Emery didn't choose Villa over us, they went for Gerrard first and he was a disaster. I don't think Emery has done massively different at Villa to what Howe is doing here, so I honestly don't care.
Got nothing to do with spinning plates, Gordon just made a huge balls up. We would have clearly won in extra time had he not got that red, as Lamptey then got sent off, and João Pedro was completely dead in extra time, so we'd have had a 2 man advantage.
That's such a narrow view on the game. They were the better side and won for all the reasons that unfolded. We now don't have our best fwd players for the final and we're out the FA cup.
Are you trying to say Gordon getting sent off didn't affect the game? We had loads of chances in extra time, and Gordon could have easily finished any of those off. That red card obviously massively influenced the game and was a huge reason why we lost. Without it we'd more than likely gone through. And the red card is a repeat issue? The last time we got a red card in any game was the opening day of the season in August, well over 6 months ago. And stop trying to insinuate that Isak is missing the final.
No I'm saying you can't just say if a Gordon stays on we would have won. It opens up a plethora of other variables that you have ignored. The red card situation is a repeat scenario of the Nick Pope one before the cup final. It was possible to avoid it via managerial decisions, but that didn't happen and we live with it. Stop trying to incinuate you know Isak isn't injured, because all the evidence we have is that he felt something in his groin.. We hope otherwise.
Gordon was a dickhead, it's not possible to avoid that with managerial decisions. He lost it, that was his fault and nothing to do with Howe. You just said above that Isak is out for the final, he isn't, you don't know that at all. He certainly didn't look injured when he came off, and there's been absolutely no mention of him being injured.
It is you just haven't figured it out which explains the spinning plates situation. What evidence have you for the Isak isn't injured? None. What evidence do we have that he is? He went off injured.
No he didn't, that's not true. Howe on Alexander Isak:"Alex just felt a bit of general tightness. I don’t think it was an injury, it was just general tightness, but we felt as though he had to come off."
Still probably worth resting him against West Ham though, if we want him to be at best for the final.
Absolutely. Hopefully Barnes plays in is actual position now. He has a trick and it's only available from the left. The right side? Honestly I think I'd like to see Osula over Murphy are West Ham.. Just to see how he gets on.
Rumours abound that Gordon was going to get himself sent off to avoid playing boyhood club Liverpool in the final.
You can't say Howe can't take us forward when 60% of the playing squad were here under Ashley. I'd like to think if we had players to replace Schar, Longstaff, Willock, Murphy, Wilson, Dubs and upgrade on Pope, Burn, Targett, then it would be a different story.
The squad people said Bruce should be top half with? Regardless It's more about the in game decisions he makes and a seemingly dull approach that has limitations. Somewhere down the line I believe it's more likely to cost us in key moments thats all. Everyone is entitled to think one way or the other though of course.
WTF is going on here for the first goal? LB & LCB ahead of the LW, and all of them in line with the RCB who's 10 yards in off the wing! Then look at the midfield - no not the fact you could throw a blanket over all three of them - LCM is the FURTHEST in-field with the CM next and the RCM closest to the LW?? Then Gordon just stops chasing Minteh 20 yards outside the box? Everything there is wrong, so so so so wrong it's not real.
Basically Burn gets dragged into an area and fails to deal with the situation which then leaves a hole the size of the titanic at the back. It must be awful for the other players because him and the other one keep piling into areas you're trying to manage. Personally I'd be telling them to stay out of my ****ing way.
I could do one for the second goal and highlight Tonali and Bruno playing RCB and CCB while Burn and Schar jump out of their defensive line to both press the Brighton CM and Welbeck finds the pocket afforded by the CB's going walkabout but even then he would be offside if Tino wasn't in his own postcode not defending anyone running into the box just standing 2/3 yards behind the rest of the team but think one will do for today.
Burn was a CF more than a CB yesterday. It's absolutely shambolic. I wouldn't mind if he contributed goals but he's nowhere near corner balls being swung in so why would him marauding up the pitch suddenly make him a goal scorer. Its just very wrong our setup at the moment
