Or is it?
This should be dead easy. Ipswich are second bottom in the league and have gained a solitary point from their last 18. Even that was six games ago, meaning they’ve lost the last five games on the trot. Easy and this should be a gift of three points for us.
Except we very rarely do easy, do we? We couldn’t even beat Ipswich last time we played them, after all.
We should give ourselves every chance in this game if we manage to not let them score early, as most other teams manage to do . How nice was it for us to get an early goal against Spurs? Do the same today and it’ll be game over, I would think.
Squad news and foremost is that Ollie Watkins and Tyrone Mings are both in contention. Mings, as much as I’m not his biggest fan, is at least a proper defender and is sorely needed with the injury position we’re in. More good news is that our new loan signing, Axel Disasi is available after being cup-tied against Spurs. He’s only played six games this season, but even so, I’d expect him to come straight into the team. Mind you, we all know Unai isn’t afraid to play square pegs in round holes, so you never know. He may decide that Disasi isn’t ready. Given that Ipswich don’t score many, it wouldn’t surprise me.
On the downside, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Matty Cash, Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley are all still out, with no updates on how they’re progressing.
As for Ipswich, Sammie Szmodics will be assessed after he had a setback with an ankle injury last week. Conor Chaplin, Christian Walton, Wes Burns and Chiedozie Ogbene are all out but goalkeeper Alex Palmer, who made his debut last weekend after joining from West Brom, could play his first Premier League game.
For the stattos amongst us, here’s a couple; Ipwich have only beaten us once in our last 14 meetings and they’ve only beaten us twice at Villa park in the last 44 years. Everything seems to be in our favour, doesn’t it? Which, knowing us, makes it scary.
Prediction time then and I simply cannot see us losing this one. Indeed, I think we should get a few goals today. That said, there’s another stat we’re probably vaguely aware of. We’ve only kept one clean sheet in our last 14 games.
So any score is invariably going to end in a -1
And I’m going for 3-1. I could easily see it being a bigger victory if we manage to motivate ourselves, but I see the lads subconciously taking it easy and the tractor boys giving us a tough time.
UTV!
We don’t need a set piece coach for corners. I’ll do it for free. Here’s the routine every time: shoot.
No, really. Whip the ball in with maximum speed and power towards the goal. Practice it all day in training until most hit the target. They won’t all go in, of course. But those that don’t will cause chaos. The keeper will flap, drop and fumble. Terrified defenders will flounder. And all we need to to is attack the ball and make sure it goes in once the pin ball starts in the area. Assuming it hasn’t gone straight in from thd corner kick. Elite players are capable of hitting the target from the corner.
I guarantee you’ll score more goals doing that than the nonsense we’re currently producing. Corners are a goalscoring opportunity. Those in question will do well to remember or be reminded of it
Actually the Scouse Gits looked knackered today, Wolves carved them open in the 2nd half but they are another team of careless finishers. I hope the Reds are still puffing and blowing when they turn up at VP.
Shooting over, Holte, comes from planting the standing foot too far behind the ball and then stretching with the toe pointed on the striking foot. Even amateur kids who were prepared to listen changed to running through the ball. Which meant planting the standing foot further forward. Then the striking foot makes contact at the instep (laces) instead of the toe and the shot stays lower.
Yep. The non shooting foot has to be next to the ball, not behind or in front. It works. But we’re talking about elite players. Surely they know?
What is going on with physical preparation? The last five matches resulted in one of our players going off injured in the first half for the last five matches.
Kamara 16th minute
Kinda 27th minute
McGinn 16th minute
Cash 30th minute
Mings 38th minute
Without doubt these injuries in game are having an impact on our fluidity.
The back line is consistently changing. The team was set up to play out though Torres, but he is out for a couple of months. Mings was then meant to be the passer out of defence.
When he has not been ponderous with his distribution he is injured.
Digne rarely seems to want to take the right back in. The ball will come to him when in space and then he checks back.
