Sorry chaps, I was going to write a preview, where I was going to predict a 3-1 win. I got that wrong, but wasn’t far off.
Anyway, the reason I didn’t do it is because I was actually researching which streams are currently okay to use and time just passed me by.
Talk about a game of two halves!
Quite simply, we destroyed Luton in that first half and the result was never in doubt.
And then, we allowed Luton back into it so much in the second half, that for a good period it looked like they were going to win the game.
I’ll never understand how that can happen, but it does.
The question is did Luton massively improve their game or did we relax?
I personally think it’s the latter and again, I think it’s a mental problem.
Overconfidence? No, I don’t think so, because I don’t think Emery would allow that. Much more like changing down a gear and taking it easier, in only giving 90%, imo.
And we all know if you want to win, you have to be at 100 or 110%, as Sir Ron used to say.
It could, of course, just be that the lads are generally not able to keep up a 100% performance over 90 minutes and it’s not an argument I would discount.
Certainly when we bought our last three subs on, they all improved us in my opinion.
I’d also point out how Liverpool seem to be blooding 19 year olds left, right and centre, all to good effect.
Is that possibly the way forward? and if so, why aren’t we doing it more?
OK, we got Tim on, but it’s hardly the same thing.
What of the game then?
Well, the first half was great.
Luton didn’t seem to care about Watkins and he was just a nightmare for them.
Bailey looked dangerous again, Martinez did what he does and McGinn ran the show again.
In fact, I couldn’t criticise anyone.
I felt Ramsey was a big miss when he went off and I’m concerned about him, as he’s beginning to look seriously injury prone. Hopefully he won’t be out for weeks again, but I’m sure he and the club will just be hoping that this is just an injury prone season and he comes back good next time.
The second half?
Hmm, I’m not sure how to describe it.
I think we sat back, personally, although whenever this happens the debate is that the opposition massively improved. I don’t accept that at all.
How can you go from totally dominating a game to being inferior?
I know it’s a funny old game, but it’s pushing it, for me.
Regardless, even if Luton were the better side for half an hour, we held out and looked better after Digne, Diaby and Zanilo came on, where we went to dominate the last 10 minutes or so.
Indeed, Diaby put the ball in for Digne to score, so you could say the subs were inspired, albeit the pretty obvious choices.
The big downside to this game was the atrocious defending again, but I don’t suppose there’s much we can do about that until Pau is fully fit and can team up with Konza to provide that previously formidable pairing again.
It’s a win, where 3 points against a struggling team was sorely needed.
Next up is Spurs at home. How big is that?
We have the chance of going 8 points above them and I think….
Ah, that’s for next week.
Well done today Villa, as much as I’d prefer you make it easier to watch!
UTV!
Both Coutinho and Sanson will need to be offloaded in the summer. Throw in a case of Ajax cleaning products and some shitty club with dirty halls might have a sniff…
Hitch IMO you are spot on, FFP was never mean’t to create any sort of level playing field but something to retain the status quo and so stop another Man City gatecrashing the party?
BFR, it all appears to depend on how big your bank balance is and as a consequence the quality of your legal representation?…
“Man City have been charged by the Premier League for breaking Profit and Sustainability Rules on 115 occasions over a nine-year period stretching from 2009 (the year after Sheikh Mansur took them over) to 2018 (the year they completed their famous Centurions season). As well as the 2017/18 triumph, the club also won another two Premier League titles during this period.”
https://jobsinfootball.com/blog/manchester-city-ffp/#:~:text=Essentially%2C%20Man%20City%20have%20been,completed%20their%20famous%20Centurions%20season).
I don’t think clubs should be able to spend whatever they like because they are owned by a state. Newcastle would just steamroll over everyone if there wasn’t some kind of FFP. Our owners are building our club within the framework of FFP or PSR. The near £120m loss in 12 months is offset by the previous 12 months when Grealish was sold. It’s likely that either one of Luiz, Watkins or Ramsey could be sold if necessary.
Champions League is within our grasp and would help massively with not only prize money but also added TV revenue, gate receipts and merchandise sales especially given the Adidas brand for next season.
As for tomorrow and Ajax, it’s good to see Carlos and Duran back in training. The news on Ramsey is positive although he’s not available against Ajax, there’s a chance he might be for Spurs.
