Aston Villa v Chelsea Post-Match Thread

[Ad@m]

Agree, we are in deep trouble.  Why oh why oh why did he bring on Heskey?

To shore up the first line of defence.  That lasted a whole 60 seconds!

We're in big, big trouble.  We'll get nil points from the next three and with the teams below us all winning we'll be right in the shit.  The Bolton game is looking absolutely massive.

I just don't see what McLeish brings to the team for his £2m a year.  He's tactically inept, can't motivate the players, is indecisive and when he finally makes a decision it's often the wrong one, and appears to be a shite coach given the same flaws within the team have persisted throughout the season.  In what other industry could you get paid £2m a year for absolutely nothing?

[Greg N'Ash]

Looking at the fixtures, I reckon if we're still in the mire after the bolton game then we're going down

[myf]

Baker was thrown in the deep end for sure but how can anyone can say he played well after being at fault for the first two goals?

[mikeb1982]

The 19th minute did us proud, and the Chelsea fans joined in as well, which I thought was a good gesture

What scared me more than anything was the apathy when they scored their second.  Immediately round where I sit, in the Upper Holte, there was nothing, no fuck off Chelsea, no fuck off ref, no fuck off McLeish even, just silence, resignation and the sense it was inevitable. Whether or not we stay up, this season has ripped the soul out of us, and that is absolutely criminal. We are Aston Villa, one of the oldest, most successful and proudest clubs in the world, and it just makes me sad to see us now

Get well soon Stan

[The Situation]

Wasn't expecting much, maybe a draw at best. Good comeback, but it wasn't enough unfortunately.

It made things even worse with 3 teams below us winning, that very comfortable 11 point gap between us and the bottom 3 from three weeks ago isn't looking so comfortable now. Urgh...

However, that being said thoughts and prayers go out to Stan. Was quite shocked when I heard the news, its awful for him but I hope he gets better and can recover from this. We are missing a great leader and player in our team

[Lobsterboy]

I didn't expect us to get anything at the start of the week and in light of the Petrov news and the starting line up I was fearing the worst.

Conceding 4 at home never going to look good but at least the players showed some fight to pull back the two goal deficit and given Gabby's barren run (which shows no sign of ending) it was great to see a couple of the defence on the scoresheet.

No idea what the next few games will bring us results wise but with no Bent, Clark, Cuellar, Delph, Hutton, N'Zogbia and Petrov we are in big, big trouble and need to find some inspiration and 5-6 points from somewhere.

All in all a pretty shitty week for Villa fans everywhere and the other results at the bottom today a real kick in the balls

[MplsVilla]

I've read this site for years and I know Villa fans are negative but this is getting out of hand. WE ARE NOT GOING DOWN. Things aren't great, can't see many wins or points in the last 8 games, BUT the teams below us are not Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Sporting Index think Wigan and QPR will get 6-7 points each between now and the end of the season, that is 34-35 points. Do some of you think we cannot get 3 points. Seriously? Sporting Index have us finishing on 40-41 points, 6 points clear of 18th place.
If anyone seriously believes we are going down can I suggest they go to a betting shop or bet online immediately as they will make a killing.

[Rigadon]

The 19th minute did us proud, and the Chelsea fans joined in as well, which I thought was a good gesture

What scared me more than anything was the apathy when they scored their second.  Immediately round where I sit, in the Upper Holte, there was nothing, no fuck off Chelsea, no fuck off ref, no fuck off McLeish even, just silence, resignation and the sense it was inevitable. Whether or not we stay up, this season has ripped the soul out of us, and that is absolutely criminal. We are Aston Villa, one of the oldest, most successful and proudest clubs in the world, and it just makes me sad to see us now

Get well soon Stan

I think the air of resignation you mention was a symptom of the awful twist of fate that has blighted Stan Petrov and his family.  It somehow felt a bit wrong to be moaning during the game watching on the net.  But then, the game was played, the result counted.  An odd, inspiring, awful day. 

[Dave]

We'll get nil points from the next three and with the teams below us all winning we'll be right in the shit.  The Bolton game is looking absolutely massive.

Huh?

We're writing off a home match against Stoke now are we? Who lost today to Wigan.

[Ad@m]

The stats look horrendous.

We've got 6 points from our last 8 games.  We've won 2 of our last 11 games.  Gabby hasn't scored in 15 matches.

How depressing.

[Vanilla]

Villa were plucky enough to take the game to Yelsea, and get back level pegging as they start to really wobble.

Pictures of Di Matteo showed him looking dumbfounded. He must have been worried as he'd used all his subs so can't change anything, and given their recent poor away record thought his team might possibly lose the game. He then desperately looks around and sees Heskey emerging from the Villa bench, turned to his own and said 'Don't worry lads, they've just thrown it away.' 

And they did.

[mikeb1982]

The 19th minute did us proud, and the Chelsea fans joined in as well, which I thought was a good gesture

What scared me more than anything was the apathy when they scored their second.  Immediately round where I sit, in the Upper Holte, there was nothing, no fuck off Chelsea, no fuck off ref, no fuck off McLeish even, just silence, resignation and the sense it was inevitable. Whether or not we stay up, this season has ripped the soul out of us, and that is absolutely criminal. We are Aston Villa, one of the oldest, most successful and proudest clubs in the world, and it just makes me sad to see us now

Get well soon Stan

I think the air of resignation you mention was a symptom of the awful twist of fate that has blighted Stan Petrov and his family.  It somehow felt a bit wrong to be moaning during the game watching on the net.  But then, the game was played, the result counted.  An odd, inspiring, awful day.

You're right, it's hard to separate the causes and we all got a lump in our throat, especially when Stan spoke before the game.  Can't help but think though that in recent seasons that would galvanised us, pushed us to make some noise and get behind a struggling inexperienced team. I just found it odd. Probably just fed up of watching shit football....!

[Rigadon]

Villa were plucky enough to take the game to Yelsea, and get back level pegging as they start to really wobble.

Pictures of Di Matteo showed him looking dumbfounded. He must have been worried as he'd used all his subs so can't change anything, and given their recent poor away record thought his team might possibly lose the game. He then desperately looks around and sees Heskey emerging from the Villa bench, turned to his own and said 'Don't worry lads, they've just thrown it away.' 

And they did.

Heskey coming on had fuck all to do with anything.

[SashasGrandad]

I think today's team deserve enormous credit for going out today and playing. They will have to do it another 7 times this season and hopefully it will get easier.

It would have easy to have called the game off - but it would not have made things any easier. Better to stand up and be counted. Aston Villa can be proud today that they went out and got on with it.

Chelsea were cynical and clinical. They knew what they had to do. Get a goal or two in front and save themselves for their next game. The ref helped them out at every opportunity. They didn't need to try any dirty tricks but they did and they were allowed to get away with it.

If Terry goes to the Euros I doubt I'll bother to watch it. He knobbled Weimann from behind, somehow was given a decision when Gabby challenged him which led to their 3rd goal. Utter tosser.

Collins, Ireland, Warnock and Gabby all led by example, it was the youngsters who seemed to be overawed. But they will learn and get better.

[Ad@m]

We'll get nil points from the next three and with the teams below us all winning we'll be right in the shit.  The Bolton game is looking absolutely massive.

Huh?

We're writing off a home match against Stoke now are we? Who lost today to Wigan.

We've beat them once in seven attempts since they came up.  They've beat us twice.  In our current form I can see us losing to them again.