In line with my usual negativity, I’m seriously concerned that when I commented a few days back that we might be facing a bad 10 days, where we get kicked out of the Champions League, suffer a massive blow in trying to qualify for this season’s CL and get knocked out of the FA cup, it’s all coming to fruition.
We seriously need to change the momentum and the truth is I can’t think of a worse team to be facing at this moment.
I was originally pleased to draw Palace, as league placings says we’re better than them, but the reality is we have a shocking record against them,
Palace are on a high, while we’re not. That said, I still actually believe that we can beat Palace.
Emery seems to be quite relaxed about the game and in his comments he basically told reporters to enjoy things.
I can guarantee I won’t be enjoying anything tomorrow, unless we’re winning by at least 2 goals, but I did find his comments encouraging. And he’s right. It’s about the game, that’s supposed to be enjoyed.
So we’re going to go for it then, if I’m reading those comments correctly and that’s exactly what I believe we should do. And if we try and sit back, I’m going to have the hump.
Squad news and the only omission is Disasi, who is cup-tied after featuring for Chelsea earlier in the season. Not that he’s looked brilliant lately, but he would at least he’s fresh legs, particularly if we need to sub Cash, who I see having another torrid time.
Palace are also in pretty good shape, with only Cheick Doucouré and Chadi Riad both long term injuries.
I’m not going into our shocking record against them, suffice to say it’s been poor this season too and it concerns me because they seemingly have the measure of us. Eze and Mateta are both powerful players who can produce great football and super goals and I’m sure they’re going to give our defence a real problem, which concerns me even more. Never mind attackers, it’s the defence that needs sorting in the summer, because that’s overwhemingly where our problems lie most of the time, in my opinion. Only Brighton have conceded more than us in the top 10 teams and it’s not as though we’re particularly prolific goalscorers to make up for it either.
Playing at Wembley suits us in attacking sense, because it gives us space to run into and we all know we can be devastating at times, when we do attack but the trouble is it means we’re likely to leave plenty of space to run into as well. I think this game calls for Mings, who is our best player at chasing back with maybe Maatsen too, as he’s pretty nippy. The trouble is, I don’t think much of him as a defender, personally and his strength is more in going forward. I read a comment that said Digne tends to be preferred for this fixture and that’s okay, as I prefer his defending. The right back position is one I’m haven’t been happy with for years and I think I prefer not to think about it.
Prediction time and I see goals.
I’m going to go for 2-2, as 90 mins has a draw written all over it.
Unfortunately, I see my fear of this being a terrible 10 days coming to fruition, as I said. I think we’re going to lose in extra time, which will sum up the Villa totally.
Come on Unai, pull it out the bag for us and get that cup final we’re all longing for
UTV!
No, not fickle Guest, imo and certainly no more fickle than any other club’s fans. We’re all the same at heart.
Fans have a right to question things.
But you’re right.
The fact that he’s even being thought of as being sacked is poor. But it’s an over-reaction to a terrible performance/result , that’s all.
I haven’t seen any comments wanting him sacked. As fans of the club who are more passionate about Villa than any player or manager. We deserve the right to voice our opinions. It’s our money that contributes to the club’s future. The players and managers take the money so should take the responsibility too.
In another 10-20 years, the players, managers and possibly the owners will be gone but the fans will still be there.
We are not fickle, just passionate about our club!
I’ve seen plenty of comments on line calling for his head, i didn’t mean just posters on here being fickle, i mean’t a section of the fan base possibly including a couple on here questioning wether he’ll be sacked this season, he obviously won’t and nor should he, but for that i apologise and i am not calling you all fickle.
Everybody has a right to question anything obviously, but i do think a lot of anger is being directed at Emery over saturdays disaster when i reality the players were the ones who let the club down, all 3 of Palaces goals came from individual errors, who is to say we wouldn’t have won that game if that had have happened?
Effectively is it Emery that has reached his ceiling or is it the players? Have they reached theirs?
Fair enough Guest.
Questions have been raised on here and not just about Saturdays performance. As I said previously I suspect NSWE will be sitting down with Emery / Monchi looking for answers.
Personally, I am concerned about some aspects of Emery’s stewardship this season – not only Saturday’s debacle – but no one can deny what he has done for the club to date.
I think it’s fair for fans to raise questions, but sacking Emery at this point would be massively non productive; however he and the players have to demonstrate that they can raise our levels again.
There are a lot of very good players in the EPL with a rising number of young, talented managers. The style of football is changing and managers like Pep and Emery have to demonstrate they can embrace these changes.
