Aston Villa v Newcastle United Post-Match Thread

[Irish villain]

I really don't understand all the sniping at Makoun. I and the people either side of me all agreed he had a decent game. He's one of the few in the team who knows where he is going to pass the ball before he receives it. I think he will be a big plus for us next season.

I have no doubt he has lots of ability, has an eye for a pass and will go on to be an important player for us. My original question was based on the fact he gave away an awful lot of cheap possession today and I thought we might be better with a grafter like NRC in there until we are safe. I agree that he is more creative than Petrov and NRC but he was out muscled a lot today and I thought overall he was poor and unsuited to the type of scrap we're in. I'm sure he will be good for us next season... I just think I'd leave him out against West Ham (and until we are safe). Thanks to those who responded to my earlier question by the way.

[fredm]

Bent's goal was offside. Not by much, but it was.

If any part of your body that can score a goal is ahead of the last defender then you're off - Bent's leg was beyond the last defender.

Tight, but undoubtedly the correct decision.

So just like Berbatov's yesterday?

Oh sorry that wasn't offside.

[Dave]

Bent's goal was offside. Not by much, but it was.

If any part of your body that can score a goal is ahead of the last defender then you're off - Bent's leg was beyond the last defender.

Tight, but undoubtedly the correct decision.

So just like Berbatov's yesterday?

Oh sorry that wasn't offside.

No idea, I've not seen it.

But yes, if any part of him was offside then that should have been given as well.

It doesn't make today's decision incorrect.

[rob_bridge]

3 points is what mattered today. I'll even give Clueless Clousseau a break (this week) as he seems to have woken up to the fact that as we are in a relegation scrap and that means Luke Young, Petrov (and never been a fan), Dunne and Collins need to play. So does Cuellar and NRC. Preferably Warnock should be brought back to the 18. And Pires should never ever play - he brings nothing other than trouble to Villa. People who think Heskey should start really are deluded - nice bloke but useful nuisance from the bench.

Both Gabby and Heskey occupy defences though Gabby scores more, though neither score enough.

I don't care much for Ashley's and Downing's exit strategy - in fact if and when we are safe these are the pair who should be put in the reserves. Neither of them are that good - one is a blatant cheat and the other is a lightweight show pony (Joe Colesque) and both of them think they are far better than they really are.

[villa1]

Good result but we are diabolical. What a terrible game of football that was.

Win next week and we're almost safe but i think we'll lose, and we never beat Wigan at home and i think Albion will beat us. Anyone who thinks we're safe now is getting ahead of themselves, we're still crap.

The missus has just had to stop me from slashing my wrists after reading that!

Doom. Doom and despair!

[fredm]

Well I am going to upset a few people here but I think Gabby should not be in the team.  We should play with a front three of Bent (central) and Ashley and Downing either side as strikers with Albrighton as back up.

Behind those should be a midfield three - Petrov and NRC (or Delph) doing the graft and Makoun pulling the strings. As per Man U yesterday with Berbatov between Nani and Valencia.

Playing Gabby and Bent up front does not give us any balance as neither is prepared to come back into midfield and pick up the ball and act as link man.  Bent is an out and out striker and must be played in that position, Gabby cannot play the other position as he showed today by just aimlessly wandering around waiting for the long ball to chase after therefore IMO he is not what is required.

[Dave]

I don't care much for Ashley's and Downing's exit strategy - in fact if and when we are safe these are the pair who should be put in the reserves. Neither of them are that good - one is a blatant cheat and the other is a lightweight show pony (Joe Colesque) and both of them think they are far better than they really are.

Downing's exit strategy?

What on earth are you blathering on about?

[PaulWinch again]

I don't care much for Ashley's and Downing's exit strategy - in fact if and when we are safe these are the pair who should be put in the reserves. Neither of them are that good - one is a blatant cheat and the other is a lightweight show pony (Joe Colesque) and both of them think they are far better than they really are.

Downing's exit strategy?

What on earth are you blathering on about?

Yeah I was wondering that, he said he wants to stay.

I can't believe the amount of moaning on this thread. This weekend has shown how tough it is at the end of the season, none of the other sides in bottom half have won, we have. That says it all.

[Mazrim]

A nervy affair that we should have won by several goals and if it wasnt for one of the worst refs Ive ever seen and dickhead linesman with a poker cap, we would have done.

