Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: PeterWithesShin on December 30, 2025, 10:14:12 PM
-
Never in... bollocks.
Forest game will show us what we're made of.
-
A mere blip.
-
Looks like Unai left early
-
Switched off with 10 to go. Did we pull it back again?
-
Never mind, I think deep down we all knew we weren't in it this season but bouncing back is the important part now. Get 4th and win the bloody cup
-
It had to be those entitled ****** didn't it
-
Well, Arse have set a marker. They were able to beat our B side and kids.
Nice.
-
Our chances of champions league football for next season have actually probably increased tonight given other results.
-
Shame we didn’t get to see how we’d get on against 10 at 2-0
-
Shouldn’t be too disheartened. Games can see big swings from small things.
If Onana, who dominated the midfield in the first half, doesn’t get injured, and Merino gets a deserved red card, it could have been a very different score.
Just need to put it behind us and make sure we win on Saturday.
-
Bring on Forest lets do another massive winning run, it was fun....
-
We go again. Proud of the boys. The run had to end eventually and my guess Emery is too polite to want the record for himself. To have done what we have done is immense. So we will just have to kick it off again vs Forest at Villa Park.
-
Pity the run had to end in such a poor 30 minutes.
The imperative is we now beat Forest and get on another winning run.
-
We are a better team going forward but with a weaker keeper and defence. They’re not a champion team.
-
Chelsea and Man U dropped points so chin up everyone. Need to bounce back at the weekend (whenever that is).
-
Onana going off totally changed it, carved apart from then on. Next.
-
We always win eleven games in a row after a defeat so not overly concerned.
-
We go again with our 2 best.players back om Saturday.
First half done well.
Arsenal better but still Roger Black of Premier League
-
Chelsea and Man U dropped points so chin up everyone. Need to bounce back at the weekend (whenever that is).
Yeah and I couldn't give a hoot about Arsenal, they won't win the league title.
-
Disappointing drop-off in the second-half.
It wasn't the reason we lost but Merino should have received a second yellow and walked - the ref was also poor.
-
Was always going to be really tough, but disappointing collapse in the second half after a solid first half.
That said we were always going to lose eventually and the absences, including Onana at half-time, were massive. Need to bounce back at the weekend.
-
It's one of them where I'm absolutely not down hearted. Better side most of the first half. Nice to bring on two of our youths.J-A will be a baller.
-
Shame we didn’t get to see how we’d get on against 10 at 2-0
100%!!!
-
Chelsea and Man Utd both dropping points. That makes this result not as bad as it could have been. We're third, and have a decent cushion. Beat Forest at the weekend and forget about this result.
-
The squad is too thin, we know that but:
Martinez and Sancho were both weak, allowing them to get ahead. The ref then bottles the second yellow, and with all that it was an uphill battle and we weren't quite up to it.
But let me be the first to congratulate Woolwich on winning the title again at Christmas.
-
Martinez chucked another on in, that combined with Onana going off completely killed our plan.
We’ll beat Forest.
-
Agreed with those that say losing Onana was the killer. Out midfield in the second half was anonymous without his presence.
All four goals were gifts. Martinez obviously was a howler. But Sancho, Fine and Garcia were all guilty of mistakes for the others (not strong enough).
Still onwards..Ever onwards.
-
These things will naturally come to an end. We just couldn’t compete in that 15 mins after half time and we just didn’t have the bench to change it. Ah well, back home, regroup and on to Forest on Saturday, no point trying to dissect it, we got blown away in about 20 minutes. For games like that you need your first XI and decent subs, we had neither. Onwards….
-
We are a better team going forward but with a weaker keeper and defence. They’re not a champion team.
Yep, champions don’t get sliced open again and again like they were in the first half. The league is Man City’s to lose this year.
-
It happens, i refuse to see this game as an end of year pasting, seriously, we stepped aside a little, but cometh the weekend cometh the Villa.
-
We dropped points away to one of the best sides in Europe. ManU and Chelses dropped points at home to shit sides. Beat Forest, who just lost at home to Everton, and all is ok.
-
It’s like we’ve spent the last thirty years protecting keepers to suddenly say fuck it, do what you want in there, so if that’s the case Martinez needs to toughen up and throw a punch at the attackers. If they can challenge with elbows up, then it’s a free for all.
-
Chins up. That game isn't a reflection of who or where we are. We finished with Bogarde, Garcia and two kids on the pitch. It's not enough away at top of the league and I think we all knew when Kamara and Cash got suspended that it would be too much.
