Aston Villa v Arsenal Post-Match Thread

[SheffieldVillain]

It wasn't a personal remark, it was an observation that you hadn't understood my post. I chose my words carefully, I said it was disproportionate you said he deserved criticism.

The point about different treatment was a general point, "you" meaning those who had given him the over the top criticism.

You also claimed it was a revenge tackle when it clearly wasn't. I've seen it again of Football First and it's a foul but not dangerous and in no way deserves the reaction he has received.

It came across as personal. You didn't say "you misunderstood what I said", you said "your understanding of the written word is letting you down". The first refers to a specific misunderstanding while the second is a comment on general ability to understand. If it wasn't meant as such, then fine, no problems.

As for it not being a revenge tackle, well, we'll have to disagree on that.

[brian green]

You raise a valid and interesting point Chris.   The perceived level of wrong doing is always in inverse proportion to the popularity of the player.

Suarez is a classic case in point (aplologies if there is a separate thread on this topic).   He is very popular with Liverpool fans and is in their eyes a very good player.   So the club in general and the players in particular overlook every aspect of the fact that he has been racist and by being racist has prejudiced the performances of the team for eight games.   The club is aided and abetted in this calumny by the tabloid media, the back page of the Mirror carrying a huge picture of Suarez grinning like a Cheshire cat and the banner headline about never walking alone.

The very same newspaper lauded to the skies the decision of the FA to bust his arse two days ago.

What would have been the reaction if the Villa squad had all worn Bannan tee shirts?   There would have been outrage and rightly so.   So why no outrage at Liverpool putting their racist player on a pedestal?   I will tell you why.   Because racism is endemic in our society and any attempt to stamp it out is only honoured in the breach.   Liverpudlians love to see themselves simultanously as superior and victimized because of their innate superiority.

Say for argument's sake that there are 60,000 hardcore Liverpool fans who believe Suarez has been "crucified" (his team mate's word). Suppose also that there is a population of 60,000,000 in the UK.   That is one tenth of one percent who are blind to the offence committed by Suarez.   That does not justify full page pictures of him grinning from ear to ear in our mass circulation newspapers.

[monkeyboy]

Want to draw a line under the "fuck off and die comment" re Hutton - I made it initially last night - and made it a couple of minutes after the final whistle after watching him royally blot his copy book after producing the best display for us by a country mile.

Overreaction by me - definitely, abusive - definitely, sign of a frustrated Villa fan not covering himself in glory - definitely.

For the delicate flowers on here who found my language a little colourful - I apologise, wasn't meant to offend just frustration - a Hutton challenge of a post if you will. If as has been posted the post and the abusive nature of it makes me "less of a fan" then I can handle that - I know what I am opposite Villa and i'm comfortable

With the above said - I still reserve the right to believe that Hutton is not good enough for Villa

[supertom]

Want to draw a line under the "fuck off and die comment" re Hutton - I made it initially last night - and made it a couple of minutes after the final whistle after watching him royally blot his copy book after producing the best display for us by a country mile.

Overreaction by me - definitely, abusive - definitely, sign of a frustrated Villa fan not covering himself in glory - definitely.

For the delicate flowers on here who found my language a little colourful - I apologise, wasn't meant to offend just frustration - a Hutton challenge of a post if you will. If as has been posted the post and the abusive nature of it makes me "less of a fan" then I can handle that - I know what I am opposite Villa and i'm comfortable

With the above said - I still reserve the right to believe that Hutton is not good enough for Villa

Well said sir. That's good enough for me. I was also thinking what you had said, and indeed, spare of the moment.
Hutton's been a total liability all season though and could easily have had 2-3 more reds. We need to get rid.

[Legion]

Want to draw a line under the "fuck off and die comment" re Hutton - I made it initially last night - and made it a couple of minutes after the final whistle after watching him royally blot his copy book after producing the best display for us by a country mile.

Overreaction by me - definitely, abusive - definitely, sign of a frustrated Villa fan not covering himself in glory - definitely.

For the delicate flowers on here who found my language a little colourful - I apologise, wasn't meant to offend just frustration - a Hutton challenge of a post if you will. If as has been posted the post and the abusive nature of it makes me "less of a fan" then I can handle that - I know what I am opposite Villa and i'm comfortable

With the above said - I still reserve the right to believe that Hutton is not good enough for Villa

Appreciated.

[Dave Clark Five]

Hutton is awful, he can't dribble, pass or tackle...seems to foul more than win the ball.

Who told you that?

[Matt Collins]

I had a quick look on the Guardian chalkboard. Some interesting stuff (I've got the day off!)

Our general passing stats seemed pretty high:
- Bannan made 27 passes despite playing only half a game (74% success, unsuccessful ones seem to be crosses into the box mostly)
- Clark 22 in total (75%) and only 1 interception, 2 tackles (lots of headers I recall). I thought he'd been more influential.
- Petrov 33 (76%)
- Albrighton 39 (65%) often crosses
- Gabby just 32 (27%) confirming he had a poor game (though I presume many touches were the result of innaccurate balls)
- Cuellar and Dunne had high stats too
- Ireland 16 (75%)