Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: PeterWithesShin on April 18, 2024, 08:35:06 PM
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SCORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRCHIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
We're through!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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why leave dougie so long
Last penalty taker of the 5 is always one of the best.
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Yewssss
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YESSSSSSSSSSS
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SCORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRCHIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
We're through!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fucking better. I do not enjoy this
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Yessss!!!
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Bloody hell!
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Emi does what Emi does
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GET THE FUCK IN!!!!!!!!
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Miss or Emi save?
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He needs to get off the pitch before a third yellow is shown.
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Fucking hell. I fucking love Emi
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Fuck me 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
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YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EMI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Miss or Emi save?
}
Save
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Emi!!!! <3 <3 <3
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Yessssssss i fucmibg love u emi !!!!
Yesssssssssssssssdd
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
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The world's Number One.
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Emi is the best goalie at Villa that I can ever remember.
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KING!!!!
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Commentator is a wanker
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Bloody hell...
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That referee looks fucking gutted that we have won.
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Two coaching staff red carded in the Whammers game. Looks like all the refs are at it tonight.
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God, he's a bell-end. A wonderful, brilliant bell-end.
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We didn’t deserve that…… Yessssssssssssssssssssssss
My sincere apologies for talking bollocks in the thread 🙏🏼
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
Fuck Lille.
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Very nice
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#1.
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Best Villa keeper evahhhhh!
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Bbc reporting Lille 3-4 win? Are we through?
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Emi is the best goalie at Villa that I can ever remember.
I think he is and I saw the very best of Spink and Bozzie
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EMI MARTINEZ - THE WORLD'S NUMBER ONE!!!
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Oh my holy Lord. What have we seen. I'm in tears. Emi Martinez, the king of Birmingham
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God, he's a bell-end. A wonderful, brilliant bell-end.
OUR wonderful, brilliant bell-end.
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
lol, wtf?!
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Bow to the King of Kings #1
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Big shout out to the star of the show, the ref!
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Bonkers.
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Phew.Thank you Emi. At this rate I am gonna age too fast..
UTV
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What a keeper!
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He's th
Emi is the best goalie at Villa that I can ever remember.
I think he is and I saw the very best of Spink and Bozzie
He's the best goalie there's ever been anywhere, ever. Magician.
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According to the BBC App Lille won 3-4 on penalties.
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
F@ck "em for the way they pressurised the ref.
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We didn’t deserve that…… Yessssssssssssssssssssssss
My sincere apologies for talking bollocks in the thread 🙏🏼
Ha ha. Fair play to you. We all do it.
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Jesus fucking Christ, I think I'm dead.
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Poetic justice for Emi to show them the way out.
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Piece of piss. Never in any doubt
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
lol, wtf?!
What's confusing for you? They were the better team but I'm not going to cry over it for them.
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Well bloody hell we got away with that. We were utterly appalling tonight - as was the ref (as I said on the match thread I don’t normally criticise refs but he was absolutely terrible, horribly officious in his manner).
Through though, thank god. We need to be better in the semi-final.
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
lol, wtf?!
What's confusing for you? They were the better team but I'm not going to cry over it for them.
lol.
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Unai's teams always find a way of winning, well done Villa.
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We’ve all learnt a new rule tonight.
Martinez. What a shithouse. So glad he’s ours.
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Im sweating so bad after that fuck me.
Get the fuck in !!!!
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By the skin of our teeth. Big improvement needed to win this thing.
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If we play like that in the semis we will go out.
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That'll do.
Onto the next one
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87 minutes of utter turd and then that. Our name is on the trophy.
Nice of them to give a game to Abraham Lincoln in midfield.
And as I said after the home leg, English referees are nowhere near as bad as they chancers in Europe. Its like they're on a bonus per yellow card.
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Made hard work of that and some more, but dug deep to edge through. Can get why Emi winds up opposition fans though
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One of those when the only thing that matters is the result. Great result!
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Commentator is a wanker
Could not hide his contempt for Emi. A fkn gammon if I ever heard one!
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Hope the pitchside cam was looking at Olsen when Emi got "sent off". Can't imagine the feeling.
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When you have an off night you need your world class players to make the difference.
Step up EMI Martinez
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After such a boring match it was great to have penalties to brighten up the evening.
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That was utterly mental, absolutely batshit crazy. 🤪
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Haha. Yes!
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That's why he's the world's number 1.
We'll still get pelters for the way we played tonight.
Some of it deserved, admittedly. But we played better against Lille away than Madrid did against Citeh. For us it will be lucky, lucky Aston Villa. For the latter, it was resolute Madrid/ Madrid finding a way, as always.
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Oh to be a Villa fan there tonight
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Survive and advance, that's how Europe works. Enjoy the win boys!
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"Progress your team to another stage"
Who tf is this interviewer?
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Martinez leg-end!
Shit performance, shit referee, great result.
That is all.
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Great that Ollie scored his penalty as well.
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I'll take lucky every day of the week
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Holy guacamole. I need a drink.
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He owned that penalty shoot out before a ball was kicked. In their heads.
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We were bad but it felt between their players and ref they were going to try and shithouse us out of it, well tough luck chaps, nobody out shithouses our boy.
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Very very special night - more demons laid to rest.
42 years wait for a European SF.
I was there the previous QF played v Athletico and just missed out - great atmosphere.
So happy so so happy
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That was too much to take in the penalty shoot out and Martinez had me through all the emotions!
So happy to make it through ! Come on Villa!
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Just mental. Still shaking!
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Did anyone notice how the ref stood over our spot kick takers and not for Lille?
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That's why he's the world's number 1.
We'll still get pelters for the way we played tonight.
Some of it deserved, admittedly. But we played better against Lille away than Madrid did against Citeh. For us it will be lucky, lucky Aston Villa. For the latter, it was resolute Madrid/ Madrid finding a way, as always.
You are right but fuck em
And oh get used to it
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Congrats AV
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Does that mean emi can’t play in the semi?
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Congrats AV
Cheers
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Oh and for those that said it would be fucking ace for Martinez to save the decisive penalty - bravo! Hope you had a bet on it!
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I think its Fenebache tbh next round tough tie
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Oh and for those that said it would be fucking ace for Martinez to save the decisive penalty - bravo! Hope you had a bet on it!
Come and get your shimmy Lille!
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After 85 minutes I had given up. How wrong!
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Did anyone notice how the ref stood over our spot kick takers and not for Lille?
Yes! Luiz was clearly trying to get in the zone and the ref is talking to him.
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Lille were a really good side, we won't face any better. It's our trophy to lose.
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From Oldham 89, Wembley 2000, 2015 to Tranmere '94 all of a sudden.
Magic.
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Congrats AV
Cheers, top man.
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I think its Fenebache tbh next round tough tie
3-3 isn't it?
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If we play like that in the semis we will go out.
I remember lots of people saying if we played like that in this leg we'd go out as well.
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Does that mean emi can’t play in the semi?
From the clip of the rules I saw on Twitter it gets reported to the authorities but no suggestion of anything else. That said they seem to make the rules up as they go along in this competition so who knows.
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The ref did seem to be a rare one.
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Special credit to Ollie; the wonderful Lille fans tried so hard to put him off with withholding then throwing the ball on the pitch and even slipping he was ice cool.
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Thank fuck for that. Was completely lost at what would happen to Emi. Was trying to work out if we could make a sub, or we would have to put an outfield player in goal, or if Lille would be shooting at an empty goal.
Note for future - I want to see, in a game not involving villa, the GK sent off in a penshoot out so these questions can be answered.
Having the best GK in the world, who is also a pen specialists helps in that situation.
Big shout out to Matty Cash. Thank fuck his pens are better than his crosses. (And his shooting too tbf).
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87 minutes of utter turd and then that. Our name is on the trophy.
Nice of them to give a game to Abraham Lincoln in midfield.
And as I said after the home leg, English referees are nowhere near as bad as they chancers in Europe. Its like they're on a bonus per yellow card.
And they brought Chris Rock on to take a penalty.
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The ref did seem to be a rare one.
I honestly think that's the worst ref I've ever seen, totally out of his depth.
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Lille were a really good side, we won't face any better. It's our trophy to lose.
I was seriously impressed with them and there fans. Well other than when they throwed stuff at Emi but he doesn't help himself
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We'll win it now. We were absolute dog shit tonight and not too clever last week and yet we're still through.
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God, he's a bell-end. A wonderful, brilliant bell-end.
Emi did that to Lille, totally got into their heads and they couldn’t cope. An absolute agent of chaos.
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I'm breaking out the t-shirt again this week, definitely...
(https://i.ibb.co/c2jdrbp/Emi-T-shirt.jpg) (https://ibb.co/c2jdrbp)
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Amazing result, but boy did we do that the hard way. Emi is brilliant.
Cautions given during the game do not carry over into the penalty shootout so Emi should be ok.
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Commentator is a wanker
****** was absolutely gutted that we won.
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GBBlue
Aston Villa biggest cheats on the planet. So let me get this right a goalkeeper in a shootout can be as unsportsmanlike as they want unless a ref has the guts to show a straight red (they wont)
Martinez should have got a least 2 yellow cards in that shootout. Not to mention being off his line and then you have the phatom handball in extra time which apparently hit Cash’s chest.
Nah I am not having it.
Refs bottling it again, Cash swept the ball away clearly with his hand, Martinez should have been sent off, Watkins elbow on that defenders head (did you see the lump on his head) that was a red card too, the smug effers will win it and the refs have been 12th man especially in this game
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Love how he acts completely shocked and bewildered when the ref has a word.
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On the 80 mins mark was thinking biggest no shown since Chelsea FA Cup Final, now I’m thinking biggest smash and grab since Chris Price at Highbury ! Absolutely over the moon right now like the rest of us. UTV.
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You think lille fans are hostile they are nothing to these fenebache fans
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Before the shootout I know we had to certainities in Tielemans and Luiz. I was very worried when I saw Watkins coming up and even more when Cash came, but their penalties was boom! in the net :)
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Lille were a really good side, we won't face any better. It's our trophy to lose.
Fenerbache have a good team on paper.
But a lot of their big names were outstanding players 5-7 years ago.
Keep top eye open for Fiorentina. But the two best teams in the comp played in Lille tonight. Even if neither played anywhere near their best.
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GBBlue
Aston Villa biggest cheats on the planet. So let me get this right a goalkeeper in a shootout can be as unsportsmanlike as they want unless a ref has the guts to show a straight red (they wont)
Martinez should have got a least 2 yellow cards in that shootout. Not to mention being off his line and then you have the phatom handball in extra time which apparently hit Cash’s chest.
Nah I am not having it.
Refs bottling it again, Cash swept the ball away clearly with his hand, Martinez should have been sent off, Watkins elbow on that defenders head (did you see the lump on his head) that was a red card too, the smug effers will win it and the refs have been 12th man especially in this game
That is so pleasing to upset a complete and utter wanker
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after saying goodbye to my villa buddy today
and watching the penalties , Im absolutely emotional drained..
bye jason and Villa, stop doing this....
UTFV
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GBBlue
Aston Villa biggest cheats on the planet. So let me get this right a goalkeeper in a shootout can be as unsportsmanlike as they want unless a ref has the guts to show a straight red (they wont)
Martinez should have got a least 2 yellow cards in that shootout. Not to mention being off his line and then you have the phatom handball in extra time which apparently hit Cash’s chest.
Nah I am not having it.
Refs bottling it again, Cash swept the ball away clearly with his hand, Martinez should have been sent off, Watkins elbow on that defenders head (did you see the lump on his head) that was a red card too, the smug effers will win it and the refs have been 12th man especially in this game
That is so pleasing to upset a complete and utter wanker
Was he that kid they cut to crying into his scarf after the final kick?
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i
Emi is the best goalie at Villa that I can ever remember.
I think he is and I saw the very best of Spink and Bozzie
Yes. Spink was always my all-time no 1
This pushes it over the edge. It’s Emi.
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Special credit to Ollie; the wonderful Lille fans tried so hard to put him off with withholding then throwing the ball on the pitch and even slipping he was ice cool.
Yep. Great penalty by Ollie (I was looking through my fingers)
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GBBlue
Aston Villa biggest cheats on the planet. So let me get this right a goalkeeper in a shootout can be as unsportsmanlike as they want unless a ref has the guts to show a straight red (they wont)
Martinez should have got a least 2 yellow cards in that shootout. Not to mention being off his line and then you have the phatom handball in extra time which apparently hit Cash’s chest.
Nah I am not having it.
Refs bottling it again, Cash swept the ball away clearly with his hand, Martinez should have been sent off, Watkins elbow on that defenders head (did you see the lump on his head) that was a red card too, the smug effers will win it and the refs have been 12th man especially in this game
That is so pleasing to upset a complete and utter wanker
Was he that kid they cut to crying into his scarf after the final kick?
Ha ha ha.
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That's another one!
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GBBlue
Aston Villa biggest cheats on the planet. So let me get this right a goalkeeper in a shootout can be as unsportsmanlike as they want unless a ref has the guts to show a straight red (they wont)
Martinez should have got a least 2 yellow cards in that shootout. Not to mention being off his line and then you have the phatom handball in extra time which apparently hit Cash’s chest.
Nah I am not having it.
Refs bottling it again, Cash swept the ball away clearly with his hand, Martinez should have been sent off, Watkins elbow on that defenders head (did you see the lump on his head) that was a red card too, the smug effers will win it and the refs have been 12th man especially in this game
Cry more. Love it.
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after saying goodbye to my villa buddy today
and watching the penalties , Im absolutely emotional drained..
bye jason and Villa, stop doing this....
UTFV
Bless you and your mate. Take care.
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GBBlue
Aston Villa biggest cheats on the planet. So let me get this right a goalkeeper in a shootout can be as unsportsmanlike as they want unless a ref has the guts to show a straight red (they wont)
Martinez should have got a least 2 yellow cards in that shootout. Not to mention being off his line and then you have the phatom handball in extra time which apparently hit Cash’s chest.
Nah I am not having it.
Refs bottling it again, Cash swept the ball away clearly with his hand, Martinez should have been sent off, Watkins elbow on that defenders head (did you see the lump on his head) that was a red card too, the smug effers will win it and the refs have been 12th man especially in this game
That is so pleasing to upset a complete and utter wanker
Was he that kid they cut to crying into his scarf after the final kick?
Ha ha ha.
Who is GBBlue when he’s at home?
I did not enjoy that. Abroad at the moment and my stream died just before the Emi madness. Utterly dreadful performance other than by one player
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GLeQITWWwAAl2q8?format=jpg&name=small)
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Beforehand you could have known the stage was set for Emi to do his stuff & he never lets us down.
