Unai Emery

[WHY]

My only issue yesterday was that we made it easy for Trent to have time and space to dictate the play too much. He is their weak link in defence and we didn’t have any pace on the left too worry them, playing Buendia there was a mistake imo. 

[rodders0223]

I've made a concerted effort now to go to the game and not question the manager or the selection or the subs or the set up.

This bloke for the first time I can remember in a long time is legit.

 

You won't see me in this thread often.

[CVByrne]

We created a lot of chances and Bailey should have scored one of his two big chances. If he had scored either one it would have drawn the game level. 

I think the high defensive line can only function with a Martinez in goal, he's very good at decision making and when to sweep vs stay on line. 

I know Diego Carlos is a fast CB and Mings is so I think we desperately need Konsa out of this team, he doesn't fit the type of football Emery wants to play. I think another CB signing is key to replace Chambers and Konsa goes to bench. I think Carlos + Mings will be a good combination later this season when they can play together

I don't know why Cash didn't start, but Youngs bad positioning cost us the early goal from a long ball over his head from Allison. 

Lots to work on and lots to be happy with

[Khizzy]

We could have won that if Bailey hadn't kicked air instead of the ball twice. 

[CVByrne]

Wolves H

Stevenage H

Leeds H

Southampton A

Leicester H

 

This is a run of games we need to see results from. A minimum of 8 points and win in FA Cup needed

[danceoftheshamen]

1 hour ago, Demitri_C said:

Yeah but they do everything better than us. 

Amazing how their rubbish players have suddenly become decent since the oil money rocked up.... wonder why that is then? Could it be the difference between thinking "Oh I;m playing for a bottom half Prem team" or "Oh hang on... If I don't start perfoming now i'm going to be ousted from the richest club in  the World" 

Or is it the mastery of their manager? 

I'll let you decide 

I think a few of our players need to realise the same issue applies here for the large part.

Edited December 27, 2022 by danceoftheshamen

[duke313]

12 minutes ago, danceoftheshamen said:

Amazing how their rubbish players have suddenly become decent since the oil money rocked up.... wonder why that is then? Could it be the difference between thinking "Oh I;m playing for a bottom half Prem team" or "Oh hang on... If I don't start perfoming now i'm going to be ousted from the richest club in  the World" 

Or is it the mastery of their manager? 

I'll let you decide 

I think a few of our players need to realise the same issue applies here for the large part.

Well, Man City we’re in that same scenario in 2008. And Richard Dunne, Stephen Ireland and Darius Vassell didn’t suddenly become word beaters because they might be sold.

[danceoftheshamen]

Just now, duke313 said:

Well, Man City we’re in that same scenario in 2008. And Richard Dunne, Stephen Ireland and Darius Vassell didn’t suddenly become word beaters because they might be sold.

Well I think two of those had already peaked for them & were on their way down regardless & the other was a bit nuts so a bit different really.

 

[Demitri_C]

The high line was realkt scary yesterday.  If nunez wasnt such a donkey we really could have been thumped.  Think thats something we need to work on vs spurs. Kane and son will have a absolute field day of we defend like that

[KentVillan]

1 hour ago, CVByrne said:

Wolves H

Stevenage H

Leeds H

Southampton A

Leicester H

 

This is a run of games we need to see results from. A minimum of 8 points and win in FA Cup needed

I read that as a minimum of 8 points and win the FA Cup… thought that’s a bit tough even by VT standards 

[Rolta]

54 minutes ago, danceoftheshamen said:

Amazing how their rubbish players have suddenly become decent since the oil money rocked up.... wonder why that is then? Could it be the difference between thinking "Oh I;m playing for a bottom half Prem team" or "Oh hang on... If I don't start perfoming now i'm going to be ousted from the richest club in  the World" 

Or is it the mastery of their manager? 

I'll let you decide 

I think a few of our players need to realise the same issue applies here for the large part.

They made a fair few really important signings in January that fixed most of their problem areas. Bruno, Trippier, Burn (three great and effective signings) and even Woods (they had nobody to play upfront and he was at least a functional forward even if he didn't score). In the summer they made even more huge singings...Pope and Botman notably. Let's see how we look with 5 1/2 top quality signings extra.

My point is that this Newcastle team is completely different to the one struggling when Howe took over.

[Adman]

11 hours ago, Spoony said:

Sorry, one more post. When will people realise making loads of subs isn’t the answer. There’s a reason no manager in the world makes subs “at the right time”. It’s so so so rare that bringing on a sub makes a game changing difference. We could have drawn that game but for players making stupid mistakes. Bringing on subs and upsetting the flow is not the answer. This idea that you can eg just bring in Ings and he will bang in chances Bailey and Watkins missed is just a pipe dream. 

