nick76 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 58 minutes ago, villa4europe said: The Chelsea game wasn't on the fans The atmosphere vs Newcastle was piss poor though Will be interesting to see what the nerves are like vs utd, got a feeling we're going to be our own worst enemy but one of emery's biggest strengths imo has been this team is nowhere near as nervous as it's fanbase Our nerves are based on years and decades of false dawns and while we all know this is different under Emery and the owners, that history though is deeply engrained into our fabric and hard for us to shake off. We’ll get better over time, just like we did over the way we play slowly at the back and draw teams in, it took a bit of time for fans get on board with that but now most fans get that and in fact enjoy it because they’ve seen the results over 18 months from it. The nervousness of the club falling away will just take a bit more time. After a few more years of Emery, I’m sure this thread will be full of comments about fans being too entitled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 On 01/02/2024 at 02:21, smg said: I have said this before the Villa crowd is Reactive NOT Proactive, loud when things on the pitch are good silent when they are not. This is not good for the players. The crowd has a huge role to play in getting the team going at difficult times in the game. 99% of all crowds all the time On 01/02/2024 at 02:21, smg said: The crowd at Anfield is a good example of how this works. Don't make me laugh. Have you ever been? Awful atmosphere. Really poor. Yeah sure, Champions League semi final it might be good. Most grounds are for the big games, including Villa Park. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smg Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 41 minutes ago, Tomaszk said: 99% of all crowds all the time Don't make me laugh. Have you ever been? Awful atmosphere. Really poor. Yeah sure, Champions League semi final it might be good. Most grounds are for the big games, including Villa Park. Yes numerous times and you are welcome to your opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 18 hours ago, nick76 said: I have to agree for once, the atmosphere was poor last night, myself included. We started ok with quite a few chants in the Holte but quickly faded. I’m a season ticket holder in an area where I recognise everybody even if I don’t know the people personally and last night 80-90% of the regulars weren’t there and it was people I’d never seen before, did others on here get that in other areas of the ground? The reasons for myself, just very tired and a bit unwell but couldn’t be bothered last night and that’s not like me. Then when the team were pretty much awful and Chelsea were really good it obviously didn’t change my mood. Very odd night. The players couldn’t get the fans going and the fans couldn’t get the players going. Yep near me in the upper holte a lot of faces I’d never seen before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wainy316 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 1 hour ago, Tomaszk said: 99% of English crowds all the time FTFY 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Just now, Wainy316 said: FTFY Agree. Plenty of great crowds out there. Prices of matches and the general slog of the Premier League now being a race to finish somewhere outside relegation don't help to be honest. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 (edited) On 08/02/2024 at 19:31, MWARLEY2 said: 2 games in a row we have not competed as we should and can. After being in the tie until the end of every single home game since Emery joined bar Leicester, and even then we went ahead . Its a shock to the system. A realisation that we maybe arent as good as we thought we were. Last night is not on the fans. If we had had a proper go at Chelsea in the second half and raised our game the crowd would have followed. But we played like the opposite. We only came into it once Chelsea had switched off a bit. Wierd it was. Sometimes at 3 nil down the idea to get it forward quickly and into the box isnt the worst idea. Our system wasnt working so it was time for plan B . I emphasis, its all about opinions....I wish, I knew for certain, what is wrong, but what is certain, something is. In an attempt to unravel, this is my take on it: In the offensive side of the game, we can be brilliant, and in many, many games, we have showed just that......On the defensive side, and I mean all the players, not just the back four, but mainly midfield, we are not as good.....Folk who watch the games regularly, will be aware, but how we fix it, is a whole lot more difficult......I don't think we have invested enough time and focus in players who can nullify opposition enthusiasm...instead our main focus has been based on creativity....that is ok, but if you haven't got the ball, you can't create, that's where creativity starts, turnovers, and winning the ball back...This is pretty obvious to some, and I apologise for trying to teach my grandmother