Doesn't matter how you get there, all that matters is you do. Lille can go fuck themselves.
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Not sure what is likely to pack up first, heart or sphincter. Well done boys. Safe journey home to all you boys and girls out there. UTMFV.
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after saying goodbye to my villa buddy today
and watching the penalties , Im absolutely emotional drained..
bye jason and Villa, stop doing this....
UTFV
Sorry for your loss.
Try and grab some rest. Waking up tomorrow will be a little easier.
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Thank fuck for that. Was completely lost at what would happen to Emi. Was trying to work out if we could make a sub, or we would have to put an outfield player in goal, or if Lille would be shooting at an empty goal.
Note for future - I want to see, in a game not involving villa, the GK sent off in a penshoot out so these questions can be answered.
Having the best GK in the world, who is also a pen specialists helps in that situation.
Big shout out to Matty Cash. Thank fuck his pens are better than his crosses. (And his shooting too tbf).
Outstanding pens from Ollie and Cash. Expectations weren't great when either stepped up.
Glad Leon's miss didn't mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.
He's the sort who can let that kind of thing cut deeper than it should.
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At the end of 80 mins I was thinking, if that is how we play in Europe, I would rather win the league cup with a bit of effort thrown in.
Then Matty scores.
Extra time two chances to win it.
Always going to win on Pens, Emi had the frogs in the palm of his hand
Can we just try to play a bit more positively in the Semi.
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
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Not sure what is likely to pack up first, heart or sphincter. Well done boys. Safe journey home to all you boys and girls out there. UTMFV.
100%
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Glad Leon's miss didn't mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things.
He's the sort who can let that kind of thing cut deeper than it should.
He's had such a great season, would have been a real shame if that was what ended up defining it.
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French TV thought Lille had won at the end.
Didn’t show us.
I hope not but I can see agro tonight in Lille.
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
I think he could probably read the room (referee) a bit better.
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
No
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No, the way he behaves is a part of him and helps him be the keeper he is. The best keeper in the world.
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
Can only speak for myself here, but absolutely, categorically not. It's great entertainment and he also gives you an edge in penalties. I massively fancied us for those pens, despite the nerves, purely because Emi's a believer mate. He'll be in every opponents head for any shootout and the whole world knows it.
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
Yes.
When he plays for Argentina
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GBBlue
Aston Villa biggest cheats on the planet. So let me get this right a goalkeeper in a shootout can be as unsportsmanlike as they want unless a ref has the guts to show a straight red (they wont)
Martinez should have got a least 2 yellow cards in that shootout. Not to mention being off his line and then you have the phatom handball in extra time which apparently hit Cash’s chest.
Nah I am not having it.
Refs bottling it again, Cash swept the ball away clearly with his hand, Martinez should have been sent off, Watkins elbow on that defenders head (did you see the lump on his head) that was a red card too, the smug effers will win it and the refs have been 12th man especially in this game
Cry more. Love it.
🔔🔚
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No, me either. Emi goes up to 11.
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No, the way he behaves is a part of him and helps him be the keeper he is. The best keeper in the world.
Yep! Wouldn't have it any other way.
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No for me as well, and to honest I think the ref having a go at him for shushing them was totally out of line unless he also 'has a word' with Jonathan David a little later for trying to get the crowd up. The crowd were giving Emi shit all night, him saving apen and shushing them is nothing more than theatre that you see all the time in games everywhere.
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No chance.
The days of a chin up, egalitarian, fair play approach to the game are, unfortunately, long gone.
We either win nothing or do what everyone else does, and our keeper is the best in the world at it.
Fuck them. UTFV
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No for me as well, and to honest I think the ref having a go at him for shushing them was totally out of line unless he also 'has a word' with Jonathan David a little later for trying to get the crowd up. The crowd were giving Emi shit all night, him saving apen and shushing them is nothing more than theatre that you see all the time in games everywhere.
Yep, this 100%
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He gets in their heads. And that's half the battle already won.
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Never saw the cash goal coming but when pens was on the cards there was only one winner.
Plus the refs in both legs were absolutely done shit and against us for 99% of both legs
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
Are you serious? Rather just roll over and surrender like too many Villa teams of the last 30 odd years.
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Do we know if we play the semi final first leg at home or away yet?
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Home first leg
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I love Emi. I'd hate him if he played for someone else. We've missed a shithouse for 10 years.
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Was yellow actually shown to Emi during the shootout? Ref had it in his hands walking over t0 him but I didnt really see it holden up in the air being shown to him. Could have been me.
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Well played Matty Cash, looked our most likely scorer all evening, and what a screamer to keep us in it, a goal that will live long in the memory.
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We march on. Excellent weeks work. Onwards and upwards.
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Well played Matty Cash, looked our most likely scorer all evening, and what a screamer to keep us in it, a goal that will live long in the memory.
Agreed! His first game back he goes for 120 minutes, scores the vital goal to get us back in it and smashes a pen.
He might not have been at his sharpest, but certainly doesn't deserve all the flak.
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I don't think Martinez did much wrong, really. Nothing that warranted a yellow card. It's football, it's emotional, he's a character. He makes the game better. He's a lead guitarist amongst a peer group of bass players and drummers.
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
Eh, no.
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Emi is the best keeper in the world by a country mile - the last two matches have shown that. That stop against Arsenal at nil each and those saves tonight. Wow. Oh, and shithousery and winding up ultras are an added bonus.
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UTV!
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I don't think Martinez did much wrong, really. Nothing that warranted a yellow card. It's football, it's emotional, he's a character. He makes the game better. He's a lead guitarist amongst a peer group of bass players and drummers.
I don't either.. he said in the post-match interview that there was no ball in the box so he went to a ball boy to get one, and the referee booked him. The whole world was confused because the referee was fucking ridiculous and made a fool of himself tonight.
The Lille fans abused him all night and they can't take a little shimmy after a penalty shootout? Soft.
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(https://i.ibb.co/BGn0rY9/20240418-212228.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BGn0rY9)
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Special credit to Ollie; the wonderful Lille fans tried so hard to put him off with withholding then throwing the ball on the pitch and even slipping he was ice cool.
Yep. Great penalty by Ollie (I was looking through my fingers)
Now we know he can take a penalty, Southgate has to have him in the Euros squad in June now!
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I don't think Martinez did much wrong, really. Nothing that warranted a yellow card. It's football, it's emotional, he's a character. He makes the game better. He's a lead guitarist amongst a peer group of bass players and drummers.
The yellow card in normal play was a fucking terrible decision as well, I'm utterly convinced the ref got confused by how many times Emi was stood in open play with the ball at his feet waiting to be closed down and had it in his head that he'd been time wasting so was looking for the first possible chance to book him. I don't think he'd taken any longer ofver that goal kick than any other in the game.
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It was like an all-dayer, they showed their first goal and it was still sunny. ☀️
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Well played Matty Cash, looked our most likely scorer all evening, and what a screamer to keep us in it, a goal that will live long in the memory.
Agreed! His first game back he goes for 120 minutes, scores the vital goal to get us back in it and smashes a pen.
He might not have been at his sharpest, but certainly doesn't deserve all the flak.
Might be that he dosent deserve all but also seems to me that sometimes he so clumsy and missable with the ball and his running that it s bit comedy and that its a bit rare at this level so that shoudnt go unoticed either.
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(https://i.ibb.co/BGn0rY9/20240418-212228.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BGn0rY9)
After seemingly decades of being a soft touch and rolling over at VP for the big boys, we are mixing it up good and proper with them.
Martinez is an on pitch personification.
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I'm so happy we are in the Semi Finals.
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Well played Matty Cash, looked our most likely scorer all evening, and what a screamer to keep us in it, a goal that will live long in the memory.
Agreed! His first game back he goes for 120 minutes, scores the vital goal to get us back in it and smashes a pen.
He might not have been at his sharpest, but certainly doesn't deserve all the flak.
I bloody love Matty Cash & though some of his defensive play was a bit dodgy, scoring the equaliser and scoring that penalty with aplomb makes him in the top 4 players for us today.
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Just heard Umi gave Emi a massive telling off in the changing room.
He caught him reading a ‘Holidays in France’ brochure 😉
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Well done lads, now regroup for Sunday which is huge.
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Just heard Umi gave Emi a massive telling off in the changing room.
He caught him reading a ‘Holidays in France’ brochure 😉
He owns France so why shouldn’t he holiday there?
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GBBlue
Aston Villa biggest cheats on the planet. So let me get this right a goalkeeper in a shootout can be as unsportsmanlike as they want unless a ref has the guts to show a straight red (they wont)
Martinez should have got a least 2 yellow cards in that shootout. Not to mention being off his line and then you have the phatom handball in extra time which apparently hit Cash’s chest.
Nah I am not having it.
Refs bottling it again, Cash swept the ball away clearly with his hand, Martinez should have been sent off, Watkins elbow on that defenders head (did you see the lump on his head) that was a red card too, the smug effers will win it and the refs have been 12th man especially in this game
That is so pleasing to upset a complete and utter wanker
Can I have a puff of whatever GBBlue has been smoking.
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Fair play to their manager I think he would be a great addition to us if the unthinkable was to ever happen.
https://youtu.be/KvRtRXkNJ7o?si=Wr2XEPhAZXrXmszd
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Says in the Guardian match report that Lille are unbeaten in their last 15 home matches - their last home defeat was against Reims in September - but before that they also had a 22 match unbeaten run.
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Fair play to their manager I think he would be a great addition to us if the unthinkable was to ever happen.
https://youtu.be/KvRtRXkNJ7o?si=Wr2XEPhAZXrXmszd
Definitely i like fonseca think he is a top manager
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Fair play to their manager I think he would be a great addition to us if the unthinkable was to ever happen.
https://youtu.be/KvRtRXkNJ7o?si=Wr2XEPhAZXrXmszd
He has built a good team there
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Great stuff.
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The reason Emi should take it down a notch or two is to avoid unnecessary suspensions.
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Was linked with us at the time we potted Bruce in 2018, as weird as that seems.
Think he was managing in Ukraine at the time.
Wham could def do worse.
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Says in the Guardian match report that Lille are unbeaten in their last 15 home matches - their last home defeat was against Reims in September - but before that they also had a 22 match unbeaten run.
11 goals in all comps is all they conceded this seaon.
Well 12 now
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The first time I felt that we would win was when the ref blew his whistle at 120 minutes. I knew that our world class keeper would win it for us. Up to then we were second best all over the park.
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
We had more shots on target 7 agst 4. Lille were better last week.Emi didn't have much to do. We definitely did deserve that particularly with the moron of the referee that couldn't wait to give us cards for little or nothing that Lille got away with time after time. Emi booked for time wasting when we were losing and their keeper wasted more time when they were winning but ref just ignored that. UTV
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Full penalty shoot-out for anyone who missed it:
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
We had more shots on target 7 agst 4. Lille were better last week.Emi didn't have much to do. We definitely did deserve that particularly with the moron of the referee that couldn't wait to give us cards for little or nothing that Lille got away with time after time. Emi booked for time wasting when we were losing and their keeper wasted more time when they were winning but ref just ignored that. UTV
I disagree think lille were better side ovee the 2 legs. Lille are a quality team i have a lot of respect for fonseca and the team. Foe me they are CLQ quality
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https://twitter.com/johntownley11/status/1781050281167610060/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1781050281167610060¤tTweetUser=johntownley11
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
Never!
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Fair play to their manager I think he would be a great addition to us if the unthinkable was to ever happen.
https://youtu.be/KvRtRXkNJ7o?si=Wr2XEPhAZXrXmszd
Definitely i like fonseca think he is a top manager
He has done really well. Defo moving onto to a bigger league sooner rather than later.
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Full penalty shoot-out for anyone who missed it:
Thank you. I can watch it now.
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ASTON VILLA CONFERENCE LEAGUE SEMI FINALISTS
Take it in villa fans and enjoy it
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We seems to find a way to win in Europe.
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'The Mighty Reds YNWA' and Spam both beaten tonight.
We're the last English team in Europe.
Don't expect Fleet Street's finest or Talkshite's assorted tossers to notice.
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
I think he could probably read the room (referee) a bit better.
Oh please feck off
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We seems to find a way to win in Europe.
That chap in charge has done it before a few times.
What a coach
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'The Mighty Reds YNWA' and Spam both beaten tonight.
We're the last English team in Europe.
Don't expect Feet Street's finest or Talkshite's assorted tossers to notice.
Matt Smith sounded quite disconsolate after the game.
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In a bar just outside the ground . Fair play to most of the Lille fans . Complementary about the Villa bar Martinez !
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GBBlue
Aston Villa biggest cheats on the planet. So let me get this right a goalkeeper in a shootout can be as unsportsmanlike as they want unless a ref has the guts to show a straight red (they wont)
Martinez should have got a least 2 yellow cards in that shootout. Not to mention being off his line and then you have the phatom handball in extra time which apparently hit Cash’s chest.
Nah I am not having it.
Refs bottling it again, Cash swept the ball away clearly with his hand, Martinez should have been sent off, Watkins elbow on that defenders head (did you see the lump on his head) that was a red card too, the smug effers will win it and the refs have been 12th man especially in this game
That is so pleasing to upset a complete and utter wanker
Can I have a puff of whatever GBBlue has been smoking.
Probably supplied by T.Brady c/o the Sty
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
I think he could probably read the room (referee) a bit better.
Oh please feck off
Grow up. If he'd been sent off you'd all be after his blood. The ref was a complete bell end and was looking to send someone off all night. He pushed it right to the edge and only for some stupid rule nobody knew about, he stayed on.
Another day, another ref, he can do what he likes.
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
I think he could probably read the room (referee) a bit better.
Oh please feck off
Less of that please.
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I didn't watch any of the penalties, I just couldn't.
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
FFS, are you are Europhile? :-[
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'The Mighty Reds YNWA' and Spam both beaten tonight.
We're the last English team in Europe.
Don't expect Fleet Street's finest or Talkshite's assorted tossers to notice.
How very true
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Full penalty shoot-out for anyone who missed it:
Two things there.
Emi:Ref didn't seem to show him the yellow after the chat with Luiz, and he was asking for the second ball which the Lille player booted as hard as he could AT Emi. No cards from the ref for that though it seems.
Watkins: Very lucky to score as his standing legs slips from underneath him. We have seen those balloon over then that happens.
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I didn't watch any of the penalties, I just couldn't.
I was looking away for some of them I have to admit - too much for me.
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Says in the Guardian match report that Lille are unbeaten in their last 15 home matches - their last home defeat was against Reims in September - but before that they also had a 22 match unbeaten run.
