Lotus

Kind of surprised looking back that we didn’t end up playing a 4 2 3 1 . There was space for a 10 to receive and turn with the ball. I suppose it could’ve been Gordon in there with Barnes coming on for JL. Or JL as a deep forward making late runs with Isak drifting and pulling their CBs out of position and laying it off for someone to whip a ball in. All sorts of options you can reflect on after the game. We were just to slow with the ball and our front 3 were far too static.

We were incredibly slow with the ball and barely switched the ball from one side to the other, something you should always do against 10 men. Do that at pace and they’ll tire and you’ll get an overload. I’m convinced that’s what Eddie wanted because that’s what any manger would’ve wanted. It’s just that our players, pretty much collectively played completely within themselves. Perhaps on some subconscious level the players think they’ve ‘arrived’. With any luck Sunday’s result will disavow them of that notion.

Last season we had 1 win in our opening 7 Premier League games. Let’s take a f**king beat here and calm down. Maybe we take a while to get going. It’s not how you start a season it’s how you finish it that counts.

Think Maxi would’ve constantly slowed the attack down the way he often did thereby allowing the opposition to get 2 men to him. If HB had squared that ball all would’ve been well. Very fine margins. He’s got some improving to do but I think we all knew that.

No. He was too far away for an intercept. I think he stepped up thinking to play him offside but he timing and awareness were well short. He wasn’t tested much at LB as Salah moved centre but when he was run at, he needed help every time. I haven’t really seen him at CB for us apart from today. Hopefully he’s normally much better at it cause his afternoon he was pub level. Love the bloke and he’s doing his best but…… Well, we signed Hall so the club also see him as an upgrade position waiting to happen.

Reckon Eddie will really get into them in training this week. Not sure you can blame if the players slow the play down that much. That was a real lack of killer instinct from key players. Eddie will get working. He just has that determination and the players believe in him.

We were very poor after the red card. So slow and predictable with the ball. we only really progressed the ball by running with it not by incisive passing. Such a lack of adventure. So sloppy, pedestrian, and uninspiring in the top 3rd. I think we will sharpen up. Just with sheer bloody minded hard work. Bruno and Burn hugely culpable for their 2nd.

Is there any direct evidence to imply what the club has said is false? I saw and heard what everyone else heard and thought it abhorrent. However, if there is a broader context I’m not aware of and the police, the CPS and the lawyers representing him, her and her club are aware of it and the basis of allthe facts have come to this decision….Maybe they’re right?

Because of what happened to a Jacob Murphy, seemingly nowhere near the 1st team and barely getting a look in, everyone and their dog hoping he gets offloaded, only for him to show and prove his value after a period training and application……I’m quite happy to see Targett stay and work hard to become a competitive member of the squad again. If the management want to keep him, I think they’ve got a track record of being proved right.

Trying a rabona from at 1-0 down…. Wnb.

Pope…..

His lack or urgency when they didn't have the ball was at times astonishing to me. But I've conditioned by Eddie to expect, at the very least, effort. You can be off the boil but the least you can do is run around with intensity and purpose.

Also, fwiw, Bruno is my favourite player but he did in fact have a mediocre game. Lacked sharpness with the ball. I'm not worried. In fact, I'm relieved we can score 5, could've been 8 with him not having a great influence. For the Watkins steal, I just think someone should've given him the 'man on' call. Was about the only time a Villa forward player bothered their arse to do something defensively...

From Villa’s perspective of course the Cash miss. I think for Watkins, Schar applies enough physical pressure that he doesn’t get the connection he wants so I’ll put that down to good defending. Watkins did literally sit Botman down in the 2nd half. Maybe should’ve done better for the effort on goal. They had a couple of headed opportunities too. Not as close as JL’s header but they did beat us to the ball.

They were both better and worse than the score line suggests ?

Maybe they’re just lacking fitness and sharpness from a less than optimal pre season. They were very open.

Rewatching it and Villa were decent in the 2nd half until our 3rd goal. Their midfield used the ball well but they had a complete lack of intensity and desire when out of possession. They let us run through them at ease or applied no pressure so we could get our heads up and play the direct ball over the top. They were very susceptible to that. Couldn’t believe Kamara wasn’t booked for persistent fouling. Took Cash about 6 fouls before he was booked. I just honestly don’t believe we’d have got the same grace. 3 things stood out for me from our perspective. Miggy defended very narrow which gave Digne complete freedom of the wing. Must have been planned as it was never corrected. Maybe Howe just didn’t believe Digne would do anything with it but he did ping in some decent crosses tbf. Burn cannot defend 1v1. Always needs a teammate to keep him out of trouble. Love the bloke but that really needs sorting out. Schar was great. Seemed a quiet match but so many nice interceptions. Sometimes right at the last beat but he never seemed rushed or stretched. Super smooth. If we upgrade on him it’ll be some player…..

Yes. Odd reading people’s opinion that Bruno was bad when JL had less impact on the game (neither were ‘bad’ imo).

Bruno was better than all the Villa midfielders. I thought Luiz and Kamara were good in patches but neither was good enough without the ball. Bruno exceeded their level. Playing better than your opponents should be enough like……

Very slick player. Just looks like he does everything well. Constantly moving into space which is something I love. Whoever plays with him in midfield is going to really enjoy it

Was strange watching Villa. You can see the talent and you can see the potential within the team method at times. There were passages when the used the ball very effectively. But without the ball they were not consistent nor cohesive. That’s not what I expected. Hope for their sakes Mings isn’t that bad because none of their other CBs looked as capable defensively.

Bruno will be fine. Less responsibility on him which is good but he’ll get back to his levels. He’s super competitive and he’ll sharpen up.

Very good defensively with his head. Other than that he looked very replaceable. Hopefully he’ll get better with games. Might be tough for him though. We’re quite a different side from when he signed.

Unless there’s a achievable release clause I’m not convinced that’s a good career move. Maybe money was the deciding factor. Can’t blame him if it was.

Max squad size of say 28 senior players and you can loan as many as you want? Max of maybe 5 U21 players allowed on loan. The buying up of young potential that then get shuttled around by big clubs who’ve no intention of ever actually involving them in their own 1st team is terrible for football. Most young players develop better if they’re actually owned by the team they’re playing for imo.