Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Newcastle

[Jas10]

49 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Emery has earned the right to pick his team but for the life of me I cannot fathom how he picks Diaby ahead of Bailey. I really don't see whatever he's seeing. 

Bailey had been carrying a back injury… best to keep players healthy and fit for the long term rather than risk further damage… he’s going to be crucial for us for the rest of the season…. we need him to be available… same applies to JJ… we need him consistently in the team…

Something that gives me a lot of encouragement is that we have players to recover from injuries and to hit form… when they do… it’s going to be entertaining…

-

Also, Unai doesn’t give up on and slate players… he works with them and tries to improve and boost them… Diaby was given a chance… every player needs to show something and deserve/earn a place in this side…

Edited January 31 by Jas10

[MaVilla]

1 hour ago, est1874 said:

To quote Shampoo...

Uh oh! we're in trouble

something's come along 

and it's burst our bubble

whats a song that was, world class, reminds me of the early 90s for sure!!

[Jas10]

45 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

First half was lacklustre and slow and we thoroughly deserved our nil, though Newcastle I thought rode their luck a bit for their two.

Second half we were the better side, but if you give good teams a 2-0 head start it's really, really difficult.

Three problems in the first half; Newcastle are excellent from set pieces because they're huge, the referee was utterly appalling and we didn't look like we had a threat in us.

We adjusted in the second half but from three down, despite going on to dominate with Bailey on and looking sharp, it was too big a mountain to climb.

We're not far off, there were certainly signs in the second half that it's still there and that we can still achieve things this season - the game was close, closer than it feels and closer than it looks on the scoreboard, we played the better football, but if we can't defend set pieces, we're going to be in trouble.

It might not be the most popular view, but I think we were a little luck and a better ref away from a better result and in a way I think you can look at us as unlucky on the night - you have to take your chances though and Newcastle gave us a lesson in that..

Newcastle remind me a little of us under O'Neill, they're organised defensively, they hit long balls at very quick talented forwards and capitalise with their height on set pieces - it's hard to play against but limited - they do it very well though and in Gordon they have a real danger on the break.

The referee was shocking, I'm not sure Burn had a foul given against him all game and he could have been booked five times - if the referee had let everything that he thought was a foul go and blown his whistle for everything he wasn't sure about, he'd have had a better game - dreadful.

I'm sure the "it's-the-high-liners" will be out in force, but I don't think that's the problem - we need to work on adding a spark in the front line and at the moment, the only place that spark is coming from is Bailey.

Take it on the chin and come back for the next one with the second half attitude and we'll be okay - more of the first half and we won't. It's hard to figure out exactly what the differences are that make us one thing or the other, but I know there's one man who will spend an awful lot of time trying to figure that out - I trust him to get it right.

It's been a while and it feels awful - but rumours of our demise are most likely being exaggerated as we speak.

 

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)

[Dillon66]

1 hour ago, Herman22 said:

They can be anti football and highly effective. They realised that we struggle to break down teams that sit back so they got 10-11 men behind the ball at all times and defended their box. They then played long to Gordon/ Isak/ Almiron. They lived mostly for dead balls that they made the most of them. 

it was Steve Bruce, Tony Pulis tactics very well executed. 

Respectfully.....thats bollocks mate. They played around us, over us and through us. Midfield weak as piss, defence lackadaisical and slow, non existent forwards......and it's been like it for nearly 2 months, it was just a matter of time before someone took advantage.

[jackbauer24]

That was just awful and that's being polite. But it's also an accumulation of the last month odd. A mixture of injuries, fatigue, teams working us out and, I believe, a level of arrogance that was unwarranted after the Arsenal/ Man City results that has seen both our form and, more depressingly, our application dip significantly.

There's obvious issues like Lenglet and Diaby but actually my disappointment comes more from players like Kamara, Luiz and Watkins who look like they're strolling around with out a care in the world. Luiz hasn't taken control of midfield. Kamara has been incredibly lazy. Watkins can't trap a ball. Then even the normally untouchable Emery has had some poorer games where he's been tactically outclassed without an answer and responded far too slowly. Today we played in to Newcastle's hands, didn't catch them offside much, couldn't play out from the back and we're forced in to aerial balls against a towering defensive lineup. Clear we'd got it wrong ten mins in, but failed to respond and the changes were needed at half time.

All in all, throughly poor throughout and incredibly telling that Bailey was the MOTM considering he had half an hour. This slump will turn in to a death spiral unless we get at least a performance soon.

[neilski]

1 hour ago, osmark86 said:

Tbf JJ barely got the ball. We played it mostly on the left side. Understandably so too considering Leon played 

Youve got that back to front surely? Bailey plays on the right and jj on the left.

I think jj is just rusty though,maybe a bit unfit, give him a few gamea and hell be ballin again. 

[briny_ear]

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?

[Jas10]

Players that deserve credit after this game;

Martinez - kept the score line down, nothing he could do about the goals, his level did not drop

Lenglet - has been criticised a lot but… did his job and two key blocks prevented us from conceding more goals 

McGinn - toiled away, kept the ball well and tried to get us going, passed it well… one of the few who showed up but… only so much you can do when the rest of the team is so off it…

Watkins - as usual, kept working and battling despite a lack of service or clear cut chances… justified in demanding more from the crowd too… got a goal, second ruled out for such a marginal offside - that would have boosted us and put them under severe pressure…

Bailey - what an impact and what a player… transformed us…

Edited January 31 by Jas10

[The Fun Factory]

Just felt very flat from the start on and off the pitch. We have kicked bollocks scramble the last few weeks in getting results, but we haven't been at our best since the brilliant City-Arsenal double week.

