Ratings & Reactions: Olympiacos v Villa

[Davkaus]

4 minutes ago, TomC said:

 

Our defense isn't working. Our GA in the league is high

 

 

I'm sorry to pick you up on a single point when I generally agree with your post, but I have to comment on this, because tonight I've read others saying our defence has been poor all season. Our GA is the 5th best in the Premier League. We're very slightly underperforming our 4th place league position.

Edited May 9 by Davkaus

[The_Steve]

8 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

I thought we were the better side in both games, but we need to learn how to manage games and how to make it count - that's certainly a lesson we can take from the opposition - they're brutally efficient.

Olympiacos were smart, they were organised, they were calm, they defended absolutely brilliantly and they took their chances, they deserve to go through to the final and I hope they win it.

We're out for the count, the players are knackered, but I don't think you can fault the effort, I thought we played well in the first half and though our heads dropped in the second half, this will still do them a lot of good next season and in the long run - they'll have learned an awful lot from this run and it'll stand them in good stead for the future.

Tonight we were out-thought and lacked the creativity to break them down, individually, we were mostly okay, I thought Doug did well in the middle of the park, McGinn too, but we really needed another midfielder - when we were on top, too often the ball bounced off Diaby - Bailey looks like he's playing in a lot of pain and Cash lacks a little composure in forward areas - but the effort was there, I don't think anyone can complain of lack of effort or heart - we just came up against a brick wall of very smart footballers and we ran out of ideas.

We'll strengthen and we'll come again, I have no doubt about that. It's a shame to lose this tie, but it's been good to be back in Europe and we've done plenty we'll remember.

Too naive when it mattered. Just needed to up the tempo but didn't. They exploited our weaknesses effectively and way more clinically. I don't think you will see a more freakish game than the 4-2 loss. We started well, but the sucker punch of a goal left us just directionless. We need some good attacking runs, but lacked the self belief to really go for it.

[ChesterDad]

1 minute ago, MWARLEY2 said:

Disjointed. Thats how i would sum up the home and away legs.  First leg we folded under pressure. 2nd leg we played better but not how we needed to. The passing seemed to be at a pace that said we needed one goal not 3.  Its something that has really annoyed me in Europe. We  are down to the bare bones and those barebones are knackered and devoid of creativity.  I feel that if Emery has a no excuse culture then he cannot be absolved of blame for tactics that didnt work  . A real shame to miss out on winning something. 

I think you make a lot some very valid points - but equally we had zero good fortune over the two legs imo 

[M_Afro]

We had no luck over the two legs. We look incredibly tired. They were fresh and had more than a few lucky breaks. On the whole the deserved to win but we still will have learned loads and we’ve had some cracking moments over the competition.

Good luck to them. May the best team win. Two cup finals to go for us. We need to bring it.

[Paul33]

1 minute ago, HalfTimePost said:

Needing 3 Goals at the start of the game and getting nothing is proper worrying for our last two games

Season finished a few weeks back but luckily we will finish 4th because Spurs are worse than we are and won't beat Man City. 

[The Fun Factory]

You  can't get really concede four in the first leg at home and expect to get through. It was a big ask tonight in the cold light of day.

Edited May 9 by The Fun Factory

[Mic09]

18 minutes ago, hogso said:

It's only Conference League. 

So maybe we should have done better?

[GingerCollins29]

We are clearly running on empty, but this was a european semi final and we looked out of ideas most of the time. 

Olympiakos thoroughly deserve the win. Tactically outclassed over ywo legs

[WakefieldVillan]

 Imagine...

               Martinez

       Konsa   Mings   Pau 

McGinn Luiz Kamara Tielemans

    Bailey  Watkins  Buendia

Olsen, Cash, Carlos, Lenglet, Digne, Ramsey, Moreno, Rogers, Bailey, Zaniolo, Diaby, Duran.

Would have been 6-2 the other way! AT LEAST! 

Ridiculous injury list!!!

 

 

[smg]

16 minutes ago, WHY said:

Embarrassing over the 2 legs, all the other games have been close and we get smashed by a bang average team. Yes the players are tired but you have to raise your game for these big games. Never looked like getting back into it tonight.

Sorry you are embarrassed. As you say “you have to raise your game for these big games “ and that’s exactly what that” bang average” team did. Again sorry if it chokes but they deserved to win because over the two legs they played better than we did . Fact.

[Villadevon]

I guess the players didn't  'believe'  enough.

[Wurzel]

We deserved to lose the tie, well done to Olympiacos deserved winners. I thought just because of his effort and never giving up attitude my MOM is Cash, he really put in a shift when others didn't. The manager did what he could with what was available, I cannot see what else he could have done. And finally the ref was fine.

I have really enjoyed our European campaign this season, and I hope it is the first of many going forward. We have learned so much, I can only see this as a massive positive as the club goes forward. Well done to the squad and management, you gave us some great moments, and nearly got to the final. 

[MWARLEY2]

3 minutes ago, ChesterDad said:

I think you make a lot some very valid points - but equally we had zero good fortune over the two legs imo 

Yeah. I agree. But Olympiakos earned there luck by playing really well. We played ok at best. Emery was outthought over the 2 legs. Still love him though. 

[It's Your Round]

1 minute ago, Wurzel said:

I have really enjoyed our European campaign this season, and I hope it is the first of many going forward. We have learned so much, I can only see this as a massive positive as the club goes forward. Well done to the squad and management, you gave us some great moments, and nearly got to the final. 

This

A much more reasoned reflection than some of the childish bullshit that others are posting .

[Dante_Lockhart]

No end product. No ideas. Ran out of steam these last few weeks. 

[HKP90]

29 minutes ago, adamo said:

Boys   good game. We were the better team. 2-0 we are at the final!!!!!!! gl  at your game in sunday

You were easily the better team over two legs. We're much better than that, but we've been destroyed by injury and fatigue.

Good luck in the final. I'd like you guys to win it.

[Talldarkandransome]

At least we didn't lose in the final, that would have been worse.

We'll get better next year.

The stadium emptied quick 

[Robbie09]

Embarrassing reaction by so called fans on this site. Comments that this manager and group of players do not deserve.

Maybe B9 is your home if you can’t see the progress we’ve made this season.

[TomC]

1 minute ago, Davkaus said:

I'm sorry to pick you up on a single point when I generally agree with you post, but I have to comment on this, because tonight I've read others saying our defence has been poor all season. Our GA is the 5th best in the Premier League. We've very slightly underperforming our 4th place league position.

No worries, that's what the forum is about...throw your ideas out there and let them be tested...

I'm comparing our GA to the top 3, who are all at least 15 better than us in GA. That's the level of competition we're going to face in the CL next year.

Furthermore, the point remains that we miss Kamara. Before he got hurt, we gave up 30 goals in 23 PL matches, or 1.30 per match. (If you take out the 3 where he was suspended, it might be even lower.) Since then, we've given up 23 in 13 matches, or 1.77 per match.

 

[Wainy316]

Imagine that perfectly good Bailey goal in the first leg stood though