Villa stop the rot, but Emery still has much to ponder.

[@EnzoAlexandrosBarzini]

Big up to Villa from Turin, I’m a Juventus season ticket holder of 25 years and I’ll be at Villa Park on Wednesday night. (Douglas Luiz is injured btw)

[@western-oud1898]

👍👍

[@Lioness_UTV]

Welcome, I remember seeing Juventus in '83, what a fantastic team you had. As for this match, I hope you enjoy the trip but not the game too much 😉

[@Viewsonic61]

Welcome Enzo, I was at Villa Park in 1983 when you beat us 2-1 🙄 hopefully we can get the result in our favour this time around. Enjoy your trip to Villa Park the atmosphere will be absolutely electric. Have a safe trip. UTV

[@EnzoAlexandrosBarzini]

@@Lioness_UTV I have’t enjoyed a game all season tbh aside from RB Leipzig away, hoping that we don’t play for yet another 0-0 draw because I’m starting to take it personally now. 🤣🤣🤣

[@EnzoAlexandrosBarzini]

@@Viewsonic61 two famous old clubs meet again, I’m hoping for an open game.

[@justininfrance]

Playing Pau as a defensive midfielder is an excellent shout, I was saying it last season! Konsa and Mings at the back with Pau and Kamara screening in front of them. That seems a hell of a defence.

[@samuelloification2749]

Not sure it works though. He might be able to do it but receiving the ball with your back to play and players pressing on three sides is completely different to bringing the ball out from the back with the game in front of you. Seen similar issues with Trent in midfield

[@thesampsoninstitute]

Stop with the Mings shouts GOD DAMN when will people get it he’s not on this level.

[@jimmypopt.v.3037]

@@thesampsoninstitute He`s better than Carlos, full stop. Pau might be great on the ball but he can`t defend, he`s slow and gets bullied.

[@redhourdan1874]

I think the answer (assuming we actually have fit players) is having Onana and Kamara in the pivot, with Tielemans in the 10. Rogers has to move left, or drop to the bench and come on for Youri in my view. Also agree with Gregg - let's go back to Mings and Konsa at CB - actual defenders with leadership. Pau dropping in the team for periods or having a rest might be beneficial. We need to find a buyer for Diego.

[@joeycusack8314]

Totally agree with you. Tielemens offers a central passing threat which we do not have. Hope Kamara is close to his previous form and fitnesd

[@AnotherVillaPodcast]

Villa have conceded 5 more goals in 2024 than they did in the whole of 2023 and we still have 12 games left to play in 2024! Defence hasn’t been tight enough, need a proper CDM like Kamara to play infront of the defenders

[@redhourdan1874]

No surprise Mings has been absent in 2024! (and Kamara) As brilliant as Pau is with the style Unai wants to play, he is not a very accomplished defender in the Premier League. Get's bullied for strength and consistently outpaced. His duel stats are alarmingly low, similarly with blocks and tackles won. Mings brings all those elements, plus leadership, but lacks the press resistance of Pau. I'd like to see Pau, Mings, Konsa, Cash as back 4. Pau's average position is wide left anyway this season. Means Digne or Maatsen to play as the LW though, where Rogers is more effective.

[@barrydiablo1975]

Onana was the big miss Saturday in terms of the midfield, felt Barkley played well and is starting to look more likely to be given the starting shirt in the next few games, McGinn for me is the one that does not fit currently lacks pace and attacking threat, maybe move Youri into his role for Juve.. UTV👊

[@keith3144]

Mcginn needs to be in the middle ... Million times better in the middle should be him and tielemans

[@jamesmctiernan2517]

Agree with Greg. It will only take a few personnel tweaks to resolve this sticky patch, the structure has changed to adopt a different style of play but it needs certain players in certain positions - i.e. Konsa/Torres at CB and Onana or Kamara in deep midfield. I'm not overly concerned as most other PL teams other than Liverpool have been up and down this season. It's more competitive than ever!

[@darrenwoolley8433]

Great watch lads really enjoyed it. UTV

[@CharliejNewman]

Which ever way you look at it we messed up in the transfer market massively, didn’t strengthen the back for and sold 2 players luiz/diaby who had over 30 goal involvements between them last season and replaced diaby with philgine!