If you stand still in the EPL you actually go backwards.
Unfortnately, we always suffer a poor performance after a great one, that’s been the pattern of the club long before Emery took over, i happened last season after the Man City and Arsenal games, it happened after the Bayern game and again happened after the Newcastle game.
If we miss out on Europe it will have been because of the fine margins, the Ipswich games, the last minute Bournemouth equaliser etc etc, you take those margins out and we would have been competing for 2nd or 3rd.
Every manager has a style of play, rarely do they change it, and i don’t believe for one second NSWE will be sitting him down demanding answers, i get your sentiment but they are not stupid and will understand he has done the best with a bunch of players with limited ability.
The only thing that separates us from the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and City is player ability.
Again, very fair comment.
I wasn’t suggesting the discussion between NSWE and Emery / Monchi would be one ‘demanding’ answers but I can see why it might be interpreted in that way. I hope any such meeting would be to establish where the club goes from here and what’s required in the way of owner support.
Any thoughts regarding the massive reduction in injuries since the squad was enlatged at Chritmas. Are there just less ijuries or is it not such a big issue to have some players unavailable because they are not 100%.
According to the Beeb, Spuds have asked for the date of our game against to be out back from Saturday to Thursday to ‘help’ them with their Europa Cup Tie.
Bl**dy cheek of it.
Villa have objected on three grounds – 1. It’s our final home game of the season and many activities, particularly for children have been arranged and 2. Villa have been playing two games per week for most of the season so why should Spuds get favourable treatment and 3. The EPL do not rearrange fixtures to accommodate club’s European games.
If the EPL do concede to this request it not only sets a dangerous precedent but there’s also going to be a load of ill will flying around.
If they decide to allow the change of matchday it should be conditional that all teams involved in midweek EURO games would have their pre and post weekend PL games rearranged. That is not going to happen so they have to deny.
Not only that Gerry, we are still trying to get into the top 5 so why should we be disadvantaged for the benefit of Spuds who have nothing to play for in the league?
They can rest their major players can’t they?
Tell Spurs to do one. We didn’t get any help with our European games despite our opposition getting time off. I hope Spurs get to the final against Man Ure so the games against us become even less important. IF we can beat Fulham and Bournemouth, then you just never know! The biggest challenge is getting the players motivated after going out of two competitions in a short space of time.
FWIW, against Fulham I would play Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Tielemans, Onana, Rogers, Ramsey, Watkins and Malen on Saturday. Kamara looked a bit leggy against Palace and Onana offers more going forward.
More talk of Watkins being ‘unsettled’. I love Ollie but after the Duran thing in the first half of the season, and now Rashford, why is it that a little healthy competition unsettles him? He should play like he did against Newcastle in every match. Play angry. But he rarely does. We saw a bit last season at Brentford when their fans pissed him off. Channel the anger.
Being ‘unsettled’ due to competition for your place is not a good look, in my opinion. Head down. Score goals. No problem. Move on.
Ollie’s a good player but not a natural finisher BUT you can never question his effort and commitment to the cause.
Can you same be said about I’m off to the boxing Marcus?
I’d be pissed right off too if I was in Ollie’s shoes.
And I’ve just been looking at their stats….
Ollie – 74 league goals in 180 appearances
Rashford – 87 league goals in 287.
Who’s the more consistent?
Looking forward, I like the fact we’ve got the early game on Saturday. If we win, the others have the pressure of playing catch up.
My team for the day:
Olsen
McNaught
Mellberg
McGrath
Digne
Platt
Mortimer
Grealish
Daley
Little
Atkinson/Ormentroyd
Bum Bum – my only change Charlie Aitken for Digne – what a back four that would be – even without Alun Evans!
Bum Bum – my only change Charlie Aitken for Digne – what a back four that would be – even without Alun Evans!
Ormandroyd?! 😵💫
Some of that WAS tongue in cheek! 🙂
No Tony Morley?
Bad enough he was left out of the 82 England squad.
Bloody hell rashford stats are awful thought he was better than that
Nope. He’s not.
Ollie’s stats are excellent. And that’s just what is collected as data. Never mind everything else he does.
Watkins is a top PL striker. He gets a very raw deal. Probably because he’s a nice guy. That’s how it works, unfortunately.
