Manchester United vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[baddowvillans]

If sky pissed you off try the bbc website. No mention of offside for any goals just drooling over man u.

We all know that if they didn't get those goals there would probably have been others but it doesnt help.

We need all the marginal calls next week

[paul_e]

Are the people claiming tactical lunacy the same ones that were heartened pre-kick off by the attacking intent?

Not me, I think he got it wrong and I stand by that, but I always think it's wrong to start nzogbis in that role.  Whenever he starts him there we struggle to maintain possession, I still think we should be trying bannan or delph (and bring Sylla in deeper) there.  Whenever we've looked our most effective we've had a worker in that AM role (holman at times early in the season, and for reading/QPR sylla and bannan shared it).  With the way we play we're very susceptible to giving teams far too much time to play at the back.  With us then having a high line they just drop the ball in behind Lowton or Bennett and look a threat.  When we have a 'busier' player in there we don't give teams that much time to look up and pick those long cross field passes.  That's the main reason I see a good player for that role as a key signing for next year (if we stay up).

[Steve R]

Are the people claiming tactical lunacy the same ones that were heartened pre-kick off by the attacking intent?

Not as far as I can see.

[ktvillan]

I am also pretty pissed off that Sky can simply nonchalantly acknowledge that 2 of ManU's goals were offside, without showing the slightest inclination towards the thought that it might matter the slightest bit!

Indeed just imagine the furore, the hand wringing, the condemnation of the officials, not to mention the incandescent redness of Fergie had those decisions (obviously in some parallel universe) gone the other way.  But hey it's only Villa and they're only in deep relegation trouble.

[ktvillan]

looked total overwhelmed with the situation from the start and Lambert didn't look bothered either. a very sad night all in all. massive gulf between the two teams and villa effectively there as cannon fodder for sky and the world to rejoice in another title win. got me thinking what is point in staying up? best we can hope for is mid table mediocrity.

Yup. To be honest we have been a bit part in other clubs stories for years. The EPL is worse than la Liga.

Gnasher likened it to Harlem Globetrotters earlier and it's exactly that comparison that has been in my mind for a while.  Outside the top few, the rest of us are just those anonymous nobodies there to make up the numbers and make the Sky "stars" look good.  I think we should take our balls home.

[Lastfootstamper]

Best fans in the world...?

Now, now, you know we're all just jealous. As we shall no doubt have pointed out to most of us tomorrow by twunts who've never set foot in Greater Manchester.

[SoccerHQ]

We would've still probably lose if he'd taken out N'zog and put in Sylla but we may have made it a bit more difficult for them to score and still looked a threat ourselves given there would've been 3 strikers on the pitch albeit two of them out wide.

If we'd have "only" lost 2-1 tonight then goal difference would've still been in play, 2 worse than Wigan and scored the same number of goals as them, now it isn't.

[neo_Villan]

Are the people claiming tactical lunacy the same ones that were heartened pre-kick off by the attacking intent?

Not me either. You can check my comments at the beginning of the match thread.

[ciggiesnbeer]

looked total overwhelmed with the situation from the start and Lambert didn't look bothered either. a very sad night all in all. massive gulf between the two teams and villa effectively there as cannon fodder for sky and the world to rejoice in another title win. got me thinking what is point in staying up? best we can hope for is mid table mediocrity.

Yup. To be honest we have been a bit part in other clubs stories for years. The EPL is worse than la Liga.

Gnasher likened it to Harlem Globetrotters earlier and it's exactly that comparison that has been in my mind for a while.  Outside the top few, the rest of us are just those anonymous nobodies there to make up the numbers and make the Sky "stars" look good.  I think we should take our balls home.

La Liga teams have threatened for years just not to bother showing up for Barca/Real matches, or just playing the u19's. Something the EPL should consider. It really is pointless. You buy the league, plain and simple. The only thing that makes the EPL marginally better is the TV money is better distributed, but the gap is still ludricious.

[eamonn]

If we'd have "only" lost 2-1 tonight then goal difference would've still been in play, 2 worse than Wigan and scored the same number of goals as them, now it isn't.

Don't give up, Spurs and Arsenal could still rack-up nice tallies against Wigan to help funeral them.

[SoccerHQ]

If we'd have "only" lost 2-1 tonight then goal difference would've still been in play, 2 worse than Wigan and scored the same number of goals as them, now it isn't.

Don't give up, Spurs and Arsenal could still rack-up nice tallies against Wigan to help funeral them.

We thought that about Man. City away. Plus Chelsea could yet still beat us by a couple.

[Matt Collins]

We would've still probably lose if he'd taken out N'zog and put in Sylla but we may have made it a bit more difficult for them to score and still looked a threat ourselves given there would've been 3 strikers on the pitch albeit two of them out wide.

If we'd have "only" lost 2-1 tonight then goal difference would've still been in play, 2 worse than Wigan and scored the same number of goals as them, now it isn't.

I think it's unlikely goal difference will come into play now. But it's by no means that unlikely. It could move around pretty quickly - a 2 goal defeat for Wigan and a one goal win for us next weekend must be possible. And that's almost it in one go

[tomd2103]

Are the people claiming tactical lunacy the same ones that were heartened pre-kick off by the attacking intent?

Not me, I think he got it wrong and I stand by that, but I always think it's wrong to start nzogbis in that role.  Whenever he starts him there we struggle to maintain possession, I still think we should be trying bannan or delph (and bring Sylla in deeper) there.  Whenever we've looked our most effective we've had a worker in that AM role (holman at times early in the season, and for reading/QPR sylla and bannan shared it).  With the way we play we're very susceptible to giving teams far too much time to play at the back.  With us then having a high line they just drop the ball in behind Lowton or Bennett and look a threat.  When we have a 'busier' player in there we don't give teams that much time to look up and pick those long cross field passes.  That's the main reason I see a good player for that role as a key signing for next year (if we stay up).

Might be wrong Paul, but didn't N'Zogbia start on the right tonight?

[SamTheMouse]

Stupid team selection tonight. Should have flooded the midfield and tried to nick a win. The lack of a naturally defensive midfielder is costing us a high proportion of the goals we concede, due to nobody ever tracking back runners and nobody sliding over to cover the space behind the full backs when they go forward. Our defensive organisation is fucking diabolical. Lambert's had a season to sort it out, for god's sake.

[curiousorange]

If we'd have "only" lost 2-1 tonight then goal difference would've still been in play, 2 worse than Wigan and scored the same number of goals as them, now it isn't.

Don't give up, Spurs and Arsenal could still rack-up nice tallies against Wigan to help funeral them.

We thought that about Man. City away. Plus Chelsea could yet still beat us by a couple.

This goal difference thing is a red herring. If we pull back to Wigan's total, we'll have been getting better results than them and so survive. If it remains the same, it means we don't have any form and will probably have been overtaken by Wigan anyway.