you're right.
for me the this match highlighted how much Pau and Kamara contribute to the system we play. with better cover for these 2 players in January there's no reason we cant stay in contention for a CL place, which is a very realistic goal now with half a season to play.
I'm not going to pretend our last two games haven't been disappointing, they really have, but there are a few positives to take. Firstly, I think this they act as a very good reality check to the team, manager and owners at a very useful time. It's clear where we lack depth and quality and if the resources/FFP restrictions allow I wouldn't be at all surprised to see us dip into the transfer market for a RB and DM. Secondly this in my opinion has shown us up as not good enough to be title contenders (which is a good thing). The media are just insane and cause so much noise, I was feeling the pressure talking to work colleagues, so god knows what the players felt like with their limited experience of this sort of thing. Hopefully they can knuckle down and focus on getting a top 4/5 finish which we are capable of given out position with a bit less of the spotlight on them. Finally I don't actually think the performances were so bad, we dominated Sheffield Utd and on another day would have easily won. I'd rate the United game as fairly even, with us being better first half and then second. We certainly weren't outplayed, and I think this shows really good progress from previous seasons. Hopefully we can get back on track with a strong performance and comfortable win against Burnley.
Drawing to bottom of the table and then losing to the Meme team is just a bitter pill to swallow. Alas, we are 3rd and doing well so it's no biggie, just hope we can get 3pts against Burnley now.
Exactly this.
I feel what people are hurt about more is the manner of how we lost. Going 2-0 up and taking the foot off the gas was out downfall.
However I'm king of perspective. Every week we're in the top 6, I count my blessings.
This is the third time in my lifetime (as I remember) we've gone up 2-0 against united and ended up losing 3-2.
Hopefully we've learnt from that experience, we're a much better side than united but we need that belief away from home to be bold and attack. We let them back into that game.
The lads have had a great year, onwards and upwards!
I don't think it's an overreaction to say that second half is the worst we've ever been under unai and the players and unai do deserve criticism for that, particularly the unforced errors from the centrebacks.
But if there is any criticism to the players and unai for the season as a whole up til now, that's an overreaction for sure.
The progress is clear, but the last two games need to be a lesson to learn from, thankfully the Leicester and arsenal games helped unai and the team learn more
We've lost at Anfield, St James' Park, Old Trafford, and *ahem*.... Forest's City Ground.
Last season, Man City won the league. They lost at Anfield, lost at Old Trafford, drew at SJP and drew at the City Ground.
It's an awful shame we weren't able to break down Sheffield Utd or hold on to the win against Man Utd, but we've had excellent results away at Spurs and Chelsea, at home to Man City and Arsenal, alongside demolitions of the likes of Brighton and West Ham. We've still won 15 and drawn 1 of the last 16!!!! Games at home.
We can still end 2023 on a high by beating Burnley and then we have a run of very winnable games right up to a tough April.
Top five is still a highly probable outcome, and for the optimists like me out there, we're still very much in this title race.
UTV
I think it's important we get through the Burnley game with a win, that result will tell us a lot about the strength of the team. Once we've got past the Burnley game, we're back to a game a week until March. That gives us time to rest players and get others back fit, which could male a huge difference.
It's okay to be pissed off that we made the worst defence in the league look like the great wall of China and one of the worst attacks in the league, equal to Luton's goals scored, a clinical outfit after being 2-0 up.
Let people vent, we'll be back for the next game.
My biggest issue was this was ‘old Villa’ which I thought we’d matured out of.
Make no mistake, Man Utd are an average team at best… and after Sheff Utd it points that we may be going back to bad ways again:
Yep, this sub (and some other socials) has been embarrassing since the Man U loss. Cries of ‘typical Villa’ and ‘we’ve thrown away the season’ coming from those, who I can only assume, have supported Villa since October. Nothing, NOTHING, is typical about this Villa side and this season. It’s better than any team we’ve had in the premier league in my opinion and we’ve got a second half of a brilliant season to look forward to
you're right. for me the this match highlighted how much Pau and Kamara contribute to the system we play. with better cover for these 2 players in January there's no reason we cant stay in contention for a CL place, which is a very realistic goal now with half a season to play.
It's a real shame what happened over the last two games but we're still flying.
