I was contemplating what to say and even if I should say anything at all, because the result today pretty much said it all for me.
But then it dawned on me that we were actually very unlucky in that we didn’t win this by four clear goals after Ollie did what he usually does, in missing some and scoring some.
Not that we can complain about him. He’s second top scorer to probably the best striker at the best team in the league after all, as much as I’ve seen some Villa fans ripping him to pieces at times.
The first half was a bit scary, because Arsenal were very dominant and creating chances, but the simple fact is they didn’t finish, while we were pretty much backs to the wall. We actually had the best chance, with Ollie hitting the inside of the post.
A funny old game indeed and the sort I was secretly hoping for, but didn’t dare to dream of.
Onto the second half then and we actually improved and started to take it to them.
As I type, I’m listening to Merse, who I’m sure is saying that Arteta didn’t have anybody to bring on. I must have heard that wrong, surely?
Whatever, you could see our belief building and the goal came via Leon Bailey at the far post.
And then blow me, if we didn’t get a second within two minutes with Ollie scoring with a lovely chip over the goalie.
So that’s a stunning result that has more than one benefit;
1 Unai and Martinez both say FU to Arsenal.
2 Arsenal get stuffed for the first time this calendar year.
3 It looks like Arsenal have blown the title.
4 We are still playing for the Champion’s league, when all looked lost on Friday.
It’s as I said.
Expect the worst and anything else is a bonus.
Because of that thinking, I’m currently ecstatic.
And then I have the thoughts of Liverpool fans at work tomorrow.
Should I laugh? Probably not, they can get the right hump if you wind them up 🙂
What a great weekend!
Comments
231 responses to “Arsenal 0 – 2 Villa; This could have been 4-0!”
Anyone know what’s happening with the coefficient??
We’ve blown the co-efficient mate.
We need a miracle. 8% chance was quoted earlier on here.
So 4th it is then matey.
In Unai we trust.
So I think we play the winner of Fenerbahçe v Olympiakos. Currently the tie is 3-3 at HT. Not certain, just from Memory.
I did turn it off at 2-0 – that clearly brought Villa luck – but had to turn it back on at 2-1!
Thought the summing up by Sidwell and Hutton was pretty much on the mark.
Was that a typical Emery against the odds win in Europe?
We need to cheer on Pool and West Spam now.
Confirm the semi final info. Games 2 and 9th May. Will be watching from Japan, should be fun and I must remember to pack my hat and scarf.
The Villa European cup jobby with Mark Williams has just started on TNT3 lads .
I never tire of it.
Super Villans?
Brilliant watch.
On a serious note, wishing all Villa fans a safe journey out of Lille and back home. I imagine their ultras are pissed. Oh, and make sure Emi gets smuggled out the back door with a decoy car!
Ron
I’ve copied this from Euefa.com. If you can work it out you are a better man than I am!
2 – All wins from group stage (UCL, UEL, UECL)
1 – All wins in qualifying and play-off matches (UCL, UEL, UECL)
1 – All draws from group stage (UCL, UEL, UECL)
0.5 – All draws in qualifying and play-off matches (UCL, UEL, UECL)
4 – Group stage bonus participation (UCL, UEL)
4 – Round of 16 bonus participation (UCL)
4 – Group winners (UEL)
2 – Group runners-up (UEL)
2 – Group winners (UECL)
1 – Group runners-up (UECL)
1 – Each round clubs reach from the round of 16 (UCL, UEL)
1 – Each round clubs reach from the semi-finals (UECL)
Cheers Sid, that makes it all crystal 😂😂
You thought the ref at our game was poor! The ref at the West Ham game is a complete numpty! Totally biased to Leverkusen.
It’s all about winning.
Emery is a winner in Europe.
No more to be said.
So Villa are the only English team left in Europe and I presume it’s nailed on that Germany get the 5th Champions League spot. Why does that make me so angry?
Will the media now start to make a fuss about us? Or will it be ‘and by the way Villa have a semi final tonight in some cup’!
Fenerbache or Olympiacos? I don’t know who I’d prefer. With the final in Athens you would expect pressure to be on Olympiacos to succeed. It’s going to be tough with the 2nd leg away from home again.
