Manchester City vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[The Edge]

Diaby has started more league games this season than Bailey has, he was hardly chucking in an untried youth player. Maybe there has been illness issues, maybe Emery just though they were the better options for the team we had available/were facing. Talk of him chucking the game is absolute bonkers and based on nothing but frustration.

Absolutely. He will have put out the strongest team he was able to against that state funded sham of a football club. There's absolutely no way he would be thinking about surrendering a game when we're within touching distance of a top four finish with Spuds breathing right down our necks. Managing at this level sometimes means making difficult choices but a coach of Emery's standing will always be thinking about taking whatever is possible from every game. To suggest otherwise is ludicrous.

[RamboandBruno]

Lots of scars from our history I feel. After we got hammered by Spurs, there were comments on how that could be Emery’s Stoke moment, but we go away and draw with West Ham and beat Wolves comfortably. Im pretty convinced this isn’t Emery’s Moscow moment either. He and this team have proved over and over, they take a punch they come back swinging.

[Ads]

Moscow does not work. Moscow was throwing a cup tournament effectively. Losing at Man City, as we absolutely almost universally do away, and have with 2 exceptions in the league in over 30 years of watching us, is not the same.

[Rigadon]

I don’t know. Dropping our two best (fit) players was odd.  He made that call knowing Martinez was out and obviously Watkins and McGinn.  So it does feel like he kind of threw the game.  The team didn’t play too badly, at least the first half and we do always, always lose there, so it’ll only be a decision that will be remembered if we don’t beat Brentford. 

He’s got plenty in the bank of course, but I did find it a weird thing to do. 

[Clampy]

I don’t know. Dropping our two best (fit) players was odd.  He made that call knowing Martinez was out and obviously Watkins and McGinn.  So it does feel like he kind of threw the game.  The team didn’t play too badly, at least the first half and we do always, always lose there, so it’ll only be a decision that will be remembered if we don’t beat Brentford. 

He’s got plenty in the bank of course, but I did find it a weird thing to do. 

Martinez pulled out after the team was announced.

[Meanwood Villa]

It's one of those where I don't think we gave ourselves the best opportunity to win with the team selection but two massive home games in the next week to put it behind us.

[VillaTim]

I'd rather a weekend in Blackpool than one in Abu Dhabi depsite all their sportswashed marketing crap. Bring on the 115 judgment day .

[The Edge]

I don’t know. Dropping our two best (fit) players was odd.  He made that call knowing Martinez was out and obviously Watkins and McGinn.  So it does feel like he kind of threw the game.  The team didn’t play too badly, at least the first half and we do always, always lose there, so it’ll only be a decision that will be remembered if we don’t beat Brentford. 

He’s got plenty in the bank of course, but I did find it a weird thing to do. 

Martinez pulled out after the team was announced.

And he didn't "drop" our two best players. He may have decided they needed rest but they may have caught the same bug as Emi. Who knows? Emery does and he makes the necessary calls. Calls which have us in our best league position in donkeys years and we're in the QF of a European competition. All these inferences and snide comments that Emery intentionally threw the game are really starting to irritate me.

[Rigadon]

I don’t know. Dropping our two best (fit) players was odd.  He made that call knowing Martinez was out and obviously Watkins and McGinn.  So it does feel like he kind of threw the game.  The team didn’t play too badly, at least the first half and we do always, always lose there, so it’ll only be a decision that will be remembered if we don’t beat Brentford. 

He’s got plenty in the bank of course, but I did find it a weird thing to do. 

Martinez pulled out after the team was announced.

And he didn't "drop" our two best players. He may have decided they needed rest but they may have caught the same bug as Emi. Who knows? Emery does and he makes the necessary calls. Calls which have us in our best league position in donkeys years and we're in the QF of a European competition. All these inferences and snide comments that Emery intentionally threw the game are really starting to irritate me.

Snide?  That’s unfair and I’d ask you to wind your neck in a bit.  Emery is a genius and I love the guy.  But it *felt* to me like he threw it a bit.  If that irritates you so be it. 

[Rigadon]

I don’t know. Dropping our two best (fit) players was odd.  He made that call knowing Martinez was out and obviously Watkins and McGinn.  So it does feel like he kind of threw the game.  The team didn’t play too badly, at least the first half and we do always, always lose there, so it’ll only be a decision that will be remembered if we don’t beat Brentford. 

He’s got plenty in the bank of course, but I did find it a weird thing to do. 

Martinez pulled out after the team was announced.

That does make a bit of a difference.

[SamTheMouse]

If there is a bug going through the squad, there may be players who are just starting to come down with it and are broadly OK but still not feeling brilliant. I've actually been like that myself the last couple of days. Maybe Emery figured that although they could have played, they'd be below par and it would be better not to risk them picking up an injury - which I gather is more likely if you're under the weather generally. Especially given that at this stage of the season, everyone's a bit fragile anyway.

[Rigadon]

If there is a bug going through the squad, there may be players who are just starting to come down with it and are broadly OK but still not feeling brilliant. I've actually been like that myself the last couple of days. Maybe Emery figured that although they could have played, they'd be below par and it would be better not to risk them picking up an injury - which I gather is more likely if you're under the weather generally. Especially given that at this stage of the season, everyone's a bit fragile anyway.

Yeah, if that was the case then it would explain it. 

[Sexual Ealing]

I do think we missed Tielemans' strength in defensive midfield.

Tielemans strength in defensive midfield? He can't run or tackle

Yeah, I've agreed with most of what Monty has said about the game but I was a bit confused by that comment. Of all of Emery's decisions today, I was glad Tim started.

I can't speak for Monty, but I think a couple of irony alerts have been missed here.

[Sexual Ealing]

If there is a bug going through the squad, there may be players who are just starting to come down with it and are broadly OK but still not feeling brilliant. I've actually been like that myself the last couple of days. Maybe Emery figured that although they could have played, they'd be below par and it would be better not to risk them picking up an injury - which I gather is more likely if you're under the weather generally. Especially given that at this stage of the season, everyone's a bit fragile anyway.

Yep, I've been laid up in bed with 'stomach issues' since Monday lunchtime, only feeling right this morning. There's no way I could've been away from the bathroom for 45 minutes at a time, let alone actually, you know, running around and that.

[Demitri_C]

Unfortunately when you have rodri and foden in that kind of form most teams will struggle

If that foden and rodri played like that vs arsenal they would have won that game easily. As much as i dislike citeh they are a fantastic side. But we all know how they got there