Newcastle v Aston Villa Post Match Thread

[Ads]

Id be going with a diamond for the rest of the season with 2 up top. The wide players are not good enough for this level.

Samatta and Davis, with Grealish tip of the diamond and Dougie anchoring. The other two is a much of a muchness now with McGinn off the pace.

[PeterWithe]

He was a funny signing that Trezuguet, with most players you can see glimpses of something, even if they dont do very well. I know he's chipped in with a goal or two but I see no qualities that the scouts would have identified making him suitable for this season. Maybe he was signed more for the commercial benefits than the footballing ones.

[nick harper]

He was a funny signing that Trezuguet, with most players you can see glimpses of something, even if they dont do very well. I know he's chipped in with a goal or two but I see no qualities that the scouts would have identified making him suitable for this season. Maybe he was signed more for the commercial benefits than the footballing ones.

His performance yesterday was comically awful. Not only did he barely pass to one of his own team mates, he gave next to no cover for the full backs. El Ghazi was much the same although can occasionally have a moment of quality.

In a relegation battle, both are a luxury we can’t afford. I agree with the 2 up top and the full backs provide the width. Elmo back in as he has a good cross on him.

[Luke8]

Id be going with a diamond for the rest of the season with 2 up top. The wide players are not good enough for this level.

Samatta and Davis, with Grealish tip of the diamond and Dougie anchoring. The other two is a much of a muchness now with McGinn off the pace.

Yeah, I think I would pretty much agree with that. Seems the best way to get our attacking players close enough together to be able to get something out of them. Presuming we are not going to completely abandon having the ball again,  as against Chelsea, it’s needs Guilbert rather than Konsa though otherwise we will have no width whatsoever.

Hourihane needs to be playing - he looks one of our best routes to goal currently.

I think I’d put McGinn on the beach for Saturday. He can’t play the whole game currently and it would be nice to have an option on the bench that could make a difference. Plus it beats wasting him by having him chase round after the ball all of the first half.

[London Villan]

Id put money on trez being signed based on our owner’s influence.

[kippaxvilla2]

He was a funny signing that Trezuguet, with most players you can see glimpses of something, even if they dont do very well. I know he's chipped in with a goal or two but I see no qualities that the scouts would have identified making him suitable for this season. Maybe he was signed more for the commercial benefits than the footballing ones.

His performance yesterday was comically awful. Not only did he barely pass to one of his own team mates, he gave next to no cover for the full backs. El Ghazi was much the same although can occasionally have a moment of quality.

In a relegation battle, both are a luxury we can’t afford. I agree with the 2 up top and the full backs provide the width. Elmo back in as he has a good cross on him.

I would assume he is already out the door - Besiktas is a strong rumour so half arsed performances are not a surprise.  Doesn't explain the previous games of course.

[The Edge]

Id put money on trez being signed based on our owner’s influence.

Yeah I make you right there. Neither Trez nor El Ghazi are PL standard players. Imagine the difference some quality wide players could have made to our season. How much influence does Smith have on squad recruitment? That seems to be the million dollar question.

[London Villan]

Albrighton for example.

[brontebilly]

He was a funny signing that Trezuguet, with most players you can see glimpses of something, even if they dont do very well. I know he's chipped in with a goal or two but I see no qualities that the scouts would have identified making him suitable for this season. Maybe he was signed more for the commercial benefits than the footballing ones.

That incident with Danny Rose before he was taken off sums him up. He was favourite to get to the pass but Rose, who looks finished as a top player, just eased him out of the way and Trez ending up fouling him.

Even the obligatory YouTube clips of him weren't all that positive, he looked completely one sided and his club career pedigree was decidedly average.

He gets himself into good positions but that aside is miles off the required level.

[brontebilly]

Id be going with a diamond for the rest of the season with 2 up top. The wide players are not good enough for this level.

Samatta and Davis, with Grealish tip of the diamond and Dougie anchoring. The other two is a much of a muchness now with McGinn off the pace.

It might be a forlorn hope but Drinky might come back into the reckoning for one of the other two spots. He simply can't be any worse or less fit than McGinn on the basis of the last three performances. At his peak he was never a holding midfielder so maybe the diamond might suit him a bit better. Could try him next to Nakamba for the Wolves game leaving Hourihane and McGinn in reserve. Is he injured currently ?

If we play a diamond then Wolves will obviously play everything down our flanks so possibly a change at left back required too. I don't rate Taylor in the slightest but he might be up for more of a battle than Targett.

[chrisw1]

There’s no way he’s starting with two up front against Wolves the kings of the counter attack.  It will be sit back, hope not to concede, concede, bring three subs on, go two up front, toil and not score, see them break and probably score again. 

This sounds frighteningly likely.  If you've got timings for the goals then I might have a bet.

[VinnieChase84]

Smith just doesn’t learn. Persisting with using wingers when the ones we have are utter crap. Can’t wait to see the back of them. Utterly useless.

Width has to come from fullbacks

Either 4312 or 4321

               Nyland
Guilbert Konsa Mings Targett
      McGinn Luiz Connor
                  Jack
          Samatta Davis

                Nyland
Guilbert Konsa Mings Targett
        McGinn Luiz Connor
               Jota Jack
                Samatta

[Mister E]

Id be going with a diamond for the rest of the season with 2 up top. The wide players are not good enough for this level.

Samatta and Davis, with Grealish tip of the diamond and Dougie anchoring. The other two is a much of a muchness now with McGinn off the pace.

It might be a forlorn hope but Drinky might come back into the reckoning for one of the other two spots. He simply can't be any worse or less fit than McGinn on the basis of the last three performances. At his peak he was never a holding midfielder so maybe the diamond might suit him a bit better. Could try him next to Nakamba for the Wolves game leaving Hourihane and McGinn in reserve. Is he injured currently ?

If we play a diamond then Wolves will obviously play everything down our flanks so possibly a change at left back required too. I don't rate Taylor in the slightest but he might be up for more of a battle than Targett.

I'd throw Jacob Ramsey in, if available; get some youthful enthusiasm into the middle of the park.

[olaftab]

So ideal midfield with Davies and  Smatta up front:

                                                                                                    Luiz


                                                                       Hourihane/Drinkwater                        McGinn

                                                                                                   Grealish

[The Fish]

Thought 1-1 was a fair result on the balance of play.

I saw in your pre-match thread you were worried that Smith couldn't react to changes during the game. It seems he did. We were growing into the game with ASM growing in influence until we went 2 up front. Sure, we scored, but the goal aside we looked like we couldn't handle you at all. Losing the extra man in midfield did for us, I think. Looks to me like Smith made changes to take advantage of that, might be wrong though.

Uncharacteristic error for Dubravka might have given you a point, but it wasn't like you weren't good for it.