Aston Villa v Arsenal PMP: Sore loser Wenger throws toys out of his pram while Zat Knight should enjoy his moment in the limelight
Saturday, 27 December 08, 03:55 AM · Comments (38)
Arsene Wenger was probably that kid at primary school that would piss himself at his table because he was too scared to put his hand up and ask to go to the toilet. You know, a mummy's boy.
His team lost yesterday. Okay, the result was a draw but they were two goals up and they lost it. The thing is, they shouldn't have been two up and they should consider themselves lucky, but Wenger doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut.
Anyway, to the papers:
Kevin McCarra, Guardian: "Villa's resourcefulness was remarkable, considering that a commanding display had been interrupted by goals that gave the visitors a 2–0 lead. These sides are closely matched and Arsenal laboured under a serious handicap. Johan Djourou had to be replaced just before kick-off when he strained a hamstring in the warm-up. His place went to Kolo Touré."
Janine Self, The Sun: "Arsene Wenger last night sensationally accused Martin O’Neill of intimidating referee Lee Mason as Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes were shattered."
Jason Burt, The Independent: "Arsene Wenger last night lit a claret-and-blue touch paper of resentment and anger by accusing Aston Villa of putting undue pressure on the referee Lee Mason during a drama of passion and commitment in which Arsenal surrendered a two-goal lead, and with it the chance to return to the top four."
Peter Lansley, The Times: "Aston Villa continue to threaten havoc to the established order. Just as it appeared normal service had been resumed, with Arsenal entering stoppage time on the verge of reclaiming fourth place in the Barclays Premier League from Martin O’Neill’s team, Zat Knight popped up to score the goal that keeps Arsenal on the outside looking in."
Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail: "I'll tell you a story, about Jack-a-nory; and now my story's begun. I'll tell you another, 'bout Jack and his brother; and now my story is done."
Player Ratings
Now, because last week we took the players ratings from somewhere else, we're going to do it again. This time, they're coming from Sky Sports. Not the score from Sky Sports, but the score averaged by everyone that has voted.Surely, I can't get any stick for this?
Brad Friedel: 6.3 - How many goals is this now he's conceded this season? Doesn't matter, he's made some crucial saves and he's worth a good ten points this season. You can score him whatever you want, he still starts.
Nigel Reo-Coker: 6.5 - Not a right back and maybe could be at fault for the first goal. Still, he's playing football and that has to be good.
Curtis Davies: 6.7 - A game where he did what he was supposed to do. No complaints.
Zat Knight: 7.5 - Scored the winner and did exactly what you want with a central defender.
Luke Young: 6.8 - Looking more composed and getting more involved. Hopefully this is a trend.
James Milner: 6.8 - It was a better performance from him. Maybe he is getting used to the five man midfield.
Steve Sidwell: 6.5 - This was a tough match for our central midfield trio. Overall I think we won the battle.
Stiliyan Petrov: 6.6 - For Petrov, read Sidwell.
Gareth Barry: 7.0 - For Barry, read Sidwell.
Ashley Young: 7.4 - Did enough for me and this score is sort of about right, in terms of where he comes in the pecking order. Second best, but only because he didn't score the winner.
Gabby Agbonlahor: 7.1 - It's difficult to ask what more he cold have done apart from score the winner with seconds to go. He's not going to score every game or create chance after chance.
Man of the Match: I gotta give it to Zat Knight because he did exactly what was asked of him and he scored the winner. Also because he gets a lot of stick in the comments below and I'm not convinced they're always deserved, especially for a local lad, playing for his team.
Final Analysis
If you look at chances created and missed opportunities, we should have won and at the end of the day, I'm actually disappointed but extremely happy, all at the same time.
We also keep the three point gap over them with matches against Hull, West Brom and Sunderland coming up. I fancy, which is where it usually all goes wrong, that we could pick up nine points from those three matches.
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38 Comments · Add yours
9 points lets hope so
. I think we'll slip a draw, maybe against Sunderland though.
Great title too haha
NRC is not a right back and Luke Young is not a left back. Shorey's confidence must be zero now. If Bouma isn't fit sometime soon then a new full back is needed along with at least one striker and another winger.
Apart from the obvious error, I thought Coker was excellent postionally and he muscled players off the ball more than once.
Knight looked seriously up for it from the first minute - heroic display considering the pressure he was under. Like many I would like to apologise to him.
Young for me didn't do enough with his passing yesterday.
Wenger could well resign before the end of the season. That was aa man watching his life fall apart and feeling a bit down about it.
Biggest thing for me was how strong we looked. MON rock hard on the touchline. Defence taking no prisoners. Midfield scurrying around for 90 minutes. Then speedsters hurtling around.
I don't know about you boys but that Villa team I watched yesterday is not one I recognise. There is new steel and belief out there. I've talked up the 5 year plan, often to annoy the knobbers on here, but something is happening here boys.
Really harsh on NRC, thought he was superb again at right back. For me MOTM was either NRC or Knight (now please enough of the negative comments about him, he hasn't put a foot wrong this year). Great 1st half tackle and great control and a stunning shot for the goal. Well done Zat!
