Ratings and Reactions: Villa - Man Utd

[Kingman]

Retrospective punishment should be brought to the ref.

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

By the way that was probably our best atmosphere for at home this season. shows what a rocking villa park can do

Yeah was good to see. If it was like that every other week and the football continues to improve, why would any player ever want to leave. I really hope Lambert is given the green light in January to bring in a few quality additions so we can have a feel good club again and finish the season strongly.

[Mantis]

That was even worse than the Benteke sending off against Spurs. Richardson's against West Brom was fair enough but it really does piss me off that we've gad 3 red cards so far this season with two of them completely unjust.

 

Pleased with a point though.

[SeanO]

I'm really pissed, at the ref but more at so Lambert. I don't have a clue what goes on a BMH but surely he does???? so can amyone explain to me how N'Zogbia or Richardson have be picked ahead of Bacuna?

 

Team played well, all round except for Lowton's lack of pace which was exposed so many times by the cheating scum.

[darrenm]

You're pissed off at Lambert because you don't have a clue what goes on at BMH?

I think I'm missing where your anger is coming from.

Edited December 21, 2014 by darrenm

[Silafou's_besi_mate]

I've just seen the highlights of the game.

What's happened to Lowton? Looked liked he was terrible yesterday, no pace and didn't know what to do about Young at all.

Benteke's goal was just amazing, but what worries me is Delph - he played really well, but I have a feeling he will be off in Jan and with a performance like yesterday, he would be a big loss to us. Sanchez is starting to find his feet, and the fruits of a good partnership with Delph are starting to be seen.

Bacuna was good too, but I've seen too many poor performances to convince me yet - one swallow doesn't make a summer, but does deserve to start to see if he can carry that form.

[Nigel]

Re Lowton its probably because he has had so little game time.  He did well all things considered!

[AVTuco]

A good point considering. Quite happy.

I'd like to see a smile on that face of yours then.

[Harry]

Really good performance by the whole team yesterday. We stuck to the task very well and arguably we played even better when down to ten men. Okore is turning into beast of a player, it just loved his probing runs up the field and finally Clark is turning into the player we thought he might be. The only weak link for me and he did not play badly was Lowton. his lack of pace is quite worrying. Benteke is now bang on form and I expect to see him hit double figures for the season, he will be the key for us remaining mid table. Bacuna, also, is a very underrated player, his cameo today was super. Vlaar had Van Persie in his pocket all afternoon, hence why he went off. I would love him to stay but we have four good centre backs so I think we should cash in whilst we can

 

Usually I am very critical of Lambert but I think he got it largely right yesterday. We still sit way too deep and invite pressure hence the equaliser. Man U are actually very weak defensively and we should have put them under more pressure. The substitutions were spot on for once. We put two wide players on who know how to defend and as far as I could see switched to a 4-4-1.

 

The Gabby sending off was one of the worst refereeing decisions I think I have ever seen. I am sure Lee Mason came in his shorts when he was able to give us a red card. In all seriousness what was bad about was the way he instantly came running over waving the card. A better referee would have at least paused and reflected before deciding what to do. When you see it replayed it's not even a foul, the players literally run into each other. OK that little sh*t Young plays it for all its worth but I genuinely think he was after a foul and maybe just maybe a yellow. Hopefully we will appeal the card. I just wish there were sanctions for referees but hey ho they are policed by other referees.

 

What I took away from Villa Park yesterday is we can play and as I have thought all season we have a decent squad, it just makes some of our more inept performances all the more frustrating.

 

Final thought - the bias of the BBC towards Man U. The pre match article on the BBC website, an unshamed United love in with Villa as the cannon fodder. The creepy arse licking interview with Van Gaal on Radio Five post match. The match report on the website making out we were so lucky and no mention of Bacuna's late shot more really much on us nearly nicking it at the end.

