So today, we meet the mighty Sunderland, a club I’ve up to now quite appreciated as very similar to the Villa. Maybe not so much recently, but in a proud history and large fanbase type way.
But realistically, they are probably a middling championship side that if we have real aspirations of doing well this season and one that we should be looking to beat soundly. Of course, there are no easy games in the Premier league, but what I mean is, if you had to pick 10 games you’d expect us to win this season, this would probably be on any Villa fan’s list.
Squad news and the good part is Boubacar Kamara will be in the squad, but it’s not guaranteed that he’ll start as Emery has made a particular point about how Bogard has impressed him. Perhaps Emery will give Booby time later on? Lindelhoff is apparently training and should be available.
The bad news is that we’re still without Amadou Onana who really is beginning to look like a “sicknote” player and Andrés García. Both are expected back probably next week, not that it will matter to the rightback, who it seems the manager will only use if he has no choice. Ross Barkley is still absent with what I think are “personal issues” ( a rumoured £60k a week basic, nice work if you can get it). The worst news is that Youri Tielemans is still out and he’s a big miss, with his vision and passing.
As for Sunderland, Enzo Le Fee should be available, as should Dan Ballard. Luke O’Nien is still not ready.
I said at the top that this ought to be a game we should win quite comfortably, so what do I expect then? Having done a bit of reading around, it seems that Sunderland hit well on the break. So that’s that then, we’re probably in trouble before we start.
The point that concerns me is they have scored five goals and are five points above us. While we don’t look like we could hit a cow’s proverbial with a banjo. I know it’s early days, but we can’t get Watkins into the game and when he does get a chance, well, “he looks rusty” is me being economical with the truth.
I predict we are going to be beaten today, purely because of how we’ve looked up to now. We play turgid, slow paced football that it seems everybody apart from Emery knows about. Play a low block, let us mess about with our sideways and backwards passing while they have all their players back and wait for us to give it to them. Then break quickly and we will have a big problem.
I think Emery’s biggest problem is now how long will the fan’s tolerate this?
If we were to get soundly beaten today, with no sign of having changed anything, would the fans turn on him? I’d suggest not in a serious way just yet, but it’s Fulham at home next week and they looked pretty okay last night. If we were lose today and next week, I’m guessing the fans will vent their frustration.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Today’s prediction? Villa to lose, 3-1.
Here’s hoping I’m well wrong and UTV!
Good article on BBC website.
Basically supporting comments on here – we (Emery’s style) has been found out and teams set up to block the middle of the pitch thus denying us the ability to attack quickly through the centre. In turn this nullifies the attacking threat of Watkins (and Rogers).
The article also questions whether Emery has ‘lost’ the players being over analytical and questions why he appears reluctant to use Maatson and Elliott to give us more width which is needed.
Losing Rashford, Asensio and Ramsey has severely limited our attacking options which drove the successful second half of last season before which (lest you forget) we were languishing in mid-table!
Here’s the article should anyone wish to read it.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cz7rr8y3xv9o
I don’t want to see Emery out but he has to admit the slump is his job to rectify. Liverpool apart, the other teams who are supposed to be so far ahead of the rest after spending money, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City do not swagger their way to victories. Emery has at least got a squad with 2 players for every position – though Sod’s Law of football means all the injuries stack up in one section – midfield.
In midfield the stats do not lie, Buendia is a drag on the whole team. While he exhibits good individual skills his contribution to goal-scoring is close to zero. This has been true for years and is not going to change, playing him match after match causes damage elsewhere. I think Emery does have an option in Torres – played in midfield, until Tielemans and Onana are fit.
Up front Emery does have Sancho and Elliott as alternatives to Watkins and Rogers. It will encourage all four if the new boys are given the start. Then to come on Jimoh-Aloba who is a very impressive young forward.
The defence is OK. Emery at last recognised Torres is not EPL standard at CB, but Bogarde is a high class replacement in the back four.
OLL – I agree with your assessment of Torres.
Will Emery be flexible enough to play him as one of the two defensive pivots to make use of his ball playing abilities. Just one strategic change such as that could make all the difference.
Bum Bum, I’ll go along with your assessment on Emery, I’ll ask a question on where you think our problem lies now, I’d go as far as to say midfield and wings two players that don’t fit it at the moment, namely Rodgers and
Watkins, you must have seen how many times Rodgers fluffs his passes, and it’s sickening to hear that he touched the ball four times in the first 23 minutes of the game. Watkins, lost his ability to score simple chances and it doesn’t seem to bother him. Are we working the players in training too much?, I’ve just heard from a friend that Emery was absolutely fuming after the game and I seen him leave the game quickly down the tunnel looking angry I just hope he sorts it out by Thursday.
Unlike Emery to publicly call out his players – so for him to brand (some) as lazy shows how angry he was.