to suck eggs.....just passing the ball free from challenges, is not my idea of creativity......The creativity for me, must factor in the undoubted challenges from opponents, anything else is simply Naive.....and we have to employ the skill /muscle/ power/pace, to deal with that. To me watching the games where we have struggled, it seems fairly obvious and judging by the main comments from podcasters, it is to them too.....The eye test, picks up players who just want to meander around, and not engage physically, players who stand off, and don't attempt to get touch tight....."its someone elses job.. like who? This is not a case of "bad day at the office", or "lets just move on"....move on to what?, same again, until the seriousness, triggers action.....I am not blaming Unai directly, because, I don't think, he has the personnel, to change things, with a confidence, to stop opponents....Take the 2 in the middle, who could he bring in, even if he wanted too, they know they are indispensible.....yet are miles off it. I think he has a squad, which shouts much of the same.....as the old saying goes in cricket, "you can change the bowler, but it doesn't necessarily change the bowling"..... We can change faces, for fitness and form, but much of the same comes on to the field....thats where we are at. I sincerely hope, I am wrong.....but I have seen signs of it, when we have won....Scoring goals on the back of interceptions or mistakes, and not turnovers...blitzing teams, who offer scant resistance, (great if you can get away with it)....sure there have been exceptions to all this, but I am never sure right now, which Villa team turns up.....This form is not even close from top to bottom, its the ridiculous to the sublime and back again.....We don't have little adjustments in form, we are either Brilliant or Shite.....Thats not skill or talent, that's attitude and desire. I am not privvy to all things back room, so there could be things, I am not basing my opinions on.....so many could be carrying unreported injuries, or personal life issues, I won't know that, but based on what I see, alone......I am feeling very melancholic. Edited February 10 by TRO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilbertoAVFC Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 22 hours ago, TRO said: Me too, season ticket holder, who didn't go. I am seeing things, I don't want to see, so I felt, I was more help, not going. I don't want to spoil other folks fun, so I stayed away......Sadly, I could see that coming, and it wouldn't surprise me, if we see the same again on Sunday. That kind of display, did not get us to where we are in the league, so its very much form.......but it really is a dip, in certain aspects of the game, like competing. We seem to think, we can just turn up, and let the football flow.............errrrrrrrrrrr, No....competing for the ball, is usually pretty nifty. We're not not competing though. It's just absolute nonsense that the players aren't trying as hard as earlier in the season because we're in bad form. But support does indeed help us and intimidate the opposition. Presumably you believe in the concept of home advantage and understand where it comes from. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilbertoAVFC Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 7 hours ago, Tomaszk said: 99% of all crowds all the time Don't make me laugh. Have you ever been? Awful atmosphere. Really poor. Yeah sure, Champions League semi final it might be good. Most grounds are for the big games, including Villa Park. How are we in 2024 and still people are saying it's ok to have a shit atmosphere because other clubs have it. It's also not completely true. United, Liverpool, Newcastle, even Arsenal nowadays are all way better than us at home when they aren't winning. Way better. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 10 minutes ago, gilbertoAVFC said: It's also not completely true. United, Liverpool, Newcastle, even Arsenal nowadays are all way better than us at home when they aren't winning. Way better. That’s not true as I pointed out a few pages back and quoting for City and Liverpool for example from Pep and Klopp. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 (edited) I do think our fans are quick to moan. Collectively that don’t sound great. Edited February 9 by Vive_La_Villa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 14 hours ago, Tomaszk said: 99% of all crowds all the time Don't make me laugh. Have you ever been? Awful atmosphere. Really poor. Yeah sure, Champions League semi final it might be good. Most grounds are for the big games, including Villa Park. Sunday is a pretty big as far as the season is concerned. Need that 12th man type atmosphere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 5 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Sunday is a pretty big as far as the season is concerned. Need that 12th man type atmosphere. Agree. Hope the crowd plays their part. One thing I will say is the style of our football sometimes