Liverpool 1-0 Aston Villa post match thread

[de bank]

I thought at the start of the season Premier league said they were going to cut out all this play acting & looking for contact & soft penalty’s etc? & the first few games of the season they did just that, refs waved away constant appeals for soft pens & mostly ignored players rolling around on the floor, it was working, games flowed, but now we’re back to all these embarrassing penalty’s, Salah initiated contact with Ming’s & flung himself down, no pen, definitely no more than our shout, it’s ruining the game, players have pushed the boundaries back to a farcical level, something has to be done, I’m pissed off with this defeat, but I’m so encouraged by Gerrard,  UTV.

[nick harper]

I thought at the start of the season Premier league said they were going to cut out all this play acting & looking for contact & soft penalty’s etc? & the first few games of the season they did just that, refs waved away constant appeals for soft pens & mostly ignored players rolling around on the floor, it was working, games flowed, but now we’re back to all these embarrassing penalty’s, Salah initiated contact with Ming’s & flung himself down, no pen, definitely no more than our shout, it’s ruining the game, players have pushed the boundaries back to a farcical level, something has to be done, I’m pissed off with this defeat, but I’m so encouraged by Gerrard,  UTV.

Agree on the initiating contact. Shearer said on MOTD that Salah moved his left leg across Mings path which inevitably created the collision. Mings was therefore fouled before falling into Salah.

VAR has done nothing to improve the game changing decisions. It’s still based on the same subjectivity pre technology and remains inherently biased as the Wolves incident also showed.

[London Villan]

The kicking the ball away at free kicks is also now worse than ever, normally following the rotational fouling too.

[baddowvillans]

I agree that was nonsense from Shearer. "It's what they are taught to do get your leg in front of the defender and then Mings fouls him"  how can it be a foul by Mings when Salah doesn't make contact with ball but effectively trips him up.  Salah has been doing this for years and it's not "clever" Mr Shearer it's cheating.  As for the challenge on Ings I agree Allisson gets the ball but I thought that when a defender does that and wipes you out it was still a penalty or is that another interpretation changed?  Probably a fair result but they still cheated and they shouldn't be feted on national TV for it

[john e]

first game I didn’t see live one way or another so I’ve only seen match of the Day highlights

Sounds as though we were under pressure the whole game with no shots on target
It might have been a valiant effort but if we had done that under Smith I would have been critical
I don’t mind good defensive displays but you have to offer something in the other half and I think it’s a ball retention and confidence with it that’s the problem

I’ve seen Mings make big mistakes in games but I wouldn’t put yesterdays down as one of them it was salah being very clever and buying the penalty

Can’t comment too much on the game having not seen it but no shots on target tells its own story to be fair
I’m a bit disappointed in the performance from the bits I’ve seen maybe if I’d seen it live it would be different

all season I thought Man City Would win that league I think I might have changed my mind now Liverpool look the team to beat

[Mister E]

I haven't seen the penalty that was given (BBC R5L commentary saw it as nailed on; but then it was Salah, whom everyone thinks should be given everything), but I didn't think Allison did enough on Ings to warrant a pen (saw that live on TV).
For us to get something out of a game like this, we need to make those times when we are on top (minutes 75-85) count; we didn't force Allison into any meaningful saves during that period.
But, remember: we are 5 games into the manager's time with us, and he needs 2-3 months to really make his mark.

[sickbeggar]

Fair result I guess. I suppose with a bit of luck we could have perhaps held out but the reality is this lot are going to end up 35+ points ahead of us come May. We're not in the same ballpark unfortunately but then neither are another 16 teams

[amfy]

I haven't seen the penalty that was given (BBC R5L commentary saw it as nailed on; but then it was Salah, whom everyone thinks should be given everything), but I didn't think Allison did enough on Ings to warrant a pen (saw that live on TV).

Did you stop listening to the 5live commentary? They also thought ours was nailed on. They went on about it at some length, not just at the time but throughout and at the end of the game. They mentioned that MOTD would be having a really close look at it (they didn’t).
Also - what Gerrard alluded to but all the commentators, pundits, & in the main, the replays are missing, is the clear shove in the back on Watkins as the ball runs free. If the first isn’t a penalty, the second is.
For all Liverpool’s dominance, they only got the ball in the net from a penalty, & we should have had one too.

[Lescottstweets]

Very good organised performance from the lads, Liverpool were by far the best team we’ve played this season and only beat us due to a pen. My opinion is it was a genuine pen and Mings at fault there. However, Allison’s clumsy challenge on Ings was a clear pen too-can’t for the life of me see why it wasn’t given.

[N'ZMAV]

Oh and Jim Beglin can do one.

he’s a bell end.

[sickbeggar]

Well the explanation from the Ref's Union says Allision got the ball first before he makes contact with Ings.

Personally I thought their explanation for the Man City Armpit penalty was funnier. Yes it maybe wasn't a penalty but it wasn't a "clear and obvious error" and if the ref hadn't have given it, VAR wouldn't have changed the decision.

And if you believe that...………..

[Lescottstweets]

Well the explanation from the Ref's Union says Allision got the ball first before he makes contact with Ings.

Would be true if he did make contact with the ball, but he didn’t.

[Clampy]

How anyone can think that was a penalty when Mings was on the floor before Salah was is baffling.

[sickbeggar]

Well the explanation from the Ref's Union says Allision got the ball first before he makes contact with Ings.

Would be true if he did make contact with the ball, but he didn’t.

they say he did and I quote "Alisson clearly pats the ball away"

[ChicagoLion]

They got the benifit of any doubt on both penalties.
You could see the relief burst out of the ref to give it.