Aston Villa vs Juventus post-match thread.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Martinez 8, Cash 8, Carlos 7, Torres 6, Digne 6, Kamara 8, Tielemans 6, Bailey 7, Rogers 4, McGinn 6, Watkins 6.

Lord help me I agree with Bronte's player ratings (though perhaps I'd give Cash a 7 - meaning I'm the misery-arse here!).

I don't know if I was 'disgusted' by that display exactly, but then I am moderately sane.

Me too, I actually agree with the rating for Cash, who I thought had a great game, and I'd up Rogers to a 5 because he kept going and did put the ball in the net, as well as working back a lot to help Digne.

I thought we played well defensively and it was only really that 1 corner where they created a real chance. Going forward we're nearly good, we're the final pass or a better finish away from putting 4-5 past someone and getting back on track but in the meantime we're just butchering chances after lots of very good build-up work.

I think Torres and especially Digne who I thought had a great game should be at least a 7. Digne list the initial battle with the winger but after that played him really well and also offered something in attack.
Kamara our standout player.

Impressed by their winger and big Gatti at the back who marshalled the defence superbly.

Not too much to get excited about all being told and I thought the atmosphere was a bit off, still shows how far we’ve come to be thinking we should be beating Juventus even though they’ve not got as many household names as yesteryear.

[VillaTim]

not sure how Cash gets an 8 and Digne a 6 . I'd reverse that

[The Edge]

I thought he pointed to the centre spot, twice actually.

I did at the time - but I think he was pointing for a free kick on reflection.   I think most people thought it was a goal in the ground - but I think the ref gave the freekick - Var checked to see if it would be overturned (i.e. a goal).  They said no.  So he pointed again (to show the direction of the free kick).  He then did the no goal signal (at the time I thought it was VAR but on reflection I think was the no goal).

I think thats why Morgan reacted the way he did in his muted celebration.

Not sure how the refree gave it as a foul from where he was - the contact was minimal and after he had failed to grab it.  I was expecting VAR to overturn it if had been given as the GK was acting like he had been cut in half.

He definitely pointed towards the half way line. He was 25 yards from the incident so there's no way he could have seen any minimal contact on the keeper. If he was pointing to the half way line in order to indicate he was giving a free kick he's proved what an incompetent referee he actually is. He's supposed to point one arm at the incident and the other arm towards the halfway line. Just pointing one arm towards the halfway line usually means the goal is given. Basically he can't even get pointing right so what hope is there for him?

[brontebilly]

not sure how Cash gets an 8 and Digne a 6 . I'd reverse that

Digne struggled early on with their winger I thought. He really has to start doing a lot more in advanced positions when he gets the ball too. I think Maatsen will eventually replace him for that reason.

[VillaTim]

not sure how Cash gets an 8 and Digne a 6 . I'd reverse that

Digne struggled early on with their winger I thought. He really has to start doing a lot more in advanced positions when he gets the ball too. I think Maatsen will eventually replace him for that reason.

he's our player of the season so far

[Beard82]

I think we were much better yesterday - played well and should have won.  They are a good side and set up well.  I thought are midfield was much better - Kamara reading of the game and ability to keep the ball and beat the press is essential.  I would love to see him and Onana together - with Yuri further forward.

All our supporting attackers seem to be struggling at the moment - Roger’s looked tired, McGinn huffed and puffed and Bailey has been a shadow of last season.  All did some good things - but with Ramsay out we need one of them to find some form.

I think that’s one of the other challenges of the UCL - very difficult for players to play themselves into form when every game is so tough and we have a lack of options in the attacking sense.    I read a state that in 2024 were 8 overall in the league which feels about right for how we have been. 

Injuries and poorer form of key players have limited us but we’re still in touch with the top 4 and think maybe moves in Jan would help.  I think attacking is the key area.  Defensively we haven’t been great but like yesterday shows - we have enough calibre back there and a working midfield would help them

[Luffbralion]

I felt for a nil nil it was a pretty absorbing spectacle. I'm not disappointed with a point but appreciate it was so nearly all three.

1.  The crowd getting at Bailey and now Rogers really won't help two players who are down on confidence. I know they've been poor but the groans really are unhelpful.

2. Anybody else hear the booing when the stadium announcements were made in the beautiful Italian language? The clown behind me was particularly vociferous, even dismissing it as "woke".  ("Woke as in "things I don't like or don't understand").   I took pleasure in informing him that the same linguistic hospitality was offered us at Bruges so we could understand substitutions, added time, etc.

[Drummond]

I think it was the very definition of a dour 0-0 draw. There was some quality on display, but it wasn't an action packed end-to-end classic.

Just because it wasn't the latter doesn't make it the former.

It was definitely a tactical battle in which defences and being resolute overcame flair and creativity though.

I enjoyed it because it was tense, the referee was a baddie, and for the occasion itself.

[Gareth]

Thought the ref was played like a violin by Locatelli all game…proper fan boy type of refereeing…thank god they didn’t play in the black and white stripes, they’d have swapped shirts on the way off

[berneboy]

Rogers looks knackered!

I agree but he looked like he had a heavy cold/chest infection- he was coughing and gobbing.

[markeeeebeeee2005]

That ref was so clearly on the take. Do clubs ever push for it to be investigated?

[Monty]

Nobody wants to have a go at Juve more than I do, but the ref gave us a few marshmallow-soft freekicks as well. Less bribed, more like he was really jittery about covid and enforcing social distancing.

[markeeeebeeee2005]

That’s how bent refs work. Unless they’re really really bad at it.

[VillaTim]

Another bent ref in charge at old Trafford this evening blatant corruption

[Monty]

That’s how bent refs work. Unless they’re really really bad at it.

So somebody bribes them, and to throw everyone off the scent they...referee the game evenly? 'Hm I know I like the money they gave me but I don't want to look suspicious, better cover my tracks by giving their opponents several questionable freekicks in dangerous areas.'