isn't ideal for getting a nervous crowd going. It's the most successful football in years, but blood and thunder it ain't. If we start like the City game, the crowd will be with em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 (edited) 17 hours ago, gilbertoAVFC said: We're not not competing though. It's just absolute nonsense that the players aren't trying as hard as earlier in the season because we're in bad form. But support does indeed help us and intimidate the opposition. Presumably you believe in the concept of home advantage and understand where it comes from. ...........but we are. Midfield are just being bypassed with willing runners. There is a stark contrast in our ability to compete of late, with earlier games.....there is so much evidence in games, to confirm it. Podcasters who's job it is to attract viewers, mainly by talking Villa up.....have all come out, and mooted the very same narrative. Whats caused it, is up for debate....but its there alright. Edited February 10 by TRO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brumstopdogs Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 (edited) One thing that has not helped the atmosphere IMO in recent home games is we seemed to not be pressing with the same intensity as in previous games. It looked too easy, from my vantage point, for Newcastle and Chelsea to play the passes they wanted to. That has a negative impact on atmosphere as does going two down in the first half of games at home. The reality is if you are 2 down the away fans are likely to be jubilant and the home fans normally subdued. Although I'd love the home fans to be singing for 90 minutes regardless it just doesn't match with what happens in real life. For the Man U game Emery has highlighted the role the fans can make so I hope those going really get behind the team but likewise not conceding early and actually Villa being at it from the off will bring the fans into the game. Fingers crossed for a special Villa Park atmosphere. UTV! Edited February 10 by Brumstopdogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 (edited) 16 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said: I do think our fans are quick to moan. Collectively that don’t sound great. I don't agree with that entirely.....I think our fans react to what they see on the pitch....I also think its unfair for some fans to blame the atmosphere too.....I go to every home match and I think its Fine, fans sing their hearts out....I am 73 and still make noise. I think it is complete Horlicks, to expect fans to be partisan, when players fail to get even close to stopping opponents, It takes a unique resolve to do that.....I have seen just a robust tackle, light the touch paper in the crowd at Villa Park....is that too much to ask? Fan noise, is generated by the play in the main, particulalry when we talk about the higher decibels. I think that has always been a false narrative, aimed at Villa Fans. There will always be those fans that would turn up, if 11 shirts were put out on a washing line.....but most fans are discerning students of the game.They know when the players are putting it in, and when they are not. An example for me is Luke Robinson's comments on UTV Podcast where his match comments on us, after the Newcastle, was highly critical.....He then went on the wax lyrical on our performance after the Sheff Utd game......Only to resort back to scathing comments after the Chelsea game....He was simply reacting, accurately in my view, to what was on display. It seems to me, some fans just want to bury their heads in the sand and cling to denial......some of our fans moan, when moaning is justified. Folk who been going to the match, for decades are no fools and they know, when things are not right.....where the difference of opinion comes in, is when the debate, enters "what is wrong " territory.......because we all have opinions on that, and they may differ. I know some folk will say, all teams have dips in form during a season, yes they do......but the concern is " how big a dip" and "for how long"......I have my own views on it, some agree, some don't. I read somwhere, that UE is spending 2 days on analysing our recent performances.....He wouldn't do that, unless he thought there was a need. Some of the things, I am seeing in certain games lately i.e Newcastle /Chelsea/Man U......are simply not conducive to a team with European competition ambitions, its just pie in the sky to think, we can play with just gay abandon, in stopping opponents. Unai, knows, things are not right, his face in these games, tells a story.....It is not what he is expecting from them.....If we want to bury our heads, thats up to us.....Personally, I will call it out, when I see it.....if thats moaning, then they have caused it. Edited February 10 by TRO 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 (edited) 35 minutes ago, TRO said: I don't agree with that entirely.....I think our fans react to what they see on the pitch....I also think its unfair for some fans to blame the atmosphere too.....I