Re. the penalty shout for the challenge by Allison on Ings, it shouldn't even have got at far as discussing the challenge as when Matip gets in front of Ings, Ings pushing him two-handed forward, which is the only reason he got in the way of the keeper's clearance in the first place. It's a foul before the Allison challenge even takes place. Can't believe no-ones mentioned that yet, in commentary or in the pundits dissection of the game.
That plus Alisson got a hand to the ball anyway. More intrigued how the one on Robbo wasn’t a pen. Guy just swiped at his feet no where near the ball.
it was lee mason and a ****ty on field ref. the only consistency there was to the reffing was he really didn't want to give any pens, he blew up for every time wasting effort of villa and every slide tackle was a yellow. This ref walked up to martinez in goal with mings in his ear and told mings he was booking him but the villa captain kept on and on and by the time he got there he warned him. It was such weak bullshit.
Gerrard hasn't had long enough yet to judge his style and I didn't ever watch Rangers but I hope he knocks this time wasting malarkey on the head.
From an aesthetic point of view. Yes. But up until the penalty, it was working for them. We didn't really have many great chances until after they had to open up to try to score... And it was smaller margin of victory than most of our games this year. It was an ugly tactic, but it was working for them for sixty mins. After we scored they probably regretted all that time wasting because all of a sudden they had fewer mins to actually TRY to get a goal.
You're right it's not only ugly, it's anti football. Imagine our fans if we had a manager trying that nonsense. Have you watched any of their other games or did they save this tactic for us?
We did. Hodgson Rafa Houllier. Nobody complained too much on 05 when we smash and grabbed juve or Chelsea. Awful awful games for a neutral. Let's not pretend we are above this stuff when the need arises. Gerrard came to not lose too heavily but in truth his side were **** and saved by ox not being anything like a forward. We really should have taken them apart. I mean compared to say 1-1 v chelsea we were much closer to scoring v villa.
Against City yeh but not from minute 10 like against us. Dont bother me what or how Gerrard gets villa playing tbh. But as frustrating as it was hats off to him for not folding to sentiment and allowing us to play easily. Shows he still has what made him a playing legend , an unwavering desire and hunger to win football games.
... And Gerrard played for, and was no doubt influenced by, all those managers. We were a much worse team in those years and there were times when playing antifootball helped. Nowadays, with the squad we have, I would be furious as hell... But I remember some of Rafa's antifootball in the Champions League actually being entertaining (for me, not the neutral)
Anti-football is for underdogs, it's the best way to try and get a result. Top teams playing that way is just wrong, imo. Unfortunately for us, the majority of teams are underdogs so we'll encounter this tactic quite a lot.
We've played some dull football over the years you're right but I've never seen us flop, roll, hold face etc. every 5 minutes to break up play and time waste continually - never. There's a difference between negative football and 10 men behind the ball etc. and this deliberate time wasting tactic. It's tantamount to cheating. Brentford have made it a fine art too.
