Aston Villa v Newcastle Post-Match Thread

[The Edge]

I think Edge and Percy sum things up really quite accurately. Hard to reconcile the selection and passive display first half with the pressing set up we usually adopt at home to them and how we featured in pre-season.

I'm racking my brains for the reason for the tactical and selection caution shown and they're all unsatisfactory answers in my head, for the most part.

A Malen and a Maatsen would have helped the counter press and stopped Newcastle having the freedom to quickly recycle first half and also given us an out ball for the wayward passing, least. An odd one really.

Anyway I look forward to the Ł100m a season Fortress LLC can pay us in sponsorship for Fortress Villa Park. As that's allowed surely? Going rate for the best home record going in the Best League in the World. Premier League, corrupt as fuck indeed.

Absolutely and thanks Ads. I think there is a growing resentment of PSR as the reality of its intentions have slowly dawned on everyone outside the Greedy6. We either have to be extremely creative to make ourselves competitive or we need to lead the way in being more vocal in our objections to it.

It’s both in my view. The hierarchy know what needs to be done both commercially and with the squad and it may take time. I don’t think people have quite come to terms with our need to player trade to help boost turnover either. It may not be to people’s liking but taking the Brighton/Brentford model and tweaking it for where we operate wouldn’t go amiss. I think we’ve missed a couple of opportunities to sell assets at peak prices (Bailey/Luiz) but that’s maybe offset with the Diaby/Duran activity. But generally we’re moving in the right direction, all be it maybe not as quickly as we’d like.

In terms of what we can do, change the chant to

Domestically “PSR, corrupt as fuck” and

European games “SCR, corrupt as fuck”

And get some banners with that on as well.

I'd be down with that. The club has to be careful and measured with it's official views on PSR and SCR but the fans don't. We can be as vocal as we want. Every set of fans outside the Greedy6 should be coming together on this one. There has to be rules in place and the first one for me is to ban state ownership of professional football clubs. The current set up is clearly a power grab by those that already sit at the head of the table.

[Steve67]

Getting banners on tv won't be shown if there is swearing on them.  Equally, because the likes of SKY and TNT feed into this sort of bias, they won't want the greedy six outing.  The singing in the stadium was well heard and fans can really come together on this issue.  Togetherness outside the stadium will also go down well as it would unusual.

[Clampy]

A mention to Unai yesterday. When we went down to 10 men, a lot of managers would have done the obvious thing and taken a striker off and put another defender on but he kept it simple and just dropped Kamara back which in turn helped us stick to our shape and game plan which got us a point. Good  management.

[Steve67]

A mention to Unai yesterday. When we went down to 10 men, a lot of managers would have done the obvious thing and taken a striker off and put another defender on but he kept it simple and just dropped Kamara back which in turn helped us stick to our shape and game plan which got us a point. Good  management.

I agree Clampy.  I honestly can't remember the barcodes having a really decent shot on target in the second half.  We look defensively sound enough and protected our goal very well.   I was wondering, had we stayed at 11 men, whether Unai would have bought both Malen and Guessand on though.

[Crown Hill]

A mention to Unai yesterday. When we went down to 10 men, a lot of managers would have done the obvious thing and taken a striker off and put another defender on but he kept it simple and just dropped Kamara back which in turn helped us stick to our shape and game plan which got us a point. Good  management.

This is true. We actually looked better balanced then and especially when Malen came on.

He just got it wrong at the start although Newcastle began ferociously and tailed off after half time.

[Villa Lew]

Very difficult to find any positives, but Bizot looked an improvement on Olsen, Kamara was superb, when he had to drop back and our unbeaten league record at VP is now a magnificent 19 matches.

[eamonn]

Does anyone have a link to the Talksport interview with Unai snarling back at Matterface? Can't find it on YouTube. Does Sam have the power to request content be taken down of clips where he's made to look silly?

[Clampy]

I'm surprised by some the moaning on here. The first game of the season which sometimes can always be a bit scrappy,  neither side were great (to say the least) and we got a draw with ten men. Lacked pace but i think he would have changed that had Konsa not gone off. First game people.