I just heard on Talksport that Laursen's out for 4 weeks. Can anyone confirm this?
Reply to odysseynumberfive:
Skysports saying out for a month.
Reply to Chris:
How many times did NRC support the attack and overlap Milner as good fullbacks would do? Cuellar the same when he's played there. Luke Young tried to do that a left back but being right footed he couldn't deliver early crosses.
All I'm saying is that NRC isn't a right back and Luke Young should be playing there. Not harsh but factual. The mistake for the first goal was because he isn't used to clearing the ball away, more likely to try to run with the ball as a midfielder.
Man i've still got the chills from the game
watched it on tele (i'm from norway) 
LOVED IT
and i so badly wanna go to VP sometime...
I was chanting around the livingroom, jumping and dancing after the second goal
the 1st half was extraordinary!!!
Credits to the boys
btw, who says we cant fuck up CSKA now?
Play like this and we will take them too
So pleasing to be a villa fan theese days
Brothers and Sisters
Yesterday evening Arsené Wenger felt the ground at Villa Park moving under him. It was the tectonic plates of the Premier League doing their work and it completely unnerved him. He became childlike in his fear.
He made juvenile accusations of bad faith against the match officials. Holding back his tears he said something to O’Neill and was lucky that our beloved general restrained himself. He came on TV after the match for an interview with Sky and we saw what the world saw – a man shrivelled with anxiety. I kid you not: between the hours of 5-7pm Boxing Day 2008 I watched a man grow old. He must have aged 20 years.
All of us who watch our football at B6 have known it for a while, and now the world knows it: the established order is crumbling. The gooners know it. They came to Damo’s blog shaking their fists and unveiled their pathetic tantrums. They typed their angry words while the spittle and puke dribbled from their mouths onto the keyboards, But they know. In their hearts they know. They belong to us.
Yesterday, Villa Park was Agincourt and it was St Crispen’s Day. The French had thought us weak and mocked us that we could not take their ground. The Fates that plot these things had it different. Englishmen stirred themselves for battle, and names, familiar in our minds, became heroes. Knight, whatever else befalls his days at Villa Park, will be remembered for his noble work and for the arrow that stripped the French of their pomp. They were ready to celebrate and they were crushed.
Heads up lads, the game’s afoot.
got to say was very impressed by Knight, proved me wrong! and im glad he did!
Churchil, that's a very strong contender for post of the year.
Must say i dont know how we never won this game.
But never before when we have been 2-0 down against one of the so called big 4 did i ever think we could still get something from the game I did yesterday, i was fucking sure of it.
Resolve seperates the top teams from the rest and the Villa my friends are not beatern till the fat lady sings, this to me shows we are at the begining of a great road a road that is going to lead to trophys and lots and lots of pissed up celebrations.
Reply to Villah:
Totally agree top post Churchil
Reply to churchil:
Yesterday, Villa Park was Agincourt and it was St Crispen’s Day.
Lovely
But I think it's Crispin, isn't it?
Football is a funny old game we all was slaggin off knight for some time now we all love him that skrike was world class so like nan_ i apologise to him also? knight and nrc at the end were attackin for their life and it paid off again when most of us were thinking its over and we've lost?
1st half we should have been 3-0 up and when sagna did that clearance i just thought its gonna be one of those days, also for their 1st goal a little mistake i did think zat was ball watching and friedel should have come and collected it? For me friedel is average' close range shots the old guy is poor! (bar the everton game)
2nd half it was all arse for a good while they to hit the woodwork a couple times i dont care what anyone says they could have been 0-4 up at one stage? If anything for the 1st half display we defo deserved something.
Maybe knight as a striker when laursen is fit he's worth keeping for now, roll on tuesday hull got killed yesterday why did villa have to be next? now the whole media is gonna be on that game to see how they do did you see that Ireland was on fire we need midfielders like that not salifou
Oh and sidwell keeps missing easy ass goals im getting abit pissed off lately the man can hit a long one sweet but when it comes to a tap in he flops, sort it out sidders
I must start by apologising to Zat Knight,he must have been under pressure,but he delivered Big Time!lets hope he continues by playing with the same commitment in future.NRC played well but he is not a right back and any mistakes will be costly.We must play Luke Young at right back and give Shorey a chance.I thought our midfield were outstanding in the 1st half,if we could play like that each week,what might we achieve.Also, I thought Milner had his best game for us since he joined.BRING IT ON.
Well done Zat, a lot more like the decent centre half we bought from Fulham, NRC superb as well, I eat my words.
Milner the weak link I'm afraid, silk purses and sows ears spring to mind.
Sidwell has to do more in the middle than just harry and chase, a touch more football required, specially if he ain't scoring.
