I’ve been saying for years that Utd are a club in decline and we’re seeing it accelerate, in my opinion. The “theatre of dreams” is falling to pieces because of the Glaziers’ lack of investment and I’m sure I heard the other day that Ten Hag has spent £600 million on players since he arrived. What’s worrying for the club is that they’re no better and often look like they’re not even trying. Everybody I know says his sacking is imminent, with many saying they don’t understand why he hasn’t gone already. The trouble is, how many top managers would want to manage the club, even though money talks?
So my caution regarding Ipswich proved to be correct and to rub salt into things, I see West Ham tonked them 4-1 yesterday. Flaming typical!
And while I’m tempted to say I expect us to put three past Utd, I’m again reticent to actually say it. “The Villa way” could easily come into play again and we all know our record against them is simply atrocious. Still, I’m very minded to think we’ve turned a corner and those days of constantly losing to them are over.
It’s early in the season, but already the injuries are racking up. Squad news is that Ramsey, Onana and Bailey are all going to be late fitness calls. Judging by Unai Emery’s comments, it seems Bailey’s problem is only slight, but Ramsey and Onana are bigger doubts and apparently if they do make the squad, they won’t be fully fit. That’s really not good and for once I’m actually glad we’ve got a rubbishy International break coming up. Talking of which, we have players complaining that they’re playing too many games but if that’s the case, why are there so many International friendlies? Money, money, money, I guess.
John McGinn is still out.
Utd have Bruno Fernandez available after his red card was rescinded. Typical of Villa’s luck, but hey ho. Kobbie Mainoo is going to be a late call, but is doubtful. They have a couple of long termers, but frankly, I don’t care.
The big question for me is how long can we go without starting Jhon Duran? Whatever you think of him, he’s on fire and is scoring for fun. From what I’ve been reading, the lad is still difficult for Emery to manage, but his attitude has improved massively and he’s working hard in training. Is that because of a promise that we’ll let him go soon? I hope not.
I read that we could play Morgan Rogers on the left and squeeze Duran in somehow, especially if Bailey and Ramsey don’t make it. It would be a good reward for the striker, but Utd can score goals and I suspect Emery will decide against and possibly swap him out earlier, to give Ollie a rest.
After a massive effort against Bayern, a big concern has to be how much that game has taken out of the players. Unai Emery has recently said that he had doubts about the players lacking motivation for the Ipswich game and concentrating more on the Champion’s league. Man Utd is always a massive game, so that surely won’t apply today, you would hope.
Prediction time then and as I said, I expect us to put three past them. 3-1, I would think.
But then I’ve just seen a very depressing statistic. In 58 Premier league games, we’ve beaten Utd 5 times, drawn 13 and suffered a stonking 40 losses.
Hence, I’m going for a draw, 2-2, with me cursing “the Villa way”.
Fingers crossed and UTV!
Will that scoreless draw be enough to keep the Mekon in his job? United must have brought all their directors bar the Glazers and there were no smiles among them. Will Jim Ratcliffe tell Ben Ainslie he has another steering job for him after the Americas Cup?
I thought Cash was excellent, first game back. The players who looked below par to me were Bailey – unfit, Watkins on cruise control, Digne the same and Torres with few options ahead of him.
Apparently Mekon’s bench cost more than Villa’s starting 11?
Money well sent 🤦♂️
Spent
OLL – 1874 called it with ‘Bigger’ or maybe big teams with more experience in Europe have also suffered negative performance reaction post CL ties. Add to that the concerning injury list and the Physiological effect of our recent record against ManU (40 defeats and only 5 wins in 58 games) then a draw should be seen as quite an achievement.
We’re still handily placed in 5th as the ‘chasing pack’ dismantle each other.
The games that are going to really count are against teams such as Newcastle, Chelsea, Spurs, Brighton and Fulham.
UTMV
Oh well, that’s one point more than we got off Manure last year. We were below standard as too many of the players who played on Wednesday were called upon again. Injuries are already impacting on our chances of winning matches.
