USA Tour: RB Leipzig - August 1 01:00

[The_Steve]

5 hours ago, FLVillan said:

Just back to my hotel from the match.  A few opinions.  

Carlos red card was pure stupidity.  Their forward was winding him up and he took the bait.  If there is one position where we look very shallow it's centre-back. 

Rogers definitely isn't the answer as a backup centre forward.  Even before we went down to ten men his movement was all wrong.  Poorly-timed movement, ponderous and not great when receiving it deeper.  Replaced by Buendia.  Assume that Archer must be on his way out...

Good to see JJ get 30 minutes - looks rusty but minutes in his legs is a good thing...

Barkley isn't as bad as many are making out.  He's still very much adjusting to a new role under Unai.  Yes, poor on their first goal but overall not terrible and did have some positive link up with Pau and others at times.  He has an eye for a pass and sent Bailey racing clear with a brilliant pass, only for Bailey to cut back and run into a cul-de-sac when he could have raced clear.  This will be only his second season as a number six, and his first in a team that wants to build out from the back.  Not time to write him off yet..

Became a training exercise after we went down to ten and the only positive is we didn't concede more.  Finished the match with our 4th choice goalkeeper and two midfielders playing centre back.  To be fair to Dendonker and Bogarde, they did reasonably well.... 

My biggest gripe from tonight:  Every player straight down the tunnel at the end, not even a half-hearted attempt to acknowledge the supporters.  A small crowd yes, but not even a clap in their general direction.  There was about 1-2,000 Villa fans in the ground, most gathered behind the goal and sang their hearts out for 90 minutes, but not a single player made an attempt to even acknowledge them at the final whistle.  Poor, poor, poor...  I'd hazard a guess that many spent very good money (like me and the Mrs) to be there from all over the US - money spent on hotels, flights, transport.... Personally I couldn't care less (I don't go to football to get a clap from the players) but there were families/kids and hard-core fans down there behind the goal who'd have loved to have some kind of acknowledgment from their heroes... 

 

 

Didn’t watch the game so I appreciate your insights from the match live. I do agree that no matter the performance, the lads should acknowledge the fans at a minimum. It’s disappointing to read they did not. 

[Demitri_C]

That looks such a soft 2nd yellow to be honest. But silly of carlos to react. Its only a friendly ffs

[Demitri_C]

Is it true that was Leizpigs first pre season game?

[UpTheVilla26]

6 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Is it true that was Leizpigs first pre season game?

I think it was. 

But then compare their line up to ours. I'd say they played their strongest side for the majority of that game, we are still missing 3 key 1st team players and have a load of new players bedding in. 

Like I said earlier, people read too much into Pre-Season and we know we have a elite manager who will see and know what needs working on. 

I also believe we will dip into the market at least once or twice more. We deffo need a CB on what I've seen. 

It was brilliant to read about Emi Buendia though from the chap who went to the game. Once he's fully fit, with Ollie back in, it's a different story. 

 

[peterw]

Its easy to get het-up and treat this as a usual game when reacting to it but it is important to remember that it is just a friendly. Also, there are so many players (too many?) that we are trying to mould into the way Emery likes to play that it will take time. In the first-half we didn't look like a team that had played together and it was noticeable that Iling Jnr, Barkley, Onana weren't really on it, but that's to be expected. The first goal was poor and we do see that from olsen at times, picking the wrong pass, but that said barkely should have done better with it. As for the second as it comes in it was offside but never mind. Carlos only shoved the player in the chest so shouldn't have gone, but he shouldn't have got drawn into it.

That said, it gave us a great opportunity to have a half practising with a man down and for players to be really strict with their positioning, and we did do well. Dendoncker looked at ease as did Tielemans. Ramsey got 30 mins in, and more mins on the clock for Buendia. 

Disappointing of course on a result side of things but not as important as players getting up to speed.

[tomav84]

funny watching the post match interview, these american journos asking emery about tactical aspects of the game etc and you could tell he just wanted to say "lads, it was a friendly, i don't give a ****"...well he basically did in a manner of speaking

[Demitri_C]

58 minutes ago, UpTheVilla26 said:

I think it was. 

But then compare their line up to ours. I'd say they played their strongest side for the majority of that game, we are still missing 3 key 1st team players and have a load of new players bedding in. 

Like I said earlier, people read too much into Pre-Season and we know we have a elite manager who will see and know what needs working on. 

