[Albion] Champions League 23/24 Thread

[Seagull58]

I agree with you. I watched parts of it last night and the whole of the game in Madrid and every time Grealish got the ball, he did exactly what you said. I couldn't understand why Pep didn't take him off far far earlier in both games. He was pointless. It actually amused me greatly as the BBC ran a video article about how Pep schooled Madrid 6-2 by playing Messi as a false 9 (which kind of ignored the fact that Messi was the world's greatest player and would have made Barca effective wherever he played).

That said, I've always thought Grealish was a decent player up against good teams, but just not the very, very best in the world like Real Madrid. He's very much like a supercharged version of Anthony Knockaert who was outstanding for us at Championship level and crappy Premier league teams like Palace, but totally ineffective against middling or better Premier league teams.

Sockboy at Villa cut inside every time but held onto the ball and invariably drew the foul. That no longer works so he has to lay it off. He's too slow to go past the defender on the outside and can't cross well with his left foot. Mitoma isnt great with his left either but he is usually able to manufacture a cross because the defender has been left in the dust.

 

[Hiheidi]

 

[Acker79]

I cannot see what Grealish brings to that team. Receives ball on the left, shapes to take on the full back, cuts it back to someone behind him near the edge of the box. EVERY BLOODY TIME.

I think there's a type of player who thrive and are really really good when they are the man in the team. The player that everyone looks to to win. They get given the ball and are expected to make things happen.

When you're that player, everyone else in the team plays accordingly. They make themselves available, but understand you are usually the one that gets them out of the hole, so are tolerant of you trying to take on everyone. They play around you, there to mop up if you lose the ball, not getting frustrated if they make a run and you don't use them.

They then join a team where everyone or at least a few of the players are all that good. They don't follow your run to nick the ball back quickly when you lose it, they get frustrated when you don't use them, so stop making runs (or only make half-hearted efforts) taking away options for you, freeing up defenders to cover you.

I think plays a part in players like Grealish struggling when they step up to a bigger team with more top quality players. That struggling then leads to the player putting more pressure on themselves, trying to do even more on their own etc. See also Zaha moving to Man Utd, Kalvin Phillips to Man City.

 

[Motogull]

The amount of times I've seen players do a little dinked pen straight down the middle and thought if the keeper just stands there instead of diving. Glad we've seen that happen tonight. Just looks like a stupid pen, but apparently ballsy if you score

I was hoping for a view of it straight on, but didn't get one. The tossers.

 

[oldboyroy]

Villa being turned over. Lille comfortably 2 up with 10 left to play

 

[Eggman]

Villa being turned over. Lille comfortably 2 up with 10 left to play

Good

 

[Hiheidi]

Villa being turned over. Lille comfortably 2 up with 10 left to play

The commentary was just all about how they have developed a lot of young players to build this squad. Wonder how high up Fonseca is on our target manager list.

 

[dazzer6666]

Villa being turned over. Lille comfortably 2 up with 10 left to play

Er, 3-3 on aggregate now……

 

[oldboyroy]

Er, 3-3 on aggregate now……

Lucky villa

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I cannot see what Grealish brings to that team. Receives ball on the left, shapes to take on the full back, cuts it back to someone behind him near the edge of the box. EVERY BLOODY TIME.

Would fit in perfectly here

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

villa really don't deserve anything.

However this must be the first time this ref has seen a game of football. Shocking.

 

[dazzer6666]

Lucky villa

Think the ‘turned over’ call with one goal in it was a bit premature

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

f***ing Villa. I’d just spent 10 mins researching the last time we had no semi finalists in any European competition and they go and equalise.

For those interested it’s 2014-15 (we didn’t have anyone in the quarters that season, let alone the semi finals).

 

[oldboyroy]

Think the ‘turned over’ call with one goal in it was a bit premature

There's me hoping and they get a lucky equaliser......

 

[WhingForPresident]

I don't recall Mac Allister ever missing a pen, but of course Salah has to snatch the ball off him so he can stat pad, despite his crap record (10 missed from 40)

Liverpool will win this now.

 

[oldboyroy]

Villa get away with a hand ball escaping a pen against them

 

[WhingForPresident]

Villa get away with a hand ball escaping a pen against them

The ref signalled it had hit the players chest, and had VAR talking in his ear, who could see it obviously hit his hand?! Really makes you wonder when they make decisions like that.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Martinez being a total **** and getting away with it, as usual.

 

[pasty]

To paraphrase The Inbetweeners…

I like European football. But not Villa. Villa can f*** off.

 

[dazzer6666]

What a colossal wanker.