Smal

Physically we are way too much for them. Has looked like we’re playing children when it comes to the duels. Technically we really aren’t on it at the moment like, but hopefully they can play with some confidence now and the crowd don’t get overly anxious. Elanga against this high line might be good.

not signing a left back is negligence, like

wonder if there was something up with him from before the start tbh. He’s on less than 50% pass accuracy and looked even slower than normal somehow

if that wasn’t a back pass I’m not sure what it was

It doesn’t really matter if you get the ball a bit if you go into a tackle with your studs at that angle and connect pretty high on the opponent’s shin. I’d want a red if it was against us I think.

that’s not how you tackle, like.

same as usual apart from Joelinton and Wissa are pressing as a two when they have the ball deep.

Bruno looks knackered

their press is decent but they are defending super high up the field. We should go long to the front three when we can.

VAR are after us tonight then. Absolutely ludicrous. Good on the ref for only needing one clip as well, mind.

Joelinton is all over these

I’m shocked at that, like. Especially 35 y/o Trippier who’s just come back from injury starting again when Miley is right there and has been rested.

Always think the most similar successful PL player to him is Berbatov when he first joined Man U. Berbatov didn’t get many goals then (9 & 12 in his first two seasons) but he linked play and enabled some lethal counter attacks. All we need is some attackers on the level of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez to accompany him and score all the goals.

In terms of the game I would really like us to try and shoot more tonight. Take some punts from 20-25 yards, let Wissa gamble on the rebounds, it seems to be the main thing he’s good for. Not having a shot on target until the 80th minute against Wolves/Sa really was criminal and I hope it’s been highlighted in the coaching staff’s analysis.

I reckon Pope Miley - Thiaw - Botman - Hall Ramsey - Bruno - Joelinton Barnes - Wissa - Gordon Perhaps Willock for one of Joelinton/Barnes too. Can’t see how we start Elanga atm.

Expecting to see him getting a start and some good game time tonight given recent performances and him being rested at the weekend. Could be a big game for him.

sounds like he’d make a good water carrier

good time to reiterate my Villa are basically last season’s Nottingham Forest and their points total is a complete fluke take

even just Joelinton making runs like this (3:20 in) more would be a good start https://youtu.be/zr-EuZ2ggVU

remember Papiss Cissé when he was at his worst?

I feel like the team trusted him much more earlier in the season. His own form has likely dictated that they don’t as much anymore. Said it in the match thread though, I think refs have affected how he plays as much as anything else. He backs out of physical duels because he knows he won’t win a foul when he’s fouled, and he’ll likely give one away when it’s 50/50. It’s absolutely mad how he’s reffed.

I agree that we should’ve beaten them and that there are issues with our attack. Just saying they’re nowhere near 8 points bad.

yeah. Brazil aren’t amazing these days, but Wolves’ midfield have 23 Brazil caps between two of them as well. They’re certainly no worse than Burnley, West Ham or Sunderland from what I’ve seen this season.

wonder if we ever consider it an issue that he never looks like scoring a goal from open play

the lack of movement and threat in the box is really concerning tbh. Has only looked threatening from rebounds so far which is a bit niche and we don’t really do shots from distance to create those chances.