toontownman

I detest the guy, but saggy flaps will be the new Venables... except I actually think he could do better. Can't see anyone else even being interviewed. Has Allardyce thrown his name into the hat yet?

At left back, Santon right, Hoy Simpson into the North Sea the useless knacker. Pardew would be jumping in to rescue him like Roy Kinear after veruca salt.

Fuck me Guti vs Lennon was positively embarrasing, sums up the day. Outclassed in every single department. Fans that travelled again deserve an apology for this complete shit show. Will they get one, will they fuck.

What is bemusing for me is how Pardew basically was going to change the system to suit Ben Arfa playing through the middle behind the striker. He bigged BenArfa up and said thats where he would be at his most lethal. Now due to changes in circumstance he is complaining about Ben Arfa not working hard enough in a different position than where he had wanted to deploy him. Granted HBA should be gusting a gut to adapt to however we end up playing but the current set certainly wasn't the original plan. I think the change is mainly because we didnt get Cisse/Maiga in the summer and Ba has been a surprise hit to the point that he is undroppable now and we are all but confined to 4-4-2 leaving Ben Arfa in no mans land. Obviously this shouldn't be a huge problem as he has played and started on the wing but Pardew has dropped the ball a little on pushing him hard and now making him into a bit of a patsy. We have another Robert argument a-brewing. Lets nip it in the bud - If he is playing on the wing he needs to be working hard tracking back and disciplined defending as well as attacking. This is something he would certainly have had to think a little less about when Pardew was pushing him as a second striker. I think he will come good. I just don't know that the wing is the place for him.. in a 4-4-2 its really the only option. Given Gutierrez performances pushed inside I wouldnt be adversed to switching 4-3-3 but I dont think that really suits Ba even if he has played there and it doesnt avoid the defensive frailties of ben arfa and his need to change to adapt to the premier league style. Cisse Ba Ben Arfa Gutierrez Tiote Cabaye Guthrie on current form would also be a decent option in midfield. Despite the current trend, ok its long standing to bash Jonas I think his work rate and usual possession holding abilities make him a different option to Tiote and Cabaye who compliment each other.

Fully committed performance, hope he recovers soon. Was skeptical by his starting birth but think it was the correct decision.

Fucking nerve wracking finish, improvement on the Blackburn game, but would have had no justified complaints at a draw today. We fell asleep too many times and were lucky not to get punished for it. Proper LB and decent partner for Colo and we will be very strong next year. Central midfield bossed in the second half and Guthrie was head and tails MOM, one of the best performances I have seen from him. He has a plethera of passes is good in possession and looks way fitter than we have seen him before. Props to Perch too who got on with his job quietly and effectively and had a decent effort on goal. Can't agree with the needless Jonas raping on here for the goal we conceded, he had little option as there was no support. Santon in particular was stood sauntering back towards goal with his hands on his hips rather than supporting. Things aren't yet clicking on the left there, hopefully they can build up a better understanding. Guti was however doing my head in over the last ten minutes, drifting far to centrally and allowing the overlap everytime villa had the ball. I was convinced we would conceed from a cross. What a potential strikeforce we have on our hands. Once they click with the team we will be rocking. Interesting to see Pardew obviously got the Wingers crossing more, unfortunately the quality was often lacking in the ball and Ober wants to take more touches than necessary or dribble it into the box. Promising sign though IMO. One thing, and hopefully the staff will crack on to this.. Majestic goal though!

"Perch" - can't help but do this everytime I hear his name, doing well though tbf.

Good play from Ober there, Cisse managed to get himself more off side rather than get back onside!

No. Exactly, scapegoat-tastic there.

Lets hope they can use it again a few times today, we will need it.

Absolutely no support tbf, more Santons fault. Guti had nothing else to do but loose the ball, Santon hand his hands on his hips walking backwards instead of supporting him.

Guthrie MOM so far. Demba #1 looking great as usual but also looks fucked, hope he can last.

Some lazy support play from Santon led to that.

Playing for the draw? lovely midfield line up.

This tbh, The will spend a bunch over the summer on quick young players and wanky old heads, start next season off well and then turn into the normal O'Neill malaise.

I resisted as long as I could. Out: Smith, Lovenkrands, Xisco, Best, Simpson, Gosling, Ben Arfa (just to be controversial). In: Clyne: Free Hoilett: Free Douglas: Free Zaha: 6.75m Some Random Keeper Another random central midfielder Think Ba will resign, although I could be wrong. Also think Tiote hasn't shone as brightly as last season and will stick around.

The fact we replaced him with garbage is irrelevant. At the time to push on we would have been a stronger team with a better RB. Like Cajun says we were at a point where he was one of the weaker links in the team, he was solid backup and maybe his versatility didn't help him out in that respect. However we wanted someone classier going forward, aswell as solid in defence.

I personally think Hughes has been MASSIVELY over rated since he left, I liked him here but he was always decent and needed improving on. He was absolutely dog s*** at Villa but has gone to a club that suits him and now looks a good player. When he left there wasn't much uproar and it was for around a £1m so if he was rated then as he seems to be now people would have been up in arms at that price (which they weren't). I actually remember a poster called something like 'Hughes fans club' who got a fair bit of stick from the majority because of his/her unrelenting support of Hughes. Thank you! Hughes was a great squad player but always needed replacing. Nail on the head. Personally thought Habib was twice the player Hughes was, offered more going forward and was much better physically in defence. The Man was a beast. Ironic it's Habib that was the one that would most regret leaving though.

He's a keeper? Watford think so.

Back within a week after a playful tackle from teamate Alan Smith in training goes awry, breaking his leg in three places.

Obviously we were never that bothered about getting any defensive cover, unless we got great deal on one. The vocal noises about getting just a defender were a good smokescreen for us buying a striker. Obviously the treatment of Kadar was the same. Expect him to be starting ahead of Williamson from now on.

35m bid from Liverpool incoming... watch this space.

Was going to post the same. Think we will wait until the summer for Clyne but can see us bidding on Zaha tmrw if others are coming for him. Considering our priority coming into this window has been to get defensive cover in, it would be insane if we don't even manage a loan deal. That said its probably the exact reason why we will end up with fuck all.

Depends on: a) Who you are b) who you play for c) if the media pick up a fuss or pundits wank over it.