[@Lioness_UTV]

I agree, I think we tried to cover those areas but couldn't get what we wanted.

[@Lioness_UTV]

Injuries and change of players aside, I think we've lost our spark and determination which manifests itself in the form of our energy, intensity and focus in matches, we look alarmingly flat. All of our stats are down especially in tackles won, picking up 2nd balls. I've been concerned since the start of the season, actually even since the end of last season as our form dropped and we've carried that forward into this season. I agree about Bailey, I thought he was our most effective offensive player and ppl need to get off his back as he is obviously trying to get his mojo back.

[@Khareeee]

That clear first half chance with acres of space on the right…Bailey has 2 passes and trips over his feet and turns the ball over. Bailey’s out of order most of the time this season, I’d drop Bailey

[@Lioness_UTV]

@@Khareeee you've just described all strikers and wingers. How many times has Watkins tripped up over his feet etc. But I agree he isn't on form but let's not also not forget he hit the post and the pen tackle and how he purposely stayed down to increase the chances of a pen (successfully got). He was in the 2nd half especially when Cash came on our most effective offensive player. And to add, despite not being at his best, he has also suffered as have other players from the overall teams lack of positive play, he is often isolated, no one to play off too. Wingers need support, they need opportunities to increase their chances of one or more getting a goal or an assist. My point is, a) I don't think we have a ready replacement and b) I'd like to see him get the support he needs to be at his best because he is trying, we can all see that. He and the team need to up their energy, intensity and focus and the rest will follow.

[@neilandrew4540]

Main difference with defence Emi not making world class saves from one on one positions ,

[@samuelloification2749]

The difference is scoring goals, we've always been unreliable defensively. This time last season we had conceded 17. We've conceded 19 this season. Difference in attack? 29 last season 19 this season.

[@stuhector3511]

In short, we’ve been poor all Over the pitch. But defensively you can’t play like that and expect to win many football matches

[@samuelloification2749]

​@@stuhector3511agreed. I think Dan's point of where we are losing the ball with the attack not functioning is a good one. At our best last year we had Mcginn, Luiz, Kamara and Youri all playing. We were far better at protecting the ball. Rogers has been exciting this year but wonder if how much he loses possession is causing too many transitions.

[@theostanway1628]

Those stats lack context because if you take away the anomalies of the 3-0 an field defeat and opening day against Newcastle than the defence has also dropped off a decent amount this season

[@samuelloification2749]

​​@@theostanway1628 were they anomalies or were they the times our bad defending was actually punished? We only kept 2 clean sheets over those 12 games (one more than this season) and one of those was against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge where they missed about 5 one on ones and Emi had a worldie. Underlying numbers are very similar as well 17xg against last year, 18 this year. 24xg for for last year, 24 this year. The difference in results is we've underperformed our xg this year and overperformed last year.

[@carlthomas7354]

I may be wrong but I don't remember us giving away goals as easily last year... We were easier to play against than the year before but this season it's like we are giving away genuine gifts. The first palace goal was insane. We were at the half way line!

[@jonathonconnell4247]

We've not been good all season - like Gregg said, if Emi isn't there we would be significantly worse off. Midfield just isn't working - I didn't think we'd miss Dougie, but we are, and Kamara adds balance as well. We all knew we needed a right back and we signed no one in the summer and signed a 3rd left back instead - it's not ageing well. Bailey was better on Saturday but his drop off this season is up there with the sharpest drop-offs I can remember. Without him we have a total lack of pace up front. Philogene is not good enough. Just feels like we are also self sabotaging at times as well - conceding some awful goals. That second Palace goal - from a missed penalty at the other end - honestly feels like Villa are the only team that would concede that sort of goal at the moment.

