Reflections on Conference League

[manic-road]

There was very little to be proud of in those two legs. We were shocking tonight, and they looked like they'd given up.

Talking shit again.

[Richard E]

We were favourites to win this trophy and didn’t win it, and we lost home and away to a team that we should have beaten over two legs. It’s a failure.

[waynejames]

Well done Villa......i've had the pleasure of attending every home ECL game with my lad......It's the best Villa side he has ever seen in his 27 years. Saying that we never really sparkled in any of the euro games but hey ho it was fun whilst it lasted.
Great pricing from the club as well.....i'm almost done with premier league costs.
UTV!

[Villan82]

Injuries don't explain why Diaby is playing like a drain or why Emery keeps playing Konsa at right back.

Why Cash receives the ball in space on the right and ALWAYS plays it back rather than put a cross in.

We play a different style of football now mate and it has made us relevant for the first time in almost 30 years.

[Legion]

https://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=64921.0

[Monty]

Injuries don't explain why Diaby is playing like a drain or why Emery keeps playing Konsa at right back.

Konsa actually being good at right back is one of those things that just makes me want to scream. He's fine! He's generally perfectly fine! The trouble is when there's no pressure on the midfield and they turn us! Both full-backs struggle with that whoever they are! And there's no pressure in midfield because of the injuries and fatigue! Which is also why Cash was at right wing! Hence Konsa at right back! Etc etc.

And when did it last work? When did it last NOT cause a really bad goal?

When did we last have pressure in midfield? That's the problem. You're attacking the symptom not the cause.

[TopDeck113]

I had high hopes and thought that Emery's experience would see us go all the way.  The reasons we've hit a brick wall have been done to death but are legitimate. I reckon two or three fewer absentees and we'd be looking forward to another visit to Athens. 
We've come a long way in a relatively short time, with players that Emery has improved but are probably still not genuine Top 4 first teamers. That will need to change. Let's hope this season is but a learning step and not one that we'll look back with a sense that it was as good as it got.   I don't think it will be. In the meantime, up the fucking Villa!

[SamTheMouse]

Well that was a massive tub of turd. An absolute anal fissure of a performance.

Still, we made it to a European semi-final and are favourites to finish fourth in the league, despite a casualty rate that would have had even Field Marshal Hague thinking of chucking it in and getting the next boat back to Blighty.

I feel like it would be somewhat churlish to complain too much.

[Astnor]

Highlight was shout-out against Lille but League have had priority. Else: we coudnt manage number of games at the end of season.

[Demitri_C]

Im not proud of them. Two rubbish performances in these two legs against a average team. Had we at least tried to make a game of it like mcginn and diaby were trying to big up since the first leg then maybe.

We did well to get go semis. But overall we have been pretty shit in this tournament performance wise.  We had a few good performances like AZ and ajax.  But its been a lot of under par performances and these last two legs being the worst

Its a tad embarrassing losing 6-2 on aggregate. Even maccabi gave them more  a game ovee two legs.

[taylorsworkrate]

There was very little to be proud of in those two legs. We were shocking tonight, and they looked like they'd given up.

Over the top drivel.

On the basis of the 2 legs it isn't. 6 very poor goals conceded and little to no quality in the final third. Digne jogged back for their first goal tonight and Konsa stopped running twice for their second.

Its been an exceptional season we all agree and a joy to watch for the vast majority of it. Its not unfair to be critical of the performance tonight and over the 2 legs. Both have been crap.

[London Villan]

We had 8 or 9 first team players out tonight. Having to play players carrying injuries or out of form. I can’t be pissed off with any of them.

[eamonn]

https://www.heroesandvillains.info/forumv3/index.php?topic=64921.0

Why?

[KevinGage]

Just too big a stretch.  We let in poor goals at bad times and no luck.  We never really looked like scoring, same against brighton.   

But the bench today shows what an achievement it has been to get this far, missing these players:
1. Moreno
2. Mings
3. Tielemans
4. Ramsey
5. Rogers
6. Kamara
7. Buendia
8. Zaniólo

Thats crazy, just no options.  Luiz and Diaby seem to be struggling particularly for form / struggling to play the role they are asked.

Need one more performance to secure 4th - I hope they have 1 more in them.   Would be gutting to have got this close on two front just to run out of steam inches before the finish line. 

Plus Torres managing an injury since Christmas and Bailey doing the same this past month.

As we've seen with James Chester and a few others, there can be serious repercussions for that sort of thing.

[ez]

Not a competition I personally got very excited about but I do feel sorry for the younger fans who haven't seen us win a trophy yet. For me though Champions league qualification will be a bigger achievement.