AZ Alkmaar Vs Aston Villa Post-Match

[OCD]

Using ex-pro's doesn't mean any pro and doesn't mean they can't be trained. It doesn't even mean ex-Premier League players. Just people with working experience who can read a situation better than what some referees will.

[OCD]

“Aston Villa are still a better team than West Ham, especially the power up front and the footballing ability,” he said.

“And punishing opportunities. I thought Aston Villa was also a bit more direct in the pressing. West Ham dropped a little more and let us have more of the ball.

“That was the biggest difference today. They are extremely fast up front and very deadly.”

- Sven Mijnans (AZ Defender).

[enigma]

“Aston Villa are still a better team than West Ham, especially the power up front and the footballing ability,” he said.

“And punishing opportunities. I thought Aston Villa was also a bit more direct in the pressing. West Ham dropped a little more and let us have more of the ball.

“That was the biggest difference today. They are extremely fast up front and very deadly.”

- Sven Mijnans (AZ Defender).

Wish I could upvote this.

[algy]

Apparently, that's AZs first home defeat in 29 Euro matches!

West Ham won there in May.

It was mentioned it was their first home loss in 29 European matches. Guess the commentators got it wrong.

Well, read it that we destroyed one of last season's semi finalists, away from home, when they're in form ... still seems pretty good.

[Lastfootstamper]

I had to give up trying to watch it on a phone that was balanced on a RSJ whilst at work, so I've watched it now. Blimey, we're good, aren't we? "See this ball, yeah? You can't play with this one. This is our ball. And see all that grass there, that lovely, open, green, green grass with nobody on it? You can't play on that either. That's our grass."
And I like to think that somebody, somewhere, was tutting in a similar manner to many of us down the ages at having to listen to a somewhat biased commentary.

And that wasn't even our first team!

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

So does anyone know an accurate figure for the number of villa fans that went over to Holland?

[tomd2103]

I don't know why ex-pro's aren't used more, especially in the VAR capacity.

Knowing the Premier League, we'd probably end up with Gary Neville doing Manchester United games, Carragher doing Liverpool.games etc.

[ADVILLAFAN]

So does anyone know an accurate figure for the number of villa fans that went over to Holland?

I think 950 in the stadium, but presumably many more without tickets.

[SamTheMouse]

I don't see why we don't hire foreign officials to oversee the Premier League.

There would be fewer allegiance issues. Potentially fewer "sky six" bias issues.

And lets face it, a lot of them just seem to be better at it than ours are. Whether thats a training issue, I couldn't say.

But the Premier League claims to be best in most areas of football, so why not pay for the best referees from abroad?

This is a great idea. Although it would probably mean sending David Coote to referee in Slovakia or somewhere, which would set back diplomatic relations and may be interpreted as a declaration of war.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

So does anyone know an accurate figure for the number of villa fans that went over to Holland?

I think 950 in the stadium, but presumably many more without tickets.

Sorry, that’s what I meant. Presume the amount travelling without tickets was at least a few thousand. Just wondered if anyone had heard of any specific numbers.

[Pete3206]

Stan Collymore was there and had his Cannock Villa flag confiscated. To be fair, it was a bit daft taking it in to the area where it kicked off with the West Ham friends & family last season.

[dcdavecollett]

The type of brilliant euro performance we were led to believe would be the norm under Unai. It's taken a while, though the serially high - class league showings have been great consolation.