Aston Villa 2 Chelsea 2 Post Match Heart Massage.

[PeterWithe]

Also TimI, it seems churlish to even think of criticising the manager but, if I were to, it would be that he hasn't given him enough game time when he could have.

Emery gave Iroegbunam his roadmap in the run-up to (I think) the Luton away game:

It’s his moment. He has to be demanding and he has to do it… quick. He has to be ready and say, ‘It’s my time, now I am here!’

I can’t recall any games since then where his performance has expressed that sentiment. He seems like a good lad, but lacks the (perhaps selfish) edge required to make the step up.

I suppose my issue is that we have games coming thick and fast, an injury list like we've never seen and a player that 'looks' like he could be exactly what we need, and already on the payroll. But I honestly don't know if he should be playing, because he's hardly had a look-in. UA obviously trusts him to an extent as he's in squads and got onto the pitch in tight games, but not trusted him enough to start or play more.

I'd just expect to have a clearer opinion on him by now both because of his age but also circumstances at the club.

[Clampy]

I think the problem with Diaby yesterday was where he played him. He seemed to be playing in the middle as an extra midfelder at times and it just didn't work. I think
in hindsight, maybe throwing Duran on as the second striker might have been more effective.

[walsall villain]

Really really poor to throw away another 2 goal lead and i fear this will come back to haunt us . Tielemans looked finished for the season the way he wen off. I think Martinez was precautionary . I think we've handed Spurs hope . Just need to rely on Arsenal and Chelsea this week now .

Tielemans walked off on the Doug Ellis side, then walked all round the pitch. Hopefully not too bad.

His reaction when lying injured suggested otherwise, fingers crossed but knowing our luck…

[Ads]

Yeah that suggested to me he knew he was done, just a question of how dramatic he is; so angry he's done for that game or the season.

[PaulWinch again]

I think the problem with Diaby yesterday was where he played him. He seemed to be playing in the middle as an extra midfelder at times and it just didn't work. I think
in hindsight, maybe throwing Duran on as the second striker might have been more effective.

I think there’s definitely something in that. Given we were inviting pressure so much i would have got Diaby to play up top and basically try to go pretty direct to use his pace in behind. That at least would have given them something to think about. Clearly it wasn’t intentional, but we just sat off and let them play in the second half.

[AV84]

Yeah that suggested to me he knew he was done, just a question of how dramatic he is; so angry he's done for that game or the season.

Or maybe he was thinking about Thursday night. Possibly the biggest game the club has had since the playoff final, and really on a much bigger stage than that. I'd be mad if I thought I was going to miss that, even of I'd be back at the weekend.

[Baldy]

I thought Duran should have come on sooner to try to hold the ball up, how many times did we chip the ball in to Watkins/Diaby and lose possession immediately? When Olsen is in goal we aren't so confident playing it out so it makes sense to go more direct but we did not have the players to do that.

As my Dad texted me after the game, it's not a bad thing for Chelsea to have played well as they have Spurs in midweek. What worries me is they will revert to type and be poor in that game.

An added incentive, Pochettino got sacked by Spurs and hopefully wants to prove a point. Bit like Unai against the Arses.

[PaulWinch again]

Watching back that first goal we conceded, it was just really poor play. Sometimes you have to realise you’re boxed in and take a different option.

[Lastfootstamper]

I'm still trying to come to terms with how much we missed Tielemans.

[Dave P]

I'm still trying to come to terms with how much we missed Tielemans.

Correct. Tielemans is an excellent player.

[Dave P]

Regarding the last minute Chelsea ‘goal’. In the ground I thought it was a foul, I’ve seen the VAR slowed down replay and it looked a foul, however just catching up on MOTD and I feel we may have got away with one tbf. It was a foul but it was soft and Carlos didn’t cover himself in glory in those 2 mins

[Brend'Watkins]

Chelsea have got our number. They bossed us throughout and we couldn’t do anything about it. To get a point out of the game was magnificent.

[AV84]

We were somewhat fortunate to get the 3 points off them in the away game this season too. We could have lost both those games so coming away with 4 points from them isn't that bad a result. As always it's the way we played when dropping points that's more of an issue.

[Somniloquism]

It was also be wonderful if we could start coming back and winning goals from two down as opposed to always three times giving up 2 goal leads. Hopefully we will see this much less come next season as unai learning about this group

I fixed it for you. Three times. And we did come back from two down against Bournemouth away. Didn't win it but then neither did Chelsea or Brentford. We also came back from 1 goal down multiple times as well to win matches.

Ok if you have fixed the post can you tell me when the last time we came back from 2 down to win a game this year? When we tend to go 2 down we lose the game or dont win.

The point im making is we need to show resilience at 2 goals up in a lot of games. That 2nd half was almost a exavt replica of what happened at OT. You cant be doing that twice in a season if you want to be  a top side

No, the point you originally made is we are always giving up two goal leads and losing/not winning when you stated ALWAYS giving up 2 goal leads. We have now dropped 7 points from taking leads and still are the best in that particular table after liverpool also dropped points against West Ham, Tottenham have dropped 20.When we beat Spurs down there, they were only the fifth club in prem history to lose three consecutive games after taking the lead. So, can you tell me why we are not a top side again?

[The Edge]

It was also be wonderful if we could start coming back and winning goals from two down as opposed to always three times giving up 2 goal leads. Hopefully we will see this much less come next season as unai learning about this group

I fixed it for you. Three times. And we did come back from two down against Bournemouth away. Didn't win it but then neither did Chelsea or Brentford. We also came back from 1 goal down multiple times as well to win matches.

Ok if you have fixed the post can you tell me when the last time we came back from 2 down to win a game this year? When we tend to go 2 down we lose the game or dont win.

The point im making is we need to show resilience at 2 goals up in a lot of games. That 2nd half was almost a exavt replica of what happened at OT. You cant be doing that twice in a season if you want to be  a top side

No, the point you originally made is we are always giving up two goal leads and losing/not winning when you stated ALWAYS giving up 2 goal leads. We have now dropped 7 points from taking leads and still are the best in that particular table after liverpool also dropped points against West Ham, Tottenham have dropped 20.When we beat Spurs down there, they were only the fifth club in prem history to lose three consecutive games after taking the lead. So, can you tell me why we are not a top side again?

Checkmate.