Aston Villa v Newcastle United Post-Match Thread

[Muscle-Dolphin]

If we want to break out of our "funk" McLeish needs to play Bannan, Albrighton, and Ireland (yes Ireland) together with Bent and Gabby.  They need to develop chemistry.  Bannan and Albrighton seem to be the only guys with some vision.  Ireland needs time on the pitch.  Warnock worked his *ss off.  If we didn't have Given.........  We have a really rich owner - why are we just middling along?

[taylorsworkrate]

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

Those stats are pretty depressing.  Newcastle are an average side at best.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

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.

You haven't ever wanted to watch it, or at least that's the impression you've given since MON was first in charge.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Spot on, Ozzjim. Get the midfield right and I think we can get more than 50 points providing Bent finds his goalscoring boots. I'd have bet your house he'd have scored those two sitters today.

[eastie]

lack of creativity and shots on goal again, defence looks more solid but no supply to bent anymore and one win from 5 winnable games , unbeaten yes but good to watch -no!
nzog very poor today and given won us the point -again.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Newcastle are an average side at best.

Newcastle are unbeaten and currently fourth in the league.

[pablopicasso_10]

predictable garbage...

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Really awful performance today.

Positives - Given, what a great buy; Collins, Dunne & Warnock played well; occassional moments of great play

Negatives - N'Zogbia, it's just not happening; playing Bannan out wide (what's the point); the crowd booing when Petrov was brought off - he may not have been the best player on the pitch, but he was hardly putting in a Messi-esque performance; general attacking play was non-existent

[citizenDJ]

Looked like two pretty poor teams to me, and I'd say a draw was just about a fair result (although either team winning it wouldn't have been a surprise).

We are going to be scrapping it out with another ten or so teams who are about as good as us, which is not very good at all, to finish mid-table. And that's the Premier League.

A bit of a cliche, but if we are going to be an also-ran (again), I'd at least like us to be a little bit entertaining while we're at it. Maybe the coaching reshuffle will have an impact. I really, really hope so.

[Louzie0]

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

Why 'lol'? 
A Villa fan says, 'maybe not one of our best performances' and looks at the possible reasons.  I can't find a lot to 'lol' about, but I can discuss what the problems today seemed to have been, rejoice in Gabby's goal and look for a way forward.

Break open a coconut from one of those bloody palm trees, add the milk to a cocktail of your choice and look to a stimulating discussion about what it will take to flatten Bolton and QPR!

[eamonn]

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.   

You're joking, McLeish will still be here in five years time unless he overachieves and someone bigger comes in for him.

[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.   

You're joking, McLeish will still be here in five years time unless he overachieves and someone bigger comes in for him.

Five years of draws.    VP average crowd 18,000.

[taylorsworkrate]

Spot on, Ozzjim. Get the midfield right and I think we can get more than 50 points providing Bent finds his goalscoring boots. I'd have bet your house he'd have scored those two sitters today.

I think a lot needs to change before we can contemplate close to 50 points.  We have 7 points from 5 games and we couldn't really have picked a nicer set of fixtures to start. 

Its ok saying Bent will find form, but when we don't have enough of the ball (see 41% possession today), or enough attacking intent or creativity, then where are his chances going to come from?  We created one chance for him today. (The other one was a woeful defensive mistake)

Its a pretty poor league, 8th downwards, so we'll probably stay up.

[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

Those stats are pretty depressing.  Newcastle are an average side at best.

The thing is, if those stats are reversed in our favour I would be positive about today. We may not of won but if we had put in a performance which matched the good stats I wouldn't feel too down because I will never slam the team if we play well because I can take postives out of the game knowing we did well and that we'll hopefully get better.

Today though I just can't see any postives apart from the defence being pretty stable like it's been since game 1.

We really need to work hard on keeping possession of the ball, pressing the opposition instead of casually passing it around, be more clinical in front of goal and MORE SHOTS ON GOAL. It's quite simple, the more shots you have on goal, it's more likely you're going to score than not... unless you only have 3 shots on target but score all of them.

[taylorsworkrate]

Newcastle are an average side at best.

Newcastle are unbeaten and currently fourth in the league.

Who have they played though?  A self destructing Arsenal team 1st game, then a crap Sunderland and a Fulham team who are notoriously bad after playing midweek.  Add to that a very mediocre villa side.  I wouldn't read too much into them being 4th.  They'll massively overachieve if they finish in the top half.