West Ham v Aston Villa post match

[Drummond]

To be honest I thought the analysis by Warnock (S) on MOTD was spot on. Invariably we were picking the wrong pass at the back or players weren’t creating enough space. You could see from the analysis that the right pass would have created the opportunity to cut through West Ham.

On the ball, the biggest difference in the second half was Diaby coming on for Duran. He was dropping deep and giving us the extra option where Duran was stuck forlornly up top, and it changed all the angles. Extremely weird that he didn't start with this.

What seems increasingly apparent this season is that Emery likes to try and keep it tight early on and then finish games off later. He's changing a few things around to try stuff out, and whilst it may not appear to be working, it's generally been effective.... to a point. I think yesterday was one of those games. I guess we could level an accusation that he is messing about too much, but also, I think he's trying not to be predictable, because we started to be found out a little with the high press when playing our usual way. With Kamara, McGinn and Ramsey out of midfield, we were a little light and trying Duran up front was trying to stretch the pitch a bit I think.

[Risso]

I love him but he was shocking in both the Chelsea and Newcastle home defeats quite recently.

And that placed lot of pressure on Moreno who had to be equally shocking to maintain balance

Who did step up to the plate in that regard mind

Yes there have been games where the whole team has just been off it, from the first minute to last. Thankfully they've been relatively rare, both halves against Spurs and the first against West Ham were dismal though.

[aj2k77]

To be honest I thought the analysis by Warnock (S) on MOTD was spot on. Invariably we were picking the wrong pass at the back or players weren’t creating enough space. You could see from the analysis that the right pass would have created the opportunity to cut through West Ham.

On the ball, the biggest difference in the second half was Diaby coming on for Duran. He was dropping deep and giving us the extra option where Duran was stuck forlornly up top, and it changed all the angles. Extremely weird that he didn't start with this.

What seems increasingly apparent this season is that Emery likes to try and keep it tight early on and then finish games off later. He's changing a few things around to try stuff out, and whilst it may not appear to be working, it's generally been effective.... to a point. I think yesterday was one of those games. I guess we could level an accusation that he is messing about too much, but also, I think he's trying not to be predictable, because we started to be found out a little with the high press when playing our usual way. With Kamara, McGinn and Ramsey out of midfield, we were a little light and trying Duran up front was trying to stretch the pitch a bit I think.

Which is strange seeing as we are better going forwards than defensively and have blown numerous teams away by half time during Emery's reign. It's not a plan I like to see from us.

[ez]

First time I've been there and yes it's a horrible stadium. How many times was, I'm forever blowing bubbles played? Then there was Marlon Harewood predicting 4-1 to West Ham on the big screen before the game.

[Brend'Watkins]

Be good to hear the VAR room and why they didn't give the Pen ?

That was the ref's call and he'd seen it, they're not going to overturn it, like if he'd given it they wouldn't have gone against that either.

What happened to the clear and obvious error in this instance?  It's the whole purpose of VAR is it not?

[eamonn]

Harewood has become one of their ambassadors instead of us? Gutted...thank God McGrath for Tayles and Elmo.

[Mister E]

VAR got two decisions right and one wrong for me.  Was a game of 3 handballs.

Cash, Konsa, Torres & Digne/Moreno - stop trying to shoe horn Lenglet in, if he was as good with the ball as he clearly thinks is he’d be captain of Barcelona not farmed out to us

The Spammers handball wasn't VAR but the ref. He was looking straight at it so told VAR he had seen it and didn't think it was deliberate. The players arm was out as he was pointing to his team mate and the ball was played against it. Not a natural position, but not deliberately lifted to block it so would always be on-field call.

This means nothing. One takes a chance when sticking the arm out for any reason. His arm stopped a pass in the box and it was out because he decided to stick it out to point. Bad choice in that situation and absolutely should have been called a hand ball. One of the worst decisions I have ever seen.

I thought this whole 'deliberate' thing had been chucked out. If the ball hits an arm that is not tucked in, it's a foul.

