The post will come later, hopefully.
Immediate thoughts.
Invincibles? More like untouchables, given the amount of frees they were given. How easy do they go down?
I’d suggest it’s nearly as much as Carra does on any of the top 6 clubs. What a tool he is.
Very importantly, they had two penalty shouts and they weren’t given.
Right, it’s okay, I’m back to finish my thoughts.
Generally, after a home game, the SIL, my daughter and the grandsons come round and we discuss the game. (It’s a good excuse for a drink, really) and that’s why I didn’t finish the post last night.
And there is one point that was interesting. My first comment was that I thought the crowd was a bit subdued, probably because of nerves?
He assured me that it was every bit as loud as Wednesday night and an excellent atmosphere. “Just like going back to the eighties” was his actual reply. It surprised me, but it was nice to hear. I much prefer how Amazon set their sound up, but hey ho.
The universal opinion was that the players are obviously shot, both physically and mentally and it’s why I’m putting this victory maybe on a par with the Man City one, albeit for different reasons. If you were to try and convince me that this was actually the better performance, purely because the lads managed to somehow keep going and hold on against the team that were top of the table, you wouldn’t hear any argument from me.
I was asking for fresh legs, as you could see we were struggling with the pace of the game, even though I didn’t think it was quick. But it wasn’t just that; there was a lack of zip to our passing and it was getting us into more trouble, purely because we were constantly giving the ball away at one stage.
Fortunately, the lord Emery was all over it and saw it too. Diaby came on at half time and I suspect it was because Bailey was feeling a bit of an injury, which was perhaps convenient, because he’ll have no reason to complain about being subbed.
Ramsey came on, followed by Cash, Dendoncker and Moreno and I thought it didn’t take long to show the benefits of an injection of fresh legs.
I think it was also fairly obvious that Arsenal looked jaded too. Not as much as our lads and the extra day’s rest had no doubt helped them, but even so, I didn’t think they looked fully on it. The Luton game took a fair bit out of them, I think.
Not that I’m making any excuses for them.
The penalties were correctly not given and that’s an area where I like to think I can always give a fair honest opinion, even if it goes against us. I’m not going to discuss why they weren’t given as it’s irrelevent. Not that Arsenal fans in the comments I’ve read elsewhere agree. To pretty much a man, they think every decision went against them and there’s a massive conspiracy to do the club down.
Er, tin foil hat alert lads! Every club outside the “Big 6” has been thinking the total opposite for decades!
A lot of them also think they were fouled off the park too.
Fortunately, many also agreed with me that they’re just a diving bunch of out and out cheats, in my opinion and it’s disgusting. I read a comment that Jesus said he “felt a touch on the back of my leg”. No doubt he’s using that to justify the fact that he went down and should have been given it.
Listen, my friend. A touch on the leg is not a reason for a foul to be given. Football is still supposed to be a contact sport and it’s this sort of view that is ruining the game. Grow a pair, get up and crack on with the game.
Rant over.
What was also interesting in the dozens of comments that I’ve read, was that many actually thought we were the better side, mostly because of the way we controlled the game and mostly stopped them playing.
It’s an interesting view, but I don’t think I could go that far. Arsenal had a lot more possession and while I’m a big exponent of the “possession means nothing” theory, it did mean I thought they dominated the game and looked the bigger threat, on balance.
Still, possession doesn’t win games. Goals do and ours was excellent.
The ball from Tielemens to Bailey, then his good work in supplying McGinn, who finished with great Dalglish-like aplomb.
Something came out of McGinn’s post match interview which says it all about Emery and his coaching team’s ability, I thought. McGinn said that normally he would have hit that with his right foot, but he’d been told it’s better to turn and hit it with his left, which is what he did.
I think we’re in a very good place now and it’s not just because we’re sat third in the league and two points behind the leaders, not far off the halfway mark.
We’re also equal top in the last 5 games current form table too, with our four wins and a draw only equalled by Liverpool and Bournemouth. As has been mentioned, our draw against them looks a lot better than I thought at the time.
15 games on the trot at home, a new record for the club. We’re just breaking them all the time it seems. I’m sure we broke one for Arsenal last night too, but I can’t think what it was.
Whatever, we can’t afford to dwell and it’s onto the next game (I think Emery’s even rubbing off on me too) which is Mostar on Thursday.
I wouldn’t normally encourage it, but having seen the lads so drained last night, the manager is going to have to seriously change it up.
But that’s for Thursday.
I’m still not at a stage where I fully expect us to win every game, but I’m getting there a little bit more every time.
UTV!
Comments
107 responses to “Villa 1 – 0 Arsenal; Shattered, but the lads dug it out.”
I think I’m just glad I missed the first half!
A lot of changes and a poor pitch certainly affected our performance.
Top of the group is all that matters though. We can now turn our attention to the league and FA Cup till March.
Let’s hope we can sign a couple of reinforcements in January to keep up our push for top 4.
Got to be happy with the way season is going so far.
If it’s a fourth time it’s definitely not me!
🙂
Apparently the biggest European clown ever to play as a Villa striker was in the stands. For the whole time Zan1% played up until he scored, Savo must have wondered if he was going to be upstaged.
Things went the opposite way for Marschall – picked ahead of the world #1 he looked a better keeper than Olsen until his Billy Smart’s moment. Nearly netting an OG off the Villan blocking his kick. Thereafter he looked horribly nervous.
