've gone behind early in the away losses/today. Plan A is out the window at that stage.

And we keep going behind early because Emery keeps messing around with the defence in away games. It's bizarre, why wouldn't you just pick your best defenders in their preferred positions? It works amazingly well at home, so here's a thought, perhaps try it away?

I tend to agree with you on the Cash, Konsa, Carlos issue. I guess he’s rotating the squad, or he has something Emeryesque in his analysis of away games that we don’t see and isnt working quite right yet.
Still we’re 4th. Wednesday is going to be rocking down Villa Park

[Baldy]

We would of beat Bournemouth if we didn't have Europe to contend with. No juggling act involved!!

Just something we have to come to terms with. We can not always start our strongest eleven and Unai will need a year or two longer to have sufficient strength in depth.

Until then, we might occasionally have to put a peg in the wrong hole. Rome wasn't built in a day.

[Nunkin1965]

We would of beat Bournemouth if we didn't have Europe to contend with. No juggling act involved!!

Just something we have to come to terms with. We can not always start our strongest eleven and Unai will need a year or two longer to have sufficient strength in depth.

Until then, we might occasionally have to put a peg in the wrong hole. Rome wasn't built in a day.

Even with the "getting away with it" element, we've picked up 4 points on the road which is a very good return sandwiched between a tough European game.

[Percy McCarthy]

I feel like maybe he’s trying to get Carlos up to speed, what with Mings being out all season. It’s worked to a certain extent with Tielemans, not so much with DC and Zaniolo.

[LeonW]

If you can’t win don’t lose and we did that today at a ground we’ve struggled at. But major credit to Martinez; he kept us in the game so many times. He is truly phenomenal.
Saw our bench strength today. Magnificent header from Watkins. Careless from Carlos. Zaniola way, way off it.