Aston Villa appoint Unai Emery as manager

[Chief123]

We should've sacked Gerrard after we lost 1-0 at home to West Ham in late August. Perhaps Unai wouldn't have come at that point but a big what if for me.

Still going to be a very fun last 7 games. I think both ourselves and Brighton will finish above Spurs now who have been locked in the top 5 all season.

Despite what you've posted above I bet you someone on this forum in a few weeks will still come out with "why do Emery teams only play well v Man. United."

I’ve seen a few mention Gerrard should have been sacked earlier etc.

However I do think timing and butterfly effect is everything. Emery came in and won his first game against Utd at home who had been on a great run. Gave the club a huge lift and great new manager bounce. The rest is history.

If he comes in against a lesser team and starts with a poor result it could have been very different. The momentum from Utd result was the foundation.

 

[Oscar Bonavena]

Since Emery took over….


1. Arsenal – 41 points, GD +24 (played 17)
2. Manchester City – 38 points, GD +22
3. Aston Villa – 38 points, GD +13
4. Manchester United – 33 points, GD +6
5. Newcastle United – 32 points, GD +10 (played 17)
6. Brighton – 28 points, GD +12 (played 16)
7. Brentford – 28 points, GD +10
8. Liverpool – 27 points, GD +7
9. Tottenham – 27 points, GD +3
10. Wolves – 21 points, GD -5

That’s phenomenal turn around after they were flirting with relegation with Slippy G.

Yes, behind the Manuel from Fawlty Towers facade, this guy knows what he's doing!

 

[Oranges038]

Another Europa League trophy on the cards next year.

 

[Chief123]

Yes, behind the Manuel from Fawlty Towers facade, this guy knows what he's doing!

Personally, these kind of achievements deserve manager of the season awards more than someone like Pep winning the premier league.

After 14 matches, they were 4 points off relegation under gerrard. W4 D3 L7

Since he came in charge they are now dreaming of potentially stealing a champions league spot with a form of W11 D2 L4.

That’s a greater achievement by a manager than one who has a ridiculously expensive and talented squad challenging for the prem.

 

[SilentWitness]

Fair play @FootballHQ ! I laughed when you said you’d push for europe this season and he’s only gone and done it. I imagine even you’re pinching yourself at how good he’s been so far.

Quite exciting times for you as you’ve put yourself in a good position to build on in the summer.

 

[top1whoisman]

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[CloneMC16]

Gerrard had us thinking Villa were terrible.

 

[Utd heap]

Great run but they were pretty terrible tonight. Wouldn't be surprised if they ran out of steam.

 

[TwoSheds]

Always liked him. Incredible record in the cups, sometimes with quite average teams. And he vants to suck your bloooooodddd.

 

[Blood Mage]

He's a brilliant tactician. His football isn't always easy on the eye but he's capable of getting a result against anyone with any team. He's the coach Liverpool fans thought Benitez was.

 

[The Firestarter]

Did players basically sack him in Arsenal ? Or he can work only in smaller sides without that much expectation?

 

[Big Ben Foster]

He's done a fantastic job so far

 

[Baxquux]

Driven out of Arsenal for the crime of trying to avoid using a translator whenever possible and for speaking perfectly functional, if sometimes slightly nonidiomatic English. Better than any coach we've had between SAF and ETH (at least in terms of the level they were working at once they arrived at Old Trafford), and as a bonus, showed up Gerrard's mediocrity as a head coach without Michael Beale to run the actual coaching side of things...

 

[Superunknown]

Great run but they were pretty terrible tonight. Wouldn't be surprised if they ran out of steam.

They've been good in many other games, but fared badly tonight.

As Emery would say, it all ebens out over the course of a season.

 

[youngrell]

Amazing how they’ve snuck up the league to get as high as 5th. Looked like relegation battlers at the start of the season under Gerrard.

 

[united_99]

He's a brilliant tactician. His football isn't always easy on the eye but he's capable of getting a result against anyone with any team. He's the coach Liverpool fans thought Benitez was.

? I don’t think he could win the CL with any team. EL is his level. He is a good coach but prime Benitez was better.

