04 Sep 2023 10:37:20
We need to look at yesterday's defeat in the round it was a poor performance not just by the usual scapegoats Cash, Bailey and now it appears Torres! We gave Liverpool and in particular TTA far too much time on the ball and if you do that often enough to quality players they will hurt you, and they did. Along with most teams in the premiership we play out from the back on occasions where it makes no sense to do so and so are too predictable and consequently the ball gets turned over too often in our final third, on occasions there is nothing wrong with mixing the play up and going long at least if you lose the ball there it's in the oppositions final third not yours. I also think having seen Emery's Villa for 9 months now the top quality sides have sussed out how to play against our high press, whilst in possession and attacking our full backs push on often creating a overloaded in the middle of the park but when the ball gets turned over there is a gap in behind which teams are looking to exploit with some success as Cash, Digne and I would argue Moreno aren't great defensively. We saw that in spades yesterday when Digne was caught out time and again by a long ball when he was the wrong side of Salah. To be fair I don't entirely blame Digne as TTA should have been closed down much quicker but it's always the defender who gets called out on these occasions unfortunately. The one thing I do criticise Digne for though is the way he allowed Salah to run off him for Liverpool's third that was rank bad defending. However if you look at where we are at international break time would we have expected anymore points than we have got? Not sure we would.

1.) 04 Sep 2023
04 Sep 2023 12:19:56
We are where most honest fans would have expected us to, fully agree LOTM. We've also been incredibly unlucky with injuries to key players - Moreno, Ramsey, Buendia and Mings are absolutely integral to how we play but, regardless, Villa are now a side that beat the teams we should beat and struggling against the sides (away) that we would probably be expected to - I think Emery may need to adjust his philosophy somewhat against the top sides away from home but in general I think we are still in a great position to have a successful season - Really don't understand the mass hysteria yesterday from some fans, by all means have a mature opinion on how the game panned out (like the above ☝️) but let's all try and keep some perspective please.

2.) 04 Sep 2023
04 Sep 2023 17:01:11
I agree BK to my mind when we play against the top sides we should go 3 at the back particularly as none of our current centre backs who are fit are blessed with pace, playing a high line with full backs who defensively aren’t the greatest and against an opposition whose forward line is riddled with pace is an accident waiting to happen as we saw yesterday. However in fairness if the front guys and the midfield had closed down better cutting off the supply it might have aided our cause somewhat.

3.) 04 Sep 2023
04 Sep 2023 19:27:57
I know the side was changed for Hibs but 2 weekly games, the travelling etc we are not used to. I’m sure that would contribute to the Liverpool result. I know these players are fit but the usual press wasn’t there.

4.) 04 Sep 2023
04 Sep 2023 21:30:37
Lame excuses mate

5.) 05 Sep 2023
05 Sep 2023 08:04:20
If you compare our squad to Liverpool’s man for man they are stronger by some distance it pains me to say. We were playing them at Anfield, with a weakened squad so surely it’s no great surprise we lost I accept we should have been more competitive but let’s not blow one result out of proportion.

6.) 05 Sep 2023
05 Sep 2023 15:34:34
Everyone is still entitled to their opinion, I think it’s unfair to put me in a category of people who might be constantly negative, win lose or draw I post with the same frequency on here, I call it as I see it, we had great results against 3 rubbish teams and we had terrible results against 2 good teams, so for me that’s where we are at right now, mid table. I understand we have injuries but we still had a team on the pitch and those players didn’t put enough effort in as far as I’m concerned, I look at the performances of West Ham and Brighton and we look way off them at the moment and in those 2 teams we’re talking about teams who lost huge players in the summer, I stand by my original assessment in saying that huge improvement is needed to finish in the top 8 this year and I can’t see how that statement is blowing things out of proportion or in the category of mass hysteria, obviously I don’t think we will have any worries about relegation nobody on here has being that dramatic

7.) 05 Sep 2023
05 Sep 2023 17:11:34
I wouldn’t put you in that category Whack, everyone is as you say entitled to an opinion and I accept you call it as you see it but it’s early doors and although Brighton are easy on the eye let’s not forget they lost to West Ham 4-1 and if memory serves me right they were at home! We were great against Everton and Hibs and whilst they are not great sides (sorry Ed) you can only beat what’s in front of you and we did that comprehensively. I think the good sides have worked us out a bit and Emery in turn needs to adapt especially when we are away from home.