Aston Villa v Newcastle United Post-Match Thread

[rob_bridge]

Just in case you think they might show a bit of appreciation.

http://www.nufc-forum.com/nufcforum/index.php?topic=54545.0

They mentioned our fans keeping the ball, but their fans did it too. Weird how they didn't say anything about that

Not exactly a hanging offence.

[rob_bridge]

Not sure even Benteke would have much joy without adequate support.

Oh believe me it would have been different. Gabby bless him is way past his use by date and was frankly embarrassing. His best role is on the bench making 10/20 minute impact entries from now on. Weimann may work in the centre but his attention span is poor to star wide and cause chaos in a defence by his movement.

Agree Benteke would have give Colicini far more problems.

Oh Michael Owen is a fucking dire co commentator as well as pundit.

[brian green]

Right on Rob.   I was very pleased with the initial deal available from BT Sport but as well as that self worshipping little weasel Owen they now have Savage up front and centre.   I shall let the BT contract run out then go back to Sky.

[Clampy]

Pluses from yesterday were another clean sheet, good performances from Cissohko and Hutton and a very promising debut from Sanchez. The downside was that we didn't test their keeper that much but i'm happy enough with 4 points out of 6.

[Monty]

Benteke makes all the difference, because us actually having an escape route from defence prevents them from getting everyone forward as much. That, and Benteke is better at football.

[rob_bridge]

Right on Rob.   I was very pleased with the initial deal available from BT Sport but as well as that self worshipping little weasel Owen they now have Savage up front and centre.   I shall let the BT contract run out then go back to Sky.

I refuse to have Sky due to my hatred of Murdoch and his poisonous influence of politics.

Have BT through internet offer. Missus sorted it so we get BT Soort for about a fiver a month.

[saunders_heroes]

Has there been any news on Cissohko's injury? Looked a bad one when he went down but he managed to hobble off on his feet. Can't see him being back for next week though.

[Lastfootstamper]

They mentioned our fans keeping the ball, but their fans did it too. Weird how they didn't say anything about that ::)

They did it first, we just did it better. The timing of our return was spot on. At one point it seemed to be heading back prematurely, hats off to the chap at the front that rescued the situation.


Not that I in any way condone such behaviour.

[pbavfckuwait]

The case for not buying another forward is well argued, but if not we need to get in an attacking midfielder who can create and score a few, as yesterday our main threat came from Cizo and I never, ever believed I would type this Hutton. CNZ was also a limited threat and feel him being subbed was a backward step.

The thing that I want to get across without sounding all doom and gloom, as 4 points is at least 3 more than what I thought we would have now, is Lambert's still lack of ability to create a style of play, that at Villa Park relies on more than just the counter attack, this is his third season and I just cannot see results at Villa park getting any better while we are set up like this. Major concern that to me is still as far away today as it ever was last season.

[Chris Smith]

We look like we have the foundations in place for a decent side. Not having Benteke or Kozak available is limiting how we play though, I feel. Yesterday we had two forwards who both worked hard but they are not the type who are suited to holding the ball up to bring others in and allow us to build the play around them. Not much we can do about that other than wait.

[pbavfckuwait]

The other thing that really pissed me off yesterday was Brads distribution, the amount of time his hoofs went straight to a Newcastle player, I counted 8 then got bored as it was happening way way to often. If we were winning the second ball may have some reason to it, but it boils my piss.

 Anyone got his pass completion rate for yesterday ?

[cheltenhamlion]

Are they still jabbering on about us relegating them? Deluded bunch of fuckwits. They really are painfully up their own arse at times.

[saunders_heroes]

N'Zogbia looked unfit to me yesterday. He was huffing and puffing during the game and is clearly not match fit. There's still not enough creativity in the midfield, and knocking the ball into Gabby with his back to goal isn't gonna get us anywhere.

[Monty]

We look like we have the foundations in place for a decent side. Not having Benteke or Kozak available is limiting how we play though, I feel. Yesterday we had two forwards who both worked hard but they are not the type who are suited to holding the ball up to bring others in and allow us to build the play around them. Not much we can do about that other than wait.

I don't think we're designed to build the play much at all, Chris. We attack quickly, recklessly, with maximum risk in the passes we play. What is good is that we've stopped boofing, and we try these moves on the grass rather than through the air, and if and when the moves break down we're quickly back in position defensively, waiting for a chance to break out.

We're a defensive side, with an emphasis on the counterattack, and there's no shame in that. We do it properly, with good defending, quick breaks, and not succumbing to the non-sequitur (practiced by Allardyce and others) that a defensive side must also be a long-ball side. It's a limiting style, but it's glass ceiling is somewhere well above 17th, and that's all we need from it this season.

[Lastfootstamper]

We look like we have the foundations in place for a decent side. Not having Benteke or Kozak available is limiting how we play though, I feel. Yesterday we had two forwards who both worked hard but they are not the type who are suited to holding the ball up to bring others in and allow us to build the play around them.

Couldn't agree more. The fact that the ball simply will not stick up front is hampering us. We can't keep hold of it long enough and, more tellingly, high enough to push opposition defences back towards their own box. All the midfield creativity in the world wouldn't change that.

Not much we can do about that other than wait.

Yep. Til we get one of the big fellas back, we go again. Not much point in fretting about it.