Cheating Bastards vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

We have to look at the positives. Albion have been a bigger and better club for a decade now and to squeeze a point at their place is a step forward for us.

Decidedly stripey stench about this one.

Attendance trivia stat. Average attendances at Villa Park are above 30k for the 23rd season in a row. The last time the Hawthorns averaged above 30k was in 1958/59.

[Clark W Griswold]

Singing 'Shit on the Villa' when you have a double diving handball scoop in to the net to scrape an equaliser at home in injury time. Staying classy and at least they know their place.

Was exactly what I was going to put last night but I was in such a rage at the ref that I just switched everything off related to the game and put Netflix on.

They really showed themselves to be the bunch of thick ****** that they are last night.

Tammys been brilliant all season and I like him a lot but what a fucking miss in such a game.

[olaftab]

2-2 is not bad. Yes we do feel cheated out of a win but let's face if it was the other way round  we would love it. So no point in showing the twats that we are bitter and twisted over the handball. It happens. We will get our turn as the season goes on.

[Fred Crump]

2-2 is not bad. Yes we do feel cheated out of a win but let's face if it was the other way round  we would love it. So no point in showing the twats that we are bitter and twisted over the handball. It happens. We will get our turn as the season goes on.

Well said Aftab - good commonsense as usual !

[mrfuse]

The hand of rod looked deliberate to me. The ball was going wide of the post until the cheating sh-t for brains, redirected it with his 6 fingered hand.

I agree with this. The “accidentally” touched it with his hand narrative is a myth that will be accepted by many, especially around Smethwick. But it’s bollocks - he deliberately guided the ball and he knows it.

The hand of rod looked deliberate to me. The ball was going wide of the post until the cheating sh-t for brains, redirected it with his 6 fingered hand.

I agree with this. The “accidentally” touched it with his hand narrative is a myth that will be accepted by many, especially around Smethwick. But it’s bollocks - he deliberately guided the ball and he knows it.

When you see the incident from behind the goal you can clearly see it going wide before the ball is directed back on target with a 2nd handball from Rodriguez.

[kippaxvilla2]

He definitely did it deliberately and he knew it.

[QuintonVilla]

Having calmed down and reflected on last night, I'm happy because of how we played and because of how much better than them we look.

The only time they looked decent was the first ten minutes second half, and then we scored. We were head and shoulders above them, especially in midfield. McGinn ran it.

If Abraham has his shooting boots on then we win that 4-1. If the linesman can see then we win 2-1. How did he actually miss the handball? He's looking right at it and then says to the ref that he can't be sure?

Their fans were dire aswell for their cup final. Sang a couple of ditties at the start, about us. A couple of ditties after their first goal, about us. Sang about our player of the season the cabbage for about five minutes. Then a couple of ditties at the end, about us.
I don't get the cabbage song? It helped us get rid of Bruce and get Smith. It's not a negative.

I'd be very surprised if we're not above them come May. Better team and better manager.

Allez Allez Allez

[Clark W Griswold]

There simply wasn't enough pace on the ball to excuse it as accidental, particularly as he took two touches as well and the second went directly in the net. One of the worst handball goals I've seen.

Regarding our players, I thought Nyland was poor again and should have done better for the handball goal. He looks terrified, the poor chap. Definitely need a new keeper. All defenders were good, Hourahane had a decent game, McGinn was MOTM, Grealish quite good but I thought the front three were pretty toothless first half although El Ghazi was excellent second. Elmo did well when he came on but Kodjia didn't, although he is much better down the middle.

[Legion]

Match highlights

[Legion]

Dean Smith

[QuintonVilla]

Re Nyland, a good and confident keeper punches that ball away. 93rd minute and bodies flying at you, you don't try and catch that. If he punches that away we win the game. Heaton in January and we will win this league.

[Legion]

Darren Moore

[Clampy]

It's unfair to have a go at Tammy after his recent spell but I reckon we'd have gone on and scored a couple more had he put his chance away. As for their goal, I wasn't surprised he gave it. The ref didn't give us a great deal all game to be honest.

[Risso]

I hate seeing games decided like that.  I don't like to say it, but I thought the Baggies were the best team we've played this season, and the game could have gone either way, although we had much the better chances.  I agree with Clampy in that Abraham has been brilliant lately so it's not fair singling him out, but by christ he should have stuck that chance away last night.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Let us assume for a moment it was accidental handball (which as it happens in this case I dont think it was) it should still surely be wrong that the goal can stand. The laws of the game are too hazy on this.
I found this piece which was in The Telegraph only a couple of weeks ago.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/11/23/footballs-lawmakers-discuss-rewrite-handball-rule-avoid-punishing/