Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Dave on May 30, 2015, 07:19:17 PM
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Presumably the highlight of John Gregory's day is that he is no longer in charge of the most gutless Villa FA Cup Final performance.
Rubbish across the pitch, but feel particularly sorry for Guzan.
Actually, feel more sorry for those who made the trip, hope the match didn't detract too much from the day out.
See you all in 2030.
Apologies for the thread title. Feel free to change it if anybody wants to.
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Just fuck off
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Humiliating. This club needs to spend money. Fast.
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****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ****** ******
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0 for every single player other than Richardson who got 6 or 7. They were a fucking disgrace to the club today. We've been embarrassed on an international stage.
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Fuck off you cockney fucking ******
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Such a savage disappointment
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2 cup finals 15 years apart.
My feeling at full time in both?......... meh
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So the shameful memory of 2000 has been replaced by that utter fucking disgrace of a shambles.
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really really sad. don't feel like they even realized the magnitude of the situation. i'm sad and let down. goodbye trophy.
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Horrible shit from the Villa we all know. Disgraceful.
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Come off it. We played against a team with world class players who were full of confidence. Our team has average players who on the day couldn't bridge the gulf. So to use the language above just isn't on IMO
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Could we not just delete this thread. What is there left to say about how shit we have been for almost all of this season?
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I am sure quite a few new Arsenal fans were made today as the world watched the game. More top 4 fans. Very fucking nice for them. No sane neutral would ever consider supporting Villa after that embarrassment though would they? Well done lads, a nice colossal fuck up.
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Gutted for all those who paid good money to see absolutely no fight from us whatsoever. You can't conjure skill out of nothing - but at least you can fight. I expected at least that.
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I er... I er.. I ...
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Bollocks. We didn't turn up. They did. They were always gonna win if they did play to their best, but the fact we made it so easy was fucking annoying.
Club needs some seriously weeding. For the love of McGrath, please someone buy us. No more of this complete and utter quality-less dross.
Aside from Richardson, who gave his all, the rest were bobbins.
The worst part of all this? Having to listen to the media spunking themselves silly over bloody Arsenal who did the nation a favour by being their brilliant selves and beating the wastes of space, undeserving of oxygen that were put in front of them in place of the mighty Liverpool.
Must say though, Sanchez (Alexis of course) and Cazorla are exceptional players. We haven't got one player even fit to polish their bastard boots.
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Why didn't they shoot?
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Come off it. We played against a team with world class players who were full of confidence. Our team has average players who on the day couldn't bridge the gulf. So to use the language above just isn't on IMO
On that basis, why bother to play any matches at all? All we wanted was to give it a go. We didn't and we were embarrassingly shit. The quality of our football was Division 4 standard.
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Never expected a win, we've finished 17th this season and been in a relegation battle far too long. Arsenal are on a different planet compared to us in terms of club, players and finances.
Hoped for an upset but getting to the final was like winning it for me this season with all the crap we've put up with.
Gutted we didn't perform like we have done, players from midfield not running past Benteke, not shooting....just looking miffed in ideas.
Here's to next season and hope.
Oh and to the ones who will come on slagging off Sherwood, you know nothing about football.
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As said in match thread I'd rather has lost to WBA then have to sit through this on national TV.
It was not surprising though we have been utter shit since we confirmed place in league thats not 11 goals conceded and 1 scored in the last 3 games.I like Sherwood but fucking hell he needs to get this sorted over pre-season.
I also feel for Grealish who tried his bollox off in that 2nd half and had no support in an attacking sense.Benteke looked isolated and as he he did under Lambert earlier in season , in fact the whole the team as a whole has moved backwards in last 2 weeks.
Special mention for N'zogbia who was utterly shit and how in the name of fuck he gets a game yet Gil can't make the bench is beyond me.
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Very good team with excellent players beat better than average team with average manager.
We'll see how good Sherwood really is now.
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Come off it. We played against a team with world class players who were full of confidence. Our team has average players who on the day couldn't bridge the gulf. So to use the language above just isn't on IMO
So worse players have never beaten better players before?
Chelsea had world-class players and were full of confidence when Bradford turned up earlier in the season. As did Man City when Middlesbrough beat them.
If it were just a case of "which team has better players" why did we even bother sending a team today?
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Benteke for Arsenal? Not a chance on todays display to be honest.
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A 12-0 aggregate thrashing over the season would perhaps suggest that there is a rather large gulf in class between the two clubs.
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Very good team with excellent players beat better than average team with average manager.
We'll see how good Sherwood really is now.
Honestly we need a whole new back line. Someone with a bit of nous in midfield too.
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Come off it. We played against a team with world class players who were full of confidence. Our team has average players who on the day couldn't bridge the gulf. So to use the language above just isn't on IMO
On that basis, why bother to play any matches at all?
Looks like my post above has been posted already.
Hope that pub of Arsenal fans wasn't too horrendous.
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A 12-0 aggregate thrashing over the season would perhaps suggest that there is a rather large gulf in class between the two clubs.
Not class. Maybe money, maybe players, but not class, never.
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Come off it. We played against a team with world class players who were full of confidence. Our team has average players who on the day couldn't bridge the gulf. So to use the language above just isn't on IMO
So worse players have never beaten better players before?
Chelsea had world-class players and were full of confidence when Bradford turned up earlier in the season. As did Man City when Middlesbrough beat them.
If it were just a case of "which team has better players" why did we even bother sending a team today?
Realistically though the better players, costing £40 million to buy and are being paid £100,000 plus a week will 8-9 times out of 10 beat the team who don't have.
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We just looked like lower league minnows on the big stage. Again. Disappointing and I worry about next season now given the manner of the loss today.
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Somehow - unfathomably - even worse than 15 years ago.
But, by Christ , far, far more painful .
Wankers
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We just looked like lower league minnows on the big stage. Again. Disappointing and I worry about next season now given the manner of the loss today.
I don't think we stay up without a new owner to be honest.
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Christ some on here need to get into the real world, they have beaten us twice this season before today scoring three and five goals why do you think that is? it isn't that the Villa players didn't try it was that they came across a team that is stronger in every position and who played at their top. The gap is that large it could have been double figures, what the game clearly showed is that unless a lot of money is spent we will struggle next season Sherwood got the players up for a few games which saved us but we are a bloody awful team.I just look forward in hope that Lerner has a buyer who will spend.
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This is going to sting for a long time. Need new owners and a completely new squad. I'd keep Grealish and that's it.
no corners or shot on target is frankly shameful
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A Grand Canyonesque gulf in class today. Our whole midfield looked off the pace, Benteke's was poor, thee defence held out or as long as they could but they just couldnt hold up to the relentless pressure.
No out ball to relieve pressure, dreadfully poor in crossing positions gave Tekers nothing to work with, Given poor on their 2nd goal which killed us, didn't win any second balls all game so never got into the game by building any pressure at all, 2 stonewall penalty shouts waved away by a Ref that gave us nothing all game, tactically hesitant.
Other than that it went pretty well.
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Benteke for Arsenal? Not a chance on todays display to be honest.
Lots of scheduled calls to Villa HQ on Monday for his services have now been cancelled.
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I dont mind losing, Arsenal were quality but ZERO shots on goal is a disgrace.
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Come off it. We played against a team with world class players who were full of confidence. Our team has average players who on the day couldn't bridge the gulf. So to use the language above just isn't on IMO
So worse players have never beaten better players before?
Chelsea had world-class players and were full of confidence when Bradford turned up earlier in the season. As did Man City when Middlesbrough beat them.
If it were just a case of "which team has better players" why did we even bother sending a team today?
Realistically though the better players, costing £40 million to buy and are being paid £100,000 plus a week will 8-9 times out of 10 beat the team who don't have.
Fully agree - nine times out of ten they will win the match.
But it doesn't have be nine times out of ten that they just turn up and roll over the other team.
I was fully expecting us to lose from the start - I wasn't expecting us to turn up with a bad team selection, bad tactics and for most of the players to not really bother to do anything about the players in yellow running around them.
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We started with the wrong team. Sherwood fell between two stools, We either play our own game with Bacuna at right back or worry about Arsenal and pack midfield. What we don't do is sacrifice a big part of our attacking ability but stick with a diamond midfield.
We probably lost this game two weeks ago against Southampton. All the good things we did against Liverpool, all the confident flowing football, was conspicuously absent. What little forward possession we had was wasted with an obsession on knocking high balls towards Benteke.
Richardson did well, Okore was our man of the match and it's hard to choose from the others who came third.
I wonder how many of those players have played their last game for the club. Benteke may be off, Cleverley may still prefer Everton and surely it is time to accept that it's time to move on from players like NZogbia and Hutton.
You have to wonder with that ref how much better than Arsenal we would have had to be to get a result today. The penalty decisions could not have been more wrong.
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Arsenal just battered us from start to finish....the tone was started in the first 20 minutes when we were scared to leave the halfway line.
Yes Arsenal are quality but we made it too easy for them today, if teams like Reading and Wigan can take them to extra time we should really be capable of it or at least keeping the scoreline a bit.
Team just didn't believe from the first minute today, so sad for our fans who were brilliant today. We deserve a better team sometimes.
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I dont mind losing, Arsenal were quality but ZERO shots on goal is a disgrace.
This is the biggest thing for me.
My hope for the match was that Arsenal would bottle it, and us with nothing to lose would play with freedom. The opposite happened. Making for probably the most pathetically one sided cup final in many years. It was like Bradford-Swansea in the LC a couple of years back.
If we give it a go and lose, fair enough. You can hold your hands up and say we couldn't have done anything more and Arsenal are a million miles better. But we didn't do enough. Not nearly.
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We always needed Aresenal to be off their game and all our side needed to be 9/10. It wasn't to be. Most sides would have struggled to live with them today. I just hoped we wouldn't be humiliated. Unfortunately it was pretty much that.
One other comment. Our entire side cost about £35m including £10m for N'Zogbia. Ozil cost £42m alone. They simply have world class players who will demonstrate that if you let them.
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Benteke for Arsenal? Not a chance on todays display to be honest.
Lots of scheduled calls to Villa HQ on Monday for his services have now been cancelled.
I think he'll end up at Liverpool now. The game today could possibly have put him in the window for a top level club. But he wasn't on it. Okay the service was shit but he played with no aggression, no spring in his jumps and just lack concentration when back defending corners. Mertesacker murdered him.
I think he'll go though. He's a decent player, and he'd be foolish to stay on a sinking ship.
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Sat on the coach waiting to get out of here we were pathetic I didn't think they could surpass 2000 for shitness but they managed it. So glad I won't have to watch that shower for the next 2 months sick to death of it.
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The opposite happened. Making for probably the most pathetically one sided cup final in many years. It was like Bradford-Swansea in the LC a couple of years back.
Bradford had three shots on target in that match, compared to our zero today. And they had ten men.
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Pitiful performance and also, completely boring to watch. I have finally given up on Nzogbia, dislike Hutton, am ok with losing Benteke(he kept us up and I'm grateful for that) and am looking forward to a summer of stress free weekends. I like Sherwood as I feel he is as gutted as we are. Have a good summer, all.
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We always needed Aresenal to be off their game and all our side needed to be 9/10. It wasn't to be. Most sides would have struggled to live with them today. I just hoped we wouldn't be humiliated. Unfortunately it was pretty much that.
One other comment. Our entire side cost about £35m including £10m for N'Zogbia. Ozil cost £42m alone. They simply have world class players who will demonstrate that if you let them.
They were that good they could carry Ozil, who was a little bit of a passenger to be honest. But when you've got Cazola oil and Good Sanchez absolutely running the game effortlessly, then it doesn't matter.
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Well as fans we don't expect that but I think you just have to hold your hands up and say man for man they were much better and every Villa player would of had to have possibly their best game ever in a Villa shirt and Arsenal an off game for us to win today.
I think the build up through the week got to a few today and some froze, and when that happens against a team like Arsenal we're doomed. There was plenty of huff and puff but technically we can't cope all over the pitch with these kind of players
Sherwood played for me is best team, he hasn't got much more to work, but then its all down to the guys on the pitch and it was just all to much for them. They're just not good enough, mentally and tactically, which is why they cost peanuts and not £40 million.
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Embarrassing.
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I think he'll end up at Liverpool now. The game today could possibly have put him in the window for a top level club. But he wasn't on it. Okay the service was shit but he played with no aggression, no spring in his jumps and just lack concentration when back defending corners. Mertesacker murdered him.
I can't remember the last time that a central defender dominated him like that.
Whether it was a good idea to make our only tactic smashing the ball at the two of them to see who could jump higher rather than having our quicker players run at him instead is by the by.
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Steve Rose is spot on. Today's result was sealed with the spanking against Southampton. Sherwood came in and we did well for a time because he brought confidence. He didn't provide some genius tactical plan, just the balls-out approach of attacking teams and not worrying too much about losing. The six goal thrashing we took drained that confidence and that was visible today. The manager and the players were frightened of getting tonked again.
Sherwood is going to have to find a way to restore the confidence levels in time for next season, except now he won't have the patented new manager bounce to help him.
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Benteke for Arsenal? Not a chance on todays display to be honest.
Lots of scheduled calls to Villa HQ on Monday for his services have now been cancelled.
I think he'll end up at Liverpool now. The game today could possibly have put him in the window for a top level club. But he wasn't on it. Okay the service was shit but he played with no aggression, no spring in his jumps and just lack concentration when back defending corners. Mertesacker murdered him.
I think he'll go though. He's a decent player, and he'd be foolish to stay on a sinking ship.
I agree, I thought if he had a great game they be lining up but he was poor. 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' or Spurzz will pay the money though because theyre desperate so he'll go.
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The last three games have really taken the wind out of our sails. I hope we can recover in time for next season.
It's just heartbreaking when you look back on the Liverpool semi performance, and even the performance vs everton the other week. Where did it all go? What the f**k happened? Were the good performances just the new manager bump and we've regressed painfully back to the mean now?
As for the match, telling for me was that Arsenal harried and pressed and bettered us in every physical confrontation. If you lose the physical battle against that lot, you've got nothing to fall back on. We were second best in every 1vs1 challenge and 50/50 situation.
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Sherwood played for me is best team, he hasn't got much more to work
He could have played our good goalkeeper rather than the one who cost us the first three goals, and he could have played the right-back who has been one of the best parts of his short tenure.
Playing Guzan and Bacuna almost certainly wouldn't have won us the match, but I'd put my mortgage on the fact that it wouldn't have been as shit as that.
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Klopp's Dortmund might be well on their way to having a worse day than us, although they did at least score.
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Come off it. We played against a team with world class players who were full of confidence. Our team has average players who on the day couldn't bridge the gulf. So to use the language above just isn't on IMO
On that basis, why bother to play any matches at all?
Looks like my post above has been posted already.
Hope that pub of Arsenal fans wasn't too horrendous.
Bloody awful Dave. There was some arrogant pissed twat across from me making rude comments about Villa fans on the close ups who I would willingly put his head through the television. He was on crutches from which I concluded someone has already done something similar. An Arsenal fan but in every other respect he looked a real sad loser.
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Numb. Never ever in it. Tough to watch and lerner looking happy at the end tops it all off. We are a million miles off them and needed all of ours to play well and theirs to have an off day. Unfortunate the reverse happened today? No ideas going forward at all. Last three results a kick in the teeth and we need big big changes main team and strategy next season.
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Five minutes into the Southampton game you could see that our team had mentally gone, for whatever reason. And they've never looked like they've been back
Too disappointed to properly analyse this. But it makes it all very hard to assess quite how good or bad we are. That Liverpool performance was genuinely outstanding in every sense. Today was appalling and embarrassing.
Tactically and mentally not at the races today.
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We just looked like lower league minnows on the big stage. Again. Disappointing and I worry about next season now given the manner of the loss today.
I don't think we stay up without a new owner to be honest.
No, nor me. We can kiss goodbye to any notions of finishing 8th to 12th with this bunch. At least half that team needs replacing.
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Sherwood played for me is best team, he hasn't got much more to work
He could have played our good goalkeeper rather than the one who cost us the first three goals, and he could have played the right-back who has been one of the best parts of his short tenure.
Playing Guzan and Bacuna almost certainly wouldn't have won us the match, but I'd put my mortgage on the fact that it wouldn't have been as shit as that.
How exactly did Given cost us the first three goals?
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Sherwood played for me is best team, he hasn't got much more to work
He could have played our good goalkeeper rather than the one who cost us the first three goals, and he could have played the right-back who has been one of the best parts of his short tenure.
Playing Guzan and Bacuna almost certainly wouldn't have won us the match, but I'd put my mortgage on the fact that it wouldn't have been as shit as that.
Our good keeper? You're blaming Given for the goals? You're clutching at straws now.
And I've seen on many occasions you post how much Bacuna gives you a heart attack and if I had to chose from Hutton or Bacuna to deal with Sanchez/ Wallcott then I probably would of gone with Hutton as well.
That's just my opinion and you have yours, but right now, neither matter.
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Got what we deserved, fuck all but sadly on an international stage so all the world knows we are bollox now :(
Nzogbia should never play for Villa again and Injury Ron should be shown the door too. Cleverley will be off and I think Benteke has already agreed terms elsewhere based on that showing.
massive clearout needed and needs to happen sharpish, no point in fannying about.
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Steve Rose is spot on. Today's result was sealed with the spanking against Southampton. Sherwood came in and we did well for a time because he brought confidence. He didn't provide some genius tactical plan, just the balls-out approach of attacking teams and not worrying too much about losing. The six goal thrashing we took drained that confidence and that was visible today. The manager and the players were frightened of getting tonked again.
Sherwood is going to have to find a way to restore the confidence levels in time for next season, except now he won't have the patented new manager bounce to help him.
Spot on. I am not as optimistic about next season as I was a few weeks ago. Got my four year old to watch a bit of a match for the first time today. He thinks daddy should like the yellow team best.
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Pitiful performance and also, completely boring to watch. I have finally given up on Nzogbia, dislike Hutton, am ok with losing Benteke(he kept us up and I'm grateful for that) and am looking forward to a summer of stress free weekends. I like Sherwood as I feel he is as gutted as we are. Have a good summer, all.
Sherwood can only do so much when inheriting a squad of shit players, many with cardboard for legs seemingly. What he does this summer and next season will really tell us about him.
So much needs doing though.
For one reason or another, be it quality, or fitness, we have question marks over:
Given, Hutton, Vlaar (let him go), Senderos (hasn't let us down when played but he doesn't play), Richardson (always injured), Baker (always injured) Cissokho, Bennett, Luna, Sylla, Sanchez (off to the Copa America when really he needs a rest. Will struggle again next season as a consequence I think), Tonev, Lowton, Helenius, Zogbia (disgrace), Gabby, Weimann, Cole, Gil (shame, but no point keeping him).
Keep,
Guzan (but with a fight for number 1 with a new player)
Steer (think he looks okay. Good enough for 3rd choice. Another champ loan)
Clark
Bacuna (as a squad player)
Okore (Squad player)
Westwood (Squad player...at a push)
Delph
Cleverley (still worth taking on a free, but I wouldn't have him first choice).
Grealish
Sinclair
Kozak
As for Benteke. If we get no buyer, I think we have to sell him to fund our shopping.
So yeah. There's an awful amount of rubbish to trim. If we can cull half of the shit we'll have done alright (more on wage bill, rather than fees as we've got few sellable assets).
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Sherwood played for me is best team, he hasn't got much more to work
He could have played our good goalkeeper rather than the one who cost us the first three goals, and he could have played the right-back who has been one of the best parts of his short tenure.
Playing Guzan and Bacuna almost certainly wouldn't have won us the match, but I'd put my mortgage on the fact that it wouldn't have been as shit as that.
I can't see how Given could have done anything about any of those goals. All were good finishes. The second simply brilliant - for the third Benteke was pathetic.
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Found a phone in our taxi on the way back from Wembley, can some one official message me so we can sort it out. It's got a villa case on it ..
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Come off it. We played against a team with world class players who were full of confidence. Our team has average players who on the day couldn't bridge the gulf. So to use the language above just isn't on IMO
On that basis, why bother to play any matches at all?
Looks like my post above has been posted already.
Hope that pub of Arsenal fans wasn't too horrendous.
Bloody awful Dave. There was some arrogant pissed twat across from me making rude comments about Villa fans on the close ups who I would willingly put his head through the television. He was on crutches from which I concluded someone has already done something similar. An Arsenal fan but in every other respect he looked a real sad loser.
Silver lining - imagine how much worse you'd be feeling if we'd just lost 4-0 to Chelsea... (winky)
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Which is worse? This or 2000?
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Which is worse? This or 2000?
This is fresh
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Beaten by a better team and a better manager. But for Given it could've been six or seven. Okore was ok. Of the rest I'm struggling to suggest who should be kept. A more fitting epitaph for the ineptious fuck-wittery of Lerner's reign I cannot imagine.
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Come off it. We played against a team with world class players who were full of confidence. Our team has average players who on the day couldn't bridge the gulf. So to use the language above just isn't on IMO
On that basis, why bother to play any matches at all?
Looks like my post above has been posted already.
Hope that pub of Arsenal fans wasn't too horrendous.
Bloody awful Dave. There was some arrogant pissed twat across from me making rude comments about Villa fans on the close ups who I would willingly put his head through the television. He was on crutches from which I concluded someone has already done something similar. An Arsenal fan but in every other respect he looked a real sad loser.
Silver lining - imagine how much worse you'd be feeling if we'd just lost 4-0 to Chelsea... (winky)
Very true Dave, I can't find it really in me to dislike Arsenal, they've always been the least obnoxious of the Sky 4 or 5 for me. And apart from the one tosser, their support was very restrained in the pub despite there being a lot of gooners there
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This is miles worse. Utter embarrassment.
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I feel for the fans who've travelled down to Wembley today, paid through the nose for their tickets and were hoping to see a decent performance. The team did not turn up. The paltry number of shots on goal is pathetic and probably is the most telling statistic of the whole game. We gifted Arsenal the trophy.
You can take being beaten by a better team, but not when you perform so poorly and fail to give them a game.
There has to be a root and branch clear out over the summer. The current squad is not good enough and the likes of Vlaar and I am afraid Gabby need to be shown the door.
Why did we not fight like lions today? The performance in the semi-final was a complete different class to this pile of garbage.
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Which is worse? This or 2000?
Worse result. Same performance. Better opponents.
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I know how Leeds must have felt that in 1996 now. It was that bad.
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Sherwood played for me is best team, he hasn't got much more to work
He could have played our good goalkeeper rather than the one who cost us the first three goals, and he could have played the right-back who has been one of the best parts of his short tenure.
Playing Guzan and Bacuna almost certainly wouldn't have won us the match, but I'd put my mortgage on the fact that it wouldn't have been as shit as that.
I can't see how Given could have done anything about any of those goals. All were good finishes. The second simply brilliant - for the third Benteke was pathetic.
Alexis Sanchez is 5ft 6 and won a header on our six yard line for Walcott to score. There's no way that Guzan would let that happen*.
The second is right in the middle of the goal from a shot from 30 yards out. It's a great shot, but it's not as it a bigger, better, not-39-year-old goalkeeper isn't just jumping up and taking it out of the air.
The third is a free header, again inside our own six-yard box. Has Guzan ever conceded a goal to a free header from there without at least trying to claim the cross?
I'm not saying that I expect Shay Given to come and take the ball of Per Mertesacker's head, because I know that he's not capable of it. It's just frustrating when we have a goalkeeper sitting on the bench who would take a cross like that in his sleep.
*before somebody gets there first, yes, he probably would have sliced a clearance straight to Walcott much earlier and we'd have been 1-0 down already. The rest still stands though.
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Which is worse? This or 2000?
Right now this. In the benefit of time, probably 2000 because both those sides on paper were quite even, and Chelsea didn't even show up either.
Today, apart from how shit we were, the enormous gulf in class was the biggest thing.
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What's worrying is that it looks like the last two games of the season were not an isolated blip. Something has gone wrong if you can't bother to turn up today.
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Rodney Marsh absolutely slaughtering Grealish on Twitter I see.
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What's worrying is that it looks like the last two games of the season were not an isolated blip. Something has gone wrong if you can't bother to turn up today.
The blips were playing well in about four games. We're the opposite of Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City form whom playing badly in four games would be a blip.
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What's worrying is that it looks like the last two games of the season were not an isolated blip. Something has gone wrong if you can't bother to turn up today.
I think we ran of steam in the past 3 weeks to be honest. So many injuries. Half-fit players struggling through games.
We need a complete fitness overhaul. And we also need to be brutal when wielding the axe this summer. No more waiting for players like Weimann to become Prem players (when it aint gonna happen).
And all our injury prone players need shifting as fast as we possibly can. If we can mutually cancel a contract here or there, so be it. I mean Joe Fucking Cole. He should just retire. He's done his job this season in helping Jack, but we don't need that next season.
We've got to be brutal for the good of the club. And then try and sign 6-7 half decent players.
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Utter, utter, utter fucking embarrassing shite. And the Arsenal ****** who left before they'd lifted the trophy, fuck off!
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Which is worse? This or 2000?
In the fullness of time and with considered reflection, I reckon it'll still be 2000. Not turning up and losing 1-0 against a beatable Chelsea is worse than being a poor team with a series of relegation struggles behind it being given a trashing by a very good Arsenal.
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Which is worse? This or 2000?
Right now this. In the benefit of time, probably 2000 because both those sides on paper were quite even, and Chelsea didn't even show up either.
Today, apart from how shit we were, the enormous gulf in class was the biggest thing.
I'd say today.
Yes Arsenal are quality but come on it shouldn't be impossible to make a game of it from the first minute. We just look petrified of their midfield 5 from the first minute.
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Ya I found it strange people saying that the 6 1 defeat to Southampton was simply because we were safe and switched off. We werent safe at that point, even if that was a valid excuse. A really god awful bad team just doesn't become a good one overnight.
How bad must Liverpool be to make us look so good?
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Rodney Marsh absolutely slaughtering Grealish on Twitter I see.
Rodney Marsh can go fuck himself. Grealish is a kid. He had a poor game as did all of the side.
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Rodney Marsh absolutely slaughtering Grealish on Twitter I see.
I wouldn't take any notice of what that c*** says. The mans a complete idiot.
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Sherwood played for me is best team, he hasn't got much more to work
He could have played our good goalkeeper rather than the one who cost us the first three goals, and he could have played the right-back who has been one of the best parts of his short tenure.
Playing Guzan and Bacuna almost certainly wouldn't have won us the match, but I'd put my mortgage on the fact that it wouldn't have been as shit as that.
I can't see how Given could have done anything about any of those goals. All were good finishes. The second simply brilliant - for the third Benteke was pathetic.
Alexis Sanchez is 5ft 6 and won a header on our six yard line for Walcott to score. There's no way that Guzan would let that happen*.
The second is right in the middle of the goal from a shot from 30 yards out. It's a great shot, but it's not as it a bigger, better goalkeeper isn't just jumping up and taking it out of the air.
The third is a free header, again inside our own six-yard box. Has Guzan ever conceded a goal to a free header from there without at least trying to claim the cross?
I'm not saying that I expect Shay Given to come and take the ball of Per Mertesacker's head, because I know that he's not capable of it. It's just frustrating when we have a goalkeeper sitting on the bench he would take a cross like that in his sleep.
*before somebody gets there first, yes, he probably would have sliced a clearance straight to Walcott much earlier and we'd have been 1-0 down already. The rest still stands though.
The comment about coming for the crosses is arguable but that second goal moves left to right in the air by several yards and is simply unstoppable.
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Which is worse? This or 2000?
In the fullness of time and with considered reflection, I reckon it'll still be 2000. Not turning up and losing 1-0 against a beatable Chelsea is worse than being a poor team with a series of relegation struggles behind it being given a trashing by a very good Arsenal.
You're probably right, but I just feel so much more gutted than I remember back then. Maybe because of how well we played in the SF that I truly thought we'd raise our game today. We just froze and didn't even give them a game. I hate that so much. The stats are so bad it beggars belief and doesn't begin to highlight our problems as a club. It clearly runs so much deeper than what happened today.
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Which is worse? This or 2000?
In the fullness of time and with considered reflection, I reckon it'll still be 2000. Not turning up and losing 1-0 against a beatable Chelsea is worse than being a poor team with a series of relegation struggles behind it being given a trashing by a very good Arsenal.
This, 2000 is worse. We played a quality side today who we all know are way better than us. We were hoping for an upset. In 2000 we played an ordinary Chelsea side who were no better than us.
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The comment about coming for the crosses is but that second goal moves left to right in the air by several yards and is simply unstoppable.
It is for a goalkeeper who is under 6ft and isn't quick enough/good enough to adjust his footing in time.
I'm sorry, but it is right in the centre of the goal. If the keeper is positioned correctly then a ball that goes in where that goal is scored is perfectly stoppable from that range.
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What's worrying is that it looks like the last two games of the season were not an isolated blip. Something has gone wrong if you can't bother to turn up today.
Exactly. What on earth were they thinking?
How can you not give a 100% shift in a Wembley Cup Final, with the eyes of the world upon you? How can it not be a special occasion, when you consider the last time your club lifted a major trophy was in 1996?
Maybe the games against Southampton and Burnley should have been a warning. But I can't believe how abject the team were today and they did not put the effort in that was expected.
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I think our biggest problem is that Arsenal are considerably better than us at football.
There were other things. The midfield and back four appeared to have different defensive strategies first half, and we need to stop just humping it to Benteke instead of a plan (we might not have that choice next season, though). Also, that referee should be relieved he didn't need to do anything crucial, because if he didn't think that was a foul on Grealish then I'd like to know what he thought it was.
Overall, however, the main issue - us being worse than them at football - was pretty much insurmountable. That's life. Well done for keeping us in the league, Tim - there's always next year.
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I've been drinking claret all evening and now I've got the blues. Thank you Aston Villa.
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That's worse than 2000 for me.
Arsenal were very good but fuck me, we were an absolute embarrassment.
In 2000 we were horribly defensive. Today we were horrible in every sense.
We looked very much like we finished 17th because we deserved to finish there. Sorry, but that was humiliating. To not manage a shot on target is shocking.
It is pretty clear that the Sherwood effect was the usual new manager bounce combined with adventurous hung ho attack. We looked poor against Burnley, abysmal at Southampton and today was just embarrassing.
We have a huge amount to do this summer. If there is one thing we can take from today it is that reminder.
I thought the only Villa player who wasn't awful today was Richardson, which says it all, really.
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The comment about coming for the crosses is but that second goal moves left to right in the air by several yards and is simply unstoppable.
It is for a goalkeeper who is under 6ft and can't adjust his footing in time.
I'm sorry, but it is right in the centre of the goal. If the keeper is positioned correctly then a ball that goes in where that goal is scored is perfectly stoppable from that range.
He shouldn't have allowed that goal. Terrible positioning even if the ball moved in the air. On the flip side he pulled off a few very good saves but overall he wasn't good enough today.
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I've been to two FA Cup finals now and I haven't seen us have a shot yet.
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I know how Leeds must have felt that in 1996 now. It was that bad.
That's spot on.
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I know how Leeds must have felt that in 1996 now. It was that bad.
That's spot on.
Incorrect. We were worse than Leeds.
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TS has already said that there are too many players with a losers attitude in the squad and he intends to bring some in who are "winners". Who these are will be interesting.
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Personally 2000 was worse because I was there. Today I watched the game at a local cricket club to avoid the plastic Arse fans, my heart said Villa but my head said Arsenal all day long, the manner of the defeat is hard to take however, their 4th was a mile offside, 3-0 was a fair result, we were poor across the park, we completely failed in every department. Given was immense and stopped us being humiliated. Not sure what the plan was Tim but whatever it was it was shite.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
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Unacceptable marking for the third goal by Benteke and fourth by Bacuna. Do not understand the substitutions of Richardson (maybe fatique) and Westwood, who was good I thought. Needless early yellow cards for Cleverley and Delph, they had to be careful after that. Benteke had a bad day, but not much service. It could of course had been a less embarassing result if the referee had given us a penalty. Arsenal, though, are class and it is depressing that the gap between the top clubs and the rest is so huge.
Got angry watching Lerner having a laugh few seconds after the final whistle.
And annoyed that we now wont play for three months. The summer transfers will be interesting, and of course to see if we get a new owner. Lerner (despite the above) seems like a likeable guy, and by his own admission, should have handed over responsibility sooner. Hope he finds a worthy new owner and not a Cardiff type of owner.
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N'Zogbia
Richardson (despite going ok today)
Hutton
Gabby
Weizmann
Cole
Senderos
Given
I'd shift that lot straight away.
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Believe me, when you're on a coach waiting to move this is 100 times worse than 2000.Wanker Arsenal fans giving it the big un .
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
Too many feeble-minded thickos in the team. We need to up our collective IQ.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
That trip home will be a laugh. You just knew this moment was coming. And I support him 100%. It's been a fucking resort down there for too long.
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We really, really need new ownership. And we also need to spend money. More than we'll get when we flog Benteke.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
Please god let N'zogbia be one of them ...how we sold Downing and Milner and ended up with a bit of cash and N'zogbia/Ireland ..FBI need to investigate that !!
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
That trip home will be a laugh. You just knew this moment was coming. And I support him 100%. It's been a fucking resort down there for too long.
I am hoping they've been told that after the match rather than before.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
He's angry. Clearly he thought they failed to give their best.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
Given how we played, you wonder if he said that before the game.
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Time for the embarrassing Randy Lerner era to end and for Villa to start all over again. Thank Christ for no football for a couple of months.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
That trip home will be a laugh. You just knew this moment was coming. And I support him 100%. It's been a fucking resort down there for too long.
I am hoping they've been told that after the match rather than before.
That's made me laugh - the best antidote for the last few hours.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
Too many feeble-minded thickos in the team. We need to up our collective IQ.
I'd imagine those that didn't make the bench today will be the main ones....Weimann not making the 18 today is an obvious sign and sadly Gil not making it either looks ominous.
We need to sign proper premier league players to replace some of those though....Charlie Austin, Neil Taylor etc.
It just can't be lower league punts again as if Benteke goes I think we'll go down in those circumstances as he's bailed us out so often in the last three years.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
That trip home will be a laugh. You just knew this moment was coming. And I support him 100%. It's been a fucking resort down there for too long.
I am hoping they've been told that after the match rather than before.
I imagine some already knew and some just got their pink slips. He has had to work with what he was given, but today might just have been the final straw on others. We don't just need new players. We need to change the culture at the club. We've become a bunch of accepting losers, doormats for others to step on. I'm fucking sick of it and hopefully the manager has clocked on to that too and feels the same way.
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TS has already said that there are too many players with a losers attitude in the squad and he intends to bring some in who are "winners". Who these are will be interesting.
Come on down Steven Caulker, Andros Townsend and Tom Carroll.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
He's angry. Clearly he thought they failed to give their best.
Good. The ONE thing I can take hope from today is if Sherwood is so livid he guts the squad and demands money from Lerner to replace them.
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According to the beeb, Tim's been sacking some players already:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
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Of the players we release, I'm guessing not many will be spending much time in the Premier League from now on.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
That trip home will be a laugh. You just knew this moment was coming. And I support him 100%. It's been a fucking resort down there for too long.
Same
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Watched the game at a predominantly arsenal bar, how embarrassing :-\
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
Too many feeble-minded thickos in the team. We need to up our collective IQ.
Very true, probably modelled on our previous manager. Well done Sherwood, although 'some' is rather underplaying it I feel...
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Outplayed from start to finish by a far superior side.
The occasion got to a few of our lads I think and the others had a collective off day.
He wasn't the only culprit but Benteke looked as bad as he ever did under Lambert and you would assume he'll be off in the summer.
So if anyone thought we'd comfortably cruise to security next year I reckon you should think again. I'm just hoping Sherwood's bubble hasn't burst because his odd choices are fine when we win but they leave him wide open to criticism when we are getting dicked every other week. It won't take long for the Holte end to suss out another chancer.
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What was disappointing was the attacking display. The lack of shooting at goal even and then also a lack of width was frustrating. Sherwood needed width of Sinclair in that match. I also think Villa seemed to freeze going forward and the only attacking idea came with diagonals to benteke. I thought Vlaar was great today and fair play to him. The players lacked responsibility in final attack and the moment was lost. Avfc are still a great club and can move forward but today was a tepid display from a tough season.
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Bad game. But still I love Villa.
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TS has already said that there are too many players with a losers attitude in the squad and he intends to bring some in who are "winners". Who these are will be interesting.
Come on down Steven Caulker, Andros Townsend and Tom Carroll.
In his interview with Shearer this morning, he was very clear that he wishes to build his own team pre-season because he's had no chance to do that at Villa or Spurs
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Outplayed from start to finish by a far superior side.
The occasion got to a few of our lads I think and the others had a collective off day.
He wasn't the only culprit but Benteke looked as bad as he ever did under Lambert and you would assume he'll be off in the summer.
So if anyone thought we'd comfortably cruise to security next year I reckon you should think again. I'm just hoping Sherwood's bubble hasn't burst because his odd choices are fine when we win but they leave him wide open to criticism when we are getting dicked every other week. It won't take long for the Holte end to suss out another chancer.
