Ange from 3 manager of the months in a row to 3 defeats in a row The BBQ has been well and truly extinguished
It’s no secret I am far (faaaaar) from Lo Celso’s biggest fan but Ange has had a nightmare here. First brings on a DM at 2-1 down then brings on a ST for the only CM we have who can remotely pass a ball forward. Injuries haven’t helped but a really poor showing by Ange today.
Not for me ... we have an attacking identity that we've craved for. We gave an in form villa a hard game with 5 first teamers missing, another 4 squad players and the game changing moment was Cash kicking Bentencur out of the game. We are way ahead of where I thought we'd be, we sound like we have a plan for January and we have players to come back. I am really pleased with this season personally
Must be very disheartening for our youth too. We’ve got the reigning PL2 POTM on the bench not getting a chance when he’d be more suitable than some of those who’ve been brought on. Then an England U19 CB getting overlooked for a RB and LB to play over him. First downsides to Ange’s management I’ve seen the last couple weeks.
6 minutes? Martinez has spent longer than that on the floor. trying not to be to mad today but what will be 4 defeats in a row will be tough to take.
I’m actually concerned where our next win is gonna come tbh. I admire the way we’re playing, but it’s clear that we badly miss those that are out. Morale needs to be carefully managed, because we could find ourselves in quite a rut at this rate.
I know rival fans will throw at us that everyone gets injuries and that is fair enough. But we have had the heart ripped out of this team and we have had to name a youth player and 2 goalkeepers on the bench. We may have got away with it against a team in the bottom half, but Villa are a quality side. If we had taken any of those chances first half it could have been a different game. I am not putting anything on Ange here, I don’t believe that playing more defensive would have made any difference. Just made it a dull watch and probably a similar outcome. At least we have gone for it and on another day it could have turned out differently.
We are still only 4 points off the top of the league. Given everything that has happened I will absolutely take that. We have a style that we play and we can’t change that. It’s similar to Klopp in his first season. The results weren’t always there, but you could see what he was doing. As long as the players keep believing in that, then we will be fine
Happy with the 1st half performance bar the lack of accuracy on the attempts, Sadly once Bentancur went off that was it for forward driving MF play. Losing patience in Kulu regaining his 2021-22 form. As for Cash : thug Adam wannabee.
**** off villa, lucky ****ers. Kick us off the pitch first half then ride their luck for 90 minutes. we know where are main issues are and that was shown today but so much promise overall. Just gutting to lose to that smug prick Martinez.
Lewis Miley is playing fairly regularly for Toon at the moment, including getting an assist yesterday, he’s younger than Jamie Donley. We also didn’t have to name two keepers, that’s on Ange choosing to show no faith in youth at the moment. We played Emerson and Davies at CB and got what we expected there instead of giving Dorrington a shot - who’s been excellent for the youth. Then chose to bring on a player like Skipp at 2-1 down instead of someone more likely to score/ assist in Donley. Injuries have ****ed us, no doubt about that but the manager added to issues today for me. He’s rightly been praised for some excellent stuff and equally he’s not immune from criticism either.
Given everything Ange has done so far, I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt that he knows the players better than us and knows when youth players are ready to play a game against this quality of opposition.
