[Dingle-Dingle]

The way they reacted you would think they had won the European Cup. DD

[Foxman_WBA]

Have to say I’m fuming with both results and I’ve had to stay off here for a few days as I needed to calm down.

Both performances were poor, sess should have been on the pitch in both games, berahino and ideye were not fit enough to last the game (probly not fit enough to last 60 mins tbh) and so both should have come off, even if it were for sess and another mid or defender, at least they may have had an effect!

But most disappointing is the debacle that happened just before and at full time, what I want to know is that why is it ok for fans to run on the pitch to celebrate? I hear everyone saying ‘ah they are just celebrating the win’ but why is that ok? That was stamped out at other ground due to the home fans having open season at away fans, yes we ripped up chairs etc, but what do they expect with 20k thugs running at you! But the main questions is if the fans were never to get on the pitch would we have reacted in such a way? I’ve seen games where stewards have completely surrounded the pitch and stopped anyone running on, so why was that not the case this time! Surely the cost of a few more stewards for 2 hours, outweighs the cost of a new pitch and goal posts! And more to the point surely safety is paramount! That was not safe to the fans or the players!

I’m sorry, villa club is to blame for this! I hope they get fined to the teeth! Absolute disgrace!

[valpayne]

The problem isn't as simple as the manager not picking the so called right players because it sounds like we are the walking wounded at the moment. It was already stated in the PC that Mac had a foot problem SB and BI are playing with pain killing injections Big Vic is still injured and Sess has some serious personal probs. Fletcher was cup tied BF prob wouldn't have played anyway despite his mistake because Bo was playing the other cup games. I keep saying TP is not as clueless as people here keep making out He's had success in the prem for years Keeping Palace up last year and Stoke in the prem for so long is no mean feat. He didn't choose this squad losing Dan Ashworth and Roy Hodgson along with some poor choices by Peace are where we've gone wrong IMO. If we stay up and I think we're pretty much there already we need to re-construct our squad with TP calling the shots on recruitment and then we can see what he's really about and if it still doesn't happen then I'll concede but lets be realistic Its still 6 wins 3 draws 3 lost and at the end of the day Villa have been a nemesis for years and years I didn't expect us to lose twice but I was wrong and it hurts but I really should have suspected as much because they are one of our bogey teams. People keep saying we have no width but I still say that is due to our recruit,ment pre Pulis. After all what he did at Palace very successfully was utilise the 2 wingers they had and a good defensive organisation.

[Stairs]

I also have stayed away from this for a few days to recover my senses.

Cleary there were some refereeing disasters. Hutton should have been sent off mid week and Yacob should never have been this weekend. But at the point when Yacob walked we were out of the game already. Hutton's lack of red card was very different.

OK Foster had a mare midweek. But, despite that, he is a brilliant keeper and has contributed greatly to the points we have at this stage of the season. I remember many great saves to keep us in a game - I have no issue with him at all.

Berahino and Ideye were playing through pain and if we had a bigger squad they probably should have been rested. But TP knew how big games v Villa are for fans and I guess the players were equally keen to be part of it - in retrospect maybe they could have been rested....but, if, maybe........

My conclusion is that over all we should be pleased with what we have.
- We have had a cup run that was impossible to imagine whilst that numpty AI was at the helm - its been fun.
- We are nearly safe in the Premiership as a result of a transformation under TP - we were going down with AI at the helm.
- We are rid of AI and we have TP.
- This summer we will invest in players
- Next season we know already that we will be more competitive

The players have busted a gut in training and have performed well enough to keep clean sheets and grab a few winning goals. But its taken its toll on the players. Lets just pray we can get a point at least from Stoke and get players fit enough to see the season through.

BUT - Villa should be seriously punished for their lack of security, poor stewards and thugs who sparked all of that trouble. I hope they and the fans all get hit hard - I also hope that any Albion 'fans' that took part in the shameful behaviour get life time bans from my club.

If your a thug then your not welcome at my club.

[valpayne]

While I'm not happy with the results against in the Villa games, I'm struggling with the
fact that people are calling Pulis clueless when he's performed miracles to get us to 30
points this early IMO.

People were critical when we defended for our lives and got the 0-0 at Everton. I saw
people saying we should've attacked them, they're not a very good side, etc. Well,
they absolutely wiped the floor with us at our place under Irvine. That game and the
Newcastle game at home this season were the most spineless performances I've seen
from a Baggies side for years. That is the side that Pulis inherited.

Under Pulis, we've grinded out a couple of decent points away while winning tough
games at home. Southampton came to us on the back of 5 away wins in a row and we
beat them. Swansea are never easy, but tactically, we got it spot on and beat them.
The West Ham game was some of the best football we've played for years. They too
rolled us over at our place under Irvine.

I'm coming to the realisation that we're not really that good and if anything, Pulis has
had us punching above our weight so far to pick up so many points. The individual
errors that cost us the games against Villa are the reality of the quality we have at
the club.

Pulis' plan is what he feels will get the most out of this group of mediocrity. Maybe a
more attacking approach might do better, but it's hard to argue with the majority of
results we've picked up under him. To be fair, everything was going to plan on Tuesday
(we looked more likely) until Foster's error. And there really isn't a lot any manager
can do about that sort of nonsense.

