ChesterDad

7 hours ago, est1874 said:

I can't understand the hate for Gabby.

We're not blessed with former players who give a shit about the club. Even some of the class of '82, legends though they are, haven't followed the club since. (Yes they did way more for us on the pitch than Gabby, of course - am obviously not suggesting otherwise, before anyone jumps down me gullet).

Among others, when we've got the likes of Keown, Townsend, Merson, Barry, Dunne - most of them former captains of the club - working in the media without displaying a shred of affinity for the club, we need more Agbonlahors.

Did he waste his career and steal a living from us for a couple of years? Sure. Along with probably 70% of former players from the year 2000 onwards. I don't blame the man for drawing a wage, and he still popped up on a couple of big occasions when we needed it - which people are quick to forget.

He cares about the club, so I've no issue with him being involved in these types of things. 

Agree the Peaky Blinders music and Gabby's flat cap probably belong elsewhere, but otherwise enjoyed this.

Gobby cares about the club? Sadly I have a very different view of a man that went awol  in our time of need and proceeded to turn up twice a year and dine out on it.

Will never be a Villa legend in my eyes - can’t wait for Ollie to become our record goal scorer, then we can hopefully stop bringing up his name 

21 minutes ago, useless said:

Duran is one of the best young strikers in the world and is much better suited as striker to our system than Archer. Archer isn't as good as Duran, but can still have a decent career at a decent level.

Is he ? Or are we talking potential ? I would like him to stay and see how he develops - but I honestly don’t think I would call him one of the best young strikers in the world., surely if this were the case, he would be getting more minutes ? Agree that Archer can have a decent career too

I just don’t see us offering him enough game time. Sure he would be an addition to the squad - but Emi/Bouba will have something to say about minutes on the pitch 

11 hours ago, MWARLEY2 said:

I don't see him slowing it down much any more.. and when he does thats the tactics Emery wants. He beats players many times, plays great passes after moving inside and has been a huge goal threat.  I think he can get even better as well .  Without dissing Cash too much if we can get an elite rb then it will really help Bailey.  

Think we must agree to disagree

On 13/05/2024 at 23:21, Tom13 said:

Tielemans and Kamara are

I agree - Bailey has done well this season. I don’t enjoy the way that he slows down the game at times, and is reluctant to take his man on.

But a very good season nonetheless - but player of the year is not for me.

54 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

The place has gone mad. 
 

Of course there’s always a chance, but if people are really looking forward to an easier route because they think we could actually win the champions league rather than looking forward to actually being in the competition then you’re getting ahead of yourselves.  
 

It might be another 40 years until we’re in the competition again. I hope it isn’t, but it might be. I want it to be memorable, I don’t want to draw the shit teams because we might get a bit further. 
 

If we manage to consistently be on the competition then it changes. But for now I’m savouring taking on the best teams in the world. I don’t really care about avoiding them because it would make our “route to the final” easier.

Not entirely sure you are right about this, but I can see a little bit of merit in what you say.

However I’ll take a fluke right through to the  final

5 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Please tell me I'm not the only one who read this too quickly and had to do a double take

Your a bad man JV

4 hours ago, foreveryoung said:

I see nothing in that Video that a professional footballer should not be doing.

I reckon with a bit of editing and a tight music track, I could be made to look like that. 20 years ago ofcourse 

But he should be our professional footballer - doing this for us.

Should still be a villan imo - would be a good addition to have for the CL

1 minute ago, MWARLEY2 said:

Disjointed. Thats how i would sum up the home and away legs.  First leg we folded under pressure. 2nd leg we played better but not how we needed to. The passing seemed to be at a pace that said we needed one goal not 3.  Its something that has really annoyed me in Europe. We  are down to the bare bones and those barebones are knackered and devoid of creativity.  I feel that if Emery has a no excuse culture then he cannot be absolved of blame for tactics that didnt work  . A real shame to miss out on winning something. 

I think you make a lot some very valid points - but equally we had zero good fortune over the two legs imo 

6 minutes ago, AndyM3000 said:

We had to score goals today and we played Cash RW. Subs should have been made at HT. 

 

I’m sorry but come on ? Cash has played there before right ? He is not a stranger to the role.

And what subs could realistically have been made? Whilst we enjoy the maverick who is Duran - he is still very wet behind the ears.

Look for whatever reason - they had our number of these two legs.

I don’t believe they are a better team than us and given the opportunity to go against them - I believe we would overcome them next time.

But I give them credit and wish them well.

Hopefully this defeat will put the fire back in our bellies and allow us to claim the 4th spot that we fully deserve.

