Man u 1-0 Villa; I’m not bitter

Fair enough, I got a bit complacent in hoping for a win in this game, but it’s what you do when you’re on a 10 game streak, isn’t it?
I’m sure I wasn’t alone in thinking that we could beat a not particularly good Man U side.

But it wasn’t to be and the truth is that it was another pretty poor performance.
Again, it wasn’t a lack of effort, but more down to a lack of reserves from what I saw.
The energy levels just don’t seem to be there.

It’s no surprise and squad-wise we’re running on fumes.
Ash Young was a typical example. I thought he ran his lungs out for us and I really can’t fault him, but he’s worked so hard for so long for us this season that it’s no surprise he was shot when he got subbed.
He’s surely one that will be upgraded, along with a few others, although I’d expect he gets promoted to a coaching position or something. What an inspirational player he’s been.

Did anyone play particularly bad?
I’m often quick to criticise, but I can’t really say anyone did.
Well, I could say we were all rubbish, but I don’t think that’s fair.

If I had to pick a MOTM, it has to be Martinez, who kept us out of trouble more than a few times.

I just got the impression that they had reserves and we played players who you would ideally have rested.

The problem is that if we qualify for that conference tournament, it means the owners will probably invest more than if we don’t.
That would be a mistake, in my opinion.

Regardless of what happens from now until the end of the season (and I honestly expect us to fade), I believe now is the time to really invest in top quality players.

There’s a lot of stuff gone on over the last 20, 30 or even 40 years and it’s always been meh to me. I’ve never seen anything that has approached the Saunders years.
Taylor and O’Neil came very close.
The Little and Atkinson years were close too.

But I honestly believe Unai Emery has us on the cusp of success.

Hence I also believe that now is the time for our great owners to really invest.

Consider that normally I’d be moaning because we’ve lost.
Yet I’m totally sanguine.

We have the setup.
We have the academy (although I doubt we’ll use it, apart from making profit (£20 mill for Archer?))
We have the owners with the ambition that Ellis should have had.

It’s all there.

I’m expectant and it’ll be interesting to see where we go this year.