Unai "Nee Baals" Emery's Beige Renaissance vs Eddie "Baals in a Wheelbarrow" Howe's UNSTOPPABLE Lunchtime Mags

[Dr Gloom 21850]

6 points from three tough away games is a good return. 
 

Better than a win and a couple of draws, which we would probably have all taken, but it feels worse because of the manner of the defeat. 
 

If we dispatch spurs next week it can be quickly forgotten. 

[Howmanheyman 32842]

Just watched motd and we mustn't be a big club yet as they only praised villa and didn't go into how shit we were. (They did it with Tottenham and Chelsea. They'll do it today as well if forest beat Man United). 

[Monkeys Fist 42138]

25 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

When we dispatch spurs next week it can be quickly forgotten

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3859]

1 hour ago, Renton said:

 

We had a semi-decent spell early in the second half. I think the difference though here and the other games you mention is that Villa were by far the best team we have played against under Howes tenure yesterday. Credit where its due. I think they would have beaten anyone on the day, and if I'm honest, and completely changing what I said last week, I am more worried about them beating us to top 4 than Spurs. I think the gap will be enough though.

Better than, Arsenal, Man City and Man Utd? Are you having a laugh? We were shit Villa weren’t but they are not the best team we have played in a season and a half. They will not be in the top 4 next season.

[Renton 21400]

Just now, Kevin Carr's Gloves said:

Better than, Arsenal, Man City and Man Utd? Are you having a laugh? We were shit Villa weren’t but they are not the best team we have played in a season and a half. They will not be in the top 4 next season.

 

On that day I said. And yeah, they played much better than any ManU team we have played this season, they were better than Arsenal, and better than Man City when we played them at home imo (struggling to remember the away leg tbh, might have missed it). Better than either game we played and lost against Liverpool too. They gave us no space or time, they bullied us, and they were clinical. Yeah, we were poor but had Villa played like this all season they would have been near the top of the table. They aren't mainly because of Gérard but also because they won't always play that well, which is the difference between good teams (us and Villa) and champions (Man City).

 

Fortunately for us we couldn't have a better side to play against next match than Spurs. I think we'll win that and get back on track. I think though people are being OTT on the criticism of our team which isn't helpful. 

 

[aimaad22 4150]

They were not better than Arsenal or City man! They were very good but we were also very very poor. Huge spaces in midfield, Bruno and Joe completely off it, Willock looked clueless. CBs failing to deal with balls over the top, Trippier having his worst game in months. I get Villa playing so well made them look like that, but had we been at our usual performance levels it would have been a much closer game. Like Arsenal away was. It was a bad day at the office, and its a very tough league. 

 

Villa are in fine form with a good coach. They'll be back down to earth soon though as multiple teams in this league over the years have. And once they run into a bit of bad form, the lack of cojones on Emery will come to the fore. Not a club we need to be worrying about in the coming years, they can kid themselves all they like, they are in the Everton category more than anything else.

[Renton 21400]

17 minutes ago, aimaad22 said:

They were not better than Arsenal or City man! They were very good but we were also very very poor. Huge spaces in midfield, Bruno and Joe completely off it, Willock looked clueless. CBs failing to deal with balls over the top, Trippier having his worst game in months. I get Villa playing so well made them look like that, but had we been at our usual performance levels it would have been a much closer game. Like Arsenal away was. It was a bad day at the office, and its a very tough league. 

 

Villa are in fine form with a good coach. They'll be back down to earth soon though as multiple teams in this league over the years have. And once they run into a bit of bad form, the lack of cojones on Emery will come to the fore. Not a club we need to be worrying about in the coming years, they can kid themselves all they like, they are in the Everton category more than anything else.

 

Were we shit or did they make us look shit? Lost count of how many times I've heard mackems say how lucky we are because our opposition have been shit. This is no different to me. We had an awful game but it was Villa's approach to the game that fucked us up. For me they were much better than Arsenal were at the Emirates, then again, our approach to that game was entirely different. 

 

Emery is a top class manager. Since he joined Villa he' gained 38 points with a GD of 13. During the same period Howe has achieved 32 points with a GD of 10. Yes, tgere may be an element of new manager bounce but that is pretty impressive considering the team he inherited. Villa's revival and even the way they play is Howesque imo. His limitation at Villa will be funding I suspect. I'm more than happy with Howe though and think he will be a much better fit for our club and ambitions going forward. I don't think Villa are a long term threat because of this. 

Edited April 16, 2023 by Renton

[aimaad22 4150]

27 minutes ago, Renton said:

 

Were we shit or did they make us look shit? 

 

As I was saying probably a mix of both. Botman and Schar have been eating up those long balls for fun all season. And our midfield balance was just way off, perhaps to do with Longstaff missing. You can't deny those were factors too, it wasn't just Villa blowing us off the park as if they were prime Pep Barca.

 

We shouldn't read too much into it. I mean we definitely got beaten by the much better team on the day, no doubt. But that is a reality of this league, even the 'top 4' will struggle against good sides in form. Its the recovery and consistency over the season that proves CL pedigree. 

 

[Rosco 759]

Well we can't be any worse v Spurs......can we

[Christmas Tree 4711]

I haven’t been able to look at anything football related since the final whistle. Was / Is the conclusion that most of our players had a really bad day or did Eddie get his tactics wrong?

[wykikitoon 19985]

Just now, Christmas Tree said:

I haven’t been able to look at anything football related since the final whistle. Was / Is the conclusion that most of our players had a really bad day or did Eddie get his tactics wrong?

 

Probably a mixture. 

[NJS 4375]

8 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

 

Probably a mixture. 

