Ratings & Reactions: FAC3: Villa v Stevenage

[OutByEaster?]

An observation on the refereeing - something on both tonight's game and on the Liverpool - Wolves one really.

For the Wolves goal that was disallowed, the ref motioned to the linesman to put up his flag, encouraging him to flag so that VAR could take a look at it. He didn't know whether the goal was offside or not and we're not sure if the linesman was sure or not of whether the player was offside, so the ref asked him to flag so that they could be sure - let's make a decision and force VAR to decide. As a result, offside was the decision and when VAR couldn't be found, that decision stood and Wolves were robbed of what seemed to be a perfectly good goal.

Tonight, the ref originally gave a free kick outside the box, and looked like he might book Dendoncker, but then seemed to change his mind and give the penalty as he knew that this would give VAR a chance to have a look at it. It essentially gets him off the hook if he gives the penalty, because VAR can be involved. If he's wrong and he gives a penalty, VAR corrects him, if he's wrong and he doesn't give it, there's no VAR and he would be open to criticism. I've not seen more than one replay and I'm not sure whether the free kick or the penalty was the right decision, but I think the ref gave a decision which allowed him to pass on the responsibility to someone else.

I'm really not sure I like referee's using VAR this way - if you have to disallow a goal or you have to give a penalty just so that you can use video replays, then the system isn't functioning correctly. It's there to correct obvious errors and is being used by referee's to say here's a decision that I think might be wrong, tell me what you think. 

I can't quite describe that properly and I might be imagining it, but it doesn't feel right to me.

 

[May-Z]

18 minutes ago, WHY said:

Just had a conversation with my lad. He said he doesn’t feel any connection to the team and it got me thinking. I hadn’t really thought about it before but I pretty much feel the same. We don’t really have any likeable players anymore and it just doesn’t feel like the players are all in it together like they were 3/4 years ago. Losing Grealish not only changed the dynamic of the team but the football club in general imo. 

I'm not one to turn everything back on Gerrard, but I think he undid the good work Deano had put into that aspect in record time. 

When players aren't included in squads, aren't rotated, and see no way in, the moral and camaraderie just dies completely.

[MakemineVanilla]

9 minutes ago, Marka Ragnos said:

Oh, please take me back the delusion, oh please, o please, mister. 

Just remember that there is a bluebird in your heart and you have to let it out!

[Hev]

I dont think any of the subs did any better than the starters either to be honest. 

[villan501]

Folks let's look at todays game as a slight blip the proverbial banana skin Stevenage were at arms length all game they had an offside goal marginal but offside plus the shot off the bar.

 

Villa dominated without killing game off but fundamentally Dendonker has cost if he gets rid and not sent off/Penalty we win 1 nil I'm not normally one for chucking players under the bus but he was so lackadaisical and had his pockets picked and this whole result is on him harsh but fair in my opinion

 

Emery will get some players in this month same again in summer, everything about him to me just looks right moving forward he will know who he dosnt want here at Villa and sort it.

 

Emery has history of building up teams and winning trophies he will get us to a better place.

 

Today was a blip hard to take but  let's stick together and enjoy the ride, I'm sure Emery will take us fans and Aston Villa FC to better places. Emery in his interviews uses the term processes I back him and his playing style it's a work in progress.

 

" They say you don't choose Aston Villa, it chooses you"  UTV

Edited January 8, 2023 by villan501

[Mark Albrighton]

Each to their own but I like a number of the players (even if I think some are somewhat limited).

Mings, McGinn, Ings, Luiz, Kamara, Cash, I think these are all likeable individuals and I could name others. I certainly think we collectively liked them last week against Spurs.

As to harking back to Grealish, I recall him sticking around on a new bumber contract and ensuring there was a release clause so he could get out of dodge if the opportunity presented itself, so I’m not sure he completely escapes the “mercenaries” tag.

[CLARETANDBLUEFOXY]

I think the saddest thing for me is all these stories about how people are no longer enjoying going. And I’d have to agree. All because we have players who don’t deserve to wear the shirt ruining it for people who would do anything to play for this club. 

Edited January 8, 2023 by CLARETANDBLUEFOXY

[TomC]

I didn't see the match, only the highlights (lowlights?), but a few comments...

1. The FA Cup still matters to me, and it was our most likely route into Europe for next year. I can understand using fringe players in the League Cup, but I would have liked to have seen a stronger starting XI here.

2. It hurts when you're the one on the losing end, but the bottom line is that matches like this make the FA Cup fun. Thank God the better team on paper doesn't always win.

3. It hurts right now, but if we win our next couple PL matches, this will be quickly forgotten.

4. I once knew an airplane pilot who explained to me that pilots are trained to "break the chain of bad decisions": Don't let one bad decision induce you to make another one out of panic. That's exactly what Donck did. He made bad mistake giving #1 away the ball. Once he did that, hauling down the opponent outside the box was probably a logical thing to do, but if you're going to foul the opponent, you'd better do it decisively. Donck didn't, and the opponent managed to continue on into the box. That was big mistake #2. OK, the opponent survives the first foul, but he still has to worry about Donck, and he still has to calculate how to beat Olsen on a split second's notice. Better that than giving him a penalty, where he has time to collect his thoughts and doesn't have to worry about a defender. So what does Donck do? Foul him a second time for a penalty (and a red card). Big mistake #3. Just terrible decisionmaking. He panicked and it cost us.

