turvontour

I honestly cant remember a worse away team to come to Villa Park. They looked a played like a team that never scores or wins. An absolute disgrace, not just that we couldn't beat them today, but couldnt avoid defeat, same as last week. Not sure where we go from here. Barring 15 mins v leeds its 3 straight games of rubbish against the worst teams in the league.

I said that to the bloke next to me, we're now wide open with the substitutions. It played right into Hodgsons game plan.

Am I seeing a different weather forecast to everyone else? Its says light rain until 3-4pm and then sunshine.

It doesn't really matter now. They've got 3 wins in a row mainly down to his free kicks. Prob only need a couple more wins given the teams below.

Maybe it's down to the individuals mindset. I watched the man u away cup game, everton away and newcastle away on tv at home and didnt celebrate either of the ings or Watkins goals as my instant reaction was that this will probably be ruled out. I celebrated the Buendia header at everton as that's very unlikely to be disallowed straight from the corner. It's kind of case by case isnt it, like I fully celebrated all the goals at home to Leeds as they were flowing moves. Its about likelihood.

Personally, it feels like there is a bias towards the bigger teams but I'm not sure that there actually is. Theres masses of decisions that go both for and against and its therefore easier to focus on the bigger teams calls that went for them. What I dont like about it, and I mean really dont like about it, is the fact that fans and players cant celebrate tight goals anymore.

But you dont need it to be right, it never was, or atleast you dont need it to be that right that it takes 3 minutes to decide. Even after the 3 minutes, nobody knows definitively. It's still guesswork. Having travelled around the country to away games I am far more interested in being able to enjoy those rare moments of equaliser and winners freely rather than worrying if tight calls arent quite correct. If you said to the 3000 there Sunday would you take the Ings goal at old Trafford to be given and Watkins goal to be given, but that means that maybe when say Joelinton scores and his heel is offside in the build up that that's also given. I think pretty much everyone would prefer that. To me it kind of draws a parallel with the European super league idea in that again it is the actual dedicated fans that would suffer. It really doesnt matter if you're watching on tv from a distance.

He had their full back completely isolated on 3 or 4 occasions driving at the corner of the box, but he never seems to have complete control of the ball or necessarily know what hes going to do with it. Such threatening positions too it's a shame.

Well this is it. 3000 villa fans paid about £100 each Sunday, probably travelled for an about 8 hours each, sacrificed a full day, to half celebrate a goal, and then have that goal taken away minutes later. Same as at Old Trafford in the cup a few games before. Was interesting to watch the villa on tour guy on YouTubes video in the away end at Newcastle. He says "subdued celebrations" straight after Watkins goal. Thats the whole reason you commit the time and the money, the ecstasy of an equaliser or winner away from home. What a farce.

I think it should be a ten second review window. If it takes any longer then you stick with the original decision. Its surely to stop ridiculously wrong decisions, not to referee tight calls retrospectively.

Youre right. Theres something though that nags with me about being able to award a goal and then take it away. Everyone watching that goal knew it was 50 50 if it was going to be given. You could see it in Watkins reaction. I suppose it takes away from the drama, tv commentary etc if they were to say, " this could be a goal, we'll know in a few minutes, dont go away". The linesman are just pointless in all of it now arent they. In ten years, we will be saying "we used to have a guy with a flag trying to judge if it was offside or not".

He has about 30% of his premier league goals cancelled out five minutes after scoring, so I can understand his lack of ecstasy when they go in. It's not like hed have had any goals disallowed retrospectively in the championship at Brentford for example.

I know this isnt important, but why is Watkins goal awarded, added to the scoreline, players lined up to take kick off etc. And then its removed. Why isnt it goal pending?

Everyone's situations are different arent they. Personally I was going into meetings at work exhausted the first year of our sons. Absolutely shattered from getting up through the night. On the surface of it, he has masses of money like you say but we dont know any about his personal situation.

Why are they nailed on to score against us? They haven't scored in their last 4 games.

Absolutely zero excuses if we dont win this. They havent won a game since November.

Watkins again with a goal given but then ruled out for being fractionally offside. For me though the problem is that this can only happen so many times before you're just not quite good enough at positioning/timing your run. He was a fraction away from stabbing in Dignes volleyed cross against Leeds the other night, and was an inch away from scoring an equaliser today. Thats potentially 4 points extra for villa if both of those go in. It's fine margins though either way and top strikers are generally on the right side of the margins.

Surely no football fans want this rediculous process of the lines, either for or against them? I'd quite happily have a goal given against us that if you use a ruler and take an age to assess might have been fractionally wrong, as we would equally have goals like today given. Theres nothing sadder than having all the players lined up to take kick off, the score on the screen changed to reflect that goal, to then be dragged back to a free kick and goal chalked off. Surely no one wants that, or atleast the majority dont want it?

Ye he had their left back completely isolated on loads of occasions to run at and cross or shoot but he just doesnt have the belief/ ability/composure to do anything with the opportunities.

I dont think hes ever scored a free kick, and hasn't scored at all for a number of years. Can only assume he nails them in training? Given that a direct free kick decided today's game, we could really do with getting this right.

I agree to a large extent it's an overreaction. It is a concern though that we have now been truly awful for a game and a half. Two and a half hours of indiscipline, no creativity, no goals etc. The Watford game isnt crucial because of our higher league position but we cant have another directionless game. I was so angry when we conceded that Dan James goal just before half time. I knew it would shift the momentum. Weve barely offered anything since that goal.

Haha, what about Everton? Are you just listing the non wins weve had? We wont go down. We'd basically have to have completely different form to the season to date. I.e next to no more wins.

What is all that about by the way. Gain possession, turn around, try and win a foul. He didnt used to that. It's a horrible tactic.

Really purposeful pressing last season, that's the difference. He used to force so many defensive problems for the opposition. I do wonder whether its linked with him becoming a father, which obviously carries plenty of stress and pressure. There might be no link to that but it feels like it was since then that weve seen the change I him. Theres a lack of energy about him now.

Have we ever gone into 7 mins of stoppage time 1 nil up and not had to face a shot or any pressure from the opposition? I honestly cant remember that. So so poor.