Rightdm00

To be honest we deserved that goal. We missed two clear cut chances earlier in the half. Let's hope ManU figure out a way to turnover City so we can get some revenge.

Oh man they can't get Trez off the pitch . I counted at least 100 head rubs and at least 400 back slaps.

Hand up that was me. For the most part I have always seen 3 in the back as a negative formation. This is what changed it for me. Mings and Konsa are so comfortable on the ball. They easily make up for a lack of that 3rd midfielder. Especially if that 3rd midfielder is going to be Lansbury or Hourihane.

Trent Alexander-Arnold moved from the wing to fullback. Pretty sure Targett was a winger as a youth as well. That seems to be the trend and I'm all for it. I'm I'm going to play 3 at the back I would rather my fullback have a nice set of offensive skills rather than be a defensive stalwart.

It was a great quote. Also, Dean has Bruce figured out. Hasn't lost to him yet. Long may it continue.

It's just people bias showing. If you think Dean is a poor coach then you turn that comment into something negative. If you work at a job where your boss is not open to comments or suggestions from his subordinates then that sucks. You should find a new job.

Villa Trivia Right or wrong the answer is always Jack Grealish.

Are we really arguing that strength isn't an integral part of excelling in a contact sport? The biggest difference in Jack's game between now and 4 years ago is that he is strong enough to ride the challenges of prem level defenders. Another example, Aaron Connolly, the 19 year old striker from Brighton, got bullied by Mings all game. It was almost comical how easily Mings would ease him off the ball. You can go down the list of technically excellent players who truly didn't become stars until they physically developed enough to deal with getting clattered by grown men 90 minutes every week. As far as Louie Barry goes, he is a stick. Which most 16 year olds are. Imagine him getting clattered by Mings once or twice. We wouldn't see him again for weeks.

Wolves could easily get the winner here. Liverpool look out of ideas.

Was looking for the xG thread a couple weeks back for some reason. Didn't realize it was hiding out here. xG is a tool nothing more. Funnily enough our xG has gotten worst since our switch to 3 in the back. We are allowing far less shots but now they are of much more efficient quality.

Just to second your point. With Luiz/Nakamba starting we took the lead versus Burnley and Leicester in the first half then held on for dear life in the 2nd. That really isn't sustainable. 3 games into Drinkwater starting and we had 65% of the possession versus Watford. We definitely score more than 2 goals if we have an actual striker in the lineup. Drinkwater has his faults but having options off the bench to change the game is something that Dean has been lacking all season.

We will obviously tell them to stuff it. They need something though. They don't finish top half without Rashford.

That's fair I can leave it there. As a wide defender myself I always hated it when the CBs expected me to pick up the huge CF while they did **** all trotting around the penalty spot marking empty space. Just felt the need to defend my boy Guilbert their for a sec.

ManU lose this and we may hear about a 70 million pound panic bid for Jack. They look that ineffective in the final third.

Hause gets cutout by the threw ball. Ming's comes over to cover. Konsa ends up marking no one. As a CB he should be marking him. If you expect Fred to come that far center then that leaves a whole half of the field open. Plus, expecting your WB who is 2 inches smaller and 30# lighter to out jump Deeney seems like a match up you would try to avoid.

Weren't we somewhere around there when MON abandoned us. Definitely unsustainable.

Mings has all of ~20 appearances as a top flight CB. Seems a harsh standard you are holding him to.

Exactly, what's the point of having 3 CBs (all 6' or above) on the pitch and then leave it up to your 5'10 WB to mark a 6' CF. Fred maybe could have done a little more to put off Deeney's run but that's Konsa's man all the way.

Yep, rewind/pause and all that. I know in the UK it's not nearly as easy to watch your local squad. We get the same pain over here for other sports. For example I pay $250 for all of the NBA games but can't watch my local team unless I'm about 100 miles from my Washington DC. It's dumb all the way around.

NBC gold for the Premier League is just an American thing. It would work with a VPN. This is the first year I paid for it since Villa is back in the Prem. $65 for every premier league game.

Just re-read the rule. As you mentioned if it's a promising attack thwarted then it's a yellow. I guess the ref didn't see it as a promising attack. He did knock quite a way forward. The argument could be made Reina gets to that ball well before Deulofeu. Being that Mings's hands were in a natural position and it looked like ball to hand. The ref could have just waved play on. But if he blows the whistle then he probably should give the yellow card.

All hand ball are yellow's now? That can't be the rule. Ball to hand is still at the refs discretion unless it results in nullifying or creating a goal. At least that is how I understand the rule.

On that same note Bruce coming to the Prem was a God send for Dean. Since 2017 Dean has never lost to Bruce. 3W 2D. Both of the draws happened at Villa Park while Bruce was in charge. Probably good money to bet on a draw for the away Newcastle fixture.

That's where I'm at. He's a stopgap til Mcginn makes his comeback.

Susso and Dean have done it again. Mings last year and now Reina. Lost count how many times he retained possession out of the back where a lesser keeper would have hoofed it.