heid3ster

It's a shame we didn't get all 3 points against Fulham, we'd be on 42 points and in 11th with barely a care in the world (although technically still not mathematically safe), and Fulham would be on 39.

Swansea are overdue for a win. Hope they get it Tuesday.

1x CB (Mid 20's to add experience along Vlaar, Dunne replacement)

1x LB (to replace Bennett if he's still not cutting it)

1x AM (To replace Ireland)

1x Box to Box Midfielder (To take Bannan's "place")

1x Winger/Inside Forward (So we can change formation when needed and backup for Gabbs/Weimann)

1x ST (Bent replacement)

1x Back up GK (Given Replacement)

 

That would set us straight...

 

I don't think we need that many, that's practically a whole new team (I suppose that might be exactly what you mean, though). Left back a must. CB a must. I'm torn as to whether we need a DM more than a creative midfielder -- Sylla and Westwood are a good partnership. Delph still gives away too many silly fouls and collects too many yellows. Remains to be seen if Carruthers or Gardner could fill the creative slot next season. But either a defensive midfield enforcer or a good creator needed, or possibly both.

(Forgot Maloney was with us! Forgive me, I am a newbie compared to probably everyone else here; I discovered football late in life, English football even later, and Villa later still. I'd still have him back, I think he'd be a good fit with this current squad.)

Would anybody take any Wigan players should they go down?

 

McCarthy, Kone?

I'd take Maloney. Good creative midfielder, also a great work rate just like Lambert likes 'em.

Oh, Westwood played well too. Forgot him. Two lovely assists.

We were lucky in the end not to be playing with nine. Bennett made about three bookable offenses after picking up his first yellow, and Benteke grabbing Bassong by the throat was bafflingly stupid. It was really a poor game from just about everyone, even Guzan looked a little nervy. Gabby saved us. I don't think it's overstating it to say he may have just saved our season.

Amazing. Two goals from nothing. Without Gabby we never looked like getting into this game. What a hero. Pretty much single-handedly won this for us.

BLOW THE DAMN WHISTLE.

Man, it's lucky for us that Grant Holt is horrible.

GABBY YOU **** BEAUTY!

Come on guys. Need another goal. Make it happen.

HOLMAN FOR SYLLA??? WTF?

Bennett's got to come off before he's sent off. I don't know who comes on in his place, though.

GAHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Geez Louise.

Oooh. Benteke needs to watch that. Could have been a red. Lucky boy.

FFS Delph.

Tony Gale saying Bunn should have saved it, what a word removed.

He should have. Guzan would have saved it. But I'm glad he didn't!

Okay boys, keep calm. We can do this. Just settle.

GET IN!!

Nervy first half. Bennett needs to settle down and stop fouling or he's going to get sent off. Lucky to go into the second with the score still 0-0, though. If we calm down and keep our heads we can still take this.

Taking Bannan's place on the bench maybe?

Anyone else superstitious? For Monday's big win, I wore my Villa shirt on the day before and then again on match day so I'm doing the same this time.

Baker's made some big mistakes this season but the difference I see between him and Clark is that Baker shows signs of learning from his mistakes. Clark seems to make the same mistakes over and over again. I've actually been pretty impressed with Baker's improvement throughout the season (and a little bummed out by Clark's lack thereof). Bennett, who I have been very critical of, has also been showing big signs of improvement in the last several games.

I still think next year we could use another solid CB, LB and a good defensive midfielder. More important than players though might be a new defensive coach.

I'm going out on a limb and predicting a clean sheet. Norwich 0-3 Aston Villa.

Gabby still frustrates me. That moment he got the ball, stood still, then passed it out of play when Bennett was overlapping was quite telling IMO.

What happened there? It seemed like at first he'd stopped thinking he was going to get called for a foul. Then that didn't happen so he just walked a few steps with the ball, doing nothing -- I almost thought he was going to kick the ball out of play thinking the guy he'd barged off the ball was injured. Then that piss-poor pass to Bennett. The announcer on TV (Pleat, I think) suggested he was showboating. It was puzzling, especially given his performance in the whole rest of the match, which I thought was great.