If he was in the shop window today then I wouldn't be so sure about that tbh. He was clearly one of the worst players on the pitch, by some distance if we are honest.
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Never mind the arseholes here's some bollocks.
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TS has already said that there are too many players with a losers attitude in the squad and he intends to bring some in who are "winners". Who these are will be interesting.
Come on down Steven Caulker, Andros Townsend and Tom Carroll.
In his interview with Shearer this morning, he was very clear that he wishes to build his own team pre-season because he's had no chance to do that at Villa or Spurs
Yup.
Come on down Steven Caulker, Andros Townsend and Tom Carroll.
At least Livermore has cocained himself out of contention.
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Sat in the Arsenal bit and they are a bunch of expectant clowns. There were Arsenal fans on my train back to surf London that must have left early (as I did) that must have left well before the final whistle, let alone watch them lift the cup.
I am trying to be positive, goals 1 and 2 came at great times for them but we of course were pretty poor. Come home to see 2 little Villa fans in tears.
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you'd need to be on cocaine to join us I think
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I don't care about the names of the players coming in. They just need to be better mentally and physically than the ones we have. He can find them in Sunday league, Tottenham reserves or Ligue 1 for all I care. As long as they are winners and have pride wearing our kit.
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I don't care about the names of the players coming in. They just need to be better mentally and physically than the ones we have.
That would be lovely, but I'm preparing myself for the worst.
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I don't care about the names of the players coming in. They just need to be better mentally and physically than the ones we have.
That would be lovely, but I'm preparing myself for the worst.
I don't what I am preparing myself for Dave. Every summer feels better than the last, natural for the optimistic football fan and yet at least recently each season feels like a harsher, sharper kick in the balls. I'd settle for a shit summer in the transfer market only to be shocked that a miracle has occurred and we play well all year. Off course in all likelihood we will get the shit summer, shit season combo meal deal.
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Weimann, Gill, Nzogbia, and Agbonlahor will be the most probable departures. Plus a few more.
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I don't care about the names of the players coming in. They just need to be better mentally and physically than the ones we have. He can find them in Sunday league, Tottenham reserves or Ligue 1 for all I care. As long as they are winners and have pride wearing our kit.
I don't want shit Tottenham reserves.
Better than what we have is meaningless when what we have is so poor.
I'm sick of this endless cycle of buying shit players every window and us pretending they're not shit and rolling out that "I'll wait and see what they do for us till I judge" bollocks.
Look at last summers business for an example. The signings of a club preparing for life in the championship.
One thing which we are going to have to do is buy better players. That is non negotiable.unavoidable.
If we don't it'll just be more of the same next year, and we've already pushed it as far as you can without getting relegated.
I've had enough of the can't be arsed lethargy of this club. Five years ago there wasn't much difference between us and arsenal. Now it is a massive chasm.
The owner needs to move us on to someone who can care more than just one day a season, or it'll be more of the same.
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I bought 2 cars today, knowing I would need something to deflect from Villa's incessant ineptitude.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
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well so we stayed up by skin of the teeth and got a drubbing today. no shame in the performance though, we were just beaten by a better team. nice moment was Prince William's face after they went 3-0 up?
you have to cling to small things when you get a beating so at least the future king of England supports Aston Villa.
UP THE VILLA
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I thought Tim looked close to tears up at the royal box at the end, enormous overhaul needed, hopefully Lerner or new owners will back him properly, glad its all over I need a rest, I seem to say the same thing every season.
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A man who supports Leeds was sympathetic towards me, LEEDS for fucks sake
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The best thing about today is that we at least have some breathing space to try and make the changes needed. And that I can forget about football for a while.
I just hope Lerner finally fucks off though. If we get a Summer similar to last years then we are going to be in big trouble.
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I don't care about the names of the players coming in. They just need to be better mentally and physically than the ones we have.
That would be lovely, but I'm preparing myself for the worst.
I don't what I am preparing myself for Dave. Every summer feels better than the last, natural for the optimistic football fan and yet at least recently each season feels like a harsher, sharper kick in the balls. I'd settle for a shit summer in the transfer market only to be shocked that a miracle has occurred and we play well all year. Off course in all likelihood we will get the shit summer, shit season combo meal deal.
Yup, all too true.
I can see myself now on September 1st posting about how Andros Townsend might prove value for money at £12m and not shank every cross and shot into the Holte like he's done all his career and that it might just be for the best that Carlos Gil becomes one of the better players in La Liga rather than the Premier League following his £1m transfer to Villareal.
Such is the life we have chosen.
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no shame in the performance though
Eh?
Sorry.
(http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/sywht1.gif)
Eh?
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
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well so we stayed up by skin of the teeth and got a drubbing today. no shame in the performance though, we were just beaten by a better team. nice moment was Prince William's face after they went 3-0 up?
you have to cling to small things when you get a beating so at least the future king of England supports Aston Villa.
UP THE VILLA
No, no shame in the performance at all, goodness me, how could anyone think that?
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
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Utter humiliation from start to finish. Hard to know what to say just I hope a number of those players never wear the shirt again. Looks like Sinclair has been signed under duress, if he couldn't get a game today..,.
As for tactics Tim, how he didn't realise that Hutton needed protection early on beggared belief. Surely was a straight forward change to four in midfield was very obvious from early on. Yet he was paralysed by fear like the players on the pitch.
We made Arsenal look a better version of Barcelona today, that's the tragic part
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I don't care about the names of the players coming in. They just need to be better mentally and physically than the ones we have. He can find them in Sunday league, Tottenham reserves or Ligue 1 for all I care. As long as they are winners and have pride wearing our kit.
I don't want shit Tottenham reserves.
Better than what we have is meaningless when what we have is so poor.
I'm sick of this endless cycle of buying shit players every window and us pretending they're not shit and rolling out that "I'll wait and see what they do for us till I judge" bollocks.
Look at last summers business for an example. The signings of a club preparing for life in the championship.
One thing which we are going to have to do is buy better players. That is non negotiable.unavoidable.
If we don't it'll just be more of the same next year, and we've already pushed it as far as you can without getting relegated.
I've had enough of the can't be arsed lethargy of this club. Five years ago there wasn't much difference between us and arsenal. Now it is a massive chasm.
The owner needs to move us on to someone who can care more than just one day a season, or it'll be more of the same.
Yes it's a lot more than the players is the point I was making. Part of it, a large part is the culture that exists at the club. Last summer it was Lambert and Lerner. It was only going to go one way once we all realized Lambert was waving the white flag and that despite a decent start. I not only want better players but players coming in with the right attitude. And a big piece of that is the manager. Lambert accepted mediocrity and failure. I'm hoping Sherwood buys players be it with Lerner's money or a new bloke that never do.
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Currently battling the North Circular, having spent forty odd minutes passing every Arsenal pub in Wembley, so i'm not in a great fram of mind to comment. But basically, I'm glad it's over. Glad Lerner is fucking off, glad I never have to see some of those players again, glad I can burn this shit Dafabet shirt, glad I can have a break from football and glad I realise we won't win this cup again and even if we reach a Final, i won't bother going, because it'll be fucking shit.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
Good grief, I should stay off whatever it is you are taking if you think we didn't bottle it and leaving that useless lump on the bench was the 'wrong tactics'. Are you deliberately on the wind up?
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
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I can only imagine all my old mates and family stretched across London going home.
We deserve better
we were embarrassingly poor, heads down, Tim has to spend big time, keep Delph, Benkeke. Clevely. the rest can fuck off
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well so we stayed up by skin of the teeth and got a drubbing today. no shame in the performance though, we were just beaten by a better team. nice moment was Prince William's face after they went 3-0 up?
you have to cling to small things when you get a beating so at least the future king of England supports Aston Villa.
UP THE VILLA
No, no shame in the performance at all, goodness me, how could anyone think that?
quite possibly because the tactics were wrong and they have better players and also a manager who has won a lot of trophies? and we finished 4th from bottom against perennial champions league opposition. oh and also because for the first 30 odd minutes Villa defended well. so no shame in the performance in my opinion. they were just better although 4-0 takes the piss.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
If we had held on until half time it may have been different (full straw clutching mode).
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It was embarrassing today. Our players gave us nothing to take from the game. Yes Arsenal are good but we still should have done more. Sad to say it but i'm actually glad i couldn't find a ticket for that even though i tried hard to get one.
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And a big piece of that is the manager. Lambert accepted mediocrity and failure. I'm hoping Sherwood buys players be it with Lerner's money or a new bloke that never do.
For however long he is manager, do you envisage Sherwood signing a player as good as Benteke?
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Sherwood is pretty good at setting teams up but a little weak at reacting - and today he didn't set them up right, not in terms of personnel but just strategy. Were we meant to press or sit deep in defence? The midfield thought we were doing the former, the defence the latter, so in the end there was a massive gap for Ozil and Alexis to just stand in and do what they wanted.
That said, we shouldn't forget that Arsenal are better than us in practically every way, in terms of football. Money, players, manager, coaches, scouting - there's no comparison. The overhaul isn't needed because of this result, or even the performance - it's needed because we finished 17th in the league.
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well so we stayed up by skin of the teeth and got a drubbing today. no shame in the performance though, we were just beaten by a better team. nice moment was Prince William's face after they went 3-0 up?
you have to cling to small things when you get a beating so at least the future king of England supports Aston Villa.
UP THE VILLA
No, no shame in the performance at all, goodness me, how could anyone think that?
quite possibly because the tactics were wrong and they have better players and also a manager who has won a lot of trophies? and we finished 4th from bottom against perennial champions league opposition. oh and also because for the first 30 odd minutes Villa defended well. so no shame in the performance in my opinion. they were just better although 4-0 takes the piss.
Defended well? We rode our luck from the 3rd or 4th minute. We got lucky. Lucky it wasn't 7.
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Shocking. I feel sorry for Guzan, would have been much better at dealing with the first three goals, and Gabby who did more in his brief cameo than anyone else.
Wouldn't mind us quickly moving to bring in Charlie Austin, Neil Taylor and Steven Caulker (saw all three names mentioned, Caulker's name seemed to be mentioned negatively but I like him). Clevs from the last three games I wouldn't want, but he was good before that. We need to rebuild this team into a hard-working unit, instead of relying on one star man who can't be bothered most of the time.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
not being funny mate but how can you call yourself a Villa supporter with a comment like that?
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It was embarrassing today. Our players gave us nothing to take from the game. Yes Arsenal are good but we still should have done more. Sad to say it but i'm actually glad i couldn't find a ticket for that even though i tried hard to get one.
Indeed.
Arsenal have better players than most teams, but plenty of those teams manage not to roll over and let them fuck them. I'm not annoyed at losing. I'm annoyed at us being so pathetic and not managing a shot on target.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
not being funny mate but how can you call yourself a Villa supporter with a comment like that?
Clearly you're a much better fan than me and a far better judge of a Villa performance. And for that reason I'm out.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
Given was at fault for three of their four goals. He is as much to blame for today as anybody.
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well so we stayed up by skin of the teeth and got a drubbing today. no shame in the performance though, we were just beaten by a better team. nice moment was Prince William's face after they went 3-0 up?
you have to cling to small things when you get a beating so at least the future king of England supports Aston Villa.
UP THE VILLA
No, no shame in the performance at all, goodness me, how could anyone think that?
quite possibly because the tactics were wrong and they have better players and also a manager who has won a lot of trophies? and we finished 4th from bottom against perennial champions league opposition. oh and also because for the first 30 odd minutes Villa defended well. so no shame in the performance in my opinion. they were just better although 4-0 takes the piss.
I'll leave you to it and go and have a bath. I'm angry and disillusioned enough without you winding me up. You'd do well working for the BBC or Sky with that attitude.
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I went into Central London before the game to buy some tickets for a show, sort of killing two birds with one stone type thing. There were some Arsenal fans on the train who'd been trying to buy tickets off touts. They were bemoaning the fact the going rate was £1,500. Any idea if this was true? They were pretty mouthy and what I'd call look at me type people. Anyway, after my only pre-match drink of soda water and lime from the Ibis Hotel, I'm drowning my sorrows properly.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
not being funny mate but how can you call yourself a Villa supporter with a comment like that?
It's saying what you see.
We were awful.
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Sherwood is pretty good at setting teams up but a little weak at reacting - and today he didn't set them up right, not in terms of personnel but just strategy. Were we meant to press or sit deep in defence? The midfield thought we were doing the former, the defence the latter, so in the end there was a massive gap for Ozil and Alexis to just stand in and do what they wanted.
That said, we shouldn't forget that Arsenal are better than us in practically every way, in terms of football. Money, players, manager, coaches, scouting - there's no comparison. The overhaul isn't needed because of this result, or even the performance - it's needed because we finished 17th in the league.
Agreed - we were playing a team who spend £15m + on a full back.
We were obviously poor but at the same time they were very good - we couldn't get near them at times with their flicks and turns etc. I guess 9 times out of ten the team with the much better players will beat the team with lesser players.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
Given was at fault for three of their four goals. He is as much to blame for today as anybody.
Agreed but he also made 3 or 4 great saves.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
Given was at fault for three of their four goals. He is as much to blame for today as anybody.
Yet also stopped it being six or seven.
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Rodney Marsh absolutely slaughtering Grealish on Twitter I see.
Eh? Only thing I've seen is him replying to a comment that said he reminds them of Marsh and his comment was "but without the goals ". Fair comment and makes me think he rates him as he certainly rates himself. Unless I've missed the 'slaughtering'.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
not being funny mate but how can you call yourself a Villa supporter with a comment like that?
We're all disappointed with the result and performance, but you might want alter that attitude. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
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The only positive I can take from today is I didn't waste hundreds of pounds on watching it. In fact I'm fucking delighted about that part. I feel for every Villa fan that went, more so for those that paid over the odds, and especially for those ripped off by ******. In the end, we were all ripped off. We have been for years.
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And a big piece of that is the manager. Lambert accepted mediocrity and failure. I'm hoping Sherwood buys players be it with Lerner's money or a new bloke that never do.
For however long he is manager, do you envisage Sherwood signing a player as good as Benteke?
How can anyone possibly answer that question? When Lambert signed Benteke nobody in Europe saw what he'd become because we signed him pretty much unchallenged. Until he gets a few windows we won't know how well or not he does.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
not being funny mate but how can you call yourself a Villa supporter with a comment like that?
Clearly you're a much better fan than me and a far better judge of a Villa performance. And for that reason I'm out.
me too, are you trying to take the piss because you are making a bloody good job of it. As Jon says, 7-0 wouldn't have flattered them. If you're on the wind up, could you choose a better occasion to do it than this?
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Sherwood is pretty good at setting teams up but a little weak at reacting - and today he didn't set them up right, not in terms of personnel but just strategy. Were we meant to press or sit deep in defence? The midfield thought we were doing the former, the defence the latter, so in the end there was a massive gap for Ozil and Alexis to just stand in and do what they wanted.
That said, we shouldn't forget that Arsenal are better than us in practically every way, in terms of football. Money, players, manager, coaches, scouting - there's no comparison. The overhaul isn't needed because of this result, or even the performance - it's needed because we finished 17th in the league.
Agreed - we were playing a team who spend £15m + on a full back.
We were obviously poor but at the same time they were very good - we couldn't get near them at times with their flicks and turns etc. I guess 9 times out of ten the team with the much better players will beat the team with lesser players.
I was suprised by the Hutton selection, I think that set the tone for how conservative Sherwood wanted to be.
We all know Bacuna isn't the greatest defender in the world but he has pace and obviously better crossing than Hutton.
I didn't have an issue with Gabby not starting, don't think he's done enough in recent weeks.
Apart from that don't really see what else he could've done with the selection.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
not being funny mate but how can you call yourself a Villa supporter with a comment like that?
Clearly you're a much better fan than me and a far better judge of a Villa performance. And for that reason I'm out.
clearly you are wearing beer goggles and not the good ones.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
Given was at fault for three of their four goals. He is as much to blame for today as anybody.
Yet also stopped it being six or seven.
There were two competent, but routine saves (Koscielney's header in the first half and a low shot in the second) that I remember.
It's a very Robert Green/Scott Carson argument though. Saving the ball once or twice doesn't make it ok that you weren't good enough to stop the three that you shouldn't have let in.
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Finishing near the relegation places didn't stop Hull from giving Arsenal a game last season. It could easily have been more, the only bright spot was our support who did Aston Villa proud.
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And a big piece of that is the manager. Lambert accepted mediocrity and failure. I'm hoping Sherwood buys players be it with Lerner's money or a new bloke that never do.
For however long he is manager, do you envisage Sherwood signing a player as good as Benteke?
Well maybe he should be given a chance. As for Benteke, he was one of many who did not turn up today, he was a disgrace for the 3rd goal, as was N'Zogbia for the first goal. I can accept that they have better players but I thought that some players froze. Only read the last few posts but did we all think the tactics were wrong before the start cos I didnt
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Complete embarrassment.
Sherwood has to take his fair share of blame for that. Hutton starting instead of Bacuna suggested he wanted to stop Arsenal, which was never going to happen. We should've played to win like the best matches we've had under him.
As for the players, I know Arsenal were good, but they were embarrassing. All of them.
I didn't think it'd get worse than walking away in 2000...
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This is 4x worse.
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The scarves are nice though. I'll look forward to wearing mine in public. In fact, some are so proud of them they took more than one from seats that didn't belong to them.
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Its a bad enough day without us popping off at each other as well.
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The blueprint was the semi performance against 'The Mighty Reds YNWA'. Bacuna is an important player for us if we're to have a real attacking intent.
90 minutes of chasing shadows. Amazed we ended with 11 men, especially when we consider how shite the Ref was to us.
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Shocking. I feel sorry for Guzan, would have been much better at dealing with the first three goals, and Gabby who did more in his brief cameo than anyone else.
Wouldn't mind us quickly moving to bring in Charlie Austin, Neil Taylor and Steven Caulker (saw all three names mentioned, Caulker's name seemed to be mentioned negatively but I like him). Clevs from the last three games I wouldn't want, but he was good before that. We need to rebuild this team into a hard-working unit, instead of relying on one star man who can't be bothered most of the time.
Nonsense re Guzan doing better for the first three goals imo
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
Given was at fault for three of their four goals. He is as much to blame for today as anybody.
Agreed but he also made 3 or 4 great saves.
He always makes good saves but meaningless when he can't organise the defence or catch/ punch a cross. Massively overrated and needs to be shifted. 50k a week FFS.
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Complete embarrassment.
Sherwood has to take his fair share of blame for that. Hutton starting instead of Bacuna suggested he wanted to stop Arsenal, which was never going to happen. We should've played to win like the best matches we've had under him.
As for the players, I know Arsenal were good, but they were embarrassing. All of them.
I didn't think it'd get worse than walking away in 2000...
I agreed with the decision but wrong in hindsight
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
not being funny mate but how can you call yourself a Villa supporter with a comment like that?
Clearly you're a much better fan than me and a far better judge of a Villa performance. And for that reason I'm out.
clearly you are wearing beer goggles and not the good ones.
You are going to have a tough time convincing anyone that the performance today was anything other than abject.
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And a big piece of that is the manager. Lambert accepted mediocrity and failure. I'm hoping Sherwood buys players be it with Lerner's money or a new bloke that never do.
For however long he is manager, do you envisage Sherwood signing a player as good as Benteke?
How can anyone possibly answer that question? When Lambert signed Benteke nobody in Europe saw what he'd become because we signed him pretty much unchallenged. Until he gets a few windows we won't know how well or not he does.
Well your point seems to be (and apologies if I've read it incorrectly) that you hope that we wash away the legacy of Lambert's players to bring in a bright new dawn of whatever Sherwood sees his team to be.
From what I've seen so far (and I appreciate that he's not had any opportunity to sign a player yet) I don't think that Sherwood's intended scouting will see us taking a punt on the bloke that Genk (or other team from Europe's minor leagues) have up front.
Hopefully I'm misjudging the bloke, but it doesn't strike me as his style.
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Tim's first signing will surely be an indicator on how he intends to mould the team.
I remember Lambert signed the shambolic El Ahmadi, which pretty much personified his teams.
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I think most of us are tired and emotional in a George Brown type way. Now isn't the time for gratuitous bed wetting; a bigger disaster would have been falling out of the PL, not loosing a Cup Final against a very good side. A hugely important summer awaits, with or without new owners.
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
Given was at fault for three of their four goals. He is as much to blame for today as anybody.
Agreed but he also made 3 or 4 great saves.
He always makes good saves but meaningless when he can't organise the defence or catch/ punch a cross. Massively overrated and needs to be shifted. 50k a week FFS.
Can anyone organise that defence? It's been shit for 4 years, what makes you think all of a sudden someone can organise it?
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
Given was at fault for three of their four goals. He is as much to blame for today as anybody.
Yet also stopped it being six or seven.
There were two competent, but routine saves (Koscielney's header in the first half and a low shot in the second) that I remember.
It's a very Robert Green/Scott Carson argument though. Saving the ball once or twice doesn't make it ok that you weren't good enough to stop the three that you shouldn't have let in.
Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
With the way the game panned out today I think the keeper debate today is futile.
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Do you what made me feel the worst? At 3-0 they panned to a young Villa fan in tears and I just thought there's a good chance that it he won't see us perform any better in a cup final for one or two decades.
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Which is worse? This or 2000?
THIS!! Remember 2000 and been dreading this all week - wanted to hide in the shed until Monday. Dragged myself to the pub but couldn't take anymore after the 3rd.
Thread title incorrect as Arsenal under 10's in the pub celebrating the goals.
Not a pub in London either, more glory hunters being nurtured in Stourport on Severn.
We go again I fear
UTV
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
not being funny mate but how can you call yourself a Villa supporter with a comment like that?
Clearly you're a much better fan than me and a far better judge of a Villa performance. And for that reason I'm out.
clearly you are wearing beer goggles and not the good ones.
You are going to have a tough time convincing anyone that the performance today was anything other than abject.
I totally agree it could have been more and 4 didn't flatter them,
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
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And a big piece of that is the manager. Lambert accepted mediocrity and failure. I'm hoping Sherwood buys players be it with Lerner's money or a new bloke that never do.
For however long he is manager, do you envisage Sherwood signing a player as good as Benteke?
How can anyone possibly answer that question? When Lambert signed Benteke nobody in Europe saw what he'd become because we signed him pretty much unchallenged. Until he gets a few windows we won't know how well or not he does.
Well your point seems to be (and apologies if I've read it incorrectly) that you hope that we wash away the legacy of Lambert's players to bring in a bright new dawn of whatever Sherwood sees his team to be.
From what I've seen so far (and I appreciate that he's not had any opportunity to sign a player yet) I don't think that Sherwood's intended scouting will see us taking a punt on the bloke that Genk (or other team from Europe's minor leagues) have up front.
Hopefully I'm misjudging the bloke, but it doesn't strike me as his style.
what have you seen so far though, he hasn't bought anyone yet?
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Well that was good, you fucking bottling arseholes
that is unfair in my opinion. Their 2nd goal was a wonder goal, how does that equate to bottling it? Arsenal have better players and we had tactics wrong like leaving GA on the bench.
You're kidding.
If anything 4-0 flattered us.
7-0 wouldn't have been unfair, we were absolute garbage in every department except goalkeeper.
not being funny mate but how can you call yourself a Villa supporter with a comment like that?
Clearly you're a much better fan than me and a far better judge of a Villa performance. And for that reason I'm out.
me too, are you trying to take the piss because you are making a bloody good job of it. As Jon says, 7-0 wouldn't have flattered them. If you're on the wind up, could you choose a better occasion to do it than this?
no im not trying to "take the piss".
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That was much worse than the worst I had imagined beforehand. We know they're a good team but we failed to close them down and allowed them to close us down with ease.
To have no shots speaks volumes even if we should've had the penalties. I couldn't feel sorry for the players but did for myself and the other fans who stayed to imagine what it would've been like as Arsenal lifted the trophy.
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And a big piece of that is the manager. Lambert accepted mediocrity and failure. I'm hoping Sherwood buys players be it with Lerner's money or a new bloke that never do.
For however long he is manager, do you envisage Sherwood signing a player as good as Benteke?
How can anyone possibly answer that question? When Lambert signed Benteke nobody in Europe saw what he'd become because we signed him pretty much unchallenged. Until he gets a few windows we won't know how well or not he does.
Well your point seems to be (and apologies if I've read it incorrectly) that you hope that we wash away the legacy of Lambert's players to bring in a bright new dawn of whatever Sherwood sees his team to be.
From what I've seen so far (and I appreciate that he's not had any opportunity to sign a player yet) I don't think that Sherwood's intended scouting will see us taking a punt on the bloke that Genk (or other team from Europe's minor leagues) have up front.
Hopefully I'm misjudging the bloke, but it doesn't strike me as his style.
I would hope that his style is to bring in players that reflect his attitude. Lambert bought Benteke in his first summer when he was a very different man and manager. Whatever happened to him it permeated through all of his decisions.
It's not just about who Sherwood buys it's about the environment that is created for those players to develop. I am hoping that he not only finds talented players, that not only do they arrive with belief, but also he provides them with the platform and confidence to play to their very best level. And we don't know anything really about the players he has looked at. He said it was a really long list. I have to think it extends beyond these shores. Time will tell.
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Ah well, soundly beaten by a much better team. We just didn't turn up at all, for the second FA Cup Final running. I don't really blame Sherwood too much, as it's largely the team that has been dire for three years, and I suppose we should be grateful that he managed to get enough out of them to stay up. It's disappointing though, it was clear from early on that the 3-2-1 midfield and forwards just weren't working for the third match in a row, with Grealish and N'Zogbia offering nothing at all.
You just can't be as sloppy all over the pitch as were today, especially in defence.
We essentially need an entire back four, plus two midfielders and two new forwards in the summer.
Still, had a cracking day. The kids enjoyed Wembley, and it was great to catch up with the usual suspect in the pub beforehand. Stu, Stu Amfy, Jane, Edvard and everybody else really are a top bunch of guys and girls.
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
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Right. Mr Brightside here.
In my lifetime supporting Villa we've been in 9 cup finals and won 5 of them. Winning finalists in LC 75, 77, 94, 96 EC 82 losing finalists LC 71, 10 FAC 00, 15.
Better than 50% but sadly the ones that stick out are the abject performances in 00 and today.
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what have you seen so far though, he hasn't bought anyone yet?
His team selections. That's not the be-all-and-end-all, as he is dealing with the hand he has been dealt.
However if he's decided that Cole is a better option then Gil going on what they've shown for the club so far then it's probably not unreasonable to think that he's going with 'Premier League = good, fancy foreign types = bad".
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Some stats;
Arsenal shots 16 (9 on target)
Aston Villa shots 2 (0 on target) - struggling to recall the 2 if I'm honest.
Corners
Arsenal 8
Aston Villa 0
Fuck me...........................
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Waiting for a curry in An Ealing Curry house , if today is anything to go by , food poisoning will be the main course
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Right. Mr Brightside here.
In my lifetime supporting Villa we've been in 9 cup finals and won 5 of them. Winning finalists in LC 75, 77, 94, 96 EC 82 losing finalists LC 71, 10 FAC 00, 15.
Better than 50% but sadly the ones that stick out are the abject performances in 00 and today.
The ones that stick out for me are the ones we won. I guess that's just me, though.
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what have you seen so far though, he hasn't bought anyone yet?
His team selections. That's not the be-all-and-end-all, as he is dealing with the hand he has been dealt.
However if he's decided that Cole is a better option then Gil going on what they've shown for the club so far then it's probably not unreasonable to think that he's going with 'Premier League = good, fancy foreign types = bad".
So maybe you should let him buy the players he wants and then decide. You are quite right in the fact he is having to go with what he has, so going against you own point really
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
The only positive from today then.
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I sort of agree. He's not good enough or commanding enough to come to meet that cross. He hasn't done for his whole career, so today wouldn't be the time for him to start.
The bloke on our bench though would have come for it and would probably have caught it comfortably.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
So
The only positive from today then.
Sounds as though he is as miffed by today as we are.
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Some stats;
Arsenal shots 16 (9 on target)
Aston Villa shots 2 (0 on target) - struggling to recall the 2 if I'm honest.
Corners
Arsenal 8
Aston Villa 0
Possession
Arsenal 58% Aston Villa 42%
Fuck me...........................
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I think there's a debate to be had, but ultimately Given isn't the root cause of today.
We were awful all over the pitch.
Arsenal are much better than us, but they're much better than lots of teams who manage to make it a lot less easy for them. Like Reading in the semi final, for example.
We offered absolutely nothing. It was embarrassingly one sided. I can live with losing, but being so humiliatingly shit is another thing entirely.
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what have you seen so far though, he hasn't bought anyone yet?
His team selections. That's not the be-all-and-end-all, as he is dealing with the hand he has been dealt.
However if he's decided that Cole is a better option then Gil going on what they've shown for the club so far then it's probably not unreasonable to think that he's going with 'Premier League = good, fancy foreign types = bad".
that example does suit your argument though. Today he played Okore over Baker for example. And dropped Gabby and played N'Zogbia in that spot. The thing with Gil is bewildering, there's no doubt about it, and I wonder if we will ever find out. But until he starts signing players and proves to be the second coming of MON, then none of us can know exactly the type of player he will sign.
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Right. Mr Brightside here.
In my lifetime supporting Villa we've been in 9 cup finals and won 5 of them. Winning finalists in LC 75, 77, 94, 96 EC 82 losing finalists LC 71, 10 FAC 00, 15.
Better than 50% but sadly the ones that stick out are the abject performances in 00 and today.
Yes, I have seen all of them and to suggest the performance today and 2000 stick out in your mind are not how I feel. I will never forget being in Rotterdam to see Peter Withe winning the European cup, Brian Little at old Trafford, lets get things into perspective
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Right. Mr Brightside here.
In my lifetime supporting Villa we've been in 9 cup finals and won 5 of them. Winning finalists in LC 75, 77, 94, 96 EC 82 losing finalists LC 71, 10 FAC 00, 15.
Better than 50% but sadly the ones that stick out are the abject performances in 00 and today.
The ones that stick out for me are the ones we won. I guess that's just me, though.
No not just you, what I meant was the losing ones that stick out, we were fantastic in 71 and robbed in 2010.
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I sort of agree. He's not good enough or commanding enough to come to meet that cross. He hasn't done for his whole career, so today wouldn't be the time for him to start.
The bloke on our bench though would have come for it and would probably have caught it comfortably.
That wasn't the point made though, was he at fault for our first three goals?
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what have you seen so far though, he hasn't bought anyone yet?
His team selections. That's not the be-all-and-end-all, as he is dealing with the hand he has been dealt.
However if he's decided that Cole is a better option then Gil going on what they've shown for the club so far then it's probably not unreasonable to think that he's going with 'Premier League = good, fancy foreign types = bad".
So maybe you should let him buy the players he wants and then decide. You are quite right in the fact he is having to go with what he has, so going against you own point really
I've not decided anything, as there is nothing to decide yet. I'm offering an opinion based on nothing more than gut-feeling.
If the topic that is being discussed is "what sort of players is Tim Sherwood going to sign", then I don't think it's unreasonable to comment on it.
Things would be a bit dull is every thread was just people saying "I have no opinion on this subject until I see concrete evidence one way or the other".
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I sort of agree. He's not good enough or commanding enough to come to meet that cross. He hasn't done for his whole career, so today wouldn't be the time for him to start.
The bloke on our bench though would have come for it and would probably have caught it comfortably.
If we are really talking about their first, I don't think Superman in goal could have got near that cross, let alone catch it.
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I sort of agree. He's not good enough or commanding enough to come to meet that cross. He hasn't done for his whole career, so today wouldn't be the time for him to start.
The bloke on our bench though would have come for it and would probably have caught it comfortably.
I must admit when I saw the first goal I didn't once think Given should've come for that. I was more annoyed Alexis outjumped Richardson for the header and everyone watched the ball and not Walcott.
The third goal was embarassing though, Mertasacker has headed that pretty much in the centre of the goal and Given can't even move, that was the worst one of the opening three.
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Abject performance - only Richardson and Westwood come out of it with any credibility.
The ref's performance was just about as bad as ours too...1 or 2 penalties at 3-0 down would have made for a more exciting finish.
...and obviously Lerner was laughing afterwards because he has a signed, irrevocable purchase agreement and knows he won't have to suffer through any more of this shit.
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Am i right in thinking Chelsea have surpassed us now in terms of winning major trophies - 21 I think. And wenger has now equalled Ramsey 's record of 6 cups. Depressing
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I sort of agree. He's not good enough or commanding enough to come to meet that cross. He hasn't done for his whole career, so today wouldn't be the time for him to start.
The bloke on our bench though would have come for it and would probably have caught it comfortably.
That wasn't the point made though, was he at fault for our first three goals?
I personally think that Guzan wouldn't have conceded any of those three goals. I also think there isn't a save that Given made that he wouldn't also have made.
He may have ballsed up a kick or two or sent the ball out of play when Given didn't as that is his weakness.
Whoever the keeper was today I still think we would have lost as we were rubbish all over the pitch. But being rubbish all over the pitch doesn't excuse our goalkeeper (or more accurately our choice of goalkeeper) from conceding avoidable goals.
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I am really so very glad this season is finally over.
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I sort of agree. He's not good enough or commanding enough to come to meet that cross. He hasn't done for his whole career, so today wouldn't be the time for him to start.
The bloke on our bench though would have come for it and would probably have caught it comfortably.
That wasn't the point made though, was he at fault for our first three goals?
I personally think that Guzan wouldn't have conceded any of those three goals. I also think there isn't a save that Given made that he wouldn't also have made.
He may have ballsed up a kick or two or sent the ball out of play when Given didn't as that is his weakness.
Whoever the keeper was today I still think we would have lost as we were rubbish all over the pitch. But being rubbish all over the pitch doesn't excuse our goalkeeper (or more accurately our choice of goalkeeper) from conceding avoidable goals.
Oh do turn it in. Guzan has played in more than his fair share of thrashings. When the whole of your outfield team is playing abysmally, a team like Arsenal is always going to have a field day. Like they did twice against us this season with Guzan in the nets.
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I think there's a debate to be had, but ultimately Given isn't the root cause of today.
We were awful all over the pitch.
Arsenal are much better than us, but they're much better than lots of teams who manage to make it a lot less easy for them. Like Reading in the semi final, for example.
We offered absolutely nothing. It was embarrassingly one sided. I can live with losing, but being so humiliatingly shit is another thing entirely.
And that's it, defeat is ok, but humiliation is not. 10 out of the 11 players on the field having some of the worst games of their careers is a fucking disgrace.
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I sort of agree. He's not good enough or commanding enough to come to meet that cross. He hasn't done for his whole career, so today wouldn't be the time for him to start.
The bloke on our bench though would have come for it and would probably have caught it comfortably.
That wasn't the point made though, was he at fault for our first three goals?
I personally think that Guzan wouldn't have conceded any of those three goals. I also think there isn't a save that Given made that he wouldn't also have made.
He may have ballsed up a kick or two or sent the ball out of play when Given didn't as that is his weakness.
Whoever the keeper was today I still think we would have lost as we were rubbish all over the pitch. But being rubbish all over the pitch doesn't excuse our goalkeeper (or more accurately our choice of goalkeeper) from conceding avoidable goals.
I personally think you are talking nonsense, especially for the first two goals I don't think the likes of Hart of Buffon would have got them.
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The ref's performance was just about as bad as ours too...1 or 2 penalties at 3-0 down would have made for a more exciting finish.
I'll have what he's had.
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I sort of agree. He's not good enough or commanding enough to come to meet that cross. He hasn't done for his whole career, so today wouldn't be the time for him to start.
The bloke on our bench though would have come for it and would probably have caught it comfortably.
I must admit when I saw the first goal I didn't once think Given should've come for that. I was more annoyed Alexis outjumped Richardson for the header and everyone watched the ball and not Walcott.
The third goal was embarassing though, Mertasacker has headed that pretty much in the centre of the goal and Given can't even move, that was the worst one of the opening three.
Once Benteke decide to go walkabout given didn't stand a chance. We should be grateful Arsenal stepped off the gas after 60 minutes.
The only consolation is it will focus minds on the fact we need a major overhaul this summer. Hopefully there will be a sale to change the mentality of this club. The fans deserve so much more.
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When the whole of your outfield team is playing abysmally, a team like Arsenal is always going to have a field day.
Yes, just like I said in that post you quoted. We'd have lost today whoever the keeper was.
My apologies for the suggestion that Given wasn't some sort of saviour who rescued us from even more embarrassment than we actually saw.
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what have you seen so far though, he hasn't bought anyone yet?
His team selections. That's not the be-all-and-end-all, as he is dealing with the hand he has been dealt.
However if he's decided that Cole is a better option then Gil going on what they've shown for the club so far then it's probably not unreasonable to think that he's going with 'Premier League = good, fancy foreign types = bad".
So maybe you should let him buy the players he wants and then decide. You are quite right in the fact he is having to go with what he has, so going against you own point really
I've not decided anything, as there is nothing to decide yet. I'm offering an opinion based on nothing more than gut-feeling.
If the topic that is being discussed is "what sort of players is Tim Sherwood going to sign", then I don't think it's unreasonable to comment on it.
