Matchday analysis

You can’t beat the feeling of being down the match when compared to watching at home, BUT, do you really ever get to see the real picture? So, when ANALYSING a match, what’s the difference to being there, constantly ducking and diving behind the 7ft fat tw@ who keeps standing at every exciting moment, and watching TV footage from 21 camera positions, pausing the footage for the loo or that crazy, where the FFF did that come from sneeze, when Hourihane pulls the trigger?

I’ve heard all the ‘yeah but I watch it back when I get home’ stuff. You’re still relying on the play back from the comfort of home. You’re effectively watching the match twice, the same as a TV viewer watching the match back again. Except the TV viewer has 2 perfect views as opposed to one and a half views. The one good view being the same view as everyone else’s two.
Take a match report from our ‘exiled bard’ Statesie, compared to the lads in the pub at full time. Now whilst the latter is a hell of a lot more enjoyable (sorry Statesie, but we have to compete with the Stella Artois and pub factors here, unless I’m reading your report in the pub of course) the report from a presumably relatively sober, but well fed Statesie, the TV viewers analysis offers a more rounded opinion to those who have not seen the match at all.

As I said earlier, the match, atmosphere, the craic, the whole day are unbeatable, but when it comes to analysing key moments, we don’t see the real picture, because we’re up out of our seats roaring the team on, shouting at players to cross, track back, to get the FFF up, looking down at our watch, lifting the young Villan up over/around the fat tw@’s frame.

What I’m asking for really is, for those who watch the match at home to write a little piece each match day, like Statesie used to do, and enlighten those who do not watch the match back when we get home, and especially for those of us who don’t manage to catch the match.

Cheers, Onwards n Upwards

Great stuff EV. Yes, would love to read somebody's thoughts on the games. BTW mine were extremely sober as I'm one of those a-holes that doesn't drink.

I started getting another view or insight of matches recently. I have been running or walking on my elliptical whenever the one player I'm focusing on runs or walks. You get to realize how much or how little work players do. Like Leicester's James does nowhere near the work of any Chelsea player. Konte covers a lot of ground. Azpalacueta (sp) doesn't run as much as I used to when I played his position because he reads the game so he doesn't have to. No wonder I was exhausted! Also I find I switch off as my player will run and I didn't notice and had to catch up to match their work rate.

I must admit, I miss the replay button when I'm at a live match.

Yep. If you blink you miss it.

All those times in the Witton end when the ball is at the other end and a shot seems to be in and the Holte roar goes up players arms up and we all start cheering at our end then you see the players still playing and you realize it hit the post or was cleared off the line but not sure really what happened?

Good thread this. I am an ST holder in the Trinity so get a good view at VP. However, a confession : away matches (when I go) I have stopped going in the Villa end and get tickets from the home club, NB. Involves nominal membership of various clubs. For : not stuck behind the goal, don't have to stand up for 90 minutes (too old), very hard to get tickets anyway due to all away tickets sold in first week. Against : stuck in the middle of demented home fans (eg Bristol, screaming biased nutters), maintaining silence especially when we score, missing the joyful insanity of being stuck in the Villa mob.
Anyone else have views about supporting away?

I've been away a few times with Villa and always come away feeling it's more about the craic than the quality of the football, brilliant when you win an important game though. Derby away 2-0 at Christmas in a relegation battle sticks in the memory, along with the singing at Wembley in '96 league cup final - now THAT was special, the football wasn't to bad either!