Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Olympiakos

[delboy54]

My latest routine when getting to VP is to walk down to the McGregor statue and touch his left foot for luck. I started doing this before the Brighton game where we had to win to qualify for Europe.

As a ST holder I go to most games and now follow this "tradition" and every game so far I have attended i have done this and we have never lost.

Last night I could not follow my "tradition" due to AVFC stopping access for the team bus.

So therefore I blame the teams bus for last nights farce. If I was allowed through the police cordon to touch McGregors foot we would have won...

[HKP90]

I was expecting a low block counter strategy from them, especially as folks on here who knew of their coach were saying that he is quite conservative. Instead they set up a mid-block transitioning into a highly effective high press.

It was a great performance from Olympiakos, I have to say. They may have been fresher, but they also knew how to hurt us. 

In fairness I think we also looked very dangerous against their back line who appear to be their weak link. 

I hope Unai has a few surprises for them in the return fixture. Time for a masterclass, boss.

[Sulberto21]

We need to start taking key chances at the key points in the game. We also need to stop the goals we concede at key points in the match. We’ve done really well this season. Hopefully next season we’ll have less injuries. 

In the second leg we need to come out and blitz them in the first 20 minutes and try and get three goals. From there we need to manage the game.

[Sulberto21]

2 minutes ago, delboy54 said:

My latest routine when getting to VP is to walk down to the McGregor statue and touch his left foot for luck. I started doing this before the Brighton game where we had to win to qualify for Europe.

As a ST holder I go to most games and now follow this "tradition" and every game so far I have attended i have done this and we have never lost.

Last night I could not follow my "tradition" due to AVFC stopping access for the team bus.

So therefore I blame the teams bus for last nights farce. If I was allowed through the police cordon to touch McGregors foot we would have won...

Please chain yourself to his foot  - next season 19 wins incoming.

[tommytenjobs]

Got home at 1.45am...long way back after these 8pm kicknoffs. 

Odd, but i don't think I've ever come away from a game where we've conceded four,  less upset and less worried about the next game. 

I think overall, I have to disagree with a lot of the comments about how poorly many played. The abuse of Luiz and Olson in particular.

Luiz draws abuse and vitriol because he is so central to everything the team does. He is central to everything and so stays in people's minds.

Yes the penalty miss could well be costly, but how many has he scored. This just means it's out of the way before the shootout next week. Yes, the penalty given away appears to have been stupid to say the least. I called it straight from the Trinity family section where I sit. Obvious decision and a clear & important error from doug.....

.....but he is the only one of the midfielders who was always showing forthee ball, trying to take control, trying to find chinks and gaps. One of the reasons we play so slow at times, yes, but this is directed by Emery. You can't criticise doug and laud Emery. He plays as directed and how the role and personel around him allows.

We are still 4th and in the semis.

Where did West ham finish in the PL when in this competition? Part of the reason for why we have managed this, with this squad and injuries, is that doug and Emery play at 'our' tempo. 

Doug is not 100m one week and s waste of dpace tge next. Context please. 

Mcginn, looked spent last night, so often standing behind presser players, Konsa often had no forward pass other than Luiz because of this. Again, not his fault, he's spent and we have no one else we can play to rest him, even for 30mins. 

Why Longlet appears to get off with a free pass compared to doug and Olson, I have no idea. One of the highest paid players on the squad, yet every time he plays, they attack the left centre, knowing he has no pace, no strength and relies on ofside trap to always work. Failed twice yesterday in first half and they scored twice. The drop off in organisation and awareness in defence is massive between him and Pau/mings. Far more at fault than lots on here have credited. IMHO

Big games, I get the attacking intent of Rogers being picked with Baliey and Diaby. We look such a threat going forward, which is one reason why I think we will win sun and Thursday. But....my god we are making Luiz, mcginn and the back four's job hard by playing basically four forwards. Surely, first 60mins yesterday, play Tim instead of one of these, keep midfield solid, let doug and John not spend themselves and earn the right to attack. Tight one nil surely better than 2.4? We've shown we can do it at Ajax, Arsenal. Reason for my rating of Unai. I think he got this a little wrong. Buy what domi know. Happy to defer! 