16 now then - given they won 2-1.
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Lille were a really good side, we won't face any better. It's our trophy to lose.
Agree. We didn't play well but the overall result is all that matters.
I honestly think we have knocked out the best team (apart from us) left in the competition. Lille are a very good side.
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I didn't watch any of the penalties, I just couldn't.
I was looking away for some of them I have to admit - too much for me.
Followed them on betting app as i did in 2019
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
FFS, are you are Europhile? :-[
I agree on the didn’t deserve it but Lille did not make the most of an abject performance by us.
It’s rare that you can have that many players so off it and still get a win, Cash Diaby Luiz McGinn none above 4 out of 10.
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In terms of penalty shoot outs, that is right up there with that Peace Cup victory.
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
FFS, are you are Europhile? :-[
I agree on the didn’t deserve it but Lille did not make the most of an abject performance by us.
It’s rare that you can have that many players so off it and still get a win, Cash Diaby Luiz McGinn none above 4 out of 10.
Fair point. Not long before Cash scored the commentators were saying how it was a big night for Lille and they only had to hold on for a few more minutes. And they didn't. And it wasn't even like we suddenly started playing like we did against Arsenal.
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Job done. EMI can be embarrassing with his theatrics but we scored more penalties. So happy. Let’s win this now!
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For all those saying Lille were the better side on the night, yes, they were, which allowed them to win the game and take us into extra-time and penalties. But the tie is over two legs, we won the first one 2-1 having looked comfortable-ish at 2-0. They were better tonight, and they got what they deserved, a 2-1 victory. But we deservedly won the tie.
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We did a Man Utd job tonight!!
Scraped through by our short and curlies.
But hey, we can't always be brilliant.
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Lille were a really good side, we won't face any better. It's our trophy to lose.
Agree. We didn't play well but the overall result is all that matters.
I honestly think we have knocked out the best team (apart from us) left in the competition. Lille are a very good side.
Agree 100%. At this time of the season it is results that count. Do not under estimate how much Sunday will gave taken out of our lads. Get behind them and take account of the options we have left. I am getting very frustrated about how our performance was not a 8 or 9 out of 10 given where we have come from and the resources available.
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
I think he could probably read the room (referee) a bit better.
Oh please feck off
Grow up. If he'd been sent off you'd all be after his blood. The ref was a complete bell end and was looking to send someone off all night. He pushed it right to the edge and only for some stupid rule nobody knew about, he stayed on.
Another day, another ref, he can do what he likes.
Its the miserableness of your posts after a fairly historic win. Just enjoy it for goodness sake, with Villa it doesn’t come around that often. Whatever the ins and outs of the game, its our biggest win in 40 years.
And in terms of growing up, i am a fully grown 50 year old adolescent and I hope I always will be.
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I didn't watch any of the penalties, I just couldn't.
Same, it was Tranmere all over again.
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Unai seems to find a way
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For all those saying Lille were the better side on the night, yes, they were, which allowed them to win the game and take us into extra-time and penalties. But the tie is over two legs, we won the first one 2-1 having looked comfortable-ish at 2-0. They were better tonight, and they got what they deserved, a 2-1 victory. But we deservedly won the tie.
Yes.
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ok, 7 (hopefully 8) cup finals to go. Let's do this...
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
I think he could probably read the room (referee) a bit better.
Oh please feck off
Grow up. If he'd been sent off you'd all be after his blood. The ref was a complete bell end and was looking to send someone off all night. He pushed it right to the edge and only for some stupid rule nobody knew about, he stayed on.
Another day, another ref, he can do what he likes.
Its the miserableness of your posts after a fairly historic win. Just enjoy it for goodness sake, with Villa it doesn’t come around that often. Whatever the ins and outs of the game, its our biggest win in 49 years.
And in terms of growing up, i am a fully grown 50 year old adolescent and I hope I always will be.
What miserablness? Someone else asked the question, I gave an honest answer.
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
FFS, are you are Europhile? :-[
I agree on the didn’t deserve it but Lille did not make the most of an abject performance by us.
It’s rare that you can have that many players so off it and still get a win, Cash Diaby Luiz McGinn none above 4 out of 10.
Can only gets at best a 4, having scored the equaliser and a penalty?
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Small mention to the player who got the cartoon bump on the head . i was moaning at the Ref that he hardly touched him
. Then that came up 😳😃
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Thank fuck for that. Was completely lost at what would happen to Emi. Was trying to work out if we could make a sub, or we would have to put an outfield player in goal, or if Lille would be shooting at an empty goal.
Note for future - I want to see, in a game not involving villa, the GK sent off in a penshoot out so these questions can be answered.
Having the best GK in the world, who is also a pen specialists helps in that situation.
Big shout out to Matty Cash. Thank fuck his pens are better than his crosses. (And his shooting too tbf).
He was the only Villa player to get a shot on target in the 90 minutes - twice!! - in the 83rd and 87th minutes.
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Martinez is a shithouse
But, he’s our shithouse.
Ok, he got a little lucky. But so what. It didn’t cost us.
He won it for us.
Let’s win this fucking trophy.
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I thought we weren't as bad as some are suggesting, we had a plan to keep it tight, surrender possession and hit them on the break late in the game, the two goals against rather fucked that up when when we we needed to we were able to go up a gear and get the goal we needed.
Nowhere near the summit of where we can be performance wise but we did what we needed to and as the game went on, we got better and better, our shape frustrated them and we looked the more likely later in the game.
In the pens, I was quietly confident, we have the best GK in the world, they didnt, although his save from Duggies header will go down as one of the best I've ever seen
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
FFS, are you are Europhile? :-[
I agree on the didn’t deserve it but Lille did not make the most of an abject performance by us.
It’s rare that you can have that many players so off it and still get a win, Cash Diaby Luiz McGinn none above 4 out of 10.
Can only gets at best a 4, having scored the equaliser and a penalty?
Yes he was dreadful except twice.
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I understand a lot of it is about getting in the zone and there isn’t a single goalie on the planet I’d prefer to have in a shoot out but…..deep down do you wish he’d turn it down a notch?
I think he could probably read the room (referee) a bit better.
Oh please feck off
Grow up. If he'd been sent off you'd all be after his blood. The ref was a complete bell end and was looking to send someone off all night. He pushed it right to the edge and only for some stupid rule nobody knew about, he stayed on.
Another day, another ref, he can do what he likes.
Its the miserableness of your posts after a fairly historic win. Just enjoy it for goodness sake, with Villa it doesn’t come around that often. Whatever the ins and outs of the game, its our biggest win in 49 years.
And in terms of growing up, i am a fully grown 50 year old adolescent and I hope I always will be.
What miserablness? Someone else asked the question, I gave an honest answer.
It doesn’t matter, its a great day to be a Villa supporter.
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Is anyone suspended for the semi-final with 2 yellow cards? I assume Emi is ok but there were a fair few booked tonight.
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I'm not going to demand we withdraw but we really did not deserve that. Credit to Lille.
FFS, are you are Europhile? :-[
I agree on the didn’t deserve it but Lille did not make the most of an abject performance by us.
It’s rare that you can have that many players so off it and still get a win, Cash Diaby Luiz McGinn none above 4 out of 10.
Cash only gets at best a 4, having scored the equaliser and a penalty?
Yes he was dreadful except twice.
Yeh but, apart from that, and the other couple of shots, what has he ever done for us?
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I've only seen him over the two QF games, but if we are looking for a new right back I wonder if Lille's RB, Tiago Santos would fit the bill. Thought he was very impressive and he's only 21.
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Is anyone suspended for the semi-final with 2 yellow cards? I assume Emi is ok but there were a fair few booked tonight.
He is suspended according to this.
https://sports.yahoo.com/why-emiliano-martinez-not-sent-201026357.html
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I've only seen him over the two QF games, but if we are looking for a new right back I wonder if Lille's RB, Tiago Santos would fit the bill. Thought he was very impressive and he's only 21.
Yeah, really impressed with him, energy, aggressive and good on the ball as well.
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Absolutely!!
The only English team left in Europe!
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Uefa Rules..... not sure what it means.
Exceptionally, all yellow cards and pending yellow-card suspensions expire on completion of the play-offs. They are not carried forward to the group stage. In addition, all yellow cards expire on completion of the quarter-finals. They are not carried forward to the semi-finals.
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Considering he hasn't played for nearly a month Cash did ok. We'd be out of Europe without him tonight.
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Absolutely!!
The only English team left in Europe!
One team in Europe, there's only one team in Europe!!
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The referee spoiled our style of play by booking our GK for legally keeping a ball at his feet in open play.
Totally knocked out all our planning.
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Uefa Rules..... not sure what it means.
Exceptionally, all yellow cards and pending yellow-card suspensions expire on completion of the play-offs. They are not carried forward to the group stage. In addition, all yellow cards expire on completion of the quarter-finals. They are not carried forward to the semi-finals.
Yes, it’s not clear if a player is suspended having accumulated two yellows. Definitely wiped if they only have one.
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Considering he hasn't played for nearly a month Cash did ok. We'd be out of Europe without him tonight.
I was massively impressed with his pen - was convinced that was going out the stadium.
My wife said - have villa missed a pen - and I had to admit its just I saw matty cash was going to take it
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Only just seen brief highlights and to sum up:
The ref was terrible.
The commentators were as bad.
We bloody won so who cares how we did it.
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We’ve got Olympiakos
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Yeeeees, Olympiakos!!!!!
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The referee spoiled our style of play by booking our GK for legally keeping a ball at his feet in open play.
Totally knocked out all our planning.
In European competition you always have to factor in the fuckeries.
But UEFA parachuting in that fool of a ref in is hard to reconcile. Was he a competition winner?
Slovak football might not be exactly where it wants to be in 2024. But they can shirely do better than Ivan Kružliak in the refereeing department.
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The first leg ref was as shit too.
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Double booking discount for Athens then.
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Downside normally is because they have better country teams still in it, they have to pick refs who don't have a national bone to pick, hence the refs we get.
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Agreed the ref was atrocious, completely out of his depth and I would have been alleging corruption if it wasn't for that he was pretty uniform in his ineptness for both teams.
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Full penalty shoot-out for anyone who missed it: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zJaf-JRmf5E
Thank you. I can watch it now.
Ha, same here. Went to another room and was trying to gauge how it had gone, by the number of WhatsApp messages pinging my phone during it. Can enjoy it now. 8)
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A few thoughts..
Im guessing Emi is now suspended?
Is rogers not suspended - as got booked in the last round? and tonight.
Seems crazy that cash took a pen before digne - digne seems like he would be a natural - but well done matty for the stepping up!!
When do the tickets go on sale for the semi!!
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A few thoughts..
Im guessing Emi is now suspended?
Is rogers not suspended - as got booked in the last round? and tonight.
Seems crazy that cash took a pen before digne - digne seems like he would be a natural - but well done matty for the stepping up!!
When do the tickets go on sale for the semi!!
All cards wiped after the quarter finals?
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If he's suspended for accumulated yellows then it stands, they wipe yellow cards not suspensions. Fuck knows how it works with the penalty yellow though as i've never seen that before.
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If he's suspended for accumulated yellows then it stands, they wipe yellow cards not suspensions. Fuck knows how it works with the penalty yellow though as i've never seen that before.
UEFA should let him play, just to boost the viewing figures.
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If he's suspended for accumulated yellows then it stands, they wipe yellow cards not suspensions. Fuck knows how it works with the penalty yellow though as i've never seen that before.
Although they specifically mention pending yellow card suspensions being lifted, whatever that means. Olympiacos has their defender suspended because he was also shown a Red.
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The first leg ref was as shit too.
The one in the first leg at Ajax was up there with the worst as well.
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The first leg ref was as shit too.
The one in the first leg at Ajax was up there with the worst as well.
Listening to people on phone-ins going on about using foreign refs to sort out VAR. Clearly, none of them have actually seen a foreign ref at work.
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Just watching the penalty shoot out.
Blimey, that commentator.
Also, I noticed that when Douglas Luiz was still in his run up to take our fifth penalty, the referee could be seen making a step in the direction of the ball which, albeit slight, was potentially in the eyeline of Luiz and distracting. That wasn't right.
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Don't you mean Doog-lash Louise?
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Full penalty shoot-out for anyone who missed it:
Thank you! It’s 0040 in Lille, my coach is delayed until 0255 so I’m in a bar full of Villa, just enjoyed watching that over. The commentator utterly surreal but there you go.
Was great fun in the Villa end…when we won! Blimey was running out of hope as the clock ticked down, I don’t think many of us saw the Cash goal coming.
A difficult watch early on but credit to Lille, but most of all to us & Unai for finding a way through, it’s all that counts.
That was a famous night, a bit like getting promoted through the playoffs at Wembley, if it works out it’s the most fun route maybe, but man that was all a bit dramatic, 2nd Emi yellow and all.
See you again Sunday Villa folk :)
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The first leg ref was as shit too.
The one in the first leg at Ajax was up there with the worst as well.
Listening to people on phone-ins going on about using foreign refs to sort out VAR. Clearly, none of them have actually seen a foreign ref at work.
Third tier European completion gets you a third tier ref it seems.
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Don't you mean Doog-lash Louise?
TBF, that is pretty well the correct pronunciation. The commentator did seem to be progressively willing them to win, though.
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Don't you mean Doog-lash Louise?
TBF, that is pretty well the correct pronunciation. The commentator did seem to be progressively willing them to win, though.
Yes, it's pretty close to correct. In Rio, they might add 'sh' to the end of Louise as well.
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I think it's funny to hear commentators over the top attempts at Dooglashhhhh Loooesh and then they immediately say Lucas Digne wrong. Like they've collectively chosen one non English name to pronounce and screw everyone else.
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Full penalty shoot-out for anyone who missed it: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zJaf-JRmf5E
I reckon the black guy in the black hoodie @3.42 is a Villa fan in the home end. :)
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For what was a sell out, there seemed a lot of seats empty around the ground.
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I’ve just watched the penalty shoot out after coming back from the pub quiz I run. It doesn’t start until 9pm.
I saw the end of the penalties but didn’t cheer, because the pissheads in the pub had not seen the first penalty, so they thought there was one more to go in Lille’s favour!!!!
Ha ha! Turds!
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Special mention to Watkins's persistence and big Jhon for making a nuisance of himself in their box, in the lead-up to Matty's goal.
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The reason Emi should take it down a notch or two is to avoid unnecessary suspensions.
I want him ignoring the crowd in situations like that and concentrating fully on his game. The best way to rile a hostile opponent is to not let them bother you
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If he's suspended for accumulated yellows then it stands, they wipe yellow cards not suspensions. Fuck knows how it works with the penalty yellow though as i've never seen that before.
