Villa Park - Atmosphere [merged]

[OutByEaster?]

I think the microphone placement is giving people a false impression of the atmosphere - first half, right up until the third Leicester goal it was good - the opening ten minutes were excellent, loud and proud - and whilst the booing at half time was a bit disappointing, there's a feeling in conceding two goals in five minutes to go behind in the way we did that's always going to trigger that response in some. 

Overall, the atmosphere was good in the first half and sort of okay in the second half, pretty much as you'd expect - can it be better? Yes. Is there a problem with it? No.

Villa Park is fine, there seems to be a thing going around at the moment where people want to make it sound like it's a silent, yet toxic pit of indifferent yet critical fans - it's nothing of the sort - a storm in a teacup.

 

[rodders0223]

47 minutes ago, Nigel said:

Some fans like to win but not if it doesn't involve a good size 10 booting it down the pitch if an attacker is anywhere near.

The moaning was audible when we were trying to build out form the back yesterday.

It's really infuriating at times.

It's been like that from day one. It was like that when Gerrard came in (and soon abandoned it) It was like that when I sat in the Trinity. The holte. It's like that now I sit in the Doug Ellis.

Constant gammons cacking their pants whenever an attacker gets within 10 yards of a defender trying to find a pass into feet.

Are other football fans generally like this? I don't attend any other grounds.

 

[sidcow]

1 hour ago, rodders0223 said:

Constant gammons cacking their pants whenever an attacker gets within 10 yards of a defender trying to find a pass into feet.

Is this Gammony behaviour? Not sure on that connection. 

But it's pretty understandable cacking pants whenever a defender on the ball is under pressure from an attacker because we keep conceding **** goals from it. 

[rodders0223]

6 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Is this Gammony behaviour? Not sure on that connection. 

But it's pretty understandable cacking pants whenever a defender on the ball is under pressure from an attacker because we keep conceding **** goals from it. 

Do we though? Genuine  question yesterday aside?

I mean Leeds was a joke every few seconds people screaming to get rid of the ball. It was Leeds and they were shit and their press was shit.

[sidcow]

4 minutes ago, rodders0223 said:

Do we though? Genuine  question yesterday aside?

I mean Leeds was a joke every few seconds people screaming to get rid of the ball. It was Leeds and they were shit and their press was shit.

Yeah, off the top of my head we've given the ball away a fair bit from defenders under pressure passing it around and conceded goals and near misses because of it. 

I think we'll see changes with players more comfortable on the ball coming in.  

[markavfc40]

I thought the atmosphere was fine yesterday. At the start of the game fans were well up for it and right behind the team. What happens on the pitch affects what happens in the crowd though and how the game panned out was reflected in the crowd. Within 2 mins of us scoring our first Leicester equalised, within 10 mins of us retaking the lead Leicester again equalised and then a couple of mins later went in front. I was personally a bit shell shocked as no way we should have been drawing never mind losing that game at half time on the balance of play and I think the crowd as a whole felt like that.

Second half we were again well on top but frustration amongst supporters was setting in as I think we all felt it was a game we should be getting something from but I think it was just setting up nicely for a real rousing final 10-15 minutes when the final sucker punch came and killed the game and atmosphere completely. 

Edited February 5, 2023 by markavfc40

[Tomaszk]

1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said:

I think the microphone placement is giving people a false impression of the atmosphere - first half, right up until the third Leicester goal it was good - the opening ten minutes were excellent, loud and proud - and whilst the booing at half time was a bit disappointing, there's a feeling in conceding two goals in five minutes to go behind in the way we did that's always going to trigger that response in some. 

Overall, the atmosphere was good in the first half and sort of okay in the second half, pretty much as you'd expect - can it be better? Yes. Is there a problem with it? No.

Villa Park is fine, there seems to be a thing going around at the moment where people want to make it sound like it's a silent, yet toxic pit of indifferent yet critical fans - it's nothing of the sort - a storm in a teacup.

 

The club should be aware of this, but I wouldn't be surprised if they aren't.

Putting Villa Park across negatively in broadcast is hugely detrimental. Optics matter.

[icouldtelltheworld]

2 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

Leicester fans were quite rowdy yesterday  usually at home for them its quieter than a library 

Their away fans are generally pretty good IMO

[maqroll]

We were winning 2-1 in the 41st minute and at the HT whistle we were losing 3-2. I can understand the booing in this instance. Some other recent HT booing has been totally unjustified, but I can understand why it happened yesterday. I wouldn't have done it. But there you go.

