Ratings and Reactions: Villa 1-2 Tottenham

[Bottle Maker]

Think Lamberts tactics were good and had set us up a win, until the ref failed to take control of the game. The benteke incident took place right in front of me. Yes he was wrong but it,was after match long provocation. Every time he went for the ball he was being held. A better ref would have been more aware and stopped that happening.

We should have wrapped the game up in the first half missed loads of chances.

I said at half time not sure who should be mom but as every other player had matched their job description the worst must benteke as he was a striker that had not scored. Thought that apart from the lack of finishing he looked like the old benteke. Winning and holding the ball.

Thought Andi was going to get a red card for arguing.

Left just after the final whistle sounded like it kicked off a minute or so later anybody know what was happening?

[benireduk]

I'll reply to your points in a 3 part 'bullet' point, not to be condescend in sort of way (that can sometimes come across on the internet), but because faffing around with the coding system to split your reply is a pain in the ass.

1) Yes, I agree that luck is made by oneself, but do you not think we made a decent amount of luck today? But were just somewhat unlucky? If we had been on a run of 5 wins against the top clubs and then lost today, would you feel that 'unlucky' would be the wrong term for the result?

2) I know getting into stats is never an argument that anyone wins. But in the case of today's game, we hit the bar and came close a couple of times. The fact that Tekkers hit the post and it's counted as 'not on target' doesn't mean that we haven't got goal opportunities more than we have for, what, 5 games?

3) I'm completely on the fence about Lambert, I'm neither for, nor against. That being said, can we really attribute today's loss as being down to him?

I don't mean to argue with you, but the gist of my original post was that I think the Ref had a massive part to play in the result, and I don't think Villa did too much wrong.

1) I thought we started well today but after the goal we slipped into our usual habit of sitting back and letting the other team back into it. You could argue that this is because we're low on confidence, but as it happens fairly regularly and I can only assume this is what the manager asks of the players

2) take on board Benteke hitting the post but how many times did we create quality chances? Most of our chances never seem clear cut, almost as if the ball bounces favourably. You could argue it's down to quality but if we miss a decent chance like Benteke's I usually think "That's our best chance gone" it's defeatist but fairly realistic on what we've put up with for too long. Which brings me onto.....

3) He's got to go for me. I'm not going to reel off the records he's set and the cup exits we've had as everyone knows. Quite simply Paul Lambert is not good enough to manage in the Premier League. The stats back this up and I have had enough of his excuses and too many dire performances to mention. Time is up Paul. Time for you to pick yourself up and go again. Just not with Aston Villa

[TRO]

I actually didn't think we did play that well....it was better granted, but the game i was watching, we were struggling with similar aspects of the game we have done for months.... Westwood and Lowton was having difficulty with the physical side of the game...the movement off the ball was better at times and then other times poor....just before Benteke went off they were starting to get back in the game and I commented then...we won't win this....we won't hold out

 

To hold a lead you have to do certain things in a game.... we can't.....thats a part of playing well, we didn't.

 

The Benteke sending off inevitably rattled us....but what about the amount of times it inspires other teams, you hear very often ..."they went down to ten men and it can sometimes work in reverse you hear the pundits say

 

not for ****ing us it don't.....Heads you lose tails you lose for us.

 

he has to go.

[TRO]

That was as poor a spurs team as i have ever seen...not really sure how we could have played well....worked hard yes.....but still low grade football for me.

 

I think some of the pundits are trying to be kind....i think if it was a team they cared about, you would hear a different comment.

Edited November 2, 2014 by TRO

[coda]

That was as poor a spurs team as i have ever seen...

 

Ever? You have a short memory.

[maqroll]

If we don't bring in quality reinforcements in January, I fear the worst.

[El Zen]

Most one sided performance I have seen from a ref outside of Serie A.

Supporting one of the so-called small clubs is getting so frustrating I sometimes wonder why I bother at all. Even when you play well you still can't win because the ref inevitably favours the more popular team.

