Aston Villa (A) | PL | Post-Match Thread

El_george said:
I don't think Grealish has played much in the last few matches or been on the bench. Does anyone know what's up and when he is expected back? - his stats weren't great last year and they are not going to improve whilst he doesn't play (plus I'm thinking about transferring him out of my fantasy football team.)
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I mean, it's hardly been a secret that he's been injured for the last 3 weeks.

I do wonder about this place sometimes.
 
Tolmie scores said:
He is a top prifessional. Never seems like a prima dona i know he's a rag and all that..but as a player he is still very good at what he does..and is capable of changing roles from attacjer in his youth to an out and out old fashioned FB ..well done to him
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AYIAC
 
14 points after 6 games, I’m happy with that, we will get a few more draws and the odd loss to the likes of Villa, beating the top 6 sides will decide whether or not we win the title ..
I’m fully confident City will retain the title this season ..
 
Looking forward to us putting 5 past Sevilla midweek and putting the ott mosners back in their box

Up the f@cking blues
 
SWPISHOME said:
Have to agree with this unfortunately. Foden has changed alot over the years and it's not for the better I must admit, He used to be a dynamic winger, A ball carrier that liked to have a go at the full back...All our wide men now do the same thing it constantly goes backwards, I'd like it of they were allowed express themselves now and again and have a go at the full backs.

Having said that, The days of a ball carriers is a dying breed. It's all possessed football now.
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The way we play and the way opposition play against us especially the teams who park the bus and double treble up on or wing players make it near in impossible for ANY player to dribble past 2/3 players on the wing! Now if we had a left footed left back it would open up that side better but it is what it is and playing this way under pep we been fine and won plenty! Now you look at Fodan’s contributions he has scored a goal and assists 2/3 goals after six games that is fair and pretty good! It’s jus to pity some fans are frankly don’t see this all they see is fodan getting the ball fodan passing it back!
 
Lovebitesandeveryfing said:
There is legitimate criticism, and then there is the arrogance that consists in believing that we should — indeed, have a divine right — to be winning every match. I want no part of that. Sure, we want to win every match. Being an adult involves knowing that you can't always get what you want.
Along with most neutral observers, we legitimately expected to win a match against a team in or around the relegation zone. It didn't happen, because that's football. And it's what disproves the silly comments by opposition supporters, which were flying around as recently as Wednesday evening at 9.30 p.m., that City are turning the EPL into something resembling the French league or the German one.
We actually could have lost that match yesterday. Think about that. What I will admit is irritating is that, over and over and over, the opposition score with one or at the most two shots on target. I don't understand this. We are almost never battered by other teams. We were only battered by Arsenal in the away game last season and I would have accepted a defeat. When we took the three points I felt, that's a team that wins championships.
By the way, we're six matches in out of thirty-eight, and we're sitting in second place. Our two most serious rivals of recent years are both stuttering, worse than us.
We need to improve, for sure. In the cold light of day, I'll take this situation. The real test comes next weekend. We need to beat Spurs, because beating top four or top six clubs is nearly always what finally determines the destination of the trophy.
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Absolutely. I want us to win every single game we play and I want us to win handsomely, I know that is never going to happen though, especially in this league. Generally we do win and sometimes it isn't playing the best ever football, sometimes we are very lucky. Some systems we struggle against but we still manage to win, some teams we consistently get caught out against. Yesterday Villa played to their collective strengths and we had a collective off day. It was irritating but we still created enough chances to actually win the game. Having said that I still can't fathom why Walker shot instead of squaring the ball to Haaland, what on earth possessed a man who has rarely scored into thinking he could score there!
 
I am not a football expert just a match going fan.
I think City are a better team when we have overlapping full backs.

I would have thought with the worlds best centre forward City would play this way and be whipping in crosses for Haaland.

But no full backs go into midfield and the wingers Foden and Bernie and Marhez must be under instructions to come inside as well !
We look so much better with attacking wingers.

Once Pep changed the formation against palace we ripped them apart. But yesterday he kept it the same :/
 
The first half was very poor in attack. In a sense, it was the reverse of the first half vs Newcastle, where we had no control but created a lot. Yesterday, at least in the first half, it was about a lot of control but with little creativity. In both games, Newcastle and Villa, the balance between control and creativity wasn't right. Maybe it's normal, we are trying to find the right balance with Haaland in the team. Also, some of the players are not in form yet.

