Keener window-cleaner

I'm sorry to say that @TRO was right in being worried for our defence in this game. The amount of times they caught us with balls behind our defence was not nice to see. I mostly thank Konsa it stayed 3-0.

1 hour ago, Rustibrooks said:

Thought he was one of the few standouts, hopefully he can be our leader at the back until Mings comes back

Agree, I thought he was by far our man of the match, he saved us on several occations and hardly put a foot wrong. I think it's interesting to see which players step up and perform against the top sides. Konsa did.

Exactly the team I would have picked, I assume Zaniolo isn’t quite yet ready to start, soon I think it may be Diaby as RW and Zaniolo with Watkins up front.

30 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

Yes my preference would probably be Carlos RCB and Konsa RB, if so it’s a real test for Carlos to see if he is fully back from his injury and back at the highest level.

11 minutes ago, BOF said:

Can't even predict the formation for this one, never mind the personnel. Now that he's added a 3421 to the mix. And I can't watch it either So it'll be sofascore notifications for me today. Might be for the best as I'm not optimistic.

We’ll do our best to try and spot the formation for you, something tells me it wont be so easy

My bet is on the usual 4-4-2 in defence, then I hope for a tweak or surprise or two in attack to mastermind Klopp!

8 minutes ago, TRO said:

Thats key, to getting anything from this game.

It’s the kind of game where I really miss Mings, the only slight questionmark for me is how we shall line up on the right hand side in defence. I’d want Konsa to play both in the RCB and RB position!

2 minutes ago, alreadyexists said:

Totally agree!  I’m nervous though, but probably because with the added ability to really compete comes added expectation that we actually CAN do something! 
 

 

Yes, and considering how much they have spent on their squad it’s a bit frightening, the attacking players in particular. I guess most would expect them to win, hopefully they underestimate us!

It’s such a good feeling going into this game, for the first time in many many years it’s not just about hoping they will have a day off, a good defensive performance from us and manging to nick a win. Now I feel we actually can compete with them on equal terms. Still hold them as favourits of course, but the feeling is so good and looking forward to a great game.

26 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

So pleasing to see his development… such progress and improvement. From a fairly obscure young talent to one of our most important players… played out of position for so long too but, as Doug has himself said, that helped his game and added different elements to it. He’s approaching the finished article and just runs our team basically… metronome, playmaker, majestic… class.

That armband has looked good on him too

Finally we have a penalty taker!

Yes, I think playing in a mid two in a 4-4-2 is the perfect position for him. Now he can still dictate play and have Kamara helping out defensively, and also has freedom to roam forward. In the attacking mf position I think he would look a bit like Tielemans last game, not bad at all, but not 100%.

I cant think of many players in the league I’d rather have in that position, if any. Considering what Rice, Enzo and Caicedo went for, I wonder how much Luiz is worth now.

1 hour ago, Rightdm00 said:

As long as we are allowed to call out/laugh at overly critical posters then keep on posting. Gotten some good laughs from a few who find it to painful to compliment a Villa player when he is playing well. 

Call out overly critical posts I fully agree with, not so much if you mean posters. Dont think we should divide each other in categories like that. And post on the post not the poster is a good principle imo.

1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I get all this but criticism of his goals and assists when he is actually playing well ? Thats tiring.

It’s like it kills some people to praise him. Instead they would rather down play his better moments than give him some credit.

But how much of that has it actually been lately in this thread. If you were referring to my post after the Everton game I said I was thrilled for him and hoped he would kick on from it etc. I dont think it corresponds to what you say in your post and I dont recognize myself at all in the statement that it would kill some people to praise him.

18 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

So when he's not good, the argument is " All people want to see is him put a shift in, be able to beat a man at the very least, and contribute like a winger should...waste of space "

When he finally puts a few decent - good performances together it's:

" Yeah it was a good assist but he didn t look up "

" The keeper should have saved that "

" It was against Hibs "

" Yeah he's getting goals and assists but that doesn't mean he's been good "

Why is it so difficult to just accept some positive from a player and hope for more.positive progress... Which the current trajectory suggests could be the case?

We have options now which means he doesn't even have to start, but can certainly be effective and useful to the squad, as he has recently been looking.

Only the Olsen thread currently runs second to this.

It's as if some people want him to continue to be shite so they can feel vindicated ffs.

Oh no not this again, from my side it was never part of some negative campaign, and many simplified/didn’t try to understand, in no way do I think that you always ”need to look up” before you make a pass, of course not. It was part of a reasoning with the assessment that it was an element of luck to it (albeit not so good formulated), the twisting and ridiculing of it is as tiresome as overly negative posts on a player. And of course you can have different opinions on whether it was an element of luck to it, just like Watkins or Diabys or Dignes assists.

I do understand and admire defence of our players against overreactions and unappropriate language, I do the same in the Olsen thread for example. But while doing that we should also try to avoid overreactions on our side.

As for Bailey I dont think I have been critical of him except after his performance against Newcastle, and then after Everton saying it didn’t chance much as I thought it was an element of luck to the assist and goal.

I think his recent performances have been promising, less of the hit and miss style that he showed earlier and more careful with his passing and in his decision making. What’s still left is to toughen up a bit and work on his strength so he wins more battles and can avoid injuries. Much more things as well regarding his playing style, performances and development that is interrsting to discuss!