Olson.....only seen the goals from the game, but fail to see how he could do much. Happy ro be corrected by someone with a better view. 

Passing out from the back...looked laboured at times and error strewn, but I don't think this is usually causd by Olson or the defenders, but lack of movement and numbers in cdm. We miss Kamara so much. But also, simply, we miss 'legs'. Whoever plays in cm needs to be able to move and we looked tired at times in the last few weeks. Makes konsa, longlet and Olson's jobs so much harder. TBF Olson played some really good passes through the press and over it yesterday. Ball to Cash in first half was really good example of this. Set up our first goal I think? 

Anyway, back to positive feeling when trudging home. Rogers looks like he's going to be a player. Watkins, Bailey, diaby will score goals. Mcginn's passion and drive. Youngsters on the bench who could be very exciting. We came back from 2 last night. We can do it again. MH result there in last round. [They won 4.1 in Athens]. 

We're villa, we might make it look hard sometimes, but that's because it is, if you don't financially dope. 

I think we can do it and am going to continue to enjoy it, support the boys and be positive. Any talk about bottle jobs, disgrace etc ffs. Enjoy what we have done and celebrate the achievements with some rational debate about how/why we could do better. 

Utv

Edited May 3 by tommytenjobs

[markavfc40]

Having slept on it my overwhelming feeling is that we simply need to put the result/performance in perspective of the whole season which has been a remarkable one.

I also think that we need to factor in the fact that we may just be running out of steam both physically and mentally. If you think that we were missing 7 players that would have either started the game last night or would have been able to make a positive contribution, and that four of those players have missed between half and the whole season, then it should be no surprise that we are now starting to look jaded. 

Olympiakos made 7 changes from the side they put out over the weekend. They now don't play again until they next play us and that has to be a factor and mitigate the fact that on paper we have more quality. It doesn't completely excuse the performance but when you are as poor all over the pitch as we were then you have to look at over riding reasons as to why that may be the case.

All is not lost though and we score the first goal next week, even if that is after 80 minutes, then it is game on. You know what though if we do go out, or even if we lose every game we have remaining this season, it will still have been an unbelievable one and I will have so much pride in all these players and our exceptional manager. 

 

Edited May 3 by markavfc40

[ben1505]

Anyone on here have any confidence that we can turn this tie around?

[Okonokos]

6 minutes ago, ben1505 said:

Anyone on here have any confidence that we can turn this tie around?

100% we will.

In a weird way, having to attack from the off will play to our strengths. The players will want to make amends and I believe we will blow them away next week.

[striker]

6 minutes ago, ben1505 said:

Anyone on here have any confidence that we can turn this tie around?

With Martinez, Torres, Carlos and Tills back……..yes!

[mrchnry]

[Creeper]

Lots of Olympiakos fans by me in the lower Doug Ellis. Stewards dealt with it as well as they could. Especially with one Villa fan who had one too many who was giving lip to the Stewards and Police. 

[OutByEaster?]

21 minutes ago, Creeper said:

Lots of Olympiakos fans by me in the lower Doug Ellis. Stewards dealt with it as well as they could. Especially with one Villa fan who had one too many who was giving lip to the Stewards and Police. 

M5? 

There was a good sized chap who was read to throw them out himself.

That's the problem with away fans in home areas, no matter how well behaved they are, that doesn't guarantee that someone else isn't going to clomp em for standing up and filming their teams goal celebrations - around me in M5 there were a several groups removed - we really need better checks on who is buying memberships.

 

[Creeper]

6 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

M5? 

There was a good sized chap who was read to throw them out himself.

That's the problem with away fans in home areas, no matter how well behaved they are, that doesn't guarantee that someone else isn't going to clomp em for standing up and filming their teams goal celebrations - around me in M5 there were a several groups removed - we really need better checks on who is buying memberships.

