Manchester City vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[SoccerHQ]

Amusing that posters were getting criticised in the prem match thread for declaring the game is a "free hit" which was Emery's mindset all along.

Still I was pretty happy with what I saw in the first half. We were reslilient and considering the extreme quality they were up against some of our fringe players did very well.

All ruined by Zaniolo chickening out of attempting to block a ball. Foden doesn't even strike it with much power so why he's already moving out is beyond me.

Very very disappointing as going in at 1-1 would've been interesting.

Still beat Brentford and all this doesn't matter one bit. Duran showing first half that perhaps Ollie missing games here and there next season in the league won't quite be the disaster it will be portrayed.

[Monty]

I also notice that our opponents tonight didn't play their two best players, for similar reasons given. I guess two of the world's most successful coaches for over a decade could be wrong on the same day in exactly the same way. Who knows.

Wow.

Arteta did the same mate.

Double wow.

Edit: Nah. Too tiring. I just think your POV on this lacks a fair bit of perspective.

[Nunkin1965]

I agree. I thought it looked a bit that way at the start, but it's not that simple, having reflected on it.

He has to make a series of measured judgements across the full season about how to best use our squad to get the best result come the end of game 38 (plus whatever in Europe).

We can't just play our best XI week in, week out. Some games are more important than others, some games carry a much higher chance of winning than others, some are way more impactful in terms of where we are in the league.

You can't just look at this sort of thing and say "well, Bailey (random chosen player) hasn't played for a week, so he can't be tired". That's a 'micro' approach to things, Emery has to zoom out a bit and look at the wider picture and juggle all the parts.

If we'd gone all-out, playing players who are not totally fit, or who are ill, or who are just tired or out of form, tonight, in a 'let's throw everything at it' mindset, and went down heroically 3-4, then as a result looked jaded and knackered against Brentford, a real must and can win match at the weekend, then people would slaughter him. Then we've got the Conference League coming back.

He's got to balance things looking at the wider picture.

How did it work out for O'Neill after Moscow when he did the exactly the same thing? Not only did we get battered tonight, we've also fallen behind Spurs in terms of goal difference. How does that help us?

When has 4th ever gone down to goal difference? How many times have you seen a full strength side battered there?

The Moscow comparison doesn't apply here.

Exactly.
How can you compare a complete season on one that has several games to go?
Surely a discussion at the end of the season?

[PeterWithesShin]

Again, it was 3 full internationals that started tonight, that have started plenty of other games, and we have no idea if was tactical or fitness based. To state as a fact he threw the game isn't based in any fact at all. And even if it was tactical to keep players fresh, by the time Zaniolo limped off it was 9 first teamers not on the pitch through injury/suspension, not through choice. And also, it's not 1980/81 any more.

[curiousorange]

I think what aggravates me about games like tonight is not so much the loss, given it's the most bankable bet in league football, but that 4-1 is the kind of scoreline I still expect in these away games. A free hit it may be, but make it a one inch punch at least.

[Martyn Smith]

I was beginning to warm to Zaniolo, but after tonight he can fcuk back to Italy.

He always seems to work best as an impact substitute. The question is whether we can afford that kind of luxury

[tomd2103]

The contention seems to be that he started Lenglet, Zaniolo and Diaby. Even if we ignore any potential illness/fitness issues with anyone else, they are 3 full internationals that have started more than 40 league games this season between them for us, and more than 60 league appearances when you add in subs, it's not like we chucked in a load of untried youth players.

It was needs must, but playing Diaby, Zaniolo, Rogers and Duran in the same side is asking for trouble.  It worked to some extent when things were OK, but as soon as it got a bit tougher it crumbled.  None of them could keep the ball and their defensive efforts left a lot to be desired.  You can maybe get away with having one player like that in a game like that, but not four or five.

Saying that, I thought Rogers did OK on the whole though and looked better in a more advanced position.

