PSG v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[RichardBatchelor]

I was at the game. Live in France and couldn’t get a ticket in the Villa end, so was in the Boulogne stand which was quite intense, right next to the Villa fans.

PSG are a fantastic team and fair play to them and Enrique, I like their players, especially that Georgian fella.

But the club is so tacky. Some aggressive fans, a tacky announcer, who actually gees fans up during the game, which I found pathetic, the Auteuil end trying to scare us with a skull (admittedly well designed) was woeful, as was the constant drumming and their mostly awful songs. The bloke behind me seemed to get off on calling Martinez a bitch throughout, and his cackle hurt my ears. The fireworks were tacky as hell too. If we don’t get past them, which is the most likely scenario, I hope Arse knock them out.

For the sake of balance, we had a couple of utter knobheads who spent more time sticking their fingers up at PSG fans than actually watching us. Not threatening, but total idiots and tedious.

Strange experience overall but a good bond with my son, his first Villa game.

[Percy McCarthy]

I prefer Mings to Torres, but let's be clear, the opposition matters. Mings hasn't been up against this PSG team.

All three goals came from the other side, too. Pau played well.

Agree on all points. I prefer Mings, and I also think Konsa is our best right-back. But I thought Pau & Konsa were alright tonight.

Agree too, so if you think Konsa is our best right back, and you prefer Mings to Pau, then who do you play in the Centre?

Exactly. Konsa/Mings is our best CB partnership, so it’s a hard one.

[RichardBatchelor]

One thing I will say Ax at right back is not a good option.

Amen! I imagine Emery took Cash out because he was on a yellow, but Disasi is not a great replacement. Who knew that I would rather have Garcia available than Disasi?

It was a mistake in my book. Disasi couldn’t cope first with the Georgian bloke (though he was brilliant) and then with Barcola. He wasn’t all bad, but he’s better in the middle.

[brontebilly]

We also seemed to lack leadership out there , that's the bit where we missed Mings for sure .

I only saw last 30 mins or so tonight but I'm not sure how Mings helps matters. They don't play with a typical striker for Mings to get stuck into, they are pressing hard from the front so Mings would have struggled with that. It's an elite football team who probably win it out.

In saying all that Id play Mings in the home leg and Watkins too. Push up higher and put them under pressure Jack Charlton style from the first minute. From what I saw, Rashford wasnt offering anything up top. Back to goal play really isn't up to it.

Score first again and the tie is back on.

[Drummond]

Lovely cuddly Villa fans throwing a pint at my head x

Hope you're ok?

[Drummond]

They were really good in, and out, of possession. They scored three exceptional goals, which were very hard to defend against. We respected them, held them until the very end. Then third goal makes it harder, but it's not impossible.

At 2-1 we'd need to win by 2 to go through, now those 2 goals will just take us to extra time and penalties, at home with Emi Martinez in net.

So it's far from over. We have a group of players who can create and score goals. Now we've played them, we know them better. They've not played at Villa Park before.

There was talk of accepting 2-0 beforehand, it feels worse because we conceded right at the end. Of course we're still in it, we can go for it if we need to, and let's have some fun next week.

[The Left Side]

We did it against Tranmere, we can do it with these lot... they are almost the same.

[Drummond]

We did it against Tranmere, we can do it with these lot... they are almost the same.

They're better than Tranmere. We're better than us.

[JD]

We need a Tranmere night next Tuesday.

[Hillbilly]

I've had a premonition that we'll win the second leg 4-1.

Anyway. Not wanting to second guess Emery, we'd have been better served with Watkins starting up front and going route one. PSG clearly press from the front and the best way to deal with that is a hardworking nuisance forward and pop it over the top to turn the opposition. You may lose possession but it's better to do that up the field than near your own box.

[Rory]

The Champions League is meant to be about 'special nights'. We'll need a special night at VP. So what?

They're a very good side and the odds are against us but we're still in it. A goal in the first ten minutes at VP and who knows.

[LeonW]

Third goal was a kick in a teeth…but it’s far from over. 

McGinn was immense. To play like that in the champions league is a testament to his journey.

Rodgers very impressive with little support at times.

Rashford was obviously going to see little of the ball. But was disappointing when he had it. These are the games we brought him in for.

Diasi was awful at first but steadied himself.

Kamara (I never thought I’d write this) not good today.

[Perthvillan]

I know the result is disappointing, especially conceding the third goal so late but after watching the game I just felt so proud of our team.
I think they stuck to Unai's game plan and defensively we were very solid.
I thought that even though the result went against us, we performed better than Liverpool did in Paris.
We are just playing at the very peak of world club football and they are a great team.
Evidently a class above us right now.
Football is a funny game though and
if we can just get the first goal next week, you never know.
UTV

[PhilVill]

We're still in this but we'll need to put in the same sort of performance that we have done against Man City at home for the last two seasons. We have to take our game to them, at pace. If we're passive, we'll go out with a whimper.

[eye digress]

The bloke behind me seemed to get off on calling Martinez a bitch throughout, and his cackle hurt my ears.

I thought it was quite funny. They were all singing it. Very simple chant we could hijack to great and amusing effect.