Chelsea v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Gregorys Boy]

my thoughts on last night

second half, as proud of a Villa team than I can remember for many a year

Delph, outstanding

Chelsea, the club, Stadium, fans a more soulless football club you will not find

Ref- homer

song of the night - 'weve got the special one' to P Lambert

Agree on the above except on the Chelsea fans, I actually thought they were ok. In terms of noise they were a hell of a lot better than Arsenal (not that difficult I admit). And I was actually able to have some relatively level-headed chat with a couple of them in the pub after the game. Agree that the club is soul-less bullshit (a copper told us to turn left at the Marco Pierre White restaurant, enough said!) but I actually think the ground is pretty good as well (steep sides, proper square sides, full-house, a bit of noise from the home fans).

Chelsea are one of those clubs who always had a strong fan base during the darker years, but suddenly because of all the money and the last decade being their most successful ever they have become like Man Utd fans at Old Trafford where they expect to win every game, and very rarely make a lot of noise unless its a big game or the team are destroying someone. 

[pauliewalnuts]

One of the most horrible sights in football is these days when Chelsea play pre season in Asia and there are tens of thousands of enthusiastic Chinese people wearing their shirts, having hopped onto the bandwagon in the last ten years or so.

Horrible.

[gpbarr]

Probably in the minority here but the moaning ought cease so we can talk about the positives instead - yes we were on the end of some poor decisions but then truth be told, we got some pretty good ones on Saturday (if Ivanovic should have been sent off tonight, I think Koscielny was unlucky to be sent off Saturday, if we should have had the Terry penalty, we were lucky to get the Arsenal 2nd penalty, etc) - its been said before and it'll be said again - these things even themselves out over the season and thats part of the game.

On the positives - the team really impressed me overall as a unit, Delph is turning into a star (Lambert's getting the best out of him), I thought 2nd half we were the better team, and I never expected anything from this game anyway so frankly, I went to bed feeling proud and happy that this Villa side is starting to make waves. Thats how far we have come in 18 months under Lambert.

Roll on Liverpool - my only worry is tired legs as they have had a full week to rest and last night would have taken a lot out of the team - but they are there for the taking so long we stay attack minded and 'go again'

 

[barrysleftfoot]

 Very impressed with the organization of the team yday, marshalled magnificentaly by Vlaar.Delph MOM, but KEA and Westwood closed down space, closed down players very very well.

 Taking into account the quality of the opposition, we limited them to very few chances last night.Defensively, apart from the 1st goal, very good.

 Their 2nd, he should'nt have been on the pitch, it was'nt a free kick, but more importantly, HE WAS OFFSIDE.

[Gregorys Boy]

Probably in the minority here but the moaning ought cease so we can talk about the positives instead - yes we were on the end of some poor decisions but then truth be told, we got some pretty good ones on Saturday (if Ivanovic should have been sent off tonight, I think Koscielny was unlucky to be sent off Saturday, if we should have had the Terry penalty, we were lucky to get the Arsenal 2nd penalty, etc) - its been said before and it'll be said again - these things even themselves out over the season and thats part of the game.

On the positives - the team really impressed me overall as a unit, Delph is turning into a star (Lambert's getting the best out of him), I thought 2nd half we were the better team, and I never expected anything from this game anyway so frankly, I went to bed feeling proud and happy that this Villa side is starting to make waves. Thats how far we have come in 18 months under Lambert.

Roll on Liverpool - my only worry is tired legs as they have had a full week to rest and last night would have taken a lot out of the team - but they are there for the taking so long we stay attack minded and 'go again'

 

Indeed my thoughts exactly.

[tom jennings III]

my thoughts on last night

second half, as proud of a Villa team than I can remember for many a year

Delph, outstanding

Chelsea, the club, Stadium, fans a more soulless football club you will not find

Ref- homer

song of the night - 'weve got the special one' to P Lambert

Agree on the above except on the Chelsea fans, I actually thought they were ok. In terms of noise they were a hell of a lot better than Arsenal (not that difficult I admit). And I was actually able to have some relatively level-headed chat with a couple of them in the pub after the game. Agree that the club is soul-less bullshit (a copper told us to turn left at the Marco Pierre White restaurant, enough said!) but I actually think the ground is pretty good as well (steep sides, proper square sides, full-house, a bit of noise from the home fans).

