Aston Villa v Man City, a referee and two linesmen Post Match Thread

[Risso]

These days, there is no earthly way we would get two or three of the kind of players you are talking about for 70m. Which is I suspect why Purslow et al decided to go down the route of growing our own as Leicester did with Kante, Mahrez, Maddison, Maguire and so on.

In what way did Leicester "grow their own" with those players?  Maddison cost £20m+, Maguire the best part of £20m.

[SheffieldVillain]

These days, there is no earthly way we would get two or three of the kind of players you are talking about for 70m. Which is I suspect why Purslow et al decided to go down the route of growing our own as Leicester did with Kante, Mahrez, Maddison, Maguire and so on.

In what way did Leicester "grow their own" with those players?  Maddison cost £20m+, Maguire the best part of £20m.

In the way that they spent a certain sum i.e. 10-20m  on players they thought they could improve to be stars and worth megabucks. Kante for 6m, Mahrez for less than half a million... you seem to have missed those out.

Perhaps it would have been better expressed as grew their own superstars from players they thought had potential.

[RamboandBruno]

Unearthing gems may have been a better phrase, but he’s overall point is a good one.

[nigel]

Walking back to station, Villa singing 'Champions of Europe, you'll never sing that'
Man City fan sparks up 'Champions of England, you'll never sing that'
I turned and asked him if he was sure?
I actually think he was serious as he kept singing it! Not the sharpest tool

[nevillain]

Walking back to station, Villa singing 'Champions of Europe, you'll never sing that'
Man City fan sparks up 'Champions of England, you'll never sing that'
I turned and asked him if he was sure?
I actually think he was serious as he kept singing it! Not the sharpest tool

From my own experiences yesterday after the match, and at the various service stations we stopped at, I don’t think I have ever come across such a group of arrogant, ignorant, ungracious bunch as them.

[AsTallAsLions]

Harry Maguire being valued at £80m says more about Manchester United than Leicester or the individual player IMO.

[Richard E]

Walking back to station, Villa singing 'Champions of Europe, you'll never sing that'
Man City fan sparks up 'Champions of England, you'll never sing that'
I turned and asked him if he was sure?
I actually think he was serious as he kept singing it! Not the sharpest tool

One of them accused us of living in the past, to which the obvious response was that at least we had a past to live in.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Walking back to station, Villa singing 'Champions of Europe, you'll never sing that'
Man City fan sparks up 'Champions of England, you'll never sing that'
I turned and asked him if he was sure?
I actually think he was serious as he kept singing it! Not the sharpest tool

I was walking up Wembley Way yesterday with my son and Pat McMahon when a Man City fan thought he was being helpful/clever/funny by telling me which way the stadium was. I thanked him and told him it was my 11th visit with Villa.   

[Lastfootstamper]

On the bus from Uxbridge, a kid asked his dad if this was Villa's first ever visit to Wembley.

[KRS]

Just an observation whilst watching the game...I’m pretty sure it wasn’t just because they were wearing black shirts but they always seemed to have more players on the pitch particularly when we were in their half. When we dropped off, our defence and midfield were pretty static even though they were in formation which basically invited Man City to play it around and wait for the gaps. When we were attacking, Man City were quick to close us down to regain possession. It was only when we started to press and get into them at times in the second half that we posed any real threat...if we’d done more of that in both halves then the result may have been very different (we could have won...or lost by more).

[Jon Crofts]

I could watch this tackle all day long, a thing of beauty.

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1234178192522518530/pu/vid/720x1280/Y5_Go7HMydRjuKjW.mp4?tag=10

[paul_e]

Just an observation whilst watching the game...I’m pretty sure it wasn’t just because they were wearing black shirts but they always seemed to have more players on the pitch particularly when we were in their half. When we dropped off, our defence and midfield were pretty static even though they were in formation which basically invited Man City to play it around and wait for the gaps. When we were attacking, Man City were quick to close us down to regain possession. It was only when we started to press and get into them at times in the second half that we posed any real threat...if we’d done more of that in both halves then the result may have been very different (we could have won...or lost by more).

I think it'd have gone the other way, if we'd pressed that hard from the start we'd have taken a battering because their game is based around bringing defenders onto them and then exploiting the space. Holding our ground and not letting them find the gaps was the right idea, but we also needed to deal with Foden and sterling staying wide, it was that failure that led to both of their goals (albeit indirectly for the 2nd, it was an overlap with Jack chasing back that led to the 'corner').

[Legion]

I could watch this tackle all day long, a thing of beauty.

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1234178192522518530/pu/vid/720x1280/Y5_Go7HMydRjuKjW.mp4?tag=10

Won the ball fair and square.

[Jon Crofts]

I could watch this tackle all day long, a thing of beauty.

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1234178192522518530/pu/vid/720x1280/Y5_Go7HMydRjuKjW.mp4?tag=10

Won the ball fair and square.

And just because he manages a triple toe loop, pirouette dismount, the referee (from Manchester) decides it's a bit naughty.

[supertom]

I could watch this tackle all day long, a thing of beauty.

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1234178192522518530/pu/vid/720x1280/Y5_Go7HMydRjuKjW.mp4?tag=10

Won the ball fair and square.

I could watch this tackle all day long, a thing of beauty.

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1234178192522518530/pu/vid/720x1280/Y5_Go7HMydRjuKjW.mp4?tag=10

Got the ball, studs weren't up. It was firm but fair. 20 years ago that would have been standard. The game's boring now, and fancy Dan's need a good bell ringing every now and again.
That said, if those tackles do come back, Jacky boy's gonna be in for it...