As others have mentioned this international break is critical to us. In a fortnights time a number of players should be back:
Onana
McGinn
Ramsey – hopefully
Kamara – eased back in
Mings – eased back in
Konsa- unknown
Bailey and Cash more time to get fitter
That’s the basis of a good team!
I thought Philogene has been really good in the last two matches. I can see him playing a lot more and he and Bailey truly battling to start for the same position.
As I previously commented today. What is going on with the hamstrings? It does need to be evaluated- what is causing this?
Philogene, would like to see him have a go at the fullback instead of constantly playing it safe and playing the ball backwards.
Instructions again, Ron, I’d say.
You’re probably right Badger.
It’s probably just my old-fashioned view that wingers, maybe now and again, try to go past the fullback?
Agreed. He is so quick, strong and tricky. I wonder if he was under instructions to play conservatively as it doesn’t seem his natural game. I thought he was outstanding against Bayern. Always concentrating and strong in the tackle
The incidence of hamstring injury is much greater than is expected in properly warmed up athletes. After a quick search of wikipedia I found that abnormal stretching of the hamstring caused by the foot being pinned to the ground rather than allowing it to lift on to the toes is one of causes of strain. That brings me to a current blight of the pro game – deliberately tackling in a way that will never touch the ball but will pin the opponent’s trailing foot under your studs. I played a lot of amateur football and that type of tackle never happened even by accident at that time. It seems to have been introduced by disreputable pro coaches.
Refs have yet to catch up. That type of tackle is not intended to win the ball, it is intended to cause injury and should incur a yellow card every time.
Kamara played an under 21s game last week. He’s getting there. Sounds like his ACL wasn’t as bad as Ming’s or Buendia’s injuries.
Bit rubbish not waking up to 3 points this morning.
Just read Duran has signed a new contract. I would imagine the biggest concern was his current buy out clause
Till 2030 Tom , good news that
That’s a total turnaround.
Perhaps the kid has suddenly grown up, got himself a new agent and has realised that he’s improved and can only get better under Unai?
Whatever, I only criticised him because he was insolent, a troublemaker and wasn’t dedicated to the cause, which to me, is the biggest single requirement.
I’m shocked and absolutely chuffed he’s signed on. I think he has a great future ahead of him at the Villa 🙂
Great news – Ollie look out 🙂
With the new contract would take at least £100m to buy him – perhaps the kid knew what he was doing in the summer?
Move Ollie out wide and play Duran down the middle? – probably not.
Happy days
Birmingham World is suggesting that Man U will offer £40 mill for Pau in the window. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Maybe there’s some truth in it?
On second thoughts, hahahahahahahahahahah!
The days of ManUŕe cherry picking our best players has long since gone. Onana turned them down to join us.
If anyone’s interested the U 21s are playing in the EFL Trophy against Bolton 7:45 kick off on Sky.
I’m on it.
Men against boys, but the lads are doing ok.
Tbh, it looks like the first time our lads have played on a full size pitch.
Yet they look pretty calm.
Our goalie, who has the armband, has just made a stonking save!
0-0 atm
All Bolton, but a lovely pass from Jena (?) leaves Mulley (?) with a simple header.
It’s a funny old game and I’m not complaining.
Zych, the goalie, playing a blinder. Definitely one for the future
1-1 and the lads did well against players who were clearly physically bigger and stronger. Zych the absolute standout. Now weirdly there’s a penalty shoot out for an extra point.
Won the shoot out with Zych saving two penalties. I wonder if Emi is rubbing off on him?
Anyway decent watch.
That’s who he reminded me of too, 1874.
And Villa win 4-1 on Pens.
That Zyche kid looks very good and won us the game, against the odds.
Haha, good stuff lads!
You couldn’t have a better role model than Emi!!!
Were any seniors playing for a bit of game time?
No it was just the kids and they looked it as some of the Bolton players were giants. They were a bit lucky in the first half but better in the second. Worth noting that, besides Zych’s two saves, the 4 penalties we scored were zingers and those who took them looked really confident. I guess that it’s all part of their training now.
