Aston Villa v Newcastle United Post-Match Thread

[old man villa fan]

In Bent we have one of the top strikers when balls are played to him in a certain way i.e. slid through on the deck from forward running midfield players.  Did we once try this today, did we f***.

I know many have been having a go about the previous manager on the Gabby thread but I am afraid GH's style of football is light years ahead of that put forward by AM.

If we are going to be a mid-table side, I would rather play attractive football and lose some than this turgid rubbish.  Football is a simple game of pass and move into space.  How often do our players actually do that.

[brontebilly]

Am I the only one thinking that Given should have come for the cross when Newcastle scored? Other than that he was an obvious MotM, and it's a worry that our keeper is our best player in a home game against a team of the calibre of Newcastle.

its rare enough shay will leave the line, although for that one maybe he should have come out and punched it clear.

Still though when I look at the third goal the ridiculously overrated Ben Foster let in today, thankfully McLeish got one thing right anyway and that was getting Shay in.

[pauliewalnuts]

Agreed, OMVF.

Turgid rubbish. It is early days yet but all the signs are that we are going to be playing the way he had Small Heath playing.

We started to make some advances technically under Houllier. Unfortunately we seem to have junked it all and gone back to a style that makes O'Neill's look flamboyant by comparison.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Today was all about the midfield. Compare the two performances, one flowed the other looked disjointed.

It would appear Delph is the sitting, defensive midfielder, Stan is now our box to box central midfielder, Bannan our right sided creative midfielder and N'Zogbia, well, he wears the number 10 shirt. To Newcastles credit, they played almost everything down our right where Hutton looks like a poor man's Cuellar or through the centre where we let them run at us. We're really missing NRC and Luke Young, not to mention the other two.

After a great opening 20 minutes we just sat back and let them dictate the game. If Bent had finished the move from N'Zogbia and Petrov, maybe we would have gone on to beat them comfortably but instead we gave them the ball back at every opportunity and allowed them to gain more and more confidence.

In the end, it was very much like MON never left. Frustrating to watch and missed opportunities. Sort out the midfield and we'll be fine and that should start by dropping Y'Zogbia. He's still a passenger we can't afford to carry.

[The Situation]

We will be convincingly beat by QPR or it'll be another negative, uninspiring draw.

[taylorsworkrate]

Am I the only one thinking that Given should have come for the cross when Newcastle scored? Other than that he was an obvious MotM, and it's a worry that our keeper is our best player in a home game against a team of the calibre of Newcastle.

its rare enough shay will leave the line, although for that one maybe he should have come out and punched it clear.

Still though when I look at the third goal the ridiculously overrated Ben Foster let in today, thankfully McLeish got one thing right anyway and that was getting Shay in.

In fairness at the blose he got in a quality keeper in Hart on loan. 

Problem is that Hart was by far their best player that year, and Given is most likely going to be far and away our best player.  You do not want your goalkeeper to have to be your best player.

[Goldie.7]

We will convincingly beat by QPR or it'll be another negative uninspiring draw.

I don't think we'll even get a point.

[Risso]

What a load of desperately dull shite.  As predicted, we'll draw most of our games, with just the odd win chucked in to keep us safe.  No wonder nobody wants to watch it.

[richard moore]

And to think I was ridiculed by someone, albeit it very nicely, for rubbishing their prediction of 5-0

My advice to all those predicting 4-0 and the like beforehand is a big 'get real'

We will probably survive this season though whether it is by our own efforts or through every other team from 6th downwards (once the league has settled down and we have the predictable top 6) winning one week and losing the next - witness today - remains to be seen...

[SamTheMouse]

Why the bloody hell do we still have no central midfield? We get dominated in that area week in, week out and it's been happening for years, bar the period when Milner was moved into the middle. The terrifying thing is, that Delph and Petrov are comfortably the best options we have in that area.

And Bannan...we should be building a side around him. He's the most intelligent footballer at the club, he should be sent out there every match and told to float around in the gap between the opposition midfield and defence, and everyone else should be instructed to make runs for him. The lad is one of the few proper footballers at the club and it pains me to see him wasted in wide areas all the sodding time.

[ozzjim]

I think we are not half as bad as some are making out. Newcastle played quite well, we played ok and in fairness could have scored a couple more ourselves, but it is being made out that we got a lucky goal and then sat on our 18 yard line, which is total nonsense.

Biggest issue was NZogbia, who is clearly not up to pace, so Albrighton should be starting in place of him. Bannan did well, but Delph IMO was very poor today, and Jenas can't be fit soon enough. Midfield wise we are light and short of experienced quality and it showed with Cabeye looking a hell of a player for them. Hutton needs some time to settle, and Bent needs to play himself back into form and fitness.

Given is top drawer. Totally brilliant, and way better than Big Brad was. I think people need to look at it objectively though, 2 unbeaten sides stayed unbeaten, and either could have won it. Hardly wrist slashing time. We will get about 50 points, which would be about what we would expect this season.

[TonyD]

We will convincingly beat by QPR or it'll be another negative uninspiring draw.

I don't think we'll even get a point.

If the manager makes the required changes we can be a tight and explosive team.   We could win in west London.   However, these managers who have managed in Scotland recently seem to be stubborn, blinkered and slower than a supertanker to change course.   I would give him another 6 games.  If he doesn't make the basic and blindingly obvious changes that any football fan can see he needs to do - then get rid.   

[villadelph]

Can't complain about undefeated, but we're due for a win. Glad to see Warnock play well and Gabby to get on the score sheet. I don't see the worry behind Hutton, I thought he played okay and got forward a few times well. Ireland was clever his first 10 minutes on but faded a little bit, but our team never had much possession to aid his style of play. Bannan and Delph played well for me. Bent, anonymous.. and I hate using that word. I'd give Delfounso a run for Bolton.

Our first half was pretty bright with the momentum pretty even, but our second half just wasn't good enough. I was a bit confused when Petrov went off but I was glad to see a less experienced side could still handle the last 30. I thought Ireland looked promising, he wants to do well.

Given, absolute savage.

[The Situation]

Shots on Target:
Villa 2
Newcastle 6

Attempts on goal:
Villa 7
Newcastle 7

Corners:
Villa 4
Newcastle 9

Pass success rate:
Villa 73%
Newcastle 83%

Possession:
Villa 41.2%
Newcastle 58.8%

lol

[Blackcountry Villa]

What annoys me is when you hear the pundits who haven't watched 90 minutes of us this season saying 'It's been a good start for McLeish at Villa, still undefeated'. What a load of bollocks. Yes we're undefeated but we've had one of the easiest starts a team could wish for in this league and we've drawn four games out of five and been absolutely shit in four games out of five, and our only win came against Blackburn who never win away. The football and tactics are diabolical and they won't change anytime.