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I'd be very happy getting into the Europa for next season and proving that we can rep in the league and Europe at the same time. It elevates us above many of the other teams struggling to be competitive in both compo's and raises the level of the current squad. Brighton and Newcastle have both struggled massively trying to do what we are currently doing.  Yes the CL would be great but just being in Europe is fantastic in itself. 

Anyway it's not over with a lot more football left to play. WH could win the return against Leverkusen and get coefficient points, Liverpool could beat Atlanta and do the same. Then Arsenal could, if they're on their game beat Bayern and Athletico could come away from Dortmund with at least a draw. Man City may also beat Madrid. If all that happens the picture looks a lot different and brighter. We could also leave Lille next Thursday after booking a place in the Semis. There is plenty to be optimistic about. 

4 minutes ago, WHY said:

I wouldn’t sign this bloke on a free, offers next to nothing. Lacks effort and any sort of positional sense. 

I never understand why people just come into a thread to slaughter players for no reason. Your just a div tbh, its a shame we can't free transfer you over to the SHA forums. 

All things considered it's a really good result any win at this stage in Europe is. We looked really dodgy in the first half but settled much better in the second and deserved the second. I thought Lille run out of gas until they pulled the goal back but I think we've got enough to go there and snatch a goal or two in the return leg. Martinez MOTM pretty easily tbh.

Phew

We've looked terrible at the back, sloppy in midfield and lucky both players at each end of the pitch are on their game. For a side that looked great along the backline earlier in the season we are all over the shop. The defence is staggered with Carlos continually drifting into midfield. The midfield need to get their passing together, especially Teilemanns. McGinn needs to stop running about like a bull in a china shop.

Pretty poor half after the goal. If we don't shape up I can't se us holding onto the lead. Emi can only do so much on his own.  

1 minute ago, Talldarkandransome said:

Well I hope they dont put the AU50 thing there and I thought BK were going 

? It could've been done before the sponsorship deal was sorted idk? 

Not sure if this has been posted already. Can't tell if it's slightly edited as the badge looks misaligned or if it's the crease. 

1 hour ago, Mic09 said:

Maybe.

If we can get a Rogers for 8m, is zaniolo good value for 15m? 

I think so.... We aren't going to pick up players that will slot into the squad continually for 8m, especially if we get CL or even Europa. 15m, if it's that could become a pittance if he gets a summer to settle, a full pre season and get's back to where he was. 

1 minute ago, Tom13 said:

Oh I agree. But if I was manager of a team who needed a 6 and an 8 in equal measures, I'd fill the 6 spot with Kamara. Best way of explaining it I guess. Or in FM terms, IMO Kamara would have a higher CA/PA than Dougie. But that's just my view.

We've all got our favs and 100% Dougie is mine in this squad, but yeah Kamara is a much better DM. Dougie I'd argue isn't really a DM anyway, he's just played there for a period of his time with us. If anything this season proves we probably wasted him in that role at times until Kamara arrived, he's 100% an 8 and our best at that particular role. So I guess we agree overall. 

52 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

Kamara is better, I agree. Kamara is different class. McGinn better than Dougie though? Not for me.

Kamara is a better 6 because he's more defensively aware and better screening the back 4, but Dougie is just an all round better player in the opponents half. They're both great at what they both specialise in which are 2 completely different roles. 

1 minute ago, Pinebro said:

This is fine but we are still allowed to call out an unnecesarry capitulation at home against Brentford when we are 2 goals up.

What's done is now done.... Nobody would've been happy at the time, but I suggest people get over it and move on. Shit happens, it's not the end of the world and our season hasn't been defined by Saturdays result. 

2 minutes ago, Adam2003 said:

100% for me - you just can’t argue with those numbers. It’s been a step up from him from what was already a high base.

I agree. I think he's become much more clinical this season. Very seldom does he miss sitters, always a willing runner and holds the ball much better than previously. 

I watched him early in the game yesterday and his first touch wasn't great for the first 20 but after that he hardly put a foot wrong. Everything stuck, he brought others continually into the game through the transition and was positionally where he needed to be when the final balls came into the box to earn his goals. He's been like this for a good few months now. Yeah he had a blip earlier in the season but nowhere near previous years. He's becoming Mr Clinical.  

I still think he needs to work on that first touch with his back to goal but I don't think anyone could argue how good he is at the moment. He's been fantastic. 