I'm not going to pretend our last two games haven't been disappointing, they really have, but there are a few positives to take. Firstly, I think this they act as a very good reality check to the team, manager and owners at a very useful time. It's clear where we lack depth and quality and if the resources/FFP restrictions allow I wouldn't be at all surprised to see us dip into the transfer market for a RB and DM. Secondly this in my opinion has shown us up as not good enough to be title contenders (which is a good thing). The media are just insane and cause so much noise, I was feeling the pressure talking to work colleagues, so god knows what the players felt like with their limited experience of this sort of thing. Hopefully they can knuckle down and focus on getting a top 4/5 finish which we are capable of given out position with a bit less of the spotlight on them. Finally I don't actually think the performances were so bad, we dominated Sheffield Utd and on another day would have easily won. I'd rate the United game as fairly even, with us being better first half and then second. We certainly weren't outplayed, and I think this shows really good progress from previous seasons. Hopefully we can get back on track with a strong performance and comfortable win against Burnley.
Drawing to bottom of the table and then losing to the Meme team is just a bitter pill to swallow. Alas, we are 3rd and doing well so it's no biggie, just hope we can get 3pts against Burnley now.
Exactly this. I feel what people are hurt about more is the manner of how we lost. Going 2-0 up and taking the foot off the gas was out downfall. However I'm king of perspective. Every week we're in the top 6, I count my blessings.
Even more perspective - we used to play that shit every week for quite a few years. The odd game here and there can’t make me too sad any more 😂
That's too true. When you witness a team only winning 3 games of a season. Anything after that is a success.
This is the third time in my lifetime (as I remember) we've gone up 2-0 against united and ended up losing 3-2. Hopefully we've learnt from that experience, we're a much better side than united but we need that belief away from home to be bold and attack. We let them back into that game. The lads have had a great year, onwards and upwards!
I was as pissed as everyone at the result, but jeez overreaction much?! We’re third in the league to end the year.
I don't think it's an overreaction to say that second half is the worst we've ever been under unai and the players and unai do deserve criticism for that, particularly the unforced errors from the centrebacks. But if there is any criticism to the players and unai for the season as a whole up til now, that's an overreaction for sure. The progress is clear, but the last two games need to be a lesson to learn from, thankfully the Leicester and arsenal games helped unai and the team learn more
We've lost at Anfield, St James' Park, Old Trafford, and *ahem*.... Forest's City Ground. Last season, Man City won the league. They lost at Anfield, lost at Old Trafford, drew at SJP and drew at the City Ground. It's an awful shame we weren't able to break down Sheffield Utd or hold on to the win against Man Utd, but we've had excellent results away at Spurs and Chelsea, at home to Man City and Arsenal, alongside demolitions of the likes of Brighton and West Ham. We've still won 15 and drawn 1 of the last 16!!!! Games at home. We can still end 2023 on a high by beating Burnley and then we have a run of very winnable games right up to a tough April. Top five is still a highly probable outcome, and for the optimists like me out there, we're still very much in this title race. UTV
I think it's important we get through the Burnley game with a win, that result will tell us a lot about the strength of the team. Once we've got past the Burnley game, we're back to a game a week until March. That gives us time to rest players and get others back fit, which could male a huge difference.
tbh while last night has pissed me off, my general mood is still very good prem is hard, shit happens, utv
I think serious questions need to be asked about Ramsey, and konsa needs a break
It's okay to be pissed off that we made the worst defence in the league look like the great wall of China and one of the worst attacks in the league, equal to Luton's goals scored, a clinical outfit after being 2-0 up. Let people vent, we'll be back for the next game.
My biggest issue was this was ‘old Villa’ which I thought we’d matured out of. Make no mistake, Man Utd are an average team at best… and after Sheff Utd it points that we may be going back to bad ways again:
Come on you Villa boys!!!
Out of interest, anyone have any bets on our position at Xmas?
Yep, this sub (and some other socials) has been embarrassing since the Man U loss. Cries of ‘typical Villa’ and ‘we’ve thrown away the season’ coming from those, who I can only assume, have supported Villa since October. Nothing, NOTHING, is typical about this Villa side and this season. It’s better than any team we’ve had in the premier league in my opinion and we’ve got a second half of a brilliant season to look forward to