tommytenjobs

Yeah agreed. I thought that....and agree....he's nowhere near Rogers.

Is there any other option than Morgan for young player of the year? Thinking about this last night and I couldn't come up with one. Perhaps says more about Ramseys injuries and the 'aging' squad we have thanks to relegation avoiding squad building and Gerrard in recent past.....and Rogers has been great don't get me wrong....but i think he gets it almost through default. And he's only been here for a third of the season. Any other shouts?

Got home at 1.45am...long way back after these 8pm kicknoffs. Odd, but i don't think I've ever come away from a game where we've conceded four, less upset and less worried about the next game. I think overall, I have to disagree with a lot of the comments about how poorly many played. The abuse of Luiz and Olson in particular. Luiz draws abuse and vitriol because he is so central to everything the team does. He is central to everything and so stays in people's minds. Yes the penalty miss could well be costly, but how many has he scored. This just means it's out of the way before the shootout next week. Yes, the penalty given away appears to have been stupid to say the least. I called it straight from the Trinity family section where I sit. Obvious decision and a clear & important error from doug..... .....but he is the only one of the midfielders who was always showing forthee ball, trying to take control, trying to find chinks and gaps. One of the reasons we play so slow at times, yes, but this is directed by Emery. You can't criticise doug and laud Emery. He plays as directed and how the role and personel around him allows. We are still 4th and in the semis. Where did West ham finish in the PL when in this competition? Part of the reason for why we have managed this, with this squad and injuries, is that doug and Emery play at 'our' tempo. Doug is not 100m one week and s waste of dpace tge next. Context please. Mcginn, looked spent last night, so often standing behind presser players, Konsa often had no forward pass other than Luiz because of this. Again, not his fault, he's spent and we have no one else we can play to rest him, even for 30mins. Why Longlet appears to get off with a free pass compared to doug and Olson, I have no idea. One of the highest paid players on the squad, yet every time he plays, they attack the left centre, knowing he has no pace, no strength and relies on ofside trap to always work. Failed twice yesterday in first half and they scored twice. The drop off in organisation and awareness in defence is massive between him and Pau/mings. Far more at fault than lots on here have credited. IMHO Big games, I get the attacking intent of Rogers being picked with Baliey and Diaby. We look such a threat going forward, which is one reason why I think we will win sun and Thursday. But....my god we are making Luiz, mcginn and the back four's job hard by playing basically four forwards. Surely, first 60mins yesterday, play Tim instead of one of these, keep midfield solid, let doug and John not spend themselves and earn the right to attack. Tight one nil surely better than 2.4? We've shown we can do it at Ajax, Arsenal. Reason for my rating of Unai. I think he got this a little wrong. Buy what domi know. Happy to defer! Olson.....only seen the goals from the game, but fail to see how he could do much. Happy ro be corrected by someone with a better view. Passing out from the back...looked laboured at times and error strewn, but I don't think this is usually causd by Olson or the defenders, but lack of movement and numbers in cdm. We miss Kamara so much. But also, simply, we miss 'legs'. Whoever plays in cm needs to be able to move and we looked tired at times in the last few weeks. Makes konsa, longlet and Olson's jobs so much harder. TBF Olson played some really good passes through the press and over it yesterday. Ball to Cash in first half was really good example of this. Set up our first goal I think? Anyway, back to positive feeling when trudging home. Rogers looks like he's going to be a player. Watkins, Bailey, diaby will score goals. Mcginn's passion and drive. Youngsters on the bench who could be very exciting. We came back from 2 last night. We can do it again. MH result there in last round. [They won 4.1 in Athens]. We're villa, we might make it look hard sometimes, but that's because it is, if you don't financially dope. I think we can do it and am going to continue to enjoy it, support the boys and be positive. Any talk about bottle jobs, disgrace etc ffs. Enjoy what we have done and celebrate the achievements with some rational debate about how/why we could do better. Utv

Have a feeling both that this could be a big villa performance. Watkins looked so sharp last week, Bailey rested, Luiz back, Chelsea shite......can only mean one thing.......we're smashing the front doors of fourth down.