[@keithwhiting6569]

Practice and in the game are not the same as the pressure in the game is totally different to training , some players thrive on match day pressure others shine in practice! UTV 🏐🏐🏐🏐🏐🏐

[@whitedaniel53]

Love the show. Some ignorable feedback on your hot take section. For me, a hot take is a take/opinion about the state of something that is so spicy that no normal person could think it's reasonable e.g. Emery is the best manger in the league (wild statement but arguable to an extent) vs a freezing cold take e.g. Emery is a better manager than Gerard. The pre match predictions are fun but I think hot take is a slight misnomer.

[@carlbrown8306]

We've lost 3 games in the prem thus season arsenal spurs and Liverpool,,, we can definitely look at that and find some reason not to worry just yet

[@Dave-kg9bb]

Genuinely at a loss how you didnt see this patch coming Dan. Been very average this season and back end of last. Got a few good wins thanks to some Duran magic. Far to easy to play against, and a lack of connectivity going forward. Not a good mix

[@pajosmashup9711]

McGinn had a great week he should be tasked with it for penos

[@dannny523]

Want to start by saying Unai is the best manager in my lifetime, however for the life of me I’ve never understood how you can play such a high line and consistently not press the ball - if you give players time to make runs and pick passes it just seems inevitable you concede big changes

[@RyanHeath-ho9qp]

I’ve got it! Leave 10 players back on our corners and just send one player up to pass it to their keeper.

[@thesampsoninstitute]

A draw at home to palace is not stopping the rot imho

[@seanoconnor8416]

Mcginn did well when Kamara got injured in February I thought, think he should go back in there til Kamara back properly. He would bring energy and steel in centre. Rogers has go out left because we will get slaughtered Wednesday and at Chelsea if he keeps giving away ball for fun around middle of field. He looked like a fella that England call up got to his head, was swanning around the place trying to do flicks.He was doing better when moved to left and Bailey was better in second half, they should not have been taken off at that stage cause Buendia and Philogene were not going to win game for us at that stage,subs actually killed the tempo. Tielemans took 4/5 touches every time and so did Pau, very hard to watch. Man City on worse run though 😀

[@stuhector3511]

This defensive issue isn’t new, we’ve had this problem since last season. Also I don’t think Emery knows what his best team is

[@addamhewitt]

I'm not worried at the moment, but it is concerning. The only positive at the moment, at least we're still creating the chances. I thought barkley, was probably our best player on Saturday. But obviously we need konsa and kamara back, desperately. But keep the faith, in unai we trust 💚

[@rjwg47]

Surely Monchi makes a call to Juve about a cheeky 6 month loan for dougie in January? Even just to annoy the FFP police 😅

[@Dave-kg9bb]

The penalty - Tielemans has missed more than he has scored in a game situation. Warning aigns were there. The keeper couldnt have picked a better place and height for him.

[@cheza1655]

Do we need to start playing Kamara again. We seem to have good defensive structure with him.

[@Researcher83]

Bring back Dolan.

[@Khareeee]

And a lawnmower for that awful trim😂

[@dariongallagher7853]

Can Dolan play right back?

[@Khareeee]

@@dariongallagher7853 no he’s an awful “pundit” too. That’s why Dolan’s not a real one

[@ronniemurphy8857]

Matata. Get the ball turns left and passes it forward. With no pressure on him. . Your asking a midfielder to pick him up when he comes short. That's rubbish for me . Because you two center backs. One goes. One stays simple . One get after matata. One stays and get him to pass it backwards . Pressure the ball up to matata we did the opposite . I more worried about Torres deciding to play offside himself . Everything has to be alined with your back four . Not everybody doing there Owen stuff

[@blackradio9]

The cuts on these episodes are honestly so bad. The dead air and the sharp cut off at the end...come on fellas.

[@Khareeee]

Will you produce the show for Dan for £0?

[@shaneoneill8232]

Emi New Konsa Pau Digne Kamara Onana Bailey Rodgers New Oille Come on monachi Bench is class but we need two top additions

[@Khareeee]

Bogarde is awful and Unai should have been playing Kosta all season. An attacking Right Back, at Right Back. Bogarde kicks the ball out of play, can’t cross and defending their second goal was such a poor effort

[@philliphaylor1590]

I love this 5 games without a win average mediocre team lol😮😅😂😂😅🎉😂😅