I’m still trying to reconcile this result and am seriously struggling.
I talked yesterday about the fact that Newcastle hadn’t won for 6 games or whatever and that I was trying to put the immediate thought about us being a gift for clubs that have been on bad runs to one side.
We’re a different team, I said.
And then, before the game, I heard that they hadn’t won at Villa park for so many years. Then something was said about the number of goals they hadn’t scored and I was becoming more and more filled with trepidation as kickoff approached. My daughter and myself ofen text each other sharing our predictions. I’d stuck with my 2-1, but I actually sent a message a couple of minutes before the kickoff saying “I’m scared now”
I just had a feeling of what was coming.
And given how subdued it seemed the crowd were, I don’t think I was alone.
And my fear was justified, wasn’t it?
I thought we were frankly awful in the first half, there’s no getting away from it.
The game was played far too slowly and loads of the team just looked way off form.
What’s happened to the swashbuckling, rapid and direct play, that has entertained fans everywhere in the first half of this season?
Any chances we did create invariably went straight to their defenders, while we looked really ropey at the back. The only player to come out with the slightest bit of credit in that first half was Martinez. Yet again. And that wasn’t saying much.
The second half was better, but only when Bailey came on for the hapless Diaby, who had proved positively how his confidence looks totally shot. Why on earth did he square that ball to their defenders when it was such an obvious opportunity to shoot? I actually think he was more scared than I was, pre-game.
I’d said in the preview that I thought Bailey should come straight in for Diaby, but guessed that it wouldn’t happen because I think Emery is trying to play him into form. So Diaby starting was fine with me. But not hooking him at half time had me fuming and I was wondering what the manager was seeing that I wasn’t.
The swap happened at about 70 minutes, but today we’ve heard why. Apparently Bailey was feeling a back twinge so the manager was being careful. Fair enough, Unai.
Also swapped out were Tielemens and Kamara for Ramsey and Zaniolo. All four were pretty useless, I felt and again it’s all indicative of how players are just, well, off it, in my opinion.
Tielemens did next to nothing and just didn’t seem able to find any space. Kamara has a serious discipline issue of late and I wonder if he was hooked before he got sent off? Luiz is also showing signs of a similar problem.
And Ramsey just isn’t fit and we know he takes a long while to get his rythym going. I can possibly excuse him from what I’m thinking. Which is that they’re all signs of mental issues, albeit it pressure, expectation, fear of failure or whatever.
It can’t be tiredness. They’ve just had basically a couple of weeks off and this was just the same as the Chelsea game. Both teams seem to have lots more energy.
And it’s this I find worrying.
Going back to Bailey, isn’t it strange how one player can change a game?
He immediately injected a bit of pace, attacked directly and crossed the ball.
And we were transformed, along with the crowd, who started singing their lungs out.
And of course, the goal came, with Watkins actually proving that he was on the pitch after all. It was the sort of finish that we’re used to seeing from Ollie.
And it was soon followed by another one, although it was called off because Ollie hadn’t cut his toenails pre match.
So, getting to the point, do I think we need to be worried?
Absolutely I do, if what I’m suggesting is correct.
I don’t think for one minute all of the players are out of form all at the same time.
So if it is some sort of mental problem, it’s not going to be sorted quickly.
I could say I thought Emery got his tactics completely wrong in this game and if that was the case, I’d be happy to say that’s fair enough and we move on to the next game with me thinking he’ll get the tactics right.
But this isn’t a one-off. We’ve all commented about how we haven’t look right since that Man City and Arsenal week, which was the beginning of December. Yes, we’ve scraped some decent results in that time, but we all know that period hasn’t seen us to be convincing.
I talked in the preview about the wheels falling off and how I thought it was crucial that we win it.
And I stand by that.
If what I’m thinking is correct, we will not be in a position to just “do a reset”, “see it as a blip” or “imagine it’s the start of the season again” or similar. It’s something we’re just going to have to play through, which isn’t going to happen quickly.
If I’m totally wrong and the wheels aren’t falling off, I firmly believe a couple of wheelnuts have loosened.
So much so that me being scared now runs to the Sheffield game.
I SO hope I’m wrong.
UTV!
We need to get back on the horse fast, else we’re going to find ourselves sliding down the table.
Spurs one down at the break, then blitz the bees with 3 goals in first 10 mins of second half with high-intensity, fluid attacking football. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
Watching Spurs play is so much more entertaining than Villa. They are similar to us in the sense that they leave the chance of a 1 v 1. They conceded the first goal that way tonight but they look like scoring every time they go forward. They seem to get more bodies forward and a lot faster than us. We don’t have midfield players breaking the lines and we are almost totally reliant on Watkins and either Diaby or Bailey.
