Emery's Villa vs. O'Neill's Villa

[Steve67]

Emery vs O'Neill is just not a fair comparison.  Emery is so far ahead it's unreal.  I know people who have worked with O'Neill and they all say the same.  An egotistical, ignorant man.  His lack of tactical nous and lack of ability to bring in players who could take us to the next level was plainly obvious.  The 2023 model would smash O'Neill's Villa.  Milner and Barry might get a game on a regular basis but the others would struggle.

I’d say Young and a fit Laursen would be fine. I agree with your post though.

I'd forgotten about Laursen to be fair.  Good shout, loved him.  Young was great too and possibly a shout for the current wide berth we may be missing.  That said, the original verdict is the same.  Emery is simply better.  However, if Emery had O'Neill's team, we'd have been in the top four.

[pablo_picasso]

Emery vs O'Neill is just not a fair comparison.  Emery is so far ahead it's unreal.  I know people who have worked with O'Neill and they all say the same.  An egotistical, ignorant man.  His lack of tactical nous and lack of ability to bring in players who could take us to the next level was plainly obvious.  The 2023 model would smash O'Neill's Villa.  Milner and Barry might get a game on a regular basis but the others would struggle.

Ashley Young was getting a game on a regular basis for Unai last year!

I'd love to see the Carew from back then in this Villa side.

We should sign Boniface then.

He reminds me most of Carew as any player since Carew played.

I loved Carew. I think it was against West Ham that I realised just how good he was when he took the ball down on his toe, with three players around him & he spun around & left all three in his dust.

If he was more consistent, he would never have played for us though...

[OCD]

I think if the question was what would be the best XI out of the 2 sides, that would be a tougher question.

[Footy-Vill]

Emery vs O'Neill is just not a fair comparison.  Emery is so far ahead it's unreal.  I know people who have worked with O'Neill and they all say the same.  An egotistical, ignorant man.  His lack of tactical nous and lack of ability to bring in players who could take us to the next level was plainly obvious.  The 2023 model would smash O'Neill's Villa.  Milner and Barry might get a game on a regular basis but the others would struggle.

Ashley Young was getting a game on a regular basis for Unai last year!

I'd love to see the Carew from back then in this Villa side.

We should sign Boniface then.

He reminds me most of Carew as any player since Carew played.

I loved Carew. I think it was against West Ham that I realised just how good he was when he took the ball down on his toe, with three players around him & he spun around & left all three in his dust.

If he was more consistent, he would never have played for us though...

Yes, if he didn't take the attitude of going down the Rocket Club before European games.
Emery would not be impressed and neither was I!

[Exeter 77]

The current team would outpass the O'Neill side who would tire and Emery's team would be fitter in the last 20 minutes. O'Neill teams never seemed to do well against more technical opposition.

[Footy-Vill]

Likes of Lausen, James Collins and Richard Dunne at attacking set pieces though. Along with Carew. And Ash and Barry on delivery -Archie McPhee in his element !

[tomd2103]

Emery vs O'Neill is just not a fair comparison.  Emery is so far ahead it's unreal.  I know people who have worked with O'Neill and they all say the same.  An egotistical, ignorant man.  His lack of tactical nous and lack of ability to bring in players who could take us to the next level was plainly obvious.  The 2023 model would smash O'Neill's Villa.  Milner and Barry might get a game on a regular basis but the others would struggle.

I’d say Young and a fit Laursen would be fine. I agree with your post though.

I'd forgotten about Laursen to be fair.  Good shout, loved him.  Young was great too and possibly a shout for the current wide berth we may be missing.  That said, the original verdict is the same.  Emery is simply better.  However, if Emery had O'Neill's team, we'd have been in the top four.

Can't really remember if we even saw it because of injuries, but a team of Friedel, L Young, Cuellar, Laursen, Bouma, Petrov, Milner, Barry, Downing, Young and Carew would have been good to see.

[Footy-Vill]

Emery vs O'Neill is just not a fair comparison.  Emery is so far ahead it's unreal.  I know people who have worked with O'Neill and they all say the same.  An egotistical, ignorant man.  His lack of tactical nous and lack of ability to bring in players who could take us to the next level was plainly obvious.  The 2023 model would smash O'Neill's Villa.  Milner and Barry might get a game on a regular basis but the others would struggle.

On Amazon before Man City.
I thought his aloof approach to his punditry wasn't in the spirit of things. He refused to ask Emery a question and barely looked at Guardiola. Seemed to not enjoy being out in the cold.

He said he took it personal the selling of James Milner. And now on reflection should not have.

[pauliewalnuts]

Emery would probably amass a pile of 40 DVDs of MON Villa's matches and have his 'tactics' totally sussed before he had to do any disc-changing.

[danno]

Emery would probably amass a pile of 40 DVDs of MON Villa's matches and have his 'tactics' totally sussed before he had to do any disc-changing.

Sit deep, let them have the ball, double up on Ashley Young. Attack them after seventy minutes.

[Axl Rose]

I liked O'Neil's Villa, but Emery's Villa would win.

[Ian.]

We’d smash them, especially at home. 6 or 7 nil.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

We’d smash them, especially at home. 6 or 7 nil.

They're both "we" :

There were more weak links in the O'Neill sides, but the best of them - Young, Barry, Milner, Laursen, Mellberg would have all have been incredible if they were playing under Emery.

[pauliewalnuts]

We’d smash them, especially at home. 6 or 7 nil.

They're both "we" :

Self-funeral scenario.

How would we handle the SCORCHIIIIIIOOOOOOOs?

[mike]

O’Neil signed Marlon Harewood. I don’t think he deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as Emery. We finished 6th because a lot of other teams were shite.

And Harewood wasn't even the shittest player he signed, which I'd say was Habib Beye. Shorey was a disaster too.

I’d forgotten Beye.