[Pinebro]

Didn't take a long time post promotion for our fans to turn back into entitled.

[nick76]

It was fine yesterday, I’m not sure what the fuss is about.  The boos, which were brief at the half time whistle was (as Maqroll says) that we’d just conceded a couple of quick goals down to stupid mistakes.  

It was just a bit of frustration.  The atmosphere on the whole first half was quite good, in fact really good.  

Second half only got quieter and frustrated as we got closer to full time because we had conceded 3 poor goals and then a fourth.  Just one of those games which I don’t know how we lost.  

Five poor defensive mistakes resulting in four goals and somehow Iheanacho not taking advantage of his golden second half chance from our mistake.  

I doubt we’ll make that many mistakes again in one game and be punished for them but as we did in this game the atmosphere did drop off second half but overall I thought the atmosphere was quite good, especially first half from my seat in the Holte.  

Yeah I get some people don’t like booing but take out that part, the rest of the atmosphere was good.  Yes the ground wasn’t rocking like it can be but I don’t think it was bad or toxic as some are making it out.  A little frustrated end of first half in the way we conceded at the end, then at the end of the second half…but certainly wasn’t toxic.

[TRO]

On 14/01/2023 at 08:30, rodders0223 said:

It was good. I think we sensed the team was up against it and needed the backing. Would they have got that backing if we didn't get a goal and it was 0-0? Probably not. They'd have got both barells again.

 

My guy in Doug Ellis was in full flow everytime the back four passed the ball more than 3 times thought tonight, soiling his pants anytime a Leeds player got within 5 yards.

"No....no....no what are you doing!?!?!?!?"

 

It was almost as if Emery has a style of play and philosophy he wants to introduce.

Bring back Gerrard.

I think conceding 4 goals in the manner we did, takes the biscuit......Its hard to be little Lord Fauntleroy, under such conditions.....and to compond things, its not the first time.

I would suspect, every team in the country has fans who voice their opinions, during a game, and them that stay stum.....I guess its down to many things, inc Age.

If you are a passionate fan, and your team gets 4 put past them at home.....I guess a reaction, is quite likely.

Equally Some fans have a built in mechanism for suppressing their disappointment, and the next game, is the only thing they look for and ignore the last.......bully to them....wished I could.

I also think conceding 4 in the manner we did...if it was the first time, fine, it happens......but its not.

[villa4europe]

27 minutes ago, Pinebro said:

Didn't take a long time post promotion for our fans to turn back into entitled.

Dunno if it's entitled or just searching for a purpose

 

[danceoftheshamen]

It was a good atmosphere initially but that ridiculous mistake for their first literally killed us for 20 minutes. It was so so sloppy and typical of what this team does far too regularly. We battled back after that shock had been swallowed only to do the exact same thing again not once but twice before half time even and this having once again taken the lead, albeit somewhat fortuitously but then also somewhat deservedly having missed a couple of good chances. So I am not surprised there was a frustrated reaction from the crowd. It was so typical of this team. Doing all the hard work but then repeatedly making amateurish errors fit for a Sunday League pub team. 

For me that is what kills the atmosphere. Not the conceding of a well worked goal by the opposition but the shockingly poor way which we keep on giving them to teams. It is so demoralising as a fan to see that once, let alone twice but three & four times is frankly embarrassng.

It was a re-run of Spurs at home last season when we outplayed them and lost 0-4...all four of their shots on goal going in The only difference being we looked much more threatening and scored a couple at least. 

Edited February 5, 2023 by danceoftheshamen

[El Zen]

6 hours ago, rodders0223 said:

Get it forward!!!! Rinse and repeat.

I swear, I was so close to having a go at a guy behind me on the Holte at the Leeds game. All game he was screaming ‘get it forward!!!!!!!!’ and then ‘ah, ya daft ****’ at our own players every time they didn’t GET IT FORWARD!!!!!!

Almost ruined the game for me.

[sidcow]

I'll re-post this here as probably more suitable, was originally in response to a post on the Duran thread 

9 minutes ago, sidcow said:

All the talk on other threads about the Villa Park atmosphere, modern football, booing players etc and was better in the olden days. 

I've stood on The Holte and heard it sing:

Gary Shaw

Gary Shaw 

Gary, Gary, Gary Shaw

When he gets the ball and he does **** all

Gary Gary Shaw. 

Twas ever thus. 