Unbelievable run. Trick is to win the next one and get motoring again. United and Chelsea dropping points at home to shite whilst we lose at the Emirates is an unexpected bonus.
-
With Kamara and Onana both playing most of the match we could have got at least a point there.
Our shape in the middle went to pot second half.
Thought first two goals conceded were very poor defensively.
But I still don't understand how elbowing tbe goalkeeper is now legitimate.
Plus the referee was a complete bottle job. Saka should have been booked and Merino sent off. Pretty pathetic.
-
Fine margins. We could have been two up before Arsenal scored. Poor miss from Watkins, poor passing going forward when in great positions. Crap from Martinez for the first goal, giving the ball away for a couple of the other goals. It goes to show that we are a thinner squad and struggle to live with the top two when we have a few injuries or suspensions and we should celebrate the brilliant manager that we have because he gets every ounce of effort and energy from some ordinary players (Lindelof, Sancho, Malen etc). If we can go and get a couple of loans or permanent transfers to give us a boost, that would be very welcome. It's about time Arsenal beat us, wankers.
-
We dropped points away to one of the best sides in Europe. ManU and Chelses dropped points at home to shit sides. Beat Forest, who just lost at home to Everton, and all is ok.
Indeed, it’s frustrating after a good first half, but that was always a very difficult game. Need to bounce back now, and Emi needs to start being much better in physical challenges.
-
We dropped points away to one of the best sides in Europe. ManU and Chelses dropped points at home to shit sides. Beat Forest, who just lost at home to Everton, and all is ok.
100%
An amazing run has come to an end to the favs to win the league, it had to at some point.
-
Arsenal aint winning the league , 115 are but we will still push Ass to second place.
We was very under strength tonight and the first half with Onana we was the better team .
We reset , beat the trees and Palace and we are there sniffing their pathetic backsides.
All I want is chumps league ( which is 1000% on ) and to finish above those twats . . .. .
THanks for the 11 wins Villa.
-
Not too down hearted after that. Things went against us tonight and the differences in the respective squad depths really showed.
The ref was pathetic for not sending off Merino.
-
He does some good things but to win a title you can't carry players like Sancho who put in countless half hearted challenges. Along with the squad depth these are the things that mark out champions and we don't have that. Yet.
-
Some of the Arsenal fans celebrating being top of the league, etc, in December, so premature and entirely in keeping with why they won’t win the league.
We were really in the game and playing well but the two goals in quick succession killed us. We need to work with Martinez to stop getting caught out on corners like this. That’s two games on the bounce we've conceded the same goal.
A word for the ref: I worried when I saw he was given this game. Saka committed 3 professional fouls and didn’t get booked once. Merino should easily have been sent off for a cynical foul after he’s been booked. Contrast with Rodgers and Watkins each being booked for nothing. It was always going to be an uphill task to get anything from this game. But you need a ref who at least is going to keep a level playing fiend.
We’ve had an amazing run and it had to come to an end. Well done lads.
-
A bit of perspective
Squad depth (lack of) clearly exposed.
Substitutes
Arsenal
Jesus - £50m
Ben White - £50m
Norgaard £10m
Madeuke £50m
Myles-Skelly - Academy
Villa
McGinn £2.5m
Garcia £6m
Malen £21m
Hemmings - Academy
Jimoh-Aloba - Academy
Arse spent a net £263m in the summer.
Arteta's spent a net £900m.
Since Unai arrived, our net spend is €48m
Arsenal have spent €463m in that time.
When Onana went off could' we have put Garcia on at full back and pushed Bogey into midfield alongside Youri?
And replaced Sancho with McGinn to offer protection to Garcia.
Still giving away such a stupidly shitty opening goal was a killer.
-
Well that was a flip reverse peformance to the Chelsea game.
Played very well first half and should have been ahead.
Arsenal did turn up the oven a bit second half and we faded which is no shock
UTV!
-
All about getting a result at the weekend now.
The chasing pack arent out of 2nd gear really and we've got some tough games out of the way.
-
Proud of what we’ve achieved, if you had offered 6 points from last 3 games we’d all have taken it.
First half we should have gone in with a lead. Poor miss by Ollie.
They are a very good team, so no disgrace.
Even the last 10 minutes we kept at it and could have had 2 goals.
Let’s stuff Forest.