Emery needs to get us back on track against Sheffield United. If we lose then we can definitely say the wheels have come off.
You were thinking what I was thinking, Holte.
Oh I’ll just come out and say it: I want the Villa to play like Tottenham. Actually, I wouldn’t mind if they played like Brentford!
Toney looks a monster of a striker.
You can’t knock Emery’s success rate at possession football and when we have been winning like we have over the last year, then you can tolerate the backwards and sideways approach. You can also forgive those times when our high line is caught out like it was against Man Utd because overall it has worked. Unfortunately fans won’t be so tolerant if we go through a prolonged spell of negative results. Even last night after the 2nd goal, I could hear the groans.
Watching Spurs reminds me of Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle where the mentality was you score 3 and we’ll score 4. Obviously it doesn’t necessarily bring silverware but fans go home entertained.
Against Newcastle last night, what disappointed me most was the big build up of our first home game of 2024. How motivated everyone was playing at Villa Park but what I saw was only one team fighting for the win. Players need to wake up and get a kick up the arse (in the modern woke way of doing it of course)
I’m expecting a reaction and probably a few benched because Sheffield United with Chris Wilder won’t roll over.
Agree with all of that, Holte. I’ve just finished reading an article on Sky Sports’ website about Duran. Very interesting. I believe we have Diaby’s replacement waiting in the wings. Most interesting was his ex coach saying that when you trust him, he feels loved and secure and will produce on the pitch. He has all the tools; that is evident. I’ve mentioned Toney and Zaha in recent posts. Maybe the solution to the Diaby issue is there. Watkins, Duran and Bailey as a front 3. That would scare the pants off every PL defence.
And we’re out of the top 4.
Are we looking over our shoulders now or still in front of us?
After our away games at St James and Anfield Unai said he would not change his way of playing, so I commented we need to get better at it. You can’t argue with the scalps of Spurs, Chelsea, Citeh and Arsenal – the Emery tactics pay off at the top – sometimes.
But – what about those 4 teams: Newcastle, Liverpool, Forest and United who repeatedly sprung the offside trap with fast players running from their own half on onto a well-timed pass? I will say Emery failed yesterday: Newcastle knew how we would play, they pressed the back 4 and Emi. We conceded corners. Also, they sprung the offside trap forcing us to concede more corners. Corners taken by Trippier, who ranks next to Ward-Prowse for accuracy. He can loft a corner kick so it drops to one player only – and cannot be cut out on route. I could not see anything in Villa’s set up that showed a lesson learnt from the first game against them.
The Times this morning reported Rogers is a done deal – unusual for that paper to jump the gun.
OLL – I commented during / after the game that Emery appeared not to have learned from the first game against Newcastle.
For a coach that’s reportedly obsessive about the game that is of concern.
Are we starting to see a fall off in performance / results similar to Emery’s time at Arsenal where initially he oversaw a 22 game unbeaten run?
The next three or four games will define our season both cup wise and league – poor results and Unai might start to lose the supporters as well
Or are we overreacting – all teams including ManC go through poor runs of form?
To sort of back up my point, Liverpool have spanked Chelsea tonight and they look awful. Keys has just called Chelsea embarrasing.
That would have been us spanking them a couple of months back, imo, but we were nowhere near that the other day. Yet we’re still practically the same team.
Villa sign Sousa from Arsenal and loan him out to Argylle!
That’s two young (18) full backs in and straight back out 🙂
Rodgers signs five and a half year deal initially for £8m so only costing us £1.6m per annum for PSR purposes. Fee could double if targets met. On balance a decent piece of business. Not a back up for Ollie as plays wide on either flank.
He does gives us options so I reckon we’ll see him straight into the match day squad.
Definitely good business. Especially if we assume he’s Bert’s replacement in the squad.
Baggies in talks to sign Chambers – would be a good move to get him off the books preferably with a small fee attached. Reckon he’ll do OK in the Championship.
Think Unai would also like to move Bert on now we’ve signed Rodgers. Could still happen today.
Dendoncker, Chambers gone, wish them well but for the best for all concerned but the one that gets me is Morgan Sanson?
Still on our books but loaned out (again) you have to ask just how long is this fellas contract?
Too long RSS 🙂
Wasn’t George Ramsay who signed him Hitch? 😁
Who?
Tut, tut BFR – need to brush up on your Villa history 🙂
Probably the most famous player / manager of the club. Played 1876 – 1882 and manager / secretary for 40 years between 1886 and 1926. He, alongside McGregor started Villa’s long association with great Scottish players – McGinn carrying that on.
The story goes that he joined Villa by chance; walking across Aston Park one day he came across Villa players practicing and asked to join in. They were so amazed by his skills that they asked him to join the club.
