What does one write about after a disappointing 0-0 draw at Hull? There was such a lack of quality not only on the field or coming off the bench but from the officiating also.
How did Clattenburg think the forwards or midfielders on either side were supposed to create chances when he failed to crack down on the holding, pushing and tripping or anything else the players could get away with? Professionals know if the ref is letting things go then they can get away with stuff. It started early when a Hull player was dragged off the ball and the ref just decided it was physical but fair and you knew it was going to work in reverse and so it did when Luna cleaning up a long ball in his own area was dragged down and the ref gave a corner to cries of derision from the 2000 Villa faithful.
Chances were at a premium and Weimann twice mis-hit shots, while the confidence lacking Graham missed a great opportunity for Hull.
Villa was content to play the ball from the back and Hull was content for Villa to stay playing the ball across the back 4. Later in the half, Bruce sent his players forward a little and Guzan had to resort to long kicks.
Bacuna made a crucial clearance from a cross and Agbonlahor saw a decent shot pushed wide by McGregor.
The ref carried on with poor decisions. Westwood should have been booked for a bad tackle; especially as the Hull right back was booked moments later for a slightly mis-timed tackle on Agbonlahor. Then Weswood was lucky not to see red within seconds when he pulled Elmohamady back after losing the ball.
Within seconds of the re-start you could see a bounce in Hull’s step as the flooded forward. Meanwhile Villa stuck with the first half of static passing and little movement up front .
Hull had more and more possession but created nothing. Mostly due to Elmohamady’s poor crossing.
At times it seemed like a Sunday league match and as it was at Hull there was almost a rugby league like move. It started with a Hull free kick that was headed for goal. Vlaar controlled then cleared, Villa broke after the up and under and somehow with a series of bad first touches, but good bounces found themselves on the edge of Hull’s area. Weimann cut inside with his only decent touch of a very poor game for the Austrian and his cross was a little behind Gabby in space. Gabby’s shot curled the wrong side of the post.
Delph was fouled badly 3 times in the space of two minutes, but referee Clatterbrain missed 2 of them. He also failed to punish Hull’s substitute on a professional foul.
In the end the game finished on a poor foul throw, the second by Villa in the game. A decent point for Paul Lambert but disappointing as Hull could have been taken, especially with the injuries. The Hull announcer gave former Villan Curtis Davies man of the match, which might be true, but throughout the match I was wishing we had a Tom Huddlestone who allowed his midfielders to get forward and handled everything around the edge of the box to the halfway line, that could allow Delph to get forward where I believe he could be more effective for a Villa that again left us crying out for a creative midfielder.