I’m fickle.
There, I admit it.
After what I thought was a poor show against Liverpool, I was left with no faith whatsoever in us winning at Spurs, but the Villa did what they often do and took all the points, just when I’d have put money on them losing.
By the same token, I’m almost worried to have a bit of confidence in us beating Wolves at home, but on paper it ought to be an easier task.
Where going back to what the Villa often do, means we have every chance of losing this one, just because I expect to win.
I’m being a bit repetetive, but seriously, how often have we been let down over the years?
I am well confident though.
I watched Wolves against Everton and thought they were somewhat lucky to win. Consider that Brighton have spanked Everton 4-1 at Goodison and again, on paper, it tells you that that Wolves victory didn’t mean a lot.
And then consider their lowly position in the league and the game is looking even easier.
Except we all know it doesn’t work like that.
Wolves will be fighting for their lives and it’s a derby. Enough said.
Squad news and for us, Martinez will be back in goal. Mind you, I said that against Spurs and the Villa did their usual trick in proving me wrong.
After slating Olsen blind in his previous games, I actually feel sorry for him now, because he did very little if anything at all, wrong last time out.
Martinez is head and shoulders our number one and a major part of our side, so he is going to have to come back sometime.
There’s going to be a big flag going round the Holte as he walks out and hopefully the plaudits he’ll receive from the fans keep in sparkling form.
Other big news is that John Mcginn is doubtful, because of a hamstring problem . Leander Dendoncker, who might be the natural replacement is also doubtful, as is Douglas Luiz. Add in that Jacob Ramsey is close, but probably not ready for a full 90 minutes and we suddenly look to have a midfield problem.
Hopefully one of the trainers will get the magic sponge out. Or more likely these days, painkilling jabs will prove appropriate.
Wolves have no new issues, but still have Chiquinho, Pedro Neto and Sasa Kalajdzic all out. Boubacar Traore and Jonny Otto are closer to starting after being on the bench last time out.
New signing Matheus Cunha will probably feature.
After seeing our possible injury issues, I’ve suddenly lost a bit of confidence.
Then again, Emery seems to have got us on a bit of a roll.
I can’t say I like the football for the most part, but there’s no doubt it’s effective.
We look more organised, better balanced and look like the players’s confidence has risen purely because they know exactly what they’re expected to do. It’s no doubt down to Emery’s attention to detail.
Add in that Emery seems to have back up plans and knows how to adjust to the game as it’s playing out and I have to say that it’s an overall combination that should prove too much for Wolves.
I see goals, but think it will be close.
I’m going 2-1 to us.
Comments
91 responses to “Villa – Wolves; I know it’s a derby, but I’m fairly confident.”
This is so bloody frustrating!!!!!!!
Apparently we’re much better this half. Come on lads!!!!!!
I assume some of you have a stream????
IPTV fella.
It is a better showing now.
Better as in we’ve had more of the ball, but done absolutely nothing with it. (hopefully cue for us scoring now)
Yesss!!!!!!
Ings, yes.
Now let’s get a winner.
Even if it stays the same score we’re up to 11th.
We want a winner!!!!!!!
Bailey missed a sitter. Noooooooooo!!!!!!
Bailey was inconsolable after the whistle. What’s that about?
Just gutted or told he’ll be off if he doesn’t perform?
That last minute chance summed him up tonight. Porr, very poor, imo.
Along with nearly all the team.
We were better for the last 20 mins, but it’s not good enough.
Is just a case of this group of players not being good enough?
And was Luiz playing in the second half?
Why was Bailey left on and Watkins taken off? Thankfully he saw Digne was a waste of space and substituted him but leaving Bailey on was criminal. At least we improved second half although we couldn’t get any worse. We was lucky Podence had to go off because he was causing us loads of problems. At least we managed to scrape a point.
OLL called it right – Bailey tonight was a waste of space.
Keep Ings and get rid of Bailey and buy a decent wide player.
A draw was probably a fair result (particularly as I called it 🙂 ) but, in the end, we could and should have had all three points.
Word for Mings – probably one of the few players that can’t be criticised – defended well and some of his long balls were excellent – and, on that showing, Augustinnson deserves to keep his place.
Looking for offers for Ings?
