Everton v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Walmley_Villa]

Happy with a point. Personally I don't particularly like Everton. Two song fans, people's club and all that crap. Feck 'em.

[Mister E]

First half? - we didn't seem to get going at all!
The back four all looked slow and lethargic.
N'Zog disappointing.
Bannan - looks the business on the ball but when defending he still looks lightweight.
Great to see Albrighton put in the cross for the 2nd goal.
Great to see Gabby defy the critics with a goal, playing more centrally late in the game.
Bent must be frustrated as hell - really well marked by Distin today.
Warnock - drifting back into his bad old ways. Very poor today.
Hutton? - pretty anonymous.

Star man? - Petrov. Grafted, motivated and also delivered. Not a 60-minute man today; a full-on, 94-minute man.

[Toronto Villa]

there are going to be games like this during the season where we steal a point when we shouldn't. There will also be games like many last season where we throw away a late lead having played well and not taken our chances. I'll take today, count my lucky stars, embrace the point and hopefully play better next week at home to Newcastle.

[Lobsterboy]

Still unbeaten after five games and a decent point against an Everton side that were fired up for today and should have won comfortably.

I am sure I felt much worse last season so Big Eck and the players must be doing something right so far

[Grande Pablo]

Sadly only heard snippets on (sadly...) WM due to junior Pablo's rugby commitments, but on hearing Gabby's equalizer, Paul Frank's quite validily said 'Gabby - he is a striker you know...' - that's 2 decent goals already this term, so I think our formation is in need of a reshuffle.

[darren woolley]

I was just relieved we got a draw out of this nice one Gabby you have made my weekend a bit better.

[TheBarneyArmy]

Got to get Bent some support up front, i.e. Gabby, don't like this formation at all. Very lucky to get anything out of this, hopefully AM will change the formation n play two up top.

[BILL DE VALL]

watched the game on a good stream-listening to WM on the radio
I voted for a draw in the pre match thing so I knew it would end up a draw -even while watching it
my Brother was going mad (at the villa for being a bit crap)-but I was a picture of nonchalance -as if the draw was pre destined-I kept saying "don't worry,this is a nailed on draw" even when we were 2-1 down
strange

[olaftab]

Great fight back fantastic character  shown by the team. Tough place to go so delighted with a  point.
From reading the thread it appears we got this result despite McLeish not because of .....

[Dave]

My pre-season decision to put cash on a draw for every league game we play is proving very fruitful.

[Daholteend]

First half we were very poor with our midfield being overrun. Fellaini seemed to be everywhere and we were lucky that we were only down a goal at HT.

Second Half we showed a little improvement, barely, and Petrov's goal seemed to boost us. Dunne and Given were impressive. Hutton seems to play a little high up the park on the right and probably needs to work on fitness and training with the defence at BMH before the Toons come to town.

We were beaten too often by players like Coleman and Bilyaletdinov and Fellaini and Osman were a constant threat going forward. Luckily Dunne was back to his heroics shown in midweek and he and Collins did just enough to keep us in the game.
Delph's giving away a penalty won't do much for his confidence. Albrighton's cross for Gabby's goal will do much for theirs.
Bannan's substitution for Heskey will have many clamouring for Bannan to start against the Toons. Ireland's brief cameo's this season are showing promise that he may be finding his way back to the player he was three seasons ago.
There is no doubt in my mind that Bent's groin injury is hampering him. N'Zogbia's touch and fitness aren't quite there yet and it is possible that with Bent's timing off the two of them looked out of synch. That will improve as the season wears on.

For me, stealing a point at Everton is great and my Villa cup is still half full.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

Our lack of movement is dreadful and that has to begun with the players in the middle of the park. Whilst we're playing Petrov and Delph together in the middle it isn't going to change i'm afraid especially as they both appear to have a defensive role in the team. Physically they couldn't match Rodwell and Feillani either. Bent clearly needs some support and we have to play Gabby more orthodox up front and then leave out Heskey and play a more orthodox 4-4-2. McLeish then needs to decide on what to do with his midfield. Recall Albrighton? Bring in Jenas? Ireland?

Some tough decisions for McLeish to make I feel - as today we got a point and deserved nothing.

[Vanilla]

We do seem to be defending from the front. Things must be bad if Petrov had to push forward and have a slap because of our lack of invention. That also blows my prediction that we would probably never see Petrov score again in this new formation.

[gervilla]

Very lucky the ref didn't punish Wee Barry for bringing down Baines in the area. That was a definitely a pen.
We were very fortunate to get a point today. I'm glad to see Given and Dunne kept up their performance levels that they displayed in Moscow during the week. Keep it up boys because we are going to need that level of performance every week.

[gervilla]

Oh ya, Barry Horne was a disgrace in his co-commentating. He shouldn't be commentating on Everton games if he is that biased.