Newcastle United 5-1 Aston Villa - 12/08/23

[Cronky]

Bless Fergie, he will always be the Man Utd manager. He was doing best to rattle a rival as usual. Eddie will just file this one away and maybe bring it out at a time when it's useful to him.

 

I do think other managers are getting annoyed and exasperated with us. We're still over-achieving massively and they can't figure out why. 

 

I noted that Pep started complaining that he was going to have to play us this Saturday, after playing in the Super Cup on Wednesday. Yes, that does give us an advantage, but why complain? It only communicates to the opposition that you're worried. That's a trap that Eddie never falls into. He always presents a positive front, and that's not just cosmetic. We looked down and out when he took over, but he defied convention by taking us out of trouble with an attacking game. 

 

I'm loving it. If someone was to offer me the opportunity for us to be able to ignore FFP and use the Saudi money to buy any players and manager that we wanted, I'd say no thanks. I'd opt for the journey that we're on now.

 

 

Edited August 15, 2023 by Cronky

[alexf]

I think it was pretty clear Villa's fitness fell off a cliff. They slowed the game down massively after Mings went off 1st half, using the stoppage and the dampening of the atmosphere to gain a bit of control of the ball.

That continued briefly into the 2nd half, but once we got our wind again, triggered by a strong miggy run if I remember? and then the gift of the 3rd goal, our tails were up and superior fitness began to tear them apart. Their high line playing right into our hands of course also. 

[James]

2 hours ago, Yorkie said:

Bringing Tielemans on to try and get one up in the midfield battle and things just going from bad to worse was a sight to behold. When our trio are all on song we'll be a match for just about anyone. 

When he came on I remembered all our recent Leicester games and thought…big mistake

[brummie]

I'm back!

 

Worst performance under Emery, even if first half we played some decent stuff.  Reminded me of your showing at our place in that sense. Bad day at the office for us, good day for you.

Not as bothered about the result as I am about the Mings injury, though. He's not just been immaculate under Emery, he brings out the best in Konsa. He's that important for us - missed 12 games under us, we lost 9 of them and only won one.

 

I also thought him picking up such a bad injury rattled the rest of the team.

 

We massively miss Moreno at LB as well, not to mention Jacob Ramsey. Digne was awful, I thought  Sounds like he may be off to Saudi imminently.

 

One other observation - I hope we never see Bailey again. He is fucking useless and lazy with it.

 

[brummie]

2 hours ago, Gallowgate Toon said:

As a sidenote, I know Brummie has raved about him before but I just don't see it with Kamara as a midfielder. He's decent & tidy but just doesn't stand out when I watch him. Feels like he'd have been great ~5/10 years ago in the world of pure defensive mids.

 

He's been brilliant since joining, not going to judge him on one match. 

 

 

[Ronson333]

4 minutes ago, brummie said:

I'm back!

 

Worst performance under Emery, even if first half we played some decent stuff.  Reminded me of your showing at our place in that sense. Bad day at the office for us, good day for you.

Not as bothered about the result as I am about the Mings injury, though. He's not just been immaculate under Emery, he brings out the best in Konsa. He's that important for us - missed 12 games under us, we lost 9 of them and only won one.

 

I also thought him picking up such a bad injury rattled the rest of the team.

 

We massively miss Moreno at LB as well, not to mention Jacob Ramsey. Digne was awful, I thought  Sounds like he may be off to Saudi imminently.

 

One other observation - I hope we never see Bailey again. He is fucking useless and lazy with it.

 

I said to you before your high line would be an issue, you previously said it wouldn’t be…Still feel the same or does Emery need to have them deeper?

[Minhosa]

4 minutes ago, brummie said:

 

He's been brilliant since joining, not going to judge him on one match. 

 

 

I thought he was one of your better players during the game tbh.

 

Diaby also looks like he's going to be immense.

 

I still fancy Villa to have a very good season.

 

Mind I still don't see it with Tielemans - He just looks a yard short in everything he does to me. Really pleased we didn't sign him as he'd never have the mobility to work in our midfield.

[Big River]

8 minutes ago, brummie said:

I'm back!

 

Worst performance under Emery, even if first half we played some decent stuff.  Reminded me of your showing at our place in that sense. Bad day at the office for us, good day for you.

Not as bothered about the result as I am about the Mings injury, though. He's not just been immaculate under Emery, he brings out the best in Konsa. He's that important for us - missed 12 games under us, we lost 9 of them and only won one.

 

I also thought him picking up such a bad injury rattled the rest of the team.

 

We massively miss Moreno at LB as well, not to mention Jacob Ramsey. Digne was awful, I thought  Sounds like he may be off to Saudi imminently.

 

One other observation - I hope we never see Bailey again. He is fucking useless and lazy with it.

 

[brummie]

Just now, Ronson333 said:

I said to you before your high line would be an issue, you previously said it wouldn’t be…Still feel the same or does Emery need to have them deeper?

 

I still feel the same.

 

Our problem was that Mings shepherds the defence in playing that brilliantly, whilst having the pace to make it work.

 

After we lost him, the rest of the defence shat the bed. Torres came on in really bad circumstances, having played left back most of pre-season.

 

It was a poor day at the office, but it's one game, there's no need for anyone (on our side) to over-react based on that.

 

I am way more concerned that we have lost Buendia (prob our best player pre-season) and Mings in less than a week, both to really bad injuries.

 

We're fucking unlucky like that. Diego Carlos snapped his achilles in the second game of last season and was out for almost the entirety of the season, and now this.