Things would be a bit dull is every thread was just people saying "I have no opinion on this subject until I see concrete evidence one way or the other".
Well lets hope your gut feeling is wrong and there is not much substance behind it to be fair
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With regards to the slightly tedious goalkeeper discussion we could have had David De Gea, Manuel Neur and Brad Guzan in goal today and we'd still have been hammered.
Admittedly we'd have been short in midfield with three keepers.
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what have you seen so far though, he hasn't bought anyone yet?
His team selections. That's not the be-all-and-end-all, as he is dealing with the hand he has been dealt.
However if he's decided that Cole is a better option then Gil going on what they've shown for the club so far then it's probably not unreasonable to think that he's going with 'Premier League = good, fancy foreign types = bad".
So maybe you should let him buy the players he wants and then decide. You are quite right in the fact he is having to go with what he has, so going against you own point really
I've not decided anything, as there is nothing to decide yet. I'm offering an opinion based on nothing more than gut-feeling.
If the topic that is being discussed is "what sort of players is Tim Sherwood going to sign", then I don't think it's unreasonable to comment on it.
Things would be a bit dull is every thread was just people saying "I have no opinion on this subject until I see concrete evidence one way or the other".
Well lets hope your gut feeling is wrong and there is not much substance behind it to be fair
I completely agree. I hope that it's just dodgy lamb from the barbecue and too much beer.
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I sort of agree. He's not good enough or commanding enough to come to meet that cross. He hasn't done for his whole career, so today wouldn't be the time for him to start.
The bloke on our bench though would have come for it and would probably have caught it comfortably.
I must admit when I saw the first goal I didn't once think Given should've come for that. I was more annoyed Alexis outjumped Richardson for the header and everyone watched the ball and not Walcott.
The third goal was embarassing though, Mertasacker has headed that pretty much in the centre of the goal and Given can't even move, that was the worst one of the opening three.
Once Benteke decide to go walkabout given didn't stand a chance. We should be grateful Arsenal stepped off the gas after 60 minutes.
The only consolation is it will focus minds on the fact we need a major overhaul this summer. Hopefully there will be a sale to change the mentality of this club. The fans deserve so much more.
Benteke was a disgrace defending for that third goal, for a couple of set pieces in the first half as well. The service to him was poor though, Arsenal were superb but really wanted to get in their faces and not let them play like that.That is the most annoying thing
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what have you seen so far though, he hasn't bought anyone yet?
His team selections. That's not the be-all-and-end-all, as he is dealing with the hand he has been dealt.
However if he's decided that Cole is a better option then Gil going on what they've shown for the club so far then it's probably not unreasonable to think that he's going with 'Premier League = good, fancy foreign types = bad".
So maybe you should let him buy the players he wants and then decide. You are quite right in the fact he is having to go with what he has, so going against you own point really
I've not decided anything, as there is nothing to decide yet. I'm offering an opinion based on nothing more than gut-feeling.
If the topic that is being discussed is "what sort of players is Tim Sherwood going to sign", then I don't think it's unreasonable to comment on it.
Things would be a bit dull is every thread was just people saying "I have no opinion on this subject until I see concrete evidence one way or the other".
Well lets hope your gut feeling is wrong and there is not much substance behind it to be fair
I completely agree. I hope that it's just dodgy lamb from the barbecue and too much beer.
Well my BBQ was top class with a few round, but the lads girlfriend is taking the p as a gooner
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Just got back.
So galling that the tremendous effort to reach the final ends with such a lacklustre display. Yes Arsenal are a better side, but we made it too easy for them and in truth they wont have had an easier game this season.
So galling that we allowed George Ramsays record to be equalled by Wenger with such ease.
Have to say the photos ive seen of our inept owner laughing and joking with Prince William while we were being taken apart haven't exactly thrilled me.
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With regards to the slightly tedious goalkeeper discussion we could have had David De Gea, Manuel Neur and Brad Guzan in goal today and we'd still have been hammered.
Admittedly we'd have been short in midfield with three keepers.
First time I have cracked a smile since kick off. very good.
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Well I picked exactly the same team as Tim Sherwood with the exception of Guzan for Given. The whole day was a major letdown.I for one did not expect such a poor performance. Only Given, Okore and Richardson did anything of note. What can Sherwood do? Very little I think. Given and Agbonlahor are on big money contracts I should imagine. They are going to see them through. He doesn't seem too keen on foriegn players so we will be looking for cheap British talent preferably ones he has worked with.
Nothing will change I am afraid. Nothing at all.
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With regards to the slightly tedious goalkeeper discussion we could have had David De Gea, Manuel Neur and Brad Guzan in goal today and we'd still have been hammered.
Admittedly we'd have been short in midfield with three keepers.
First time I have cracked a smile since kick off. very good.
To be fair, we looked pretty short in midfield with only one keeper.
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I can't really put in to words how angry I am. But as someone who is very much a lover rather than fighter, I had to be physically restrained from knocking out a hipster Arsenal prick on the tube after the match.
I left in a huff on 76 minutes and lost my shit when I saw plenty of their fans trotting down Wembley Way at the same time so they didn't miss Britain's Got Talent.
The one sat opposite was just too much by the time I sat on the tube.
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Well I picked exactly the same team as Tim Sherwood with the exception of Guzan for Given. The whole day was a major letdown.I for one did not expect such a poor performance. Only Given, Okore and Richardson did anything of note. What can Sherwood do? Very little I think. Given and Agbonlahor are on big money contracts I should imagine. They are going to see them through. He doesn't seem too keen on foriegn players so we will be looking for cheap British talent preferably ones he has worked with.
Nothing will change I am afraid. Nothing at all.
I would have picked the same team as Sherwood did, but in hindsight Hutton was a wrong move but totally understand why he did it. That said, I would have changed it when it was obvious we were being overrun and the left back was the outlet every time.
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Just got back.
So galling that the tremendous effort to reach the final ends with such a lacklustre display. Yes Arsenal are a better side, but we made it too easy for them and in truth they wont have had an easier game this season.
So galling that we allowed George Ramsays record to be equalled by Wenger with such ease.
Have to say the photos ive seen of our inept owner laughing and joking with Prince William while we were being taken apart haven't exactly thrilled me.
For the last time George Ramsay was the Club Secretary NOT the manager! The club committee picked the team up to the middle thirties!!
We didn't have a manager until Jimmy McMullen in1934..........and he got us relegated.
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
So
The only positive from today then.
Sounds as though he is as miffed by today as we are.
He shouldn't be miffed. He's managed them for a while now. He set the team up.
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Guzan's conceded 8 against Arsenal this season. He'd have let in a few today aswell.
He might have done, he might not have done. He might have dropped a bollock that Given didn't.
But I bet he wouldn't have let a bloke who is 5ft 6 win a header at the edge of our six-yard box.
I'm sorry, but to say that Given should/could have come to meet that cross is ridiculous.
I sort of agree. He's not good enough or commanding enough to come to meet that cross. He hasn't done for his whole career, so today wouldn't be the time for him to start.
The bloke on our bench though would have come for it and would probably have caught it comfortably.
That wasn't the point made though, was he at fault for our first three goals?
I personally think that Guzan wouldn't have conceded any of those three goals. I also think there isn't a save that Given made that he wouldn't also have made.
He may have ballsed up a kick or two or sent the ball out of play when Given didn't as that is his weakness.
Whoever the keeper was today I still think we would have lost as we were rubbish all over the pitch. But being rubbish all over the pitch doesn't excuse our goalkeeper (or more accurately our choice of goalkeeper) from conceding avoidable goals.
That's a bold statement to make though, how come Guzan conceded 8 in the previous two league games against Arsenal if he's capable of saving all their shots?
I'd have prefered Guzan to start today but I think in general terms the choice of keeper was a moot point.
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I was in the club level seats. I had to step in when a load of bell-ends starting getting into stupid brummie monkey stuff. When I got involved they said 'oh but we went to Uni in Brum'.
They didn't say a word for the rest of the game. Nor did I.
Genuinely hurt. I thought we had a chance this year. We turned up and the team looked small time on the pitch.
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I'd have prefered Guzan to start today but I think in general terms the choice of keeper was a moot point.
Yeah, as I've said a good half-dozen times we'd have lost whoever we picked in goal.
But if we're criticising the team's performance, the keeper that we did pick doesn't get a free pass. Just like Guzan wouldn't have if he'd conceded avoidable goals today.
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I've been totally numb standing on the train all the way back to Moor street but I'm starting to regain my senses a bit now.
Fuck it - I've been to an FA Cup final which most fans of other teams can only dream of and I had a fantastic day out at the green man, it's just a shame the football got in the way.
At the end of the day my team aren't good enough to win the cup. We will be one day. This still doesn't hurt as much as relegation would.
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Just got back.
So galling that the tremendous effort to reach the final ends with such a lacklustre display. Yes Arsenal are a better side, but we made it too easy for them and in truth they wont have had an easier game this season.
So galling that we allowed George Ramsays record to be equalled by Wenger with such ease.
Have to say the photos ive seen of our inept owner laughing and joking with Prince William while we were being taken apart haven't exactly thrilled me.
For the last time George Ramsay was the Club Secretary NOT the manager! The club committee picked the team up to the middle thirties!!
We didn't have a manager until Jimmy McMullen in1934..........and he got us relegated.
You need to get in touch with the BBC about their pre match coverage, then.
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Just got back and can only say how absolutely disgraceful that was.
Every single one of them today, manager included, were an embarrassment to us.
No shots on goal in a cup final.
NO FUCKING SHOTS.
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Just got back.
So galling that the tremendous effort to reach the final ends with such a lacklustre display. Yes Arsenal are a better side, but we made it too easy for them and in truth they wont have had an easier game this season.
So galling that we allowed George Ramsays record to be equalled by Wenger with such ease.
Have to say the photos ive seen of our inept owner laughing and joking with Prince William while we were being taken apart haven't exactly thrilled me.
For the last time George Ramsay was the Club Secretary NOT the manager! The club committee picked the team up to the middle thirties!!
We didn't have a manager until Jimmy McMullen in1934..........and he got us relegated.
You need to get in touch with the BBC about their pre match coverage, then.
Someone rang me up about that. Dave or Laura Mansell (the Villa Archivist) will confirm they hadn't done their research properly.
But does it matter? We were dreadful.
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Just got back and I'm gutted with our performance or lack of it. The gulf in class was massive and Tim has a big summer rebuilding the team if he's given the funds. I hope he starts on the defence as it has been severely lacking in quality for a while.
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I remember watching Nigel Reo Coker play for us and wondering why it was so difficult for a professional footballer to pass to a player on the same side as them. Today our whole team failed to pass the ball in even the most simplest of ways. Today we were very, very poor and I can only think think that the players bottled it. At one point towards the end of the game I saw Cleverley pathetically pass the ball to an Arsenal player and the skip around in frustration. Desperately poor.
After today, so many players in our squad just need to be told to Fuck Off.
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Just got back.
So galling that the tremendous effort to reach the final ends with such a lacklustre display. Yes Arsenal are a better side, but we made it too easy for them and in truth they wont have had an easier game this season.
So galling that we allowed George Ramsays record to be equalled by Wenger with such ease.
Have to say the photos ive seen of our inept owner laughing and joking with Prince William while we were being taken apart haven't exactly thrilled me.
For the last time George Ramsay was the Club Secretary NOT the manager! The club committee picked the team up to the middle thirties!!
We didn't have a manager until Jimmy McMullen in1934..........and he got us relegated.
You need to get in touch with the BBC about their pre match coverage, then.
Someone rang me up about that. Dave or Laura Mansell (the Villa Archivist) will confirm they hadn't done their research properly.
But does it matter? We were dreadful.
No it doesn't matter. But then again, I'm not the one getting wound up about it ;-)
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At the end of the day my team aren't good enough to win the cup. We will be one day. This still doesn't hurt as much as relegation would.
we are/should be able to play better than today, even against Arsenal
But yes, relegation would have hurt a lot more, than today
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Even when at 3-0 the game opened up a little bit for us we were feeble going forward. It was as stark a comparison as you could wish to see.
Arsenal looked like the well drilled, quality side they are.
We looked like we'd just met for the first time in the car park at Wembley.
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“There will be some changes.
“There will be as many as we can possibly do. We obviously know we need to improve and I think I can improve the group that are already here as well.
“I’ve done that since I’ve come to the club and I need to start improving a few more and find different ways to play, which suits some of the boys who haven’t played today.
“We’ll start immediately. Some of the boys have already been told they won’t be here next year or they can go and find other clubs. I like to be that honest with them.
“I don’t want to let experienced players be strung along because I don’t think it’s right. We will be bringing in additions.”
Sherwood.
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Just back and haven't read the thread yet. They were very good. We were very bad. An embarrassing Lambert-esque performance with no shots on target in an entire cup final is totally unacceptable. No player came out with any credit, and, as Sherwood said afterwards, the team needs completely rebuilding. Feel really, really deflated after looking forward to it so much.
*sigh*
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And a big piece of that is the manager. Lambert accepted mediocrity and failure. I'm hoping Sherwood buys players be it with Lerner's money or a new bloke that never do.
For however long he is manager, do you envisage Sherwood signing a player as good as Benteke?
Or as poor as Sanchez??
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I have had other things on this evening so recorded all the build up and the match. My son text to say "don't watch it, seriously don't watch it" so I knew it was bad. Checked out the score and that's enough for me to delete the match without viewing. We peaked in the semi final and the short comings have been glaringly obvious over the last 3 games. Time for some big decisions re the squad.
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I had hoped the match would by now by saved to hard drive, to be on constant replay and never to be deleted.
Unfortunatley it didn't last more than 90 mins before being banished into oblivion for eternity (see also FaCup Final 2000 and zlc Cup Final 2010).
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I did my bit.
My mate I went down with did his bit.
The people stood next to me did their bit.
What did you do on the pitch?
What a wet bunch of pricks Arsenal fans are
See you all next season
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And a big piece of that is the manager. Lambert accepted mediocrity and failure. I'm hoping Sherwood buys players be it with Lerner's money or a new bloke that never do.
For however long he is manager, do you envisage Sherwood signing a player as good as Benteke?
Or as poor as Sanchez??
[/quot
You really think Sanchez was his worst buy, I don't believe that
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A thoroughly depressing day that promised so much. Very disappointed in Villa today, they let the fans down. That's all really.
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Just back and haven't read the thread yet. They were very good. We were very bad. An embarrassing Lambert-esque performance with no shots on target in an entire cup final is totally unacceptable. No player came out with any credit, and, as Sherwood said afterwards, the team needs completely rebuilding. Feel really, really deflated after looking forward to it so much.
*sigh*
I share your pain. We put in the performance I feared we might. It was worse than John Gregory's team efforts of 2000.
Only player who did ok was Given.
Even our wonderful fans sort of gave up second half.
Looking forward to big changes in that team.
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I've been totally numb standing on the train all the way back to Moor street but I'm starting to regain my senses a bit now.
Fuck it - I've been to an FA Cup final which most fans of other teams can only dream of and I had a fantastic day out at the green man, it's just a shame the football got in the way.
At the end of the day my team aren't good enough to win the cup. We will be one day. This still doesn't hurt as much as relegation would.
Excellent post....
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That was worth the 7000 mile round trip.
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Naturally I am disappointed with the performance and result.Having said that for us to get anything today we needed Arsenal to make a slow start as they did last year . Unfortunately they appear to have learnt from that and stated like a runaway train. I understand the emotional outbursts from some posters but sometimes you are just beaten by the better team and have to accept it.
There are a lot of unanswered questions about the Villa but at least they are still in the Premiership and quite frankly despite todays disappointment that is at least something we can be happy about.
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If you can't raise your game for a Cup a Final.....
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
The only positive from today then.
I wonder when he told them? During prematch team talk?
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That was worth the 7000 mile round trip.
Heh, I feel bad for you! I nearly pulled the trigger myself but family / work commitments kind of got in the way. I am pretty happy they did right about now.
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And a big piece of that is the manager. Lambert accepted mediocrity and failure. I'm hoping Sherwood buys players be it with Lerner's money or a new bloke that never do.
For however long he is manager, do you envisage Sherwood signing a player as good as Benteke?
Or as poor as Sanchez??
[/quot
You really think Sanchez was his worst buy, I don't believe that
No there have possibly been worse but he sprang to mind .....he is clueless, miles off the pace, rash challenges, awful passing, for an alleged DM that's not a great repatoire....
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There are a lot of unanswered questions about the Villa but at least they are still in the Premiership and quite frankly despite todays disappointment that is at least something we can be happy about.
I think you're right, but then again, we've just finished 17th.
We have done as badly as it is possible to do in the premier league without getting relegated. We have dropped as far as it is possible to drop without finding ourselves poking around the championship with the likes of Small Heath and Wolves.
It quite literally can not get any worse and not involve going down.
That's pitiful. Sherwood is right, there is a culture of accepting losing and mediocrity at the club, it absolutely stinks of it, and it needs to go
Sadly, it starts at the top with the chairman who combines not having a clue with not giving too much of a shit, and permeates right through the club.
Losing a cup final isn't the end of the world. I don't mind losing to a side clearly much better than us. What I do mind is doing it so utterly spinelessly.
We didn't manage a shot on target. Arsenal absolutely crushed us, and did so whilst barely venturing out of second gear.
Even then, though, it is not that which we should really be worried about, it is the return in recent weeks of the pathetic Lambertness of the side. Stuff like losing at home to a relegated bunch of no hopers. Getting beaten 6-1 by Southampton (and, like today, had the opposition had four more goals, it wouldn't have flattered them).
It was embarassing today. Deep down most of us probably thought we'd lose, but I doubt many of us thought we'd get as thoroughly humiliated as we did.
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I forked out hundreds for four of us.On
a positive note, my nephew who was ticketless snook in for free.
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Double post
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I forked out hundreds for four of us.On
a positive note, my nephew who was ticketless snook in for free.
How?
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Outclassed.
Only highlight, blagged our way into yellow car park (ticket was for red) and again got away swift after the game having stayed til the bitter end.
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I'm still massively pissed off. Hopefully the club can be sold to someone who isn't a fuckwit and some of the garbage can be replaced by decent players.
Top of the list to fuck off: Charles N'Zogbia. Literally didn't know he was playing until I saw someone try and run down a blind alley with his head down against ten Arsenal players before immediately giving them the ball back. Before I saw his face I knew it must have been him.
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The only positive I can take from today is I didn't waste hundreds of pounds on watching it. In fact I'm fucking delighted about that part. I feel for every Villa fan that went, more so for those that paid over the odds, and especially for those ripped off by c***s. In the end, we were all ripped off. We have been for years.
And we have a winner for post of the century.
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I forked out hundreds for four of us.On
a positive note, my nephew who was ticketless snook in for free.
How?
I believe he squeezed through on his mates scan.
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When was Lambert re-appointed?
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The only positive I can take from today is I didn't waste hundreds of pounds on watching it. In fact I'm fucking delighted about that part. I feel for every Villa fan that went, more so for those that paid over the odds, and especially for those ripped off by c***s. In the end, we were all ripped off. We have been for years.
And we have a winner for post of the century.
I feel the same. I was offered a ticket for £300 and i thought about it. I'm so glad i kept hold of that money.
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Well that was piss poor. Talking to most Arsenal fans they were amazed at how useless we were.
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Don't know how we've managed to replace a bad memory of a final with an even worse one.
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I wish we want out to Bournemouth than of jhad to witness that.
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I wish we want out to Bournemouth than of jhad to witness that.
Yep, that would have been kuffar easier.
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Don't know how we've managed to replace a bad memory of a final with an even worse one.
Yes i believe we managed one shot on target in the one before.
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I'm still massively pissed off. Hopefully the club can be sold to someone who isn't a fuckwit and some of the garbage can be replaced by decent players.
Top of the list to fuck off: Charles N'Zogbia. Literally didn't know he was playing until I saw someone try and run down a blind alley with his head down against ten Arsenal players before immediately giving them the ball back. Before I saw his face I knew it must have been him.
I would highlight him standing still whilst marking Walcott for the first goal, that was a real disgrace. Was fecking fuming at half time when they were saying the occasion is too big for Jack, get him off, NZog don't give a toss for our club
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Don't know how we've managed to replace a bad memory of a final with an even worse one.
Yes i believe we managed one shot on target in the one before.
It reminded me of the Chelsea semi final in 2010. That was a pathetic no-shots affair, too.
In fact, thinking about it, the 2010 FAC semi and the 2010 CCCF we must have managed one shot on target in 180 minutes, and that was the penalty
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As I get older and more senile I will recollect we beat Liverpool 2-1 in the final at Wembley. Today never happened.
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I hope that's the last we'll see of Randy Lerner as our owner. It's been a disaster ever since he bought the club in all honesty, from letting MON go mental with his money right through to today's embarrassment.
Not impressed with Sherwood really. Having said that, he has achieved his main target of keeping us up, so fair enough!
Most of that squad needs to go. Sounds dramatic, but it's the truth, they're just not good enough for this level.
I'm so fed up right now. We need to do better as a club.
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That was worth the 7000 mile round trip.
Heh, I feel bad for you! I nearly pulled the trigger myself but family / work commitments kind of got in the way. I am pretty happy they did right about now.
Feel like a bit of an idiot now
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The only positive I can take from today is I didn't waste hundreds of pounds on watching it. In fact I'm fucking delighted about that part. I feel for every Villa fan that went, more so for those that paid over the odds, and especially for those ripped off by c***s. In the end, we were all ripped off. We have been for years.
And we have a winner for post of the century.
I feel the same. I was offered a ticket for £300 and i thought about it. I'm so glad i kept hold of that money.
I would have taken it and enjoyed the occasion, Villa fans were brilliant. I have seen great times such as Rotterdam and Highbury, I have seen shite times like relegation, but I will always try to support my club. I will criticise when necessary but would have loved your ticket
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I think the Beeb have got their match stats wrong. They credit us with 2 shots but no corners. I'm sure we had two corners in the second half but can't recall a single shot in the entire game
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Don't know how we've managed to replace a bad memory of a final with an even worse one.
Yes i believe we managed one shot on target in the one before.
It reminded me of the Chelsea semi final in 2010. That was a pathetic no-shots affair, too.
In fact, thinking about it, the 2010 FAC semi and the 2010 CCCF we must have managed one shot on target in 180 minutes, and that was the penalty
Those two performances were far better than today, we were good in both first halfs from memory not that I want to watch the video of either game again anytime soon.
They were a world away from today's hopeless effort or indeed 2000 but then we had a far better team a few years back.
We just don't do cup finals nowadays I'm afraid, certainly not an effort to actually attempt to win them.
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We didn't have a corner all game. We had a couple of blocked shots, think one was from grealish
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The moment where N'Zogbia played a shocking ball that Grealish had no chance of getting and then remonstrated with Jack was the moment I'd live to have seen the useless waste of a shirt twatted by a colleague.
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Well what a load of unmitigated shite that was from start to finish. Diabolical. Embarrassing. We were lucky to only concede 4 and score 0. Not a single meaningful shot all game. Shocking.
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Well that was piss poor. Talking to most Arsenal fans they were amazed at how useless we were.
That surprises me, as we were equally useless in the league games against them this season. 12-0 to them over the three times we have played them says it all really.
Only just back home from Wembley. Simply outclassed in every facet of the game and to be honest, it could have easily been 4-0 at half-time. The fans deserve credit, but the overriding feeling I had waiting at the station was one of relief - relieved that it is all over again for another season.
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N'Zogbia should be amongst the first names on the "get rid" list.
He can at times look better than most of the rest of the players, but even so, he's nothing like good enough with any consistency.
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Well that was piss poor. Talking to most Arsenal fans they were amazed at how useless we were.
That surprises me, as we were equally useless in the league games against them this season. 12-0 to them over the three times we have played them says it all really.
That made me laugh. Gallows humour at its best.
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Just got back what a truly depressing day from start to finish, I think the guy who missed the coach I was on when we left Villa Park made the best decision of the day.
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The only positive I can take from today is I didn't waste hundreds of pounds on watching it. In fact I'm fucking delighted about that part. I feel for every Villa fan that went, more so for those that paid over the odds, and especially for those ripped off by c***s. In the end, we were all ripped off. We have been for years.
And we have a winner for post of the century.
I feel the same. I was offered a ticket for £300 and i thought about it. I'm so glad i kept hold of that money.
I would have taken it and enjoyed the occasion, Villa fans were brilliant. I have seen great times such as Rotterdam and Highbury, I have seen shite times like relegation, but I will always try to support my club. I will criticise when necessary but would have loved your ticket
Well said mate. credit to the fans who dug deep again today.
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After today I have resigned myself to the fact we are never going to win the FA Cup in my lifetime. It's all very well goading Arsenal about how they haven't won the European Cup. That was thirty three f***ing years ago. What about the fact we don't win anything in the here and now?
Feel like throwing in the towel after today. Glad it was the last game of the season. By July I'll probably have my mojo back, ready for another 9 months of cold gruel.
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At least our U-10s would have made more of an effort.
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I haven't reconciled in my head what explains the rapid transition from the team that beat Liverpool, Everton and West Ham to the team finishing the season. You could see within five mins of the Southampton game they weren't at all in the right place and they haven't been since.
I'm sure tiredness and the mental challenge of staying up are big factors. But not sure that's enough.
I think I'm right that sherwood's Spurs had a good win ratio but frequently got spanked by the big boys.
I guess we won't really know till next season
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Out played..out fought..out thought...game over
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Outclassed.
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At least our U-10s would have made more of an effort.
It's not effort though surely. Nobody doesn't try in an FA cup final. They just completely froze and had no confidence, for whatever reason.
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Look on the bright side, 10 weeks of absolutely no weekends ruined by the fucking football.
And we might get taken over (that's where the malaise really starts at this club, at the top, it permeates everywhere).
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At least our U-10s would have made more of an effort.
It's not effort though surely. Nobody doesn't try in an FA cup final. They just completely froze and had no confidence, for whatever reason.
We looked like we were playing with lead boots.
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There was a moment in the second half where the ball broke to Westwood outside their box and he could have hit it first-time but he didn't. He took a touch and hung one of those depressing floated crosses towards Benteke, that he had no chance of reaching, and it looked like a policy decision rather than an individual act of lunacy.
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It was some combination of physical exhaustion and mental exhaustion / seizing up. But whatever it was, it was like Liverpool were against us only worse
Not making excuses but that can happen in a massive final. As embarrassing as today was i'm judging the squad over the season and not one game. So still a massive need for improvement but definitely some good things to work on from the final third of the season
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At this moment in time, I wish I'd followed women's beach volleyball instead of the footy....
I don't wanna see anymore footy for at least 6 weeks
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Outclassed.
A good summary.
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I don't wanna see anymore footy for at least 6 weeks
In which case, I've got some really good news for you ....
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I'm just fucking gutted.
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We froze . They were class.
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We're the Villa, We're the Villa - we are the champions
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Just got home. A great day out but we never turned up & let them play. No shots in 90mins is frankly (& kindly) poor.
Better team won.
Let's see what next season holds.
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thanks Preston - that puts it in perspective
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I'm really not sure how arsenal didn't win the league .
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We're the Villa, We're the Villa - we are the champions
Come on Villa. Next time it will be ours.
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I should have been watching John Dyson, Robert Fox, David Wright, Paul Ward, Michael Shipway and other favourite music artists of mine today at E-Scape. Had it all booked and sorted last year. Cancelled it all a month or so ago because instead I chose to watch the most pathetic, insipid FA Cup Final performance since the pathetic, insipid FA Cup Final performance in 2000.
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Pathetic.
We know what we are.
Delph.. I used to complain he only turned up for 45 minutes. Today 5 minutes would have been a joy.
Cleverly? Can we not find better.
Vlaar? Please, please, FUCK OFF!!!!
N'Zogbia? 4 years you've taken the piss, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, FUCK OFF!
Sherwood? Love your press conferences but you're SO fucking limited. Please, come a takeover, Fuck off.
Yes, the ref was wank but we were embarrassing. Humiliating. I'm so tired of this shit. Please make it end.
Please, please, please, somebody with vision and money.. buy us. We're not half as shit as we pretend to be.
MOTM: Probably Richardson.
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They lost that game at Southampton. They looked scared of a repeat. At least they scored one goal at Southampton. No shots on goal today. Benteke gets easily frustrated with no quality service.
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I'm really not sure how arsenal didn't win the league .
Because they didn't get to play us every week.
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We are a championship squad at best and very lucky to have stayed up, when he came in Sherwood gave players that had previously been overlooked a chance and for a few games it worked but i watched Nzogbia and Cleverley today and how two players can drop their form so drastically in just a few games is disturbing. What happened to the Villa side that played Liverpool? what happed to the style of football we played against Spurs? how come we stopped the passing and moving game and reverted back to lobbing everything up to Benteke who i might add was well held all day. I don't know whether Sherwood can take any blame he inherited every player what i do know is that a lot of money has to be spent on quality players and most of this squad has to go.
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The only thing I can say is that at least Lerner doesn't have a trophy to gloss over his utterly shit tenure here. I hope he enjoyed his jolly up with the dignitaries on the royal box while club he's destroyed were embarressed on the field. Just sling your hook.
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It was just such a disappointment after all the build up. We were so poor and they should have scored more than they did. Like 2000, one to forget.
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Sorry, Robbo but N'Zogbia has been shit since we've signed him. Just because in the last few months he hasn't looked 'as shit', doesn't mean he isn't shit. I'm struggling to think of a Villa player in recent times that's got away with so little for so long.
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We all knew beforehand that we needed to be at 100% & Arsenal at 80% if we were to have a chance. Sadly it was the other way around.
Our support was incredible & everything was perfect until the match started.
Thought Given, Richardson, Vlar & Okore were the only ones to have any sort of performance. Everyone else were simply not good enough today. Give credit to Arsenal they were exceptional.
Benteke showed why none of the top 4 will be looking at him.
With hindsight Sherwood got the selection wrong, but I don't think it effected the result.
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We all knew beforehand that we needed to be at 100% & Arsenal at 80% if we were to have a chance. Sadly it was the other way around.
Our support was incredible & everything was perfect until the match started.
Thought Given, Richardson, Vlar & Okore were the only ones to have any sort of performance. Everyone else were simply not good enough today. Give credit to Arsenal they were exceptional.
Benteke showed why none of the top 4 will be looking at him.
With hindsight Sherwood got the selection wrong, but I don't think it effected the result.
Agree with that except I don't think today's performance wod put people off Benteke. He didn't get any decent service and was isolated. He was shit as well but I don't think it would put people off him.
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I know how Leeds must have felt that in 1996 now. It was that bad.
That's spot on.
I agree, though I know what Deano is saying-just that feeling of watching your beloved team get a thrashing in a big game.
Okore did the best he could, as did Richardson. The latter has gone up into opinion more than any of the team after the final and semi final.
My first class on Monday morning is with two Japanese Arsenal fans. They're both smarmy pricks at the best of times. By midday I could be unemployed.
Incorrect. We were worse than Leeds.
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The only thing I can say is that at least Lerner doesn't have a trophy to gloss over his utterly shit tenure here. I hope he enjoyed his jolly up with the dignitaries on the royal box while club he's destroyed were embarressed on the field. Just sling your hook.
Yes, what a twat.
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Everything in the preparation for the final was great, the only thing and sadly the crucial thing we lacked was the performance.
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Had to get up, that non performance keeps going round and round in my head, fuckin hell Villa.
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Having thought about it, I think I'd differentiate "lack of fight" from other mental attributes such as guile, composure, adaptability. I don't think we were particularly short of the former, at least until Mertesacker's goal: there was plenty of hard work, scrambling, desperation stuff (and even after that we mustered one and a half good penalty shouts.) But we were devoid of absolutely everything else, most importantly quality.
So really, I'm disappointed not because they were necessarily gutless, because I don't think they were; it's more about just how hapless we looked, evidenced in having something in the region of no shots on target
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The thing I really noticed almost immediately was the pace that we played at. I had thought we'd need to play a really high tempo game where we broke well and used width, get amongst them. Instead it was at best pedestrian.
Whenever we tried to play a short, passing game the move broke down within seconds, the ball never seemed to move more than a radius of 20 yards. Arsenal on the other hand stretched play and were able to knock it about at will pulling us all around the pitch. They weren't just better they were embarrassingly better.
I can barely recall us winning a 50/50 and Arsenal seemed to win every second ball so they we able to keep applying the pressure when in the same (rare) circumstances we had possession on their final third we never did.
Never in my wildest nightmares did I think I'd be spending today mulling over whether 2015 would be on a par for shiteness with 2000.
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I was embarrassed for us yesterday. We looked so slow, so predictable. Les Arse stroked the ball with accuracy and speed, we did neither. A few players I wouldn't mind never seeing in a Villa shirt again, Nzog, what a waste of space, Gabby, too many years coasting it at the club, Vlaar, the World Cup was as good as that guy is ever going to be, not a good centre back. Westwood, not good enough. All the players Lambert brought in last summer with the exception of Cleverley, but he will probably go to Everton, and who would blame him. There are more, but I couldn't be arsed trying to think about them now. Our club is in deep shit. Without significant investment we are going to be in the relegation quagmire (gigidy) again.
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The thing I really noticed almost immediately was the pace that we played at. I had thought we'd need to play a really high tempo game where we broke well and used width, get amongst them. Instead it was at best pedestrian.
Whenever we tried to play a short, passing game the move broke down within seconds, the ball never seemed to move more than a radius of 20 yards. Arsenal on the other hand stretched play and were able to knock it about at will pulling us all around the pitch. They weren't just better they were embarrassingly better.
I can barely recall us winning a 50/50 and Arsenal seemed to win every second ball so they we able to keep applying the pressure when in the same (rare) circumstances we had possession on their final third we never did.
Never in my wildest nightmares did I think I'd be spending today mulling over whether 2015 would be on a par for shiteness with 2000.
I don't think there's anything you'll need to mull over. Yesterday was way way worse.
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4-0 was crushing.
The team clearly weren't up for it from the start, they looked so unmotivated. This was our biggest game for years, our second cup final in 58 years, and they were shit. They can all fuck off, the useless wankers.
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Couldn't believe the number of Arsenal fans who left before the Cup was presented! What a wunch of bankers.
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I'm not having a bar of this Arsenal were amazing, we made them look amazing We just didn't turn up in any shape or form. One shot off target is inexcusable Any other team in the football league would of given them more of a game than we did yesterday
They just don't deserve us I'm absolutely gutted
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Its worse in the morning .
Really hits you soon as you wake up .
Not in my lifetime I'm thinking . Bunch of useless twiats.
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Couldn't believe the number of Arsenal fans who left before the Cup was presented! What a wunch of bankers.
Christ did you stay to watch those chunts lift the trophy I'd have rather fried my head in oil!
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Couldn't believe the number of Arsenal fans who left before the Cup was presented! What a wunch of bankers.
Christ did you stay to watch those chunts lift the trophy I'd have rather fried my head in oil!
No, I was judging it by the number of the f***ers who were heading for the tube at the same time as me when I left the moment the final whistle sounded.
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I'm not having a bar of this Arsenal were amazing, we made them look amazing We just didn't turn up in any shape or form. One shot off target is inexcusable Any other team in the football league would of given them more of a game than we did yesterday
They just don't deserve us I'm absolutely gutted
I know this isn't how competitive sport works and we are no more entitled than anyone else but our support deserves better than what the club have served up over the last 5 years.
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Couldn't believe the number of Arsenal fans who left before the Cup was presented! What a wunch of bankers.
Christ did you stay to watch those chunts lift the trophy I'd have rather fried my head in oil!
No, I was judging it by the number of the f***ers who were heading for the tube at the same time as me when I left the moment the final whistle sounded.
Unbelievable. Going back to Watford on the tube full of Arsenal and Villa, the singing from us it was like we'd won the cup
They were totally devoid of emotion.
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4-0 was crushing.
The team clearly weren't up for it from the start, they looked so unmotivated. This was our biggest game for years, our second cup final in 58 years, and they were shit. They can all fuck off, the useless wankers.
I think that sums it all up really rather nicely Stu. The way I feel now, if it was announced any of them were leaving next week, I wouldn't bat an eyelid.
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I'm really not sure how arsenal didn't win the league .
Because they always have at least one little dodgy period a season where they are as poor for a few games as they are utterly brilliant for most of the rest
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The moment where N'Zogbia played a shocking ball that Grealish had no chance of getting and then remonstrated with Jack was the moment I'd live to have seen the useless waste of a shirt twatted by a colleague.
Yes I could have sparked him cold when I saw that. 4 years he's been at the club. Total cost 20m+ and he moans at a died in the wool Villa rookie.
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I haven't reconciled in my head what explains the rapid transition from the team that beat Liverpool, Everton and West Ham to the team finishing the season. You could see within five mins of the Southampton game they weren't at all in the right place and they haven't been since.
I'm sure tiredness and the mental challenge of staying up are big factors. But not sure that's enough.
I think I'm right that sherwood's Spurs had a good win ratio but frequently got spanked by the big boys.
