srsmithusa

1 minute ago, romavillan said:

Need another goal I reckon, flat compared to city and making loads more mistakes. How Havertz hasn't been booked I'll never know.

Dermott Gallagher, I think

1 minute ago, StefanAVFC said:

Are this lot usually such a bunch of fannies?

YES !

i think that either right away or pretty soon, ramsey on at left md and SJM shifts to right and bailey steps off.  then diaby for yuri   (but more tactical change than Yuri being poor) then moreno for digne and shift the attack from a right sided focus to a left.

2 minutes ago, trekka said:

Bloody hell.  I think a brandy is needed. 

i'm already 3 ahead of you

we don't seem to be pressuring the ball as high as we did v MANC

Honestly, I'm a more nervous about this one. MANC showed what we're capable of.  on our day, we can dominate anyone.  but i fear that we have not come far enough that we can expect that consistently.  If things aren't clicking as well, I fear we will get frustrated and heads will drop.

Also, someone please tell the lads, the only thing this referee calls is shirt pulling (blatant) and knocks below the waist.  So, don't grab a shirt.  And don't go down under body pressure.  if you are shielding tha ball you will get pushed over and no call.  Don't let that happen.  bend your knees and hold up to the body pushing.  Arsenal will play to the ref.  We should be smart and do the same.

1 hour ago, MWARLEY2 said:

Exactly this. Nerves are really kicking in now.

Its been 3 months since we got a thorough beating and you start believing that we are that good. Man City can offer a huge reality check if we arent at our very best. In fact they could even if we are at our best. 

But these are the games you should want.  Test yourself and have the chance to go above the treble winning team of last season.  And no matter the outcome realise we are a good team still in the building phase.

Emery is still only getting 4 of his own players on the pitch at maximum. There is a long way to go.  Win lose or draw we are in the best place we have been in 15 years. 

 

are you sure you don't mean "in living memory?"

I would love a win.  I’d take draw in a heartbeat

23 minutes ago, est1874 said:

The best season in living memory? What are you, 10 years old?

We've finished top 2 in my lifetime. Top 4 more recently. We've won cups. Mounted (albeit abortive and unlikely) title challenges until January time under Gregory and O'Neill.

Unai is undoubtedly a fantastic manager that we're lucky to have, and there is plenty to be positive about. But telling people who are disappointed with today's performance that it's the best season in living memory, on the 3rd of December after 14 matches, the day of a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, is pathetic.

oooo, you have messed up now.  You have accused the wrong VT member of short-timers disease.    

Mr Brammal s part of an increasing cult of referees in the Premier League that seem to believe that any foul committed above the waist does not count.  

Mr. Brammal was repeatedly on the wrong side of the LOTG today, most often becuase of that mistaken dogma.  But AVFC is a professional team.  They should know the referees tendencies.  When the referee will not call it when a defender runs through and over a midfielder to get the ball (which Mr. Brammal has no interest in calling) a well prepared team needs to know that and NOT physically crumble on that pressure. Brace yourself for that impact.  Imitate SJM and roll that pushing, cheater off your backside and turn the ball away.  If the defender contacts you below the knee, the  you go down in hospital worthy evident misery.  Bournemouth knew this and did it to consistently.  Villa seem to be cluesless to this.

I hate it when poor referee decisions impact a match outcome.  But I hate it even more, when a professional team with all the resources in the world don't know how to scout and prepare for a referee's weaknesses.

2 of Bournemouth should have seen red (and possibly a third) for clear fouls.  But those fouls were above the waist (and not at the head) so they were ignored.  It's too clear a pattern from certain, and a growing number of referees, not to learn and be prepared.

it really is an interesting line-up with plenty to discuss.

Seems Watkins might have a knock, if he's just resting, he could do that from the bench.   Olson in seems pretty straighforward, whether you agree with it or not.  Love to see Moreno back, but doesn't it seem that bringing him on later might make more sense to ease him back?  My guess is that Cash will be told to stay home more, and use Moreno as more offensively minded.   It will be interesting to see how SJM plays it, staying wide to give Diaby room?  or sliding more inside where SJM is arguably at his best?   

