What was I worried about?
Is it unfair of me to say that AZ played like a bunch of total amateurs?
Truthfully, I don’t think it is and my over-riding thought was that they need to learn how to play the offside rule. How can a professional team get that so wrong, so many times?
Anyway, that’s their problem and I quite frankly loved watching this game.
Make no mistake about this.
We made AZ look like a bunch of total amateurs. I’d say Stevenage, but we all know how that went.
Seriously though, we basically abused the opposition here.
How on earth was it so easy? is what I keep asking myself.
I don’t believe for one second that we’re the best team on earth, hence totally invincible, but wow, AK offered no resistance and we embarrassed them, in my opinion.
I’d say if we keep putting a proper team out, instead of messing about with the second string, we have a decent chance of a bit of silverware here.
Will Unai and more impotrantly, the owners see it like that though?
I do hope so.
Whisper it, but I think we look a very good side.
Don’t shout it too loud though.
It’s not good for moaning.
🙂 🙂
Love it Badger
Same here, Hitch.
Winning something is better than maybe a possible to me.
We should continue to go for this, imo. Beating these supposedly top sides by a margin is good.
I’m sure a few might disagree though if it detracts from the Prem CL chase.
I was going to say “f ing have that!” but I try to be magnaninous when we win.
I’m content with just a smile.
I’d say they played like amateurs because the Villa overwhelmed/outplayed them for most of the game.
“we have a decent chance of a bit of silverware here”
What would prioritise – Silverware or a Champions League spot?
Aah, the ultimate question.
CL every day, but we aint going to win that, hence no addition to our win list that makes the shit look even worse.
If I thought we could actually progress to winning the CL, that would be the obvious choice, but there’s two hopes of that.
The game is engineered so that the likes of us will never win it now, imo.
So we have to make do with second or third best.
Win this bloody cup Unai.
And worry about progressing after, imo.
Keep playing as they are and both are possible
We did have 4 changes from the WHam game.
And just to prove that I know nothing, Tielemans not only put in a shift, but he was actually quite good.
Add to that that Bailey is finally showing what all of the fuss was about, and I think that Emery has found the right balance rotation-wise – at least until we get an injury to someone for whom we really have no back-up…
Yes, fair points, Ardent.
Bailey was motm for me.
I quite like him, but why doesn’t he perform to the same level in the Prem?
I don’t believe he can, is the reason.
AZ were basically a bunch of pussies, imo. This is much more like Bailey’s playing field. If it gets rough, he isn’t up to it, imo.
Tielemans?
The jury is still out for me.
We all know there’s a very decent player in there.
My email seems to be blocked.
Probably because I’m still abroad ,but it could be down to Microsoft or Google. I do have several accounts. God knows, but I’ll reply on Saturday night, maybe.
This game highlighted the importance Luiz has on the team for us. His play dictation is the best I’ve seen at VP since Gareth Barry – and I believe showed that it was actually mostly just him we missed during the other prior euro games. If you look back at those games, we always looked better once he got on the pitch.
I think Tielemans thrives off of his play as it’s so reliable and they were an interesting partnership to observe tonight. It really makes me excited to see JJ back on the left and give Zaniolo a rest. I have high hopes for him but tonight he wasn’t at it – and understandable so with his personal issues going on.
Bailey though – wow. You talk about unplayable and he totally was. He was direct, he was skillful, he passed at the right moments, and could easily have had another goal had the one Ollie got gone in first.
I did see what people were saying about Lenglet having a good performance and he definitely retained the ball better but he still seems so much slower than Mings. We really miss that pace when that high line gets breached and we chase back.
And to think Stevie couldn’t fit him into the team. Roll eyes and slap forehead.
I’m wondering if the ‘boring’ comments weren’t Badger in disguise…Generate a bit of traffic 😁😁😁😁.
2nd in the group on head to head but with superior GD. Strange… We have so many players to talk about and assess it’s fantastic. Bailey and Teillmannnnnz. What do we know? Emery seems to have challenged them both to raise their game, and tonight they responded. Blooding fringe players in seems to be working too as we will get injuries throughout the season so have to be ready. Look how Konsa has grown in stature. I still think we’ll bring in 2 quality new faces in January. Remember when Ellis refused John Gregory Juninho when we were top of the league then fell away? I don’t think NEWS will make that mistake.
Luton next, but take nowt for granted!!!!
I don’t know what you mean Bum bum?
🙂
Ellis also refused Greg Muzzy Izzet the 2 seasons later. Again Greg was top of the league. 🙄
Says much about the Dutch Erdivisie. I watched Brighton & Hove Actually disposing of Ajax with ease, who look a young and easily discouraged bunch, but they are second bottom. AZ Alkmaar were near the top we dismantled their defence as we had done to West Ham.
Still some old Villa traits. We can’t take the p*** after going into a conclusive lead. When we try the soft little passes with no end product we screw up and give a goal away. Kamara particularly prone to gifting the ball to an opponent.
Two 4-1s in a week though – that is some performance!
Two wonderful and very similar performances against the Hammers and AZ. Controlled 90% of the game and altogether scored eight goals with five different scorers. Unfortunately, we also had a sloppy period in each game and gave a goal away so we’re not quite there yet.
I thought that Tielemans and Bailey both had terrific games and I agree with Texas that we always play better when Luiz is in the side.
I also agree with the pundits who said that we now have our own style of football and identity and how Emery has massively improved the players he inherited.