I guess we won't really know till next season
They were just blips, the reverse of really good teams who have the odd off day. And let's remember none of the above three are exactly that great, average at best. If you play 50 odd games a season, even someone as shit as we are plays well in half a dozen of them by the law of averages
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The moment where N'Zogbia played a shocking ball that Grealish had no chance of getting and then remonstrated with Jack was the moment I'd live to have seen the useless waste of a shirt twatted by a colleague.
Yes I could have sparked him cold when I saw that. 4 years he's been at the club. Total cost 20m+ and he moans at a died in the wool Villa rookie.
That was awful wasn't it. You kinda knew it was all over once you saw that. A moment that summed up the whole match and attitude at our beloved club.
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The only positive to take from the whole farrago was that Weiman didn't make it to the bench. Thank goodness the nation was spared his cameo of trapping balls twenty yards and muffing straight forward passes out of play. I think I'd have wept.
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The only positive I can take from today is I didn't waste hundreds of pounds on watching it. In fact I'm fucking delighted about that part. I feel for every Villa fan that went, more so for those that paid over the odds, and especially for those ripped off by c***s. In the end, we were all ripped off. We have been for years.
And we have a winner for post of the century.
I feel the same. I was offered a ticket for £300 and i thought about it. I'm so glad i kept hold of that money.
Sadly, so do I. But then I'd never pay more than £100 tops for a ticket for 90 minutes of football. Especially when it's the Villa who you just know, at least currently, are more than capable of such utterly pathetic performances.
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Sherwood played for me is best team, he hasn't got much more to work
He could have played our good goalkeeper rather than the one who cost us the first three goals, and he could have played the right-back who has been one of the best parts of his short tenure.
Playing Guzan and Bacuna almost certainly wouldn't have won us the match, but I'd put my mortgage on the fact that it wouldn't have been as shit as that.
I can't see how Given could have done anything about any of those goals. All were good finishes. The second simply brilliant - for the third Benteke was pathetic.
Alexis Sanchez is 5ft 6 and won a header on our six yard line for Walcott to score. There's no way that Guzan would let that happen*.
The second is right in the middle of the goal from a shot from 30 yards out. It's a great shot, but it's not as it a bigger, better goalkeeper isn't just jumping up and taking it out of the air.
The third is a free header, again inside our own six-yard box. Has Guzan ever conceded a goal to a free header from there without at least trying to claim the cross?
I'm not saying that I expect Shay Given to come and take the ball of Per Mertesacker's head, because I know that he's not capable of it. It's just frustrating when we have a goalkeeper sitting on the bench he would take a cross like that in his sleep.
*before somebody gets there first, yes, he probably would have sliced a clearance straight to Walcott much earlier and we'd have been 1-0 down already. The rest still stands though.
The comment about coming for the crosses is arguable but that second goal moves left to right in the air by several yards and is simply unstoppable.
Disagree, a better keeper would have saved it. Totally shocking and I'm still in shock.
I'd keep jack, Benteke(even though he was shit) guzan, Sanchez okore I'd fuck the rest off, I had a dream Sherwood was sacked last night. Please someone just buy us and end this before I lose the will with it forever
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The moment where N'Zogbia played a shocking ball that Grealish had no chance of getting and then remonstrated with Jack was the moment I'd live to have seen the useless waste of a shirt twatted by a colleague.
He is one player that should never wear a great shirt again . There is a few others of course but he's had chance after chance and he is taking the piss out of us.
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It's awful this morning, just horrible.
I can accept being outclassed by a far better team, but not outfought, not in the FA Cup Final, not in front of the world.
My boy cried his eyes out on 70 minutes followed by pathetic in fighting making me so disillusioned that I'm wondering about ever going again. Fights, threats all over the place - a guy gets his head stamped on? We had to go on 75 because of what happened near to us.
I had one guy raise his fist to me before the game, as people squeezed their way in and out of those awful block 541 toilets. It was a crush and I'm just trying to get my boy in while this pissed up old wanker pushes everyone out the way.
We've got some amazing fans who care so passionately about the Villa. We've also got some of the most moronic, Neanderthal scumbags any society could dream of producing.
Such a shame as the whole time leading up to the game had been wonderful.
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It's awful this morning, just horrible.
I can accept being outclassed by a far better team, but not outfought, not in the FA Cup Final, not in front of the world.
My boy cried his eyes out on 70 minutes followed by pathetic in fighting making me so disillusioned that I'm wondering about ever going again. Fights, threats all over the place - a guy gets his head stamped on? We had to go on 75 because of what happened near to us.
I had one guy raise his fist to me before the game, as people squeezed their way in and out of those awful block 541 toilets. It was a crush and I'm just trying to get my boy in while this pissed up old wanker pushes everyone out the way.
We've got some amazing fans who care so passionately about the Villa. We've also got some of the most moronic, Neanderthal scumbags any society could dream of producing.
Such a shame as the whole time leading up to the game had been wonderful.
That makes awful reading. How horrendous for you Hope your boy us feeling better today.
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The moment where N'Zogbia played a shocking ball that Grealish had no chance of getting and then remonstrated with Jack was the moment I'd live to have seen the useless waste of a shirt twatted by a colleague.
He is one player that should never wear a great shirt again . There is a few others of course but he's had chance after chance and he is taking the piss out of us.
I've always hated the fucker, all that money he's had for nothing
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I had the most terrible dream....Still, Cup Final to look forward to today!
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It's the lack of any fight or spirit for the biggest game of most, if not all of their career that has made me feel like I might as well give up. The club may of survived, just, but there is still something that still very much stinks at Villa. Is TS the man to take us forward? Not so sure.
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Like CT above I saw Villa fans fighting each other just to my left - I was in 131 - was ashamed
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Definitely worse in the morning
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There is a picture of that bloke on the mirror website www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/fa-cup-final-fans-clash-5794341
He looks like a lovely human being
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I don't think it was lack of fight or spirit, we just wasn't good enough and that's being generous.
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Unimpressive. I don't agree with those criticising the defenders. I thought Vlaar and Okore did ok. With Arsenal close to their best and no help from midfield it was just a matter of time before Arsenal would score.
Overall, Arsenal was just so much better than us, in terms of skill, tactics and preparation that there isn't much to say. But with the players we have, we should have done better.
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There is a picture of that bloke on the mirror website www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/fa-cup-final-fans-clash-5794341
He looks like a lovely human being
Not that it remotely justifies it but I think the guy in black was an Arsenal fan. At half time as he was being escorted away through the concourse there were other tossers aiming kicks and blows at him. Some people need to get a grip. Jeez, we all care but when you boil it down it was only a game.
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That incident on the Mirror website was the one by me
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I've now seen my team in an FA Cup final, I witnessed much graciousness from many Villa fans in heavy defeat and remonstration with those who couldn't handle it.The manager knows now what a big clear out he has to undertake and must have the remit to do so.I believe he has the guts and reason to do so. But best of all the whole charade of 14/15 is over and I can forget about football for a couple of months. Sad Villa fan this morning but that will fade . U TV
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It's awful this morning, just horrible.
I can accept being outclassed by a far better team, but not outfought, not in the FA Cup Final, not in front of the world.
My boy cried his eyes out on 70 minutes followed by pathetic in fighting making me so disillusioned that I'm wondering about ever going again. Fights, threats all over the place - a guy gets his head stamped on? We had to go on 75 because of what happened near to us.
I had one guy raise his fist to me before the game, as people squeezed their way in and out of those awful block 541 toilets. It was a crush and I'm just trying to get my boy in while this pissed up old wanker pushes everyone out the way.
We've got some amazing fans who care so passionately about the Villa. We've also got some of the most moronic, Neanderthal scumbags any society could dream of producing.
Such a shame as the whole time leading up to the game had been wonderful.
Agree it doesn't feel better the morning after. However I saw the other side to you - the 'Villa family'. My son was inconsolable at the end - some chap (in block 546) came over put his hand on his shoulder and said: 'don't worry or be upset son. This is Aston Villa and we have days like this'. A nice touch IMO.
After all, whatever happens, we are indeed Aston Villa and we still come back despite days like yesterday!
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I've now seen my team in an FA Cup final, I witnessed much graciousness from many Villa fans in heavy defeat and remonstration with those who couldn't handle it.The manager knows now what a big clear out he has to undertake and must have the remit to do so.I believe he has the guts and reason to do so. But best of all the whole charade of 14/15 is over and I can forget about football for a couple of months. Sad Villa fan this morning but that will fade . U TV
That sums me up too!
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I don't think it was lack of fight or spirit, we just wasn't good enough and that's being generous.
Any other team in the top 4 divisions would of managed an attempt on target.
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That incident on the Mirror website was the one by me
I could see it, luckily it wasn't too close, the guy was trying to get back up the stairs. Whenever I've been to Wembley I've always seen similar incidents
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I'm really not sure how arsenal didn't win the league .
Because they don't have a centre forward.
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I'm really not sure how arsenal didn't win the league .
Because they don't have a centre forward.
And don't play a team as pathetic as ours every week.
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I don't think it was lack of fight or spirit, we just wasn't good enough and that's being generous.
I thought it was an utter lack of fight or spirit. No corners? Barely one attempt at goal? It was a shameful, embarrassing and pathetic effort
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Ashamed to admit I left on 80 minutes. For me it was worse than the 2000 final.
I just want the Lerner era over and some new money and new ideas and some real ambition at the club. These last 5 years has knocked the stuffing out of me.
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I'm really not sure how arsenal didn't win the league .
Because they don't have a centre forward.
And don't play a team as pathetic as ours every week.
I always find Arsenal get complacent in certain games.
I do feel a little sorry for Giroud though. He's actually get a decent goal return. I think the big mistake Wenger made was signing Welbeck instead of someone a bit more clinical, who could rotate with Giroud. But then again when you've got Sanchez providing goals too, that helps.
To be fair the rise of Coquelin came in the second half of the season too. So who knows. As far as league winners go I would find Arsenal winning it more bearable than Chelsea, City or Utd.
2-3 good signings and they'll cope, but they've got to keep their foot on the gas all season. Sometimes they fanny around too much when they should kill a team off. (Sadly they slaughtered us yesterday).
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Disappointing that we didn't perform. Nasty atmosphere in 551 where two fans offering each other a fight and a nice bit of casual racism to boot.
What a big shame that the players will regret that final.
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I've now seen my team in an FA Cup final, I witnessed much graciousness from many Villa fans in heavy defeat and remonstration with those who couldn't handle it.The manager knows now what a big clear out he has to undertake and must have the remit to do so.I believe he has the guts and reason to do so. But best of all the whole charade of 14/15 is over and I can forget about football for a couple of months. Sad Villa fan this morning but that will fade . U TV
That sums me up too!
Great thing about football I guess. We'll play someone like Palace first game of next season, beat them 2-0 and then we'll all be talking about finishing top 10!
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It won't fade for a while because I've got work tomorrow
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Currently travelling back home with mixed views about yesterday. So much expectation beforehand only to see us lose poorly. My overriding thought is how 'sluggish' the team looked. Don't get me wrong Arsenal and their ungracious fans fully deserved their victory but I can't help but think Tim's team selection didn't help us. Bacuna for me should have started if only to offer a bit of pace.
To come away from a final without having a single significant shot on target is what I'll remember the most from the game. That and fellow fans fighting each other. A bloody awful day all round.
My thoughts are with the many fellow Villans who traveled long overseas distances to witness 'that'.
I'm going to try and forget football for a couple of months.
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It's no easier to swallow the morning after is it?
I'm in the 'I never want to watch football again' phase.
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It's a shame we've had 5 such hideously awful years, and bookended by two pathetic cup finals. I hope this latest abomination of an "attempt" to win silverware firmly closes the Lerner era, and is the start of a new tenure. We need fresh impetus and significant investment.
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Ashamed to admit I left on 80 minutes. For me it was worse than the 2000 final.
I just want the Lerner era over and some new money and new ideas and some real ambition at the club. These last 5 years has knocked the stuffing out of me.
Don't be ashamed - I left on 80 mins too mate - I couldn't watch any more of that .
Ditto to the rest of your post too.
One other point - it seemed like a different crowd yesterday to the semi final - lots of folk you didn't recognise - and the later kick off time meant more drink was taken. Not good.
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It's no easier to swallow the morning after is it?
I'm in the 'I never want to watch football again' phase.
How I feel. I just feel like, if they didn't give a toss then why should I. sick of watching this utter shit.
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Was anybody else completely staggered by the Arsenal fans who couldn't be bothered to stay to watch their side lift the Cup?
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Well, another sad day at the FA Cup final. As per 2000, fantastic day up to the kick off then spoiled by the team. Personally think he picked the wrong team, after saying we were going toe-to-toe he played Hutton and CNZ. Should have been Bacuna and Sinclair.
Only players to come out with any credit are Westwood, Richardson and Okore.
Without significant changes another season of struggle awaits. I hope Sherwood told Lerner to find another club!
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Do you know, I woke up this morning thinking "I can't believe we got spanked 3-0 so easily in a cup final."
I then unfortunately remembered that they scored a fourth in the last minute just to make us look that bit shitter.
Groan.
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there is so much work to be done over the summer it's not funny. Sherwood will need to get to work tomorrow and probably keep going until the opening day.
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it was dire no passion and why put a stadium in that shite hole fucking hells easier to get to
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Was anybody else completely staggered by the Arsenal fans who couldn't be bothered to stay to watch their side lift the Cup?
I said exactly the same the plastic wankers, I saw some lads taunting villa lads by McDonalds not long after
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Was anybody else completely staggered by the Arsenal fans who couldn't be bothered to stay to watch their side lift the Cup?
They are like spoilt kids.
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After leaving on the whistle in 2010 and to a degree regretting it I stayed for the presentations. I have to say that whilst they could afford to be magnanimous the Arsenal fans gave us a very large round of applause, I suppose in thanks for handing them their 12th FA Cup. Most I then met on the way back to my sisters house realised we just needed to be left with our thoughts......
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Yep no issues with the arsenal fans from me. All the ones we met yesterday were sound.
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Was anybody else completely staggered by the Arsenal fans who couldn't be bothered to stay to watch their side lift the Cup?
They are like spoilt kids.
Just to rub it in a bit more this morning coming into Kiings Cross and on the escalator was subjected to many ads offering me a guided tour of the Emirates stadium. All I needed was Giroud's smug face staring at me.
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Go back a few years and any game I went to I always thought we could get a result. Recent years changed that when I questioned why I was going to games where I knew we had no chance. Along came Sherwood and I was starting to believe again we could give anyone a game. Sadly looking back on yesterday I have to admit there are some teams we will never trouble.
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Was anybody else completely staggered by the Arsenal fans who couldn't be bothered to stay to watch their side lift the Cup?
That's pretty appalling, particularly given the near 10 years of moaning about the wait for last years trophy. You never know with Arsenal these days they could go another long stretch without winning anything. They should enjoy it, they can't get back to that expectation of winning something almost every year.
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Who let us down at Wem ber lee Aston villa that's who
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A great build up to the game. Our fans were fantastic throughout. How the players couldn't be inspired by us, I'll never know. When they finished the warm up I imagine 80% of Villa fans were already in the ground and game them a rousing reception.
I'm still utterly amazed at how badly we played. It was miles worse than 2000. From the first miss control by Okore after about 30 seconds, to Giroud scoring in the last seconds, it was just an nightmare. The only hope is that all those at the top at the club can see what a massive summer is ahead of them. This kind of defeat would be easy to take into next season.
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Was anybody else completely staggered by the Arsenal fans who couldn't be bothered to stay to watch their side lift the Cup?
That's pretty appalling, particularly given the near 10 years of moaning about the wait for last years trophy. You never know with Arsenal these days they could go another long stretch without winning anything. They should enjoy it, they can't get back to that expectation of winning something almost every year.
As someone who stayed for the presentation I'd imagine that was the prawn sandwich lot who went early because the Arsenal end was packed when they lifted the Trophy.
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Was anybody else completely staggered by the Arsenal fans who couldn't be bothered to stay to watch their side lift the Cup?
They are like spoilt kids.
Just to rub it in a bit more this morning coming into Kiings Cross and on the escalator was subjected to many ads offering me a guided tour of the Emirates stadium. All I needed was Giroud's smug face staring at me.
I can beat that. Couldn't sleep after the game so went for a walk first thing. Two minutes in along comes a bloke in an Arsenal home shirt, first Arsenal shirt I've seen in 10 years of living here.
I felt like crying.
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Was anybody else completely staggered by the Arsenal fans who couldn't be bothered to stay to watch their side lift the Cup?
Gobsmacked - when we got back on the tube having left at the final whistle going back to Stanmore after the game we had quite a few of them on - all having gone to the game. Why would you do that?
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I've now seen my team in an FA Cup final, I witnessed much graciousness from many Villa fans in heavy defeat and remonstration with those who couldn't handle it.The manager knows now what a big clear out he has to undertake and must have the remit to do so.I believe he has the guts and reason to do so. But best of all the whole charade of 14/15 is over and I can forget about football for a couple of months. Sad Villa fan this morning but that will fade . U TV
And your post sums up my feelings exactly BG. Tim Sherwood would no doubt like to take drastic and immediate action but I bet the powers that be at Aston Villa stop him doing it. Personally I don't think he has a chance of trying to improve the club unless Mr Lerner actually sells up.
I am not sure he is going to make that decision!
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What a big shame that the players will regret that final.
A few might, I suspect the majority will go on holiday to Vegas or Dubai tomorrow and will have forgotten all about it by the time the first glass of Champagne hits the back of their necks in the first class lounge. Hopefully they're the ones given the good news by Sherwood yesterday. And I'll be quite happy to drive that useless tub 'o' lard N'Zogbia to his next employer, may he never pull a Villa shirt on again in his life.
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It wasn't the prawn sandwich bunch. I walked out in a strop on 76 minutes and met Arsenal fans walking back down Wembley Way who had their free scarf and Flag with them.
To my eternal discredit, I lost my shit at one of them sat opposite me on the tube.
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What a big shame that the players will regret that final.
A few might, I suspect the majority will go on holiday to Vegas or Dubai tomorrow and will have forgotten all about it by the time the first glass of Champagne hits the back of their necks in the first class lounge. Hopefully they're the ones given the good news by Sherwood yesterday. And I'll be quite happy to drive that useless tub 'o' lard N'Zogbia to his next employer, may he never pull a Villa shirt on again in his life.
That 'strop' he had when he played they crap ball to Grealish (I think) was unforgivable. Get rid
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I still can't get over the fact we had no shots in a cup final.
NO BLOODY SHOTS.
We didn't even create half a chance for a sniff of a shot.
It was absolutely criminal.
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There's only been one advantage for me. I've been writing a horror film, with a deadline later today. Been struggling all week because this bloody final has been on the brain, among other things.
However last night and this morning as I try to think up gruesome demises I've suddenly found it remarkably easier. Though nothing I've written is quite as brutal as the slaughtering witnessed from 5.30-7.30 yesterday.
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Had Sinclair, Bakuna and Guzan started, it might have been a different story. Given made a couple of decent saves but you would have thought he made saves of the century according to the bbc commentary. He then was poor for 3 goals, why was nobody on the post for the 3rd.
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Had Sinclair, Bakuna and Guzan started, it might have been a different story. Given made a couple of decent saves but you would have thought he made saves of the century according to the bbc commentary. He then was poor for 3 goals, why was nobody on the post for the 3rd.
Not so sure about Guzan as Given wasn't that bad but I think Bacuna and either Sinclair or Gabby might have given us a bit more of threat going forward.
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Richardsons block from woolcott at 0-0 is phenomenal.
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I've just watched it again for 30 mins in - fuck knows why - I suppose I just wanted to check how bad we were.
N'Zogbia of the first goal, fuck me, just stands still. Given on the second, sorry, I know it moved in the air but you expect better than that, Benteke on the third, again fuck me, weak as piss, fourth was poor from Bacuna, but I also thought offside anyway.
Cleverley, the game just passed him by, N'Zogbia, stole a living for far too long that bloke. Benteke, a performance Paul Furlong would have been proud of.
Ref was very poor - not that it affected the result - but truly very poor. Blowing up for free kicks against us for fuck all and giving us nothing when Gabby gets hacked down. Card happy very early on too. Looked starstruck.
All in all we were dreadful again - somehow hoped it'd look a bit better second time around - we didn't.
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Richardsons block from woolcott at 0-0 is phenomenal.
I thought he was one of the only players who really gave his all. He made a few great challenges too. It's just a shame he's always injured.
Compare him to how pathetic N'Zogbia was. Unbelievable.
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File it alongside 2000 and go again.
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Sherwood would have to be given substantial funds just for us to be able to give teams like stoke and Swansea a game. Sadly anything more than that is out of our reach.
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Ref was very poor - not that it affected the result - but truly very poor. Blowing up for free kicks against us for fuck all and giving us nothing when Gabby gets hacked down. Card happy very early on too. Looked starstruck.
Got to agree on the ref, he seemed to give Arsenal a free kick whenever one of their players went down under the slightest of challenges. He booked 5 of our players yesterday and other than Hutton's, there wasn't really a bad challenge in the game, although Gabby's was for dissent I think.
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Had Sinclair, Bakuna and Guzan started, it might have been a different story. Given made a couple of decent saves but you would have thought he made saves of the century according to the bbc commentary. He then was poor for 3 goals, why was nobody on the post for the 3rd.
Not so sure about Guzan as Given wasn't that bad but I think Bacuna and either Sinclair or Gabby might have given us a bit more of threat going forward.
I think it's easy to say that in hindsight, but 80-90% of us probably wanted him to play the same front 6 as the semi. Why he didn't bring Sinclair on was wired though. I think he went for damage limitation with Sanchez.
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Thankfully I started drinking at 11am yesterday, so was pretty drunk by the time the game started.
I really don't think i'd have been able to watch that sober
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I know it's immaterial but how did the referee not give a penalty for either of those incidents? He was sharp to pull up any pull backs throughout the game yet Grealish was practically wrenched to the ground.
3-1 might have flattered us but looks better than the score this morning.
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How can we end the culture of failure at the club? Are we too big to feel like plucky have-a-go underdogs, but too small to feel like winners? I'm sure Sherwood knows we have far too many characterless, dimwitted, overpaid coasters on the books, but it's going to take a genius to work out just how to change the pervasive complacency and lack of fight at Villa.
I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's as if the players who come here think "it's only Villa" and play accordingly, while picking up their massive pay cheques.
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Had hours to mull over yesterday's pathetic display.
My brother and me cannot for the life of us work out how we still managed to not get relegated with that squad of players.
Me and our kid will be back next season, as we always are. Just hope some of the current squad aren't.
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How can we end the culture of failure at the club? Are we too big to feel like plucky have-a-go underdogs, but too small to feel like winners? I'm sure Sherwood knows we have far too many characterless, dimwitted, overpaid coasters on the books, but it's going to take a genius to work out just how to change the pervasive complacency and lack of fight at Villa.
I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's as if the players who come here think "it's only Villa" and play accordingly, while picking up their massive pay cheques.
Let's be honest it's been like that for years down at VP as Sir GT so famously put it " there's a good living to be made at VP". Don't know if that was it exactly but along those lines.
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Thankfully I started drinking at 11am yesterday, so was pretty drunk by the time the game started.
I really don't think i'd have been able to watch that sober
Never understood why anyone would do that
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I know it's immaterial but how did the referee not give a penalty for either of those incidents? He was sharp to pull up any pull backs throughout the game yet Grealish was practically wrenched to the ground.
The way he ref'd the game like it was a basketball match then the Grealish incident should have been a penalty. Lets face it, he gave Arsenal far more for far less throughout the match.
As for Gabby's, well if those aren't being given then we'll never see a penalty given ever again quite frankly - absolute as stonewall as you can get.
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There's something badly wrong about yesterday. Even poor sides manage a few shots on target.
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Compared to yesterday, John Gregory's 2000 team played like Barcelona at their attacking best.
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How can we end the culture of failure at the club? Are we too big to feel like plucky have-a-go underdogs, but too small to feel like winners? I'm sure Sherwood knows we have far too many characterless, dimwitted, overpaid coasters on the books, but it's going to take a genius to work out just how to change the pervasive complacency and lack of fight at Villa.
I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's as if the players who come here think "it's only Villa" and play accordingly, while picking up their massive pay cheques.
Didn't Keane accuse players of basically not being willing to improve because they apparently weren't getting paid enough to do so? I know he's a massive twat who probably can't be believed, but you seem to hear these things every now and then with some clubs - it's like when the Adam Johnson thing broke out, there were a bunch of stories talking about the drinking culture at Sunderland and all the lazy tossers over there.
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How can we end the culture of failure at the club? Are we too big to feel like plucky have-a-go underdogs, but too small to feel like winners? I'm sure Sherwood knows we have far too many characterless, dimwitted, overpaid coasters on the books, but it's going to take a genius to work out just how to change the pervasive complacency and lack of fight at Villa.
I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's as if the players who come here think "it's only Villa" and play accordingly, while picking up their massive pay cheques.
Let's be honest it's been like that for years down at VP as Sir GT so famously put it " there's a good living to be made at VP". Don't know if that was it exactly but along those lines.
I agree, it's been like it for as long as I can recall, apart from when Ron Saunders was here. It's the same syndrome that affects us every time we play Man Utd. It's as if we feel like the script has already been written, and we're nothing but well-paid extras.
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Sister just asked how my two events went this week, Paul McCartney in Brum and Villa. Well one was a joy to be surprised at the level of performance, quality and energy and was a real pleasure which I shall remember for a long time. Unfortunately I shall be remembering the other one for a long time too. I know We were pathetic but I reckon Arsenal in current form would have beaten any English team yesterday. Just hope it's a catalyst for the big changes we know we need to make.
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Ah bugger.
That fourth goal was just cruel.
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Had Sinclair, Bakuna and Guzan started, it might have been a different story. Given made a couple of decent saves but you would have thought he made saves of the century according to the bbc commentary. He then was poor for 3 goals, why was nobody on the post for the 3rd.
Not so sure about Guzan as Given wasn't that bad but I think Bacuna and either Sinclair or Gabby might have given us a bit more of threat going forward.
I just don't think who ever we played would have made more difference.
We just have a squad of a team made up of a 17th league standing prem team.
Players like gabby sometimes have a decent game ,most of the time I'm thinking why do we bother playing him.
Same can be said of most the players , if guzan had played it would have still been 4 0 and Sinclair is where we are at , would have been better than nzobia , maybe but it would still have been 4 0.
One thing , Sherwood knows who are shit, so there will be a massive clear out , he's aready realised Weiman is Brighton quality for example . Hes made mistakes and he will make more but he knows where we are at , a poor outfit and this needs to be changed.
Performances with average players against the likes of spurs ,man city and Everton does give me some hope even with the dire performance against Southampton and arsenal.
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We lost yesterday at St Mary's a couple of weeks ago. I think Sherwood realised that he couldn't polish a turd and went for safety first by dropping Bacuna which put us on the back foot and left Benteke isolated. I think the 5-0 spanking at the Emirates was also in the players minds.
Why he would start CNZ ahead of a player like Sinclair who is here for the next 4 years is beyond me. The guy has created about 2 goals in the past 4 years. The occasion was too big for Jack but the more experienced Delph and Cleverley never showed up. Delph in particular was very poor and didn't put in a captain's performance.
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Tim Sherwood didn't change it round enough or quick enough. All too often Sherwood subs are like for like rather than a tactical swap and his subs yester were the same. Its easy for him to blame players and also credit the opposition but I'd like to see his honesty in claiming responsibility in getting things wrong. Same as versus Southampton. Balls into the box few and far between and as we know a lack of shots. Width yesterday was needed from wide players and I partly expect sinclair (and similar extent gill) to have offered something . Sherwood wants to play with two number 10s and full backs coming forward for the width . When that wasn't happening he should have switched it round. The manager seems to be managing like a captain as he goes with what he knows. This is really good quality to trust the players he puts out BUT its already proving inflexible and not adapting to situation. 4 yellow cards born out of frustration not to get foward as it seems tactics were to contain arsenal and not play with shackles off. Can anyone honestly say villa went in that game to attack. I just like to point out despite faults if players the manager got it wrong yesterday and he should be saying so. Rather than passing bucks
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SF was a perfect day out
Yesterday was great with a couple of pre match beers, some good atmosphere on the concourse, but as soon as the match started I thought our fans seemed flat almost expecting a tonking.
Whats with Given arching his back with the Sanchez save? Why not stand up straight and then he might have saved it. Three of the four goals were preventable but then again they could have been 4 up at HT.
It was a Lambert type performance and seemed damage limitation from the start. I think the starting 11 was right except Given. Gave away early bookings so half the midfield couldnt tackle in the second half. Thought Gabbys booking was hilarious, if he had shown that much fight the rest of the season as he did in arguing with the ref, he might have scored a few more goals / assists.
We were awful but Arse were superb. There passing and movement would have a been a joy to watch if it wasnt against us
Embarrassing all over and have work to look forward to tomorrow with Albion and Blose fans just loving it.
Hope we are sold in the summer.
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I think the Villa's season finished after the West Ham game.
The players minds went elsewhere. Spurs, Liverpool, Man City, Everton and West Ham was a greatrun of form, after that it went to pot.
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Ah bugger.
That fourth goal was just cruel.
Still not seen it. I went to wash the car. In fact i didn't know it had gone to 4-0 until after the game finished.
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Comfort in failure.
That should be our new club motto.
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Ah bugger.
That fourth goal was just cruel.
Still not seen it. I went to wash the car. In fact i didn't know it had gone to 4-0 until after the game finished.
It was only 3 yards offside as well.
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Sister just asked how my two events went this week, Paul McCartney in Brum and Villa. Well one was a joy to be surprised at the level of performance, quality and energy and was a real pleasure which I shall remember for a long time. Unfortunately I shall be remembering the other one for a long time too. I know We were pathetic but I reckon Arsenal in current form would have beaten any English team yesterday. Just hope it's a catalyst for the big changes we know we need to make.
My big fear was that Arsenal would hit their stride and give us the run around. They like playing us. Swansea and Sunderland showed how to frustrate them with a well organised shape that closes those pockets of space they find in the final third. I don't think trying to stop sides is something Sherwood seems capable of or he didn't think he had the players to attempt that.
Four pretty early bookings affected those players, but we gave them far too much space to move the ball around. And in Sanchez they have a genuine world class player who is probably in the top 10 in the world.
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Ah bugger.
That fourth goal was just cruel.
Still not seen it. I went to wash the car. In fact i didn't know it had gone to 4-0 until after the game finished.
It was only 3 yards offside as well.
It doesn't matter, but he was onside. The ball was played forward but Giroud is level with the player passing the ball when the cross goes in.
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Ah bugger.
That fourth goal was just cruel.
Still not seen it. I went to wash the car. In fact i didn't know it had gone to 4-0 until after the game finished.
It was only 3 yards offside as well.
He was level & on side
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Sad to read comments from neutrals on facebook disappointed that there was no contest and it would have been better for someone else to have got there.
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Ah bugger.
That fourth goal was just cruel.
Still not seen it. I went to wash the car. In fact i didn't know it had gone to 4-0 until after the game finished.
It was only 3 yards offside as well.
It doesn't matter, but he was onside. The ball was played forward but Giroud is level with the player passing the ball when the cross goes in.
I was more concerned in where our defence was
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Big Per being marked by benteke and Okore marking space should have been other way round. I hated every goal . The second left me in shock as it highlighted the difference. The corner goal bloody annoying and the fourth really made me mad. Don't mind losing to the better team but the manner and scoreline -without having a go- is what really hurts. I can imagine the players feeling pretty dejected after working so hard and deservedly getting to the final. You know something up until 41 minutes I really felt avfc name on cup. Arsenal missed some chances and I was hoping a bentekje flick on would lead to something ...initially big Ben was winning everything . Even towards the end of match villa rallyed and don't deserve that fourth goal. It beggars belief how the ref didn't given a pen and also a free kick for the grealish and agbonlahor fouls. This attacking intent showed the vulnerability arsenal had and it was a case of to little to late. I live in hope we ge t another opportunity in a show piece where our attacking potential is fulfilled and displayed to all.UTV the fans and supporters were superb and far outweighed the sing when we re winning gooners.
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I hope Sherwood is allowed to wield an axe to the squad in the summer, or alternately in N'Zogbia's case, a fucking chainsaw as he obviously has no need for the use of his legs anymore, the fat bugger.
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They seemed too concerned when we had the ball central in the final third with getting the ball out wide and crossing to Benteke, rather than just keep moving through the middle. Almost as if that was the only chance we had. Not even testing Szcezney was shameful.
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I woke up this morning, and was quiet for a very long time. I don't know whether it's relief it's all over or shellshock. It was a long day and we got to bed about half past midnight, but on the plus side, I got my first decent night's sleep this week. Already I can only remember the day in snatches, which is quite alarming. Psychologically, I must be treating it as being witness to a disaster.
One thing I do remember is a family of quite utter thuggish bastards in 543, where I was sat. I couldn't quite get the details but it appears that a trio of Afro-Caribbeans were deemed to be Arsenal fans, and the ringleader (who had a claret and blue tramline shaved into his head, along with his son) intimidated them physically to such a degree that the stewards had to remove them to stop the group tearing them apart. Not only that, but each time the stewards came to help them away, the same man, who looked so apoplectic I thought he was going to explode in a shower of boiling muscle, followed them down the steps intent on giving them a beating. The woman was in tears, by the way.
The stewards came back about ten minutes later to fetch a coat belonging to one of them. Many in 543 then played keep-away before the stewards wrestled it back. Other fans tried to make this guy see reason, and I really thought he was going to pop somebody for it. He and his brood left before the end of the game for Kilburn Social Club, which was apparently "all Villa". Well, if he and the shitheads that caused so much aggression are all Villa, you can shove it up your arse. I can think of no other word to describe people like that as copper-bottomed c***s.
However, focussing on that meant I wasn't following the game, and when I did go back to it, I realised I was bored. Not humiliated, or frustrated, I was just tired of it. Two different teams playing two different sports, and we're so far behind Arsenal, we may as well not bother with the Premier League. We were a Championship side that got lucky, like Milwall playing Manchester United all those years ago. I don't believe Sherwood will get us where we need to be, let alone where we want to go, and I even suspect he won't see out the season. People will tell me to give the guy a chance, and I will, but I'm not optimistic. This job is massive and goes beyond buying eleven new players. It's a new approach to the game, a new way of playing it, and I don't think he's got much more than enthusiasm.
I honestly don't know when I'll come back to the Villa after yesterday. Can you imagine going to a friendly with half that team playing? They were showed up for what they were, which is people in Villa shirts. There are some I prefer, and some I think who froze, but in no sense is that a team that has what it takes to not struggle. Rocking up to Villa Park for the first home game will be tough, and I probably won't. We passed the ground lit up on the coach last night. Hardly anyone looked.
If that's the end of something, a fitting day all round.
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Ormy droid.........that made me laugh
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From BBC:
Tim Sherwood has just said:" Some of the boys have been told they will not be here next year and they can go and find other clubs."
Bomb Squad II (or is it III)?
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They seemed too concerned when we had the ball central in the final third with getting the ball out wide and crossing to Benteke, rather than just keep moving through the middle. Almost as if that was the only chance we had. Not even testing Szcezney was shameful.
One thing that wound me up .
I remember cleverly having the ball in a good position but nobody showed for him , they just hid and then the move broke down .
I also remember jack winning the ball in their box and giving it to Delph whos control was awful and he gave it away , which he did numerous times which then led to arsenal breaking away and scoring.
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Obviously Arsenal have got infinitely better players, I don't know why that keeps on getting pointed out when someone says we were shit. Under no circumstances will I ever accept not having a shot on target. Ever. Even against Real Barcelona. I was embarrassed, and although a 4-0 loss never would surprise me, playing that epically shit did. Sherwood also deserves stick as well.
Richardson had a decent game though!
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Totally outclassed in every position. It could have been a lot worse if we're honest.
On the up side we've managed to avoid the Europa League.
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I woke up this morning, and was quiet for a very long time. I don't know whether it's relief it's all over or shellshock. It was a long day and we got to bed about half past midnight, but on the plus side, I got my first decent night's sleep this week. Already I can only remember the day in snatches, which is quite alarming. Psychologically, I must be treating it as being witness to a disaster.
One thing I do remember is a family of quite utter thuggish bastards in 543, where I was sat. I couldn't quite get the details but it appears that a trio of Afro-Caribbeans were deemed to be Arsenal fans, and the ringleader (who had a claret and blue tramline shaved into his head, along with his son) intimidated them physically to such a degree that the stewards had to remove them to stop the group tearing them apart. Not only that, but each time the stewards came to help them away, the same man, who looked so apoplectic I thought he was going to explode in a shower of boiling muscle, followed them down the steps intent on giving them a beating. The woman was in tears, by the way.
The stewards came back about ten minutes later to fetch a coat belonging to one of them. Many in 543 then played keep-away before the stewards wrestled it back. Other fans tried to make this guy see reason, and I really thought he was going to pop somebody for it. He and his brood left before the end of the game for Kilburn Social Club, which was apparently "all Villa". Well, if he and the shitheads that caused so much aggression are all Villa, you can shove it up your arse. I can think of no other word to describe people like that as copper-bottomed c***s.
