Aston Villa v Liverpool - Sat 2nd Nov, 3pm - Match Thread | Page 11 | Vital Football

Aston Villa v Liverpool - Sat 2nd Nov, 3pm - Match Thread

I posted before the game that Liverpool would have to work hard for the win and we’d do ourselves proud.

Its hard to take though given how well the team played, I'm disappointed for them. Being very critical, El Ghazi has let Robertson go for the first and it’s cost us. If Targett sticks that chance away in front of the Holte (not a criticism of Targett) were 2-0 up at home to Liverpool and no way back for them. My point is that small margins against the top teams are the make or break.

Thought we played great in the first half, although not having jack isn’t ideal we played well without him - arguably quicker and more direct. As much as I love jack, I don’t think it would’ve been the same first half if he had started. We could’ve done with him 2nd half though to get on the ball as we hardly had possession.

Thought everyone played well, Trez or SJM MOTM for me but great performances from Marv, Engels, Targett & Mings.
 
Absolutely gutted , it's a bitter pill to swallow.

I though defensively we were superb today and we caused more than a few problems when we were able to break. We had the better chances in the game really and could easily have been 2 up before we scored.

Seen a few ridiculous comments on here about subs etc , but I thought they were spot on and as for blaming Smith for making them and causing the added on time that is the funniest thing I have read on here all week.

Anyway it's not often a team gets cheered off the pitch having conceded 2 late goals and lose. It's a measure of the effort and performance that we were , and we gave the European champions and a team that has lost once in god knows how long a real scare.
 
Gutted, so close to taking all 3 points against the European Champions but to end up with none is just gut wrenching. They gave it everything. Terrific first half, 3 other very good chances in addition to the goal. It was inevitable it was going to be a rearguard action second half but thought we defended very well on the whole and always carried a threat on the break. Thought Trez was excellent today as was Nakamba. Some of the vitriol by some on here today aimed at Wesley is bewildering. Some of his performances have warranted criticism but 39000 Villa fans who gave him such a great ovation when he came off, clearly saw something in his game today that those watching at home didn't. And a final word as usual for this week's incompetent ref...Jon Moss as inconsisistent as ever....can anyone tell me why he gave an advantage after McGinn's foul, let them shoot....then brought it back for the free kick which led to their goal...just bizarre refereeing and an argument that Mane should have had a second yellow in the second half....are we surprised? ..of course not! Feckin useless, the lot of them!
 
Did I miss something?
A Liverpool player is fouled outside our box. The ref plays advantage. Liverpool balls it up so the ref decides to give them a consolation free kick.
They score from the resultant corner.
Maybe my claret and blue glasses were misted up.
 
Stephen Jay Hawkings said:
Definitely the best I've seen too from El Ghazi and Trez.
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Trez was quality, I find El Ghazi a bit hit or miss. Moments of brilliance and occasional moments or poor quality or lapse of concentration.

It’s not really his game but El Ghazi isn’t great at getting goal side or just having the brain power to think slightly more defensively when it matters. Hence the first goal.

But I guess it’s part of the package you get with a player like him and you have to take the rough with the smooth.
 
Langoe66 said:
Gutted, so close to taking all 3 points against the European Champions but to end up with none is just gut wrenching. They gave it everything. Terrific first half, 3 other very good chances in addition to the goal. It was inevitable it was going to be a rearguard action second half but thought we defended very well on the whole and always carried a threat on the break. Thought Trez was excellent today as was Nakamba. Some of the vitriol by some on here today aimed at Wesley is bewildering. Some of his performances have warranted criticism but 39000 Villa fans who gave him such a great ovation when he came off, clearly saw something in his game today that those watching at home didn't. And a final word as usual for this week's incompetent ref...Jon Moss as inconsisistent as ever....can anyone tell me why he gave an advantage after McGinn's foul, let them shoot....then brought it back for the free kick which led to their goal...just bizarre refereeing and an argument that Mane should have had a second yellow in the second half....are we surprised? ..of course not! Feckin useless, the lot of them!
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Couldn't agree more , and Jon Moss didn't disappoint in terms of giving the woeful performance we expect of him.
 
