Brentford vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[The Edge]

I don’t even know or care where Brentford is. Fuck them. Up the villa!

It's by the M4 in West London. Pretty non description place. The football club reflects It's surroundings. Fuck em.

[Somniloquism]

Saw someone mention we've won 25 Premier League games in 2023, our best calendar year in our entire history, and have 81 points in the same year, second only to Man City, but we can't be too far behind them.

Still behind Citeh but second on 81 points with a potential 9 more at stake I think.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/premier-league/jahrestabelle/wettbewerb/GB1/saison_id/2023

[SaddVillan]

Too long for some I'm sure, but

The Athletic's view of things:

OLLIE WATKINS' CELEBRATION OF ASTON VILLA WINNER AT BRENTFORD AIMED AT SUPPORTER WHO INSULTED HIS FAMILY


Ollie Watkins’ pointed celebration after scoring the winner in Aston Villa’s win at Brentford was directed at one home supporter who insulted his family.

Watkins said his celebration was directed at someone who was “abusing” him throughout the match at the Gtech Community Stadium.

The 27-year-old joined Villa from Brentford in the summer of 2020, having spent three successful seasons with the London club in the Championship.

Watkins scored a header from a corner in the 85th minute, with his momentum taking him into the goal. The striker was standing in the net in front of the West Stand and seemingly started pointing directly at one fan before putting his hands on his hips and shouting.

Saman Ghoddos tried to pull Watkins away which prompted Konsa to protect his Villa team-mate. Konsa started grappling with Ghoddos and then Mathias ‘Zanka’ Jorgensen got involved. Within seconds, players from both teams were pushing and shoving each other around the six-yard box. Referee David Coote booked Konsa, Ghoddos, Jhon Duran and Brentford’s Vitaly Janelt.

It was far from the game’s only incident, with Brentford’s Ben Mee and Villa’s Boubacar Kamara both shown red cards, a further 10 players shown yellow cards and both head coaches booked.

WHAT DID WATKINS SAY?

“It was a bit of a feisty game, it all spurred from my celebration but that’s not down to a lack of respect for the fans,” Watkins said to Sky Sports.

“I love the club, the players and staff, I’ve not got a bad word to say against them. But there was one person who was abusing me all game, the celebration wasn’t to anyone else but it was directed directly at him.

“(Thomas Frank) asked me why I had celebrated like that — I’m still on texting terms with him — but it’s because of that reason.

“I feel like I’ve done so much for the club and they’ve done so much for me, football’s football and you can have a bit of banter but not when it’s personal.

“If the club don’t believe me it’s up to them — but I’ve explained it to Thomas and he knows I wouldn’t do that for no reason. It agitated me and that’s what happened.”

Villa, meanwhile, have called for the authorities to investigate Watkins’ allegation. A club statement read: “Aston Villa FC wants to express its support for Ollie Watkins and with the utmost respect for the big majority of Brentford fans and for the club, we ask the authorities to investigate this incident to find this individual. Zero tolerance to abuse in football.”

The Athletic has asked Brentford whether it will be investigating the alleged abuse of Watkins.

HOW HAS WATKINS BEEN RECEIVED IN HIS PREVIOUS TRIPS BACK TO BRENTFORD?

In the past when he has returned to play against Brentford, there has been a mutual respect and affection between the striker and the supporters.

But when play restarted, Brentford fans started loudly booing Watkins every time he touched the ball. The England international was clearly rattled by the incident as a few minutes later, he was warned by referee Coote for pushing over Nathan Collins as Brentford prepared to take a corner.

At full time, Watkins spoke to his former coach Frank before immediately heading down the tunnel.

WHAT ELSE HAPPENED IN THE GAME?

A late incident involving Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Brentford striker Neal Maupay led to a host of bookings and Kamara’s red card.

Maupay went to the ground late on as Martinez prepared to take a free kick in the Villa half. Martinez then picked Maupay up by his shirt, leading to the scuffle which saw Kamara sent off for raising his hands to the face of Brentford’s Yegor Yarmolyuk.

Martinez and Yarmolyuk were also booked for their roles in the incident, with Villa head coach Unai Emery also shown a yellow card.

Villa came from behind to win, with Brentford going ahead through Keane Lewis-Potter in the first half. Defender Mee was then sent off for a challenge on Leon Bailey in the 71st minute following a VAR check. Frank was booked for his protestation of Mee’s yellow card being upgraded to a red.

Alex Moreno equalised for Villa just six minutes later, with Watkins’ winner coming in the final minutes of regulation time.

WHAT AT DID THE MANAGERS SAY?

Brentford boss Frank said that his players “lacked class” at the end of the match.

“The game that we love won’t be discussed in your questions today,” Frank added. “I don’t like that.

“Ollie and I went to each other after the game and said there was a situation. He is a top player with top integrity. I couldn’t understand why fans were booing him.”

Asked if he had spoken to Watkins following the incident, Emery replied: “No. I didn’t know which player scored. I thought it was Konsa. I don’t know now. I can explain everything when I watch it and overall, I can do the analysis, but not deeply.”

