Topic: ASTON VILLA - Mingy and Moaning Moobs

[The G in Gerrard]

Theyll be very confident, and rightly so, winning there would be putting down a marker

Hopefully it's another Emery masterclass. You lot haven't done well away at top 6 sides?

[PeterTheRed ...]

That is some run

Ends this weekend though

No chance. They are playing Arsenal ...

[trinityroad]

Can’t rule them out of the race.

Seeing comments like this after the decade we've just had is unreal.

I hoped but didn't really believe I would see the day we'd be talked about as potential title challengers.

I don't think we will win it obviously, but I think we might qualify for the CL. We might go top on points at some point but don't have the same experience as other sides so that should see them through. As long as 115 FC don't win it then I'll be OK with that. Villa should keep progressing and maybe challenge properly over the next few years.

[Ghost Town]

Seeing comments like this after the decade we've just had is unreal.

I hoped but didn't really believe I would see the day we'd be talked about as potential title challengers.

I don't think we will win it obviously, but I think we might qualify for the CL. We might go top on points at some point but don't have the same experience as other sides so that should see them through. As long as 115 FC don't win it then I'll be OK with that. Villa should keep progressing and maybe challenge properly over the next few years.

If we don't win it, I hope you do

[Solomon Grundy]

I hope by the time we play Villa at Villa Park they aren't in such hot form. Emery has made that place a real fortress. It will be a very difficult game.

[spider-neil]

Either Emery is really good or Gerrard was really bad because it’s practically the same squad.

[spider-neil]

On that performance they are in the title race.

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

On that performance they are in the title race.

No chance. They're on an incredible, barely believable run at home but away from home they've been very average - losing to Forest and scraping a draw against Bournemouth in recent weeks.

They also do not have a squad that will be able to go deep into the season, especially given that they are also in Europe (and most of their bad results have come after midweek games).With Emery in charge you know that they'll be taking this seriously too.

I think they'll be a bit like Leicester in 19/20 and 20/21. Start of really strong but ultimately fall away.

[paulrazor]

Either Emery is really good or Gerrard was really bad because it’s practically the same squad.

its a bit of both

On that performance they are in the title race.

lets not get carried away here

but a tremendous performance alright

[spider-neil]

The title race is going to come down to who best handles Europe and the league. For example, we've managed to keep our squad fresh by making a ton of changes in Europe because it's the UEFA Cup but come the knockout games there will almost certainly be less rotation. Less rotation increases the chance of injuries and fatigue.

[RedSince86]

Fabulous manager who was hard done at Arsenal by a rabid weapon of a fanbase and the pinnacle of social media after game punditry.

I'm glad he's not at United or Chelsea right now.

[Felch Aid]

Watched the end of the game and Villa were excellent - pace, passing and pressing. Fair play.

[redtel]

Fabulous manager who was hard done at Arsenal by a rabid weapon of a fanbase and the pinnacle of social media after game punditry.

I'm glad he's not at United or Chelsea right now.

Agree with this.

What’s so impressive to me is that every player is showing improvement and their confidence is at an extremely high level. Not seen players express themselves so well with flicks and around the corner passes. They play out of defence with 3 or 4 quick passes with fast movement of the receivers.

Not sure about squad depth but the team that played last night will give any opponent big problems.
Hats off to Emery. 🎩

[Son of Spion]

Fabulous manager who was hard done at Arsenal by a rabid weapon of a fanbase and the pinnacle of social media after game punditry.

I'm glad he's not at United or Chelsea right now.

I wonder if the Mancs will have him in mind for when they give E7H the elbow?

[1892tillforever]

I wonder if the Mancs will have him in mind for when they give E7H the elbow?

They would ruin him like all the rest. I hope he's smart enough to know he has a good thing going at Villa.

[The North Bank]

Arsenal were all set to hire Arteta two years before we did. Emery applied for the job and they decided to give him the courtesy of an interview. They were so shocked by how detailed he was and how much he knew about players hes never managed, that they changed their mind at the last second.
It didnt work out at Arsenal but we had a rotten squad then. it also shows that since Wenger weve gone for a manager thats top of the league and the other in 4th doing an excellent job. Whoever is choosing managers at Arsenal is doing a wonderful job. Unlike the likes of united and chelsea.

[paulrazor]

first manager after Wenger was always going to find it tough

excellent manager though

[tubby]

They were excellent in transition last night, played like a continental team, lots of short passing triangles and always seemed to have a man in space.  Really impressed with that second half performance.

[The North Bank]

They were excellent in transition last night, played like a continental team, lots of short passing triangles and always seemed to have a man in space.  Really impressed with that second half performance.

First half was as good, battered city, in case anyone missed it due to your game. Leon Bailey was amazing.

Saliba and Rice on the weekend though, different gravy.

