After the result, I was convinced that this was the game that had relegated us.
But now, I’m beginning to think that it’s how we do compared to West Ham, which will be the deciding factor.
Norwich are gone and Bournemouth don’t look to have enough about them to survive either, in my opinion.
But that’s all it is, an opinion.
Which means nothing.
But if I’m right, our last game at the London stadium or whatever it’s called really could be the decider.
I’m massively disappointed about today.
I thought we were the better team, particularly in the first half, where we should have gone in 2-0 up.
Yet we didn’t, because, as is typical of struggling teams, we just couldn’t finish.
Which was annoying, because you could see that Newcastle were beginning to get into the game.
Things continued in the same vein as the second half wore on and then Bruce brought on the big guns in
Andy Carroll and Dwight Gayle, who just fills me with dread.
I was just explaining to the missus how Gayle is a dirty, sneaky, horrible, snidey (but actually very good) type of player, when he put the ball in the net.
Just after I’d been complementing us on how the defence and particularly Mings was doing.
He really was a rock and I could see why he got the England start.
And then he went walkabout and was caught nowhere near where he ought to be.
And then Newcastle started to dominate, while we continued to bluster.
Until Elmohamady scored, with maybe 10 minutes to go.
Which is where we started to show some belief and actually made Newcastle look very much the weaker side.
I’m now convinced that we have a lack of confidence problem.
Not that it matters.
I think we were the better side in an away game against a side that is now probably safe.
Which, while I think we’re now seriously struggling to survive, means it isn’t quite over for us yet.
There’s still hope on my part and there will be until it’s mathematically impossible to survive.
Did Grealish play in the middle much?
It seemed he played the major part of the game out wide to me.
I don’t understand what Smith means when he say he wants Grealish to go inside more.
Why not just play him there, where it’s blindingly obvious that that’s where he does the most damage, as even Savage admits?
It’s actually encouraging that I think we should have won that.
But probably too little, too late.
With both Samatta and Davis up front, we were able to get the ball into the final third and make it stick. I was encouraged by the way we finished the game. Nakamba brought the energy that McGinn is currently missing. I thought Luiz ran his socks off. Hourihane in the attacking third comes alive. It’s when we are without possession that he is a weak link. I actually blame Hause for the Gayle goal. Mings was playing left side of defence so Hause was at fault for not watching the man run in behind. Unfortunately whether it’s the GK or defence, there is always at least one cock up per match. I hope Smith saw how much we improved with the two strikers and goes away from his stubborn approach. Grealish as a CAM with Hourihane and Nakamba behind. Luiz is our best player currently and hopefully he has enough stamina to continue. I also think Elmo offers a good threat going forward and is probably one of the best crossers of a ball. McGinn clearly needs a rest and may do better as an impact substitute. Wolves are a much better team than us but it’s a local derby so who knows! Remember when we thrashed them 4-1 at VP and they were massive favourites then too.
Indeed too late. We had to win and the bottom line is once again Dean wasn’t proactive enough in making the changes needed. Says it all that we were tactically naiver than a Bruce side.
We’ll almost certainly lose the next 3 and then it will be curtains. Grealish anonymous for me, McGinn looks below par fitness wise and Trezeguet his usual abysmal self. We don’t look like a threat at all and with the usual clanger at the back there is no hope for me. We are as good as down
i thought we did much better yesterday, dont get me wrong it was still below par but much improved on what they dish up lately. but i still believe villa should have had 6 points from last night and the sheff utd game. both were easy games if you want to survive. sheff utd had a wonderful season. but they are basking in that glory and have nothing to play for. plus newcastle are not a good side at all. they also are just about safe and have a fa cup meeting with city 3 days away to distract them.
villa are our own worst enemy. you can play any formation in the world and play different players etc. but it all boils down to not making life easy for the opposition. we have gift wrapped so many goals for our opponents. yesterday was another. both our centre backs when out of their positions towards a throw in. unaware of the danger gayle possesses, he sneaked off the back as mings and hause were preoccupied with a slow carroll all the way out on touchline. konsa who is also not blameless reacted to late. he should have moved over to cover the awol defenders.
