Aston Villa v Sunderland Post-Match Thread

[claret and blue blood]

Just get behind the team on Tuesday as much as we possibly can, I thought we (the fans) were great today, it was funny when O'Neil celebrated Bendtners "goal" and the chant rang out "Martin Martin you're a twat" which was swiftly changed to "Alex Alex you're  a twat" to much amusement !

[Nev]

It doesnt slag us off though , it says he wants the team he is playing for to be the top team no harm really ?

I see what you mean, but considering he came through our Academy and was considered a Villa fan by some, is that not a bit ...mouthy? For want of a better word. Personally I don't really care either way, he had a good game today, but I can see why he got booed by some.

Wasn't he just a bit "economical" with the truth when he was with us?  No one likes a 'Nose, but everyone hates a liar.

[KevinGage]

  No one likes a 'Nose, but everyone hates a liar.

Definite banner potential.

[paulcomben]

Just got home and heading out again to the pub to drown out that lame performance. The main theme was our cluelessness in the final third e.g. nobody supporting on the outside, Wiemann one-on-one not shooting across the keeper and 390 corners since we last scored from one in 2010.

[mikeb1982]

  No one likes a 'Nose, but everyone hates a liar.

Definite banner potential.

The stewards took a banner down after the game in the Holte, they were on it like a shot!

[spangley1812]

why wasnt the goalie sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area...........

[curlytailavfc]

the game was boring the atmosphere was non existent

[olaftab]

I really couldn't careless for this MON return issue I am hoping for a 0-0 win today.

Don't be such a pussy.

see eamonn fortune follows the brave. Iasked and I got. Thank you Alex. Fergie was so right about you!

[mikeb1982]

why wasnt the goalie sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area...........

That was a shocking decision. Refs n general have been shit recently

[olaftab]

Chris Herd, Eric Lichaj and Andreas Weimann  fill me with hope however not if  this manager sticks around.
I thought Herd was MotM today and player of the season for us.

[Dante Lavelli]

why wasnt the goalie sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area...........

That was a shocking decision. Refs n general have been shit recently

On what basis should he have been?  For me the goalscoring opportunity stopped when he first handled the ball.  This was in the area so okay.  After that he slid outside the box = deliberate handball.  Which I think should be a yellow card only.

[Pete3206]

I thought we were OK 1st half. 2nd half was poor, but we got a point.

[Vanilla]

Can anyone confirm what our tactics are? We do often seem to have a decent start, then drift badly. This leads me to believe that we push for an early goal, which we then aim to defend until the end of the game. If we don't score, it seems to be a 'make it up as you go along' approach.

[spangley1812]

why wasnt the goalie sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area...........

That was a shocking decision. Refs n general have been shit recently

On what basis should he have been?  For me the goalscoring opportunity stopped when he first handled the ball.  This was in the area so okay.  After that he slid outside the box = deliberate handball.  Which I think should be a yellow card only.

well he didnt drop the ball as he left his area so he deliberately handled it.....and he wasnt booked

[tomd2103]

Can't fault the effort of most of the players today, but I think we got a bit lucky at times in the 2nd half (Ireland's clearance off the line and the offside 'goal').  I too can't understand why Albrighton and N'Zogbia were not switched earlier in the 1st half when it was clear it wasn't working.  We could have really done with Bent playing today as we did create some decent chances that he might have put away.  Heskey was a handful when he came on and should start for the remainder of the season for me.  Gabby and Weimann did OK, though the latter could have shot rather than take the extra touch on a couple of occasions.  N'Zogbia had some decent flashes, but I thought Marc had a pretty poor game.  Herd grafted away in midfield, but I don't agree with those saying Ireland had a really good game.  I'm still not sure that he is that effective in central midfield and think he is much better in the "hole".  I thought that apart from the odd mistake here and there, the defenders and Given did OK.  Hutton really struggled against McLean though in the second half and got caught out on crosses a few times.

Like many games this season, I have come away thinking that there is actually the makings of a decent side there.  Not a top six side by any means, but one that could be challenging for the top ten.  I don't want to turn this post into another anti-McLeish one, but I feel if we can bring in a manager who can have the existing players better organised and more motivated, and can make the right additions to the squad in the summer, we'll be fine.  Sunderland will end up  a top ten side this season and there wasn't that much between the two sides today.