West Ham – Villa; Why am I so underwhelmed by this one?

Hmm.
I don’t even know what to think about this game.
I watched the Bournemouth-Liverpool game earlier and found myself totally despondent that Pool got a penalty because a Bournemouth player headed the ball and it deflected onto his arm from less than a foot away. Was his arm in an unnatural position? I really couldn’t give a flying if it was. He’s done his job in defending and there’s no way he planned to knock it away with his arm.
The worst part is the ref let it go, but VAR said he needed to look at it. He was even shaking his head, as if to say “I have no choice”. And then he wrongly gave it.
Because it was Liverpool? I suspect so.
If it was the other way round, I’d bet money it wouldn’t have even been looked at, let alone given in their favour.

The only saving grace is that Mo Salad missed the target by a mile, which made me howl with laughter and Bournemouth went on to win the game.
Karma? Justice?
I don’t care. I was happy and it would have been a one-eyed scouser who thought they were hard done by.

Forgive me then, for not being too bothered about this game.
It’s the nothing Aston Villa vs the massively struggling West Ham, who aren’t playing the game at all and ought to be doing much better, purely because they’re a London club who are massively letting the London-centric Sky thing down.

This Sky 6 and London thing makes me puke.

Squad news and Kamara is definitely out after the knock he got against Palace.
Dendoncker is doubtful, but the big one is that Diego Carlos might be available. Really? I’m somewhat surprised by that, but that’s what the Beeb are saying.

As for West Ham, Lucas Paqueta and Michail Antonio need to be assessed and Flynn Downes and Maxwel Cornet should be available after suffering slight knocks midweek.

So it’s all about Danny Ings, then, isn’t it?
I never rated him FOR US, so you can pretty much guarantee that he’s going to score against us.
That said, if our shocking defence can stop him, I think we could quite easily beat the Hammers on their own patch.
We have the tools and it’s just a matter of if they can get the game together on the day.
Let’s face it, West Ham are really not very good and they are not where they are in the league for no reason.

I’ve nothing at all against them, but I’d just love things to all come together for once and we beat someone soundly.
I strongly suspect that might happen here, for some daft, unknown reason.

But otherwise, my prediction is a much more staid 1-1 draw.
Which I’d happily take as part of our mid-table mediocrity.

UTV!

37 Comments

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  1. Alfie Ricketts
    Alfie Ricketts March 11, 2023 at 11:34 pm . Reply

    I’d take a draw as well. This was also a harsh article šŸ™‚

    1. Hitchens60
      Hitchens60 March 11, 2023 at 11:38 pm . Reply

      Oops Iā€™ve been moderated – probably because I used an unacceptable word šŸ™‚ šŸ™‚

  2. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum March 12, 2023 at 8:41 am . Reply

    I’m quite enjoying this season now Gerrard has gone. Looking forward to the game and i think we’re due a win. That would be 3 on the trot, level on points with Chelsea and chasing the pack ahead of us with Brentford losing and Fulham up against Arsenal later…
    Anyone glad to see the back of Lineker and his braying overpaid smug mates?
    They should have kept the bloody commentary on MOTD though!

  3. Holte
    Holte March 12, 2023 at 9:09 am . Reply

    Personally Iā€™m sick of hearing highly paid actors, musicians and sports people mouthing off their political views. They are in a privileged position and the likes of us donā€™t get the airtime to express our views because we arenā€™t famous or have massive funds to do so.
    If they want to get all political then pack in their 9 to 5 jobs and their massive salaries šŸ˜ and become an MP and voice their concerns at Westminster.

  4. Hitchens60
    Hitchens60 March 12, 2023 at 10:02 am . Reply

    Holte, Bum Bum couldnā€™t agree more.

    Add to that his views are totally misinformed and the fact that he seems to be quite happy supporting people smugglers and the risk to human life.

  5. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson March 12, 2023 at 11:38 am . Reply

    You get my vote on that Holte. They should not use their profession in spouting veiws like that, yes a wicked act in them days and there are still people of them years around still having nightmares over it. We are a small island and need protecting from idiot thinking we are the bad race by refusing boat people , it’s us that suffer by having to pay for them ,

  6. Gerry
    Gerry March 12, 2023 at 1:17 pm . Reply

    Great to see Santos Silva (Carlos) on the bench. Would have preferred to see Duran start in place of Bailey. Just lately I look forward to all Villa games.

    1. Hitchens60
      Hitchens60 March 12, 2023 at 1:33 pm . Reply

      Thanks Gerry – I thought weā€™d made a new signing šŸ™‚

      Looks like McGinn is going to drop into Kamaraā€™s position which is a shame because heā€™s at his least effective there.

