I like watching Postecoglou’s Spurs side. They’re even more gung ho than we are and frankly, it seems the manager doesn’t care. I’ve said a few times that while it’s entertaining, I don’t believe it’s a strategy that will win you anything and you have to be able to defend as well as you attack.
Given that both sides here attack better than they defend, I expect a few goals and a game that could go either way. It’s just a case of which defence proves worse.
Which is a good time to look at squad news and quite aptly, the big point for Spurs is that their apparently best central defender, Micky Van de Ven, is definitely out. Add in that Cristian Romero is also doubtful, their already dodgy defence looks even worse.
Which means that Ange might well go for it even more. Where a player I really rate, in Heung-min Son, who might make it, isn’t fully fit either, having had a hamstring issue. Wilson Odobert is out, with a hamstring injury and Djed Spence will be out because of a groin issue.
Even Timo Werner is looking doubtful.
So Spurs are not really in a good place, although in fairness, I’ve never heard of some of those players.
As for Villa, Ross Barkley is the only player out.
So what to think?
If our defence was even just a bit better they have been, I’d say this should be in the bag and I’d predict a win by a couple of goals.
But it’s awful and quite frankly, I don’t think I like that fact. That’s probably down to the modern game and the way it’s played and also a hint of me having witnessed some stonkingly great Villa defenders over the years.
I see goals; more than 3.
And I think a 2-2 draw looks favourite.
That’s my prediction.
So watch it be a 1-0 game and I guess totally wrongly again.
UTV!
No energy…
Exactly.
VAR seemed to show two different shots there, with the first off and the second on?
I really don’t trust it, as who decides the moment the ball is passed???
In a game without VAR, I wouldn’t quibble with that goal at all, but if it’s used, it has to be correct.
Watkins giving ball away I wanted him off early, it’s all this defensive play is losing us points .
Something is going wrong, Bill…
3-1. Remind me again which team rested their players in midweek?
Game over 1-3
Our defence has proven to be shitter than theirs.
Pressure us, we fold.
And the vile Maddison comes on to make it worse.
Spurs way of playing is too much for us. They have figured us out.
I don’t think so, Holte. We’re just too lethargic in and out of possession. Where’s the intensity that beat City and Arsenal last season? I think they’ve started believing they’re better than they are. That and our defence has been utter shite for many months.
I tell my 7 year olds: don’t give them time and space. I tell my 7 year olds: don’t play sideways passes (because if they’reintercepted,…). Basic stuff. We’ve been utter shit today. Shit. Not happy at all. Far too slow in possession. Far too lethargic out of possession. Shit. League season in danger of disintegrating. I think they’ve all got stars in their eyes and have started believing their own press. Shit. Get back to basics. The league is the bread and butter and we need to finish top 4. Shit. Not convinced at all with Onana either. F*** it.
Onana looks so clumsy. Lacks Dougie’s finesse.
As much as I love Unai why do we go backwards all the time and give the opposition the impetus?
From any potential attack we always appear to look to play the ball either sideways or backwards?
All very predictable imo.
Our passing today was utter pants we deserved all we got.
Back to the drawing board.
Lads as much as I love Unia he’s played it all wrong , Carlos bloody useless Mings would have been my choice, Roll on January let’s get rid of some deadwood if we don’t we will always be second best . How is it some players that’s off form get picked, Watkins should see the bench more .
4-1! Embarrassing, disgraceful!
Get rid of Carlos and Philogene. in January. Start Mings ahead of Torres who is good in possession but can’t defend and is too slow. Buy a right footed CB, RB and another winger.
We aren’t going to finish in the top 6 this season. We have got results despite not many good performances. Wolves and Everton to name just two.
Emery hopefully will give them the hairdryer treatment at the end of the game.
Hopefully, Holte. Pathetic.
Yes Holte. Torres is a luxury we cannot afford against strong attacks. He was directly responsible for 2 of the goals conceded. The last is down to the world’s #1. Maddison has been around a while, he is right-footed and curls a good free-kick. Did you know that? So should Emi. 1 more man on the end of the wall and the kick hits him.
That’s 4-1 and a poor performance.
Unai won’t be happy.
The worrying part is Spurs really haven’t been very good.
I need to think about this game before saying anything in a write up.
Gutted and annoyed sums it up though.
Get back to basics. Stay humble. It’s obvious the 3 CL wins have gone to their head. They don’t realise Young Boys and Bologna are shit and they were lucky against Bayern. Not happy. If you don’t put a shift in in the PL, you’ve got no chance. Against any team. As shown against Ipswich.
The worrying part is they just don’t seem to have a shift in them.
McGinn was useless today, imo, for example.
He looks to be lacking an edge because of tiredness, not because he’s rubbish.
I fear they’re all burned out.
Already?!! Not buying it, Badger. I think it’s mental not physical. They believe they’re better than they are because of the CL position and the plaudits they’ve received. They need to snap out of it, get real, and start battling.
