Brugge v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Dave]

They won 3-1 in Bergamo and are a very decent side who look really well organised. Let's not call it over just yet.

3-1 away in Europe is the way though. Doesn't matter who the opposition is, in the last 16 of the Champions League that is a big result.

 It's obviously a very good position for us to be in, but I don't think it is quite a decisive one just yet.  An early goal for them next week to take the lead on the night changes things.  I hope we go out with intent to win the game rather than just protect the lead. 

There's always a chance but we've played them twice on their own cabbage patch now and we should not have lot the 1st game despite shite, the balance of play will be different at home and I reckon we'll end up something like 3 nil on the night, these are in the same bracket as Celtic.

That third goal makes a massive difference - they don't really have much choice but to go for it, which should give us enough space to finish thing off.

[aj2k77]

Rashford's pace will come to the fore against these next week.

[Dave]

As others have said these lot knocked out Atalanta who dispatched Liverpool last season. They are certainly no mugs and very good in Europe.

They're a bit like us in that on a good day they're a match for anyone. Couple of years ago they finished second in their Champions League group ahead of both Leverkusen and Athletico Madrid.

It's just that they're as capable of putting in a terrible performance - they both won and lost 4-0 against Porto in that same group stage and then were smashed 7-1 over two games by Benfica in the knock-outs.

So while they're no mugs, the precedent is that they get a few excellent results and unexpectedly qualify, then get tonked by a mid-ranking side in the round of sixteen.

[rob_bridge]

Think Bailey was more to blame for the first.  But he equalled it out with his brilliant goal.

Think they did well considering we have had more defensive partnerships than donald trump has brain cells

Townsend and the Tshite commentator defo pointed finger at Bailey - he totally failed to track him.
I think Pelty pointed it out succinctly in the match thread.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Great result but Brugge are a very good side and will cause problems at Villa Park. It was a fortunate win really, they missed three good chances in the second half and handed us two with mistakes. Centre backs were surprisingly very solid, Mings has likes of me eating plenty of humble pie tonight. Not many centre backs would have the guts to dive at that header going across goal. Hits hairs on his knees and deflects wide. Thought Emery had a very fortunate night with an abomination of a selection at right back. No need for Bailey and McGinn to come off. Sub at end caused chaos and an unnecessary shouting match on sideline with Cash.

Martinez 7 - one great save but last season he saves their goal.
Disasi 3 - absolutely not a right back. Awful first half but on Emery for a ridiculous selection.
Konsa 8 - I've been a big critic but probably his best display of the season. Calm for once.
Mings 9 - makes Bailey's goal by brilliantly winning that header, saves a certain goal and did the basics incredibly well.
Digne 4 - poor and incredibly fortunate for diving under that cross that Mings bailed him out with
McGinn 7 - didn't understand that change. Thought our midfield two did well considering the mess in front of them
Tielemans 7 - solid display considering his workload recently.
Bailey 7 - very surprising sub, cracking finish for the goal. Worked very hard in and out of possession.
Rashford 3 - Mike Skinner tribute act, "I've got nothing, absolutely nothing" could and probably should have gone at half time.
Rogers 5 - shite first half where he coughed up possession far too often, not sure how he avoided the four man cull but made the own goal with a dangerous cross
Watkins 4 - fortunate Malen not registered. Rotten really, fatigue must be an issue. Touch was mahogany esque.

JJ and Kamara were very good. Cash missed a glorious chance and fouled for peno, caught horribly square for one chance though. Asensio nearly scored with first touch and tucked away peno nicely. Was involved in some good play. Bogarde sub was unnecessary and caused panic.

The crosses that Disasi stopped in the first half, every one of them would have gone across our six-yard box had Cash been playing. As the second half proved.

Centre-halves “surprisingly solid”. Only surprising to those who can’t remember how solid they were in Emery’s first season.

Absolutely clueless. I honestly don’t know why you bother watching football, you have no idea what you’re looking at beyond ‘the bloke playing at right-back should always be a time-served right back, and never mind the results’.

Disasi was a disaster at right back 👍

The Mings and Konsa partnership conceded eightgoals in the last fifteen games of Emery’s first season. Didn’t concede more than one in any of those games, and kept seven clean sheets.

You’d have to be an absolute moron to be surprised they were solid.  Oh.

Look out everybody, Billy the Mick has somehow managed to read a cliche in the tabloids, and now he’s going to pretend he made it up.

Makes a change from homophobic slurs, gaslighting and questioning the mental health of people who correct his bizarre opinions with facts I suppose.

Have I missed something, Billy the Mick?
I suppose if your face fits you’ve got carte blanche.

[ChicagoLion]

As others have said these lot knocked out Atalanta who dispatched Liverpool last season. They are certainly no mugs and very good in Europe.

They're a bit like us in that on a good day they're a match for anyone. Couple of years ago they finished second in their Champions League group ahead of both Leverkusen and Athletico Madrid.

It's just that they're as capable of putting in a terrible performance - they both won and lost 4-0 against Porto in that same group stage and then were smashed 7-1 over two games by Benfica in the knock-outs.

So while they're no mugs, the precedent is that they get a few excellent results and unexpectedly qualify, then get tonked by a mid-ranking side in the round of sixteen.