I stand by my cocky dismissal of man u.......woop woop. UTV

Utd are terrible. This game is an embarrassment to the recruitment teams of both sides. Absolutely no coaching either. The org is poor, effort poor...its awful. And everyone claiming this man u side can catch us are living in 1990s world. Caicado just giving them a lifeline....another 100m well spent. FM.

Thought I'd let the dust settle as usual before posting thoughts on yesterday and others reactions. Firstly, yes Arsenal showed how to nullify City....with nearly 200 million pounds worth of central midfield three. I think its an unfair comparison to make of DL and TI. Whether we should have gone with a third in there is another thing.....but with chambers as your only real option there yesterday, I suspect UE went for more attacking threat on the break in the middle. Tbf this nearly worked with one break away goal, several other possibles and a very nearly from Luiz. I'm not too sure any of us would realistically have gone with the Chambers option, so what is UE supposed to do. Not sure I can see a third option. They did try to crowd the middle and force city out wide when not in possession, but city picked doku and JG, learning from previous game where neither started and both were a significant upgrade on what they put out against Arsenal. Secondly, I'm a bit fed up with the Foden love in. One shot at the middle of the wall and one falling over. Both would not normally result in goals, just mirth. Second goal, good finish, but again was due to Rodri winning a duel and playing the right pass at the right time. (A luxury not afforded to us. Lets remember, his equivalent was making his first start of the season and second ever in the Premier league....we don't quite yet have the tools to compete with a guy on a 64 game unbeaten streak despite what some posters seem to think. Thirdly, the team we had out taht we could not pick from, would have given city a game, we've shown that before.... and still would be expected to lose. The team we played with....surely no-one thought we would get a point even, so the best possible outcome was a point at best. We finished 1pt less that the best possible outcome, surely this needs to be considered in the reaction. Fourthly, some of the posters thinking UE, EM or NZ bottled it, threw it, gave up etc etc need to really have a think next time before posting. 4.1 everyone is disappointed but seriously, to start some of these claims is just sad. We are fourth and in euro 1/4 final. Those of us who remember Barnsley away, qpr at home or any other number of days where we were looking at liquidation 4 years ago need to pipe up and defend the status quo on these ideas. Fifth, front three made an interesting comparison. Doku, JG and PF verses JD, MR and Diaby.....anyone still think we should be winning that or were we against anything other than financial cheating? Finally, loved the mins given to TI, MR,JD,OK. This is the future of a sustainable squad and they competed with city, threatened and looked good at times. Positives, positives, positives. Really psyched for sat, can't wait to be walking up trinity Rd with the boy and thinking about how great the club is at the moment and in what safe hands it is with UE. I'd rather be fourth and thinking about a few games that got away from us, what's to come and the excitement of the final 8 games plus Europe, than worrying about Gerrard, Bruce, scot hogan, Richards,McCormak or some delusional and spoilt nonsense about how we failed to try against the best club in the world with 8 first teamers out and two vital games to play in the next 7 days. UTV

Thought he was standout in first half. Exposed and out of position without the ball but doing things not too many can with it. You take the rough with the smooth at his age and development. I think we can all start to see why they bought him. He'll grow as a player and in value. Like all the youngsters, he needs ti play to develop. Hope we see more of kkh, TI, JD and MR in the next 8 games. We need to keep developing these guys to keep compliant and to save up for 1 or 2 big signings per window, rather than adding 4 or 5 each time. Rogers could save us 50+ million if he carries on improving and growing into games.

Music absolutely ruined any attempts at pregame atmosphere. Time and again chants start then stop as you can't hear your self think. 10mins before kick off starting hi ho silver lining and it kept going until kick off itself. No chance for fans to create and curate a build up. Just brash in your face noise and fake nonsense like hhsl. That's not a villa song and never has been. Just generic tune we all know the words to. Sweet Caroline ends any chance at the end too. Fed up with banging this same drum. Feel like a 'better I'm my day' old codger........

Yep. Looks that way. Anyone with any news on date?

Anyone know roughly when renewals likely to be asked for? Need to plan finances and not really had to in recent past. Don't want to give up ticket, but expecting hike and now need to plan for this.

