Martin O'Neill

[Parky]

He's doing really well this season like, Villa look quality.

 

He struggled for a while last season though didn't he? Can't remember specifics except a long winless run, where did they finish?

 

11th.

 

Half the season with the relegation-bound squad O'Leary left him, though. We were the last team to be beaten across all leagues at the start of the season, had a bad run in the middle, then finished with a 9 match unbeaten run.

 

All managers have bad runs, though.

 

i was going to pm you this actually.

 

can you see any similiarities with us and you last year? i.e did your fans have a period where they didnt like MON (maybe on the winless run?) or have you always been behind him.

 

i think you underwent a similar mass change to us last year (board change, coach change, player change) and i can honestly see us doing what you have this year and kicking on next season.

 

thoughts?

 

Yes, there are definite similarities. We went through something last year very similar to what you are going through. Also don't forget the fact that, like us, you have also gone through a regime change - everything at the club will be changing this season, from top to bottom. That might not effect things on the pitch directly but nonetheless, the whole club will be in flux.

 

We had quite a lot of moaning, too. Don't forget, in our piss poor patch, we were flirting with relegation spots. Anyone would moan in that situation. The argument that kept coming up, though, was that we'd moaned for years that the club was a f***** up basket case under Ellis, and that nothing - nothing - was right there, so it shouldn't have been a surprise that things didn't go exactly to plan in the first year.

 

We also had weird tactical f*** ups, the team booed off the pitch at half time, MON's team selections which bemused everyone, but for better or worse, you just have to put your trust in the manager to get it right over time - you just have to give him that time to succeed or fail.

 

Get shot of him now and he can justifiably say that he didn't get time. Give him time and if he still fucks up, then get rid of him, but not before.

 

i was hoping your reply would read like that!

 

its heartening to know you went thorugh this s*** last year, and i am strongly of the opinion we stick with sam and ride it out.

 

the similarities are uncanny, dodgy selections, tactics etc.

 

cheers brummie

 

 

One chink in that theory being that in key positons their players are better/not perpetually injured... than ours.

 

such as?

 

 

 

Better forwards /playing regularly and a better CD pairing.

 

Barry (depending on where he starts) and NRC are a better CM pairing than any combination of cm's we can put out.

 

I would say our full backs are the only position that is better than thiers.

 

IMO.

[lovejoy]

goalkeeper.

 

carson is dodgy as fuck.

 

i also wouldnt say their forwards are better than ours

 

owen, amrtins, viduka, smith and shola are better than carew (never ever scores) harewood, abgonlahor etc.

 

barry is a good player but i dont rate reo-coker at all.

 

play charlie left wing every week as well and i would put him up against young, no problems

 

i do think they have a better pairing at centre half though

[Parky]

goalkeeper.

 

carson is dodgy as fuck.

 

i also wouldnt say their forwards are better than ours

 

owen, amrtins, viduka, smith and shola are better than carew (never ever scores) harewood, abgonlahor etc.

 

barry is a good player but i dont rate reo-coker at all.

 

play charlie left wing every week as well and i would put him up against young, no problems

 

i do think they have a better pairing at centre half though

 

Our forwards are rarely fit bar Martins. I don't think Vid has been fully fit since he's been here he just looks so ponderous. Owen fires blanks unless he gets custom service which we can't provide. So yes on paper our forwards look better but for various reasons inc fitness/age and style our forwards are nowhere near as effective.

 

Charlie will be better than Young I agree.

[lovejoy]

just read your post, didnt see not perpetually injured part!

 

[Parky]

just read your post, didnt see not perpetually injured part!

 

 

 

 

[merlin]

Average manager.

 

Playing counter attacking footie with fast forwards and a solid defence.

 

Two things we haven't got.

 

Not rocket science.

 

Has money and I expect them to finish the season well.

 

Good luck to him at least he isn't boring.

 

Moyes, MON and Sammy Dice are all the same level.

 

This HAS to be a wind-up - MON is streets ahead of Allardyce.

 

Expand?

