Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Man Utd

[briny_ear]

22 hours ago, KillieVillain said:

Absolute dream start for Unai, 1st game in charge & beating a team at home we could never beat , also that’s us scored 7 goals since Gerrard the fraud left , just proves we do have good players & he was a rotten manager. 

Totally agree that this was a fantastic win, most enjoyable match I can remember for at least 5 years, Emery made an excellent start. 

However, some ridiculously outdated sense that statistics should be quoted accurately does require me to point out that while we have scored 7 goals since “Gerrard the fraud” left, we have also conceded 5, so I think that puts all the conclusions you are drawing from these three games on slightly more shaky territory.

Sorry to spoil the fun. 

 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Just walked into clinic , African security sees my top and says " You destroyed Manchester United yesterday huh " and gives me a fist bump. Lol

Most Africans I know here are Man U fans.

Edited November 7, 2022 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[Paul33]

19 hours ago, ender4 said:

@Paul33

No judgement but I’m intrigued what you think Emery needed to do better to get a ‘very good’ rather than a ‘good’ rating?

Have you ever given a very good rating to a previous manager?

Yes I have and yes I will for Emery (hopefully) but you are clearly attributing that performance 100% to the manager and I'm just not that naïve. Players were always going to play up to impress the new gaffa ..... the key test of Emery's influence will come from games ahead and particularly games after the World Cup when he will have had opportunity to genuinely influence the team.

[ender4]

2 minutes ago, Paul33 said:

Yes I have and yes I will for Emery (hopefully) but you are clearly attributing that performance 100% to the manager and I'm just not that naïve. Players were always going to play up to impress the new gaffa ..... the key test of Emery's influence will come from games ahead and particularly games after the World Cup when he will have had opportunity to genuinely influence the team.

Thanks for responding.  Always nice to hear the thought process for differing opinions 

[HKP90]

1 hour ago, Paul33 said:

Yes I have and yes I will for Emery (hopefully) but you are clearly attributing that performance 100% to the manager and I'm just not that naïve. Players were always going to play up to impress the new gaffa ..... the key test of Emery's influence will come from games ahead and particularly games after the World Cup when he will have had opportunity to genuinely influence the team.

That is clear and understandable reasoning, which I'm very glad you gave. 

Whilst I agree to some extent, I voted very good because if we're just looking at that game in a vacuum, it's hard to see what else he could have done imo. 

[HKP90]

2 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Just walked into clinic , African security sees my top and says " You destroyed Manchester United yesterday huh " and gives me a first bump. Lol

Most Africans I know here are Man U fans.

Work on them, JV. Spread the word. I'm not sure what it's like now but I thought we used to have quite a sizeable supporters club in Africa (Ghana Lions). 

Also didn't we supply shirts to a team in Africa during the 90's (country eludes me, sorry)? IIRC they turned out in our Muller kits. 

 

[John]

Just listening to Talksport. Andy Goldstein always annoys me with his constant references to Newton Heath every afternoon on his show. I wonder why they haven't got a mention today, after an hour of the show? 

[messi11]

Man united fans crying 

[The Fun Factory]

20 hours ago, Jas10 said:

 

His post football career as the next Ainsley Harriot is secure

[A'Villan]

I don't know what to say other than I was either smiling or cheering throughout.

[TRO]

5 hours ago, nick76 said:

Ha ha, thanks! I truly believe that preparation is just as important as ability.  One without the other gets you only so far.  I agree with you that we have squad quality/trait issues which is now what Emery has to sort out but he can only see them when the players are playing as best as they can, that requires great coaching.

I think Emery’s level of detail is exactly what we need, what a midtable team needs to fight how tough the PL is.  Yesterday was fabulous, I still feel we have many bumps ahead though and it will test fans, but I hope Emery’s level of detail, planning and preparedness will get us to where we want to go in time.  Great coaching is the first step which he will do over the coming period, then let’s see what he can do with the squad both current and future players.  This team is still very fragile, it’ll take time but at least imo we have somebody who can get the best out of them.

I hope he doesn’t disappoint because I have high hopes in him but for now I’m still wildly celebrating yesterday and the hope for the future under him.

It will be interesting to see how we fair on Thursday.

They will be smarting, and the physicality, could go up a gear.....they will not want to lose again....That application on Sunday, was impressive.

We will see how we can cope, with their dark arts......but what a great start.

I am not expecting too much too soon,that would be unfair, but I was shocked, by what I saw on Sunday, so soon, after his arrival.

It does worry me, with these dirty so and so's and ably aided by the officials.....I just hope they don't ****house us out of it, as they tried their best on Sunday.

fingers crossed, we get something.

[nick76]

16 minutes ago, TRO said:

It will be interesting to see how we fair on Thursday.

They will be smarting, and the physicality, could go up a gear.....they will not want to lose again....That application on Sunday, was impressive.

We will see how we can cope, with their dark arts......but what a great start.

I am not expecting too much too soon,that would be unfair, but I was shocked, by what I saw on Sunday, so soon, after his arrival.

It does worry me, with these dirty so and so's and ably aided by the officials.....I just hope they don't ****house us out of it, as they tried their best on Sunday.

fingers crossed, we get something.

Yep I’m expecting a very different game on Thursday, never mind we are playing at their ground, the fact we aren’t good away and they will be looking for blood.  Whether we win or lose I’m fascinated how Emery will tweak it and adjust for a different type of game.  Obviously I want us to win but I’m really interested at this early stage with very little time with the squad whether we win or lose if and how he changes players, tactics, strategies, whatever to suit this game. Maybe too early to do much if at all but thankfully we can at least feel more comfortable league position wise over the WC break because of his first game.

