Aston Villa 2-0 Albion FA Cup Qtr Final post match thread

[Toronto Villa]

I'd have taken Pulis over Lambert. But i'd also have taken a dead squirrel over Lambert. And the day Pulis became Villa manager a part of me would died. The baseball cap wearing twat nozzle.

Okay, but just answer my points though as no one seems to be doing that?  Why?  Is it the style of play?  Is it that you think he comes off as smug?  I don't want to knock Sherwood as I think he deserves a chance to prove himself and of course he's had a pretty good start lol. But regardless of styles of play Pulis with the squad we have would have kept us up easy and I'd bet on him to move us forward next season with a bit of money to spend that is.  Sherwood still has that to prove IMO.

Just because you think Pulis would do well doesn't make it something you can pass of as fact and dismiss people who disagree.

Over 180 minutes this last few days it was the side playing the football that won.

No, that is fair, didn't mean to pass it off as fact.  But then some people are not addressing my points either.  As far as I can tell they are knocking Pulis based on his style of football, some annoying personality traits and the fact that he manages our local rivals.  If the WBA fans are really knocking him then they need their heads checking.

Of the three things you mentioned there, I only knocked him for his style of football. Even if he looks a complete tool in a cap, or that he manages them is immaterial. My point very simply is he is what it says on the tin. Once you have bought into Pulis, you get survival at a huge cost. It is Stoke City who mug, cheat and claw their way to a safe lower mid table stop year after year. Short term we would have been safe, and once that has sunk in you are left with the future under him.

Like I said, if that is a price you'd have paid for safety, then great. Not for me, and I would much rather take a risk on Sherwood than Pulis. And I even go so far as to argue given how we have played this week, that given an extra couple of months under Sherwood we'd be much safer by now also.

Fair enough.  I just think you are getting far too carried away because of a couple of good results.  Pulis did a far better job than you are giving him credit for at Stoke and did an excellent job in no time at all at Palace last season.  Whose to say that if he was Villa manager and had money to spend then he couldn't improve us greatly?  He has never really had the chance to do that at a big club as of yet.

How on earth am I getting carried away over two results? It has nothing to do with this week. It is years of evidence about Pulis as a manager. Pulis had plenty of financial support at Stoke and he created what we all saw. More money at Villa which I doubt he'd even get would get the same "style" of player that serves how he likes to play. Do you honestly think after all these years of playing a certain way, that more money would change him from a style that he is very comfortable with?

[Gregorys Boy]

I'd have taken Pulis over Lambert. But i'd also have taken a dead squirrel over Lambert. And the day Pulis became Villa manager a part of me would died. The baseball cap wearing twat nozzle.

Okay, but just answer my points though as no one seems to be doing that?  Why?  Is it the style of play?  Is it that you think he comes off as smug?  I don't want to knock Sherwood as I think he deserves a chance to prove himself and of course he's had a pretty good start lol. But regardless of styles of play Pulis with the squad we have would have kept us up easy and I'd bet on him to move us forward next season with a bit of money to spend that is.  Sherwood still has that to prove IMO.

Just because you think Pulis would do well doesn't make it something you can pass of as fact and dismiss people who disagree.

Over 180 minutes this last few days it was the side playing the football that won.

No, that is fair, didn't mean to pass it off as fact.  But then some people are not addressing my points either.  As far as I can tell they are knocking Pulis based on his style of football, some annoying personality traits and the fact that he manages our local rivals.  If the WBA fans are really knocking him then they need their heads checking.

Smethwick fans might have delusions of grandeur. But they watch their side more than we do, and if they are unhappy with the style of play, there might be something to it.

I am not disputing the style of play being bad, but if it gets the required results then whats the problem?

Because on some level football should still be entertainment.  It's a job for the players, but a passtime for us. 

And I say that as someone who wouldn't have been against the appointment of Pulis when we finally made Lambert walk the plank. Although that owed as much to the timing of the departure as anything else.

I get that and the ideal would be that we play decent football while winning matches, but first to achieve that we need to do the ugly bit first which is scrap for our lives.  Its impossible to say whether over time we would play a better style under Pulis or not.  Also I don't want us to turn into fans like some of Newcastle and West Ham fans who care about nothing but style of play no matter how many matches we lose as a result.

