Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle United - 16/08/25

[The Prophet]

Finally got round ro watching this in full.

 

Decent performance overall, granted the front three understandably played like total strangers to one another.

 

Tonali ran the show, first half in particular.

 

It'll be nice to have a bench to empty around that 60-70 minute mark when legs start to go.

[The Prophet]

Also not as convinced as others we win that with a striker on the pitch.

[Optimistic Nut]

I thought the front 3 linked up pretty nicely. Would be nice to think there'll be games if we don't sign a 10, where they can play across the attack behind a striker in a 4-2-3-1.

[Stottie]

Just seen the MOTD highlights and if Elanga rolls it across, Gordon scores in the first ten minutes.

Gordon had made a run and checked it when Tonali got the ball, so it was a huge effort for him to get up with the play with Elanga.

A simple cross and he scores a Jamie Vardy goal, which Isak wouldn't score because he wouldnt be fast enough to get in that position. Instead the narrative becomes "blah blah Newcastle lack a striker blah blah".

 

Its a game of fine margins.

 

[John P]

The whole "we win that if Isak plays" is a bit weird, as the whole team dynamic is different when Gordon starts up front and the game could have turned out completely differently as a result

[Drewboy74]

1 minute ago, John P said:

The whole "we win that if Isak plays" is a bit weird, as the whole team dynamic is different when Gordon starts up front and the game could have turned out completely differently as a result

Yeah, at least Gordon grafts his bollocks off for starter's.

[Benwell Lad]

Dominating a game like that is pleasing, not winning a game you've dominated like that is really frustrating.

I agree with earlier posts questioning "would a centre forward have made a difference?" but I can't help thinking if Murphy and Osula had come on a bit earlier, immediately after the sending off perhaps, it might have made a difference. 

[pinkeye]

We were talking last night.

Should really have brought Osula on when Konsa was sent off.  Having a focal point striker on when they are down to 10 would surely have made some difference.

(Not saying he would have scored any of the chances but, he would for sure have made a nuisance of himself.)

[Coffee_Johnny]

On 17/08/2025 at 11:00, Stottie said:

Just seen the MOTD highlights and if Elanga rolls it across, Gordon scores in the first ten minutes.

Gordon had made a run and checked it when Tonali got the ball, so it was a huge effort for him to get up with the play with Elanga.

A simple cross and he scores a Jamie Vardy goal, which Isak wouldn't score because he wouldnt be fast enough to get in that position. Instead the narrative becomes "blah blah Newcastle lack a striker blah blah".

 

Its a game of fine margins.

 

Wasn’t sure that it was as ‘on’ as a number of people have said. Haven’t watched it back mind, but thought the defender had done well to get far enough back to cut out that option. 
 

edit: thought I’d have another look. Not necessarily an easier pass than shot 🤷‍♂️

 

 

Edited August 18, 2025 by Coffee_Johnny

[Shadow Puppets]

56 minutes ago, pinkeye said:

We were talking last night.

Should really have brought Osula on when Konsa was sent off.  Having a focal point striker on when they are down to 10 would surely have made some difference.

(Not saying he would have scored any of the chances but, he would for sure have made a nuisance of himself.)

When has Osula ever been a “focal point striker”. He’s absolute pish.

[Kanj]

1 hour ago, Coffee_Johnny said:

Wasn’t sure that it was as ‘on’ as a number of people have said. Haven’t watched it back mind, but thought the defender had done well to get far enough back to cut out that option. 
 

edit: thought I’d have another look. Not necessarily an easier pass than shot 🤷‍♂️

 

 

 

yah think the pass was difficult and was great recovery by Konsa. Issue was more that Elanga had a touch or two away from goal and it slowed the pace of his movement down. 

[joeyt]

This seems unnecessarily snarky and a bit tone deaf from The Guardian?

 

 

 

[gbandit]

Peter Lansley is a misery nonce, pass it on 

[Kid Icarus]

Textbook Guardian thinking 'independent' regulation will fix everything.  

[danswan]

1 hour ago, Coffee_Johnny said:

Wasn’t sure that it was as ‘on’ as a number of people have said. Haven’t watched it back mind, but thought the defender had done well to get far enough back to cut out that option. 
 

edit: thought I’d have another look. Not necessarily an easier pass than shot 🤷‍♂️

 

Ball should have been released earlier than your screenshot though. Annoys me when players put personal glory ahead of the team, but appreciate players have to have the confidence in themselves to finish too.

If that's reversed, Gordon shoots too for me, and again I don't think he should. There's very few players with the presence of mind to have the awareness and vision to see the big picture all the time - you're talking Pedro, Sheringham, De Bruyne types, who seemed to like an assist as much as a goal. 

 

[Kanj]

None of us have asked Wissa to do this. We don’t post about it every single day. We don’t tell Brentford they must sell him to us. We haven’t planted stories with any Twitter transfer reporter around. None of it. We’ve applied no public pressure on it and seemingly haven’t done so behind the scenes either. 