Apples & Pears comparison. Rashford did not play as a striker for Manure. He played as a winger whose main job was to lay on chances for the striker(s). Ollie’s job at Villa has always been as the striker. I think Watkins is one of the most profligate strikers playing today. His conversion of chances to a goal-bound attempts ( a more generous appreciation than only goals scored) is inadequate.
Maybe. 74 in 180 coming from the Championship. Almost 1 in 2. Plus all the assists which many strikers don’t get (Salah the exception). In the PL. Only behind the likes of Haaland and Salah. Harsh, OLL.
Not to mention a poor team and a shit manager before Unai arrived.
PSG, shinned effort, but it’s in the net. It’s like every time they shoot, they score.
Dead lucky or probably currently the best team in the world?
The latter makes me feel a bit better.
Correction, not shinned. It just looked like it.
Bunch of cheats though and fall over for everything.
Arsenal equalise and I don’t know who I want to win.
Offside anyway. Semi automated VAR takes 3 mins?
So still bloody useless?
I thought he shinned too.
Shoot and things will happen. Just shoot. As coaches of youngsters, we’re told to reinforce shoot with laces, and toes are not allowed. Ho cares? Personally, I don’t. If someone smashes one in with an explosive toe-poke, I’m pretty sure it counts. As do shins, knees and arses. Shoot.
While I’m at it – Palace shoot anywhere and everywhere around the ‘D’. We don’t. Even though half the team can. The results speak for themselves.
SHOOOOOOT!
Yes BFR. But when Villa do shoot the inaccuracy is annoying. Perhaps they should train with less running around tweaking hamstrings and more shooting practice. As for toe-pokes: I re-tell my story of taking my shoes to a London cobblers. On his workbench was a pair of football boots into which he was fitting steel toecaps. He said for Gary Lineker, then at Spurs, to protect him from opponents standing on his toes. They would have been useful for the odd toe-poke too, unlike the modern slipper.
The deliberate standing on players feet drives me mad. It is so bloody obvious what they’re doing. Palace did it repeatedly.
Chris Heck is leaving for LIV Golf!!! Oh shit! That’s the finances screwed then. Is that the sound of belts tightening and cloth being cut?
Interesting – a lot of his decisions have incensed elements of the fan base – particularly the upselling in the Holte End and cancelling the redevelopment of the North Stand.
Now he’s leaving will it be met with ‘good riddance’ or, as you say BFR – ‘Oh shit, that’s the finances screwed then’.
On balance, it appears he’s done a good job and lived up to his reputation but, clearly owes no allegiance or loyalty to Villa unlike others so Ta Ra and thanks for the memory!
I’m sure NSWE will appoint someone equally (or maybe more) capable of taking our finances to the next level,
Flipping Heck?
I’m not at all worried by Heck leaving. NWSE will find a more than adequate replacement. Heck came in and did what he was instructed to do which was drive up our revenue. He did that by fleecing and alienating the fan base. Corporate areas shoe horned into the stadium and charging £100 for champions league tickets plus the shirts and merchandise that puts pressure on parents as 4 kits released this season. The decision to delay rebuilding the North Stand seemed a negative one at the time although the new stand extension will finally help improve chances of fans on waiting lists to get season tickets.
Maybe the less likely opportunity to get top 5 and champions league next season made it difficult for him to grow the club any more. After all, it’s because of Emery that Heck’s job was much easier to carry out.
Whether we liked what he did or not, he’s obviously good at what he does. The North Stand decision was correct, despite our initial misgivings. Imagine a big hole in VP during those CL nights. Wouldn’t work, would it?
The work in New York last summer was also very impressive, as is the club shop and the Adidas deal. As I said before Holte: you don’t have to buy a shirt or a box if you don’t want to. He’ll be a hard act to follow…
Youth teams
This won’t have happened before: our U-21 side finished bottom of their league and our U-18 side are currently top of their league and home on 5th May in the FA Youth cup final v Man City.
Villa treat their U-21 as the remnants after the more promising players in that bracket are loaned out to lower league sides, it is hard on the remainder. There are no loans of U-18 players so clubs’ teams in that bracket come from the full complement. The FA youth cup final is often on mainstream TV somewhere, but it will be available if you have the Villa TV basic subscription.
Flippimg Heck, he’s going?
Good. F off and don’t let the door hit you on the arse.
I hated everything the bloke was doing.
I also hated Ellis, but at least he had the fan’s interests at heart and had some thought about them.
Heck couldn’t give a flying and even I could have done what he did.
I’ll bet he’s gone because there’s no more low hanging fruit
You could apply Badger – there’s a vacancy 🙂