After brushing aside reining Conference League champions West Ham 4-1 on Sunday, Villa make the short trip to Netherlands and Alkmaar, where they’ll take on the side currently second in the Eredivisie with the group all level on 3 points with two matches played.
I guess maybe it was the way we dispatched Hibs that led me to think the main difficulty in the Conference League is the one inherent to leagues/tournaments: The number of games and knockouts, where a bad night or bad luck can see you falling short. But it’s clear that even early in the group stages, it’s no walk in the park. The sides Villa have faced so far have been on very good form, domestically. They’ve been well-drilled, athletic, mentally tough, and play nice football. Alkmaar, currently unbeaten in league play, have only lost once in their last 15: to Zrinjski. It’s also their sixth consecutive season of European football. And of course Alkmaar were West Ham’s semifinal opponents last year.
So Villa, being somewhat new to this in the current era, are definitely one of the more ‘naive’ squads in the competition, and perhaps among the least ‘settled’ sides. Pair all this with the fact a fair number have tipped us as favorites and we’re a PL side, and we’ve got a fat target on our backs.
Once again, then, I’d like to think Emery will go strong tonight given it’s Luton at the weekend. Don’t want to be disrespectful, but you’d have to think Alkmaar are certainly a better side, and the group-stage stakes are getting a bit higher each match-day. However, since Emery will be thinking our next three league matches are all ones we should be winning (and probably almost have to to cement any real claim in the top half of the top half going forward), rotation may very well be on the cards again, and we’ve seen a bit of what to expect.
While the replacements aren’t bad players, there’s obviously less cohesion, bite and threat, and Emery’s trying to juggle training up that ‘second side’ with progressing and managing other players’ minutes. Thank god he knows what he’s doing. But, he’s only as good as the players’ execution of his ideas.
And this is definitely where mental toughness starts to be a factor. Ollie’s spoken about the disruption to training, the team’s usual weekly rhythm, and then you obviously have very important matches in a long-term effort that require a continued focus every bit as intense as that in the league. But they’re also having to retain that focus for the league, as well, now that performances indicate they can and should be competing for 4th-7th in a very long slog. It’s a lot different than the odd cup tie and hoping for top half.
Anyway, it’s what we’ve all wanted, the players, too, and whoever is out there will need to be on their games. If Youri wants to be a starter, well, here’s another chance to make his case, most likely. Not sure if Jhon Duran will make it, so I’m just going to wait another couple minutes for the team sheet…
And here we are:
Martinez, Cash, Carlos, Lenglet, Digne, Luiz, Kamara, Tielemans, Bailey, McGinn, Watkins
Diaby, Zaniolo, Duran, Konsa and Torres are all available on the bench.
So, a pretty strong starting XI, and a traditional back four. Bit of a risk I suppose with Carlos and Lenglet not having many starts under their belts, but a fair amount of firepower to come on as needed.
Over to you.
The Author
John Clark
John is co-owner of AVL, and has followed the Villa since the '70s. A journalist by trade, he is, by most accounts, a very nice person. You can follow me on Twitter @JClarkKohoutek. It's an astonishing experience. Or a complete waste of time.Comments 38
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Let’s see if that stands…was just slagging him off mentally for the previous chance.
And it does! Well done, Leon.
I was about to slag Bailey off then the sod goes and scores before I can write up the slagging.
SLAG ON!!!!!!!
Haha, jbd. Just keep it up in your mind. Still a long way to go.
Oh yes. Lovely.
Well done, Youri.
Tielemans our back up striker?
Oh Bouba…that should’ve been disaster.
Kamara off – Dendonker on NOW!
😀
Carlos and Lenglet showing good discipline holding the line.
Interesting also to see the fluidity in shape. Having the core on is making a big difference in cohesion.
Bailey the delicate off – Duran on now!
Actually going to compliment Bailey off the ball…he stopped and held up nicely there to preserve the offside.
Emi really is a shithouse
Not bad at all…long stretches in control, took our chances. Couple loose passes, Bouba’s bad idea, but otherwise a good half.
Steady on with the Bailey love in – you know it doesn’t work,
He’s absolutely useless, jbd…one smart decision and a goal won’t change that.
And I really have questioned him a lot…would love for him to really cement himself and prove me all the way wrong.
Brilliant
Curses. Bailey made that one for Watkins – but he did miss his own chance.
Oh my goodness. SJM again!
That Bailey is getting on my nerves – another assist!
Everything that’s wrong with football, jbd.
Bollocks…wanted the clean sheet.
Starting to get a bit careless at the back.
All the starting eleven played a blinder. I would have grudgingly given Bailey motm, but he was only involved in three of the four goals. Next would have been Kamara, but he was sloppy twice on the edge of the penalty area. It will have to be Tielemans for a lot of smooth, sharp and subtle passing movements.
The Villa boys from Aston…..We travel near and far…..
Four star performance for what was a difficult fixture. Another Unai masterclass. We’re on our way.
However, I have to say that the passing out from the back would be shameful from a schoolboy team. It was awful. Kamara in front of his own goal was a disaster waiting to happen. How their CF missed his easy chance after mugging him, I don’t know.
Thought the days of soiling my pants when playing out from the back were over. Not so. There is so much work still needed in that area.
But the T-square straight back line was superb. Lost count of the times we caught them offside.
The bar is open. The ale is flowing. Celebrations have commenced. But I’m expecting a much more difficult game in the return leg at VP.
Overall a fabulous result from a great performance. I wasn’t expecting a clean sheet and the team did not let me down. But it has to be said, their guy who scored was inch perfect with his shot.
Plug,
It did get ragged there for a while, especially at the back. I’m thinking their subs made an energy difference (it all got pretty scrappy), and we seemed mentally to be a bit in cruise-control mode. Which brought everyone under pressure and led to errors and loose passes.
Kamara does often seem to think he has more time on the ball than he really does.
But, given it was our second-string CB pairing, I’ll take it as a good learning experience and it’ll give Emery plenty to work with in training/analysis.
Unbelievable, didn’t see any of the game ,but 4 goals again,
Emery is a master
Luton will be slightly nervous and with no cup match next week maybe a day or 2 off
He’s worked wonders, JG.
I’ve a feeling Luton might be tougher at the weekend after all.
I just watched highlights. Bailey on fire. Delighted for him, he seems such a nice person. Tielemans looks tidy. What was Kamara thinking in the 1st. Can’t be daydreaming inside your own box. Good that Konsa and Pau were rested
Pity Louie Barry tore his hamstring on Saturday. Looks like he was coming good
By any standard, that was a big performance yesterday and a huge result. It was also great to see the away section in delirium. What someone might call a proper away day.
Some bonuses too. Lenglet had an excellent game. The centre pairing of him and Carlos the Jackal, in charge. Bailey also showed he can play away from VP. What was it? One goal and two assists? More like it too from Tielemans.
The games are coming thick and fast. We must now find a way of dismantling the Hatters. Trust Unai will control the chess pieces with perfection.
Some thoughts on the match are now up, aka “fresh page”.