Doing it in training is one thing, doing it in an actual match and seeing things not working out is another. We saw this during early LVG days as well.
Manchester United 2:2 Steven Gerrard's Villa (Sat 23rd July, 10:45 UK time)
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Irritating result especially because its a stupid type of goal to concede. But anyway.
My back garden looks like its in a better condition than that pitch. Disgraceful.
My back garden looks like its in a better condition than that pitch. Disgraceful.
These conditions weren't conductive for any type of free flowing football. Villa had the benefit of having physical outlet guys whom they could punt the ball to and they'd be off to the race this bypassing the issue with that potato pitch.
Having said that, out players need to react better under pressure. Despite the pitch being utter dross, they should have still managed to stay composed at times
Having said that, out players need to react better under pressure. Despite the pitch being utter dross, they should have still managed to stay composed at times
Ahead of Amad and Pellistri too, Chong should've left 2 summers ago. The fact he's getting minutes ahead of those two suggests they're nowhere near ready for senior football at United. Loan moves for all 3 would be ideal.
Still looks like our first XI only has 45 mins worth of legs which is worrying. They dropped off after half time way before the changes.
Yeah, this is the first game I've been able to watch. I was really happy with the first half, but the second half was very poor. Even before the subs. We lost complete control of the game. Really concerned with our depth upfront and what we have in midfield. Our kids aren't ready. If we have any injuries upfront, we have nobody to bring on. We still have the same issues in midfield.
I'm also upset with De Gea doing what I always expect him to do. Have zero control over his box.
Yeah, I think we're still figuring out our Plan B. Plan A seems to be the high press, bag a couple of goals and then make use of the opposition chasing the game to hit them on the break. But when that doesn't happen and we're under pressure or still attacking against static teams we're struggling because we just can't keep the stamina up.
The search to replace Matic starting to become ever more desperate.its clear we need at least one new top striker with Cavani, Greenwood and i assume (hope) Ronaldo gone. we cannot go with just Martial and Rashford, both injury prone and both inconsistant in form.
some promising kids but atm they are still just promising. Current squad is top 6 material.
some promising kids but atm they are still just promising. Current squad is top 6 material.
Set piece issue is not simple and easy to solve.so true. It's mainly folk who have been silent during our other preseason games where we've performed really well, and now they're over the moon that they can complain.
If Ten Hag and the players have shown anything this preseason it's that they can get things right if they're coached properly. The set piece mistakes will be trained out of them in the coming days and weeks. We'll keep improving. Calm the feck down.
DDG at this stage of his career would be a disadvantage for our defense against corner. Ajax is not powerhouse at defending set piece. They got done by Benfica from corner despite being the better dominating team in both legs.
We're far away from being able to control the game to the extend we would only face one or two corner per game. If EtH really uses Martinez mainly as CB, it would only compound to the issue. Likely that McTominay would walk back into starting XI because he has height and because out of the XI, Maguire/Varane is only the aerial presence/capable.
Not freaking out, but the optimism to train out mistake defending set piece is unfounded. It's pretty much both personnel reliant and experience/cynical in coaching. Pep, Klopp had to threw money at it.
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Suspect ETH will have found out more about his squad from this game, than from the previous three matches... but that's what pre-season games are all about.
It's concerning that DVB is still struggling; the 'pass and move' trio-type motions at which he excelled at Ajax are still not operating here, TBH doubt it will with him and Bruno in the same side. Also today confirmed one of DeGea's key weaknesses is still there, so if he's staying, then ETH has to take a hard look at his centre backs and how they are positioned around DeGea to protect that goal area.
It's concerning that DVB is still struggling; the 'pass and move' trio-type motions at which he excelled at Ajax are still not operating here, TBH doubt it will with him and Bruno in the same side. Also today confirmed one of DeGea's key weaknesses is still there, so if he's staying, then ETH has to take a hard look at his centre backs and how they are positioned around DeGea to protect that goal area.
He won’t be his passing and his inability to push the defence up another 20 yards will be why ETH eventually gets rid of him this is no different to Pep inheriting J Hart and getting rid very quickly even though J Hart was the GK that won the PL in the previous season, didn’t suit the way he wanted to play and De Gea will not suit the way ETH wants to play, he will look at his wages and think we could easily deploy that salary in a more important part of the team
In a weird way Maguire actually had a decent game and may well of stopped that last minute equaliser and please I’m no fan of Harry’s but he was much better today
Pretty good read until this. Ruined your whole post.