 

Yeah M5. Think we're on about the same bloke. Black jacket, bald? Unsure why he was giving lip to the Stewards and the Police admittedly, unsure if something was said/done to him and I missed it.

[TRO]

10 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

Oh, almost forgot, that's now 32 goals in cup competitions for us this season, the most we've scored in a season for 63 years.

 

Yeah! and that's great.

The only problem is, it's only half the story.......The ones we let in, have a story of their own.

Edited May 3 by TRO

[TRO]

52 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

Having slept on it my overwhelming feeling is that we simply need to put the result/performance in perspective of the whole season which has been a remarkable one.

I also think that we need to factor in the fact that we may just be running out of steam both physically and mentally. If you think that we were missing 7 players that would have either started the game last night or would have been able to make a positive contribution, and that four of those players have missed between half and the whole season, then it should be no surprise that we are now starting to look jaded. 

Olympiakos made 7 changes from the side they put out over the weekend. They now don't play again until they next play us and that has to be a factor and mitigate the fact that on paper we have more quality. It doesn't completely excuse the performance but when you are as poor all over the pitch as we were then you have to look at over riding reasons as to why that may be the case.

All is not lost though and we score the first goal next week, even if that is after 80 minutes, then it is game on. You know what though if we do go out, or even if we lose every game we have remaining this season, it will still have been an unbelievable one and I will have so much pride in all these players and our exceptional manager. 

 

It's been an undoubtedly brilliant season and the manager and the players have been outstanding.....but that is over 10 months and there has been some differences in form,during that time,  for a variety of reasons. Folk will have their own opinions why the goals against seem to have increased.

The future is extremely bright......but this thread is about the game.

I would suspect the rate we ship goals and the manner of them , will feature heavily in the managers thinking during the recruitment period.

I have to say, sadly....it was no surprise to me, because I have seen these traits, that led to their goals in previous games, lately. I have my opinions on it, which are observations, not criticisms, and I suspect other fans will have theirs.

We will all have our theories, why the sudden, shipping of goals.....The manager looked apoplectic, at times, with some of the players, so he was clearly not happy with things.....it's been a tough old season, and some look battle weary, having to carry the fight.

I say, finish 4th and have a good summer window, and look forward to next season.

ps some of our returnees will be like new signings.

 

 

[useless]

John McGinn made a great point, we can come back from two goals down against them, as we showed in last night's game, we did in the space of around twenty minutes, in the second-leg we will have a whole ninety minutes to do it, we just havet to avoid giving away silly goals, with Martinez in goal maybe we will have a chance

[tinker]

1 hour ago, tommytenjobs said:

Got home at 1.45am...long way back after these 8pm kicknoffs. 

Odd, but i don't think I've ever come away from a game where we've conceded four,  less upset and less worried about the next game. 

I think overall, I have to disagree with a lot of the comments about how poorly many played. The abuse of Luiz and Olson in particular.

Luiz draws abuse and vitriol because he is so central to everything the team does. He is central to everything and so stays in people's minds.

Yes the penalty miss could well be costly, but how many has he scored. This just means it's out of the way before the shootout next week. Yes, the penalty given away appears to have been stupid to say the least. I called it straight from the Trinity family section where I sit. Obvious decision and a clear & important error from doug.....

.....but he is the only one of the midfielders who was always showing forthee ball, trying to take control, trying to find chinks and gaps. One of the reasons we play so slow at times, yes, but this is directed by Emery. You can't criticise doug and laud Emery. He plays as directed and how the role and personel around him allows.

We are still 4th and in the semis.

Where did West ham finish in the PL when in this competition? Part of the reason for why we have managed this, with this squad and injuries, is that doug and Emery play at 'our' tempo. 

Doug is not 100m one week and s waste of dpace tge next. Context please. 

Mcginn, looked spent last night, so often standing behind presser players, Konsa often had no forward pass other than Luiz because of this. Again, not his fault, he's spent and we have no one else we can play to rest him, even for 30mins. 

