Chelsea 3 Aston Villa 0 Post Match Thread.

[Risso]

McGinn needs dropping almost as badly as Bailey/Philogene. He's been awful for ages, I genuinely can't remember the last good game he had.

[malckennedy]

First time I think I've ever seen 2 players booked for diving in the same game. Any advances on 2 players? About the most remarkable thing I can recall. There was a steam engine in Solihull Station that we've just passed, but I missed it. I can only faintly taste Jaegar and other concoctions from last night. So concludes a forgettable day. Well almost, as Moor Street is still aways from home.

We deserved to lose. That's what happens when you're poor in both boxes. Call me mad, but I'd actually prefer at this point to improve in the other box, the one Watkins missed 3 opportunities in. Yes, it's not either or but I clap my hands when we make a good block, I wave them around when we score.

Chelsea are a better side than they were. Just tighter in what they do, which is what its all about really. Marginal gains and fine margins. Cracking third, suboptimal defending for the other 2 goals and we did our best to gift with seasonal generosity.

The system requires precision to work. Full backs slightly deeper to account for weakness in transition with only Kamara as the pivot and yet this paradoxically creates the imbalance when we attack. The full back is meant to be high and overload, yet if they do they imbalance and if they don't...they imbalance.

When you're consistently attempting to thread the ball through the eye of a needle to set your centre forward away, you inevitably turn the ball over. We are hoisted by our own petard and the midfield isn't equipped to deal with the transition and we're back to the full backs and...you get the point.

A conundrum for Emery to solve and I assume the £80m of players in Maatsen and Onana are part of that solution. As is  Ramsey, for Emery loves a strong runner with the ball throughout his managerial career. One day we'll see them.

Maatsen picks two lines; the high wide for a 5th attacker and curiously that inner central run. I think its time for him now.

Plenty of players out of form, injuries at the wrong time, an away fixture run of Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea. Not excuses, just circumstances, it's all it really ever is.

And now we have fresh ones; Brentford, Southampton and Das MK Dons- let's have a good week. It's not about wholesale change, it's about fine tuning. I can think of no better man for the job than Emery to find that accuracy.

Well said. Well observed. Good context and balance. Great perspective.

These have been disappointing and frustrating weeks. But the future remains very bright indeed.

[VillaTim]

McGinn needs dropping almost as badly as Bailey/Philogene. He's been awful for ages, I genuinely can't remember the last good game he had.

He looks a stone overweight

[Allan C]

Torres is getting plenty of flak but in all honesty, the whole of the back 4 were absolutely rubbish today. That goes for the others though. Rogers really looks shattered and yes, Watkins IS costing us points. Last season, his misses were made up by goals from Dougie, Diaby and an in form Bailey. There lies the reason for this drop, we’ve not replaced those goals. Others need replacing, Cash for instance and Philogene. I’m sure Emery will put this right sooner rather than later

[passport1]

A poor performance admittedly  against a club with an a) and b) team one of which spent the week preparing  for this game. We don't  have that luxury and are clearly struggling to complete  in Champions League and top level Premiership.
We have come too far to collapse back into mediocrity.  I back Unai and staff to find answers. Onwards and Upwards!

[HolteL4]

We generally played crap but if Watkins scored that chance at 1-0 it’s a different game, he also had a chance towards the end of the first half, that was a slightly less feeble effort.

The story of Watkins if he'd scored that chance it'd be different. Done with Watkins now if he scored 1/4 of the chances he gets per season he'd be on Haaland numbers. He needs so many chances per game just to get 1, everyone said he had a great game vs Bayern Munich but how many times did he actually test Neuer? Duran came one and scored with his 1st chance. Time to drop either tell Watkins to play off Duran or sell him because he isn't a lone striker.

[LeonW]

I'm not. He simply can't defend. Go and have a look at the first and third goals again today. Absolutely hopeless, he's just wandering around like a fart in a spacesuit.

Had a bad game today. Best get rid then.

[Astnor]

If Watkins had Duran s killer instinct.

[LeonW]

If Watkins had Duran s killer instinct.

Honestly, I think we need to give Duran an extend run as the number 9 now.

[Smirker]

If Watkins had Duran s killer instinct.

Honestly, I think we need to give Duran an extend run as the number 9 now.

Has been the case for ages.

I'd be furious if I was Duran.

Duran is nowhere near as wasteful and that has been obvious for a long time.

[JUAN PABLO]

If Watkins had Duran s killer instinct.

Honestly, I think we need to give Duran an extend run as the number 9 now.

Kind of agree, some people moan that duran doesnt do much sometimes when he comes on.  ten , fifteen , twenty minutes sometimes inst enough especially coming into a team who are playing rubbish.

Bailey had a massive run when he was poor , Rogers keeps starting games , he was rubbish again today , watkins has started 49 out 50 games I think .

I would like to see Duran get a run , you can always get him off about 65 minutes but lets give him 3 or 4 games now. 

[VillaTim]

I'd start Duran Wednesday night

[Astnor]

It true though that Watkins was unlucky today - his shot when alone with their keeper was saved with the keepers downcoming ass after it had passed between his legs - if memory serve me right.

[Skerra]

We’re playing so badly just now that I think even Man City would beat us!

[Astnor]

We’re playing so badly just now that I think even Man City would beat us!

Man City kind of look in a state not unlike ourselves, fallen from form and lacking in confidence and look disorganised with useless wingers among other things.