Emery added: “I don’t know exactly (what happened). I want to analyse the match in 90 minutes. Then I will analyse the circumstances that happened at the end of the match with Ollie but I don’t know what exactly happened with him. And then with Emiliano, Jhon Duran and Nicolo Zaniolo.

“Always our behaviour has been fantastic. Maybe today it was not good and I want to explain to the players as well about how we can react when we are under pressure. In some circumstances, maybe a little bit of provocation for them. But I don’t want this behaviour.”

Emery was also asked about the behaviour of Martinez in that late incident, as well as his entering the pitch and earning a caution from Coote. He said: “The behaviour was not very good. And of course, the reaction of Emiliano Martinez was not very good as well. I am going to speak with Emi.

“But the most important for Emi is that he played very well — he did a very fantastic match. That is the most important. Then it is to try and control in different circumstances on the pitch and in different moments, we needed to be clever in our mind, try to control it.

“When I came on the pitch I was trying to keep calm with the players. I received a yellow card for it but I tried to control the players and Emiliano was a little bit upset and I tried to keep calm.”

Asked if Kamara deserved his red card, Emery said: “I don’t know. I didn’t see the action but with VAR, if he received a red card it is because VAR is the big eye for everybody.”

[wince]

They are arguably West Londons fourth biggest club, show a bit of respect.

Go back to your Christmas vacation……😂

[SoccerHQ]

I love wins like that, we ain't taking no shit from nobody, we'll do it anyway you like.

Up the fucking Villa.

Yep, that win gave me more satisfaction than beating Arsenal.

To get top 4 or even....(whispers very quietly) win leagues...you need to show bottle and mentality to scrap it out and win games from behind. We did that superbly in last 20 minutes.

Brentford weren't interested in a football match after Mee's annual assault on one of our players and were just winding up our players to get one sent off. Shame Kamara took the bait and he'll be a miss at Old Trafford for sure.

Chance to go top of the league this deep in a season since perhaps 2001? What an atmosphere it's going to be on Friday, can't wait.

[Matt C]

Completely forgot about the Kamara flick that set up the winner. Magnificent.

[AV82EC]

I went today. Brentford, what a bunch of whinging pussies. We dominated the game start to finish, they had a few flurries here and there but were set up for a point. Mee quite rightly sent off the dirty ****** and I so wish Maupay the little ****** followed him. After the match some of the Brentford players were going round the ground applauding the fans including Maupay, as they went past us cue a large chorus of “you’ve seen the Villa now fuck off home”, Maupay got pissed off and had to be dragged away, the bitter little twat.

Great day out, fantastic result, fully deserved.

[dave shelley]

Great result, as others have said another hoodoo broken with a truly gritty performance.

No comment from me on Ollie as I don't know what was said by either of them.

One thing I think Villa can look forward to is a fine for failing to control their players.

I wish to join the Emery love club.

[Toronto Villa]

Seems like Purslow back amongst Villa fans again for a game in London.

[Tony Daleys Shorts]

“And now you’re gonna believe us…”

[Chap]

We’ve now added steel to our make up.
I’m now a believing would you bet against us sort of guy!

[Baldy]

Great to see that amongst many other good things, we can fight fire with fire. Another string to our bow.

Like watching the glory days of Man Utd in the Roy Keane era. Great camaraderie.

Well deserved three points.

Well done lads.

[PaulWinch again]

Weird thing about Ben Mee is whenever I’ve heard him interviewed he sounds quite thoughtful and intelligent, but on the pitch he’s a thug. Saying that I know a few people like that in local 6-a-side, as soon as they cross the line they completely change, it’s quite odd.

[Ads]

Great to grit it out. Dominated huge swathes of possession and territory all game, but found it hard against their back 5, being narrow and with 11 behind the ball. You could throw a blanket over their team for large portions; their prerogative and its not their job to make it easy for us.

Without Dougie and Tielemans, we missed that final ball to break them down.

Ben Mee's tackle was abysmal and looked a red in real time, with the referee a yard or two away. Maupay is an absolute disgrace. A woeful, nothing player, devoid of any Premier League quality, who came on to dive, rile up and cause aggro looking for a percentage set piece. Felt he went down so easy and obviously with Konsa.

In fact a special word for the Wimbledon of 2023; Brentford play utter filth. Long ball, direct, overly physical- their goal scorer with the most obvious shirt pull you'll see avoiding a booking for example. Persistent fouling, leaving a foot in. Awful team.

Said before the game that this was the sort of game a title winner would come and get three points from. Moreno switched off for the goal, but by and large played well and scored a nice header. Diego stoo up well physically too.

Just a great win. Shame about Kamara. We shouldnt have got drawn into Maupay and their bollocks. Fuck Brentford.

[JUAN PABLO]

Weird thing about Ben Mee is whenever I’ve heard him interviewed he sounds quite thoughtful and intelligent, but on the pitch he’s a thug. Saying that I know a few people like that in local 6-a-side, as soon as they cross the line they completely change, it’s quite odd.

I noticed he is getting a bit of TV media work lately and all the time I watch him talk , I just think thug , killed a players career .