Liverpool v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Legion]

I wouldn't be fuming at all. Young used to really annoy me with his diving antics.

[Breezeblock]

I wouldn't be fuming at all. Young used to really annoy me with his diving antics.

What he said!

[Legion]

I posted earlier in this thread that if one of my kids did the same I'd take him/her off for a chat and tell the penalty-taker to miss. I don't care if I'm called righteous for this, it's something I believe in strongly.

[onje_villa]

I'm sure we all agree that cheating is a problem in the game, people dive all over the place in every match in the league these days, including dare I say it, Aston Villa players.

[SheffieldVillain]

I'm quite shocked by some of the vitriol on here frankly, the decision was a bit soft but I saw plenty of fouls on Sturridge that weren't given in the first half. Let's turn it down a bit eh?

Whether there were fouls on Sturridge earlier in the game is entirely irrelevant to the fact that Suarez deliberately dived to get the penalty.

He's a cheat. It wasn't gamemanship, it wasn't him 'winning the penalty', it was cheating plain and simple. The decision wasn't 'a bit soft', it was wrong.

As for the 'vitriol', I don't think you can expect anything else when an act of cheating cost Villa the win. People are hardly going to have a little chuckle to themselves and say 'ooh, that Suarez, cheeky little player he is'. As has been proven many, many times, he's a horrible little cheat. I haven't seen anyone say anything more than that.

[Nev]

I posted earlier in this thread that if one of my kids did the same I'd take him/her off for a chat and tell the penalty-taker to miss. I don't care if I'm called righteous for this, it's something I believe in strongly.

Quite right. Ashley Young's departure was something the celebrate for us. It's a hollow victory if gained by dishonesty and cheating.

[onje_villa]

I posted earlier in this thread that if one of my kids did the same I'd take him/her off for a chat and tell the penalty-taker to miss. I don't care if I'm called righteous for this, it's something I believe in strongly.

I respect that and I don't doubt you mean it. But neither do I believe we've been hugely wronged here, it was in my eyes a borderline decision.

It went against us, as other decisions go for us and against others.

[onje_villa]

I'm quite shocked by some of the vitriol on here frankly, the decision was a bit soft but I saw plenty of fouls on Sturridge that weren't given in the first half. Let's turn it down a bit eh?

Whether there were fouls on Sturridge earlier in the game is entirely irrelevant to the fact that Suarez deliberately dived to get the penalty.

He's a cheat. It wasn't gamemanship, it wasn't him 'winning the penalty', it was cheating plain and simple. The decision wasn't 'a bit soft', it was wrong.

As for the 'vitriol', I don't think you can expect anything else when an act of cheating cost Villa the win. People are hardly going to have a little chuckle to themselves and say 'ooh, that Suarez, cheeky little player he is'. As has been proven many, many times, he's a horrible little cheat. I haven't seen anyone say anything more than that.

I've seen plenty of people who think that actually it was a penalty. I think on reflection it wasn't but I was in no way amazed that it was given.

[SheffieldVillain]

I'm quite shocked by some of the vitriol on here frankly, the decision was a bit soft but I saw plenty of fouls on Sturridge that weren't given in the first half. Let's turn it down a bit eh?

Whether there were fouls on Sturridge earlier in the game is entirely irrelevant to the fact that Suarez deliberately dived to get the penalty.

He's a cheat. It wasn't gamemanship, it wasn't him 'winning the penalty', it was cheating plain and simple. The decision wasn't 'a bit soft', it was wrong.

As for the 'vitriol', I don't think you can expect anything else when an act of cheating cost Villa the win. People are hardly going to have a little chuckle to themselves and say 'ooh, that Suarez, cheeky little player he is'. As has been proven many, many times, he's a horrible little cheat. I haven't seen anyone say anything more than that.

I've seen plenty of people who think that actually it was a penalty. I think on reflection it wasn't but I was in no way amazed that it was given.

I don't at all blame the referee for giving it, Suarez's acting was top notch. But it was acting and it was cheating. No amount of Shearer, Lineker and assorted other media types giving it the 'he was just being clever', 'he won the penalty', 'I'd have done the same' alters that.

[ktvillan]

I thought Holt did well for what he did, no problems there, especially in his actual ball retention, but the loss of shape dragged us down a bit, and it's depressing to see Lambert, after watching a half where short passing through the midfield worked so incredibly well, suddenly thought "okay, now let's try lumping it forward". Once you've got it right, there's no excuse for then getting it wrong again.

