Aston Villa v Arsenal, 9th December 2023 | Page 24 | Vital Football

Aston Villa v Arsenal, 9th December 2023

JW1985 said:
I think it's purely so people can marvel at his team of the week selections.

Not sure what pundits I actually like in all honesty. The soccer Saturday lot were entertaining up to a point but rarely said anything particularly insightful.

Neville is alright, especially seeing as I absolutely hated him as a player. I don't even mind Carragher that much despite him being unbelievably biased to Liverpool. Hate Roy Keane and Souness as they are both bullshit merchants playing up to a character.

The only "newer" pundit I've thought was decent was Liam Rosinier when we were in the championship.
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Youtubers are better and some tactics twitter guys are very good, particularly if they're not from a Sky 6 team.

James Allcott was a lad I initially didn't like but he won me over. He's a bit odd and quirky but he's really trying to do something different and I cannot fault his effort. The only thing is a lad like him covers everyone so the Villa content can be a little sparse.

TIFO are alright but they have a Sky 6 bias and their coverage of Villa is odd. The guy who questioned us last year

Sam Tighe is decent he is actually a Villa fan but I dislike how he talks about Villa, you wouldn't think he is a fan at times. He really questioned the signings over the summer and he's questioned Unai and his approach a bizarre amount of times, yet he does have a few astute observations.

I like for the Love of McGrath podcast, nothing fancy just good chats about us and good observations.

 
CDX_EIRE said:
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Good video, I quite enjoy these sort of videos if you don’t take them too seriously as they are a bit stat heavy.

The high line and offside stat is incredible, I think we’re above 117 now or something like that. It isn’t just offsides for me, it keeps the play more in the middle third unless teams can use pace around the outside and take advantage (which is probably why we are playing Konsa to stop that) and it also compacts the play between our midfield and back four which stops the opposition from playing.

He makes a good point about style of play. We seem very in tune as a team about when to turn it on, or when to slow it down.

Last season was a good season, but I sometimes complained we were too slow. This season, we are noticeably quicker and within 2 or even 1 pass starting from Torres, we can be having a shot down the other end.

Although stat videos won’t ever get to this point, I also believe that almost all of our players are comfortable in turning on the ball, it isn’t a McGinn niche anymore. Our defenders even do it under pressure, it’s amazing how quickly you can unlock teams if you are a player who can turn and find someone in space that is unexpected.
 
We have the best offside trap in the world. Some pundits are desperate for it to be beaten but even if it is the odd time it’s more than offset by how successful it is overall.
 
BBJ said:
It's the best part of sixty years since I attended the game between Villa and Arsenal in December 1964. The game was noteworthy in that it was selected to be shown later that evening on "Match of the Day", a programme that had only begun in August of the same year. Villa won 3-1.
A similar result on Saturday seems quite possible.
Alas, I have a Christmas party to go to at 5pm. I did ask the organisers to put it back for a couple of hours but surprisingly they refused!
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Did Alan Baker score in that game?
 
JP Healy said:
Yes,Pangloss, but when you've had a triple heart bypass and have high blood pressure AND all that playing proper Football from the back---------‐.
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It says so much that our players stick to the script and want the ball, even when under pressure.
The high line and passing out strategy has us all on tenterhooks but, time after time, they prove it's the right way.
 
LewChatterley'sLover said:
It says so much that our players stick to the script and want the ball, even when under pressure.
The high line and passing out strategy has us all on tenterhooks but, time after time, they prove it's the right way.
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When it's executed well (say 80%) it's a thing of beauty and doesn't cause much concern. Sometimes we just have to get rid, and that's ok too, it's the 5% where we come unstuck that really messes with us.

But let's say we hoof it as we used to do. At best it's a 50/50 ball, sometimes worse. That led to wave after wave of attack from the good teams which had me in a worse state and there was little to no relief.

If we can continue to execute and not get caught out as we did at Newcastle, I actually think Emeryball is better for our health and mental wellbeing.

None of that is scientific or stats based, just my perception. I'm with Emi, I'm a believer :utv:
 
sirdennis said:
It was definately a tactic. Unai doesn't do things like that for no good reason.
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I think we went long as it was 2 on 2 at the back with Watkins and Bailey. As fatigue sets in it's better to lose the ball up their end than around our box with a tired or lazy pass. Anyway, he sets the same players up to play differently throughout a game, we ended with his 630 formation for the last 15 minutes. Sometimes we have to do it
 
sirdennis said:
It was definately a tactic. Unai doesn't do things like that for no good reason.
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Switched it up as they probably envisaged more of the Man Ci£y type tactics. Or maybe he knew we'd be tired and wouldn't be able to implement his usual tactics which are pretty intensive.

Whatever the reason, it worked, we won, on to the next game. Have to be a new set of tactics to overcome a troublesome/physical Brentford team. Hopefully no injuries, no after effects from the Europa Conference league and he can plug the holes left by the suspensions.
 
Villan57 said:
I think we went long as it was 2 on 2 at the back with Watkins and Bailey. As fatigue sets in it's better to lose the ball up their end than around our box with a tired or lazy pass. Anyway, he sets the same players up to play differently throughout a game, we ended with his 630 formation for the last 15 minutes. Sometimes we have to do it
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Nearly worked twice. Once Ollie got the other side of their man , but the wind held the ball up or else he was clean through.
 
AstonBurrito said:
Sorry if it's been posted, but audio been released from the Havertz handball which they've said was correct.

www.premierleague.com

Match officials: Mic'd Up Pt 4: Webb analyses key incidents in MW13-16

Havertz handball, no advantage in City v Spurs and penalty in Palace v Liverpool among incidents analysed in latest show
www.premierleague.com www.premierleague.com

You've seen the Villa, now f*** off home, Arteta
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Both that incident and the penalty claim were reviewed by Sky referee pundit and concluded clear they should have not been given.
 
AstonBurrito said:
Sorry if it's been posted, but audio been released from the Havertz handball which they've said was correct.

www.premierleague.com

Match officials: Mic'd Up Pt 4: Webb analyses key incidents in MW13-16

Havertz handball, no advantage in City v Spurs and penalty in Palace v Liverpool among incidents analysed in latest show
www.premierleague.com www.premierleague.com

You've seen the Villa, now f*** off home, Arteta
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"He can’t be penalised, because he’s got to commit a different offence as a defender – he’s got to make himself unnaturally bigger or deliberately handle the ball. He does none of those, so it’s correct not to penalise, but we’re working with a different threshold for the attacker. It hits Havertz’s hand, and we have to disallow the goal in this circumstance.

That's the key for me, even as I watched the game I was worried they'd instantly give it against Cash but thats the emotion of the game. Its the biggest thing these fools on twitter cannot wrap their pea brains around. Its a different rule and threshold, like it or not, this is the sort of thing we should be praising. They've applied the rules correctly, arguing over the rule is a different topic and that keeps getting muddled into the conversation.

BTW fair fucks to Cash, you can see him really try to keep his arms down and away. He did fantastic overall.

also its so interesting how people on line purposely use certain angles to create a narrative. I saw an angle where they said there was now way the ref could see. This was a good who works with Sky and he was calling "hunch" refereeing where the ref is guessing. So dishonest.
 
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