It may be a strange season, with us and Liverpool dropping more points than expected, partly do to the congested schedule, but also because both teams have to tweak their usual patterns of play to accommodate their new forwards. It may take time.

It was strange Pep didn't sub in Alvarez. Maybe because Bernardo can always create something out of nothing, and because Gundo scores important goals... And because they would have been upset to get subbed off... The manager has to pay attention to the psychological dynamics of the group and take decisions which are not always the best short-term wise.

Nothing is decided so early in the season. Moreover, it will help City if the league title is not decided after 20 games and is not won by 20 pts.
 
waspish said:
The way we play and the way opposition play against us especially the teams who park the bus and double treble up on or wing players make it near in impossible for ANY player to dribble past 2/3 players on the wing! Now if we had a left footed left back it would open up that side better but it is what it is and playing this way under pep we been fine and won plenty! Now you look at Fodan’s contributions he has scored a goal and assists 2/3 goals after six games that is fair and pretty good! It’s jus to pity some fans are frankly don’t see this all they see is fodan getting the ball fodan passing it back!
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Plenty of occasions yesterday were we got Foden into 1 v 1 situations even when Matty Cash was on.
More likely than not we are going to pass the ball back and makes switches of play to move the opposition about and eventually we get ourselves an overload and punish teams.
The point I'm trying to make is on numerous occasions we do get our wide men into 1 v 1 situations and the talent Phil and Jack have they could rip and full back in the league a new arsehole...As I've said ball carriers are a dying breed everything now is possession based and movement off the ball. It's not a dig at Foden this is the job that's being asked of him and because he's starting all the time Pep is obviously happy that he's playing that position perfectly.
 
I take it the gloss merchants will have been out by now. "Arrogant", "spoilt", "we'll still win the league", "could be an important point" etc Whilst the last 2 may hopefully have some validity - that was poor yesterday and showed a fragility we need to address.
 
Phil1 said:
It wouldn’t be a different story though because if you took Haaland away we would adapt like we’ve always done and still find ways to score like we’ve always done.

The overreaction to this game is odd.
Bear in mind this is Peps best start to a season with us so far.
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Why does everyone keep saying this lol? It’s not true lmao. Definitely not the worst either.
 
GaudinoMotors said:
I take it the gloss merchants will have been out by now. "Arrogant", "spoilt", "we'll still win the league", "could be an important point" etc Whilst the last 2 may hopefully have some validity - that was poor yesterday and showed a fragility we need to address.
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What a strange point of view.

‘Gloss merchants’? We’ve won the league 4 times out of 5 seasons and are one of the greatest teams in the history of English football. Not only that but it’s our best start to a season since 2017. I thought we were as shit as anyone else yesterday but I also understand that bad days happens to every team, no matter the season. Just look at Liverpool, they’ve only won 2 matches and were extremely lucky to win one of them. I’d take our start in the league over any teams considering Arsenal haven’t had a tough fixture yet.
 
Its over twenty games since we lost an away league game , although a draw at Villa was disappointing we never looked like losing the game , this team is at another level to any other in this league , we will have off days when our final ball is lacking but in general Pep has a formation and tactics that is very difficult to beat.
Absolutely no doubt we are going to win our third title on the bounce because the Dippers are not the same team this season and the likes of Arse,Spuds and Chelsea do not have the staying power over 38 games.
Not forgetting we now have the best striker in europe scoring for fun who will also make the difference in the Champs league , this is going to be some season.
 
GaudinoMotors said:
I take it the gloss merchants will have been out by now. "Arrogant", "spoilt", "we'll still win the league", "could be an important point" etc Whilst the last 2 may hopefully have some validity - that was poor yesterday and showed a fragility we need to address.
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I think you're letting your emulsions get the better of you.
 
We should of buried them with the start we made passing the ball for fun .
We didnt punish them ,Walker especially instead of passing to haaland for a tap in . We allowed them to get a foot in the game, when we should of been out of sight . Shit happens , learn from it blues .
 
argyle said:
Walker should not be played in midfield. It isnt working as he's not good enough on the ball. That's not his skillset. If Pep wanted a rightback who can go into midfield we should have bought one or play Cancello there.

Also Foden has settled into being a system player.

Gets the ball and immediately passes backwards. No creativity, vision or drive to his play anymore.

I suppose it means less chance of losing the ball which is what Pep wants.
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Also Foden had a clear chance of a shot but tried to pass to Haaland and the chance was lost. Playing to Peps' instructions...?
 
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