NeilS

Yep, but they do need to answer that. I know they won’t though, or they will just shrug it off. I would love to bump into The VAR official, present him with the two decisions and hear him squirm as he tries to explain the difference in ruling. I can understand different people having different interpretations in different matches, this one there is no excuse.

Even if the VAR can justify that as an obvious error and a penalty, which I am sure they will. They need to then explain why Watkins being clattered into by the Spurs defender in the box in the first half wasn’t treated the same. Watkins was clearly fouled after he had passed the ball!

Also to add, Our game is not a blood and thunder, kick and rush style game, but a more considered slow build up play. We should be ok as a result of that style of play in my opinion.

Yeah I know, it has been this way since I started following Villa in the early 80’s. It is bloody frustrating that we are referee’d to different standards in the same match, especially when they have the technology to see much more clearly. They just choose not to now, it is blatant.

And the one on Watkins from yesterday, same VAR who thought Kane’s was a penalty , but didn’t think Watkins was fouled. No consistency from the same Ref. I think it was Jarred Gillette on VAR, questions need to be asked why he took two very different decisions in the same game?

Yep, no surprises. Sweep it under the rug, and retain the status quo. It was closer than I first thought at the match, but his knee looked offside to me, I don’t recall seeing the lines being brought out by the pundits afterwards though. I wonder why?

Ok, MOTD showed the non foul on Watkins in the first half. Why was that not reviewed? I know why it was not reviewed, you can guarantee if that was Kane VAR would have found a way to give that!

That’s true, the fouls was on the D but the momentum took Ollie a couple of yards away. I also cannot believe he didn’t book their player (Romero I think) who kick him from behind. I said to the guy next to me it was on the D, but it might be better to be a little further out. Thankfully for once I was right and we scored. You are correct though, Bankes the referee was awful and gave us absolutely nothing all match, I was just looking for one small ray of light in that shit show of a refereeing performance .

On a side note, the referee did give us a generous ten yards for Spurs Wall when Dougie scored. Spurs players were moaning at the ref while we were celebrating.

I thought in live play he was offside, but I was a long way from the action in block A2 in the Trinity. I would like to see it again on tv to see for sure. I doubt we will get shown that part though, and the pundit talk will be how clever Kane is to draw the penalty.

I wasn’t sure about him earlier in the season, but he has proven me totally wrong. He has gone up to a new level in the last few months. Very impressive today and the last few times I have seen him. The arse turn on Kane was a sight to behold.

Great set up for our first, it was almost a carbon copy of the set up for Dougie in the Bournemouth match. I think he did well today, and that he can be happy with that after a spell out.

Yep, I expected that to be 1-1. Martinez has done that a few times this season. I would say he is the best keeper we have had in my 40 odd years of supporting the Villa. We need to make sure we keep him, I am fairly confident he will be here next season. I feel he is happy here, and we are making big strides to match his ambition.

Ah ok, it was hard to see from where I was sitting. So a bit like the one against Cash a year or two back where he “bought it”.

PS I thought McGinn was excellent, the arse roll on Kane was fantastic!

Just back from the match, a bit nervy at the end but a well deserved win. Referee was as biased/corrupt/inept (take your pick) as they come. Offside, ok yeah we will let you take the free kick in the wrong half of the pitch. Romero I think kicks through the back of Watkins before our second goal no booking, McGinn booked first half for similar. Also, why are the officials allowing play to progress with Son when he is clearly offside when he receives the ball, at what point do they think ok 10-20 seconds later I will flag him now, at no point does he suddenly become ok and onside. What a joke! Anyway, Very pleased with the win, we should have had a second goal before HT through Buendia. I don’t think Spurs had one shot in the half. We were a little sloppy after half time allowing Spurs a bit of a foothold in the match and a chance for Kane which he should have buried. The second goal looked to have killed the game until VAR gets involved, was it clear and obvious error not to give the penalty? I will have to watch it later as I was too far away to tell, my impression from block A2 was Emi pushed the ball away, also he looked offside initially on the run.

It looks like there could be bad news for our owners efforts to set up a MLS franchise. Us Villa fans may have to put on hold those pre-season tours to Las Vegas. The talk a few years ago, was that Las Vegas would not be sustainable place to inhabit in a few years. I think from the documentry I watched that Las Vegas would run out of water to sustain the population, so this may be a blessing in disguise unless those threats have been dealt with in the mean time? Taken from The Villa Notebook on Birmingham Live SETBACK FOR LAS VEGAS VILLAINS Staying in the States and an investment group in San Diego are now in pole position to race ahead of Sawiris’ and Edens’ ambitious Las Vegas Villains project to become the MLS’ 30th franchise in 2025. It’s been reported that a $500m deal has been struck with the new side to play at the 35,000-capacity Snapdragon Stadium just north of the Mexican border in San Diego. An announcement is expected within the next two weeks. As for Edens’ and Sawiris’ vision to expand their V Sports portfolio into the MLS, plans have failed to progress despite an 110-acre plot near the famous Las Vegas Strip being identified as a future home for Las Vegas Villains. Speaking previously, Edens told the Review-Journal: “It takes a couple of years to build a stadium if you’re all set to go. We’ve got a lot of work to do to get to that place but we are very eager to start as soon as we can.”

It would be Emi Martinez for me. Games are won on fine margins, and Emi has made some amazing blocks and saves at crucial points in a match which has probably helped stay in front and win us matches.

Ah ok, that is a relief. The signs didn’t specify times, probably not enough characters to explain fully. I was trying to find some info on it yesterday but no luck. Thank you.

Also to add, there was a sign on M6 yesterday saying full weekend closure of J4, J5 and J6 for next weekend. Which has thrown a spanner into my travel arrangements from Leicestershire. Any suggestions appreciated.

Yeah, I had a finish of 8-9th in my head a few weeks back. Our good run went on longer than expected, and hopes were raised. Realistically, looking at where we were in Dec-Jan then it’s a decent finish to the season. I just hope we don’t finish with a poor run and ruin the feel good factor. I think we need to buy 2-3 top quality additions up front to push us on and make us truely competitive for the euro spots. A top quality wide forward and lethal striker to bury that Watkins header and we win today.

I don’t think we are far off, but I think it highlights the need for some quality additions to the squad. We just couldn’t make the final push with what we currently have.

I wouldn't say he is a hall of famer. No offence to James Chester who served us well, but we would be setting the bar low there in my opinion.

I can't see it, he would need a few minutes off the bench to get gently re-introduce him to the speed of the game. It would be high risk for Diego's fitness and our chances of victory to throw him back into a starting spot, let alone a starting spot in a derby match.

I have never heard of this guy, but I am imagining he will have one hell of a shot on him. Any Villa Talkers that have seen him play that can confirm? Villa want Van Den Boomen Aston Villa are interested in signing exit-bound Toulouse midfielder Branco van den Boomen, according to The Guardian’s Fabrizio Romano. The Italian journalist has revealed (via Twitter, 5 May) that van den Broom has decided not to sign a new deal with the Ligue 1 side as he wants to keep his options open.