Aston Villa vs Sheffield United Post-Match

[Gareth]

And on a different note a few of us were talking just night how far we gave come since being in the Championship relegation zone in the minutes before Bruce's first game in a 5:30 kick off against Wolves. It was also , jokingly, suggested that the three Championship years were the modern Villa fan's equivalent of Vietnam. Other fans, particularly those of the Sky 6, don't understand it because they weren't there.

You have to go back to the play off final we won…Wilder was part of the Sky team they day having sailed up with Sheff U whilst we scraped up in the play offs….contrast the two since, they were eye balls out last night scrapping to stay up, which they won’t whilst we are in top 4 and flying

[LukeJames]

Ive only just seen it back but how the fuck was the free kick awarded to Sheff Utd and not us just before their goal? Obviously doesn't detract from the fact that we defended it poorly but that's a naff decision.

[nick harper]

VAR doesn't make no difference, but it's clearly being misused and disallowing that goal was such a classic example.

It makes a difference to offside decisions. We would certainly have had goals given against us incorrectly but for the line drawing but for subjective decision making on fouls, goals and penalties, it has added nothing.

[Pat McMahon]

Agree with Manu on here that we were lacking intensity and sharpness tonight. They came to camp behind the ball and we never did enough to move them around. I felt Bailey and Diaby were often too close meaning they could crowd us out and the full backs never really got behind their defence.

With such a late equaliser that feels like a point saved and shows great character from the team. However the Ramsey foul on the keeper was clear from the Holte and I don’t think there was enough in other decisions to say we were robbed by VAR.

One for Emery to analyse and work out how we break down teams who come to park the bus as we’ve struggled a few time this season - Palace, Mostar and tonight spring to mind. I see this as a template Burnley will use next week too and hope we have a solution.

[Flamingo Lane]

Whatever was the overall purpose or benefit of VAR has now been completely lost in its actual application, to the point where decisions are being made up according to the discretion and whims of officials not even in the stadium, and it's now impossible to properly enjoy the spontaneous celebration of a goal except in the most clear cut of circumstances.

[Meanwood Villa]

Whatever was the overall purpose or benefit of VAR has now been completely lost in its actual application, to the point where decisions are being made up according to the discretion and whims of officials not even in the stadium, and it's now impossible to properly enjoy the spontaneous celebration of a goal except in the most clear cut of circumstances.

Different to being at the match but I parked up at home last night just as the BBC said we'd scored. Told the other half we were one up "unless there's a VAR problem" I added, almost for comic effect.

[RamboandBruno]

Whatever was the overall purpose or benefit of VAR has now been completely lost in its actual application, to the point where decisions are being made up according to the discretion and whims of officials not even in the stadium, and it's now impossible to properly enjoy the spontaneous celebration of a goal except in the most clear cut of circumstances.

Completely agree re the spontaneity of celebration, it happens but always tinged with…hang on

[Pat McMahon]

Before VAR you could take a quick peek at the left back linesman and then celebrate freely. Now it’s a horrible delay as you watch the referee to see if he is allowing play to restart

[PaulWinch again]

I think it was far too long between the foul and the goal. It was at least 2 phases of play, and they were literally on a counter attack.

[colin69]

I was so disappointed leaving the ground last night having had such a good opportunity to go top. However on reflection if someone had said we’d be in the top two or three at Christmas I’d never have believed them.
Just watched back the highlights and for me Ollie should have had a pen and the disallowed goal should have stood.
Sheffield Utd had a plan and they executed it well, we do struggle to find a way through teams who play that way.
The main thing is we kept going and the cross from Dougie and the header from Zaniolo was superb.
6 points from the next 2 games and it’s still dream time….hopefully.

[SamTheMouse]

VAR doesn't make no difference, but it's clearly being misused and disallowing that goal was such a classic example.

AI referees can't come quick enough.

[Toronto Villa]

Deep breath, day after the night before, opportunity missed. We didn’t attack them as we should have because however they set up they wouldn’t have been able to hold out as they did. I get they put all their players back but what did we expect them to do. Wilder gave that away in the press conference. The onus was on us to take the game to them, not just in possession but attempts on goal and we didn’t do it. But these are all opportunities to continually learn and improve. This is going to happen again this season. What we need to do is brush this off and go beat Man U and Burnley. Because neither of those teams are any good and we should expect, certainly in the Burnley game that they might take a similar approach to frustrate us. We are still 2nd, will be worst case 3rd this weekend. That’s still fucking amazing and we should enjoy it.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

A big shout out to the backroom people who seemed to have cloned the McGrath teleport machine and used it on McGinn, The latter mysteriously popped up all over the pitch. He was a joy to watch.

[Skerra]

Trouble is with matches like this is that we need to go for the throat early in the match. Score 1 and then we’re totally in charge of proceedings. Take that instance when Emi kept rolling the ball backwards and forwards for about 45 seconds. Meanwhile, Blades get back into their shape and we struggle to break them down. We really do need to speed it up against this type of low block football. Of the 80% odd of possession, I reckon about 60% of that was passing it sideways and backwards in our own half. Unfortunately, that also tends to quieten the crowd as there’s not much to get excited about.

[Toronto Villa]

Someone still needs to explain to me how this wasn’t handball?

https://x.com/tamworthlion/status/1738460564328743398?s=46