[pauliewalnuts]

I get that and the ideal would be that we play decent football while winning matches, but first to achieve that we need to do the ugly bit first which is scrap for our lives.  Its impossible to say whether over time we would play a better style under Pulis or not.  Also I don't want us to turn into fans like some of Newcastle and West Ham fans who care about nothing but style of play no matter how many matches we lose as a result.

You could always look at his past. Or his present, for that matter. Albion were negative for 180 minutes against us. They are starting to look like a Pulis side now.

[ChicagoLion]

Pulis bashing is going to happen so long as there are fans who think we've made a massive mistake missing out on him. When we beat him rtwice in a week and he makes himself look a bit of a tit in the post match interview it's bound to be at its worst.

There was only one team trying to play football yesterday, he has turned them into a niggling, dirty negative outfit who will pick up enough points to do nothing but survive and bore football fans.
Over the last week They/he got just what they deserved, F*** All.

[dave shelley]

One of their unwashed was bragging to his mates outside before the game in all seriousness about how he wanted to stab his Dad because he supports Wolves.

Did you give him your business card for future events Richard?

[Richard E]

I get that and the ideal would be that we play decent football while winning matches, but first to achieve that we need to do the ugly bit first which is scrap for our lives.  Its impossible to say whether over time we would play a better style under Pulis or not.  Also I don't want us to turn into fans like some of Newcastle and West Ham fans who care about nothing but style of play no matter how many matches we lose as a result.

You could always look at his past. Or his present, for that matter. Albion were negative for 180 minutes against us. They are starting to look like a Pulis side now.

Based on the two games this week, if you didn't know Pulis was their manager, you would have guessed.

[Gregorys Boy]

I'd have taken Pulis over Lambert. But i'd also have taken a dead squirrel over Lambert. And the day Pulis became Villa manager a part of me would died. The baseball cap wearing twat nozzle.

Okay, but just answer my points though as no one seems to be doing that?  Why?  Is it the style of play?  Is it that you think he comes off as smug?  I don't want to knock Sherwood as I think he deserves a chance to prove himself and of course he's had a pretty good start lol. But regardless of styles of play Pulis with the squad we have would have kept us up easy and I'd bet on him to move us forward next season with a bit of money to spend that is.  Sherwood still has that to prove IMO.

Just because you think Pulis would do well doesn't make it something you can pass of as fact and dismiss people who disagree.

Over 180 minutes this last few days it was the side playing the football that won.

No, that is fair, didn't mean to pass it off as fact.  But then some people are not addressing my points either.  As far as I can tell they are knocking Pulis based on his style of football, some annoying personality traits and the fact that he manages our local rivals.  If the WBA fans are really knocking him then they need their heads checking.

Of the three things you mentioned there, I only knocked him for his style of football. Even if he looks a complete tool in a cap, or that he manages them is immaterial. My point very simply is he is what it says on the tin. Once you have bought into Pulis, you get survival at a huge cost. It is Stoke City who mug, cheat and claw their way to a safe lower mid table stop year after year. Short term we would have been safe, and once that has sunk in you are left with the future under him.

Like I said, if that is a price you'd have paid for safety, then great. Not for me, and I would much rather take a risk on Sherwood than Pulis. And I even go so far as to argue given how we have played this week, that given an extra couple of months under Sherwood we'd be much safer by now also.

Fair enough.  I just think you are getting far too carried away because of a couple of good results.  Pulis did a far better job than you are giving him credit for at Stoke and did an excellent job in no time at all at Palace last season.  Whose to say that if he was Villa manager and had money to spend then he couldn't improve us greatly?  He has never really had the chance to do that at a big club as of yet.

How on earth am I getting carried away over two results? It has nothing to do with this week. It is years of evidence about Pulis as a manager. Pulis had plenty of financial support at Stoke and he created what we all saw. More money at Villa which I doubt he'd even get would get the same "style" of player that serves how he likes to play. Do you honestly think after all these years of playing a certain way, that more money would change him from a style that he is very comfortable with?

I just meant you seemed to be getting carried away by suggesting that Sherwood is a better appointment than Pulis would have been based on a couple of results.  Sometimes it is down to what you have to work with if he had a better standard of players at Villa then its possible he would have us playing better football.  Don't forget Big Sam has been labelled a long ball specialist for years, but look at what he has done at West Ham this season.