Playing like a lad who doesn't want to give Safegate any excuses for leaving him out of the Euro squad. He's been very consistent the last couple of months considering we as a team aren't very consistent at the moment. I'm thinking he's now ahead of Bailey and Luiz for POTS. The latter 2 have struggled of late, but I think that is probably down to being exposed. Leon through isolation of a natural RB and Dougie playing deeper and being smothered in the middle. Either way, thank the Lord Ollie hasn't let it affect his own game. He's been fantastic overall.

2 hours ago, onmeedson said:

Brentford came with a game plan and doubled up on bailey because the whole world knows he will cut inside every time. He has to learn to go past players on his right and cut a ball in to mix his game up, once they had our main attacking threat in hand they grew in confidence. The slow approach by us with the ball  takes away the amount of attacks we launch in a game and then we are up against a full defence who have the advantage of numbers back in a formation. We have to mix our game up now and then or the opposition can plan to nullify it. We do suffer from a rabbits in the headlights when the opposition go all out with guns blazing.  Leadership qualities are lacking in most of our senior players.

I think there is more to it than that in the sense that the space isn't being created. IMO the main issue is not having the overlap from the RB position to create the space with Konsa. If Cash is playing he creates an overlap far more often for Leon and gives him an opportunity to find an advantage or more space without being smothered.

This is on Emery tbh playing the inverted wide player. Otherwise you could get players playing on their natural sides in which case they can whip the ball in with their natural foot rather that expecting them to do it with their weaker foot. The problem is the RB position not creating or helping to take the defenders away, instead allowing them to double up.  

10 minutes ago, alreadyexists said:

I thought posh people said “Lavatory”? 

Posh Cockney word that.... Lav a tory.  '

30 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

Dunno about that, McGinn's had plenty of criticism for that red

Not really. IIRC there were arguments for a good few days over how harsh it was on him. The fans even cheered him off the pitch at the time. I'm sure Dougie wouldn't have had that. He get's pelters for seeing Lehman after games if he's made a mistake like that's the problem.  

Anyway I'm not trying to be negative on McGinn just highlight the fact Dougie has carried this team much of the season yet gets more criticism than others. 

I think he's had some unwarranted stick recently, regardless of the slight drop off in form. If it had been him getting sent off instead of McGinn the other week he'd still be getting all the stick imo. Meanwhile McGinn get's lauded as 'Super'. People shouldn't forget how good Dougie's been this season. He's weighed in with a very good portion of goals, assists and has carried the midfield an awful lot of times, especially in the absence of Kamara and the last few weeks with McGinn. Timmy didn't give him much of an outlet either last night which is why our midfield got overran. I think he's been in the main fantastic this season. Played more than anyone else in the squad other than probably Ollie too, that says everything about the lad.  

The stat that we'd played more injury time than any other team this season, what was it.... something like an additional 3 games if you add it all together. Dougie has dragged this team through much of that.

4 minutes ago, Leeroy said:

No it isn’t. It was a cowardly selection IMO and I’m a Villa fan. He essentially picked a team that didn’t have a hope in hell of getting a result at City, of course Arsenal fans will be pissed off. Maybe you’ve had a few too many sherbets so can’t see it.

I don't drink, too busy looking after myself . You crack on though calling the manager a coward.

3 minutes ago, Leeroy said:

Not wrong.

Don't embarrass yourself dude. Chill out

I don't blame Emery or the players for tonight. As I've said previously we could've put out our strongest side had everyone been fit and still got turned over convincingly. 

I think Unai went for a more physical set up realising we wouldn't be able keep City off us for the 90 mins. Tim, Zaniolo, Duran and Rodgers have all had minimum game time so would probably never had the legs to last the full 90 mins anyway. Then there is Saturday, had Unai had Bailey, Pau, Tielemans on from the start tonight and we'd still got done then people would have said he should've been smarter considering Brentford the weekend. Dammed if he does, dammed if he don't. 

I think all things considered the ball is still in our court with the points already on the board. We've just got to make sure that tonight blip is just a blip. 

Finally I think supporters need to lighten up. With the injuries we've had where we are is fantastic, so support the manager, the players and be real fans. If we end up just missing out on the CL so what, we'll be back in Europe next season with hopefully a much stronger squad and still a great manager at the helm. UTV