[Studgotelli]

Fair play to Emery I called it months ago but Villa are a dangerous under the radar team. Don’t think they have enough for a title challenge in the crunch though.

But they’ve maintained top 4 form since he took over so they should be aiming for top 4/5. We’ll see how they deal with late season as teams start to sit back against them.

[Four Four Three]

They're not in the title race. They dont have the depth or enough quality for that. If theyre within 5 points come April then fair play, but theres a lot of football to be played

[PeterTheRed ...]

Fabulous manager who was hard done at Arsenal by a rabid weapon of a fanbase and the pinnacle of social media after game punditry.

I'm glad he's not at United or Chelsea right now.

I am glad he is not at Arsenal. With him in charge, they would have been genuine title challengers ...

[jackh]

I hope he's smart enough to know he has a good thing going at Villa.

Surely going nowhere until he claims a Europa League title for them.

[MNAA]

They were good but significantly aided by City being pissed poor all game. Have not seen City that bad since they were spanked by Everton. That was during Guardiola's first season

Respect Villa and what Emery has done but pundits and fans (Villa's) do easily get too excited. Winning the league or even getting Top 4 in this league requires a herculean effort. More than half a season to go, plenty of football still to be played. You need to time your run perfectly or otherwise you may fade away as quick as you had risen

[Stockholm Syndrome]

On that performance they are in the title race.

It's away that is the problem for them - last game before City they drew away to Bournemouth. Lost against Forest, lost badly to both us and Newcastle

I think they're a good shout for top 4 and I really hope they get it, but a challenge is too high a mountain right now

[Stockholm Syndrome]

I am REALLY glad Emery isn't at Newcastle as he was once favorite to join before Howe. They would have been a real REAL problem with him at the helm, more than they are even now

[Black Bull Nova]

Every club that comes Newcastle and a CL place and can beat City and Arsenal but not us, is welcome,

[Four Four Three]

It's away that is the problem for them - last game before City they drew away to Bournemouth. Lost against Forest, lost badly to both us and Newcastle

I think they're a good shout for top 4 and I really hope they get it, but a challenge is too high a mountain right now

Emery 's sides bar PSG , have all had notoriously awful away records

When he was at Arsenal, ironically up to this exact time of year, they went on a 14 match unbeaten run, winning 10 out of tjose (annoyingly we dropped points against them away in that run) before they wavered off

[newterp]

People worrying now about the 37th game of the season is.....odd.

[Bobinhood]

Its not really fair though, as a vampire he can just hypnotize people and of course they are going to run hard. Pretty sure it must contravene the Occupational Health and Safety rules though. Plus, a lot of them think they are a chicken and if that turns out to be permanent there are going to be some questions asked.

[Ghost Town]

Its not really fair though, as a vampire he can just hypnotize people and of course they are going to run hard. Pretty sure it must contravene the Occupational Health and Safety rules though. Plus, a lot of them think they are a chicken and if that turns out to be permanent there are going to be some questions asked.

He's added a bit of bite to their play

[tunred]

Either Emery is really good or Gerrard was really bad because it’s practically the same squad.

Emery is an elite manager, Gerrard was learning on the job

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

Emery 's sides bar PSG , have all had notoriously awful away records

When he was at Arsenal, ironically up to this exact time of year, they went on a 14 match unbeaten run, winning 10 out of tjose (annoyingly we dropped points against them away in that run) before they wavered off

I think I'm right in saying that when we played our Europe League final against him, Sevilla hadn't won an away game all season domestically. I remember it because of how remarkable it seemed at the time.

Edit: just looked it up -

Away from home P19, W0, D9, L10 (19th in the League)

At home P19, W14, D1, L4 (3rd in the League)

[tubby]

They're third in the table for this calendar year, just behind Arsenal and just ahead of us.  They're a very good team, even if there's an imbalance between their home and away form.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/jahrestabelle/wettbewerb/GB1

[Four Four Three]

Yeah they have a good start, but its a pattern for Emery. In any case, title challenge shouts are ott

[PaulF]

I think it's fair to say they are in the title race, but nobody expects them to stay there.

[Four Four Three]

I think it's fair to say they are in the title race, but nobody expects them to stay there.

Then Spurs were in the title race few weeks ago as well then?

[Ghost Town]

Then Spurs were in the title race few weeks ago as well then?

Of course they were; how else could they have won it? With so many games to spare, too!

[Barneylfc∗]

They're in the title race as much as Fernando Alonso was in the F1 title race for the first 6 or 7 races of the season.

[tornado]

Got to give them credit - far fetched to say title contenders which posters have summarized well but deserve their position at the moment.

As for yesterdays game, I don't recall anyone running City ragged except us in some of our games over the past few years.

I watched replay after our game yesterday (kind of fast forward, finishing game in 50 mins) and only noted Villa attacks. Looking up the sstats now for the game, they out shot 22-2 and 6-0 corners. They basically Citied City.