Fully agree with this slick. Pulis has far too many admirers in the football world to be "clueless" He kept a very average team on a budget in the prem for years and he literally hauled newly promoted Palace from almost certain relegation to mid table AND he has put us in a position where almost all my football friends that support other teams are certain we wont go down. It may not be pretty but it is on the whole effective and that's exactly what was needed after the AI farce. Next season will be the proof when he gets to assemble his own squad then we can judge more accurately. 

[drewks]

I also have stayed away from this for a few days to recover my senses.  

Cleary there were some refereeing disasters. Hutton should have been sent off mid week and Yacob should never have been this weekend. But at the point when Yacob walked we were out of the game already. Hutton's lack of red card was very different.

OK Foster had a mare midweek. But, despite that, he is a brilliant keeper and has contributed greatly to the points we have at this stage of the season. I remember many great saves to keep us in a game - I have no issue with him at all.

Berahino and Ideye were playing through pain and if we had a bigger squad they probably should have been rested. But TP knew how big games v Villa are for fans and I guess the players were equally keen to be part of it - in retrospect maybe they could have been rested....but, if, maybe........

My conclusion is that over all we should be pleased with what we have.
- We have had a  cup run that was impossible to imagine whilst that numpty AI was at the helm - its been fun.
- We are nearly safe in the Premiership as a result of a transformation under TP - we were going down with AI at the helm.
- We are rid of AI and we have TP.
- This summer we will invest in players
- Next season we know already that we will be more competitive

The players have busted a gut in training and have performed well enough to keep clean sheets and grab a few winning goals. But its taken its toll on the players. Lets just pray we can get a point at least from Stoke and get players fit enough to see the season through.

BUT - Villa should be seriously punished for their lack of security, poor stewards and thugs who sparked all of that trouble. I hope they and the fans all get hit hard - I also hope that any Albion 'fans' that took part in the shameful behaviour get life time bans from my club.

If your a thug then your not welcome at my club.

Great post Stairs, agree totally......except the one point re Yacob's sending off. IMO we weren't out of the game then - there was still time to get that 1 goal; Mac & Sess on could easily have changed it in the last 12-13 mins when you're really 'going for it' in a cup tie.
The 2 issues that surround the decision making in these games, namely
1) No appeal on bookings - let alone a SECOND one
2) No retrospective punishment for ANYTHING (obviously I'm talking here about Hutton's assault on SB) that is deemed to have been 'dealt with by the officials'
...well, the powers that be are making themselves look ridiculous, and these rules do nothing for justice and fairness at all. 

[valpayne]

Hey has anybody got any idea what's up with Sess? TP mentioned serious personal problems? But I've not seen any news on this?

[talkSAFT]

I don't like to spoil the fans' enthusiasm for TP, but I don't get this Messiah thing, just because he did a brilliant job with Palace last Year.
I pray that he'll come good, and I think he will, but so far there's little evidence. I really believe that Villa are Championship material, and a few weeks ago I'd have laughed if their fans had come on and said we'll beat you twice, scoring 4 goals.
This 4 giants at the back is rubbish, especially as we don't get forward enough to use them from corners. We got the ugliest 0-0s I can remember watching from an Albion team (v Everton & Sunderland); Tottenham was embarassing, and I was quite happy that they "declared" at 3; and I don't count wins v Gateshead and Blues as great feats.

I know f-all about what goes on at the Training Ground, and why he doesn't give Gamboa and Poco a chance - but nor does any other fan of any other team, but that doesn't stop fans from having their say. There's a huge gap between our flat midfield and 2 strikers, and it explains why the number of goal efforts this Year has been pitiful: if we can't get 1:2s around the opposing box (which both our strikers would love) get the speedy wingbacks into the team - the 2 we've got (+ Brunt) have proved themselves at International level so, if we can't create chances through the midfield, TRY something else. Why doesn't he give Mulumbu a good run in the team? If anyone had mentioned dropping him a Year ago, they'd have been laughed at, but he's recovered from 2 injuries, and s/b 1st choice in midfield. driving forward and tackling much better than Gardner, or madman Yacob.

Don't keep going on about how clueless Irvine was. All I'm saying is any Manager who fails against Villa twice in a week is no Messiah.

[aries22]

I don't like to spoil the fans' enthusiasm for TP, but I don't get this Messiah thing
I pray that he'll come good, and I think he will, but so far there's little evidence.
I know f-all about what goes on at the Training Ground, and why he doesn't give Gamboa and Poco a chance
Don't keep going on about how clueless Irvine was. All I'm saying is any Manager who fails against Villa twice in a week is no Messiah.

I don't think anyone's called TP the Messiah yet but under Alan Irvine Albion were heading for the Championship without a shadow of doubt, and TP has stopped that. Evidence? 13th place in the PL, 8 points above the drop zone, 13 points won from 9 games under TP after we got 17 points from 19 games under Irvine (16th in the PL and one point above the drop zone after the Stoke game after which Irvine was sacked).
I think it's obvious from their exclusion that TP doesn't rate Pocognoli or Gamboa. TP works with them every day, he should know.
Irvine WAS clueless, and inept, and way out of his depth. He should never have been appointed in the first place. He failed at both Preston and Sheffield Wednesday.
Finally, we can justifiably lay a lot of the blame for the two defeats against Villa at the players' doors - Foster's GK errors, Ideye, Morrison and Lescott for missing great chances.
Sorry mate, I respect your views, but that's how I see it.

[tidy]

I'll hazard a guess we will be having the same conversations next year.

Footie has become soo depressing...