Matchday 26 - Aston Villa Vs Nottingham Forest. Saturday 24th February. Kick off 3pm.

[Gyros Peter]

If you'd have predicted a 4-2 loss pre game I'd have been disappointed at the prospect but also accepted it was in the range of possibilitiesfor this game.

Villa are at another level, their 5 year advantage shows. And perhaps, the coaches too.

Nuno probably took a risk in a game of risks. And with hindsight he'll have learned something today.

We're approaching the runway; he's going to need a plan and all hands on deck if he's going to land this season. There are signs of this, but the fragility persists.

Come on Forest.

Game plan went out the window on three minutes really. Was impressed with Villa - they look a good side - very well drilled.

 

[MaxiRobriguez]

Fair comment. I wouldn't say the whole team played shit today, but it was mistake ridden again.

It was pretty f***ing wank, apart from ten minutes in the second half.

Passive, defensive unit was all over the place even when not making mistakes, limited movement off the ball.

That first half was as bad as it's been under Nuno. Villa should have been 4 or 5 to the good.

Disappointing games from four players who've looked the business recently in Felipe, Murillo, Dominguez and Danilo. Core of the team had a shocker and when that happens you simply don't win games of football regardless who you're playing.

 

[Mcbeth99]

Game plan went out the window on three minutes really. Was impressed with Villa - they look a good side - very well drilled.

And yet we still managed to score twice against them with all 4 of their goals being gifts...

 

[Robertson]

Honestly, I totally agree and wish we just be discussing Nuno's poor choice of LB today without Cooper even coming into the equation.

Yeah fair enough. The constant back and forth annoys me too. I was just responding to the posts from some making out he’d never played there before. When he has, this season.

 

[Gyros Peter]

And yet we still managed to score twice against them with all 4 of their goals being gifts...

I know, we had enough chances to level too. Crazy really.

 

[Brian Fantana]

At least it wasn't 3-2 again!

We were better 2nd half but their 4th killed it. I thought Danilo was as bad as I've seen him in the 1st half but was much better in the 2nd. Origi was great for 5 minutes then disappeared. Everyone else was a bit lacklustre.

In fairness it looked to be Nunos Fulham and I think actually we have more to be pleased about with the response and tactical changes done without delay when he saw things weren't working.

I also don't think it will be mentioned massively because in truth Villa were better than us anyway but the ref was absolutely one eyed. Id like to see the thinking behind Elanga getting hauled down in the box not even resulting in a lengthy var check. It looked to me like the Forest players stopped appealing anything because we got absolutely naff all.



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Yep whilst it doesn’t overly matter they were given some of the softest free kicks around the edge of our area.

When their 4th went in there was also a good call for Tielemans handling it in the build up but doesn’t seem to be even checked.

 

[Malwood]

Teams that survive a relegation battle tend to have a settled centre-back pairing.

 

[Bonfy177]

Get the Liverpool thread started so we can get stuck into them.

As some will know I like my bait so I thought I’d share my favourite Scouse recipe for you all to try, it’s simple, very easy, as easy as defending a set piece .

Scouse Omelette.

First steal two eggs.

 

[Robertson]

I didn’t say it was a good idea, I said both Nuno and Cooper obviously thought it was a good idea. Briefly, anyway.

Enjoy your night as well

 

[apondaway]

As it stands, if Felipe and Murillo are paired and Felipe has a rough game it's likely to affect Murillo even more, it seems. Brain fart aside (and frankly he was given Dominguez's problem and compounded it) I still like Murillo/Omo pairing. Albeit with a proper left back. Weird to say I missed Tavares today.

 

[Dino]

Thought he was all over the place, positionally, but think that was down to the team selection rather than SUPER DANI.

Yeah, agree, he wasn't on it, an off day - hopefully - all round.

 

[stockers]

We’ll regret not giving our club captain a run in the team this season.

 

[vertigored]

On the positive side we didn’t get any stonewall penalties turned down..

 

[Dino]

Game plan went out the window on three minutes really. Was impressed with Villa - they look a good side - very well drilled.