Controversial statement and I’ll probably be in the minority - the first half we didn’t miss Jack IMO, we needed to press as a unit and mark tightly, and be direct when we had the ball.l moving it quickly. SJM, Trez and El Ghazi when they get the ball almost naturally gravitate towards the goal - Jack will go around in circles.

I really wasn’t that bothered when I heard jack hadn’t made it, as I knew we had good players to come in.

Out of interest, would we have been in uproar on here if a fully fit Jack was dropped today for tactical reasons and brought on during the game? If Jack was on the bench I reckon we would’ve got something. He was just what we needed to come after an hour or so and slow the game down.
 
I've had time to reflect and whilst like everyone I remain gutted - for some strange reason I feel a sense of optimism that we are moving in the right direction with our management and they and the team, are finally coming to terms with this league.

A few tweaks to the first team from the January transfer market and I could see us having a comfortable first season back reestablishing ourselves in the Premier League.

Keep the faith my fellow Villans. It's far better to have a glass half full than half empty.:grinning:


https://twitter.com/x/status/1190693990020108289
 
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danvilla2 said:
Controversial statement and I’ll probably be in the minority - the first half we didn’t miss Jack IMO, we needed to press as a unit and mark tightly, and be direct when we had the ball.l moving it quickly. SJM, Trez and El Ghazi when they get the ball almost naturally gravitate towards the goal - Jack will go around in circles.

I really wasn’t that bothered when I heard jack hadn’t made it, as I knew we had good players to come in.

Out of interest, would we have been in uproar on here if a fully fit Jack was dropped today for tactical reasons and brought on during the game? If Jack was on the bench I reckon we would’ve got something. He was just what we needed to come after an hour or so and slow the game down.
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To be honest after the game got going, I forgot he wasn't playing. That's only a good thing.

As for the tactical scenario, if it comes off then Deano is a genius, if not, then we would be wondering what the hell he was thinking. The life of a football manager.
 
JNB90 said:
We were mid table championship side this time last year. What did anyone really expect today? We improve week on week on week, we will make mistakes along the way, but you can see it unfolding before you. It's probably unfortunate that we've just played the two best teams in the league back to back. Was the Man City game a 3 nil game? I'd say no. Have we just nearly beaten the European champions? Yes. There are teams who are nowhere near relegation candidates who could of been blown away 4 and 5 nil in both games (i.e West Ham 5-1). We should have beaten Arsenal, we lead for a long time against spurs, we should have gotten something against Bournemouth, we've bagged 5 past the teams who we should be beating. I know these are shoulda woulda coulda's, but i'd rather have signs of improvement and games like today that show we can do it. Having played these two teams back to back, I think we'll see a marked improvement against those in and around us. One things for sure, the midfield is full of goals and come January so may the strikers.
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But it’s not just about today.
 
I hate VAR, like really hate it. Even at half time and 1-0 up I was messaging mates saying how bad it is and how it’s ruining the game.

I just want consistency. Villa goal, checked. Mane dive, checked for penalty (Even though the ref gave a yellow before decision by VAR was made, like he didn’t wanna listen). Liverpool goal, no check. Liverpool goal, no check. If you’re checking one, check them all or leave it to the ref to decide like in Germany. No point in having a ref if someone is overruling or undermining him every time. Last week at Bayern Munich the ref went over to a screen to check incidents, no interference from above unless it was asked for, the ref always had the last word but here it seems the men at stockley Park have the last word on everything which deems the ref pointless.

Apart from the VAR bollocks I think we at least deserved the point but once we conceded once we were always gonna concede another, they’re champions elect as much as it pains me to say it and that’s what champions do. Like the Man U of old, good luck to Klopp and the team but stuff their fans.
 
Deano as measured and reflective as ever in his past match interview but as down as I've ever seen him after a game, not surprising really, being a fan as well as the coach, it's a double whammy for him! Chin up Deano...no disgrace in losing to Liverpool. Amongst the hurt, lots of positives and I'm sure when the squad reflect on the game today, despite the hurt, it'll give them confidence to believe that they can compete against the best. If you'd have said 12 months ago that one season later, we'd be leading the European Champions til the 88th minute most of us would have said that was pure fantasy.
 
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