Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Bad English]

Cash and Bailey, I think.

[john e]

One thing tonight proved is that you know Unai is taking the whole thing seriously
Wasn’t really a weakened team I’m not sure whether we could actually field one now in the same way as we did at Old Trafford last year

A lot of the rubbisher players have gone and we have replacements that aren’t really liabilities like before
As long as Martinez stays fit we will be okay because that’s the only position that would give you the nervous shakes

[VillaTim]

Just as well we didn’t rest too many players Tim.

Well lets see, i only really care most about the league and finishing top 4 . If this rebounds on tired players next Sunday then it will have been a mistake picking that team, the whole point of a squad is to use it.

[Legion]

Why? I want us to be successful in Europe and see us win the FA Cup before I die.

[not3bad]

So Stevenage got knocked out today by Maidstone Utd. Which we, of course should take no pleasure from. Lol!

[Brazilian Villain]

So Stevenage got knocked out today by Maidstone Utd. Which we, of course should take no pleasure from. Lol!

I was pleased because there's a poster from Maidstone on here who follows them. Nothing more than that, and I hope he gets his dream draw.

[RamboandBruno]

We won and we're through to the next round. I thought Boro did okay all considered, made more of a match of it than I expected especially as they have a LC semi final on Tuesday against Chelsea. Fortunately they have no decent strikers to take advantage of their counter attacks.

Better second half but we still only seem able to pass the ball around with little impact. So few occasions we looked to take on and beat a player against a team 28 places below us in the league. I guess we should be happy it wasn't Stevenage but I do think for a team that has scored 43 goals in the league this season, we are struggling to make real goalscoring opportunities. Boro defended deep but they didn't park the bus like Sheff Utd.

Kamara showed his class with a mature, disciplined performance, Ramsey is getting there, somebody actually willing to take on a player and run with the ball, plus a great show of speed at the end to make the vital tackle. Bailey again away from Villa Park is not the same player, no real threat. Overall we made hard work of it but fortunately we're at our best in the last 10 minutes of the game.

Ref was a joke, how he's a FIFA official referee is beyond me, it must be down to quotas. Five Villa yellow cards and just the one for Boro. The PL really need to start looking at bringing in foreign refs if clowns like him are the best England have.

MOTM: Our fans. Superb again.

We are a much better team offensively with Watkins

[Legion]

Same.

[VillaTim]

Why? I want us to be successful in Europe and see us win the FA Cup before I die.

so do i, I just don't think its realistic to get all 3 this season. Something will give and as we have such a great chance of top 4 (which will help the club grow) i don't want that jeapordised

[ChicagoLion]

Why? I want us to be successful in Europe and see us win the FA Cup before I die.

so do i, I just don't think its realistic to get all 3 this season. Something will give and as we have such a great chance of top 4 (which will help the club grow) i don't want that jeapordised

I am in the , we can not do all 3 camp.
At some point UE will have to make a decision, not sure when that comes, maybe when we have the draw for the next rounds and subject to the state of the squad.

[andyh]

One for BE to mull over.

Aston Villa manger Unai Emery speaking to BBC Sport after the game: "We were remembering before the match the past few years where we have not qualified past the third round, but today we played seriously for 90 minutes with a game plan and we controlled the game a lot.
"We created not very clear chances but, in the second half, we created very good chances and they had some good attacks.
"We were keeping in our mind the game plan and our passions. At the end we won and, more or less, I think we deserved it."
On Aston Villa's mentality: "The mentality that you have to be there everyday and you have to get experiences and see what we're facing.
"We were keeping in our mind the game plan and until the last minute we were trying to be very positive in our area and, at the end, we won. It was fantastic."
On Middlesbrough: "They had very good players trying to combinate, play with possession and trying to get in behind."
On currently competing in three competitions: "We have to go into each match and get the best result. The first target is to be consistent through the Premier League and then to try to be consistent in the Conference League and the FA Cup. But, of course, we have to be consistent and we have to face each competition and improve."

Anyone else reading that in Unais voice ?

[Didier Five]

Job done, spent the first half controlling the game and were dragging Boro side to side without us creating much. Upped the pace in the second half and deservedly got the winner. Blimey we are in the 4th round draw, no reds and no injuries either.

[VillaTim]

Why? I want us to be successful in Europe and see us win the FA Cup before I die.

so do i, I just don't think its realistic to get all 3 this season. Something will give and as we have such a great chance of top 4 (which will help the club grow) i don't want that jeapordised

I am in the , we can not do all 3 camp.
At some point UE will have to make a decision, not sure when that comes, maybe when we have the draw for the next rounds and subject to the state of the squad.

Probably February/March once fixtures start piling up again. How we get on with injuries / suspensions etc will also be a big factor but the law of averages says we will have some to deal with.

[Brazilian Villain]

Job done, spent the first half controlling the game and were dragging Boro side to side without us creating much. Upped the pace in the second half and deservedly got the winner. Blimey we are in the 4th round draw, no reds and no injuries either.

That's the main thing, and also how I saw the game.

[Chris Smith]

Why? I want us to be successful in Europe and see us win the FA Cup before I die.

so do i, I just don't think its realistic to get all 3 this season. Something will give and as we have such a great chance of top 4 (which will help the club grow) i don't want that jeapordised

I think Unai is better placed to decide how to use his squad than any of us.