Man Utd vs Aston Villa post-match thread

[Ads]

I thought we gifted it them myself. Missed a few players like Torres, Tielemans and Kamara that would have walked into both sides. That quality would have told.

Like the Forest game, it's disappointing to lose to such a poor side.

[Baldy]

Excruciating to watch. Still hurts.

But as part of our development this was a bridge we had to cross sooner or later. The increased expectation and heightened media coverage took its toll on some of our players.

When we went 2-0 up its almost as if 'we couldn't believe it' and didn't know whether to stick or twist. Due to injuries/suspensions this starting eleven didn't seem confident enough to see the game plan through and we lost shape.

We will learn from this and need to bottle the disappointment for future reference. Experience matters and we have very little at this higher level. All part of the development process and Unai will turn this loss to our advantage at some time in the future.

Onwards and upwards.

[Gareth]

I know we aren’t Spurs or SaudioftheNorth so aren’t allowed to talk about injuries/suspensions but last night we arguably had none of our choice back four playing or playing in their correct positions…

Mings
Buendia
Thielemans
Kamara
Cash
Torres (obv not fit)
Ramsey (getting match fit)
Moreno (getting match fit)
Digne - didn’t look good
Olsen - ok, this one’s a bonus

[SamTheMouse]

I know we aren’t Spurs or SaudioftheNorth so aren’t allowed to talk about injuries/suspensions but last night we arguably had none of our choice back four playing or playing in their correct positions…

Mings
Buendia
Thielemans
Kamara
Cash
Torres (obv not fit)
Ramsey (getting match fit)
Moreno (getting match fit)
Digne - didn’t look good
Olsen - ok, this one’s a bonus

Spurs had three or players out and the sports pages made it sound like their squad had been decimated by the Black Death.

We had almost a whole team injured or suspended yesterday and I didn't hear the commentators mention it once.

[Risso]

I think last night was just our overall away form laid bare, made worse by some missing players. We haven't put together one consistently good away performance since maybe Burnley. Of course we've won a decent amount of games, but even within those we've had quite long periods of being not very good. Mostly it's been the first half of away games where we've looked out of sorts before improving second half, but it was the other way round last night. Second half was easily the worst we've played under Emery, it was an utter spanking.

We now need Emery to learn from it, and gets the players' heads right this week, because they looked like a subdued bunch last night. We also need to bring in some reinforcements this January. Duran isn't remotely good enough to be back up for Watkins, and Ollie seems to have run himself into the ground. We've all had a good laugh at Newcastle, but Emery's job now is to make sure we don't go the same way, because the last two games have been terrible.

[Rigadon]

I know we aren’t Spurs or SaudioftheNorth so aren’t allowed to talk about injuries/suspensions but last night we arguably had none of our choice back four playing or playing in their correct positions…

Mings
Buendia
Thielemans
Kamara
Cash
Torres (obv not fit)
Ramsey (getting match fit)
Moreno (getting match fit)
Digne - didn’t look good
Olsen - ok, this one’s a bonus

Spurs had three or players out and the sports pages made it sound like their squad had been decimated by the Black Death.

We had almost a whole team injured or suspended yesterday and I didn't hear the commentators mention it once.

It’s because we don’t throw imaginary darts or take imaginary photos when we score. 

[ChicagoLion]

There are times when the manager has got to help the team.Half time last night was one of them
Ramsey was offering nothing, there was a huge hole where our midfield was supposed to be, Watkins was in Evans pocket and they had worked out that kicking the ball into the space behind us was working.
Yet we continued with the same formation, personnel and tactics. Baffling.

[Bad English]

I have just seen a "Form is temporary class is permanent" on a Brummie red background on a Brummie Red mate's Facebook post.

My comment: "Yes, it is nice to see the mid-table teams getting a result against a weakened elite XI like the Villa."