We are going to face more of this San Marino style defending so we need to get better at countering it. Time after time Diaby or Duran started a run which would have taken them behind the defence and onside if they got an early pass – only for the midfielder on the ball to totally ignore them and pass sideways to the wings.
Agree OLL. Sometimes it looks like we’re just trying to play too safe and it’s costing us, imo.
I get playing back against good teams, but from what I saw, sometimes we just don’t play with enough pace, which is nuts, because it’s our biggest strength imo; the sharp, first time quick passing.
OLL, I made that same comment to my wife watching the game , their perception playing the game is not on the same level as first choice players. I thought for one horrible moment we was going to lose the game because they never played the ball forward. I know why he played so many changes he’s looking at the league and games coming up. The doctor told me to stop watching the Villa it’s dangerous to your health 😓😇god it’s a fact is that .
But not as bad as it used to be Bill – surely?
🙂
Is it that eight changes affected our fluidity?
‘Strangers’ trying to play together?
Emery may be trying to create a team ethos for a variety of team combinations which will be needed in Europe – who would bet against him.
I’d bet against him, but only 1p or 2p. Nowhere near 5p.
Perfection tonight. Rested and group topped.
Brentford! Brentford! Brentford! …prepare to……..I ain’t gonna say it. Don’t want to jinx anything!!!!
Aston Villa squad…go to sleeeeeepp…reeessstttttt wellllllll…..recharrrrge yourrrr batteriiieeeesss….
Or you could look at it as just being really good game management. We came through without any injuries and got the point we needed while giving crucial players some rest. Emery knows how to win European competitions, we just need to trust him.
Anyway, I kind of liked Zrinjski’s effort and the crowd went mad when they scored. So, good luck to them.
Anyway, that’s it until March. We can now concentrate on the league.
Happy days.
Did anyone else notice that both Olsen and Lenglet were missing last night?
Haven’t seen anything about injuries so are they leaving in January? There was a piece about Barca recalling Lenglet from his loan.
I was wondering, Hitch, yes. Konsa or Torres could’ve done with a break with Lenglet coming in for his usual shift. We’ll find out eventually. If he’s off, we’ll most definitely need a top quality CB in January, arguably two with Mings out and the biggest run in coming up for donkey’s years for the club. Loans might be on the cards…
https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/2023/dec/11/aston-villa-unai-emery-premier-league-title-race?amp_gsa=1&_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17026356473034&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Ffootball%2F2023%2Fdec%2F11%2Faston-villa-unai-emery-premier-league-title-race
Interesting article. Lavish praise for the Villa.
City playing their bogey team tomorrow, while Arse and Pool both have tough games where a draw is possible. Another monster performance and the Villa could be top come the end of the weekend. I’d take a draw now, though!
About the boss. Very interesting!
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/unai-emery-arsenal-aston-villa-premier-league-b2460685.html
…and I hope Manure keep Ten Haag in post until after Boxing Day. We wouldn’t want a new manager bounce at Old Trafford now, would we? Having said that, if Potter is lined up, they may as well have stuck with Moyes. They’d be in a far stronger position now! Terminal decline. Relegation by the end of the decade…
Re Arsenal, I was talking to one of their fans yesterday. Born in Leeds, then had a stint in London, where he liked Ian Wright, so supported Palace.
He then followed Wright when he went to Arse, so supported them ever since.
I couldn’t get my head around what he was saying, because it just bamboozled me. “You followed a player, as opposed to the club?” is all I had in mind.
Anyway, I mentioned about Emery being better than Arteta as a manager, but he wasn’t having it. Arteta is his god.
The really mad part is he’s just happy with them challenging.
I was just thinking, “that’s our aim and you’re supposedly above that ???”
.
“What about the fans’ disrespect for Emery then?” I asked.
“Well, he couldn’t speak very good English, could he?” he replied.
And I ended the conversation as fast as I could, thinking “what a total knob” and from my experience, a typical example of a modern day Arsenal fan. The old school Arse fans used to be great too. Good banter and very much on a par with us, as I’ve often said 🙁
As for Potter going to Man U, that surely can’t be serious?
He’ll never be able to control that lot without a serious clearout, which is surely what Ten Hag wants?
Toxic club and agreed, on a very slippery slide, imo.
Badger, you leave our Ten alone mate, he’s doing an absolutely sterling job matey. 😊
As for the wandering Gooner, do you expect any more?
Does anyone have any idea how the Europa Conference league works from here on?
I get that the winners go through to the last 16 and the runners up play third placed from the Europa league proper but what then is the format?
League?
Knockout?
RSS – OK this is my understanding.
Teams finishing top of the Conference League tables go through to the ‘Round of 16’ so consisting of half that round.
Teams finishing second go into the ‘Round of 32’ and have to play off against teams who finished third in the Europa League tables. The titles make no sense as there is actually 16 teams in the ‘Round of 32’! Anyway the 8 winners of that round on a knockout home and away basis join the 8 Conference League Winners in the ‘Round of 16’ – hope you’re still with me!
So to the crunch – all games in the Conference are now knock out on a home and away basis. Villa go directly to the last 16 and don’t have to play a qualifying game. Villa’s next game is in March and I think we will learn our opponents in late February.
Hope that helps!
In other words, the Villa are 3 ties away from the final, correct?
In Last week’s episode of Conference League, Villa, unable to beat Zrinjski but still qualified for the last 16. Fortunately Villa don’t have to play in the qualifying games.
Now a competition called a league now becomes a knockout.
Confused? You won’t be after this week’s episode of Europa Conference League .
Cheers Hitch, I’m with it now.
😁