On that performance I’d take a wheelbarrow load of dustbin lids and milk bottle tops for Watkins
If anyone should go it’s Bailey and Digne.
Watkins was woeful. Their no 4 had him in his back pocket and the occasion he did receive the ball he either gave it away or ran into a cul-de-sac.
I didn’t think Dinge or Bailey were that bad ( apart from the glaring miss)
Luiz went AWOL imo.
Really don’t rate him and would sell the geezer in a heart beat.
A good cameo for Augustinsson, he must have been sure he’d scored before that headed clearance. As for Bailey – everyone else’s misses won’t be remembered but when you round the keeper and have an empty net to aim at, 40000 shouting ****! – is going to be the abiding memory.
Gutted about missing the winner. At least he gives a shit.
Bum Bum, I’m gutted he missed and like him, I’m not good enough for that level! He loses possession constantly and has one foot which isn’t that impressive. He cost us a fortune and it’s best to cut our losses. Emery needs to be ruthless and get rid.
Along with a few others Holte.
I stand by what I said previously; there are probably 8 who will never take us anywhere. They can perform occasionally, but not consistently.
We need better.
Sorry lads but I really don’t buy into this bashing the Bailey, I think the kids a decent player. In fact I go as far as to say we expect to much from the lad, he was our main outlet all match.
But hey ho what do I know?
Out of our squad there is probably Martinez, Cash, Luiz, Kamara and Ramsey who could take us to the next level. The rest are squad players at best. I’m sure Emery will have learned more from the first 45 minutes than any other time he has seen us so far. Based on Ings cameo I hope he isn’t sold until after a replacement comes in. Personally I would keep him for situations like tonight when we need an experienced head. Credit on his goal and particularly his incredible pass to the woeful Bailey.
Luiz?
Sorry but I really don’t get the hype.
Villa are a work in progress. I fundamentally believe we have the right manager. I really think we need to get off the roller coaster of negativity. Best to deal in facts. Under Emery:
Man Utd: 3 points
Brighton: 3 points
Liverpool: 0 points
Spurs: 3 points
Wolves: 1 point
10/15 points – this is a great return from 4 teams in the top 6 when we played them. If Gerrard were in charge I doubt we would have more than 2 points.
It’s January and the post Christmas sales and buys begin. Who will Emery buy and who will he sell? I will place a bet that we will be better off by the transfer dealings he undertakes in this window.
We are in on a positive trajectory. There is clear improvement but it would be fantasy to believe that there will not be hiccups on the way.
So Jekyll and Hyde it’s unbelievable. I don’t care what anyone says I’m more glad we took the 3 points off them than the one point for us hahahahaha. Had a feeling we’d drop points tonight just didn’t want to admit it, I’ll take the point. Second half performance was good. For some reason I do think that Leon Bailey chance was harder than it looked. Oh, and I love Danny Ings and have done from minute one. Think he’s better than Watkins 🤷♂️. 1 loss in 5, we’ll take it, got a generous run now, UTV!
Negativity is driven by the difficulty in managing emotional reaction to the enormous difference in performance levels from match to match.
In this case though it was heightened by such a poor first half against the dog heads after the consistency shown over Emery’s first six games, even though that included two defeats where we played well and probably should have got more.
We’re not alone though – Spurs fans have gone through exactly the same ‘roller coaster’ over their last two games.
So, Sid is right, we have shown far more consistency to date under Emery against difficult opposition than for a long time.
Were the players guilty of seeing Wolves as an easy win because it was like a malaise had settled over the team – no energy, no drive, no spark – even Emery looked bemused by what he was seeing,
Final word – I’m really not convinced by Bailey – it wasn’t just last night – remember the two woeful mis-kicks against Liverpool – and I just don’t see the quality of wide player we should be getting for the money he costs.
A lot for and against on Bailey and I’m for, why he has quick feet fast mind but needs to get his brain in order on making split decisions, as for Watkins ? Give up on him as he spends more time watching a game than playing in it, he’s not the only one that does that , we need players that if picked to play bloody play and get stuck in . Why did we only draw? We missed McGinn , he’s not the best but he’s everywhere on the pitch we just didn’t have that man in that game. Still we drew and hopefully our manager seen enough to know who’s who by getting rid and filling that gap..
Good call Bill, for all the cries of McGinn not being at his best he was conspicuous by his absence last night.