[Chewie]

 

 

 

Many people commenting about it being our worst run in 47 years. Many people posting in the "Lambert - Out" thread, and also looking for our next manager. I'm not going to get into the parts of that because the bottom line is that we played well today.

We lost 2-1 after going ahead, having multiple close chances (not just creating them), and then losing to a deflection from a pretty poor free kick (Guzan was already across the net before it hit Bakers(?) head).

What I will talk about is the ref, as I voted him poor. Sometimes there is a decision in the game by the ref where it changes everything. A stupid free kick decision, or a peno that never was. This was not the case today.

The ref was poor from start to finish, he failed to control the game, he failed to calm the players down after a fiery 10/20 mins. His fourth official rightly indicated that Benteke should be sent off (read the rules if you disagree with this), but then failed to ALSO follow up on the rules for a 'headbutt' by Mason into Tekkers face.

The ref should have had the game under grips early on but he let it spiral out of control multiple times, and that cost us. Did it cost us just because the ref made the wrong decisions? No. It cost us because he let all the players on the pitch lose their heads, and ultimately, and in my opinion, that was directly responsible for the end result.

Should Premier League players be able to deal with this, and keep an deserved 1-0 lead? Yes. But this is an instance where this didn't happen.

We lost through bad luck, extremely poor refereeing, and a lucky deflection at the last minute.

Saying all the above, when Spurs went 1-1, I stuck an inplay bet for them to win 2-1. Was only a fiver on at 3/1, shoulda done it for 5 grand

Sorry, I didn't realise the ref was responsible for ensuring they don't lose their head.

How about the players control themselves.

Do you not think that the Ref has an influence on how players react by judging his decisions?

Edit: I'll just add that my 'argument' about the ref applies to under 8's Sunday league, Pub football, League Football, and unfortunately Premier League football.

Of course, but the place the blame on the ref is unfair IMO. His jobs pretty difficult as it is, without being solely responsible for the players behaviour, which is what your posts suggest.

 

 

Yeah fair enough, I may have not worded my post in the best way. I agree with you the ref isn't to blame, per se. But I also feel that he had an impact in the way the game went by not controlling it at an early stage.

[kevpants]

My wife's been at me to fluff up the cushions on the couch for a few weeks. She complains she doesn't have the strength. You really need to beat the hell out of these things because they're massive and they go really solid when they've been flattened down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They're f&*cking fluffed now.

[osmark86]

My wife's been at me to fluff up the cushions on the couch for a few weeks. She complains she doesn't have the strength. You really need to beat the hell out of these things because they're massive and they go really solid when they've been flattened down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They're f&*cking fluffed now.

 

*nods approvingly*

[Jimzk5]

If we don't bring in quality reinforcements in January, I fear the worst.

The important thing is getting to January and still being outside the bottom 3, were in a horrific run of form yet still outside the bottom 3.

Burnley will do well to get to 25 points, I'm not convinced qpr will do much better, even after their win over us, they were largely gash in that game, Leicester, palace, Sunderland are probably on par with us.

[flamingsombrero]

We played a lot better and created some good chances. Definitely deserved the three points overall and the game was turned on its head by the red card. That said I wouldn't have been suprised if we had managed to throw it away in the same manner even with a full 11.

 

Our entire team performance game to game hinges on whether or not Benteke has the beating of his centre back in an aerial dual. Thats a worry.

[Chewie]

 

Blaming the ref for highly paid professionals to lose there heads?? Get a grip lad.

 

 

I think you missed most aspects of my post donnie. Especially since the part I quoted above had some of my insight in the original post.

 

Maybe I should have worded myself better, I'll admit that.

[F-87]

[osmark86]

 

If we don't bring in quality reinforcements in January, I fear the worst.

The important thing is getting to January and still being outside the bottom 3, were in a horrific run of form yet still outside the bottom 3.

Burnley will do well to get to 25 points, I'm not convinced qpr will do much better, even after their win over us, they were largely gash in that game, Leicester, palace, Sunderland are probably on par with us.

