Picture courtesy of www.nufcblog.co.uk
I have to admit to being somewhat bored with trying to drum up some optimism lately, but I’m going to give it another try.
Let’s keep things simple. Newcastle have won their last two games, against Tottenham away and Liverpool at home (by two goals, no less). God knows where they got them from, as I think they’re a poor side, but they got them and it puts us in an even worse situation.
Whereas we can’t beg a win, full stop.
So where’s the optimism here?
Ok, I lied. I don’t have any.
I’ve come to the conclusion that we have the most gutless bunch of non-fighting wimps that I’ve ever seen grace the hallowed turf at Villa park.
That said, I believe Newcastle have won those last two games by sitting back and hitting on the counter.
Probably good tactics against more successful sides that are expected to beat the likes of Newcastle and want to go at the opposition.
The very same tactics have worked for us against Liverpool and on the odd occasion, Spurs too.
So how is Garde going to approach this one?
Will he also try to attack Newcastle, knowing that we need wins and draws are not good enough?
I seriously doubt it, myself.
If Newcastle are that dangerous on the break, we’re only going to see a repeat of the disgrace that was Arsenal’s second goal last week.
The thought of any team, let alone Arsenal, surging forward against our non-existent midfield and clueless defence on the counter, is a frightening one.
Hence, I don’t believe Garde has any option other than to try to sit deep and scrape a draw.
The trouble is, I don’t believe that will work either, because of our awful defence, who are opened up even easier than a very accommodating woman I knew in my younger days (don’t ask).
If Newcastle get the goal, it’ll be all over, because the manager is too slow to switch the tactics when we go a goal down, in my opinion.
It’s no good trying the same stuff, when we’re a goal down, when we need wins to have any hope of survival.
If we do indeed go a goal down early on, we need to try plan B straight away, as things obviously aren’t working unless the opposition have scored totally against the run of play (which hasn’t been the case in a good while).
And plan B means we take the game to them, big time.
Normally, I’d say it’s a daft tactic, as if you outright attack an away team which is winning, you’re inviting more counters.
But my opinion says you might as well lose by 2,3 or 4 goals when you’re in our position.
We need wins and simply need to go for them.
Goal difference doesn’t matter, it’s as simple as that.
Squad news is that Newcastle have Cheick Tiote available and no other problems.
As for the Villa, Micah Richards looks to be unavailable after his knee injury, which I thought didn’t look that bad.
And Gary Gardner has also done his knee. No surprise there and surely he’s sadly finished at the Villa?
The result then and I don’t know what to think.
Part of me says it’s a funny old game, which has been proven by some of the results we’ve seen so far this season, which suggests that anyone can beat anyone, at any time.
Unfortunately, I don’t think we’re turning any corners anytime soon without an injection of some grit and fight, even if they’re not particularly talented.
I’ll go for a 2-0 loss.
But I’m praying for a win.
oohahh
agree fully on guzan lescott hutton sanchez and westwood as well
sanchez taking piss with that shot
why did we stop going for after we scored
why no traore and sorry rudi is another pile of shite
garde out points are no good
8 matches since sherwood gone didnt get any better
ah seriously lads Garde out … I hope thats just a rant because we have changed managers again and again it change nothing If you want a different result, try a different action,
the Squad and the constant poor choices by the board are more at fault for the latest shite state of being.
Of all the pieces on the board now that is Villa, the manager is probably the least at fault
Agree even pep would struggle under our regime and shite players
Well that’s that then. Draws now as bad as defeat. We needed our points in 3s. Relegation is now 99.9% certainty imo. I will always hold onto a glimmer of hope (0.1%) and in all fairness they gave their all second half. Feel that the conditions hindered us but you could say same for Barcodes.
Have to laugh …..shit shit shit …then WOW……and we are great…….we had more chances more on target and bleedin sky…(fat crab and little Jamie )say Newcastle should have won…BALLS…..it was only their goalie that had proper saves to make……….
QWe just needed to put traorie on …he would have at least got us a pen.
Any other circumstances it would have been a good performance but need 100% every match.
BTW…..was the ref umbrella mans brother……..
Sadly I agree with the comments about Sanchez. I have really wanted him to succeed, but he makes at least 3/4 mistakes in a game which are just sloppy, and avoidable!
Ayew, love his heart. Could see he was pissed off after the game for not going for it!
Veretout is looking like a decent player, but we need him firing on all cylinders now!
Sinclair?
Westwood, I know is a bit like marmite, but I think he could do a job sat in front of back 4 instead of Sanchez! ( no real other options)
Play adama! Who gives a shit if he doesn’t defend! Let’s be fair the rest of team haven’t quite mastered that yet either!
I like bacuna, but not at left back. I think cissocko will hopefully stiffen us up. Can afford to play more non defending players up front, Gil,adama,or grealish.
We have got to go for it now! Nothing to lose!
F#*ck~ng Man Utd. Tossers, prob the only time I have ever wanted to see them win too!
A win Saturday is needed for more than just this season.