Trying to remember when I last learnt a match rule of which I had previously been unaware
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Just watching the penalty shoot out.
Blimey, that commentator.
Also, I noticed that when Douglas Luiz was still in his run up to take our fifth penalty, the referee could be seen making a step in the direction of the ball which, albeit slight, was potentially in the eyeline of Luiz and distracting. That wasn't right.
I did notice how close he was to Luiz in his line of vision at the time
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Also whilst listening to WM before kick off,it mentioned that Lille offered us 7/8 tickets
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Just watching the penalty shoot out.
Blimey, that commentator.
Also, I noticed that when Douglas Luiz was still in his run up to take our fifth penalty, the referee could be seen making a step in the direction of the ball which, albeit slight, was potentially in the eyeline of Luiz and distracting. That wasn't right.
I did notice how close he was to Luiz in his line of vision at the time
The ref was stupidly close to every penalty taker.
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If he's suspended for accumulated yellows then it stands, they wipe yellow cards not suspensions. Fuck knows how it works with the penalty yellow though as i've never seen that before.
Trying to remember when I last learnt a match rule of which I had previously been unaware
Most man city games.
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A difficult watch early on but credit to Lille [...]
Apon reflection in the light of a new day, I think Lille were the best side in the competition (aside from us, obvs, and we can't really even say that last night) - that match could/should have been the final if the draw had panned out differently.
Olympiakos will pose different challenges, but it's hard to think they'll be a better footballling team over 2 legs than Lille were.
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That reminded me of the Albion play off semi in some ways, before they went down to 10 anyway. A performance all at sea and an impending sense of doom that we're going to chuck it away only to triumph in the most dramatic fashion.
Also agree that, on paper at least, Olympiakos should be an easier prospect. We might just have knocked out our biggest rivals for the trophy there.
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That's why he's the world's number 1.
We'll still get pelters for the way we played tonight.
Some of it deserved, admittedly. But we played better against Lille away than Madrid did against Citeh. For us it will be lucky, lucky Aston Villa. For the latter, it was resolute Madrid/ Madrid finding a way, as always.
According to the guardian, our win was ‘tainted’. I’ll be going back to ignoring their almost non existent coverage of Aston Villa from now on.
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As it’s the morning after there is now some perspective on the game. First off, why were we so flat? Was it the risk and worry about suspensions or just tiredness.
The second point is, despite being so bad we had the two best chances to win the game, in extra time.
Aa final point, the players will have learned so much from this to take forward into next year’s European competition, whatever that might be.
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I do not have TNT sports, so had to watch Lee Hendrie - describing the game on SKY - I thought i was going to heart attack when he was talking about the penalties, even my Wife (who has no interest in football, was willing us to win).
When we won the European Cup in 82, there were a few games where we could have gone out, but for brilliance by Rimmer / Morley etc..
Well done Villa, brought a few tears to my eyes when we won - onto the next game
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Aa final point, the players will have learned so much from this to take forward into next year’s European competition, whatever that might be.
Definitely. For how few of our players have played in European competition, the trips and tense games will be huge experiences to call on in the future. Even the game in Bosnia will be a reminder of how good the facilities they enjoy. :D
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As it’s the morning after there is now some perspective on the game. First off, why were we so flat? Was it the risk and worry about suspensions or just tiredness.
The second point is, despite being so bad we had the two best chances to win the game, in extra time.
Aa final point, the players will have learned so much from this to take forward into next year’s European competition, whatever that might be.
We are running on fumes, Sunday will have taken a lot out of them.
Just hope we can muster enough energy for Bournemouth on Sunday.
Another massive game.
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That's why he's the world's number 1.
We'll still get pelters for the way we played tonight.
Some of it deserved, admittedly. But we played better against Lille away than Madrid did against Citeh. For us it will be lucky, lucky Aston Villa. For the latter, it was resolute Madrid/ Madrid finding a way, as always.
According to the guardian, our win was ‘tainted’. I’ll be going back to ignoring their almost non existent coverage of Aston Villa from now on.
The Graun are renowned for being pro underdogs
ManU Arsenal and Liverpool at Hillsbrpugh anniversary time.
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Goor morning heroes and Villans what a beautiful morning ☀️☀️☀️
Cup semi finalists baby!
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Full penalty shoot-out for anyone who missed it: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zJaf-JRmf5E
I reckon the black guy in the black hoodie @3.42 is a Villa fan in the home end. :)
I watched this last night with a different commentator. This guy on TNT was talking bollocks, what a twat, he was determined to put our Emi down. Blotted his copybook my arse!
Also, who knew Marty Cash had balls of steel? I was worried when he stepped up. That’s probably unfair. Brilliant pen. Fair play to Ollie too, that was tense while he was waiting.
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As it’s the morning after there is now some perspective on the game. First off, why were we so flat? Was it the risk and worry about suspensions or just tiredness.
The second point is, despite being so bad we had the two best chances to win the game, in extra time.
Aa final point, the players will have learned so much from this to take forward into next year’s European competition, whatever that might be.
We are running on fumes, Sunday will have taken a lot out of them.
Just hope we can muster enough energy for Bournemouth on Sunday.
Another massive game.
Agree, the Arsenal game will have taken a lot of energy out of the players. The FA should adopt a free weekend before this stage of tournaments like the french did. Lille clearly looked fresher than we did from the extra days off.
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I do not have TNT sports, so had to watch Lee Hendrie - describing the game on SKY - I thought i was going to heart attack when he was talking about the penalties, even my Wife (who has no interest in football, was willing us to win).
When we won the European Cup in 82, there were a few games where we could have gone out, but for brilliance by Rimmer / Morley etc..
Well done Villa, brought a few tears to my eyes when we won - onto the next game
Lovely post Sid.
I feel both hungover and Emo today.
My 14 year old always wants to watch away games at home not in the local, I brought him last night as we don’t have TNT either. Might be a passgage of rights moment, the place went up during penalties. What a night!!
The best teams (and manager) find a way, thats what we did.
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Olympiacos next. Also went to pens.
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The reason Emi should take it down a notch or two is to avoid unnecessary suspensions.
I want him ignoring the crowd in situations like that and concentrating fully on his game. The best way to rile a hostile opponent is to not let them bother you
Except he thrives on it and his behaviour works.
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Emi shouldn’t change a thing. He’s the best goalie in the world and probably one of our best ever players, who he is and how he plays is all part of why he’s the best.
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A little bleary eyed waking up in my Lille hotel this morning. Not much to say about the match, we were utterly useless in the 90 minutes, should have won it in extra time and imperious in the penalties.
Emi Martinez, the man’s a fucking legend.
Bring on Olympiacos. Can someone also tell us why it’s a c and not a k in their name?
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Goalkeeper acts the goat = victory tainted
Cheat 115+ times = fairytale come true
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Goalkeeper acts the goat = victory tainted
Cheat 115+ times = fairytale come true
Fuck em - same type of people who were complaining that Leicester weren't worthy title winners
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Emi’s personality is part of why he’s so very good. Asking him to turn it down a bit? May as well cut off his hands.
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3 more games away!
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The first leg ref was as shit too.
The one in the first leg at Ajax was up there with the worst as well.
A 3rd tier competition gets 3rd tier refs. Obv, innit.
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WHAT a night. On train back from Lille now….
Un-fucking-believable evening, and not sure why, but I was ridiculously confident all night, even going into last 10mins 2-0 down.
Emi has 100% changed my mentality when predicting who we should/shouldn’t be beating. I’m a believer mate!
On to Sunday and Champions League qualification!
UTV
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The first leg ref was as shit too.
The one in the first leg at Ajax was up there with the worst as well.
A 3rd tier competition gets 3rd tier refs. Obv, innit.
Same goes for the TV commentators it would seem.
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Goalkeeper acts the goat = victory tainted
Cheat 115+ times = fairytale come true
Fuck em - same type of people who were complaining that Leicester weren't worthy title winners
Well, they weren't 😂
But yes, I begrudgingly agree with you.
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Enjoying greeting everyone at work with a Tony Butler style bark of "How about the Villa then?".
TFAUSM will get a few airings on the workshop boombox during "Rock and Roll Filing" this afternoon as well.
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Sitting with the home fans last night the booing for Martinez started in the warm up
Their fans were brilliant last night creating a proper atmosphere but they all hate Martinez, I don’t think I ever heard booing louder, but I knew it was a mistake for them because as Risso just said he thrives on it
I was even hoping the pens would be down the end where their ‘ultras’ were because I knew he would feed off it
I said to my kids after a poor performance ( 1st half right up there with one of the worst ever) if it goes to penalties we are as good as through because of Emi
It was one of those games where the script had already been written
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Enjoying greeting everyone at work with a Tony Butler style bark of "How about the Villa then?".
TFAUSM will get a few airings on the workshop boombox during "Rock and Roll Filing" this afternoon as well.
My students who I've converted to the Villa were absolutely knackered in the 9am class this morning!
I let them have a sleep and instead gave extra work to the Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool fans. Told the Spurs fans they could do what they wanted as they're basically irrelevant.
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Goor morning heroes and Villans what a beautiful morning ☀️☀️☀️
Cup semi finalists baby!
Morning mate. I watched the game at 4.45am here and now celebrating at 7pm Friday evening. Had to work in between but now I am soaking up the fact (with a few beers) that we got through. Enjoy your day.
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WHAT a night. On train back from Lille now….
Un-fucking-believable evening, and not sure why, but I was ridiculously confident all night, even going into last 10mins 2-0 down.
Yeah me too. It’s the Unai effect for me.
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I still haven't seen the penalties. :)
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Emi now has been of the winning side in his last five penalty shootouts saving 10 out of 24.
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WHAT a night. On train back from Lille now….
Un-fucking-believable evening, and not sure why, but I was ridiculously confident all night, even going into last 10mins 2-0 down.
Yeah me too. It’s the Unai effect for me.
In extra time when they said both teams look like they are playing for penalties I thought we've won then, 'cos we've got Emi.
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How many did that ref end up booking in the end? I lost count.
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I was hoping Emi would take a penalty ... the ultimate shithouse!
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An epic result. We were so resilient. We all knew Lille away would be tough but we dug in and got our lifeline at the end.
Martinez and the penalties - just huge.
We have nothing to fear now and if we do make the Champions league next season nights like last night will really stand to us.
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Lille played really well last night but you have to say when they had their foot on our throat they didn’t go for it. After each goal they seemed content to then just sit on it rather than go for the jugular. And they then paid for it big time.
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The reason Emi should take it down a notch or two is to avoid unnecessary suspensions.
I want him ignoring the crowd in situations like that and concentrating fully on his game. The best way to rile a hostile opponent is to not let them bother you
I want him doing whatever makes him feel like he’ll win us the match.
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I think, as others have said, that might be the hardest part of the whole competition for us. We made it harder than it needed to be by being absolutely way off the standard we set at Arsenal but we got away with it, thanks largely to Emi but with a big contribution from Bailey during the match who seemed to breath some life into us as an attacking force. I hope we step it up in the next matches though, I think playing something like our best it should be straightforward from now on.
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These French commentators are an excitable pair.
https://twitter.com/Sung_JiWoo_S/status/1781087782330347582?t=sAirQm4jRYL95ibCm2ky6Q&s=19
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The reason Emi should take it down a notch or two is to avoid unnecessary suspensions.
I want him ignoring the crowd in situations like that and concentrating fully on his game. The best way to rile a hostile opponent is to not let them bother you
I want him doing whatever makes him feel like he’ll win us the match.
I want him going UP a notch.
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Olympiacos is not the biggest stadium 33,000 capacity - away teams generally get 1,600 tickets
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I was even hoping the pens would be down the end where their ‘ultras’ were because I knew he would feed off it
I said to my kids after a poor performance ( 1st half right up there with one of the worst ever) if it goes to penalties we are as good as through because of Emi
It was one of those games where the script had already been written
I'm sure the commentary on that shootout video says that Martinez was walking towards the ultra end before the coin toss even happened, like he was willing it to be at that end. Insane.
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Sitting with the home fans last night the booing for Martinez started in the warm up
Their fans were brilliant last night creating a proper atmosphere but they all hate Martinez, I don’t think I ever heard booing louder, but I knew it was a mistake for them because as Risso just said he thrives on it
I was even hoping the pens would be down the end where their ‘ultras’ were because I knew he would feed off it
I said to my kids after a poor performance ( 1st half right up there with one of the worst ever) if it goes to penalties we are as good as through because of Emi
It was one of those games where the script had already been written
How was it in the home end John?
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Goor morning heroes and Villans what a beautiful morning ☀️☀️☀️
Cup semi finalists baby!
Morning mate. I watched the game at 4.45am here and now celebrating at 7pm Friday evening. Had to work in between but now I am soaking up the fact (with a few beers) that we got through. Enjoy your day.
Sounds like a unbelievable day for you mate. 5am start thats proper dedication. Enjoy your evening celebrating JD 🍾
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I don't think Martinez did much wrong, really. Nothing that warranted a yellow card. It's football, it's emotional, he's a character. He makes the game better. He's a lead guitarist amongst a peer group of bass players and drummers.
The yellow card in normal play was a fucking terrible decision as well, I'm utterly convinced the ref got confused by how many times Emi was stood in open play with the ball at his feet waiting to be closed down and had it in his head that he'd been time wasting so was looking for the first possible chance to book him. I don't think he'd taken any longer ofver that goal kick than any other in the game.
There was even a hilarious camera shot of Lille fans waving the imaginary card when Emi had the ball in open play at his feet. As he said himself Why would he be time wasting when we wasn't winning the game?
The Lille keeper was doing exactly the same when they went ahead but nothing was done about that.
If you are going to book Emi for his antics in the shoot out then how many cards would you have to dish out for celebrations when players score in normal play, The shushing the crowd celebration is a weekly occurrence.
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I think, as others have said, that might be the hardest part of the whole competition for us. We made it harder than it needed to be by being absolutely way off the standard we set at Arsenal but we got away with it, thanks largely to Emi but with a big contribution from Bailey during the match who seemed to breath some life into us as an attacking force. I hope we step it up in the next matches though, I think playing something like our best it should be straightforward from now on.
From the outset and to date, our approach to this cup has been mind boggling!!
We have never performed to our best levels. Our players approach feels like 'if we win, we win, if we don't, so be it'.
Our bread and butter is the Premier League and that is clearly our priority. But, now that we have reached the semis I fully expect our focus and commitment to increase ten fold.
Especially as we are the sole representative left from the UK and our profile is likely to increase. Let's grab the cup and the marketing opportunity with both hands.
