Popular Post John Posted June 18, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted June 18, 2020 (edited) We know that VAR is loath to overrule a referee’s decision. Yesterday, showed that it is equally reluctant to overrule a goal line decision, that has been made by Hawk-Eye! Let us have a look at the positives. We kept a rare clean sheet; we took a point that might just prove to be the one that keeps us up at the end of the season and we did not get beaten by a team that many made favourites before kick-off yesterday. The negatives are that a point might not prove to be enough at the end of the day, we did not really look like scoring ourselves too often, we have a problem between the sticks and we are still in the bottom three. The “goal that never was” will be the only talking point for neutrals following this game. What a tragedy that a combination of a Hawk-Eye malfunction, the referee’s usual aversion to viewing an incident using the touchline camera and VAR’s resolute determination not to overrule a decision reached by a match referee, combined to deny Sheffield United yesterday. Before yesterday’s game, VAR had been fast running out of time, to begin to even out the incorrect decisions that had already cost us points, over the course of this disrupted season. It is about time, that we benefited from one of the many dubious decisions, that have been made so far this season. In my view, we are probably owed a couple more, to prevent such decisions having had a significantly negative influence on our relegation struggle. Something that was proved beyond doubt yesterday, was that fans really are vital to making a football match what it is. Without us there is no atmosphere and there is a lack of encouragement for the players. Yesterday’s game was reminiscent of park’s football, the tinned crowd murmur that Sky gave us, in no way matched the vibrance of a packed Villa Park and I gave up on it after a couple of minutes. Should Sheffield United now be awarded a point or even two? I do not recall the same question being asked when we were on the wrong end of earlier decisions. Should we have allowed Sheffield United to score an unopposed goal, as Leeds did for us at the end of last season? That decision cost Leeds nothing. They were already in the playoffs and automatic promotion was unattainable, but doing so yesterday, could ultimately have seen us relegated, so most definitely the answer is no. The referee’s decision is final, after all. Some will claim that the decision will disadvantage our fellow relegation strugglers, well previous decisions that went against us, worked to their advantage and they cannot have it both ways! We were the better team yesterday and we gave a better performance than we had done in the league games that we had played, just before the season was interrupted. Both teams were clearly lacking in match sharpness, hopefully we may therefore have a slight fitness edge when we play Chelsea at the weekend, as we now have a game behind us. Dean made a couple of surprising team selections yesterday. He explained that he was rewarding those players that had looked brightest in training during the past couple of weeks. There will also be a need to not overwork players during what will be a hectic run of games in the coming weeks. We looked more solid at the back yesterday and we created the lion’s share of what few chances there were. We have stopped the rot of 5 successive defeats, that we had suffered before the restart and we are now within a point of safety, although our goal difference is inferior to those clubs who are currently directly above us. The point we got yesterday was much better than nothing, but Sheffield United had looked beatable yesterday and we will need slightly more than an average of a point a game from our remaining games, if we are to make it to safety. My player ratings from a game, before which we remembered those lives lost to Covid-19 to date and players demonstrated their support for the Black Lives Matter campaign by taking a knee, were: Orjan Nyland – 4 – His susceptibility in the air has long been a cause for concern and it will have been gleefully noted by our future opponents yesterday. He so nearly gifted them a goal that would have badly deflated us, if not cost us the game on 42 minutes. Norwood aimed a free kick from the left towards the angle, between the bar and the far post. Nyland fumbled the ball and went backwards over the line, with Davis an immovable object standing at the post, thus preventing him being able to fully stretch out his arms to try to keep the ball on the right side of the line. This error will have left him lacking in confidence, fortunately it did not cost us a goal, but it may well cost him his starting place. Ezri Konsa - 6 – Surprising to see Ezri popping up here, rather than Elmo or Guilbert. Did well though. Kortney Hause – 5 – A 35th minute Hourihane corner found him at the near post, but it hit him, rather than was headed by him and the ball went harmlessly wide. Hit a very lackadaisical ball across the edge of the penalty area on 70 minutes into no man’s land, which was picked up by McBurnie. He found Lundstram, whose shot from inside the box flashed wide of the post Tyrone Mings – 6 – Not quite at his best yet, but he did his bit in holding this new-look