Aston Villa v QPR Post-Match Thread

[FatSam]

Haven't read the thread, but I thought the ref was very inconsistent with his interpretation of 'advantage'. During the first half we were twice given free kicks for fouls around the half way line when we had retained possession and were moving forward - the free kicks gave QPR the opportunity to drop back behind the ball. Then, there was that incident where a QPR player was clearly fouled on the edge of our area, the ref played advantage and allowed him to ride a couple of challenges and take a shot on goal that went narrowly wide. When he missed, the ref pulled the game back for the free kick on the edge of the area. Surely the 'advantage' was the opportunity to have a shot on goal? I can only assume that the ref considered that the 'advantage' would have been to actually score a goal? F**king mental.

[silhillvilla]

Ref had clearly taken a bung , allegedly .

[ciggiesnbeer]

A few extra thoughts. QPR have better players than us. It is amazing they are bottom it really is.

Samba is a beast. I have not seen a defender just own Benteke like he did today in the first half. Astonishing.

Finally I am so happy this team is fighting for each other. Very little finger pointing always supporting each other. Vlaar should take credit for some of that.

Do they fuck have better players. A good player is not an individual entity, but as much a component of how he is able to integrate with those around him. Put in the correct environment and application he can become the player he is capable of. Instead QPR are exactly the opposite and when it all ends in tears watch the finger pointing and ship abandoning. The owner there has put his faith in mercenaries and anyone who thinks Lerner is naive need only take a quick look at the mess Fernandes has on his hands. QPR's players aren't better than us, or really anyone else in the division which is why they will finish bottom and deservedly so.

I think as individuals they are better players on paper at least. Just look at that midfield & defence line up, offered that to us last summer and we would have bitten your hand off.

You are right it astonishes me how poorly they have gelled as a team. When you look at the team sheets as a neutral you would expect QPR to win, in fact they just seem like strangers all the time. Amazing.

[brontebilly]

Provided there is a firesale in QPR in the summer, which of their players should we be interested in? For all the talk of superior individual players I dont think there is that many that would improve us. Samba naturally but we won't be able to afford him. Not sure what clubs will be willing to shell out 12m for him to be honest.

Was watching Fabio as a potential target but his attitude was a disgrace. Onouha surprisingly can't get in ahead of Boswinga but if he was going cheap would be a good option at right back and centre half. Park was outplayed by Westwood and seems another to swerve. Remy certainly is dangerous but with his injury record we couldn't afford to take a punt. Tarrabt played well today but is far too inconsistent. Junior Holiet potentially at the right price would be worth a punt. Townsend looks a decent player but will player a lot more at Spurs next season I imagine.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Remy,Samba and Tarrabt for me. I think Lambert could sort out attitude problems. Out of all of them if money was no object Samba would be a clear upgrade for us.

[Steve R]

I don't think I would take a single one of them. Their team sheet looks like an O'Neill team. More reputation than substance.

It's not quite the same as saying we have better players in every position, Hoillett may do a better job than Gabby, Samba is better than any defender we have without being particularly convincing. Maybe M'Bia would do a bit for our midfield, but I wouldn't necessarily put him ahead of Sylla on today's showing.

They're at QPR and bottom of the league for a reason, and it isn't just because they don't fit together as a team.

[brontebilly]

Disagree brontebilly. Bannan and Westwood played at a pretty similar level today. Both pretty good in possession. Neither offer much protection for the defence. It's pretty embarressing how opposition players can just jog to the edge of our area without any meaningful attempt to dispossess them. That's why I would prefer Sylla to sit deeper.

Neither are suited to a 2 man midfield which is what we played the last half hour with. Not even a Keane or Vieira at their peak would be able to cover a midfield with both of them. Thankfully we won so its immaterial but Lambert showed dreadful tactical naively at 2-1 up replacing Sylla. We were effectively played end to end football then with those kamikaze tactics . With the ball Westwood was superb I thought. Orchestrated the play throughout. Thought there was a huge difference between Bannan and himself in that regard.

While our attacking play in the second half was excellent, we were appalling without the ball. The bottom side in the league came to Villa Park and forced Guzan into 3 superb saves, hit the post, Remy missed a sitter after we went 3-2 up and Hill's shot at the end was inches wide. There was a crucial last ditch block from Lowton late on too. Last week against Reading we coughed up a number of chances.

Two crucial wins but we need to keep up 2 goals a game to get results

[Vancouver]

Was there any abuse aimed at redknapp today from the Holte or the fans behind the dugouts?

[damon loves JT]

Harry wants to be careful telling his mates in the press that we were 'lucky' to win, having played terribly.

That implies that his team were even worse. Which is not part of the Harry Houdini Great Escape narrative.

[eastie]

So harry said they were so much the better team that it was embarrassing ? Nothing worse than a bad loser - the stats shows we had 60% possession and 6 to their 7 shots on target plus 9 corners to their 6 .

The only thing embarrassing is how ridiculously shit a club must be to have spent the money qpr have done and be bottom with 23 points in 30 games.

[VILLA MOLE]

dont worry old droopy draws will be on to his next project in the summer and the fire sale at QPR  will begin

[Lizz]

Interesting to see 3,000 QPR fans there today, too. I remember a game a few years ago when we played them, and they had the smallest away following I have ever seen.

I remember (it was a boring game) actually counting them, and there were about 160 of them.

I think we played them some seasons ago when they were already relegated from the premier league. From memory, and this was in the days that away fans were in the North Stand, there was enough room for them to do some sort of Hokey Cokey type dance routine.

[Des Little]

Ref had clearly taken a bung , allegedly .

He was indeed an alleged cheat, who alleged ally gave them every decision and played 6 mins of added time sited of the stipulated 5, the alleged tnuc.

[Des Little]

Ref had clearly taken a bung , allegedly .

He was indeed an alleged cheat, who allegedly gave them every decision and played 6 mins of added time sited of the stipulated 5, the alleged tnuc.

[midnite]

I leave the Lower North after the match by walking across the front and then up past the away fans. Quite a few were blarting. I reckon a few of them think they are gone now.

The way their players collapsed on the field after the final whistle, they were thinking the same. 

Great result and fantastic atmosphere. The white strips kicking off through the PA system as we were leaving was brilliant too. The Benteke chant was still going all the way back to the social. It's been so, so long since I've felt that good after a match at villa park. Everyone was in high spirits.