A rightward turn for the villa lion. Is that a nazi salute he’s about to do?
Chelsea: Copy my homework, but don’t make it too obvious.
Villa: Don’t worry, I’ve got this.
Meanwhile, back in Birmingham.
Wouldn’t mind a copy of that Calendar.
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They look way better than they did under Gerrard. Spread the field very nicely.
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From 16th to 5th in six months. His six losses came against
United Kangaroo Cup
Liverpool PL
Stevenage FA Cup
Leicester PL
Cheaty PL
Arsenal PL
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Last night was interesting as it was the first time someone ran them close who I didn’t expect.
Let’s add another one to the list on 20 May…
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I read something interesting that said he has only signed a £15m full back since he has been there…to replace the £25m full back Gerrard brought in from the Blueshite.
Just goes to show its about coaching.
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I’m interested to see how long can Villa keep this going, because the team is still very much constructed to be hard to beat, which was probably Emery’s first focus when he took over.
Narrow 4-4-2, practically no wingers, ex-CM’s on the sides in half spaces (McGinn and Ramsey), a #10 and a mobile/fast striker who can provide runs a little bit everywhere.
Once teams start scanning them more and countering what they do, we’ll see how good they are. Although it could’ve happened by now already. So credit to them for consistency in performances and results. Not only they look like making top 10, which was probably the initial goal, but Europe is a possibility.
I have my doubts if this will be how Villa go into next season. I’d expect Emery to build something more positive and attacking minded during the summer in pre-season.
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While I appreciate hes done a good job, this is getting a bit overblown. Teams have good runs . Villa have good players. Emery is a good manager.
At some point theyll have a bad run and everyone will forget
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Digne?
Wasn’t he signed before Gerrard came in?
He was signed under Gerrard in the January transfer window.
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can’t believe Coutinho is 30…
And sadly, he’s been no where to be found during this resurgence. He made his bed, but what a sad waste of a career.
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I don’t think it’s been a waste of a career, sure he didn’t quite live up to standards after leaving like Suarez or Masch did but this is far from a guarentee in football.
Also his downfall didn’t collapse in the blink of an eye like most perceive, with the massive fee (not his fault) automatically comes huge pressure…you also have to look at the club at the time, they weren’t in the best phase they’ve ever been & I thought he did relatively well in his first 18 months there featuring regularly as he helped Barca win back to back titles…then that’s where Koeman came along and immediately casted him aside, from there he went on loan to Bayern and did pretty well helping them to win the treble…he came on and embarrassed Barca in that 8-2 drubbing, add to that being part of the Brazil squad that won the Copa America in 2019, starting the final. He’s done fine…from his perspective he left a Liverpool side he was part of for 4.5 years and won nothing.
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Can’t blame him for wanting to go to Barca, but I can blame more Barca for going for him for such a large fee.
Coutinho would hardly become an “Iniesta” type of player at LCM (nice example which is possibly the danger over Mount), and he certainly wasn’t the type which was needed on the opposite side of Messi in attack. Barca’s moves post-Neymar were horrible. Two stylistical nonsense moves in Coutinho and (especially) Griezmann (who was and still is a high quality player) and then Dembele… who should have been exactly what they need, but there were other issues. Very hot and cold so far.
Wouldn’t really say a waste of a career, because he still gave some high quality seasons. But in recent times, the thing that stands out is his post-Liverpool time, which hasn’t been great. We can say, it’s a shame it didn’t last longer.
I just felt that in his evolution, he became a bit too direct perhaps, looking for one or two things. Receive in the inside left channel, be it as an offensive #8 or left sided attacker, turn, take people on and shoot or play the final ball. While to a certain period in his career, he had the natural ability to be more involved in the middle third of the pitch.
I remember when he came to us, he had some of the poorest shooting I’ve seen in a Liverpool shirt. The whole technique was a bit wrong, approached the ball weirdly (too straight) and you saw there was futsal influence. His early shots went terribly off target. Rodgers used to bang on about him needing to provide more numbers. Proved to be a double-edged sword I think.
The funny thing is, some of the best I’ve seen Coutinho play for us, was exactly as the LCM in our 4-diamond-2 formation in that crazy slippy season. Although we would sometimes flip who plays where in that structure. But like I said, his evolution didn’t continue in that position and he went another way, needed to be used more offensive.
Truth is, he worked on his shooting, started moving the ball more to his right with his final touch before shooting. Just to give him a bit of more room. Hence why he scored almost the same type of screamer from almost the same area. And he obviously became very dangerous outside the box. Which is a positive, you don’t want to take that away from him. But maybe too focused on that.
And then it’s difficult to find offensive room and freedom at big sides, where there are already other top players. Plus… who knows what else. Maybe motivation, not coping well with not being so likeable anymore, etc.
He left Liverpool at a peak of having established himself in a Brazil side that was favourites for the world cup and was greeted at home as a throw back to the fun and attacking quality of the 80s. His incorporation into the team was seen as the lynchpin of that evolution.
He simply never delivered after leaving. He was never taken to by the fans, was repeatedly criticised by them and within 18 months was ready to be bounced out. He left on loan and it even that was disappointing that not only did they send him back, but no one else was willing to take him, even on loan, until a former team mate of his managing a side level below what he’d been playing at previously, gave him a lifeline. That hasnt worked either. His team is now thriving, and it has nothing to do with him and he’s unlikely to get back into the side once he’s fit.
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Poor Emery. Does a great job with Villa and sees his thread hijacked by his benchwarmer.
At least it wasn’t a discussion about fashion accessories