Overall fantastic though, well done The Villa.
oh and i won £111 but spent £67 so overall im
a point against arsenal 0-2 down is very good but on tuesday we need to perform much better and take our chances
To be honest i think most people could never deny the fact that Zat Knight has always had some ability. He has just developed a reputation, and deservedly so, of going to sleep at the back and giving goals away. Last night he was as sure and as determined as ever....cracking moment when he struck the goal, i mean all of us would have had dreamed about doing that for the mighty Villa, well Zat is one of us, a fan from a young age, he was living the dream last night and we all saw how much it meant to him...great moment.
Also, yet another pathetic piece of "journalism" from Bill Howell. What the fuck is that guy on? He is a complete and utter joke to his profession really.
Its a great feeling knowing that atleast one of the top 4 teams couldnt prevent us in our march towards the Champions League. Now just one or two decent signings.......
also, im just dying to know what our friend taglor is thinking at the moment....surely even he could have gotten a little tingle from that match last night...
funny how there are no aresmal comments on this one now now the papers are bigging us up.
Firstly, great post churchil
Now on to my comment.
Our mediocre 2nd half performance left me feeling annoyed, we'd gone from heroes to zeroes.
What a game! I was literally ripping my hair out in the first half! So many chances missed, lets hope O'Neil has the boys working on their finishing Monday morning
I will give the frogs some credit, they picked themselves up and did play some nice football. It was almost like they stepped up a gear and I felt Villa were a little shocked and dare I say it, unable to match them? Hmmm, then again, our performance at the Emirates showed the world and the so called top four that we ain't no mugs and we can compete!
Mr Knight, one word for you. Brilliant sir!
It's an exciting time for Villa and I'm glad I'm a supporter!
SOTC
struggling to find where zat scored the winner damian?
i watched every second of that game and could of sworn it finished 2-2 lol
not being negative here folks but why the ecitement of a 2all draw with a poor arsenal that we battered in the first half...
jan transfer window....before we buy a new striker we need a new striking coach who can teach our players (sidders, harewood)how to put the ball in the net..........or just hire knight as the coach had a bit of dublin about him last night did knight!
lol check the spelling must still be hungover
Reply to Nan_was_a_fan:
That's exactly right, nan. Up until Arsenal's goal, that was a better Villa team than I can remember seeing in more than a decade.
Then to be 2-0 down, completely gutted, and come back with two goals against Arsenal to salvage the draw that should've been a win?
That was real heart and belief. One wonders if yesterday's result is better for the team than if we'd taken our chances and gone on to win 4-2.
tingle tingle tingle tingle tingle
"Arsene Wenger was probably that kid at primary school that would piss himself at his table"
Genius!!!
"That was real heart and belief. One wonders if yesterday's result is better for the team than if we'd taken our chances and gone on to win 4-2."
Great point kohoutek.
And nan:
"There is new steel and belief out there. I've talked up the 5 year plan, often to annoy the knobbers on here, but something is happening here boys."
I totally agree, and I think Petrov's blistering of the side judge towards the end of the second peroid is a great example of that.
Reply to churchil:
Churchill - you are a poet
Reply to taglor:
Thats what im talking about!!!
Reply to Leroy:
Tingle all the way!
I thought both fullbacks were great in the game. L Young was up and down the left wing, and NRC (outside of his error) was rock solid and completely shut down the right wing. Considering how well we played, especially in the first half, Im actually surprised everyone was rated so low.
Barry was my motm. He was running everywhere, converted yet another penalty and made a crucial tackle in our own box. Maybe getting the captaincy back inspired him.
Milner had a few great little flick passes, not to mention he played the ball through to gabby which won us our penalty. He was brilliant defensively and really helped NRC in a few sticky situations. Im starting to see why Fabio and Martin rate him so highly.
This whole blog and response is the best I've seen for a while.
Churchil - Pure class my man.
taglor - tingle indeed.
The Forum may be dying but it's all happening out here.
Onwards to glory. Be proud boys.
I thought Ashely Young was poor enough for his standards, he seems mentally fatugued.
As someone else said, Reo Coker was excellent apart from the one massive mistake. It was one of Barry's best games of the season, he was immense (the captain's arm band probably hepled), as was the midfield most of the time. Martin O'Neill's sideline performance should also be acknowledged, it was one of his superior displays, at one stage I thought he was going to headbutt wenger. It was a brilliant game, one of the best of the season so far.
So much joy was got from the game that a draw against Hull would probably be only a minor disappointment.
"A stroke of his left foot had reduced the dividend from one of the most bizarrely effective performances of the season by Arsenal's patched-up side. Lacerated throughout the first half by Villa's pace and ambition, the visitors took a lead that was not so much against the run of play as an affront to natural justice and then doubled it."
now that's a quote.
LINK
due to me working overseas,this (other than the pre season / toto games) WAS MY FIST GAME AND WHAT A GAME TO BE AT. the first half was probably the best we have played all season and apart from the two succer punches we were tremendous. However in keeping with the game, when Arse started to dominate, we get the pan and the deseved 2nd in extra time. Leaving the ground we felt like we had won and i am sure that this is more of a blow to them than they will admit. All the guys were singin 2 goals and you fu**ed it up. Brilliany. Cant wait for then next time i'm back at the mighty Villa.