Bologna v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[RamboandBruno]

Martinez was my MoM. One top-drawer save, and he dictated the tempo of our play for long stretches. Which is a strange thing to say about a goalkeeper.

Honorable mentions for Torres and Watkins - the goals were more down to mistakes from Bologna, but he deserved a break for the constant harrying and pressing. Also McGinn, who although he didn't quite manage to resolve the Rowe dilemma with Cash, did drag us up the pitch a few times, especially in the first half. Digne was solid. Onana was the most consistent midfielder, I thought, but Tielemans, when he finally got himself going, was the most effective.

Cash had a nightmare with Rowe. Buendia and Rogers couldn't get settled on the ball when we needed them to in the first 45, but grew into the game second half. Konsa, despite the goal, looked vulnerable with Castro. Poor old Leon did "a Sancho" that even the great man would have been proud of.

Agree with all that. Really impressed with Watkins all night, Rogers really poor, form snd body language, might be harsh, but looked like he couldn’t be arsed a few times.
Anyway, one foot in the semi’s and it would be size nice to get an earlyish goal next Thursday. Exciting times.

[john e]

Martinez was my MoM. One top-drawer save, and he dictated the tempo of our play for long stretches. Which is a strange thing to say about a goalkeeper.

Honorable mentions for Torres and Watkins - the goals were more down to mistakes from Bologna, but he deserved a break for the constant harrying and pressing. Also McGinn, who although he didn't quite manage to resolve the Rowe dilemma with Cash, did drag us up the pitch a few times, especially in the first half. Digne was solid. Onana was the most consistent midfielder, I thought, but Tielemans, when he finally got himself going, was the most effective.

Cash had a nightmare with Rowe. Buendia and Rogers couldn't get settled on the ball when we needed them to in the first 45, but grew into the game second half. Konsa, despite the goal, looked vulnerable with Castro. Poor old Leon did "a Sancho" that even the great man would have been proud of.

Agreed about Martinez
Goalkeepers always the most underrated yet most important player in any team
We’d have been nowhere near European football in the last four years without him

[Mister E]

Rogers tries to do too much. Always trying to wriggle out of impossible situations on his own instead of playing a simple lay-off. The rest of the time he looks lethargic. Worrying.

Its not worrying. Hes a young player going through a sticky patch but still showing glimpses of quality.

Young lads often have sticky patches, so you're probably right.

[AV82EC]

Well I’m rather bleary eyed on the train to Milan this morning. Pretty much agree with brontes ratings with the exception of his usual harsh score for Onana. I thought Bologna’s high press man for man all over the pitch really troubled us and in the first half we really struggled to get out. It improved in the second half as we started to pass the ball into Watkins a lot more and he gave their CB an absolute mauling, he’ll be having Olly nightmares for weeks after that.

Fully deserved win in my view and I think people are giving Bologna far too much credit. Thought they only caused us problems when we turned over possession but had little clue otherwise.

Bologna was ace. Didn’t get much chance to see it so will be going back.

More Italian trips please Villa.

[Mister E]

Rogers is overrated, to inconsistent, one good game every 6/7 take the £100 Millikn, spend half of it on Rowe, we have an upgrade already with money to spend.

What utter twaddle. Yah, he's currently crap but class is permanent.
And, £50m for Rowe would be vastly overspending.

[LeeB]

Rogers was a bit off it last night, yeah let's sell him, he's only played like peak Maradonna for half a season, get rid.

Christ we have some dickheads for fans.

[Duncan Shaw]

Where is £100 million being referenced coming from from?

We shouldn’t accept a penny less. He’s a 23 year old full England international who likely starts at the World Cup. If Cole Palmer, as an example, a lesser player in my opinion, left Chelsea that’s precisely what they would want for him.

Well the Beeb Gossip page seems to be doing its best to sell him again this morning, the "tug-of-war" for him being the lead headline. 

[Nev]

As I said straight after the match, he improved slightly in the 2nd half but overall had a poor game. Unless we're desperate for the money or he declares that he wants to leave we need to keep him. Players with his quality don't come along very often in my experience.

He looks like he's trying too hard, as he did at the start of the season but he'll come good again.

[ChicagoLion]

No reception in Camden Electric Ballroom but was happy to see the result coming out after. Sounds like it was peak EuroVilla, flatter to deceive and rope a dope.

Crikey, it’s still going ?

[PaulWinch again]

From the Grauniad:

Italiano, whose side are five points above the Serie A relegation zone, said: “I feel very bad for our fans. We have a very slim chance [to qualify] but we have to honour this competition.”

A lot of teams must go down in Italy if they’re 5 points above the drop zone….

[LeeB]

From the Grauniad:

Italiano, whose side are five points above the Serie A relegation zone, said: “I feel very bad for our fans. We have a very slim chance [to qualify] but we have to honour this competition.”

A lot of teams must go down in Italy if they’re 5 points above the drop zone….

5 or 13, depending on your maths.

Usual level of granular detail in the Guardian when reporting on us.

[PeterWithesShin]

They're nowhere near the relegation zone are they?

[LeeB]

They're nowhere near the relegation zone are they?

No.

[Somniloquism]

9 points and two places behind 6th for any Euro qualification, and 18 points / 10 places above 18th for any relegation. They got them confused with Fiorentina.

[PaulWinch again]

No they’re 8th.