Aston Villa v Newcastle Post Match Thread

[Lastfootstamper]

Yeah agreed Heaton was good tonight. Couple of really good saves, was lucky positioned himself superbly so that most of their shots were straight down his throat but and he took them with no fuss at all.

Ftfy. There was only one lucky goalkeeper on that pitch tonight, and it wurnt ours.
Inspiring display from him. Everything stuck.

[CJ]

Good first half, hesitant start to the second half. Had enough chances to make this more comfortable, and when they brought Carroll and Gayle on they had better options up front. Much needed win, three points and a clean sheet. Great night under the lights spoiled only by finding out the M5 was closed after we'd got on the M6, so ended up on a guided tour of the Black Country. Lovely

[Rich6by7]

My first game since Wembley, and an easier win than any of the Championship matches I went to last season. Ipswich gave us a better game. I was impressed with both full-backs and Konsa did well. How Bruce thought Newcastle would get anything by allowing Grealish to have so much time on the ball is beyond me. Had to laugh at the Newcastle fans agreeing with our fans when they conceded a corner from the halfway line. A better team than Newcastle might have got a result tonight thanks to errors in our half, but I can't remember an occasion when I've been to Villa Park in 26 years when the away team have looked less like scoring.

[FatSam]

Alan Hutton was fairly unambiguous in exposing Bruce's tactical limitations on 5Live after the game. He said:

"I just think the way Steve Bruce sets his teams up, there is such a big gap between the midfield and the striker, and that leaves him isolated, and it's difficult. You're really asking them to do something spectacular to score a goal"

and

"...this is the thing, everywhere Steve Bruce has went he's tried to play this formation, and even when he was at Villa he tried to make us play that formation. It didn't quite work out, he didn't get it going, but I just find it quite difficult, especially from a striker's point of view. Like I said, the gaps are that big it's very difficult to play that way."

[Legion]

I thought Heaton was excellent from what I have seen and heard.

[PeterWithesShin]

Tonight Bruce showed exactly why I wanted him gone long before he left. Shit negative football, set up for a 0-0 and hope for a set piece, breakaway while mainly hoping for a bit of individual brilliance. It worked for us quite often as we had players far better than the opposition so the individual brilliance often won us points. At a higher level it's not working as well.

That after 14 games their top scorers have 2 goals and one of those two players is Ciaran Clark says everything about him and his outdated 'style' of football. Thank fuck he's no longer our manager.

[rougegorge]

Tonight showed again how pivotal Jack is to the team and the creativity. He was at the heart of everything good for us.

I thought Newcastle reminded me of the way we played at Wolves, ineffectual and slow in the first half, and a bit better in the second.

However, the danger they created was often self-inflicted. Mings's decision making when trying to play out nonchalantly from the back nearly backfired a couple of times.

I thought Conor had a really good game, and I always think he should play. Nobody else delivers free kicks and crosses as consistently well as he does. El Ghazi did well and tracked back too.

A mention to Konsa, Guilbert and Targett too, with a special hats off to Matt after seeing him being sick on the pitch.

I still can't see Wesley scoring enough or being effective in dangerous areas, especially against the better sides. 
He did a bit better tonight, but I think everyone's expectations are lower than they ought to be.

[Legion]

Tonight Bruce showed exactly why I wanted him gone long before he left. Shit negative football, set up for a 0-0 and hope for a set piece, breakaway while mainly hoping for a bit of individual brilliance. It worked for us quite often as we had players far better than the opposition so the individual brilliance often won us points. At a higher level it's not working as well.

That after 14 games their top scorers have 2 goals and one of those two players is Ciaran Clark says everything about him and his outdated 'style' of football. Thank fuck he's no longer our manager.

Exactly. His tactics for us were, "Give it to Jack!"

[tomd2103]

Much needed win and a pretty good performance on the whole.  Few bits of sloppiness from Guilbert, Mings and Douglas aside, I thought it was a fairly comfortable win, although Heaton did have to make a few good saves.