Until Ferguson, he was the most successful manager in League history managing the club to 6 league titles (runners up 6 times), 6 FA Cups (including the double), twice losing finalists and 2 Charity Shields. Villa’s golden age.
And I believe also responsible for the “Lion Rampant” and “Prepared” on the Villa badge.
Given George was a Scot and native of Glasgow it doesn’t take a huge leap of imagination to see the where the inspiration came from?
The “Lion Rampant” being the Banner of his homeland and “Prepared” isn’t a million miles away from the Rangers “Ready”?
Some good business for us, I think. Otherwise a Flat Fairly Peaceful end of window…
Chambers refusing to move to a Championship Club. What does that say about him?
Happy to sit out and take the money?
We won’t see him again in a Villa shirt is my take.
Sky reporting that Traore will rip up his contract and move to Villareal.
As for Chambers, I thought Albion would have been ideal. He doesn’t have to move and I don’t think he’d lose money either, because Villa just make up what the other club can’t afford.
More like he just doesn’t want to lower himself to the Championship and feels he can still do a job in the Prem. “Fight for his place” and all that, even though he has no chance.
Badger – how does that work?
One party to a contract cannot just decide to walk away unless it’s by ‘mutual agreement’ – otherwise it’s breach of contract.
I find it difficult to believe Villa are prepared just to let him go so there must be some financial benefit to Villa beyond getting Bert’s wages off the books?
Ah, in other reports it seems Emery has sanctioned the termination of Bert’s contract to allow him to join Villareal.
He’s clearly not in Unai’s plans so no reason to keep paying him his wages BUT it’s interesting that no one appears to be prepared to pay a fee for his services. The downside is that we may have to write off the remainder of his transfer fee in our accounts.
It’s interesting that Bert’s gone to Villareal of all clubs. Just wondering if that might be some sort of sweetener for say, Baena or Akhomach to join us in the summer? It might be worth keeping an eye out when the window next opens.
Then again perhaps I’m watching too many conspiracy movies these days…
Interesting point of view 1874 – who doesn’t’ love a conspiracy theory.
Wish Bert the best; always liked him as a player and he has contributed during his time with us. Who can forget his winning goal against Leicester.
Hitch, I assumed the club had allowed him to rip up the contract. Even with today’s rules, he still has to see out the one he’s on if we really want him to. I’m not sure how long he had left, but I’m guessing next summer? If so, it’s probably saved us £1.5 mill in wages and if we can’t amortise him, we just write him off? He cost us £17 mill from memory, so that might be another couple of mill?
You’d probably know better than me.
Whatever, it demonstrates how clubs are really having to watch the pennies now and they’re taking the league’s sanctions seriously at last.
I do hope Oil City’s owners are seriously worried.
1874, the exact same thought crossed my mind. We’ve done them a favour and will be getting something in return.
Or perhaps there was just no interest because nobody has anything to spend and we were just glad to get him off the books?
No doubt we’ll see in the summer, as you say.
Bert was out of contract this summer so makes perfect sense. The club saves 6 months wages. There would have been no transfer fee anyway.
Personally, for January, I think it’s been an excellent window.
Didn’t realise that BFR – thanks.
So essentially wages saved as amortisation would have run to the end of his contract and he would have been free to leave in the summer anyway.
I said in the last thread, European clubs must be wondering where all the money’s gone. They rely on English clubs coming in and paying tons for their players.
Watch the rules suddenly change…
Happy about the Morgan signing though! Think he’ll get minutes against The Blades???
Or maybe the whole of Europe will just have to come back down to the realms of reality and we see much more reasonable prices?
I think I’d much prefer that, myself.
As for Morgan, I’m not sure. I keep thinking that he’s more one for the future, given the price we paid, but remind me, how much was McGinn, again?
I think I’d expect him to get mins in a conference game, but you never know.
It looks as if we’ve got a new goalie – Joe Gauci,
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/ckrd1dp4ye2o
I don’t know anything about him but I already feel better knowing that Olsen isn’t likely to be called on if Emi ever gets injured.
We have mixed fortunes with Aussie goalkeepers. It would be great if he was nearly as good as Mark Bosnich. Hopefully without the extras though. More active window that I thought it would be. We need a goal scorer badly. Crazy that Ollie can find two goals(almost) in a few moments and then sleep for 80 minutes.
If Sheffield get relegated, there’s a clause that we have to buy him back.
What a strange setup, but that could work quite nicely in our favour, if we actually want him;
http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/sheffield-united-bosss-cameron-archer-verdict-as-aston-villa-return-clause-clarified-4502227?__hstc=144797227.595a0e9765e2d8d39d7d983055d745f7.1702834998698.1706798729690.1706882748443.13&__hssc=144797227.2.1706882748443&__hsfp=218530095