Kane out but Ollie not starting? He must be disappointed but I’m not unhappy as it means less chance of injury. We’ve had enough of those.
And we need him fresh for EPL and CL.
Rather he played for Villa than a somewhat disorganised England.
If I were Watkins I’d make myself unavailable for England duty. I’d tell them where to stick it until they have a manger who knows how to set a team up with players in the right positions. England keep being led by donkeys!
I wonder if Ollie could claim ‘incompatibility with current England players’. Saka, Foden and Gordon will never deliver the ball to Ollie when and where he needs it. Palmer did, once, but seems to have joined the ‘don’t pass to a non-sky-6 player’ club of selfish prima-donnas. To borrow a term from cycling, this is what happens when you ask a group of team-leaders to play the domestiques roles. If Carsley cannot see that when the rest of can from our armchairs he does not deserve the England job.
Then there is TAA – who has to be found a place. Maybe, but not in place of a full back who is in the right place to do the defensive work.
Pickford is now suffering from shell shock at Everton and may need a rest for his own good. Stones like Ramsdale is in my bomb-squad because of incurable faults in the basis of his game. Those mean he cannot catch an onside opponent who has sprung the offside line. The fault does not show if another defender is sweeping behind him but when he is the sweeper he fails.
OLL, agree with much of what you’ve said, but perhaps I see it from a different angle: to me it was already obvious under Southgate that when Kane plays, the supporting mid/wide players always pass to him. But whenever Kane was either out of the team, or having a blank game, suddenly all of the (over-rated, IMO-) midfielders decide that they can go forward and all be strikers at the same time. Result is that discipline vanishes, they get in each others’ way, rarely actually score, and leave huge holes for the opposition to exploit.
Personally, while I’d say that Bellingham, Foden, Palmer, & co., are all ‘good’ players in a suitable team, none of them are ‘world class’ individually (heresy, as far as Bellingham’s media pals are concerned…) and not near as good as the hype around tham when they play at international level.
Have to agree Ardent – particularly about Bellingham. I’m still waiting to see him actually be this ‘amazing world class talent’ that the media seem to be fixated with.
The other point you make Ardent is equally valid – who actually picks the team, the manager or the media?
When are we going to have a manager that has the balls to pick players that together make an effective team and cares nothing for the media’s view when he refuses to pick one of their ‘darlings.
A prime example is picking Watkins but then not having the players on the pitch or a strategy that plays to his strengths?
Nothing will change and we know that way madness lies.
The amount of international breaks is getting ridiculous although this one has come at a good time for us.
I really don’t give a damn about watching England play these newly formed tournaments. It’s bad enough with the waste of time friendlies and the qualifiers for the Euros or World Cup when we get to meet mostly European minnows. Everyone gets excited after we beat most of them comfortably, thinking we are going to finally win a tournament only to lose against half decent opposition.
Roll on a week on Saturday to the proper football.
A need break yes. But is it the international breaks that means squeezing more games into a week for everyone?
Exactly Holte, money money money from the working man , how many fans are put into poverty by these so called people. Get back to the days of playing once a week and on a Saturday. It’s bad enough Being taxed to the hilt now it’s how we get it back from us . It’s made me step back because I’m not gambling man but love my football team . Just look at how you can get tickets into days world, register pay for that, then pot luck to get the seats you like at ridiculously over priced tickets. Rant over, who wants to watch games like last night? You’re right Holte has no place in the name of football in my eyes. Rubbish and a waste of money .
The current Villa squad contains 4 players who have captained their national teams:
Martinez; Mings; McGinn; Tielemans. Is that a record?
No, that’s a big round thing, about 12″ in diameter.
I’ll get my coat 🙁
Badger that’s a terrible joke – but it did make me laugh 🙂
In any other team Ollie would be playing. If I was him I’d retire from international football and save himself from being a perennial seat warmer.