Is a 6-0 defeat a lack of respect for the travelling fans?

[Joel]

Brain, you capture my thoughts completely.

Never a truer word spoken.

[Archie]

There's no need for that.  I was at the game today, I don't want my money back and Archie, who is Italian and who we met in Vienna, may not have expressed his English too well, and Brian who is one  of our most esteemed posters deserves more respect off people than that. 

[O.T.: Villajk, you legend! After meeting up in Wien, my mate told me that you, Pauline, Frank, etc. gave him a fantastic lesson of what Aston Villa represent, a classy, traditional, club with loyal, passionate (he was impressed to see that you remembered the result and the scorers of a 1971-72 Third Division's game ), competent and friendly fans. The players can be crap but the AVFC fans are by far the best in the world. ]

[Rudy Can't Fail]

What I can't stomach and what couldn't have been noticeable by the travelling support was Downing's attitude coming off the pitch at the final whistle.  There he was, smiling and exchanging pleasantries with a Newcastle player.  Disgraceful! absolutely disgraceful.  If I had of been anywhere near him I'd have kicked him in the bollocks.

You'd have a job, he hasn't got any. Grade A wimp.

[frank]

Archie, I feel great sympathy for your members who had such a long journey from Italy for such a gutless performance. Those who went to Hamburg or, especially, Moscow felt badly let down by MON's team selection. Today was a different matter. The line-up was just about the strongest we have available and, hearing it announced while having a drink with some Newcastle fans before the game, we felt very confident and they were quite nervous. I don't think that the wretched display that followed showed a lack of respect for the fans, it was more a lack of self-respect. This was a thoroughly unprofessional performance, lacking commitment, energy, skill, passion and the most basic tactical awareness. It was one of the most inept displays I've ever witnessed from a Villa team and I'm sorry that the Latin Lions had the misfortune to watch it.

[Archie]

Hi Frank, I agree that the line-up was the strongest possible today, judging ex ante.
Infact, I absolutely don't blame MAC, who not only played the best starting XI but had even rested half team  during the week.
My point is that the players, with their absolute lack of consistency, fighting spirit, determination and committment to the shirt lacked respect to the fans. But you are right also when you write that such  a sort of wretched performance was first of all a lack of respect for themselves.
As far as the Latin Lions trip is concerned, no problem, we manage to attend about 10-12 away games every season, so we'll have occasions to make up. . . 

[Archie]

Archie, I feel great sympathy for your members who had such a long journey from Italy for such a gutless performance. Those who went to Hamburg or, especially, Moscow felt badly let down by MON's team selection. Today was a different matter. The line-up was just about the strongest we have available and, hearing it announced while having a drink with some Newcastle fans before the game, we felt very confident and they were quite nervous. I don't think that the wretched display that followed showed a lack of respect for the fans, it was more a lack of self-respect. This was a thoroughly unprofessional performance, lacking commitment, energy, skill, passion and the most basic tactical awareness. It was one of the most inept displays I've ever witnessed from a Villa team and I'm sorry that the Latin Lions had the misfortune to watch it.

Hi Frank, I agree that the line-up was the strongest possible today, judging ex ante.
Infact, I absolutely don't blame MAC, who not only played the best starting XI but had even rested half team  during the week.
My point is that the players, with their absolute lack of consistency, fighting spirit, determination and committment to the shirt lacked respect to the fans. But you are right also when you write that such  a sort of wretched performance was first of all a lack of respect for themselves.
As far as the Latin Lions trip is concerned, no problem, we manage to attend about 10-12 away games every season, so we'll have occasions to make up. . . 

[SteveD]

"Lack of self-respect" and "unprofessional" sums it up and is far more worrying. Shocking ineptitude regarding the basics; and Newcastle demonstrated that you can quickly bridge a perceived quality gap in this league with commitment and a little team ethic - when the opposition's is so lacking. I'll take any result, freak or otherwise, if the team has given 100% and tried to focus, but that was clearly absent today.

As for respecting the fans, players applauding or acknowledging those who travelled - couldn't care less - do you really need to feel their love after that? We all know they're in the bar afterwards, showing each other their Rolexes, comparing agents; it's a job; we're only living it 24hrs a day for the rest of our lives...

[tonyh]

The broken spirit and broken camp was there for all to see yesterday.

After MON's departure my guess is that the headstrong characters will have taken over the player power mentality. This would suit some and not others.

The dispirited performance was akin to players being on strike or taking industrial action. They didnt perform or play to their expected heights and instead just showed up for work.

One thing that MON did was to make sure most players gave 100% and sadly that was lacking today.

As much as I admire RL and his team, at the moment they have one hell of a mess to sort out.

[taylorsworkrate]

Every single player today was crap. Ive been going 44 years and today was up there with some notable shockers. But the term lack of respect implies that they deliberately went out to be crap. Thats the same sort of nonsense as people who are demanding refunds on the generals thread.

Why is asking for a refund nonsense?  These days we are constantly reminded that football is a business.  If a business sells a product that is quite clearly below the minimum standard required, they have an obligation to the people who paid for it.

[amfy]

My mate said he saw online that the Premier League were investigating Barton's celebration... he claimed it was a borderline "Nazi salute"... anyone else hear that? Can't find it anywhere.

He was waving goodbye to his tash. (I think pretty much everyone knows that they'd all said they wouldn't shave their tashes till they won a game) Don't worry - he produces enough genuinely knobbish behaviour to keep us occupied.

[Stu]

Every single player today was crap. Ive been going 44 years and today was up there with some notable shockers. But the term lack of respect implies that they deliberately went out to be crap. Thats the same sort of nonsense as people who are demanding refunds on the generals thread.

Why is asking for a refund nonsense?  These days we are constantly reminded that football is a business.  If a business sells a product that is quite clearly below the minimum standard required, they have an obligation to the people who paid for it.

Yep, we are sold a 'product' and if it isn't good enough then we should be refunded. If they want to call it a business then lets have it fucking straight. Ticket prices are a complete piss-take as it is, to be served up that shit is totally unacceptable.

[andrew08]

Why do people get so sensitive about this 'better fan than you' nonsense.

Everyone knows that its the post count thats important on here not games actually attended !