Team shape, tactics and personnel

[DakotaVilla]

It may not work for you but it clearly worked for Emery and I suspect he knows more about football than all of us will ever know in our lifetimes combined.

Edited April 4 by DakotaVilla

[lexicon]

11 minutes ago, VillanousOne said:

It's a narrative that makes us feel better, not sure it's really one that works. 

Quite simply, we'll find out later in the wider context of the season. Emery's picking his battles to win the war, as it were. 

[Pinebro]

14 minutes ago, VillanousOne said:

It's a narrative that makes us feel better, not sure it's really one that works. 

Ok.

We can always follow MON's strategy and play our strongest eleven every game and burn out

I'll take short term pain for long term gain thank you.

Edited April 4 by Pinebro

[Wainy316]

Right decision I think and I'd rather go for it against Brentford and Lille than Arsenal.

I guess it does raise the pressure to win a bit in the games we save the players for though.

[VillanousOne]

4 hours ago, Pinebro said:

Ok.

We can always follow MON's strategy and play our strongest eleven every game and burn out

I'll take short term pain for long term gain thank you.

MON's strategy was to rest players in Europe and go after the Champion's League place, so a reverse Unai in this case. What is more important now? The league or the Euro Conf League competition? No idea. Those 3 points dropped could haunt us if we don't qualify.

and you're welcome.
 

I would rather Unai rested Doug who has played too many games, looks burnt out and walking a disciplinary tight rope.

It's horrible to lose to those plastic cheats, particularly since we beat them before and their defence are rubbish this season, a draw was possible in my opinion. But I trust Unai, but until we know this strategy pays off i'm not going to pretend it's fine as we won't know till later.

Edited April 4 by VillanousOne

[Made In Aston]

1 hour ago, VillanousOne said:

MON's strategy was to rest players in Europe and go after the Champion's League place, so a reverse Unai in this case. What is more important now? The league or the Euro Conf League competition? No idea. Those 3 points dropped could haunt us if we don't qualify.

Yes three points dropped against the same man city which has only lost one at home in 67 games

[Tom13]

8 hours ago, Pinebro said:

Was very sensible to do what he did last night.

People won't like to hear it but we were very likely to lose regardless if Bailey and Pau started.

It was a free hit and an ideal game to rest some players.

Have to prioritize Brentford.

That's the spirit that's got us top four!

[wilko154]

I understand why Emery did it last night, and agree that we would most likely have lost the game regardless however the lack of intent to at least try and win the game was disappointing for me. Maybe it annoys me more as I travelled, if I hadn't I could have switched off and not given it much thought.

I actually think the resting argument is largely nonsense, the team are off the back of an international break. They've played one game in three weeks. Torres and Bailey didn't even go away with their national teams.

What's done is done though, lets hope that a fresh side with a returning McGinn and Watkins can push on the remainder of the season now.

[VillanousOne]

Just now, wilko154 said:

I understand why Emery did it last night, and agree that we would most likely have lost the game regardless however the lack of intent to at least try and win the game was disappointing for me. Maybe it annoys me more as I travelled, if I hadn't I could have switched off and not given it much thought.

I actually think the resting argument is largely nonsense, the team are off the back of an international break. They've played one game in three weeks. Torres and Bailey didn't even go away with their national teams.

What's done is done though, lets hope that a fresh side with a returning McGinn and Watkins can push on the remainder of the season now.

Careful you'll get dog's abuse for expressing an opinion like this

[Pinebro]

Beat Brentford and the decisions against Man City will be looked upon as a master stroke

[Tom13]

28 minutes ago, Pinebro said:

Beat Brentford and the decisions against Man City will be looked upon as a master stroke

Not really, could have taken 4-6 points from the two games.

[Captain_Townsend]

2 minutes ago, Tom13 said:

Not really, could have taken 4-6 points from the two games.

Yeah, he's proper crap isn't he 

Edited April 5 by Captain_Townsend

[Stevo985]

1 hour ago, Tom13 said:

Not really, could have taken 4-6 points from the two games.

Or could just as easily have taken zero if we picked up another couple of injuries from playing our full team in a game we'd probably lose anyway meaning we were depleted and knackered for Brentford

[beasley14]

4 hours ago, sharkyvilla said:

Yeah if we get wins against Brentford and Lille by being able to put our first choice team out and Utd drop more points against Liverpool then it just further highlights Unai's genius decision making.

There's always a risk involved but they are calculated without the benefit of hindsight.  We've got to do the job now.

[duke313]

14 hours ago, wilko154 said:

I understand why Emery did it last night, and agree that we would most likely have lost the game regardless however the lack of intent to at least try and win the game was disappointing for me. Maybe it annoys me more as I travelled, if I hadn't I could have switched off and not given it much thought.