Why Longlet appears to get off with a free pass compared to doug and Olson, I have no idea. One of the highest paid players on the squad, yet every time he plays, they attack the left centre, knowing he has no pace, no strength and relies on ofside trap to always work. Failed twice yesterday in first half and they scored twice. The drop off in organisation and awareness in defence is massive between him and Pau/mings. Far more at fault than lots on here have credited. IMHO

Big games, I get the attacking intent of Rogers being picked with Baliey and Diaby. We look such a threat going forward, which is one reason why I think we will win sun and Thursday. But....my god we are making Luiz, mcginn and the back four's job hard by playing basically four forwards. Surely, first 60mins yesterday, play Tim instead of one of these, keep midfield solid, let doug and John not spend themselves and earn the right to attack. Tight one nil surely better than 2.4? We've shown we can do it at Ajax, Arsenal. Reason for my rating of Unai. I think he got this a little wrong. Buy what domi know. Happy to defer! 

Olson.....only seen the goals from the game, but fail to see how he could do much. Happy ro be corrected by someone with a better view. 

Passing out from the back...looked laboured at times and error strewn, but I don't think this is usually causd by Olson or the defenders, but lack of movement and numbers in cdm. We miss Kamara so much. But also, simply, we miss 'legs'. Whoever plays in cm needs to be able to move and we looked tired at times in the last few weeks. Makes konsa, longlet and Olson's jobs so much harder. TBF Olson played some really good passes through the press and over it yesterday. Ball to Cash in first half was really good example of this. Set up our first goal I think? 

Anyway, back to positive feeling when trudging home. Rogers looks like he's going to be a player. Watkins, Bailey, diaby will score goals. Mcginn's passion and drive. Youngsters on the bench who could be very exciting. We came back from 2 last night. We can do it again. MH result there in last round. [They won 4.1 in Athens]. 

We're villa, we might make it look hard sometimes, but that's because it is, if you don't financially dope. 

I think we can do it and am going to continue to enjoy it, support the boys and be positive. Any talk about bottle jobs, disgrace etc ffs. Enjoy what we have done and celebrate the achievements with some rational debate about how/why we could do better. 

Utv

Watched the highlights this morning and Lenglet was culpable for the 1st 2  goals, Although Olsen should have done better for the first 2 as well. Lenglet also with pull back that gave the ref the excuse he needed to disallow a goal.

Bailey should have had a penalty,  blatant trip.

We can still win this for sure. 

[TRO]

1 hour ago, ben1505 said:

Anyone on here have any confidence that we can turn this tie around?

It's not impossible.....and we have the capability of scoring away from home. Scoring is not a problem for us.

but that's not the issue for me......We have an equal reputation for shipping them, With a disappointing regularity.

Olympiacos at home backed by a partisan crowd, will be buzzing at how easy it was, to breach us.....and they too have been free scoring at home.

Its anyone's guess and I suspect hope will be a huge feature of anyone predictions.

[mykeyb]

That was a bizarre game. They scored with their only two attempts on target in the first half. We got ourselves back on terms and looked the more likely team. Had a penalty appeal ruled out then they had theirs given and conceded again from a terrible deflection. On another night it is a game we would have won.

Not out of it yet, we need an early goal though

[TRO]

2 hours ago, osmark86 said:

yeah we did a lot of bad things as well, this is absolutely true. 

I was looking at the things, we wasn't doing right, that had a major bearing on the result.....I am referring to our general play.

There were other things like: 

• Dougies unnecessary penalty gift
• Bailey's penalty refusal
• Dougies Penalty miss
• Lenglets stupid and unnecessary shirt pull( as innocuous as it was)

all those were goal scoring opportunities, missed.

but our general play, was well below par.....off the ball, we was walking, they in contrast was running........much like the Chelsea collapse.....That alone, give them a huge confidence boost.

I don't know, the true circumstances of our drop off, of form, only suspicions....goal scoring excused, because ironically, we are still, scoring goals......it's the control of the game,  that's gone.

If we want to search for perspective, we need to examine all aspects of the game, not just the juicy bits.....otherwise, we are just fooling ourselves.