The Match of the Day Thread

[eastie]

I still think the 2nd yellow for koscielney is very harsh though, not because he'd already been booked (which should have no relevance on a 2nd booking anyway) but because it was nothing more than a bit clumsy, the mertesacker tackle on Benteke a few seconds later was far worse.

I think it was given because of the impact it would have had on our movement rather than any amount of malice or danger. Had he not brought down Weimann then we had him and Benteke both running unchallenged at Mertesacker.

It's why I'm amazed that Vlaar didn't receive a second yellow, as his foul was very similar. Nothing more than clumsy, but in a position which prevented a very promising Arsenal attack.

I agree with that dave , i expected to see Vlaar off when their player went down .

[peter w]

To be fair to Savage, if you don't know the laws of the game then he is right, it wasn't a penalty.

[IFWaters]

We all have to realise that all the media coverage - TV, internet, papers is very biased towards 5 or 6 teams who the writers are fans of, and whom the pundits are drawn from. If, as I expect this season, we surprise a few and challenge the 'elite' you can bet your house the usual cliches will be trotted out - one man team, emerging force etc. One I don't see, but I believe is the truth is that Villa are the team who encapsulate the term 'sleeping giant' more than any other premier league team past or present. I think this manager, with sensible backing, could exceed what MON achieved. I think he knows what he is doing and is creating something very special.

[martyn ellis]

I walked all the way there and all the way back (three miles each way). Dropped into my daughter's flat on the way back for a celebratory beer and listened to grumpy gooners moaning about dirty villa and terrible refs. And also abusive texts from my gooner mate complaining about bent refs and cheting villa. Great day.

[JUAN PABLO]

so who was the Villa fan that dropped his child , just to try and grab Bentekes shirt.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

I walked all the way there and all the way back (three miles each way). Dropped into my daughter's flat on the way back for a celebratory beer and listened to grumpy gooners moaning about dirty villa and terrible refs. And also abusive texts from my gooner mate complaining about bent refs and cheting villa. Great day.

That's reminded me, walking back to the Tube after the game I overheard 2 Arse fans saying that "Agbonlahor is Shit!".

I chipped in, "Well he just ripped your team apart!". I don't think they were expecting a Villa fan to be listening. They suddenly went quiet. Sill not sure if they were arrogant or just stupid.

[rob_bridge]

I walked all the way there and all the way back (three miles each way). Dropped into my daughter's flat on the way back for a celebratory beer and listened to grumpy gooners moaning about dirty villa and terrible refs. And also abusive texts from my gooner mate complaining about bent refs and cheting villa. Great day.

That's reminded me, walking back to the Tube after the game I overheard 2 Arse fans saying that "Agbonlahor is Shit!".

I chipped in, "Well he just ripped your team apart!". I don't think they were expecting a Villa fan to be listening. They suddenly went quiet. Sill not sure if they were arrogant or just stupid.

Probably just plain stupid.

[Ads]

Shearer and MotD in general actually impressed me for once with their analysis.

The only disagreement I would have is that Gabby was going away from goal and so it wasn’t a goal scoring opportunity. If for arguments sake Chesney Hawkes hadn’t brought Gabby down, then Gabby’s next stride would have been to have slotted the ball into an empty net.

[Ad@m]

If for arguments sake Chesney Hawkes hadn’t brought Gabby down, then Gabby’s next stride would have been to have slotted the ball into an empty net.

Having seen Gabby when he's got time to think about things I'm not necessarily sure it would've been!!

[sirlordbaltimore]

I'm sure that second will be rescinded.

What annoys me is a millisecond after the non challenge on Weimann,  Mertesacker does a two foot lunge that Benteke brushes past and he got no card or even a talking too

[rob_bridge]

Generally it seems MOTD have upped their game. Linekar sounded and acted more professional, Shearer seems to actually have put in thought nowadays rather than trot out the very tired old cliches, they have binned Lawro which was important as he is lazy and drags everyone down to his own level with his totally unfunny infantile quips, replaced him with Murphy who seems half decent and Hansen was shoved to MOTD2.

[Concrete John]

Shearer and MotD in general actually impressed me for once with their analysis.

The only disagreement I would have is that Gabby was going away from goal and so it wasn’t a goal scoring opportunity. If for arguments sake Chesney Hawkes hadn’t brought Gabby down, then Gabby’s next stride would have been to have slotted the ball into an empty net.

Totally agree and posted similar on the match thread earlier.

[paul_e]

I'm sure that second will be rescinded.

What annoys me is a millisecond after the non challenge on Weimann,  Mertesacker does a two foot lunge that Benteke brushes past and he got no card or even a talking too

It can't be, you can't appeal a yellow or appeal a ban resultant from 2 yellows.

Unless it's changed.

Mertesacker was very lucky to get away with that one, everyone I was watching with thought that's what the foul was given for and that he was clearly getting a booking, it was a really poor challenge, mistimed and 2footed, he got away with it largely because his studs were down, studs up and they'd have had both central defenders red carded at the same time.  I side on the koscielney one being more clumsy than reckless but I agree it's borderline.

[eastie]

Generally it seems MOTD have upped their game. Linekar sounded and acted more professional, Shearer seems to actually have put in thought nowadays rather than trot out the very tired old cliches, they have binned Lawro which was important as he is lazy and drags everyone down to his own level with his totally unfunny infantile quips, replaced him with Murphy who seems half decent and Hansen was shoved to MOTD2.

They are rotating their panel and the likes of savage, Dublin, Hansen and lawro are still very much part of the furniture - fortunately they werent on this week.

[darren woolley]

I enjoyed watching MOTD I like the new set up.