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The reason Emi should take it down a notch or two is to avoid unnecessary suspensions.
I want him ignoring the crowd in situations like that and concentrating fully on his game. The best way to rile a hostile opponent is to not let them bother you
I want him doing whatever makes him feel like he’ll win us the match.
Same. He's ours and he's ace.
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The puke inducing commentary, the TV camerawork, the shocking ref. All made that win sweeter.
We'll go on and win this cup now and we'll finish 4th in 4th league.
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Before the Ajax game (one of the other games must have gone to penalties?) I asked who you'd have take the penalties for us.
Don't think anyone had Cash, except Drummond, who clearly wasn't expecting any saves.
Luiz
Pau
SJM
Digne
Bailey
Zaniolo
Rogers
Irogbunam
Duran
O'Reilly
Luiz
Tielemans
Watkins
Digne
Zaniolo
Diaby
Torres
Cash
Duran
Lenglet
Martinez
Luiz
Watkins
McGinn
Torres
Digne
Tielemans after 120 minutes football? He wouldn't finish the walk from the half way line.
😄
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Every time the crowd started yowking about something, the ref was swayed by it. Martinez didn't really do much for either yellow. One of the weakest officials I've ever seen.
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As a hedge on the 4th/5th place thing I had an acca with all the English teams to go out. Cashed out on 85mins. Made what happened next even sweeter. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of telling the missus how much I'd won and now she wants a part of it.
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As it’s the morning after there is now some perspective on the game. First off, why were we so flat? Was it the risk and worry about suspensions or just tiredness.
The second point is, despite being so bad we had the two best chances to win the game, in extra time.
Aa final point, the players will have learned so much from this to take forward into next year’s European competition, whatever that might be.
We are running on fumes, Sunday will have taken a lot out of them.
Just hope we can muster enough energy for Bournemouth on Sunday.
Another massive game.
Agree, the Arsenal game will have taken a lot of energy out of the players. The FA should adopt a free weekend before this stage of tournaments like the french did. Lille clearly looked fresher than we did from the extra days off.
This isn't actually possible. A free weekend now means an extra game somewhere else. If you keep progressing then the extra games just pile up. When would we play them? Also, the French league play 4 fewer games per season so it is easier for them. And they ditched their equivalent of the League Cup in 2020 - which frees up a whole load more games.
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I didn't watch any of the penalties, I just couldn't.
Same, it was Tranmere all over again.
Come on, if there's one thing Villa have historically been good at it's penalty shootouts. Whenever a tie goes to penalties, that's it, we've got it in the bag.
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A cracking trip to Lille! Lovely city and friendly people. They were well supported from all 4 sides of their ground. The Villa team and fans were subdued in the main until Cash’s goal and then the away end came to life until long after the pen shootout! Emery’s way of setting the team up to be patient works generally and did so last night despite the frustration of some. Emi does what Emi does and it works. Lille’s fans were giving him shit all night, so what if he puts his finger to his lips. If they’re big enough to dish it out, they should be big enough to take some also. The ref was piss poor, but there are so few good ones out there. Onto the semis. UTV! Oh What a Night!
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Why is Martinez shushing the home supporters a yellow card but it’s unremarkable that a home player gees those fans up to make more noise? Both should obviously be allowed.
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Ditching the League Cup isn't a terrible idea. Although it doesn't usually add that many games for us, but I suppose there's weeks where league games have to be caught up on, so it congests things even if you're not in it.
Taking the Prem sides out of it and leaving it for Championship and below is an idea though. Winner gets into qualifying rounds of Europa or Conference maybe.
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These French commentators are an excitable pair.
https://twitter.com/Sung_JiWoo_S/status/1781087782330347582?t=sAirQm4jRYL95ibCm2ky6Q&s=19
I have bad French, hope Bad English cam translate and that he's not public enemy number one in school today.
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I envisaged BE strutting into his school like some WWE wrestler giving it large this morning.
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I didn't watch any of the penalties, I just couldn't.
Same, it was Tranmere all over again.
Come on, if there's one thing Villa have historically been good at it's penalty shootouts. Whenever a tie goes to penalties, that's it, we've got it in the bag.
I didnt watch the ones against Sandwell in the play offs either or the ones against Bolton at Wembley so you have me to thank for being a big girls blouse.
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Ditching the League Cup isn't a terrible idea. Although it doesn't usually add that many games for us, but I suppose there's weeks where league games have to be caught up on, so it congests things even if you're not in it.
Taking the Prem sides out of it and leaving it for Championship and below is an idea though. Winner gets into qualifying rounds of Europa or Conference maybe.
Wouldn’t want that….these top managers have to earn their salaries by juggling the squad they have….if they choose to play kids in League Cup that’s fine (& shouldn’t be slaughtered for it) but likes of Fulham / Wolves (& us most years) should be going all out to win it.
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We are in a semi final of a European competition. That hasn't sunk in.
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Why is Martinez shushing the home supporters a yellow card but it’s unremarkable that a home player gees those fans up to make more noise? Both should obviously be allowed.
Yep, I made the same point last night, it's not the refs job to protect the fans that have bene booing someone all night from having him give a bit back when he makes a big contribution to us winning the game.
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Just a few thoughts…
It was a quirky coincidence, even down to the timing of the goals, the way the two ties played out.
Apart from their theatrics, Lille are a very good side. If they qualify for the Champions League, I think that will become more apparent next season.
Any run to win a competition will have a tie that is extremely tight and fine margins. The width of a post at Villa Park would have sent us out of the European Cup against a very good Dynamo Berlin side in 1981 so hopefully Lille is our equivalent.
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If Emi is gonna be suspended, at least it would be the home leg, we're gonna need him more in away leg.
Just a word about the French TV, at end, why weren't the cameras showing the Villa fans celebrating, instead they chose to show the young Lille fans in tears, that's pathetic.
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Why is Martinez shushing the home supporters a yellow card but it’s unremarkable that a home player gees those fans up to make more noise? Both should obviously be allowed.
Yep, I made the same point last night, it's not the refs job to protect the fans that have bene booing someone all night from having him give a bit back when he makes a big contribution to us winning the game.
Quite. If he’d made an obscene gesture then obviously that would be a different matter.
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Apart from their theatrics, Lille are a very good side. If they qualify for the Champions League, I think that will become more apparent next season.
Interesting that the Conference League is/was viewed as a lesser European competition, but there we have a QF between two teams possibly qualifying for CL next season. I don't know if its what it was created for (seems unlikely) but it seems like a really good way of building up to the bigger competitions, and learning how to balance midweek games, travel, etc.
West Ham have managed a better run in the league this season than they did last year when playing in Europe. Compare that to Newcastle, who went from nothing to CL, and have struggled a bit this season.
I know the likes of Man Utd would still turn their noses up at a trip to Bosnia in December, but I think it's a fantastic competition and one any of the mid table teams should be aiming for as a stepping stone.
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I dont want to be a killjoy but now that the dust has settled I'm hoping Unai Emery will sit down with the coaches and address the issue of our achilles heel. Set pieces. But for the heroics of Emi and a late deflected goal we would have gone out to a header by a 5ft 6 player from a corner. We conceded similar at Villa Park. We must of lost at least 60/70 % of aerial duals in both boxes. And our corners and set pieces? What was that about? Several were hit to the far post and all our players ran to the front post. We have a specialist set piece coach and it looked as though the coded signals were being completely misunderstood by all.
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Apart from their theatrics, Lille are a very good side. If they qualify for the Champions League, I think that will become more apparent next season.
Interesting that the Conference League is/was viewed as a lesser European competition, but there we have a QF between two teams possibly qualifying for CL next season. I don't know if its what it was created for (seems unlikely) but it seems like a really good way of building up to the bigger competitions, and learning how to balance midweek games, travel, etc.
West Ham have managed a better run in the league this season than they did last year when playing in Europe. Compare that to Newcastle, who went from nothing to CL, and have struggled a bit this season.
I know the likes of Man Utd would still turn their noses up at a trip to Bosnia in December, but I think it's a fantastic competition and one any of the mid table teams should be aiming for as a stepping stone.
United should be so lucky. They might get nothing next December
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Just a word about the French TV, at end, why weren't the cameras showing the Villa fans celebrating, instead they chose to show the young Lille fans in tears, that's pathetic.
I think that's partly a logistics thing. Villa fans were in the top tier so hard to show that. They also were making the most of the fancy cameras for the close up crowd and player shots
Also, I laughed at the crying fans
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Why is Martinez shushing the home supporters a yellow card but it’s unremarkable that a home player gees those fans up to make more noise? Both should obviously be allowed.
My guess is the second yellow was because the ref THOUGHT he was gesturing to the crowd when he was actually gesturing to try and get a ball for Ollie's penalty. He was warned with the finger, then the ref thought he was doing it again. The second yellow wasn't for the shushing.
All a bit of a farce really, and we still don't know if he'll be suspended for the semi for getting two yellows by the end of the quarter finals, or whether the yellow during penalties is deemed 'after' the quarter finals have finished as extra time is over?
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I noticed the ref speaking to the two captains before the penalties and neither appeared to understand a word he was saying.
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Why is Martinez shushing the home supporters a yellow card but it’s unremarkable that a home player gees those fans up to make more noise? Both should obviously be allowed.
Yep, I made the same point last night, it's not the refs job to protect the fans that have bene booing someone all night from having him give a bit back when he makes a big contribution to us winning the game.
Quite. If he’d made an obscene gesture then obviously that would be a different matter.
Technically, according to the IFAB laws of the game, "gesturing or acting in a provocative or inflammatory manner" is a yellow card offence.
EDIT: I guess "technically" we could be looking at 7-a-side games most weekends if they booked all players for any "provocative" actions towards the crowd.
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Also, I laughed at the crying fans
To our eternal shame, I was watching with about 10 blokes, all around 50, to a man to room was filled with a massive jeered 'Arghhhhh' when they showed the tearful young Lille fans. I will give myself a severe talking to.
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We are in a semi final of a European competition. That hasn't sunk in.
And, with 5 league games to go, we are pretty much guaranteed our best league finish since 1996-97.
What a season. And to do it while decimated with injuries...we actually genuinely could have won the league this year if we'd had more luck.
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I noticed the ref speaking to the two captains before the penalties and neither appeared to understand a word he was saying.
He was also distracting Luiz when he was trying to focus ahead of the kick.
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I was surprised at the stat that we had more possession than Lille, it didn't feel that way but they didn't seem to do too much with it, yes we rode our luck a little to get the goal back but it wasn't as though they were peppering our goal constantly.
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I was surprised at the stat that we had more possession than Lille, it didn't feel that way but they didn't seem to do too much with it, yes we rode our luck a little to get the goal back but it wasn't as though they were peppering our goal constantly.
Despite the commentator constantly mentioning him last night, I thought Jonathan David was very quiet over the two legs.
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I envisaged BE strutting into his school like some WWE wrestler giving it large this morning.
Unfortunately, I'm the second week of half-term. After a five week lay-off due to a fracture. But I will be wearing the Emi believer T-shirt on Monday (have it on now, might need a wash).
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I noticed the ref speaking to the two captains before the penalties and neither appeared to understand a word he was saying.
He was also distracting Luiz when he was trying to focus ahead of the kick.
Then captains were all 'WTF?' at the toss, as the onanist in the whatever colour he was wearing appeared to be making up the penalty toss protocol as he went along.
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Every time the crowd started yowking about something, the ref was swayed by it. Martinez didn't really do much for either yellow. One of the weakest officials I've ever seen.
There was an absolute clownshoes in the Intertoto years ago at the Hawthorns. This bizarre ref was on a par with him.
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Also, I laughed at the crying fans
To our eternal shame, I was watching with about 10 blokes, all around 50, to a man to room was filled with a massive jeered 'Arghhhhh' when they showed the tearful young Lille fans. I will give myself a severe talking to.
SWMBO gave me a sharp "DON'T YOU DARE take a picture of that poor kid on the telly and post it on Facebook!" I tried but couldn't get away with it.
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The first leg ref was as shit too.
The one in the first leg at Ajax was up there with the worst as well.
A 3rd tier competition gets 3rd tier refs. Obv, innit.
There weren't that many ties last night though, so you'd have thought that the best ones could have been deployed across all the games last night.
I think we will see another awful one in the 2nd leg out in Greece to be honest.
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I was surprised at the stat that we had more possession than Lille, it didn't feel that way but they didn't seem to do too much with it, yes we rode our luck a little to get the goal back but it wasn't as though they were peppering our goal constantly.
Despite the commentator constantly mentioning him last night, I thought Jonathan David was very quiet over the two legs.
Yup, might have been big game nerves but he was kept very quiet and didn't really do anything at all to enhance his reputation.
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I was surprised at the stat that we had more possession than Lille, it didn't feel that way but they didn't seem to do too much with it, yes we rode our luck a little to get the goal back but it wasn't as though they were peppering our goal constantly.
Despite the commentator constantly mentioning him last night, I thought Jonathan David was very quiet over the two legs.
Yup, might have been big game nerves but he was kept very quiet and didn't really do anything at all to enhance his reputation.
Given how he's been talked up on these pages in the last 18 months or so, I had my heart in my mouth any time he got the ball at his feet, but he didn't really do anything of note in the entire 210 minutes I don't think? Certainly doesn't look like the £40-50m player some were suggesting he is. He looks pretty fast though. Entirely possible we made him look average, but I certainly won't be calling for us to break the bank to have him help spearhead any champions league campaign we might find ourselves with next season.
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Apparently Napoli are offering £35m for him, Lille want closer to £50m. He didn't look great, but if you were valuing our players based on their overall performance last night, I think you'd struggle ot get much. If I'd never seen Diaby before, based purely on last night I wouldn't want him on a free transfer. I guess you need to judge players based on more than 90 minutes.
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I don't think Martinez did much wrong, really. Nothing that warranted a yellow card. It's football, it's emotional, he's a character. He makes the game better. He's a lead guitarist amongst a peer group of bass players and drummers.
The yellow card in normal play was a fucking terrible decision as well, I'm utterly convinced the ref got confused by how many times Emi was stood in open play with the ball at his feet waiting to be closed down and had it in his head that he'd been time wasting so was looking for the first possible chance to book him. I don't think he'd taken any longer ofver that goal kick than any other in the game.
Thats exactly how I saw it.
He even told Martinez that he had already done it four times by holding up his fingers. I don't think we had even had four goal kicks by that point.
The referee got confused by a mixture of the crowd boo'ing due to their own bitterness & his own fucking stupidity to make one of the most ridiculous yellow card decisions in the history of the game.
And then followed it up with the rest of his games idiotic decisions, along with the second booking for having the audacity to celebrate his save & telling fans to stop throwing physical shit at him.
