Victorious Aston Villa (and passports!) 2 - Brighton 1 Post Match Thread

[Pat McMahon]

As usual I think there is a big difference between keyboard warriors and fans in the real world. The Brighton fans I met yesterday were chilled, complimentary towards us, the atmosphere and Villa Park in general and basically happy with their lot. They also seemed happy we had pipped Spurs to 7th.

I echo all the comments about yesterday - wonderful atmosphere with some spine tingling moments of raw passion. I was near the back of the Holte and sometimes you can feel there is a brilliant atmosphere and find out it was not the same across all 4 stands. Yesterday was bedlam and the only other place that is better than Villa Park like that is Villa Park for a night game.

Something I really loved about yesterday was that for a game we needed to win Emery didn’t play it tight or cagey, we put them under pressure from kick off and built momentum and belief which helped the crowd maintain its energy. I absolutely loved that guttural roar when Luiz geed up the ground in injury time, and also when McGinn went for the corner flag and won a corner in the last few seconds - he has form here as he did the exact same to end a tight 2-1 v Blackburn in March 2019. What a way to end the game. Bliss 😊

[pauliewalnuts]

I think this “other clubs forums” thing is the single most pointless argument I’ve seen here in years.

I've been coming here for the thick end of 20 years, we do 'pointless arguments' to Olympic standard, if we can do it for VAT registered snacks, why not other teams forums?

You're assuming I see that as a bad thing...

;-)

[CT Villan]

Villa on Tour. Last 3 mins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVMqhC-RF-Q

Awesome, cheers mate.

[sid1964]

On the way from the ground I overheard a couple of Brighton fans talking - they said "it is nice to see the smaller clubs in the league qualifying for Europe"

I suppose most other fans of clubs in the premier league see us as a small club?

Fantastic day, the question of the day is when is a back pass not a back pass?, the referee was woeful.

Hopefully this summer will see us sign 3 - 4 top quality players to improve the side so we can then challenge for the cups and a top 6 place in the league

Mr. Emery is a fantastic manager, hopefully he will be managing us for many seasons.

[Duncan Shaw]

What a day it was, was sat above the tunnel so waited in the ground until Unai got all the way round to us.  Glad to see Wes and Nas did the lap with him too as they deserve all the plaudits going.  Everything has been said about the game, shit ref, nerves, how brilliant we were. The none press at the start is what did it for me, their players were looking at Ollie and McGinn waiting for them to press and we just didn't move, and they didn't know what to do, genius!

As for their fans, not read the forum but those at the game seemed to be OK, joined in with the celebrations at the end.  Stopped to charge my car at Cherwell Valley services and their supporters coaches had stopped there, so chatted to a few of them while we were eating and they were all decent, complimentary and thought VP was rocking.  Which it was, it's hard to remember it being that loud.  It was certainly the best my 23yr old son has experienced (he was in the upper Holte) he was in tears when we met up at the church after.

Watching back, it is refreshing to see how in control we actually were, it didn't feel like that on Sunday!!

[LeeB]

Think I reached a tipping point of alcoholic consumption at half time, as I wasn't nervous at all in the second half

[Monty]

Think I reached a tipping point of alcoholic consumption at half time, as I wasn't nervous at all in the second half

My only fellow Venetian Villan and I had managed to wangle the game in the back room of the Inishark pub off Santa Maria Formosa, and we were so, er, animated that the poor American family in there with us quietly slunk off, I think to get treated for electricity burns.

[Martyn Smith]

What a brilliant day yesterday was.  Really special to be there.

A huge well done to everyone involved in the club - the players, many of who had been written off (including by me), the staff, the fans, and Emery.  Emery feels like the missing piece in the jigsaw and it was great to see him, Wes and Nas walking around at the end.  I love the way that the message coming for Unai was, this is just the start.

So many highlights, but the last 2 minutes of stoppage time, when the whole stadium rose as one to help get the result over the line is something I think I'll never forget.

Other highlights were the pre-match display in the holte, dougie signing to the holte when brigton's first goal was disallowed and the HEITS tribute.

Thought we saw everything about Villa at its best yesterday - and it's been a long time since we could say that.   Just very grateful to have seen it!

UTV

Agree with the all of the above. Never before seen/heard the Upper Trinity like it was in the last !0 mins yesterday.

Been to a few home games since Christmas inc. N'castle and Spurs, but thought this would either be a dead rubber or tense nervy affair. So didn't get a claret ticket when I had the chance.

Regretted it the last few days. So was dipping into ticket site every now and again. A few resale tickets popped up, but were snapped up lightning fast. Then whilst still sitting in my gym kit at home in Maidstone, 11-15am yesterday (Sun)
morning, shopping for tumble dryer parts, refreshed site for about the 5th time in the morning, and managed to land what must have been one of the last tickets sold. Not back home until gone 2.00 am after a curry. Brilliant day out. One of the best.

