Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Spurs

[The Fun Factory]

A crappy day at Villa. Weather is still firmly in winter mode even though we are weeks away from the clocks going forward. I am not sure why Emery  changed  the set up, five at the back really didn't work as it weakened our midfield and just resulted in long balls up to Watkins. Perhaps this was down to Kamarra's injury, I don't know. We seemed to switch off yet again for Spurs first goal, as it came off after a lengthy injury and substitution break, we keep on doing this. Then in a space of about 10 minutes, the game was over with Konsa's mistake and a rush of blood from McGinn. Spurs were good value for the win and the last 2 goals means that they have a better goal difference than us. 

I don't buy the tiredness factor as Ajax was a low intensity game plus we rested a fair few.   Then getting out of the game was a nightmare as I wasn't thinking straight and went the wrong way so wasted half an hour in traffic.  Not a good day.

We are still in a really good position and have a winnable tie on Thursday to get to our first European quarter final for 26 years. The season is still positive but we need to bounce back from a very bad day at th office. Mcginn sending off is a bad one, I have no idea how Emery is to set up the midfield verus the spammers.

[sharkyvilla]

Just now, AV82 said:

How flat is your back 5 if Torres is up by their box threading a ball through to Bailey? The formation was nowhere near the issue today.

True, I also just don't see who we could have used in Ramsey's role today if we stuck with the usual formation.  I think of the different options and none of them fill me with confidence.

[AV82]

7 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

That was in the 2nd half already 2 down iirc

setup was entirely the problem. Even the 2nd goal was caused by Konsa not having options due to how congested it was 

Torres was often in midfield during the first half. Watch it back.

As for Konsa - how about the option of booting it? It's ridiculous to assume one less 'defender' (I don't agree we were playing a flat back 5) would've given Konsa more options. There's more to a match than the formation you're assuming we played. Oh and by the way the player he passed to was Tielemans. Based on your criticism you 're expecting Emery to field a player in addition to our 5 'defenders', McGinn, Douglas and Tielemans just so Konsa would have someone to pass to. What? 

Edited March 10 by AV82

[AV82]

2 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

True, I also just don't see who we could have used in Ramsey's role today if we stuck with the usual formation.  I think of the different options and none of them fill me with confidence.

I was happy to see Pau on the ball in midfield, I thought it was a great idea. That, and our 'formation' is not the reason we lost today.

[KillieVillain]

Missed the game today but was keeping an eye on the score, just seems like every time we have a big game we don’t turn up , Chelsea in  cup replay, Man United at home & again today, is there a lack of character or weak mentality from players, need to win midweek or this season could end on a major downer .

[sheepyvillian]

44 minutes ago, romavillan said:

Yeah at one point he chased back 80 yards hassling their player the whole way to win it back. He was giving everything and he did ok today, might be worth a start against Ajax but not down the left.

Ahead of Diaby, all day long for me.

[DJBOB]

9 minutes ago, mykeyb said:

Except it was 0-0 at half time. Konsa gifting them a second and McGinn getting sent off was probably more costly

At no point did we look threatening besides some random loose passes by Spurs. We had no imposition in the match and Konsa gift was inevitable given our inability to keep the ball in the Spurs half. 
 
Unai got it wrong as we have mountains of evidence that sitting back in a 532 and conceding the impetus to the opponent is just a ticking time bomb. 
 
That doesn’t mean Unai doesn’t have a lot of credit in the bank but he got it dead wrong for this crucial match and I have been singing his praises all year. 

[StefanAVFC]

6 minutes ago, AV82 said:

Torres was often in midfield during the first half. Watch it back.

As for Konsa - how about the option of booting it? It's ridiculous to assume one less 'defender' (I don't agree we were playing a flat back 5) would've given Konsa more options. There's more to a match than the formation you're assuming we played. Oh and by the way the player he passed to was Tielemans. Based on your criticism you 're expecting Emery to field a player in addition to our 5 'defenders', McGinn, Douglas and Tielemans just so Konsa would have someone to pass to. What? 

It’s not about personnel, it’s where they’re positioned. A flat back 5 crowds the back line so there’s less space to pass into when playing out from the back. If you watch it again, using your own words, you’ll see the amount of times we both struggled and gave it away, or hoofed it due to a lack of options. 

[sharkyvilla]

7 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

That was in the 2nd half already 2 down iirc

setup was entirely the problem. Even the 2nd goal was caused by Konsa not having options due to how congested it was 

Just out of interest, what midfield would you have chosen?  I was thinking maybe McGinn out left with Tim and Doug in the middle.  A massive call that one.  I have no faith in Zaniolo out left, Rogers didn't look that great positionally and tracking back on the left vs Luton.  Maybe Diaby could find a new lease of life on the left?  Maybe a straight swap, Tim for Ramsey.  I'm not sure out wide would suit his playing style though.  

