Aston Villa v Newcastle United Pre-Match Thread

[Jockey Randall]

I'm not talking about the manager getting abuse I'm talking about the players, I'm talking about the groans of discontent at the first pass that goes astray or the first time a player gets tackled. At every game I've been to since this bad run started it's got progressively worse. I understand we all get frustrated but at the end of the day it doesn't help.

I'm starting to sound like a broken record now but any booing or spleen venting should be saved until the final whistle.

Agreed. Unfortunately I think there will always be some who can't hold their frustrations in, which is I suppose is understandable given the current decline.

[MonsXI]

I'm not talking about the manager getting abuse I'm talking about the players, I'm talking about the groans of discontent at the first pass that goes astray or the first time a player gets tackled. At every game I've been to since this bad run started it's got progressively worse. I understand we all get frustrated but at the end of the day it doesn't help.

I'm starting to sound like a broken record now but any booing or spleen venting should be saved until the final whistle.

I'm not going so I don't have any place to tell people who to behave but just try and back the team for 90mins and if your still unhappy go and shout stuff outside the reception of the Trinity till you feel better!

[Clampy]

I've just been chatting to someone and we said the same thing. It could be a Bolton type scenario which is not what we need.

Why? If we lose  to a very poor Newcastle side who have not yet won away from home due to PL's poor tactics and substitutions,the fans would be well within their rights to demand a change

I meant not what we need in terms of morale.

[Mortimer's Bear]

I'm not talking about the manager getting abuse I'm talking about the players, I'm talking about the groans of discontent at the first pass that goes astray or the first time a player gets tackled. At every game I've been to since this bad run started it's got progressively worse. I understand we all get frustrated but at the end of the day it doesn't help.

I'm starting to sound like a broken record now but any booing or spleen venting should be saved until the final whistle.

I'm not going so I don't have any place to tell people who to behave but just try and back the team for 90mins and if your still unhappy go and shout stuff outside the reception of the Trinity till you feel better!

People pay their money and are therefore entitled to behave however they see fit towards the players, it's just my opinion that it can be counter-productive sometimes to be so critical of every aspect of their play during a game.

As for tonight, I can't go either as I've just been informed I'm working late, it will be the first home game I'll have missed for a long time. You'll probably see me in the match thread, with my spleen well and truly vented, contradicting everything I've said in here thus far!

[Walmley_Villa]

Baker and Vlaar at the back with Clark playing in front of the defence?

[PaulWinch again]

Baker and Vlaar at the back with Clark playing in front of the defence?

Baker's injured.

[MonsXI]

Baker and Vlaar at the back with Clark playing in front of the defence?

Baker's injured.

Saw earlier he is available, possible from Kendrick.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Baker and Vlaar at the back with Clark playing in front of the defence?

Baker's injured.

He's fit again Paul.

[Ads]

Dunne and Vlaar is a solid looking partnership.

Clark in midfield and we instantly have a bit of height and beef (Clacker is a dirty bugger on the quiet; more cards the Moonpig)

If he had Westwood sitting by him then I think the spine is possibly the best we could put out there with the current squad (unless KEA suddenly picks up the pace of the league).

Then for me, Lambert has to make a choice, he either goes with Charlie wide (not his best position) and Gabby wide (same as previously mentioned) or he gives both Bennett and Lowton licence to get forward and really provide width. For me, one of our biggest failings is an inability to get the fullbacks really pushing on. Confidence has a lot to do with it and is 90% part of our recent awful form.

The team I would go with is;

Guzan, Bennett, Dunne, Vlaar, Lowton at the back; full backs to be pushing right onto Newcastle.

Clark sitting and screening the back four. Westwood to be the link between the defence and the rest of the midfield, with Delph, if fit, further forward in a pressing role. I have been impressed with Delph of late. Now he seems aware that he doesn't have to pass the ball backwards or sideways on every occasion, but that he can drop his shoulders and stretch his legs, he looks like a player. Charlie to provide creativity and Bent and Beneteke up top.

I think that Lambert may go with Dunne, Clark and Vlaar at the back, with Bannan and Westwood in midfield, with Cahrlie, Beneteke and Weiman up top.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

LAWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Villa suffered another demoralising loss against Millwall in the FA Cup and I think Paul Lambert now needs to pick his best 11 players and decide on a system. And he needs to find a place in the team for Darren Bent because he is a goalscorer. Villa are playing games in the league without him, with Christian Benteke up front on his own in a 4-5-1 formation, but they are losing.

If I were the manager, I would think, let's try to get Bent in the team alongside the Belgian, play our best team and see where we go from there because they are desperate for a win.

I think Villa might just escape. They have had an awful run of luck with players being out but at least Richard Dunne should be back soon.

I don't think they will spend in the next few days. Randy Lerner is probably telling the manager, "here is what you have got, so get on with it". That is how it will be and Lambert knows that. He is a very good manager who is having a bad time.

As for the Magpies, we are all waiting to see how many of the new players feature and how well they play. The team Alan Pardew picks for this game will never have started together so they will take some time to gel.

1-1

[PaulWinch again]

I just think our midfield will get destroyed by theirs, hopefully it won't though.

[Monty]

If Baker and Dunne really are back, I know what I'd go with:

4-2-3-1

Guzan
Lowton Dunne Vlaar Baker
Westwood Clark
Zog Bannan Weimann
Benteke

[PaulWinch again]

Baker and Vlaar at the back with Clark playing in front of the defence?

Baker's injured.

He's fit again Paul.

In which case I'd probably have him at left back and Dunne in the centre.

[damon loves JT]

Oh bollocks. Lawro you twat.

[rob_bridge]

Just spoke to a work coleague who is a Mags season ticket holder and he isn't at all confident either from their prsepctive.