Apart from our European exploits we are nowhere near as good as last season still think we’re good enough for top 7 tho
That was so poor against a spurs team that were there for the taking
Losing against Palace I can accept if the rested players put in a shift but they looked like they couldn’t be bothered chasing Spurs down. Ollie is way off form and while Duran has a great shot in him, he doesn’t offer the other qualities that an in form Ollie does.
Does SJM need to go back into a central role?
Been saying it since Smith’s time.
Didn’t see the game thank heaven.
Emery’s focus (and therefore the players?) is on Europe. He’s said as much by continually downplaying our chances in the League putting us behind Spuds and the Barcodes.
If Emery says enough times even the players will start believing it.
I said we would drop back into the pack and I stand by it.
4th looks a long way off to me.
It don’t take rocket science to understand if you don’t get the ball up front you won’t score goals, so why do the piss-about in defence and not get the ball up field, time and time again we interchanged passes and got nowhere. Watkins this season been robbed of goals so has the front line. I hope that Unia has on his birthday learned a lesson and gets the players to open up and stop playing safe .
And when you do get up there you have to effin shoot! Ollie had a great chance to blast one with his left foot when through in the box but declined. Why?!! 😡
We’ve conceded 91 goals in 48 games, apparently. Going nowhere until that’s sorted. And to think we had the best defence in the league this time last year with all the pundits lauding our offside trap. What happened to that???
Has the change in the offside rule caught us out?
From 3rd at one stage today now down to 6th.
Whatever Unai says about wanting to play in Europe every year, when we get knocked out of the CL, we have to get top 4 again so he can’t just be concentrating on Europe and neglecting the Prem. That doesn’t make any sense.
We need to get some shit sorted. ManU and Chelsea may well be back. Arsenal and Citeh wobbling…It’s there for the taking.
Not convinced we’re good enough and I’m not convinced Emery thinks we’re good enough either.
You ain’t wrong BB, it is there for the taking this season and heaven forbid self pity city go all the way 🤦♂️
Did you see the interview with Nuno Espirito Santo on MOTD?
Start with the defence and not conceding?
Old fashioned?
Probably.
But he ain’t wrong.
100% correct. Some things will never go out of fashion. That’s one of them. Unai got that part right last season. I don’t know why it’s fallen apart. The playing staff is the same apart from Lenglet. 🤷
The team are trying to play in a controlled, measured way in an attempt to get results while not playing at 100%. I think this is a choice made due to the demands of CL football.
It’s not working so it will be interesting to see if Emery changes tack
Are you referring to ‘resting when in possession’? i.e. not running around like headless chickens? Canadian Pete talks about that a lot, but does it take some of the urgency out of the game? We were certainly lacking yesterday 🙁
Just that 👍
The MOTD analysis was eye-opening. Spurs outran us by a wide margin. Villa usually come near the bottom of the running stats. I suspect that is due to players running nowhere while Emi stands on the ball. Success then depends firstly on taking the few chances we create. We didn’t with Watkins and Mcginn both snatching at theirs. Secondly in avoiding individual defensive errors. Konsa forgot he had moved to full back and should not be last man, whereas as central defender he should be – so he played Solanke onside though nowhere near him. Torres misjudged two crosses and finally Martinez failed to allow for Maddison’s bender.
Many happy returns?
I noticed all the Spuds fans booing when Emi stood on the ball earlier in the game. Then what did Spuds goalie do when they were winning? Yep, stood on the ball for ages!
TalkShite writing off Arse’s chances this season already with the departure of Edu…
Emery has some minor issues to resolve. I believe that our increased expectations mean the disappointment we are feeling is magnified.
Right side of the team is currently not working:
* Bailey is not at the races whatever reason- injury or form. It means most attacks go down the left. Teams are wise to that.
* Cash conundrum – struggles to play out from the back and this is not helped by not having an out ball – Bailey ineffectual and McGinn if by sheer luck gets the ball, just holds onto the it hoping for a foul and going to ground. Napoleon always valued lucky generals. Cash is the opposite when it comes to penalties.
* Balance – when Cash is injured or dropped for the big matches, Konsa goes to right back. This weakens the defence as he is so good as a centre half. Carlos is so inconsistent- one match excellent, the next he switches off and gifts the opposition a goal.
I’d like to see Nedeljković given a go. He has amazing pace. This might just allow us to break the press on the right hand side. Further, we can attack down that side, again due to his pace.
Or January 1st buy a new quality right back.
Venting over!
And a centre back!
Two centre backs! 🤬🤬🤬
Forest getting a lot of plaudits. And I’m feeling jealous. Our left back is playing brilliantly for them apparently. Gibbs-White is indeed the real deal; I feel I’ve been singing his praises on here for the last 5 years at least; should’ve signed him when he was within reach – out of reach now. Their defence is rock-solid and the chap they signed for peanuts from Fiorentina is colossal, alongside Murillo; meanwhile our CBs are a bit embarassing. Oh, and Chris Wood is outshooting Watkins and Duran.
Stop believing the hype, knuckle down, get back to basics, and fight for every ball! CLEAN F****** SHEETS!!!
Grumpy Villa fan.