Wolverhampton Wanderers v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[supertom]

It's pretty clear we can't defend, so McLeish really has to set his stall out and attack. If we do that, then we should outscore most of the teams below 7th. Today we made chances and took em.

That is the advantage we have in having Benty and now temporarily, Keane. Both know how to put the ball in the back of the net. Gabby wasn't at his best today, but he'll get us plenty and make a few too.

Have to be pleased with that really. It wasn't stylish, or particularly well organised by any means, but we had enough attacking pressure, and enough attacking talent, to score 3 goals.

Our defence isn't monumentally shit. Generally we'll concede 1-2, so we need to be making enough chances to try and get 2-3. Hell, if we do it well enough we could perhaps entertain and be like Newcastle in the mid 90's. Awful defence, but their attack was superb.

Bent's hitting form at the right time too. Any chance we could sign Keane in the summer? Wouldn't be a bad player to bring on in tight games. Possibly within budget too.

[James]

.. and in the changing room McLeish smothers Robbie Keene in kisses!

I doubt it, he'll be too busy counting how many 'get out of jail' cards he has left! 

[sg]

3 points for villa, one large slice of humble pie for me.

Well done Keane, 2 cracking goals... even though i thought/think you're an over-the-hill, has been, so and so... you shut me up today.

Congratulations McLeish on having the bottle to start Gardner, who looked like an accomplished premier league player already.

I must say my patience was tested throughout this afternoon, but it all worked out well. Get in you villa boys!!

*cracks open a stella*

[manic-road]

Well done Villa, massive three points

[Legion]

Received this at H-T:

Ha ha ha ha! That is all!

Payback will be so sweet on Monday...

[Dan England]

Can't afford too many away games and a season ticket but after that and Chelsea I am going to swap it around! Well played Keane, the gamble paid off! Mention for Mcleish an excellent job of a half time rearrange. As ever we are truely shite at the back.

[barrysleftfoot]

  I think today emphasised that we need to get a player like Frimpong in asap.His urgency, pace, energy, enthusiasm, with a fair bit of quality is exactly what we lack.

 Thought Gabby was off today, no surprise that he was taken off because he was ill.Thought Albrighton got better as the game went on but would still have N'Zog ahead of him.

 Keane, well i would of taken him off at H/T tbh, but i have to say , in the end his quality was the difference.

 Gardener, looks ok, good on the ball, has a good pass on him and looks a footballer.For me not a regular yet, but looks ok.

 Petrov, same as always for me, ok at best, does some good things, but is overexposed because of his lack of pace.When we replace him with a Frimpong kind of player it will mean a 4 or 5 places difference in the league.

 Defence, corners apart, i thought coped quite well.Clark looked very vulnerable in the 1st half, far too easily beaten for the 1st goal, Dunne and Collins were more comfortable when Wolves lumped it in the 2nd half.

 Warnock defended well when he came on, and against a good winger , i thought Hutton was ok, hes certainly not as bad as some people make out tbh.

 McL...have to say did'nt understand the sub at H/T, but it worked, and as a manager that speaks volumes.Time we gave him a break tbh.

[Matt Collins]

Clark looks decidedly better in midfield than at the back for me. Not sure we can say 'he isn't a left back though'. He did well there last season. Would be nice if Warnock's form returned. I thought he was good up till the Swansea game. Hutton's defensive positioning is bloody terrible though (although he is starting to look more threatening going forwards)

Don't see how Ireland and Keane can play in the same side really, so will be interesting what we do in the next couple of games. Quite interested in what a Clark / Gardner / Ireland 3 man midfield might look like, although it might take a bit of settling into as none is exactly a regular. I suspect Petrov maybe can't play every game from now on in.

9 points above the R zone now, which feels a lot better than 6!! 3 wins and a couple of draws will probably achieve safety, so let's get most of those points on the board in our games against QPR, Wigan, Blackburn and Fulham

[supertom]

Received this at H-T:

Ha ha ha ha! That is all!

Payback will be so sweet on Monday...

Oooh the halftime pisstake. Schoolboy error from the lad. Give him hell Legion.

[PeterWithesShin]

  I think today emphasised that we need to get a player like Frimpong in asap.His urgency, pace, energy, enthusiasm, with a fair bit of quality is exactly what we lack.

 Thought Gabby was off today, no surprise that he was taken off because he was ill.Thought Albrighton got better as the game went on but would still have N'Zog ahead of him.

 Keane, well i would of taken him off at H/T tbh, but i have to say , in the end his quality was the difference.

 Gardener, looks ok, good on the ball, has a good pass on him and looks a footballer.For me not a regular yet, but looks ok.

 Petrov, same as always for me, ok at best, does some good things, but is overexposed because of his lack of pace.When we replace him with a Frimpong kind of player it will mean a 4 or 5 places difference in the league.

 Defence, corners apart, i thought coped quite well.Clark looked very vulnerable in the 1st half, far too easily beaten for the 1st goal, Dunne and Collins were more comfortable when Wolves lumped it in the 2nd half.

 Warnock defended well when he came on, and against a good winger , i thought Hutton was ok, hes certainly not as bad as some people make out tbh.

 McL...have to say did'nt understand the sub at H/T, but it worked, and as a manager that speaks volumes.Time we gave him a break tbh.

Were you being honest with that post?

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Oh, forgot, what an excellent debut for Gary Gardner.

Yeah, he looked assured didn't he.  Shame he didn't put that header in, it would've capped an impressive debut.

Special mention for Keane too, brilliant finishes.

Great debut from Gardner. All the anti Keane fans watch MOTD. Fantastic performance from Keane. Got to admit Warnock was solid and helped change the game ........

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Won the last 4/5 away games lost 4/5 home games! On that I bet we beat Arsnal and then lose to QPR

I think that has much to do with the atmosphere created at away games (loud, encouraging, supportive, giving the players some confidence) and the atmosphere at home (shit, critical, giving the players no confidence to do anything).

the players feel like they can do things playing away that they can't do at home, such as make a mistake and not be berated for it. This usually results in people trying things they wouldn't at home.

[damon loves JT]

Two Saturdays in a row I have been farting about on the roof with the TV aerial. I must be insane. Next game I will probably be making some toast and running a bath

[PeterWithesShin]

Received this at H-T:

Ha ha ha ha! That is all!

Payback will be so sweet on Monday...

Make his/her life a misery. Nothing like payback on a gloater who already has egg on their face.

[Ian.]

McCleish needs to make this his team but he has no money to do it. What he does have is two quality players in Clark and Gardner and they need to play. They shield our shakey defence much better and with Keane and Bent up top who knows what might happen.

Until the summer we have to try and make do with the likes of Warnock, Collins and co.

Albrighton might not have got his final ball in today but he did help Warnock out a lot in keeping Knightly out who looked a world beater in the first half.