However, focussing on that meant I wasn't following the game, and when I did go back to it, I realised I was bored. Not humiliated, or frustrated, I was just tired of it. Two different teams playing two different sports, and we're so far behind Arsenal, we may as well not bother with the Premier League. We were a Championship side that got lucky, like Milwall playing Manchester United all those years ago. I don't believe Sherwood will get us where we need to be, let alone where we want to go, and I even suspect he won't see out the season. People will tell me to give the guy a chance, and I will, but I'm not optimistic. This job is massive and goes beyond buying eleven new players. It's a new approach to the game, a new way of playing it, and I don't think he's got much more than enthusiasm.
I honestly don't know when I'll come back to the Villa after yesterday. Can you imagine going to a friendly with half that team playing? They were showed up for what they were, which is people in Villa shirts. There are some I prefer, and some I think who froze, but in no sense is that a team that has what it takes to not struggle. Rocking up to Villa Park for the first home game will be tough, and I probably won't. We passed the ground lit up on the coach last night. Hardly anyone looked.
If that's the end of something, a fitting day all round.
An excellent if very sad post. Just how much more of this shit can we take? I sat in the pub watching this almost in a trance, devoid of all emotion as I've become so inured to my beloved team making me feel embarrassed. I'm afraid a lot of things about the club currently disgust me, starting with that buffoon of an idiot owner who sat there yesterday looking like he didn't have a care in the world. If there's a more gormless owner of a football club in this country, I'd like to see him.
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Big Per being marked by benteke and Okore marking space should have been other way round. I hated every goal . The second left me in shock as it highlighted the difference. The corner goal bloody annoying and the fourth really made me mad. Don't mind losing to the better team but the manner and scoreline -without having a go- is what really hurts. I can imagine the players feeling pretty dejected after working so hard and deservedly getting to the final. You know something up until 41 minutes I really felt avfc name on cup. Arsenal missed some chances and I was hoping a bentekje flick on would lead to something ...initially big Ben was winning everything . Even towards the end of match villa rallyed and don't deserve that fourth goal. It beggars belief how the ref didn't given a pen and also a free kick for the grealish and agbonlahor fouls. This attacking intent showed the vulnerability arsenal had and it was a case of to little to late. I live in hope we ge t another opportunity in a show piece where our attacking potential is fulfilled and displayed to all.UTV the fans and supporters were superb and far outweighed the sing when we re winning gooners.
Not sure about some of this.
I can imagine the players couldnt give a flying fuck, as they jet off on their 5 star holidays to every 'bling' destination they can find.
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So, I wasn't having a nightmare then? I'm not gonna wake up all Bobby Ewing-like and discover it was all a nasty dream and it is actually Saturday morning? I really did waste time, money and most importantly a chunk of my soul trogging off down to london to watch that steaming pile of shit?
Fuck! >:(
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Well that was shit.
My take on it, with hindsight is that the players have been tired for a while - we played a higher tempo game when Sherwood arrived and results improved, but we started to look weak in the second half against West Ham. We ran out of steam and have been poor since that point and went into the final with no momentum, or presumably confidence.
Arsenal are much better than we are but we went in with a very negative, Lambert-esque mindset and were far too timid. If we had given it a real go and lost 4-0 that would have been awful, but to go out with a whimper was a real waste of an opportunity. To not have one shot is unforgivable.
Great to be with so many great people from here in the Black Lion in Kilburn and we were back in there after with Ciaran Clark's dad too - a really decent fella.
I don't like Sundays but this is a really shit one.
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I made the fatal error of actually believing we would at least have a go at Arsenal, so I'm afraid my emotions got the better of me on this occasion. I'm looking forward to feeling numb and resigned to inevitable failure in future.
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Still smarting over the manner of yesterday's defeat. "Fight like Lions"? It was more a case of "Lambs to the slaughter"! Only Richardson showed any fight, the rest were just feeble. When it comes to humiliating their fans Villa are in a league of their own. Try as they might even Newcastle can't compete !!
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It was the one thing we pretty much all said we needed to do. Get after them with a high tempo game, don't give them any space to play, go with attacking intent and have a real crack at them.
The only team that did any of this was Arsenal while we chased shadows for 90 minutes.
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Ref was very poor - not that it affected the result - but truly very poor. Blowing up for free kicks against us for fuck all and giving us nothing when Gabby gets hacked down. Card happy very early on too. Looked starstruck.
Got to agree on the ref, he seemed to give Arsenal a free kick whenever one of their players went down under the slightest of challenges. He booked 5 of our players yesterday and other than Hutton's, there wasn't really a bad challenge in the game, although Gabby's was for dissent I think.
not sure if any of the yellows were debatable, Delph, Westwood and Cleverley were persistently fouling early on. Hutton is just an out and out thug. Gabby ran about 40 yards to abuse the ref
Gabby to be fair was probably our best player when he came on, great run for what was a stonewall foul not sure if it was in the box, maybe just outside.
Not that his performance should be enough to keep him at the club, far from it he sums up the mediocrity at the club imo.
Grealish should have had a peno too, brutal defending from Bellerin that time.
But who are we kidding, Arsenal could have had eight. Rico's block from Walcott, Koscielny header, Ramsey blazing over and Walcott should have scored when put clean through in the second half. Id probably missing a couple of others
An awful awful day
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It was the one thing we pretty much all said we needed to do. Get after them with a high tempo game, don't give them any space to play, go with attacking intent and have a real crack at them.
The only team that did any of this was Arsenal while we chased shadows for 90 minutes.
Chased implies effort, I didn't see a lot of that.
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It was a case of watching men against boys.
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Men against toddlers.
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We totally froze on the big occasion.
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In the history of FA Cup Finals, very rarely can a set of fans, giving such brilliant support be so utterly let down, by a group of players, giving such an unbelievably dire performance. Sherwood has a massive job ahead of him this summer.
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Ref was very poor - not that it affected the result - but truly very poor. Blowing up for free kicks against us for fuck all and giving us nothing when Gabby gets hacked down. Card happy very early on too. Looked starstruck.
Got to agree on the ref, he seemed to give Arsenal a free kick whenever one of their players went down under the slightest of challenges. He booked 5 of our players yesterday and other than Hutton's, there wasn't really a bad challenge in the game, although Gabby's was for dissent I think.
I can't help thinking that penalty would have been given at the other end.
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Sorry, can we get over the myth we had great support yesterday. It wasn't great. It matched the team. The support yesterday was poor. Only rarely did the crowd get going.
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Sorry, can we get over the myth we had great support yesterday. It wasn't great. It matched the team. The support yesterday was poor. Only rarely did the crowd get going.
I thought the fans , like the team were completely wracked with nerves. It felt weird from the off.
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Sorry, can we get over the myth we had great support yesterday. It wasn't great. It matched the team. The support yesterday was poor. Only rarely did the crowd get going.
It did seem flat. Think a lot of fans "peaked" too soon.
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It's difficult to raise your voice when your team has allowed Per Mertesacker to score.
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It was a great atmosphere pre-kick off but I thought the team started flat and the feeling in the crowd followed.
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It felt like we were playing under Lambert yesterday, quite one dimensional football, lots of passing sideways and backwards and not much pace in the team. Arsene Wenger obviously knew what we were going to try and do (lump it up to Benteke), sorted that out and then ripped us apart. There was one point at about the 60th minute when Okore, Hutton and Westwood were passing it around to each other, and they were all losing the balls to shadows, no arsenal players nearby but making little mistakes. Unfortunately Arsenal played a fantastic game of football. Part of me felt if we could get to HT 0-0 then we may have a fighting chance, 1-0 down was a big mountain to climb, 2-0 no chance.
If you look at Arsenal and their form since xmas they have been playing very well. I've let the dust settle and a bit more relaxed about it now.
2 observations for me though re Arsenal fans: Firstly how can they all afford to have the away shirt? Secondly I left when at Full Time and Arsenal fans were streaming out at the same time, made me a bit upset that their team had just won the FA cup and they didnt stay to celebrate.
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Can't get my head around how early some fans got to wembley and how out of it they were by kick off. It was like going on a major bender then trying to watch a football game after it. Nuts.
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Arsenal were relaxed and better all over the pitch. We were nervous, loads of basic mistakes, maybe if Arse had not won it last year they maybe we would have had a better chance I.e. Like Hull last year, but they knew how to get the job done.
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I felt like singing 'abide with me' after the match rather than before it
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Sorry, can we get over the myth we had great support yesterday. It wasn't great. It matched the team. The support yesterday was poor. Only rarely did the crowd get going.
I heard plenty of Villa chants on TV right up to 2-0 when things understandably went flat as the game was up with the Sanchez wonder shot.
You have to remember the team gave the fans absolutely nothing to work with....not even a corner to get excited about ffs.
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Most of the public transportation got people there on time for a three o'clock kick off. My coach pulled in at twenty to two, for a half five kick off. Gates didn't open until half three, and there are three real options - drink, buy stuff at Curry's or Lidl, or visit Brent Library.
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Most of the public transportation got people there on time for a three o'clock kick off. My coach pulled in at twenty to two, for a half five kick off. Gates didn't open until half three, and there are three real options - drink, buy stuff at Curry's or Lidl, or visit Brent Library.
You could have bought some high fashion from 2012 in the wembley designer outlet
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There were some proper Tarquins there yesterday, and plenty of freshly bought yellow shirts.
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Does anyone on here think we are going to get a decent war chest as things sit currently with Randy.
Not a chance in hell, it's going to be the same group with maybe 3-4 leaving and the same coming in.
And these again will be championship players at best, our only possible salvation is that someone comes in before pre season, with money to spend for fun.
I feel so sorry for all you that went on that long journey and had to experience that total utter dross yesterday, but unfortunately I fear the worse is yet to come.
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Sorry, can we get over the myth we had great support yesterday. It wasn't great. It matched the team. The support yesterday was poor. Only rarely did the crowd get going.
I was right at the back in block 549 and few of the people around me were joining in the singing, even before kick off. It's difficult to do a solo! Difficult as well to hear chants from other areas of our support and to join in with them.
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Sorry, can we get over the myth we had great support yesterday. It wasn't great. It matched the team. The support yesterday was poor. Only rarely did the crowd get going.
that's just rubbish
up until we realised the performance was not going to get any better it was first class
like others have said there was absolutely nothing in the game to cheer or get us going a bit,
whoever was to blame for yesterdays disaster, it wasn't the fans
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There were some proper Tarquins there yesterday, and plenty of freshly bought yellow shirts.
There's a few of the arsenal scarves on ebay today.
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Look on the bright side. There may be 3 teams worse than us again next season.
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Most of the public transportation got people there on time for a three o'clock kick off. My coach pulled in at twenty to two, for a half five kick off. Gates didn't open until half three, and there are three real options - drink, buy stuff at Curry's or Lidl, or visit Brent Library.
I don't understand your point. There was plenty to do. I arrived just before 1pm, had a mooch around the Outlet, met some friends for lunch at Hand Made Burger, tracked down Leeg / Mr Shin and then went inside about 45 mins before KO.
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What's the fucking point? I wish I hadn't renewed already. We're never, ever going to compete again. We exist just to exist. Tossbuckets.
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“There will be some changes.
“There will be as many as we can possibly do. We obviously know we need to improve and I think I can improve the group that are already here as well.
“I’ve done that since I’ve come to the club and I need to start improving a few more and find different ways to play, which suits some of the boys who haven’t played today.
“We’ll start immediately. Some of the boys have already been told they won’t be here next year or they can go and find other clubs. I like to be that honest with them.
“I don’t want to let experienced players be strung along because I don’t think it’s right. We will be bringing in additions.”
Sherwood.
Possible olive branch for Gil, Sinclair and the like? God I hope so.
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“There will be some changes.
“There will be as many as we can possibly do. We obviously know we need to improve and I think I can improve the group that are already here as well.
“I’ve done that since I’ve come to the club and I need to start improving a few more and find different ways to play, which suits some of the boys who haven’t played today.
“We’ll start immediately. Some of the boys have already been told they won’t be here next year or they can go and find other clubs. I like to be that honest with them.
“I don’t want to let experienced players be strung along because I don’t think it’s right. We will be bringing in additions.”
Sherwood.
Possible olive branch for Gil, Sinclair and the like? God I hope so.
'experienced players' I hope he has told Vlaar to find another club
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Sorry, can we get over the myth we had great support yesterday. It wasn't great. It matched the team. The support yesterday was poor. Only rarely did the crowd get going.
Could hear our support clearly on the TV and at 3-0 down there was a rousing 'Holte Enders In The Sky', all things considered I reckon our support did a far better job yesterday than any of the players.
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Richardsons block from woolcott at 0-0 is phenomenal.
I thought he was one of the only players who really gave his all. He made a few great challenges too.
There have been occasions at Villa Park when no Man of the Match has been announced because the choice would have been greeted with derision. None of our players had a good game yesterday but I think Richardson was probably the pick of the bunch.
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The support is the one thing we can't fault about this club. Given the shit we've had to endure for years on end, it's magnificent.
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Sorry, can we get over the myth we had great support yesterday. It wasn't great. It matched the team. The support yesterday was poor. Only rarely did the crowd get going.
Could hear our support clearly on the TV and at 3-0 down there was a rousing 'Holte Enders In The Sky', all things considered I reckon our support did a far better job yesterday than any of the players.
Well for a start we turned up.
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Most of the public transportation got people there on time for a three o'clock kick off. My coach pulled in at twenty to two, for a half five kick off. Gates didn't open until half three, and there are three real options - drink, buy stuff at Curry's or Lidl, or visit Brent Library.
I don't understand your point. There was plenty to do. I arrived just before 1pm, had a mooch around the Outlet, met some friends for lunch at Hand Made Burger, tracked down Leeg / Mr Shin and then went inside about 45 mins before KO.
I'm not trying to be facetious, as I'm not much of a drinker myself. There are outlets and restaurants, granted, but I don't think they would be the preferred destination of most of the fans on Cup Final day.
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Sorry, can we get over the myth we had great support yesterday. It wasn't great. It matched the team. The support yesterday was poor. Only rarely did the crowd get going.
The second goal was the killer, not only the timing and the fact that it gave them a 2-goal lead but also the sheer quality. Until then our support had been excellent, certainly where we were, near the corner flag, and all the way round behind the goal
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You know when you wake up and there's that split second between opening your eyes and being fully aware?
This morning I woke and thought "ace, cup final day today" followed by "oh no, that was yesterday" followed by remembering what happened, and thinking "oh, shit"
Shortly after, the Mrs comes back into the room and says "are you going to get up now?" To which I replied "no, I'm going to stay in bed all day, maybe cry a bit".
I could see she thought I was being serious, too, bless.
Anyway, look on the bright side. The season is over now. They can't ruin any weekends for a couple of months.
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I'm just going to follow the cricket, maybe go to Homebase. Proper Alan Partridge denial type day.
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They can't ruin any weekends for a couple of months.
They'll find a way.
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Before going to sleep last night, I watched The Omen to bring a bit of levity to what had been a spine-chillingly horrific, gut-wrenching, torturous and thoroughly evil day. Aston Villa really should come with an X-rating.
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He wouldn't have deserved it and hindsight is a wonderful thing but you wonder if Gabby starting would have been a good move yesterday, if anything he has been a player for the big occasion and I just cannot get into my head why on Earth CNZ has been playing these past few weeks ahead of Gil, Sinclair and even Gabby. None of our "big" players turned up. Vlaar was nowhere, Benteke didn't win a header all game having been bigged up pre-match, did he have a touch? Some credit can go to our journeymen Richardson and Hutton who at least put their bodies on the line somewhat.
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I'm just going to follow the cricket, maybe go to Homebase. Proper Alan Partridge denial type day.
You know the Villa have really ruined your life when you end up at Homebase. I went the whole 49 yards last weekend and did the tip followed by Homebase. I'm still debating which was the more exciting.
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They can't ruin any weekends for a couple of months.
They'll find a way.
Yes, that's true. It'll be when we start showing our lack of ambition in the transfer market, I'm guessing.
Or when we get taken over by a Tony Adams consortium
*sigh*
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For me.
Given...at fault for 2nd and 3rd, not big enough, not decisive enough, good shot stopper, not going to leave, we are stuck with him for another 12 months.
Hutton....ok, nothing special, didn't have a bad game, but limited.
Richardson....after the awful game against QPR has been pretty solid, our MOM yday, but needs replacing.Should have done better for the 1st goal, but was he fouled?
Vlaar.....i thought he was ok yday, and tbh , as long as he is not too greedy, i would keep him.We need an experienced CH, and with Senderos even more injury prone than Vlaar, we would need another one to come in if we dispensed with both.
Okores...again, makes a few basic mistakes, but his speed and his strength are great assets.I think he needs an experienced CH alongside him to guide him, and i think he will be very good.Their 3rd goal came from him chasing Walcott back, and not letting him run offside, it led to the corner, which led to the goal.
Delph....poor yday, but by far our best midfielder at the club.The midfield lost the battle yday, they lacked urgency, but more importantly cohesion and ability, too often they failed to support , and hold onto the ball.
Westwood......too slow, too weak, too ineffective.Hes a very average player, and against the likes of Arse his limitations are going to be exposed.For me our reliance on players like Westwood have underlined our reasons for struggling.Get rid, lets have a look at GG or Sanchez with a good pre-season behind him.
Cleverley...an inbetween player for me.Doesn't score enough, doesn't create enough, not really quick, not really that good on the ball, not really strong enough.Imo not worth £50k+ per week, would rather go for an up and coming.
Jack.......19, will be a really good footballer, needs to add goals to his game, too much pressure on him.
N'Zog/Gabby.........complete and utter waste of time and money.These 2 need to get rid of, and a player like Mane, i know we are not going to get him, who will get you 10ish goals from this position.
CB.........no service at all yday, can't do it on his own, we need to try and keep him, but might need to sell him to move forward.
The most depressing thing about yday was the gulf between us and Arse.I remember the 1996 Lge Cup S/F when we beat them, we were probably equal rivals, now they are way ahead of us.Not sure how we get back there, or if ever we do, but we need to be a lot closer than we are atm.
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the gap between us and top 4/5 teams is massive, that's why over a course of a season we finished 4 from bottom and they finished in the top 4
but in one of cup matches it can be different-
if Arsenal and Villa are both on form, Arsenal win
if Arsenal are below par and we play well, Villa win
if Arsenal turn up and we don't, you get yesterdays result
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I realise these OPTA Stats haven't been around that long, but is there any cup final in the entire world where a team, any team in history has registered 0 (zero) shots on target before?
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Hutton "didn't have a bad game"? He stood and watched while Arsenal got the ball for their second goal, and generally performed with the same level of expertise I'd expect from a camel attempting to play the piano.
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Sorry, can we get over the myth we had great support yesterday. It wasn't great. It matched the team. The support yesterday was poor. Only rarely did the crowd get going.
I guess everyones experience differs. I thought it was excellent until 2-0 when it went a little flat. Wealdstone, tube, Wembley Way, Green Man were all brilliant for me. Even the tube back to Wealdstone there was singing. Shudder to think how you would describe the Arsenal support not that it matters one bit.
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Hutton "didn't have a bad game"? He stood and watched while Arsenal got the ball for their second goal, and generally performed with the same level of expertise I'd expect from a camel attempting to play the piano.
That will have been his cameo then.
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I realise these OPTA Stats haven't been around that long, but is there any cup final in the entire world where a team, any team in history has registered 0 (zero) shots on target before?
we love breaking records, we are dead fab at it
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Hutton "didn't have a bad game"? He stood and watched while Arsenal got the ball for their second goal, and generally performed with the same level of expertise I'd expect from a camel attempting to play the piano.
Very good, made me smile, thank you. He really is not very good is he and so ugly he makes Ian Dowie look like George Clooney
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Sherwood played for me is best team, he hasn't got much more to work
He could have played our good goalkeeper rather than the one who cost us the first three goals, and he could have played the right-back who has been one of the best parts of his short tenure.
Playing Guzan and Bacuna almost certainly wouldn't have won us the match, but I'd put my mortgage on the fact that it wouldn't have been as shit as that.
I can't see how Given could have done anything about any of those goals. All were good finishes. The second simply brilliant - for the third Benteke was pathetic.
Alexis Sanchez is 5ft 6 and won a header on our six yard line for Walcott to score. There's no way that Guzan would let that happen*.
The second is right in the middle of the goal from a shot from 30 yards out. It's a great shot, but it's not as it a bigger, better, not-39-year-old goalkeeper isn't just jumping up and taking it out of the air.
The third is a free header, again inside our own six-yard box. Has Guzan ever conceded a goal to a free header from there without at least trying to claim the cross?
I'm not saying that I expect Shay Given to come and take the ball of Per Mertesacker's head, because I know that he's not capable of it. It's just frustrating when we have a goalkeeper sitting on the bench who would take a cross like that in his sleep.
*before somebody gets there first, yes, he probably would have sliced a clearance straight to Walcott much earlier and we'd have been 1-0 down already. The rest still stands though.
Just reading the thread having got back to the wilds at 1.00am.
Your'e entitled to your opinion but, in my opinion, that's b*ll*cks.
Guzan isn't great at coming for crosses - except, perhaps, in your imagination.
The ball moved tremendously in the air for Sanchez goal - few keepers would have stopped it as it clipped off the bottom of the bar.
I missed the 3rd goal having a piss - but yes I have sean Guzan concede goals from free headers from crosses I thought he should have come for.
If it wasn't for Given we'd have been 2 or 3 down before Walcott scored - and the final score would have been more like 6 or 7 nil.
There's not a great deal to choose between the two keepers tbh, but Guzan blotted his copy book badly when he laid on Manchester City's opening goal and was then less than balmeless in at least one of the others. As a result, Given got his place.
It was a poor peformance all round but one of the few to have any credit for their performaince in the game was Given, and trying to blame the goals on him is just ridiculous.
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Hutton was to blame for the 2nd goal?
Sanchez cut inside, should have been running into the central midfielder, and then shot from 30 yds, right into the middle of the goal, and thats Huttons fault?
Westwood and Given share no blame then?
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I still blame Thatcher
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Hutton "didn't have a bad game"? He stood and watched while Arsenal got the ball for their second goal, and generally performed with the same level of expertise I'd expect from a camel attempting to play the piano.
Very good, made me smile, thank you. He really is not very good is he and so ugly he makes Ian Dowie look like George Clooney
https://instagram.com/p/pWnz0cye60/?taken-by=hutton02
I know this will cheer you up Richard...the perks of being a millionaire footballer. ;)
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What's the fucking point? I wish I hadn't renewed already. We're never, ever going to compete again. We exist just to exist. Tossbuckets.
With respect, what melodramatic rubbish.
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Hutton was to blame for the 2nd goal?
Sanchez cut inside, should have been running into the central midfielder, and then shot from 30 yds, right into the middle of the goal, and thats Huttons fault?
Westwood and Given share no blame then?
My eyesight is poor but what I thought happened was that Hutton backed off and backed off, so I put the blame on him too. Although I've not watched the match at home yet.
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Hutton had ages to clear it. The entire stand was shouting at him while he just stood back. I can't remember Westwood's involvement and not sure if it deflected over Given, as I'm in no mood to watch a replay I'm happy to defer to your judgement on their role in the atrocity. Hutton definitely should've got rid of the ball long before the shot came in though.
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I still blame Thatcher
I blame her and Bono, jointly. To rub salt into my wounds, some bastard put U2 on the pub jukebox when I arrived back in Birmingham.
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Hutton "didn't have a bad game"? He stood and watched while Arsenal got the ball for their second goal, and generally performed with the same level of expertise I'd expect from a camel attempting to play the piano.
Very good, made me smile, thank you. He really is not very good is he and so ugly he makes Ian Dowie look like George Clooney
https://instagram.com/p/pWnz0cye60/?taken-by=hutton02
I know this will cheer you up Richard...the perks of being a millionaire footballer. ;)
I can't access that Soccer but guess it is a picture of some gorgeous wife or partner. If so, it reminds me of the Mrs Merton question to Debbie McGhee about what attracted her to the millionaire Paul Daniels?
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What's the fucking point? I wish I hadn't renewed already. We're never, ever going to compete again. We exist just to exist. Tossbuckets.
With respect, what melodramatic rubbish.
Maybe. I think melodrama is forgivable this weekend though.
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As for the fan criticism - I don't get that at all. We have a great following (with the usual odd idiot that you get with large numbers of people)
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What's the fucking point? I wish I hadn't renewed already. We're never, ever going to compete again. We exist just to exist. Tossbuckets.
With respect, what melodramatic rubbish.
It's quite accurate though isn't it! :-)
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What's the fucking point? I wish I hadn't renewed already. We're never, ever going to compete again. We exist just to exist. Tossbuckets.
With respect, what melodramatic rubbish.
It's quite accurate though isn't it! :-)
Not really. Only a few years ago when they were winding Southampton up I'm sure many of their fans felt the same way. It doesn't take long to turn around when you have a good plan in place and astute investment. Just because Randy hasn't been able to do doesn't mean someone else can't.
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Hutton was to blame for the 2nd goal?
Sanchez cut inside, should have been running into the central midfielder, and then shot from 30 yds, right into the middle of the goal, and thats Huttons fault?
Westwood and Given share no blame then?
I don't think anyone saw particular danger when Sanchez cut inside as he was so far from goal so he was given too much space and time. But it was a tremdous hit with a lot of dip and swerve going in off the underside of the bar so I don't think Given can be blamed - and, listening to 5 Live on the long drive home, none of the pundits there, although originally thinking Given was at fault, thought so after seeing the TV replays and the way the ball moved.
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Not read any of this thread so I'll probably repeat plenty of the above.
I'll be honest still had a great day out, until about 6pm that is....
Not convinced we at any point pushed Arsenal out of 2nd gear but they actioned the game plan easily and effectively, always seemed to have an extra man in attack whenever we ventured over the halfway line were able to double up on Grealish / Benteke with ease....Steve Backley in goal was the only one who didn't have the ability to hit the full backs with ease.
Given kept us in the game, have only seen Sanchez goal live and the big screen so not sure if he should have done better or not as there was some action on that ball.
The intensity and pace of popping the ball about that was there 3 to 4 weeks ago has vanished, I clung to the vain hope that it might have been Southampton / Burnley then reboot but it never looked like happening.
I agree with Sherwood that there is a losing mentality about the place, we have lost far too many game 4/5/6/8 over the last 4 years....Delph / Benteke and Grealish apart I won't be gutted to see any of the others binned.
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Sorry, can we get over the myth we had great support yesterday. It wasn't great. It matched the team. The support yesterday was poor. Only rarely did the crowd get going.
The second goal was the killer, not only the timing and the fact that it gave them a 2-goal lead but also the sheer quality. Until then our support had been excellent, certainly where we were, near the corner flag, and all the way round behind the goal
Agreed 100% frank.
We were always still in it until then - to score so early in the second half virtually wrapped the game up for Arse...and our fans pretty much knew it.
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It was a poor peformance all round but one of the few to have any credit for their performaince in the game was Given, and trying to blame the goals on him is just ridiculous.
He was one of our poorest performers. You're welcome to disagree if you like, but in my opinion you're completely wrong.
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I said before the game, Sherwood should have taken the back four to one side and said 'if the ball goes loose anywhere near or in the penalty area, twat it away.' We've conceded far too many goals from fannying about instead of clearing it. The Sanchez goal, I felt, was an example of that. Hutton had about a second to decide to smack it out of play, hesitated, and let Sanchez grab the ball, the initiative, and ultimately the Final.
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It was a poor peformance all round but one of the few to have any credit for their performaince in the game was Given, and trying to blame the goals on him is just ridiculous.
He was one of our poorest performers. You're welcome to disagree if you like, but in my opinion you're completely wrong.
Given got lobbed from 35/40 yards at Southampton, and still posters on here were defending him,
they arn't going to change now
I can guarantee if Guzan had played yesterday every poster on here defending Given would be blaming Guzan had he put in the same display
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Have just looked at Wikipedia and apparently CNZ is a professional footballer who plays for Aston Villa. He has scored 4 goals in 77 appearances and there was me thinking he was shit.
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I'm a bit surprised that some are giving Given grief for the second goal, I just watched the highlights and it confirmed exactly what I thought at the match yesterday, that second was a wonderful strike of the ball.
Given did well to keep it at 1-0 until Half Time.
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When Arsenal started like they'd been fired out of a canon, I felt that rather than just digging in, trying to ride out the storm we had to counter with some kind of threat of our own to instil a level of caution in their game.Even after 15 minutes when that didn't materialise I was as sure as you all must have been that we were sunk. So much work to be done at VP in the coming months that we just have to hope for the best. Strangely, even after yesterday, I still feel a million times more positive about all Villa related matters knowing that our finest achievement this season was seeing Lambert removed from his post.
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What's the fucking point? I wish I hadn't renewed already. We're never, ever going to compete again. We exist just to exist. Tossbuckets.
With respect, what melodramatic rubbish.
It's quite accurate though isn't it! :-)
Not really. Only a few years ago when they were winding Southampton up I'm sure many of their fans felt the same way. It doesn't take long to turn around when you have a good plan in place and astute investment. Just because Randy hasn't been able to do doesn't mean someone else can't.
I was agreeing partly in jest Toronto, but you do have to wonder. If you mean competing at Southampton's level, you are probably right, and your point is very well made. I was thinking of competing a bit higher up the food chain which now seems an aspiration which I think is beyond Villa unless we get some of mega investor rocking up
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Given made one fantastic save. I somehow managed not to notice at the time but saw it on one of the concourse tellies at half time.
For each of our goals any number of Villa players could've done much better. From the half-arsed attempts at clearing the first and second to the disappearing acts for the third and fourth goals, our defence was pretty poor all round (honourable exception for Richardsom who had a decent game and made a very good block).
What makes it all the more disappointing is that we knew in advance that our defence wasn't great and that our only chance was to try to take the game to Arsenal. We totally failed to do that. From the second I learned that Hutton was in for Bacuna I feared that we were going to attempt to contain Arsenal, rather than attack them, and my fears were confirmed by the way we played. Or rather didn't.
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Well that was shit.
My take on it, with hindsight is that the players have been tired for a while - we played a higher tempo game when Sherwood arrived and results improved, but we started to look weak in the second half against West Ham. We ran out of steam and have been poor since that point and went into the final with no momentum, or presumably confidence.
Arsenal are much better than we are but we went in with a very negative, Lambert-esque mindset and were far too timid. If we had given it a real go and lost 4-0 that would have been awful, but to go out with a whimper was a real waste of an opportunity. To not have one shot is unforgivable.
Which makes playing so many of them against Burnley in what was a dead rubber game for 90 minutes even more ludicrous.
A real blessing to miss out on the Europa League. The squad could barely with just league and domestic cups.
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I'm a bit surprised that some are giving Given grief for the second goal, I just watched the highlights and it confirmed exactly what I thought at the match yesterday, that second was a wonderful strike of the ball.
Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily think Given should have saved it.
I just think we should have been playing the goalkeeper who is half a foot taller and has a bigger reach and would have had a better chance of reaching it.
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I'm a bit surprised that some are giving Given grief for the second goal, I just watched the highlights and it confirmed exactly what I thought at the match yesterday, that second was a wonderful strike of the ball.
Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily think Given should have saved it.
I just think we should have been playing the goalkeeper who is half a foot taller and has a bigger reach and would have had a better chance of reaching it.
I think we need a new first choice keeper, full stop. Neither of them are up to it.
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Re Given and Guzan, if we'd just bricked the goalmouth up, they'd still have beaten us.
Given got some things right, others wrong, but front to back, we offered absolutely nothing, and got what we deserved, sod all.
They were good, but it was a horror show from us.
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Arse could have been 2 or 3 up by half time - they weren't, and I thought we would take the game to them with serious intent in the second half. The early Sanchez goal killed us - you could see the players' heads drop, and I do remember thinking at the time, "why didn't Hutton just get to the ball then and knock it forward?" - there was clear movement and dip on the Sanchez shot and it's easy to see how Given didn't get a hand to it. The marking for the 3rd goal was shocking as it was for the 4th, which was embarrassingly easy for Wilshere to cross and for Giroud to tap in without breaking stride.
The better team won, and Arse did surprise me with their work rate at harrying us and closing us down...why the fu*k didn't we do that to them? - didn't think they had it in them to "spoil" opposition play as effectively as that.
No arguments with the result.
Absolutely gutted by the nature of it.
Reading were unlucky to lose to Arse...we were totally outclassed and outfought.
Difficult to be positive today.
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However good Arsenal were (and they were of course), it was still one of if not the most gutless performance I can remember from Villa in all my years. Yeah I know that sounds way over the top, but Christ it was an FA Cup final for crying out loud. At least try and pass the ball to one another.
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I'm a bit surprised that some are giving Given grief for the second goal, I just watched the highlights and it confirmed exactly what I thought at the match yesterday, that second was a wonderful strike of the ball.
Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily think Given should have saved it.
I just think we should have been playing the goalkeeper who is half a foot taller and has a bigger reach and would have had a better chance of reaching it.
and is the best keeper we have at the club, why play the second best
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Arse could have been 2 or 3 up by half time - they weren't, and I thought we would take the game to them with serious intent in the second half. The early Sanchez goal killed us - you could see the players' heads drop, and I do remember thinking at the time, "why didn't Hutton just get to the ball then and knock it forward?" - there was clear movement and dip on the Sanchez shot and it's easy to see how Given didn't get a hand to it. The marking for the 3rd goal was shocking as it was for the 4th, which was embarrassingly easy for Wilshere to cross and for Giroud to tap in without breaking stride.
The better team won, and Arse did surprise me with their work rate at harrying us and closing us down...why the fu*k didn't we do that to them? - didn't think they had it in them to "spoil" opposition play as effectively as that.
No arguments with the result.
Absolutely gutted by the nature of it.
Reading were unlucky to lose to Arse...we were totally outclassed and outfought.
Difficult to be positive today.
That's the thing, Reading actually have them a game. We surrendered right from the kick off. Horrible, absolutely horrible.
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Had a great afternoon in the Black Lion Kilburn, great build-up walking to the stadium & the pre-match. Then reality kicked in, we never laid a glove on them in 90 mins. Our fans were incredible & worthy of better than we got.
After 15 mins, when Arsenal realised we had nothing to offer it was all one way. Too many average players comfortable at pretending to Premiership level.
Other than the 2-3 seasons under O'Neil, we've been treading water since at least 2000. Taking players from relegated clubs or Championship teams. I just wonder how long it will take Sherwood to get ground down like the rest of us?
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What's the fucking point? I wish I hadn't renewed already. We're never, ever going to compete again. We exist just to exist. Tossbuckets.
With respect, what melodramatic rubbish.
It's quite accurate though isn't it! :-)
Unfortunately the bit on bold is not far off. Standing in the queue at Wembley station waiting the head back to Birmingham, a similar thought hit me. Our existence as a club has become solely about survival in the top flight. I have really enjoyed the cup run this season, but like yesterday, in all likelihood we are going to have to play one of the top four teams in any cup final we reach and our record against them all is pretty dire. As the previous decade has shown, the only way to become competitive is spend on the levels Chelsea and Manchester City have. With Liverpool and Spurs likely to invest heavily in the summer we are looking at a closed shop top four extending to a top six. We are so far off that at the moment and fans apart, are second rate in pretty much every department.
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Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily think Given should have saved it.
I just think we should have been playing the goalkeeper who is half a foot taller and has a bigger reach and would have had a better chance of reaching it.
[/quote]
3" to be precise - Guzan 6' 4" Given 6' 1" - does 3" make all that difference?
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Arse could have been 2 or 3 up by half time - they weren't, and I thought we would take the game to them with serious intent in the second half. The early Sanchez goal killed us - you could see the players' heads drop, and I do remember thinking at the time, "why didn't Hutton just get to the ball then and knock it forward?" - there was clear movement and dip on the Sanchez shot and it's easy to see how Given didn't get a hand to it. The marking for the 3rd goal was shocking as it was for the 4th, which was embarrassingly easy for Wilshere to cross and for Giroud to tap in without breaking stride.
The better team won, and Arse did surprise me with their work rate at harrying us and closing us down...why the fu*k didn't we do that to them? - didn't think they had it in them to "spoil" opposition play as effectively as that.
No arguments with the result.
Absolutely gutted by the nature of it.
Reading were unlucky to lose to Arse...we were totally outclassed and outfought.
Difficult to be positive today.
That's the thing, Reading actually have them a game. We surrendered right from the kick off. Horrible, absolutely horrible.
Arsenal were well below par for that game, as I put in another thread that was the wake up call Arsenal needed for the final ,unfortunately for us.
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I'm a bit surprised that some are giving Given grief for the second goal, I just watched the highlights and it confirmed exactly what I thought at the match yesterday, that second was a wonderful strike of the ball.
Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily think Given should have saved it.
I just think we should have been playing the goalkeeper who is half a foot taller and has a bigger reach and would have had a better chance of reaching it.
I think we need a new first choice keeper, full stop. Neither of them are up to it.
I'd agree on both points, Guzan should have been first choice. I also believe we need a new keeper, fresh face, fresh start.
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I'm not about to give up on Guzan yet. Yes he fucked up massively at Man City and he has paid the price for that. There are things he needs to work on and hopefully he'll prove himself again. We have so many other needs that for me, spending x million of our budget on a starting GK isn't a priority.
