Villarreal are a massively overachieving club, and I love to see it. Emery is a fine manager and he’ll continue to have them punching above their weight there. All that said, I can’t see them breaking into the top 3 in La Liga, and I can’t see them winning a CL. Getting to a semi final and making a half decent showing is something for them to be massively proud of though.
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Generally dont have a favoured spanish club. But i guess if i do watch La liga , ill be rooting for villareal.
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Anyone except Real, Atletico and Barca for me.
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I used to make fun of those wankers, never though I was one.
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Don’t know what was said in the dressing room at half time,but it worked a treat.
Of course a particular sub helped.
Diaz Motm for me.
Valencia (Rafa’s old club)?
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We are programmed to play a certain way. We’ve ingrained that over the years. If we deviate from that then things don’t work. Reminded me of the big shock loss against Villa did the first half. We weren’t at it, our passing wasn’t as usual. We face similar type of pressing from other PL teams (Leeds away for example) and we are perfectly capable of playing through that. But we tried to bypass our midfield and go direct to the forwards and it didn’t work.
Second half? We played as we are accustomed to and lo and behold. If we played like that the first half this game would have been long over. But it’s good to get these reminders once so often so complacency doesn’t set in.
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I heard the same comment. It is obvious from every game we play that we recycle the ball backwards and sidewards tactically.
I will admit in the first half tonight, Villarreal really pushed us out of our comfort zone, something I have not seen before.
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The second goal was mistakes by both our fullbacks. Robbo gave Capue too much space to cross and Trent didn’t properly cover Coquielin’s run. Entirely preventable
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So much to contemplate about our performance in the first half. Conceding a goal so early really put our backs against the wall and we struggled. Villarreal, as team/unit impressed me. However, as much as I appreciate it is part of the game, the theatrics of Coquelin and Le Celso need to be managed/refereed better.
In my statement I actually felt the referee had a good game and didn’t buy the antics of said players but it really needs to be addressed.
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Oh, they had suffered, that was for sure, and they had reacted too. Not so much a click of the fingers, perhaps, as a fist on the red button. A decision too, made in the dressing room at half-time: life is different with Luis Díaz, not least because he is different. And so when it all started up again, there he was. They had needed him.
…
In a flash, a click of the fingers, it was gone. The reaction was ruthless and it was complete.
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Yes the ref had a good game but would have been a great game if he had cautioned their players for play acting and also Rabiol for 3 fouls on Mane in the 1st half
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Exciting Spanish (Mexico) commentaries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdQ0xf9a0Xk
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Yeah he was a bit late on starting his yellows count but he got the big decisions spot on as did his linesman.
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Agree but for me, that is the difference from being good to being great
Completely agree. That was one of my points, over the 2 legs Coquelin had more head injuries than a boxer going 12 rounds. I appreciate, football is working on its concussion procedure but you will always have teams individuals abusing this. If I remember rightly he went down with a head injury in the first leg after heading a ball. Its tough for a Ref as they have to follow protocol.
Thought ref was good, let game flow although a few decisions went against us but equally for us.
I am expecting alot of hatred on the Fume over the penalty decision.
What penalty decision? If you meant the Lo Celso one, refer to my 1st part 
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There’s like a week’s break before we play the final right? Or do we not even get that? It’s been a brutal few weeks
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Just a reminder to everyone that this time 6 years ago we were in 8th place in the league.
*and that we were fookin MILES away from being in the CL, let alone being in 3 finals in 5 years.
Now we’re beating EVERYONE and within touching distance of 4 fucking trophies.
Klopp is Shankly levels of brilliant.
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Lo Celso and Coquelin are an embarrassment. Spending all night trying to get our players in trouble. Fair play to Villareal as a club in their post match congratulations to us but a few of their players need to be educated on fair play.
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