Manchester Utd v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Exeter 77]

In August we probably would have settled for getting into the Europa League but we have been so good at stages this season we have developed expectations rather than hopes.

[Paul.S]

That decision was a farce. Another in a long line of appalling decisions throughout the league this season.
Saying that, we’ve ended up where we have because defensively we’ve been weak. A bit better lately but mistakes like Cash made today are always underneath the surface waiting to come out.
The players have given their all but for some, the pressure just gets to them. We’ve come a long, long way in a few years and what hurt me the most was that Wembley performance.
Now is the time to freshen things up a bit and if Spurs can win the Europa then surely we have a chance.

[Matt C]

Very difficult to divorce what has been a very decent season from today’s shit show but maybe I’ll manage it in a few weeks. Onwards. 

[Jane]

At least the season ticket email tomorrow should show a lower amount than planned ?

That will be interesting!

[malckennedy]

However poor we were today, the bottom line is that we didn’t qualify for the Champions League and the Jaudis did because of a corrupt refereeing decision.

[PeterWithesShin]

We won 13 of the last 17 in all comps which is phenomenal. What cost us was the 3 month spell where the defence was battered by injuries. Draws at home to Ipswich, Brighton, West Ham, even defeat at Wolves.

[FrankyH]

A very weak ref who couldn't wait to blow up . No doubt that clueless twat will referee in the premiership next season. Can you imagine if that decision went against one of the Sky teams with the outcome riding on it . Shit performance by the team and manager. I know I'm probably in the minority , but the sending off was Cash's fault. Martinez hasn't got the benefit of slow motions and re-runs to tell him Hojlund was running towards the corner flag in that spilt second ( even if he's Blues !) . Painful to miss out .We have still qualified for Europe in a cup Unai loves winning.

[eamonn]

Not sure what Digne has done to be dropped in recent weeks. Maatsen has more pace and threat going forward but he is half-brainless in defence. Needless foul for the penalty, ball-watching for the first goal against the one player he could potentially dominate in the air given they both look 12 (him and Diallo) and he also tried to head the ball back to Olsen from the halfway circle when it wasn't on and got away with it.

[Crown Hill]

Is there any sort of man city points deduction we can pray for?

I was going to say that decision will now be announced speedily now the season has ended!

[adrenachrome]

Trying to think of the game where Mings was interviewed after, when he said something like “when things are going wrong, you need someone on the pitch to change things”. The interviewer said “who would that be?” and he said “me”.

Our only true leader, not picked for a big game again.

I would say that your long-held position on this question has been vindicated.

[eamonn]

Disappointed with how we played and the referee. But we have two routes into the Champions League next season, and being in the Europa League with a manager that always wins the Europa League might not be the worst thing in the world.

Good point, but it’s hurting bad after that.

The nearly men.

We should get that on the badge. We haven't had a badge change for ages.

"It's who we are, mate". Spursy ain't a thing no more. It's Villainous Villainy.

[manic-road]

We were awful today, I didn't expect such a drab performance before the match in fact I thought we would dominate the ball.

Missed Digne at the back and that decision by the ref to blow up was a sickener.

[kippaxvilla2]

We’ve been serial bottlers for as long as I’ve supported us with very few exceptions in between.  I love and hate this club in equal measure.

[wolfman999]

Two draws against fucking Ipswich cost us. Win either of those games and this afternoons shit show would have been irrelevant.

[tomd2103]

To borrow a phrase from PWS as his usual opening post on a post-match thread - "never in doubt". Of course we were going to fuck-up today - it's against that lot at Old Trafford!

The hand-wringing about the disallowed goal reminds me a bit of the 2010 League Cup final. Ref fucked up but get over it, play the fuck on and win, there's plenty of time left. Emery's body language was embarassing, he didn't even acknowledge the away fans that remained (very few of the players did either). We deserved fuck-all today and that's exactly what we got. Cheers to Chelsea for getting us Europa League as Conference would have been a shitty reward. Sad that we'll still have to probably someone else good as well as Emi.

There is an inconsistency in the rules where it seems that the only situations where play is allowed to continue is for the most obvious offsides in case there's been an error. The ref should have applied the same logic here. I guess kicking the ball out of a goalie's hands is not a common foul, he just assumed the worst but just like there was a rule change after we were done out of an offside decision at Man City a couple of years ago, I bet they'll tweak this to make sure refs let play go on before blowing for a foul. As it is, PGMOL can just hide behind the fact that the whistle had already been blown before Rogers scored.

Yep, as you say it's a very rare occurrence, but the instruction that will follow will probably be to let play continue if there is a clear chance of a goal.  He blows a couple of seconds later and it's a goal.

The penalty was a bit of a strange one as well.  There seemed to be a bit of delay before he pointed a bit unconvincingly to the spot.  Wonder how he reached that decision as it didn't look like he'd seen it initially.