Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Newcastle

[PaulC]

1 hour ago, TRO said:

I was disappointed with his after match, reaction........The team has done great all season, but that wasn't the game, to say he was proud of them......maybe he should have kept that for the dressing room, if he wants to motivate them......The watching public are no fools.

Yes application. Playing too narrow. Diaby not playing well but why not try him out wide. Teams know how to play us now and if Emery is a top manager he will adapt to this. 

[striker]

1 hour ago, TRO said:

How many times, do we do that, to the opposition?.... we cannot go on being wussy, because it affects the good parts of our game.....McGinn is the only one showing any signs of physical engagement, that cannot continue, without consequences. It has been allowed to continue for a while now, and the hole in the sock gets bigger.....a stitch in time saves nine.....we need to stop this, getting bullied so easily.

I’ve been deriding the high line since pre-season Tro. It stands to reason that any decent team with a nippy forward line will break it down with the right ball over the top and runners from deep. Newcastle have taken advantage 3 times now including pre-season while  most recent opposition have worked it out how to play against Villa. All too predictable and no change in tactics from the manager!

I will also state again that much of Watkin’s early season threat has been nullified by Emery restricting him to a box player. Very few runs into the channels now to stretch teams so Villa are more reliant on trying to break teams down through the middle. This has also been noted by Premiership teams and those Villa have faced in the cups.

With Villa’s wingers not consistently firing either the opposition are setting up with a low block then destroying Villa’s high line on the break.

We've all seen this repeated in recent games. To date Emery seemingly has no plan B and struggles tactically when change is needed.

Alarmingly, we’ve now been made aware that apart from Rogers there will be no further signings this window.

I fear for Villa now, I really do as the present squad is not strong enough to sustain a push for CL placement and European games too.

Villa will do well to secure 6th-8th!

Edited January 31 by striker

[striker]

2 hours ago, TRO said:

I was disappointed with his after match, reaction........The team has done great all season, but that wasn't the game, to say he was proud of them......maybe he should have kept that for the dressing room, if he wants to motivate them......The watching public are no fools.

Totally agree and posted as such last night. I found it a very weak reaction to yet another insipid performance.

Luiz, Diaby, Kamara, and both FBs needed rockets up their arses rather than praise.

[tinker]

 Newcastle pressed us at the back and in midfield. When our midfielders came short for the ball from the defence Newcastle just followed the midfielder in and pressed them into hurried balls, as Sheffield and manure did.

As crazy as this may sound we need more of an outlet upfront so when this happens the holes left by their midfield pressing so high up are filled with our players and we punish them. Last night this never happened.

Our lack of moment from midfield was also noticeable, when we are in possession no one seems to be offering to receive the ball or run into any space.

Other than that we was OK 

 

[delboy54]

We all go on about Emery looking in depth at how other teams play, but yesterdays result was Howe applying the same effort in setting up his team.

Managers of teams that are due to play us will look at results where we didn't do well e.g. Sheffield Utd, Chelsea, Newcastle etc and look at why we were nullified and set their teams up to stop us. Expect the same from almost every team we play now as they look to have found a way to stop us. Newcastle did this well last night, it was only when we were losing 0 - 3 that we decided to up the tempo that we started to trouble them and by then it was far, far too late.

Its up to Emery to work out plan B, C, D etc and respond to this.

Its the slow build up that sometimes annoys me, it allows the opposition's defence all the time in the world to reset players back into position, I wish we were a little bit quicker and more incisive than we currently are.

[tinker]

1 minute ago, delboy54 said:

We all go on about Emery looking in depth at how other teams play, but yesterdays result was Howe applying the same effort in setting up his team.

Managers of teams that are due to play us will look at results where we didn't do well e.g. Sheffield Utd, Chelsea, Newcastle etc and look at why we were nullified and set their teams up to stop us. Expect the same from almost every team we play now as they look to have found a way to stop us. Newcastle did this well last night, it was only when we were losing 0 - 3 that we decided to up the tempo that we started to trouble them and by then it was far, far too late.

Its up to Emery to work out plan B, C, D etc and respond to this.

Its the slow build up that sometimes annoys me, it allows the opposition's defence all the time in the world to reset players back into position, I wish we were a little bit quicker and more incisive than we currently are.

