Aston Villa v Chelsea Post-Match Thread

[ktvillan]

I thought it was a good battling point.  We were a bit fortunate at times but so were they.  Just like at Spurs a brilliant first 15 minutes, decent rest of first half then we seemed to run out of ideas second half.  At least we didnt resort to hoofing it and we defended well mostly.

Ireland showed some nice touches but seemed lost at times,  He really should have scored early doors as should NRC late on.  Carew looks a spent force.  Downing was great first half but faded badly, Warnock was good again, and Beye did okay I thought.

Clark didnt look out of his depth, and the fact he was preferred to Cuellar perhaps suggests Houllier likes his CBs to have a bit of ability on the ball.

Fairly satisfied except Albion are still above us.

[PaulTheVillan]

Happy with the point. Downing did well, Beye slotted in well and Collinsnwas very vocal. Clark did well, would of had money on Cuellar coming on.

[Irish villain]

I thought Ireland always looked like he could do something special. He's such a clever player and thinks so quick. I admit he wasn't out best player but considering how little first team football he's had I thought he was promising.

Good result and we had our chances. I think we have a lot to look forward to over the enxt few months as I think we will get better and better.

[Rigadon]

This is how the 'neutral' viewed it:

By BBC's Kevin Darling

"A below-par Chelsea edged into a five-point lead at the top of the table after being held by dogged Aston Villa."

I don't normally get perturbed with media-hates-villa stuff.  But that is re-writing history.  Were Chelsea really 'held' by dogged Villa?  We had all the best chances, Chelsea had more possession . A draw was a fair result. 

[Tony]

That's the happiest I've been with the defence all season, at times I felt we were too deep but we really dug in.

Petrov is looking too slow at times but he also managed to get stuck in and NRC, well, it was as someone earlier said, impressive that at that stage he had the energy for that burst but he seems to cack himself when he has the chance to score.

Ireland drifted in and out, he should have scored early doors, it was also a corking move.

Fair result, Chelsea battered us in terms of possession second half but we definitely created the most clear cut chances.

[Rigadon]

Tony, good point about the defence.  But, does anybody else notice that Warnock slips over EVERY SINGLE GAME?  Is it his boots or what? 

[eastie]

Maybe GED wanted to take a good look at Clark in a match like this, I feel sorry for cuellar but GED liked rotating his team at Liverpool and it is refreshing to see everyone given a chance.
He has to take a look at what he has here and then decide who he needs to buy and the likes of luke , Clark, albrighton, bannan, heskey and reo-coker have all taken that chance to impress,  beye looked solid today.

We are in need of a quality finisher and creative midfielder for sure but we have a decent squad in the main and I see good times ahead of us.

[Dave]

Maybe GED wanted to take a good look at Clark in a match like this, I feel sorry for cuellar but GED liked rotating his team at Liverpool and it is refreshing to see everyone given a chance.

Just to take it slightly off-topic for a moment, what does GED stand for?

[eastie]

Short for gerard,dave!

[Dave]

Short for gerard,dave!

Oh, so Ged?

Got you. Losing the capitals will make it a bit more obvious.

[olaftab]

Just back. Dreadful game.Petrov was hopeless, Downing was good.

You serious? What game were you watching? Petrov had the best 90 minutes for a long time.

[Legion]

Good game. Overall a fair result. What could have been had the early chance been taken and/or NRC taken his chance at the end.

Just how Petrov was voted MoM is beyond me. He was OK but Collins and Reo-Coker were far better. Downing also impressed.

[eastie]

For some reason the iPod seems to make GED into capitals when typing  it dave , but I take your point , same as it always puts a capital in Reading- strange iPod.

Several good performances but I would have given the champers to downing , I thought he was top class today with passing , workrate and effort.

[Dave]

For some reason the iPod seems to make GED into capitals when typing  it dave , but I take your point , same as it always puts a capital in Reading- strange iPod.

Understood.

Ignore me then, it's clearly trying to give you an acronym for something. General Educational Development if the first result on Google is anything to go by.

[TheSandman]

Isn't it the name for average grades in the American education system?

They always go on about 'GEDs of 4.8' or some lark on this American high school dramas.

Don't get the Petrov bashing. Though he was very good like Downing and Reo Coker.