I agree but I tend to agree with those who mentioned Longstaff's absence as a large factor. 

 

It's an easy call to mention someone missing but I thought the space they had in midfield would have been reduced if he'd played. 

[wykikitoon 19985]

12 minutes ago, NJS said:

I agree but I tend to agree with those who mentioned Longstaff's absence as a large factor. 

 

It's an easy call to mention someone missing but I thought the space they had in midfield would have been reduced if he'd played. 

Wasn't Longstaff injured though? I.e that cannot be pinned on Howe. 

[NJS 4375]

4 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

Wasn't Longstaff injured though? I.e that cannot be pinned on Howe. 

Yes - ill through the week apparently. 

 

On Eddie I think I'd question Gordon starting. 

[Dr Gloom 21850]

Just now, NJS said:

I agree but I tend to agree with those who mentioned Longstaff's absence as a large factor. 

 

It's an easy call to mention someone missing but I thought the space they had in midfield would have been reduced if he'd played. 

we had arguably our three best technical midfielders in the middle but missed the water carrier 

[Dr Gloom 21850]

28 minutes ago, NJS said:

Yes - ill through the week apparently. 

 

On Eddie I think I'd question Gordon starting. 

Why? we paid £45m on him. It’s only his second start. I was pleased to see him get a chance. 
 

I’d have maybe played Gordon on the right as he’s looked good there when he’s come off the bench but I can see why he put him on the left up against the 37 year old Ashley Young. Also Murphy has been playing well and it would have been harsh to drop him. 

[wykikitoon 19985]

Looking at the lineup I can't really see what he could have changed.  It sounds (I didn't see the game) the tactical error was not making changes earlier.  I am not sure if you don't think Gordon should have started because of his tantrum or because you thought someone should have started in front of him.  But I think Gordon has looked decent and effective since coming off the bench so deserved his chance.

[Dr Gloom 21850]

21 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

Looking at the lineup I can't really see what he could have changed.  It sounds (I didn't see the game) the tactical error was not making changes earlier.  I am not sure if you don't think Gordon should have started because of his tantrum or because you thought someone should have started in front of him.  But I think Gordon has looked decent and effective since coming off the bench so deserved his chance.

100%

[Dr Gloom 21850]

21 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

Looking at the lineup I can't really see what he could have changed.  It sounds (I didn't see the game) the tactical error was not making changes earlier.  I am not sure if you don't think Gordon should have started because of his tantrum or because you thought someone should have started in front of him.  But I think Gordon has looked decent and effective since coming off the bench so deserved his chance.

gordon might feel hard done by not to have started more given Murphy is the player currently keeping him out of the side. Murphy has done well but he’s a limited player 

[The Fish 10791]

14 hours ago, Renton said:

 

Were we shit or did they make us look shit?

 

Both. Our poor performances would have been irrelevant if Villa weren't on it, and if we were on it, their performance wouldn't have been as impactful. 

 

e.g. Bruno and the Joes in the middle were passive, disjointed, wasteful and unimaginative. Had they been anything like their usual levels than Buendia Ramsey and McGinn would not have had the time and space to cause our back line so many problems. If our back line didn't look knackered Watkins' movement wouldn't have been so damaging etc.

 

 

[scoobos 298]

Only read a couple of pages here. But for me, this was purely fitness / tiredness and them playing almost exactly the same way we do. I don't think it was a poor performance by us, more as a remarkable one from the opposition (which I suppose is how teams must feel about us!)

 

They were quicker to the ball - Gordon looked slow (and he isn't its just in comparison) and we missed Longstaff imo - once again teaching me a lesson that I don't know anything about team selection.

I have questioned his inclusion so many times (same with Willock and murphy) and everytime I do the lads have a screamer.

 

We had glimpses of this against Brentford (I watched that match) where if the team plays to close us down as aggressively as we do, we seem to lose options to release the ball very quickly. For the first half it looked like Brentford had "learnt how to deal" , but then they collapsed in the second, thankfully. From my view Toney should have had 2 goals by half time , not even counting the pen.
Last edit - Also, I thought we saw something different from Howe in the Brentford game - he lost patience and made some pretty drastic changes compared to what I've seen before. Wilson and Isak seem to have had a great understanding coached into them already, they were immense in the second half.

All that said, we've won away from home in London more than once - these in themselves are points I never would have expected - We'll bounce back at home, no bother.

Edited April 17, 2023 by scoobos

[Holden McGroin 6544]

Its only the second game this season (arguably Man City away could make it 3) that we've deserved nothing from the game.

 

It will be all forgotten about if we pummel Spurs.

[Dr Gloom 21850]

1 hour ago, Holden McGroin said:

Its only the second game this season (arguably Man City away could make it 3) that we've deserved nothing from the game.

 

It will be all forgotten about if we pummel Spurs.

 

brighton away. we got away with a draw there when we really should have lost. brighton are one of the best teams i've watched this season 

[Holden McGroin 6544]

11 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

 

brighton away. we got away with a draw there when we really should have lost. brighton are one of the best teams i've watched this season 

 

Aye Villa (a), Brighton (a) and Man City (a) you could argue we deserved all 3 defeats. We had chances v Man City but reckon they never got out of second gear.

[Dr Gloom 21850]

5 minutes ago, Holden McGroin said:

 

Aye Villa (a), Brighton (a) and Man City (a) you could argue we deserved all 3 defeats. We had chances v Man City but reckon they never got out of second gear.

 

the kind of result/performance we saw against villa on saturday used to be par so it was surprising because we've been mostly brilliant all season. it's no fluke we're up in 4th.