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Why is Martinez shushing the home supporters a yellow card but it’s unremarkable that a home player gees those fans up to make more noise? Both should obviously be allowed.
To be devils advocate, one is inciting the opposition (seen as unsportsmanlike etc) one is engaging/encouraging your own fans, but I agree with you. Think Troy Deeney winding up Villa fans, we want and respect characters. Emi is pure Box Office, and the cash tills are ours.
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He didn't look great, but if you were valuing our players based on their overall performance last night, I think you'd struggle ot get much. If I'd never seen Diaby before, based purely on last night I wouldn't want him on a free transfer. I guess you need to judge players based on more than 90 minutes.
True enough, although we were organised we were pretty appalling in possession for much of the game with so many players making numerous unforced errors, SJM, Torres, Cash, Luiz, Yuri. I think with so many players so far under par, we did really well to make it through. It was our defensive shape that won us the game, much to improve on in defending set pieces mind.
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He didn't look great, but if you were valuing our players based on their overall performance last night, I think you'd struggle ot get much. If I'd never seen Diaby before, based purely on last night I wouldn't want him on a free transfer. I guess you need to judge players based on more than 90 minutes.
True enough, although we were organised we were pretty appalling in possession for much of the game with so many players making numerous unforced errors, SJM, Torres, Cash, Luiz, Yuri. I think with so many players so far under par, we did really well to make it through. It was our defensive shape that won us the game, much to improve on in defending set pieces mind.
I think you are right, a couple of times that line executed the offside trap exactly as we were before Christmas….distribution wasn’t as good but that line kept them at bay a lot. Need to tighten up defending corners obviously:-)
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I don't think Martinez did much wrong, really. Nothing that warranted a yellow card. It's football, it's emotional, he's a character. He makes the game better. He's a lead guitarist amongst a peer group of bass players and drummers.
The yellow card in normal play was a fucking terrible decision as well, I'm utterly convinced the ref got confused by how many times Emi was stood in open play with the ball at his feet waiting to be closed down and had it in his head that he'd been time wasting so was looking for the first possible chance to book him. I don't think he'd taken any longer ofver that goal kick than any other in the game.
Thats exactly how I saw it.
He even told Martinez that he had already done it four times by holding up his fingers. I don't think we had even had four goal kicks by that point.
The referee got confused by a mixture of the crowd boo'ing due to their own bitterness & his own fucking stupidity to make one of the most ridiculous yellow card decisions in the history of the game.
And then followed it up with the rest of his games idiotic decisions, along with the second booking for having the audacity to celebrate his save & telling fans to stop throwing physical shit at him.
The baseless yellow card screwed up our style of play too. From then on Emi would have had it in the back of his mind each time the ball came to him.
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These French commentators are an excitable pair.
https://twitter.com/Sung_JiWoo_S/status/1781087782330347582?t=sAirQm4jRYL95ibCm2ky6Q&s=19
I have bad French, hope Bad English cam translate and that he's not public enemy number one in school today.
Basically it's this:
THE REF'S GIVING HIM A SECOND YELLOW!
MARTINEZ IS GETTING A SECOND YELLOW!
YEEEEES!
SECOND YELLOW!
SECOND YELLOW!
SECOND YELLOW!
IT'S A SECOND YELLOW!
THAT MAKES IT A RED
THAT'S IT REF! RED! DON'T FORGET IT'S HIS SECOND YELLOW!
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT IN ALL MY DAYS.
HE'S OFF! IT'S A RED
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.
WAIT! HANG ON! EH?
YOU'RE TAKING THE PISS REF! WHA?
TAKING THE PISS!
HE HASN'T SHOWN HIM A RED. THERE'S NO RED
HE GAVE HIM YELLOW. HAS HE FORGOTTEN OR WHAT?
THIS IS SURREAL.
WHAT IS GOING ON? THIS IS NUTS!
THIS IS SURREAL.
YOU'RE NOT TELLING ME HE'S CANCELLED THE YELLOW BECAUSE HE REALISES IT MEANS RED?
WHAT'S GOING ON!
HANG ON HE'S BEING TOLD!
EH? IT'S TWO.
THE LILLE BENCH ARE FURIOUS
WHAT'S GOING ON? YOU'RE TAKING THE PISS
THEY ARE FURIOUS ON THE BENCH.
WHA?
THIS IS THE MOST SURREAL...
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So slightly less biased then the guy on TNT Sports?
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Before the Ajax game (one of the other games must have gone to penalties?) I asked who you'd have take the penalties for us.
Don't think anyone had Cash, except Drummond, who clearly wasn't expecting any saves.
Before the shootout last night I thought it would be Luiz, Watkins, Bailey, Tielemans and one of Pau or Cash. Probably just as well it was Luiz who took the last one, as there was a lot of pressure on that kick after Bailey's was saved.
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I had Digne in my list of preferred pen takers.
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I had Digne in my list of preferred pen takers.
I'm not keen on left-footers taking penalties, despite being one myself.
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I don't have the stats to hand but it does appear that to win a European competition you are pretty likely to face a penalty shoot out. Having the World's number one goalkeeper, who excels against penalties, coupled with our historic record (Milan, Tranmere, Bolton. WBA and now Lille) seems to give us a significant psychological boost. How confident was everybody feeling last night?
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Honestly with Martinez there it's hard not to feel confident. I feel like he at least gives his own players the opportunity to miss one, thus taking some pressure off them.
The fact Lille have never even been in a European QF meant the pressure was all on them too. Especially after not closing the game out in the 90.
Even when we thought he was sent off I was thinking well, he's already done his job.
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These French commentators are an excitable pair.
https://twitter.com/Sung_JiWoo_S/status/1781087782330347582?t=sAirQm4jRYL95ibCm2ky6Q&s=19
I have bad French, hope Bad English cam translate and that he's not public enemy number one in school today.
Basically it's this:
THE REF'S GIVING HIM A SECOND YELLOW!
MARTINEZ IS GETTING A SECOND YELLOW!
YEEEEES!
SECOND YELLOW!
SECOND YELLOW!
SECOND YELLOW!
IT'S A SECOND YELLOW!
THAT MAKES IT A RED
THAT'S IT REF! RED! DON'T FORGET IT'S HIS SECOND YELLOW!
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT IN ALL MY DAYS.
HE'S OFF! IT'S A RED
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.
WAIT! HANG ON! EH?
YOU'RE TAKING THE PISS REF! WHA?
TAKING THE PISS!
HE HASN'T SHOWN HIM A RED. THERE'S NO RED
HE GAVE HIM YELLOW. HAS HE FORGOTTEN OR WHAT?
THIS IS SURREAL.
WHAT IS GOING ON? THIS IS NUTS!
THIS IS SURREAL.
YOU'RE NOT TELLING ME HE'S CANCELLED THE YELLOW BECAUSE HE REALISES IT MEANS RED?
WHAT'S GOING ON!
HANG ON HE'S BEING TOLD!
EH? IT'S TWO.
THE LILLE BENCH ARE FURIOUS
WHAT'S GOING ON? YOU'RE TAKING THE PISS
THEY ARE FURIOUS ON THE BENCH.
WHA?
THIS IS THE MOST SURREAL...
That sounds like it was in my house…with a few effs & jeffs for Emi thrown in :-)
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I was confident we would win as long as Martinez was there, but I also knew he could get the yellow for his antics, especially with this ref. So as soon as it turned out the yellow didn't matter, then I knew we were through.
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If we win this competition we qualify automatically for the Europa League. If we finish 4th and qualify for the CL, who would then take that Europa spot?
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I think our record in competitive shootouts is now
Colchester (W)
Wimbledon (L)
Tranmere (W)
Inter (W)
West Ham (L) but match was replayed
Bolton (W)
Sunderland (W)
Albion (W)
Chelsea (L)
Lille (W)
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If we win this competition we qualify automatically for the Europa League. If we finish 4th and qualify for the CL, who would then take that Europa spot?
No one. As far as I know.
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Anyone in London pls boycott the Dickens Tavern . Bar Stewards cut the game off in ET and put Liverpool and West Ham games on. Ended up watching the pens on Bet365 graphic .
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Nice stat PWS. That's a pretty decent record all in all.
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So slightly less biased then the guy on TNT Sports?
What an arse hole he was.
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(https://i.ibb.co/NjPp74Y/20240419-114324.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NjPp74Y)
First time I've tried to attach an image - apologies if it hasn't worked.
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Anyone in London pls boycott the Dickens Tavern . Bar Stewards cut the game off in ET and put Liverpool and West Ham games on. Ended up watching the pens on Bet365 graphic .
Well that ended well for them didnt it...
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Anyone in London pls boycott the Dickens Tavern . Bar Stewards cut the game off in ET and put Liverpool and West Ham games on. Ended up watching the pens on Bet365 graphic .
The TV station in Ireland did the same thing. They've got no f**king choice now for the SF. Villa or nobody!
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If we win this competition we qualify automatically for the Europa League. If we finish 4th and qualify for the CL, who would then take that Europa spot?
No one. As far as I know.
Correct. Question is only valid if we finish 5th.
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I noticed the ref speaking to the two captains before the penalties and neither appeared to understand a word he was saying.
I think they were incredulous that the ref decided the coin toss. They didn't get to call and choose, he basically said heads that end, tails the other. And heads you choose to go first, tails they do. Rather than letting the captains call heads or tails.
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I had Digne in my list of preferred pen takers.
I'm not keen on left-footers taking penalties, despite being one myself.
At least you've got height on your side.
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The ref was just utterly clueless (for both teams) from start to finish. Look at how close and fidgety he was for the penalty kicks, if you look at other refs for penalties, they're always standing absolutely still further away and out of the eye line of the taker. For some last night he was almost level with the goal post, the massive twat, and as Luiz was taking he is he actually started moving forwards.
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At least he knew the rules about yellow cards!
I think that was just to try and pacify the crowd and stay in control. the knob.
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The ref was just utterly clueless (for both teams) from start to finish. Look at how close and fidgety he was for the penalty kicks, if you look at other refs for penalties, they're always standing absolutely still further away and out of the eye line of the taker. For some last night he was almost level with the goal post, the massive twat, and as Luiz was taking he is he actually started moving forwards.
What was he rattling on about to him as well, the knobhead? Doug seemed to be telling him just to blow his whistle:
"Make sure you don't miss"
"What?"
"I said make sure you don't miss. Will be hard being the one that misses. Just sayin'"
"Just blow the whistle you twat"
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I had Digne in my list of preferred pen takers.
I'm not keen on left-footers taking penalties, despite being one myself.
At least you've got height on your side.
I'd say on the whole you want people who can give the ball a good leathering. Tielemans, Ollie, Bailey, McGinn, Luiz, Duran, Cash can all really put their laces through it when they need to. I was really impressed with the Watkins penalty, he had all that nonsense to deal with, and hasn't exactly got the perfect record, but probably took our best penalty last night, it was perfect.
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It was, and if I were him I'd now be loudly staking my claim for designated penalty taker again, rightly or wrongly.
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I thought Watkins slipped as he hit the ball, almost a John Terry special.
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Regarding the game, we didn't play well at all but they did. They were up for it, their crowd were definatley up for it and we're going to have even tougher games than that if we finish 4th. When we were losing, I sat there are thought, this will stand us in good stead for next season but like all decent teams who have an off day, we kept going and got
something. Feels great don't it?
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I think our record in competitive shootouts is now
Colchester (W)
Wimbledon (L)
Tranmere (W)
Inter (W)
West Ham (L) but match was replayed
Bolton (W)
Sunderland (W)
Albion (W)
Chelsea (L)
Lille (W)
Yes, I think we are the team in the Prem with the fewest ever shoot-outs in all competitions, and we must have had fewer than most in all the leagues.
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7 out of 9 penalty shoot ours victories. We're almost German at them.
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In French is even better :
(https://i.ibb.co/MPhHqHm/Screenshot-20240419-142915.png) (https://ibb.co/p4PTCTS)
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I thought Watkins slipped as he hit the ball, almost a John Terry special.
Same here.
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Anyone in London pls boycott the Dickens Tavern . Bar Stewards cut the game off in ET and put Liverpool and West Ham games on. Ended up watching the pens on Bet365 graphic.
It was the worst of times, then it was the best of times.
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It was the kind of slip that can send the ball off target or even be a double touch and an automatic miss.
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I think our record in competitive shootouts is now
Colchester (W)
Wimbledon (L)
Tranmere (W)
Inter (W)
West Ham (L) but match was replayed
Bolton (W)
Sunderland (W)
Albion (W)
Chelsea (L)
Lille (W)
Did we lose on pens in that 100 year football league centenary thing?
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Instead it went like a fucking exocet to it's target.
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I don't class Peace Cup, Centenary etc as proper competitive matches, otherwise we'll be including all pre-season mini tournaments etc as well.
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I thought Watkins slipped as he hit the ball, almost a John Terry special.
Same here.
He did - once he scored, he even removed the turf from the bottom of his boot and glared at the penalty-spot á la Beckham after he skied it in some Euros/World Cup knock-out game.
So I'm still not sure if Ollie can trusted at penalties as he probably wasn't aiming for where the ball ended-up!
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Regarding the game, we didn't play well at all but they did. They were up for it, their crowd were definatley up for it and we're going to have even tougher games than that if we finish 4th. When we were losing, I sat there are thought, this will stand us in good stead for next season but like all decent teams who have an off day, we kept going and got
something. Feels great don't it?
I think people are confusing being calm with appearing to 'not be up for it'. Emery has convinced the players to be a particular way and it works. We've seen it time and time again.
I think the one time recently we really needed a gee-up was Spurs, and McGinn lost the control that comes with calmness.
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I thought Watkins slipped as he hit the ball, almost a John Terry special.
Same here.
He did - once he scored, he even removed the turf from the bottom of his boot and glared at the penalty-spot á la Beckham after he skied it in some Euros/World Cup knock-out game.
So I'm still not sure if Ollie can trusted at penalties as he probably wasn't aiming for where the ball ended-up!
Once Ollie scored and made it 2-0 I was supremely confident we would see it through
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Bailey left it to chance. He'd decided where it was going, and put it where the keeper can save it. Ollie however stuck it where the keeper couldn't get it. Others watched the keeper to see where he was going.
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For some odd reason as the penalty shoot out started, instead of being a bag of nerves (like most around me in the stadium) I was strangely calm and almost knew we would. Knackered today though, having a day wandering in the old town of Lille before getting the Eurostar in the early evening.
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I thought Watkins slipped as he hit the ball, almost a John Terry special.
Same here.