They said on the WM coverage after the game that it was our first away loss in 2024, which I hadn't realised.

[Risso]

Again, it was 3 full internationals that started tonight, that have started plenty of other games, and we have no idea if was tactical or fitness based. To state as a fact he threw the game isn't based in any fact at all. And even if it was tactical to keep players fresh, by the time Zaniolo limped off it was 9 first teamers not on the pitch through injury/suspension, not through choice. And also, it's not 1980/81 any more.

It was dropping our best two players this season in Torres and Bailey. Torres who is absolutely crucial to how we play and head and shoulders our best defender.

What happened to "It's not a free hit at all. We're not a non league club about to play Man City in the FA Cup 3rd round. We've aready twatted them once and are only 1 place below them. We need to stop being so small time. They won't be looking forward to playing us, and that's as it should be."

They won't have an easier game for the rest of the season.

[VillaTim]

Win Saturday and everything about tonight becomes irrelevant and a moot point.

[Small Rodent]

edit

I really want to know what you said there!!!! Ha!

[Gareth]

We were doing just fine until Zaniolo jumped out of the way of the free kick.

We’ve been there so many times and just submitted behind the ball, don’t think we did that tonight…we gave them the opportunity to play by trying to play ourselves…unfortunately they (mainly Rodri & Foden) chose tonight to spark.

As for selection, was obv with Saturday in mind but it wasn’t like we had 7/8 kids playing….Torres was clearly only on the bench for emergencies…hopefully for Sat we have McGinn / Martinez / Torres/ Bailey & Watkins back in the starting line up & would be a real bonus to see Ramsey back on the bench.  Do we start Dougie or bench him in hope of not needing him to try dodge that 10th booking before the reset?

[Hillbilly]

Not that it would have made any difference but shout out to the ref who was a complete 'homer'.

Also Jim Beglin can go **** himself. "Konsa felt the touch there and went over."

[PeterWithesShin]

Again, it was 3 full internationals that started tonight, that have started plenty of other games, and we have no idea if was tactical or fitness based. To state as a fact he threw the game isn't based in any fact at all. And even if it was tactical to keep players fresh, by the time Zaniolo limped off it was 9 first teamers not on the pitch through injury/suspension, not through choice. And also, it's not 1980/81 any more.

It was dropping our best two players this season in Torres and Bailey. Torres who is absolutely crucial to how we play and head and shoulders our best defender.

What happened to "It's not a free hit at all. We're not a non league club about to play Man City in the FA Cup 3rd round. We've aready twatted them once and are only 1 place below them. We need to stop being so small time. They won't be looking forward to playing us, and that's as it should be."

They won't have an easier game for the rest of the season.

If we'd played a bunch of kids instead of internationals that often start i'd say something, but we didn't. We gave it a good go. I don't think we threw it away so i'm not going to say it am I. And unless you've changed job and now work at Bodymoor Heath you've no idea why he made those changes.

[tomd2103]

We were doing just fine until Zaniolo jumped out of the way of the free kick.

We’ve been there so many times and just submitted behind the ball, don’t think we did that tonight…we gave them the opportunity to play by trying to play ourselves…unfortunately they (mainly Rodri & Foden) chose tonight to spark.

As for selection, was obv with Saturday in mind but it wasn’t like we had 7/8 kids playing….Torres was clearly only on the bench for emergencies…hopefully for Sat we have McGinn / Martinez / Torres/ Bailey & Watkins back in the starting line up & would be a real bonus to see Ramsey back on the bench.  Do we start Dougie or bench him in hope of not needing him to try dodge that 10th booking before the reset?

Think Luiz has to play Saturday.  It's a big game now.

[Paul.S]

There’s a lot we don’t know about the players and their fitness levels. I’d say he’s looking after Torres as he’s broken down twice this season already. Losing him for the rest of the season would be a disaster. With the paper thin squad we’ve got left things like this have to be taken into consideration, especially with the amount of games we’ve got coming up.