Manchester United vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Chico Hamilton III]

Bennett and Lowton have both shown promising signs recently and its a bit harsh to judge them on last nights performance considering the quality of the opposition- most defences would have been exposed by them.

But Bennett was even shit against Bradford. You could see them singling him out for special treatment as our weakest link

[eastie]

Bennett and Lowton have both shown promising signs recently and its a bit harsh to judge them on last nights performance considering the quality of the opposition- most defences would have been exposed by them.

But Bennett was even shit against Bradford. You could see them singling him out for special treatment as our weakest link

He was but his confidence and fitness have improved since then and the last couple of months he's looked a much better player- granted not the finished article and he needs to improve his defensive side but he is improving.

[PaulWinch again]

Bennett and Lowton have both shown promising signs recently and its a bit harsh to judge them on last nights performance considering the quality of the opposition- most defences would have been exposed by them.

But Bennett was even shit against Bradford. You could see them singling him out for special treatment as our weakest link

He was but his confidence and fitness have improved since then and the last couple of months he's looked a much better player- granted not the finished article and he needs to improve his defensive side but he is improving.

Agreed.

[alteavilla]

@martinlaurence7: Ron Vlaar completed 100% of his 36 pass attempts vs Man United last night - the 5th most passes in a PL game without misplacing a single one

Lies, damn lies and statistics. The thing with Vlaar is, when you really need him most he'll let you down. Another dreadful signing.

correct saunders

[PaulWinch again]

Also I'd rather have Bennett at left back than Baker, because it's really important that our full backs offer something going forward. We don't play with much width so our full backs need to be able to provide crosses, which both have done.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

KEA was great when he came on. He did a lot of running and closed people down. I think he deserves another season before we decide to discard him.

It's his lack of movement when we have the ball that disappoints me. How many times would he be standing no more than a yard or two from another Villa player? He doesn't create space, doesn't give the player with the ball options and by last nights performance, doesn't know how to play in our system as he only appears to have two speeds, 'stop' and 'slow'.

Keep him by all means but I'm yet to be convinced he answers any of our needs.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I've thought a lot about what I would say since the final whistle. From a pragmatic point of view, this result was always on the cards but there are several reasons why I'm actually quite pissed off with that result:

1. Offsides - 2 out of 3 "goals" being offside and Sky's casual dismissal of these facts in their analysis.
2. The odious one-sided commentary on sky. They were wetting themselves.
3. Giggs first half foul on Gabby after he goes in studs up. Bookable offence. What happens? Referee has a laugh with "Giggsy", no booking.

Still, I should have expected nothing less really.

It's why I hate the Plastics more than any other team. They know how to manipulate the whole football industry from the F.A. to the press. I've yet to find an article that mentions the offsides. Can you imagine if it was the other way round and Gabby had gone studs in on Giggs. There'd be a bloody witch hunt.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Having just watched all three goals again, it appears none were offside not that it makes me hate the Plastics any less.

[saunders_heroes]

Having just watched all three goals again, it appears none were offside not that it makes me hate the Plastics any less.

No I didn't think they were offside either. We lost fair and square. No point in looking for excuses.

[eastie]

Having just watched all three goals again, it appears none were offside not that it makes me hate the Plastics any less.

No I didn't think they were offside either. We lost fair and square. No point in looking for excuses.

All were marginal and close and could have gone either way , would have been a very brave linesman to chalk off the 2nd goal - i have no real complaints about last night- the best team won and we did ourselves credit in the 2nd half.

[saunders_heroes]

Having just watched all three goals again, it appears none were offside not that it makes me hate the Plastics any less.

No I didn't think they were offside either. We lost fair and square. No point in looking for excuses.

All were marginal and close and could have gone either way , would have been a very brave linesman to chalk off the 2nd goal - i have no real complaints about last night- the best team won and we did ourselves credit in the 2nd half.

There's nothing to take out of that game. We lost 3-0. Another terrible result of an absolutely terrible season. They deserve no credit whatsoever.

[eastie]

Having just watched all three goals again, it appears none were offside not that it makes me hate the Plastics any less.

No I didn't think they were offside either. We lost fair and square. No point in looking for excuses.

All were marginal and close and could have gone either way , would have been a very brave linesman to chalk off the 2nd goal - i have no real complaints about last night- the best team won and we did ourselves credit in the 2nd half.

There's nothing to take out of that game. We lost 3-0. Another terrible result of an absolutely terrible season. They deserve no credit whatsoever.

I disagree, at 3-0 early on and remembering what happened at the bridge we could have been in for a real hiding , the players didnt hide and did themselves credit in the 2nd half .

[pauliewalnuts]

Having just watched all three goals again, it appears none were offside not that it makes me hate the Plastics any less.

No I didn't think they were offside either. We lost fair and square. No point in looking for excuses.

They were offside.

That's not an excuse, as we were never going to win that match, but they looked offside to me.

[pauliewalnuts]

Having just watched all three goals again, it appears none were offside not that it makes me hate the Plastics any less.

No I didn't think they were offside either. We lost fair and square. No point in looking for excuses.

All were marginal and close and could have gone either way , would have been a very brave linesman to chalk off the 2nd goal - i have no real complaints about last night- the best team won and we did ourselves credit in the 2nd half.

There's nothing to take out of that game. We lost 3-0. Another terrible result of an absolutely terrible season. They deserve no credit whatsoever.

I disagree, at 3-0 early on and remembering what happened at the bridge we could have been in for a real hiding , the players didnt hide and did themselves credit in the 2nd half .

Exactly, eastie.

The whole "we were shit all over the park", "there's nothing to take from that game" is utter bollocks, which is so easily disproven, it's hard to take anyone seriously when they come out with it.

Precisely as you said, we looked like we were going to get a shafting at 3-0, a Chelsea style one which would have fucked our confidence for the vital remaining games. The fact we didn't, and we actually had a decent amount of the ball in the second half is quite clearly something to take from it.

In fact, it is a massive, massive bonus.

How would we be feeling today had we lost 8-0?

Still, some people just have to insist it's always utterly shit.

[Concrete John]

The match stats in terms of possession, shots and shots on target suggest we did something right.

I guess it was a decent performance, but the extra quality Utd have means decent is nowhere near enough.