He did - once he scored, he even removed the turf from the bottom of his boot and glared at the penalty-spot á la Beckham after he skied it in some Euros/World Cup knock-out game.
So I'm still not sure if Ollie can trusted at penalties as he probably wasn't aiming for where the ball ended-up!
Once Ollie scored and made it 2-0 I was supremely confident we would see it through
Same here, Richard. It was more a question of how many would Emi save.
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The first leg ref was as shit too.
The one in the first leg at Ajax was up there with the worst as well.
Listening to people on phone-ins going on about using foreign refs to sort out VAR. Clearly, none of them have actually seen a foreign ref at work.
Didn't realise Nigel Farage was a Villa fan!
CL refs are excellent, we are playing in the third tier and it looks like third tier refs.
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Anyone in London pls boycott the Dickens Tavern . Bar Stewards cut the game off in ET and put Liverpool and West Ham games on. Ended up watching the pens on Bet365 graphic .
The one on St Katherines dock ? Shocking pub - got kicked out a couple of weeks ago at 10pm because the bar staff had had enough.
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Sitting with the home fans last night the booing for Martinez started in the warm up
Their fans were brilliant last night creating a proper atmosphere but they all hate Martinez, I don’t think I ever heard booing louder, but I knew it was a mistake for them because as Risso just said he thrives on it
I was even hoping the pens would be down the end where their ‘ultras’ were because I knew he would feed off it
I said to my kids after a poor performance ( 1st half right up there with one of the worst ever) if it goes to penalties we are as good as through because of Emi
It was one of those games where the script had already been written
How was it in the home end John?
I was in there too mate and it was fine. Didn’t realise how many of us were in there until after the penalties!
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Bailey left it to chance. He'd decided where it was going, and put it where the keeper can save it. Ollie however stuck it where the keeper couldn't get it. Others watched the keeper to see where he was going.
There was a front on camera view looking straight at Bailey's face when he ran up to take the pen. His eyes were staring at the exact spot where he actually put it. I don't think he quite understands the meaning of the phrase "give the keeper the eyes" lol
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The reason Emi should take it down a notch or two is to avoid unnecessary suspensions.
I want him ignoring the crowd in situations like that and concentrating fully on his game. The best way to rile a hostile opponent is to not let them bother you
I want him doing whatever makes him feel like he’ll win us the match.
I want him going UP a notch.
"The best way to..." about a man who has several penalty shoot out notches on his bed is a wild thing to say.
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Just watched the penalties back. That ref made a right kerfuffle of that, he was hopeless.
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This shit was nothing to what he was giving the Columbians in the Copa America a few years back.
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One thing I was reflecting on, and thinking about the emotion I felt during and post game, the people who weren’t bothered about this competition are mad. It’s a really good, and pretty tough, competition.
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Emi has been on the winning side in his last 5 shootouts, saving 10 out of 24.
Stat is from Twitter so blame someone else if it isn't true.
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I'm not old enough to remember the Colchester one but from all the others the only one I'd forgotten (or not been at) was Chelsea. I would have bet my house that didn't happen.
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Just watched on you tube a re-run of the TNT broadcast of the pens. All I can say is what a complete and utter F****** P**** The commentator Paul Dempsey is.
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One thing I was reflecting on, and thinking about the emotion I felt during and post game, the people who weren’t bothered about this competition are mad. It’s a really good, and pretty tough, competition.
Agree. I think there is an unconscious bias against it because of the term 'conference' being in the name. Maybe it should be rebranded as the Europa Cup or something.
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The ref was just utterly clueless (for both teams) from start to finish. Look at how close and fidgety he was for the penalty kicks, if you look at other refs for penalties, they're always standing absolutely still further away and out of the eye line of the taker. For some last night he was almost level with the goal post, the massive twat, and as Luiz was taking he is he actually started moving forwards.
It’s great being in Europe but not so great in the 3rd rated competition as they appear to assign worse than 3rd rated refs and ones wanting to make it all about them. This particular one should never ref any game ever again.
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Don't you mean Doog-lash Louise?
TBF, that is pretty well the correct pronunciation. The commentator did seem to be progressively willing them to win, though.
Yes, it's pretty close to correct. In Rio, they might add 'sh' to the end of Louise as well.
Yes, Catarina, who sits with me at most of our homes games these days, certainly adds the second 'sh' when she's singing his song.
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I was impressed how quickly they checked our goal for a push on the goalie. I know it was pretty clear that their own defender did it, but if that had been in the PL, the oafs at Stockley Park would have been umming and aahing for the best part of five minutes.
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Just watched on you tube a re-run of the TNT broadcast of the pens. All I can say is what a complete and utter F****** P**** The commentator Paul Dempsey is.
He was like that for the whole match, it was hideous. Ah well. There will be the whole range of TNT commentators to choose from in the semi!
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Is it right that because Emi's had 3 yellows in the quarter finals he gets a one match ban? So he won't play in the first leg of the semi?
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Is it right that because Emi's had 3 yellows in the quarter finals he gets a one match ban? So he won't play in the first leg of the semi?
Yep, confirmed today.
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I was impressed how quickly they checked our goal for a push on the goalie. I know it was pretty clear that their own defender did it, but if that had been in the PL, the oafs at Stockley Park would have been umming and aahing for the best part of five minutes.
Yep, I was impressed with that too.
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Just watched on you tube a re-run of the TNT broadcast of the pens. All I can say is what a complete and utter F****** P**** The commentator Paul Dempsey is.
He was like that for the whole match, it was hideous. Ah well. There will be the whole range of TNT commentators to choose from in the semi!
I watched the match with a different commentary team last night, but when I watched that you tube clip from TNT today I couldn’t believe what a t**t he was. He was routing for Emi to be sent off, he also had no idea what he was on about.
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I watched the match with French commentary. I didn't understand a word but it was way better than TNT, Sky or BBC coverage ever is.
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I thought the co-commentator on TNT, Rachel someone, was excellent. Much better than the commentator.
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I thought the co-commentator on TNT, Rachel someone, was excellent. Much better than the commentator.
Lucy Ward...
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I thought the co-commentator on TNT, Rachel someone, was excellent. Much better than the commentator.
I think you're confusing Lucy Ward with Rachel Ward. Not a mistake many men have made.
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I LOVE THE VILLA!!!
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I LOVE THE VILLA!!!
So do our players!
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I was impressed how quickly they checked our goal for a push on the goalie. I know it was pretty clear that their own defender did it, but if that had been in the PL, the oafs at Stockley Park would have been umming and aahing for the best part of five minutes.
And then they would have disallowed it because Duran collided with the defender who collided with the keeper.
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Ditching the League Cup isn't a terrible idea. Although it doesn't usually add that many games for us, but I suppose there's weeks where league games have to be caught up on, so it congests things even if you're not in it.
Taking the Prem sides out of it and leaving it for Championship and below is an idea though. Winner gets into qualifying rounds of Europa or Conference maybe.
I prefer the League Cup to the FA Cup. Midweek games, so no blank weekends if you’re out, much better semi-final, over in March.
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Ditching the League Cup isn't a terrible idea. Although it doesn't usually add that many games for us, but I suppose there's weeks where league games have to be caught up on, so it congests things even if you're not in it.
Taking the Prem sides out of it and leaving it for Championship and below is an idea though. Winner gets into qualifying rounds of Europa or Conference maybe.
I prefer the League Cup to the FA Cup. Midweek games, so no blank weekends if you’re out, much better semi-final, over in March.
Fair point. I suppose there's not that many round in it either. Its only a "problem" if you've got cup runs and European games to juggle with the league.
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I thought the co-commentator on TNT, Rachel someone, was excellent. Much better than the commentator.
Lucy Ward...
That’s the one. Other than adding to the yellow card for Emi uncertainty, she was good.
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Has anybody got a link to the full shoot out? I’d love to watch it as being in the stadium among home fans wasn’t easy. I didn’t realise we had won at first as I was so focused on each penalty that I forgot we had gone first😢
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"He escaped by a tiny tiny fraction of the law of yellow card and red cards"
Just WTF was that from the commentator?
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"He escaped by a tiny tiny fraction of the law of yellow card and red cards"
Just WTF was that from the commentator?
That guy was at it the whole game. So annoying.
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Every time the crowd started yowking about something, the ref was swayed by it. Martinez didn't really do much for either yellow. One of the weakest officials I've ever seen.
There was an absolute clownshoes in the Intertoto years ago at the Hawthorns. This bizarre ref was on a par with him.
Wasn't that the one who sent Ian Taylor off for being fouled and then blew the final whistle about 10 minutes early?
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Agree that Lucy Ward was good on commentary, whereas that Dempsey bloke is a right numpty.
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"He escaped by a tiny tiny fraction of the law of yellow card and red cards"
Just WTF was that from the commentator?
Watched the match live in the pub, so couldnt really hear the commentary. Watched that you tube video of the penalty shoot out at home last night. The bloke commentating was dreadful, he was baying for Martinez to get sent off. I’m sure he was saying something along the lines of Emi marred the victory. He sounded gutted we’d got through.
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Agree that Lucy Ward was good on commentary, whereas that Dempsey bloke is a right numpty.
I gotta be honest i like dempsey. Think he is far bettee than those clowns neville and carragher
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"He escaped by a tiny tiny fraction of the law of yellow card and red cards"
Just WTF was that from the commentator?
That guy was at it the whole game. So annoying.
I could not believe the attitude of the commentators. They were willing us to lose.
If it had been Liverpool, Manchester United etc. it would have been the 'one big chance and they are back in it' clichés being rolled out.
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Agree that Lucy Ward was good on commentary, whereas that Dempsey bloke is a right numpty.
I gotta be honest i like dempsey. Think he is far bettee than those clowns neville and carragher
Lucy Ward is playing the Carragher/Neville role though. Dempsey is the main commentator, he’s meant to be describing what’s happening, rather than filling it with his own nonsense opinion.
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Agree that Lucy Ward was good on commentary, whereas that Dempsey bloke is a right numpty.
I gotta be honest i like dempsey. Think he is far bettee than those clowns neville and carragher
Lucy Ward is playing the Carragher/Neville role though. Dempsey is the main commentator, he’s meant to be describing what’s happening, rather than filling it with his own nonsense opinion.
What specifically did he say that upset you?
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There was plenty of shite that he was spouting. Seemed to have an anti-Villa and anti-Martinez take. Perhaps it was a tabloid style sniff of controversy.
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I only heard him in the penalties video but he was on his high horse very quickly about Martinez when he thought he'd been sent off. Didn't bother waiting to see what was actually happening or for an explanation to come through. Started on the referee then and she had to come in and say he's been shit all night.
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Agree that Lucy Ward was good on commentary, whereas that Dempsey bloke is a right numpty.
I gotta be honest i like dempsey. Think he is far bettee than those clowns neville and carragher
Lucy Ward is playing the Carragher/Neville role though. Dempsey is the main commentator, he’s meant to be describing what’s happening, rather than filling it with his own nonsense opinion.
What specifically did he say that upset you?
I wasn’t upset, I just think, along with a lot of other people, he was shit at describing the game happening in front of him.
He also didn’t know a law and instead of trying to find out, decided to be blinded by his obvious dislike of Martinez. I also didn’t know that law, but then again, I’m not paid to.
What specifically did he do well that made you think he was “bettee than those clowns Neville and Carragher”?
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Lucy Ward is usually excellent, but in the Martinez yellow incident, she came out with "maybe he just showed it to Martinez as a warning." When have you ever seen a referee do that? The pair of them would have just been better off admitting that like just about everybody else, they didn't understand what had just happened and waited for the production team to check and update them.
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Somebody mentioned it already but the coverage of the shootout was really poorly done. Not a single shot of the rest of the teams in the centre circle. No reaction shots of the bench. I don't know if it was because they were making Emi the focus, or the director has never worked a football match in his life, but I've never seen anything as badly done as this was.
The commentators also mention at some point that there's some pushing and shoving going on between the other players, but the cameras never showed it.
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French TV pics, so TNT were relying on them, hence why the following shots were the Lille fans and not the away following. (Which I think someone complained about the other day as well.)
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French TV pics, so TNT were relying on them, hence why the following shots were the Lille fans and not the away following. (Which I think someone complained about the other day as well.)
I don't so much mind not seeing the fans, but half the drama in a shootout is the other players watching/not watching from the half way line. Even if they'd shown a few Lille players it would have been better than what they did show.
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I hope this trend of showing crying children after games ends soon.
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In fairness no one seemed to know the rule apart from our D.Woodhall per his journal.
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Thanks for posting that link PWS. For some reason I couldn’t open it last night but just watched it back.
I agree with the comments about the idiot commentating. He sounded like he had an agenda against Martinez and possibly us. He should have picked up that the ref was a card happy bozo who shouldn’t have carded Emi for shushing the crowd or asking for a ball. I don’t notice the ref having a word about halting the run up as they did for the 3rd
Penalty either. Some
Grudging shite about “he’s blotted his copybook tonight but…”. Utter twaddle from an eejit.
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I hope this trend of showing crying children after games ends soon.
I agree. I’d much rather see crying grown adults.
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I hope this trend of showing crying children after games ends soon.
I agree. I’d much rather see crying grown adults.
Wasn't yesterday a National Day of Mourning in France where they all line up to spit before burning an effigy of Emi Martinez? The hatred hasn't been lost in Argentina where King Dibu of France has once again got the natives spitting feathers. BE, Sam and others mentioned it before the game but I've been shocked at the pettiness from the French media. The Lille president made me laugh with his utter hypocrisy:
"I don't want us to waste time talking about this guy, whose attitude is not that of a high-level athlete. In high-level sports, in victory or defeat, you have to remain calm and elegant. Therefore, I prefer that we focus on ourselves and highlight all the positive aspects."
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Remember when France qualified for the World Cup because Thierry Henry is a cheating so and so? I'll listen to no lectures from them about what respectable athletes do.
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I hope this trend of showing crying children after games ends soon.
I agree. I’d much rather see crying grown adults.
Wasn't yesterday a National Day of Mourning in France where they all line up to spit before burning an effigy of Emi Martinez? The hatred hasn't been lost in Argentina where King Dibu of France has once again got the natives spitting feathers. BE, Sam and others mentioned it before the game but I've been shocked at the pettiness from the French media. The Lille president made me laugh with his utter hypocrisy:
"I don't want us to waste time talking about this guy, whose attitude is not that of a high-level athlete. In high-level sports, in victory or defeat, you have to remain calm and elegant. Therefore, I prefer that we focus on ourselves and highlight all the positive aspects."
Calm and elegant, JFC, like when Bentalab tried to boot the ball at Emi’s head after he just saved his penalty. Its honestly hilarious that they seemed so utterly wound up and obsessed with Emi.