Also good to hear Acorns will be on the Villa shirts tomorrow. One positive thing that Heck has done so far! 😏
Holte I agree (on financial restrictions) it’s just that It’s been admitted that FFP was never designed to produce a ‘level playing field’. By implication then, it was designed for the benefit of clubs like Madrid, ManU etc. and to strengthen their closed shop.
Ultimately it will be the ‘death’ of football as a truly competitive sport. The same teams monotonously dictating to any sport, coupled with the ever increasing cost (in itself monopolistic) or watching it on streaming platforms – which is where the majority of revenue originates – eventually drives fans away and, with it, the unsustainable levels of income.
The new format of the European Championship is just the next step towards a EUFA inspired super league – where will that leave domestic competitions?
On that note…
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2011/oct/25/premier-league-less-competitive-question
TNT3 (formerly BT) tonight.
Got it on now BumBum new players in then ..
No Bailey, no McGinn he’s got the Spurs match in his thoughts then . Rogers in and it’s going to be a tough one for us .
I think it shows faith in the squad. We always have options on the bench…
Liverpool one up already which is good for the possible 5th place CL spot.
A tight game. Either team could stab a goal. Not many refereeing decisions going our way. A bit like the Premier League really…
Just look at Tielemans attitude in the game , don’t look to see throw in walks as if he doesn’t care, his attitude all wrong in the game .
I think he’s just one of those laid back players, Bill. When he sees a killer ball he’s straight on to it…Watch him score the winner now!!! 😁
To be fair to Bill, Tielemans does usually look as if he’s just discovered someone’s shaved his cat…
Villa playing 6-3-1 and slowing it to Ajax pace. No point in tearing about – we have a proper game on Sunday. Unai should tell the rest just because they can’t spell/pronounce Iroegbunam does not mean they ignore him. It was the same when he has come on in the league – nobody passes to him.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
I would call that first half as passive but it was worse than that. We miss McGinn in midfield and unusually Konsa has been really poor IMO.
We are playing like a pub team. Get Bailey on. Diaby is shit.
Would that be the same Diaby who put the perfect ball through to Digne for Saturday’s winner????
With McGinn and Bailey on, hopefully that will change things up…
I meant he was shit tonight IMO!
Missed the first half – having turned it on it seems we’ve drawn yet another hopeless referee!
How was that a yellow card against Zaniolo – just ridiculous!
Then their defender leads with his arm against Watkins and the referee gives nothing!
Is it a European wide anti Villa thing 🙂
What did zip just say about the ref and Villa?
This ref is effing abysmal. Neither of Konsa’s bookings were yellow cards. The second HE was the one fouled!!!!
Another stupid, ignorant and anti Villa referee.
And I’ve lost my stream.
Fuming
Bein5
Thanks Bum Bum – couldn’t find it before game ended.
Well job done but why are we feted to suffer a series of diabolically rubbish referees?
I despair!
Ref made Michael Oliver look competent. Thank goodness the old system no longer applies where we get the same officials for both legs. Everything wrong: throws the wrong way; corners when the ball had not gone over the line; Yellows for no contact but no Yellow for fist in the face, the only consistency being the home bias.
I can’t see it being much of a game in the return leg – Ajax will repeat the spoiling tactics.
The ref should hang his head in shame – to be compared negatively with Oliver is like comparing Putin with Trump!
Well done Villa!
Obvious Emery is focusing on Spurs match with starting 11. Younger players got more experience. When our stronger team was on the pitch I felt we were getting on top. Obviously Konsa sending off (joke decision) meant draw was a good result.
Hopefully energy in the bank to use in Spurs . I hope Torres is OK, but based on past subs of him I am not hopeful.
Referee was awful. I think Konsa’s slow reaction cost him his second yellow. I have no complaints about that. We would be screaming for a red if it was up their end. The yellow for Zaniolo was a joke and means he misses second leg. Also the hand against Watkins should have been a yellow. Overall not a bad result but Ajax aren’t a good team and we made them look better than they are.
Next up Spurs which is much more important.
‘The referee was awful’ – worse than that he has unfairly disadvantaged us in the second leg.
Better watch out for who we get at VP as they will probably have been briefed to work against us – am I becoming a conspiracy theorist?
You must be becoming a conspiracy theorist Hitchens, because you mentioned Trump and Putin in a football blog!
🙂
According to reports, Torres’ substitution last night was planned, Emery claiming it was in order to see him back into games. Does that sound like he’s not 100% fit or am I reading too much into it?
Hopefully he’ll be starting Sunday and Thursday.