Aston Villa v Chelsea Post-Match Thread

[Dave]

Cowardly?!  So being a mod makes it acceptable for you to be offensive?

I don't think we'll get a single point from our next three games.  It's my opinion.  This is a forum for opinions.  I thought a mod would appreciate that.

I'd say it's absolutely fine to think that we might lose to Stoke. It's quite possible.

What is ridiculous though is to suggest that there's no chance of us getting anything which your original post did. And I don't think it's particularly offensive to suggest that writing it off as impossible to even draw at home to Stoke is flouncy in the extreme.

[pauliewalnuts]

Cowardly?!  So being a mod makes it acceptable for you to be offensive?

I don't think we'll get a single point from our next three games.  It's my opinion.  This is a forum for opinions.  I thought a mod would appreciate that.

I'd say it's absolutely fine to think that we might lose to Stoke. It's quite possible.

What is ridiculous though is to suggest that there's no chance of us getting anything which your original post did. And I don't think it's particularly offensive to suggest that writing it off as impossible to even draw at home to Stoke is flouncy in the extreme.

It's not so much whether or not we write off winning against Stoke, it's more about how confident we are that we'll get something. I don't really blame anyone for lacking confidence in that.

[Toronto Villa]

Can we please leave Heskey alone today?

He had absolutely nothing to do with us losing this football match.

Agreed, we didn't have many options today and he did what he had to do

The fact Heskey was our only option goes some way to explaining why we are fucked.

Now that's an entirely different discussion Fergal. I don't think we are fucked but not having options on the bench might lead to us getting there

[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.

Heskey coming on had fuck all to do with anything.

I think remove the words 'coming on' and you would be about right.

On 80 mins we equalised. The only change of personnel by both teams after that was Heskey coming for Villa on 82 mins, when Chelsea were wobbling. They then scored two goals.

You're evident dislike of Heskey is affecting your rationality.

Don't dislike him, just thought bringing him on punctured our momentum of taking the game to them. It was a message that we are going to play for the draw, which proved defeatist both metaphorically and in the end, literally.

[JJ-AV]

The team were so shaky, completely understandable considering how many youngsters were playing. Heskey was on to sure things up. The only experienced option we had to try and be a calmer head.

It was the logical substitution.

[Toronto Villa]

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.

I think remove the words 'coming on' and you would be about right.

On 80 mins we equalised. The only change of personnel by both teams after that was Heskey coming for Villa on 82 mins, when Chelsea were wobbling. They then scored two goals.

You're evident dislike of Heskey is affecting your rationality.

Don't dislike him, just thought bringing him on punctured our momentum of taking the game to them. It was a message that we are going to play for the draw, which proved defeatist both metaphorically and in the end, literally.

It wasn't in the least bit defeatist or evidence we were playing for a draw. He brought him on to replace a tired young forward. I really don't see the issue.

[midnite]

Heskey didnt have anything to do with the Chelsea goal granted. But I don't understand why McLeish decided to tinker with the team so quickly after we scored the second goal. The team was buzzing and working well. Why mess with it? They've just bagged two goals in a few mins and pulled us back level.
It was the timing for me that seemed silly.

It probably woudnt of changed the outcome. Chelsea were by far the better team. Apart from the 10 min period I thought we offered very little. But if we can play how we did during that 10 min period throughout the remaining fixtures then we won't go down. Trouble is, that passion we saw during that fleeting moment seems to be few and far between.

We're hanging in there. It's not quite panic stations but equally I'm not siding with those on here thinking we won't go down. There's no way we're home and dry. Stoke, Sunderland and Bolton are going to be tricky games. Spurs, Liverpool and Norwich are not exactly a walk in the park either. I think we'll pick up 5 points in our remaining games. It's touch and go but I think we'll only just do it.

[PeterWithesShin]

We started with 7 academy players against a side full of multi million pound mercenaries. We caused them a lot of problems, we'd have caused them even more if our final ball, the ref and our defending had been better.

Must admit, the 19th minute left me with a tear in my eye.

[Vanilla]

The team were so shaky, completely understandable considering how many youngsters were playing. Heskey was on to sure things up. The only experienced option we had to try and be a calmer head.

It was the logical substitution.

Drawing against wobbly opponents with a poor recent away record. Bring on Heskey and lose. I assume it was to hold the ball up, but did he even touch the ball more than once?.

'That's illogical Captain.'

[CJ]

Talking of Stoke - taking long throw-ins for a big centre half to head in. Pfft - wouldn't see the Villa playing like that. 

[ozzjim]

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.

I think remove the words 'coming on' and you would be about right.

On 80 mins we equalised. The only change of personnel by both teams after that was Heskey coming for Villa on 82 mins, when Chelsea were wobbling. They then scored two goals.

You're evident dislike of Heskey is affecting your rationality.

Don't dislike him, just thought bringing him on punctured our momentum of taking the game to them. It was a message that we are going to play for the draw, which proved defeatist both metaphorically and in the end, literally.

It wasn't in the least bit defeatist or evidence we were playing for a draw. He brought him on to replace a tired young forward. I really don't see the issue.

I disagree TV, and I actually think he was on in part to defend set pieces etc. The fact we conceded from a corner with 2 non challenged headers was criminal. Heskey should be right there at the front post battering the ball away.

[Greg N'Ash]

If we stay up it will be because the clubs below us couldn't get another 5/6 points, cos I really can't see where a point will come from now that Petrov is gone. The midfield is not fit for purpose, its literally men against boys, and the boys are plainly not ready.

[Toronto Villa]

I'm sure he would have had defensive responsibilities Ozz but you simply cannot blame him for us conceding that goal. We have full backs on the posts and a goalkeeper that should have done a lot better.

[PeterWithesShin]

Heskey did ok when he came on.

[Vanilla]

It wasn't in the least bit defeatist or evidence we were playing for a draw. He brought him on to replace a tired young forward. I really don't see the issue.

The manager hauled him off after 60 odd minutes against Arsenal last week because he was useless. What could he have done in the last 10 minutes today?