Why do we allow attackers to cross instead of closing them down?
At least Garcia looks like an upgrade on Cash! He took on the left back and tried to cost.
Totally agree with the criticism of our corner taking. How many times do we play it short with both centre halves coming up to attack the cross, which never comes. Then we are open to the counter attack without our key defenders.
This summer Emery really needs to sort out the defence. I’d suggest the defence of Cash, Konsa, Mings and Digne is past its sell buy date. They have served us well in the past, but that is the past. I doubt we will will make the Champions League via our league position this year. This will impact on the finances available to buy new players. I fear more of the same.
Sid, Ange moans continuously about injuries; Emery never puts it up as an excuse but we’ve been very unlucky with injuries which have, as you point out, majorly disrupted our season.
It’s not just the recent in game injuries – your list is pretty shocking – but also the sudden ‘disappearance’ of players – recently Onana and, on Saturday, Bailey.
Add to your list players such as Barkley and Torres and we’re at bare bones again highlighted by only naming 7 substitutes (two of which are GK’s) for the last two games!
Perhaps it’s not unreasonable to ask what is going on?
It’s easy to criticise our performances but considering the foregoing we’re battling on – just have to get behind the players and give them all our support.
UTV
Konsa is a keeper.
Is there no limits to his talents 🙂
Don’t really see the hate towards McPhee to be honest, I’d much rather see something done to combat our abhorrent defending against crosses, it is nearly a goal conceded to one per game. Has lost us 4 points against two bang average sides at home, whilst our crosses were ineffective all game against them.
That’s a bit strong Alfie boy.
I don’t recall a comment were any said anything about Hate?
Maybe to question the freekicks and corners and to suggest better and isn’t what this forum is all about? Opinions?
(I think ‘hate’ is just a word ‘the kids’ use instead of ‘general dislike’. We’re all getting old).
Isn’t Nanny MacPhee responsible for defending corners or is that the defensive coach? Perhaps if there is a shooting coach, we need to replace him (or her🫢) Also can the tempo coach improve the speed in transition because we are too slow too often. As for the fitness coaches, well! With all these injuries we have to question what’s going wrong. Or is it the medical staff? I’m getting confused 😵💫
Is the ‘chillin’ out’ when we have the ball part of the ‘resting in possession’ mantra???
Definitely.
OK Alfie, here is your explanation – from an old left-back. It is unrealistic to expect the full back will always block the cross or dispossess the winger. However you should expect a good full back to be so close to the crosser that said crosser has to rush his cross and do so before he has seen the striker’s run. What you saw for Spurs’ and Ipswichs’ goals is a failure by Maatsen to be anywhere near doing that. In fact the Spurs winger looked up, saw Tal heading for the far post and looped the ball over to him. The Ipswich winger also had time to watch Delap choose to run in ahead of Desasi [who isn’t anywhere near a good centre half] and centre the ball low. If Mings missed it, which he did, then Delap scores.
Matty Cash forces his wingers down to the goal line, and if Konsa is playing, Konsa is ready to tackle the winger.
Not for nothing did Fergie say ‘buy the best full backs you can afford’. If they are doing their jobs it makes the CB job easier.
Hitch, see if you can locate Cascarino’s early morning show from a week last Saturday where he focuses on injuries in the Prem. It’s on TalkShite. He drills down on the spate of hamstring injuries and how it used to be 3 weeks out, it’s now 3 months and surgery minimum because it tears away from the bone. He also spoke about the pitches having an affect, many of which are woven in with plastic. It’s very scientific and put together in a great way. Who would have though Our Tony was such a clever bloke! He also goes into ACLs, which we’ve obviously suffered from too.
On a other note, did Ollie slip again when he missed that early sitter against Ipswich?