[VillaTim]

Harewood has become one of their ambassadors instead of us? Gutted...thank God McGrath for Tayles and Elmo.

Marlon I can't ever forgive for that game at Spurs when he came on when we're 4-1 as sub for the final 9 mins and it finished 4-4.
Like a reverse lucky charm.

[Drummond]

From the BBC Villa page, this is supposedly feedback from our fans....

Keith: We were lucky not to lose this game, but it was a very welcome point. Villa played well and were the better team. We have to be better in defence and, more importantly, in front of goal, if we are going to consolidate a fourth-place finish.

Brian: A poor first half for Villa, with some very sloppy work in defence. There were too many unforced errors. We looked like a different team in the second half but, in the end, we were lucky to come away with a point.

Paul: We dodged one at the end, but it was a fair result overall. I think West Ham were better in first half, but Villa were much better in the second half.

Pammy: As usual, a sub-standard and lethargic performance after a European tie. Far too casual in the first half, but thankfully a point rescued by the second half substitutes and change in formation. The Watkins-Duran idea just didn’t work and Rogers is not good enough. A decent point in the end and it keeps the pressure on Spurs and Manchester United. Another fairy step to a top-four finish!

[Brazilian Villain]

Harewood has become one of their ambassadors instead of us? Gutted...thank God McGrath for Tayles and Elmo.

Marlon I can't ever forgive for that game at Spurs when he came on when we're 4-1 as sub for the final 9 mins and it finished 4-4.
Like a reverse lucky charm.

I always had a soft spot for big Marlon. Wasn't there one season he was second only to Ronaldo in goals per minute* on the pitch?

*At least till fairly late in Premier League season.

[Percy McCarthy]

Did Leon intentionally play it onto the defender's arm to try and win the penalty? I'm not saying that negates the shout for it, just that it didn't look like a great pass regardless of the contact.

Without doubt, which brings into question the arm to ball argument.
Although i have no idea what constitutes a penalty decision these days, its random.

On this subject, I keep hearing them go on about deliberate handball for their second disallowed goal, I thought the law was, if the ball touches the part of  hand /arm in the build up to  a goal its  is handball regardless of intent.

Or have they changed it again?

I think its handball if it hits the goals scorers hand in the act of scoring (accidentally or not), if it accidentally hits a players hand then someone else scores it is ok.

Yep. The WHAM first handball was deliberate, so no goal, then Bowen broke the accidental or not rule, so no goal, and Konsa was also fouled, so no goal. You’d have to be mad to think it was a goal.

[Drummond]

And feedback from West Ham fans...

West Ham fans

Jay: Absolutely robbed! VAR is ruining football. Taking 10 minutes to make a decision is not 'obvious' and it shouldn't count. VAR has robbed us in the past three games. The lads played unbelievably and Moyes should come out like this every week!

Dave: Yet again another Moyes cock up with the use of substitutes. Why, with a fair length of the game to go, does Moyes take off our main striker and put on a defender. It’s senseless when you have that much time left and are only one goal up. This is two points lost because of poor management. Hurry up and go, Moyes.

Richard: Moyes' tactics again. He took off Antonio and brought on a defender, Ben Johnson, who is arguably not Premier League quality anyway. If Antonio is tired, why not replace him with Danny Ings? 1-0 was not enough. We needed to attack, not defend the lead.

Ted: Once more, terrible officiating in the Premier League. The richest football league in the world. Awful officiating every week - week in and week out. The pundits and fans talk about the execrable referees and bizarre VAR.

[eamonn]

Forever blowing bubbles from their backsides.

[PaulWinch again]

Just read that. Ridiculous, they’re clearly infringements.

[baddowvillans]

Interestingly Gallagher on Sky this morning said that if VAR had decided that the handball was not deliberate and so was a valid goal then they would have defaulted to did Souchek foul Konza which apparently thought was obvious when he saw it live.  All comforting but if that the case why didn't they start there!