1. Watkins 2. Konsa 3. Luiz 4. Torres 5. Digne Likely still on the pitch at 120. Key experience at 3 and 5. Luiz always takes one at 3. Watkins gets the easiest to score. Other notables, but less convinced still on the pitch at 120 or suspended for this particular game. Mcginn. Ramsey, Bailey, tielmanns, moreno. Martinez. No where near....zaniolo, diaby, Carlos, longlet, Duran.....please.

Season ticket holder. Just wasn't able to decide to go until too late to retain seats. Then sold out, now just a smattering. Seats just flash when I click on them and then go back to the blue vacant sign. No ticket office to phone, just have to watch on the telly. Saves 5 hour round trip I suppose.

Still seems to be a small number of seats in Upper holte and trinity...but it won't let me buy them. any ideas?

Most of the articles are behind pay walls but this is a bit of a summary of discussions. https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2023/01/19/a-pub-with-a-match-on-in-the-background-readers-views-on-rugby-internationals-at-the-aviva-stadium/ Day trippers, poor service, too much alcohol, music at tries etc. Mostly a rugby view so it's different...buy some similar issues and thoughts about the possible direction of the club in terms of tourist tickets and hospitality focus cooperate whoring.

Atmosphere is absolutely ruined by the insistence on blaring music and annocements at head splitting decibels. No opportunity for anyone or stand to actually do what we used to do. Currently a survey out in Ireland on this issue about croak/avia Park. Huge numbers replied with the most important thing to do, to improve atmosphere, was to get rid of piped music and annocement systems being toned/turned down or off. Biggest way to improve atmosphere is to actually leave it to us. Yesterday was rubbish from start to finish and every game has been this season with the exception of arsenal. Been a season ticket holder since 2018 and its invariably poor. Not like the days on the holte in the 80s or 90s when I was last there regularly. Been taking the boy since '19 and I keep telling him about what it used to be like.....because he's never seen/heard/experienced it. My childhood is not his....massively for the worse if I'm honest. Phones, social media, wealth, all on a plate. I'd swap all that for him to have been by my side, on the holte, mid-week, European night, god at the back and the smells and sounds and squeeze of those times. Games gone....I'm sad to say. Replaced with corporate, seating, man City and sky TV. Not the same and it makes me sad.

I think this is going to be the game where we can afford to rest a few as a draw or narrow defeat would be 'fine'. Dull and insipid 0.0 would be fine by me. Pass them to death with our reserves and keep energy in the bank. That said.....its a romantic fixture and my heart says....go full strength and try to spank them. Most likely is the top option I think as we always have home leg to come. Under lights, big euro night....love to be there but not sure I can this time. Last night I remember like this was inter with God showing Baresi how to do it. I'd go...... Gk- new aussie lad Lb - moreno (keep digne for spuds) Cbs - longlet and konsa (keep pau for spuds) Rb - KKH (we've gone strong on cb ro cover his involvement) doubt emery agrees with me. I will bow to his slightly better experience.... CM- mcginn and youri (doug too important for spuds) ACM - Bailey, zaniola, diaby Cf - Rogers (ollie too important for sun. Win that and we have fourth. He can always come on for 30 mins if we need to nick a goal. Again.....I don't think emery will do this. But I would fwiw. Just think we can overrun them at vp and spurs......need to keep a foot on their throat. No more injuries to give them hope. Vtid

Just got back from the match. Long drive. Just wanted to say how well I think we played today. Cut through them time and time again. Some great chances missed. Some poor decisions made and some ludicrous luck from their gk kept them in it. Pau plays...we win that Konsa plays....we win that Diaby on form...we win that Bit of luck, better referee, loads of other minor things too.....we win that. Only way utd were winning that is a flukey smash and grab from their only two chances. How many years have we been waiting for us to dominate utd and deserve to beat them?? Only directions for both clubs is clear for all to see. Yes we didn't win.....but I was proud of the team today. Set up was right. Team spirit was right and mcginn's interview after.....class again. I have more faith in getting 4th or 5th after that loss, that I did after the shef utd 5.0. Bring on the next game. Couvbs

Love the attacking flair at times...but this performance has made me angrier than every other all season. Such an opportunity to rectify goal difference issues and just played at half paced 'professional' game management within ourselves. Every time we've trued we've nearly scored....but we've only tried about 6/7 times all night. Should have been 10 if we'd tried. I know I should be happy and yay we've beat the bottom side.....but feels like we lack urgency and killer instinct. Should have been statement win and instead its been a knock about raining match for an hour.