Exactly. We were on top before their third goal so why would he change it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[M_Afro]

There’s some very funny comments on here and Villa Twitter after yesterday’s match. I genuinely enjoyed the match yesterday. Some of our football was fantastic, creating chance after chance against a top side. Yes we conceded some chances too but the approach that we took against a top side was admirable and exciting. Check our Klopps comment post match. He was really happy to get the points.

Under Smith we could never have played like that against a top team. I know we hammered them once but our tactics to get 11 men behind the ball and hit on the break failed more often than not against the top teams and was pretty dull to watch. It played a key part in our progress but further progression was needed.

Gerrard recognised this and tried to change our approach to a possession based, progressive team. He knew that this was the only way we could ever possibly compete. Sadly he did not have the coaching ability or the players to pull it off.

Unai has continued with this approach and we look so much better as a team due to the much improved coaching and tactics that are being employed by Unai. Sadly though, we still have the same players and the coaches can only do so much.

We are at the point now that we just need to keep signing quality over quantity. Players like Carlos and Bouba. Add the quality of the coaching and the young players that are coming through and there are so many reasons to be optimistic.

[vreitti]

19 minutes ago, Rolta said:

They made a fair few really important signings in January that fixed most of their problem areas. Bruno, Trippier, Burn (three great and effective signings) and even Woods (they had nobody to play upfront and he was at least a functional forward even if he didn't score). In the summer they made even more huge singings...Pope and Botman notably. Let's see how we look with 5 1/2 top quality signings extra.

My point is that this Newcastle team is completely different to the one struggling when Howe took over.

People on here would roll on the floor laughing if we was even being linked to dogshit like Botman, Burn or Wood. Most of us probably also thought Trippier's BBD was way past it. 

Fact is Newcastle are playing really good football with some very average players. 

[VillaChris]

1 hour ago, danceoftheshamen said:

Well I think two of those had already peaked for them & were on their way down regardless & the other was a bit nuts so a bit different really.

 

We need to become more ruthless though. People seem to be misty eyed about Ollie for some reason. He isn't going to fire us into europe anytime soon.

Also bemused why McGinn is suddenly morphing into a regular starter again when we beat Brentford and Man. United well at VP with Dendoncker starting.

I'd sell both McGinn and Watkins in the summer, should be 50m there.

[Zatman]

8 minutes ago, M_Afro said:

 

Under Smith we could never have played like that against a top team. I know we hammered them once but our tactics to get 11 men behind the ball and hit on the break failed more often than not against the top teams and was pretty dull to watch. It played a key part in our progress but further progression was needed.

Gerrard recognised this and tried to change our approach to a possession based, progressive team. He knew that this was the only way we could ever possibly compete. Sadly he did not have the coaching ability or the players to pull it off.

 

We won 7 games in 2 and a quarter seasons against the scum 6 and it was only City we didnt beat in that time

[IrishVilla10]

7 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

I'd sell both McGinn and Watkins in the summer, should be 50m there.

Agree on the sale part I don’t think we’ll get 50 million though

[The_Steve]

The tactical systems will take time to imbed within the squad. And there’s only so much coaching one can do if the players are missing critical chances or misplacing passes. With quality additions, the competition for places and the implementation of ideas will be there. The second half against Liverpool provided promise once again. I’m confident that once Unai has some quality he can trust in, we’ll start to see a more consistent team. 

[Guest av1]

9 minutes ago, The_Steve said:

The tactical systems will take time to imbed within the squad. And there’s only so much coaching one can do if the players are missing critical chances or misplacing passes. With quality additions, the competition for places and the implementation of ideas will be there. The second half against Liverpool provided promise once again. I’m confident that once Unai has some quality he can trust in, we’ll start to see a more consistent team. 

100%. There was a lot to like about yesterday’s performance, which was on the back of our first win against UTD in 27yrs and a really good performance away at the in form Brighton. 
 

What I liked most about yesterday was I could see a plan, a way of playing. I’m not going to use this thread to criticise others managers but it’s been a very long time since I could explain “our identity” yesterday it was clear. 
 

Emery is right to stick with that even if we currently have 1/2/3 players that don’t suit it because it needs to be embedded in the mindset. I just hope fans can see the long term, I’ve saw some criticism of the high line yesterday, ok maybe it was dangerous with the players we have, but he’s working to something. Liverpool maintain a style of play that got them spanked 7-2 at VP a few years ago. 
 

I’ve said before and I’ll say again, I think this is the most significant signing with have made in decades, he’s going to transform us. 
 

I 

[TRO]

10 hours ago, Anything11 said:

We looked rusty and lacking a bit of confidence from the off. However, we dominated Pool at times and it was clear what the plan was.

Let down by some player performances too.

Its generally the same issues when we lose......and has been for some time now.

We have to call it for what it is......We have players, who are not capable of the levels of consistency, we need to progress.