Sunderland v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Tony]

Like all good strikers, Darren Bent will miss sitters, Luis Suarez misses them too, so does Rooney, Torres, Van Persie, Drogba yadda yadda yadda yadda, the difference being they are likely to get more chances in the same game than Bent does. His overall play isn't as good as those players, if it were, he'd be playing for a top four side because his goalscoring record for teams who don't create as many chances as the top four teams has been bloody excellent over the last few seasons.

[Dante Lavelli]

I think bringing Clark in could add a bit of composure to the defence.  We'll lose a bit aerially but as seen in the last three matches we're not exactly shit hot in that area with two big lumps at centre back either.

Assuming Jenas is fit, I'd bring him in for Heskey to see what he can do.

[caster troy]

Comparisons with MON's first season are pointless as we were in a totally different financial situation back then. We were on an upward curve with a number of factors in our favour, now we have a worse manager, no money and all the enthusiasm we had back then has evaporated.

I admire the optimists but looking at the fixtures I really worry how things will be looking once the 1st of January comes around.

Sunderland were there for the taking today and despite leading twice we couldn't do the job. If we don't beat Norwich I think some some hostility will start creeping in at Villa Park although with our owner AWOL I'm not sure who it will be directed at. That is now a massive game I think.

[Compass]

At least McLeish has improved our defence, espeically when it comes to set pieces and the last 10 minutes. Oh wait, no he hasn't. What's he good for again?

I miss Houllier. Under him we created more chances and had better possession. His long term plan was more exciting as well. With McLeish, this is it. This is his ceiling and it's not gonna be pretty come December.

[pauliewalnuts]

You can't really blame Bent for missing that chance today.

He was probably just over excited at actually receiving the ball in their penalty area.

[dave.woodhall]

Just looked at this thread without checking the score. Judging by the comments we must have got battered - how many did we lose by?

We have 12 points after 10 games and are playing shite football, can people see Us getting another 12 points from our next 10 games?

On our current form we will finish in the bottom 6, let's just hope it's the right end of that 6.

With Mcleish in charge we will not improve technically (he's turned Bent into pub player with his team selections), we will not attract players we can actually afford and our attendance's will only get worse.

Depressing.

So how many did we lose by today?

The problem is Sunderland are the worst side we have faced this season by a long way.
The game was there for the taking and we didn't,the run of games we now have people are gonna be worried,myself included.

We don't half seem to have faced a lot of "worst sides this season."

[pauliewalnuts]

At least McLeish has improved our defence, espeically when it comes to set pieces and the last 10 minutes. Oh wait, no he hasn't. What's he good for again?

I miss Houllier. Under him we created more chances and had better possession. His long term plan was more exciting as well. With McLeish, this is it. This is his ceiling and it's not gonna be pretty come December.

My concern is that, under Houllier, i could see what he was trying to do, and I liked it - we just weren't managing to do it very often.

With McLeish, I can see what he's trying to do, and I don't think I like it very much.

[bertlambshank]

Just looked at this thread without checking the score. Judging by the comments we must have got battered - how many did we lose by?

We have 12 points after 10 games and are playing shite football, can people see Us getting another 12 points from our next 10 games?

On our current form we will finish in the bottom 6, let's just hope it's the right end of that 6.

With Mcleish in charge we will not improve technically (he's turned Bent into pub player with his team selections), we will not attract players we can actually afford and our attendance's will only get worse.

Depressing.

So how many did we lose by today?

The problem is Sunderland are the worst side we have faced this season by a long way.
The game was there for the taking and we didn't,the run of games we now have people are gonna be worried,myself included.

We don't half seem to have faced a lot of "worst sides this season."

Dave we had more of the ball today than they did,when was the last time we could say that playing away from home? 

[dave.woodhall]

Dave we had more of the ball today than they did,when was the last time we could say that playing away from home? 

Well done us for getting it then.

[Shrek]

Dave are you actually making a point?

Paul hit the nail on the head, we can't buy a win at the moment and Mcleish's team selection and tactics are shite and have isolated Bent.

A confident Bent would have slotted that ball home 6 yards out today.
We can't defend, we don't score many and we have no midfield.

Paul Merson summed us up before kickoff "villa might nick a goal but their not gonna put 3 or 4 past them" and that's against Sunderland.

[bertlambshank]

Dave we had more of the ball today than they did,when was the last time we could say that playing away from home? 

Well done us for getting it then.

Did you see the game?

[Dante Lavelli]

Dave we had more of the ball today than they did,when was the last time we could say that playing away from home? 

Well done us for getting it then.

Did you see the game?

I'd hate to see how pissed off you and Compass get when we lose.

[Dan England]

Just looked at this thread without checking the score. Judging by the comments we must have got battered - how many did we lose by?

We have 12 points after 10 games and are playing shite football, can people see Us getting another 12 points from our next 10 games?

On our current form we will finish in the bottom 6, let's just hope it's the right end of that 6.

With Mcleish in charge we will not improve technically (he's turned Bent into pub player with his team selections), we will not attract players we can actually afford and our attendance's will only get worse.

Depressing.

So how many did we lose by today?

The problem is Sunderland are the worst side we have faced this season by a long way.
The game was there for the taking and we didn't,the run of games we now have people are gonna be worried,myself included.

Being a bit picky but the worst team is surely the one that has lost 7 games on the bounce? That would be Wigan then.

 A point at the Stadium of Light isn't a bad result. It is just very frustrating to lose a goal from a set piece yet again. Sort our defence out and we'll win more than we'll lose. Is Mcleish the man to do that, who knows?

[kippaxvilla2]

I cannot think of another side in the top 16 Heskey would get into.

[Mister E]

At least McLeish has improved our defence, espeically when it comes to set pieces and the last 10 minutes. Oh wait, no he hasn't. What's he good for again?

I miss Houllier. Under him we created more chances and had better possession. His long term plan was more exciting as well. With McLeish, this is it. This is his ceiling and it's not gonna be pretty come December.

And Sunderland beat us twice last season ....