defence together. Had claims for a penalty when his shirt was grabbed, and he was pushed out of reach of the ball. Matt Targett – 6 – A solid defensive display. Anwar El Ghazi - 5 – Jack hit a lovely ball to him and he proceeded to hit a 58th minute cross that just needed a touch, but the ball had passed Davis, before he had stretched his leg out. Had a shout for a penalty when there was contact on the edge of the box, but he does tend to throw himself to the ground and that does not always encourage referees to make penalty decisions, if you are wearing our shirt, at least. John McGinn – 6 – After six months absence this was a very welcome return, but John was unsurprisingly, rather ring rusty yesterday. The 76 minutes that he played, will see him nearer to his best, come the weekend. Got a decent header to a 17th minute Grealish free kick that was gathered by Henderson. Jack also found him on the edge of the box on 60 minutes, but Henderson pushed his shot past his left-hand post, easily enough. Worked himself into the ground for the cause. Douglas Luiz – 6 – A good solid performance. Jack Grealish – 7 – Opponents were once again, given licence to bring down Jack, without any fear of seeing a yellow card, as a result. Played a role in most of our better moments and will hopefully get back up to full speed shortly. Conor Hourihane – 6 – Had a 6th minute shot from about 8 yards saved by Henderson at his near post. Good delivery with that left foot as always and was more involved than he has been in some other games. Keinan Davis – 7 – MOTM - He put himself about up front and unsettled their defenders. He does so many good things, but he needs the confidence that a goal will give him. I had thought on hearing he would be starting, that he would be playing alongside Samatta rather than instead of him. Nevertheless, this was a good display by Keinan. Should have done better on 11 minutes, when Hause headed a Grealish corner at the far post, back across the goalmouth. Keinan headed the ball over the bar from close range when under pressure from a defender. So unlucky, when he chested down a nice ball from Targett on the edge of the area and then hit a 52nd minute shot that Henderson kept out at his near post, with his outstretched right hand. Substitutes: Mbwana Samatta – 5 - Replaced Davis after 69 minutes. He did not have the time to make a mark on this game, but he has goals in him and therefore needs to start games like these, in my opinion. Mahmoud Trezeguet – 5 - Came on for El Ghazi on 69 minutes. Did not make a significant positive impression on the game, during the time he had available to do so. Marvelous Nakamba – Replaced McGinn on 76 minutes. Not on long enough to gather a rating. Ahmed Elmohamady - Replaced Konsa on 76 minutes. He was also not on long enough to earn a rating. Stay up Villa! John Lewis Edited June 18, 2020 by John 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 Harsh on Nyland. He had control, but Davis was baking towards goal when he should have been pushing forward and protecting Nyland, since Nyland was catching the ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted June 18, 2020 Author Share Posted June 18, 2020 1 hour ago, momo said: Harsh on Nyland. He had control, but Davis was baking towards goal when he should have been pushing forward and protecting Nyland, since Nyland was catching the ball. He completely missed his catch and that's just not good enough from a PL keeper. The free kick should have been relatively easy to collect, but he really made a hash of it, I'm afraid. It also looked to me, that he didn't have the ball under his complete control as he landed, I do agree that Davis put paid to any chance that he might otherwise, have had of keeping the ball on the right side of the line, but it was his initial error that created something out of nothing for them. He is a decent shot stopper, but for me he does on occasion, have problems with crosses. Our defence needs to have confidence in our keeper and our keeper needs to have confidence in himself. I don't think that will currently be the case. I agree that might seem harsh and I hope, if he continues to start, that my concerns will prove unfounded, but in our situation, we don't want to be making too many unforced errors. Many thanks for giving your opinion, on both the incident and my player rating. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntrimBlack Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 16 hours ago, momo said: Harsh on Nyland. He had control, but Davis was baking towards goal when he should have been pushing forward and protecting Nyland, since Nyland was catching the ball. Nyland fumbled the catch. That was the problem. It should have been a simple clean catch. So many keepers and only Heaton I would trust, and he is injured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 7 hours ago, AntrimBlack said: Nyland fumbled the catch. That was the problem. It should have been a simple clean catch. So many keepers and only Heaton I would trust, and he is injured. He caught it and that's the end of the story. Davis would have backed into him anyway, because he didn't respect the situation. This stuff happens, we learn and move on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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