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Add to that the constant surrounding of the referee over just about every decision in both games.
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I love wearing my Emi t-shirt in France. It is a real conversation starter and allows me to pour scorn on my compatriots for being upset about the wrong thing. I'm still upset about the shit first half Les Bleus gave us. Had they played properly they might have beaten Argentina over 90 minutes. As it is, tough shit, and I proudly wear the cock and two stars.
To be fair, I've seen plenty of French people on Twitter saying "get over it, just accept that he's really good".
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I'd like to hear from those who went to Lille. What were the facilities like in and around the Pierre Mauroy Stadium? Does the metro make access easy? Could you get a beer and a 'Welsh' easily? What were the bogs like? Etc.
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https://x.com/footyawayday/status/1781599371072606345
Looks like there were a lot of our fans in the home end.
Mixed feelings. Glad they got to see the game, but imagine the other way round?
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Honestly many French people admit that had Emi played for Lille none of this whining would have happened. As BE said many say he is really good. I like the comparison with the Thierry Henry hand ball. At that time the media went sort of " That's football, it happens". Wankers.
I love Emi.
UTV.
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I was having a look through the match thread. I saw the pic of the armed police with semi-automatic weapons. They were there because of the current level of the terrorist threat (remember Stade de France on the night of the Bataclan attack...) not to shoot pissed up Villa fans. ;-)
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I was having a look through the match thread. I saw the pic of the armed police with semi-automatic weapons. They were there because of the current level of the terrorist threat (remember Stade de France on the night of the Bataclan attack...) not to shoot pissed up Villa fans. ;-)
The same happened with the rescheduled U2 concerts at the Bercy arena (Accor) with the Eagles of Death Metal supporting . Heavy firearms outside before and after .
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I was having a look through the match thread. I saw the pic of the armed police with semi-automatic weapons. They were there because of the current level of the terrorist threat (remember Stade de France on the night of the Bataclan attack...) not to shoot pissed up Villa fans. ;-)
The same happened with the rescheduled U2 concerts at the Bercy arena (Accor) with the Eagles of Death Metal supporting . Heavy firearms outside before and after .
They were there to shoot Bono.
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I love wearing my Emi t-shirt in France. It is a real conversation starter and allows me to pour scorn on my compatriots for being upset about the wrong thing. I'm still upset about the shit first half Les Bleus gave us. Had they played properly they might have beaten Argentina over 90 minutes. As it is, tough shit, and I proudly wear the cock and two stars.
To be fair, I've seen plenty of French people on Twitter saying "get over it, just accept that he's really good".
Good man. For a minute I thought I might be stuck with the 100,000 'Je suis un croyant' T shirts I was sending you to shift. ;)
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I only had half an eye on the game for the first 75 minutes as I was required to be doing other stuff. However, it seemed to me that Zaniolo seemed to be a liability, like a rogue ball in a pinball machine. I was quite relieved when he went off. Do others see it like that?
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I only had half an eye on the game for the first 75 minutes as I was required to be doing other stuff. However, it seemed to me that Zaniolo seemed to be a liability, like a rogue ball in a pinball machine. I was quite relieved when he went off. Do others see it like that?
[/quote
Yes
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I was having a look through the match thread. I saw the pic of the armed police with semi-automatic weapons. They were there because of the current level of the terrorist threat (remember Stade de France on the night of the Bataclan attack...) not to shoot pissed up Villa fans. ;-)
The same happened with the rescheduled U2 concerts at the Bercy arena (Accor) with the Eagles of Death Metal supporting . Heavy firearms outside before and after .
They were there to shoot Bono.
Well they were shit at that too then.
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I only had half an eye on the game for the first 75 minutes as I was required to be doing other stuff. However, it seemed to me that Zaniolo seemed to be a liability, like a rogue ball in a pinball machine. I was quite relieved when he went off. Do others see it like that?
Yes, but in fairness, he did vom.
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I’ve always liked Zaniolo
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I liked him at the start, cut him some slack when the betting stuff was happening, and I think we saw flashes of what he's capable of, and genuinely I really wanted him to succeed here. But it just hasn't happened, has it.
That said, he could possibly become the first player to win the Conference League twice. Which is kind of hilarious.
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Still think there's one big Villa goal in him.
But don't think he'll be here beyond the summer.
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I think he’s far better this end of the season than he was earlier. Perhaps he needed to get used to what UE wanted him to do and he wouldn’t be alone in that. I’d be sorry if he went.
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This is a rough translation of the match report/analysis/review from La Voix du Nord (The Voice of the North) - Lille's local newspaper.
LILLE – ASTON VILLA: SO CRUEL FOR LOSC…
At the end of a breathtaking penalty shootout, Emiliano Martinez maintained his legend as a French football nightmare by stopping Benjamin André's attempt. LOSC thought they had done the hard part by leading 2-0 until the 87th minute. The semi-final was on the horizon before suddenly disappearing...
It had to fall on Benjamin André and that sums up all the cruelty of the northern evening. The northern captain almost became the hero of an extraordinary encounter by scoring twenty-three minutes from the end. He left the Pierre-Mauroy pitch, sad and defeated, after seeing his penalty stopped by Emiliano Martinez.
And if it is not the words of team mates Tiago Santos and Rémy Cabella, then the long applause of a stadium bruised by the outcome of the scenario that will be able to console him. Lille will not go to the semi-final of the Europa Conference League even though it would not have been usurped. “We had two great matches. We would have deserved to go through but that’s football,” summed up coach Paulo Fonseca, trying to hide his immense disappointment.
ALL THE EMOTIONS
There is another “but.” His name is Emiliano Martinez and the Aston Villa goalkeeper allowed his team to arrive with a wild card in the north of France before completing his work in an event that he loves more than anything. Where he showed that he could be, in a matter of seconds, great and hateful.
As in the final of the Football World Cup, the Argentinian had the last word. In the previous hundred and twenty minutes, he hadn't ended up having much work.
Helpless on the first two northern goals, he especially found himself in the right place to capture the goal bound shot from Bafodé Diakité in added time (90th +2). The other serious attempts from Haraldsson (46th), Santos (108th), and Gomes (115th) were off target.
However, they would have justified the superiority of the Mastiffs who pressed, stifled, and made the Villans, 4th in the Premier League, dizzy. We have rarely seen an English team in such difficulty on Pierre-Mauroy's pitch.
Paulo Fonseca decided to trust ten of the eleven starters from last Thursday. Yusuf Yazici replaced the injured Edon Zhegrova on the right side. And the Turk found himself in the right place to open the scoring with a splendid recovery, after an equally magnificent cross from Gabriel Gudmundsson (1-0, 15th).
Lille put themselves in an ideal position from an unchallenged header from captain Andre, which made nearly 45,000 fans scream with happiness (2-0, 67th).
In the last quarter of an hour, Aston Villa finally came out of their torpor and reduced the score to general amazement (2-1, 87th). Lille then went through all the emotions. Lucas Chevalier also suggested that a beautiful star was hovering over Pierre-Mauroy by making two gigantic saves in extra time (100th, 120th).
He then saved Leon Bailey's shot in the penalty shoot-out keeping the score to 3- 3.
Douglas Luiz then succeeded in his. Not Benjamin André. The evening suddenly turned into a nightmare. What a cruel ending...
Great description of Emi: "...great and hateful..."
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To quote Rio Ferdinand after Citeh's exit during the week, "That's what big clubs do. With history."
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I liked him at the start, cut him some slack when the betting stuff was happening, and I think we saw flashes of what he's capable of, and genuinely I really wanted him to succeed here. But it just hasn't happened, has it.
That said, he could possibly become the first player to win the Conference League twice. Which is kind of hilarious.
Let's hope he's the guy that scores the winning goal in both Finals.
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If anyone knows about bottling it in Europe then Rio does.
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I liked him at the start, cut him some slack when the betting stuff was happening, and I think we saw flashes of what he's capable of, and genuinely I really wanted him to succeed here. But it just hasn't happened, has it.
That said, he could possibly become the first player to win the Conference League twice. Which is kind of hilarious.
Let's hope he's the guy that scores the winning goal in both Finals.
Would be quite a stat, and mark him down in Villa history. They'd have to put the commentary around the new stadium we build.
"Digne, Bailey, prepared to venture down the left. There's a good ball in for Ollie Watkins. Oh, it must be and it is! It's Nicolo Zaniolo! He's fallen over and knocked ball, defender and keeper into the net, but the goal stands!"
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Mods feel free to move this if it’s in the wrong place but…
…our flag went AWOL from the square, so any help in locating it please shout!
Cheers
(https://i.ibb.co/n1PGSCZ/20240418-141923.jpg) (https://ibb.co/n1PGSCZ)
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I was having a look through the match thread. I saw the pic of the armed police with semi-automatic weapons. They were there because of the current level of the terrorist threat (remember Stade de France on the night of the Bataclan attack...) not to shoot pissed up Villa fans. ;-)
I was in Paris on the weekend before the game, soldiers present on all the central streets, along with armed Police.
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I hope this trend of showing crying children after games ends soon.
I agree. I’d much rather see crying grown adults.
Wasn't yesterday a National Day of Mourning in France where they all line up to spit before burning an effigy of Emi Martinez? The hatred hasn't been lost in Argentina where King Dibu of France has once again got the natives spitting feathers. BE, Sam and others mentioned it before the game but I've been shocked at the pettiness from the French media. The Lille president made me laugh with his utter hypocrisy:
"I don't want us to waste time talking about this guy, whose attitude is not that of a high-level athlete. In high-level sports, in victory or defeat, you have to remain calm and elegant. Therefore, I prefer that we focus on ourselves and highlight all the positive aspects."
Calm and elegant, JFC, like when Bentalab tried to boot the ball at Emi’s head after he just saved his penalty. Its honestly hilarious that they seemed so utterly wound up and obsessed with Emi.
It’s true. Emi should show restraint and class, just like that other World Cup winner and French icon Zenedine Zidane who definitely didn’t lose his shit and head butt an opponent who had been winding him up during the game. In a World Cup final in front of how many billion?
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This is a rough translation of the match report/analysis/review from La Voix du Nord (The Voice of the North) - Lille's local newspaper.
LILLE – ASTON VILLA: SO CRUEL FOR LOSC…
At the end of a breathtaking penalty shootout, Emiliano Martinez maintained his legend as a French football nightmare by stopping Benjamin André's attempt. LOSC thought they had done the hard part by leading 2-0 until the 87th minute. The semi-final was on the horizon before suddenly disappearing...
It had to fall on Benjamin André and that sums up all the cruelty of the northern evening. The northern captain almost became the hero of an extraordinary encounter by scoring twenty-three minutes from the end. He left the Pierre-Mauroy pitch, sad and defeated, after seeing his penalty stopped by Emiliano Martinez.
And if it is not the words of team mates Tiago Santos and Rémy Cabella, then the long applause of a stadium bruised by the outcome of the scenario that will be able to console him. Lille will not go to the semi-final of the Europa Conference League even though it would not have been usurped. “We had two great matches. We would have deserved to go through but that’s football,” summed up coach Paulo Fonseca, trying to hide his immense disappointment.
ALL THE EMOTIONS
There is another “but.” His name is Emiliano Martinez and the Aston Villa goalkeeper allowed his team to arrive with a wild card in the north of France before completing his work in an event that he loves more than anything. Where he showed that he could be, in a matter of seconds, great and hateful.
As in the final of the Football World Cup, the Argentinian had the last word. In the previous hundred and twenty minutes, he hadn't ended up having much work.
Helpless on the first two northern goals, he especially found himself in the right place to capture the goal bound shot from Bafodé Diakité in added time (90th +2). The other serious attempts from Haraldsson (46th), Santos (108th), and Gomes (115th) were off target.
However, they would have justified the superiority of the Mastiffs who pressed, stifled, and made the Villans, 4th in the Premier League, dizzy. We have rarely seen an English team in such difficulty on Pierre-Mauroy's pitch.
Paulo Fonseca decided to trust ten of the eleven starters from last Thursday. Yusuf Yazici replaced the injured Edon Zhegrova on the right side. And the Turk found himself in the right place to open the scoring with a splendid recovery, after an equally magnificent cross from Gabriel Gudmundsson (1-0, 15th).
Lille put themselves in an ideal position from an unchallenged header from captain Andre, which made nearly 45,000 fans scream with happiness (2-0, 67th).
In the last quarter of an hour, Aston Villa finally came out of their torpor and reduced the score to general amazement (2-1, 87th). Lille then went through all the emotions. Lucas Chevalier also suggested that a beautiful star was hovering over Pierre-Mauroy by making two gigantic saves in extra time (100th, 120th).
He then saved Leon Bailey's shot in the penalty shoot-out keeping the score to 3- 3.
Douglas Luiz then succeeded in his. Not Benjamin André. The evening suddenly turned into a nightmare. What a cruel ending...
Great description of Emi: "...great and hateful..."
Thanks for posting this. I tried a few French sites on Friday but hit paywalls.
I’ll be generous and assume that the “great and hateful” quote is poor translation. If not, it’s just shoddy journalism.
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Thanks for posting this. I tried a few French sites on Friday but hit paywalls.
I’ll be generous and assume that the “great and hateful” quote is poor translation. If not, it’s just shoddy journalism.
Hi. I'm just passing through, and I'm taking this opportunity to respond to this message.
I am from the north of France, which explains my poor level of English.
I have access to this newspaper, which is that of the region, and not just of the Lille metropolis, so I registered to share the article with you.
I confirm it's "shoddy journalism". ;D
We French are not known for our great sportsmanship, and many judge the behavior of others without knowing their culture.
Many have hatred towards Emiliano Martinez, since the world cup.
(https://i.ibb.co/qn32RGb/VDN-190424-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qn32RGb)
(https://i.ibb.co/8xjDV0r/VDN-190424-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8xjDV0r)
(https://i.ibb.co/WtYth4X/VDN-190424-3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/WtYth4X)
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Thanks for posting this. I tried a few French sites on Friday but hit paywalls.
I’ll be generous and assume that the “great and hateful” quote is poor translation. If not, it’s just shoddy journalism.
Hi. I'm just passing through, and I'm taking this opportunity to respond to this message.
I am from the north of France, which explains my poor level of English.
I have access to this newspaper, which is that of the region, and not just of the Lille metropolis, so I registered to share the article with you.
I confirm it's "shoddy journalism". ;D
We French are not known for our great sportsmanship, and many judge the behavior of others without knowing their culture.
Many have hatred towards Emiliano Martinez, since the world cup.
Thankyou, and welcome!