Yes, they looked a good side but we made it easy for them at times.

 

[Dino]

I think they both made a mistake playing Niakhate at LB, cracking player but not mobile enough for a PL full back

Spot on.

 

[Far have we travelled]

We have recognised forwards like Origi who have scored Champions league winning goals but Yates is the problem.

The problem, as in "The problem"?

 

[trentside69]

Get the Liverpool thread started so we can get stuck into them.

As some will know I like my bait so I thought I’d share my favourite Scouse recipe for you all to try, it’s simple, very easy, as easy as defending a set piece .

Scouse Omelette.

First steal two eggs.

While you are grafting you might as well take the chicken and anything else that's not tied down if it's a real scouse recipe

 

[Alf-engelos Mindminackers]

It was pretty f***ing wank, apart from ten minutes in the second half.

Passive, defensive unit was all over the place even when not making mistakes, limited movement off the ball.

That first half was as bad as it's been under Nuno. Villa should have been 4 or 5 to the good.

Disappointing games from four players who've looked the business recently in Felipe, Murillo, Dominguez and Danilo. Core of the team had a shocker and when that happens you simply don't win games of football regardless who you're playing.

Danilo & Murillo are perfect example of great but inconsistent players who I personally wouldn't want to be building teams around at the mo. For me they fit in that Lewis McGugan bracket of "brilliant on a good day, but be prepared for a bad day" currently.

Both will improve, and sadly I don't think Nuno has much choice but to play them whenever possible due to the state of the squad, but the team would benefit from some consistency and dependability for sure.

 

[Statto]

When did Chelsea appear in the top 3 alone without Man U Man City Arsenal or Liverpool? As I’ve argued elsewhere Man U Liverpool and Arsenal are the big 3 over the past 50 years with Chelsea & Man City new kids on the block and were both generally poor pre new money arriving. They were both very lucky to get the injection of cash before the cartel closed the door for the likes of Newcastle.

The top 3s are all listed here

List of English football champions - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

If we're talking about Man U, Arsenal and Liverpool being the big 3:

The last time Chelsea were in top 3 without one of the big 3 is

2016–17​

Chelsea (6)

Tottenham Hotspur (5)

Manchester City (5)

But you're including City so that counts but doesn't answer the question. In fact the dominance is so big you have to go back a long way, outside the PL era.62/

All of Chelsea's PL wins have had at least one of the big 3 in the top 3.

One of the big 3 has been in the top 3 every PL season.

Even when Everton were winning titles in the 80s, it was Liverpool who were usually their closest rivals.

Leeds won the title in 92, but Man U came 2nd.

62/3 is the last time none of the big 3 finished in the top 3.

And to answer your question:

1954–55​

Chelsea (1)

Wolverhampton Wanderers (4)

Portsmouth (1)

Ted Drake

 

[Listen 'ere young man]

Two nutmegs for their first goal, gave the ball away in a dangerous position for the 4th.

Still avoidable mistakes costing us dear but enough creativity to be in games most of the time.

Another one chalked down to what could have been. Sneak a win in the next 2 and it would be a decent effort.

 

[Cureboy]

It seemed like pretty much all of their goals were the same. Left back non existent, ripping us apart with a couple of passes. It was a frustrating watch. Never want to see Niakhate at left back again after that.

 

[Collymore!]

Shit all around, but that fourth goal is what will relegate us.

Playing poorly we drag ourselves back into the game, to throw it away with amateur-level passing/play. Shocking.

 

[Irish Wolf]

I think if we were honest deep down most of us were more in hope than expectation of getting something from the game today. Villa are a good side and our away form is terrible.

Perhaps we got a bit giddy about the Felipe/Murrillo and Dominguez/Danillo partnerships last week.

As usual it's the manner of the defeat which stings - giving a team a 3 goal head start because we didn't turn up in the first half and the silly, silly mistake.

This season it seems a player's right of passage to become a true Red is to make a mistake. Welcome aboard Omo; you're definately one of our own now!

Still, despite all that, we got a couple of goals (and could have got more - if only...). So all is not lost yet.