The big call here was Albion’s second goal in the first minute of half time.
My understanding of the game has always been that if a player contacts the ball and knocks it onto his own arm, it’s an automatic handball.
And that’s exactly what happened.
I think it was Rodriguez who headed the ball and as he was diving forward and hit the ground, the ball hit his hand and went into the net.
That’s handball for me, plain and simple, hence the goal shouldn’t have stood.
But it is what it is and it’s swings and roundabouts, where we’ll probably get one go in our favour at some stage of the season.
It’s galling, but what pleased me was the performance from the whole side.
They ran their socks off today and it’s hard to criticise anyone, especially if we’re talking about effort.
If I am going to be critical though, the big one has to be Nyland. He’s incredibly unconvincing when the ball comes in and he’s actually worse than Freidel was at dominating his box. I really struggle to believe that Dean Smith will stick with him after the January window.
Abraham had a boat load of chances again. One in particular should have been buried, but it wasn’t to be.
He is getting in the right positions though, so I can live with it. It just annoys me that we’re educating a player for Chelsea, as we’ve no chance of keeping him, in my opinion.
I’m being really critical though after what was a very good performance and a game that I think we deserved to win, the illegal goal apart.
If you look at it like me, where I think we should have won, that means we’ve done Derby, Boro and Albion all on their own turf.
Where do we think we stand when we look towards the rest of the season?
I’m incredibly encouraged and for the first time in a very long while, I now think we have a very good chance of winning every game we play for the rest of the season.
Injuries apart, that is. A few players went down tonight with knocks and general injuries, which is a bit of a worry.
Are the players being pushed just that bit too hard?
I don’t know, but it seems the lads are happy to apply the work rate.
So, all in all, things are looking good.
And this is before Smith has bought a single player of his own.
It’s quite incredible really and again shows to me how Bruce got it so massively wrong.
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Which is exactly what I think.
We’re going up this time, unless something goes drastically wrong.
Gutted.
i thought we’d got the three points.
When I look at the game and analyse things, there is no doubt that we are the better footballing team. They are good at counterattacking and look useful from crosses but in general play we have outplayed Derby, Middlesbrough and Albion. I was concerned about the run of games we had but now I don’t worry about any team in this league. Stoke, Leeds and Swansea coming up and I fancy us to get a good chunk of points.
Thought we’d lose that so I’d quite weird to be disappointed that we didn’t win, thought we were the better team and if it weren’t for Nyland and Kodjia we’d have been laughing now.
Still, the difference in the team since Smith has arrived is amazing and we look completely different now, if we can strengthen in January I think we should get automatic promotion.
I’d like to keep El Ghazi too.
Disappointed but hey its a point away from home, we was the better team beyond a doubt, lads we are a team to be proud of no two ways about that, it shows how gullible we have been with other managers taking the money and giving us nothing, I’m now proud to walk the walk and talk the talk, utv.
Been out at rum shops all afternoon so missed following the game (even if only on BBC text). Was gutted to see Albion equalised in 91st minute and even more gutted to then find out later the goal should have been disallowed!
Maddingly could be 5 points off top six come tomorrow!
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Hitch, No worries as we’ve still got 25 games left. If we can keep our current level of play then I think we’ll have no problems. Actually hoping that we’ll get even better with some additions in January. Someone like Tom Heaton could save us quite a few points in the second half of the season.
After the current run we’ve had we should fear no-one. We’ve got some easier matches coming up and hopefully we’ll get a real head of steam up and climb up the table.
Looking forward to seeing what we do next year and that’s not something that I’ve said since the days of MON.
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Teams above us have winnable games today Hitch, although Albion are 4 points ahead so worst case is 4 points off play offs. A worse proposition is Blues going above us!
Thanks chaps – feeling a lot happier after your comments. Off for a roti and coffee at the local farmers market before lunch at a rum shop on the east coast called De Garage – no prizes for guessing it’s former life!
the transformation in our play since smiths taken over has been amazing, we have good players for sure, but he has got them all believing in his philosophy. i expected him to do this but not under this amount of time. not with these players.
off the game i expected us to be bossed around, which didn’t happen except for 5 or 10 minutes start of the 2nd half. we forced a top championship side to play on the break and feed on scraps. to be honest if we had been more clinical in front of goal, we would have again come away with the win by a big scoreline. also if the assistant referee and ref had been honest with themselves and with the fans, we at very least would have still managed to win the game.
fury was robbed last week by the judges, he accumulated more points by throwing more and landing more through most of the rounds. yet for the points the officials had it was scandalous. wilder won only the two rounds he knocked fury down and one more that was it. it seems to me the judges and referee cant be trusted any more to come up with the correct results. the referee needs to be allowed to watch a reply and if he still allows the goals then he should be hung drawn and countered and sacked
Boxing is all fixed. How can there be US judges on an international fight???
And a complete bugger about last night. And Pete Shelley.