 

Having watched the full 90 minutes the result was fair, whatever Van Gaal says, and thankfully I don't think the Gabby sending off affected the result despite that clown of a referees best efforts. 

Edited December 21, 2014 by Harry

[flashingqwerty]

I agree with pretty much all above.

Lambert got it spot on 1st half but sent them out 2nd half to sit on a 1goal lead which we cant do. This says to me that the biggest problem we have isnt the confidence or competence of the players, but that the manager has no faith or confidence in the players ability to stay on the front foot.

I really think tye red card saved us from defeat because it forced Lamberts hand, got the crowd up and forced us to play more positively. I fully believe without it we would have continued to sit back and try to hold on and ended up concedeing again.

Going forward i hope Lambert sticks with the formation and mentality we had in the first half for a whole game as i think this couod turn us into a very good side.

[Danwichmann]

Re Lowton its probably because he has had so little game time.  He did well all things considered!

 

Haven't seen the game but sounded like Lowton had a bit of a mare. But as you say, a hard game to come back into! Add to that, we all have to grudingly admit that we've seen Young give much more experienced and much more expensive full backs a seriously tough time, and I think you have to reserve judgement for now.

[Danwichmann]

A great battling point. Unlike last week that wasn't a red. Maybe a yellow at worst. Benteke fanstastic, Okore is a real find. Why did it take Paul Lambert so long to give him a go this season. 

 

He was coming back from a long term injury, and it sounded like he was pretty rusty on his international outings before he got back in the Villa side. Also, Vlaar and Senderos looked unbeatable at the start of the season and Baker did well when he came in, there was no reason to mess with that. He's taken his chance now that it has come so deserves to keep his place when everyone is fit again.

[TRO]

History considered....that was a really good result for us.

[AvfcTheObsession]

on the plus side - we're developing a spine of top players - benteke, delph, okore, guzan

 

Only problem being it looks like Delph is off in the summer and I realistically don't see Benteke being here next season either

[villa89]

Re Lowton its probably because he has had so little game time.  He did well all things considered!

 

I'd say its more to do with him being shite. He was terrible yesterday. Ashley Young is a decent player and would give any full back problems but Lowton made him look like C.Ronaldo. Overall I thought we did very well and even though united dominated possession we had the better chances. Good point and a good performance.

[OutByEaster?]

I think Lowton knew he had no chance in a footrace against Young, whenever he could he tried to be on him as soon as he got then ball, but when he couldn't get there in time he had no choice but to stay off him and wait for help - Weimann did that brilliantly in the first half, giving Young less options, but as the game went on United got better at isolating him. I don't think Lowton played badly, he was always going to struggle against a player that could beat him by a yard over five yards.

[villa4europe]

If he knew he had no chance then why didn't he foul him? I thought he didn't have a clue which foot young would favour and approached him too square, as soon as he's knocked it past him I actually agree he must have known he wasn't catching him, bring him down, take the yellow

[OutByEaster?]

If he knew he had no chance then why didn't he foul him? I thought he didn't have a clue which foot young would favour and approached him too square, as soon as he's knocked it past him I actually agree he must have known he wasn't catching him, bring him down, take the yellow

 

You can't take half a dozen yellows though can you? It would've worked once and once only, especially with Young always eager to influence a referee.

[JoshVilla]

Good team performance overall, and considering how atrocious our record against United is, a very good result for us. Benteke looks like he's getting back to his best, which is going to be crucial if we're to finish in a half decent position this season. To be honest, I thought United were very ordinary. With all of the money that they spent and the players that they have, they really didn't look that threatening. They keep possession very well, but they look nowhere near as dangerous as Chelsea or City. The red card was a moronic decision and we'd be stupid not to appeal if we haven't done so already. At the time, I was convinced it was going to be a free kick to Villa. 3 red cards already this season is a bit rubbish.

 

Good point Villa, we're halfway there!

[ForeroGabe]

Okore has the chance to be a legend at villa if he continues his performances and stays for a while.