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!
Comments
216 responses to “Palace – Villa; FA cup semi. We need to change the momentum.”
Changing tack – it seems Rashford has a hamstring injury and, reading between the lines, is unlikely to play again this season!
Over to you Ollie.
Well all I can say if he makes decisions like he has done on numerous occasions fans will muster and call for his head, you all seen the changes been made and wondered what the hell did he do that for, lads you all couldn’t understand what he did on Saturdays game , if he would openly admit he was wrong I’d understand. You know he wouldn’t that alone makes me feel what ever he says goes regardless, sorry that don’t wash with me , he lost us that game and it’s happened many times before. He’s on a short leash with me and know doubt many more fans feel the same .
I’m truly glad NSWE own the club. I do not see them having these knee jerk reactions when we lose a big match.
The defence has been the major problem this year.
I expect a further evolution of the squad next year. Cash & Digne are not good enough for the level we need to operate at. Neither strive to go past the defender and send in a cross. This weekend the team. Often when they are in good positions they check back and the ball goes back and forth amongst the defenders.
Torres has had a poor year. I am sure his injury has had an impact. There were rumours Real Madrid are interested- if we can turn a profit on him then maybe a sale will occur.
Lastly, Martinez has been below par this season. I think I read we have conceded a goal on the portions first shot in excess of 20 times this season. There is no pressure on him for his place. A good up and coming keeps is a necessity.
If Emery sorts out these issues then we will be much better next year. He will sort it.
I agree Sid. Emery is surely too clever to not know our weaknesses.
And you’re spot on about the full backs, Cash, in particular is a poor defender and rarely puts the ball in, so what’s the point of him?
Maatsen is poor defending and better attacking for me while Digne is the exact opposite. I think Emery picks the LB based on the game, so he can see things.
Meanwhile we signed Garcia and hardly play him, while I and many others thought he looks very promising. What gives?
Playing Pau was a terrible decision from the off, but the biggest criticism has to be that Emery refused to believe it and never swapped him out at half time.
I’m asking myself why that was and can’t think of a good reason.
And if I do, it’s not good.
Some absolute tosh on here, all anger driven.
Even if we don’t qualify for Europe Emery will not be sacked and nor should he be.
We have still had a fantastic season and are still in the mix for CL qualification.
Yes he got it wrong today in my opinion with his selection, I actually think it started on Tuesday at City where he should have played the same side that thrashed Newcastle. However, he has more than enough credit in the bank, what he has done for us is nothing short of miraculous, I may not like our style of play but he gets results, but he human and will make mistakes like anybody else, the players need to take responsibility, all of their goals came from mistakes, that isn’t Emery’s fault.
As Badger said, who would replace him?
We have had some amazing CL nights at VP this season, and we certainly didn’t embarrass ourselves, to reach the QF was an amazing achievement, look at Newcastle’s campaign when they were last in it, didn’t qualify from the group stage, didn’t qualify for Europe that season either as they finished the season so far down the table as they couldn’t cope with the demands of it all, did they sack Howe? No.
Emery is an elite manager and turned this club around, show him the respect he deserves and get behind him, we might not agree with his selection at times and might not love the style of play but i’d rather have him than gamble on someone else.
Fickle.
You’re right Guest to a point.
They have an absolute beast up front and Torres ain’t the man to deal with that type of physicality.
Playing Disasi as right back against City? Again a good call?
Dropping Ollie for a loan player, a wise decision?
Getting done against Palace time and time again but using the same system and expecting a different result?
Not our finest 90 minutes Saturday and whether you like it or not people are going to ask questions.
Absolutely, i wasn’t once suggesting we can’t question Emery’s decisions, i have plenty of questions, i wouldn’t have signed Rashford in the first place, i can’t stand him and think he’s completely average, his attitude stinks and he thinks he is bigger than us.
The Disasi argument is a non-starter for me, he had an amazing game at right back against Brentford, you can only judge on past performance, Doku would have skinned anybody, i doubt Cash would have done any better.
I would however, question his constant changing of the back line, Liverpool have won the league with the least amount of changes, you can rotate further up the pitch but a settled defence is a must.
I would question playing Torres over Mings, Mings is a far superior defender, and it’s no coincidence we were keeping clean sheets recently until Torres came back in.
I have loads of other questions like anybody else on here but the one question i do not have is wether or not he is the right man for us or wether his job is currently on the line.
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 🙂
Heck was a disruptor – brought in to change attitudes as well as hardware. The skill set required includes having a thick skin and being prepared to make enemies. It ceases to be useful once the project is agreed because then a project manager is required to get the project delivered on time [e.g. building the new North Stand]. Following the project manager’s role is an operating manager – making the completed project work to the satisfaction of the patrons. That requires the opposite personality to the disruptor.
So Heck is off to LIV. Predictable since Heck would not be a good project manager at VP and LIV needs exactly the shock treatment Heck is likely to bring to it.
Makes sense, OLL.
You were full of praise for the New York gig and the Adidas deal, Badger.
New York gig? I hate the place and don’t remember that at all ???