I also believe we will dip into the market at least once or twice more. We deffo need a CB on what I've seen. 

It was brilliant to read about Emi Buendia though from the chap who went to the game. Once he's fully fit, with Ollie back in, it's a different story. 

 

Thank you. I didnt see any of the game so i can't comment on performances but you would expect us to get at least get a goal. Friendlies or not conceding 6 and scoring 1 in last 2 is not good at all.

I agree about your point about the cb we definitely need another one.

I have concerns about emi buendia. He wss inconsistent before the injury so i have no idea what to expect from him. Hopefully he can get back to his better days

[OutByEaster?]

47 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Thank you. I didnt see any of the game so i can't comment on performances but you would expect us to get at least get a goal. 

I think I'm right in saying we had one shot (from Rogers) and two corners in the whole game - we got nowhere near scoring.

We've got three games left to find some rhythm, Watkins will make a massive difference to that, but we need to get a wriggle on.

[striker]

Haven’t watched any of the games just read the reports here which doesn’t bode well for start of new season. Villa still need 3-4 quality signings or they are going to be embarrassed in the CL.

[holtend4life]

Man City haven’t won a pre season game yet. They’ll win the league.
 

I think perspective is needed a little bit somewhat. FWIW I did see some patterns of play in regards to quick transitions back to front at the start of the first half which boded well (which were extinguished after Bailey's decision making ended any chances being created. Not a dig, it’s pre-season, it happens).

 

 

[RicRic]

Barrenechea looked ok and composed, but im yet to see anything special with him.

Barkley was all over the place should be nowhere near any starting XI

Mcginn just needs sharpening which comes with time, he’ll be back up to speed in no time.

illing JR didn’t do much was more impressed with him last game but even then nothing to shout about.

Onana looks very assured and tidy on the ball probably the stand out.

Carlos well hes done himself zero favours last night 

Bailey looked lost without seeing Watkins

Philogene might aswell had stayed on the bench… INVISIBLE 

Rogers was just alright.

Ramsey looked extremely sharp on the ball and confidently turning into spaces when in possession, one of the stand outs

Maatsen looked sharp but very one sided player he needs the ability to shift sides and use other foot.

Cash looked too vulnerable at times but played ok.

 

 

[RicRic]

19 minutes ago, striker said:

Haven’t watched any of the games just read the reports here which doesn’t bode well for start of new season. Villa still need 3-4 quality signings or they are going to be embarrassed in the CL.

Worth remembering no Watkins,Konsa or Emi but yes we are short of superior quality in some areas

[villabromsgrove]

I watched the game last night and thought that it was used as an extension of our fitness training. I'm guessing that we also trained yesterday morning, as we did before the Columbus game.

Carlos's indiscipline let down his team mates and manager but apart from that it seemed as though Emery's instructions were "play sensibly, work on our routines, and don't get injured!" Watching RB's over aggressive tackling (for a friendly) to come out of the game without injuries is a plus.

Man U lost Yoro and Hojlund in their last friendly to possibly lengthy injuries which is a real headache for them, so for us adding fitness while staying injury free has to be the priority.

[TRO]

I am not going read too much in to pre season games, but in the same breath, I am not ignoring defeats either.

It a dangerous road to go down, making allowances for losing, for an ambitious club.

I too think Central Defence needs looking at…..and we still have an intrinsic trait of losing control of balls, when in possession….sadly with us they, seem to always result in conceding.

There are many factors, to give us comfort, and suggest it’s just early days, but too many defeats, affect confidence, and a slippery slope, can appear.

Its fair to say that until the real games start, I guess cases of mitigation will be sought.

Losing is not a good optic and I hope Unai is learning much about, the incidents leading up to these sadly sloppy goals against.

I accept many will, choose to turn to the lack of goals, but 2x 0-0’s would not have disappointed me.

the seemingly popular suggestion of another, dominating CB might help.

Ah well, onward we go, let’s just  hope fitness is the main reason.

[peterw]

There was no problem really at centre back so far as the first goal was Barkley losing possession, and the second came from a ball out wide that would have been flagged as offside if it were a proper game with VAR. Up to then Torres and Carlos were pretty comfortable. That no-one has come out and stated their disappointment at the Leipzig player feigning a blow to the head (for those that didn't see it think Bamford and El Ghazi) in a friendly game shows how low down this is in the priorities compared to getting players and the structures right, rather than the result.

