blunther

**** me we're good

50 minutes ago, limpid said:

Then the people that fit your description won't get the discount (if it happens). Knowing how the club seems to be working at the moment, they might offer more of the irrelevant loyalty points each time you use NFC. People don;'t need to know it's NFC, they just need to know the ticket is in their phone and they need to unlock and tap, like they do to pay for stuff.

It's worked 100% for the people I know that have used it. It's quicker, more reliable and you don't need to protect bits of paper or hold your (expensive) phone at a funny angle during a period of performance anxiety. You don't need a mobile signal after you've added it to your wallet, which you can do well in advance. The technology is simple and well established - see Oyster. The club hasn't invented their own version of NFC - all the clever bits happen when you add the ticket to your wallet - all the NFC reader does is return "valid / not valid".

I can only see a downside if the club tries to do it unilaterally. Some people won't have suitable devices or have other difficulties in using NFC for whatever reason. In the last generation you could spot technophobes by the blinking clocks on their VCRs. I suspect in this generation it'll be the people that still think carrying bits of paper and plastic is good. But this part of the discussion is for elsewhere on the site.

You and I know that, but I imagine there's a lot of people at VP, especially the older folk, to whom the very concept of a 'wallet' on their phone is utterly alien. But like you say, a conversation for another time and place. 

20 hours ago, limpid said:

Not yet. I suspect next year there might be a (small) discount for not having a card. I am not basing this on any inside knowledge.

It's odd that people don't know that this would use NFC - if you add it to the wallet, the wallet doesn't show the QR code, but will pop a notification about an hour before the game which you can tap to open it directly in the wallet and tap - at least that's how my Android works, I guess that if we were in London with Oyster everywhere, people would be more likely to know this.

I would imagine that at least 50% of people going through the turnstiles wouldn't know what NFC was, so we'd need a fair bit of user education. I'm not old (I'm not young either but I'm not old) and I work in IT, but I still don't trust using NFC and carrying my ticket in my wallet - still took a paper backup to both European games so far! More a scepticism about villa's capabilities for using tech that works than a comment on Google wallet or NFC in general though. 

On 10/11/2023 at 14:46, nick76 said:

Not sure the point of this thread.  Nothing is going to change unless a fundamental or significant change and that isn’t going to happen in the near future.  There is already a thread for Project B6 as one of the paths forward.  

I chant my heart out at each game but the old days of the old Holte, likewise fans chanting close together and all that has been massively watered down by all seater requirements, families environment focus, stupid loud speaker music, VAR delays, the cost of games and other factors.  As somebody whose travelled to many of the English grounds, there are a few that overcome this but most are struggling with this problem.

Exactly. Want the atmospheres of old? Turn off the PA, bring back standing, make it a tenner a ticket and sack off VAR. Until those happen, it's going to be sanitised. And those are never going to happen. 

Turning down the stupid music immediately pre and post match would be an easy start though. No point singing as the players come out when it's drowned out til kick off. 

As others have mentioned too, our style of play doesn't help the atmosphere weirdly. It's very patient and well-composed, and is absorbing to watch, but doesn't have many big moments which can wake a crowd up. We're too good! 

12 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

And then the flag goes up.

That bit is really important and it's one they constantly fail to consider on the TV - you get pundits claiming that Alkmaar and Forest constantly breached our high line, when in actuality, I'm not even sure that Alkmaar actually did it once (their goal was offside), and Forest maybe once or twice, down the sides, in the whole game - and then they talk about the five or six chances that were offside as if it were heavy pressure, referring back to saves Emi had to make that were completely void once the flag had gone up.

It works really well, and we're really good at it. Like any system it's not flawless and the ridiculous offside rule at the moment that gives a wait-and-see advantage to the team committing the offence makes it a little bit riskier and a whole lot more nervy to watch - but it is one of the keys to our success.

Letting the opposition hold possession in our half and allowing pressure by dropping deeper won't suit us and we'll lose something in having our centre backs ten yards further away from our forwards when we have the ball.

The high line is brilliant - and it's the system being used by the two team who most pundits would consider as over performing this year - it's Unai's way, were used to it and it works.

I would very much expect to see it today. 

 

Exactly this! Sometimes feels like we're really under the cosh when actually the flag comes up after the attack anyway. What I like about it is it keeps Martinez sharp! It's like he gets there or four chances to make a save each game that wouldn't count anyway. Stops him getting bored!