5. Everything about their second goal was just pathetic.

 

 

[The_Steve]

Ollie should be dropped for this. There's no excuse for that lack of effort. It's a bloody, gigantic embarassment. Not only does he not attempt to charge it down, he stops and pathetically tries a block yards away. Disgraceful lack of effort.

[The Fun Factory]

2 hours ago, slovenian said:

it's a debacle... talking about winning trophies and then get beaten by mighty Stevenage... reality check for Emery

Oh gawd. I forgot he said that. No doubt we will ruin him.

Expect to age 10 years in 1 before nonsensial interviews and team selections followed by the inevitable sacking. 

It's what we do best.

[WHY]

6 minutes ago, Mantis said:

And the players most fans do have a connection with (Martinez, Young, Mings, Ramsey) weren't playing much if at all tonight, which probably isn't a coincidence.

I don’t really connect with Mings he’s to political for my liking, I respect his opinions but he’s not really for me. I lost a bit of respect for Martinez with his World Cup antics, it’s not what our club is about. Ash is a top pro and have plenty of time for him. I like Ramsey as a player but he doesn’t really have a personality as such. I’m not knocking any of them just find it hard to connect with them. 

[tezzaleed]

50 minutes ago, Lerner's Driver said:

The reason you are wrong is because in your own words, "he picked a team easily good enough to beat Stevenage". THEY weren't good enough, so THEY didn't beat Stevenage.

Dendoncker's error was shocking, but the game shouldn't even have been close. If you can't break a league one team down more than once your own team is shit. End of.

nope.  we were in the lead and in total control.  1 nil is perfectly fine tactically.  in fact you might argue the most efficient score line possible.  exactly the right amount of effort and commitment to achieve your aims.

[useless]

Bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonnerronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenthurnuk!

[HKP90]

6 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

An observation on the refereeing - something on both tonight's game and on the Liverpool - Wolves one really.

For the Wolves goal that was disallowed, the ref motioned to the linesman to put up his flag, encouraging him to flag so that VAR could take a look at it. He didn't know whether the goal was offside or not and we're not sure if the linesman was sure or not of whether the player was offside, so the ref asked him to flag so that they could be sure - let's make a decision and force VAR to decide. As a result, offside was the decision and when VAR couldn't be found, that decision stood and Wolves were robbed of what seemed to be a perfectly good goal.

Tonight, the ref originally gave a free kick outside the box, and looked like he might book Dendoncker, but then seemed to change his mind and give the penalty as he knew that this would give VAR a chance to have a look at it. It essentially gets him off the hook if he gives the penalty, because VAR can be involved. If he's wrong and he gives a penalty, VAR corrects him, if he's wrong and he doesn't give it, there's no VAR and he would be open to criticism. I've not seen more than one replay and I'm not sure whether the free kick or the penalty was the right decision, but I think the ref gave a decision which allowed him to pass on the responsibility to someone else.

I'm really not sure I like referee's using VAR this way - if you have to disallow a goal or you have to give a penalty just so that you can use video replays, then the system isn't functioning correctly. It's there to correct obvious errors and is being used by referee's to say here's a decision that I think might be wrong, tell me what you think. 

I can't quite describe that properly and I might be imagining it, but it doesn't feel right to me.

 

I'm still not convinced that the foul for the pen was in the box. Looked like it started outside to me.

[WHY]

7 minutes ago, May-Z said:

I'm not one to turn everything back on Gerrard, but I think he undid the good work Deano had put into that aspect in record time. 

When players aren't included in squads, aren't rotated, and see no way in, the moral and camaraderie just dies completely.

I don’t disagree but think Purslow doesn’t help either imo. 

[sheepyvillian]

7 minutes ago, turvontour said:

It baffles and fascinates me in equal measure that the team and bench we had today could serve up a defeat to Stevenage. Absolutely no disrespect to Stevenage, fair play, they did what they can and could do. It worked.

But you take Dendonker say, not big money, big wage Coutinho, Ings, Bailey, Luiz etc. But Dendonker. Now his transfer fee must be similar to Stevenages transfer budget for a decade, and his weekly wage is probably the same as their starting 11 combined. This is where I'm fascinated, how does that team and bench and all that collective value fail not only to beat Stevenage, but to lose. That's some going. It feels like its different to other sports in that respect, football. Maybe that's what makes it great, that today is possible. It bloody doesnt feel great today though.

It reminds me of the great Marvin Hagler quote, it's tough to get up in the morning to train when you're sleeping in silk pyjamas. 

Money can't buy that feeling what every Stevenage player is feeling tonight. 

No hunger and no commitment. You don't win games if that's your attitude.

[Rodders]

Cancelling bednarek and agustinssons loans seems a fairly atraightforward choice to do, certainly once Moreno's in

[The_Steve]

I'd rather he drop/sell Ollie and keep Ings - Ollie cost us the game.

[sheepyvillian]

10 minutes ago, Hev said:

I dont think any of the subs did any better than the starters either to be honest. 

Worse if anything. Buendia and Watkins, certainly. 

[OutByEaster?]

Am I right in thinking our goalscorers in our last FA Cup win were Idrissa Gueye and Ciaran Clark?