Newcastle United v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Steve R]

The parallel with 69/70 is a good one. There have been a few times this season where I have thought 'this is what it was like'. By the time Docherty was sacked - February - we had only won 4 all season. Vic Crowe had to deal with a squad that had a fair few good players but was totally disorganised, demoralised and had got into the habit of losing.

Crowe won only one of his first 11, but in that time there was a clear progression from a dishevelled rabble to a squad that had belief and fight.

Grade has to do the same thing, and seems to be getting along the path. Sure it would have been nice to have won today, but to me the bigger thing was the way the team picked themselves off the floor and had a go, and with no little ability too.

I can see us getting to a point where we can go into games with confidence and win them. Whether that happens soon enough is a different matter but I can't believe that people are slamming Garde for the way he is going about things.

Looking forward to Boxing Day.

[shirley_villan]

Veretout was the best player on the pitch

[Steve67]

Was there a touch of offside for their goal? Crap defending regardless but I felt that one of their players was standing not quite right in front of Guzan but seemingly behind our last defender.

Better second half. More belief from many of them. I quite enjoyed watching but the transfer window can't come soon enough. Keeper and a centre back, ball winner in midfield and a clever mover up front.

[LTA]

Such a disappointment that Garde didn't have the ambition to go for the win.  Newcastle were poor in the second half, but soon as we equalised we just sat back again.  Dont see why Garde is getting so many plaudits at the moment if I'm honest.   Far too negative for my liking and I've come to the conclusion he isn't the answer.

[Mister E]

Such a disappointment that Garde didn't have the ambition to go for the win.  Newcastle were poor in the second half, but soon as we equalised we just sat back again.  Dont see why Garde is getting so many plaudits at the moment if I'm honest.   Far too negative for my liking and I've come to the conclusion he isn't the answer.

Do you really think it's a lack of ambition?
Perhaps he doesn't trust the team to defend when playing a more open style.
Perhaps he is unconvinced by the more attacking options at his disposal.

I'm sure that Garde is desperately trying to establish a platform of stability on which to accumulate points. Thing is, he probably thinks he's got enough time.

[VillaAlways]

Such a disappointment that Garde didn't have the ambition to go for the win.  Newcastle were poor in the second half, but soon as we equalised we just sat back again.  Dont see why Garde is getting so many plaudits at the moment if I'm honest.   Far too negative for my liking and I've come to the conclusion he isn't the answer.

Can't agree with this. The team had just come from behind for only the second time all season. It would have been catastrophic if they had then gone on to lose the game.
We continued to be the better side after we equalised ,it's not like we put 11 men behind the ball.

Gestede caused them a lot of problems when he came on and was unlucky not to get the winner.

[Meanwood Villa]

I don't think we sat back after we scored, there was a 5-10 minute spell where we were all over them after it. They came back into it but I think that was more to do with them than us. The time wasting in injury time was a bit embarrassing and not what the away end were shouting for but on the other hand a breakaway goal for them at that time would have been a sickener.

[MattW]

Not sure if conditions contributed to it but Guzan was poor for their goal.

I didn't think the conditions played a part at all. Lescott lost his man at the corner and Guzan parried a weak shot which was virtually straight at him into the corner of the net. Ugly, soft goal and very preventable.

Defensively it pretty much summed us up so far this season.

I can't imagine how poorly Bunn must be training to not get a start.

[Risso]

Not sure if conditions contributed to it but Guzan was poor for their goal.

I didn't think the conditions played a part at all. Lescott lost his man at the corner and Guzan parried a weak shot which was virtually straight at him into the corner of the net. Ugly, soft goal and very preventable.

Defensively it pretty much summed us up so far this season.

I can't imagine how poorly Bunn must be training to not get a start.

Agreed, a very preventable goal which the lamentable Guzan helped on its way.  He is truly awful.

[LTA]

Such a disappointment that Garde didn't have the ambition to go for the win.  Newcastle were poor in the second half, but soon as we equalised we just sat back again.  Dont see why Garde is getting so many plaudits at the moment if I'm honest.   Far too negative for my liking and I've come to the conclusion he isn't the answer.

Can't agree with this. The team had just come from behind for only the second time all season. It would have been catastrophic if they had then gone on to lose the game.
We continued to be the better side after we equalised ,it's not like we put 11 men behind the ball.

Gestede caused them a lot of problems when he came on and was unlucky not to get the winner.

Trouble is that the situation we're in draws are no good.  We need to start taking more risks.

[The Edge]

Just watched highlights of MOTD. It's the soft goals that are killing us. Veretout was excellent. Ayew 1st half was piss poor but great 2nd half. Hilarious comment from Jenas. After describing Ayews brilliant goal he said "Villa are doomed as I don't see any goals in them"

[Chris Smith]

Three draws under Garde is an improvement on what went before but it is unlikely to be enough. The second half yesterday hinted at what the players are capable of, unfortunately in a different way so did the first half.

[claret and blue blood]

Garde is doing fine with the hand he's been dealt.
First signing for me a keeper followed by a natural solid left back , Richards right back or even Adam.
Goalscoring midfielder please also, guess most of these will be loans or short term deals.

[peter w]

Happy with the point. I've given up on the season so just looking positives and as has been said already, and SGT quoted, we've got to stop going backwards first and the second half yesterday and against Arsenal shows that there is some promise there.

[amfy]

This 'it's effectively 11 points because of the goal difference' thing.

Can we stop it? Newcastle' goal difference is 4 better than ours. It is actually pretty much impossible to make up 10 points WITHOUT turning round a goal difference of 4! (Edit: it IS impossible)

It is 10 points, that is bad enough - there is really no need to try and think of ways of making it worse.