Aston Villa v Bolton Wanderers Post-Match Thread

[olaftab]

I thought last night we  played well and took a well deserved lead. It was just unfortunate that there was an immediate opportunity for them to equalise through the penalty. If that had not happened we would have  easily won this game.
Disappointing  thing was team's response to going 2-1 down. This is where a good motivator on or off the pitch comes in. I noticed Cuellar trying to gee them up straight after their second goal but did not see the effect of that on the pitch.
Even more disappointing was almost entire ground singing "*uck off McLeish" from about 82 minute. This was the time to encourage our young players to fight and have a go and  not make them hear  that abuse. Bolton were more encouraged  by that and they managed to close out the last 5 mins and 4 mins added time in reasonable comfort.

[Fergal]

I just wonder what AM said at half time.

[danlanza]

I just wonder what AM said at half time.

"Ocheyethenoo Wibble Wibble,Bla Bla sounds about right to me!

[LeeB]

It's just a way for the media to attack the manager by proxy. They don't have the balls to say to AM in the post-match: 'you're shit, aren't you?' Instead they put on a sympathetic face and say: 'did you hear the terrible things the crowd were chanting? About you being shit? Isn't it awful?'

Here's another attack by proxy then, from BBC's Sportsday Live feed:

Chief Football Writer Phil McNulty has written about what he witnessed at Villa Park last night during Bolton's 2-1 victory over Aston Villa: "One respected Villa media observer of almost 20 years standing had no hesitation in declaring this was the worst abuse he had heard directed at a manager of the club in that time."

Five minutes of abuse is the worst they've seen in twenty years? Really?

I'd imagine he's referring to Pat Murphy, who said this morning of R5 that it was the most stick he seen a manager get down here since McNeill, which is precisely because he's the worst manager we've had since McNeill.

[nigel]

Stats don't tell us everything obvs, but I thought these from last night were revealing:

Possession: Villa 48%, Bolton 52%
Shots: Villa - 17, Bolton - 12
On target: Villa - 6, Bolton - 11

Pathetic at any time, but especially under the circumstances and given the opposition.

As for McLeast, maybe it's just me but he looks to me like he's sitting pretty: he knows we can't sack him now, probably can't afford to sack him if we go down (and he has a good record getting teams promoted, as the Championship is the level that suits his 'talents' best), and if he manages to keep us up he'll claim he did a great job under an extremely challenging set of circumstances (ie. lack of cash, losing Bent/Stan at crucial time, fan hatred etc).

Where were those stats from, puppy?

Scroll down to Match Stats http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17737838

Thanks puppy.
Wasn't knocking your post, I just wondered who came up with the stats.

[tarzansbrother]

I thought last night we  played well and took a well deserved lead. It was just unfortunate that there was an immediate opportunity for them to equalise through the penalty. If that had not happened we would have  easily won this game.
Disappointing  thing was team's response to going 2-1 down. This is where a good motivator on or off the pitch comes in. I noticed Cuellar trying to gee them up straight after their second goal but did not see the effect of that on the pitch.
Even more disappointing was almost entire ground singing "*uck off McLeish" from about 82 minute. This was the time to encourage our young players to fight and have a go and  not make them hear  that abuse. Bolton were more encouraged  by that and they managed to close out the last 5 mins and 4 mins added time in reasonable comfort.

I noticed Cuellar having the worst half of football in a Villa shirt. Also at 82 minutes it was time for our spineless manager to take off a defender and put on a striker. The cock just put Delfuenso out wide. I wanted more abuse directed at him, he got off very lightly considering the shit he has served up this season.

[JD]

Agree OzVilla.

Come Sunday morning here, if we have beaten the boggies then I will forgive today. I just can't see it happening though. Lets hope Collins, Ireland and Gabby are all fully fit.
After tonight both Cuellar and Albrighton need to be dropped. Both of them were s*^t.   

I could forgive a few moments of madness, what I can't forget or forgive is the rest of the season.

Agree with that Fergal. I can't forgive the season it's just got worse and worse.
All I want and have wanted since about February is for this season to be finished, so I can get on with enjoying my weekends instead of freting all weekend about how bad my team are going to play.
Let's hope we survive and we can all have a break from this madness (at least for a few weeks).