9 wins, 6 draws, 6 losses – 21 games left. 40 points. We are not mathematically down yet!
Come on the Villa!
Nice comments until the last bit…Optimism is one thing, blind faith is another! Lol!
Agree the last 2 games I actually wanted Utd to win first time ever and they lost bloody typical of our luck
I know!
Almost as bad as hoping cissoko will solve our defensive issues!
Much better second half, esp given the conditions/
Ayew was fantastic. Veretout and Gana actually looked they belong in the PL today, both skill and fitness wise. Okore also looked solid at the back.
i didnt even realize Sinclair was playing, and cant understand why he didnt bring on traore or grealish at the end, just for fresh legs if nothing else.
We could have come away with 3 points today, but if we pick up 3 points next week, there will be some light at the end of the tunnel…even if its just a glimmer!
This is not meant to be confrontational but you show me a player that don’t make a mistake and I’ll show you a liar. If we scrutinize every minute of every player they’d all make Christ knows how many mistakes, at the and of the day we conceded one and that was a fluky miss hit.
Sorry Benno the reply was to SJS24.
Yes every player makes mistakes but our players make them all the time and usually gusts us a goal. Plus they are all avoidable
But why don’t we play like we did in second half for 90 mins even garde did t answer that when asked. Also lets not fool ourselves we could still easily have lost that game second half as well as winning it. They had some great chances
SUBSTITUTIONS………..it needed Traore…but it could have gone to a loss if it had been a TS attempt.
whats point hutton crossing into box when we only have 1 maybe 2 players there plus most of his crosses are crap, now to westwood he spent most of match covering for hutton who plays that far forward taking two players out of game a decent right back would allow right side midfielder to do proper job, have never seen a side that pair of full backs are there only outlets out wide, we were playing newcastle for fuck sake not barcelona and at that they had 3 great chances don t seem to remember us having many draws are no good we need wins traore had to be worth 15/20 mins tonight when ball holding up in water play him down one side ayew down the other not 3 defensive mids when trying to win it tell hutton bacuna to stay back useless going forward anyhow
Hutton’s come in for a lot of stick season, but at least the fucker’s put some effort in this year…Hats of to him for that.
I didn’t get that either unless his crosses were hard and low it was pointless standing them up without Gestede tgere
more than that .. what the point of a high cross for Ayew and sinclair as targets,
You need to be getting to the byline and pulling it back, putting in early low crosses for them to get in between and outpace defenders, – not much point of a high ball for them to compete seasoned centre backs who eat and drink those and will feast on them if they are competing in the air with Ayew and Sinclair, I would say put Gestede in, but we don’t give him enough quality crosses and often enough
Have to say I think I get what Garde is trying to do, we were stagnant and pretty boring in the first half but its because he is trying to get the team to defend front to back in an effort to take the pressure off our leaky defence, problem is they still tune out and switch off regardless.
Lescott badly at fault for first goal, he never once took his eyes off the ball the entire corner ..
then the offside that should have been but wasn’t given, that is just criminal to switch off like that .. you play the whistle especially as a defender with a ball coming into the box! jesus F christ .. Hutton and A.N. Other don’t know who just strolling around waiting for the whistle and flag, meanwhile an attack has the ball at his feet in the box closing towards goal unchallenged – That was de Jong’s chance .. which he should have buried .. unmarked 2 yards out. that would have been 2-0 .. but just criminal defending.
Our defence needs a rollicking .. But I honestly don’t think there is anything a manager can do here. if the players don’t focus for 90 minutes! what can you do! they have the instructions they have their formations .. but if they just tune out like that!
I Pity Garde at times, its a team that just doesn’t believe in itself (besides Ayew) and a defence that just accepts it can’t defend and gives up/ tunes out for periods the game.
I personally can’t wait until cissoko comes back as that is just one less disaster zone we have to worry about( assuming he is roughly at the same level as when he left.
yes he is poor going forward, but so be it, tell him to sit and have Grealish/sinclair or whoever in front him worry less about coming back
Defence is disorganised chaos complete joke. Guzan Lescott Sanchez as DM no proper left bk it’s a shambles
BWS like I said I have really wanted him to succeed as we have all been crying out for a def mid, but you watch the games, his mistakes are really sloppy, and avoidable!
James rodgriguez does not play for the Villa! A good team would have punished the sloppy errors today.
He does break up play really well 90% of the game, but this is the premiership, the errors are costing us and putting the team under needless pressure, which discourages confidence!
Football is a game of opinions, and I respect yours. I really can’t stress enough I want to see him succeed, as a great def mid its like gold dust! He just needs to stop trying stupid flicks etc
What we have to understand that condition today was a day that could have been abandoned, the ball didn’t have pace and to be fair it slowed the play, I for one thought our team put a shift in and seeing the game and stats we was unlucky, yes that means fuck all at the end of the day, we needed 3 points but I did enjoy and was entertained the way we played. It’s not all over till the fat lady sings, roll on the home match.
STATS…..more shots …more shots on target…..sod off pundits and others.