7 minutes ago, Frawdulant said:

Not sure he’ll survive this one. That said it’s new ownership so you never know, but this feels very game over to me.

Sadly no chance. Our owners are up to some weird sh*t we’ll never understand and sacking this fruitcake manager is not something they’ll do. And even if they did, we’d get another weird one and whoever is the coach will continue to get kids to use. Clusterf**k.

Just now, Snedger said:

Sadly no chance. Our owners are up to some weird sh*t we’ll never understand and sacking this fruitcake manager is not something they’ll do. And even if they did, we’d get another weird one and whoever is the coach will continue to get kids to use. Clusterf**k.

Till we don’t get better players we won’t win.. Pep and City know this that’s why they spent 700mil in two windows..

WTF did I just see? A manager making changes with the game still in the balance so as to rest them for the next game.

Might as well have Coco the Clown making tactical decisions.

5 minutes ago, TheCeleryKing said:

did Palmer need resting? He was doing fine.

Garnacho really wasn't doing enough - but why Gittens - you just bring on the Esta-wow!

Too many changes at the wrong time - poor substitution decision making and poor game management and just bad/poor decisions from the manager.

One of Gitten's few strengths is crosses and our best header of the ball was taken off in Joao Pedro, you couldn't make this up it seems like panic.

Yeah we need to buy some better players but in the meantime we need to play the ones we've got.

Just now, Jangz said:

Till we don’t get better players we won’t win.. Pep and City know this that’s why they spent 700mil in two windows..

That’s why this is such a mess. City have one clear main objective; to win.

It’s not clear what ours is, but it definitely is not winning.

We’ll never sign the players needed to win a league title, that much is clear.

Just now, Snedger said:

That’s why this is such a mess. City have one clear main objective; to win.

It’s not clear what ours is, but it definitely is not winning.

We’ll never sign the players needed to win a league title, that much is clear.

Agreed. We will continue to sell off any assets (e.g. homegrown players) to raise money for the next promising youngsters. What we desperately need is a few proven, experienced players to help mentor the youngsters and we won't get that with a current project.

21 minutes ago, Zola_25Fan said:

Bring in JT for the rest of the season!

And Silva

Did anyone hear any reaction in the stadium at full time?

I get the sense that the season ticket holders are still supportive of the owners and their various appointments.

We are in real danger of becoming the next Leeds utd.. these are incompetent people who don’t care about the club and it’s history .. blueco and winstanley out for me.. they are the real enemy.

we were almost there and then he f**ked it again!!

Edited December 27, 2025Dec 27 by fun2sh

Is the slap head gone yet

18 minutes ago, 2211 said:

1-1 at home and no chance of seeing Palmer & Stevo together.

Far too risky to go and try and win the match eh Maresca??

Crazy that we are going into January and these two have barely played a minute together. I know Palmer has been injured, but there has been opportunities to put those two in the team together, but Maresca refuses to do it. He would rather go with head down Neto who's only real talent is his speed.

Rotation will be the end of Maresca. Whether he rotates when he starts games. Or rotates in the middle of games. He just rotates himself into a mess.

Season is effectively now a battle for fifth place. And who really cares anyway? Just to keep the accountants happy while we go backwards as a club.

I didn't go today, forwarded my ticket to a friend. Didn't watch it. Listened to the first half and we sounded superb .

Went out. Got home and wasn't even surprised when I saw the result. Villa have come from behind a few times recently.

Just heard that Palmer looked furious when he can off .?? Why were we so poor in the second half after what sounded like a very dominant display against a good Villa team ??

1 minute ago, Dr. Socrates said:

Rotation will be the end of Maresca. Whether he rotates when he starts games. Or rotates in the middle of games. He just rotates himself into a mess.

Season is effectively now a battle for fifth place. And who really cares anyway? Just to keep the accountants happy while we go backwards as a club.

Some of his rotation is enforced due to the condition of certain players (e.g. managing time for Reece) but I have to wonder how much he is being pressured by SD's to play certain fringe players to justify their signings and/or put them in the shop window?

8 minutes ago, fun2sh said:

we were almost there and then he f**ked it again!!

When you consider the players that we had under Glenn Hoddle that is a low bar.

Another 90 minutes where you'd think you'd never see the likes of Badiashille, Enzo snd Garnacho play in a big game again, and never give Maresca another chance to pick them.

Unfortunately we are a club in as much touch with rational decision making as the world of football stats.

36 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

The f**k happened at half time.

Emery changed tactics. They played the first half insanely narrow, nothing like they usually do, giving us acres of space. Which we wasted mainly courtesy of our wingers and poor finishing. Second half Emery reverted to their usual tactics using width and wing backs. The bald fraud was caught out tactically. Surprise surprise.

2 minutes ago, forbzy said:

When you consider the players that we had under Glenn Hoddle that is a low bar.

61 home league games for Hoddle vs only 28 for Maresca too ... they do Hoddle a huge dis-service by even trying to make this comparison ...

Unless Fofana was injured I don’t see why you’d start Badiashile in a game like this. Or why you’d even pick Badiashile over Acheampong. And then, with the game in the balance, all you have to do is bring on Santos and Estevao. Not Gittens and Gusto. It’s really just baffling how wrong Maresca gets it every time.

For 60 minutes it was our best match this season.

I hate to admit it but Maresca made some mindless changes as an Italian coach, made only to change someone but not something.

He didn't even try to get Palmer to play with Estevao and he put on the pitch Delap, clearly out of shape and whose attitude I didn't like even at the end of the match.

Anyway, it is clear that something has finally cracked and that Maresca is currently in a selfish confusion.

P.S. It's unbearable that Sky's microphones are placed under the Villa supporters section. Our choirs/songs were never heard.

42 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

These commentators are fking morons as well. We weren't brilliant in the first half. Far from it. The quality of our passing, control , crossing and link up play is horrendous. It's two bob West Ham level football.

I listened to the first half on the radio and it sounded like we were playing Holland's total football , prime tiki taki , and a brilliant possession game, with Villa chasing shadows, all over the pitch !.

The manager is clearly not at the level required but the recruitment is disgraceful.. look at arsenal there backup defenders would be our best defenders that’s the levels whilst we’re left with a crocked fofana sh*t Tosin, Badiashille🤐and Chalobah who we tried to force out.

1 minute ago, The Rising Sun said:

I listened to the first half on the radio and it sounded like we were playing Holland's total football , prime tiki taki , and a brilliant possession game, with Villa chasing shadows, all over the pitch !.

We were good but Villa weren’t at it at all. Same old story as soon as we concede the players sh*t the bed and can’t cope.