The slow build up is great when we are winning, the lack of drive when we need it is a big factor maybe its a lack of confidence but the last 20 minutes was an ideal opportunity to up the tempo but we started to and then dropped off again, it's a big worry. 

[onmeedson]

Another training game performance, zonal marking fell apart, we pumped balls onto dan burns head as our game plan and when it takes us ten minutes to reach the half way line surely we realise it allows them to get nine defenders well organised and hence we panic and find Burns head. Bailey came on for a bright five minutes but Howe brought their kid with plenty of pace to match him, the lack of energy, battling and spirit is a worry. To say you are proud after that is like a mom at a gala when your kid has just come last, we need a shake up and a different mindset of player that will not accept that and give his all for the cause. We are way to nice a tean.

[Jas10]

 

[Jas10]

 

[TRO]

5 hours ago, Milfner said:

13 posts by one poster on a single page. Learn how to use multi-quote ffs. 

I don't know how to do it....sorry if its annoying.

[VILLAMARV]

Not that it bothers me either way, but the little plus sign in a box to the left of the quote button @TRO, hit it on each quote you want to quote and it will put them all in one reply and you should be able to comment in between each one. Just for the record.

Carry on.

[TRO]

16 hours ago, Jas10 said:

Thank you… at times like this, we need to keep calm heads or maintain some sort of level and perspective… rather than be overly reactionary and negative…

It’s unpleasant and frustrating… but… there’s no reason for complete doom and gloom…

There is no one better to deal with “setbacks” like this other than King Unai…

keep the faith, we will get it right (again)

we'll be fine...........

[TRO]

16 hours ago, briny_ear said:

Was at the theatre this evening so only periodically able to check progress on phone. At one early point in the first half I noticed we had about 30% possession and only 1 shot on goal, while Newcastle had about 10.

Just watched the briefest of highlights, not a pretty sight. Looks like the 2nd half was a bit better but we have (I hope temporarily) lost that ability to slice through defences and create scary shooting angles around the box.

So the slump we all hoped wouldn’t happen has now well and truly set in. We will soon be looking over our shoulders at West Ham and maybe even Newcastle challenging us for 5th place. It’s going to be a slog to get back to  better form after these recent setbacks. Hope we can manage it.

I wonder what would have happened if he had started Bailey this evening?

Bet you was warmer than me Brin.

Well, some of us, did detect a dip in performances, so its not a surprise, against a well spirited, physical team, like Newcastle....only 1 win away from home for them, all season and us going 18 games unbeaten at home was only going to end one way.....wasn't it, wasn't it.

The best team won, is the best way to describe it.

[andym]

8 hours ago, TRO said:

I was disappointed with his after match, reaction........The team has done great all season, but that wasn't the game, to say he was proud of them......maybe he should have kept that for the dressing room, if he wants to motivate them......The watching public are no fools.

To be fair to Unai, I understood the proud comment to be a reflection on the overall unbeaten (and mainly winning) run we've had at home, now its come to an end, rather than specific to last night. And i think in that context it was fair enough.

Of more interest to me was his comments about how both sides setup to play the same way as they'd done when we beat them 3-0 last year, with the difference this time being we lost out more in individual duels and moments.

I think recently we have had too many players displaying too many sloppy tendencies - there's the obvious stuff like passing the ball straight to opposition players despite looking straight at them, but there's lots of other little more subtle things that seem to have crept in to individual players games.

For example, balls are being played into players, but the receiver is not showing well enough for the ball and making the movement towards the ball that is needed to separate from the defender. Even if they do get it and are able to shield it, they are wanting too long before moving it on, and consequently running into multiple players and losing it or missing the chance for the pass. All of our midfield and starting forwards were guilty of that last night; in contrast Bailey when he came on wanted the ball constantly, and put in the effort to make himself available for it, and suddenly we got going as a team.

Then you've got the constant bad decisions being made like shooting when the pass/cross was on or vice versa.

Earlier in the season we had the slow build up play, but then we would quickly go through the gears with some much slicker movement and passing, players would make that movement to separate themselves from defenders. There was intent both on and off the ball, and good decision making, but that seems to have disappeared for the most part.

[Villaphan04]

8 hours ago, Stevo985 said:

McGinn was excellent

Fair enough, I thought he was quite poor.

