paddy Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I know I say this pretty much every time he plays there but.... Cuellar is NOT right back and shouldn't (imo) play there. He doesn't offer enough going forward and isn't exactly a great defender out there either. Very good centre back, but not a right back by any stretch of the imagination. If he doesn't like Luke Young he should buy a new RB not just play others out of position there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastleBromVilla Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I know I say this pretty much every time he plays there but.... Cuellar is NOT right back and shouldn't (imo) play there. He doesn't offer enough going forward and isn't exactly a great defender out there either. Very good centre back, but not a right back by any stretch of the imagination. If he doesn't like Luke Young he should buy a new RB not just play others out of position there. You can say that again, he was absolute gash today. Luke Young in. He's a good defender, but thats it/ He's got no pace and his distribution is terrible. I lost count the number of times he had the chance to put a ball into the box but ended up just slicing it out of play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o'lbs Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Cuellar was atrocious. so was the wembley pitch, it looked water logged down the one side. I think it's a crap stadium. Why didn't they build a roof that you could close in the bad weather like the millenium stadium. I thought our best players were Petrov, Warnock and Heskey. 2nd half Valencia proved he's not the new danny wallace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ligs Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 It's been a while, but here we go. Friedel: 7 - couldn't have stopped either goal and made 1 great save Cuellar: 5 - defensively ok-ish, but we need more from him going forward, which frankly we're not going to get Warnock: 4 - didn't get to grips with Valencia, not much of a threat going forward Dunne: 5 - crucial mistake for the equaliser Collins: 6 - bit of a nervy start, otherwise ok Young: 6 - beat his man more often than not, but his final ball was mainly poor Milner: 8 - always looking for the ball and always dangerous Petrov: 7 - typical Petrov performance Downing: 6 - see Young Heskey: 6 - held the ball up well, but we need more than that Agbonlahor: 8 MOTM - lead the line well, linked the play, scared their defence shitless and was physically imposing too. In the end we didn't have enough and they did deserve the win. However, if Mr Dowd had done his job properly it might been a completely different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCU Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Just got back. I echo the statements made about the pre-match build up. As soon as we stepped off the train it was just a sea of claret and blue apart from the odd Norwich fan. From around 11ish to 1:30 we went to a pub beginning with 'S' (forgot the name, sorry) and the build up in there was fantastic. Regarding the game anybody who thought we played shit, what game were you watching? We played absolutley fine and we would have murdered them IF Vidic had been sent off. Disgraceful referee. If they don't pick up on that then something needs to be done because if it was the other way around then Fergie and co. would be sending them to hell and back. I was sickened at the end, didn't want to see them glory hunting rocket polishers lift that trophy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hanky Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 We did well. I'm not sure what others were expecting otherwise, we were playing Man Utd and we more than held our own. Main point would be Cuellar not playing right back. Collins was poor today and I feel he could/should be the one to go. Thought the front six had good games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterms Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Thought this was a balanced account: Aston Villa matched United all over the pitch, but were undone by the human force of nature known as Wayne One day last week Martin O'Neill summoned his players to a meeting at Aston Villa's training ground. This was their moment, he told them. They had an opportunity to make it a season they would never forget, and it would begin by them playing the match of their lives. The door was locked and, for an hour and a half, he went round his players, telling them what he liked about each of them, why he trusted them and why they should line up against Manchester United and know they could outdo them man for man. As inspirational speeches go, it was an epic demonstration of the man's powers of motivation. O'Neill has always had that knack of knowing what to say to get under his players' skin. Villa played with width and penetration. They were quick to the ball, strong in the tackle and they did something that not many teams have done over the past few seasons: they made Nemanja Vidic look ordinary. Even though Sir Alex Ferguson's men had marginally more chances, the only difference really was that United had the human force of nature otherwise known as Wayne Mark Rooney. It used to be said of Rooney that his only flaw was his heading ability, and probably with some justification given the fact he had scored only four times this way in his first 316 games as a Premier League footballer. He now has nine this season, and seven of his last eight goals have come from that freckled forehead, which is the kind of record to remind United's older supporters of Tommy Taylor, the club's equivalent of Nat Lofthouse and one of the Busby Babes to lose his life in the Munich air tragedy. It was difficult, though, not to sympathise with Villa as the 27th cup final of Ferguson's career ended with Patrice Evra hoisting that funny three-handled trophy and the fireworks and ticker tape adding to the kaleidoscope of colour at an end of the stadium where the green and gold mingled with red, black and white. O'Neill was a picture of misery but at least he will not be tormented by the sense that his players let themselves down. Just because they lost, it does not automatically follow that they played badly. Richard Dunne, that serial scapegoat, may find himself waking in a cold sweat after his mistake for Michael Owen's equaliser, the sort that epitomised his last season at Manchester City but that he seemed to have eradicated this campaign. That apart, however, there was plenty to admire about O'Neill's side, from the way James Milner distinguished himself in front of the watching England manager, Fabio Capello, to the wing play of Stewart Downing and Ashley Young and the latest demonstration of how the largely unsung James Collins has developed into a centre-half of distinction. United just had that little bit extra. Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher gradually emerged as the more authoritative midfield pairing. Dimitar Berbatov will always do something to exasperate his audience but there were some lovely moments from the Bulgarian, too, and he played a significant part in both United goals. Antonio Valencia's penetrative right-wing runs and accurate deliveries won him the man-of-the-match champagne. As for the man of the moment, when Rooney came on for the injured Owen he set about winning the match as though he had been affronted to have been left out of the starting line-up. As Ferguson remarked last week: "The hallmark of a truly great player is the ability to grab a game by the scruff of the neck." Rooney did just that, making sure his impact was the most important on a day when virtually everyone on the pitch contributed to one of the more enjoyable finals since the opening of the new stadium. Or, rather, everyone but the referee. Phil Dowd made so many erratic decisions, booking players for one offence but then letting off others for almost identical infringements, he was fortunate that the players conjured up a spectacle that was engrossing enough to divert the attention from his shortcomings. For that, Villa can take their share of credit, but Rooney has something special when he can be rested from the team but still inflict all the damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corleone Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Not too disappointed with the performance as this is about as good as we can expect against a top 4 side at the moment. our only chance was going to be through scoring early on a holding on as this seems to always be the case at the moment. Agbonlahor was awesome today with the limited service he had to work with. and Milner was my MOM. However, on the downside, I think having Downing in the side has taken away a lot of the attacking thrust which previously was one of our main assets. Whenever he gets the ball he always seems to look for the safe option and ends up slowing down any momentum we may have, this coupled with his seeming unwillingness to tackle anyone leaves thinking he is proving costly both in an attacking and defensive sense. cant see why he is persisting with Ceuller at RB, and Heskey is just depressing to watch. At least we turned up today unlike in 2000 and with a bit of luck and a ref with bottle it may have been a different result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starsailor9774 Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 ...not one player looked like he wanted to take the game to the opposition. Utter nonsense. Not one player can say they tried 100% today. Wow, I didn't think that more nonsense was possible but you've managed it in the same post. Well done. Who took the game to the opposition then? Who gave 100%? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviramsey Posted February 28, 2010 VT Supporter Share Posted February 28, 2010 **** the neutral, **** spoiling the spectacle Absolutely, D1. Rules is rules, laws is laws; the ref can decide how the game goes within them but it's not up to him to decide whether it ought to be 11 v 11 for the sake of a 'spectacle'. this. On the very slim chance that Dowd gets run out of football, I'm sure the NBA would be interested in hiring him after Dick (who has been (IMO credibly) accused of manipulating games to get the result the NBA wants) retires/gets run out of the sport. Just got back from NYC and Nevada Smiths... arrived about 15 minutes in and wasn't really in the mood to socialize after the loss (for those who were there, I was basically standing right near the door, having had to run out to feed the parking meter as the second half kicked off). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starsailor9774 Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I want to see Villa win things, but we were **** awful all game, not one player looked like he wanted to take the game to the opposition. As soon we get into the opponents half we look to pass it back to defence, with stuoid little passes that have no weight on them and are easily intercepted, Cuellar couldn't pass the parcel....... his distribution is terrible for a premier league defender, Young thinks every game is about him, and that he is the only player on the pitch..... step over step over, straight into the defender.... time after time. Not one player can say they tried 100% today. What a surprising view. I thought we were up for it today, generally played well, put them under pressure probably more than most teams they play, and made chances. We looked a bit tired at the end, and didn't make the most of the chances created. But we looked competitive, threatening, and played our full part in what was a pretty entertaining game. Your opinion, but i disagree. I thought we looked second best and stood off them far too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFC-Prideofbrum Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 By the way, to those who went, was it a good day? My mate just described it as one of the most amazing days yet we lost so I find it hard to understand that statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastleBromVilla Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Yea, brilliant. Brilliant stadium. Could be more pubs around the ground. Please with seats aswell. Directly behind the goal, second row back. If you look on BBC Sport at the images from the game, the Michael Owen goal, i'm just out of shot by one person! :cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Who took the game to the opposition then? Who gave 100%? Milner, Gabby and Ash were three who took the game to the opposition (actually Downing did, too, on occasions). I think that, apart from those already mentioned, Stan, Warnock and Heskey also gave the mythical '100%' and then, I'm not sure any of the others could be deemed to have been coasting. :? If you are decrying all of the team for the (large periods of) time when we were second best to United and had to defend and have translated this in to no one trying (which is surely where you were going with the no '100%' line) and no one taking it to the opposition then I think you are being terribly melodramatic (and wrong, if you hadn't got that part of my opinion already). