Aston Villa v Fulham Post-Match Thread

[WikiVilla]

I was at the game and didn't think Petrov was any worse or better than Makoun

[Villa'Zawg]

I think those people looking at relegation need to lay off the crack - we're only 8 points off 6th.

The criticism of Brad Friedel is ridiculous - how many times has this guy saved a point or protected a lead? He makes a mistake, sell him!

I know its difficult given the white knuckle ride that is supporting the Villa sometimes but people need to have more faith we've got favourable fixtures and some decent players - I remember the Billy McNeill days, a draw against Fulham would have been treated like a cup final victory that season we're not that bad!

If you remember the Billy McNeill days, you might recall that we took more points from our first 21 games under him than we have in the 21 games since Houllier took over

I'd like to believe that getting out of the shit is going to be a stroll in the park but it isn't.

We've got only 2 fixtures left that could be described as more "favourable" than Fulham at home, against Wigan (17th) and Wolves (20th). Who also happen to be the only 2 teams we've managed to beat away from home this season.

Mc'Neill even managed to get 3 wins against the top 10 teams that season but I don't recall treating them like cup final victories. We've managed 1 win from 15 games against the top 10 so far.

Are you seriously comparing the state of the club today under Houllier to the complete and utter shambles as it was under McNeill? The two situations aren't even close to each other aside from the appearance of the league table. Back then, many of the players at the club had simply thrown in the towel and it was such a different environment. It's not like that now at all.

No I'm not comparing the state of the club, it's infinitely better now compared to 86/87. I'm comparing the state of the results between the two managers and so far Billy McFuckinNeill's results are edging it slightly.

[SteveD]

So Petrov the scapegoat now, pathetic

He was good again today, not sure how he'll work with Makoun though as Makoun plays only square balls

Petrov was mostly good for an hour but increasingly, with Murphy/Sidwell outmuscling us in the 2nd half, it needed NRC. Houllier bizarrely replaced Petrov with Allbrighton. Makoun, who can certainly pass and looks a prospect, was superfluous and a rather baffling MoTM. We can admire his skills all we like, but it's the second match running our midfield has been overrun. It migjt not have mattered if Young and Gabby weren't so disappointing and wasted and our only really effective midfielder going forward was Downing, who worked his socks off with Walker to create anything for Bent. Can't understand why Heskey wasn't on earlier either, when clearly the type of football Fulham now play with Hughes demands something different than our attempted style.

[pauliewalnuts]

I was at the game and didn't think Petrov was any worse or better than Makoun

I'm not one of the anti-Petrov faction, but I thought he was absolutely terrible today, slow on the ball, passed it backwards pretty much constantly, and generally looked well off the pace. Awful.

Makoun, on the other hand, barely gave a ball away all afternoon, and everything we did passed through him at some point.

[pauliewalnuts]

So Petrov the scapegoat now, pathetic

He was good again today, not sure how he'll work with Makoun though as Makoun plays only square balls

Surely he can only be a scapegoat if he plays well and is still blamed / criticised for something?

If he plays poorly then he can't be a scapegoat. That accusation seems to be levelled at people a little too easily these days.

Of course it is, "scapegoat" is one of those words people bandy around on here without actually understanding what it means.

[Phil from the upper holte]

I'm not anti Petrov but he looks slow and clumbsy in possesion.

Im sure he gave it away for the first equiliser

[Dan England]

Petrov was fucking shit, lost the ball, has shit control and is slow as fuck.

We really missed NRC legs in midfield today.

Makoun took just one touch every time, Peteiv would take 2 or 3 touches and even then he would turn into trouble.

Second half we are applying pressure, Petrov gets the ball and turns backwards, luckily for him Walker picked it up and scored.

Then he lost the ball and gave away a free kick and they equalised.

Peteov was shocking and he is not a scapegoat, he is finished!

Absolutely right on all accounts there. Didn't look at the races at all today. He is also supposed to be captain, at the moment I feel we desperately need a Roy Keaneesque captain. Particularly in games like today.

[Dave Cooper please]

Is feckin' "tippy-tappy" the new "fickle" or something?

[Dan England]

Is feckin' "tippy-tappy" the new "fickle" or something?

Don't care what we call it, It's better than most of the shit we've watched for the last couple of years @ VP

[Ian.]

Is feckin' "tippy-tappy" the new "fickle" or something?

Can't the mod's filter it out? It's nearly as bad as when two words are joined together to make one.

[pauliewalnuts]

Is feckin' "tippy-tappy" the new "fickle" or something?

Don't care what we call it, It's better than most of the shit we've watched for the last couple of years @ VP

Too fucking right it is.

We're lacking the final ball at the moment, but both at Old Trafford and today we passed the ball around confidently for long periods of time.

Houllier is not going to get it perfect immediately, there is plenty lacking with our play still, but he is at least getting us doing the basics well, something which suggests we'll develop into a much better team. Under Martin I always thought we were as good as we would ever get under him.

[garyfouroaks]

I always have been anti-petrov and he lived down to my expectations today.

That boy Pantsil is useful isnt he?

[avfcpg]

Houllier is not going to get it perfect immediately, there is plenty lacking with our play still, but he is at least getting us doing the basics well, something which suggests we'll develop into a much better team. Under Martin I always thought we were as good as we would ever get under him.[/b]

Spot on...We will have to be patient. Bradley, Bent, Makoun, Walker will all take time to bed in. The new system will take time and by his own admission, GH knows we must be more incisive, inventive and clinical in the last 3rd and hopefully that will come soon....

Possession is vital, if we've got the ball, it means the opposition haven't. It prevents pressure, it causes openings by moving the opposition around....I like what he's trying to do. It will make us a far better team in the long run if he's given the chance to stick at it and get his players in.

MON did great for us in the prem, 3 x 6th etc etc....but I always thought that's about as far as he was taking us.

[Chris Smith]

I was at the game and didn't think Petrov was any worse or better than Makoun

I'm not one of the anti-Petrov faction, but I thought he was absolutely terrible today, slow on the ball, passed it backwards pretty much constantly, and generally looked well off the pace. Awful.
Makoun, on the other hand, barely gave a ball away all afternoon, and everything we did passed through him at some point.

Hmm, I thought Makoun faded really badly after a good start and did nothing but give the ball away in the last 10-15 minutes.

[pauliewalnuts]

I was at the game and didn't think Petrov was any worse or better than Makoun

I'm not one of the anti-Petrov faction, but I thought he was absolutely terrible today, slow on the ball, passed it backwards pretty much constantly, and generally looked well off the pace. Awful.
Makoun, on the other hand, barely gave a ball away all afternoon, and everything we did passed through him at some point.

Hmm, I thought Makoun faded really badly after a good start and did nothing but give the ball away in the last 10-15 minutes.

I thought he faded no more than the rest of the team, and was one of the least guilty in giving the ball away throughout. We seemed to decide to let Fulham have the ball for long spells of the second half, for some reason.

It is all the more annoying that we only took one point from what was a pretty poor opponent.