Happy days and all I can say is what a difference a year makes!
Lets be honest the players we had before Emery always had ability they just had no structure, identity or confidence. Enter Unai – “You play like this, you move here, you defend like this you attack like this” He has it all worked out and it is a tried and tested method (by Unai himself) that produces consistent results. Proven by the instant impact when he arrived and the continuation of points gained since. The lads have now persisted and worked very hard over the last 12 months to fine tune the Unai method and wow we are seriously reaping the benefits. The commentary last night said the mark of a good manager is has he improved the players he inherited – undoubtedly YES! with better to come yet i’m sure. JJ and Moreno to come back will make us better. A clever January window and I can see a very strong finish to the season. Unai is a god and long may this journey continue. A conference league trophy and a top 4/5 finish could realistically be on the cards.
Will we meet these in the Final???
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12679137/Meet-unlikely-best-team-Europe-Stacked-Premier-League-rejects-Man-United-Chelsea-Southampton-Bournemouth-club-won-18-games-season.html
Ah, I read part of that earlier. Every chance, but the only team I’ve even heard of that they’ve beaten is FC Twente?
I don’t know how far we’re going to go in this competition. It depends how seriously we continue to take it, imo.
At the moment I fear no-one.
Next up is Alkmaar again on the 9th.
So, while Emery is taking us to the heights, ever wondered what happened to our previous manager? Then wonder no more –
“Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson’s Al-Ettifaq slumped to defeat against Al-Riyadh in front of fewer than 700 fans last weekend.”
Sounds like football hell to me and it’s bloody hot too! Serves him right.
£700,000 a week to play in front of 700 people? Utterly abhorrent. The Saudi League will be gone in 18 months, just like the Chinese a few years back.
650 have asked for their money back 😁
(The other 50 had complementary)
I’m sure Steven will feel much better about it when he checks his bottom line.
You can’t buy credibility mate.
“Aston Villa correspondent for Birmingham Live John Townley shared what AZ’s Møller-Wolfe had to say about Villa. The player said: “I’ve never played against such a good team. When we tried to press them high they just went in behind us, and when we stayed they played in between us. That said, I don’t see why we can’t go to Villa Park in a few weeks and beat them.”
Sounds like he said that more in hope than anything else. And wait until he hears the roar of Villa Park!!!
Absolutely. They’ve been spanked at home by the best team he’s played and he thinks they might beat us at ours?
Strange logic, but then we are talking footy, where anything’s possible.
These are magic days. Further, I love the Sunday/ Thursday matches because we no longer have to wait a week to watch such great football.
Let’s go for Champions League qualification. Securing this accesses greater finance for better players. But let’s be greedy and win the European Conference League. As the late great Freddie Mercury sang ‘I want it all and I want it now’.
UTV
Now Sid, don’t be greedy. Let’s hope we’re singing ‘another one bites the dust’ by Sunday evening…
Need to be careful of Luton – they’re fighters – and it’s just the sort of match to cause an upset.
Everyone thinks we will win (easily) – beware the Stevenage’s of this world! Even Canadian Pete is wary.
I’m sure Emery will have driven this point home
Reports coming out of Italy suggest that there is no evidence linking Zaniolo with illegal betting on football although, it seems, he’s admitted betting on card games on (an) illegal site.
If that the case then there would be no grounds on which to ban him from football although he will probably face a stiff fine.
Hope that’s the case as I like him as a footballer and think he has a
lot to offer.
Tomorrow could be a long old 90 minutes if Luton park the bus and go for spoiling tactics – which I think they will do should they take the lead. I agree with Canadian Pete: apart from 2 early season thrashings (like us) they have lost games by the odd goal since they have become used to the EPL. Nevertheless they lack pace at the back and I think their keeper does not anticipate well so if our finishing matches the Alkmaar game it still might be a big score.
Just watched the Chelsea v Brentford game where Brentford had a very low block and Chelsea just didn’t know what to do about it. I suspect that Luton will try the same tactic against us tomorrow. However, unlike Chelsea, we have lots players who can score goals, five different scorers in the last eight goals. We only need to get one and the low block tactic is made redundant.
Of course, one proven solution to the low block is shots from outside the box so I’m wondering if Tielemans will get a start as he has scored some cracking goals from distance when he was playing for Leicester.
I know that this is the sort of match that teams can slip up in but I don’t think that Emery will let that happen. I think that we will win by at least two goals and it would be nice to have a clean sheet too.
I think with the lack of goal threat from Luton, we may see a changed side tomorrow, resting several defensive players who’ve all put in long shifts recently. The question is, if they do park the bus, how do we draw them out? Get Emi to stand on the ball for another 60 seconds??? That would embarrass them somewhat (although I have a lot of respect for Luton). We may even see Luiz rested for the first half for Tielmanns. Looking forward to it big style though!!!
Loved Canadian Pete’s parody of Emi standing on the ball.
Some might think it’s boring 🙂 – I think it’s hilarious!
If the opposition are that concerned about challenging Emi to play the ball we must be doing something right!
UTMV
Emi was very, very funny.
2pm Sunday KO. (I’m only flagging times because I’ve nearly missed loads of our games recently!!!).
Team for today:
Martinez, Digne, Torres, Konsa, Kamara, Luiz, McGinn, Zaniola, Diby and Watkins.
Good to see Ireogbunam on the bench.
I guess Bailey will come on when Luton are tired and cause mayhem.