Aston Villa vs Man City Post-Match Thread

[john e]

Men vs boys
$176m (their starting 11) against $40m (our starting 11). Its a money game these days.
No real drama.

We know what the problem is - we have 5 genuine PL level players - Amavi, Okore, Veretout, Gueye, and Ayew (not surprising these are the most valuable players in our squad) - the rest need to be sold or retired. We need to build a new team around Remi and those 5 (& pray they stick around at the end of the season).   

If it's just a money game we will be alright for coming straight back up then

[rob_bridge]

Fuckin hell that was comical defending. Also thought Guzan should have done better with the first goal.

He wasnt alone though. Type of effort he would have tipped over 2-3 years ago in his sleep.

Farcical all of it.

[devilla]

I couldn't go today (despite having our season ticket seats) as the wife isn't too well, so listened to it on radio until I couldn't stand any more after about 50 mins.

What was the atmosphere like?

Not great, pretty quiet in the Holte upper where we were and most of the singing was abusing Delph which is fine but it was the worst atmosphere at a game I've been to for a long time. 23k. Terrible attendance but I don't blame anyone for not going.

Good to see Gabby back. I know he's been shit recently but hopefully he'll understand that he now has a responsibility to really put in a shift and take the opportunity to redeem himself. I think he will he start on Tuesday. Perhaps make him Captain?  Don't have much choice with Sinclair looking like he can't be arsed.

[BC Villain]

First time poster.

Personally I would have liked a cup run.  If certainly helped our league form last season, even though the final was a let down. 

The reality is that we struggle to compete with our first choice side, let alone make any changes.  For a club of our size to have this situation as scandalous and negligent.

I feel really sorry for Remi Garde.  He's clearly a decent guy, very calm and composed and definitely a very intelligent guy who knows the game well.  But you have to wonder how long he will be prepared to bang his head against a brick wall.

[QuintonVilla]

I hope Gabby starts on Tuesday, and I never thought I'd be saying that. He's a better option than Sinclair and who knows one might bounce off his big fat arse and go in.

[tomd2103]

I hope Gabby starts on Tuesday, and I never thought I'd be saying that. He's a better option than Sinclair and who knows one might bounce off his big fat arse and go in.

Is Kozak injured?

[Richard E]

I hope Gabby starts on Tuesday, and I never thought I'd be saying that. He's a better option than Sinclair and who knows one might bounce off his big fat arse and go in.

Is Kozak injured?

Kozak and Gestede were both injured for today.

[pooligan]

I somehow managed to last 87 mins before i walked out in utter disgust. Another humiliation  So depressing to be a Villa supporter these days.Sadly i fear it will get a lot worse before it gets better

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

I'm not even gutted or depressed.

Just resigned.

[adrenachrome]

From a MK piece (5 Things ...) in the Meaning Evil.

Aston Villa's demise is taking its toll on the patience and pockets of the supporters. Today's attendance was 23,636.

Considering almost 6,000 of them were Manchester City's away army, then that means just over 17,500 Villa fans thought this tie was worth the effort and expense.

The stay-awayers were proved right as it eventually became a procession for Manuel Pellegrini's team, but it is a telling sign of where this fanbase is at.

Besides today's tie there have been plenty of home games this month - against Crystal Palace and Leicester City in the Premier League and Wycombe in the FA Cup so fans can be excused not forking out again.

Villa did reduce ticket prices for this fourth round tie, but the gate shows that an increasing number of supporters believe there is more fun to be had elsewhere.

It should make the powers that be think very carefully indeed about their pricing structure for what will almost certainly be Championship football next season.

[Richard E]

I somehow managed to last 87 mins before i walked out in utter disgust. Another humiliation  So depressing to be a Villa supporter these days.Sadly i fear it will get a lot worse before it gets better

The fact that it is even theoretically possible that it could get worse than how toss it is already is an unbelievably depressing thought.

[peter w]

First time poster.

Personally I would have liked a cup run.  If certainly helped our league form last season, even though the final was a let down. 

The reality is that we struggle to compete with our first choice side, let alone make any changes.  For a club of our size to have this situation as scandalous and negligent.

I feel really sorry for Remi Garde.  He's clearly a decent guy, very calm and composed and definitely a very intelligent guy who knows the game well.  But you have to wonder how long he will be prepared to bang his head against a brick wall.

Yes. That's right.

Still being a big club has its ups and downs. Our rivals know we are bigger and have a wider reach than they would ever have, or could ever have combined together. Every now and then there's a blip. A little blip that we recover from. for them its what they are and who they are. And they know it. It's difficult but let them have their moment because you see, again, they have to wait for the mighty Aston Villa to fail, to trip up, to claim superiority over us. Its never anything that they have done over anyone meaningful period that allows them to think, well I'm not sure that they even really think it, that they even have any parity with us never mind supremacy.

We know, and they know, that they have to crow about it now because fast forward a few seasons and it'll be back to normal.

its painful first-timer but the mighty Aston villa have been here before and usually come back stronger than before. We're surrounded by a sea of shite and as ever the shite around us can't be the standard bearers for the area, for the Midlands. No, that's Aston Villa. Even from the Championship we'll still be the important name that the media will be talking about. That's why we're not just important for Villa fans, but for the Midlands as a whole. The Midlands needs us and the national media only care long-term about us.

Stick in there first-timer. It'll be shit this season. But we are who we are and they are who they are. And they know it. Lords of all around us. And they hate it. You have to laugh, eh?

[OzVilla]

BBC reported VP as "near empty". I actually think 23k is fairly decent considering the current situation and the fact this result was a virtual foregone conclusion.

[berneboy]

Well the third goal was just a mistake nothing more. We played very well in patches but it was men against boys most of the game I am afraid.

This sums it up very well. Just so.

[olaftab]

I'm not even gutted or depressed.

Just resigned.

I am gutted and depressed.

But not resigned!