Sad about Shelley. That’s one of the things about getting older. You sort of see the soundtrack of your youth passing away.
one judge had wilder winning 4 to 5 rounds more, which just never happened. i completely agree fixed. only way you win a title from a yank in America is knocking him out.
that last night was a official making a bad decision and standing by it. just watch the player who handled it. he buried his head into the pitch,probably trying to hide his smirking smile. he had guilty wrote all over him. that and the angry protest from villa players. should have been a clear indications that they got it wrong. the two officials were the only two watching who had not seen the blatant handball.
Interestingly Rodriguez has admitted it was handball. Shouldn’t that be a retrospective red card then?
Pat that’s really harsh. I thought Rodriguez conducted himself well. He didn’t deliberately handball it, sort of fell in to it, didn’t celebrate the goal and was honest after the game. Of course he could have said to the ref he handballed it but if that was a villa player admitting that and losing us a point I’d have been furious with him. It wasn’t a red card in a million years, much as I hate to defend a wba player, but should have been ruled out so blame the ref and lino not the player
Bring on VAR!
I thought he handled it on purpose (the second handball, not the first one when he jumped at the ball). It’s disappointing as it robbed us of a deserved 3 points and keeps them 4 points in front of us instead of 1.
I’m not blaming Rodriguez really, being honest the fault was all Nyland’s. Just watching the Bournemouth match and Alysson came out for a ball and totally wiped out the attacking player (fairly) which is what Nyland should have done. Catch the ball first and, if not, then make sure that the player can’t do anything. It was a weak attempt and he failed to do either.
Under Smith we have two points more than we earned under Bruce who had 3 games more (12 vs 9). At the rate we have achieved with Smith we would be on 40 points, so second. We’ve achieved that at the same time as playing 5 of the top 6, 4 of the games away. All this and we are playing great attacking football.
i also agree he deliberately handled it to gain advantage. the first one was accidentally, but has he was falling with the ball was he then flicked it again with his hand into the net. it was instinctively to score by all means. but after he did it he buried his head in embarrassment or to hide his laughter. he also had to admitted to it because he knew it would have been seen by cameras.
i don’t blame the player its the officials error and i would myself cheat if needed to win, for myself and the team. perhaps i shouldn’t admit that. i never cheat in snooker thou or golf but real sports like rugby and footy defiantly would do anything i could to win
Scum lost at home 1-0
Very optimistic to say we’re definitely going up; loads of hard work to be done and at least 7 other clubs who will have something to say about it!
True, Ron.
But it just feels nice to be genuinely optimistic for a change.
As it stands at the moment, I feel we can win the league, let alone think we can be automatically promoted.
A Derby fan asked my thoughts today, with a slant very similar to yours.
I replied that we have a decent squad, but suggested that Leeds might have too.
I doubt the likes of Norwich have the depth and we’ve done Albion, Derby and Boro away, where the law of averages means we have a 3 point advantage over them now (with home advantage to come).
Hard work?
It seems that’s the minimum requirement for Dean Smith, so I don’t see it as a problem.
And again, all this is with 100% players he’s inherited.
As it currently stands, I can’t think of a better team in the league than us, even if our defence (read goalie) is junk. Our attack is just far superior to anything else, imo.
But yes, it could easily go wrong.
I’ve mentioned the niggling injuries and knocks that seem to come with the way we play. I suspect that might be a problem.
And anyway, I’m happy to be massively confident for the first time in years, even if we do ultimately fail. At least it’s enjoyable now.
I saw a great response in the Brum Mail from a Villa fan to a Baggie.
It simply said “Congratulations on beating us 2-2”.
How that made me laugh.
I’m loving it, Ron.
Saw a few Baggies fans interviewed on the Mail website. They admitted we were the better team, that they were lucky to escape with a draw and the handball goal. One of them even admitted that we played them off the park at times.
As you say Badger, it’s nice to feel so positive. After many years as a season ticket holder I gave it up after the McLeish season. Not just because of the football, but the whole experience was negative with fans booing the players after 20 mins. I intend to go watch some games in the New Year, and I’m really looking forward to it. I think we will get promotion, but I’m happy to see us playing so well whether we do or don’t.
I agree that it’s nice to be genuinely optimistic, Badger. I think we were last season as well, though! I’m a bit disappointed to see some fans saying they don’t mind if we don’t get promoted, due to the great football. That’s a complete U turn to what Villa fans normally say. The goal must remain clear and uncompromised. Promotion to the Premier League is the only target. If it can be done playing nice football, great. But to win titles, sometimes you have to win ugly, as they say. This club must be competing at the highest level. The longer we stay in th Championship, the harder it will be to get out. So please, let’s not allow the entertainment to cloud the issue. This was my point after the Forest result, which I was disappointed with.