I thought tonight was the first time this season that Grealish looked a level above everyone else on the pitch.  He dominated the game the way he used to in the Championship and We just look a different side when he is playing. 

I've been critical of Hourihane for a number of seasons now, but his quality in the final third and from set pieces is undeniable and it won us the game tonight.  Thought El Ghazi and Targett were much improved tonight and the former does seem to be able to find the net.

I have to add that I thought Konsa had another good game tonight.  I really like the look of the kid to be honest and I think if he has a good run in the side, I'd go out on a limb and say he could be in England contention by the end of the season.

[olaftab]

Please don't be harsh on Stevie. He has already worked on a master plan to defeat Man City on Saturday and revealed it in the post match interview. He is going to make his players roll their sleeves up.

[SoccerHQ]

Tonight Bruce showed exactly why I wanted him gone long before he left. Shit negative football, set up for a 0-0 and hope for a set piece, breakaway while mainly hoping for a bit of individual brilliance. It worked for us quite often as we had players far better than the opposition so the individual brilliance often won us points. At a higher level it's not working as well.

That after 14 games their top scorers have 2 goals and one of those two players is Ciaran Clark says everything about him and his outdated 'style' of football. Thank fuck he's no longer our manager.

Exactly. His tactics for us were, "Give it to Jack!"

When he first came in it was actually more "give it to Kodj." If that didn't work "give it to Albert." But yes the general point is correct, his style of play/system relies on some individual magic from one of the forwards or if that dosen't work sling in crosses and hope someone gets on the end of them given a few of their CBs have scored so far.

[PeterWithesShin]

What happened to Engels tonight. DS said he was fit only a couple of days ago?

Has been training but still had pain in his hip so DS decided not to risk him, expected to be in the next squad.

[SoccerHQ]

We have ridiculous depth at CB now.

Was impressed by Konsa tonight and bar the odd sloppy error Engels has been excellent aswell. Also got Chester and Hause as back ups.

[brontebilly]

Tonight Bruce showed exactly why I wanted him gone long before he left. Shit negative football, set up for a 0-0 and hope for a set piece, breakaway while mainly hoping for a bit of individual brilliance. It worked for us quite often as we had players far better than the opposition so the individual brilliance often won us points. At a higher level it's not working as well.

That after 14 games their top scorers have 2 goals and one of those two players is Ciaran Clark says everything about him and his outdated 'style' of football. Thank fuck he's no longer our manager.

Bruce had a horror show tonight tactically. The back three quickly became a back five and they were getting completely outnumbered in midfield. Huge gap between the work shy front three and a very limited midfield duo in Shelvey and Hayden. Surely after 20 mins, he simply had to put the likes of Yedlin man marking Grealish and switch to a back four. Or at a minimum after we scored. Half time was too late but surely worth a double change to try and make a game out of it. His first sub tonight was around the hour mark in a game they were being obliterated. Luiz and Hourihane are talented players with the ball at their feet under no pressure but Bruce's tactics gave them the freedom of the park.

[Villatillidie1982]

Alan Hutton was fairly unambiguous in exposing Bruce's tactical limitations on 5Live after the game. He said:

"I just think the way Steve Bruce sets his teams up, there is such a big gap between the midfield and the striker, and that leaves him isolated, and it's difficult. You're really asking them to do something spectacular to score a goal"

and

"...this is the thing, everywhere Steve Bruce has went he's tried to play this formation, and even when he was at Villa he tried to make us play that formation. It didn't quite work out, he didn't get it going, but I just find it quite difficult, especially from a striker's point of view. Like I said, the gaps are that big it's very difficult to play that way."

Hope Hutton thought more highly of him when he played for him. Whatever you think of Alan Hutton as a footballer, sometimes his crosses were the only connection between the Villa forwards and the rest of the team. I still feel, however, that Bruce left us in a better place than when we were when he took the job.

I know that  it was a bit of a joke but why didn't he acknowledge the Villa fans when asked to give us a wave. It might have lessened some of the animosity.