Philosopher

Fantastic result. I'm extremely pleased with that. To come from behind and win is something I thought was impossible for this group of players. We didn't play well, but had a few good moments, and had to defend really well. These kind of results is what get teams like ours European football. It's not the outplay the opposition and win a majority of the time, thats for the teams with the very best players. Half the time we will need to grind out a win when we deserve a draw, or grind out a draw when we should lose. Throw in we lacked any real pace in attack and had McGinn on the pitch (who actually did okay, but still lacked quality). Referee was rubbish as usual, however the commentary was worse, as usual! The commentary is so biased, ill informed, and inaccurate these days. Martinez - 6 - Poor pass to Luiz for their goal. Otherwise solid. Cash - 7 - Solid in defense, good pull back for Buendia's header against the post. Konsa - 7 - Cleaned everything up that Mings couldn't, poor playing out from the back. Need a better centre back so he can play back up ideally. Mings - 8 - Imperious at the back today. Too slow on the ball when playing out for my liking. Digne - 7 - Did well defensively, penned in and couldn't really contribute going forward. The rejected penalty shout was rightly rejected. If that was a penalty, then Mac Allisters goal should've been ruled out for a foul. Kamara - 7 - Worked hard, usaually in the right place at right time defensively, going to be a very important player for us, not there yet though. Luiz -8 - Good distribution as usual, put himself about, caught unawares on the goal, but was played into trouble. More than made up for that with the assist. McGinn - 7 - Worked hard, disrupted Brighton well, Won the penalty, but got bypassed too easliy on his flank at times. Buendia - 6 - Worked hard, played some good passes, but also gave the ball away a lot. Should've scored that header. Ramsey - 8 - Did well defensively, worked hard, assisted the penalty. Was our most dangerous player. Faded in the second half. Ings - 8 - Scored two goals! Although the penalty was nearly saved, and the second got a lucky deflection. Linked up well at times, but did little else outside the goals. Not a viable option in the medium to long term. Subs: Bailey - 6 - Didn't really offer the threat we would expect, but was ill. Worked hard and defended as best he could. Augustinson - 6 - Defended okay, not much else to say. Young - 6 - Played as an outside right back / wing back. Did little on the ball, gave Cash extra protection. Archer - 6 - Ran hard and pressed well, looked bright, but had nothing to feed off. DenDonker - 6 - Stronger defensive presense than Luiz, almost played as a third centre back at times.

Yep never been a top striker. Top strikers score 1 in 2.

Poor from Emi, poor from the ref. Horrible starting line up.

McGinn just lacks the quality to consistently make his passes, and control a football. Sorry Meatball, but you have been awful all season. Mcginn continously left Cash exposed. Olsen is not good enough. Mings lacked any intensity coming on as a sub. The defense went into panic mode as soon as we conceded the first goal. Once again the performance levels dropped as soon as we went behind. Ref was awful.

He hasn't been at the races.

Watkins did score the opener.

The manager was right to rotate. He needs to see what he has to work with. But Sanson over McGinn, and now he knows he can't rely on Olsen.

Olsen and Mcginn have cost us tonight.

No he's just like Nyland. Good shot stopper, rubbish at everything else!

Olsen is a joke!

He was actually the one playing Rashford onside!

Bailey is a top player!

Good finish that!

A bit harsh, but he does look like a championship keeper.

McGinn playing like utter trash!

He's more mobile than Jedinak. Not sure about more quality on the ball. Wolves fan moaned non-stop about his poor passing. But then he was alongside Moutinho and Neves.

If results were better, and Gerrard wasn't trying in vain to keep his job, we would've seen more of Archer.

Thanks for the insight. To me though he doesn't seem like a natural goalscoring striker, and seems most comfortable in possession when he is in wide positions. I think his role on Sunday was perfect for him and the same for Bailey (wide strikers). When one was wide the other was central and vice versa. I think it's now a case of who plays behind them and who comes in if one isn't available. For me Ollie is just about 7 out of 10 in terms of finishing Good, but not clinical, or lethal. With strikers they need goals, as their confidence suffers. A lot of the little nuancies when finishing disappear from a strikers game when confidence is lacking. Being played in this way he will love, and then the goals and confidence will come.

He can finish, however like is said he lacks the cuteness, and / or slyness that a top striker has. His 3 attemps one was well saved, one hit the post, the other was a goal. The little lift Bailey put on the finish against Man U is something we don't really see from Ollie, sending the keeper the wrong way with a feint we don't see from him. His on target ratio is solid. Also until the Brentford game he's been feeding off scraps. 1 in 4 attempts being a goal is a good ratio for a striker. Only the very best boast a better conversion rate.

I like Guilbert, but I have yet to see anything that makes him good enough for any club with ambitions higher than avoiding relegation.

Ollie is a converted winger. This means he is more comfortable in the channels and coming off the left. It also means he doesn't have that natural instinct in the box. Ollie is actually and good finisher, but he hasn't got the slyness in front of goal a natural striker has. It's why he is unconvincing in one on one with the keeper situation. However his pressing is really good, his fitness and work rate are a managers dream. His ability in the channels and running in behind are top draw. He can even hold it up well for an average sized man. These factors are what Emery actually looks for in a striker. He may be replaced in the future if we are able to purchase a CLEAR upgrade, but otherwise he is here to stay. Emery likes his strikers quick, he has them play in the channels between the fullback and the centre back, he expects them to work hard. The Watikins - Bailey front 2 when defending was made for Emery's system and vice versa. We basically played 3 formations one for defending, one for transitions, and one for when we are attacking and in the opposition half. But is was seemless, as the forward players (who had to deal with most of the position changes) are all quite intelligent. Sundays win was courtesy of the forwards (in more ways then one), but of course the defense provided the foundation. This is how good coaching and tactics work.

Not sure about Sarr. Not sure he has the consistency. I definitely agree that if we have a opening it's definitely for a winger. A speedy, right footer that can play both left and right. Only other position I'd look at is right centre back. As for me Mings and Carlos (once he is fit) are good options for left centre back (Carlos prefers the left cb position) konsa for me is a midtable CB, Chambers is a good utility player for the defence. Bednarek is never going to be a permanent signing. If we can find a genuine top class right centre back, with leadership qualities, that would be ideal. Our defense would be rock solid then. Think Ollie will shine under Emery. I know certain Villa podcasters were saying he will struggle under Emery but that is BS. Ollie is just what Emery likes, hard working, intelligent, pacy, like to come inside from the left, stretches teams, and can hold it up a bit too. I don’t see much of a future for Ings though. Depending on if he likes Archer then in the summer Ings out and a replacement coming in. This will happen but the type of replacement will be Depending on if Archer has been able to gain the managers approval.

When we signed him we all felt it was an underwhelming capture. But I alway saw thought it was a smart signing. The size and aggression he brings are something we have lacked for a long time. He isn't a match winner, he isn't nice to watch, just effective at protecting his back four, really gets stuck in.

We finally have a good manager. Finally an end to the mediocrity that was an Aston Villa manager. I have to beg to differ on one thing. Emery isn't a coup! He is what this club deserves. We are a big club historically, and structurally (stadium, fanbase, training facilities). We have billionaire owners. A squad easily capable of midtable, europa league is a real possibility with a good manager. Villareal simply aren't on Villa's level. We are a much bigger club, with an arguably slightly weaker first team, in a superior league.

McGinn still lacking quality!