Man Utd vs Aston Villa post-match thread

[Brazilian Villain]

Agree with all this (plus I've just poured myself a very large Havana Club 7YO and coke). Don't worry, it's going to be a great 2024.

I’m on industrial measures of sloe gin Gary. Slainte

Fair play! I have to admit, I do enjoy a sloe gin. Got a couple of bottles of gin as pressies (Drumshanbo Sardinian Citrus which is lovely) but dark rum is more my thing. Anyway enjoy, and Saúde!

[brontebilly]

At half time I said it had 3-2 to them written all over it.  We just got deeper & deeper before half-time.

RB is needed desperately.

Onana's save from Bailey at 1-2 was critical.

McGinn missed a bit of a sitter too, I think just after they equalised. But our efforts chasing an equaliser were pathetic.

[Ads]

Architects of our own downfall there giving up cheap possession unnecessarily in silly areas. Really bottled it 2nd half as a result. Missed two glorious chances.

Mind the gap you cockney ******.

[VillaTim]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but we really should have gone 4-3-3 second half with Bailey and Diaby out wide and tightened up the middle. Emery doesn't seem to like this formation though.

I'd like to see it more often when we are chasing game. Bringing on Duran is wasting a sub. Ramsey offering very little since his return from injury too in midfield.

Ramsey isn't right , not fully fit probably

[VillaTim]

We were poor. Extremely poor second half. Players that have been amazing all season were poor. We have no credible plan b for Watkins. Carlos was poor, Dougie was very poor.

But they have all been incredible all season. They’re due a bad game I guess , it’s just a shame it was all at the same time.

But we’re third. At Christmas.  I’ll take that all day long.

It's 3 questionable performances on the spin though and the Arsenal game was backs to the wall. We are running on empty

[john2710]

Despite being shite for the entirety of the second half, we had as many good opportunities to score as they did.

[Drummond]

Defeats like that, against them, on Boxing Day, just hurt more. There's no point losing our shit over it, in the same way that we weren't destined to win the league because we beat Man City and Arsenal in consecutive games earlier this month.

We need a home win on Saturday to calm some nerves, then we'll be fine again.

[Clampy]

The problem for me was even at 2-0, they looked threatening when they attacked. We really missed the composure of Torres and Kamara.

We do seem to be very good at bouncing back very quickly under Emery though so let's hope we do.

[Malandro]

All those great wins and then we draw and lose to shite teams like Sheffield and Manchester United. Infuriating.

[VillaTim]

Feels like the Utd curse is back , what's that 3 straight defeats vs them (counting the league cup game).

[SoccerHQ]

We were poor. Extremely poor second half. Players that have been amazing all season were poor. We have no credible plan b for Watkins. Carlos was poor, Dougie was very poor.

But they have all been incredible all season. They’re due a bad game I guess , it’s just a shame it was all at the same time.

But we’re third. At Christmas.  I’ll take that all day long.

It's 3 questionable performances on the spin though and the Arsenal game was backs to the wall. We are running on empty

After Burnley we'll have two games in 4 and a half weeks (and the Boro game will see a few changes) so just have to get through this period and make a couple of signings as we did last January just to give the squad a fresh feel. If one of them can make an impact like Moreno did then that would be brilliant.

To not do anything and then be saying the same things in February would be stupid beyond belief and I'm sure everyone realises what a huge opportunity this season is for the club.

We haven't come this far just to sign the 2024 version of Heskey, I'm sure of that.

[LeonW]

Luiz looked like he’d been out on the town the day before. Appalling performance. Carlos was terrible. Dangling his leg out to block shots like he does is just begging for a deflection. Lenglet’s passing first half was superb. Diaby is really really out of form and has been for quite a while.

We need a more energetic and pacey physical central midfield option when we need to aggressively press in the middle and disrupt. Another defender so Konsa not at right back. And we need a target man option from the bench. We’ve got the passers at the back to find a striker who can hold the ball up and win flick on’s in the air for a Watkins etc to run on to and beat the opposition press.

[FatSam]

Despite being shite for the entirety of the second half, we had as many good opportunities to score as they did.

I think I saw on MOTD that our XG was 1.84 compared to their 1.04.

[adrenachrome]

Imagine my surprise.

I'm shocked I tell ya. Shocked.

Haha! Fcuk off! It's still too raw to be funny. Bastard made me laugh. You're not helping.

I was so fucking incensed that I was going to head for the pre-match thread and do some X-Style "is this you?" posts.
After meditation and speaking with my dogs, I have remembered that I am of The Church Mystic  rather than The Church Militant. As someone once said: "every game is difficult, the ball is round".
Peace and love to all Villa fans everywhere.

[Skerra]

Whisper it but Burnley are desperate for points. Obviously hope we win but it’s certainly not a foregone conclusion.
The 3 goals we conceded tonight were abysmal. Luiz is asleep for the first one. Bailey is too weak in the challenge, loses out and they score their second. Third one we should have booted it into row Z but, decided it was best to piss about in our own area, leading immediately to the corner that got them their winner.