Yes we didn't score but against Columbus we did have chance (as well as the goal Archer was clean through and tried to go round the keeper, but lost it). And the sending off killed any attacking intent we had as did the fact that in the second half our forward line was Buendia and Philogene. 

You have to remember that in the WC last year Emery used the 6 week period to drill the players into how  he wanted us to play and that's what got us going. These games are wholly for the likes of Barkley, Philogene, Onana, Iling Jnr, Barrenechea, Maatsen, Zych, the Serbian right-back), Gauci to get used to the system. It also gives Buendia and Ramsey minutes, and allows us to have a good look at Feeney, Bogarde, Dobbins. 

Yes, we all want to see us winning but I genuinely don't think that's the overall objective rather than assimilating the newbies into the squad. There's a lot of new faces and getting used to each other and what the manager wants takes time. Its also probably why we have so many friendlies lined up in such a short space of time.

[Marka Ragnos]

8 hours ago, Herman22 said:

I didn’t stay up to watch this one. And I’m glad I didn’t. The red card ruined ir as a contest. Looking at the Carlos “red card” I think if he quite embarrassed if I was a Red Bull supporter today. Carlos pats him on the stomach and he goes down holding his face. 

I wonder about the mentality of a player who will cheat so openly in a pre season friendly. I blame Carlos for not defending well, I don’t think there’s any blame for the sending off. That’s down to a pathetic player and a weak ref who’s bought the dive. 

 

Interesting video, thanks for sharing. Carlos was cuffing RB players almost continually. If you're going to throw arms around, you need to know how to do it, and he was just lapsing into violence. The Red Bull players finally had had enough. That big altercation was all about Carlos. Yes, the Red Bull player dived like a dying opera diva, but it doesn't take away from Carlos' immaturity.

[tyklip]

7 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

That looks such a soft 2nd yellow to be honest. But silly of carlos to react. Its only a friendly ffs

I was there and Carlos' shenanigans were dumb and he definitely deserved to be sent off. I don't like players making bad decisions in any time, but in a friendly, it makes even less sense. Admittedly, I'm salty because I went to some trouble to get me and my son there, hoping to see a decent run out, maybe a goal or two, but instead sat through Villa playing with 10 men for 60 min.  

[Marka Ragnos]

1 hour ago, peterw said:

There was no problem really at centre back so far as the first goal was Barkley losing possession, and the second came from a ball out wide that would have been flagged as offside if it were a proper game with VAR. Up to then Torres and Carlos were pretty comfortable. That no-one has come out and stated their disappointment at the Leipzig player feigning a blow to the head (for those that didn't see it think Bamford and El Ghazi) in a friendly game shows how low down this is in the priorities compared to getting players and the structures right, rather than the result.

I mostly agree. No excuses, but the spikes on Barkley's boot literally lost purchase on the pitch, and in a split second, the Leipzig player (Openda?)  weaved around him. Badda-bing. Goal. It took one second. The Red Bull players have a clear counterattacking system that relies on over the heads on the wings and through balls up the middle, and it requires our defenders to make dangerous stop-starts -- the kind of thing that can also lead to ACL injuries. We were playing Brazilian street on defense too often and terribly disjointed in offense, and after the red, we had no striker at all.

Based on evidence of this test, I can see why people would be worried, but I'm not super concerned. There is so much quality out there. Emery will make his final squad choices, and we'll see the nuclear fusion process begin. Sorry to harp on it, but again, just so haoppy to see Emi Buendia buzzing around the pitch in the rain.

Edited August 1 by Marka Ragnos

[Marka Ragnos]

These lads kept trying to organise runs down the right but Leipzig were so fast, and Jaden couldn't seem to complete a link to any attacking midfielders. It really appeared to me that players were still working out tactics. Jaden is talented. I couldn't see anyone making themselves ready to receive passes from him. No a football expert here, so I can only tell you what I saw. He seemed marooned, similar to Bailey in first half.

Edited August 1 by Marka Ragnos

[Marka Ragnos]

I don't know how to express the incredible calmness and  buttery fluidity of our Spanish left center-back. He's so physically slight seeming, but when he faces off with the opposition, he makes fools of them. He's like a jujitsu expert. He seems to use the movement of his opposition against them. Such a talent!

Edited August 1 by Marka Ragnos