 

Has won a trophy with a small club(Leicester) and got them into the Prem ; won Promotion at Wycombe ,took Celtic to final of major Euro comp on a limited budget , took over at Villa on eve of last season(no time to make many signings, club taken over just as NUFC were this time)and steadied a rocking ship - went through a poor patch in mid-season, BUT - unlike Allardyce - they got a fair number of draws, not defeats..

Has arguably made Villa the surprise team of this season and they play good attacking football but with a decent defence..I cannot see NUFC doing the same next year under Sam esp if they spend the same amount of money that O'Neill did this time...

[Parky]

Average manager.

 

Playing counter attacking footie with fast forwards and a solid defence.

 

Two things we haven't got.

 

Not rocket science.

 

Has money and I expect them to finish the season well.

 

Good luck to him at least he isn't boring.

 

Moyes, MON and Sammy Dice are all the same level.

 

This HAS to be a wind-up - MON is streets ahead of Allardyce.

 

Expand?

 

Has won a trophy with a small club(Leicester) and got them into the Prem ; won Promotion at Wycombe ,took Celtic to final of major Euro comp on a limited budget , took over at Villa on eve of last season(no time to make many signings, club taken over just as NUFC were this time)and steadied a rocking ship - went through a poor patch in mid-season, BUT - unlike Allardyce - they got a fair number of draws, not defeats..

Has arguably made Villa the surprise team of this season and they play good attacking football but with a decent defence..I cannot see NUFC doing the same next year under Sam esp if they spend the same amount of money that O'Neill did this time...

 

I've got a long cut and paste critique of MON I'll put it up if I can find it.

 

I respect your opinion, but IMO he isn't any better than Allardyce in fact in many ways fat Sam is better. We will see. 

[brummie]

owen, amrtins, viduka, smith and shola are better than carew (never ever scores) harewood, abgonlahor etc.

 

Carew's last goal - Dec 22 v Man City

 

Carew so far has 4 in 15 PL games this season. Not prolific, but how much do Martins, Viduka or Owen add to Newcastle's all-round game? And how much does Carew add to ours?

 

N'Zog is a promising player, but better than Young? Well, that's up to him to show it, but thus far, we haven't seen it.

[Alberto2005]

owen, amrtins, viduka, smith and shola are better than carew (never ever scores) harewood, abgonlahor etc.

 

Carew's last goal - Dec 22 v Man City

 

Carew so far has 4 in 15 PL games this season. Not prolific, but how much do Martins, Viduka or Owen add to Newcastle's all-round game? And how much does Carew add to ours?

 

N'Zog is a promising player, but better than Young? Well, that's up to him to show it, but thus far, we haven't seen it.

Stick Young at right back and see how well he does.

[brummie]

owen, amrtins, viduka, smith and shola are better than carew (never ever scores) harewood, abgonlahor etc.

 

Carew's last goal - Dec 22 v Man City

 

Carew so far has 4 in 15 PL games this season. Not prolific, but how much do Martins, Viduka or Owen add to Newcastle's all-round game? And how much does Carew add to ours?

 

N'Zog is a promising player, but better than Young? Well, that's up to him to show it, but thus far, we haven't seen it.

Stick Young at right back and see how well he does.

 

Fair comment, but let's see him do as well as Young in his correct position, then we can judge on whether or not he is better - surely until then it is just a theory?

[lovejoy]

owen, amrtins, viduka, smith and shola are better than carew (never ever scores) harewood, abgonlahor etc.

 

Carew's last goal - Dec 22 v Man City

 

Carew so far has 4 in 15 PL games this season. Not prolific, but how much do Martins, Viduka or Owen add to Newcastle's all-round game? And how much does Carew add to ours?

 

N'Zog is a promising player, but better than Young? Well, that's up to him to show it, but thus far, we haven't seen it.

 

i cant be arsed to dig out carews total goals to games ratio for you, but im pretty sure its awful (although way better than smiths i bet!).

 

to be honest i cant say how much our strikers add compared to carew as i dont watch you lot/him often enough to comment.

 

and we have seen as much of nzogbia as young imo, to know that they are as good as each other.

 

just my opinion like but i see them both as wingers with loads of potential, andwe have seen flashes of class from the pair.