-
It happens, some pretty poor individual errors but I'm not having a go at Garcia, the poor sod hasn't played for months so it was pretty barmy putting him on on that situation.
The fact we can fight for Europe every year is pretty much a miricle considering the amount of money we aren't allowed to spend.
That lad should have been sent off, no two ways about it. Referee bottled it completely.
-
December has been so much better than expected but making it that has come home to roost tonight, and even then we gave them the means to win it. The next couple of league games will be more important than tonight for where we want to be.
-
If Martinez gets wrestled he needs to go down, not get involved, I thought he had more nous than that. 2 goals in 2 games with the same tactic. Naive really...... Onana going off kills us with Kamara out. Still in a strong position after tonight's results and Arsenal likely to shit the bed against Liverpool.
-
We were always going to lose to someone at some point.
It was away to the best team in the league, 3 days after our last away match.
Other results went for us tonight.
We just need to pick up and start another insane winning run.
-
Crap first goal as usual.
Never the same once Onana went off.
Nice to see lots of vengeful African Arsenal fans invading our pages crowing. Theres dozens and dozens of them.
We now need to go off on another run. Kamara and Cashy will be back. Onwards and upwards.
-
All about getting a result at the weekend now.
The chasing pack arent out of 2nd gear really and we've got some tough games out of the way.
That's the point, big games out the way and we produced good results and a massive points gap, its all on the next game now to win and win well, put the fear factor back and let everybody know we have not been blown of course.
-
(https://i.ibb.co/mCMDYRft/FB-IMG-1767133611422.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mCMDYRft)
-
The media focussed on Rice being out, but the real difference was our injuries, suspensions and Onana going off.
The margins are less than the score line suggests.
-
Unai will be back on his laptop as we speak shuffling the formation ready for Saturday
-
If Martinez gets wrestled he needs to go down, not get involved, I thought he had more nous than that. 2 goals in 2 games with the same tactic. Naive really...... Onana going off kills us with Kamara out. Still in a strong position after tonight's results and Arsenal likely to shit the bed against Liverpool.
Martinez isn't getting wrestled though. He is just weak as piss from corners.
-
I saw more of Rice than when he plays ffs.
-
One of those nights unfortunately. But all things considered, our league position in strategic terms is stronger tonight than it was before Chelsea and Arsenal away.
I don't usually bother commenting on a refereeing display, especially after a 4-1 defeat, but fucking hell.
-
Two decades of Moral Victory FC and it's all fouls, set pieces, and getting away with deserved red cards. Whatever. Already beat them this year once, I'll take 3-3 for the season against the probable champions.
-
Fingers crossed Onana's injury isn't serious and it was just a precaution, he seemed to play on okay after feeling it in the first half. With Kamara back it's not essential he plays at the weekend, but those two in front of our back four makes us so much more solid at set pieces.
If I were Sean Dyche, I'd have their corner takers practising dropping it on the six-yard line every session for the next couple of days. Emi and the coaching staff really need to figure out a solution. Either Emi starts punching it (which isn't his natural game), or we figure out something else, because without someone like Onana or Mings in there, we're clearly susceptible to soft corner goals when Emi gets bumped about a bit and can't get a run up at the ball.
On the plus side, Jimoh-Aloba looks very comfortable at this level, so fingers crossed that's another decent squad option from next season.
-
We played poorly tonight but the ref seemed to have taken lessons from Thomas Bramhall. How Merino stayed on is a complete mystery.
-
A bit of perspective
Squad depth (lack of) clearly exposed.
Substitutes
Arsenal
Jesus - £50m
Ben White - £50m
Norgaard £10m
Madeuke £50m
Myles-Skelly - Academy
Villa
McGinn £2.5m
Garcia £6m
Malen £21m
Hemmings - Academy
Jimoh-Aloba - Academy
Arse spent a net £263m in the summer.
Arteta's spent a net £900m.
Since Unai arrived, our net spend is €48m
Arsenal have spent €463m in that time.
When Onana went off could' we have put Garcia on at full back and pushed Bogey into midfield alongside Youri?
And replaced Sancho with McGinn to offer protection to Garcia.
Still giving away such a stupidly shitty opening goal was a killer.
Add in Eze and Havertz who were around £65m a pop who were unused subs tonight.
-
"I never comment on referees, and I'm not going to break the habit of a lifetime for that prat."
-
We take it on the chin and move on. This game won’t define season.
-
That was their revenge first our last minute goal. Let them have it. We'll be back.
