What to say here then?
I think the title pretty much covers it really and I’m not sure there is much to add.
Indeed, maybe it’s just a case of us trying to keep the score down as much as possible.
I watched Arsenal play Man City the other night and thought they played very well. They ultimately weren’t as cutting as City, but what I found noticeable was the way they seem to swamp the opposition’s goal area when they attack.
Squad news then and Mings is a doubt with the thigh issue that caused him to miss the game last week.
As much as he’s not at all my cup of tea, I am big enough to say congratulations are in order in signing a two year contract extension. I’d have preferred to see us upgrade him, but it’s obvious I’ll have to dislike him for a good while yet.
There’s not really much else to say, except Traore may make the squad and Diego Carlos is back in training.
Arsenal’s Thomas Partey is doubtful with a back problem. Mohamed Elneny and Gabriel Jesus are both out but Emile Smith Rowe is set to return to the squad.
So it’s a stupid 12.30pm kickoff then and I fear for us today; more so than I did against Man City.
I know I said City were more cutting the other night, but I feel Arsenal on their day are extremely dangerous and have more than enough to despatch us easily.
Yet, for some reason I don’t really see a high scoring game. It’s just a guess, but I just have a feeling they’ll be able to play this game in second gear.
I do though, think we’ll nick one.
Hence I’m going for a 2-1 defeat.
It’s a bit short and sweet, but I think I’m writing this game off even more than I did last week’s.
I don’t expect us to get anything at all from the game and it’s just my hope that along with Arsenal, who play some nice footy, we can also put on an equally entertaining display.
One very good thing that has come from Emery’s arrival is that we play some lovely, free-flowing attacking football at times.
UTV!
Guest I agree. He’s a comedian in football and cost us .Cash was poor, we just don’t have that believe in the game to win . Roll on the end of the season let’s get rid of no hope player’s
I thought cash played ok, didn’t do a lot wrong imo.
Brilliant ball for Watkins.
What’s happening to me I’m watching Nottingham and Man city and hate that player that robbed his boyhood team fiddling a pen. He’s a!! Player I’ve lost respect for, anyway 6 minutes on the clock that’s Fergie time and refs fiddles to me when, when will the fa catch referee’s that support their team in games and are not impartial. We player a fair game but had player’s that lost concentration an one that’s a comedian.
If we don’t start picking up points we’re going to be bang in trouble.
Some must win games coming up
It could be a rare season where more than 40 points are needed to stay up – could be?
If we can’t get more than 12 points from our next 15 games then we deserve to be in trouble although I don’t really see that being the case.
Everton away next – that’s not going to be easy – but then no games in the EPL are easy.
Just noticed another incredibly stupid thing. We have 3 matches in March. And SEVEN on April.
Utter madness.
I’d also wager 6 teams will get less than 38 points, the usual amount required to stay up.
Well just as I said a bloody clown ,Emery said I never told our goalkeeper to go up field and he’s angry I don’t blame him. I bet OLL will pick a few bones about Martinez’s game today ,can we afford a goalkeeper to give silly goals away ? No. It’s demoralizing to player’s on the pitch .
WARRIOR here conceiding 9 goals in 3 games is not acceptable wants to play champions league football couldn’t get in our local team that Mings grandad use to manage another poor performance well and truly pissed off
It is 11 goals conceded in 3 games. By my reckoning Martinez is responsible for 3.5 and Mings 2 of those. That is half. Ever since his golden glove award Martinez has been an embarrassment to himself. Emery has dropped players like Ramsey, for the penalty mistake, from the next starting 11 but Mings and Martinez retained their places. I think if their was an adequate stand-in on the bench they might be sitting out.
I managed to miss the match live and the early start of MOTD so still to see what happened in full.
Exactly OLL; lack of strength in depth coupled with too many basic errors – are the two mutually exclusive?
It’s not about a rebuild in the summer it’s about bringing in additional quality to add to the core of a decent squad which is what Emery has been saying. I’m sure there will be some outgoings as well.
It seems as though we’ve metaphorically and literally taken our eye off the ball and our squad have their flip flops on earlier than ever.
We won’t go down and will probably finish the season where we are now. It’s a shame as we could have gotten 8th ahead of Pool and Chelski, and that would have been a laugh!
Players whose form drops because of this will be out. I can’t see Emery putting up with that.
The defence I don’t get. Konsa has been reborn. Cash works his socks off and can supply some great balls. When Mings is in the team our win stats are much higher. We paid £25m for Digne. Ash is a superb stand in and great example of professionalism.
It’s just not coming together.. Yet!
