Aston Villa vs West Ham post-match thread

[rooboy316]

For all you infidels who don’t believe in the footballing gods, I offer you conclusive evidence. In the first 10 minutes, some of the one touch passing and quick transition play was up there with the best in Emery’s time here. I remember thinking if we can keep this up, this might be one of those long overdue spankings we can mete out, but didn’t say anything, cos I know better. First goal goes in, I’m thinking this could be a 7-2 vs Liverpool type performance, but don’t say anything. Then, the offside goal happens, and the co-commentator on my dodgy feed says ‘this game could be over by halftime.’ My heart sinks for I know what he’s done. What follows? God strikes Ming’s down, and then we don’t put together another passage of play resembling those first 10 minutes. Have that.

[VillaTim]

The Mings injury was the turning point. Totally threw us and took the wind out of our sails .

Totally agree with you.

Showed the folly of not having cover on the bench?

Bogarde was the option then Digne could have stayed at LB.

[Scott Nielsen]

If Mings hadn't gone off I reckon we'd have been two or three up at half time and could have rested players second half.

This seems a common view. But didn't Mings exit in minute 38? At least that's what my match report says.

[Chris Smith]

If Mings hadn't gone off I reckon we'd have been two or three up at half time and could have rested players second half.

This seems a common view. But didn't Mings exit in minute 38? At least that's what my match report says.

Possibly but we played 55 minutes in the first half so there was still a fair bit to go.

[The Edge]

The Mings injury was the turning point. Totally threw us and took the wind out of our sails .

Totally agree with you.

Showed the folly of not having cover on the bench?

Bogarde was the option then Digne could have stayed at LB.

Not according to the boss. Clearly.

[Demitri_C]

If Mings hadn't gone off I reckon we'd have been two or three up at half time and could have rested players second half. We lost our heads after the injury, quite possibly because the players thought it was a bad one again, and Emery wasn't pitchside to help. West Ham grew into the game as they knew we were weakened. Eventually we had to make changes with an eye on Wednesday and everything pretty much fell apart after that.

I felt for Kamara at the end, he was a one man midfield constantly having to sprint backwards every time we gave the ball away cheaply up front. Bogarde or McGinn for Tielemans might have helped us get back more control.

That's a decent summary. I'd add that losing Mings not only rattled the team but we lost Digne's ability to bomb on and put in a regular supply of decent crosses into the box. I really like Maatsen and he will probably be our regular wing back in the near future but his style is different to Digne and he doesn't have the same sweet left foot to ping the ball into the danger areas.

For me was the wrong sub. For me madness not having swinkels on the bench knowing mings is our only fit left sided cb. We all see mings is knackered as well. Poor preparation by the club

[PaulWinch again]

Digne at centre half back was bad, but unless Swinkels has improved a lot from that League Cup game he would not have been a good option.

[Drummond]

Except Emery wants a left-footer playing at LCB.

[Demitri_C]

Digne at centre half back was bad, but unless Swinkels has improved a lot from that League Cup game he would not have been a good option.

That was one game. Rogers didn't  look great in his first game. We need to gove youngsters time

[Toronto Villa]

Someone should tell Greggggg we didn’t lose. It might have felt like it.

https://x.com/greggevans40/status/1883870378042524108?s=46

[PaulWinch again]

You do, so chucking him in there wouldn’t have been a good call.

Also with the greatest respect the comparison to Rogers is ludicrous. Other than them both being young they are not remotely comparable. Rogers had played 80 odd senior games before he came to us, up to Championship level. There was plenty to say he had a great chance.

Swinkels has played one senior game hasn’t he? The aforementioned League Cup game.

[Exeter 77]

Someone should tell Greggggg we didn’t lose. It might have felt like it.

https://x.com/greggevans40/status/1883870378042524108?s=46

Looks like that has been removed.

[Toronto Villa]

Someone should tell Greggggg we didn’t lose. It might have felt like it.

https://x.com/greggevans40/status/1883870378042524108?s=46

Looks like that has been removed.

Yeh he fixed it.

[tomd2103]

You do, so chucking him in there wouldn’t have been a good call.

Also with the greatest respect the comparison to Rogers is ludicrous. Other than them both being young they are not remotely comparable. Rogers had played 80 odd senior games before came to us, up to Championship level. There was plenty to say he had a great chance.

Swinkels has played one senior game hasn’t he? The aforementioned League Cup game.

Unless the coaching staff don't think they are ready, there's surely got to be a time where they are given a chance though?  Both Swinkels and Bogarde are now 21, so not really kids anymore.  Surely they would be desperate to get a chance to play?

[brontebilly]

I said this yesterday - every game we play is played with an eye on the next game. I'd have left Watkins and Ramsey on yesterday as they were both causing west ham problems. But no doubt the decision was made with Wednesday in mind.

Ramsey played only 5-10 mins in Monaco. No way he needed to be replaced. Poor decision. Bailey was ok too. We went to bits on the flanks when they both went off. Credit to Kamara as he was carrying that midfield, Tielemans badly needed to be replaced last 20-30.

None of our subs made an impact, mind.