-
"I never comment on referees, and I'm not going to break the habit of a lifetime for that prat."
Who said that? I line it.
-
"I never comment on referees, and I'm not going to break the habit of a lifetime for that prat."
Who said that? I line it.
Ron Atkinson.
-
The referee wasn't the reason we lost tonight.
-
Massive positives from the first half. We went toe to toe with them.
But a decimated team, and a couple of howlers in the first few minutes of the second half did for us.
I’m calling out Lindelof again, who had a very, very good game and whose integration into the team has been seamless. He was not at fault in any of their goals.
The same can’t be said for Sancho. A wastrel who flatters to deceive and has amassed a fortune and reputation based on fuck knows what.
Sadly, I doubt we will be able to return him in January.
Onto to Forest and the hope it’s the start of another long and glorious run.
-
We take it on the chin and move on. This game won’t define season.
Indeed, I seem to recall we lost to Ipswich 3 times in 80/81.
-
Like others I’m not overly upset about the result tonight. We gifted them 3 (possibly 4) of their goals and I thought our first half performance was pretty good. If Watkins scores at least one of his two chances and Rogers pass to Sancho was better it might have been a whole different story. Clearly Merino should have had a second yellow and Saka should have been booked for doing the same trip twice. I’m positive we’ll turn this round and come back stronger
-
Never seen such positivity on this thread after a loss…. We all
know where we are….and where we’re going….UTV!!
-
Would have taken two points from Chelsea and Arsenal away so in my eyes mission accomplished. Onwards and upwards.
-
We go again!
-
Would have taken two points from Chelsea and Arsenal away so in my eyes mission accomplished. Onwards and upwards.
Yep I would have taken one point, so agree. We just need to get a couple of players back and really hit back against Forest.
-
We'll murderise them.
-
Unai will get them back firing Saturday. Kamara and Cash will be fresh. Let's hope Onana was just precautionary and not another injury.
Forest
Palace
Everton
Newcastle
Brentford
Next 5 games, target 9/10 points.
-
Sancho played to his usual standard…., not very good at all! Stealing a living for years!
-
Sancho is definitely to be avoided. A wide player in January of some ability would help us immensely.
-
Curious what Unai will say. Pretty sure he left before the end of the match!
-
Onana going off was a huge blow and a major factor in our defeat, the first half we played some lovely stuff going forward and on another day could have gone in ahead at half time. Looking at January's fixtures I can see us going on another long winning run, starting with Forest on Saturday.
-
Pretty deflated but not disappointed in the team or manager. Yes Lindelof has done well, but we miss Torres massively, we missed Kamara, Cash and then Onana, who was immense first half.
The main positive is Watkins scoring. A streaky striker getting his mjo back for the second half of the season is just what we need.
Forest and Everton the next two home hames are both winnable, even Kryptonite Crystal Palace away next week looks potentially winnable. 9 points from the next three please.
-
And that, boys and girls, is why we won't be winning the league: a couple of injuries and suspensions and we're having to throw on kids.
Once Onana went off it all went to shit, although some credit has to go to Arteta, who adjusted their press perfectly in the second half.
Things might have been different had the referee not bottled showing Merino the second yellow he deserved, mind. Or if Ollie had better technique.
Anyway, Emery's still a god, and I'm looking forward to the next few games. UTV.
-
Shame we didn’t get to see how we’d get on against 10 at 2-0
That was a real pity, referee bottled it sadly.
Mad 10 mins killed us after half time. In the end at least we were able to rest a few and bring a couple of kids on. Could not afford another suspended or injured player. Very strong first half but we didn't make it count. After Onana went off all presence in midfield disappeared, left with fourth/fifth choice midfielder at right back, fourth choice centre back at LCB. Just too many gaps unfortunately. Have Cash and Kamara back the next day and hopefully at least one of Torres or Mings. We go again. Even at 4-0, I was thinking fair play to the likes of McGinn and Malen for keeping it going.
Martinez 5 - very strong first half but bullied horribly for the first. One great save to be fair
Bogarde 4 - decent first half but overran in second, out of position to be fair at right back but couldn't cope in middle either
Konsa 5 - lucky their duffer up front headed that over on his blindside, thought our CB partnership collapsed second half. Space between them for second was ridiculous
Lindelof 4 - just poor really, not sure what he was at for the second goal
Digne 4 - could have been sharper getting out to one goal, best days coming to an end. Dug out a nice cross for Watkins at end
Onana 7 - really sharp first 30 mins, once he went down you just knew he was gone at half time. Big loss
Tielemans 3 - strong first half but back to imitating a traffic cone in a horrific second half
Sancho 4 - solid first half but jumped out of two tackles at start of second half, second of which led to their goal. Replaced within minutes.