[Richard E]

One of their unwashed was bragging to his mates outside before the game in all seriousness about how he wanted to stab his Dad because he supports Wolves.

Did you give him your business card for future events Richard?

Darn! Missed a trick there.

[hilts_coolerking]

There's a good deal of common sense on this thread and an equal amount of bullshit.  If it's not some class war against football fans then it's a media conspiracy to whip up hysteria or it's Olbiyun players taking on the barbarian horde single-handed or it's okay because it happens all the time at rugby and cricket matches.  It is fair to say that the kick off time was crazy, because some football fans can't be trusted not to lose all their self-control after they've been on the piss.  That goes for the bitter seat-chuckers too; they're equally culpable.  It's also fair to say, in hindsight, that there weren't enough stewards but, as the guy on the BBC Sport says, how many is enough to stop a major pitch invasion?  I have some sympathy for the OB and stewards who can't win either way: if there are too many it's 'heavy handed'; if there's a pitch invasion it's because there aren't enough.  No doubt they were expecting trouble but it seems you can never underestimate the brainlessness of the general public.

I don't think there's faux outrage, there's genuine outrage and that's got nothing to do with whether you're in the ground, on the pitch or anywhere else.  It looked terrible, it looked ugly, it looked smalltime and it looked like regression.  You can bet your bottom dollar that if these scenes had happened at the Hawthorns and we'd been on the wrong end of it then the condemnation of it on here would have been total.  The media aren't focusing on it because they have some agenda but because it is the talking point, whether we like it or not.  If there's any bias it comes from Villa fans who want to soft-pedal it or excuse it precisely because it is our fans and our club.  It is what it is, i.e. a really idiotic and shameful end to what had been the best day for the club in a long time.

The only positive is that it'll be forgotten next week as the focus will have shifted on to some spitting / biting / drink driving / raping incident.  Football: bloody hell.

[Gregorys Boy]

In the first half I thought West Brom did try and play football actually and lets now forget created the better chances.  Whereas we tried to play football, but over did it.

[Toronto Villa]

Speaking of this week I would say Sherwood has done a far better job with the players he has than Pulis has. And we are missing a number of players that might have helped, including our main forward and captain. I would say Sherwood has squeezed more out of a group of players than Pulis has over a greater length of time. The football is also much better to watch.

[manic-road]

My reflections on yesterday's game.
Firstly as a season ticket holder in the Holte, due to the fact we were late, getting tickets we sat in the upper Trinity. I was expecting a more subdued atmosphere but what I got was loud, vociferous and passionate support in the stand.
It was a great sight (and sound) to see the Holte to the right, the Witton opposite and The lower North all going at it full tilt.
When I look back over the years, there are a few games which stick in the memory.
Spurs at home in the league cup, Bradford at home the same season.
Everton away for Graham Taylor's last game, Sheffield Wed away under Big Ron, Tranmere, Inter, Athletico Madrid, Blackburn semi final etc..
Unfortunately, the recent ones all relate to victories over local rivals or fellow relegation candidates rather than anything actually positive.
I think last night was an out spilling of emotion on the basis we have had a good few years of very little positive to cheer.
As to whether it looks small time to our neighbours or others, quite frankly, I don't give a damn. We didn't do it for them.
There are a couple of things I would change, the 5.30 kick off was always going to cause problems and the pitch invasion before the end (I was more concerned about the match being abandoned ad the result not standing.
Other than that it was a brilliant night and will go down with the ones listed above that I will remember for years.
Que sera sera......

Good first post Hockley Heath Lion and welcome to Heroes and Villains.

[Weedy]

The wiki page for pitch invasions:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_invasion   has this in the Association Football section:

"Aston Villa v Manchester United (6 January 2002) FA Cup.
Manchester United were 2–0 down with 15 minutes left of play, however Manchester United scored three times in 5 minutes and their third goal caused many Manchester United fans to invade the pitch in celebration."

FF to about 8 mins - no mention in the commentary about the invasion just "...joyous celebration".

[john e]

I'd have taken Pulis over Lambert. But i'd also have taken a dead squirrel over Lambert. And the day Pulis became Villa manager a part of me would died. The baseball cap wearing twat nozzle.