2 hours ago, Pongo's Socks said:

Absolutely sick to death of this now. Was sat behind the subs as they were warming up on touchline last night, Diego scores, and instead of celebrating properly McGinn ran straight over to ask the subs if it looked onside. Then Ollie admits he didn't celebrate his goal properly as he's worried it'll be chalked off.

This isn't what football is about.

After celebrating the first which was ruled out, I thought Ollie might be offside so didn't properly celebrate either. Not sure why I go and stand in the freezing cold and get to bed much later that I'd like when I feel like I can't celebrate a late winner

3 hours ago, Farlz said:

Honestly, the best thing Unai has achieved is getting this fanbase to accept the style of play. 

Of course it can be slow at times as we look to build up and wait for a press or opening but the ball would go side to side today as we waited for the right time and I didn't hear a single person moan about it or shout get it forward and that's probably the biggest compliment I can give Emery. 

The football is hands down, a million miles clear of anything I've ever seen at this football club. Brilliant to watch. 

My dad moaned a bit at one point and I asked him 'have you not been watching this past year?!'

First time in a while we haven't been clinical in front of goal. Zaniolo early on, then Watkins' chance, Bailey firing wide and McGinn's scuff could all have gone in and made it a rout. Businesslike performance. 

Ref annoyed me. Some harsh cards and silly decisions like not playing advantages. Didn't really have any massive decisions to make though.

Seems like we opted to preserve energy the last half hour. Sensible, but would have liked a fourth for my 4-1 bet. 

Bit of a selection headache for this one now. Bailey and Tielemans have played themselves into the team. Assume Zaniolo drops out, but Diaby needs to come in too. Lenglet will be keeping Torres on his toes too. 

Hope all our fans get out and away okay. All the crowd shots of AZ they seemed quite a docile bunch of middle aged Dutch folk, but I suppose it only takes a few to cause trouble. 

4 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Oh and that cat and mouse passage with Emi just standing on the ball and the AZ strikers saying nah mate we’re sticking to the instructions, pisser

Early on? Loved it when Emi just seemed to say 'okay' and put his hands on his hips. 

Sexy bastard. 

Played magnificently. Rocky few minutes at the end of the half but generally that was class. 

No complaints here. Some sloppy passes letting us down but I like the gameplay, and I reckon 0-0 at HT is exactly what Emery was aiming for here. 

10 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

Gents, the club have set up an email for this type of thing, if you could send complaints directly to:

fancomplaints@avfc.co.uk.

It'd be appreciated.

 

For info, I did email this a couple of weeks ago and ended up having a little chat with Lee Preece. One of the main points he promised was that they were looking at Holte End car park facilities 'this season'. I asked if it would be for normal fans and he said:

"

Car park 100% a fan zone, and also available at half-tito holte enders – no charge.

Car park 100% a fan zone, and also available at half-time to holte enders – no charge.

Once we can get an outside area established this could potentially lead to holte lower catering kiosks being converted to toilets (not the new technology!) to create additional provision. 

Once we can get an outside area established this could potentially lead to holte lower catering kiosks being converted to toilets (not the new technology!) to create additional provision. 

I thought it was fine last night. 

We're reliant on this fella just like we relied on Grealish under Smith. The absolute heart of the team. 

13 hours ago, PeterSw said:

I'd argue that in this day and age, anyone paying decent money to come watch a Premier League match should get at least half decent facilities as the bare minimum.

The big wigs have got all this arse about face. Get the standard stuff up to a good standard so people actually enjoy their experience and then build the hospitality 

Precisely. Can't give us the "oh they're working class so they won't mind, stuff 'em" treatment while charging £63 for a game.

1 minute ago, fightoffyour said:

If we don't get this one I'm going to riot.

3 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

Apologies, WM said he was CB. They were also saying McGinn was going to be on the right off the CF and seems he was played as LB?

Yeah Mcginn left back which was a bit weird. Think Dendoncker would be a disaster in defence with his lack of speed. 

2 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

Don't understand why we just didn't play him central midfield.

Kamara has been off so far this season so should've rested him and played Donk centrally.

CB in a back 4 is too big an ask, he mostly played in a back 3 at Wolves and also for Belgium on occasions.

He did play in midfield. 

Never seen a professional footballer so slow to turn. What is that about?