 

[Marka Ragnos]

9 hours ago, nick76 said:

It was fine yesterday, I’m not sure what the fuss is about.  The boos, which were brief at the half time whistle was (as Maqroll says) that we’d just conceded a couple of quick goals down to stupid mistakes.  

It was just a bit of frustration. ... Yeah I get some people don’t like booing but take out that part, the rest of the atmosphere was good.  Yes the ground wasn’t rocking like it can be but I don’t think it was bad or toxic as some are making it out.  A little frustrated end of first half in the way we conceded at the end, then at the end of the second half…but certainly wasn’t toxic.

Totally agree. And so important to separate a few boos over gameplay from toxic cruelty -- racist chants, throwing batteries, etc. The former is about venting frustration as a football supporter; the latter is the expression of hatred and violence. The former can make you look stupid and entitled; the latter is an act of hate and possibly even criminal.  

[nick76]

8 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said:

Totally agree. And so important to separate a few boos over gameplay from toxic cruelty -- racist chants, throwing batteries, etc. The former is about venting frustration as a football supporter; the latter is the expression of hatred and violence. The former can make you look stupid and entitled; the latter is an act of hate and possibly even criminal.  

While we agree on the main point, the follow up I don’t agree on.  

I completely agree on toxic cruelty being a possible act of hate and possibly even criminal.  

I don’t totally agree a few boos meaning looking stupid and entitled, it can just be frustration at making stupid mistakes.

 I think some people have to realise that being a football fan is emotional, especially going to the ground.  (This isnt a better fan argument before somebody jumps on that bandwagon, it’s just a different feeling at the ground to watching on tv)

 I notice I am slightly different when watching at home for away games to when I go to the ground for home games.  

It’s a very slight difference because my passion is so high for Villa but it’s still there, I notice it.  The build up, the travelling, sorting out the family before I go, the checking and rechecking, walking to the ground, chatting with people on the way up, the excitement seeing the Holte despite having seen it thousands of times on the same journey, sitting in my seat, chatting to people around, watching the warm up, chatting to the people around you who you only talk to at the ground, seeing the line ups, the noise builds and then kick off.  You can really see how over those hours how emotion builds up and these days I don’t drink before games like many do.  

This compared to watching the game at the pub or at home not long before a game is a world apart in terms of build up.  

It’s why I love live events like going to games or even gigs/festivals than watching on tv because it adds something extra but with that you are more prone to exaggerated responses like being 2-1 up and conceding two stupid goals just before half time, it was so frustrating, it was so stupid…you can understand the brief response of booing by some or frustration by all in that emotionally charged atmosphere….it’s generally nothing to do with being entitled.  

Of course some fans will feel entitled but on the whole most were just bloody frustrated and I think if some don’t get that then I don’t know what to tell them.  It’s not feeling entitled or stupid, it’s being a fan, the frustrations of conceding silly goals in quick effect, just before half time, seeing silly mistakes, the build up of the day, the hope of your team doing well, the working hard to take the lead twice yet conceding both times and even losing that lead right before half time by three stupid mistakes…not good goals or wonder goals or great play…so no it’s not on the whole entitlement or stupidity, it’s just frustration.

Edited February 6, 2023 by nick76

[Vive_La_Villa]

On 05/02/2023 at 10:33, OutByEaster? said:

I think the microphone placement is giving people a false impression of the atmosphere - first half, right up until the third Leicester goal it was good - the opening ten minutes were excellent, loud and proud - and whilst the booing at half time was a bit disappointing, there's a feeling in conceding two goals in five minutes to go behind in the way we did that's always going to trigger that response in some. 

Overall, the atmosphere was good in the first half and sort of okay in the second half, pretty much as you'd expect - can it be better? Yes. Is there a problem with it? No.

Villa Park is fine, there seems to be a thing going around at the moment where people want to make it sound like it's a silent, yet toxic pit of indifferent yet critical fans - it's nothing of the sort - a storm in a teacup.

 

Opposition fans actually say the atmosphere is decent at Villa Park compared to many other grounds so as you say it’s not a problem as such. We just all know how much better it can be. 

[VillaParkAvenue]

Booing at halftime is the big new trend this season and not only at Villa. Going back just one year it was still rare, but now people have heard it happen on TV a lot and do it without thinking. If the home team is behind at halftime, there will often be booing.

At the end of last season, it was pitch invasions instead. People saw it happening at a lot of games on TV and wanted to try.