Bum Bum, I’m already wishing away the rest of this season for what will probably see us finishing somewhere between 11th – 15th.
You make a valid point though that it’s possible the players will have one eye on their summer holiday with nothing really to be played for. Occasionally you find a team freefalling and end the season in the relegation zone. Even though we haven’t got a massive squad, we should have enough quality for us to not end up there but complacency is something we need to avoid.
Emery is a top manager but I can’t help but think the Everton game is one we can’t afford to lose. If we do and suddenly find ourselves with 4 consecutive defeats, then some fans will get twitchy which then transcends onto the players. Everton are on an upward new manager bounce and there won’t be a big surprise if they beat us.
Can you imagine the sudden dependency on getting a result at home to Palace!
Another 12 points should be straightforward though……surely!
It would appear we’re after Antonio Cordon, Real Betis’ transfer chief, who has just quit, to replace Lange.
I’m not sure quite wat to make of this, but surely the whole idea of Lange was to remain as a seperate entity, where if we sacked the manager, we would still get new players bought in by a stable and consistent way of thinking?
Whereas this chap would be very much Emery’s signing and power would become more and more in the manager’s hands?
I’m also a bit concerned that 8 out of 13 of Betis’ signings were free transfers.
I know they were cash-strapped, but I hope it’s not dirt cheap prices that are at the front of our owners’ minds?
That said, I can’t say I’ve been convinced by Lange, tbh.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-real-betis-cordon-26303232
Lange came with a big reputation, as did the guy before him (Susu?) although, in retrospect, neither have proved to be that successful. The conclusion is that reputation in player recruitment appears to be meaningless.
I don’t have a problem with the club being canny in the transfer market (as long as no one mentions moneyball) – look at the successes of Brighton and Brentford in that regard – and in contrast – how much did West Ham splurge in the summer?
It’s been reported that Emery has been given more power than almost any manager before him so if that means he brings in his own team so be it. If that’s the case, then the one indisputable fact will be – if he fails it’s 100% down to him.
Villa have now played 10 games under Emery – W5, D1, L4 – 16 points.
Gerrard had a very similar – in fact slightly better record after his first ten games in charge – W5, D2, L3 – 17 points.
Towards the end of the 10 game period results dropped off as Villa reverted to bad habits of old!
What inference, if any, should we draw from this?
Bloody hell Hitch. You got it in for Emery already??????
Npt ar all Bum Bum – quite the opposite. I think he’s probably the best manager since Sir Ron.
I think the point I was angling at was one Badger’s been making for some time and that is the overall quality of the squad isn’t good enough to get us into the top half.
Now I’m not for throwing all the babies out (with the bathwater) but the squad does need an overhaul and strengthening – something Gerrard / Lange failed to address.
It’s interesting that Emery has referred to relegation not top half in his last two media interviews which suggests he’s well aware of what’s needed.
If I have a criticism it’s I think in his (Emery’s) frustration he’s recently made comments about individual players which would best be kept ‘in house’. In particular his implied criticism of Martinez in going upfield for the corner was misplaced. I was all for Martinez going up and showing a bit of positive aggression – the real problem was Digne’s shit delivery – and for me he’s a player that needs to go in the summer.
Imho Martinez gets a lot of unwarranted criticism. I get the frustration with the time wasting and the showmanship (shades of Smeichal in his pomp) but do we really want to lose one of, if not, the best GK in the EPL?
In Emery’s defence, we’ve just played the top 2, which will slant things.
But yes, point taken Hitch.
Hopefully we’ll improve on that % over the next few weeks.
So there’s going to be an independent regulator for Football, who amongst other things, will have the power to stop clubs joining other leagues.
If he has some real power and doesn’t just pay lip service, that’s fantastic news.
I’ve already heard some Premier league oik pleading that if we’re not careful, we’ll ruin the Prem by forcing it to pay more money to the lower leagues.
Yeah, yeah, yada yada.
My heart bleeds.
A level playing?
Haven forbid.
Just how would these clubs have coped with William McGregor’s concept of shared gate receipts?
(By the way that still held the field until 1981)
How long before the ‘independent’ regulator is ‘purchased’ by the ‘squeaky clean’ owners of the PL’s most powerful?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11776827/Unai-Emery-lost-rag-teams-inability-follow-instructions-possession.html
Worth a read.
Think we all a bit on hedge with this game today. No review and I think player’s will be feeling a bit low over the last game, to be honest some might give in as knowing big change coming this year and it not them staying. Thoughts on today ? Not a clue as it’s been up and down up till now . Let’s see who he punish today on the team he picks .
Hoping for a draw Bill – which isn’t very positive.
Good luck UTV