Not the team I would have played but fair play, they did well. A fair amount of mistakes but its to be expected with so much at stake I suppose.
I also liked how we stod up to a team looking to make it a cynical physical encounter because they're shit and had no other options.
Newcastle are fast becoming the team Allardyce would have proud of several years after his departure.

Anyway. Villa controlled this game. A good performance without being completely convincing but a big result that was nothing short of deserved.

Friedel - 8. Some good saves and never looked in trouble.
Walker - 6. Nervy moments, caught out of position a few times and didt suppport the attacks as ofetn as he can and should. Still learning.
Collins - 8. A bit of a mix bag but great goal and grew into the game.
Dunne - 7. Solid and untroubled.
Young - 7. A decent enough performance.
Downing - 7. A decent game overall.
Petrov - 8. I rolled my eyes when I saw him in hje side but fair play to him. Did very well. Still too many pointless passes to marked players though.
Makoun - 6. Very harsh criticism of him here. Did 9 things well but the tenth was sloppy and made it seem worse than it was. Some good tackles and endeavour but a long way from a vintage performance and he knew it. No real worries over him yet at all.
Gabby - 7. More like it.  Some genuine effort and might have scored.
Young - 7. Typical Ash performance. Lots of effort and some good and bad set pieces (including an assist).
Bent - 7. Should have a goal to his credit. Held the ball up well. Generally decent game.

Fuck yous going out to Alan Pardew because he's a bell end, Joey Barton because I'd love to put my fist through his scouse mush and Stuart Atwell because he's an incompetent cockpuppet.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't understand the moaning and whingeing on this thread.

Everybody else at the bottom, bar Small Heath, lost yesterday and today. We won.

It makes not a jot of fucking difference to the season as a whole if we played like Brazil 1970 or Wimbledon 1987 today, but we got three points and kept a clean sheet - and that is all that matters.

It's almost as if some of us are slightly disappointed we actually won, so as to remove the chance to tell us yet again how utterly shit and fucked we are **


** I know nobody really feels this way, but fucking hell, you'd think it, given a glance through this thread.

[villa1]

Why do we keep playing Agbonlahor? He is absolutely shit and i've always said so. Zero technical ability, no footballing brain and has fuck all apart from a bit of pace. He's a nice enough lad and a Villa fan, but if he wasn't nobody would rate him.  He's piss poor.

That's it! The ropes coming out!

[VillaAlways]

3 points fanbloodytastic. That is it

[SoccerHQ]

Yeah it was important to win but I dunno it wasn't like a scrambled win from 0-0 with ten minutes to go which I'd have been more pleased with.

We got an earlyish goal so I dunno but was it really unreasonable to expect us to go and get a second in the second half and keep the ball a bit better?

I'm also factoring in a) Newcastle are dire without Carroll and b) didn't have Nolan or Tiote playing so a weakened central midfield. They also last their last away game 4-0 to Stoke.

While it's important we get to 40 points as quickly as possible, I'm trying to see some hope for next season, that we won't be scrabbling around in the bottom half again and will insead be challenging the top 6 like we used to.

I can't see it on performances like today really.

[Lizz]

I don't understand the moaning and whingeing on this thread.

Everybody else at the bottom, bar Small Heath, lost yesterday and today. We won.

It makes not a jot of fucking difference to the season as a whole if we played like Brazil 1970 or Wimbledon 1987 today, but we got three points and kept a clean sheet - and that is all that matters.

It's almost as if some of us are slightly disappointed we actually won, so as to remove the chance to tell us yet again how utterly shit and fucked we are **


** I know nobody really feels this way, but fucking hell, you'd think it, given a glance through this thread.

Agree. I almost feel like I should feel bad for enjoying the game. But I don't.

[davevillan]

Bent's goal was offside. Not by much, but it was.

If any part of your body that can score a goal is ahead of the last defender then you're off - Bent's leg was beyond the last defender.

Tight, but undoubtedly the correct decision.

So just like Berbatov's yesterday?

Oh sorry that wasn't offside.

No idea, I've not seen it.

But yes, if any part of him was offside then that should have been given as well.

It doesn't make today's decision incorrect.

Dave is correct. Although very tight, part of Bents leg was nearer the goal-line then the 2nd rearmost defender, so the correct decision was made.
Tbh, both were so tight, you cant criticise the A/R for getting either wrong, as they haave to make a split second judgement call. Berbatovs was proved wrong, today, it was proved correct.