Newcastle United v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Dave Clark Five]

I am glad someone else has noticed the 'hoof' cliche.
Even Given has been accused of it today.
It was not a hoofing game apart from getting the ball away from danger occasionally. Sorry if that doesn't fit with the agenda of some.

[Somniloquism]

Didnt get to watch or listen to much of the game this afternoon, and there seems to be a mixed reaction on here.

I didnt expect anything other than a loss, so were we as bad as some ppl are saying or were we unlucky not to get the win as per AM comments on SSN?

Unlucky to lose, maybe not win. Their GK made some good saves. They're certainly not anywhere near 14 points better than us. They just have competent (not good) defenders.

Coloccini has been very good this season, I think.

Also they weren't playing their first choice Centre mids of Cabaye and Tiote. God knows what would have happened if they had.

[Jimmy Smash]

I thought we gave the ball away too often for long periods. This invites other teams to come at us. You cant really blame the defence, as the law of averages says that we're going to concede under these circumstances. For the record, I think that Bannan is far too lightweight to do the business consistently for us. Ireland was at least picking the ball up in midfield and doing something with it. Banan just trie to play the cutting pass... which rarely comes off. He's certainly not a ball winner.

[villadelph]

On the train on the way back to Manc. Quite bizarre substitutions which probably cost us the match and the defending was as ever poor at times.  Geordies were amazed we took off Ireland and N'zogbia and from the looks on their faces they new they'd got away with it.  Looks like Redknapp was right about Darren Bent, just how many chances does he need!  I honestly believe we should have won that game.  Annoyed and what this nonsense Collymore has tweeted about Villa players giving backchat to McLeish during the match?

While Bent was a bit wasteful today, you've got to give credit to Krul. 3 out of his 4 good chances would've been netters on most other keepers. Krul closed him down well and smothered all of his chances. That being said, my two best mates are toon supporters and they were dumbfounded when Ireland and N'Zogbia went off. Maybe because I've been getting hounded by close friends all morning I'm overdoing it on the boards today.

[Somniloquism]

I am glad someone else has noticed the 'hoof' cliche.
Even Given has been accused of it today.
It was not a hoofing game apart from getting the ball away from danger occasionally. Sorry if that doesn't fit with the agenda of some.

So for almost 20 mins in the second half we were just clearing the ball from danger occaisionally. The players dropped deeper and deeper and got squeezed up so we had no midfield outlet as it was too congested. So that was all we could do was kick it long to Bent and hope.

[AV82EC]

I am glad someone else has noticed the 'hoof' cliche.
Even Given has been accused of it today.
It was not a hoofing game apart from getting the ball away from danger occasionally. Sorry if that doesn't fit with the agenda of some.

I'm going to disagree with that to a degree as whilst in general our play was constructive and played on the deck there aretimes when we did hoof aimlessly and not to anyone in particular.  However you are right to point out we don't play this cliched long ball game and anyone casually using it quite obviously hasn't been paying attention since the Arsenal home game.

[picicata]

I am glad someone else has noticed the 'hoof' cliche.
Even Given has been accused of it today.
It was not a hoofing game apart from getting the ball away from danger occasionally. Sorry if that doesn't fit with the agenda of some.

Which ever way you dress it - long ball, clearing from danger etc - the truth is that from about the 45 minute up until they scored we played way to many balls over the heads of our midfield in a hopeful manner towards Bent. This resulted in giving possession away again and again and why during this period we had only 25% of possession. This is not an agenda, this is based on fact.

We played some good stuff in the first half, then Newcastle stepped it up a gear in the second and we didn't. Once they had scored their second, they sat deeper and we were once again able to start passing the ball around.

When teams press us we can't cope and we kick the ball long and hopeful.

[villadelph]

I am glad someone else has noticed the 'hoof' cliche.
Even Given has been accused of it today.
It was not a hoofing game apart from getting the ball away from danger occasionally. Sorry if that doesn't fit with the agenda of some.

I'm going to disagree with that to a degree as whilst in general our play was constructive and played on the deck there aretimes when we did hoof aimlessly and not to anyone in particular.  However you are right to point out we don't play this cliched long ball game and anyone casually using it quite obviously hasn't been paying attention since the Arsenal home game.

For the first 20 minutes of both halves I would say that clearance from the backline looked like a priority. It seemed a lot like 'hoofing' to me, especially early on with Darren Bent either chasing to win a header or getting the ball taken off his foot. It didn't seem like there weren't many possessions that started out from the back and worked their way up through the midfield.

[dave.woodhall]

A lot of this comes down to our lack of a player who can put his foot on the ball and dictate the pace of the game. If we could get one of them many of our problems would be solved.

[David_Nab]

From Twitter N'Zogbia

First time in my life im not happy playing football !!!

[Somniloquism]

In the first 30 seconds of the second half they hit a hopeful cross into the box that ricocheted off several of our players and was cleared away in a panic. I think that just seemed to set out the game then as they knew we could panic and we thought we need to defend well and not give away a stupid ball.

The Heskey sub actually changed that and we started to get some good chances again so it is typical they then scored.

[villadelph]

A lot of this comes down to or lack of a player who can put his foot on the ball and dictate the pace of the game. If we could get one of them many of our problems would be solved.

I completely agree.. that's why I asked Pete that question a few posts ago. Who is going to come back for the ball and effectively take it forward for us. Petrov and Clark make great coverage for the backs but Keane's intent to stay high and help feed Bent make it so that we have no defensive third distributor.

[Somniloquism]

From Twitter N'Zogbia

First time in my life im not happy playing football !!!

TBH though, apart from the assist, he did nothing else attacking wise and wasted several opportunities. I know the same could be said about Bent but we can't play two of them, although either could have been subbed for the Lump.

[tarzansbrother]

A lot of this comes down to our lack of a player who can put his foot on the ball and dictate the pace of the game. If we could get one of them many of our problems would be solved.

Nowt to do with our twat of a manager then?

[villadelph]

A lot of this comes down to our lack of a player who can put his foot on the ball and dictate the pace of the game. If we could get one of them many of our problems would be solved.

Nowt to do with our twat of a manager then?

I bet getting taken off by Heskey so early is a bit humbling, especially after providing the crucial dribbles and pass up to our goal.