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GKs do tend to be quite cheap though, supply and demand, quite a huge supply, not a great demand. I wonder if Guzan has just hit his natural wall and needs to move to another club and go onto bigger and better things. Sometimes it happens with keepers, a lot of their game is so psychological.
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The game summed up our season, shite.
Can't really say anything more about it as I'm gutted by another terrible performance. There's a lot of dross to clear out and a lot of losers.
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No point spending a load of money on a new keeper when whoever we get in will still make mistakes like the ones we already have
There is no such thing as a perfect goalkeeper,
the ones who are better than Guzan won't come to Villa because they play for champions league clubs, and the other top keepers about will be no better than what we have
Given is old but is a very good back up keeper for another season, and Guzan is as good as anyone apart from his kicking problem
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Guzan is alright. I mean that in the sense of acceptable.
The problem is that for the last few years we've got to the point where "alright" is about as high as we can aim.
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GKs do tend to be quite cheap though, supply and demand, quite a huge supply, not a great demand. I wonder if Guzan has just hit his natural wall and needs to move to another club and go onto bigger and better things. Sometimes it happens with keepers, a lot of their game is so psychological.
Mignolet who I wouldn't swap for Guzan cost in excess of 9 mill
I think our money is better spent elsewhere
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It probably hasn't helped Guzan and won't help any new keeper if we have comedy defending in front. That has to be fixed first.
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Arse could have been 2 or 3 up by half time - they weren't, and I thought we would take the game to them with serious intent in the second half. The early Sanchez goal killed us - you could see the players' heads drop, and I do remember thinking at the time, "why didn't Hutton just get to the ball then and knock it forward?" - there was clear movement and dip on the Sanchez shot and it's easy to see how Given didn't get a hand to it. The marking for the 3rd goal was shocking as it was for the 4th, which was embarrassingly easy for Wilshere to cross and for Giroud to tap in without breaking stride.
The better team won, and Arse did surprise me with their work rate at harrying us and closing us down...why the fu*k didn't we do that to them? - didn't think they had it in them to "spoil" opposition play as effectively as that.
No arguments with the result.
Absolutely gutted by the nature of it.
Reading were unlucky to lose to Arse...we were totally outclassed and outfought.
Difficult to be positive today.
That's the thing, Reading actually have them a game. We surrendered right from the kick off. Horrible, absolutely horrible.
Arsenal were well below par for that game, as I put in another thread that was the wake up call Arsenal needed for the final ,unfortunately for us.
Don't think we should so easily dismiss the opposition.
In most games a team is only as good as the opposition allows it to be, sets itself up to challenge, counter, respond.
I doubt most professional teams just turn up and see what happens and play well or not.
In the last few weeks Swansea and Sunderland gave Arse tough games...that wasn't just because Arse had an off day.
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The reason Arsenal don't win the league isn't because they can't beat teams like Villa,
it's because they can't beat teams like Chelsea
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Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily think Given should have saved it.
I just think we should have been playing the goalkeeper who is half a foot taller and has a bigger reach and would have had a better chance of reaching it.
3" to be precise - Guzan 6' 4" Given 6' 1" - does 3" make all that difference?
[/quote]
3" makes a lot of difference - said the actress to the bishop.
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The reason Arsenal don't win the league isn't because they can't beat teams like Villa,
it's because they can't beat teams like Chelsea
Relatively speaking it's a little like the jump we need to make it compete with Arsenal. It's not just the huge investment it's a massive cultural shift that would be required. For Arsenal to catch up with Chelsea they would need a similar leap and another big one to bridge the elite CL gap.
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That game was lost with the selection, we were getting over run in midfield and I was praying for Nzog to be replaced by Sanchez.
The sad thing was that they wanted it more than we did, they were first to every ball and won every 50 50.
It was a total embarrassment.
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Talking before the game we all said we'd got our hand full to match them - just looking at both teams on paper was bad enough but the least we wanted was to not get mullered and score at least once, suffice to say I haven't bothered checking my lottery tickets this morning.
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If Guzan was capable of saving the second goal, he'd be playing for Real Madrid not Aston Villa.
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The reason Arsenal don't win the league isn't because they can't beat teams like Villa,
it's because they can't beat teams like Chelsea
Relatively speaking it's a little like the jump we need to make it compete with Arsenal. It's not just the huge investment it's a massive cultural shift that would be required. For Arsenal to catch up with Chelsea they would need a similar leap and another big one to bridge the elite CL gap.
It's a much smaller gap for Arsenal. They need 2 or 3 top players to take them to the next level. They have the finances to do it, but for some reason Wenger seems reluctant of is too stubborn to address those issues, We would need the kind of investment that gas happened at Manchester City over a number if years to even get near the top four again,
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We needed our three best players to perform yesterday if we were ever going to have a chance of winning the cup
Delph,Grealish and Benteke I'm not blaming them but other selections are irrelevant pretty much, so much hangs on these guys, the flowing pass and move football between them just wasn't there
After the first 10 minutes you knew it wasn't going to be
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I got nervous when I saw the team selection. Would preferred to see Sinclair &Blacuna in to give us width
Even more nervous when someone wished Sherwood good luck and he replied "We will need it". Didn't look confident from the off.
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I've been a big fan of Sherwood since he arrived, but he was found wanting yesterday. He seems to have the mindset that the 4-3-2-1 worked against Liverpool, so it must automatically work against Arsenal, and it quite obviously didn't. The three of Cleverley, Delph and Westwood were completely bypassed, and Grealish and N'Zogbia offered nothing at all. I know it's easy to say with hindsight, but the signs were there in the Southampton game, and so I'd have gone:
Given/Guzan
Bacuna Vlaar Baker Richardson
Grealish Sanchez Cleverley Delph Gabby
Benteke
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We needed our three best players to perform yesterday if we were ever going to have a chance of winning the cup
Delph,Grealish and Benteke I'm not blaming them but other selections are irrelevant pretty much, so much hangs on these guys, the flowing pass and move football between them just wasn't there
After the first 10 minutes you knew it wasn't going to be
I'd definitely agree with that. Just arrived home. Bitterly dissapponted, obviously.
The manner of the defeat hurts the most. We' had enough talent to give Arsenal a game.
I don't think I'll get over the fact that we got to the FA Cup Final and couldn't manage a shot.
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The reason Arsenal don't win the league isn't because they can't beat teams like Villa,
it's because they can't beat teams like Chelsea
Relatively speaking it's a little like the jump we need to make it compete with Arsenal. It's not just the huge investment it's a massive cultural shift that would be required. For Arsenal to catch up with Chelsea they would need a similar leap and another big one to bridge the elite CL gap.
It's a much smaller gap for Arsenal. They need 2 or 3 top players to take them to the next level. They have the finances to do it, but for some reason Wenger seems reluctant of is too stubborn to address those issues, We would need the kind of investment that gas happened at Manchester City over a number if years to even get near the top four again,
Yes to compete with chelski, mancs, but just look at what Southampton have done and are achieving, look at Stoke, Swansea....
I envy Southampton at the moment, some really exciting players and great football being played..
I'd take finishing just in the top half of the table for next season, but I have this horrid feeling that we are relegation fodder..
I hope TS proves me wrong.
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The reason Arsenal don't win the league isn't because they can't beat teams like Villa,
it's because they can't beat teams like Chelsea
Relatively speaking it's a little like the jump we need to make it compete with Arsenal. It's not just the huge investment it's a massive cultural shift that would be required. For Arsenal to catch up with Chelsea they would need a similar leap and another big one to bridge the elite CL gap.
It's a much smaller gap for Arsenal. They need 2 or 3 top players to take them to the next level. They have the finances to do it, but for some reason Wenger seems reluctant of is too stubborn to address those issues, We would need the kind of investment that gas happened at Manchester City over a number if years to even get near the top four again,
I'd equate it to losing weight. The initial weight loss is generally quite quick, it's the last few pounds that are the toughest to get to your target. Like Arsenal they are always in the CL but when you say the gap is small, what is required to close the gap isn't easy. It isn't just money. They have it. Can they convince the very best players to join them? Can the manager bridge the gap mentally? It might seem a small gap but year after year they have fallen short for one reason or another.
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I think the next news we will get is who he intends to let go. Doesnt look like Alan Hutton is one of those judging by his comments. I would say for certain Phillipe Senderos,Charles N'Zogbia and Andreas Weimann are going. Possibly Joe Cole with Carles Gil and an outside bet of Jores Okore who I think TS doesnt rate too highly.
It is his decision and we may hear something tomorrow.
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I think the next news we will get is who he intends to let go. Doesnt look like Alan Hutton is one of those judging by his comments. I would say for certain Phillipe Senderos,Charles N'Zogbia and Andreas Weimann are certainties to go. Possibly Joe Cole with Carles Gil and an outside bet of Jores Okore who I think TS doesnt rate too highly.
It is his decision and we may hear something tomorrow.
Problem is if you announce the names and no one wants to buy them you end up with a sort of bomb squad 2
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Can't imagine Sherwood would be daft enough to publicly announce the names.
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As a glutton for punishment, I've sat and watched the final again this afternoon. It's even worse watching it back.
From the outset there was no belief in our side that we could get near to Arsenal and from the off, we retreated very quickly into our shell. All the high energy we showed up till a few weeks ago was nowhere to be seen. There was no looking up to see where anyone was. It was just hoof to the big man and hope for the best. The total lack of width was just glaring.
Even Sherwoods body language before hand looked that of a man who knew we were beaten before we started.
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Why on earth would you do that?
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As a glutton for punishment, I've sat and watched the final again this afternoon. It's even worse watching it back.
From the outset there was no belief in our side that we could get near to Arsenal and from the off, we retreated very quickly into our shell. All the high energy we showed up till a few weeks ago was nowhere to be seen. There was no looking up to see where anyone was. It was just hoof to the big man and hope for the best. The total lack of width was just glaring.
Even Sherwoods body language before hand looked that of a man who knew we were beaten before we started.
I can't watch the match back, but have seen the players picking up their losers medals
Sherwood looks absolutely gutted, almost in tears, looks like he was taking it hard
Which in a perverse way is good to see
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I got nervous when I saw the team selection. Would preferred to see Sinclair &Blacuna in to give us width
Even more nervous when someone wished Sherwood good luck and he replied "We will need it". Didn't look confident from the off.
Did he really ? And he says the players have a losing mentality!
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I've been a big fan of Sherwood since he arrived, but he was found wanting yesterday. He seems to have the mindset that the 4-3-2-1 worked against Liverpool, so it must automatically work against Arsenal, and it quite obviously didn't. The three of Cleverley, Delph and Westwood were completely bypassed, and Grealish and N'Zogbia offered nothing at all. I know it's easy to say with hindsight, but the signs were there in the Southampton game, and so I'd have gone:
Given/Guzan
Bacuna Vlaar Baker Richardson
Grealish Sanchez Cleverley Delph Gabby
Benteke
Exactly how I see it and exactly the team I would have picked. I can not understand why he did not change it, he needed to get Zog off and Sanchez on to help out the midfield which was being over run. We were so lucky to have got to Half Time only 1 goal down. Sorry I blame Sherwood, he got it completely wrong and did not try and change before it was too late.
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I've been a big fan of Sherwood since he arrived, but he was found wanting yesterday. He seems to have the mindset that the 4-3-2-1 worked against Liverpool, so it must automatically work against Arsenal, and it quite obviously didn't. The three of Cleverley, Delph and Westwood were completely bypassed, and Grealish and N'Zogbia offered nothing at all. I know it's easy to say with hindsight, but the signs were there in the Southampton game, and so I'd have gone:
Given/Guzan
Bacuna Vlaar Baker Richardson
Grealish Sanchez Cleverley Delph Gabby
Benteke
I honestly thought we had a chance, and then when they showed the line ups before kick off, I realised we had to contend with a really excellent five man midfield with a fast player up front, and we were playing Delph, Cleverly and Westwood in our mid, with Grealish and N'Zogbia ahead of them.
I am no tactical genius, but I couldn't see how that was possibly going to work.
I'm not a massive fan of Carlos Sanchez, but if ever there was a game to play him in, this was it.
-
I've been a big fan of Sherwood since he arrived, but he was found wanting yesterday. He seems to have the mindset that the 4-3-2-1 worked against Liverpool, so it must automatically work against Arsenal, and it quite obviously didn't. The three of Cleverley, Delph and Westwood were completely bypassed, and Grealish and N'Zogbia offered nothing at all. I know it's easy to say with hindsight, but the signs were there in the Southampton game, and so I'd have gone:
Given/Guzan
Bacuna Vlaar Baker Richardson
Grealish Sanchez Cleverley Delph Gabby
Benteke
I don't think that would have made a blind bit of difference to be honest. That team is barely any better than the one that played, certainly not in any sort of meaningful way. We need a huge clear out.
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I was somewhat the same. When the line ups were announced for Liverpool I looked at it and thought we've genuinely got a chance here. Versus Arsenal it was really a case of us playing an A+ game and them not playing to their capabilities. As it happened we shit the bed and they played to their normal level and we were blown away. I'm not sure what side or system we could have put out to combat what they had yesterday. In fact a good number of their bench could have started for us.
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Why on earth would you do that?
I just wanted to see it again without any distractions to see if I could pick anything that I didn't at the game. It was mainly the body language that I saw of a team that was beaten before the game began.
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My thoughts and emotions were too raw to post on here last night, but after a good nights sleep...I'm still very pissed off with the pathetic no show performance but can afford to be slightly more reflective.
On the whole, it was a great day...from arriving at Wembley just after 10am, walking up a quiet Wembley way, chilled out coffee and chat at Starbucks overlooking Wembley stadium, breakfast at F&Bs...then a sun soaked afternoon drinking in the Green Man (my slap head is nicely sun burnt today!). Everything was going well until the game...and thats where things went well and truly tits up.
Everything has been said already, but the things that stand out for me is that our worst fears were played out right before our very eyes...we all knew that we had to get into them to stand any chance of causing a cup final upset, but the players simply didn't turn up...they played with fear and stood off them when we didn't have the ball, and we were clueless and sluggish going forward, losing possession as quickly as we got it, and never carried a threat. It looked as though Arsenal stopped trying after 70 minutes but we still looked beyond shite. Arsenal won't have an easier game against a non-entity of a football team for a while.
What really boils my piss is how we can go from playing some of the best football I've seen Villa play for years in the last couple of months to 3 of the worst against Southampton, Burnley and Arsenal...I really can't work out how we can go from being described in the media as "just like watching Brazil" to just like watching a Sunday league team. We were playing incisive high tempo pass and move football, and the players were playing with passion, work ethic and creativity...something must have happened behind the scenes for that to disappear as quickly as it appeared and to return to a team incapable of passing to each other and lumping hopefully long balls and crosses into Benteke.
We didn't really get a new manager "bounce" as such when TS first walked in...it took a while for performances and results to improve but I genuinely thought "we'd got our Villa back" and we were right in our thinking that the squad wasn't as bad as we'd feared. I thought the corner had been turned and the players were showing that they are actually decent footballers...but it appears that corner was more of hair pin bend if the last 3 games are a more accurate reflection of their abilities. We are told that form goes out of the window in big games like the FA Cup Final...but we simply carried on where we left off against Southampton and Burnley.
Pathetic. Embarrassing. Humiliating. Unacceptable.
...oh, and to end on a slightly more positive note...apparently the fact that we made it to the FA Cup Final and came second out of over 700 teams that took part should be something to make me feel better...but I tend to think that is very much clutching at straws and doesn't paper over the cracks that we were absolutely shite.
-
Let's face it, if we hadn't got to at least the Semis after home draws against Blackpool, Bournemouth, Leicester and the Tescos you'd have to have been disappointed. We beat one half decent team, Liverpool, on this Cup run and even that looks less of an achievement in retrospect given how cack they have been since. We can't draw much comfort from at least getting there.
-
I've been a big fan of Sherwood since he arrived, but he was found wanting yesterday. He seems to have the mindset that the 4-3-2-1 worked against Liverpool, so it must automatically work against Arsenal, and it quite obviously didn't. The three of Cleverley, Delph and Westwood were completely bypassed, and Grealish and N'Zogbia offered nothing at all. I know it's easy to say with hindsight, but the signs were there in the Southampton game, and so I'd have gone:
Given/Guzan
Bacuna Vlaar Baker Richardson
Grealish Sanchez Cleverley Delph Gabby
Benteke
I honestly thought we had a chance, and then when they showed the line ups before kick off, I realised we had to contend with a really excellent five man midfield with a fast player up front, and we were playing Delph, Cleverly and Westwood in our mid, with Grealish and N'Zogbia ahead of them.
I am no tactical genius, but I couldn't see how that was possibly going to work.
I'm not a massive fan of Carlos Sanchez, but if ever there was a game to play him in, this was it.
Didn't Sanchez have two very poor league games against Arsenal and get constantly caught in possession? Don't think he would have helped one jot.
-
I've been a big fan of Sherwood since he arrived, but he was found wanting yesterday. He seems to have the mindset that the 4-3-2-1 worked against Liverpool, so it must automatically work against Arsenal, and it quite obviously didn't. The three of Cleverley, Delph and Westwood were completely bypassed, and Grealish and N'Zogbia offered nothing at all. I know it's easy to say with hindsight, but the signs were there in the Southampton game, and so I'd have gone:
Given/Guzan
Bacuna Vlaar Baker Richardson
Grealish Sanchez Cleverley Delph Gabby
Benteke
I honestly thought we had a chance, and then when they showed the line ups before kick off, I realised we had to contend with a really excellent five man midfield with a fast player up front, and we were playing Delph, Cleverly and Westwood in our mid, with Grealish and N'Zogbia ahead of them.
I am no tactical genius, but I couldn't see how that was possibly going to work.
I'm not a massive fan of Carlos Sanchez, but if ever there was a game to play him in, this was it.
Didn't Sanchez have two very poor league games against Arsenal and get constantly caught in possession? Don't think he would have helped one jot.
It did make me laugh sarcastically yesterday when the first thing Sanchez did when he came on was lose possession of the ball, he must be aware of what is said about him, yet still does exactly the same thing straight away
I don't mind him either, I have seen him show some good signs, but his decision making is to slow for prem football at the moment
-
I think my lasting memory of the final will be leaving stadium soon after FT and seeing Arsenal fans outside.
If we'd have won the cup I'd have stayed as long as possible and would have been dancing in the street afterwards - which I also didn't see any evidence of
-
I can't see how playing Sanchez would have helped matters on the pitch yesterday...he is a truly sad excuse of a footballer and I can only hope he is one of the players that TS has earmarked for being ditched. Even prior to the game yesterday, I was chatting to a few Arsenal fans that weren't too confident about their chances...but they did comment that Sanchez was one of the worst players they'd ever seen.
-
I think my lasting memory of the final will be leaving stadium soon after FT and seeing Arsenal fans outside.
If we'd have won the cup I'd have stayed as long as possible and would have been dancing in the street - which I also didn't see any evidence of either.
My son had a big problem with that,
and let a few Arsenal fans know about it on the tube on the way back,
if any one happened to be on that particular tube and witnessed a pissed up 26 year old annoying everyone, to the point of offering a few blokes out then I apologise for his behaviour
Unfortunatly whatever I said fell on deaf ears because I did the same thing against Man Utd
-
I went out for a family meal today (it is Mother's Day in France).
The owner of the restaurant came over for a chat and at one point he asked us where we were from. Now, I always reply "Aston" to this question as most people don't know where Birmingham is, apparently (Are you listening highly-paid Brum Marketing team?). Anyway, upon hearing this, he said "Aston, as in Aston Villa? Oh dear!" And off he trotted, shaking his head.
Two minutes later he plonked a €50 bottle of Champagne on the table and said "On me. You deserve it more than the mothers today".
-
From the first minute I could tell how the game was going to pan out. I sat with my head in my hands for the whole game.
It's not about tactics, good or bad players or formations, it's about fear. We have played with fear for so long, it briefly lifted this season but has returned once again.
Sherwood is on record that he told the players not to be frightened, to try things and be adventurous. There was no sign of that yesterday.
If he is to be a success at our Club this issue is the one he has to find an answer to.
-
for the Villa to compete with Arsenal we needed to have invested £40m per goal for 4 top class players to make us competitive....that's the reality of it
-
I went out for a family meal today (it is Mother's Day in France).
The owner of the restaurant came over for a chat and at one point he asked us where we were from. Now, I always reply "Aston" to this question as most people don't know where Birmingham is, apparently (Are you listening highly-paid Brum Marketing team?). Anyway, upon hearing this, he said "Aston, as in Aston Villa? Oh dear!" And off he trotted, shaking his head.
Two minutes later he plonked a €50 bottle of Champagne on the table and said "On me. You deserve it more than the mothers today".
I hope it eased the pain.
Globally he and another 500 million people witnessed our public humiliation yesterday.
-
It's funny, after the 1-0 West Ham game we were full of confidence. That was a gritty game but we found another way to win, it looked good.
Then that week, Paul Lambert started to appear on all forms of the media saying whatever he had to say.
After that, we had Southampton, Burnley and yesterday, all games where you could be forgiven that he was still sat in his seat on the bench.
I'm glad there's no football for a while now.
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Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily think Given should have saved it.
I just think we should have been playing the goalkeeper who is half a foot taller and has a bigger reach and would have had a better chance of reaching it.
3" to be precise - Guzan 6' 4" Given 6' 1" - does 3" make all that difference?
[/quote]
Maybe , does guzan save that one against Leicester
Guzan or shay we still get hammered.
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It's awful this morning, just horrible.
I can accept being outclassed by a far better team, but not outfought, not in the FA Cup Final, not in front of the world.
My boy cried his eyes out on 70 minutes followed by pathetic in fighting making me so disillusioned that I'm wondering about ever going again. Fights, threats all over the place - a guy gets his head stamped on? We had to go on 75 because of what happened near to us.
I had one guy raise his fist to me before the game, as people squeezed their way in and out of those awful block 541 toilets. It was a crush and I'm just trying to get my boy in while this pissed up old wanker pushes everyone out the way.
We've got some amazing fans who care so passionately about the Villa. We've also got some of the most moronic, Neanderthal scumbags any society could dream of producing.
Such a shame as the whole time leading up to the game had been wonderful.
That's awful. Hope your son is ok.
The fighting in 135 was awful and was the only time I was glad I didn't have my daughter sat next to me.
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I heard about fighting, there were a couple of blokes having a go at each other on the way out.
Why would you go to a game and start fighting with Villa Fans, pissed I guess.
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I think my lasting memory of the final will be leaving stadium soon after FT and seeing Arsenal fans outside.
If we'd have won the cup I'd have stayed as long as possible and would have been dancing in the street - which I also didn't see any evidence of either.
My son had a big problem with that,
and let a few Arsenal fans know about it on the tube on the way back,
if any one happened to be on that particular tube and witnessed a pissed up 26 year old annoying everyone, to the point of offering a few blokes out then I apologise for his behaviour
Unfortunatly whatever I said fell on deaf ears because I did the same thing against Man Utd
Why would you or your son do that?
I agree with your sentiments but to start challenging, or offering other supporters out, is appalling behaviour.
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I think the next news we will get is who he intends to let go. Doesnt look like Alan Hutton is one of those judging by his comments. I would say for certain Phillipe Senderos,Charles N'Zogbia and Andreas Weimann are going. Possibly Joe Cole with Carles Gil and an outside bet of Jores Okore who I think TS doesnt rate too highly.
It is his decision and we may hear something tomorrow.
He must rate Okore to some degree, having preferred him over Baker
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I heard about fighting, there were a couple of blokes having a go at each other on the way out.
Why would you go to a game and start fighting with Villa Fans, pissed I guess.
It seems to have been going off everywhere - we were in 530 and saw two incidents with Villa squaring up. Some random bloke started shouting at me and another fella as we talked about the first half at the bar - on the plus side were the dozens of other Villa we chatted and sang with all day and afterwards in the services...
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I think we'd all invested so much emotion in that game that it's inevitable that some people will get upset when their frustrations spill over.
-
It's the children I feel sorry for - really
All those little crestfallen faces did me in...
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I think we'd all invested so much emotion in that game that it's inevitable that some people will get upset when their frustrations spill over.
It's one thing getting upset. It's another to do what some did yesterday.
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It's the children I feel sorry for - really
All those little crestfallen faces did me in...
The camera panned to a child after the third went in I think, poor kid didn't know where to look, it was horribly cruel on him.
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I think we'd all invested so much emotion in that game that it's inevitable that some people will get upset when their frustrations spill over.
It's one thing getting upset. It's another to do what some did yesterday.
Quite. I'm not saying it's excusable, but I can see where it comes from.
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My thoughts and emotions were too raw to post on here last night, but after a good nights sleep...I'm still very pissed off with the pathetic no show performance but can afford to be slightly more reflective.
On the whole, it was a great day...from arriving at Wembley just after 10am, walking up a quiet Wembley way, chilled out coffee and chat at Starbucks overlooking Wembley stadium, breakfast at F&Bs...then a sun soaked afternoon drinking in the Green Man (my slap head is nicely sun burnt today!). Everything was going well until the game...and thats where things went well and truly tits up.
Everything has been said already, but the things that stand out for me is that our worst fears were played out right before our very eyes...we all knew that we had to get into them to stand any chance of causing a cup final upset, but the players simply didn't turn up...they played with fear and stood off them when we didn't have the ball, and we were clueless and sluggish going forward, losing possession as quickly as we got it, and never carried a threat. It looked as though Arsenal stopped trying after 70 minutes but we still looked beyond shite. Arsenal won't have an easier game against a non-entity of a football team for a while.
What really boils my piss is how we can go from playing some of the best football I've seen Villa play for years in the last couple of months to 3 of the worst against Southampton, Burnley and Arsenal...I really can't work out how we can go from being described in the media as "just like watching Brazil" to just like watching a Sunday league team. We were playing incisive high tempo pass and move football, and the players were playing with passion, work ethic and creativity...something must have happened behind the scenes for that to disappear as quickly as it appeared and to return to a team incapable of passing to each other and lumping hopefully long balls and crosses into Benteke.
We didn't really get a new manager "bounce" as such when TS first walked in...it took a while for performances and results to improve but I genuinely thought "we'd got our Villa back" and we were right in our thinking that the squad wasn't as bad as we'd feared. I thought the corner had been turned and the players were showing that they are actually decent footballers...but it appears that corner was more of hair pin bend if the last 3 games are a more accurate reflection of their abilities. We are told that form goes out of the window in big games like the FA Cup Final...but we simply carried on where we left off against Southampton and Burnley.
Pathetic. Embarrassing. Humiliating. Unacceptable.
...oh, and to end on a slightly more positive note...apparently the fact that we made it to the FA Cup Final and came second out of over 700 teams that took part should be something to make me feel better...but I tend to think that is very much clutching at straws and doesn't paper over the cracks that we were absolutely shite.
Agreed.
And worse still when everyone looks down the record of FA cup finals our result will be a constant reminder how Shite we were. There arent too many 4 nils in the stats. 1994 was the last one I recall.
I do wonder whether all this ' some players will be looking for other clubs' stuff might have been said in the week leading up to the Southampton game and has subsequently created a bad feeling in the squad. As you say it seems strange we go from playing like Brazil to West Brom in a matter of three weeks.
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I heard about fighting, there were a couple of blokes having a go at each other on the way out.
Why would you go to a game and start fighting with Villa Fans, pissed I guess.
I was sat in Block K top tier and saw what looked to be some pretty bad fighting going on in the bottom tier at one point in the 2nd half. What happens on the pitch aside, I've always found the Wembley experience to be a particularly unpleasant one at times. Too many people drinking far too much with nowhere near the kind of crowd control seen at most league grounds.
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I think we'd all invested so much emotion in that game that it's inevitable that some people will get upset when their frustrations spill over.
It's one thing getting upset. It's another to do what some did yesterday.
This seems to be a new thing, most Villa Fans I meet are Hail Fellow Well Met. I just can not get my head round why it isn't like that for all Villa fans.
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I heard about fighting, there were a couple of blokes having a go at each other on the way out.
Why would you go to a game and start fighting with Villa Fans, pissed I guess.
I was sat in Block K top tier and saw what looked to be some pretty bad fighting going on in the bottom tier at one point in the 2nd half. What happens on the pitch aside, I've always found the Wembley experience to be a particularly unpleasant one at times. Too many people drinking far too much with nowhere near the kind of crowd control seen at most league grounds.
A really good point. Wembley stewards - what is their point exactly? It certainly isn't any form of crowd control.
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I heard about fighting, there were a couple of blokes having a go at each other on the way out.
Why would you go to a game and start fighting with Villa Fans, pissed I guess.
Plus the ones in a group queuing for the train giving it large to a couple of Arsenal fans. Only the barriers held them back. Banter is one thing, getting aggressive is another altogether and bloody embarrassing.
-
Regarding Guzan, I think he's a very good keeper but he wasn't as good this season as he was last season, but i'd still persevere with him.
-
I've been a big fan of Sherwood since he arrived, but he was found wanting yesterday. He seems to have the mindset that the 4-3-2-1 worked against Liverpool, so it must automatically work against Arsenal, and it quite obviously didn't. The three of Cleverley, Delph and Westwood were completely bypassed, and Grealish and N'Zogbia offered nothing at all. I know it's easy to say with hindsight, but the signs were there in the Southampton game, and so I'd have gone:
Given/Guzan
Bacuna Vlaar Baker Richardson
Grealish Sanchez Cleverley Delph Gabby
Benteke
I honestly thought we had a chance, and then when they showed the line ups before kick off, I realised we had to contend with a really excellent five man midfield with a fast player up front, and we were playing Delph, Cleverly and Westwood in our mid, with Grealish and N'Zogbia ahead of them.
I am no tactical genius, but I couldn't see how that was possibly going to work.
I'm not a massive fan of Carlos Sanchez, but if ever there was a game to play him in, this was it.
Didn't Sanchez have two very poor league games against Arsenal and get constantly caught in possession? Don't think he would have helped one jot.
Didn't they all have two very poor league games against Arsenal, though?
-
I think my lasting memory of the final will be leaving stadium soon after FT and seeing Arsenal fans outside.
If we'd have won the cup I'd have stayed as long as possible and would have been dancing in the street - which I also didn't see any evidence of either.
My son had a big problem with that,
and let a few Arsenal fans know about it on the tube on the way back,
if any one happened to be on that particular tube and witnessed a pissed up 26 year old annoying everyone, to the point of offering a few blokes out then I apologise for his behaviour
You must be very proud.
To be honest, that just makes your son sound like one of the other idiotic, violent twats being described on here.
I get as annoyed as the next man when we're shit or when I see things I dislike at matches, especially when it involves horrible plastic-attracting teams, but getting shit faced and then offering people out over it just marks you out as one of the people who make football less enjoyable than it should be.
-
I think my lasting memory of the final will be leaving stadium soon after FT and seeing Arsenal fans outside.
If we'd have won the cup I'd have stayed as long as possible and would have been dancing in the street - which I also didn't see any evidence of either.
My son had a big problem with that,
and let a few Arsenal fans know about it on the tube on the way back,
if any one happened to be on that particular tube and witnessed a pissed up 26 year old annoying everyone, to the point of offering a few blokes out then I apologise for his behaviour
You must be very proud.
To be honest, that just makes your son sound like one of the other idiotic, violent twats being described on here.
I get as annoyed as the next man when we're shit or when I see things I dislike at matches, especially when it involves horrible plastic-attracting teams, but getting shit faced and then offering people out over it just marks you out as one of the people who make football less enjoyable than it should be.
Even in the bit you have highlighted he apologises for his son's behaviour. There is nothing in the tone of his post to indicate that he is proud.
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I'm not condoning his behaviour in any way but I think pw that you have far more experience and age on your side than this fellas lad.
-
From the first minute I could tell how the game was going to pan out. I sat with my head in my hands for the whole game.
It's not about tactics, good or bad players or formations, it's about fear. We have played with fear for so long, it briefly lifted this season but has returned once again.
Sherwood is on record that he told the players not to be frightened, to try things and be adventurous. There was no sign of that yesterday.
If he is to be a success at our Club this issue is the one he has to find an answer to.
Spot on, you just knew as soon as it kicked off we were never at the races.
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He can only "let go" those who are out of contract. He can transfer list players but for them to go there'd need to be buyers
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I think my lasting memory of the final will be leaving stadium soon after FT and seeing Arsenal fans outside.
If we'd have won the cup I'd have stayed as long as possible and would have been dancing in the street - which I also didn't see any evidence of either.
My son had a big problem with that,
and let a few Arsenal fans know about it on the tube on the way back,
if any one happened to be on that particular tube and witnessed a pissed up 26 year old annoying everyone, to the point of offering a few blokes out then I apologise for his behaviour
You must be very proud.
To be honest, that just makes your son sound like one of the other idiotic, violent twats being described on here.
I get as annoyed as the next man when we're shit or when I see things I dislike at matches, especially when it involves horrible plastic-attracting teams, but getting shit faced and then offering people out over it just marks you out as one of the people who make football less enjoyable than it should be.
Even in the bit you have highlighted he apologises for his son's behaviour. There is nothing in the tone of his post to indicate that he is proud.
True but at what point did he step in to stop his son acting in that way? Because it escalated from annoying to a possible fight. There's simply no place for that and if age come into then the elders should have stepped in.
-
I think my lasting memory of the final will be leaving stadium soon after FT and seeing Arsenal fans outside.
If we'd have won the cup I'd have stayed as long as possible and would have been dancing in the street - which I also didn't see any evidence of either.
My son had a big problem with that,
and let a few Arsenal fans know about it on the tube on the way back,
if any one happened to be on that particular tube and witnessed a pissed up 26 year old annoying everyone, to the point of offering a few blokes out then I apologise for his behaviour
You must be very proud.
To be honest, that just makes your son sound like one of the other idiotic, violent twats being described on here.
I get as annoyed as the next man when we're shit or when I see things I dislike at matches, especially when it involves horrible plastic-attracting teams, but getting shit faced and then offering people out over it just marks you out as one of the people who make football less enjoyable than it should be.
Even in the bit you have highlighted he apologises for his son's behaviour. There is nothing in the tone of his post to indicate that he is proud.
Oh, please. I'm using the phrase "must be proud" to illustrate the fact his son is clearly an idiot. That's the main point.
If my son had acted like that I'd be too ashamed of it to consider posting it - in a discussion where people are criticising the behaviour of the Arsenal fans.
And the post ended with this line, which I didn't include in the quote:
Unfortunatly whatever I said fell on deaf ears because I did the same thing against Man Utd
The fact is, it is twats acting like that that get all of us tarnished with the same reputation.
I too felt the same after we played Man United, and after we played Chelsea in the semi. I'd also had a lot to drink. I managed not to start offering people out on the tube, though. On account of not being an absolute idiot.
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I think my lasting memory of the final will be leaving stadium soon after FT and seeing Arsenal fans outside.
If we'd have won the cup I'd have stayed as long as possible and would have been dancing in the street - which I also didn't see any evidence of either.
My son had a big problem with that,
and let a few Arsenal fans know about it on the tube on the way back,
if any one happened to be on that particular tube and witnessed a pissed up 26 year old annoying everyone, to the point of offering a few blokes out then I apologise for his behaviour
You must be very proud.
To be honest, that just makes your son sound like one of the other idiotic, violent twats being described on here.
I get as annoyed as the next man when we're shit or when I see things I dislike at matches, especially when it involves horrible plastic-attracting teams, but getting shit faced and then offering people out over it just marks you out as one of the people who make football less enjoyable than it should be.
Even in the bit you have highlighted he apologises for his son's behaviour. There is nothing in the tone of his post to indicate that he is proud.
Proud enough to post it and state he did the same in 2010.
If my son had done that, I wouldn't be posting the fact on here
-
I think my lasting memory of the final will be leaving stadium soon after FT and seeing Arsenal fans outside.
If we'd have won the cup I'd have stayed as long as possible and would have been dancing in the street - which I also didn't see any evidence of either.
My son had a big problem with that,
and let a few Arsenal fans know about it on the tube on the way back,
if any one happened to be on that particular tube and witnessed a pissed up 26 year old annoying everyone, to the point of offering a few blokes out then I apologise for his behaviour
You must be very proud.
To be honest, that just makes your son sound like one of the other idiotic, violent twats being described on here.
I get as annoyed as the next man when we're shit or when I see things I dislike at matches, especially when it involves horrible plastic-attracting teams, but getting shit faced and then offering people out over it just marks you out as one of the people who make football less enjoyable than it should be.
Even in the bit you have highlighted he apologises for his son's behaviour. There is nothing in the tone of his post to indicate that he is proud.
Oh, please. I'm using the phrase "must be proud" to illustrate the fact his son is clearly an idiot. That's the main point.
If my son had acted like that I'd be too ashamed of it to consider posting it - in a discussion where people are criticising the behaviour of the Arsenal fans.
And the post ended with this line, which I didn't include in the quote:
Unfortunatly whatever I said fell on deaf ears because I did the same thing against Man Utd
The fact is, it is twats acting like that that get all of us tarnished with the same reputation.
