Manchester City v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[PaulWinch again]

I wish we had a solid midfield and defence like Norwich, they've been good.

[Stu]

I never used to, but I have come round to believing it. I know it sounds ridiculous but it happens in other countries including big ones like Italy, FIFA believes it is a massive problem and wants to find better ways of fighting it. Honestly I no longer trust the premier league referees integrity.

Except that unlike Italy, the UK hasn't had to deal with Mafia insurgency in local, and to an extent, national government for decades. There's a very different culture to conspiracy and bribery in Italy, and I don't think it's a good comparison.

[Legion]

Draw.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Make that 10.

I like the optimism. I hope you are right!

[silhillvilla]

To blame the officials is a red herring.
We were outclassed.

[BC54 VFC]

I think it's all very admiral to say that the team shows promise, and that there will be ups and downs but ultimately PL will turn us around.
It's very admiral indeed, but as it stands, we have few points, we are conceding goals and not winning games.
The ups seem to be very few and far between.
You know, a team can't go through a season not expecting to beat ANY of the top teams, and washing over defeats BECAUSE it's Man City,or Man U ,or Arsenal Or Chelsea etc. What is the point of being in the Premier if you just look forward to results against Wigan,Reading and Norwich ?
I think we are in serious,serious trouble and maybe this is going to be the one where the last couple of years catch up with us.

I think we need a better Horatio of wins to losses!

[levico]

To blame the officials is a red herring.
We were outclassed.

I totally agree. We would have lost without the bad decision. It was men against boys and we are deservedly in the bottom three. Will we ever emerge?

[saunders_heroes]

To blame the officials is a red herring.
We were outclassed.

Absolutely. It's criminal to see how far we've plummeted in just a couple or three years. Sell your best players and replace them with cheap foreign imports and lower league rubbish and this is what happens.
Thanks Randy!

[SW9-VILLA]

Please tell me people aren't blaming corrupt officials for the result today. It was a shocking decision but I doubt for a second it's cause was anything other than the lino being a plum. Some people sound like Liverpool fans with their tinfoil hat conspiracy theories.

[Dan England]

I think there's a lot of over the top reactions. We were in a game until a horrendous Linesman decision. This side is better than last years. We will stay up. Lambert has had just 12 league games to make changes. We will have a far better second half to the season. Suck it up and move on.

*Puts on tin hat and ducks*

I'm with you pal.

Two wins and we are mid table. It will be an up and down season, we are not adrift at the bottom and the players have faith in the gaffer. So should we.

You've lifted my spirits up England Dan.

I'd really love to see you tonight.

Is that an offer? :-)

That's desperate Dan.

Very good. *clappy emoticon*

[Stu]

To blame the officials is a red herring.
We were outclassed.

City were leading from a scrappy goal scored just before half time, our defence was doing very well. Also, up to that point, we had the best chance of the game with the Benteke header. I'm not going to say that we were playing fantastically, but we carved a couple of decent chances in the first half, and they were better than what City could muster as we restricted them to speculative shots. Celtic proved you can do it against the best as long as you stick to your game plan, however, ours was stuck in the shitter by utterly inept officiating. The kids were given a mauling today, however it wasn't Man City that dished it out.

[Clampy]

It's hard enough being 1-0 down up there without the linesman giving them help to extend their lead. He should be made to run the line in the League 2 for a few months although i'm not sure the clubs down there deserve him either.

[ktvillan]

I never used to, but I have come round to believing it. I know it sounds ridiculous but it happens in other countries including big ones like Italy, FIFA believes it is a massive problem and wants to find better ways of fighting it. Honestly I no longer trust the premier league referees integrity.

Except that unlike Italy, the UK hasn't had to deal with Mafia insurgency in local, and to an extent, national government for decades. There's a very different culture to conspiracy and bribery in Italy, and I don't think it's a good comparison.

But not all club owners  are from our culture, and it's fair to say that some of the more wealthy ones hail from cultures where one doesn't gain or retain one's fortune or power by exhibiting traits like transparency, integrity, fairness and honesty. 

[Rip Van We Go Again]

To blame the officials is a red herring.
We were outclassed.

Absolutely. It's criminal to see how far we've plummeted in just a couple or three years. Sell your best players and replace them with cheap foreign imports and lower league rubbish and this is what happens.
Thanks Randy!

Have to agree.
Lerner is a fucking imbecile.

Proud history, wank future.

[PeterWithesShin]

I haven't seen anyone say we'd have got a result today regardless of the decisions, just comment on them not helping and also go a bit off topic with officiating standards. Neither have many seriously called them corrupt.