Ratings & Reactions: UECL: Villa v Zrinjski Mostar

[Demitri_C]

So how does this league work is it GD or head to head record?

[alreadyexists]

Cor what a difference a late goal… I was fuming at about 90mins saying what a missed opportunity this was! 
 

I loved their attitude towards trying to score, against 11 men behind the ball, and in the end it did pay off.

Big love for SJMG! 

Edited October 6, 2023 by alreadyexists

[briny_ear]

Feel like that was a massive step forward. This squad is new to European games, even though some individuals have played in competitions. They have to work out how, as a team, and with some top players rested for these matches, they can win matches against sides who have much more experience at league-based European competition, even if they are lower on ability.

let’s hope this win gives them confidence to take control of this group now. Next game is a real biggie.

Edited October 6, 2023 by briny_ear

[VILLAMARV]

4 hours ago, A'Villan said:

Mods, forgive this if you can, and if you can't, I forgive you.

It's sad what's happened to the Balkans and Greece in the 1940's. Excuse my ignorance but I wouldn't associate sieg heil and the like with Bosniaks.

Not following you at all @A'Villan.

[Zero7]

Was on lower Holte right at the back and the atmosphere was nowhere near as bad as some are making out. I will say this, if we play side to side slow build up play, its not going to rouse the crowd, once we started to move the ball quicker and pinned them back it lifted the crowd/. It works both ways. 

 

I was dreading seeing Dedonker and Youri on team sheet and my concerns of that pairing were founded, they don't work together, they are too slow and ponderous. Individually with a Luiz or Kamara next to them I think they will be ok as squad players. 

I though Duran was very poor and expected as he's young and raw but needs to learn movement and runs, also don't think Zaniolo had his best game, he's more effective when the game opens up and he can run at players or into space. A win is a win, we need to field our strongest 11 next game though. 

And FFS score from a bloody corner this century 

[John]

Well last night proved their will be no easy games in this competition and that's doubly so, when we start with a team that is way below full strength. We need to go strong from the start in future games, because leaving changes until half time only gives us the second half to turn things around and we have now shown twice that might not always be enough time. Better to bring players off, when we are already say 2-0 up, in my opinion. 

Without Emi we would have been 2-0 down before our captain's late winner. We were a different team in the second half, but didn't they defend well? Their supporters will rightly feel proud of their team's performance  last night, they defended like their lives depended on it and there were shades of England v Poland in 1973 about the second half. We bombarded their goal, but couldn't find a way through more than once and Mostar also had a keeper, who we had been told was a clown, but who performed like Lev Yashin on the night.  

[villaglint]

20 minutes ago, John said:

Well last night proved their will be no easy games in this competition and that's doubly so, when we start with a team that is way below full strength. We need to go strong from the start in future games, because leaving changes until half time only gives us the second half to turn things around and we have now shown twice that might not always be enough time. Better to bring players off, when we are already say 2-0 up, in my opinion. 

Without Emi we would have been 2-0 down before our captain's late winner. We were a different team in the second half, but didn't they defend well? Their supporters will rightly feel proud of their team's performance  last night, they defended like their lives depended on it and there were shades of England v Poland in 1973 about the second half. We bombarded their goal, but couldn't find a way through more than once and Mostar also had a keeper, who we had been told was a clown, but who performed like Lev Yashin on the night.  

Its a fair point but on the other hand Unai is probably thinking I've only got 45mins of Watkins, Luiz and Cash do I want that used in first half or against a tiring team in second half. 

You can see the thinking. 

The back up players are frustrating at the moment but I think the biggest issue is most of them havent played together much. Hoping they will get better in time because fact is we need them. All well and good saying lets play first team but we cant do that every single game.  

Edited October 6, 2023 by villaglint

[Louis]

My 1st ever Europe game and it ends with a McGinn header! Villa Park was buzzing, absolutely buzzing!

Give credit Mostar, they did turn up and defended brilliantly. But I think I could tell around 75-80 minutes, their players were trying their best to keep up with us.

Well, Legia Warsaw and Alkmaar, bring it on.

[alreadyexists]

47 minutes ago, VILLAMARV said:

Not following you at all @A'Villan.

I assume he’s referring to the nazi salute in the crowd by their fans and the occupation of the Balkan countries during WW2 by axis powers… 

There was also the Yugoslav war and Bosnia genocide of the 90s, so it is horrible and bizarre that a fascist presence still exists, but it is insidious and often seems to creep in where people have an ‘other’ to blame.

Anyway, this is so far off topic!

Up the Villa!

[John]

23 minutes ago, villaglint said:

Its a fair point but on the other hand Unai is probably thinking I've only got 45mins of Watkins, Luiz and Cash do I want that used in first half or against a tiring team in second half. 

You can see the thinking. 

The back up players are frustrating at the moment but I think the biggest issue is most of them havent played together much. Hoping they will get better in time because fact is we need them. All well and good saying lets play first team but we cant do that every single game.  

Another fair point. 

I'm hoping that too. There will be games that we will need to play the first team, if we are to progress in this competition. I think we both accept that we can't do that in every game, it's just whether they start or come on later, that is the question. 