I actually think the resting argument is largely nonsense, the team are off the back of an international break. They've played one game in three weeks. Torres and Bailey didn't even go away with their national teams.

What's done is done though, lets hope that a fresh side with a returning McGinn and Watkins can push on the remainder of the season now.

Wasn't just about resting players, it was about giving others minutes for the run in as they will be needed.  Duran, Tim, Zaniolo all got significant minutes under their belt.

[Mantis]

3 hours ago, Tom13 said:

Not really, could have taken 4-6 points from the two games.

Even under the very best of circumstances (a completely fit, full squad) we'd struggle against City away, as indeed most teams do. The simple fact is that we gained more for the next two games by resting some key players/giving them less minutes than what we lost for the City game. Even if Tielemans, Bailey and Torres had started, our chances of winning or getting a draw would've only been marginally better, while ensuring that our chances against Brentofrd and Lille took a much bigger hit.

Now of course we could still lose those upcoming games, but on balance it was clearly the right thing to do. Emery knows what he's doing.

Edited April 5 by Mantis

[Tom13]

24 minutes ago, Mantis said:

Even under the very best of circumstances (a completely fit, full squad) we'd struggle against City away, as indeed most teams do. The simple fact is that we gained more for the next two games by resting some key players/giving them less minutes than what we lost for the City game. Even if Tielemans, Bailey and Torres had started, our chances of winning or getting a draw would've only been marginally better, while ensuring that our chances against Brentofrd and Lille took a much bigger hit.

Now of course we could still lose those upcoming games, but on balance it was clearly the right thing to do. Emery knows what he's doing.

Oh I don't doubt that he does. It's just hard for me to compute as I believe every game is winnable.

But, our injury/suspension issues have been insane, so I am starting to get it.

[TRO]

17 hours ago, wilko154 said:

I understand why Emery did it last night, and agree that we would most likely have lost the game regardless however the lack of intent to at least try and win the game was disappointing for me. Maybe it annoys me more as I travelled, if I hadn't I could have switched off and not given it much thought.

I actually think the resting argument is largely nonsense, the team are off the back of an international break. They've played one game in three weeks. Torres and Bailey didn't even go away with their national teams.

What's done is done though, lets hope that a fresh side with a returning McGinn and Watkins can push on the remainder of the season now.

I can also see the rationale, by his decision.....fortunately, I didn't travel, but feel sorry for the souls that did.

I am reluctant to get in to making comments on player fitness, because, I have no experience in that area, so feel obliged to swerve it.

However, Lascelles said recently after a game, I could play another 90 minutes, such is my fitness......maybe because, he hasn't played much, I don't know.

Some things are hard to contest.....so I will just accept the situation, with limited knowledge.

 

 

[KentVillan]

11 minutes ago, TRO said:

However, Lascelles said recently after a game, I could play another 90 minutes, such is my fitness......maybe because, he hasn't played much, I don't know.

Players aren’t always the best judges of what they’re capable of. To be an elite footballer you need supreme confidence in your own ability and fitness.

Player burnout is a real thing - it’s why injuries accumulate towards the back end of the season, get worse in the busy periods, and why sides competing for the Champions League need very deep squads (basically two first teams).

Of course there are some exceptions, players who can handle an extreme workload of 50+ games a season without injuries or drops in form, but they aren’t the norm, even at the top level.

I think Emery calculated rightly that the cost of facing Brentford with a weakened side was bigger than the cost of resting a few players away at City.

It makes sense to me, but we’ll only know for certain in the coming weeks.

I also don’t buy the argument someone else made about international break being time off for the players. Most of our first team players travelled and played I think?

[TRO]

28 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

Players aren’t always the best judges of what they’re capable of. To be an elite footballer you need supreme confidence in your own ability and fitness.

Player burnout is a real thing - it’s why injuries accumulate towards the back end of the season, get worse in the busy periods, and why sides competing for the Champions League need very deep squads (basically two first teams).

Of course there are some exceptions, players who can handle an extreme workload of 50+ games a season without injuries or drops in form, but they aren’t the norm, even at the top level.

I think Emery calculated rightly that the cost of facing Brentford with a weakened side was bigger than the cost of resting a few players away at City.

It makes sense to me, but we’ll only know for certain in the coming weeks.

I also don’t buy the argument someone else made about international break being time off for the players. Most of our first team players travelled and played I think?

I sit and watch the games and have done for many years....so I am well aware of what I understand and what I don't.

In terms of behind the scenes....I know nothing, so am reluctant to comment too much....Fitness, is certainly and area, I have to avoid, for lack of knowledge.

I am happy to be satisfied, with what Unai and his team, does on that subject.

I don't think unai would jeopardise any game, unless he felt it was necessary, that his judgment call....That is the elite manager he is.

I