ChicagoVillan1983

What a complete load of rocket polishers you all are. Total and complete overreaction - you sound like whining Spurs fans.

It was clear that the players that came in were not anywhere near as good as our first choice for the city game. I'm still enraged at Kamara/ Emi for that stupid sending off. I seriously believe the Sheffield game we win with him in the side.

Pau/ Tielimans were massive misses too. 
 

Yeah it's frustrating - but to be saying we're back to old Villa after a couple of bad games when our first choice 11 is depleted is a bunch of nonsense. Somebody needs to knock your heads together...

Unai didn't have much to work with to change it up when things weren't working.

It's more annoying because we looked so good for the first 25 minutes and then just sat back. But holy heck - to those of you saying we're back to old Villa given where we are in the table, well, you're idiots.

24 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said:

Only just realised the stupid kick off time for a boxing day match.

*perfect kick off time - it's at 2pm in Chicago!

5 hours ago, The_Steve said:

One bad result on an incredible run of results and some people think we won’t finish top 4. Really typical overreactions. 

And it wasn't even that bad. A point is underperforming but not the end of the world.

6 minutes ago, pete101 said:

Moreno or Digne ?

Digne all day. Despite the goal I thought Moreno's football brain was nowhere near where it was before he went out injured. 

Just now, Aston_Villan4 said:

So personal responsibility doesn’t matter to you, essentially? It was Kamara’s mistake and his alone.

Kamara was an idiot. 100%. But expect senior members of the squad to calm a game like this down, not fan the flames like Emi did.

Once things pop off, any type of stupidity can happen in the melee. But the melee is caused by Emi.

1 minute ago, Aston_Villan4 said:

Nonsense. Kamara chose to grab the players neck and shove him instead of letting it alone. You can’t put that on Emi regardless of how stupid Emi was being.

I can and I will. He started the situation which escalated fast. If he just moves past and doesn't try and get the mental win over Maupay that whole clown show doesn't happen.

Won my second bet in a row. Rolling the winnings into every game until I lose for the rest of December.

Started with $50, and up to $364 now.

Most of the time I love his antics - but he got Kamara sent off today with all that nonsense. Has to know when to pipe down and just let one go. As it stands we've lost Kamara for 3 games, and it wouldn't shock me if there is more punishment to come when they review the game for himself.

Just now, rjw63 said:

Kamara straight red, is it? Was it? Worth an appeal?

Haven't seen it yet.

Nah - that'll stick. Pushed the guy in the face.

Needed the Mee stupidity. They were incredibly well organized and were always going to sit back and defend deep after going one up.

Pleased with the result. Moreno and Ramsey looked physically fit, but not mentally in the game to me.

19 hours ago, Don_Simon said:

Elaborate please.

Unai mentality is just keep winning the next game. So every game is a cup final. Beat the next team in front of you, don't think about CL or the title.

Biggest game of the season Sunday.

Season ends Sunday.

That's the only mentality we need.

2 hours ago, sne said:

Come on Bowlero!

"Bowlero Corporation (formerly Bowlmor AMF) is the largest owner and operator of bowling centers in the world, with over 300 locations, including seven locations in Mexico and two in Canada"

https://www.atairos.com/partner-companies/bowlero/

My kid had her birthday party at one!

Job done. Asking Unai to motivate players in a game like this is always a hard task. We got the result we needed and that's all that really matters. I don't really take too much else from it - we rested some legs and avoided injuries and made the last 16. Anyone wanting any more than that isn't understanding how you're supposed to manage a Europe-playing squad through an entire season. In games that barely matter you take as little risk as possible - with risk in this context meaning not taking points at Brentford.

On 11/12/2023 at 21:53, Powehi said:

My favourite Villa player right now and on track to becoming my favourite Villa player since I started supporting the club.

He's the kind of player that if he's on your team you love him to death, and if you're playing against him you couldn't hate him more. Perfect!

1 hour ago, MaVilla said:

Martial?

Are they putting stuff in your food mate?

The guy has been a super turd, in a team of turds, he's captain turd, Master and Turdmander, Captain Francais - the Turd Avenger.

He needs flushing down the toilet, not coming on loan to ruin the Villa.

