Becoming an all-too-familiar scoreline, that, and, as I feared, a Villa side looking nowhere near themselves yet just weren’t competitive enough. It didn’t necessarily have to be that way, though.

Hard to be positive, but went out after to see some friends for a little backyard grilling, and it helped. I certainly wasn’t in the mood for going anywhere, but sitting and stewing never helps.

Match Itself
Once again, one of those really frustrating days. Thought it started well enough, Villa getting to play their way and fighting in midfield, winning possession back. Then the peno.

Naturally it brought Palace more into the game, but still wasn’t ‘terrible’ until Guehi’s goal. Take your pick between Cash and Konsa receiving more blame (or sharing it equally), but poor either way. Me, I lean toward Konsa playing that very very stupid and almost impossible pass. Just put a boot in it, FFS.

Third goal, you’d like to think Konsa could’ve done better tracking at the back post, and as someone said, a save Martinez might’ve made. There were other chances for Palace, but I didn’t necessarily see a bunch of gilt-edged ones go begging, and a number were definitely the kind you’re going to give up once you’re chasing.

For Villa, once again conceding first with seemingly no real danger afoot really put them at a disadvantage against a side like Palace. Too labored, too slow, too many nearly passes, too little cutting edge.

Tactics and Set-Up
I didn’t necessarily see much wrong in the set-up. Rogers was given his preferred role and room in the middle, Guessand and Malen were wide. Maatsen was in for Digne. It’s what most people have been asking for, as positive as we can be at the moment, and Emery was telling players here’s your chance. No one really took it.

McGinn in the pivot was about the only realistic option alongside Youri with Onana and Kamara out. Maatsen is trickier and faster than Digne, thought not as experienced. Cash, Konsa, Mings, Bizot. Not really anyone else to choose from as Pau just isn’t fast enough. And when he did come on, there wasn’t any notable contribution.

Bringing on Rowe and Bogarde, I’ve no problem with that. No idea what’s up with Garcia, but if he’s not fit enough, give the kid some minutes and I’m guessing Emery knew the game was gone since there were never three goals in us on the day. Not like he was a huge downgrade on Cash.

Performances
Rogers is completely off it and needs to pull his head out if he’s angling for a big move as it’s not coming if he keeps playing the way he has. I can see why Malen has been coming off the bench: as suspected, he isn’t doing enough off the ball, which doesn’t always show up in cameos. Guessand was in a tough spot, not a lot of room to work, though you’d have thought he and Maatsen might’ve made a little more happen. Lots of attempted through-balls that just weren’t good enough. If Ollie had managed to sneak his chance in, who knows, but he’s not seen much of the ball in any useful sense. Thought Buendia added a spark, and didn’t stop fighting, chasing, and harrying.

Youri was okay as was SJM. Konsa? I’m not sure how he’s getting England call-ups, to be honest. Mings has been doing what you expect and it’s interesting that Pau’s been second choice.

Reinforcements arrived at the last minute as we’d hoped, and as of this writing, looks like Martinez will be staying if he doesn’t fancy desert obscurity. I don’t know what that means in the dressing room, given Mings pointedly mentioning, “players who want to be here,” in his post-match comments. But again, that seems to get to the heart of the matter.

I get why players everywhere want moves. Doesn’t necessarily mean they’re unhappy, usually just means they get more money and a chance to win more things. What you would like to see is for them to have their heads on straight like Guehi’s was yesterday. But right or wrong, I still think the nature of this window has been unsettling.

And with Martinez, I find it odd that he’d have his heart set on a move to United. They’re big right now in name only. Money? Okay. But they’re not in Europe, and I’m not sure what’s the point of leaving Villa unless it’s to a Super League side that’s actually playing midweek and aren’t a dysfunctional soap opera. So if it’s money, then as much as we’ve liked him he can fuck off to Saudi and help our finances. Doesn’t appear we were standing in his way. If he ends up staying, he needs to sack up. Me, I’d have been miffed United were trying to sign me on the cheap.

Overall
No, it’s not looked right. We struggled after the opener largely because Palace were knocking it around faster. We didn’t show enough quality when we did break, so we were facing an entrenched side playing just the way they want to. We obviously didn’t show enough quality in that phase to break them down. It’s where you want a moment of magic to jump-start things, and no one’s been anywhere near a wizard’s hat let alone a wand.

When it comes to intangibles, nothing is really breaking our way apart from Elanga’s effort in the opener. The deflected ball that ends up falling perfectly, the odd bounce…they’re just not there. But you can rightly say you make your own luck.

You’ve heard me say this a lot, which is that I don’t know what’s down to instruction and what’s down to the players. Also, and probably more important, that I think Emery has gotten as much out of the old core as anyone can. We’ve been punching above our weight, and if McGinn and others have to be at their absolute best, well, that generally isn’t going to happen week in, week out.

I don’t think Emery wants underhit over overhit passes, and I don’t think he necessarily wants such a slow pace. He’s cautious, yes, and I get the reasoning (turnovers = counters), but the dawdling and predictability without incision…it’s not like we haven’t seen the same players play quicker and sharper under him.

Recruitment? We’ve spent what we can, and clearly everyone in the building was in agreement that the big roll of the dice on Rashford and Asensio was warranted because they knew how important getting CL money again would be. We came up a point short. I’ll also say that Newcastle have been building on a better base than us since we came back up, and Palace had been underachieving for their roster. Glasner has simply got them playing the right way consistently. I’d expected them to be trouble in the league placings long before now.

But just because we could take that gamble in January doesn’t mean we can again. We’ve been up against FFP/PSR for a while, and and now it’s SCR. It’s meant we can’t go get the natural upgrades for Mings, Konsa, and Cash. Onana was big money spent on the right profile, but his injuries have made the return less than we’d have hoped. Maatsen, again, right kind of player for the way Emery wants to play, and the rotation there is something he likes. We could probably use another creative midfielder when it’s not Youri’s day.

We haven’t found the gems yet in the development signings we’ve made, but they have contributed to the bottom line when sold on. Though you’d have to say Duran was a pretty big hit, as was Rogers. Diaby? Who knows what might’ve been if we hadn’t been forced to sell. Malen can score, but needs to up his game. Guessand remains an unknown.

Are Elliott and Sancho the answer? Worth a punt. At least they have experience, deepen the squad, and offer something different. Lindelöf makes for decent insurance. Clearly these were inquiries that flew well below the radar, contingencies for when the transfers we were rumored to be gunning for didn’t come off. Not like Monchi & Co. have been sitting on their hands, though I’d like them to be hitting a little more on the Kosta/Garcia-type signings.

So yeah, it’s a crap start to the season. I have no idea what it means going forward, but the rules boxing us in are what they are. What needs to happen now is for everyone to buckle down, get their heads right, and go do their jobs.

Over to you.