Fair play to the VAR there, they left no stone unturned in their quest to disallow a goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) January 10, 2022
When a bookie says this, you know the game is corrupt.
They spent three minutes analysing the goal and were looking to disallow it. If that’s a clear and obvious error, I’m a Dutchman.
I sent a text to a Man U supporting friend of mine telling him that if they’d looked at it for another couple of minutes they’d have actually given the goal to Man U.
His reply? “A clear and obvious error on our Eddie” with a PMSL smilie.
And then “How shit are we?”
In other words, even Man U fans know that was just wrong.
I’m not going to analyse this game, apart from saying they took their one chance and we didn’t take ours.
It’s not worth going any deeper, because no matter what we did we’d have been playing against more than eleven players.
I’ve said that I didn’t believe it before, but I’m now convinced we need investigations and an inquiry to take place, as I’m convinced money is changing hands.
All in my own opinion.
I’m just disgusted.
Comments
84 responses to “Man U 1 – 0 Villa; Bent and even Paddy Power know it”
Sky confirm Digne signing – welcome Lucas.
Love his post ‘Bonjour Villans’ – class.
He ‘s made of point of saying he ‘came for Gerrard’.
Now a holding midfielder.
Digne is another top signing particularly for January as well. Great business so far. I would like a holding midfielder too but i’m wondering whether we might wait until the summer to try and get Bissouma if he really is our target. 12 months left on his contract might see us get him cheaper although we may risk losing him then to a club in Europe. we’ll see but very exciting transfer window thus far. How do we continue to fit Watkins and Ings in to the same line-up, when Coutinho is fully match fit? Personally I feel Ings is better at feeding off the through balls but Watkins is too good to leave out, so I was thinking playing Ings up top with Watkins on the left, Coutinho in the middle and Buendia on the right playing just behind Ings. Buendia and Watkins to also fill in the right and left midfield when were defending, leave Coutinho and Ings up top and ready to counter attack.
Just to add, Mcginn and Luiz as the middle two. Digne, Mings, Konsa, Cash as the back four. Martinez (obviously) in goal.
I am unconvinced by the signing of an Everton defender. I hope he proves to be better for us than he was for them. Not forgetting Madame Digne either.
Quoi? L’Aston Villa n’est pas dans Londres! Merde!
The problem Targett has is when he is caught upfield and there is a counter-attack behind him – he can’t get back to defend and Mings isn’t over sharp enough to cover.
She’ll find Birmingham a nice place Oll. Lol
Great signing but I do feel a bit for Targett. He’s been great at times, but like Mings, not consistent.
Looks like SG is increasing the squad so they all put pressure on each other. Not enough effort, you’re hooked.
I agree about Targett – a decent player who always tries hard; it’s one thing having competition for places and quite another if they bring someone in to simply take his place. Is Digne at the ‘next level’?
If SG has his reputed ‘man-management’ skills he will presumably need to convince Targett that there’s still a role for him – otherwise he’s likely to ask to leave.
It was interesting to see a positive response to the signing reported from Guilbert (another one who’se been cast-aside very quickly – much as I appreciate Matt Cash’ performances) – wonder if they’ll try to bring him back…
The Mirror (with normal caveats 🙂 ) reported Targett as saying he’s staying to fight for his place (at least to the end of the season) and Gerrard had spoken with him before the Digne signing.
The Mirror (etc.) also suggested that Gerrard might be considering three at the back with Digne playing as a wing back and Targett on the left side of a back three. Their logic being a switch to 3-5-2 to accommodate Coutinho.
I don’t get that at all.
There is no doubt that Targett was much better with Grealish in front of him.
Forget Bissouma at £50m – we should be going for Denis Zakaria as our holding midfielder. Out of contract in the summer so would cost significantly less and he’s not on police bail!
If Gerrard did go for him – reportedly an admirer – and pulled it off then that would be (another) real statement.
Bissouma is better. I’m bothered by the allegations against him (and we need an answer to that before shelling out) but the reality is that if we really want to be challenging at the top end we need quality everywhere. That means buying the best the owners are prepared to pay for. Not saying Zakaria is a bad player but if we buy the cheapest option we will most times be settling for second best.
Just looking at the table. 3 defeats in 5 has left us adrift. Stevie needs to string some wins together or the season will peter out. Win one, lose one isn’t going to get us anywhere. We’re looking at top 10 at best unless things pick up significantly. Saints spanking Brentford shows just what a damaging result losing to them was.
Watford’s and Norwich’s form is beyond desperate and shows that sacking their managers was poor decision making Smith is really struggling over there. And I’d love to see the barcodes go down.
Plenty of work to do for everyone if the season isn’t to be one of ‘transition’. I recall Alfie using the ‘t’ word early in the season and I wasn’t having it. We need to get top 8 if it’s to be a season of progress; I think that’s the maximum we can hope for, unless they go on a 10 game winning run – I just can’t see that happening, although stranger things have happened.
UTV
Don’t forget who 3 of those losses have been since Gerrard came in.
I don’t think transition is good enough either and agree top 8 is probably what we ought to be looking at.
But I prefer to call it consolidation and it’s acceptable because of the manager change.
Digne is a decent signing, although I also wonder where Targett stands.
My guess is it’s been agreed that Matt swallows what’s happened and he’ll be allowed to leave in the summer if Digne does prove to do the business.
Coutinho could be a great signing.
Surely a defensive mid to come in and don’t forget a centre back now Tuanzebe has gone.
I don’t see Targett on the left of a three either; that’s rubbish, imo.
Badger it looks like your observations about Gerrard’s activity in the transfer market at Rangers are already showing at Villa.
