01 Sep 2025 07:49:43
Morning all

Recognising that this is a forum where we can all speak freely. These are my opinions, in offering them i'm not saying others are wrong. This is just what I think.

For what it's worth, I thought last nights performance was the best of the season so far. That is admittedly a VERY low bar, but there were some strong periods of play (start of the second half) where we moved the ball quickly, used width, got the ball in the box. There were though big chunks of the game where we were slow and ponderous, too nervous to move the ball up field at pace. What's interesting here I think is that Villa's early success under Emery (thinking back to his part season 22/23 and the UCL qualifying season of 23/24) was built around getting the ball up the field quickly - something Watkins thrived on. Bailey, Luiz, Diaby and Ramsey all played a big part in enabling that.all of them now of course playing elsewhere.

In the second half last night Rogers looked a lot better out left - he linked up well with Maatsen, with Buendia offering more in the 10 role - he had more energy than Rodgers when Rogers was playing as a 10. We do have a complete imbalance in fullbacks, you can see Maatsen ALWAYS wants to push on and overlap, Cash looks stuck when he gets into the opposition half - he rarely got beyond Malen. In truth, and I agree with the sentiment on here, Cash looks like a player who offers next to nothing and should be moved on. Let an U21 lad get some game time. I think if Garcia were fit, Cash would not be playing.

Which broadly brings me to the point of players and squad. If you look at the squad that finished last season, regardless of whether they were loan players or otherwise, we have lost Rashford, Ascensio, Ramsey and Bailey and replaced them with one player - Guessand.new, young, will need time to establish. Any team losing four attacking players and replacing them with one is going to struggle, a lot. This isn't laying the blame solely as PSR etc, but this has played a part. We are under strength in the attacking third, with little funds to change that.

Also, I was looking at the team that started Emery's first ever game vs Utd. Three of the back four that started last night started that game (Cash, Konsa, Mings) suggesting we have not invested brilliantly in defense over the past seasons. Palace goals last night were embarassingly simple.

I'm rambling a bit now, so much to try and dump out of my brain. I think the reality is, the squad that got us to where we finished the past few seasons is now gone or going, as is the 'move the ball quickly, use width' style of play. So this season will possibly be one of evolution, of resetting and starting again with whatever funds we can invest. Perhaps that gives youth a chance, perhaps that requires a completely different coaching set up (I don't think so and I don't want Emery to leave.I think this is a blip). I will be interesting to see what, if anything, we can do with transfers today.

Final point, and trying to finish on a high. Last night, Burrowes and Torres came on at the same time. As they were waiting to come on, with Burrowes about to make his first team debut, Torres was putting his arm round his shoulders and was clearly both geeing him up and looking after him. Whatever rubbish football serves up (a lot at the moment at Villa) that moment was important to me, and proves that footballers (some) are decent folk.

Happy Monday to all

1.) 01 Sep 2025
01 Sep 2025 08:16:51
Post of the year, Syston??

2.) 01 Sep 2025
01 Sep 2025 09:56:36
Agree about the 1st 15-20 minutes of the second half. We had more zip about our play. If we had scored during that spell things might have been different although I always felt Palace had another gear or two.
Unfortunately, as happened on many occasions last season, we started the game too slowly with no urgency to the pass and a lack of cutting edge.

Only when we were chasing the game did we briefly come alive.
We have shown glimpses of what the players are capable of but I sense a lack of being brave on the ball. They've clearly been coached to keep possession almost at any cost, to try and wear teams down.
The Man City way if you like (how's that working out for them these days? )

As you say, when Emery arrived there was a dynamism about our play.
Now it looks as though that has been replaced with a fear and starting the games by not losing and as soon as managers set teams up like that, the game is up. (This is not the same as being defensively sound by the way)