TRO Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 8 hours ago, picicata said: I think you're correct, you only had to see the players Man City had in the box at corners compared to ours to see we are physically a small team. Really we only have Mings who is a physically imposing outfield player. I suspect that is one of the reasons Unai was interested in signing Guendouzi, he is a physical presence. I think it will be addressed.....just surprised it has gone on for so long prior to UE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhan_Zhuang Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 Watched a little of the game last night, Arsenal v Man. City and at 1-1 you could tell the City players were in a game. Against Villa they were coasting, in first gear. I like Emery and surely we have the possibility to improve greatly but I just cannot shake the feeling it is all futile. Villa are miles off it and as we strengthen so too do those around us; catching up is almost impossible. Hopefully we can be top ten (maybe eight) but to get higher will be so difficult. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 (edited) 39 minutes ago, Zhan_Zhuang said: Watched a little of the game last night, Arsenal v Man. City and at 1-1 you could tell the City players were in a game. Against Villa they were coasting, in first gear. I like Emery and surely we have the possibility to improve greatly but I just cannot shake the feeling it is all futile. Villa are miles off it and as we strengthen so too do those around us; catching up is almost impossible. Hopefully we can be top ten (maybe eight) but to get higher will be so difficult. Spot on. I share your doubt....The intensity, physical engagement, drive and sheer willingness to fight, has been absent from Villa teams ( bar the odd occasion) for years.....several managers have failed to address it, of failed to execute it. I am unsure, where this is coming from, and how we get it back....I think UE has a huge job to restore it.....but if we don't, we will stay midtable. Like you, when you watch games like that it just cements the obviousness of it all.....These are millionaire footballers, but not afraid to put their foot in and run......Bernado must have run a marathon in that game, surely folk can see the difference with our lot....you don't have to be world class to run and fight. We talk about getting back atmosphere at Villa Park.......Simple, play with commitment, go after teams proactively, and the atmosphere will return. Edited February 16, 2023 by TRO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Risso Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 I'm also a bit dubious. Firstly of the owners' commitment to make us anything other than a comfortable mid table side, and secondly that Emery is the man to deliver anything better. I know he's only been here for five minutes, but other than the new manager bounce, I'd say he's not really doing anything much better than Gerrard or Smith. Sticking with underperforming players and formations that aren't working. And the way he seems to have meekly accepted the weakening of the squad in January annoyed me too, when we were in touching distance of the top 6. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 2 hours ago, Risso said: I'm also a bit dubious. Firstly of the owners' commitment to make us anything other than a comfortable mid table side, and secondly that Emery is the man to deliver anything better. I know he's only been here for five minutes, but other than the new manager bounce, I'd say he's not really doing anything much better than Gerrard or Smith. Sticking with underperforming players and formations that aren't working. And the way he seems to have meekly accepted the weakening of the squad in January annoyed me too, when we were in touching distance of the top 6. Yes and the defeat against Stevenage in the cup. I am hopeful that Emery will turn us into a top 6 team but we are miles away at the moment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 4 hours ago, Risso said: I'm also a bit dubious. Firstly of the owners' commitment to make us anything other than a comfortable mid table side, and secondly that Emery is the man to deliver anything better. I know he's only been here for five minutes, but other than the new manager bounce, I'd say he's not really doing anything much better than Gerrard or Smith. Sticking with underperforming players and formations that aren't working. And the way he seems to have meekly accepted the weakening of the squad in January annoyed me too, when we were in touching distance of the top 6. The latter part he has already dropped Cash, I imagine Digne wont be starting when Moreno settles in. After that Ramsey/Bailey well last clearing in the woods sold all.our wide players and January is a poor recruiting market 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Scorpio Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 7 hours ago, Zhan_Zhuang said: Watched a little of the game last night, Arsenal v Man. City and at 1-1 you could tell the City players were in a game. Against Villa they were coasting, in first gear. I like Emery and surely we have the possibility to improve greatly but I just cannot shake the feeling it is all futile. Villa are miles off it and as we strengthen so too do those around us; catching up is almost impossible. Hopefully we can be top ten (maybe eight) but to get higher will be so difficult. The years in the championship and wasted time and money with Gerrard means we probably never will compete for Europe seriously. The competition is too fierce and when your starting from the back it's just too far to go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condimentalist Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 7 hours ago, Risso said: I'm also a bit dubious. Firstly of the owners' commitment to make us anything other than a comfortable mid table side, and secondly that Emery is the man to deliver anything better. I know he's only been here for five minutes, but other than the new manager bounce, I'd say he's not really doing anything much better than Gerrard or Smith. Sticking with underperforming players and formations that aren't working. And the way he seems to have meekly accepted the weakening of the squad in January annoyed me too, when we were in touching distance of the top 6. The guy is a serial winner and one of Europe's elite managers. What else do you want? You think he's come here for midtable? This is a long term project, it may take 2/3 years to get to where we want, but I think we'll get a good indication of the owners ambitions in the summer - we should have the financial headroom and the squad space to attack the window. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 Our bad results in the League under Emery have coincided with McGinn and Ming's being out Will be interesting to see if having them back changes the dynamic again, as well as hopefully seeing more of Duran. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wainy316 Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 When's the presser? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazmonkey Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 emery has the the ability turn us in to a top 6 team with his footballing knowledge Just not with the team he currently has at his disposal. Same players...same mistakes....same lack of this or that shown under three different managers. Many of the squad have hit the glass ceiling collectively as a team....some may move and look better but as a group.....12-15 is where will be come the end of the season. Top half even even 8th is possible...heart says yes...head says no 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacketspuds Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 It's probably me being overly pessimistic but all I care about this season is us staying in the league so that Emery can then massively rebuild the team in the summer. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Made In Aston Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 13 minutes ago, jacketspuds said: It's probably me being overly pessimistic but all I care about this season is us staying in the league so that Emery can then massively rebuild the team in the summer. Yes it is. If we want to attract Europe-quality players, it's easier to do if we look like a club that is progressing and capable of challenging for European places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinebro Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 So what do we do if Unai doesn't manage to get us into Europe? Accept we are just a mid table club? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobzy Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 4 minutes ago, Pinebro said: So what do we do if Unai doesn't manage to get us into Europe? Accept we are just a mid table club? Being competitive is the main thing. We should be challenging for European football - there are probably another 11 teams in the league who think the same thing (maybe more!). For me, as long as we’re “up there” and being competitive in games (i.e: better than we were against Man City) then I’d be happy enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJBOB Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 (edited) It's hard to accept the long term when the recent past has been so shite. I think VP and VT have to take the long lens on Unai. Given the struggle to stay up after promotion and then the colossal mismanagement not only in player personnel but also managing decisions and then the downstream affect of Gerrard having too much say in transfer and player policy - we're behind 2 years from where we're supposed to be. Our player and contract situation is heavily loaded towards non performers - Digne, Coutinho, Carlos, Bailey, and Buendia - are surely our highest earners and 2/5 will not be in the plans this summer whilst we had bad luck with Diego's injury and differing form with Bailey and Buendia. Unai is the head coach to take us there, but you can only polish a turd so bright. The misalignment from head coach (Deano, Gerrard) to recruitment (Lange) to the purse strings (Purslow) have set us back. Unai, with his experience at PSG, Arsenal, and Villareal - can hopefully pull these disparate departments together for a more effective recruiting and youth strategy. Already we've seen many a youth player make a bench and the right call to loan/sell out players who are not in the future (Ings, Marvelous, Sanson, Freddy). Stevenage will leave a stink but that squad was clearly an eye test for who Unai wanted to keep around. But in the league, we have lost only to an always dangerous Liverpool, a resurgent Leicester, and a City with an agenda on the mind. There are more tests ahead, but it's imperative to zoom out and take the long view on this instead of careening wildly from match to match. ... But for entertainment purposes, continue with the emotional rollercoaster of VT. Edited February 17, 2023 by DJBOB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villaphan04 Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThunderPower_14 Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 27 minutes ago, Pinebro said: So what do we do if Unai doesn't manage to get us into Europe? Accept we are just a mid table club? If Emery ends up not getting us into Europe, I think the key to going further is the academy. We need to keep bringing home grown players through that either make the team or that we can sell for profit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaVilla Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 i love his comments in the presser when asked about has he decided which players will or wont be part of his plans beyond this summer. He basically said something like, "me, the players, every match we are taking exams, we analyse each performance and try to help the players, be demanding of them". Great way of putting it, some will pass the exams, some wont!. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom13 Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 7 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said: Our bad results in the League under Emery have coincided with McGinn and Ming's being out Mings has only missed City away hasn't he? And McGinn hasn't started that many under Emery anyway has he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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