[Benwell Lad]

8 minutes ago, danswan said:

 

Ball should have been released earlier than your screenshot though. Annoys me when players put personal glory ahead of the team, but appreciate players have to have the confidence in themselves to finish too.

If that's reversed, Gordon shoots too for me, and again I don't think he should. There's very few players with the presence of mind to have the awareness and vision to see the big picture all the time - you're talking Pedro, Sheringham, De Bruyne types, who seemed to like an assist as much as a goal. 

 

 

Add Jacob Murphy to that list of galacticos 

 

 

Edited August 18, 2025 by Benwell Lad

[pinkeye]

2 hours ago, Shadow Puppets said:

When has Osula ever been a “focal point striker”. He’s absolute pish.

 

Well that is a bit harsh about him being "pish".  However, I take your point, he is not a player than can be dominating in his position....

 

However, With us having a man advantage and putting on someone like Osula - unpredictable, quick, mobile etc.  Could possibly have made the difference and that was more of the point I was making rather than heralding anything great about the player himself.

[Astroblack]

Thought we were the better team the apart from the beginning of the 2nd half. Really played them off the park without the red card. Stats show it, too. Was nervous going into it but we really did ourselves proud and then some. 

[NobbySolano]

I just rewatched the game and 3 thoughts come to mind:

1. If Elanga passes that to Gordon a bit earlier and he puts it away - it changes not just the game and result but the fan's mood overall as well as the narrative around the team.

2. We were robbed of a penalty in the aftermath of the blocked shot, Barnes was fouled and it is wild that it was not given. Clear as day that barned got there first and he was kicked.

3. Cash did well to play off that blocked Barnes shot - it is clear to me that should have been reviewed and likely called a penalty. Hand was away from body and ball clearly struck the hand first. 

 

In general the team played well and while I agree that we missed having a better striker, I am not sure that the team would have played as well with someone else instead of Gordon. The press was way better with him and that created some chances. If Gordon puts a pass from Elanga away, there is less slagging off him as forward, and Elanga is seen as having a much better debut. The fanbase is fickle.

 

I though it was a Howe master job with the adjustments in the right place. 

 

Unrelated to the game but the worst part of this summer is reading the negativity from this fan base with the wildest takes. I am not a happy clapper by any means and I can be annoyed but the way folks are talking about the club as incompetent is mind blowing.

 

 

[TRon]

48 minutes ago, NobbySolano said:

I just rewatched the game and 3 thoughts come to mind:

1. If Elanga passes that to Gordon a bit earlier and he puts it away - it changes not just the game and result but the fan's mood overall as well as the narrative around the team.

2. We were robbed of a penalty in the aftermath of the blocked shot, Barnes was fouled and it is wild that it was not given. Clear as day that barned got there first and he was kicked.

3. Cash did well to play off that blocked Barnes shot - it is clear to me that should have been reviewed and likely called a penalty. Hand was away from body and ball clearly struck the hand first. 

 

In general the team played well and while I agree that we missed having a better striker, I am not sure that the team would have played as well with someone else instead of Gordon. The press was way better with him and that created some chances. If Gordon puts a pass from Elanga away, there is less slagging off him as forward, and Elanga is seen as having a much better debut. The fanbase is fickle.

 

I though it was a Howe master job with the adjustments in the right place. 

 

Unrelated to the game but the worst part of this summer is reading the negativity from this fan base with the wildest takes. I am not a happy clapper by any means and I can be annoyed but the way folks are talking about the club as incompetent is mind blowing.

 

 

 

 

It could be argued that you are also putting a negative spin on it though. While it's true that if Elanga had squared it to Gordon he probably would have scored, it still would have required accuracy to bypass the defender closing in, and tbh, most people watching would have expected Elanga to take the shot, it was a great chance. He was pretty much clean through, you can't really blame him for going for goal. 

[Cf]

2nd in the league by xPts.

[Kanj]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6548374/2025/08/18/newcastle-pressing-defensive-solidity-centre-forward/

 

Very good article on our pressing structure 

[huss9]

https://archive.ph/XJU9Z

[NobbySolano]

3 hours ago, TRon said:

 

 

It could be argued that you are also putting a negative spin on it though. While it's true that if Elanga had squared it to Gordon he probably would have scored, it still would have required accuracy to bypass the defender closing in, and tbh, most people watching would have expected Elanga to take the shot, it was a great chance. He was pretty much clean through, you can't really blame him for going for goal. 

 

Oh definitely not blaming him. More calling out that with just a slightly different action from him, the narrative about his start, Gordon's ability as a striker, and the season outlook would be very different for a large portion of the fans who are just non-stop doom and gloom. Unnecessary negativity from my pov. Could it be better, yeah of course but I am not that fussed.