Aston Villa 1 Wigan 1: Pie Eaters Scrape The Draw

[JohnCresswell]

FA Barclays Premiership

Monday 9th April 2007

God bless the F.A. I can only presume that knowing this game is likely to be a bit of a poor affair, they tried to liven it up a little, and put in charge of the game the referee that most fans these days think to be the most incompetent – that’s right, your friend and mine Mr Mark Halsey.

To dedicate the whole of this match report to Halsey and the two halfwits running the line would be unfair on the Villa team, who on the whole battled and looked fairly good – much better than a month ago. However, as it seems to be with Halsey, he will be the talking point in tomorrow’s newspapers – which will no doubt please him to no end.

Villa’s starting eleven today was the same team that beat Blackburn on Saturday. Keeping a settled side I can understand, but the idea of playing 5-4-1 at home again didn’t fill me with joy if I’m being brutally honest. However, they settled into their stride well and Gardener and Maloney in particular looked to increase their influence on the game.

For the first 15 minutes Villa had the majority of the possession, worrying Wigan quite a few times with Gabby Agbonlahor bursting through the defence. Unfortunately, as Gabby was the lone man up front, there was no one else in the middle so a good break ended up as nothing.

With Villa totally bossing and dominating the game, Wigan won a corner down the right hand side, when Philip Bardsley made an error. In came the cross, and Matt Jackson in the middle of the six yard box managed to what it seems pull Thomas Sorensen down to the ground, who then collided with Olof Mellberg. Emule Heskey took the ball and placed it into the net and Wigan had their one shot on target for the game.

This was, of course, Mark Halsey’s first major mistake of the game. It’s something which we now come to expect in a Halsey game – a goal given against Villa which really looks like a foul.

The Northern official seemed to realise this though, as ten minutes later, after Gabby had missed a glorious one-on-one opportunity, he sent off Ecuadorian midfielder Valencia. From where I sat, Bouma and Valencia both went in for a 50/50 challenge, and the ball had gone out for a throw in. Yet, Halsey marched up and in a split second produced a red card. Bouma later went off injured as a consequence of this challenge, and I hope it isn’t two serious, but from reports after the game suggesting that Valencia had gone in with two feet raised it sounds like Bouma is a lucky chap to be walking.

So, ten men and one nil up, Wigan decided to forget playing football. Time wasting began at every opportunity (and we were only in the first half!). Filan, in particular was a culprit and had Halsey booked him after his first offence in the first half, and not with ten minutes to go then the game would have flowed much better for the duration of it.

Second half began with no changes for Villa despite it being clearly obvious that we needed another man up front alongside Gabby. Wigan continued in the same way as before, with no attacking intention at all desperate to cling onto that victory. Which, I’m happy to say didn’t happen.

Berger managed to scramble a shot, which apparently touched Gabby on the way through. A bit of a mess in the goal mouth area and the linesman gave the goal. This had followed two previous goal mouth scrambles and the ball hitting the post. I’d like to see this one again as I’m not sure whether the ball actually crossed the line.

Villa continued to press and cut out chances but failed to take them. Young’s header had been saved and we were comfortable, never under any trouble at all but it was that final ball that prevented us getting that goal.

On came Luke Moore in a bizarre substitution in which O’Neill took off the man of the match Shaun Maloney fairly early on. We needed another striker, yes, but there were eight other players out there that he could have taken off. Still, we pushed and pushed, Moore touched the ball twice, but nothing came of it.

Still time for Paul Jewell to twice physically and verbally abuse fans behind the dugout – unprofessionalism from a manager under a massive amount of pressure. Had a player done that to another player he’d have been given a yellow card at the very least, so why he wasn’t sent from his dugout I’d like to know. Perhaps if one of those fans his anger and words word directed to complain to the FA about it (and hopefully Halsey’s match report will mention it too) then we can look forward to an explanation and subsequent apology.

More time wasting by Wigan, finally a yellow card given to Filan and then time for one more mistake by Halsey, refusing to send off the Wigan ’keeper for a second bookable offence when kicking the ball away in dissent.

So in short? A referee who lost the game after 30 minutes, and a team so desperate not to that they were scared to attack. Villa battled, and we are safe now, and following Wigan and Jewell’s attitude, let’s hope they aren’t and make up one of the three leaving the Premiership.

Probably the most entertaining game at Villa this season. So I guess we can thank Halsey for that.

[ChrisVillan]

Filan, Halsey and Jewell were absolutely disgraceful. Halsey should've been banned from Villa Park as far back as that Henry free kick, then the first Blues visit to VP, then...countless instances. He's bloody awful, and he's a prick to boot. He should've booked Filan after about half an hour, and then he should've sent him off at the end. Yet again we see a goalkeeper yellow carded so that Halsey looks like he's dealt with the time-wasting, no matter what 30,000 other people saw from EVERY opportunity. He failed to crack down on feigning injuries, pushing, Heskey's elbows...those drop balls were disgusting. He should be thrown out of the game.

