Ratings and Reactions: Villa 1-2 Tottenham

[a m ole]

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.

don't agree. we've seen successful Man Utd, arsenal and Chelsea sides all losing it on the pitch in seasons when they've won the league. instead of pointing towards a severe lack of leadership, I feel it points to a tense match between two competitive sides that was poorly refereed. Seeing us compete in a game was as bright a light at the end of the tunnel as I've seen since the Liverpool game.

[westholmevillan]

Its ironic that the guy who was going to 'get our season back on track' makes an idiotic decision when we were playing reasonably well and might have gone on to win.

Having said that, the referee couldhave easily diffused the situation before it got out of hand. That does not excuse CB's reaction, but it is a valid point IMO.

[Bunnski]

Benteke you absolute clown. That is all!

Completely unfair statement. Masons forehead was in his face, looked like it was touching his nose. Mason should have been given a yellow, and perhaps Benteke for reacting but there was nothing in it.

He kicked out before that and totally lost the head. He deserved to be sent off.

[tonyh29]

Did the spuds manager really say they were better than us the whole game ...

Bad refereeing and a deflection might have kept him in a job tonight

Edited November 2, 2014 by tonyh29

[VillaChris]

 

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.

don't agree. we've seen successful Man Utd, arsenal and Chelsea sides all losing it on the pitch in seasons when they've won the league. instead of pointing towards a severe lack of leadership, I feel it points to a tense match between two competitive sides that was poorly refereed. Seeing us compete in a game was as bright a light at the end of the tunnel as I've seen since the Liverpool game.

 

 

Yep see Chelsea at Villa Park last season.

[Jimzk5]

The players lost it when it became clear neil swarprick had lost control of the game.

[Hanky]

Poor discipline from the players today. I thought Weimann was going to get himself sent off after the Benteke incident, Sanchez was on a one man mission for a card which eventually cost us, and the less said about the red the better. <br />

<br />

Spurs we very poor, we were ok in patches but I think they were there for the taking. We weren't threatening enough second half before the red. Our midfield is a major concern for me. I remain unconvinced by Sanchez and Cleverley and Westwood are not a major influence in the game.<br />

<br />

Ref was diabolical. I didn't see the other challenge but Chadli's looked a shocker from where I was sitting. He was also heavily influenced by a lot of Spurs players throughout the game.<br />

[turnbull]

[Harry]

Very bad refereeing today. He totally lost control of the game and was definitely influenced by the Spurs players but its OK as his performance is adjudicated by.............other referees so that is OK then

[icouldtelltheworld]

Utterly frustrating, but you have to look for positives.
11 vs 11 we were the better team today, we created chances, Benteke looked back up to speed, Weimann was probably the best player on the pitch. I think we'd have won if Benteke hadn't been sent off and I think we'd have scored again, the momentum was with us at that point and whilst Spurs had chances they hadn't looked all that dangerous. Most of their best chances had been quite scrappy and gifted with silly errors by our defence, but I think Baker and Vlaar both had good games today on the whole. 
Lowton definitely has a part to play IMO, going forward he's one the best creative outlets at the club - he was causing real problems in the first half and he gets into good positions. You never feel secure with him in defence though, and he seemed to be playing in a back three with Vlaar and Baker at times in the first half, with Weimann effectively playing right back. He was a long way from where you'd have expected him to be on a few occasions, and he stands off too much. I definitely share the opinion that he'd be more use in midfield.

The referee really was awful today, that second half was just bizarre. It's not so much that I disagree with Benteke being sent off, but it looked like there were 2 or 3 players pushing and getting right in his face, will be interesting to see it again on MOTD as I couldn't really see clearly from where I was sat, but it didn't seem right that his was the only card given after that melee. Vertonghen and Chadli's tackles both looked bad from where I was, but I'll wait and see before saying they should've both been off. I thought there were a couple of corners given as goal kicks and throw ins given the wrong way, although tbf I remember us getting at least one throw that should've been Spurs'. Very bad game for the ref.

We weren't brilliant today, but that was about as good as we've played all season, and with Benteke and Weimann both looking dangerous I actually thought I could see the start of some sort of attacking game plan to take forward. We really could have done with gaining some momentum today, to lose a game in that fashion, just as were actually playing well AND have Benteke out for three games, you hope the team can respond; next three games could set the tone for the rest of the season. 

[Isa]

Just saw the incidents back on MOTD. As I suspected at the time, that Vertonghen challenge wasn't a red-card in a million years nor was it two-footed.

[villa4europe]

MOTD didnt even look at the vertonghen challenge and said that the chadli one was worse! utter bullshit

 

vertonghen has left the ground with both feet, studs up, got a piece of the ball at knee height, if there was any consistency amongst refs thats an all day red card

 

seen the comment above isa, doesnt hit him with both feet but both feet leave the ground, he's jumped in and got no control over that tackle, like i said in terms of consistency thats a red card

 

as for "harry kane can do all kinds of finishes" i guess kicking the ball at someone else's head and getting a lucky deflection counts as a type of finish

Edited November 2, 2014 by villa4europe

[Isa]

So what? His right-foot went back to ground before the challenge was made and therefore it wasn't two-footed and not a red card.

[icouldtelltheworld]

Yes BBC, I tuned in to hear the unbiased opinions of a Spurs player. You **** joking?

[villa4europe]

that's a misunderstanding of the rule which i think the wording is careless, reckless or excessive force

 

doesnt need both feet to hit him, doesnt matter if he gets a touch on the ball, if both feet leave the ground and you go in high with your studs up you arent in control, and if you arent in control then it can be classed as careless and / or reckless, so its a red card

 

thats an all day red, we'll see 10 of them of this season, absolutely no consistency  

[Villanun]

In all fairness, I thought Friedel was pretty even-handed on motd2. He obviously wanted to sit on the fence a little bit about one of his current teammates, but he got as close to saying Mason should have been sent off as he could without actually saying it.

Thought Michael Oliver should have sent someone off for a two footed challenge in the Manchester derby as well, so at least the refs are being consistent in ignoring the rules that they themselves set. Is this the worst set of referees in Premiership history?

Edited November 2, 2014 by Villanun

[villa4europe]

 Is this the worst set of referees in Premiership history?

 

yes IMO

 

on the way home talksport were criticising oliver and saying our best ref was at home suspended, so clattenburg is our best ref? says it all

[Mantis]

I'm still **** livid, way more so than the QPR result. Unlike that we actually played well and were **** over by a diabolical refereeing performance. That isn't to say Benteke is completely innocent, but neither is Mason.

 

Despite yet another defeat I'm a lot more confident about the team now than I was after QPR. Obviously it remains to be seen whether we can continue performances like that but there is hope.

[dakid007]

Lambert finally drops gabby. Now the non footballing muppet will be back in the team

[JoeParker91]

I'm still **** livid, way more so than the QPR result. Unlike that we actually played well and were **** over by a diabolical refereeing performance. That isn't to say Benteke is completely innocent, but neither is Mason.

 

Despite yet another defeat I'm a lot more confident about the team now than I was after QPR. Obviously it remains to be seen whether we can continue performances like that but there is hope.

 

The trouble is I think there is a strong correlation with us playing well, as we did today, and Benteke playing well at the same time. I think we will really struggle without him for the next 3 games at a time when we and Lambert need him most.