This is gonna be fun to see how it all plays out.

1 minute ago, Demitri_C said:

Im sorry guys i hope i am wrong but with olsen in goal and no ollie up top i am massively worried about tonight now

I'm not.   

On a completely unrelated note.  If we lose tonight, can we still win the group?

3 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

It’s actually not too bad a walk, city centre/new street to VP, done it a couple of times and takes between 45-60 minutes depending on how much ale you’ve had! 

so.... 3-4 hours most days.

13 hours ago, cheltenham_villa said:

Some changes but agree with others, go strong and wrap up this tournament. Our squad lets us do that now i believe.

Would like to see 

Emil

Cash Carlos Lenglet Moreno

Bailey Youri Kamara Ramsey

Zaniolo Duran

Expecting Mcginn, Ollie, Luiz, Konsa, Digne to all play a significant part as well.

I’m sorry but “go strong and wrap it up doesn’t look like the lineup you propose

carlos and l naglet are not our strongest back pairing

moreno hasn’t played in (seems like) years

Yuri is second choice in the central mid at best   
 

ramsey too is playing into fitness  

Zanuck’s has not found his British legs yet

duran is in junior high   
 

I don’t dislike any of them, it was simply NOT what I was expecting when you said “start strong.”

IMO, the main reason Matty was not very effective was that he was pushing more to the inside and up high, it also negated a lot of Diaby as they were both in too much same space.  It worked when the personnel was changed to Youri and Bailey, not because they are significantly better, but becuase Bailey stayed  a bit wider and deeper and Tielemans started from a deeper position, it left room on the front inside right for each of them to take turns exploiting.

I suspect that it was Unai's original plan but negated because Matty moved too far inside and then stayed too central, while Diaby stayed too high so he didn't have space to run into.

1 minute ago, El Segundo said:

Unai got it wrong first half, Konsa's not a right back and Catty Mash is not a midfielder.  Fortunately he put it right second half and we looked much better with Bailey and Tielemans down our right.  Glad Diaby went off too, for me he's been mostly mediocre since September.

They were faster and stronger first half and we were very lucky to be anywhere near level at half time, but I think the intensity of their first half cost them as they looked tired after about 70 minutes and didn't have much in the way of fresh legs on the bench.  We really should have killed them off in the 70th-80th minutes but didn't make the most of some good breaks, and almost let them back into it.

Three offside goals for them - it's a heart stopper but it works.

I'd say a bit lucky to win it, but we hung in there first half and were probably the better side second half.

 

just want to check i understand.  Unai got it wrong playing Konsa at RB becuase "Konsa's not a right back" and he put it right the second half when Konsa was still playing RB.  ?  Do I understand you correctly?

1 minute ago, rjw63 said:

Spuds now getting corners when their own players touch it last

and goal kicks at the other end.

i like these subs.  

tielemans not my favorite player, but his contribution ot the goal was immaculate.

7 minutes ago, Robtaylor200 said:

Unai sees what we see , good changes

i hope he sees things differently than a bunch of whinging amateurs !!!

someone posted earlier that Pau was incredibly composed.  i thought, yes he is, and the other one that seems calm and in control of himself is Dougie.  Its seems a bit of justice to me that they are the assist and goal.  

settle down lads, it's a simple game.

5 minutes ago, maqroll said:

Tbf, he's usually one of the better ones.

not today.  

actually, I think Konsa is our problem in this.  He's thinking about his positioning and not just reacting instinctively.  It makes him just a touch slow to react.  The biggest example was slow stepping out to Celso on their goal, but there have been others.

i can't wait to seeing how we actually set up and who shows strong today.

if Cash is playing more RM - does that mean that Kamara will stop dropping in to R back to cover for him?  Or if he still drops, does that push Pau farther to the left giving Digne more license?  Unai makes football like chess only a whole lot more exiting.  I love it.