Aston Villa v HŠK Zrinjski Mostar Post-Match Thread

[pablo_picasso]

I'd say Matty Cash dived as well but slightly different. McGinn was in a good position so shouldn't have dived.

Oh, I agree.

I hate diving.

It is cheating.

Period.

But I don't like it when one side does it & they are the "worlds worst cheat", & another does it & its "clever", "game management" & "buying a foul..."

Especially when a player stays on his feet for an incident that actually was as clear a foul as you will ever see. Not sure if it started outside of the box, but it was one of the clearest fouls to have happened in the game.

Thats not necessarily just against Villa, as I don't think the official was bias last night, just a bit shit, but those media pricks were absolutely one sided with their views of our incidents & their incidents...

And again, probably not bias, just shit at their jobs.

[PeterWithe]

I thought Digne was our best player first half but I can see why he was subbed off as he will be needed for the entire game against the Tatters as Moreno seems no closer to playing. He got through a lot of work as he was the only outlet down the left side and had to get up and down all the half.

[Stu]

They were certainly singing a derogatory song to us and in it referred to us as 'Aston' Seemed to be in Italian though?

Apparently a few of them were doing the nazi salute

[London Villan]

The kick to Dinge's shin towards the end of the first half was a nasty challenge and he could probably still feel it.

[eamonn]

Just watching the "bite-size" highlights now on Pravda, missed the game as I was at Rough Trade last night.

How come the first three rows of the North Stand were all empty - Uefa requirement?

Also, how did our Duran play? Haven't read all this thread but he hasn't been mentioned much. I take it he didn't see much of the ball in the first half but how was his pressing and off the ball work - i.e how did it compare to Ollie's?

[PaulTheVillan]

Just watching the "bite-size" highlights now on Pravda, missed the game as I was at Rough Trade last night.

How come the first three rows of the North Stand were all empty - Uefa requirement?

Also, how did our Duran play? Haven't read all this thread but he hasn't been mentioned much. I take it he didn't see much of the ball in the first half but how was his pressing and off the ball work - i.e how did it compare to Ollie's?

He didn't get much in the way of chances. The ball just wasn't sticking either.

[paul_e]

Just watching the "bite-size" highlights now on Pravda, missed the game as I was at Rough Trade last night.

How come the first three rows of the North Stand were all empty - Uefa requirement?

Also, how did our Duran play? Haven't read all this thread but he hasn't been mentioned much. I take it he didn't see much of the ball in the first half but how was his pressing and off the ball work - i.e how did it compare to Ollie's?

He was ok but as a team we were a bit slow in the build-up so any time we got the ball to him he was tightly marked. He made a good few runs that, had they been spotted, could led to things though, he was unlucky to be taken off at half time in my opinion.

[PeterWithesShin]

How come the first three rows of the North Stand were all empty - Uefa requirement?

You see it in a lot of European games, as far as I know it's because the advertising boards are bigger for European games so would block the view of the first few rows.

[rooboy316]

Did the back 3 shift across after the half time subs? Lenglet LB, Konsa and Carlos CB, Cash RB?

[London Villan]

Pretty much - although Cash was pretty far up the pitch for most of the second half.

[Brazilian Villain]

Could have swore at one point with the rhythm of the chant that they were singing ‘just a small town in Walsall’ - made me chuckle as no doubt they weren’t.

The good news is you'll be able to understand the derogatory chants the Dutch fans sing at us.

[SamTheMouse]

I don't see this bleating about us being slow and ponderous, naive and wasteful etc etc.

Luckily Emery did, which is why 3 players got the curly finger at half time.

I thought that was just part of the prostate screening campaign.

[Brazilian Villain]

Fans booking hotels in Athens, the "only the conference" quotes and picking under strength team have shown a touch of over-confidence/arrogance towards European football so far.

The hotels can be cancelled with no charge up to a day before the final, booking the flights now would be arrogance.

[Brazilian Villain]

You being a youngster Gary I am impressed at your command of historical  football.

Youngster is a relative term.

[Clampy]

I don't see this bleating about us being slow and ponderous, naive and wasteful etc etc.

Luckily Emery did, which is why 3 players got the curly finger at half time.

I thought that was just part of the prostate screening campaign.

That's included in the Lower Grounds package.