[Football] Villa v Sheff Utd; Did you enjoy watching the long awaited first game of the restart ?

[Perfidious Albion]

Shocking admission by the Hawkeye people ( Miss named if ever I saw one)
For it to be “occluded” ( why not use plain English and say blocked?) , shows it is not fit for purpose. I have more faith in linesmen and human judgement.
So Aston Villa should not have gained a point....

 

[neilbard]

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

Enjoyed the return of lifelong football feeling of ‘go on then’ (for Sheff Utd) and ‘no, no’ (for Villa).

 

[Deleted member 22389]

I thought it was as dull as ditchwater without fans. Very few risks taken by the players in what seemed like a training match. Maybe the players were rusty. Hoping for more enjoyment when the Albion are involved.

I tried to watch some European matches on Free Sports, I turned off after ten minutes as it was so boring. I'm really hoping I don't feel the same way about us. Covid19 has ruined the buzz of football for me this season. I just wish they would have restarted when supporters could get back in to the stadium to support their clubs properly.

 

[Icy Gull]

I tried to watch some European matches on Free Sports, I turned off after ten minutes as it was so boring.

I did the same. Last night I was expecting 1945 kick off and when I turned on there were 10 mins plus added time left. The quality of the football was dire but I was hooked as it was a game that affected us so I found myself glued and praying for a United goal.

There is no doubt I will be very interested in watching our game, even if the football is equally as dire as last night’s game. No chance of switching it off unless there is 5 mins to go and we are three goals adrift. I will then have a virtual train to catch

 

[Deleted member 22389]

I did the same. Last night I was expecting 1945 kick off and when I turned on there were 10 mins plus added time left. The quality of the football was dire but I was hooked as it was a game that affected us so I found myself glued and praying for a United goal.

There is no doubt I will be very interested in watching our game, even if the football is equally as dire as last night’s game. No chance of switching it off unless there is 5 mins to go and we are three goals adrift. I will then have a virtual train to catch

I'm sure I will feel differently. The last few months have been so strange with no football, and wondering if we would ever kick a ball again.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

I watched afterwards without knowing result and zipped through much of it, hopefully I will get into our match!

 

[AZ Gull]

Shocking admission by the Hawkeye people ( Miss named if ever I saw one)
For it to be “occluded” ( why not use plain English and say blocked?) , shows it is not fit for purpose. I have more faith in linesmen and human judgement.
So Aston Villa should not have gained a point....

I completely disagree - in a timely fashion, they issued a statement explaining what happened and unreservedly apologised to all concerned. What more do you expect them to do?

Do you REALLY think that relying on linesmen is more effective than this system?

We now know that Hawkeye isn't 100% effective, but it is still far better than relying on a bloke stood 35 yards away.

Of course, none of this excuses the absolute failure of VAR in this situation.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Saw the football was on...went out for a bike ride instead. Ironically on the bike nicknamed Hawkeye.
Mine performed a lot better than the one at Villa.

 

[maltaseagull]

Shocking admission by the Hawkeye people ( Miss named if ever I saw one)
For it to be “occluded” ( why not use plain English and say blocked?) , shows it is not fit for purpose. I have more faith in linesmen and human judgement.
So Aston Villa should not have gained a point....

Surely they could have advise the ref that it was a goal unless they were occluded too?

 

[neilbard]

Shocking admission by the Hawkeye people ( Miss named if ever I saw one)
For it to be “occluded” ( why not use plain English and say blocked?) , shows it is not fit for purpose. I have more faith in linesmen and human judgement.
So Aston Villa should not have gained a point....

Villa would argue that they should have been awarded at least one penalty.

M. Oliver woeful at times, VAR likewise.

 

[southstandandy]

Might feel different on Saturday when we're playing but thought last nights games were pretty tedius and the lack of any atmosphere killed it for me. Yes, there was the issue and excitement of the 'goal not given' due to the cock up by Hawk eye, but for me I won't be bothering to watch any other matches other than our own. Just my own view.

I do accept the situation and the reasons for 'behind closed doors matches' but for me until we can be back at the grounds in person it's just not the same experience. The one positive is the words conveyed yesterday from some of the authorities that there may well be a good chance of fans returning next season which will be brilliant if this happens. Roll on next season.

 

[N17]

Zero interest.

I might dip in & out of the Spurs game on Friday but my interest in the outcome is negligible.
I won't watch any of the matches that don't involve Spurs.

It is not football as i know and love it.

 

[Napper]

Dire match, Championship standard.

Found myself in the garden for alot of it as it didnt hold my attention.

Will watch the games that impact us I expect.

United v Spurs , would of fancied that before all this crap but that has little appeal now.

Hopefully will get better the more i read , watch , listen too

 

[Pierre the Painter]

With hardly any friendlies and a swift return to action I think we have to be prepared for some ring rustiness, will take a couple of rounds of games for teams to get back into their stride. Also worth remembering that for all the hype, their were plenty of pretty appalling games pre covid. That said it was a difficult watch, Villa are an exceptionally poor side, take Grealish out and they'd be adrift at the bottom and Sheffield United rely on work rate, team work and their unique formation rather than individual brilliance so I always feared it was going to bew a bit fo a stinker first up.

On the goal fiasco - it only cements my view that each manager should get one challenge in each game (which they keep if any challenge they make is succesful) rather than endless reviews of every goal. To think of some of the goals which have been ruled out for a centimetre offside in the distant build up to a goal and then to get something like that wrong last night is unforgivable but if only the managers could challenge decisions they believe to be wrong would eliminate most of the ridiculously tight goals dissallowed and would have led to the goal being given last night as almost certainly Wilder would have challenged it.

 

[bhafc99]

The disallowed goal was shocking, but what was almost as perplexing was the Sheff Utd tactic of having three or four players constantly pass the ball around on the right wing without ever trying to cross it.

 

[schmunk]

we have to be prepared for some ring rustiness, .

I blame the hoarders.

 

[Mellotron]

Yes, yes I did.

 

[Knightsworld]

I watched the Villa game in full as their results are of interest to us.

I gave up on the Man City game after 10 minutes.

 

[Change at Barnham]

I enjoyed both games and watched every minute of each.
I enjoyed watching the different styles.
I enjoyed trying to work out how Chris Wilder had organised Sheff Utd to be so successful.
I enjoyed trying to decide if Grealish is as good as the hype around him.
I enjoyed trying to work out what Arsenal's strengths and weaknesses are and enjoyed their misfortune in the hope it may help us.
I enjoyed watching Kevin DeBruyne provide an attacking midfielder masterclass and the speed that Man City pass and move.

It's great that football is back and I'll love it even more when the Albion get some points on the board.