I too felt the same after we played Man United, and after we played Chelsea in the semi. I'd also had a lot to drink. I managed not to start offering people out on the tube, though. On account of not being an absolute idiot.
Yeh I would have beaten the crap out of him ;)
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This online arguing about other people's fights is how fights get started....
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I think my lasting memory of the final will be leaving stadium soon after FT and seeing Arsenal fans outside.
If we'd have won the cup I'd have stayed as long as possible and would have been dancing in the street - which I also didn't see any evidence of either.
My son had a big problem with that,
and let a few Arsenal fans know about it on the tube on the way back,
if any one happened to be on that particular tube and witnessed a pissed up 26 year old annoying everyone, to the point of offering a few blokes out then I apologise for his behaviour
You must be very proud.
To be honest, that just makes your son sound like one of the other idiotic, violent twats being described on here.
I get as annoyed as the next man when we're shit or when I see things I dislike at matches, especially when it involves horrible plastic-attracting teams, but getting shit faced and then offering people out over it just marks you out as one of the people who make football less enjoyable than it should be.
Even in the bit you have highlighted he apologises for his son's behaviour. There is nothing in the tone of his post to indicate that he is proud.
Proud enough to post it and state he did the same in 2010.
If my son had done that, I wouldn't be posting the fact on here
I'm not proud
I didn't offer anyone out either I'm not that brave back against Utd, just had a go at some early leavers
He can be a bit of an idiot to be fair, the guy he had a bit of an altercation with was taking the piss out of him first, although this is not an excuse, there was no actual violence just some abuse both ways, but we all know where that can lead
I agree it's unacceptable
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You're right, we do know where it can lead, which is what makes it so idiotic in the first place, regardless of who starts it.
That's what annoys me about things like this. It irks me that it really just takes one person to see stuff like that to form a negative opinion of football fans, or of Vllla fans, or of Birmingham (take your pick), and it makes the rest of us look bad by association.
I've seen loads of situations like this and every single time it makes me cringe with embarrassment by association. I always find myself thinking that we spent years and years trying to convince people to start not thinking of football fans as moronic, pissed up idiots, and every time someone who doesn't have an interest in football sees people living up to that stereotype, we take a step back.
There's an unbreakable link between getting pissed and going to the match, and I love that as much as the next man. It's the bit where people start being aggressive and having a pop at other people that I lose interest in it.
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You're right, we do know where it can lead, which is what makes it so idiotic in the first place, regardless of who starts it.
That's what annoys me about things like this. It irks me that it really just takes one person to see stuff like that to form a negative opinion of football fans, or of Vllla fans, or of Birmingham (take your pick), and it makes the rest of us look bad by association.
I've seen loads of situations like this and every single time it makes me cringe with embarrassment by association. I always find myself thinking that we spent years and years trying to convince people to start not thinking of football fans as moronic, pissed up idiots, and every time someone who doesn't have an interest in football sees people living up to that stereotype, we take a step back.
There's an unbreakable link between getting pissed and going to the match, and I love that as much as the next man. It's the bit where people start being aggressive and having a pop at other people that I lose interest in it.
Your right and I'm sorry
I obviously haven't done a great job with him
This wasn't a massive thing going on btw, just a small thing that happened during a the day
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This online arguing about other people's fights is how fights get started....
Are you looking at my pint?
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I'm getting pretty fucked off with getting beer sprayed all over me at away games whilst just walking down the concourse to my seat where the pissed up kids start indiscriminately throwing beer up in the air. Maybe I'm getting old but I find it all a bit sad. Have a drink have a laugh of course but don't get sooooo pissed you don't even realise your at a sporting event .
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Decided not to post yesterday in the heat of defeat. So on reflection. Watching on the box the team looked physically and mentally shot. From the first minute to the last they were on the back foot, with the midfield overwhelmed and so the battle was lost there. They were incapable of penetrating the Arsenal defence in depth through the middle or down the wings. Not once that I can recall did a player beat a fullback to get round the back and turn their defence. Wenger's plan to nullify Benteke worked a treat for them - combination of the keeper coming early for crosses and Mertesacker had him in his pocket. Imo TS also made mistakes, e.g Baker (if fit) would have added much needed height and physical presence at set pieces. Then Sanches for Westwood at that point in the game baffled me. Why not Sinclair, for say Cleverley, to at least try and salvage some pride with an effort to get through for a consolation goal.
It seems the semi-final was their peak. As suggested in other posts perhaps something went off behind the scenes since the Man City result. It would be beyond stupid to tell players they had no future next season if this was indeed the case, and it was certainly odd for TS to announce the news so soon after the match ended when clearly upset. Should have been done after overnight cool reflection on what and how it had happened.
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There was a long, long time to get pissed yesterday though. Us oldies tend to know when our bodies can't drink anymore. I knew after my 7th I was done for. The yewt of today were probably drinking twice that, together with fit looking barmaids at the Green Man walking round selling jäger bombs was a bit of a recipe for pockets of idiocy.
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I forgot about the fit looking staff at the Green Man. I MUST be getting old.
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Decided not to post yesterday in the heat of defeat. So on reflection. Watching on the box the team looked physically and mentally shot. From the first minute to the last they were on the back foot, with the midfield overwhelmed and so the battle was lost there.
Might have a point there, as I thought a noticeable dip in performance started in the second half of the West Ham. Maybe involvement in yet another relegation battle took everything out of them.
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I think most of the side have looked knackered for a while now.
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Decided not to post yesterday in the heat of defeat. So on reflection. Watching on the box the team looked physically and mentally shot. From the first minute to the last they were on the back foot, with the midfield overwhelmed and so the battle was lost there.
Might have a point there, as I thought a noticeable dip in performance started in the second half of the West Ham. Maybe involvement in yet another relegation battle took everything out of them.
Which makes playing most of them against Burnley a bit baffling
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I can't see how playing Sanchez would have helped matters on the pitch yesterday...he is a truly sad excuse of a footballer and I can only hope he is one of the players that TS has earmarked for being ditched. Even prior to the game yesterday, I was chatting to a few Arsenal fans that weren't too confident about their chances...but they did comment that Sanchez was one of the worst players they'd ever seen.
Yes I agree.
We left straight after the fourth goal to get to the car and beat the traffic...that bit worked!
We were met outside by loads of Arsenal fans, looking like it was just another match they'd won.
We both said if we'd won the Cup we'd have to see it lifted and wring every last moment out of the experience.
Arsenal fans are just used to winning, I suppose.
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I can't see how playing Sanchez would have helped matters on the pitch yesterday...he is a truly sad excuse of a footballer and I can only hope he is one of the players that TS has earmarked for being ditched. Even prior to the game yesterday, I was chatting to a few Arsenal fans that weren't too confident about their chances...but they did comment that Sanchez was one of the worst players they'd ever seen.
Agree with that. He's an awful player, who is only at the club because he was cheap. Honestly I'd rid the club of 80% of the players if it was up to me. 5 years of signing mostly cheap rubbish has put us in the position we find ourselves right now.
The sooner we have new owners the better.
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Arsenal have won 2 trophies in 10 years. A failure on their terms. Agree that our players looked tired out by 5 years of Lerner budgets & relegation battles.
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I can't see how playing Sanchez would have helped matters on the pitch yesterday...he is a truly sad excuse of a footballer and I can only hope he is one of the players that TS has earmarked for being ditched. Even prior to the game yesterday, I was chatting to a few Arsenal fans that weren't too confident about their chances...but they did comment that Sanchez was one of the worst players they'd ever seen.
Yes I agree.
We left straight after the fourth goal to get to the car and beat the traffic...that bit worked!
We were met outside by loads of Arsenal fans, looking like it was just another match they'd won.
We both said if we'd won the Cup we'd have to see it lifted and wring every last moment out of the experience.
Arsenal fans are just used to winning, I suppose.
Sherwood had 2 weeks to get the team ready and set up for The FA Cup Final. He did neither. If Sanchez was not the answer, having 3 against 5 of some of the best midfielders in the country was not a great idea either.
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The Arsenal fans outside didn't even look happy, let alone dancing up Wembley Way in delight.
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Arsenal have won 2 trophies in 10 years. But they are mostly supported by the architects of the financial crisis who are motivated only by greed or cash and not emotion.
That is just Ridiculous
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The only thing that cheered me up yesterday was driving back and listening to Arsenal fans ringing up radio stations and saying that Wenger should go as they haven't won the league for ten years and that Walcott and Giroud should leave the club as they hadn't the quality to play for a club like Arsenal.
This was just an hour after they had won the cup.
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This online arguing about other people's fights is how fights get started....
Are you looking at my pint?
Reminds me of Biffa in Viz: "Did you call my pint a puff?"
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Sherwood's comment about too many players being used to losing probably reflects how I have become over the last 5 years. I do not get worked up by results and performances like I used to and is probably the reason why I do not use words like humiliation etc. about yesterday. The raw emotion has gone.
The squad of players we have now is generally poor, made even worse when we are hit with a few injuries. Somehow Sherwood hit on a system that suited the players as long as they were at the top of their game. It got us just enough points to avoid relegation but was a high risk strategy relying on N'Zogbia. He raised his game and looked as though he good go on further but his performances have dropped over the last month and so has our form. The high tempo game was also based on having the direct Bacuna who, in my opinion, is the only player than can cross the ball accurately on the run. Bringing back Hutton has had a negative effect on the team going forward as, in my opinion, he goes forward aimlessly which results in him checking back so many times.
With the 4-3-2-1 formation with Grealish and N'Zogbia, it relies on Delph and Cleverley getting forward early to support, which then brings Benteke into the game. It was clear to me that Delph and Cleverley were more concerned with the Arsenal midfield getting in behind them, than pushing on themselves. Once that gap was created between the midfield and the front 3, we had lost it. It then allowed Arsenal to pick the ball up deep in the hole in the centre of the field, splitting Grealish and N'Zogbia. This also allowed Arsenal to double up on Benteke and deny him space. Whether this was a result of the Southampton performance as others have said, I do not know. The other obvious thing was how Arsenal were hitting long diagonal balls from right to left in behind Okore as he was dragged across into the centre. Hutton should have been there but was caught time again in being too slow to get back after pushing forward on the right.
I am surprised that little has been made about big game experience and the fact that we probably have only Vlaar, compared with nearly all of the Arsenal team and subs. Add to this, the difference in quality and the odds were stacked against us. We needed a fair slice of luck and had some in the first half but deserted us in the 2nd with a world class goal from 30m, a goal off Mertasacker's shoulder and 2 penalties denied (the first I could have accepted if a free kick was given on the edge of the box, although the tackle started outside the area but contact was actually in the area. There was no excuse for the 2nd though as Delph was booked for less in the middle of the field.
Going back to the first point. We are a weak team, both physically and mentally. We pick up bookings for stupid fouls and are unable to mix it with the opposition. Mentally, we have shown too many times that we fold and loose to big scores. Years ago we used to look at other sides and see this in bottom of the table sides. We have now become one of those sides and I can see what Sherwood is getting at, we have no fighters.
Is this just Villa or have other clubs given up with the runaway top 4 or 5. It is interesting that the old traditional bigger clubs have gone the same way and it is the 'newer' teams e.g. Swansea and the like that seem to be competing. Is it because they are new to it and still have the motivation. I know players earn a lot of money but is the motivation there to get every last drop of effort out of them when they know that the PL is decided by 3 or 4 teams before the season even kicks off. Lambert was partly right when he said he wanted hungry players, the problem was the ability and experience was not there.
We need a complete clear out over the next 12 months, starting this summer. If it is possible, I would keep Benteke, Delph, Grealish and possibly Cleverley (providing he brings in a dominant central midfield player). The rest of the positions would be up for grabs and depending on who comes in will dictate who of the others stays. I would keep one of Clark (preferable) or Baker, with the other going out on loan. We are desperate for a dominant central defender and whether he is left or right side would influence whether I would keep Vlaar. We need another main goal scorer so that we do not always have to play the same system. Football is a team game that requires players to compliment each other. Teams on paper can look good but are then unable to play together.
Going back to yesterday, I knew that we could be easily beaten if our approach was not right. It has happened so many times that it has not affected me as much as most. Staying in the PL was far more important and we just about managed to do that. Sherwood has a massive job to do and will no doubt upset many fans when he gets rid of their particular favourites. He must be given the chance though as we need players with a clear direction upwards and we have very few of those.
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I can't see how playing Sanchez would have helped matters on the pitch yesterday...he is a truly sad excuse of a footballer and I can only hope he is one of the players that TS has earmarked for being ditched. Even prior to the game yesterday, I was chatting to a few Arsenal fans that weren't too confident about their chances...but they did comment that Sanchez was one of the worst players they'd ever seen.
No, he's not a sad excuse for a footballer at all. Why do people write such utter drivel? Besides he only played 10 minutes by which time we were 3 down anyway.
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I agree with OMV, yet every year we go into the summer needing a clear out and we still end up with a not good enough team and squad.
I think you can try and rebuild to quickly so he really needs to get the core players settled early and as much of the dross out. That is a lot easier said than done, look at the last bomb squad.
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I agree with OMV, yet every year we go into the summer needing a clear out and we still end up with a not good enough team and squad.
I think you can try and rebuild to quickly so he really needs to get the core players settled early and as much of the dross out. That is a lot easier said than done, look at the last bomb squad.
That fact we still have Zogbia for another year winds me up. It feels like he's been around forever and done chuff all. I've no problem with Given as far as attitude and comitment, but he's earning a mint and he's well past his prime.
Hutton being given a 3 year deal was ridiculous. He did play well for Lambert this season, but I felt after an injury he reverted to type under Sherwood. Shit going forward and an accident waiting to happen in defence (I saw accident...pre-meditated shin murder more like.)
Bomb squad 2 is going to be a bugger to shift. There was a rumour that Helenius was getting his contract cancelled by mutual consent. I'd be looking to do that with 6-7 others too. Particularly the foreign cheapies who are no good. They might as well go back to the leagues they came from and play at their actual level.
I'd also be looking to get rid of all the experienced players we bought last summer. Almost all too injury prone or not good enough.
If this were Championship manager I'd probably be hammering the "release" button on virtually the whole squad and make the game implode in on itself.
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I went out for a family meal today (it is Mother's Day in France).
The owner of the restaurant came over for a chat and at one point he asked us where we were from. Now, I always reply "Aston" to this question as most people don't know where Birmingham is, apparently (Are you listening highly-paid Brum Marketing team?). Anyway, upon hearing this, he said "Aston, as in Aston Villa? Oh dear!" And off he trotted, shaking his head.
Two minutes later he plonked a €50 bottle of Champagne on the table and said "On me. You deserve it more than the mothers today".
Brilliant BE. And a lovely gesture from a man who obviously understands the pain of a football supporter
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I went out for a family meal today (it is Mother's Day in France).
The owner of the restaurant came over for a chat and at one point he asked us where we were from. Now, I always reply "Aston" to this question as most people don't know where Birmingham is, apparently (Are you listening highly-paid Brum Marketing team?). Anyway, upon hearing this, he said "Aston, as in Aston Villa? Oh dear!" And off he trotted, shaking his head.
Two minutes later he plonked a €50 bottle of Champagne on the table and said "On me. You deserve it more than the mothers today".
Brilliant BE. And a lovely gesture from a man who obviously understands the pain of a football supporter
He supports Béziers egg-chasers so he knows about being spanked.
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How we have escaped relegation this time is beyond me. Let's just be grateful of that. We never belonged in a cup final this season in reality, yet some favourable draws for once and a great one - off show in the semi got us there.
Yesterday wasn't pleasant and I can't say I will look back on it fondly , yet I am happy we are still a PL club.
What happens this summer will define how long that status will last.
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How we have escaped relegation this time is beyond me. Let's just be grateful of that. We never belonged in a cup final this season in reality, yet some favourable draws for once and a great one - off show in the semi got us there.
Why didn't we belong in the cup final?
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Yes we did belong there. We won the games and weren't given a bye. That is the Cup.
The real shame is not giving the Tarquins a game.
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How we have escaped relegation this time is beyond me. Let's just be grateful of that. We never belonged in a cup final this season in reality, yet some favourable draws for once and a great one - off show in the semi got us there.
Why didn't we belong in the cup final?
I probably chose the wrong words, rather think after the trials and tribulations of the season and the quality of our squad in general, we were huge underdogs vs arsenal who have quality in abundance.
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How we have escaped relegation this time is beyond me. Let's just be grateful of that. We never belonged in a cup final this season in reality, yet some favourable draws for once and a great one - off show in the semi got us there.
Why didn't we belong in the cup final?
I probably chose the wrong words, rather think after the trials and tribulations of the season and the quality of our squad in general, we were huge underdogs vs arsenal who have quality in abundance.
But we still deserved to be there, regardless of the difference in squads.
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If we had played anything like we did against Citeh, Spuds, Liverpool, Albion, Everton we would not have been on the end of that humiliation.
A lot of people saying that Arse were just too good for us is a cop out really. They did not have to do much to win yesterday.
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If we had played with anything like we did against Citeh, Spuds, Liverpool, Albion, Everton we would not have been on the end of that humiliation.
A lot of people saying that Arse were just too good for us is a cop out really. They did not have to do much to win yesterday.
We were chasing shadows. I don't think it was a lack of effort, just a huge gulf in quality.
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If we had played with anything like we did against Citeh, Spuds, Liverpool, Albion, Everton we would not have been on the end of that humiliation.
A lot of people saying that Arse were just too good for us is a cop out really. They did not have to do much to win yesterday.
We were chasing shadows. I don't think it was a lack of effort, just a huge gulf in quality.
I agree. On the day, they were so much better than us.
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If we had played with anything like we did against Citeh, Spuds, Liverpool, Albion, Everton we would not have been on the end of that humiliation.
A lot of people saying that Arse were just too good for us is a cop out really. They did not have to do much to win yesterday.
We were chasing shadows. I don't think it was a lack of effort, just a huge gulf in quality.
Citeh finished higher than Arse and we gave them a game and by rights should have won. We needed that type of performance yesterday.
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If we had played with anything like we did against Citeh, Spuds, Liverpool, Albion, Everton we would not have been on the end of that humiliation.
A lot of people saying that Arse were just too good for us is a cop out really. They did not have to do much to win yesterday.
We were chasing shadows. I don't think it was a lack of effort, just a huge gulf in quality.
I agree. On the day, they were so much better than us.
I kept waiting for them to make a silly mistake or give the ball away in a dangerous phase of play or area. It simply didn't happen.
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It could have been much worse, they were on top form and we were awful, I think they took their foot off the pedal at 2.0, other wise it could have been an even bigger embarrassment.
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Spot on silhill I don't really remember them giving the ball away
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If we had played with anything like we did against Citeh, Spuds, Liverpool, Albion, Everton we would not have been on the end of that humiliation.
A lot of people saying that Arse were just too good for us is a cop out really. They did not have to do much to win yesterday.
We were chasing shadows. I don't think it was a lack of effort, just a huge gulf in quality.
I agree. On the day, they were so much better than us.
I kept waiting for them to make a silly mistake or give the ball away in a dangerous phase of play or area. It simply didn't happen.
Yeah, we were rubbish but they were very good.
Villa fans were saying "if we play like we did against Liverpool, then we have a chance", but they missed out a key caveat: Arsenal also had to play like Liverpool for Villa to have a chance.
In the end, Villa played exactly like a team that finished 17th in the Premier League and Arsenal purred like a side who were third and should have finished higher. For all the giddy talk of Villa's improvement under Tim Sherwood, of pride restored and entertainment returned, he elevated them one place during a three-month spell that saw them pick up fewer points than West Brom. They're still not very good. And against Arsenal, they were sodding awful.
No number of Pointless FA Cup specials and Citizen Khan interviews could mask the fact that hours of television build-up were only going to end in a true contest if Arsenal started the 2015 FA Cup final like they started the 2014 FA Cup final. For entertainment's sake, Arsenal had to - in true FA Cup vernacular - 'not turn up'. Unfortunately for Villa, they really did.
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Hope the players feel for the fans particularly those who camped out overnight in the cold for tickets. I'm sure they haven't even given it a thought in their very small brains.
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Carlos Gill wouldn't look out of place at arsenal and scored goal of the season. I can't be the only let wondering why Tim Sherwood has continuously left him out as he didn't know anything about the guy. He talked of nzogbia and his Wigan days and watching footage but gill is the future and its frustrating he isn't given a chance. Sherwood teams selection have been predictable and arsenal knew exactly what to expect. A tactical change and a mixing up of things doesn't seem to be a strong feature which meant that apart from 'belief' any tactics and plans were lost on the manager and ultimately led to the downfall. I can't have blaming the players as the reason for the loss. When villa lose its a team that loses and to say things like loser mentality is downright disrespectful. The media and naive amongst say its honest straight talking but its unprofessional and demeaning. I wouldn't think players are best pleased being labeled losers. And it also gives mixed messages to those selected for the final. If Tim Sherwood took greater responsibility and suggested at least could have tried different things that be more honest rather than distance himself from the loss.
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I can't see how playing Sanchez would have helped matters on the pitch yesterday...he is a truly sad excuse of a footballer and I can only hope he is one of the players that TS has earmarked for being ditched. Even prior to the game yesterday, I was chatting to a few Arsenal fans that weren't too confident about their chances...but they did comment that Sanchez was one of the worst players they'd ever seen.
No, he's not a sad excuse for a footballer at all. Why do people write such utter drivel? Besides he only played 10 minutes by which time we were 3 down anyway.
You're entitled to your opinion Clampy but I have seen nothing in the time he has been here to suggest that he has sufficient qualities to be a Premier League footballer let alone deserving of wearing a Villa shirt. He has already gaining notoriety for being a laughing stock amongst our own and fans of other clubs...he is a mistimed challenge away from a booking, a misplaced pass away from conceding a goal...a true liability of a clusterfuck just waiting to happen.
You may like him as a player, you may like what he offers and brings to the team, but if you accept that he is sufficient quality to represent the team that we support then that simply speaks volumes for the difference in standards that we are prepared to accept...and may also contribute to the level of apathy that has been manifesting itself both inside and outside the club over the last few years. You may think I'm talking utter drivel and this may sound like an exaggeration when we are only talking about one player, however from where I'm watching, Carlos Sanchez is indicative of the shit that we are either prepared to accept or no longer put up with...so don't be complaining about how badly we perform or the results we get if you think that he is of sufficient quality to represent our team yet expect our performances and results to be better.
...and I didn't mention the 10 minutes that he played in the final, but seeing as you did...it was 10 minutes more than he should have been given the opportunity to play in the first place.
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I'm still pissed off about this. Feel let down by the performance.
This was our time and they got embarrassed.
A shit time to be a Villa supporter. Has Delph commented?
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I can't see how playing Sanchez would have helped matters on the pitch yesterday...he is a truly sad excuse of a footballer and I can only hope he is one of the players that TS has earmarked for being ditched. Even prior to the game yesterday, I was chatting to a few Arsenal fans that weren't too confident about their chances...but they did comment that Sanchez was one of the worst players they'd ever seen.
No, he's not a sad excuse for a footballer at all. Why do people write such utter drivel? Besides he only played 10 minutes by which time we were 3 down anyway.
You're entitled to your opinion Clampy but I have seen nothing in the time he has been here to suggest that he has sufficient qualities to be a Premier League footballer let alone deserving of wearing a Villa shirt. He has already gaining notoriety for being a laughing stock amongst our own and fans of other clubs...he is a mistimed challenge away from a booking, a misplaced pass away from conceding a goal...a true liability of a clusterfuck just waiting to happen.
You may like him as a player, you may like what he offers and brings to the team, but if you accept that he is sufficient quality to represent the team that we support then that simply speaks volumes for the difference in standards that we are prepared to accept...and may also contribute to the level of apathy that has been manifesting itself both inside and outside the club over the last few years. You may think I'm talking utter drivel and this may sound like an exaggeration when we are only talking about one player, however from where I'm watching, Carlos Sanchez is indicative of the shit that we are either prepared to accept or no longer put up with...so don't be complaining about how badly we perform or the results we get if you think that he is of sufficient quality to represent our team yet expect our performances and results to be better.
...and I didn't mention the 10 minutes that he played in the final, but seeing as you did...it was 10 minutes more than he should have been given the opportunity to play in the first place.
Your entitled not to rate the guy and that's fair enough. Coming out with drivel like 'truly sad excuse for a footballer' and 'true liability of a clusterfuck' is in my opinion just fucking over the top nonsense.
There was a reason why we finished 17th last season. It wasn't down to Carlos Sanchez, it was because as a whole the squad and former manager were not good enough. Picking out one player just to make a point is unfair when there are one or two others who have not contributed enough and have been there a lot bloody longer than he has.
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I can't see how playing Sanchez would have helped matters on the pitch yesterday...he is a truly sad excuse of a footballer and I can only hope he is one of the players that TS has earmarked for being ditched. Even prior to the game yesterday, I was chatting to a few Arsenal fans that weren't too confident about their chances...but they did comment that Sanchez was one of the worst players they'd ever seen.
No, he's not a sad excuse for a footballer at all. Why do people write such utter drivel? Besides he only played 10 minutes by which time we were 3 down anyway.
The fact of the matter is he cost (in modern terms) fk all money. We spend peanuts and expect Makalele.
He also played well in the world cup, in a team that got further than England.
We bought him as he obviously has talent, but a complete lack of experience in English football - hence his price. He may turn out to bobbins or very good, but like many players that come in from foreign leagues he needs time to adjust.
Our problem is we are continually fighting fires on the pitch, and so he has less time to settle in. It is the same with Gil. The guy is obviously very talented, but will we give him the time he needs to settle in?
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What I'm still struggling to comprehend is the totalality of the defeat.
From minute 1 we were second best in every single department, from the mistake by Okore in about minute 2 to their 4th going in in the 93rd minute, it was a total defeat, not 1 glimmer of equalling them let alone bettering them. We came second, but in truth we were second by a million miles.
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What I'm still struggling to comprehend is the totalality of the defeat.
From minute 1 we were second best in every single department, from the mistake by Okore in about minute 2 to their 4th going in in the 93rd minute, it was a total defeat, not 1 glimmer of equalling them let alone bettering them. We came second, but in truth we were second by a million miles.
We needed Arsenal to: fail to score in the first half, make a goof, get a stupid red card, referee crap decision or we manage to have the game of our lives.
Unfortunately Arsenal played like a team at the top of the table and we played like one that has just avoided the championship by a few points.
Its probably football justice, the best team won. Not that I like it.
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What I'm still struggling to comprehend is the totalality of the defeat.
From minute 1 we were second best in every single department, from the mistake by Okore in about minute 2 to their 4th going in in the 93rd minute, it was a total defeat, not 1 glimmer of equalling them let alone bettering them. We came second, but in truth we were second by a million miles.
I was crying out for somebody, anybody to have a shot and lift the team and fans but nobody was willing to take any responsibility. They all played with fear.
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What I'm still struggling to comprehend is the totalality of the defeat.
From minute 1 we were second best in every single department, from the mistake by Okore in about minute 2 to their 4th going in in the 93rd minute, it was a total defeat, not 1 glimmer of equalling them let alone bettering them. We came second, but in truth we were second by a million miles.
A Depressingly spot on summing up
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What I'm still struggling to comprehend is the totalality of the defeat.
From minute 1 we were second best in every single department, from the mistake by Okore in about minute 2 to their 4th going in in the 93rd minute, it was a total defeat, not 1 glimmer of equalling them let alone bettering them. We came second, but in truth we were second by a million miles.
I was crying out for somebody, anybody to have a shot and lift the team and fans but nobody was willing to take any responsibility. They all played with fear.
It was all those fucking floaty-fart crosses that wound me up. We had a few opportunities on the break but every time we crossed in a floater rather than trying to get it down the channels despite players making a run for them or just dribbling into them repeatedly (Zog). It was fucking horrible and agree with others who say that it looked like that was the tactic.
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What I'm still struggling to comprehend is the totalality of the defeat.
From minute 1 we were second best in every single department, from the mistake by Okore in about minute 2 to their 4th going in in the 93rd minute, it was a total defeat, not 1 glimmer of equalling them let alone bettering them. We came second, but in truth we were second by a million miles.
A Depressingly spot on summing up
and 100% accurate!
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Loins girded its time to go to work to face some of the most one eyed Albion twats you will ever meet, right lets do it.
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Loins girded its time to go to work to face some of the most one eyed Albion twats you will ever meet, right lets do it.
First person at work today who takes the pee will be looking for a new job once they come out of Hospital.
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(http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqaw4ll33z1qedb29o1_r1_500.gif)
Gentleman...for any piss-takers thinking of pulling your pud this morning. I suggest this would be the appropriate response.
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Loins girded its time to go to work to face some of the most one eyed Albion twats you will ever meet, right lets do it.
First person at work today who takes the pee will be looking for a new job once they come out of Hospital.
Steady Richard, keep calm and in days to follow the pee taking will decrease, have a rest and enjoy the break from Villa
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On paper they are twice as good as us. That's the simple fact. For the outcome to be any other than it was would mean they had to perform well below standard and we would need to be well above. When we perform below standard this is what happens.
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Loins girded its time to go to work to face some of the most one eyed Albion twats you will ever meet, right lets do it.
First person at work today who takes the pee will be looking for a new job once they come out of Hospital.
Steady Richard, keep calm and in days to follow the pee taking will decrease, have a rest and enjoy the break from Villa
I wouldn't really do it, I think the SRA might take a dim view of an officer of the Senior Courts of England and Wales committing GBH and unfairly dismissing someone on the same day.
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I've been trying to pick the most crushing comeback to knuckledraggers dizzy with delight at our capitulation, but there are so many I'm struggling to choose.
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Its on days like this that I'm glad that I'm 40 plus miles down the M5
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A Villa fan on Saturday was genuinely furious with me for having the gall to suggest that next season might be better than the one we've just had.
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The saddest thing I saw on Saturday , was two men, one middle aged and one in his 60s, who would not sit
down at all during the first half , preventing a very young family behind them from watching. When the
father of the family asked them to sit down the older chap tried to climb the seats to have a fight and had to
be restrained.
This happened several times just before and during halftime. The young son who was with him must have
been about 8 and was in tears clearly very upset and frightened hiding in his dads lap.
What kind of people would behave like that to anyone let alone kids it was disgusting.
I have a young family and qne day want to take them to games , but after seeing this I do hesitate
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The saddest thing I saw on Saturday , was two men, one middle aged and one in his 60s, who would not sit
down at all during the first half , preventing a very young family behind them from watching. When the
father of the family asked them to sit down the older chap tried to climb the seats to have a fight and had to
be restrained.
This happened several times just before and during halftime. The young son who was with him must have
been about 8 and was in tears clearly very upset and frightened hiding in his dads lap.
What kind of people would behave like that to anyone let alone kids it was disgusting.
I have a young family and qne day want to take them to games , but after seeing this I do hesitate
Anyone who suffered that kind of behaviour or worse on Saturday should contact the club. People wouldn't get away with behaving like that at Villa Park so I don't see why it should be any different at Wembley.
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The saddest thing I saw on Saturday , was two men, one middle aged and one in his 60s, who would not sit
down at all during the first half , preventing a very young family behind them from watching. When the
father of the family asked them to sit down the older chap tried to climb the seats to have a fight and had to
be restrained.
This happened several times just before and during halftime. The young son who was with him must have
been about 8 and was in tears clearly very upset and frightened hiding in his dads lap.
What kind of people would behave like that to anyone let alone kids it was disgusting.
I have a young family and qne day want to take them to games , but after seeing this I do hesitate
That is absolutely awful.
I know people were unhappy with me for leaving at half time against Southampton but if I may be allowed to redeem some brownie points, I had to stand at that game because everyone else in front of me did. However, I made doubly sure all the way through the first half that the little boy with his Dad behind me could see through the gap between me and my friend and even offered for him to come and stand on my seat. The Dad was very appreciative. Mind you, they both left at half time as well.
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Actually, feel more sorry for those who made the trip, hope the match didn't detract too much from the day out.
See you all in 2030.
Was a nice day out until they started kicking the ball about the pitch. But yes, 2030 and all that...
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Oh yeah, and someone nicked the scarf that was meant to be on my seat! I thought at the time it might be a bad omen...
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Loins girded its time to go to work to face some of the most one eyed Albion twats you will ever meet, right lets do it.
You mean that Albion who lost 2 Cup Finals (for them anyway) twice in week a couple of months ago? Pffff.... Fuck the fuckers (as I believe the expression goes)
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Or the Blose who've never actually ever recovered from their Wembley day out, celebrating by getting relegated 2 months later and becoming effectively insolvent.
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Oh yeah, and someone nicked the scarf that was meant to be on my seat! I thought at the time it might be a bad omen...
Same happened at our last final with the pennants, when I got to my seat most of the seats around me had had them taken already
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.
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Oh yeah, and someone nicked the scarf that was meant to be on my seat! I thought at the time it might be a bad omen...
Same happened at our last final with the pennants, when I got to my seat most of the seats around me had had them taken already
What selfish wankers would do that. This sort of thing and people standing and getting aggressive with young kids about being upset pisses me off far more than the result and performance.
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Two days later, still annoyed. Absolutely NO positives to take from the game at all. As bad as anything Lambert served up
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I got into my seat at about 4.45. Scarf and flag were in check
Didn't stop the bloke who arrived after me in the row infront of acusing me of nicking his scarf because his wasn't there or he'd lost his own.
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Two days later, still annoyed. Absolutely NO positives to take from the game at all. As bad as anything Lambert served up
On the pitch totally agree.
Off the pitch the hour before the game was stunning, Abide with me, The National Anthem, even hi ho Aston Viila, fireworks and the penalty box poster. All great and as a group of fans we turned up and were loud. We did our bit.
Then Arsenal battered us, no complaints and let's be truthful not unsurprising. When you think of the Villa squads we've had since we won it last and yet this shower of shite currently carrying the honour of the shirt somehow get us to our Holy Grail you really have got to think we're never going to win it again.
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Sorry to say but, some years ago, I spoke to other supporters and they were quite content if we finished half way in the table. I remember saying to them that for a massive club like Aston Villa FC, that just wasn't good enough and, we should be challenging for honours once in a while and, not settle for mid table mediocraty and, guess what, I was shouted down!! I have never changed my mind and, our present situation is just bizarre being such a lowly team in the league for some years running. We should always demand much more from a club like ours!!
As regard the final, I have played for far too long not to realise that after 10 minutes, we were going to get thumped. How boring were we - truly, I nearly fell asleep after 15 minutes. Same as most others, I do not expect us to win every game but, there is nothing on earth to stop the players putting in a real shift at, least to give us supporters something to shout about.
As supporters we did the club proud so, such a shame the players did not reciprocate!!
UTV
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[/quote]
What selfish wankers would do that. This sort of thing and people standing and getting aggressive with young kids about being upset pisses me off far more than the result and performance.
[/quote]
Yep, unfortunately I can agree with that.
Back at work today, luckily work mates have been good, but I'm still raw about the game and what went on at the end. I'm thinking of contacting someone at the club and reporting the dickhead who was sat in front of us as obviously I know his seat / Row number.
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I'd definitely get it reported.
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I've been trying to pick the most crushing comeback to knuckledraggers dizzy with delight at our capitulation, but there are so many I'm struggling to choose.
Don`t waste your time, you cannot reason with the unreasonable, have you seen some of the utter garbage they`re putting on Facebook? - Beyond belief some of `em. Even the reasonable ones are at it, enjoy the moment small fry - then crawl back under your stone where you belong.
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Spot on silhill I don't really remember them giving the ball away
The only time we got the Ball back was when we were picking it out of the back of the net.
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What selfish wankers would do that. This sort of thing and people standing and getting aggressive with young kids about being upset pisses me off far more than the result and performance.
[/quote]
Yep, unfortunately I can agree with that.
Back at work today, luckily work mates have been good, but I'm still raw about the game and what went on at the end. I'm thinking of contacting someone at the club and reporting the dickhead who was sat in front of us as obviously I know his seat / Row number.
[/quote]
Were you in Block 551? There was some argy bargy going on on the front row there.
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From where we were sat I looked down at the lower tier late in second half and villa fans were being pulled apart by stewards . Sad end to a tragic season all round .
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What selfish wankers would do that. This sort of thing and people standing and getting aggressive with young kids about being upset pisses me off far more than the result and performance.
Yep, unfortunately I can agree with that.
Back at work today, luckily work mates have been good, but I'm still raw about the game and what went on at the end. I'm thinking of contacting someone at the club and reporting the dickhead who was sat in front of us as obviously I know his seat / Row number.
[/quote]
Were you in Block 551? There was some argy bargy going on on the front row there.
[/quote]
I was in 551. There were two Villa fans who did nothin throughout the whole game apart from stand up, gesticulate, and hurl abuse at the Arsenal fans 20 yards to our left. I did shout down to them at one point that they might be better off ignoring the Arsenal fans and supporting the team, but was told where to go. Plus an Arsenal fan about four rows in front of me, who got a slap after celebrating the first Arsenal goal.
Most people round me were really good, and the fans of both Arsenal and the Villa that I met in Leicester Square were very friendly. Unfortunately, there's always a few twats. Late kick-off doesn't help as it allows all day drinking. Threatening adults is bad enough, but to do it when children are around just beggars belief. CT and Richard E - you should definitely contact the club.....
