We were reminded very quickly today why we have had to play 3 central midfielders every week - our back 4 is so incredibly sh** that they need all the cover in front of them they can get or else we look like conceding with basically every opposition attack.
So in the end my prediction that the last gasp goal from Villa against would send us down has turned out to have been correct, however I'm not too downbeat. No one wanted us in the Premier League. There seemed to be a blanket hatred towards us, demonstrated by Pep and Arteta's team selection helping our rivals but going strong against us. Bruce did the same......so be it. It is noted and remembered. I actually enjoyed today's game but it was a reflection of our season. Appalling defending a keystone cop finishing. Today Kabs was Coco the Clown. We've said goodbye to many players. We're now a Championship club, but I think we'll bounce back, although we've got to get it right. I thought I'd be on the floor in despair, but I'm not. I know deep down we've deserved relegation and 19th place. Only Norwich have been a worse side overall than us. We have had a bucket load of bad luck, bad decisions, but we're never going to get any favours. The owner and board have deserved relegation because they've been absolutely dreadful in running the football club this year. They can only blame themselves for this. I hope they are capable of learning from this and we come back stronger, but that might just be defiant talking. It's a hard slog to get out of the Championship. I don't think the players we have now would be able to do that. A lot of work needs doing in just 6 weeks, but we've got to get off to a good start next season. Love Mike Dean btw. He was very reluctant to give Arsenal's penalty, and Lee Mason was always going to go against us on VAR, because he always does. Thought Dean gave us a soft one in return and no other referee would have given us that, so at least he tried his best to give us a chance.
We are different people. Seeing Eddie and Cook like that cheered me up no end. They should have been down a long time ago.
That’s the spirit! I’m sure you had to type that one handed, as the other hand was busy waving the flag.
Deeney though in that interview. When you win its gold. When you lose its silly. When you've just been relegated it's *****.
I thought Deeney's interview was very good.....but everyone hates him these days, so it doesn't matter what he says, our so called fans will destroy him for it.
Pearson never relegated in his career still. Also after he was fired from Leicester, they won the league the following year... Now that "could" happen.* * more likely than we'd stayed up isnt it.
True but you don't need a three act play account,just a swift "not the time to talk about individuals" and apologise for a monumental failure from top to bottom.
I can remember when we lost to Palace in the Play-Off Final, we had a message to the fans from Zola. It was a tough day but reading that was refreshing & gave us hope. Today we've been relegated & we've heard nothing from the club. Would've expected a club statement to be honest. Maybe I'm just being picky but us supporters have been left in the dark big time this season.
No they don't hornetboy1,most are very appreciative of the great work he has done. However they are also aware that he has become a shadow of his former self and it's time for a parting.
Agree. Didn’t see a lot wrong with what he said. It is time to look forward now though so if a promoted club is willing to pay his wages we should let him move on.
Haa, hahahahahahaha. Hahaha. Ahhahahahahaha. Leeds or West Brom buying him based on his 10 open play goals in 2 seasons? Hahahahaaaahahahahaaa.
Of the PL official referees the only ones I have come to like are Dean and Oliver. The rest are facking inept. How Moss is still a referee at this level is beyond comprehension. And never forget Atkinson and his decision at Vile Park not to send off Minger. Sheer incompetence. Safe to say at HR abuses 2022 there will be no English referees again. The employment of VAR this season in the PL compared to other major leagues in Europe has been a joke. Riley of course keeps his job in that incestuous love nest at Stockley Park. Expect jug ears and MOTD to conveniently gloss over the decisions that have affected us and helped Vile stay up. Sincerely hope they are relegated next season. Shame GT had to manage them. They would have probably ended up like Birmingham City.
Thanks mate. Though I can't believe that the club supported our anti-Premier League defiant flag waving so much that we got relegated. All in it together.
I had a family picnic in a place without phone signal instead of putting myself through this. Fantastic decision, it turns out.
Spent the day on Hollywell beach near Newquay with no phone reception. Decided to climb the dunes at 4.30 to get some reception, and quickly wished I hadn't. Got to the bottom to see a family of Villa supporters and congratulated them, and wished them well for next season. Saw them in the pub later and they were magnanimous in staying up, although it nearly broke my heart seeing their joy.
That’s been their stance on pretty much everything and perhaps a need for some sort of statement now, I don’t expect one. Like it or lump it is the impression I’m starting to get. They run the club so they can do as they please, however, they have a fair amount to answer to for this season!
TBF, we stopped regularly playing anything that looked like premier league level football in Xmas 2018. I remember thinking while watching us get spanked at home by BHAFC that there's something very, very wrong with us...
I'd made my peace with the outcome today and ultimately we deserve to be relegated after a bitterly disappointing season. The moments of hope today were brutal. At 3-0 I was about to turn off and get on with my life. But then the goals and the way we were playing... it could easily have been different. But then I think that it would have masked an abysmal year of mismanagement, terrible recruitment decisions, players stealing a living and owners who've lost the plot. We would have limped back next year with many of the same players and probably seen the same outcomes. The championship will be tough, but it's competitive. We won't be watching our side getting hammered 6-0 every other game. We can clear out some of the aging, overpaid members of the squad and hopefully begin to blood some youngsters and develop a clear image and strategy for the club. I'm weirdly looking forward to it in a way I wasn't with the Premier League. We have the potential of a title win or play-off to look forward to in the coming seasons potentially, and that seems far more exciting than the race for 14th.
Hope they bought you a commiseration drink - otherwise you should’ve kicked sand in their face for bribing the VAR/Hawkeye refs - cheating barstewards.
Arsenal were there for the taking but we're so, so fragile and stupid that we gave a penalty away after 30 seconds. We were clearly very up for the game and everyone put a massive shift in and they were trying right until the very end. At least we won't have to put up with the frankly ridiculous nonsense of it taking over four minutes from the foul to the goal being scored, plus another penalty, two other goals from open play, a drinks break and the injury to Kiko and the substitution only to see four minutes additional time given at the end of the half.
Given Mariappa's age, Janmaat's injury record, and Femenia likely not fancying the Champ, we might actually be needing to sign some more this summer!
Why are people on this forum saying I didn’t watch the game , and then proced to give their opinion on the club and season. If you can’t watch one of the biggest games in the clubs history, why then spend your time going on a forum to talk about it . Weird .