Aston Villa 1 v Moss Side 2 Post Match Thread.

[john e]

Talking about applauding the opposition

I didn’t applaud last night but will do when Smith returns and I don’t give a flying fuck what anybody thinks on here because he will be there to take three points away from Villa

I will stand and applaud him and give zero fucks to anyone on here who tells me what I can and what I cannot do When it comes to the opposition

[Legion]

I thought it was a quality goal which Martinez had no chance with.

[AV82EC]

I thought it was a quality goal which Martinez had no chance with.

This.

[Villa Lew]

Plenty of positives from that display, Ollie back to his best, cracking goal and his hold up play so much better, Buendia getting his first 90 mins, I think, and starting to show what he can do, Marvelous continues to improve, Sanson at last getting some game time and Dougie very impressive.

[Beard82]

Passive first half, giving them far too much room and time to switch the ball endlessly (and tediously) without laying a glove on them. The finishes for their goals were good, but we made it easy.

Bailey not closing and Mings off on his travels. Two preventable chances.

In fairness, beyond the swivel hit in the 2nd half, they didn't threaten us with anything meaningful.

They're clearly a brilliant side. One of the best in Europe and the world. But they're tedious. They strangle games and bore you into making an error. They're the Mayweather of football. All that money and all that talent, obviously one of the greatest about, but fuck me, they could send a glass eye to sleep.

2nd half was much better. The press, the effort and getting amongst their back four. Ollie played well and held it up and ran them excellently. Chuck did well when he came on and should have scored. Lovely move and set up by Buendia, who continues to be a puzzle. Marv looking a Premier League player and Dougie excellent too. Glad Sanson was a positive when he came on, I have genuine hopes for him.

Wasn't expecting anything, but pleased with the performance.

As for Grealish, I booed the ******. Lacking class? I'm Villa through and fucking through to my core. This is my club. Its why I'm not home yet at quarter to 1 on a Wednesday. Why I have a 10 hour round drive planned for the 14th. Why if we ever get relegated again, I'll be there. Why if we get into Europe again, I'll be there for the flashy trips to Prague and Hamburg and the lesser supported two years running trips to the likes of Vienna. "Because it means everything to me" and I actually mean it. Like it means everything to you too and anybody that pours and ounce of soul into this glorious thing of ours that is Aston Villa.

That fucking fraud tried to fuck off to Spurs, tried to fuck off to Yanited and eventually fucked off to those dull, soulless, plastic human rights abusing ******. For his inevitable shiny baubles and his place in the pantheon of "did they play for us?" like Navas and Shaun Wright Philips.  He could have been a Totti, he could have helped keep a good Villa man in a job, he could have chosen immortality, but he didn't. Because he's a lying rat, ******. He isn't one of us.

Fuck knows what possessed anybody to clap a Man City player, never mind him.

Villa till I die. Abso-fucking-lutely.

Brilliant Post - sums it all up brilliantly

Put this on the back of the north stand where Jack and Dean were

"Because it means everything to me" and I actually mean it. Like it means everything to you too and anybody that pours an ounce of soul into this glorious thing of ours that is Aston Villa.

or maybe just this

Villa till I die. Abso-fucking-lutely.

[Exeter 77]

Manchester City: possibly the best advert for buying an electric car.

[Monty]

Sanctimonious people outraged that Grealish got booed only emphasise why with every passing comment. 'He earned the club 100m' did he? Wow how grateful we should be.

Also City fans are so touchy and so full of excuses about the source of their success it's hilarious. 'Living within our revenue' [cough] ETIHAD DEAL [cough], etc. As if the fact that the sole reason for them being where they are wasn't that the spoilt hyperrich scions of an absolute monarchy took a break from oppressing women and homosexuals and dissidents and the poor to fly to Manchester, where they bought the first club they found.

Booing Grealish is about booing that. It's about the way that, in today's world, the rich can eat anybody's dream they wish to.

[dave.woodhall]

Nobody said we shouldn't boo Andy Gray, or David Platt, or Dwight Yorke. This idea you should be 'classy' or in other words, subservient, is another reason why the Premier League can get bollocksed.

[Zouch Villa]

As I posted before the match, I neither booed or applauded Jack.  Just didn’t personally sit right with me.  But the chanting of ‘Villa ‘til I die’ was absolutely the right response and brought a lump to my throat.  Emotions were understandably high for many, which is why I love the Villa.  It isn’t a cold calculation of numbers, success or popularity.  It’s about spirit, identity and feeling.