I think you might need a bit of perspective - it's hardly a moan-fest is it?

That's why I said 'some'. No-one mentioned moan-fest, only you.

I know, Clamps, that's why i said it is NOT exactly a moan-fest.

The reaction seems pretty honest and muted to me.

I know that doesn't fit with your patrolling the threads, telling everyone they're silly shtick, but hey ho.

There's barely any overreaction. In fact, there's barely any moaning. Except your usual moaning at others routine.

Patrolling the threads? I don't do anything of the sort and what is that even supposed to mean? What absolute rubbish.

[Behind Bluenose Lines]

Does anyone have a link to the Talksport interview with Unai snarling back at Matterface? Can't find it on YouTube. Does Sam have the power to request content be taken down of clips where he's made to look silly?

No doubt it will be made a Talking Point by Jim White and Simon Jordan this week though!

We should know our place.

Was confused as to why Malen didn't start: we were so sluggish in that first half. Impressed with Bizot!
At least we managed to hang on for a point, despite the sending-off: only 39 to go and we're staying up...

[john e]

I really like Malen but can’t say I’ve seen of him to know or understand his game

He took 1 minute to have a shot at goal when he came on yesterday forcing a save from the goalkeeper, the shot was easily saved but the rebound could have gone anywhere,  it was a positive direct action shot when you consider we went the whole of the first half without as much as a single attempt

[mrfuse]

Does anyone have a link to the Talksport interview with Unai snarling back at Matterface? Can't find it on YouTube. Does Sam have the power to request content be taken down of clips where he's made to look silly?

I have this clip

[olaftab]

The moronic rhetorical questions piss me off totally.

[VILLA MOLE]

Matterface is steering the narrative and Unai took hold of it . I don’t mind Matterface most of the time he does get abit exited about the top 6 abit too much . However he is betters than that smug south coast red Alex crook

[Pat McMahon]

I agree with much of what Percy and Peter Withe have said above.

I think Newcastle’s plan to press our defence and stop us playing out from the back worked well - we really struggled with it. Their kick off directly to our right back corner flag flagged their intent from the off. Going long failed completely as Ollie isn’t a back to goal player and was outmuscled by Burn, sometimes illegally. McGinn was able to make the ball stick but couldn’t do his usual arse roll as effectively as usual.

I thought we showed signs of improvement until the sending off, but we had a few chances to break where our passing was inaccurate or we just couldn’t get the ball under control and I don’t think Pope had to make a single save that merits praise.

Red card was nailed on as Gordon had the legs on Konsa, so he probably saved us a point. So the small highlights for me were the clean sheet, relatively small number of chances for them and the very good debit by Bizot. And all four sections of the ground singing “Premier League corrupt as muck”.

Oh yeah, getting in was a doddle too which was a pleasant surprise.

[danno]

I agree with much of what Percy and Peter Withe have said above.

I think Newcastle’s plan to press our defence and stop us playing out from the back worked well - we really struggled with it. Their kick off directly to our right back corner flag flagged their intent from the off. Going long failed completely as Ollie isn’t a back to goal player and was outmuscled by Burn, sometimes illegally. McGinn was able to make the ball stick but couldn’t do his usual arse roll as effectively as usual.

I thought we showed signs of improvement until the sending off, but we had a few chances to break where our passing was inaccurate or we just couldn’t get the ball under control and I don’t think Pope had to make a single save that merits praise.

Red card was nailed on as Gordon had the legs on Konsa, so he probably saved us a point. So the small highlights for me were the clean sheet, relatively small number of chances for them and the very good debit by Bizot. And all four sections of the ground singing “Premier League corrupt as muck”.

Oh yeah, getting in was a doddle too which was a pleasant surprise.

A key weapon in the game last season was Martinez’s ability to take Newcastle’s midfield out the game with one ball. Bizot did very well but he can’t ping a ball 60 yards straight to Watkins feet.