Given our injuries - just to be having this conversation is truly remarkable imo.

The guy is truly a footballing genius and we should pay him full homage for what he is doing.

Big Ron has always been my favourite manager, and yes I saw 81/82 - but Unai is surpassing Big Ron in almost every aspect.

Whisper this - We’re so lucky he’s ours !

On 06/05/2024 at 15:41, thabucks said:

It’s about time this beauty of a shirt was reinvented… 

I loved this shirt

3 minutes ago, allani said:

Exactly.  Plus we're still in a position where we are more suceptible of becoming unbalanced due to one or two injuries.  Losing Kamara, Tielemans, Ramsey, Buendia and arguably Zaniolo has left us with a very lop-sided midfield.  When you consider that we've also had a period when all four CBs have been injured it does seem like the injuries have concentrated in specific areas of the pitch at the same time.

Tbh - I forgot about Youri - another massive blow. Thanks

6 hours ago, Stevo985 said:

I said he was one of two players who were "anywhere near good enough"

I didn't say he played well.

Fair one

3 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

He wasn't amazing but he was the best of a bad bunch.

Him and Watkins were the only players I thought were anywhere near good enough. Everyone else was shit

It’s funny how we see things differently - goal aside, I don’t think Olly played well either ?

2 hours ago, Stevo985 said:

Yeah he was my MOTM. Not that it was a particularly high bar

Not for me either tbh - however you are right, the bar was very low 

8 hours ago, Chicken Field said:

Emery has done incredible work with this squad, sadly there is a limit to how much he can affect their mentality, too many of our players seem to crumble in big occasions, ecpecially at home when the fans are excited and loud - Chelsea, Brentford and Sheffield United pop to mind.

 

I agree with you - It’s got to the stage now, that I know when we are going to perform and not perform after a few minutes of play. I don’t know why, but you can just see it.

We have to remember that many of our lads, have not been through an occasion like last night - You can’t just become an experienced player, you have to earn this mantle through a number of seasons/experiences.

Look for me, when we are good, we are actually very good, but equally when we are flat - we look ordinary and for me, this is a mentality issue - which comes with experience.

An on form Villa - can easily win 0-2 over there and take it into extra time, an on form Villa could even go there and 0-3.

It really does depend on which Villa show up next Thursday - but we go there now, with the pressure off, everyone will be happy to write us off, but if we take it to extra time in the words of Ron “ are you going to bet against us “ 

1 minute ago, villa89 said:

And do what then? Players as good as him aren't widely available. Who do you replace him with that will be an upgrade?

You don't improve by selling one of your best players who still has plenty of good years ahead of him. 

Exactly this - him and Kamara will be cornerstones of anything we achieve going forward 

3 minutes ago, LondonLax said:

The Kamara injury has cost us points this season. 

You are so right - some seem to be forgetting just how important he is to us, Dougie is trying his best to cover the loss of Kamara - We need to get right behind him 

Look he has not been great for a while, but the stick he gets is totally unfair - he is integral to us, and we will need his experience in the 2nd leg. We have another player totally under performing for a while - yet gets a free pass??

I rate Dougie highly  and we will need him, in the coming games ahead.

21 minutes ago, wishywashy said:

The hell happened to him?

Shadow of his former self, very schoolboy errors and and he's been picking fights with opposition players non-stop as of late.

No excuse for having arms up like superman in your own box

That’s very harsh - it’s difficult to jump without your arms giving leverage - never been a fan of ball to hand either

23 hours ago, the_eristic said:

Has to do better with the late chance, think he's gotten into his own head a bit after not scoring last week.

I agree - that was the Ollie of old, snatching at the ball, however I think that he was having an off night and not the best of service -  I feel that if the same chance fell to him in the Bournemouth game, he probably scores, due to his confidence being high.

Csnt be too harsh though - he has been very good recently  

59 minutes ago, villanmac said:

Spurs are so limited. It's just  a front 3 of pure pace where the tactic is for the wide forward to get a yard and to put it across the box for the opposite wide forward to tap in at the back post, which with Werner and Brennan Johnson is annoyingly successful considering how limited they are as footballers. A bionic man CB to breeze past he opposition breakaways covering up how shit they are defensively (convinced he's not a got good defender) and enough athletes across the pitch to press the opposition into submission. Saying that, that style vrs Chelsea would make it very 50/50, both sides will go for it, it will be mayhem and basically be who takes their chances imo. 

I don’t see the spuds beating Chelsea - I think ( and hope this is a draw at worst ) We are inching ever so close to that 4th spot