[sheepyvillian]

31 minutes ago, maqroll said:

I had a bad feeling about this game, like a premonition. Really bad vibes. 

When opportunity knocks, Villa can't find a way to answer the door.

 

I felt that way too, where usually, I'm full of optimism. 

[StefanAVFC]

Im mostly concerned because we’ve got to where we’ve got to, playing in a front footed way, and now, in the biggest week in the club’s recent history, we’ve played not to lose in 2 of the 3 games. It sends entirely the wrong message from top to bottom imo 

Edited March 10 by StefanAVFC

[TRO]

1 hour ago, DaveAV1 said:

Hard to disagree with this Chris. It’s unfortunate that we had such an important league match immediately after and before big European matches but we can’t change that, slumps after European matches aren’t uncommon for a lot of teams so as previously mentioned perhaps the CL is a bit early for us at the moment? 

I think so.

[DJBOB]

1 minute ago, sharkyvilla said:

Just out of interest, what midfield would you have chosen?  I was thinking maybe McGinn out left with Tim and Doug in the middle.  A massive call that one.  I have no faith in Zaniolo out left, Rogers didn't look that great positionally and tracking back on the left vs Luton.  Maybe Diaby could find a new lease of life on the left?  Maybe a straight swap, Tim for Ramsey.  I'm not sure out wide would suit his playing style though.  

Zaniolo, Luiz, McGinn and Bailey with Tielemans dropping in from the second striker spot. 
 
Unai has outthought himself in a few matches this year trying to keep certain players on pitch instead of just living with the results

[DJBOB]

2 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

Im mostly concerned because we’ve got to where we’ve got to, playing in a front footed way, and now, in the biggest week in the club’s recently history, we’ve played not to lose in 2 of the 3 games. It sends entirely the wrong message from top to bottom imo 

Yes exactly we have never played a back 5 in a deep-mid block no matter the opponent and now against Spurs for a UCL decider, we decide to completely give up any impetus and defend deep and kick long?

Its the antithesis of how we’ve played and we ended up conceding in the same way we would have if we played our normal set up. 
 
So we sacrificed possession and attack for absolutely nothing. It’s a terrible set up, philosophy and the first time I’ve been truly disappointed with Unai. 

[AV82]

8 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

sIt’s not about personnel, it’s where they’re positioned. A flat back 5 crowds the back line so there’s less space to pass into when playing out from the back. If you watch it again, using your own words, you’ll see the amount of times we both struggled and gave it away, or hoofed it due to a lack of options. 

You've lost me. So playing a 2 man defence of Tielemans and Diaby is better than your perceived 5atb because there'd be more options in midfield? In the game Konsa technically had 4 other defenders and 5 midfielders to pass to and it's still not enough?

Another silly assumption is that our 'hoofing it' means we had a lack of options. We were intentionally playing direct, and it was working. We broke through multiple times, I recall at least 3 identical attacks with Watkins on the ball, Tielemans to his left and Bailey to his right and each time the attack broke down because of brilliant defending by Tottenham. On another day we pick a better pass and rip the net out.

Edited March 10 by AV82

[picicata]

He had a stinker

We all have bad days at work sometimes 

[StefanAVFC]

Just now, AV82 said:

You've lost me. So playing a 2 man defence of Tielemans and Diaby is better than your perceived 5atb because there'd be more options in midfield?

Another silly assumption is that our 'hoofing it' means we had a lack of options. We were intentionally playing direct, and it was working. We broke through multiple times, I recall at least 3 identical attacks with Watkins on the ball, Tielemans to his left and Bailey to his right and each time the attack broke down because of brilliant defending by Tottenham. On another day we pick a better pass and rip the net out.

 No point continuing this if the bolded is what you gathered from my post. 

[El Segundo]

Today showed we probably don't quite have the strength in depth or the mentality for CL football yet but we shouldn't be giving up on it, especially as we can strengthen in the summer knowing we'll have some extra revenue.  It's going to be harder after this season if the likes of Newcastle, Chelsea, and Man Yew get their acts together.        

[AV82]

Just now, StefanAVFC said:

 No point continuing this if the bolded is what you gathered from my post. 

I'd love for you to explain.

[StefanAVFC]

10 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

Just out of interest, what midfield would you have chosen?  I was thinking maybe McGinn out left with Tim and Doug in the middle.  A massive call that one.  I have no faith in Zaniolo out left, Rogers didn't look that great positionally and tracking back on the left vs Luton.  Maybe Diaby could find a new lease of life on the left?  Maybe a straight swap, Tim for Ramsey.  I'm not sure out wide would suit his playing style though.  

Back 4 - probably Konsa and then moreno due to less attacking RB

tielemans mcginn Luiz Bailey 

watkins diaby

 although he’s been poor it balances out the team better imo