 

[justboy68]

Very good coach for the second tier of teams. Done an amazing job at Villa so far.

 

[Gandalf]

Did players basically sack him in Arsenal ? Or he can work only in smaller sides without that much expectation?

Players and fans really. He was still dealing with the prima donnas and did not get the backing that Arteta got to bin them off and that was compounded by our typically enlightened media lampooning the funny foreigner making him into a bit of a meme leading to him rapidly losing credibility with the supporters.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Superb run and I wouldn't be surprised if they continued their winning run for a couple more games with the Europa league becoming a serious possibility

 

[The Firestarter]

Players and fans really. He was still dealing with the prima donnas and did not get the backing that Arteta got to bin them off and that was compounded by our typically enlightened media lampooning the funny foreigner making him into a bit of a meme leading to him rapidly losing credibility with the supporters.

Funny that Artera is the same foreigner the only difference he is an ex player for them.

 

[AndySmith1990]

If they continue their form since November into next season they'd be within top 4. A remarkable turnaround. Who'd have thought a good experienced manager would be better than trash like Gerrard

 

[Raw]

Read that he's got 26 points from the last 30. That's title winning form!

Hate that we still have to play them

 

[GatoLoco]

From 16th to 5th!

 

[WeePat]

Read that he's got 26 points from the last 30. That's title winning form!

Hate that we still have to play them

He’s got the most points and most wins in the league since his appointment after City and Arsenal.

 

[WeePat]

From 16th to 5th!

That’s that Tuchel post-Lampard effect.

 

[Giggsyking]

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Remember the Ole table? We won the league back then.

 

[Buster15]

He’s got the most points and most wins in the league since his appointment after City and Arsenal.

It was a very shrewd appointment by Villa. He is a particularly good manager.

 

[DOTA]

Didn't look all that.

 

[Stobzilla]

Didn't look all that.

We gutted out a tough win and largely defended quite well, Villa's turn around speaks for itself however.

 

[Zoo]

He’s doing a good job. Still think Tyrone Mings is a massive weak link.

 

[DOTA]

We gutted out a tough win and largely defended quite well, Villa's turn around speaks for itself however.

Didn't think it was very tough. Only at the end. We were pretty dominant overall.

 

[Swedish_Plumber]

I don’t mind him and hope he has a good evening.

 

[Adnan]

He's been a excellent appointment for Villa, but he's lucky Villa didn't get trounced today. Because he got tactically out thought and the space Villa were leaving behind in a mid block without applying adequate pressure further forward should've resulted in a comfortable win for United if it wasn't for how poor we were upfront.

 

[BorisManUtd]

Hated him getting Villa job just before their game vs us and them winning on that bounce but since we've beat them in League Cup and later won it and beat them today to get closer to securing top 4. So don't hate him as much as 6 months ago

 

[Guy Incognito]

Done an impressive job at Villa. To think they were 16 points behind Spurs and in the bottom half when he joined.

 

[DickDastardly]

Count Dracula pulling out the sorcery.

Did a wicked job with them.

 

[FootballHQ]

He's been a excellent appointment for Villa, but he's lucky Villa didn't get trounced today. Because he got tactically out thought and the space Villa were leaving behind in a mid block without applying adequate pressure further forward should've resulted in a comfortable win for United if it wasn't for how poor we were upfront.

Since then we've done the same thing v Spurs and Liverpool and Martinez hasn't been overly worked in either.

I'm pretty sure Benitez when he first came in started doing it at Liverpool and it cost them a fair few goals in his first season but by seasons 2 and 3 Liverpool were very very tough to score past in premier league and europe.

Since late Feb we've played 14 games and conceded 7 goals so maybe it's a fluke or small sample size but we're doing o.k with this strategy.

Mings today gave probably his best ever performance for this club so he's certainly one who's looked very comfortable indeed in the new system.

 

[TsuWave]

Guy has done a superb job, to be honest

 

[el3mel]

He's honestly a great coach. Probably not someone I will appoint for one of the elite, but at the same time he's really good at tier 2 or 3 clubs.

 

[Scandi Red]

Crazy turnaround. Good coach.