Aston Villa v The Plastic Knobbers-Post Match Thread

[paulcomben]

Is the summary on BBC Text about tactically astute Villa beating a team worth 10x more with a world class goal? Don't be naive. It's all about Mourinho slagging off the ref, who had a brilliant match, except maybe the 2nd yellow for Willian was a bit soft. Disallowing Chelsea's goal was superb sharp-eyed officiating by ref and lineo.

[martyn ellis]

LOOK at the Holte End!! LISTEN to the Holte End - Guy Mowbray, BBC MOTD commentator. Beautiful moment, beautiful commentary. Will live long in the memory.

[martyn ellis]

Have that Ivanovic for the forearm smash. Have that Terry for the handball. And have that Mourinho ... for just being Mourinho. I know it's only a game but ...

[silhillvilla]

Seeing the Holte go mental under the floodlights. Don't think there's many better sights than that.

[Smirker]

Have that Ivanovic for the forearm smash. Have that Terry for the handball. And have that Mourinho ... for just being Mourinho. I know it's only a game but ...

Fuck em mate I'm stilling buzzing.

Delphy's goal 

[Richard E]

 18 pages in and I don't think I've seen the phrase 'papering over the cracks.' Things must be looking up

[olaftab]

I thought Chris Foy had an excellent match even though I was annoyed early on as he gave them all 50/50s. He consulted the other officials on their goal and Ramires red card. I was sure he had allowed the handball goal to stand and then changed his decision upon advise from linesman. I also liked the way blew for full time straight away after the injury time sending offs as he was not going to allow Chelsea to benefit from kerfuffle they caused.

[Clampy]

Is the summary on BBC Text about tactically astute Villa beating a team worth 10x more with a world class goal? Don't be naive. It's all about Mourinho slagging off the ref, who had a brilliant match, except maybe the 2nd yellow for Willian was a bit soft. Disallowing Chelsea's goal was superb sharp-eyed officiating by ref and lineo.

Bearing in mind that William went down far too easily whenever he got touched, he can't complain really. Besides, he didn't exactly make any attempt to get the ball.

[silhillvilla]

Ok , the morning after and all that . Let's not get carried away, this result merely papers over the cracks , Lambert out !!

[The Villa Werewolf]

Here's Rob Beasley's not at all biased take in The Sun:

CHELSEA’S title hopes were shown the red card by controversial referee Chris Foy at Villa Park.
For Foy took centre stage after sending off Blues boss Jose Mourinho, two of his players and disallowing a Blues goal.

Mourinho followed in the wake of Brazilian midfielders Ramires and Willian on a day of disaster for the league leaders.

Chelsea stay top but there is no doubt the title race is now Manchester City’s to lose.

But even City will not be able to believe the circumstances or the manner of their rival’s reverse.

The Londoners were bossing proceedings from the off, albeit without finding the cutting edge that has been an intermittent problem this term. Lots of possession and play but not enough penetration and invention.

But their hopes of edging home in the end went up in smoke when Willian was dismissed in the 69th minute.

A first-half booking for a foul came back to haunt him when he raced for the ball with match-winner Fabian Delph.

There did not seem much in it but Foy blew for a foul and then quickly reached into his pocket and brandished a second yellow and then a red.

It was a shocker of a decision It was barely a foul, let alone a booking — yet Foy went on and spoiled the game — and possibly this season’s great title race.

Inevitably, Chelsea were stunned and Delph made them pay with the winner.

And there was worse to follow as Ramires was sent off for what appeared to be a stamp.

That brought Villa manager Paul Lambert and some of his bench racing on to the pitch in protest.

When Foy raised his second red, Mourinho walked on the pitch to challenge him.

The Portuguese was then sent off and could not believe it, holding his arms out as if to ask “Why?”

A black day getting blacker by the moment.

And if the Blues do not win the league this season, the man in black will have played a key part in their downfall.

Foy has a remarkable record of red cards against Chelsea — and that is why his performance here will be scrutinised all the more.

Especially with Chelsea claiming the official was nowhere near as harsh on the Villa at equally key and controversial moments of the game.

It was as dramatic a tea-time encounter as there has ever been.

It all started with Manchester City’s lunchtime win at Hull, so the Blues needed to respond on a ground where Mourinho has never won. No pressure then.

Not that Chelsea showed any nerves in the first half as they set about redressing the balance.

First to threaten was Willian, who cut in smartly from the left to fire a right foot shot into the side-netting. Then Oscar played a clever one-two with him but flashed a shot wide of far post.

Villa’s first serious response came six minutes before the break as Christian Benteke saw his scissor-kick fly across Blues keeper Petr Cech but also wide of the far post.

Two minutes later, though, Chelsea thought they had grabbed an all-important lead.

Nemanja Matic squeezed the ball in at the far post after John Terry flicked on a corner.

But the goal was disallowed for handball, with Foy deeming the Serb had used his bicep to control the ball before forcing it home.

And Mourinho’s frustrations boiled over in the 44th minute.

Ramires surged free only to be taken out by last man Joe Bennett. The Blues boss was leaping on the touchline waving an imaginary red card but again Foy denied the Londoners, showing only a yellow.

And what a good yellow it was as Villa keeper Brad Guzan made easy work of the resulting free-kick from Oscar.

So it was stalemate at the break to crank up the pressure further on the table toppers.

But Chelsea were quickly on the front foot again straight from the restart.

A short corner on the hour saw Eden Hazard and Willian combine to carve out a shot on goal for Oscar but he hit it straight at Guzan on the goal-line.

And all the time the clock was ticking down.

Shortly after the game exploded as Willian saw red.

It was a huge decision. Not just in the context of this game but the ultimate destination of the title. City won with 10. Chelsea were now battling to avoid defeat with 10.

The London side threw caution to the wind and Ron Vlaar was booked for an edge-of-the-box foul on sub Andre Schurrle — Chelsea wanting a red to even things up.

From the free-kick Hazard bobbled a mis-hit beyond the far post. Typical of their finishing.

And then Villa snatched it.

Delph’s surging run made the opening, he fed sub Marc Albrighton and then raced for the return, flicking it home in front of the Holte End.

Chelsea’s dismay deepened with the injury-time dismissals of Ramires and Mourinho — but the biggest blow of all could now come in May.

[Richard E]

The most astonishing thing about that article is that it would suggest to anyone who didn't see it that there was some doubt over the Ramires sending off. As others have said, until the Chelsea disallowed goal the ref had given them everything.

I thought Vlaar in the second half looked more like a red than Bennett in the first, and I was convinced it would be given to even things up.

[MONCABA]

LOOK at the Holte End!! LISTEN to the Holte End - Guy Mowbray, BBC MOTD commentator. Beautiful moment, beautiful commentary. Will live long in the memory.

I heard the commentary this morning watching MOTD. Brought a lump
 to my throat.

[OzVilla]

I have no idea what game he was watching but it wasn't the same one as me.

In a nutshell, complete and utter biased bollocks.

[not3bad]

Good report from Rob Beasley of the Sun, taking care to show both viewpoints. 

[charleeco7]

Excellent team performance all round. Seemed to have sorted out the defending issues (when Vlaar is in the team that is). Thought the midfield three deserved a lot of credit, really got stuck in giving them no time on the ball.

It'll be a different game against Stoke though. We are set up to play well against teams who attack us, something that I doubt they'll do. Just need that clever player in the middle who can open teams up. UTV.