i think we are down, but while we have 8 games left and we are level on points. its all to play for. but our teams need to address the defending without the ball. we have improved but still have great leaps to be a premiership team without the ball, can not gift wrap chances by giving mistakes. you get away with them in championship but not in premier
I don’t fancy us to survive. We aren’t positive enough, we don’t keep the ball well enough and are sloppy at the back. We have missed two real chances to get in a better position, and will probably lose the next 3 matches. We then have a bit of a window against Palace, Everton and Arsenal who will have nothing to play for. Since we weren’t good enough against Sheff Utd or Newcastle I don’t think we will be good enough against these 3 either.
Yes it may come down to us or West Ham but I think they may scrape enough points before that match to make it irrelevant. Us, Bournemouth and Norwich to go down I think.
In the longer term I think we could do well again. I’m really not sure about Smith. I don’t think he has showed enough this season that he would be any more capable of keeping us up if he saw us through another promotion.
My only concern (in terms of club ownership) is what level of damage the owners will suffer due to the Coronavirus. If their wealth takes a serious hit they may scale back investment and it looks like we will be rebuilding again.
Lots of ifs buts and maybes so hope I’m wrong, but I’m finding hard to be optimistic.
The fat lady is still silent – it’s in our hands – but I’m hoping that those teams around us have an absolute mare in all their remaining games 🙂
UTV
DS, I wouldn’t worry too much about how much the owners lose.
The markets have picked back up somewhat and if they’re 10% down, I’d be surprised.
People with that sort of money don’t worry about the short term. Their investments probably gain or lose millions a day, even in normal times.
I do think you’ve hit the nail on the head though.
I just don’t feel we’ll survive either.
Still, you never know.
How many of us were saying we’d be promoted 10 games before reaching the playoffs last season?
It’s a funny old game.
Citeh lost 2-1 to Chelsea.
Pool are champions.
So it’s been announced that 14 players have been released including O’Hare, Andre Green, Chester, Hepburn Murphy and Doyle Hayes. Also McCormack and Baston. I haven’t seen Drinkwater mentioned and I really hope he will be gone when the season ends. We all had high hopes of the youngsters on the list. Purslow commented that if we had 21 & 22 year olds playing solely for the U23’s then our academy isn’t working because at that age they should be first teasers. I agree with him on that point however managers come and go and youngsters never get a fair crack of the whip. Reason being that instant success is demanded by owners and blooding kids is too much of a risk. Purslow also mentioned that he wants 16 & 17 year olds playing for U23s which begs the question why is there an U23 division? Why not go U21’s or bye bye if you don’t make the grade rather than prolong the agony. Everyone has an opinion on what’s going wrong at our club at youth level. Some clubs have ditched their U23s and only have U18s. Maybe from a financial point of view and because we have been useless with our academy, now is the time to follow suit.
Above should read first teamers! Bloody auto correct spelling. 😒
Holte, good word teasers, that’s what will happen later on in their playing years, teasing us . Bloody disgusting money spent on potential good players, I ask you what does Villa know about football? Sod all history tells us that.
I’d be all in favour of getting rid of the U23’s.
Just concentrate on the U21’s or even U18’s and bin them off if they hit 21/18 and haven’t progressed to the first team squad.
Sounds ruthless, but our current cutoff point is miles too late as it stands.
You’re just playing players (they’re not kids at 21 or 22) for the sake of it.
Any real gems will become apparent at age 18 and certainly at 21.
Most important of all, stop bloody over-hyping our kids and play them at top level or shut up and see them for what they are; us doing a favour to the lower leagues and helping the game overall.
Which I don’t have a problem with, if that’s the true aim.
A few names I’ve heard lauded by the club are Louie Barry, The Ramsey brothers and Chukwuemeka as well as Vassilev. I’m not expecting any of them to become regular first team players. They will be loaned out and forgot about before realising they are 45 years old and are released.