They are a very young team, so I guess that inconsistency is not surprising.
When they click as they did gains Atalanta and a few times against us, they look pretty dangerous.

[Tayls_7]

It's not like us to make a team look better than they are 

[brontebilly]

Great result but Brugge are a very good side and will cause problems at Villa Park. It was a fortunate win really, they missed three good chances in the second half and handed us two with mistakes. Centre backs were surprisingly very solid, Mings has likes of me eating plenty of humble pie tonight. Not many centre backs would have the guts to dive at that header going across goal. Hits hairs on his knees and deflects wide. Thought Emery had a very fortunate night with an abomination of a selection at right back. No need for Bailey and McGinn to come off. Sub at end caused chaos and an unnecessary shouting match on sideline with Cash.

Martinez 7 - one great save but last season he saves their goal.
Disasi 3 - absolutely not a right back. Awful first half but on Emery for a ridiculous selection.
Konsa 8 - I've been a big critic but probably his best display of the season. Calm for once.
Mings 9 - makes Bailey's goal by brilliantly winning that header, saves a certain goal and did the basics incredibly well.
Digne 4 - poor and incredibly fortunate for diving under that cross that Mings bailed him out with
McGinn 7 - didn't understand that change. Thought our midfield two did well considering the mess in front of them
Tielemans 7 - solid display considering his workload recently.
Bailey 7 - very surprising sub, cracking finish for the goal. Worked very hard in and out of possession.
Rashford 3 - Mike Skinner tribute act, "I've got nothing, absolutely nothing" could and probably should have gone at half time.
Rogers 5 - shite first half where he coughed up possession far too often, not sure how he avoided the four man cull but made the own goal with a dangerous cross
Watkins 4 - fortunate Malen not registered. Rotten really, fatigue must be an issue. Touch was mahogany esque.

JJ and Kamara were very good. Cash missed a glorious chance and fouled for peno, caught horribly square for one chance though. Asensio nearly scored with first touch and tucked away peno nicely. Was involved in some good play. Bogarde sub was unnecessary and caused panic.

The crosses that Disasi stopped in the first half, every one of them would have gone across our six-yard box had Cash been playing. As the second half proved.

Centre-halves “surprisingly solid”. Only surprising to those who can’t remember how solid they were in Emery’s first season.

Absolutely clueless. I honestly don’t know why you bother watching football, you have no idea what you’re looking at beyond ‘the bloke playing at right-back should always be a time-served right back, and never mind the results’.

Disasi was a disaster at right back 👍

The Mings and Konsa partnership conceded eightgoals in the last fifteen games of Emery’s first season. Didn’t concede more than one in any of those games, and kept seven clean sheets.

You’d have to be an absolute moron to be surprised they were solid.  Oh.

Look out everybody, Billy the Mick has somehow managed to read a cliche in the tabloids, and now he’s going to pretend he made it up.

Makes a change from homophobic slurs, gaslighting and questioning the mental health of people who correct his bizarre opinions with facts I suppose.

That last sherry really wasn't worth it, was it?

Gags about micks and the famine, makes a change from the gags you are more familiar with, I suppose...

Anyone focused on our defence this season, would realise that every CB partnership has struggled. This includes Konsa/Mings who played like they had rolled out of the pub against Chelsea only recently.

[ChicagoLion]

It's not like us to make a team look better than they are 

Good point

[Legion]

Play nicely, please.

[Drummond]

As others have said these lot knocked out Atalanta who dispatched Liverpool last season. They are certainly no mugs and very good in Europe.

They're a bit like us in that on a good day they're a match for anyone. Couple of years ago they finished second in their Champions League group ahead of both Leverkusen and Athletico Madrid.

It's just that they're as capable of putting in a terrible performance - they both won and lost 4-0 against Porto in that same group stage and then were smashed 7-1 over two games by Benfica in the knock-outs.

So while they're no mugs, the precedent is that they get a few excellent results and unexpectedly qualify, then get tonked by a mid-ranking side in the round of sixteen.

Atletico, Dave, not like you!

[Dave]

Eesh. Horrible dropping of the ball there.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Thought Jashiri and their CB that was down injured for a bit played really well.

[Drummond]

Eesh. Horrible dropping of the ball there.

It's a mistake anyone could make.....

[tomd2103]

They won 3-1 in Bergamo and are a very decent side who look really well organised. Let's not call it over just yet.

3-1 away in Europe is the way though. Doesn't matter who the opposition is, in the last 16 of the Champions League that is a big result.

 It's obviously a very good position for us to be in, but I don't think it is quite a decisive one just yet.  An early goal for them next week to take the lead on the night changes things.  I hope we go out with intent to win the game rather than just protect the lead. 

There's always a chance but we've played them twice on their own cabbage patch now and we should not have lot the 1st game despite shite, the balance of play will be different at home and I reckon we'll end up something like 3 nil on the night, these are in the same bracket as Celtic.

That third goal makes a massive difference - they don't really have much choice but to go for it, which should give us enough space to finish thing off.

Not sure that a two goal deficit means they really have to go for it.  One goal and they are right back in it, so I guess they can afford to have a somewhat patient approach and try and nick that first goal.

That said, we're in a great position and one we could have probably only dreamt about after 80 minutes last night.