Villa 1 Man. United 2 Post match thread.

[The Edge]

Our last 2 league performances have been superb. The midweek loss and injury news is just blurring and adding negativity (right in part)

But we were superb yesterday, just not clinical enough which we can’t afford against the likes of Yanited

Superb ? we really were not . We played better than the very low bar of NUFC/CFC but we were not as good as you make out.

We were superb with the ball and they just couldn't cope with our movement. Unfortunately our finishing wasn't anywhere near that standard and 4 or 5 would not have flattered us. As hard as it is to take losing to those glory hunting bastards late in the game I saw a helluva lot to be optimistic about. We are beating Fulham on Saturday and the recovery starts there.

[Paul.S]

Our last 2 league performances have been superb. The midweek loss and injury news is just blurring and adding negativity (right in part)

But we were superb yesterday, just not clinical enough which we can’t afford against the likes of Yanited

Superb ? we really were not . We played better than the very low bar of NUFC/CFC but we were not as good as you make out.

I think we were in spells. Some of the play to create the chances we made were exceplent. We let ourselves down defensively again but there are good signs that we are getting back to what we were. If you’d sat where I was you would’ve seen every one of their defensive unit were on their knees.
Still improvement needed to get back where we were but yes, I’d say some of what we did was superb.

[Chris Smith]

Our last 2 league performances have been superb. The midweek loss and injury news is just blurring and adding negativity (right in part)

But we were superb yesterday, just not clinical enough which we can’t afford against the likes of Yanited

Superb ? we really were not . We played better than the very low bar of NUFC/CFC but we were not as good as you make out.

Why ignore the 5-0 win last week when listing performances? As Vinnie says we’ve played very well in our last 2 league games the difference being we were clinical against Sheffield United but weren’t yesterday.

[PaulWinch again]

We weren’t superb, we were good at creating chances. We missed most of them and we let in two really soft goals, that’s not superb.

[Demitri_C]

We weren’t superb, we were good at creating chances. We missed most of them and we let in two really soft goals, that’s not superb.

I agree. It was a improved performance but still for we were pretty poor in the final third especially in first half. I think we had one shot on target 1st 45 mins

It was nowhere near the levels before arsenal game. Im pretty aure if we played anywhere close to that we would have thumped united. Confidence esp at the rop end is low. Also having no pau who looks for the pass early is a big issue. Lenglet unfortunately (i dont want to slate him tok much as its not all his fault) but is nowhere near the level of pau

[eamonn]

We controlled the ball for long spell with some great passages of play which was a world away from the limp performances served-up against Newcastle and Chelsea.

[VillaTim]

Our last 2 league performances have been superb. The midweek loss and injury news is just blurring and adding negativity (right in part)

But we were superb yesterday, just not clinical enough which we can’t afford against the likes of Yanited

Superb ? we really were not . We played better than the very low bar of NUFC/CFC but we were not as good as you make out.

Why ignore the 5-0 win last week when listing performances? As Vinnie says we’ve played very well in our last 2 league games the difference being we were clinical against Sheffield United but weren’t yesterday.

No, he said "Superb", we weren't.

[paul_e]

It's fine margins. If we'd taken 2 or 3 of the big chances we missed and come away with a 3/4-1 win that wouldn't have flattered us and we'd all be singing the praises of everyone involved.

[Allan C]

In fairness Unai also took us from 17th(?) to 7th in 6 months and European qualification for the first time in 12 years or whatever it was. That's a pretty impressive achievement, one that will culminate in Villa fans swimming in a fountain in Athens in three and a half months.

and Steve Bruce took us from 16th in the Championship to play off finalists . Also impressive

There really really is no comparison there. Bruce failed in a ridiculously substandard league

I#m saying Bruce did a good job to pick the club up at a seriously low ebb and turn it around. Laid the foundations for Smith & Emery to build off

Still no, Bruce just held us back for the time he was in charge.

[VillaTim]

It's fine margins. If we'd taken 2 or 3 of the big chances we missed and come away with a 3/4-1 win that wouldn't have flattered us and we'd all be singing the praises of everyone involved.

yes , but we didn't , we didn't superbly take our chances and we were far from superb in defence.

[pauliewalnuts]

If they're fine margins (and maybe they are), we've been on the wrong side of them for too long now.

[Mister E]

We weren’t superb, we were good at creating chances. We missed most of them and we let in two really soft goals, that’s not superb.

1 really soft goal and one which unfortunately was very good - the cross was excellent and McTominay made the header his despite interest from our defenders. Of course, we should have been out of sight by then...

[RamboandBruno]

If they're fine margins (and maybe they are), we've been on the wrong side of them for too long now.

Yesterday felt a bit different to me. They were no fine margins really against Newcastle and chelsea, we were just outplayed for most of both games. Nor Everton away really, an obvious offside and not much else created by either side. Sheffield we battered them, but yesterday, our build up play was really impressive, after they when 1-0 up we were all over them. So just frustrating we could stick it in the onion bag and all that

[PaulWinch again]

If they're fine margins (and maybe they are), we've been on the wrong side of them for too long now.

And the reason we fell short is shit defending. At the end of the day that’s the real issue, we are coughing up so many soft goals. 8 in our last 3 home games.

[Ian.]

Emery has only been here just over a year taking over a side certain for relegation under that clown Gerrard. The same team also looked like it was failing under Smith. That’s a pretty impressive turnaround. The standard of football has been excellent and we’ve scored plenty of goals.

I loved our time under Little and Atkinson but I still believe Taylor’s time was more impressive and he didn’t win anything, we also nearly caved in, near the end of the season we got promoted and gave the title to Middlesbrough.

After only a year here it’s impossible to know if he will be successful but with his track record and pedigree as a manager on top of his first year here, we look in good shape for some kind of success. We’ve had bump, surely that’s expected in your first year? Especially with injuries and suspensions and a very uneven playing field regarding finances.

I do also believe it’s harder now than back then because of the ridiculous finances involved and teams even out of the top five or six, for example, Man Utd and Chelsea can spend stupid amounts of money that we can’t. The bench Man City have had during the last two games is crazy and then look at the resources Liverpool have up front.

Anyway, we’ve got our views, but it’s hard not to get excited and still believe we are in the right hands after years and years of managers failing to deliver. I’m 100% sure Emery is fantastic and the right man for the job.