Anyway, I’m not sure if we’ve lost too much ground to win it; it would be amazing but I’d happily take second if it was in the table now! The fact is, there are 7 clubs in front of us in the queue so we can’t be just writing teams like Norwich off. Look at Cardiff last year! Let’s see where we are early Feb after what looks like a very favourable run of fixtures…
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Your right I’ve fell in love with football again at Villa Park, had 4 seats 3 seasons ago thinking of going back 2019 worth the excitement and feeling to see your team coming back home, I’ve had a few words with a Scum and Baggies fans asked them if mommy and daddy don’t let them sing shit on the Villa at home only its the only words that come out of their gobs.
You’re right there Bill, the excitement is back. Every match I’ve watched under Smith has had me on the edge of my seat and sometimes jumping off it.
I can’t see us not at least making the play offs (and IMHO we’d beat anyone now) but even if we didn’t it’s really nice to watch some proper football at VP at last.
As a former Bruce supporter (although even I had gotten fed up of him towards the end) I find it amazing that Smith has gotten so much out of the same squad.
Exciting (and I hope happy) days ahead.
And I’m missing all this great football – grrrrr…..just having to make do with the highlights posted by Villa Informer.
Have to agree with all your sentiments Pat
I had always said that we needed Bruce out and my 1st choice was Smith but when it looked like it might have been a foreign one I thought O.K.at least we might play better…..SO….we now have Smith and are getting both sides of the coin….great general.play and goals but then letting in goals …but we used to be like that always throwing things away.Smith needs to get all the squad to get into the pressing game as the few that are not sre letting us down.
Hitch, you get it down you mate, my misfortune was came off a ship getting inebriated every day to end up in bed a day after getting home with the flu. Been out today in my sports club giving the whisky a bashing supporting Rangers, decided to give it till new year and go tea total till June 22 nd that’s my big one.p/s unless we get promoted drinks are on me….hick.
Hi Bill – reckon I’m doing you proud mate! Hope I don’t come back with the flu though.
All good things end (other than Villa’s fine run of course) and will back in Blighty next week. Looking forward to watching Villa but not the weather and hoping my daughter can snaffle the company box around Christmas again this year!
Hope you and the missus are good.
The FA game tickets are £10 across the stands, they are now on sale.
Fraser Forster linked. I remember mentioning him months ago after Nyland’s poor start – hope there’s some substance in this. He’ll be rusty but if he can get up to speed quickly, this is the calibre we should be looking at. If he’s a good professional, could get a good 5-6 years at least out of him. Just wonder why he slipped to third choice so quickly. If there’s no question mark there, I think he’s better than Darlow and Heaton…
Been reading it BFR, Leeds have dropped their interest apparently. Nyland has a lot to learn by all accounts too many mistakes becoming obvious to all us fans.
Aston Villa outcast Ross McCormack will be returning to Villa Park, after injury has cut short his season- long loan deal at A-League side Central Coast Mariners, as reported on the A-League website.
McCormack has been frozen out since arriving at Villa in 2016, having previously spent loan spells at Nottingham Forest and Melbourne City, and with a spell on the treatment table his future at Villa Park is uncertain.
Apparently this will spell the end of his career at Villa.
What a useless signing he’s been.
The money we’ve wasted on him nearly makes me puke.
I’m not sure how this means his career is over at Villa though?
He’s going to get paid by us for the next 18 months.
I wonder who agreed this deal, where we loan him out, but have to take him back as soon as he’s crocked?
It’s interesting that it seems the whole club seem to have washed their hands of him.
If it’s true that he’s that toxic, we’d do better to just come to an agreement and pay him off, imo.
In other news, it seems like we’re going to be signing about 20 players come January.
Yawn.
It’s the old FFP argument again Badger. If we pay him off we have to take a bigger hit in the accounts in the current accounting period so it’s a drip feed loss – same as Richards. Death of a thousand pricks – literally.
We only need a couple of players – GK (another one!), a CB and a LB – OK that’s three. Thing is I can’t see who we’re going to unload – maybe Lansbury and either Jedi or Whelan?
Yes, Hitch, but you can pay him off in stages, which is what he’d get anyway.
I doubt anything gets paid outright these days.
Problem is (I believe) that once you terminate a contract you have to provide for the whole cost in the accounts for tax purposes – the fact that you pay it off over a period is to limit the pressure on cash flow which, I suggest, is not a pressing issue for our new owners.
I am encouraged by reports that we have money available in January which suggests our owners are not only wealthy but know how to side step stupid regulatory accountancy nonsense (a point you have repeatedly made Badger).
Nice comments from Abraham, Grealish is like Chelsea Eden Hazard to Chelsea.don’t give them any ideas Abraham please he’s a Villa icon and getting us out of the Championship.
Note that we’ve turned down TV money to keep the Swansea kick off at 3pm. Well done Villa putting the fans first – hope we get a sell out crowd and win (of course).
See we have appointed former Spanish international Juanfran as a scout. I like what he said in the interview – Bill keep the faith mate; reckon there are exciting times ahead. The Villa are back.
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