Aston Villa v Newcastle United Post-Match Thread

[Pete3206]

The 2nd half rally doesn't excuse that pathetic 1st 45 mins. You'd think we were playing Juventus.

Down and have accepted the fact.

[Somniloquism]

A quick question for thos who watched the game online or on TV - first half Benteke went down the left, crossed on the floor and Coloccini (who was on the floor) looked like he definitely handled the ball as he went to ground from where I was sat in the North Stand.  Was it a penalty?  Thought Mike Dean was rubbish tonight. 

It wasn't from the North Stand below me.

There were two Lee - one which came at him chest high which definitely wasn't, but the one before that when he was on the floor looked very dubious.

Pinochio on SSN and BBC text both reckoned it was chest and would have been harsh if pen was awarded

[old man villa fan]

A quick question for those who watched the game online or on TV - first half Benteke went down the left, crossed on the floor and Coloccini who had already gone to ground, looked like he definitely handled the ball from where I was sat in the North Stand.  Was it a penalty?  Thought Mike Dean was rubbish tonight. 

They did not replay the incident from behind the goal.  It was not clear from the normal camera angle.

[danlanza]

Bed time. Tara a bit.

[taylorsworkrate]

Just got back home from the match, apologies but have not read through the thread but have just switched on Sky and they are reviewing the goals from the game.  Newcastle's first goal is marginally offside, the freeze frame at the time Sissoko makes the pass shows that Cisse's right leg is offside.  The assistant ref has missed it because he is not in line with the last defender but is a yard in front, shitty officials cost us again on that goal.

You see this is what annoys me about the grief refs and linesmen get. You say yourself that it was marginal. This after having replays and a FREEZEFRAME to view.

Even if the assistant was in line, it would have been an outstanding effort to get it right. Yes technically an error, but only the same as a cricket umpire giving a batsmen out when a centremetre of the ball pitched outside leg stump, hardly shitty decision. Not one person would have commended him if he had flagged.

The game itself was worrying in the extreme. First half we were a complete non entity and a top half side would have been 4 up. Lambert cannot seriously think that a two man midfield as weak physically as Bannan and Westwood can stem the flow.

First 15 of the second were good, with Gabby terrorising their right back and the team playing with real width. After that there was plenty of effort and a good tempo, but little in the way of real quality.

I think we'll go down, as I think we won't do the necessary to halt the slide (good defender and strong midfielder).  Thats the incredibly frustrating part.

[PaulMcGrathsNo5Shirt]

I could see after only 5 minutes of the game that our formation was wrong and needed changing. Their two wide forwards prevented Bennett and Lowton from pushing onto their full back everytime Krul threw the ball out to the fullback. This meant that either Bannan or Westwood went to the ball meaning we were outnumbered in midfield. Their second goal actually came as Lambert was changing it, unfortunately N'Zogbia was the last to be told of the change and where Cabaye struck the ball from a right midfielder would have been have been in the 4-4-2.

Credit to Lambert where due he made the right changes at half time, we desperately needed to match up the formation and he did. He should however have done that in the first half.

Bannan again showed what a lightweight liability he is, often caught in possession of the ball and unable to make any real kind of physical challenge or show any physical prescence. I really like Westwood, I think he's a very decent player but the guy is going to get destroyed if he has to play with Bannan every week.

I'm really proud of the way the fans didn't turn, we have a reputation as being a bunch of whinging tossers but today we really stuck with the team and we almost got a point. We can't expect to get points though when we can only perform for 45 minutes, we simply aren't good enough to do that.

[Dave Clark Five]

No doubt some will say it was ok because we of the second half. Well it wasn't. We should never have gone 2-0 down in the first place! Lambert started Bent and proved to everyone it was the wrong decision by taking him off. He is clueless and should go now. Truly awful manager who makes McLeish look like Mourinho. Lambert out! Lerner Out!

Oh and we're going down 100% now.

Plenty of people have been slagging Lambert for not playing Bent. So he plays him and gets slated. There are times when, whatever he does, unless it works perfectly someone will give him stick.

Just what I was thinking after dropping in, half way through, this thread.