As for my day? The support before kick-off was amazing......I remember sobbing during Abide with Me in 2000 - my first child had been born on May 5th that year (my 30th birthday), followed by my father tragically dropping dead of a hear attack in front of me on May 8th. I knew that this year would be the same, and it was. At kick-off, I still believed that we could somehow pull it out of the bag, (despite the groad I gave when I saw Walcott was playing) but I wasn't prepared for the non-event it became. In the end it was a case of sitting back and admiring Arsenal to be honest.
I expect Sherwood regrets not resting a few players against Burnley now........
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From where we were sat I looked down at the lower tier late in second half and villa fans were being pulled apart by stewards . Sad end to a tragic season all round .
Pictures on FB, cant really tell if it was Saturday or not, posted there by a nose, so it could be anything or nothing.
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What I'm still struggling to comprehend is the totalality of the defeat.
From minute 1 we were second best in every single department, from the mistake by Okore in about minute 2 to their 4th going in in the 93rd minute, it was a total defeat, not 1 glimmer of equalling them let alone bettering them. We came second, but in truth we were second by a million miles.
I was crying out for somebody, anybody to have a shot and lift the team and fans but nobody was willing to take any responsibility. They all played with fear.
I was the same - just something to galvanise the fans. I remember reading in the French paper L'Equipe after Liverpool's comeback in the 2005 final v Milan that somebody had a shot 5 minutes into the second half which went wide but lifted their fans. The reporter's comment was along the lines of "only an English team and it's supporters would raise the roof after a shot off target when losing 3-0 in a Champions league final".
There was a moment around 31 minutes when we sort of mounted an attack and even though it came to nothing it had a palpable impact on our support - the first thing to stir us and provide some belief that this could be a backs to the wall miracle. Sadly I think it was the only such moment.
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I've been trying to pick the most crushing comeback to knuckledraggers dizzy with delight at our capitulation, but there are so many I'm struggling to choose.
Don`t waste your time, you cannot reason with the unreasonable, have you seen some of the utter garbage they`re putting on Facebook? - Beyond belief some of `em. Even the reasonable ones are at it, enjoy the moment small fry - then crawl back under your stone where you belong.
They have the mentality of a pea brained 10 year olds. And those older and wise are happy to adopt such mentality in the event of a Villa set back.
They are sad pitiful covetous knuckle-dragging cocks of the highest magnitude.
The only pity is that many of our fans seem to adopt such mentality at theirs and the bitters expense
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I've been trying to pick the most crushing comeback to knuckledraggers dizzy with delight at our capitulation, but there are so many I'm struggling to choose.
Don`t waste your time, you cannot reason with the unreasonable, have you seen some of the utter garbage they`re putting on Facebook? - Beyond belief some of `em. Even the reasonable ones are at it, enjoy the moment small fry - then crawl back under your stone where you belong.
They have the mentality of a pea brained 10 year olds. And those older and wise are happy to adopt such mentality in the event of a Villa set back.
They are sad pitiful covetous knuckle-dragging cocks of the highest magnitude.
The only pity is that many of our fans seem to adopt such mentality at theirs and the bitters expense
Yep, it beggars belief at times. Blues and Coventry are both in the bottom halves of leagues outside the top flight and are both in pretty dire financial positions, and we beat Albion en route to get to the final. Forget all that though, they see a team they don't support beating us in the FA Cup final as a cause for celebration. Maybe if they concentrated on their own pathetic little clubs and actually went to watch them for a change, they might start to improve.
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I've been trying to pick the most crushing comeback to knuckledraggers dizzy with delight at our capitulation, but there are so many I'm struggling to choose.
Don`t waste your time, you cannot reason with the unreasonable, have you seen some of the utter garbage they`re putting on Facebook? - Beyond belief some of `em. Even the reasonable ones are at it, enjoy the moment small fry - then crawl back under your stone where you belong.
They have the mentality of a pea brained 10 year olds. And those older and wise are happy to adopt such mentality in the event of a Villa set back.
They are sad pitiful covetous knuckle-dragging cocks of the highest magnitude.
The only pity is that many of our fans seem to adopt such mentality at theirs and the bitters expense
I was very disappointed that the second song sung by the Villa end after kick-off was about them..........I said to my son "Oh let's not sing about that lot today!!"
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I've been trying to pick the most crushing comeback to knuckledraggers dizzy with delight at our capitulation, but there are so many I'm struggling to choose.
Don`t waste your time, you cannot reason with the unreasonable, have you seen some of the utter garbage they`re putting on Facebook? - Beyond belief some of `em. Even the reasonable ones are at it, enjoy the moment small fry - then crawl back under your stone where you belong.
They have the mentality of a pea brained 10 year olds. And those older and wise are happy to adopt such mentality in the event of a Villa set back.
They are sad pitiful covetous knuckle-dragging cocks of the highest magnitude.
The only pity is that many of our fans seem to adopt such mentality at theirs and the bitters expense
I was very disappointed that the second song sung by the Villa end after kick-off was about them..........I said to my son "Oh let's not sing about that lot today!!"
The response I've settled for is:
It could have been worse, it could have been 8.
At home.
Against Bournemouth.
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Finally got home last night and can confirm I'm still in the 'never watching football again' phase. Might take a while to shake this one off.
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It was a galling experience, not helped by my having drunk far too much beforehand.
As Matt says, it may take a while.
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Were you in Block 551? There was some argy bargy going on on the front row there.
[/quote]
541 mate. Not really sure who I should email at the club regarding this.
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After the loss to Southampton I was a bit disgusted but it didn't really bother me. Against Burnley I would normally be shouting and bawling for 90 mins but I didn't. I just sat and watched and even though we lost it didn't really bother me. On Saturday at a wedding I stood there, the only villa fan, watching us being humiliated and having the piss taken out of me and it just didn't bother me. Today at work I had the piss taken and again it didn't bother me. Go back 12 months and I would certainly have had heated discussions with some of the piss takers. Whether my passion for football and the villa is subsiding only time will tell. Perhaps they have just worn me down.
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just a point of view
from minute 1 I said we give them the wings, as arse had the widest ploayers on the pitch, that meant they could attack our backs more easily, and who should have been providing cover Charlie and Jack a right double act of "from you to me"
That is why we lost, yes I know theres a number on here that want Grealishes children but..........
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Never good to see Villa fans fighting each other...cant say I saw any trouble at Wembley, but there was an ignorant twat who barged through the queues at the Green Man spilling my fresh pint and the person behind me. There also appeared to be a couple of non-colour wearing Villa youth gangs who had a bit of handbags at one point.
We were the first coach to arrive at Yellow car park and first coach to leave...the only "trouble" I saw with Arsenal fans was when a cocky cockney started giving it the large one as our coach passed and a Villa fan randomly came running along and twatted him square in the face. What followed was like a scene from Benny Hill with Arsenal fans chasing Villa fan, police chasing Arsenal fans chasing the Villa fan, Villa fan slipping over and random chaos as police try to pull it apart with random legs and punches being thrown. Pure comedy gold.
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just a point of view
from minute 1 I said we give them the wings, as arse had the widest ploayers on the pitch, that meant they could attack our backs more easily, and who should have been providing cover Charlie and Jack a right double act of "from you to me"
That is why we lost, yes I know theres a number on here that want Grealishes children but..........
I noticed that straight away - Hutton was left exposed many times early in the first half.
When Gerrard was picked for the semi final I said to jnr - were gonna win this !!
Likewise when jnr heard that Walcott was playing - he turned me and said - were gonna lose this :(
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Regarding scarves - we went to our seats to collect them as soon as we were in the Stadium - we went to our seats and the scarves ended where our two seats started !!!! We got flags but no scarves - instead of knicking those laid out we waited until Arsenal received the trophy and collected a few left sprawled on the floor .
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I'm going to be posting my ticket back to the club that's how much this piss poor performance has done to me.
I've seen us win league cups for fun league championships European cups and a super cup to boot, yet for all the great performances I've seen awful ones to yet that abject surrender at Wembley will haunt me forever.
5000 miles for me this season and even under the dross served up by lambert none of the games comes remotely close to that at on Saturday.
feel so sorry for the young fans I seen with there faces painted all smiles proud parents taking there kids on a trip to Wembley to be shattered by those on the pitch.
I better stop because I'm seething.
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I'm going to be posting my ticket back to the club that's how much this piss poor performance has done to me.
I've seen us win league cups for fun league championships European cups and a super cup to boot, yet for all the great performances I've seen awful ones to yet that abject surrender at Wembley will haunt me forever.
5000 miles for me this season and even under the dross served up by lambert none of the games comes remotely close to that at on Saturday.
feel so sorry for the young fans I seen with there faces painted all smiles proud parents taking there kids on a trip to Wembley to be shattered by those on the pitch.
I better stop because I'm seething.
tell me you're joking. You're going to post your FA Cup final tickets back to the club. The previous trophy was 20 years and those other things are 30+ years ago, and we got beaten by a side that cost 10 times ours in the cup final and it has caused you to jump off the edge? There are fans of many other sides who would have given their right arm to have just got to experience what you did leading up to the game. Get a grip.
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Toronto villa
How many corners ?
How many shots?
What will I feel when I pull that ticket out in a few years time along with the anderlecht and Rotterdam ticket.
Did Spurs in 71 have roughly the same sort of team against ours from the 3rd and what a performance that was.
i feel so down maybe I won't send it back but it will be an insult to put it in the container with all my other villa memories but I really am gutted
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Whats the point of posting back a used ticket, stamps are expensive you know. If you want to protest then go ahead but that is really hollow.
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Don't put a stamp on it! That would show them. Hit Randy in the pocket where it hurts.
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I didn't even realise there were free scarves and flags until I got on the coach to go home. They would have just gone in the drawer at home anyway and caused nightmares every time I opened the drawer. I am still waiting to wake on Saturday morning and find that it was all a nightmare and get ready for my trip to Wembley.
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I emailed Tom fox after the Southampton abhoration, not even a reply.
Anyway football is sent to test us. Saturday wasn't our day on many levels. Move on.
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Yea your right guys
Let's just accept it mods close the thread down enough is enough. It was just one game wasn't it
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If he don't sell, Lerner may go on a guilt trip this summer and hand TS a £50m war chest. Let's see how the coming weeks unfold before we start wreck-less actions like posting used tickets back to the club ;)
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to be honest guys you right it is futile to send my ticket back but when I think about the time and effort this season I put in and again to get my semi and final tickets and witness that on Saturday.
And to make it even worse my arsenal supporting boss at nationalgrid didn't say a word to me this morning he just gave me my job pack and smiled, Holloway Road 30 secs from the Emirates with all the flags etc for my to me to look at
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I feel like I've been dumped by a really hot girlfriend and I've gone through a range of emotions.
Yesterday was denial. Today has been mood swings, with the tendency to put on highlights of the previous rounds.
I'm back in work tomorrow where I'm hoping to be going through the "I hate you, you slag phase".
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I went upto the gooner in our office (to be fair he is a ST holder ) and rather than knee him in the cabinets , I shook his hand. It hurt but It had to be done. Get it done and move on .
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We lost to an infinitely better side that cost a hell of a lot more to put together than ours did, there was an air of inevitability about the score, but the manner wounded all of us, personally, I had a wonderful day, shed a tiny tear or two when "abide" was sung for personal reasons as much as Footballing ones. It was a fantastic day in so many ways, I was glad I was there - VTID.
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"Abide" was probably the most memorable part for me.
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"Abide" was probably the most memorable part for me.
Thought the Anthem got a good belt-out as well.
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"Abide" was probably the most memorable part for me.
Thought the Anthem got a good belt-out as well.
That's a good shout , yes and the pyrotechnics and visuals they unfurled before kick off. In fact up til kick off it was a top top experience.
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The only thought to cling to was that losing 4-0 is marginally better than losing 2-1 in the last minute, or being 2-0 up and losing, or losing on penalties - after 50 minutes we knew we were beat and there was nothing we could do about it.
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It reminded me of Bruno's 2nd fight vs Tyson when he basically just got a good hiding.
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Is it safe to rejoin mainstream media yet? I'd normally listen to 5Live / Talksport whilst driving about but havent been able to bring myself to since Saturday afternoon.
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I caught a bit of TS this evening on the way back/to/backagain from work. Totally agreed with their comments about our sub-par, so-called performance on Saturday.
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"Abide" was probably the most memorable part for me.
Thought the Anthem got a good belt-out as well.
The bloke next to me got very annoyed by my Villa Union Jack ( very old and fading, nabbed off a factory roof by my mom, Aston Villa written in black marker pen by me in the late 70s) during Abide with me. I apologised and had a wee chat - he was from Norn Iron. A few seconds later he pointedly sat down during the national anthem so I figured it wasn't just me.
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If he don't sell, Lerner may go on a guilt trip this summer and hand TS a £50m war chest. Let's see how the coming weeks unfold before we start wreck-less actions like posting used tickets back to the club ;)
Agreed. There's no turning back from that. It's the football rebel's equivalent of sneaking into Syria to join IS.
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"Abide" was probably the most memorable part for me.
Thought the Anthem got a good belt-out as well.
The bloke next to me got very annoyed by my Villa Union Jack ( very old and fading, nabbed off a factory roof by my mom, Aston Villa written in black marker pen by me in the late 70s) during Abide with me. I apologised and had a wee chat - he was from Norn Iron. A few seconds later he pointedly sat down during the national anthem so I figured it wasn't just me.
;D sounds like my granddad
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I caught a bit of TS this evening on the way back/to/backagain from work. Totally agreed with their comments about our sub-par, so-called performance on Saturday.
I'll wait until the whole thing is not being discussed at all :-) need one of the sky4 to sign someone ASAP
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My overriding feeling from Saturday was that it looked like we had no right to be there, similar to Bradford when they were battered by Swansea.
There is so much work needed to get the squad up to the level of quality needed & to bring the confidence levels up. Being battered by Southampton seems to have really had an impact on the team. I guess for most of the team all they've known is a continuous battle to stay afloat.
I really hope Sherwood gets the help he needs.
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"Abide" was probably the most memorable part for me.
Thought the Anthem got a good belt-out as well.
The bloke next to me got very annoyed by my Villa Union Jack ( very old and fading, nabbed off a factory roof by my mom, Aston Villa written in black marker pen by me in the late 70s) during Abide with me. I apologised and had a wee chat - he was from Norn Iron. A few seconds later he pointedly sat down during the national anthem so I figured it wasn't just me.
In your you wee chat you should have advised him that if he finds the British flag and national anthem so upsetting, he'd be best avoiding major sporting events on the mainland in the future. What a bizarre attitude! It's the equivalent of a British person going to the All-Ireland final at Croke Park and getting a bit tetchy at the sight of a tricolour and the Irish anthem.
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On paper they are twice as good as us. That's the simple fact. For the outcome to be any other than it was would mean they had to perform well below standard and we would need to be well above. When we perform below standard this is what happens.
But not to have a single shot on target or even a corner was beyond anything you could have feared. At least we didn't suffer a record final defeat I suppose. Who would have thought a Sherwood team would have a stat like that. I do wonder what would have happened if we had started with Gabby, who has often played well against them and was at least having a run at them.
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"Abide" was probably the most memorable part for me.
Thought the Anthem got a good belt-out as well.
The bloke next to me got very annoyed by my Villa Union Jack ( very old and fading, nabbed off a factory roof by my mom, Aston Villa written in black marker pen by me in the late 70s) during Abide with me. I apologised and had a wee chat - he was from Norn Iron. A few seconds later he pointedly sat down during the national anthem so I figured it wasn't just me.
In your you wee chat you should have advised him that if he finds the British flag and national anthem so upsetting, he'd be best avoiding major sporting events on the mainland in the future. What a bizarre attitude! It's the equivalent of a British person going to the All-Ireland final at Croke Park and getting a bit tetchy at the sight of a tricolour and the Irish anthem.
With 3 Irish grandparents I am aware of the sensitivities from the land across the sea and Saturday before kick off was not the time or place for a discussion. More pressing matters were at hand....
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"Abide" was probably the most memorable part for me.
Yep. Bloke next to me was in tears throughout it and at the end of it him and his young son hugged each other. Summed up what the day is about for me.
The applause in the 63rd minute for the Villa fan who recently passed away was a nice touch as well.
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My overriding feeling from Saturday was that it looked like we had no right to be there, similar to Bradford when they were battered by Swansea.
There is so much work needed to get the squad up to the level of quality needed & to bring the confidence levels up. Being battered by Southampton seems to have really had an impact on the team. I guess for most of the team all they've known is a continuous battle to stay afloat.
I really hope Sherwood gets the help he needs.
I guarantee you wouldn't be saying that had the players showed up, put in a decent shift and the scoreline wasn't such an epic piss take.
As I've said before, I can only think that something must have happened behind the scenes to explain why we went from playing teams off the park to the no-show performances of the last 3 games. It doesn't make sense.
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My overriding feeling from Saturday was that it looked like we had no right to be there, similar to Bradford when they were battered by Swansea.
Yes. Although in the semi final, I thought we played like we owned the place, let alone belonged there. The fact is, Arsenal played very well, and we played very badly. I thought we made it very easy for them.
The one thing I was hoping was that he'd start with Giroud up front rather than Walcott, but he didn't. Their midfield looked awesome. Ours looked understaffed and porous.
I thought it was pretty embarrassing to watch, to be honest, but the amount of time I'm going to spend being gutted about it is tempered by the fact we somehow managed to not get relegated.
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"Abide" was probably the most memorable part for me.
Thought the Anthem got a good belt-out as well.
The bloke next to me got very annoyed by my Villa Union Jack ( very old and fading, nabbed off a factory roof by my mom, Aston Villa written in black marker pen by me in the late 70s) during Abide with me. I apologised and had a wee chat - he was from Norn Iron. A few seconds later he pointedly sat down during the national anthem so I figured it wasn't just me.
In your you wee chat you should have advised him that if he finds the British flag and national anthem so upsetting, he'd be best avoiding major sporting events on the mainland in the future. What a bizarre attitude! It's the equivalent of a British person going to the All-Ireland final at Croke Park and getting a bit tetchy at the sight of a tricolour and the Irish anthem.
With 3 Irish grandparents I am aware of the sensitivities from the land across the sea and Saturday before kick off was not the time or place for a discussion. More pressing matters were at hand....
Well those sensitivities can stay across the sea and in the environs of Glasgow as far as I'm concerned.
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The only thought to cling to was that losing 4-0 is marginally better than losing 2-1 in the last minute, or being 2-0 up and losing, or losing on penalties - after 50 minutes we knew we were beat and there was nothing we could do about it.
My Hull supporting brother in law was suggesting to me on Sunday that their method of losing - going two up only to still lose - was more gutting. I think he was right. Less embarrassing but definitely more gutting.
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The only thought to cling to was that losing 4-0 is marginally better than losing 2-1 in the last minute, or being 2-0 up and losing, or losing on penalties - after 50 minutes we knew we were beat and there was nothing we could do about it.
My Hull supporting brother in law was suggesting to me on Sunday that their method of losing - going two up only to still lose - was more gutting. I think he was right. Less embarrassing but definitely more gutting.
I suppose so. The comprehensive nature of our defeat meant all we could really do was hold our hands up and admit we were beaten by a better team. To be 2-0 up and then have it snatched away must have been very galling.
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I think Arsenal in that form would have beaten just about anyone on Saturday. I wasn't annoyed that we lost heavily so much as that we put up such a feeble attempt.
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Arsenal will look good against any team that afford them the luxury of space without even pressing the ball. We allowed them to do whatever they wanted on that Wembley pitch relatively unchallenged. They won't have many easier 90 minutes against such clueless opposition.
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I think Arsenal in that form would have beaten just about anyone on Saturday. I wasn't annoyed that we lost heavily so much as that we put up such a feeble attempt.
Has we lost 2-0 or even 3-1 but had a proper go then I think the feeling around here would be a lot different. While I have my own thoughts on why it happened the way it did, it was undoubtedly massively shit to sit through and experience.
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I think Arsenal in that form would have beaten just about anyone on Saturday. I wasn't annoyed that we lost heavily so much as that we put up such a feeble attempt.
Has we lost 2-0 or even 3-1 but had a proper go then I think the feeling around here would be a lot different. While I have my own thoughts on why it happened the way it did, it was undoubtedly massively shit to sit through and experience.
What made it worse was the fact that it also looked very much like what we were served up for the first two thirds of the season (and the last two league games).
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I think Arsenal in that form would have beaten just about anyone on Saturday. I wasn't annoyed that we lost heavily so much as that we put up such a feeble attempt.
Has we lost 2-0 or even 3-1 but had a proper go then I think the feeling around here would be a lot different. While I have my own thoughts on why it happened the way it did, it was undoubtedly massively shit to sit through and experience.
What made it worse was the fact that it also looked very much like what we were served up for the first two thirds of the season (and the last two league games).
The worrying thing is that we quite often start slow or just collapse during the games. It is not just isolated games. It has happened so many times that it shows a lack of character/determination/aggressiveness etc. This is why Sherwood needs to bring in a complete spine to the team and harden us up. We have picked up a lot of bookings and red cards this season but how many have been for being too aggressive. Most have been for petty things or for rash challenges.
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I think Arsenal in that form would have beaten just about anyone on Saturday. I wasn't annoyed that we lost heavily so much as that we put up such a feeble attempt.
Has we lost 2-0 or even 3-1 but had a proper go then I think the feeling around here would be a lot different. While I have my own thoughts on why it happened the way it did, it was undoubtedly massively shit to sit through and experience.
What made it worse was the fact that it also looked very much like what we were served up for the first two thirds of the season (and the last two league games).
It did appear Lambertesque.
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I think Arsenal in that form would have beaten just about anyone on Saturday. I wasn't annoyed that we lost heavily so much as that we put up such a feeble attempt.
Has we lost 2-0 or even 3-1 but had a proper go then I think the feeling around here would be a lot different. While I have my own thoughts on why it happened the way it did, it was undoubtedly massively shit to sit through and experience.
What made it worse was the fact that it also looked very much like what we were served up for the first two thirds of the season (and the last two league games).
It did appear Lambertesque.
Maybe it was by way of a homage.
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"Abide" was probably the most memorable part for me.
Thought the Anthem got a good belt-out as well.
The bloke next to me got very annoyed by my Villa Union Jack ( very old and fading, nabbed off a factory roof by my mom, Aston Villa written in black marker pen by me in the late 70s) during Abide with me. I apologised and had a wee chat - he was from Norn Iron. A few seconds later he pointedly sat down during the national anthem so I figured it wasn't just me.
In your you wee chat you should have advised him that if he finds the British flag and national anthem so upsetting, he'd be best avoiding major sporting events on the mainland in the future. What a bizarre attitude! It's the equivalent of a British person going to the All-Ireland final at Croke Park and getting a bit tetchy at the sight of a tricolour and the Irish anthem.
With 3 Irish grandparents I am aware of the sensitivities from the land across the sea and Saturday before kick off was not the time or place for a discussion. More pressing matters were at hand....
Well those sensitivities can stay across the sea and in the environs of Glasgow as far as I'm concerned.
And maybe comments about them can move to Off Topic threads
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Arsenal will look good against any team that afford them the luxury of space without even pressing the ball. We allowed them to do whatever they wanted on that Wembley pitch relatively unchallenged. They won't have many easier 90 minutes against such clueless opposition.
That was the impact of playing Walcott up front. I think it made the back four play deeper than normal, consequently stretching the game, leaving more gaps 'between the lines'. Clever move by Wenger.
It may even have been the point where some belief was lost in the dressing room before the game.
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Even Lego are twisting the knife now, the toerags:-
http://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2015/jun/01/2015-fa-cup-final-brick-animated-video
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I'm back in work today after the Bank Holiday over here. I'm not getting half the piss taking I was expecting. I'm being treated with mild pity after that shambles.
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The Lego defenders look more mobile to me.
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There hasn't been a mention of the result on The Archers. I bet Kenton's regretting splashing out on his credit card to get that 50" TV. I'm still baffled how he arranged it to be delivered so quickly as well. He obviously doesn't shop at Currys.
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I put the blame totally on Falkirk.
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I put the blame totally on Falkirk.
Ha ha ha, excellent point. I'd forgotten all about those arseholes
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But not to have a single shot on target or even a corner was beyond anything you could have feared. At least we didn't suffer a record final defeat I suppose. Who would have thought a Sherwood team would have a stat like that. I do wonder what would have happened if we had started with Gabby, who has often played well against them and was at least having a run at them.
This is it - we may have still lost but not as badly if we were not so one dimensional. All game when going forward we took an eternity to play the ball wide and float balls at Benteke. It needed variety - as soon as we mixed it up a bit and became less predictable we looked more of a danger (and should have been awarded a free kick and a penalty). We do have players who can run at defences and play the ball to create danger for the opposition - we've seen this under Sherwood. It's tough when there is no momentum though- it's hard to remember a game when we didn't have at least a couple of minutes of pressure (a couple of corners, force the keeper into a save, a decent free kick etc.) to encourage the fans and build momentum.
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I think it was much more about Grealish finding much more space with Nzogbia out the way than anything else. Gabby gave him more movement in front to play with too and suddenly we had their back 4 moving about.
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From where we were sat I looked down at the lower tier late in second half and villa fans were being pulled apart by stewards . Sad end to a tragic season all round .
Pictures on FB, cant really tell if it was Saturday or not, posted there by a nose, so it could be anything or nothing.
I know not everyone wants to stand but i advised evryone for the semi where the standers and sitters would be. i was banned. My prediction for standing sitting areas were correct for the final, all you have to do is follow previous patterns and then choose your tickets. I along with many thousnads stood throughout, in fact i did not flip my seat over either for the semi or the final once. For this and many seasons i have not sat down once, cos i choose my tickets carfeully everyone else has the same choice too if they think about it and not be simple.
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From where we were sat I looked down at the lower tier late in second half and villa fans were being pulled apart by stewards . Sad end to a tragic season all round .
Pictures on FB, cant really tell if it was Saturday or not, posted there by a nose, so it could be anything or nothing.
I know not everyone wants to stand but i advised evryone for the semi where the standers and sitters would be. i was banned. My prediction for standing sitting areas were correct for the final, all you have to do is follow previous patterns and then choose your tickets. I along with many thousnads stood throughout, in fact i did not flip my seat over either for the semi or the final once. For this and many seasons i have not sat down once, cos i choose my tickets carfeully everyone else has the same choice too if they think about it and not be simple.
I'll say it before somebody else does, just go away and bore another forum.
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From where we were sat I looked down at the lower tier late in second half and villa fans were being pulled apart by stewards . Sad end to a tragic season all round .
Pictures on FB, cant really tell if it was Saturday or not, posted there by a nose, so it could be anything or nothing.
I know not everyone wants to stand but i advised evryone for the semi where the standers and sitters would be. i was banned. My prediction for standing sitting areas were correct for the final, all you have to do is follow previous patterns and then choose your tickets. I along with many thousnads stood throughout, in fact i did not flip my seat over either for the semi or the final once. For this and many seasons i have not sat down once, cos i choose my tickets carfeully everyone else has the same choice too if they think about it and not be simple.
In before the lock. Someone please make it stop......
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From where we were sat I looked down at the lower tier late in second half and villa fans were being pulled apart by stewards . Sad end to a tragic season all round .
Pictures on FB, cant really tell if it was Saturday or not, posted there by a nose, so it could be anything or nothing.
I know not everyone wants to stand but i advised evryone for the semi where the standers and sitters would be. i was banned. My prediction for standing sitting areas were correct for the final, all you have to do is follow previous patterns and then choose your tickets. I along with many thousnads stood throughout, in fact i did not flip my seat over either for the semi or the final once. For this and many seasons i have not sat down once, cos i choose my tickets carfeully everyone else has the same choice too if they think about it and not be simple.
Oh do fuck off you tedious bore.
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From where we were sat I looked down at the lower tier late in second half and villa fans were being pulled apart by stewards . Sad end to a tragic season all round .
Pictures on FB, cant really tell if it was Saturday or not, posted there by a nose, so it could be anything or nothing.
I know not everyone wants to stand but i advised evryone for the semi where the standers and sitters would be. i was banned. My prediction for standing sitting areas were correct for the final, all you have to do is follow previous patterns and then choose your tickets. I along with many thousnads stood throughout, in fact i did not flip my seat over either for the semi or the final once. For this and many seasons i have not sat down once, cos i choose my tickets carfeully everyone else has the same choice too if they think about it and not be simple.
Really? How interesting.
Thanks again for your time in re-registering, but don't feel you need to keep doing it.
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He's our very own Rain Man.
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From where we were sat I looked down at the lower tier late in second half and villa fans were being pulled apart by stewards . Sad end to a tragic season all round .
Pictures on FB, cant really tell if it was Saturday or not, posted there by a nose, so it could be
anything or nothing.
I know not everyone wants to stand but i advised evryone for the semi where the standers and sitters would be. i was banned. My prediction for standing sitting areas were correct for the final, all you have to do is follow previous patterns and then choose your tickets. I along with many thousnads stood throughout, in fact i did not flip my seat over either for the semi or the final once. For this and many seasons i have not sat down once, cos i choose my tickets carfeully everyone else has the same choice too if they think about it and not be simple.
what else do you know From where we were sat I looked down at the lower tier late in second half and villa fans were being pulled apart by stewards . Sad end to a tragic season all round .
Pictures on FB, cant really tell if it was Saturday or not, posted there by a nose, so it could be anything or nothing.
I know not everyone wants to stand but i advised evryone for the semi where the standers and sitters would be. i was banned. My prediction for standing sitting areas were correct for the final, all you have to do is follow previous patterns and then choose your tickets. I along with many thousnads stood throughout, in fact i did not flip my seat over either for the semi or the final once. For this and many seasons i have not sat down once, cos i choose my tickets carfeully everyone else has the same choice too if they think about it and not be simple.
hmmmm ok !!?? :-\
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Villa Fan. You're either a wind up merchant or the most boring person I've ever met.
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he was right though
that will learn us
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I could've done with villa fan the last time I was at the RSC to see Love's Labour's Lost. We had appalling tickets; I'm still coming to terms with it.
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I wonder if that was villa fan who insisted on standing up in front of my missus when we saw Weller at the NIA a few years back. After asking nicely and all reasoning failed, I told him that if he didn't sit down, at some unspecified point in the near future I would firmly push him in the back into the seats and people in front of him. He sat down.
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If it was him you've only yourself to blame Percy. Every event he goes to he organises a stander and a sitter section, I'm hoping there is going to be some kind of public ritual humiliation of him, I shall insist on stander section as I wouldn't want to miss a single moment.
Only time I've ever forced somebody to sit was a couple of youths at Sheff Wednesday a few years ago when my girlfriend was pregnant, having asked if they could sit down nicely and them ignore me I grabbed one of them by the shoulders and plonked him down in his seat. He even asked why I did it!
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Was anyone in 135?
Was the blood outside anything to do with the group of blokes who chased after that one geezer on about 75 minutes.
Also, to the two guys about half way back who stood throughout blocking the view of the elderly couple behind you, responded with "It's Wembley, FA Cup" when repeatedly asked to sit, smoked in the bogs at half time and then jumped the ticket barrier at Wembley Park.
You should be seriously ashamed of yourselves. Is that worth reporting to the club?
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32967488
We should have done this
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Was anyone in 135?
Was the blood outside anything to do with the group of blokes who chased after that one geezer on about 75 minutes.
Also, to the two guys about half way back who stood throughout blocking the view of the elderly couple behind you, responded with "It's Wembley, FA Cup" when repeatedly asked to sit, smoked in the bogs at half time and then jumped the ticket barrier at Wembley Park.
You should be seriously ashamed of yourselves. Is that worth reporting to the club?
What do they mean by that anyway ??
It was similar to the guys who wouldnt sit down having a go at the family behind them saying 'its the cup final !' showing how passionate they are !
and then leaving on 65 minutes >:(
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32967488
We should have done this
Would've come away empty handed at our local rivals.
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i dont like standing up or sitting on my seat
most the time i like to leave the seat up and sit on the one inch front edge of the seat that is pointing upwards
being tall i can still see whats happening on the pitch even if people in front of me are standing up
not only that
i am not blocking the view of the people sitting directly behind me
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32967488
We should have done this
Would've come away empty handed at our local rivals.
would we though
its not long ago since they beat arsenal in a wembley cup final
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32967488
We should have done this
Would've come away empty handed at our local rivals.
would we though
its not long ago since they beat arsenal in a wembley cup final
Yes, I wish we'd won two league cups and two cups you have to get relegated to qualify for in our entire history.
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Was anyone in 135?
Was the blood outside anything to do with the group of blokes who chased after that one geezer on about 75 minutes.
Also, to the two guys about half way back who stood throughout blocking the view of the elderly couple behind you, responded with "It's Wembley, FA Cup" when repeatedly asked to sit, smoked in the bogs at half time and then jumped the ticket barrier at Wembley Park.
You should be seriously ashamed of yourselves. Is that worth reporting to the club?
What do they mean by that anyway ??
It was similar to the guys who wouldnt sit down having a go at the family behind them saying 'its the cup final !' showing how passionate they are !
and then leaving on 65 minutes >:(
I don't know. But that's what they were saying. I got the impression they were father and son.
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Was anyone in 135?
Was the blood outside anything to do with the group of blokes who chased after that one geezer on about 75 minutes.
Also, to the two guys about half way back who stood throughout blocking the view of the elderly couple behind you, responded with "It's Wembley, FA Cup" when repeatedly asked to sit, smoked in the bogs at half time and then jumped the ticket barrier at Wembley Park.
You should be seriously ashamed of yourselves. Is that worth reporting to the club?
What do they mean by that anyway ??
It was similar to the guys who wouldnt sit down having a go at the family behind them saying 'its the cup final !' showing how passionate they are !
and then leaving on 65 minutes >:(
I don't know. But that's what they were saying. I got the impression they were father and son.
How can I try to explain? When I do he turns away again. It's always been the same, same old story.
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Just logged on here for the first time since before the game, all of the unread posts started off with the hopeful, optimistic and downright cocksure that we were going to win this. Now, I'm gutted all over again.
I guess the summary is: Arsenal decided to turn up, most of ours either didn't turn up or weren't good enough to compete, and 4-0 is what you get.
Could Sherwood (no longer "Tim" now that his honeymoon is over) have set up differently? Parked the bus? Started with Guzan and without N'Zogbia? Perhaps, but I'm not sure the result would have been much different.
Anyway, here's to winning it in 2016.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32967488
We should have done this
Would've come away empty handed at our local rivals.
would we though
its not long ago since they beat arsenal in a wembley cup final
Oh come on, things aren't so bad that we don't feel like having a pop at the tin pot local outfits that take delight in our failings.
Is it just me or is everyones FB timeline full of either lapsed fans of local teams or assorted red glory hunters. The match goers seem to be waiting to see me in person. The lapsed ones seem to enjoy it more, the cod-shrink in me thinks its that they are embarrassed of being so weak willed that they have given up on their own teams and want their betters to ratify their lack of back bone by magnifying our defeats and pushing a few over the edge into 'everything is shit' territory.
One kid, a lovely bloke as it happens, was having a pop about our fans leaving early with the usual KRO stuff, I know for a fact he hasn't set foot in the Sty since the 90s.
Or I might not have given it enough thought, one of the two.
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Was anyone in 135?
Was the blood outside anything to do with the group of blokes who chased after that one geezer on about 75 minutes.
Also, to the two guys about half way back who stood throughout blocking the view of the elderly couple behind you, responded with "It's Wembley, FA Cup" when repeatedly asked to sit, smoked in the bogs at half time and then jumped the ticket barrier at Wembley Park.
You should be seriously ashamed of yourselves. Is that worth reporting to the club?
What do they mean by that anyway ??
It was similar to the guys who wouldnt sit down having a go at the family behind them saying 'its the cup final !' showing how passionate they are !
and then leaving on 65 minutes >:(
I don't know. But that's what they were saying. I got the impression they were father and son.
How can I try to explain? When I do he turns away again. It's always been the same, same old story.
*hooray*
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I haven't posted since before the game and was gutted after it. Luckily I get quite an easy ride over here as people are either not that bothered, or have been very sympathetic. Haven't seen or spoken to any Ar%e fans either luckily.
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I was in Block 135, row 7. Don't remember seeing any blood outside.
-C.
Was anyone in 135?
Was the blood outside anything to do with the group of blokes who chased after that one geezer on about 75 minutes.
Also, to the two guys about half way back who stood throughout blocking the view of the elderly couple behind you, responded with "It's Wembley, FA Cup" when repeatedly asked to sit, smoked in the bogs at half time and then jumped the ticket barrier at Wembley Park.
You should be seriously ashamed of yourselves. Is that worth reporting to the club?
Was anyone in 135?
Was the blood outside anything to do with the group of blokes who chased after that one geezer on about 75 minutes.
Also, to the two guys about half way back who stood throughout blocking the view of the elderly couple behind you, responded with "It's Wembley, FA Cup" when repeatedly asked to sit, smoked in the bogs at half time and then jumped the ticket barrier at Wembley Park.
You should be seriously ashamed of yourselves. Is that worth reporting to the club?