What the money men in football fail to realise is that in the drive (which has now reached the tipping point) to maximise exposure of their product for financial gain, they’re now actually destroying it. No players, no product. The amount and the severity of injuries is no joke and no coincidence. Personally, I would applaud and fully support a players’ strike. Earnings has nothing to do with it. It’s now about working conditions being conducive to the health and safety of the ‘staff.’ Currently, they’re not. It’s gone too far and needs pulling back.
Simple solutions:
1. League Cup for football league clubs only. No PL.
2. No extra time and no replays in the FA Cup. Maybe extra time for the semis.
3. Devise a simple ratio whereby clubs cannot play x amount of games in a specific period of time. If asked to, like Villa and tomorrow’s game, they can refuse with no consequences. We have one league match in March. Tomorrow’s game should not have been scheduled.
4. Extend the winter break. No PL in January at all.
I was going to argue the toss but statistics back up your argument with ACL’s being particularly prevalent.
Now you could this down too numerous factors, pitches, an increase the speed of the game (I don’t think that one particularly applies to us) but he main one appears to be overuse and lack of recovery time (micro tears).
Maybe a good call BFR, well apart from the January thing?
A whole month without footy? Behave mate.
Haha, I know; fair point. That was an afterthought, which is why it’s at the end. But everything else, I stand by.
Or could do round 3 and 4 of the FA Cup in January in instead of round 4 in Feb. So no PL but 2x rounds of the Cup.
Ooh bring back the days of Roy mclaren and jim williams when football was proper
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Who?
The last year of ‘proper’ footy – a sample. We lost but enjoy anyway. Great commentary from Greavsie. Note a youthful Schmeichel looking like he’s just walked off the set of Rocky IV.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o7m_0kU43A
Recognise the goalscorer?
Worth watching just for Greavsie’s analysis at the end!
Really bfr they were coach and physio in the 70s and 80s
They used to carry that bucket of icy water and magic sponge so well in those days.
A much more effective solution than all this new-fangled treatment they have nowadays!
I think it was the orange at half time that was the cure-all 😁🍊
Reminds of the Rodney Marsh story about Alf Ramsey.
How Ramsey apparently never fancied him has a player but was short for an England game and so had to pick him.
He allegedly said to Rodney “we’ll play you in the first half see how it’s going and half time I might pull you off.”
Marsh’s reply ” Cheers boss, at Man City we usually get an orange or a cup of tea!”
If it’s too many games then it’s because we are currently successful. Playing in Europe adds to the fixture congestion. A few seasons ago WE were moaning about the big 6 whinging about the number of games. The biggest problem is the greed of UEFA who seem determined to sneak through a Super League. Next season when we are not playing in Europe, our short memories will revert back to the importance of the domestic trophies. We will be annoyed by Pep and Slot who will moan about playing 3 games in 8 days despite a 25 man squad. Imagine telling Sir Ron back in the day that he could have that many players instead of 14!
Surely the pitches are better to play on then back in the good old days when there was more mud than grass. I just think it’s overtraining in the gym which is causing too many muscle injuries.
True, but that goes back to the PL giving some help to their teams in Europe, like the European countries. They don’t, hence the problems. Easily fixed I’m sure, but those who can are either too stupid, too ignorant, or both. They could start with any team still in Europe in January doesn’t play the third round of the Cup, but starts in the 4th.
I think there are several issues combining to cause the spate of injuries.
1/ The Kalvin Phillips tackle. I shan’t pretend he is the first or worst perpetrator, but it seemed his early career success was based on the deliberate placing of his studs on to the trailing foot of an opponent. It is something that rarely happens by accident. It caused a sudden stretching of the joints and muscles in the victim’s leg which may result in muscle or ligament damage. It is something referees can eradicate by treating every incidence as a yellow card.
2/ Football boot studs. Studs again but this time the effect on the wearer. 4 projections on the heel of a boot, and the woven mesh goal areas prevent a foot from spinning round tearing the turf as used to happen with a 2-stud heel. If the player’s body is twisted by impact and his foot cannot twist with it – joint damage is the result.
