WBA v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[Legion]

I want ten. With a dodgy penalty decision aswell.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Any win would do me ......

[The Man With A Stick]

Ten nil, the second five of which are dodgy penalties.

[jeowje]

Genuinely never understood why people crave these one-nil dodgy penalty type scenarios. The best way to get at your rivals, to remind them exactly 'what they are' is to outplay them and win convincingly, scoring good goals?! When we win undeservedly it always takes the shine off it for me, and when we lose undeservedly through bad officiating, it tends to offer more than a crumb of comfort (ie Chelsea away).

Smacks of small heathens hating us more than they love the blues.

[dekko]

^^^
I want to smash them all over the park as well.  But if we win by a dodgy penalty, it'll be really really really funny.

[Ads]

Genuinely never understood why people crave these one-nil dodgy penalty type scenarios. The best way to get at your rivals, to remind them exactly 'what they are' is to outplay them and win convincingly, scoring good goals?! When we win undeservedly it always takes the shine off it for me, and when we lose undeservedly through bad officiating, it tends to offer more than a crumb of comfort (ie Chelsea away).

Smacks of small heathens hating us more than they love the blues.

The Albion have apparently complained to the league on four occasions about penalties this season. "It bay fair Tom!". That club has a history of vaulting onto the moral high-horse and if you really wanted to make their heads explode, then some dubious decision would be the way to do it.

And you have it the wrong way round. The fact they hate us down to the very fibre of our being, is exactly why it would be absolutely, bloody hilarious.

Of course if we want to stick a shed load past them, then that is fine too.

[Legion]

They have now had an 'apology'.

[Legion]

Sorry!

[Damo70]

Now they are just waiting for that apology from Tim Buzaglo.

[Clampy]

They have now had an 'apology'.

How it should have been done.

[danlanza]

I like that. That is very, very funny. 3-1 Villa by the way.

[paul_e]

I'm not ok with them making it public that they got a phone call to apologise, that's pathetic as far as I'm concerned, every team has shit decisions against them, most probably complain and I'm sure a fair few get apologies, but to make that public and talk about doing it for the benefit of 'everyone' is just a desperate attempt to influence refs in their favour.

I'd be happy to see them get a dodgy decision against them every game after the Herd sending off a few years ago where Hodgson and Olsson just outright lied about the incident.

[Clampy]

It'll be interesting to see how many decisions they get now this has come out. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if they got a penalty on Monday.

[Boz]

It'll be interesting to see how many decisions they get now this has come out. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if they got a penalty on Monday.

I suspect they've gone public about the apology before our game in an effort to sway officials to lean towards them for close decisions next Monday. A bit like SAF and his tricks before big games.

[eastie]

By James Nursey | 21/11/13 

It's the West Brom v Aston Villa derby on Monday night.

It's set to be another closely-fought encounter with both sides level on 14 points in the Premier League. Last season the clubs drew 1-1 at Villa Park and 2-2 at The Hawthorns.

And it will be highly ironic if in-form Baggies midfielder Morgan Amalfitano helps decide Monday's televised contest.

Because I understand Amalfitano was actually lined up to come to Villa Park in the summer of 2011 on a bargain Bosman by then-boss Gerard Houllier.

The French manager clearly had excellent contacts back in his native France because he also had a deal teed up for Yohan Cabaye.

At the time Amalfitano was producing consistently good performances in Ligue 1 with Lorient and was out of contract that summer. As it transpired, Houllier was forced to step down from his managerial role at Villa due to recurring health problems.

Houllier's long-standing transfer targets were shelved as he quit the club in June 2011. Lille midfielder Cabaye went on to sign for Newcastle and be a smash hit there, while Amalfitano instead went on to sign for Marseille in July.

But I understand from Villa Park sources both men held talks - with Cabaye visiting the training ground - and were likely to join.

Amalfitano did eventually turn up in the West Midlands when loaned out by Marseille this summer. Since then the attacking French midfielder, 28, has been a revelation at Albion and quickly endeared himself to fans.



He already has two league goals and his arrival on deadline day has really helped transform the Baggies' prospects. And you could arguably say his creative midfield talents are exactly what Villa need right now as they have struggled for goals of late.

They visit Albion off the back of a 2-0 home win over Cardiff which ended a run of four games without a goal. But Albion have been consistently decent since their shrewd deadline days deals for Amalfitano, Stephane Sessegnon and Victor Anichebe.

They have subsequently drawn with Arsenal and Chelsea and beaten Manchester United. The 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge last time out would have been an incredible victory but for a late controversial refereeing decision to award the hosts a penalty.

It left Steve Clarke's side badly aggrieved and tempers spilled over the tunnel afterwards when Jose Mourinho insulted Albion with his "Mickey Mouse" slur.

The simmering frustration of the fall-out from the Bridge is unlikely to have to dissipated much despite the international break. It will be an added element into a fascinating derby which was already sure to be closely-fought.

And it would be a huge irony if some magic from Amalfitano settles the game.

It would probably be enough to make Houllier - now working as sporting director of the New York Red Bulls - reach for a glass of his preferred French red wine.

But such a scenario may leave the Villa hierarchy spluttering.