Shearer9

fuckin yes!!!! What a header as well

Nice to see that when they switched the marking to put Taylor on Hyppia that it was so effective...

Thought it Thought it was worse from Enrique, just let Benayoun in behind him. Has Gerrard even been marked once this game? I'm pretty sure he's just been able to go wherever he wanted this entire game. Nice looking move there from Duff and Owen, definitely onside.

How many times has Duff played at left back in his career for you to make that judgement? Duff's played LB a few times for us, about 2 years ago. Looked decent, nothing amazing, but certainly more solid than N'Zogbia. Playing N'Zogbia at LB by now is just totally criminal, we all know what an attacking threat he is and now poor he performs at LB. Was Duff in the initial starting XI before Enrique went down?

Just thought I should say that both Lee Mason and Chris Foy had fantastic games today, despite refereeing really tough games that were just crazy and very physical, two ingredients for losing control, but these two didn't. It is possible to referee a good game, and I think there are referees better than the usuals who get all the top games like Riley, Dean, Bennett, Webb, and Styles. That having been said, I think there's a very good argument that the game is just getting too fast and there's too much riding on these decisions for the traditional 1 referee and 2 linesmen to be able to solve these problems. Putting microchips in the balls for goal-line decisions seems like a no-brainer to me now, and I know they've tested games using 1 ref and 4 assistants, but I think a 5th official for replay is the way forward. For really close decisions about goals, pens, and sendings off, they should be able to consult a video official.

Well done Villa, deserved to win.

It went forward

That really was a stupid challenge by Brown, he's very lucky to have gotten away with that. I thought it looked more of a penalty than the one he actually gave.

Should never be in the team ahead of N'Zogbia. Would rather have seen Duff at LB than the Zog after Enrique got hurt, although putting an actual defender in our defense would probably have been the more prudent move.

Never would have won this game but probably could have gotten a 0-0 draw if it weren't for Dean. We were shit, he was worse.

What a fucking sitter Jason Roberts missed to beat the mackems

That's a really weak line-up for Villa in a really important game against Arsenal: 1637: ASTON VILLA v ARSENAL LINE-UPS Aston Villa: Friedel, Reo-Coker, Davies, Knight, Luke Young, Milner, Sidwell, Petrov, Barry, Ashley Young, Agbonlahor. Subs: Guzan, Harewood, Delfouneso, Salifou, Shorey, Gardner, Osbourne. Arsenal: Almunia, Sagna, Eboue, Djourou, Silvestre, Song Billong, Denilson, Nasri, Diaby, Gallas, Van Persie. Subs: Fabianski, Toure, Vela, Ramsey, Wilshere, Clichy, Bendtner.

Another class save from Given.

Second

game over

Rather have Nile Ranger...

GET FUCKING NZOGBIA OUT OF DEFENSE!!!!!!!!

We desperatley need the Zog in midfield, we can't hang onto any possession at all. We're doomed basically.

We're gonna continued to get raped down the right if N'Zogbia 's still playing there.

Shit, now he's taking Oxygen, this must be bad, broken leg possible...

Fuck, Beye out now

Would like to see Bassong moved to left back and N'Zogbia pushed up to midfield with Edgar or Geremi coming on to fill that gap in the centre of defence(although if Joe makes the change, it'll be Taylor).

Looking at that again, think Given could have done better. Was poorly positioned.

Always happens. Fuck

Great post. i've been reading through this thread and seen some good stuff, some not so great (imo). This post is pretty much how I feel too. I think the one really good point you make is that he does seem to learn. Basing so much of our offense around counter attacks with Martins, now playing N'Zogbia instead of Duff, and hopefully won't slot Taylor straight back in there. I just don't think he should be permanent manager though, he can probably walk away a cult hero from Newcastle and go and get a decent job in the championship, probably even get somebody promoted. I want to avoid another Roeder. Plus I don't trust his ability in the transfer market, he's been out of the game way too long and this squad has needed some serious rebuilding for a few years now, I'd really like to see someone with European experience and a list of contacts he can rely on.