  7. Gerry
    Gerry March 12, 2023 at 1:19 pm . Reply

    1E MartĆ­nez
    2Cash
    4Konsa
    5Mings
    15Moreno Lopera
    7McGinn
    10BuendĆ­a
    6Douglas Luiz
    41J Ramsey
    31Bailey
    11Watkins

    Substitutes
    3Santos Silva
    9TraorƩ
    16Chambers
    18Young
    22DurƔn
    25Olsen
    27Digne
    38Sinisalo
    Referee:
    Chris Kavanagh

  8. Gerry
    Gerry March 12, 2023 at 1:41 pm . Reply

    I wondered who he was as well Hitch. Thought we were going for 3 goalies.

  9. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson March 12, 2023 at 2:18 pm . Reply

    Please take a look at Ramsey I’m watching very closely and he’s not in the game .. there you go lost the ball again .

  10. Gerry
    Gerry March 12, 2023 at 2:22 pm . Reply

    Until that goal most of the villa team were not in the game. Hopefully we can start playing with more confidence now.

  11. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum March 12, 2023 at 2:27 pm . Reply

    Apparently a total joke of a penalty.

  12. Adam
    Adam March 12, 2023 at 2:53 pm . Reply

    It was a joke of a penalty. Bailey barely touches Paqueta and he throws himself to the ground like he’s been shot. Another joke decision against us. We look a mess defending corners again but look capable of scoring again. Close game.

  13. VillaAwayInDiv3
    VillaAwayInDiv3 March 12, 2023 at 3:03 pm . Reply

    Score should be 0-3…or if you are one of the commentators then Var 1-Villa 3…

  14. Gerry
    Gerry March 12, 2023 at 3:07 pm . Reply

    Climbing on the backs of the opposition is not a football skill. It was a dubious penalty and we are lucky we didn’t give away another one with Buendia wrestling Ings to the ground. Why do it, the west ham player was running away from the goal. Ollie gets so many chances he really should score more. We can still win this, west ham are rubbish

  15. Hitchens60
    Hitchens60 March 12, 2023 at 3:07 pm . Reply

    Agreed – very soft penalty.

    I donā€™t think that would have been given as a foul anywhere else on the pitch!

  16. Big Fat Ron
    Big Fat Ron March 12, 2023 at 3:17 pm . Reply

    The game is bent, corrupt, compromised. The Barcelona case might see the floodgates open, but I doubt it. We’ve all been saying it for years. Fans on social media say it every week. It’s painfully obvious, but perhaps those who can intervene are the ones who’ve been corrupted. Sounds very Hollywood, I know, but I’m convinced the ref’s are compromised in some way. The Barca case drops a tone of fuel onto the fire…

    1. Bum Bum
      Bum Bum March 12, 2023 at 3:22 pm . Reply

      What’s the Barca case about??

      1. Hitchens60
        Hitchens60 March 12, 2023 at 3:26 pm . Reply

        Paying a former ref and Chairman of a refereeing committee about ā‚¬8m through his company over a number of years.

        All above board though šŸ™‚

        Only a matter of time before West Ham score – we havenā€™t appeared for the second half.

      2. Big Fat Ron
        Big Fat Ron March 12, 2023 at 3:30 pm . Reply

        Apparently, they’ve been paying of refs for years, Bum Bum. Drogba’s meltdown in the CL years ago looks to have been justified. Mourinho more than alluded to it for years but was labelled a nutter. Anyway, if they’ve been doing it, everyone’s at it.

        1. Big Fat Ron
          Big Fat Ron March 12, 2023 at 3:31 pm . Reply

          Thanks for getting the details right, Hitch. Are they in the clear then?

          1. Hitchens60
            Hitchens60 March 12, 2023 at 3:34 pm . Reply

            In a word BFR – NO

            Being prosecuted for fraud as I understand it.

  17. Bum Bum
    Bum Bum March 12, 2023 at 3:33 pm . Reply

    If that’s proven they should be banned from playing for 5 years!
    Come on lads! Get weaving!!!

  18. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson March 12, 2023 at 3:34 pm . Reply

    I can only guess Bum Bum bent refs bent VAR Villaaway
    Got it right comments on the game are London voice and Villa are paying the price . Ha give us a pen your having a laugh

  19. Gerry
    Gerry March 12, 2023 at 3:58 pm . Reply

    At least we won’t have to wait to see where we will find ourselves in the running order on MOTD

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