switters

7 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

I still can't get my head around them watching their defender drag him around by his shirt, and them reviewing it for a red card on Duran. That **** referee man.

and didn't their goal come directly after the free kick from that, which somehow had been given to Sheff Utd?

given the precedence of VAR on Ramsey, why wasn't called back to watch slo-mo videos of Duran's shirt being pulled to decide if Sheff Utd goal could count?

Nothing but rage against that bullshit robbery. VAR needs to die forever.

6 minutes ago, Genie said:

Ramsey clearly holding the keeper by the arm and stopped him clearing that cross. The ball barely left the box before the goals. 100% right decision.

Pure hypothetical. They had the ball after that and ample opportunity to clear. It was a completely new phase of play. Var had no need to be looking at that because it was way before the goal

worst use of VAR yet. nothing to do with the goal.

and Ramsey was being fouled at least as much as he was fouling. 

doing fine, got to be patient against a team like this. they will tire or make mistake 2nd half.

4 minutes ago, Marka Ragnos said:

I wonder if there's a chance Kortney will make the bench. Wouldn't mind that, tbh.

I don't think he's in our squad list so chance is somewhere between nil and zero.

Feel like he might start Donk and Zaniolo here. Expect will want to rotate a bit with Boxing day game in mind and Ramsey/Moreno still working back so perhaps:

Konsa-Carlos-Lenglet-Digne

McGinn-Donk-Luiz-Zaniolo

Bailey-Watkins

though Emery did give him a namecheck in this article so maybe we will see him get some minutes yet..

Asked if Youri Tielemans will be fit for Friday, Emery said: "I don’t know. When some injuries are coming and players are suspended, it’s important as well for players to train every day like Dendoncker, Douglas Luiz is back for the next match, Tim is being consistent training and I think he can help us. It is the moment for other players."

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/unai-emery-issues-pau-torres-28308224

don't think VAR did for Kamara, he just happened to be the one doing something closest to the ref when he finally bothered to try and intervene in the chaos

15 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

I agree and given that Unai often talks about respecting competitions and opponents I can’t see him throwing the towel in for any match or competition 

Boro might be more likely to throw it than us, they'll have first leg of league cup semi a few days later now

Think sometimes his trolling backfires in that it can galvanise the crowd against us. But can't argue with his shot-stopping which was excellent again yesterday.

Surprised he's only got 3 yellows, thought he'd got a few for timewasting already. Just needs to be sensible in next match to make it impossible to reach 5 by game 19, could definitely do without him being suspended.

Just now, Lerner's Driver said:

Good habit and reversing a previous trait, very encouraging indeed...

Aston Villa have won three of their last six Premier League games when conceding the first goal (D2 L1), having lost six of their previous eight when shipping the first goal (D2).

And still not dropped any points after going ahead, I  believe!

--

Fixtures have been very kind with this Sheff Utd Fri night game. Chance to go top, which would be a lovely moment psychologically, even if short-lived. Plus an extra day rest compared to Utd for the Boxing Day game.

Great win. Total carnage of a 2nd half. Huge to come out with 3pts from that.

Wasn't terrible for first 40 mins but really lost it at the end of half. We did create a few chances but unfortunately they all fell to Moreno/Ramsey/Cash when we need them to be Olly or Diaby. Both Moreno and Ramsey are still clearly working their way back. 

Game still there for us, but need to up the ante quickly. Hopefully Bailey fit enough to come in for Cash at HT.

reminds me of wondering we'd get into the Intertoto cup backdoor via fair play table or some such nonsense. Honestly little point in paying it any mind until very near the end of season if, and only if, it still looks like it might affect us. Totally out of anyone's control and way too many variables to bother with at this point

36 minutes ago, LondonLax said:

Can’t see that. They will take stock at the end of the season. Howe has massively over performed for them and has credit in the bank. 

Some credit in bank, but that would dwindle quickly with a bad spell over the next month or so. Winning a cup could save him but I could see them lose to Chelsea next week in League cup with current injuries/form and then Sunderland away in FA cup is a banana skin of a draw. 

and then in the league, in-form Fulham at home this weekend is exactly the kind of game you don't want at this moment. Their Christmas fixtures aren't bad but their Jan is tough with Liverpool, City and us..

We got a bad record there but hopefully we can end that this weekend. Mbuemo missing helps and they got a few other injuries aside - Jensen in particular is a big miss if he still out. Still they have a good manager and will be well-drilled, only 2 teams won there and one of them was Arsenal with a 1-0 in the 89th min. We certainly can't go into this complacently expecting an easy win.

Without Luiz and Digne seems like Ramsey and Moreno are the natural choices to come in, if they are thought to be up to speed. If Moreno not, we'll have to have an unorthodox LB choice - Cash, perhaps. or Lenglet.

Could see a tight game with Watkins to be the matchwinner.

5 minutes ago, TomC said:

Interesting that you bring up Blackburn. I was relatively new to English football at the time, and the Internet wasn't what it is today, but I don't remember their title being greeted with anywhere near the astonishment that Leicester's was. The gap between the rich and poor was not as big as it is now. Furthermore, they were often regarded as buying their success because Jack Walker invested lots of money into the club. It goes to show how the game has changed...today, you need a petrostate backing you to outspend everyone. Back then, you just needed a local businessman willing to spend a relatively modest sum of money as long as it was more than the local businessmen backing other clubs (cough cough Doug Ellis).

 

Blackburn didn't come from nowhere, they'd finished 4th and 2nd the previous two seasons since getting promoted so they would have been one of the favourites going into their title season. They were seen as 'new money' with the way Walker invested and their fairly rapid rise but it wasn't quite like Leicester's relegation battle -> title 

1 hour ago, Jas10 said:

 

Hadn't quite realised the whole build up. I think everyone other than Digne touches the ball?! Really is an impressively worked goal

9 minutes ago, Spoony said:

God I hate Arsenal. Are they the worst of the lot in terms of fans? I think they might be. This ridiculous blaming of the ref and VAR is hilarious. The ref spotted a handball in the build up to the goal and it was great refereeing. VAR just confirmed it. And then Arteta comes out with all this clear and obvious shit. Yes, if it’s clear and obvious that it’s wrong then you change it. Well, it wasn’t wrong and even if you want to try and argue it is then it isn’t clear and obvious. 

I think it's one of those ones where, had the ref not called it, I don't think VAR would have overturned either (i.e. goal would have stood). Tough one to call with the ball bouncing around probably hitting Cash's arm as well. Does make me wonder what would the correct decision be if it was considered they both handballed but Cash handballed first - disallow the goal but give a penalty?!

First real minutes for about 2 months and it's tough ask for any player to be thrown in from the cold into a tight match against a top side, so he did pretty well in the context. Couple bad passes but otherwise did the job

Will very much enjoy Arteta's bad-loser vibes. He's probably the most unlikeable manager in the league.

We did ride luck at times, but showed good resiliance. And obviously with the early goal, Arsenal were the ones who needed to chase the game.

Such brilliant character to get back to back 1-0s against City + Arsenal within a few days. Few teams will beat either of them this season, so to do both in a week is a serious achievement. 

I'm still not willing to believe we're in a title chase, but let's see where we are after New Year. The points gap to Utd/Spurs/Newcastle is very pleasing indeed!