Bolton Wanderers v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Bottom Right 89]

I actually think Nigel Clough could do a better job.

I don't, he's a whinging cunt.

A dreadful appointment at Derby.

Burton manager for years and fuck all else, employed purely on the basis that his Dad was revered there.

Not ready for the Premier league by any means but I think you are doing him a disservice - he worked miracles at Burton and turned them from a struggling southern league outfit with a tin pot ground into a thriving league club. To the people of Burton he is thought of in the same way we think of Paul McGrath and this is why the club up the road took a punt on him not because of who is Dad is.

He did very well to get Burton into The Conference I'll admit, but the approximately two million quid they made from playing Manchester United in The Cup and the fact that the local council gave them a spanking new stadium with fantastic facilities for nothing meant that they were able to outspend everyone to get into the League.
He didn't work miracles, he did okay, shame he had to be such an arsehole while he was doing it.

I don't think we'll agree on this Dave - the reason they got half that cup money was because they took Rooney, Ronaldo and co to a replay a massive result for a none league side. They didn't spend a fortune on players in the conference majority were the same guys that had played for the club for years which is what makes it an achievement - Stride, Webster etc. As for the stadium it was built with help from Pirelli in return for naming rights not the local council plus cash from the sale of Eton park. Cloughie is a really nice guy don't know what he's done to upset you and Rip van winkle.

[PaulWinch again]

Saw nothing of this, other than the result. So not particularly good then?

[Bottom Right 89]

How much is Gary Cahill worth now ?
Bolton fans were singing "Cahill, fucking hates villa"

Yes wait till Cahill decides Bolton doesn't match his ambition in the Summer and goes to the highest bidder, wankers.

[gervilla]

Saw nothing of this, other than the result. So not particularly good then?

Some shoddy defending, sitters missed but despite thost 2 vital issues, some very good performances from our boys.
Very frustrated by the result but i have felt a hell of alot worse after defeats this season.

[Percy McCarthy]

  Why don't we ditch this zonal marking bollocks which everyone except GH can see isn't fucking working?

 

Surely you mean "Why did we ditch this zonal marking bollocks which was so successful for the last four seasons"?

[koreanmeatballs]

What exactly are we doing, it's not quite zonal and it's not quite man marking.

It definately is appalling marking though.

[luke25]

Just watched the game again, without the added emotions, if we'd won that 4-0 they could've had no complaints, we were by far the best team, which makes it bloody frustrating that we can't defend crosses

[KevinGage]

I genuinely don't know what it is.

Andy Gray with his machines last season was adamant we were one of the better sides at defending set pieces because we were man-for-man and Liverpool struggled because they were going the fancy, continental zonal route.

Yet a few weeks back Laursen said we used to be zonal when he was at the club, but it looks like we've now gone man-to-man. Whether the OS got the wrong end of the stick I'm not sure, but I don't see how man-to-man marking can leave so many opponents unmarked - as it has done and countless times this season.

[gervilla]

What exactly are we doing, it's not quite zonal and it's not quite man marking.

It definately is appalling marking though.

I think its called no marking what so ever.

[Hoppo]

Cheer yourselves up with the fact that Small Heath Alliance think Curtis is a pub player..

[WikiVilla]

Spot on, take Cahill's 2nd for example, not only a free header initially but also a free 2nd ball for him to lash home
It really is defending of the lowest order

[steffo]

At the game today it looked man 4 man. It's the correct way, but you need to coach it.

[olaftab]

We need to take our chances & we need to change what we're doing at corners.

and I thought we need an alternative answer for splitting the atom!

[Percy McCarthy]

Cast your minds back to the last few seasons. At corners we would line up with the four best headers of the ball along the six-yard line, no matter where the opposition players were. The big centre-forward, be it Heskey or Carew, then the two centre-halves, then whichever centre-half happened to be playing right-back, all along the six-yard line. Perhaps people won't find the selection of Mellberg/Cuellar as an extra defender so 'baffling' now.

[goldenjimi]

What a miserable,grim season this has been.  I've been going to the Villa consistantly since the Big Fat Ron days and this is the most depressed I have felt about a season.  We've had shit seasons in my time, Sir Grahams spell, that twat O'Leary but this feels different, we have quality players, been playing well (I sound like a Baggies fan) and we also have promising young players for the future, but it's still not happening.  I want to like Ged, but just can't, it's as though he doesn't understand the club and fans, I'm not a fan of getting rid of managers but I think we need him to get us to the summer and we all move on.  Sid for manager.