Aston Villa (A) 21/9: Build-Up & Match Thread

[pagey]

Understand the point, but they’re not lucky in appointing a good management team, they’re astute.

Amidst the wreckage we’ve somehow still got a squad that should be comfortable enough in this league. With limited work it could be challenging in the upper mid-table which would be where we’d all be more than happy. It’s all about the right manager and coaching staff, and most of the folk who don’t see that couldn’t also see perhaps the most obvious manifestation of a lack of leadership you’ll ever see at the post match trudge at the end of the first Lage season. It’s as clear as you’d like again right now. The cost benefit of getting and keeping a good management team is outrageous. We won’t do it because of reasons, but it doesn’t make it any easier to tolerate.

Oh I get they're on a different trajectory to us and are doing what we can only dream of at this point.

I'm just a grown man grasping at straws, love throwing the goal line fiasco at villa mates though, it seems to make them forget about 1984.

 

[Jinky]

Have dipped in and out of the presser so not caught every word. Did hear that RAN & Toti haven't trained much this week so they need to have a look at them both today before deciding on whether they're ready for tomorrow.

Changed his tune to saying Newcastle "WILL" finish above us and has now said he "believes the group can win away at Villa tomorrow and Liverpool next week". Obviously someone's had a word in his ear.

Praised Rodrigo and Lima but stressed we need to be patient with them and remember what leagues they've come from etc.

Said he believes we've been unlucky and our performances have been good. Moments going against us - lots of long range efforts going in etc. Said he believes if the team keep doing things right, the results will come (seems to be ignoring a lot of the bad stuff, which is fair enough, I guess).

 

[Johnny75]

Have dipped in and out of the presser so not caught every word. Did hear that RAN & Toti haven't trained much this week so they need to have a look at them both today before deciding on whether they're ready for tomorrow.

Changed his tune to saying Newcastle "WILL" finish above us and has now said he "believes the group can win away at Villa tomorrow and Liverpool next week". Obviously someone's had a word in his ear.

Praised Rodrigo and Lima but stressed we need to be patient with them and remember what leagues they've come from etc.

Said he believes we've been unlucky and our performances have been good. Moments going against us - lots of long range efforts going in etc. Said he believes if the team keep doing things right, the results will come (seems to be ignoring a lot of the bad stuff, which is fair enough, I guess).

He said the stats say we won't continue conceding from low percentage chances and we have to tidy that up.

Well Gaz, we will if you keep playing dreck like Doherty and allowing players to have shots on goal from distance with keepers who aren't very good with shots from distance.

His absence of blame from anything we are doing is grating. He needs to take responsibility.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Team news: "We need to check on Toti and Rayan today. Neither have done a lot this week. Bouba is out and on crutches. He'll probably be out until around Christmas."

On results: "There's a lot of frustration in the building. We have a difficult run of fixtures but we have good enough players to take results. I'm frustrated that small things are costing us."

On Wednesday: "Rodrigo and Lima did well. Guedes has had a great impact on the cup games and has shown some quality off the bench. We're working hard with him to make sure he gives the group something, and he is. All three did very well on Wednesday."

On Guedes: "We made him believe that he had a chance if he showed he was willing to work. Of course there's still a lot to do, but he's had a good start to the season. He looks like he can be a goal threat."

Spoken to Wolves bosses? "We're all frustrated. We're all aligned at the football club. We have shown we can play well enough in every game, so there's no excuse for not getting results."

On Villa: "It's been a tough week physically for both teams. We trained yesterday and the boys are good. I have huge belief that we can go to Villa and win."

"I absolutely despise losing, as the fans do, but my job is to get the team ready for what is next. I allow myself time to recover from a tough defeat - and Newcastle was tough - but games come quickly and we need to be ready. I don't shirk away from my responsibility."

 

[Mel Evo]

Could well just be me, but between the lines it does feel (quite rightly) that the pressure is genuinely on and we’re into make or break territory in the coming games. Bit of a powder keg. None of this waiting to check we have definitely screwed it all up by the end of Nov. I might be hearing / feeling what I want to here, but there you go.