Bailly kicked a chair? I assume that's him our injured for 6 months then
Yep, no one is going to 'train' De Gea into a keeper that dominates his area at this stage. Bringing in Martinez and the likes of Eriksen to the starting line up aren't going to bolster our set piece defending. It's definitely a concern. There's a reason Liverpool buy towering CBs like Konate and why they do so well on set pieces.
Blimey, I dread to think how you’d respond if it was a meaningful game.
De has always been shit at coming for crosses and corners. It’s not going to change. We have to work with it.
Didn't we like concede the least (or thereabout) goals from dead balls last season?
Really happy with first half, first 15 mins of the second, we completely got caught out with the fact that Villa would come out with a bit of endeavour but little quality. Just reminded me of the 2nd half of a Cup tie against a Division 1 side in poor weather conditions….
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I'm not concerned in the slightest. Playing on a pitch like that proves nothing at all.
You must be watching a different game.
We got them in first half, but in the second half they fairly just played through us, and isolated our defenders into 1v1. They hardly punted the ball. It's just coached passage of play. Both made mistake and negative affected by the pitch condition, but Aston Villa still the better team in everything in second half. They pressed better. Passed better. Better positioning for second ball. That's against our first string before all the subs.
This is a bit of a deja vu to Rangnicks first interviews, no
?I love how the posts haven't got any better since you've posted this
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Always hard to judge the second-string players when they play in a full second-string side, but there are really few players in that second-half side who look like they are ready to be integrated into the first team squad, isn't there?
Off the top of my head, I'd say only Varane (not based on today's performance), Malacia, Zidane and Garner look like they could slot into the first team and actually contribute as squad players. So that's basically 15 players (plus McTominay, Eriksen and Martinez) that are going to get us through the entire season if we don't make more signings.
Off the top of my head, I'd say only Varane (not based on today's performance), Malacia, Zidane and Garner look like they could slot into the first team and actually contribute as squad players. So that's basically 15 players (plus McTominay, Eriksen and Martinez) that are going to get us through the entire season if we don't make more signings.
Hope you’re right, though it seems he wants a contract extension. Most likely in the knowledge no other top European club will be chomping at the bit to sign him, and if so, at only a fraction of his current wages.
If we're exposed by set piece, then he's needed. However, it can open to other existing issues to cover. AguireKs weaknesses.
I am not sure about Maguire being able to stop the last minute equalizer. He got involved in some bad set piece defending in the recent past. And in this every game, when he's still on the pitch, Aston Villa did threaten us from another corner,too.
I love how the posts haven't got any better since you've posted this
nah, we’re stuck with these posts for a week now at leastThis.
Also, if we persist with this shitty midfield, nothing will ever change in terms of our defence.
Imperative we get Eriksen embedded in the team quickly. Same with Martinez. Hopefully FDJ will be done by August too.
Same quotes we have been hearing for past few years from different managers. The one consistent? This group of players. They just are not good enough. I wonder how many “clean slates” are needed before the club realise they need to move the majority of them out of the club
God this new manager really seems like the guy. Really hope he doesn’t end up crap.
I think we got off lightly rather than actually being good. (Conceded fewer than the xg)
Maybe playing him so we can get a fee later in the summer.
I think the worry for TH will be how SG changed it for Villa and we couldnt cope with it. We played 20 mins with the same team who were the better side in the first half and we had no answer to them in that 20 mins. The lat bit was mainly the kids and no one stood out. Yes the pitch was terrible, but its terrible for both sides, so how come they coped with it and we didnt? We wont have pitches like that in the Premier, but cup games maybe will have at some point. TH is right we need new signings and I think Eriksen and Martinez will be starters. Martial seemed to go back to being the frustrating player he is and some of Brunos passes were wild again. Fred too many mistakes and Lindelof and Maguire were also poor in parts.
Iqbal's been one of the best players this tour. Hannibal's probably our best youth player at the moment but we've been trying him in this weird false 9 role which he looks very uncomfortable in.
Chong is currently a better player than Garnacho which is to be expected as he's had 50-odd senior appearances on various loans.
Chong needs to be sold for £7/8m
He's not good enough
Were exactly my observations as well. FFS how is it possible, that nobody is able to create a somewhat working midfield with that group of players, I mean, I get it, they lack certain qualities - but then add another one to the pitch just like every other team is doing! Not like our attackers are sooooo awesome that we would miss a lot. Control in midfield is key.
These sort of quotes worry me a bit. Lets put the game today down due to pitch condition and potentially extensive training sessions, but there were a few patterns that are known issues and seemingly, we still have no answers to...
I agree.
Yeah bang on