Villa ‘til I die.

[Bobby Boy]

Nobody said we shouldn't boo Andy Gray, or David Platt, or Dwight Yorke. This idea you should be 'classy' or in other words, subservient, is another reason why the Premier League can get bollocksed.

Bang on! You are entering the last few minutes of a game that your boys have given absolutely everything in and are fighting for an equaliser.

The opposition bring a player on and a significant number of your own fans applaud the guy onto the park, giving him and them a boost!

Absolutely mind blowing.

The fact that said ex-player has wanted to leave for the previous three years with 3 different clubs adds to the ignominy.

If we want to progress we have to get out of a 'we are not worthy mindset' every time we have quality players.

The Villa til I Die last night was magnificent. Defiant and proud.

[Vegas]

I loved Grealish then he left us. Can understand why professionally, but it put paid to the romantic idea that he was something more than a mercenary.

That’s why Villa till I die was such an emotive, powerful, appropriate response. That’s the difference - we are, he wasn’t.

[PeterWithe]

After 10 mins I'd have snapped your hand off for a 1.2 defeat so very impressed with the second half.

Was I the only one who thought McGinn, Bailey and Targett could all have done better for their first goal? The second was sensational but again, I dont think McGinn and Mings saw the danger early enough and could have done better, as did Konsa given his reaction.

As for Jack, just fuck off you attention seeking me-me-me twat.

[Bully2345]

Overall, I’m pleased with what I saw last night and came away satisfied that we’d gone toe-to-toe and challenged them rather than just collapsing. That first 10 minutes was a real struggle and it felt like it would be a long night but they did get to grips with it eventually.
Where we’re at right now, you need to get things right and have things go your way. We had a couple of openings in the first half where we didn’t quite make the right decisions or the execution wasn’t quite there. We worked the ball across the box to Bailey and his shot was blocked as well as when he had the ball on the run and could have played it to Buendia on his left rather than going it alone.
The goals were frustrating to concede even though a Manchester City fan would probably see them as great goals. The first one is a great strike from a centre half but I could tell from behind the goal that Martinez didn’t see it until late. He’s a split second slower in making his move and maybe he’d have got there if he could see it all the way.
I haven’t watched the second one again but Gerrard says the right things about stopping their play. One thing City do is stop play if they can’t get the ball. They don’t want to be vulnerable to a counter attack. Maybe we were too nice when they played the ball around and someone could have made a tactical foul. I’m also not quite sure about the defensive line. It seemed like Konsa was isolated and five yards back from everyone else, which allowed the run down the right. It’s brilliantly worked but I’d have to see it back to see what we could have done better.
Second half was great and again we’ve had chances. It felt like Konsa could only score from his position so that was frustrating. Carney seemed a bit rushed in his chance. Maybe he expected a City player to be closer but he possible had a second longer to take a look at the keeper. He’ll learn and it was good to see him play. He may get more football if we decide to play with narrow forwards in the long term.
As for the opposition number ten, I think “Villa till I die” was the right response. If you want to boo him, boo him. If you want to applaud him, applaud him. I was conflicted and sang Villa till I die while quietly applauding. Maybe I’m gullible but I’d bet on him playing for us again one day. The powers that be at Villa Park will continue to try to ensure that potential avenue doesn’t get closed down and I’m fine with that.

[Stu82]

Personally, I wouldn’t applaud or boo his name being read off the team sheet, his warm up, him coming on, or anything he did in play - unless it was something twatty that I’d boo any opposition player for. During the game he was just someone else’s player.

At the end, I got angry with him for something that didn’t actually transpire. For a moment I thought he was going to walk to the Holte with our players and I shouted ‘Don’t you dare think you can come down here with MY team!’ , but he walked the other way to the ManCity fans first, leaving our own players to receive our undiluted applause - no confusion about who the applause was for, no mixture with boos and our lads got a great ovation for their performance.

So when he did come down to applaud us, on his own, I didn’t give him a rapturous reception, I sung ‘Villa til I die’ at the top of my lungs with the rest of the crowd which I thought was perfect, but yes, I clapped - it was quite half hearted, but I did - for the past & for the memories, the ones he spoilt. I honestly still don’t know how to feel but it’s mostly more sad than angry.

Great Post Amfy

[dave.woodhall]

So we have to spend years kissing another player's arse in the hope he might want to play for us when his own club don't want him anymore?