I’m hearing Monchi has gone.
I’d expect Emery to be gone soon too.
Badger you are right about Monchi, major news outlets reporting it.
I just can’t see, want or expect Emery to resign.
My guess now Sid is that Emery will stay for a while as we search for the next manager.
It shows there has been serious problems behind the scenes.
Tbf, it has been rumoured for a while.
How could Monchi function when there’s no money to spend?
Is this bad news or good re Monchi leaving?
His recruitment has not been good let’s be honest,is it because his mind is elsewhere like his hometown club maybe,who he has become president of i belive.
And didn’t emery bring Monchi and others to the club.
Has emery fallen out with Monchi i wonder or have the owners decided to get rid as another cost saving getting more wages off the club.
Whatever things are looking very bad and the end of learners year’s looking like their coming back with owners looking to sell up
I smell trouble seen it before
Well there you go, I knew in my self things wasn’t right in that dressing room, Roy hope your not right in saying times up for our owners, Emery gone as far as he can under the circumstances after all he’s been pushed out from a few clubs in the past. We have the players but lost the drive in the club, I don’t think our coaching staff are what it should be or was they were stopped in doing or saying things not right to Emery.
Your all thinking the same now this is not Villa if change has to come make it now and don’t let it go on till it’s too late.
If I’m Eden or Sawris and reviewing Monchi’s achievements at Villa, I would be very disappointed. The vast majority of the players picked by Emery for match days are pre Monchi signings. We have massively overpaid for Onana, Malen and Maatsen. All that money wasted and forcing us to sell Ramsey who I would prefer to keep over the three of them.
I’m honestly glad he’s gone. He came to us with a big reputation and probably huge salary and maybe the premier league is a step up that’s proved too much for him.
Get Dean smith to buy the players and Unai to coach them.
Are Villa dissembling?
This seems to be part and parcel of Villa’s modern history – viewing the mountain top then spectacularly falling off!
Regarding Unai publically roasting “some” players for being lazy. To me that suggests he has already told them they are lazy in private or team talks and their response was that performance on Sunday. Did he have a another choice? Did we not also see Konza roasting fellow players as well?
I’ve just been reading comments about Monchi and it suddenly ocurred to me;
Is the reason Emery isn’t playing a lot of our recent signings down to the fact that Monchi was signing them, but Emery had no input and simply doesn’t want them?
That is certainly the most logical conclusion, imo.
I know it’s said that Emery has the ultimate shout on everything at the club, but I’m suddenly not so sure that’s the case.
Apparently we have an agreement with Roberto Olabe who Emery has previously worked with, as a replacement for Monchi.
If true, Emery obviously knew Monchi was going.
The question is, was it Emery who pushed Monchi out, backing up my logical conclusion or did Monchi just want to leave? Apparently Monchi wants to concentrate on his small club in Spain, so it may just be the latter.
The plot thickens, but I suppose you could see it as an indicator of if Emery has got him in, it doesn’t sound like he’s going anywhere soon.
Stands to reason with a 5 year contact under his belt. Lets see on Thursday if things change for the better.
It does seem that Emery has been directly involved in bringing Olabe to the club which BBC suggests demonstrates that Emery remains in a strong position despite the poor start to the season.
Whether Monchi left of his own accord or was pushed we’ll never know but as others have posted his decisions around bringing players in have not looked good.
We cannot continue to just play the old guard.
Bologna on Thursday could be a watershed moment – let’s hope so.
I did think/hope Sawiris’ statement announcing Olabe might have offered public support for Emery. They don’t do much more than is necessary in the public eye which I respect about them but acknowledging struggles can sometimes temper expectations and people’s confusion. We all have our theories about what has gone wrong and modern clubs would do well to address fan pressure before it bubbles over.
Communication from the club is terrible unless they are announcing the latest range of extortionately priced clothing range to fleece its evolving upper class corporate supporters / tourists to replace the poor old school fan base.
Emery, in today’s press conference made it clear that Monchi leaving was at his request and a mutual agreement; they worked through it with him including bringing in Olabe.
Also a good interview with Konsa on BBC web site.
You NEVER give the Manager a vote of confidence!!!!!!!
They’re always out a week later.
Reading through these comments, it’s clear how worried we all are. It’s one thing to critique the players, but the constant speculation about Monchi and Emery’s future is really taking its toll. Bill Pearson hitting the nail on the head about the lack of drive in the squad is spot on – you can almost feel the frustration from the fans through the screen. Holte’s point about overpaying for players who aren’t living up to their price is another harsh but necessary truth. And honestly, the club’s communication is awful – guessing and guessing isn’t good enough when we’re already in a tough spot. Let’s hope Emery can turn things around, but the doubt lingers after every poor result.