Aston Villa v Blackpool Post-Match Thread

[pauliewalnuts]

Plenty of people in the group think Lambert should go but booing the team at half time and chanting for his head druing the game isn't the way to go about voicing those concerns. I doubt i'd still be following the villa if i went for the football because it's fucking tedious stuff, i go to have a good day out with mates and to back the team till i can no longer speak.

I agree, booing during the match or at half time strikes me as a bit pointless, and i totally understand why you go to the match - one of my most enjoyable seasons going home and most aways was the 87-8 second division year, and that wasn't because we played brilliant football, it was because we had a series of really great days out, both home and away (and away meant getting pissed in a lot of places I'd never been pissed in before - and haven't since, in many cases).

However, just as you go for the social side of it as well as the football, there will be a lot of people who go mainly for the football, and will therefore be judging the match on totally different criteria to you.

People in the Upper Trinity, for example, or older people wherever they sit, don't go to shout themselves hoarse or bounce up and down for 90 minutes, so they are clearly going to be judging things on a slightly different basis to most people in the Upper Holte.

I just think it is dodgy territory when anyone (whatever the argument) starts to find fault with what others get out of the matches, or how they act, when really, we're not all going there for the same thing.

If I thought we merited it, I'd boo at full time, too. But I wouldn't boo during the match, and I wouldn't throw insults at the manager, either. However, at matches before, I have seen people doing both those things.

I just put it down to them having a different experience to me, and that people will react differently to poor performances.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

Come May we will be acknowledging this win as a master stroke of a tactical genius.

[danno]

Apart from the win and clean sheet, the only positives were not picking up any more injuries or suspensions.
Clark and Okore in particular.

[olaftab]

Come May we will be acknowledging this win as a master stroke of a tactical genius.

Come what may we know outwitting Lee Clarke is a master stroke. After all he is a genius as he nearly ruined Small Heath.

[olaftab]

Paul's purple patch producing purposeless possession.

You've got too much time on your hands Leeg!

It WAS teachers training day today!

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

paulie!
I sit - rarely - on the back row of the Trinity Middle - I'm not blocking anyone's view so the stewards are often prepared to turn a blind eye - and DO usually shout myself hoarse, get pretty irate like a number of those around me, and am a bit of a pain to my lovable, patient stewards. Some of our clashes with away twats in the boxes just behind us have become a significant feature of some games v ManU, Arse etc.
But, I know exactly what you mean.
A fair majority of those around me are very passive and tend to be less passionate in their behaviour. The looks on their faces, however, tell a different story. I never leave before the end of a game, for instance,  but many of them do. They look soaked in a marinade of dull inevitability.
I would never boo the team myself - wherever I sat/stood - and those around me rarely do either. I just don't think it helps achieve anything at the time.
An organised protest after the game, or at some other appropriate date/time to create maximum effect, would get my full support. I'd be there, depending upon its purpose.
The mood created by the vociferous, ebullient Holte-Enders can be very infectious!
Spent 40 years in there and loved it! 

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Paul's purple patch producing purposeless possession.

You've got too much time on your hands Leeg!

It WAS teachers training day today!

Explains everything!

Including a day with the focus on language development!
;-)

[paul_e]

The only thing I'll say in favour of booing during the game (and the lambert out chants) is that they're the things that the press pick up and there's been a pretty clear shift in how our game was reported with a lot more focus on just how dull we've become. Protests after the game or boos at full time don't do that, that's why things like McLeish' Bolton game happen, everyone knew he was a dead duck after that game and the rest of the season was just stalling the inevitable.

A home defeat in the next couple of months could well become the same point for Lambert if he doesn't find a way of making us worth watching.

I don't like the booing and I don't think I could join in but I totally understand why people do it and I think it's incorrect to assume that it doesn't make any difference.

[Witton Warrior]

The booing is sometimes at the result, sometimes at the performance and sometimes aimed at a manager, it seems to rarely be aimed at the team collectively.

I sang for Lambert to go, only the second Villa manager I have ever done that to (TSM the other) in 40 years - I think we are singing it 12 months too late to be honest.

I did it because I am sick of turning up and watching the various forms of tactical stupidity he is inflicting. It may be better that I don't turn up if it upsets others if I have my say but I don't think it makes much difference to be honest. Having a protest after the game isn't going to happen. Marching up to the McGregor statue pre-match may be noted?

[dave shelley]

I've read most of this thread but, I don't think I've seen much mention of just how good a pass that was from Sanchez to Benteke for the goal. Outside of the right foot wasn't it?  Apologies if it has been mentioned.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

IMHO we should turn up.
I want to watch and support my team...I want us to win and I want to play my, albeit minimal part in that. I want the players to love us cheering them on and appreciating us inspiring them to that bit extra that we can give them. But I hate what Lambert seems to be doing to that team and I don't know how I can communicate that opinion.
Booing the team at any point in the game doesn't seem right if we can see it's the shite set-up that's the problem.
I don't know what we can do tbh.