Spot on.  It is a concern that Lambert seems to prefer that approach of sticking two big men up front and playing it long, even when the other method is proving far more effective.  His tactical nous, or lack thereof could be his undoing in the longer term.

[Monty]

I thought Holt did well for what he did, no problems there, especially in his actual ball retention, but the loss of shape dragged us down a bit, and it's depressing to see Lambert, after watching a half where short passing through the midfield worked so incredibly well, suddenly thought "okay, now let's try lumping it forward". Once you've got it right, there's no excuse for then getting it wrong again.

Spot on.  It is a concern that Lambert seems to prefer that approach of sticking two big men up front and playing it long, even when the other method is proving far more effective.  His tactical nous, or lack thereof could be his undoing in the longer term.

I just hope he gives in to the evidence of what clearly works and what clearly doesn't. He has shown himself to be open to adjustment in the past, so lets hope he does so here. Not overly hopeful, but considerably more hopeful than I was 26 hours ago.

[Legion]

Night and day that was compared to our recent performances. Westwood and El Ahmadi were energised. Westwood has looked so pedestrian of late. A shame we couldn't keep it up but it does show we do have players when we get it right. I do hope we can build on it and that Lambert still prioritises getting in a creative midfielder.

Have to say I find some of the defensive stuff on here pretty embarrassing. If Gabby had won that penalty, nothing would have been said. I'm not saying Suarez didn't milk it but Guzan's positioning in recent times hasn't been brilliant. Shot-stopping yes but often recently he's been found half-way between the striker and the goal and he's paid the price.

I'm quite shocked by some of the vitriol on here frankly, the decision was a bit soft but I saw plenty of fouls on Sturridge that weren't given in the first half. Let's turn it down a bit eh?

I personally thought I was quite polite and restrained in my opinion of him:

[onje_villa]

I'm quite shocked by some of the vitriol on here frankly, the decision was a bit soft but I saw plenty of fouls on Sturridge that weren't given in the first half. Let's turn it down a bit eh?

Whether there were fouls on Sturridge earlier in the game is entirely irrelevant to the fact that Suarez deliberately dived to get the penalty.

He's a cheat. It wasn't gamemanship, it wasn't him 'winning the penalty', it was cheating plain and simple. The decision wasn't 'a bit soft', it was wrong.

As for the 'vitriol', I don't think you can expect anything else when an act of cheating cost Villa the win. People are hardly going to have a little chuckle to themselves and say 'ooh, that Suarez, cheeky little player he is'. As has been proven many, many times, he's a horrible little cheat. I haven't seen anyone say anything more than that.

I've seen plenty of people who think that actually it was a penalty. I think on reflection it wasn't but I was in no way amazed that it was given.

I don't at all blame the referee for giving it, Suarez's acting was top notch. But it was acting and it was cheating. No amount of Shearer, Lineker and assorted other media types giving it the 'he was just being clever', 'he won the penalty', 'I'd have done the same' alters that.

No, I've seen plenty of people who genuinely feel that it was a penalty. Like I said, I'm undecided but at worst it's a soft decision, there is no conclusive evidence one way or the other (no, not even that Vine...).

And what about Bacuna, was that cheating? Anyway, I'm taking Devil's advocate to the extreme here as I don't especially like the bloke but I think we're overdoing the victim thing here a bit

[ktvillan]

I have to say dive or no dive it was still a penalty, the contact was so minimal but there was some.

Sorry Ian J but reading monumental bollocks like that like makes me despair for the human race,  to want to turn my back on football and kill small furry animals. I'll try and speak loudly and slowly so you understand:

IT'S A FUCKING CONTACT SPORT AND MINIMAL CONTACT DOES NOT= A FOUL.  Geddit? 
IF IT'S A DIVE IT CAN'T POSSIBLY BE A FOUL - they are mutually exclusive, although I sincerely doubt you would know what that means.

[SheffieldVillain]

No, I've seen plenty of people who genuinely feel that it was a penalty. Like I said, I'm undecided but at worst it's a soft decision, there is no conclusive evidence one way or the other (no, not even that Vine...).

And what about Bacuna, was that cheating? Anyway, I'm taking Devil's advocate to the extreme here as I don't especially like the bloke but I think we're overdoing the victim thing here a bit

Again, the incident with Bacuna is irrelevant to the discussion about the penalty. One incident doesn't impact on the other.