Players and manager, owned !
Poorest performance of the season against a team who played very well.
All depends on how we react to that.
Players and manager, owned !
Aye, was like watching a different team.
And watching Villa was like watching us.
We need to actually turn up against Spurs-that will be a start. Watkins is in the form of his life but our defending today was appalling; if we play like that against Kane and Son, they'll fill their boots too.
(no need for a 'relections' thread-this is it...with a much better title )
Players where awful but I just think Eddie got outclassed by Emery today unfortunately. Tactics and lineup wasn't right to face Villa. But we can't always get it right. Can see why we wanted Emery as manager though he's got them playing really well. One thing that just has to stop like now is Burn starting at left back. Targett is better going forward can actually cross a ball is faster to track back and can actually defend against wingers really baffles me that one.
Being optimistic, 6 out of 9 points is a good return from those last 3 games. Managers often say how hard back to back wins are in the Prem - we had just won 5 in a row.
I’m hoping we’ll look back in a few weeks and say this game was the kick up the jacksie we needed to start the run in. The spuds game certainly just got bigger.
Villa have a tough run in - Dippers, manu, brighton, spuds and brentford. Hopefully they can pick up some points and help us!
I expected today to be tough, but I did not see see a 3-0 hammering on the cards.
We are a very predictable team tactically. I just wonder if we should have switched it up today.
The only plus point was Almiron coming back. He offered more than Murphy going forward and looked a threat.
I really would like to see Targett given a run, although to be honest, long term I think we need to buy someone even better.
All of our back 4 were genuinely pants today. Surprised to see some hate for Pope, I thought he had an ok game.
Villa deserve a lot of credit, but we were well off it today.
Targett has to start next weekend now Burn was all over the place today, Hopefully Miggy can get back in scoring form soon as well.
There are lots of times you can tell the players don't want to pass to Burn. It's not his fault. He's just playing out of position. He's a no nonsense centre back, and a very good one. I'd actually consider dropping Botman for Burn at centre back.
Because, as a unit, we have defended so well this season, I hadn't really noticed until today how vulnerable we are against pace.
Think that's something we might need to address in the Summer.
As for LB, again, putting Burn there got us the tightest defence in the league. I know that recently it's looked like we were getting away with it (and today was possibly a game too far), but he was part of a defence that had only conceded 21 in 29 league games so you could argue it was a no-brainer keeping him in.
Increasingly, though, he's been targeted by the opposition and he was thoroughly undone today so maybe it is time for a change.
The good managers have worked out that you put 2 people on Bruno and target Burn with pace.
Agreed that prehaps Targett should start next game.
End of day - we were very poor, Villa very good and outclassed us, the right team won and we can't complain - in my opinion.