Okay, but just answer my points though as no one seems to be doing that?  Why?  Is it the style of play?  Is it that you think he comes off as smug?  I don't want to knock Sherwood as I think he deserves a chance to prove himself and of course he's had a pretty good start lol. But regardless of styles of play Pulis with the squad we have would have kept us up easy and I'd bet on him to move us forward next season with a bit of money to spend that is.  Sherwood still has that to prove IMO.

Just because you think Pulis would do well doesn't make it something you can pass of as fact and dismiss people who disagree.

Over 180 minutes this last few days it was the side playing the football that won.

No, that is fair, didn't mean to pass it off as fact.  But then some people are not addressing my points either.  As far as I can tell they are knocking Pulis based on his style of football, some annoying personality traits and the fact that he manages our local rivals.  If the WBA fans are really knocking him then they need their heads checking.

Of the three things you mentioned there, I only knocked him for his style of football. Even if he looks a complete tool in a cap, or that he manages them is immaterial. My point very simply is he is what it says on the tin. Once you have bought into Pulis, you get survival at a huge cost. It is Stoke City who mug, cheat and claw their way to a safe lower mid table stop year after year. Short term we would have been safe, and once that has sunk in you are left with the future under him.

Like I said, if that is a price you'd have paid for safety, then great. Not for me, and I would much rather take a risk on Sherwood than Pulis. And I even go so far as to argue given how we have played this week, that given an extra couple of months under Sherwood we'd be much safer by now also.

Fair enough.  I just think you are getting far too carried away because of a couple of good results.  Pulis did a far better job than you are giving him credit for at Stoke and did an excellent job in no time at all at Palace last season.  Whose to say that if he was Villa manager and had money to spend then he couldn't improve us greatly?  He has never really had the chance to do that at a big club as of yet.

How on earth am I getting carried away over two results? It has nothing to do with this week. It is years of evidence about Pulis as a manager. Pulis had plenty of financial support at Stoke and he created what we all saw. More money at Villa which I doubt he'd even get would get the same "style" of player that serves how he likes to play. Do you honestly think after all these years of playing a certain way, that more money would change him from a style that he is very comfortable with?

I just meant you seemed to be getting carried away by suggesting that Sherwood is a better appointment than Pulis would have been based on a couple of results.  Sometimes it is down to what you have to work with if he had a better standard of players at Villa then its possible he would have us playing better football.  Don't forget Big Sam has been labelled a long ball specialist for years, but look at what he has done at West Ham this season.

Yeah he's done that well he won't be there next season

[dave.woodhall]

There's a good deal of common sense on this thread and an equal amount of bullshit.  If it's not some class war against football fans then it's a media conspiracy to whip up hysteria or it's Olbiyun players taking on the barbarian horde single-handed or it's okay because it happens all the time at rugby and cricket matches.  It is fair to say that the kick off time was crazy, because some football fans can't be trusted not to lose all their self-control after they've been on the piss.  That goes for the bitter seat-chuckers too; they're equally culpable.  It's also fair to say, in hindsight, that there weren't enough stewards but, as the guy on the BBC Sport says, how many is enough to stop a major pitch invasion?  I have some sympathy for the OB and stewards who can't win either way: if there are too many it's 'heavy handed'; if there's a pitch invasion it's because there aren't enough.  No doubt they were expecting trouble but it seems you can never underestimate the brainlessness of the general public.

I don't think there's faux outrage, there's genuine outrage and that's got nothing to do with whether you're in the ground, on the pitch or anywhere else.  It looked terrible, it looked ugly, it looked smalltime and it looked like regression.  You can bet your bottom dollar that if these scenes had happened at the Hawthorns and we'd been on the wrong end of it then the condemnation of it on here would have been total.  The media aren't focusing on it because they have some agenda but because it is the talking point, whether we like it or not.  If there's any bias it comes from Villa fans who want to soft-pedal it or excuse it precisely because it is our fans and our club.  It is what it is, i.e. a really idiotic and shameful end to what had been the best day for the club in a long time.

The only positive is that it'll be forgotten next week as the focus will have shifted on to some spitting / biting / drink driving / raping incident.  Football: bloody hell.

"shameful", "ugly," "regression," "terrible". Your job on the Daily Mail awaits.