Aston Villa v Palace Post-Match Thread

[Woody17]

Hindsight, Mings and Onana should have started instead of Pau and Asensio.

That’s the frustrating thing…..half of that statement isn't hindsight is it?
Go and take a look at the match thread from yesterday, before a ball was even kicked.
There were alot of posts regarding the decision to play Pau over Mings.
Why could we see it and not the manager?
I’m still fuming about that 17 hours and a nights sleep later.

[PeterWithe]

The Moscow comparison is nonsense - other than Mings, which obviously was a preference not a decision to rest, what about that side wasn’t pretty much full strength? We played badly, but I don’t think we intended to play badly.

Yup, I cant see anything to suggest that we didn't take the game as seriously as a league game, we just got the tactics wrong and all the players played badly on the same day. So we got deservedly beaten.

I think you can selection was a huge factor.

I said before the game that not playing Mings seemed like a mistake and so it turned out although not for the reasons I thought, that Mateta would bully Torres, but he didn't, he was pretty well policed by Konsa and was largely quiet. Out of possession that Mings, Konsa, Bouba triangle looks a lot less fragile than the one we went with.

Ah fuck it, I just need to let it go.

[ChicagoLion]

I wanted Mings and Onana to start as a buffer to their physicality.

[Clampy]

And I really wish they'd stop having semi finals at Wembley. Surely that place has been paid for by now?

[LeeB]

And I really wish they'd stop having semi finals at Wembley. Surely that place has been paid for by now?

Well I'll not be adding to the fund again, that's for sure.

[ChicagoLion]

And I really wish they'd stop having semi finals at Wembley. Surely that place has been paid for by now?

I hate the place.
It was Ken Bates that decided to break the bank with the stadium.

[Rigadon]

It's proper disappointing to lose a semi-final, but I don't think you can say we didn't take it as seriously as we should've.  As usual, they scored from every single mistake we made and we didn't take our chances (or, if I'm being honest, create enough of them).   All of a sudden, we look a really tired team. 

Short term, we need to play Mings and Konsa in each of the next 4 games.  Pau Torres looks like he's suffering from a severe lack of confidence. 

My main reflection from the ashes of that game, is that we are going to need a new GK unless this turns out to be a temporary (pretty much all season) form thing for Martinez.  The fact that teams always score from their first shot is more than a coincidence - he is letting too many in.  To be fair, he isn't helped by having an ever changing CB pairing in front of him, but he just isn't the same keeper as he has been and he doesn't look confident to me either.

[PeterWithe]

By far the best part of the day was the ease of leaving the place, getting on the tube so quickly, and being home much earlier than I had expected.

True that, I left on the final whistle, straight on the tube to Euston, then straight on the train to NS, then straight on the train home and nursing a sorrowful pint in the local by 10pm.

Transport, wonderful. Football, not so much.

[Rigadon]

Wholeheartedly agree on having semi-finals at Wembley.  Finals and internationals only please. 

[Nii Lamptey]

Still numb to how abject and ineffective we were yesterday. Not being a professional footballer, I just can't comprehend how you can play so badly when you are one game away from a cup final and a potential trophy/winners medal.
The one player to come out with any slight credit yesterday was Leon Bailey.... Jacob Ramsey at a push.

Few things I'd point out:

- Loved Asensio when he came in, but has done the square root of nothing ever since, and looks to be going down the Coutinho mk2 route.
- Morgan Rogers. Looks totally out of form, but I think this is Unai's fault by pushing him out to the wing. Everyone on this forum/in Villa Park knows that his most effective position is through the middle.
- Pau Torres. 2 seasons in, he has not cut out his defensive frailties - Time to cash in. Mings should have ONE HUNDRED PERCENT been in that starting lineup.
- The slow build up play - It's boring, frustrating and gives opponents time to set in when they have our number. We look so much more effective when attacking with the wind at our heels! All this talk about conserving energy - There are just FOUR fucking games left. If you're not going to take your foot off the gas now, then when?!

It's been a season that promised so much, but at this present moment in time, we've mirrored the kind of season Spurs would have achieved a few years back. Not good enough - And the manager is not without blame either.

To come so far, for it all to fizzle out in a matter of days. Same old Villa, just in a slightly more expensive coat.

[olaftab]

I wanted Mings and Onana to start as a buffer to their physicality.

It wasn't their physicality that did us.

[VillaTim]

Fear it's a mix of stubbornness and favouritism getting the better of Emery . Starting Torres over Mings was idiotic and suicidal.
Time to move Torres along while he still has some book value .

[Ads]

You also have the issue that Mings, by his own admission, is playing through pain in every game. And also is a mistake a game himself and has poor distribution, paticularly when playing XI men behind the ball.

A Pau/Mings hybrid would be just wonderful stuff.

[olaftab]

A bit disappointed with McGinns post match interview.
Don’t tell us we have 4 massive games coming up when you have just failed to raise your game in one of the most important matches for years.
Don’t say we can’t sulk for too long.
Read the room, feel the pain, disappointment and fury that the fans are feeling.

Funny that as I saw it totally other way round. He was trying to lift us.

[ChicagoLion]

I wanted Mings and Onana to start as a buffer to their physicality.

It wasn't their physicality that did us.

I get what you mean but we seem to lose all the 50/50 challenges in the middle and the first goal came from Mateta harassing Torres.