romavillan

8 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Bailey for one looks in pain

Today?

If Spurs manage to get a point against City though it would be nice for us to get a point against Liverpool to just get over the line. Will be very stressful last day if we're relying on goal difference...

1 hour ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Probably didn’t account for half our bloody team out injured and no doubt a few at least playing through injuries as we have no one to replace them!

Good point who knows how many are carrying knocks and playing with injections etc.

10 minutes ago, maqroll said:

Hate to have to agree with you. Europe was always going to present this problem. 

We've dealt with it amazingly well, especially seeing as we lost 2 key players by the end of the first half of the first game of the season. Then all the injuries after that, going deep into the late stages of a European competition and being 4th is incredible. Postecoglou hasn't managed to maintain the intensity with a larger more expensive squad and they've played 15 less games.

Couldn't watch today's game but judging by Emery's post match interview and De Zerbi's comments we were dead on our feet. We have two league games to get 3 points in to completey take it out of Spurs' hands but realistically City should stuff them as they need the points for the title so we might be ok as it stands.

8 hours ago, omariqy said:

As opposed to Pau Usain Torres?

He strolls 100 yards with great style though.

4 hours ago, HolteExile said:

I guess there's a few issues with that - even if that's your valuation and it's valid. 

1: He was signed as Swedish international (Swedish no 1, no less) with wages to suit.

2: We might have been swayed buy the bloke being first choice for his country and near the Roma squad in the not too distant when we signed him. 

3: We've persisted with him as a back up despite the goals against shooting up and up. That's not totally on him. But a big part of that is down to him. Emery and co watched his massive flapper show against Yanited and Stevenage in the cups last year and decided to persist with him. They carry the can for that too (though obv they've got far more right than wrong this past year. Goes without saying). 

For the avoidance of doubt, Olsen doesn't have to consistently do a Nyland-style punch or carry in to his own net to be a dodgy keeper. 

Martinez is more than happy to clean out his own centre had and nevermind the attacker if the ball is in his 'zone'. If in doubt, smash 'em out.  Olsen sometimes comes for the ball over the top and sometimes doesn't.  That's one of the very worst scenarios for any defence. Before we even get into his ropey distribution. A major Achilles heel for a team that plays out from the back. 

 

 

 

That and anyone who'd seen him play for Roma knew he wasn't exactly world class.

1 hour ago, Philosopher said:

The problem is on TV all you could hear were the away fans as they are placed right next to the media boxes in the Witton End.

So for those watching on TV it made it look as though the aways fan were more vocal. The Olympiakos fans were very nosy last night.

Yeah on the coverage for ages all you could hear was the Olympiakos fans booing and whistling when we had the ball. 

17 minutes ago, newhamvilla said:

We had a few decent moments going forward.

At times we played some really lovely football right from back to front to make chances. The brain farts at the back, the keeper, the ref and missing a penalty cost us more than we might have deserved really.

Just now, Pinebro said:

We will batter them if we can approach anything close to our normal level

Maybe at home we might have, but the atmosphere over there will be madness, be a much more hostile environment than the Lille game. I agree if we really do manage to put 90 minutes together on song we've got enough to score 3 or 4 against them, but I'm not sure how well the players will deal with the atmosphere. Obvs Emi will **** love it, but he's not human.

10 hours ago, El Segundo said:

And another thing what the **** has Luiz done to his barnet.  Deserves dropping just for that.

there might be a correlation between that visit to the hairdressers and his drop in form. 

6 hours ago, duke313 said:

This. I hate the argument that the defence play bad because Olsen is in nets. 

To be fair to Olsen he's improved his interplay with the defenders, the defensive errors for the first two goals were nothing to do with defenders not feeling confident or having to deal with an Olsen bad pass or anything. Cash was a tenth of a second slow coming back out and Digne should realise he's played the player onside and go and tackle him.

Olsen has never been at the level we need in a keeper though, I've said that from the start.

2 minutes ago, lexicon said:

It was a freak result. We can beat them Athens because we're a far better side. 

We needed a 2 goal advantage but we're going over there with a 2 goal deficit. It's a massive ask to get to the final, I reckon we'll win over there despite the full on atmosphere. Remains to be seen whether we can win by 2 or 3 goals though...

Very tight offside, defensive mistakes, deflected goal. Clear pen not given, missed penalty.

We should have done better at 2-2, we had the chances to go in 2-2 at half time as well. Down to bare bones in the middle really, who would we have brought on if McGinn and Luiz got a knock, Tim and? 

Massively uphill in the second leg but if we can handle the atmosphere (it will not be as flat as VP over there even if we score 5) and we score early then who knows. Won't comment on spurs or Brighton in here as that's a different thing...

Just now, Shirtman said:

my point about Konza

Of all the players to criticise, possibly our best player of the season and on the night isn't a good choice

Just now, jjaacckk91 said:

Yes we're getting beat 4-2 yes it's not because of the ref.

BUT **** THIS REF

He's played his part though

McGinn with a great chance

1 minute ago, Wurzel said:

Never mind, we are still in this tie, we can play much better than this, can they?

Need to score one and then we can turn it around over there

Just now, Amed said:

Actually feel sorry for Luiz now. 

Hit the post after some serious shithousing

Just now, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

I knew he was going to miss it.

He looked nervous and took too long FFS 

Yeah he didn't look convinced before he took it

Just now, bobzy said:

Can talk about the keeper all we want, we're barely creating anything here.

I dunno, two good chances end of the first half for 2-2, good chances before they scored. If Rogers and Watkins had made better choices I'm the last 15 mins we'd have had two golden chances. We've looked ok going forward, it's the other end that's been the problem

Just now, R.Bear said:

The Villa Park fans covering themselves in glory as usual by being silent.

Atmosphere next week won't be like this, that's for sure.

1 minute ago, Kiwivillan said:

Why didn't Pau start?

Saved for weekend, might have a knock

1 minute ago, maqroll said:

Ollie.

Greedy once he'd gone wide should pass

Just now, AVTuco said:

You are so keen to trash him. What has he done to you?

We needed a better backup keeper and we knew it since last summer. Not particularly for tonight but the drop off in class if Emi doesn't play is just too much.