Great result but Martinez and Kamara were both stupid. 

I know Unai has to rotate players but imho this was the wrong match to do it. Carlos was a disaster. Zanniolo was very poor. We were lucky to get a point.

Worst referee this season. But we haven’t been good. Carlos as CB and Konsa as RB doesn’t work. Zaniolo has been very poor. Need Diaby to replace hime.

FA Cup without question. It has been devalued in recent years but it is the one English cup that fans can attend, follow and enjoy in their masses. There is no hiding the fact that the European Conference is a poxy competition and CL qualification isn’t winning anything.

I was brought up in Bridge Road, Alum Rock about 2.5 miles from Villa Park. Lived in Brum till I was 30, now in Bournemouth. Had STs in every stand but now have two in the Trinity. Try to make all the home games but sadly don’t go away anymore.

7 hours ago, John said:

Many happy returns Mike, what a nice 6th Birthday present the team gave you that day! 

     

Hi John Thanks. I have the programme but not the Argus

An interesting thing about the high defensive line strategy is that it effectively dictates the oppositions playing style. It forces their attackers to play in a very limited area of the pitch. However,   I am sure that Emery will make a few tweaks against the likes of Man city as they are so good at running across the line. 

I am still not sure why it went so badly wrong yesterday, other than possibly we were too cocky going into the game. Being away from home, I wonder if the over confidence is skin deep? The number of times we lost one on ones was shocking and across the pitch we were easily knocked off the ball. 

We are a mess and have been outmuscled.

3 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Id take a point based on what i saw 1st half. Any mode id be delighted

I’d take a point now!

Shit

I wouldn’t accept a draw. Our away form has not been great and we must win games like this.

We seem to lack ideas. Playing it left or right to Digne/Cash just isn’t working. Zanniolo and Diaby are not linking up well with the full backs. It is all so predictable.

Instead of passing wide I would like to see McGinn take a run into the centre and try to lay off to Watkins.

Luis is not having a good game.

We really are becoming a class side. UTV

1 hour ago, ChesterDad said:

Sorry to beat the same drum - but I still don’t think he knows his best 11- how could any manager know, not with the crap luck we have had with injuries and the new signings.

For me - the second half of this season will be very enjoyable, I expect the starting 11 for most games will be settled. Clearly Europe will impact this, but by and large I think we will see his thinking.

I have total faith that the best is yet to come.

I am a bit confused by this. I accept that injuries have stopped us fielding the best 11. However, from what is left, Chambers and Lenglet are definitely not in the ‘best 11’ nor arguably is Tielmans. I also believe things will improve in the 2nd half but I do not have ‘total faith’. We are still too inconsistent

Same old story. Persisting with the high line when its ***** obvious Torres especially cannot play it. Like N’castle, L’pool have found us out. That said, if we can get one back in the 2nd, I think we could still get a draw. Liverpool are just as dodgy at the back.

In The Times - online just now

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/leon-bailey-assisting-police-investigation-into-alleged-assault-on-fan-5dlbdkpjt

Leon Bailey assisting police investigation into alleged assault on fan

Sources said the altercation centred around a supporter entering Bailey’s box, where his family — including his heavily pregnant partner and four-year-old child — were, asking for a picture and an autograph.

Bailey, who scored in Villa’s first home game of the season, is understood to have declined the request for the photograph and subsequently an argument broke out.

The player will fully cooperate with the police inquiry but sources are hopeful he will not have a case to answer to once all of the facts have been obtained.

Bailey, who signed for Villa in 2021, provided the assist for John McGinn’s opening goal on Sunday afternoon before scoring his side’s third in the second half. Unai Emery was particularly impressed with the way the winger linked up with new signing Moussa Diaby.

“Last week the connection between Diaby and Leon Bailey was not good but this week it was much better, but we have to continue working because Moussa Diaby needs time to connect and understand his team-mates perfectly,” the Villa manager said.

Emery’s side travel to Scotland on Tuesday before their Europa Conference League play-off game against Hibernian on Wednesday night.

Post on Linkedin by Tyrone Mings. He is being very positive!! 

Without doubt the ‘high line’ tactic worked for us last season. However, due to the N’Castle result,, loss of Mings, poor showing by Konsa and newness of Torres, imho Emery has to go back to the drawing board.  While it wasn’t the sole cause of our hammering today, it is very worrying that N’castle worked us out and we looked very dodgy at the back. 

I sincerely fear that if he persists with the high line we are going to get tonked again as it will take some time for the newbies to settle

I expected the loss but we came close to nicking a goal in the 2nd which would have been a great result. We have done absolutely fantastic to be unbeaten in 10 and a loss was inevitable. Also we have to be realistic,  we have too many ordinary to ok players and Man Utd have much more quality. Unai has done amazing stuff in a short time and hopefully when he strengthens the squad in the summer he will bring in more quality to enable us to compete more effectively.

wtf is this ref doing

2 minutes ago, ozvillafan said:

Buendia has been ok after a rough start.

Ramsey, however, has turned over everything he's touched.

We must be watching different games.

That we are only 1-0 down is a positive. Man United aren’t invincible and we could still nick the odd goal. The high line is our game now and we have to accept it. I would be tempted to bring on Traore for Buendia who doesnt seem to be able to hold or pass the ball.