 

[Johnny75]

Could well just be me, but between the lines it does feel (quite rightly) that the pressure is genuinely on and we’re into make or break territory in the coming games. Bit of a powder keg. None of this waiting to check we have definitely screwed it all up by the end of Nov. I might be hearing / feeling what I want to here, but there you go.

Definitely, GoN saying he spoken to the higher ups is a sign he was called into a meeting and asked how he's going to change this.

I'd say he's on borrowed time.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

People have been kidding themselves otherwise. Fosun are able to do one thing and one thing only accurately in footballing matters, and that's read the league table. They don't get context or nuance, hence Lage being retained because look, we're 10th, how bad can we be (the answer is very bad) and then sacked when the league position started to match performances at the start of the following season.

We're in the bottom three, at least two of Leicester, Everton, Southampton and Ipswich are getting a point or more tomorrow, he's under pressure.

 

[C.L.D]

I think the decision to not have a backup LB for RAN, who's not a natural LB anyway, infuriates me more than not bringing in a CB to replace Kilman. Close though.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

His absence of blame from anything we are doing is grating. He needs to take responsibility.

And if he did you'd smash him for not having confidence and creating a loser mentality.

A manager taking responsibility is not a good look.

 

[sycophantia]

If RAN and Toti aren't fit it will be Doc, better get used to the idea.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I think the decision to not have a backup LB for RAN, who's not a natural LB anyway, infuriates me more than not bringing in a CB to replace Kilman. Close though.

You'll get stick for this....

 

[Squeak]

A few more straws for y

Oh I get they're on a different trajectory to us and are doing what we can only dream of at this point.

I'm just a grown man grasping at straws, love throwing the goal line fiasco at villa mates though, it seems to make them forget about 1984.

A few more straws for you...
According to Football365.com, in the last 5 years Villa are the 9th largest net spenders having spent £217M.
We are the 19th having a net spend of £12.74M

They are having their purple patch just like we did for two seasons after promo. They hired a good coach and that has reaped dividends for now.

 

[Squeak]

You'll get stick for this....

He's correct though. RAN is a good footballer with loads of skill. The difficulty is in him keeping some discipline but allowing him to express himself. At times that hurts the team, none more so than against Chelsea. I agree that he's not a traditional type of left back but he has shown signs of how good he can be in that position, partic. when he too Sala out of the Mol. game.

 

[Squeak]

If RAN and Toti aren't fit it will be Doc, better get used to the idea.

If that happens, I may well turn the TV off after the 5th Villa goal. Something I've never done before.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

He's correct though.

I know he is.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Right miserable bunch of bastards on here aren't you?

I think it'll be a good game, Everton gave them a good game, and I think we will too. Especially if we can be clinical for once.

 

[jd1981]

Right miserable bunch of bastards on here aren't you?

I think it'll be a good game, Everton gave them a good game, and I think we will too. Especially if we can be clinical for once.

Yep another one those good effort but no points games we keep having.

 

[pagey]

 s

A few more straws for y

A few more straws for you...
According to Football365.com, in the last 5 years Villa are the 9th largest net spenders having spent £217M.
We are the 19th having a net spend of £12.74M

They are having their purple patch just like we did for two seasons after promo. They hired a good coach and that has reaped dividends for now.

So that'd be the selling your ground to yourselves, selling part of the training ground for the government to build a giant train set and the Grealish money accounted for then

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I just don't think it'll be a thrashing.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I just don't think it'll be a thrashing.

We're not an objectively out of our depth team like we were in the early days of 2003/04, nor one that had reached the end of its natural cycle as in 2011/12, nor one horrendously mismanaged like in 2022 under Lage.

However we have forgotten how to win games, and we certainly don't manage games well. I can more or less guarantee you that we beat Newcastle to nil if Nuno is the manager. Under Gaz, you're never comfortable.

In fact how many comfortable wins have we had full stop under him?! Brentford away and Everton at home last season, not many others?