3/ Athletic strain. If you watch athletics at all you will hear of the litany of injuries associated with sprinting and field events. Premier League football is now pushing at the same limits of muscles and joints.
4/ Slipping over. Boot design. Old boots had the studs wider apart. Now they are inset. A player’s foot making a 60 degree angle with the ground means the edge of the sole touches the ground with no stud digging in so the player’s foot slides.
So boot design technology has worsened instead of improved??! In this day and age, they should be designing boots to PREVENT injuries, not cause them!
Time to look again at these semi-artificial pitches as well?
I think the point about pitches is well made.
The grass is more dense and therefore tends to hold the studs which, in turn, puts pressure on joints etc as players turn or stretch for the ball. How else do you explain Mings injury – it wasn’t caused by a tackle.
Not that I have any real knowledge – just seems logical.
Interesting that Emery refers to the (excessive) level of injuries in his press conference (not as an excuse) but it seems he’s asked the ‘experts’ for an explanation as to the cause.
I was reading one or other of the ‘proper papers’ websites the other day, and there was an article on how most of the PL clubs’ managers/coaches are asking themselves the same questions about the number of injuries that so many teams are suffering this season.
Since many of these injuries are not from tackles, the only answer they all come up with is that there are simply too many games being played.
That seems perfectly logical – but I do think the whole subject is a bit more complicated, and the issues of boots, pitches, etc., are something that they should be taking a close look at as well.
So it looks like it’s either Brugge or Dortmund. Brugge played a blinder against Atalanta but I fear that Dortmund might have their mojo back. So I hope we get Brugge and give them a tonking!
Either way, I think it could have been much worse, 1874.
If we can’t beat either of them, we don’t deserve to progress.
And I actually think we are capable of beating them.
Oops, that’s done it.
Brugge not to be underestimated.
Atalanta were highly regarded during the league stage but it also demonstrates the difference between knockout games and league games – just look at how close Celtic ran Bayern.
Whoever we face it won’t be straightforward.
I think we are capable of making Brugge straightforward if we do the right job at VP, if we fail that against any team, we are out.
There will be no tonking, regardless of who we play!
Big six team at home, wonder if we can go a game without making referee excuses, they bore me after a while, whether the decision is right or wrong.
Clean sheet? No chance. = nil pois.
I can’t see Villa parking the bus tonight, so I expect the usual high line, and Salah to sprint away from our defenders. Even if Konsa and Cash are fit I think Liverpool’s forwards have too much firepower – unless they are really weary. Duran bagged a late pair last year to earn us a point. He’s gone, but we have enough up front to keep us in the game if we finish clinically. That would be a real change, so I am going for a Reds win – but hoping to be surprised.
Pawson referee so definitely Liverpool to win.
Cash on the bench but Konsa not fit enough, neither is Bailey. Kamara joins the list of long term injuries.
Rashford and Asensio start – Ramsey and Malen ‘retire’ to the bench.
Martinez, Digne, Mings, Disasi, Garcia, Tielemans, McGinn, Asensio, Rashford, Rogers and Watkins.
Off to the pub quiz so won’t have to watch the demolition!
We concede to 10 man Ipswich so I think the Scousers will rattle a few goals tonight. We are capable of scoring but we miss more than most when it comes to clear chances.
I think 1-3 as we will miss Kamara especially.
I’ve gone 0-4 – not a chance.
My prediction Holte same as you 1-3
Salah two of the goals.
We are not good enough.
We save or best for the best. Nothing would suprise me but I want Villa to win, as I know they can. Thats a better team than I expected with our injuries.
WHAT THE F ARE THEY DOING???!
God, this woman commentator is doing my swede in.
Mine too. And there goes the clean sheet.
F*** Off MACALLISTER! CHEATING PRICK! WAKE UP REF, YOU MORON!!! 🤬🤬🤬