Ratings & Reactions: Villa v Lille

[briny_ear]

23 minutes ago, Talldarkandransome said:

Just got back, that could have gone either way, Emi motm by a country mile.

Deffo need to start practicing defending corners cos we are awful at it.

Refs in Europe make prem refs look like that Pierluigi bloke, they are dreadful.

Need an early goal next week cos if Lille score first I think we're done

Um, unless I was hallucinating, we scored twice from corners so we are twice as good at defending corners as Lille?

Edited April 11 by briny_ear

[HeroesAndVillans]

Keeping my hopes high... We can do it. I really think we can win this competition. All to play for in the second leg now.

[rbcuk]

Just in, what is it with set pieces we cannot defend them at all this season, if it wasn’t for Emi we’d have lost that in the 1st half 

[NurembergVillan]

13 minutes ago, briny_ear said:

Um, unless I was hallucinating, we scored twice from corners so we are twice as good at defending corners as Lille?

We had seven corners and they only had 3, so on average we're slightly worse

[supermon]

How did we not get a penalty, did var check?

[OutByEaster?]

A weird game, we played very well in patches, but allowed them a lot of control, especially in the first half - both sides looked dangerous throughout, all of the goals came from corners, the atmosphere was fantastic and yet despite the win we finished feeling a little flat, the referee was appalling and we're left wondering whether we've done enough.

When it was good though, it was really good, that's as loud as I've heard Villa Park in years and we've won a European Quarter Final first leg, I think if we go through we'll look back on this one a lot more fondly.

I really want a second leg win and the opportunity to see Carvahlo Santos cry - he's a little shit.

Work to do, and this season promises to be a real test of the nerves.

 

[markavfc40]

I think given how the game went 2-1 is a good result. On another day Lille could have won that by a couple of goals had they been more clinical and Emi had not put in such a good performance. 

I think hopefully we'd have learned a lot about them from tonight and I'd like to think we'll be better next week. If we're not it is going to be really tough. Unai is a master in Europe though so that is a huge plus we should never over look and he'll have vast experience of managing a 1 goal advantage in a second leg away from home. 

Just as an aside I thought the ref was dire. How we have ended that game with 3 bookings and Lille none is shocking as they made worse tackles than either Dougie or Tielemans did for their bookings. 

I thought the atmosphere was really good although did go flat after they scored. 

Edited April 11 by markavfc40

[WallisFrizz]

Sorry if it’s been covered already but are we losing anybody to suspension as a result of those bookings? I remember reading something a few days ago that we had a few players close in this tournament.

[Talldarkandransome]

31 minutes ago, briny_ear said:

Um, unless I was hallucinating, we scored twice from corners so we are twice as good at defending corners as Lille?

Attacking them yes but we give away so many free headers while defending them

[Talldarkandransome]

4 minutes ago, WallisFrizz said:

Sorry if it’s been covered already but are we losing anybody to suspension as a result of those bookings? I remember reading something a few days ago that we had a few players close in this tournament.

Only McGinn was on yellow before kick off

[T-Dog]

I gotta say, some of the football Lille played was superb - The whole game felt like they were one or two players being in better form away from turning us over. We played well, but we gonna have to play better next week.

Also, that one player they had that kept falling to the ground every time the wind picked up, he can eat a bag of shit. Cheating rat.

[GlobalVillan]

Hate having the home leg 1st.

[GlobalVillan]

37 minutes ago, supermon said:

How did we not get a penalty, did var check?

Absolutely stonewall. Never seen any penalty more deserving of being given. It was as blatant as it comes, Just like the Sheff U one.

[WHY]

Slightly annoying Lille have a week to prepare for the 2nd leg. They don’t have a game the weekend.

[omariqy]

How we looking on the yellow card front? Looks like we have a a few players on 2 yellow cards?

[The Fun Factory]

A good result, I would have taken that before the start of the match. Yes it is annoying we let a late one in but on balance Lille probably deserved a goal. Had it been 2 nil in the second leg we may start too relaxed, perhaps in the long run this might be beneficial. Maybe.  Martinez really is world number one with some superb saves. Our big players stepped up tonight- Watkins, Mcginn. We are n't playing the vintages stuff at the first half of the season. It isn't surprising really given the injuries, Kamara was such a blow and we miss Cash for balance at the moment. But we are grinding hard at the moment. Emery is not going to take a no for us to progress I think he will personally will the team through.

Lille are a cut above anyone else we have played so far. It isn't going to be easy but it shouldn't be really to get to a European semi final spot. Without the away goal rule we need just a draw. It is going to be tough but we are in the advantage at half time.

[ben1505]

7 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said:

A good result, I would have taken that before the start of the match. Yes it is annoying we let a late one in but on balance Lille probably deserved a goal. Had it been 2 nil in the second leg we may start too relaxed, perhaps in the long run this might be beneficial. Maybe.  Martinez really is world number one with some superb saves. Our big players stepped up tonight- Watkins, Mcginn. We are n't playing the vintages stuff at the first half of the season. It isn't surprising really given the injuries, Kamara was such a blow and we miss Cash for balance at the moment. But we are grinding hard at the moment. Emery is not going to take a no for us to progress I think he will personally will the team through.

Lille are a cut above anyone else we have played so far. It isn't going to be easy but it shouldn't be really to get to a European semi final spot. Without the away goal rule we need just a draw. It is going to be tough but we are in the advantage at half time.

Is Cash back for next week?

[El Segundo]

MOTM clearly Emi.  

They played like us but at a higher tempo and I thought they were the better side overall. 

Ref was massively inconsistent,  gave free kicks for being barely touched, then let robust challenges go and reserved his yellow card for our fouls only.

We created virtually zero after the subs - Duran and Diaby barely got a touch, Zaniolo was his usual ineffective self.

Not sure I fancy our chances with only a one goal lead but we probably didn't deserve even that - although, just seen the penalty incident again and it looks a clear pen.

[sharkyvilla]

1 hour ago, GlobalVillan said:

Absolutely stonewall. Never seen any penalty more deserving of being given. It was as blatant as it comes, Just like the Sheff U one.

I've only just been able to see the highlights, that was absolutely baffling.

[Marka Ragnos]

Just a total thrill to see Villa hosting Lille Olympique Sporting Club. Still hardly care about the score, as I'm still basking in the Gaulish glow. Can't wait to see us bring it to them in France. It seems almost inevitable that it's going to go to extra time and pens in France.  

And we'll win.