Fiortina or Club Bruges in the final – oops looking too far ahead!
Both good sides – Fiortina beaten finalists by West Spam last time out.
Who do you fancy in the semi – Fenerbahce or Olympiakos?
Well, we didn’t play well but we found a way. I honestly think that you can compare it to the Real Madrid win at Man City. We weren’t the best team on the day but, like Real, we found a way to win. I thought that Lille were very good and probably the best side we will face going forward but we had resilience. IMHO resilience = a bit of steel + total belief that you can win.
In some ways this was a real marker for where we need to be. We have beaten the best side in the last eight so I have no fear of any team left. We can beat teams when we’re playing well and we can find a way to beat them when we’re not.
This is going to be a very special season.
BFR . Mother-inLaw you poor sod, you ok ?
😆
Olympiakos it is!
Doesn’t that mean Zaniolioio will be cup tied?
And will Martinez be banned in the first leg for two yellow cards?
A prestigious and historic club, similar to ours. It’ll be two battles. The chasm in quality between the two leagues should be telling. But it won’t be easy!
Unai Emery. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Fonseca not happy with the ref for not awarding the penalty, so I think that evens out all our gripes.
And he quite rightly stated that our goalkeeper was the difference over both legs. Can’t really argue with that.
VAR checked it and cleared it as no penalty. IFAB need to sort out the handball rule – it’s a joke with defenders having to stand in unnatural positions. The old rule was pretty clear – handball being a deliberate action i.e. the hand moved towards the ball rather than the ball just striking the hand. With VAR they should be able to work that out – surely?
However you cut it, the ref was shocking – inconsistent and a yellow card fanatic!
Dunno about u guys but I’ve got a sore head this morning…
Olympiakos stepped down from the Europa Cup so they’re a very decent side but, on balance, I think they’re preferable to Fenerbahce – famous last words?
Villa clearly didn’t play anyway near their best but did improve late on. The stats make interesting reading and suggest a very even game albeit Villa had more shots on target 7 (from 9) against 4 (from 12). Be interesting to see the XG stats and what Canadian Pete makes of it.
UTMV
Just doing my research and their keeper, Tsolakis, saved 3 penalties last night, with some Bosnich-esque shot-stopping. Reminded me of the Tranmere saves. Let’s put these away and avoid a shootout in Athens!
Put me right on this, Martinez second yellow doesn’t stand because no yellow cards are permissible on shootout is that the law ?
Not quite. For goalies the shootout is considered to be another phase of the game and so a yellow card is not carried over. That’s why the ref felt free to give Emi another knowing that it would have little impact on the result apart from possibly quieting Emi down a little. A lot of tosh has been talked about this, about how lucky Emi was etc but it’s my take that if another yellow would have seen Emi sent off the ref simply wouldn’t have given it. Anyway the ref was nuts and, from what I saw, he gave Emi the first one for legally standing with the ball at his feet!
On our next game, based of the now famous coefficient, the French league is at number 5 while the Greek is at 17 which feels about right. Also note that the final is being played at AEK’s ground. If we get past Olympiakos then I’d guess that we’d get a fair bit of support from the locals as bot AEK and Panathenaikos fans absolutely hate Olympiakos.
Onwards and upwards.
Bill. We now know that the yellow card has resulted in Emi being out for the next match. Crazy that there are rules like this, really important but its clear that the only person that knew it was the ref.
Here is the rule that has caused the ban.
“B. from the first match in the group stage, players and team officials are suspended for the next competition match after three cautions, which did not result in a red card, as well as following any subsequent odd-numbered caution (fifth, seventh, ninth, etc.).”
He won’t be playing in the next match so no yellow card. He can get one in the second leg because that would be number 4 and there is just the final left. Seems unfair in another way in that the only people likely to get a yellow in the shoot out would be goalies. The chances for a goalie to getting a booking for moving too early are really high as he is involved in every one and an outfielder is only involved in 1 in 11.
Clear as mud me thinks.
Gerry, I think yellow cards are wiped out after sf as there were mutterings about players missing the final – don’t think that applies to reds though.
I may be wrong – anyone know?