Raymond

I thought Raymond's post was perfectly clear and made his point in an amusing and telling way.

To be honest, I wrote it while driving. Probably not the best of ideas.

By the by, the horrific run on at the end of your last post Pac is amusing considering the conversation.

We would not have given up any goals if he would have just kept Nzog on, except the one we gave up with him on the pitch. We would have had more possession if he did not take Nzog off, except that we were being dominated for the 20 minutes he played in the 2nd half. We would have had a better chance at a counter attack goal if he kept Nzog on, except we did not crest any chances in the 20 minutes he played in the 2nd half.

It is very convenient Nzog would have been the savior of the last 25 minutes when he had not made much of a difference in the 20 minutes he had already played in the second half.

Based on the current points to game ratio that is the points total we are heading for. We would need to increase this to 1.2 points per game to finish on 38 points which might just save our bacon (again!).

Based on everyone's current PPG, we would finish out of the drop zone.

Point being past results do not guarantee future performance. The fact that we have just gone through what I assume will be the worst stretch of season with 2 points in 6 games and still "boast" a nearly 1 PPG ratio and the fact that we were averaging just over a one PPG in the first 17 games gives me hope we can average just over a point per game the rest of the way and get to the 37/38 I think we will need to survive.

That being said, we might keep this collapse going and finish on 20 points, or we might take all the remaining points and finish on 65. Who knows.

I'd like to see Weimann and Benteke up top, N'Zogbia and Agbonlahor either side. I think that could be quite effective. Delph and Westwood in the middle possibly.

Nzogbia needs to play down the center. A 4-2-3-1 with Nzog, Gabby, and Andi behind Benteke might be interesting, but we do not have to midfield or defense for that formation.

Bannan and Westwood have won matches together. Westwood and Delph have yet to win one.

Westwood and Delph paired together is a more defensive unit than Delph and Bannan or Bannan and Westwood.

They are used together because we don't have one specialist DM.

It is also a less creative midfield.

The two goals we scored today were counter-attacks. We did not dominate possession and create chances through our central midfield.

This is sometimes an okay strategy playing away. At home, it's not so good. You need the creativity of a player like Bannan.

Delph had a good game before he was injured. Very proud of his performance in the first half. Pity he got injured.

We did actually dominate possession in the first half. We just cannot score from a long build up.

isnt there 1 team (hinckley?) who have less goals than us in 7 divisions worth of football? its not a priority but its not right either

It is unimaginably simplistic to assume no goals=bad attacking options. Just like it is simplistic to assume letting in a lot of goals=bad defensive options.

Our problem is and has been since Milner left the midfield. That gets sorted and we will see improvements on both ends.

I do know my personal support would decrease. It is hard enough to watch Villa games in the states as it is. I can't imagine how difficult it would become if we were in the championship.

he shouln't have brought anyone on he should have kept the same team and the same shape.

He should have left an injured Baker and Delph on? Good managing there.

Am I the only one pleased we did not give up three? As soon as the first one went in so early in the second half, I was sure we were losing 3-2.

Five points dropped last two weeks but still out of the drop zone. Reading just made their run, but that will come crashing down quickly. We might just survive this yet.

People moaning about the subs obviously did not watch the game.

Delph and Baker were hurt. No choice what to do.

Nzogbia has not played a full 90 since he had been a Villa player. I am positive if we did not have to take off Delph and Baker, Bent would have made an appearance because it is becoming plainly obvious Benteke is also not a full 90 player.

As always, a tale of two halfs.

Nzog MOTM. Wish he could play a full 90, but do not think he is that player.

Think we would have fared better without the two injuries, but apparently we will not play a match this season in which we do not lose a player to an injury.

Is 1:30 PM too early to start drinking?

We know Benteke has no soul. This is where Gabby has to show his worth.

Yep

I have heard several people say bring on someone. We have no more changes.

You shouldn't rest the most influential player on the pitch when you're 1 goal up in a local derby away from home. It's madness.

I do not think he is being rested. I genuinely think he cannot go a full 90. Have never seen him do it in a Villa shirt.

This is where we miss a DCM. Get on the ball and hold it. Push them back.

Has Zog ever played 90 minutes for us.

If I knew we would have 20 corners and the other team would have 1, I would bet on the other team scoring.

Piss poor booking. What was that?

Hopefully we have weathered the storm here.

This is different than the Liverpool match. We are dominating. Have to win this match.

Oh if the Soton game would have gone a bit differently where we could be tonight.

Has Nzog finally been reached?

Then he makes that run. Take the bad with the good if the good will be this good.

Man. One more pass.

Good save though.

It is sad that my only thought is about how we are going to mess this up.