Chelsea are one of those clubs who always had a strong fan base during the darker years, but suddenly because of all the money and the last decade being their most successful ever they have become like Man Utd fans at Old Trafford where they expect to win every game, and very rarely make a lot of noise unless its a big game or the team are destroying someone. 

Absolutely, it beggars believe the arrogance and expectation that comes from some fans, I really struggle to get my head around the idea of being a football fan only because "your" team is wildly successful and having absolutely no idea of what it's like to either work hard for your success or go through the darker times where winning a game feels like a pipedream let alone winning a trophy. The flipside to that is I would hate the idea of being thought of as a new fan only interested in Villa because they're winning things, not sure why I care what other people think, but it would be a dream come true for Villa to do it "the right way" and start winning a few pots at the expense of these bank-rolled, short-term success buying wankers.

[adrenachrome]

Just saw an interview with Morono on the Beeb. He was emphasising how PL complained about EVERY decision - not just the big ones but EVERY decision. Before he came back to the prem I'd almost forgotten what a self-absorbed cnut he was - that interview reminded me.

He said the same thing about MoN. He is full of it.

[Mazrim]

We didn't get good ones on Saturday, we got what was or correct. We should expect that and not accept that we will be shafted in certain games because we got fair refereeing in a previous game.
And even in the Arsenal game we had some harsh bookings and their keeper could and should have been sent off.

Concentrating on the positives is right and I agree. But to disregard corrupt and incompetent officiating isn't right either. It feels like accepting it and I can't do that.

[gpbarr]

Corrupt - no, thats too far of a theory for me and its one borne from frustration and not one from hard evidence.

Incompetent - yes absolutely. But the big decisions in the Arsenal game went our way, thats my only point.

So then, 6 Villa penalties and 10 Scouse sendings off on Saturday would do nicely ))

[JUAN PABLO]

We didn't get good ones on Saturday, we got what was or correct. We should expect that and not accept that we will be shafted in certain games because we got fair refereeing in a previous game.
And even in the Arsenal game we had some harsh bookings and their keeper could and should have been sent off.

Concentrating on the positives is right and I agree. But to disregard corrupt and incompetent officiating isn't right either. It feels like accepting it and I can't do that.

exactly

[JUAN PABLO]

the big decesions on saturday were right . Yes some refs ( probably friend ) would have chickened out and not give the pen , but it was correct .
Also the goalie could have been easily sent off and the Luna card was stupid.

Last nights refereeing was sunday park standard .  And to be honest Im still gutted .

[Billy Walker]

Absolutely, it beggars believe the arrogance and expectation that comes from some fans, I really struggle to get my head around the idea of being a football fan only because "your" team is wildly successful and having absolutely no idea of what it's like to either work hard for your success or go through the darker times where winning a game feels like a pipedream let alone winning a trophy. The flipside to that is I would hate the idea of being thought of as a new fan only interested in Villa because they're winning things, not sure why I care what other people think, but it would be a dream come true for Villa to do it "the right way" and start winning a few pots at the expense of these bank-rolled, short-term success buying wankers.

I just wish the media and fans would stop referring to these clubs as "the big clubs".  I was listening to a Villa fan on Talksport last night referring to "the big clubs" and "world clubs" (meaning Premier League clubs with a worldwide fanbase) and then reeling off the names of the likes of Man City.  It's total BS and a mentality that frustrates me massively.

*Apologies if the Villa fan was of this parish, but please, next time, call them "financially doped", "sugar-daddied", "bankrolled", "FFP-dodging"...anything but "big".

[LeeB]

Corrupt - no, thats too far of a theory for me and its one borne from frustration and not one from hard evidence.

Incompetent - yes absolutely. But the big decisions in the Arsenal game went our way, thats my only point.

So then, 6 Villa penalties and 10 Scouse sendings off on Saturday would do nicely ))

It's not direct corruption, it's more subtle than that. When Saturdays ref has similar decisions to make at one of the sky mobs in future, he's going to think twice, because last time when he gave the correct decisions he was 'rested' for the following weekend.

And it's his livelihood at the end of the day.

[olaftab]

I think that if he was punished on the pitch (with a yellow) he can't get anything worse retrospectively (or did I dream that?). If so it's a silly rule.

Yes you are right. How is your  grand dad by the way?

[Damo70]

We were unlucky but played well and the players will take a lot of positives and confidence from the game. We need to dig deep for one more big performance on Saturday before our PL holiday. I thought Mourinho was incredibly patronizing towards Lambert last night in his post match interview.