1 minute ago, one_ian_taylor said:

He was anonymous until the goal - gave the impression of being  the footballing equivalent of a quality  bookmark.  But in fairness, all he needed to do is help us hold our shape,  give us width on the right, and spring into action  when needed, which he did. Disciplined and professional without setting the world alight

Yep agree, that was an assessment at half time, a disciplined performance and some good flashes of skill in the second.

Wow is he really only 17? Such a huge talent! Would have been so happy for him to score with that shot that just went wide in front of the Holte End.

1 hour ago, TH said:

Came on to post a similar thing, Michelle Owen and Alan McInally providing some good half time content - and good to hear Jed on the comms. 

And player interviews afterwards as well, hadn't expected that.

I think it's fun the way he runs over players from the back making them fall over, such strength from him, it's like a truck running over people! 

Just now, TH said:

Came on to post a similar thing, Michelle Owen and Alan McInally providing some good half time content - and good to hear Jed on the comms. 

Perhaps a stupid question, but is that Jed as in Jed Steer?

Just now, HalfTimePost said:

Keeper should've saved it I agree but I think it's harsh to say he's lucky and bang average as a result.

We're very slowly starting to see a useful player emerge. 3 Goals in 3 Games. Confidence will hopefully bring out the best of him and show why we spent £33m on him.

I think it was meant to be funny. 

I thought it was a well executed goal, a quick fire finish. Otherwise a bit anonymous so far, but we usually build up more on the left hand side so the RW don't need to be as involved as long as he contributes with goals!

2 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

The problem is this type of game is miles off being 2-1 up in the cup at Old Trafford and then he drops a basic cross and we become very nervous in defence and concede preventable goals.

He'll concede 2-3 at Anfield if he plays. With Emi you have that aura and assurance and belief he can be a brick wall at any moment when opposition are getting shots in, Olsen just dosen't have anywhere close to that level and that's without the basic misjudgements from crosses and his mediocre distribution.

Fully agree, and that's why I would like us to bring in a seasoned reliable back up GK.

Hope he can keep a clean sheet today and build some confidence.

I think AVTV works perfect, and good commentary.

4 hours ago, duke313 said:

Who cares what salary he's on if the club are happy to pay it.

I think it seems to be a shrewd signing, really happy with it also with the wages quoted and I fully trust the ppl at the club now to take sensible decisions on these matters.

But I don't fully agree with the argument that it doesn't matter what salary he is on if the club is happy with it. Every club has a budget and paying high wages to one player will mean there is less room to bring in another one in a position you might think is more urgent to strengthen. I think it's a valid question to know approximately how much the player is on and thereby how much room there is left to sign other players. If it is a player in a position you dont feel is urgent to stregthen (Like Bruce and our RB:s)I think it's a fair point if you don't want the club to spunk high wages on that player.

As for Coutinho for example I presume he is one of our highest earners and I don't think he contributes enough for that, nor that we lack players in his position. I would prefer that his wages are used to bring in someone else that is a starter for us. So even if I'm fairly happy to have him around, I'm not very happy with us spending high wages on him.

As for Lenglet I think it's good to bring someone in as back up at the LCB position, haven't seen much of him (except his arse thanks to Jim!), but his profile seems good, has a good pedigree playing at Barca, those players don't come cheap so I'm happy for us to pay that kind of wages.  

4 minutes ago, brommy said:

Come on, even my kids know what 6 foot is when used to describe height. It's two Elphicks.

Two Elphicks is actually easier to grasp how tall that is! 

5 hours ago, brommy said:

I walked by Tommy Elphick along Trinity Road last season and I'd put him at around 6' to 6'1". The joke on VT came about because some saw his height as a restriction against playing CB and it then became a joke that some were claiming a six footer as a virtual dwarf.

And also all the confusion with us trying to convert that into meters and centimeters  

55 minutes ago, DJBOB said:

It's only offside if the player in the offside position "deliberately" affects the play. But it is also technically offside if a player "interferes" with the opponent's ability to defend the play. We had a goal ruled off in the United cup game because of this screening pattern but Newcastle were more "clever" with it. So you can't run the equivalent of a basketball screen but if your body is in the way - then it's not 'deliberate.' I still contend that Burn pulled Cash to move the offside line but also didn't let him track the ball. This should have been flagged as a deliberate  foul/offside on Burn similar to our set play against United in last year's cup but the same law wasn't applied here.

Equally - even though Isak is offside when the ball is played in the first phase, he is not "deliberately" affecting the play. He is clearly onside in the second phase.

Manchester City also use this similar tactic where one of their players shoves an opponent, therefore deliberately affecting the offside line but it's seen as just 'physical play' instead of the tactical foul that it is.

 

That's really good explained. I may be conservative here but I dont like that rule. I think a player who stands offside always affects the play, as a defender you need to pay attention to him nevertheless and you need to think of where he might be in the next phase of play. It also becomes too arbitrary with the assessments of if he deliberately affects the play or interferes with the play. 

9 hours ago, Tom13 said:

And when I say badly weighted, I mean that because of that they went to an opposition player.

I think it's because he lacks in the general ball control ability, it shows now and then when he takes a heavy touch or makes badly weighted passes. If he had the ball control of for example Luiz or Buendia he could be world class. I think it's really impressive they way he has improved, and when he plays to his strengths the lack in ball control doesn't show that much, but as you said a couple of moves broke down because of it. It's the difference of him being absolute top class.

I really hope he can improve it and if it is someone who can help him do that it's Emery!