Cash (and I really do rate him) was a fish out of water playing on the right side of midfield and didn’t give us the cover McGinn would have offered coming across to cover the centre, hence leaving us light in midfield.
Watkins had a mare, Collins had him in his pocket, a virtual spectator, I’d have hooked him off earlier.
Bailey, I’m with you bill, quick, tricky, good control – ok he ain’t got his shooting boots on at the moment but he’s worth persevering with (there’s a player in there somewhere).
I remember similar comments about El Ghazi – ‘there’s a player in there somewhere’. I really liked El Ghazi and he didn’t cost half what Bailey cost us.
And at least he could shoot!
Still not convinced mainly, I admit, on a value for money basis.
Gerard Deulofeu is rumoured to be on Vlla’s radar (B’ham Live) now talk about a player that’s hit and miss.
When he’s good he’s very, very good,
And when he’s bad he went missing for best part of 90 minutes.
(-:
Should fit in well then RSS 🙂
Right at home Hitch 😂
Apologies if I keep ranting on about Bailey and Digne but even after a good nights sleep, my opinion is still the same.They aren’t an upgrade on the players we let go. Is Bailey better than Traore or Trezeguet? Is Digne better than Targett? If someone shows me stats at Villa (not previous clubs) to show they contribute more then I will back down.
Hitch, you’re right about the chances missed. They could have earned us an extra 3 points.
I’m with Alfie and Sid. I can see an awful lot of positives and we have to remember our position. Spuds fans 5th and always moaning… It’s part of being a fan, Luiz or whoever is a God one week and loser the next. FWIW he looked injured last night so obviously no worthwhile cover.
If we didn’t rant, what would we write? This time around things do feel a bit different…UTV!!!
Villa Women sign Jordan Nobbs from Arsenal – that’s a big statement of intent. To be able to persuade Nobbs to join them shows that Villa Women have real ambition.
She’s 30 with 69 caps for England and still a hell of a good player.
‘Villa Women get Nobbs’. Now there’s a headline for the Mail.
Very good 😁😁
Or in current topical style – how about David Gold’s Sunday Sport – for those that remember it!
Was that a broadsheet or a tabloid???
There’s some classics on here (all bonified, honest)
https://www.sickchirpse.com/the-top-ten-most-fucked-up-sunday-sport-headlines/
God, i remember number 5!
Don’t fancy Ed Milliband’s bit on the side either.
Mate you need to see her through the prism of red Ed’s rose coloured glasses. 😂
Do you think they’ve been fact checked???
I wouldn’t fact check her with yours mate!!! Grim, but on the other hand very, very funny!!!!
The rumour that Villa are in for Real Betis left back Alex Moreno for £15m is gaining traction.
I think we’ve all identified left back as a position that needs improving.
If Emery gets Moreno, I suspect Digne will be surplus to requirements as,it would seem, is Matt Targett at Newcastle!
Sad news about Gianluca Vialli. A great player. RIP.
Indeed and only 58. Taken too soon
Stevenage coming up.
They are a well organised team who are looking good for promotion. I am sure they will be working on some outlandish set-pieces. Probably quite a tall side as most teams in League 2 seem to be. Speed of transition and fitness are where EPL sides have an advantage – so long as they keep the tempo up.
I don’t know what changes Emery will make but I suspect Danny Ings will start. If Stevenage intend to park the bus then Coutinho might be needed to find a way through.
Shocking isn’t it?
Villa have failed to progress past the third round of the FA Cup for the last six seasons – there have been some shockers but it seems mostly we been drawn against United!
Villa are quite capable of throwing their own banana skin on the pitch and then standing on it.
Emery has a superb record in Cup competitions; let’s hope he can bring that Cup form to Villa on Sunday.
Game’s on BBC red button, iPlayer and BBC sport website.
Well at least we have managed to avoid the annual 3rd meeting with ManUre!
I’d really like Emery to give the FAC a big push this season – it’s not impossible for someone outside the “Champions League 4” to win it, and we’re way too long overdue.
WSL again – rumoured that Lucy Staniforth – another Lionesse – is joining Villa from ManU. Another quality midfielder.
If true Villa are really going for it in the WSL which is great to see.
Now hope to see a couple of top quality signings for the men