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Platt Posted February 28, 2010 VT Supporter Share Posted February 28, 2010 I was at the game and i cant fault any of the lads for effort you can argue that Cueller is not a right back all day long and i would agree with you!! Heskey was my man of the match he worked his bollocks off and Gabby was not far behind him. Ashley Young can be blamed for the 2nd goal in my opinion although this maybe clouded by alchohol at the time!!! Basically he is in a position to shoot but tries to beat his man which he fails to do so dives thus giving the ball to the opposition who go up the other end and score. Someone can put me right on this though as the Guiness was taking affect! The ref was getting on my tits from the moment we won the penalty could not see if there were any covering defenders (obviously not reading this thread) but it should have been a yellow minimum then 2 of our players get booked first tackle whilst Utd are clattering into our players and get sweet fa. Yanked my crank bigtime totally biased. As for luck you cant argue that we had no luck in that game did they not hit the inside of the post twice??? This to my logic indicates our name is on the cup and i could not figure out why we never equalised whats all that about!!? I gotta stop believing in superstitions and the like and just trust that the best team always wins and today it did no arguments over that. Wembley i thought was impressive it maybe abit souless but thats because there have been no really historic games played in it yet the memories need to be there for it to gain a soul and i hope and pray it starts with us winning the FA Cup in May because more than anything i want to see us win it in my lifetime!! Seen us win the League Cup twice so can handle defeat but the FA Cup in 2000 still hurts to this day. Up the Villa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emma_villan1 Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 By the way, to those who went, was it a good day? My mate just described it as one of the most amazing days yet we lost so I find it hard to understand that statement. It was a brilliant day Joe, the villa fans were awesome and the atmosphere was good, I hope it sounded as good on TV as all we could hear were villa fans. I know we lost and I am gutted but it was a really good day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddwarf Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 My memory of this game will be taking my seat at 2.30 - a sea of claret blue,Flags,balloons,going barmy just be there .....than the Manu fans - sitting there arms folded in silence - this match meant everything toAston Villa fans - but very little to Man utd Fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 all in all i enjoyed the day out , first trip to the new Wembley .. atmosphere was good but I'm sure it used to be better at the old Wembley disappointing to see empty seats , but guess that's what happens when Wembley had to pimp itself out to all the large corporates in order to get completed .. over all i think United edged it so can't complain there can complain when it comes to Dowd though , just got back and flicked through the BBC stuff to see what thye made off it , not one seemed to think the ref got it right today .. I guess stand outs were Gabby looked good and strong when we used him today , which sadly wasn't enough .. he is slow to react at times though , he's flat footed leaning back and then reacts , he needs to anticipate a lot better than he does , but he is improving and will only get better Petrov was calm and controlled Milner ..well he was Milner Heskey wasn't really in the game for long periods but did show some nice link play at times ... but as I've said before if we are going to play with him that deep in effect in a 4-5-1 , then we should really play a midfielder in the role and not Heseky seeing a lot of "Carlos" was awful posts today .. I didn't think he was that bad ... true he can't link play and over lap the way that Warnock , or Shock Luke Young , can but he wasn't terrible today .. i don't agree he should be playing at RB but he gives his all for us and thats all you can really ask don't think anyone was dreadful today , just in the end United were better than we were ..lets just hope the lads got a taste today and are hungry for more lets see what the summer brings in the way of partners for gabby MOM - not sure i could pick one but I'll stick my neck out and say Drat for having the front to wear that cap today also i am ashamed to say as I left the ground Sky were interviewing some United fan so I decided to shout "rocket polisher" as loud as I could and ruin the interview ..it's not big and it's not clever and i shall be giving myself a right telling off for it later .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 By the way, to those who went, was it a good day? My mate just described it as one of the most amazing days yet we lost so I find it hard to understand that statement. Awesome day / weekend, apart from losing. If we had won today it would have been the best weekend of my life because absolutely everything else was bang on. The atmosphere created by the Villa crowds around and in silver spoons had me welling up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjw63 Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 The "new" Wembley is so **** over rated The car park is still the hell to get off that it was 14 years ago The toilets - supposed to be loads of them? Still huge **** queues at every one The catering - if you think Villa Park is bad try the clowns at Wembley, clueless servers and awful beer Brent is still a shit hole But at least we won...............oh fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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