[brummie]

1 minute ago, Big River said:

 

 

Hiding his teeth, I see.

[STM]

Reckon Villa would have taken half the PL apart in the first half at the weekend. Diaby and Co look pacey and threatening.

 

Would we have wanted Howe to completely change after we lost at Villa? 

 

I think Villa have more players, like Digne and Tielemans who are happier when they have clear dominance of the ball. We know neither are up for the fight when things go wrong.

 

Villa are still quality but they are going to have teething problems.

[STM]

Also @brummie.... West Hams move for Maguire fell through....any chance?

[brummie]

3 minutes ago, STM said:

Also @brummie.... West Hams move for Maguire fell through....any chance?

 

Zero.

 

Imagine playing a high line with him in it.

 

FWIW I think we will probably perservere with Torres, Konsa, Carlos and Chambers. Maybe even Feeney from the kids. Unless a great, financially sensible opportunity comes along.

 

 

Edited August 15, 2023 by brummie

[RodneyCisse]

6 minutes ago, STM said:

Reckon Villa would have taken half the PL apart in the first half at the weekend. Diaby and Co look pacey and threatening.

 

Would we have wanted Howe to completely change after we lost at Villa? 

 

I think Villa have more players, like Digne and Tielemans who are happier when they have clear dominance of the ball. We know neither are up for the fight when things go wrong.

 

Villa are still quality but they are going to have teething problems.

They’ll be fine Vs 75% of the league.

[Gallowgate Toon]

10 minutes ago, brummie said:

 

He's been brilliant since joining, not going to judge him on one match. 

 

 

But what does he actually do? I caught him on 3 occasions last season + this weekend and he was barely involved each time. Looking at his numbers last season, he passed the ball a bit but not very effectively when not in his own half, he doesn't make that many tackles or interceptions per game nor is his success rate fantastic, and he's not an offensive threat in any capacity. His defensive output was worse than Bruno G's who is one of the least defensively-minded defensive midfielders around. 

[Kanj]

Ya, I'd agree with you STM, I think Villa probably beats 75% of what I saw in the PL this past weekend. Having said that though, regardless of Villa's injuries our 2nd half adjustments turned the game and we became destructively ruthless in attack. I have 0 doubts about Villa's ability in the main all season - need to get Ramsey, Moreno and Buendia back and get Pau Torres playing with perhaps Carlos (for the pace?). 

 

What I don't like about Villa is the stinking Tielemans, Coutinho, Digne signings which feel all too "big name" and not boxing smart with maximizing what you got. 

[Nucasol]

1 hour ago, alexf said:

I think it was pretty clear Villa's fitness fell off a cliff. They slowed the game down massively after Mings went off 1st half, using the stoppage and the dampening of the atmosphere to gain a bit of control of the ball.

That continued briefly into the 2nd half, but once we got our wind again, triggered by a strong miggy run if I remember? and then the gift of the 3rd goal, our tails were up and superior fitness began to tear them apart. Their high line playing right into our hands of course also. 

Jurgen’s Asthma boys coming up in 11 days. I’m sure they’ll be dosed up to the gills.

[TRon]

3 hours ago, madras said:

Think Ive said on here but I was surprised Carlos didn't come on for Mings. I know Torres is left footed but Carlos is closer to Mings in cambativeness etc.

 

What's the deal with Carlos anyway? I know he was out injured for most of last season, but I've always wondered if he would come good after we bid daft money for him in our first season after the takeover. He's in his 30's now right? I just remember being really surprised when his club turned down £40m or something like that when we tried to sign him.

[RodneyCisse]

10 minutes ago, Nucasol said:

Jurgen’s Asthma boys coming up in 11 days. I’m sure they’ll be dosed up to the gills.

Aye they’ll be back on cycle this season.

[The College Dropout]

Rewatched the game. 
 

Bruno was good in that first half. As the game wore on perhaps his fitness deteriorated.  Sloppy passing. Getting caught in possession. Poor touches.   A bozo yellow.  Less of a factor on and off the ball. Hopefully it’s just a lack of match fitness. 
 

Interesting in the first half. We defended in a narrow 442. Almiron pressing up top. Second half we defended more 451.  
 

Villa defend in a mid block but keep a high line.  Teams should look to exploit quality long balls from deep against them with runners. 

[Boey_Jarton]

1 hour ago, James said:

When he came on I remembered all our recent Leicester games and thought…big mistake

Likewise. He is a good technician but has the agility and turning circle of the QE2

[The Prophet]

Felt sorry for Torres like, he had an absolute nightmare. Thrown in after half an hour and never really knew whether to step up or drop off.

 

I'm sure he'll be fine in the long term, but it was a rotten debut in shitty circumstances from a Villa PoV.

[madras]

Got to say, even before the Mings injury I was surprised by their persistent high line. A cursory look at last season would see we love to play against one, the pre season game likewise and that Martinez was constantly having  to come  out and head clear. Reminded me a bit of Brighton at home last season with a stubborn resistance to change something that clearly didn't work.

[midds]

Villa cut through our press at ease at times in the States last month and I'm sure that was in Emery's thinking - squeeze up and deny space for us to play out to force the mistake etc. Changing formation for that pre-season game looks like a masterstroke from Howe in hindsight

[Coffee_Johnny]

1 hour ago, brummie said:

 

Hiding his teeth, I see.

Prefer to think of it as a Comanche war cry. Man’s a warrior!