[HKP90]

2 hours ago, messi11 said:

Man united fans crying 

[srsmithusa]

2 hours ago, messi11 said:

Man united fans crying 

Measure the free kick given to Man U second half dead center.   You will see that referee marked off an absurdly long distance for the wall in that one too.   I noticed both, but it was equitable so I didn’t mention either.  

[Pongo's Socks]

26 minutes ago, srsmithusa said:

Measure the free kick given to Man U second half dead center.   You will see that referee marked off an absurdly long distance for the wall in that one too.   I noticed both, but it was equitable so I didn’t mention either.  

We were in Trinity, that was right in front of us. Said  to my lad he counted 11 big paces to where he told our wall to stand

[OutByEaster?]

Wonderful wasn't it?

On Friday I went to the U21's at Bodymoor and found myself sat next to a young American chap with one of those modern/old fashioned names that my brain is incapable of retaining. He'd come all the way over from Kansas city, apparently alone, to spend a week following the Villa. That day he'd walked from the Jewellery quarter to Villa Park, dropped into the Barton Arms and done a stadium tour. He got an Uber to Bodymoor and back and had no idea it would be so far away - his knowledge was right up there, he's supported Villa from afar for years and he was more excited than anyone at an U21 game has any right to be.

Yesterday was the first Villa game he's ever been to and possibly the only game he'll ever attend at Villa Park.

Imagine that. Perfect isn't it?

It was magical - when David Bradley whispers "We are Aston Villa" and we break into that first shout on Hi-Ho silver lining, I couldn't help but imagine how he felt, it puts a lump in my throat, so not knowing it was happening and never having experienced an English ground, it must have been like a different world - and then to open the game like we did, in that atmosphere, must have seemed like a dream. I'll confess that it did to me.

I mention it because on the way out, I couldn't help but think that he'd deserved the win for the effort he'd put in, but then so did I for having endured twenty five years of defeats and improbable United comebacks, and then, so did you most likely, so did any number of Villa fans, for any number of reasons, - we all did - and not least the players.

They were brilliant, collectively and individually - I thought Bailey was electric at the start and we seem to start games at a pace that others can't match - Bailey, Watkins, Buendia and Ramsey are a fury of pace and industry attacking the Holte End. An organised 4-2-2-2 meant we seemed to be able to outnumber and nullify the Trafford lot all over the park - we made and exploited space, we were patient, we were dangerous, we used the ball and we ran. It was a superb performance.

And it was one orchestrated in the most impressive of fashions by our new man. Unai had them motivated, organised and perfectly in their shape, he motivated, controlled and cajoled from the sideline and completely outthought Ten Hag. He picked the right side and he made the right substitutions at the right times. He knows what he's doing.

And he won more than the game, he won the crowd, he won Villa Park and perhaps most importantly of all, he won the ears of all these players - do you reckon they'll be listening in training this week? He's got them organised and told them they could win - and they did. If you want to make sure they know you're in charge and you know what you're doing, I don't think there's any better way than this.

Anthony Taylor refereed it like a man becoming increasingly worried that we might win, making more and more bad decisions as the game went on, no action against Martinez for elbowing Bailey, managing to get in the way of a really good counter attack, giving them a free kick when Doug was pushed over form behind - he was dreadful, but that's how it is nowadays - you have to beat the team and the league to win these matches. We were more than capable of both.

This was a mile away from Steven Gerrard's football, a different team, players that looked like different men, it was a performance of heart, brains and courage, and like my nameless American friend, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore - I think we've moved to a place where magical things might happen - it's one game, just one, but it's twenty seven years, it's them, it's a performance worth getting excited about and it's a very, very good start for Unai Emery.

I hope you enjoyed it as much as you deserved, the noise was amazing - and should you find yourself at Old Trafford on Thursday next to a wide-eyed enthusiastic young American kid, say hello from me and make sure he understands how lucky he is.

[fruitvilla]

Player of the Match could have easily gone to Mings, Martinez, Bailey and Ramsey. Others played well.

Watching the game, I thought United's press was abysmal ... thank you Ronaldo. This allowed Villa to do what they were trying to do in past games, but successfully.

The three goals were things of beauty.  On another day De Gea might have stopped Bailey's goal, but a lovely pass from Ramsey.

Digne's goal was a thing of Beauty. De Gea was not getting that one.

And for the third, I thought Watkins was going to get trapped on the touchline, but he passed the ball back beautifully, splitting the defenders, to Ramsey drifting into the box. This is one of the best Villa goals I have seen in a while.

McGinn? I don't know. Nice Cameo from Sanson. Young did OK. Kamara ... really pleased to see him back, he did what he had to do. Ings, not bad; but not stellar either. Young OK. 

Everyone else? They played like I expect Villa players earning millions of dollars a year to play.

I could not watch the game yesterday morning, another commitment; and eventually went to the BBC site to see if it was safe to come on to VillaTalk. The wife gave me permission to watch in the afternoon.

[Villadevon]

 

[messi11]

17 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Wonderful wasn't it?

On Friday I went to the U21's at Bodymoor and found myself sat next to a young American chap with one of those modern/old fashioned names that my brain is incapable of retaining. 

Tom Hanks?

Edited November 7, 2022 by messi11

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Just watched that " Unai Emery Cam "

My mental notes are

Austin McPhee is either outstanding at his job or a real charmer.

The lads on the bench looked genuinely chuffed for the lads on the pitch.

We don't have a togetherness problem, we just needed someone who could be a proper "father figure " to Manage and bring it altogether.

Obs extremely early days but the camp seems capable.