Filan - cheating prick. I hope Wigan go down, they don't belong in the Premiership. I hate West Ham but at least they and Charlton try to play football, this lot were a bunch of cloggers. Filan was the best example of why I hate it when these tiny no-mark clubs come up and ruin the Premiership. The Championship is the most exciting league? I'm not bloody surprised, they don't have to host Fulham, Wigan and Watford anymore.

Jewell's behaviour was out of order, he's a petulant little tosser and another reason why I'll be praying they go down.

A potentially good game of football ruined by a referee and a little piss-ant club's negative attitude.

[OutByEaster?]

Valencia's challenge was of the two footed jump from three yards away variety and a definite sending off.

I agree with just about everything else except for Maloney who I felt was okay and no better. He seems to need four or five touches and a stepover before he's able to release the ball. I'm sure they'll coach it out of him though.

The scenes at the final whistle where Filan (who had clearly lost it during the second half) was inviting fans to meet him outside for a fight afterwards were amongst the most comic I've seen in a while. I hope they gave him a kicking.

As for Mr Halsey, the most incompetent attention seeking ego-maniac I've ever seen awarded the privelige of ruining football matches. I would expect him to be promoted to FIFA's elite list presently.

[villadude]

Filan, Halsey and Jewell were absolutely disgraceful. Halsey should've been banned from Villa Park as far back as that Henry free kick, then the first Blues visit to VP, then...countless instances. He's bloody awful, and he's a prick to boot. He should've booked Filan after about half an hour, and then he should've sent him off at the end. Yet again we see a goalkeeper yellow carded so that Halsey looks like he's dealt with the time-wasting, no matter what 30,000 other people saw from EVERY opportunity. He failed to crack down on feigning injuries, pushing, Heskey's elbows...those drop balls were disgusting. He should be thrown out of the game.

Filan - cheating prick. I hope Wigan go down, they don't belong in the Premiership. I hate West Ham but at least they and Charlton try to play football, this lot were a bunch of cloggers. Filan was the best example of why I hate it when these tiny no-mark clubs come up and ruin the Premiership. The Championship is the most exciting league? I'm not bloody surprised, they don't have to host Fulham, Wigan and Watford anymore.

Jewell's behaviour was out of order, he's a petulant little tosser and another reason why I'll be praying they go down.

A potentially good game of football ruined by a referee and a little piss-ant club's negative attitude.

Spot on!

[Grant(aka_eddy)]

Filan, Halsey and Jewell were absolutely disgraceful. Halsey should've been banned from Villa Park as far back as that Henry free kick, then the first Blues visit to VP, then...countless instances. He's bloody awful, and he's a prick to boot. He should've booked Filan after about half an hour, and then he should've sent him off at the end. Yet again we see a goalkeeper yellow carded so that Halsey looks like he's dealt with the time-wasting, no matter what 30,000 other people saw from EVERY opportunity. He failed to crack down on feigning injuries, pushing, Heskey's elbows...those drop balls were disgusting. He should be thrown out of the game.

Filan - cheating prick. I hope Wigan go down, they don't belong in the Premiership. I hate West Ham but at least they and Charlton try to play football, this lot were a bunch of cloggers. Filan was the best example of why I hate it when these tiny no-mark clubs come up and ruin the Premiership. The Championship is the most exciting league? I'm not bloody surprised, they don't have to host Fulham, Wigan and Watford anymore.

Jewell's behaviour was out of order, he's a petulant little tosser and another reason why I'll be praying they go down.

A potentially good game of football ruined by a referee and a little piss-ant club's negative attitude.

Thats the rant of the year so far! Good work CV

[Jimzk5]

This is how much of a prick Jewell is...

"Valencias gone in 2 footed, a bit niave but he won the ball" yeah, allmost breaking a fellow players knee in the process you fat, scouse little prick. **** off back to non league football and take your flash the cash chairmen with you

[Villain_1992]

I hope other people will agree with me when i say ;

John Filan... What a W ANKER!!!!!!!!!!

[Digsby]

Filan, Halsey and Jewell were absolutely disgraceful. Halsey should've been banned from Villa Park as far back as that Henry free kick, then the first Blues visit to VP, then...countless instances. He's bloody awful, and he's a prick to boot. He should've booked Filan after about half an hour, and then he should've sent him off at the end. Yet again we see a goalkeeper yellow carded so that Halsey looks like he's dealt with the time-wasting, no matter what 30,000 other people saw from EVERY opportunity. He failed to crack down on feigning injuries, pushing, Heskey's elbows...those drop balls were disgusting. He should be thrown out of the game.

Filan - cheating prick. I hope Wigan go down, they don't belong in the Premiership. I hate West Ham but at least they and Charlton try to play football, this lot were a bunch of cloggers. Filan was the best example of why I hate it when these tiny no-mark clubs come up and ruin the Premiership. The Championship is the most exciting league? I'm not bloody surprised, they don't have to host Fulham, Wigan and Watford anymore.

Jewell's behaviour was out of order, he's a petulant little tosser and another reason why I'll be praying they go down.

A potentially good game of football ruined by a referee and a little piss-ant club's negative attitude.

Brilliant

[Overdubber]

Despite all the insults, quite funny some of them, we should have won that game, and there are definately some valuble lessons in that one as to finnishing off a team.

Still, lots of progress has been made since Janurary.