[PeterWithesShin]

Unless we are getting twatted out of sight i'm not a fan of booing etc during a game. Open season at the final whistle though.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

I've read most of this thread but, I don't think I've seen much mention of just how good a pass that was from Sanchez to Benteke for the goal. Outside of the right foot wasn't it?  Apologies if it has been mentioned.

One of my points on another thread ds.
He plays a brilliantly safe game imho but varies it now and then with a risky/opportunistic/positive pass designed to catch the opposition out.
His pass on Sunday was a perfect example.
But watch him - he does it all the time. Passes to a player who seems to be marked but gives it to him on the side where the player can easily move away from his marker and go on and do something else...easily taking the marker out and opening up the play.
He is also one of the few players who gives the ball and immediately moves into space to get it back, if needed.
IMO he is the best player we have by a million miles!

Has he got a few mates back in Colombia?

[bruisedshins]

Plenty of people in the group think Lambert should go but booing the team at half time and chanting for his head druing the game isn't the way to go about voicing those concerns. I doubt i'd still be following the villa if i went for the football because it's fucking tedious stuff, i go to have a good day out with mates and to back the team till i can no longer speak.

I agree, booing during the match or at half time strikes me as a bit pointless, and i totally understand why you go to the match - one of my most enjoyable seasons going home and most aways was the 87-8 second division year, and that wasn't because we played brilliant football, it was because we had a series of really great days out, both home and away (and away meant getting pissed in a lot of places I'd never been pissed in before - and haven't since, in many cases).

However, just as you go for the social side of it as well as the football, there will be a lot of people who go mainly for the football, and will therefore be judging the match on totally different criteria to you.

People in the Upper Trinity, for example, or older people wherever they sit, don't go to shout themselves hoarse or bounce up and down for 90 minutes, so they are clearly going to be judging things on a slightly different basis to most people in the Upper Holte.

I just think it is dodgy territory when anyone (whatever the argument) starts to find fault with what others get out of the matches, or how they act, when really, we're not all going there for the same thing.

If I thought we merited it, I'd boo at full time, too. But I wouldn't boo during the match, and I wouldn't throw insults at the manager, either. However, at matches before, I have seen people doing both those things.

I just put it down to them having a different experience to me, and that people will react differently to poor performances.

I agree that's it's fairly pointless in suggesting how people should support the team and i don't expect any the Trinity to spontaneously break into the huddle, but we've had so many people calling for more support for the team at home, I think it was 97% of those asked in the supporters trust survey thought that the atmosphere needs improving and a lot of those people questioned must go to games. Improving the atmosphere isn't rocket science, it's a matter of singing and clapping. Now i know some people want to sit and watch the game but to hear nothing from vast sections of the Holte apart from a couple of renditions of "we want Lambert out" is a bit soul sapping.

[pauliewalnuts]

Plenty of people in the group think Lambert should go but booing the team at half time and chanting for his head druing the game isn't the way to go about voicing those concerns. I doubt i'd still be following the villa if i went for the football because it's fucking tedious stuff, i go to have a good day out with mates and to back the team till i can no longer speak.

I agree, booing during the match or at half time strikes me as a bit pointless, and i totally understand why you go to the match - one of my most enjoyable seasons going home and most aways was the 87-8 second division year, and that wasn't because we played brilliant football, it was because we had a series of really great days out, both home and away (and away meant getting pissed in a lot of places I'd never been pissed in before - and haven't since, in many cases).

However, just as you go for the social side of it as well as the football, there will be a lot of people who go mainly for the football, and will therefore be judging the match on totally different criteria to you.

People in the Upper Trinity, for example, or older people wherever they sit, don't go to shout themselves hoarse or bounce up and down for 90 minutes, so they are clearly going to be judging things on a slightly different basis to most people in the Upper Holte.

I just think it is dodgy territory when anyone (whatever the argument) starts to find fault with what others get out of the matches, or how they act, when really, we're not all going there for the same thing.

If I thought we merited it, I'd boo at full time, too. But I wouldn't boo during the match, and I wouldn't throw insults at the manager, either. However, at matches before, I have seen people doing both those things.

I just put it down to them having a different experience to me, and that people will react differently to poor performances.

I agree that's it's fairly pointless in suggesting how people should support the team and i don't expect any the Trinity to spontaneously break into the huddle, but we've had so many people calling for more support for the team at home, I think it was 97% of those asked in the supporters trust survey thought that the atmosphere needs improving and a lot of those people questioned must go to games. Improving the atmosphere isn't rocket science, it's a matter of singing and clapping. Now i know some people want to sit and watch the game but to hear nothing from vast sections of the Holte apart from a couple of renditions of "we want Lambert out" is a bit soul sapping.

It is really reflecting the nature of our games these days, which are also soul sapping - :-(

A chicken and egg situation, really, and you could put forward a decent argument over which of those needs to come first, but the fact is, there are a load of depressing statistics about Villa these days, and the ones at home are the worst.

It's not really surprising things are like they are.

In fact, if anything is surprising, it is that it has taken this long.