We have too many key players out of form to keep on getting away with it. Newcastle have spanked us twice this season and thankfully we don't have to play them again.

It might be a sign of things to come but Newcastle played well against our famous high line. Might need to freshen up the tactics occasionally.

It seemed heretical even to slightly criticize The Great One but we were crying out for Bailey to come on at half time. At 3 nil the game was over.

We should take a moment to reflect on our amazing 17 game home unbeaten run, it was something very special. I don't think we should panic yet but hopefully we can get some our key players back into form an can move forwards together. This could still be a very special season.

Edited January 31 by The Fun Factory

[striker]

1 hour ago, AstonMartyn88 said:

I don’t think he’s the kind of coach that publicly throws players under the bus. 
 

in the dressing room though I suspect he will have put a rocket up them

Really not sure about that at all if you consider all recent performances have been very flat.

[Villaphan04]

Bailey the only one to come out of that game with any credit for me. 

[fruitvilla]

Only watched to the third goal. Probably, will watch the rest later tonight.

Up to that point, I thought Cash was as effective as anyone so I gave him the man of the match. The whole thing was lackadaisical.

 

Edited January 31 by fruitvilla

[El Segundo]

I think  Howe and Newcastle deserve credit for that.

They not only pressed us intensively very high, but also backed it up by man-marking our four midfielders so there was no easy out-ball. We had to resort to long punts up to Ollie or out wide which were too often either inaccurate or easily turned over.   

It was crying out for a defender to step out beyond the high press and bring the ball out, like Torres would do and Mings used to.  Moreno did on occasion but not often enough or effectively enough.   Konsa seemed afraid to try. 

We compounded that by defending like novices - Schar allowed a free shot for the first,  Cash at fault for the third.

The high line defence needs protecting with a really good press and we are not pressing anywhere near as well as required. They had time and space to pick out multiple long balls to expose us.

I know Emery likes us to control the game and draw the opposition out before trying to play through them but it needs a bit of tempo and zip at times and we were so slow and ponderous in our build up.  Even with 5 minutes left and two goals down we seemed to be still trying the patient approach – surely that’s the time to go shit or bust and get it in the mixer?

When Baily came on and started running them ragged Howe brought on Livramento to double up on him and it stifled him for a while.   Bailey sending Burn out for the papers was genius but ultimately led to nothing.    

Newcastle  were  “clever “ in getting “injuries” to stop our momentum when pressure was building.

I’ve not been Diaby’s biggest fan this season and tonight convinced me he’s  £35m-£52m of lightweight mediocrity.   Wild stab in the dark but I doubt any of the add-ons have kicked in yet.  Bailey did more in his first 5 minutes. But then I guess Bailey was just as bad 18 months ago.

Might be just a glitch but I’m concerned too many coaches have sussed Emery out and he could do with a  plan B and C. 

The ref, as usual, seemed too ready to deem our fouls as yellows, while they got away with it until very late on.  Yet another on the PGMOL conveyor belt of clowns.

Poor since the City game, need to snap out of it soon. 

[WallisFrizz]

I watched this one on the TV. At half time, one of the pundits made a comment re the atmosphere feeling flat, I presumed he was talking about the fans but then his immediate next words were along the lines of the players not seeming as up for it. 
 

There does seem to be a shift in their body language after a tough month. I hope all is well in the camp.

[stewiek2]

4 hours ago, fruitvilla said:

Only watched to the third goal. Probably, will watch the rest later tonight.

I wouldn't bother if I was you. It's not worth the pain. We were shite. End of.

[stewiek2]

We've been found out. My big surprise is that the manager hasn't found a way yet to counter that and have us mixing it up more to counter that. I love the guy but surely he's learnt from his time at Arsenal that you can't play one way one way no matter what.

Makes Saturday a massive game now against a side who didn't give a shit about anything but sit deep and who will sit even deeper against us.

He has to find a way or we can forget CL.

Edited January 31 by stewiek2

[CVByrne]

We were poor and deserved our defeat. Poor goals to give away. It's just one game however and we need to bounce back to winning ways on the weekend. We've been good at that before so let's hope Emery fixes it. 

[ozvillafan]

First time I have ever given Emery a very poor rating. 

It doesn't take a lot of research to know that our victory against them last year was largely due to McGinn and Buendia making life hell for Dan Burn. He was so badly worked over in that game that they replaced him after 60 minutes.

This game was made for Bailey with an overlapping Cash. 

Instead, an out of form Diaby and 4 largely static central midfielders across the middle made the starting line-up. 

Reminded me of Dean Smith and his 5-3-2 experiment - all the attacking responsibility on the fullbacks. 

Played perfectly into the hands of a Newcastle side that can press and man-mark in midfield. 

Poor. 

[osmark86]

7 hours ago, neilski said:

Youve got that back to front surely? Bailey plays on the right and jj on the left.

I think jj is just rusty though,maybe a bit unfit, give him a few gamea and hell be ballin again. 

Yup sorry, meant right.

[Mr_Dogg]

When you are a very system oriented team, as we are, when it is matched or countered it can fall flat.

Our starting 11 last night didn't have any players capable of beating 2 or 3 and creating something, Diaby in form would but he's not. That's why when Bailey came on we were transformed.