Aston Villa v PSG Post-Match Thread

[Brend'Watkins]

Very proud of every player, they gave it everything, you can’t ask for more. PSG are a great football team and we gave them their hardest game this season. The first leg extra time goal did for us. I take pride in the fact they’ve been at this CL thing since its inception, we on the other hand are novices in comparison.

Hope they go on and win it.

One downside about them. AI fans? Looked like it.

[Rory]

Those boys deserved every bit of applause they got at the end.

That was quite impressive from all of us. Almost no one other than Coopersinjury type left. Every player applauded off and we drowned out PSG celebrations.

We drowned out THE DRUM?!

[Toronto Villa]

Compare this to utter bollocks offered by Carragher and that laughing twat Richards, McAteer on Bein offers a much more balanced analysis. Don’t have to agree with it all but it’s just so much better presented and professional.

https://x.com/beinsports_en/status/1912256237653147699?s=46

[PeterWithe]

Well that's that then, we asked them to leave every ounce of effort out there and they didn't let us down, at 0-2 I felt an embarassment was coming as we just couldn't cope with the speed they moved the ball and got their full backs into centre midfield overloads. I felt they were as good a side as I've ever seen at VP. And then....

Fuck me, we absolutely battered them second half, I'm so proud of them, not only did we go toe to toe, we had them on the rack, so many 'what ifs' but we did ourselves proud on and off the park.

I said that last minute goal in Paris killed us, and so it was.

Well done to the team, and to everyone that was there, the old place rocked, like only it can under the lights, so close, so so close.

UTV

[brontebilly]

It's a real shame that our substitutions had the reverse effect intended. Ramsey and Watkins barely touched the ball. As for Asensio's one moment....he telegraphed where he was going to shoot but Donnarumma had already committed to attempting a point-blank save. Easy to say but Asensio has it in his locker to feint on the shot, pull it wide to his right and run through on goal to slot the ball into an empty net.

We just couldn't build-up a head of steam for the last 10 minutes. PSG deserve credit for not allowing that to happen and they continued to look dangerous on the break. But unless Rashford was physically phucked, I would have left him on as he was beginning to purr.

Hard to be too despondent though, we gave our all and showed battle and quality. Just hope the players can pick themselves up for the weekend as if we replicate that, we'll funeral the Toon.

The way I saw it too, Eamonn. Thought Maatsen was awful too. The subs didn't work at all and Rogers struggling badly again on the right was the most obvious change.

For maybe 25 mins after half time we humiliated one of the best teams in Europe. We had the chances too and brought three great saves. They eventually fought back off the ropes and held us off. From where we have been, the transformation has been remarkable. McGinn was peak Roy Keane tonight, he single handedly drove us back in the game. I thought Cash, Torres and Tielemans were excellent in that period too and Rashford finally came alive.

To where things went wrong in the first half. To be fair the likes of Rooney called it correctly. We were tactically indisciplined really. Two terrible goals conceded, Kamara, who struggled surprisingly in both legs, and Konsa selling themselves for the goals. These are just things we have to learn. You can't really legislate for Martinez error but we were all over the place anyway. To turn it around so quickly after the break was remarkable.

Martinez 6 - poor mistake for goal but some big saves late on
Cash 7 - tough first half but battled incredibly well in second against a top player
Konsa 6 - awful first half but fine finish for goal. Not sure how he completely missed that header
Torres 7 - thought his distribution at times tonight was back to his best.
Digne 6 - cautious enough performance, bit flat in first half but solid second. Missed his defensive nous when replaced, mind
Kamara 5 - not sure if it was the occasion or what but he made errors in this tie that he hasn't made all season. Just off it really with a lot of poor decisions and distribution
Onana 6 - big call to start him. Fortunate to see the second half I thought, did improve to be fair
McGinn 9 - a Villa legend, nothing else to say. Unless he was carrying an injury, that was a crazy decision to replace him before the 70th min
Rogers 5 - lively start in first 20 mins or so, one shot with left just went wide but I don't get the logic playing him in that position.
Tielemans 8 - took a long time to get into the game, fortunate goal perhaps but outstanding when we were at our best
Rashford 7 - very fortunate he saw the second half after a poor first 45 but nearly an iconic Villa Park goal only for an outstanding save. Wouldn't have taken him off either. Cracking assist.

Asensio had the big chance, look it's a great save but I'm expecting him to try to go around the keeper. Ramsey had no impact at all. Watkins couldn't get into it either but PSG had regained control by then. Maatsen was very poor defensively, late shot could have made him a hero. Barkley didn't get enough time.

[Toronto Villa]

I don’t understand any of those ratings outside of McGinn.

[Brend'Watkins]

I think he’s an attention seeker. I’m really fed up of his shit.

[cdbearsfan]

I wonder if any of the Rotterdam lads would have surpassed the hallowed 6/10.

[CT Villan]

Disappointed, but immensely proud of the players and the crowd.

We came within inches of knocking out arguably the best team in Europe. Herculean effort in the 2nd half especially and our unbeaten home run continues.

The ref must have been told who UEFA wants in the Semis because he was equally as poor as the one in the 1st leg.

Let's funeral the Geordies on saturday.

[Toronto Villa]

I wonder if any of the Rotterdam lads would have surpassed the hallowed 6/10.

Spink might have got 7 had he played the full game. Withe because he shinned it, 6 but because it hit the post, reduced to 5.

[pelty]

Great fight from the team! Well done, Villa!

[PeterWithesShin]

The Champions League dream may be over, but this moment should be taken to appreciate the true genius of Aston Villa gaffer Unai Emery.
It's said so many times, but when he took over the club, relegation from the Premier League was a proper possibility. Fast forward to now - fortress Villa Park had never felt more alive than against PSG. The noise of the fans, the team all truly united in a fantastic effort; the football world stood up and took notice.
Not only did #AVFC defeat one of the favourites for the trophy on the night, the Villains could have won it if not for remarkable Gianluigi Donnarumma saves. They showed exactly that they can compete with the European giants with brilliant talents all over the pitch.
Marcus Rashford showed his true form once more, dancing past world-class defenders with ease to provide assists. Ezri Konsa, John McGinn and Morgan Rogers transformed Championship football into bagging massive goals in the CL over the two-legs. All of this is under the stewardship of Villa messiah Unai.
The club may be out of the competition on the night, but now have another European charge in the league and a FA Cup semi-final to look forward to.
Make no mistake, Villa are well and truly back.

[PeterWithesShin]

"Now give most of them a 6 or 7"

[Percy McCarthy]

Up there for me with VP nights like Liverpool 5-1, Barcelona 2-2 & 3-0, Inter x 2, Bayern Munich 1-0.

Thanks Villa, Unai & all the players and staff for giving me the chance to share this season with my youngest kids. I knew if I kept having them I’d get some real Villa fans eventually.

9 wins in the last 10 games,  and 2 of those 10 games were against one of the best teams in the world.

Keep going!

[enigma]

Liverpool barely laid a glove on them over two legs but we came so close to at least forcing extra time. We showed that we absolutely belong at this level. Take this momentum into the last few games and we'll get top five.