We are all very tired and emotional and ragged tonight. Many things were said in the heat of the moment. Let's all just go to bed, sleep it off and prepare for the scum on Sunday. Goodnight fellow Rrrs
Couldn't watch the game live, but a few thoughts from watching the extended highlights.... Villa could have been out of sight in the first half. Isla, Sandro and Krancjar all looked poor. Phillips always looked dangerous and Traore did well when he came on. When Doughty came on I thought it was Isla sneaking back on. So much better with 3-5-2, let's stick with that. Overall not a bad result, but so disappointing after taking the lead. The spirit is good, so we still have a chance. Bring on Chelsea! Well done all those that were at the game.
Just pulled in for a coffee. My over riding thought about pretty much every game this season is that if we could do it again, we'd do better. If we could start that game again tonight, with the positivity and work rate that 3-5-2 brought, we could have spanked them. Why do we constantly play on the back foot? (WBA apart) Why are we on the ropes before we start swinging? Anyway, 4 points from 2 away games in 4 days ain't bad, given our previous form. Really enjoyed tonight.
I did notice at the end of the match that Ramsey went onto the pitch and had a word with two Rangers players. One was Doughty and the other ... Henry? Sandro? I can't remember the other one but Ramsey seemed pretty upset about something that they didn't do that he had obviously asked them to. Onouha was also pretty pee'd off with someone in midfield leading up to their free-kick that lead to their third goal.
Sorry I didn't find you Eamonn, if you scroll back you'll see I had a traumatic time getting to the ground then getting into it, and didn't fancy a trip to the dungeon that passes for facilities for away fans under the Doug Ellis Stand at half time. Made the Loft look palatial. Nice to be able to sit down without dislocating my knees though. First half, from the 15 minutes I saw of it, only Phillips and (gulp) Barton looked up for it. Barton ran around like a nutter, not much impact but huge energy. Krancjar, Hill and Isla were a real mess, under pressure the whole time, and Sandro a complete waste of space, necessitating Barton's running. Second half, especially after the changes, much better, great spirit and fight. Only real irritation was Phillips getting to the by line it seemed half a dozen times but failing to get the ball across, or winning many corners. After Clint's goal I was sure we would score from every corner, but we didn't get another one. Didn't notice at the time, but heard on the wireless on the way back that most of the wall didn't jump for their equaliser. irritating if true, but I don't think anything was stopping that shot. We score enough goals, just can't stop letting so many in.
The final half of your final sentence will be the epitaph of our season mate. Well done for making the effort. Was it just me that knew where Benteke was going to hit that free-kick before he did? It was so obvious and thought the wall and Green should've done better.
Ramsey had a long word with Clint on the pitch at the end. Perhaps he didn't like the free kick he gave away for the equaliser, though he said on the radio that it looked necessary as the bloke would have been through otherwise. Or he may have been asking him whether to play 3-5-2 from now on.
Just Back I guess i am happy with a point (which i would have taken before game and after half time) but think it's another chance missed, (only QPR)! Villa were a poor side and anyone with half a defence will beat them. Niko/Hill in first half WTF? we played better in second half especially Barton. Henry/Traore did good jobs. It's nice to go to Villa without losing but god a they a poor side!
Just flipping TV channels I see SportsNet World over here are rebroadcasting our match - I'm certainly tempted to watch it all over again in a more relaxed environment, but not sure I can handle it, since like the Titanic the final outcome will always be the same. Oh how I wished we could have held out for taken all 3 pts tonight. So Matty Phillips just scores again - too bad we couldn't maintain our two leads for only a few minutes. Now Benteke scores again, so I'm obviously still watching! Commentator just says with score 1-1, "this might just be one of those games that you need 4 goals to win it" - how prophetic! I believe at the end of the season those vital two points missed tonight might end up being the difference between staying up and relegation. I just hope that for our season finale against Leicester that they are dead & buried for relegation, with nothing but pride to play for, and us needing 3 pts to stay up. I recall that awful match against Reading ending 0-0 and confirming relegation for both clubs with Bosingwa smirking all the way down the tunnel afterwards. So many wasted crosses straight into Guzan's hands - so frustrating and their 2nd goal I know is coming up after that counter-attack - too bad Sandro didn't take his man out at the half-way line. Damn, Benteke scores his 2nd! Enough ramblings......
Could only get snippets of the match last night but the frustration of just not being able to defend a lead is magnified in a game of such importance. The second half tension was unbearable at times but when you think of the shyte Harry served up Ramsey is at least giving it a go and we're being entertained. I just wonder if, with the hostile crowd at our backs, we might just give the Scum a surprise on Sunday as they've looked a bit shaky recently...
Ain't that the truth! Why do you think we were better second half? Was it that the players just ran around more or was it something to do with our change of formation giving us an extra man in midfield and thus more control?
Result yesterday, I don't know whether to cry or rejoice, because I have a soft spot for both QPR and Villa. I would like the two of you to stay up.Wishing you luck.
I've looked at it again and the wall was rooted to the ground. I think Green would have broken his skull on the post had he got to the shot though, don't really blame him. If we had conceded 9 or 10 goals less, bringing us into line with the other teams at the bottom, I reckon we would be 9 or 10 points better off. Infuriating. Did anyone else think Charlie's goal celebration was strange? Unlike Hill, who ran straight to the R's fans looking to the upper tier where we were, Austin did that daft finger to lips thing and ran to a bunch of Villa fans behind the goal, getting surrounded by stewards as a result. It was one of those groups of fans who spend the entire game looking at the away supporters and trying to goad them from a very safe distance. He might have had some stick from them, but like his premeditated limping thing at Hull, I get the impression that Charlie is one of those blokes who gets his kicks by sticking it to critics rather than enjoying the positive waves from his supporters. Takes all sorts I suppose.