Buy a turd.

Give him to Unai

Polish it 

55 minutes ago, Thats2 said:

David might be a bit too high profile for a January move, but I think we should be looking at this type of player. Someone with a good reputation who's lost his form. Maybe we can find a January bargain. Given what Unai has done for the players he inherited, I have full faith he can bring out the best in a talented but out-of-form player. 

Team 100% strikes me as value guys. I say take fliers on players in a bad patch - it's clear that Unai can turn anyone around.

Look how bad Tielemans look for Leicester last year.

55 minutes ago, fightoffyour said:

Is that really how belief works, or just what they're saying to remain realistic and keep the fans grounded?

Because I would have rather thought that many sportspeople are rather elevated by belief and carried by that momentum to reach higher levels.

And I'd be looking at that fixture list thinking if we get a result at Brentford, especially if it's a win, we've got a great chance of going top of the league (albeit perhaps only briefly) on Friday 22nd. Then I'd be thinking another result at Old Trafford and we have a good chance of starting the year top as well.

And then I'd be looking at the schedule up to April and thinking we could even pull ahead of the pack here. And if we could do that, we'd then have the extra belief to go into those next games against our rivals and a tough last two months of the season in a great position and dull of confidence.

 

Put differently, the underdog mentality is exceptionally motivating. Sitting on the top and looking down is much harder.

Keegan Newcastle is my best example.

Even saw it live on Sunday - early goals against an opponent you see as better than you then it is much harder to manage the mentality than a last minute grab.

We talk about his tactics and style of play and coaching ability, but the way he has changed the psychology at VP may be his most unsung achievement.

Emery and McGinn know this better than anyone. The more you start to believe, the harder it becomes to do it.

Play it game by game, and take a look again in April.

1 hour ago, nick76 said:

I’m sorry but if Watkins was out for a duration would you want any of them (ours) to be the regular striker? No.  Would you be happy to play Gakpo? Without doubt.  For me anything else is being disingenuous.

If Watkins goes down, then it'll be 50mm plus to have someone anywhere near as good.

So, yes I'd be fine with it. Strikers in January is the premium of the premium pricing. Just don't see that's the kind of long-term-oriented move that we'd make.

You end up buying a Heskey-type on high wages at a reasonable price point.

48 minutes ago, duke313 said:

Moreno should start IMO, need to give him at least 45 mins though for Sunday.

Maybe start him knowing Digne is easy to bring on. Just trying to balance out him getting minutes vs. him being able to play a full game against Brentford.

But agree he needs 45.

1 minute ago, skarroki said:

Marschall

Cash Carlos Lenglet Moreno

Tielemans Iroegbunam Luiz Ramsey

Zaniolo Duran

 

Happy to give Dendonker a run out or Chambers but think realistically it's best to give Kamara, Watkins, Martinez, Konsa and Torres a rest. Luiz suspended for Brentford so gets his rest at the weekend.

Good chance to put Iroegbunam back in the shop window if we want to loan him out, if he can't get near the side for these kind of games we probably need to cut our losses and sell. 

Be good to give Diaby a start too but not sure if he's nursing something seeing as he's struggling so badly for form. 

I think Olsen is out based on the weekend bench but happy for him to play if he's not injured. 

Digne/ Luiz are auto starts for me given they miss out at the weekend.

As much as I wish we could rest the whole first team, finishing top has to be the highest priority so we can forget about the competition for a while and not have another game next year.

Really difficult to balance things out here.

Had a bit of time to think about the match. We definitely took more out of that game than we deserved, but that's how it goes in football.

I don't take anything too much from the way we played - the City game took a lot out of them and Arsenal had an extra day on us.

Really glad to have won it, and would have been equally happy with a draw.

But Arsenal weren't clinical and wasted a lot of great chances. That said - we also had several chances to get the second. It's not like we just parked the bus.

The handball rule is a stupid rule and I think most neutral fans would agree that should be a goal - but you have to follow the rules. Diego was also really lucky to not get a red for that.

The only thing that could have gone better today is if he had said "Good Ebening" instead of "Good Evening" and then burst out laughing in the post match conference.