Adidas was always a good move, but that was nothing to do with Heck and all to do with one of our owners owning 5% of the company, surely?
Brilliant performance for Aston Villa Ladies trashing Arsenal 5-2. Its a serious recovery for them now winning their last 3 games. Getting the winning habit is great for the club.
Watched it for about 60 seconds. Not sure what made me turn off first – the quality of the football or the awful commentary.
It was a rotated Arsenal team in from of their European 2nd leg. Villa Women had their shooting boots on and Kirsty Hansen who scored the first, could give shooting lessons from 20 yards out to the top left hand corner to Villa’s men’s team.
We had signed some fading stars who proved to be past it early on in the season and had some awful results, but the younger members are now starting, Daly excepted, and the manager is getting a tune out of them.
OLL – isn’t that damned with faint praise?
You forget to mention, in defending Arsenal, that Villa were without FIVE first team (younger) players due to injury!
I think it’s a stunning result and some of Villa’s attacking play was exceptional.
Three wins on the bounce when the team is staring relegation in the face shows real courage and belief.
Of course the proof is in the pudding of the last two games both of which are winnable.
It was a rotated Arsenal team in front of their European 2nd leg. Villa Women had their shooting boots on and Kirsty Hansen who scored the first, could give shooting lessons from 20 yards out to the top left hand corner to Villa’s men’s team.
We had signed some fading stars who proved to be past it early on in the season and had some awful results, but the younger members are now starting, Daly excepted, and the manager is getting a tune out of them.
Sorry Badger
Just can’t agree about Heck. I agree that communication with fans was often poor.
However, we see the impact PSR has had on the club. Without the upscaling of income, then the club cannot make a sustained attempt to break into upper echelons of the premier league.
If the North Stand had been demolished as under Purslow, would the atmosphere have been the same to help us against Munich and PSG – I very much doubt it. Heck was clear that scenario could not happen and he was right.
Heck increased sponsorship deals and changed the set up to maximise revenues around the ground and that I agree with. If you want the best you have to pay for it. Not like when as a boy I queued outside the Holte End and paid my £1 entry – those days are long.
I can guarantee that NSWE will bring in someone to continue the pathway taken by Heck. Let’s hope they are better at communicating. But I have no doubt if they spot an opportunity to extract additional money from fans they will.
I’m on the same lines, Sid.
It’s fine to disagree Sid. Very healthy too, fwiw.
I get your point. We need to increase revenue, simple.
It was the way he went about it, I didn’t like.
When fans are being hammered with increasing costs, I want to see a much more apologetic stance.
And I could ask you what the better atmosphere against against Munich and PSG achieved, exactly?
Agreed, it was good for the fans.
In the short term!
I feel we’re only putting off the inevitable.
We either move to a much more compatible site from the off or shut major sections of the ground to increase the capacity to a much more realistic capacity nearing 60 or even 70 thousand.
If you think the game isn’t going to implode, that is.
I just think milking the fans to death in what is an outdated offering (sadly) is not the way to go, long term.
And I’m an old fogey, who won’t even be able to see the long term results.
Random one about Ollie:
I watched Sky Sports’ 100 club featuring Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink the other night. Outstanding finisher with a right foot like a sledgehammer. Anyway, his treatment and story:
Grew up on the mean streets of Amsterdam.
Plucked from Alkmaar by Leeds. Massive step up. Produces immediately.
O’Leary replaces George Graham after 2 brilliant 20+ seasons and bins him. Jimmy is painted as the bad guy who wanted too much cash. Not allowed to join Chelsea and shipped off to Athletico.
Chelsea come back in a year later. Pressure is on as he’s the greedy one but he produces again straight away.
Abramovic buys Chelsea and Ranieri tells Jimmy he might be on his way, even though he’s prolific.
Jimmy scores a hat trick as sub to win a game after being benched.
Mourinho comes in a year later and ditches him for Drogba. Too old, apparently.
Shipped off to Boro. Jimmy remains prolific, scores at the bridge but holds his hands up to the Chelsea fans and doesn’t celebrate extravagantly as he usually does. Chelsea fans applaud him, even though he’s scored against them.
Gets Boro to Uefa Cup final.
Contract not renewed by Boro – too old.
Charlton come in. Jimmy’s humble enough to go but gets relegated.
You get the idea. Some good lessons there! Always with a smile and a swagger. Never hard done by. Just kept scoring. 👌
https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2025/may/01/aston-villa-dream-scene/
Comments on the ‘dream scene’?
Big Ron should be on there with league cup.
Tony Daley should be on there – local boy superstar.
Mark Bosnish should be on there in Asics rainbow kit. Tranmere, penalty saves etc
McGrath should be in the 92-93 Umbro kit – PfA player of the year that season and finished runners up.
Thoughts?
See Martínez and Bailey are being cited as targets for the Saudi League.
Might well happen if the money’s at a level similar to Duran.
Lies, damned lies, and Birmingham Live!
Before this season ends – Clownley and chums spoof news will have the entire Villa squad plus Emery on the way out and incoming will be a full list of fading stars (KDB etc) other clubs want to cash in. Take no notice.