 

 

yeah I don't think we'll go down this year, but it could be close. that is staggering considering we've had 3 years to improve at least something. I say the sauce needs a different ingredient, because the (Camem)lambert isn't doing us any good atm.

[Chewie]

 

I'll reply to your points in a 3 part 'bullet' point, not to be condescend in sort of way (that can sometimes come across on the internet), but because faffing around with the coding system to split your reply is a pain in the ass.

1) Yes, I agree that luck is made by oneself, but do you not think we made a decent amount of luck today? But were just somewhat unlucky? If we had been on a run of 5 wins against the top clubs and then lost today, would you feel that 'unlucky' would be the wrong term for the result?

2) I know getting into stats is never an argument that anyone wins. But in the case of today's game, we hit the bar and came close a couple of times. The fact that Tekkers hit the post and it's counted as 'not on target' doesn't mean that we haven't got goal opportunities more than we have for, what, 5 games?

3) I'm completely on the fence about Lambert, I'm neither for, nor against. That being said, can we really attribute today's loss as being down to him?

I don't mean to argue with you, but the gist of my original post was that I think the Ref had a massive part to play in the result, and I don't think Villa did too much wrong.

1) I thought we started well today but after the goal we slipped into our usual habit of sitting back and letting the other team back into it. You could argue that this is because we're low on confidence, but as it happens fairly regularly and I can only assume this is what the manager asks of the players

2) take on board Benteke hitting the post but how many times did we create quality chances? Most of our chances never seem clear cut, almost as if the ball bounces favourably. You could argue it's down to quality but if we miss a decent chance like Benteke's I usually think "That's our best chance gone" it's defeatist but fairly realistic on what we've put up with for too long. Which brings me onto.....

3) He's got to go for me. I'm not going to reel off the records he's set and the cup exits we've had as everyone knows. Quite simply Paul Lambert is not good enough to manage in the Premier League. The stats back this up and I have had enough of his excuses and too many dire performances to mention. Time is up Paul. Time for you to pick yourself up and go again. Just not with Aston Villa

 

 

My apologies for the short reply, benirdek, it's late where I am and I need to get to bed. Your points are very much valid, and I find myself agreeing with what you are saying. That being said. I still think that today's outcome had an air of us doing 'something' (mostly) positive. And as per my previous posts, I personally felt that we ultimately lost the game due to the ref. Not because he made a single bad decision, but because he made many poor ones.

[momo]

Pleased with the players attitude. Whether Lambert is here or not, there is no money to make great signings. Look at Spurs. How much did their players cost, and how shit are they? Lucky win for Tottenham, great attitude by the Villa players, minus Benteke...

[PaulC]

 

If we don't bring in quality reinforcements in January, I fear the worst.

The important thing is getting to January and still being outside the bottom 3, were in a horrific run of form yet still outside the bottom 3.

Burnley will do well to get to 25 points, I'm not convinced qpr will do much better, even after their win over us, they were largely gash in that game, Leicester, palace, Sunderland are probably on par with us.

 

 

I agree about Burnley but QPR were very good at Chelsea. They have a goalscorer in Austin. I think they will get more than 25 points.

[heid3ster]

Positives: we scored a goal at last. And the players finally showed a little desire and fight. Too much, as it turns out.

 

Negatives: the ref was terrible and lost control of the game after the Vertongen tackle, but it was far more worrying to see how our team reacted to it -- complete loss of discipline. This points to a severe lack of leadership on the pitch, and off it. It's getting harder to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Jimzk5]

Positives: we scored a goal at last. And the players finally showed a little desire and fight. Too much, as it turns out.

Negatives: the ref was terrible and lost control of the game after the Vertongen tackle but it was far more worrying to see how our team reacted to it -- complete loss of discipline. This points to a severe lack of leadership on the pitch, and off it. It's getting harder to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

That challenge really was the changing point of the game, he's handling of it was terrible, when he told the players to get lost Westwood was livid, looked like he was saying to the ref "he could have broke my leg"?

No surprise no spurs players were booked for desent yet ours were