I don’t know why I find this one intriguing, but I do.
Last season I’d probably have described it as a run of the mill win for us, but this time, I wonder if Moyes can have a new manage bounce effect on the game and couple it with how awful we are at times and I think anything might happen tonight.
Let’s start with the good news and it is that we’ve signed Donyell Malen, who looks to be predominantly a right sided player in Unai Emery’s thinking, because the manager has talked about this being a “one in, one out” policy, adding Jaden Philogene into the mix, who seems to be an almost certain goner.
Or did he mean that this will be the policy for the whole of the window and all players involved?
Whatever, things are seriously starting to warm up now and we seem to have moved on from the 100% guesswork that we usually get at the beginning of the month.
Diego Carlos is apparently being chased by Fenerbache, if Mourinho doesn’t get the sack and my feeling there is that it’s probably the right time all round to do that deal. He could do a very decent job in Turkey and we recoup some much needed PSR cash. It’s win-win. I think probably a more salient point here is that Emery has said Carlos has a small injury. The player says he is not injured at all.
Things are not 100% happy in the camp, it would seem.
Not wanting to dwell on that, squad news and it isn’t great.
On the plus side, we should have Emi Martinez back and Jhon Duran has finished his suspension, meaning he’s available. Will he start? is another question and I suspect not, which will surely add to his frustration. It’s a tough life for a young lad on 100k a week or whatever it is, isn’t it? It would appear he’s going nowhere though and we’ve stuck an £85 million pricetag on his head, which, while putting pretty much all clubs off, might prove a disastrous mistake for them if he ends up as another Haarland.
Pau is probably going to be out for 2 months and McGinn is a week away from training again, if I read things right. I’m not sure how much that concerns me, to be honest, as neither have been great and they probably need the R&R.
And then, Ross Barkley is at least two weeks away from being fit, which is bad news, because as much as I didn’t fancy him when he came, he has done a very decent job and he’s being managed well and used sparingly to good effect. He’s a miss and the sooner he’s back, the better.
As for Everton, they’re not in great shape.
Dwight McNeil, James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam are all out., as is Armando Broja who was stretchered off after an innocuous challenge in Thursday’s FA Cup match against Peterborough.
The good news for them is that Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back in contention, although he’s only scored two goals all season.
What to think then and I ought to be hopeful, I feel. Everton play pretty decent stuff from what I’ve seen of them and have often been unlucky, I feel. But they can’t score for toffee and that costs them some serious points.
I’d normally go for a very straightforward win here, but my money says we won’t get one.
At best, we’ll scrape one and I just hope it isn’t as dire as the first half of the West Ham game.
But I’m going for a 1-1 draw if I have to choose. I just can’t trust us to get a win, I’m afraid, although our record is actually better than I make things sound.
As per usual, UTV!
Really good to see Mings back
We will not hold onto this.
See Chesty just shouted at the ref?
“You’re f*”king shit!”
He ain’t far wrong.
I did see that! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Silly though. We can’t have him banned for another game. His breasts are too important!!!
That’s why he got the yellow Bum Bum 😁
Good point and two fingers to Arsenal and their thick, pathetic supporters.
West Ham at home sandwiched in between the CL group stage climax before the end of the month. Three points in the league and CL progression will make it a very happy New Year. Then regroup for a big season finish battling (hopefully) in three competitions. All to play for!
That’s a great point.
I really dislike Arteta and that’s made my day!
Didn’t mind him when he did the milk tray adverts 🤣😂
Hah, that is so funny!
He is a ringer mate 😁
I hate him too. The most miserable sod since Peter Reid – and he had much to be miserable about.
A wonderful, battling come-back by the boys and Unai was right to hook Onana early, could have done the same with Ramsey. Those two did not put in the required shift so Arsenal dominated possession, but Mings organised back 4 held the off-side kine and sussed out Arsenal’s new corner routine.
The ref was a joke. I half expected him to go up for the free kick at the end.