Buendia 6 - incredibly harsh decision to take him off. Possibly our best player first half
Rogers 4 - game passed him by I thought. Some nice touches around their box but gave up possession far too often
Watkins 6 - strong first half but missed the big chance to put us ahead. Bullied a bit in second but fine header late on that hit post and got the consolation goal at end
McGinn, less said about that miss the better, by the time he got his second wind the game was ok. Malen took ages to get into it but did very well for the goal. Garcia didn't cover himself in glory when missing a key tackle for one of their goals. Nice to see the two kids get on and get on plenty of ball.
Emery - crazy decision not to start McGinn. Thought he went two up top a bit too early but game probably gone by then.
-
We can't really have squad depth though seeing as we're not allowed to buy anyone anymore now we've come too close to upsetting the apple cart.
-
Funny how Arseholes committed 16 fouls and ended with 1 booking but we commit 9 and end up with 3.
-
Contained them pretty well in the first half, but then melted under increased pressure in the second. We just give the ball away too easily at times and can't afford to do it against opposition like that tonight.
That said, we've been on a great run of results and hope they can just brush off tonight and go again on Saturday. It's just this nagging feeling though that we've done really well to climb the mountains on various competitions over the past few seasons and have the summit in our sights, only to then fall short in the games that really count and often through our own mistakes.
-
Unai will get them back firing Saturday. Kamara and Cash will be fresh. Let's hope Onana was just precautionary and not another injury.
Forest
Palace
Everton
Newcastle
Brentford
Next 5 games, target 9/10 points.
15
-
Not our night but that shouldn’t take the gloss off the incredible win we’ve been on.
Despite the incessant media ramblings about their terrible injuries Arsenal’s squad depth was there for all to see. Couple of key moments didn’t go our way (Watkins chance, Merinio second bookable offence) and if they do, it’s a very different night.
-
In games of this magnitude you've got to take the opportunities when they come & we didn't.
The usual shite set piece Arsenal goal just after half time changed it. I thought the ref was very favourable towards Arsenal. But fair play to them they beat our B team. It's going to be enjoyable watching them collapse again in the run in.
I'm not going to criticise anybody, because as a unit & as individuals they've been immense. We start again on Saturday.
-
Worth noting that the fucking awful tackling on Onana from their midfield is probably why he went off and yet it took until just before half time for the ref to do anything about it.
-
Time to replace Martinez.
-
Let them gloat, it will be all the sweeter when they miss out again. Martinez should have gone the punch but i still believe if Onana was on the pitch they wouldn't have scored, we are definately undersized when it comes to defending corners. The positive for me is that we competed well for half the game, Onana going off caused us massive problems. At least two incoming in January i reckon.
-
We’ve currently got a squad, when fit that are capable of competing with any team in this league. What a transformation from a few years ago.
If we can add a few this month then who knows what we can achieve? We lost this due to injuries and the fact we’ve had to play 2 away games in a few days to teams around us and who’ve spent massive amounts over years.
The club have justifiably questioned why we have been asked to play the 2 games away in 4 days but as we know, the PL is all about the few. Even so, we are only half way through the season so let’s see where we are after the next 4/5 games. I don’t think we’ll be going anywhere and will remain a threat. These players don’t quit and are a credit to our club.
-
Time to replace Martinez.
No.
-
Time to replace Martinez.
No.
Seconded, No
-
We were signing the keeper from Lisbon I thought.
-
I do wonder, if we had scored a goal identical to their first, would it have been allowed?
-
I do wonder, if we had scored a goal identical to their first, would it have been allowed?
My exact thoughts at the time. Same for the non-existent second yellow for Merino.
-
Beaten by two refs - the one on Saturday and tonight’s - and the fixture list. We can claw back the gap with these serial bottlers before the end of the season. Not so sure about 115.
Proud of the lads.
-
A game too far and excactly why PSR is a problem. Fcuk everyone.
-
However coming through that ridiculous December period beaten only once is quite frankly extraordinary.
-
My take, the ref shitting and clearly obvious booking. That aside, Emi, you can punch the ball away from danger. That’s two in two now.