[Dave Clark Five]

Just got back from what is probably my last appearance at VP this season. I'm fed up of 2.5 hr round trip and leaving VP to the sound of away fans rejoicing. TBH, we are down since no team can lose to Wigan, Saints and Newcastle at home inside a month and expect to get points from other fixtures. If you can't beat the teams that are just as shit as you then what's the point?

As for tonight, I think PL carries the can for the inept formation, which effectively meant we played 2 in midfield. Why play a back 5 when our FBs don't cross the halfway line? It also invited their FBs on meaning when BB or AW tried to close them down they were able to play it inside to the unmarked midfielder. Why we had to wait to go 2-0 to change it is beyond me. I also feel a bit for Bent. From my seat in the North Stand he had some nice touches and chased about and showed a lot more than Benteke who apart from his pen was poor imo. Poor lay offs, not jumping for headers, rarely closing down, etc. The team is crying out for width, A) to give us options on the ball and B) to prevent the opposition attacking with ease. What I don't understand is why I can see it yet PL cannot.

We desperately need a midfielder. That Sissoko (sp?) would have been just the ticket but hey ho. Doomed best sums it up!

You aren't coming to Villa Park again this season then?  We need more fans like that.

[Dave Clark Five]

Had a chat with Brendan Ormsby, Big Ron and Sir Doug.

[mr-villa]

Just got back from what is probably my last appearance at VP this season. I'm fed up of 2.5 hr round trip and leaving VP to the sound of away fans rejoicing. TBH, we are down since no team can lose to Wigan, Saints and Newcastle at home inside a month and expect to get points from other fixtures. If you can't beat the teams that are just as shit as you then what's the point?

As for tonight, I think PL carries the can for the inept formation, which effectively meant we played 2 in midfield. Why play a back 5 when our FBs don't cross the halfway line? It also invited their FBs on meaning when BB or AW tried to close them down they were able to play it inside to the unmarked midfielder. Why we had to wait to go 2-0 to change it is beyond me. I also feel a bit for Bent. From my seat in the North Stand he had some nice touches and chased about and showed a lot more than Benteke who apart from his pen was poor imo. Poor lay offs, not jumping for headers, rarely closing down, etc. The team is crying out for width, A) to give us options on the ball and B) to prevent the opposition attacking with ease. What I don't understand is why I can see it yet PL cannot.

We desperately need a midfielder. That Sissoko (sp?) would have been just the ticket but hey ho. Doomed best sums it up!

Must be some distant village in Worcestershire you live in if it is a 2.5hr roundtrip for you.  I come down from Sheffield every home game and even from there its only a 3 hr round trip.!!

[taylorsworkrate]

We could have had Messi and Falcao up front first half and never had a sniff of goal. The problem wasn't picking Bent, it was using a formation where we were going to have no possession.

[Hopadop]

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall - Confucius

That which does not kill us makes us stronger - Friedrich Nietzsche

If you're going to commit suicide, you don't do it yourself - Ron Saunders

[mr-villa]

Just got back home from the match, apologies but have not read through the thread but have just switched on Sky and they are reviewing the goals from the game.  Newcastle's first goal is marginally offside, the freeze frame at the time Sissoko makes the pass shows that Cisse's right leg is offside.  The assistant ref has missed it because he is not in line with the last defender but is a yard in front, shitty officials cost us again on that goal.

From what I heard on the radio, Villa's defence stopped because they thought it was a free kick to Newcastle. If that was the case then they pretty much deserved to concede.

Sorry but just stating the facts as I see them on the screen mate.

[taylorsworkrate]

Lamberts post match was odd.

He said you cant hide behind systems and formations when asked about the poor first half.

Just about anyone who saw that first half would say the formation directly contributed to it being so atrocious.

[mr-villa]

Just got back home from the match, apologies but have not read through the thread but have just switched on Sky and they are reviewing the goals from the game.  Newcastle's first goal is marginally offside, the freeze frame at the time Sissoko makes the pass shows that Cisse's right leg is offside.  The assistant ref has missed it because he is not in line with the last defender but is a yard in front, shitty officials cost us again on that goal.

Bpllocks - lambert cost us the game not the officials!

Sorry Eastie just calling the game as I saw it on the replay, it is an offside goal.  I was at the match so I know only too well that Lambert got the system wrong at kick off, I presume you needed the radio commentators to tell you that.  We all know you do not need five at the back to mark one striker.