WakefieldVillan

Just been reading their "Red Café" forum and it's quite funny seeing the majority of the posters expecting us to turn them over, probably never happened in our entire history. They are there for the taking, for sure, but they have very capable players that can hurt us if they are on it. Hard one to call, just hope we play well, don't concede any soft goals and don't get done by the ref/VAR/on pens, etc etc, and what will be will be. I expect us to go as full strength as possible, which I hope may give us the edge.

Phillips > Bissouma I think he would be an absolute monster under Gerrard. Can also play at CB. I think it's highly unlikely this summer, but I never imagined we'd be able to sign Coutinho so why not dream...

I'm not sure a change of team selection would have changed the result. First half we had less of the ball (expected) but good shape, the better moments and but for good Chelsea defending, poor final shot/pass and a Matty Cash brain fart we go into the break 1 up. Second half we never got going, Lukaku give Mings the shits, conceded poorly and never really recovered with the subs probably making us weaker, though I can see why they were made. But the goals came from ridiculously poor defending not from team selection. Hate Chelsea. W4nkers.

Frustrating. Better side first half, very poor second half. Inevitable Lukaku would score. Really terrible goals to concede so disappointing not to get a point, they weren't anything special. Cash, mings, then Konsa all poor moments - can't do that and expect anything. Luiz MOTM. Sanson / Targett decent enough. Rest meh. We move on.

I love Dean and we have a lot to thank him for with what he did for us and nothing will change that. I was sad to see him go and hoped that he could turn it around but I understood at the time that losing 5 on the spin and suffering many defeats in a calendar year that his time was unfortunately up. I liked that he was mild mannered and not too up and down (after a victory or a defeat) however maybe that was his downfall, it may have rubbed off on the players and may be they all were to accepting of defeat ? I don't know. I mean no one likes losing but may be it was all a bit too "nicey nicey" in the camp. What Gerrard has done so far is bring passion, fight, a desire to win which we hadn't seen for a long time (odd game aside) plus the most noticeable thing we all can see is that we are much harder to play against, we are much harder to break down and I like that a lot. We needed to be less open and we are so. Whether that comes from Gerrard or Beale or McAllister or whomever I don't care it's a good philosophy to have (obviously not rocket science - making yourself hard to beat is probably on every managers priority list) but wanting it as opposed to implementing it and getting the players to believe in it are two entirely different things but so far so good, he's started his managerial career with us fantastically. I'm not surprised though, I felt he was the right fit for the job, he's a born winner and he is only going to go one way, to the top (like he did as a player) - That said, we're only 6 games in, things change awfully quick in football but with a couple of solid acquisitions in January then it could be a decent season. I think he will get us European football, but probably next year!

Nor me. It's one or the other (at the moment) unless we are chasing the game or freshening things up, but Ings is a great option to come off the bench and still has a big role to play.

Back to back wins would be great to see. We have far more ability than these, just need to be up for the battle. Obviously dependant on injuries/fatigue/Covid etc but I would start the same team as last night but with Chuk in for Young (who looked a little jaded).

Ramsey 9/10 Cash 8.5/10 Luiz 8/10 Rest 6's and 7's Solid overall performance, very professional, clean sheet, 3 points, 4 wins out of 6, and signs of real quality from our youth department. Great stuff. UTV.

Goes without saying this will be tougher than it would have been had we played earlier in the season - Didn't they start with SIX defeats and not win their first until 12 games in! But they have definitely improved since then and we're unfortunate against Man Utd last time out - Given Deano knows our players better than anyone then it makes it perhaps more difficult than it should/could be. That said, on paper, we have better players all over the park and not one of their players would dislodge ours IMO - That's not being disrespectful, that's just the truth - So really we should be looking for 3 points tonight for sure. They will be up for it and see this as a big chance for 3 points also so we need to make sure we match their desire, effort and work rate and if we do that our quality should shine through. Martinez, Cash, Targett, Konsa, Mings, Luiz, McGinn, Sanson, Buendia, Watkins and El Ghazi (who I think could be suited to tonight's game).

If it isn't a foul (by Mings) then it shouldn't be a pen - Regardless of whether they "usually" get given or not. If there is a foul then it is by Salah - he is stepping into Mings - Which our manager agrees with. At full speed it looks like a pen - and I will reiterate I can see why it was given, but slowed down you can see it is manipulated by Salah and compounded by the theatrical fall. I think Mings did make the mistake of getting "too close" and giving Salah the chance to go down (he has previous of course) and maybe he at the time thought it was a foul, hence an acceptance in his reaction, but I bet once he's seen it back he would certainly change his mind. If that was Ollie at the other end I would still maintain that if that was given as a pen then it is extremely soft but as others have alluded to - it wouldn't have been given, I am very confident of that. It's a bigger club decision that happened throughout the weekend.

I think the fact that there's a few of us on here debating it indicates it isn't really a stonewall one.

That's fair enough, I just think Salah has initiated contact then made the most of it therefore not a pen for me. I agree Trez made the most of the Brighton one too (in fact more so) I would like to think that if Ings did the same as Salah had, then I would have had the same opinion and said no pen, but hey ho - It was given, we probably deserved nothing on balance of play but very frustrating nevertheless. Not liked VAR from day one and still don't. It has it's uses if used right but we still get poor decision after poor decision and it's one of the things that's killing the game (for me).