[RichW]

Pre-match I was hoping after a month away and playing one of the leagues bigger teams the players would be up for it. Wasn’t expecting a repeat of last seasons performance but a tough 1-0 win however you could sense from the first minute it was going to be a bad night. 
 

The ideal time to play them would have probably been about a month ago when we were flying and they were struggling but the winter break has allowed them to have a rest and were coming into the game on the back of 2 away wins. Don’t think managers have managed to do a job on Emery twice yet so credit to Eddie Howe on his tactics and they fully deserved the win. 

Obviously the concern is performances of late, if we couldn’t be up for this game especially after the 5-1 loss we already suffered then makes you think when the next good performance is going to come. 
 

Be interesting to see how Emery changes it. Feels like a bit of pressure is on the Sheff Utd game. Gone from creating lots of chances and scoring regular to a team that’s struggling to score. Personally I think teams have managed to figure us out but hoping it’s just a slump. 

[foreveryoung]

Being that Emery bigged up the players says to me, maybe he knows he got it wrong and the players did there best. Hopefully he finds an answer, cause it looks as though it's not hard for a tactical manager to work out how to play us at our own game anymore.  I mean if we struggled with Burnley and Sheffield we are gonna struggle with most teams from now on, unless there's a new plan.

[PaulC]

4 hours ago, TRO said:

I don't know how to do it....sorry if its annoying.

To be honest I hate the multi quoting feature anyway It's ugly.

[rjw63]

19 hours ago, TRO said:

I don't know how to do it....sorry if its annoying.

Tut tut

19 hours ago, VILLAMARV said:

Not that it bothers me either way, but the little plus sign in a box to the left of the quote button @TRO, hit it on each quote you want to quote and it will put them all in one reply and you should be able to comment in between each one. Just for the record.

Carry on.

Indeed

18 hours ago, TRO said:

we'll be fine...........

Oh really

15 hours ago, PaulC said:

To be honest I hate the multi quoting feature anyway It's ugly.

Nah it's magic

Edited February 1 by rjw63
keeeeeeeenanism

[TRO]

On 31/01/2024 at 17:45, andym said:

To be fair to Unai, I understood the proud comment to be a reflection on the overall unbeaten (and mainly winning) run we've had at home, now its come to an end, rather than specific to last night. And i think in that context it was fair enough.

Of more interest to me was his comments about how both sides setup to play the same way as they'd done when we beat them 3-0 last year, with the difference this time being we lost out more in individual duels and moments.

I think recently we have had too many players displaying too many sloppy tendencies - there's the obvious stuff like passing the ball straight to opposition players despite looking straight at them, but there's lots of other little more subtle things that seem to have crept in to individual players games.

For example, balls are being played into players, but the receiver is not showing well enough for the ball and making the movement towards the ball that is needed to separate from the defender. Even if they do get it and are able to shield it, they are wanting too long before moving it on, and consequently running into multiple players and losing it or missing the chance for the pass. All of our midfield and starting forwards were guilty of that last night; in contrast Bailey when he came on wanted the ball constantly, and put in the effort to make himself available for it, and suddenly we got going as a team.

Then you've got the constant bad decisions being made like shooting when the pass/cross was on or vice versa.

Earlier in the season we had the slow build up play, but then we would quickly go through the gears with some much slicker movement and passing, players would make that movement to separate themselves from defenders. There was intent both on and off the ball, and good decision making, but that seems to have disappeared for the most part.

Thats how I see it.

I don't know the answer.....but the oppo being quicker to the ball, has suffocated our creativity.....we haven't lost our talent, but we have lost our ability to compete for the ball.

Its interesting how Bailey has competition for his place, and is responding......but others who don't have a feasible competitor, has slipped in to melancholy mode.

I also think the type of new recruits, has shown a realisation, of what our squad needs....athleticism....sure they are young, and will have to be nurtured, but you can see, the direction Unai, is looking at.

I think you have covered, some very significant, observations.....I would also like to add, that confidence and fatigue, can easily be ruled out, by,  firstly the week of the Man city and Arsenal wins, what more confidence boosting is that? and since then the rot has set in, that to me is complacency.....then we had more or less a month off, bugger me, they should be like spring chickens, with energy to burn.

No, for me this is attitude, and it needs to change.................quick.

Edited February 2 by TRO