Aston Villa vs Middlesbrough Post-Match Thread

[Jon Crofts]

What was the banner hung from the roof of the Hole End? Was it unfurled, what did it say? Couldn't see it from upper Trinity.

[QuintonVilla]

If you were a neutral watching that you'd probably say it was never really at risk.

It was unbelievably fucking tense though. There was a point with ten minutes or so to go where the whole ground erupted in deafening noise in support which was spine tingling.

I went to a gig at the Sunflower and got into Snobs with about ten minutes of the match left. The support sounded amazing and I was surprised when I read on here that it seemed quiet for most of the match.

First half it did drop after the first 15-20 minutes. It wasn't quiet because it was a poor atmosphere though, it's probably the most tense and nervy crowd I've ever been in.

[QuintonVilla]

What was the banner hung from the roof of the Hole End? Was it unfurled, what did it say? Couldn't see it from upper Trinity.

It was a massive lion and said 'We are Villa'. It went wrong in rehearsal and didn't unfurl properly. It was meant to come down at the start with the fireworks.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Agree, can only hope that the club or even better the police had cctv on the few utter imbeciles who took it as a chance to run in front of the Boro fans goading them - not only lacking class but cowardly in the extreme being billy big balls behind a line of stewards - hopefully they will be denied access to final tickets & get a stadium ban - we don’t need those fans

Doubt it - Xia posted a photo of the pitch invasion on Twitter with the caption "Wembley here we come"

[Percy McCarthy]

Agree, can only hope that the club or even better the police had cctv on the few utter imbeciles who took it as a chance to run in front of the Boro fans goading them - not only lacking class but cowardly in the extreme being billy big balls behind a line of stewards - hopefully they will be denied access to final tickets & get a stadium ban - we don’t need those fans

Doubt it - Xia posted a photo of the pitch invasion on Twitter with the caption "Wembley here we come"

Saw my father-in-law on the telly grabbing the good doctor for a selfie.

[Duncan Shaw]

I've already had an e-mail from Fulham about tickets as I always buy tickets for our game in the Neutral end and have been to the other odd game there.......my boss is a Fulham fan and doens't hink they'll sell out 38k.

[brontebilly]

On talk shite after the game Boro fans were raging about Pulis and his negative ways.
It's hard not to sympathise with them.

Whole team made up for lesser quality in possesion with absolute guts and determination. They were warriors for the cause out there.

Special mention for James Bree. Came in for the biggest game of his life and did not let himself or the team down.

2 stand out moves that would have produced outstanding goals.
1st half alovely bit of movement ending with an Albert cross to the on rushing Hourihanne and but for a world class block would have scored.
The 2nd half and the move from the edge of our own box for the Grabban chance.

Also a mention for the fans. At 75 mins it was tense and the fans responded with all 4 sides in loud unison. It was deafening and gave the players the injection to see out the game.

Fulham - I think Bruce has to be tough and brave and change Jedinak for either Barney or Whelan as we now need mobility rather than power.

Whelan won't add mobility really, bit better with the ball though. We simply have to keep the ball better at Wembley than the second half at Middlesboro and the first half last night. No doubt our players worked hard but thought the story of the night was Pulis caveman tactics and how desperately poor Boro were. We won't get away with it v Fulham.

[UK Redsox]

What was the banner hung from the roof of the Hole End? Was it unfurled, what did it say? Couldn't see it from upper Trinity.

I don't think that it was unfurled but I was sent this pic from earlier in the day



I was really concerned that it would come down after the game and say something tacky like "See you at Wembley"

However, I was hoping that it said "Feck You Downing"

[UK Redsox]

Highlights

Having seen the highlights, was Johnstone's arm definitely outside the area anyway? Even when the free kick hit the bar, he may have had it covered. Or am I just biased.

I wasn't sure how Steve Bruce would handle a 1-0 lead going into the home leg but can't complain, except for the persistence with only one striker which creates defensive problems of its own as one striker is no outlet when the pressure is on.

McCafu needs to be signed up for another year. A revelation on the left.

He should have been sent off

Jack could have been off as well if his tackle had connected

Ref was inconsistent (eg Hutton being booked just after Shotten was let off for basically the same offence).

George Friend was lucky to only get a yellow for his challenge on Johnstone in the first half.

I haven't seen the highlights but from my position in the LTR it looked borderline Red

[Matt Collins]

I was so nervous

In the first half it was unbearable. Though interestingly we were chatting to a Boro fan on the way back to Euston who said that he didn’t think they were going anywhere in that first half; which I think was true in hindsight. But pass thatvpoorly v Fulham and we'll have problems

[olaftab]

Bruce got the tactics spot on in both legs and the experienced players came to the fore.

Snodgrass in particular worked his knackers off last night.

Apart from Weasel hitting the bar, the longer it went on the more I thought we looked like the team most likely to score.

There is no reason at all why we can't beat Fulham.
 

I hate to agree with every line in your post but I do. In fact I should have used the new in word CORRECTAMUNDO.

[UK Redsox]

[Gareth]

Agree, can only hope that the club or even better the police had cctv on the few utter imbeciles who took it as a chance to run in front of the Boro fans goading them - not only lacking class but cowardly in the extreme being billy big balls behind a line of stewards - hopefully they will be denied access to final tickets & get a stadium ban - we don’t need those fans

Doubt it - Xia posted a photo of the pitch invasion on Twitter with the caption "Wembley here we come"

West Mids Police Twitter seems keen tho :-)

#avfc #utv CCTV and EGT footage as well as Sky footage will be checked and any person identified doing more than entering the pitch ie goading Middlesbrough Fans or holding Pyro will be invited for interview and receive an FBO and or 3 yr club ban

[olaftab]

Highlights

Is this not loading for anyone else?

[Ads]

From the Boro forum:

"The atmosphere tonight was almost literally deafening, which anyone who goes away regularly will tell you is rare"

"At times the noise was hurting my ears. I've been going away a long time and that was loud"

"Agree with the OP. It was deafening"

Beautiful. Well done boys and girls. I hoped at half time everyone could shake the nerves and roar them over the line and we did. It sounds cheesy and cliche but attacking a packed Holte really does make a difference, it implores the players to attack and bays for a goal. Agree with Ads, you could tell second half the ground was on the verge of exploding if we'd scored.
Loved the rallying atmosphere last 15 minutes aswell. The claret and blue army chants all around the ground were superb.

What website is that from?

I thought it was the best atmosphere I'd ever heard at Vila Park.

I was walking to the ground via the estates and then down the side of the school and you could hear the noise a mile away pre-kick off. Singing going on in the queue to get in the Holte, good noise when we came out and generally through the first half.

Second half it just went up exponentially in volume. There was a point where nigh on the entire ground was stood up and belting it out and if Grabban's effort had gone in then ear drums would have been ruptured.

Towards the end, where everybody was stood up [including us at the front of the upper Holte] and just constantly belting out the songs, it was loud as fuck. One of those occasions where it must have been incredibly intimidating to be in the away end and just be drowned out on a sea of noise. Sort of reminded me of the semi against Liverpool when with 5 minutes to go, there was this guttural roar from our end and we saw them home.

I didn't think we were quiet at all really, fantastic atmosphere, especially when it was a 0-0.