I don't think it is obvious TBH. At first glance I can see why it was given, that's before you take into account it's at the Kop End and they have had a couple of other ones they appealed from earlier in the game (dives!) so no doubt the pressure was mounting from the home fans. But our gaffer as said this after the game: "Ultimately the game has been decided by a penalty. There were two penalty incidents in the game, Liverpool got theirs – if you look at that one, Salah fouls Mings first" “We’ve lost to a soft penalty because if you watch it properly, Tyrone’s been fouled first. The disappointing thing is that the referee hasn’t gone to look at it. I agree with him. I don't think ours was either FWIW. I thought Chelsea's winning pen, City's pen and Man Utd's pen were all soft and if it was roles reversed none would have been given IMO.

Yep great player I agree, he's been linked to Liverpool a fair bit though and personally I could see that one happening. I think he would fancy himself getting plenty of game time and with Salah (29 yrs) Mane (29) and Firmino (30) they can't go on forever so they will be looking for quality younger replacements to integrate into the side (as with Jota).

I think if he leaves dirty Leeds then it will probably be for a champs league club, and my money would be on Liverpool. If Leeds were relegated then we'd possibly have more chance (if there were no ECL suitors), mainly due to the Gerrard factor, as a midfielder who wouldn't want to learn from one of the best premier league midfielders there has been, buuuuuut.... I still think it's VERY unlikely. Also, maybe if Bielsa leaves - I would love it if it happened though, think he would be an absolute monster for us.

Need to start much better than we did at Leicester - I don't think we really got going until the "goal" that wasn't. If we start as sloppy as we did then the game will be over after 15 mins (maybe earlier!) Bit early for a team selection but I think guaranteed starters (any fitness concerns aside) are these 7 - Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, McGinn, Nakamba and Watkins. I personally would add Buendia onto that list because I think he had a good second half on Sunday and I think he can give us that bit of magic. So that's 8 of the 11. That leaves 3 places up for grabs. Ashley Young (after a ropey first 15) played pretty well against the Foxes - probably deserves to start, whether that be at LB or further forward but will 3 games in 10 days be too much even for a fit guy like Young (awaits KW gif) ? That's the concern with this one. Will Matt Targett be fit, if so, I would expect (& hope) he comes straight back in at LB. I think he edges AY in that position but whoever plays there is going to be severely tested so need to be bang at it. - I will assume MT is fit and he is selection 9 and that's the defence sorted. I am assuming Bailey / Traore / Ings / Trez are all either out or not up to speed so I don't think they are in the reckoning which leaves 2 places to be occupied by either Young, Luiz, Ramsey, Sanson, Chuk, El Ghazi, Davis and JPG or if there's a formation change Axel or Hause. I don't expect a formation change so I think it will probably be Luiz and Ramsey that get the nod. I personally would like to see Sanson start but anyway, whoever starts, tough tough game and a bit like the Man City fixture I would accept a decent performance and a close game - I think we have the tools to hurt their backline but if on song they could destroy ours. Nil nil then

I agree. In the Gerrard interview with Carragher that was shown before the Leicester match he said he wanted European football and to win a (FA) cup in the future, add to that we are playing a team he would love to get the better of then I think it's a given we will go as full strength as possible. So maybe not the ideal draw in terms of progressing (I still think we have a good chance) but I think it is a tie that will definitely appeal to our fan base, with a decent allocation and no doubt a loud travelling army - I think this will definitely be picked for TV viewing. It is not as daunting as it would have been in previous seasons and the players can take lots of confidence from the result at OT earlier this season - I think it could be a classic! which we will win

So which is it ? Of course he's playing better, everyone can see that, but he still had good games under Smith just he was often left out regardless because Smith preferred other options (against 'weaker' opponents). Don't think he's suddenly become the next Kante but nor was he a Salifou. The truth is he's a capable midfielder that can do a decent job for us when required.

I like him. He has given the ball away way too much for my liking since he's been here. I think part due to fitness, part confidence and part trying too hard to impress. Along with settling into a new city, a new club, with new team mates, a new manager (well, 2 new managers) I think he has done ok but will only get better. Anyone with half a footballing brain can see that he has talent, whether it be picking a pass or a bit of trickery, he has shown glimpses of this and his work rate can't be faulted either IMO so I think it really bodes well moving forward with his Villa career.

Have always liked him and felt he has been harshly judged by a few but he is playing very well at the moment and warrants his place in the side for sure. It must be such a confidence boost for him to be selected by an ex-midfielder as good as Gerrard in these first few games of his tenure and you can see that with his last few performances. Though to be fair he had several isolated games under Smith where he performed decent so I do think there has always been a good player in there. Definitely one I would be keeping in the squad that's for certain.

63 Ipswich Town or Barrow 64 Harrogate Town

It doesn't have to be two hands just in control of the ball... buuuuut... Freeze framing it with his one hand on the top of the ball tells a complete different picture to watching in real time. He was never in control and that was a goal all day long. Game has gone. And if we don't pull our finger out this one will be. We've been dreadful.

I'd take a draw tbh, these are a better side than current league standings and in Maddison and Vardy they have players who can hurt us if we're not up to the challenge. Goes without saying I'd love a win but 2-2 for me !

You're right Sterling was lively, a big threat all night, I just thought Cash struggled to contain him (though he kept plugging away). Maybe I expect more from him, I would have liked him to leave one on him (easier said than done) but I suppose risking going down to 10 isn't really advisable. We wouldn't have seen the ball again . I was disappointed with the over weighted cross he made that led to their second goal and he had another easy ball to Buendia which he completely didn't see / chose to try an harder ball, that was a real chance of putting us in front. But that said maybe a tad harsh

My ratings: Emi 6 Cash 5 Konsa 7 Mings 7 Targett 6.5 Luiz 7.5 McGinn 6 Nakamba 7 Bailey 2 Watkins 8 Buendia 7.5 Young 7.5 Chuk 6 Sanson 6.5 Gerrard 7.5