[Risso]

I know we aren’t Spurs or SaudioftheNorth so aren’t allowed to talk about injuries/suspensions but last night we arguably had none of our choice back four playing or playing in their correct positions…

Mings
Buendia
Thielemans
Kamara
Cash
Torres (obv not fit)
Ramsey (getting match fit)
Moreno (getting match fit)
Digne - didn’t look good
Olsen - ok, this one’s a bonus

I think our first choice back four now is Konsa - Carlos - Torres - Digne, as that's what Emery has been choosing to play of late, so on that basis, that's 3 out of 4 first choice defenders in their correct spots at kick off.

[Ads]

I have just seen a "Form is temporary class is permanent" on a Brummie red background on a Brummie Red mate's Facebook post.

My comment: "Yes, it is nice to see the mid-table teams getting a result against a weakened elite XI like the Villa."

Tell the ****** to mind the gap.

[Olof's Beard]

I am usually pretty circumspect about defeats but that has depressed me more than it should. If you strip away their name and the decades of PTSD, they are just a struggling side who hadn't scored in four games.

We were two up, the fans were on their back. We just needed to put them in a chokehold but we backed off instead. Even though the offside was working for an hour, the fact that play carries on meant they built up a bit of a head of steam through illegal chances and got the crowd behind them. Hojlund scoring was as predictable to those of us who know Villa as anything ever was.

I really hope we recover from the last two games quickly but fear that a few key players have played themselves out of form. We really need to best Burnley.

[Demitri_C]

My frustration with emery is why wont he put a youngster like k young or kellyman on the bench? When you have a squad suffering fatigue why waste a spot with two keepers? I mean look at Newcastle they gave miley and a chance and he has been a revelation

He totally messed it up yesterday.  Should have made the subs alot sooner than he dod as we all saw this happening.

Get some young energy in the team to help ffs rather see that than having tired players who cant be asked. Second half they were a disgrace

Kellyman and Young are both injured…O’Reilly has been on the bench for a couple of games recently & he is 2 days younger than Duran who has been on the bench most games.  Not sure there is a young attacking option other than O’Reilly ready for the bench in PL? Maybe likes of Wilson might get a seat
Vs Boro?

Man that sucks. Didnt know they were both injured. We really do need reinforcements in Jan thats for sure

Id happily give wilson a start but i think unai will go for duran in the cup game. I am hoping timmy gets more game time now too

[Neil Hawkes]

Oh and Tim looks a player. Unai needs to keep working with him and give him minutes he's quality, something Dougie Luiz was a couple of months back.

One of the only positives from last night - he wasn't fazed by the atmosphere, tackled & dribbled well, and had an eye for a quick decisive pass (not to the opposition), that the Donk does not seem to be able to do.

[RamboandBruno]

I was surprised changes were not made earlier. Ramsey didn’t look on it from the get go and I thought should of been swapped for Zaniolo at half time. Dougie also really struggled, but who do you bring on for him at the moment? Kamaras suspension in hindsight was awful timing with Tielemans being out injured at the same time. Add to that Emery knowing Diaby is way off form and we’re struggling really.
I’ve thought we’ve looked quite a tired side since the Man City game. Since then we’ve done brilliantly to battle our way through the Arsenal game and also the Brentford game, bearing in mind their really good home record. But Sheffield we huffed and puffed and even in the first half last night we made so many unforced errors, the reality is we went to 2-0 in first gear against a poor side but couldn’t then get out of first year.

Given all of this I think we need a few tweaks for Saturday, its for another thread, but I’d be tempted to bring Cash, Diaby and Torres back in for Lenglet, Carlos and Ramsey. Maybe see how Tim does instead of Donk, but might be a step too far at the moment.

I’m as gutted as anyone today, but some posters using words like ‘disgrace’ are so far off the mark. We’re third at the halfway point in the season, the managers and players have done a remarkable job. 

[VillaTim]

So Hoijland inevitably gets added to the list of woe -

Andrew Cole
Diego Forlan
Henrik Larsen
Macheda
Hoijland

There's probably a few I've missed due to the PTSD