Hey @TRO. First time I've heard that one actually. Not bad. It's an old work nickname, where I used to pick up all the things noone else would .... so pretty accurate!!

Watched Real Madrid vrs Real Majorca in the week. So interesting to see a team who are used to playing against 11 men behind the ball week in, week out, compared to us. Move the ball, high tempo, ball boys chucking the ball on to the thrower asap, no aimless balls tossed into the box by a fulll back who can't cross. Don't get me wrong, I know it's real Madrid etc etc. But it came across as so obvious that they face thus tactic all the time, rhye are used to 70% possession and they are practised as breaking it down. We just look a bit puzzled that teams are no longer pressing the back four and gk. We still seem to think that passing it slowly back and forth across between konsa, cash, konsa, longlet, moreno, longlet, konsa, longlet, konsa......Will find space. Without movement in front or someone like Bailey, Ramsey on form to take someone on....we're a bit stuck. Conclusion.....we need to move quicker, take more risk with the ball and sign lots of 50m+ players.....:-)

Overall reflections on another fruitful 6 hour round trip to the home of football. Midfield and forward line are tired. The lack of movement between the lines l, showing for Carlos and Longlet was the reason for slow.build up play. Too static = too rigid. Now that everyone seems to have stopped pressing us, we need to go back to quick passing, quick moves, quickly transferring. This will take some time to adjust to and a rest to help in terms of energy levels / training ground time. Duran is so raw its a little embarrassing at times, but he is also unpredictable for the opposition too. Walking card, walking event too. We do need to send him out to play 90mins regularly and bring in someone more ready to impact from bench in a positive only way. Ollie, best striker currently in the Premier? All round contribution, leading the line, bringing in others, calmness etc etc. (Haaland being injured or course) Top four is in our hands this year, can't see anyone behind us being consistent enough to overcome the points difference as we will keep winning most games at home. Too many key players off to Asia and African for our rivals that we won't suffer from. I could even see us squeeking into the title race as we go back to 1 game a week until March, rest up in Jan and get key players back....you never know. We miss mings last man pace and brawn on the turn. Longlet, Carlos and Pau will always give away chances in transition. Remember our amazing defence in the second half of last season....mings gives us that ballast and reassurance. Currently, there is no one else who can do that with konsa parked out wide. I think we need to bring him back into cb, drop Carlos, play cash and put up with cash's limitations going forward, in exchange for some clean sheets. Kamara and tielemans are big misses in the midfield box to break the lines with passes. Them being out/back may change my point about tiredness and movement above. Perhaps we just miss their eye for both a run and a pass? Jan....extra depth at rb, gk, cf loans with experience and we could be onto something seismic.... UTV

Thought I'd leave it a while after the result before posting....but still so, so angry. For the first time in my 40 years I felt we were dominating and bossing at OT. Then after 30 mins the arse fell out of our performance and we threw it away. So sloppy, tired, lackadaisical and plain self inflicted wounds. Holes down the sides that they barely broke sweat to exploit, Diego passing Luiz into trouble every time, Watkins and diaby awol and nothing on the bench left to shift momentum. I get we're tired, I get we're 10 years behind the gulf states, I get we're backed up with injuries and suspensions, I get its just 1 game, I get its the first time we've lacked resilience....but I'm just so disappointed. I'm normally a glass half empty type but emery had me dreaming. Please get back to it vrs Burnley. I liked the feeling from before the 23rd.

Is the competition still open for manager of the season....UE 100% WALK IN. So far ahead of all the others. Comparing squad spend, take over position from Gerrard, ffp limitations, big six var fun and historical squad confidence...surely this last 12months is the biggest sporting turnaround in any sport. UE is a god amongst men. Utv

I thought Ramsey was showing signs of getting over his ring rustiness last night. Beginning to drive with the ball again and get into inside left pockets of space ahead of left back in first half. It will come, but only with mins. Going to take some time.