 

[VILLAMARV]

Martinez was on it.

Konsa and Carlos could have both scored. Lenglet grew in confidence as the game went on. Digne was tidy enough. None of them were really tested.

Tielemans wasn't as bad as some would make out, but he did give the ball away in frustrating places at annoying times and through really sloppy play on more than a couple of occasions. Saw plenty from him that makes me think he can hold posession and pass the ball well enough to be an asset at times for us. Dendonker on the other hand, I just see a competition winner.

Bailey was talented, clever and frustrating all at the same time. Zaniolo had flashes of brilliance but faded. McGinn was out of it on the left 1st half but obviously grew into the second, popping up in space more and more until the grandstand finish. Duran was quiet.

But the whole first half was flat. The subs made a massive difference. Luiz is just real quality. He is so important to us - especially in games like that where we need to break teams down. Watkins ran their defenders around a bit. Cash changed the game when he came on, really upped the tempo and ended up with the assist. MOTM for me.

Like everyone, I wish Zaniolos crazy shot had gone in in the first half, he'd be all over the media if it had. I can't see it not working out for him if he keeps working hard. there's such a talented player in there.

 

[Villatillidie95]

5 hours ago, A'Villan said:

Mods, forgive this if you can, and if you can't, I forgive you.

It's sad what's happened to the Balkans and Greece in the 1940's. Excuse my ignorance but I wouldn't associate sieg heil and the like with Bosniaks.

Bosnia still has a lot of orthodox/eastern peoples and a lot of the fascists are Serbian, I saw quite a few Serbian skinheads in their crowd yday

[spiezels]

9 hours ago, Villatillidie95 said:

I wont lie, that was a tough watch tonight, poor atmosphere for the majority, we just couldnt rouse ourselves to play the bosnian minnows and the fans were the same (including me). At one point they lit up 3 flares and i thought our seats were going to go up in flames haha. I was keeping an eye on that fascist skinhead with the megaphone for the first half and dont think he watched a minute of the first 45 mins, he was constantly trying to direct the zrinski ultras to sing. They tried to be all intimidating and then starting waving their scarves around I hope we go to the bosnian backwater and smash them big time on their turf

We started well in the Holte tbf but the pace of the first half totally wiped the atmosphere out.

Did you see though, those flares were actually just bright orange flashing LED lights and they popped white smoke next to it so it glowed like it was flares… 

 

suitably the whole ground gave them a “what the ****, what the ****, what the ducking hell is that!?”

 

Limbs at the end 

[MakemineVanilla]

It proved to be one of those nights which remind you that there is a lack of imminent jeopardy in league football.

The game was like Helsingborgs and the climax was like Phil King against Inter.

 

 

[The_Rev]

3 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

Where can i watch mcginns goal again? Bloody tnt sports hardly mentions us on their site

 

 

 

 

[TRO]

I thought, we would start strong, secure the initiative, get the goals and then relieve the better players for Sunday.....not the other way around.

but hey ho....what do I know?

[Talldarkandransome]

The funniest thing for me was the booing at half time when the announcer was advertising Terrace View and Lower Grounds

[TRO]

2 hours ago, John said:

Well last night proved their will be no easy games in this competition and that's doubly so, when we start with a team that is way below full strength. We need to go strong from the start in future games, because leaving changes until half time only gives us the second half to turn things around and we have now shown twice that might not always be enough time. Better to bring players off, when we are already say 2-0 up, in my opinion. 

Without Emi we would have been 2-0 down before our captain's late winner. We were a different team in the second half, but didn't they defend well? Their supporters will rightly feel proud of their team's performance  last night, they defended like their lives depended on it and there were shades of England v Poland in 1973 about the second half. We bombarded their goal, but couldn't find a way through more than once and Mostar also had a keeper, who we had been told was a clown, but who performed like Lev Yashin on the night.  

I too, thought the same thing John.....I think we could have dampened their spirit with the first team early on...get the job done early, and give the main guys a rest.

I also think we need some industrious midfielders as back up, not necessarily expensive signings......Dendoncker is too ponderous and laboured.

Their work "off the ball", was quite impressive.

[turvontour]

Their fans were great throughout, a credit to their club and country.

My lad had his Villa flag on his back walking up Witton Lane after the game and they were high fiving him as they came out. Fair play. 

[TRO]

2 hours ago, Zero7 said:

Was on lower Holte right at the back and the atmosphere was nowhere near as bad as some are making out. I will say this, if we play side to side slow build up play, its not going to rouse the crowd, once we started to move the ball quicker and pinned them back it lifted the crowd/. It works both ways. 

 

I was dreading seeing Dedonker and Youri on team sheet and my concerns of that pairing were founded, they don't work together, they are too slow and ponderous. Individually with a Luiz or Kamara next to them I think they will be ok as squad players. 

I though Duran was very poor and expected as he's young and raw but needs to learn movement and runs, also don't think Zaniolo had his best game, he's more effective when the game opens up and he can run at players or into space. A win is a win, we need to field our strongest 11 next game though. 

And FFS score from a bloody corner this century 

Carlos is the only hope, in the air....they need to attack the ball with conviction.