That's the way to do it; who needs a working tumble dryer in this gorgeous weather anyway?

Shopping For Tumble Dryer Parts is my favourite Beautiful South song by a long way

[Martyn Smith]

Weird on MOTD how before showing the highlights of Villa Brighton they had Ryan Mason expressing his disappointment about not qualifying for Europe despite winning. Revealing that Villa had won before their turn on the show came. Nice for anyone who was doing the score avoidance thing...

[ChicagoLion]

Weird on MOTD how before showing the highlights of Villa Brighton they had Ryan Mason expressing his disappointment about not qualifying for Europe despite winning. Revealing that Villa had won before their turn on the show came. Nice for anyone who was doing the score avoidance thing...

I keep trying to remember when he got a Villa player sent off. He was a right little shit as a footballer and has turned into a whiny little twat as a manager.

[LeeB]

Weird on MOTD how before showing the highlights of Villa Brighton they had Ryan Mason expressing his disappointment about not qualifying for Europe despite winning. Revealing that Villa had won before their turn on the show came. Nice for anyone who was doing the score avoidance thing...

I keep trying to remember when he got a Villa player sent off. He was a right little shit as a footballer and has turned into a whiny little twat as a manager.

He didn't just get a player sent off, he got the only player we had back then sent off.

[pablo_picasso]

On the way from the ground I overheard a couple of Brighton fans talking - they said "it is nice to see the smaller clubs in the league qualifying for Europe"

I suppose most other fans of clubs in the premier league see us as a small club?

Most fans are ignorant to the history of other clubs & every fan sees their club as "big".

I remember having many a discussion with Watford, West Ham, Newcastle & Southampton fans about the relative sizes of our clubs & they all thought they were bigger, back when we were competing for top 4 & cups with that prick O'Neill.

Most were oblivious to our history & just saw whatever selective period or whatever selective statistic that made them bigger in their eyes. When the totality of the situation was pointed out, they pulled out that brain dead classic "historian" nonsense.

Another example of fan cluelessness, I actually had an argument with my Man Utd fan from Devon mate because he was insistent that Villa had never won the European Cup, because he had "never heard about it".

That is the type of fan who argues that Villa aren't a sleeping giant.

Ignorant.

I have nothing against Brighton. I quite like their assault on the status quo. Albeit a few of their fans are getting a bit big headed.

But Im not sure how long term the strategy of continually selling off your best players, then buying cheap replacements in the hope that they can sell them off again. Rinse repeat.

At some point, those cheap transfers will perform at a level of their transfer fee & they will be fighting a relegation scrap. Especially if they have European football to contend with.

[Brend'Watkins]

Weird on MOTD how before showing the highlights of Villa Brighton they had Ryan Mason expressing his disappointment about not qualifying for Europe despite winning. Revealing that Villa had won before their turn on the show came. Nice for anyone who was doing the score avoidance thing...

I keep trying to remember when he got a Villa player sent off. He was a right little shit as a footballer and has turned into a whiny little twat as a manager.

He didn't just get a player sent off, he got the only player we had back then sent off.

He seems almost humble as a (fill in) manager. He was a proper little shit as a player,  snidy and vindictive which made up for his main contribution to Spurs.  What a way to be remembered. I remember nothing about that game but the way he went about getting our player sent off.  Like a petulant child he was. A thousand curses on his managerial career. 

[Brend'Watkins]

I too quite like Brighton as over the last few years I've got to know a few of their supporters quite well on account of my recent departed friend being schooled there back in the 80's.  They're having their day in the sun and good for them.  I expect they'll go the way of Southampton and Norwich in a few seasons though.  Their rapid rise will be balanced out by an equally rapid fall as their excellent recruitment can't be maintained.  Still, nice to see a different face among the TV darlings.

[Drummond]

Weird on MOTD how before showing the highlights of Villa Brighton they had Ryan Mason expressing his disappointment about not qualifying for Europe despite winning. Revealing that Villa had won before their turn on the show came. Nice for anyone who was doing the score avoidance thing...

I keep trying to remember when he got a Villa player sent off. He was a right little shit as a footballer and has turned into a whiny little twat as a manager.

He didn't just get a player sent off, he got the only player we had back then sent off.

He seems almost humble as a (fill in) manager. He was a proper little shit as a player,  snidy and vindictive which made up for his main contribution to Spurs.  What a way to be remembered. I remember nothing about that game but the way he went about getting our player sent off.  Like a petulant child he was. A thousand curses on his managerial career.

I think it's safe to say his managerial career is done. Until November when he'll be caretaker again.