Europa Conference League 2023/4 | Page 329 | Vital Football

Europa Conference League 2023/4

Last night we looked like we hit our tolerance for football this season, we looked tired and out of ideas, having played too many games with too many injuries.

Throw on top of that a pathetic ref and no Martinez, the latter having an impact on our overall play, then the result perhaps isn’t as surprising as it appears.
 
I think the team needs to catch a third wind. We can still win this next week in my opinion. They’re a weak side at the back and we can exploit it. Martinez and Torres back in will make a huge difference as well.
 
JW1985 said:
I thought Unai got it wrong tonight. I think it's something most managers would have done to be fair but we completely lost the midfield battle today. Should have put Tim in alongside Doug and played Mcginn further forward instead of Diaby.
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Agreed, even though on paper we played 4-4-2, on field it looked for all the world a 4-2-4, and they took advantage of the wide open spaces in midfield, it's frustrating that those holes weren't filled during the game.
 
robbali said:
Olsen and Lenglet in the same team, neither are regulars. An accident waiting to happen. For all the Martinez plaudits his bookings cost us. The midfield is lightweight without Kamara. Luiz looks half the player he was before Xmas. We have been shipping multiple goals at home since December. Expecting Emery to play a patchwork team out there. We are out.
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Genuine question.

Why do you never post when we win ?
 
Pangloss said:
I think the team needs to catch a third wind. We can still win this next week in my opinion. They’re a weak side at the back and we can exploit it. Martinez and Torres back in will make a huge difference as well.
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It’s a relatively new feeling for me, this one of feeling like we can bounce back! I agree, but, it’s going to be really tough. Needs an Arsenal like performance.

Very disappointing after all the build up to the game. But for me personally, it’s hard to stay too annoyed given all of the circumstances and the way the season has gone as a whole. Definitely not over just yet.
 
We now have to go for it, I think that will suit us next week, rather than us thinking we just need to turn up. Probably the kick up the arse we needed.
 
I am quite calm about this and we have another 90 mins to win two nil and take it to extra time. I've also not been bothered about this cup from day one and haven't got wound up about it.
I'm much more concerned about not folding at Brighton on Sunday, I'll focus on this cup once we have achieved CL status which is the main goal according to the main man.
 
Having slept on it, my own opinion hasn't changed from what I wrote last night.

I've seen Villa involved in many strange games, but this shit was one of the weirdest games I've ever seen.

If it could go wrong it did, and we gave away a bad defeat to, at best, an average team who had one player up front who took advantage of slack defending from every member of our fragile defence and overrun midfield who offered no protection either.

The only positive I can take is surely they have lucked out, and they still look the sort of team that can collapse, so here's hoping....... Because that's all we've got!
 
It's not over by any means, crazy game last night. A narcissistic referee who made some bizarre calls. Second balls that went their way and a below par performance from our midfield. As Unai said yesterday he is prioritising 4th spot.
A superb season however it ends.
 
I think we're in for another roller coaster of emotions next week. A proper tin hats on and hide behind the sofa kind of night. Still think we're in with a chance if we can get our shit together and we get a competent ref for a change. Though the latter is as rare as rocking horse shit
 
Who was the guy who said we wouldn't miss Martinez last night?!?

Not saying any of the goals were directly Olsen's fault, but there's no way we conceed 4 with Emi in goal.

Defensively we were at panic stations which just always happens when Olsen plays.
 
Thomas Holte said:
Having slept on it, my own opinion hasn't changed from what I wrote last night.

I've seen Villa involved in many strange games, but this shit was one of the weirdest games I've ever seen.

If it could go wrong it did,
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Spot on. It was certainly a freak game. Lots of big 50/50 decisions going against us. Luiz giving away a penalty one end then missing one at the other. Huge deflected goal.

Ended up 4-2 to them... on another day could easily have been 4-2 to us.

I certainly came away thinking we are much the better team and beating them by 2 or 3 goals doesn't seem like a stretch, but the atmosphere over there will make it difficult.
 
I can't remember us giving the ball away as much as we have in the last two games. Players who are normally so good on the ball as well. Ezri ,SJM ,Doug to name but three.

Tiredness , nerves ? who knows but when you give the ball away against decent teams you get punished.

Can't see us keeping a clean sheet over there I just can't. Doesn't matter who we play in goal , we just haven't been on it defensively this season.
 
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