go to every home match and I think is Fine, fans sing their hearts out....I am 73 and still make noise. I think it is complete Horlicks, to expect fans to be partisan, when players fail to get even close to stopping opponents, It takes a unique resolve to do that.....I have seen just a robust tackle, light the touch paper in the crowd at Villa Park....is that too much to ask? Fan noise, is generated by the play in the main, particulalry when we talk about the higher decibels. I think that has always been a false narrative, aimed at Villa Fans. There will always be those fans that would turn up, if 11 shirts were put out on a washing line.....but most fans are discerning students of the game.They know when the players are putting it in, and when they are not. An example for me is Luke Robinson's comments on UTV Podcast where his match comments on us, after the Newcastle, was highly critical.....He then went on the wax lyrical on our performance after the Sheff Utd game......Only to resort back to scathing comments after the Chelsea game....He was simply reacting, accurately in my view, to what was on display. It seems to me, some fans just want to bury their heads in the sand and cling to denial......some of our fans moan, when moaning is justified. Folk who been going to the match, for decades are no fools and they know, when things are not right.....where the difference of opinion comes in, is when the debate, enters "what is wrong " territory.......because we all have opinions on that, and they may differ. I know some folk will say, all teams have dips in form during a season, yes they do......but the concern is " how big a dip" and "for how long"......I have my own views on it, some agree, some don't. I read somwhere, that UE is spending 2 days on analysing our recent performances.....He wouldn't do that, unless he thought there was a need. Some of the things, I am seeing in certain games lately i.e Newcastle /Chelsea/Man U......are simply not conducive to a team with European competition ambitious, its just pie in the sky to think, we can play with just gay abandon, in stopping opponents. Unai, knows, things are not right, his face in these games, tells a story.....It is not what he is expecting from them.....If we want to bury our heads, thats up to us.....Personally, I will call it out, when I see it.....if thats moaning, then they have caused it. TRO calling it out on a forum is fine. Thousands of fans calling it out in a game is not helping anyone. Just my opinion. It’s not burying our heads in the sand. It’s try to encourage and lift the players rather than get on their backs. Edited February 10 by Vive_La_Villa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 (edited) 5 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said: TRO calling it out on a forum is fine. Thousands of fans calling it out in a game is not helping anyone. Just my opinion. It’s not burying our heads in the sand. It’s try to encourage and lift the players rather than get on their backs. I am not sure on that....but my mood is not carried in to the stadium, I can assure you. I am not privvy to thousands of fans calling it out in a game, maybe you have better evidence of that than me. I am always encouraged by the fans trying to lift the team, I heard it on "Villa On tour" at 0-2 down, from the Holte end. The drop off is quite significant, to me.....and clinging to what we have done during the season, is tantamount to denial. Edited February 10 by TRO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilbertoAVFC Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 18 hours ago, nick76 said: That’s not true as I pointed out a few pages back and quoting for City and Liverpool for example from Pep and Klopp. I didn't mention City for a reason and Liverpool is not what it's cracked up to be, but it's still better than us unless we're winning imo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilbertoAVFC Posted February 10 Share Posted February 10 1 hour ago, TRO said: ...........but we are. Midfield are just being bypassed with willing runners. There is a stark contrast in our ability to compete of late, with earlier games.....there is so much evidence in games, to confirm it. Podcasters who's job it is to attract viewers, mainly by talking Villa up.....have all come out, and mooted the very same narrative. Whats caused it, is up for debate....but its there alright. What evidence exactly? The only real evidence you could really provide is running stats. Some podcaster saying "where's the PASSION" is not evidence. It's just outcome bias in my eyes because we're conceding. Yeah, midfield lost their runners on the break because their decision-making might have been poor and Chelsea broke through the lines with the press, but it's not because "we're not competing". Maybe out-thought sure. Regardless, the players respond better to a good atmosphere. I'm sure we can all agree on that They're not robots. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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