Excellent result. I go back to my half time comment, we were playing well. You don’t go to Arsenal and play them off the park. Dig in and catch them on the counter.
If I were a Villa player, I’d take real belief from this result. 2-0 down and draw, great comeback. Well done Bogarde he did his job well – considering McGinn, Onana and Barclay had to be injured before he got a chance – he was up for it. Maybe saving some money rather than buying.
Agreed – Bogarde looked good alongside Kamara – may just have found his best position
Actually, that’s a good point.
He didn’t look out of place at all.
Well done son!
Wooo brilliant come back from the dead proud of the lads today will have a beer on that
Bournemouth: 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Brilliant hat trick Kluivert, he really is a chip off the old block.
What a result. Showed us how it’s done.
The Mings / Konsa axis is back.
Defending in the last 20 minutes was reminiscent of Emery closing down games over the first half of last season.
We do have a good squad – they just need to believe in themselves.
Great point.
UTMV
A point away after being two nil down, have we got our mojo and a bit of steel back?
Rode our luck but a good point for us and a kick in the bollix for Arse’s PL hopes. Bring on Monaco.
They’re a busted flush, that’s two seasons running we’ve burst their bubble, they must hate us 😁😂🤣
Excellent point. Hard fought. 💪
OMG! That was a cracking game and result. Fantastic comeback. That goal really meant a lot to Ollie. Especially as a Gooner!
So proud of everyone and Bogarde did us proud! Nearly got the winner!!!!! Really, really enjoying Emery’s reign.
It makes a real change looking forward to each game rather than just making up the numbers.
We are TWO POINTS off 4th. Quietly does it…😁
It’ll be 4 points when Chelsea beat Wolves tomorrow. 3 points against Potter’s Hammers is essential…
I thought that about the BarCodes fixture earlier…Anything can happen.
We are where we are and we’ve barely got out of 2nd gear. Step up a gear and it could be another stunning season.
Another thing that gets me, why is it our ex-players always favour their boyhood clubs? Townsend. Merson etc? It would be nice to have a full on Villa fan in our corner in the media for a change. Victor Stanley maybe but he’s not allowed on TV anymore.
So happy with today 😁😁😁😁😁😁😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😄😄😄😃😃😀😊😁😆😆😆😆😆
How come Stan’s not allowed on TV???
Love speculating. Good to know that the following must play away at Arsenal:
* Man City
* Chelsea
* Bournemouth
* Newcastle
Odds are few will gain a point let alone 3 points.
Further, as we move into the second half of the season (matches 19-38), we have taken 7/9 points.
Looking forward to the new signings expected in the next fortnight. I fancy us for 5th position.
Slabhead was right Havertz is a cheating shit-house.
Ollie really honest about his finishing. He recognises that he’s better when he doesn’t have too much time to think about it.
Great interview with Ollie
But he wasn’t sure about the offside, which was blatant to me?
Emery is still clearly ill!!!! These bugs going around are a nightmare. I’ve been like that for 5 weeks.
Ollie was wrong about their handball…
Same here BumBum cannot shift it , started Christmas and it’s still in my system even the wife suffering. It’s knocking people down all over by me .
Me and the missus got the ‘90 day cough’ – even the doctor called it that – in the summer and neither of us are completely right now. There’s some weird bugs going about.
I was told by by a doctor years ago that the 100 day cough is part of the whooping cough virus (one of my children had it) so take care mate.
Ref today gave us nothing. Matseen Yellow was an absolute joke and that ball didn’t look over the line to me for the first goal.
Totally agree, Tom.
I said from the video, it was no way over the line.
My conclusion was that the ref’s buzzer must have gone off, but I’m not convinced in the slightest.
Did they not show the animated freeze-frame of the ball and the line? They should do that every time, surely? If they didn’t, I smell a rat. That should be compulsory if it’s a goal-line tech decision. The millions of fans world-wide have to see that. The PL is a massive global brand and product. I’m staggered there are still such basic inconsistencies.