Kerr Smith is supposedly a done deal although initially for integrating in the U23’s and now it’s being reported we’ve agreed terms with Swedish stopper Robert Olsen to join on loan until the end of the season.
Smith is an exciting prospect; I’m not so sure, from what I’ve been reading, that Olsen is an upgrade on Steer? But it may be all media bunkum.
It would certainly seem Gerrard doesn’t mess about Hitch.
As Ferie said, Football clubs are always in transition…
So AEG goes to Everton.
A bit disappointing in my view – he is a quality player – albeit blowing hot and cold from one game to another.
I suppose we will have to get used to some of the familiar faces from the promotion-era to start moving on – Jed Steer seems to be next in line – as SG clearly wants to force the club up into the higher reaches of the division.
Just discovered this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o7m_0kU43A
I remember watching this as a 10 year old on Central Sports Special. Love the Jimmy Greaves commentary – how he refers to Spink as ‘our Nigel.’ This was Schmeichel’s first season in England – he was like Drago from Rocky 4; nobody had seen anything like him before! Note the massive kicks all the way up the other end of the pitch, occasionally creating a goal-scoring chance and putting the Villa defence under pressure. The was no playing it out bollocks in those days. Love the kits and the summer atmosphere at Villa Park, not to mention Big Ron looking the part, before he got fat and before Andy Gray sold-out to Sky.
Ah, the good old days. Look at the game now. A rusty tin can with a thick shiny coat of gloss to disguise the emptiness. Back then it was the other way around – a jewel with a bit too much muck on it for people to realise how special it was.
This was roughly about the time I fell in love with football and with the Villa. Simpler times.
My first ever game was Villa 2 Sunderland 0 with 57,000 at Villa Park in the season we got promoted from division 2 in 1975. My older brother took a milk crate for me to stand on in the Holte end and Brian Little scored one of the goals. He instantly became my hero and when Andy Gray signed we had our best ever attack alongside ‘Dixie’ Deehan, they scored goals for fun! I think it was approximately 64 goals between the 3 of them one season. Even Withe, Shaw and Morley never managed those figures. If Saunders had our ‘80-81 defence in the late 70’s we would have won a few more trophies for certain. Big Ron’s team was more entertaining than our league / European team IMO but the success was limited to one league cup although it should have been much more silverware. The early 80’s team was a great team in the sense that we had a very hard working team with the emphasis on 110% effort from every player with fitness levels for that time we probably were better than most clubs.
Happy days back then with our two Ronnies until the Premier league grew into the money monster it is now and sucked the heart and soul out of the game with the working class being kicked in the balls to cater for the wealthy corporates that they care for now.
Great memories, Holte. My first match was Villa 2 – Arsenal 0 in Graham Taylor’s time, when Platty was the main man. I think it was season 1989-90. I remember walking up the stairs and being awe-struck when I say the VP pitch in front of me. I could hardly see a thing during the match sitting in the Trinity Road. Recall my uncle lifting me up in excitement when Platty scored.
Ah – if we’re reminiscing – my first match 1960 against Blackpool with Sir Stanley Matthews on the wing (who I had the great privilege of meeting many years later). Hitchens scored two great headers in the first half but we could only manage to draw. My uncle, who took me, said I was a jinx (nothing changed then 🙂 ) and said I couldn’t go again. In later years it was me taking my uncle!
Hitchens was (and still is I suppose) my hero and at school my nickname was Gerry and my mate was Packy (after McParland) but I was pretty average at football.
Now you know the origin of Hitchens60
It’s rumoured that Villa are in negotiations to sell Trezeguet to Galatasaray.
That could well have legs as I can’t see him being in Gerrard’s future plans and any income would help to fund moves for a holding midfielder and central defender.
It’s also rumoured that Zakaria is available for £6m – well worth a punt when compared to ££50m (alleged) for Bissouma which is well over priced.
After Trez’s theatricals the other day, I wouldn’t care if we sent him to Turkey; I don’t think he had much of a future at VP anyway.
I keep seeing reports about Zakaria and the rumoured £6m, which sounds like a no-risk deal if we can get it.
As for Bissouma – not worth £50m IMO, and anyway, he’s potentially facing some embarrasment in the near futuer, at the very least (-look at Prince Andrew)!
Do I have to Ardent – look at Prince Andrew that is! 🙂
Can we still call him ‘Prince’? How about the Royal formerly known as Prince?
Thinks – he’s just lost the HRH bit!
Kerr Smith has signed from Dundee.
Yet another example of our intent to build the best academy in the country.
I didn’t realise until today that the 2 week break at the end of this month is for a winter break and not anything to do with internationals. Surely with all the postponements caused by Covid, a two week break will only create more congestion in the fixtures. Guaranteed that Klopp and Guardiola will be whinging about a fixture pile up with the usual there are too many competitions or too many teams in the league 😭
As for tomorrow’s game the question is will Coutinho or Digne play and if so whether they will start. Without McGinn we will be less combative in midfield. I would start both players tomorrow to give Man Ure uncertainty to our system. I would play Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Luiz, Sanson, Ramsey, Coutinho, Watkins and Buendia.
I think we will start Digne but can’t see Coutinho starting. Maybe on the bench with a 15-20 min spell at the end. McGinn is a big miss. It makes the midfield a bit lightweight.
Holte, I can’t remember where I thought I saw that the break was for the WC.
I obviously got it wrong. Apologies.
But Badger don’t you think it should be scrapped to accommodate postponed fixtures. A number of teams have already had a winter break due to Covid.
Agree completely.
I also thought the break was only for the WC, so there’s no reason why it couldn’t be scrapped domestically to ease fixture congestion.
Definitely, Holte.
It seems Wolves are prepared to listen to offers for Boly – would that be worth a shout at centre back?
One downside is that he has a thigh strain at present.