Olejniker

Petrov again on 36th minute, took too long on the ball when the counter attack was on and then he lost it. I think I should make a log of all the incidents where Petrov is crab-like and slows us down.

We suck. In the 21st minute Petrov had the ball way up the field, then he switched play to the the other side with a BEAUTIFUL cross-field ball ...

all the way back to Luke Young who had to start all over.

Petrov is a liability.

I don't think Petrov is shit. I just think the way he plays for us doesn't suit us.

Because he's a good technical player, but he isn't strong enough defensively to play in a 2 man midfield, and attackers often have to track back to give him support. And he does tend to slow things down.

I think we'll lose 2-0.

It's going to be this year's Stoke.

Undoubtedly Petrov will come back for the next game.

Which is a shame.

Cuellar allowed Davies to beat him in the air too easily for the goal.

Luke Young back at RB has been great, love the extra man forward.

I think it's a absurd to assume that out of the thousands of managers who are currently in the game, none of them are better than O'Neil, or if they are, those people are already managing the likes of AC Milan and Barcelona.

So we shouldn't care whatever MON does, he's the best we'll ever have, so even if his tactics are bewildering and ludicrous, it's not a concern, MON is the best we will ever get, and we should just accept it.

I think anyone who thinks that there isn't any better managers out there who would want to come to Villa is being highly illogical, because subjectivity over quality of manager aside, sheer mathematics and probability will tell you that is is logical that at least 3 or 4 managers out of the thousands of managers around the world would fit the 2 criteria of being better than MON and wanting to come to Villa.

I think Friedel could have done a lot better for the goal.

Yes, it was struck hard and it was well-placed, but although he managed to get down quickly, he just wasn't able to get any distance on his dive.

I think this lack of nimbleness is something that can never be compensated, no matter how experienced or how good Friedel's positioning may be. He's old, his body doesn't move that quickly anymore. You can't help it.

I think it's time for Brad Jr to start a few more games. I would hope by next season he can be first-choice because Big Brad is really deteriorating as a keeper.

I'm still waiting for Downing to come back before judging O'Neil.

I'm placing on my hopes on him being O'Neil's answer to our lack of creativity.

I hope I'm not setting myself up for disappointment.

I was one of the 3 to vote undecided.

I think MON has done great for now, and it'd be wholly illogical for him to go at the moment, he has built a good squad, a good first team, and we are doing pretty well under his charge.

But I just think his flaws will prove to be a problem when we want to challenge the likes of Man U and Arsenal year in year out and also the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan, given that our goal is to get back into the Champions League.

MON's major flaw has been his tactical acumen during the game itself, and his unwillingness to use his substitutes.

I understand MON is very loyal to his first-team players who are playing well, and doesn't like to take them off and change things during games in which we are winning. But sadly, this loyalty to his players has cost us, especially in the Man City game, when after 10 or so minutes of sustained Man City pressure through the influence of Ireland, MON still didn't do anything to combat that. He doesn't seem to respond to the changes in the opposition side's approach, be it through substitution and/or approach play. He only reacted in the Man City game AFTER they equalized by sending on Heskey for Carew, and it was too little too late. Damage had already been done.

And the Man City example is just that - an example. MON has been guilty of this unwillingness to respond tactically many other times, and I'm sure many other posters will recall serperate occasions where this has happened.

I'm willing to stick with MON for now, I really do think he can take us even higher than where we are now, but when we do get up there with the big boys, will MON be good enough for us?

Anyone have a recipe for a good potato salad? Warm or cold is fine.

Preferably one that doesn't call for any meat. I know some call for bacon.

My point still stands.

Faded in the second-half and had to resort to fouling to prevent players from getting past him.

That is still a major liability in our team.

We do **** all from corners!

Still disappears in the second-half.

The only way he can defend in the second-half is by fouling other players.

Just watch the next game.

MON still too passive with his subs.

After Ireland came on and we were really under the cosh I was screaming for MON to make a change.

But he did nothing.

And then MON chasing the game decides that Heskey the big idiot should come on, but he didn't win a single header or get even one shot off at goal.

We could have seen the game out if MON had just got NRC on during the tremendous spell of Man City pressure. Maybe not get NRC, maybe get Delph on or Gardner on, or whatever, when we were so desperately at Man City's mercy(81%) to Man City, and majority of it in our box, why didn't MON do anything to alleviate the pressure?

Dunne beat Barr for the goal!!!

We are not **** without NRC.

We are **** with a low-energy centre midfield of Sidwell and Petrov against Man City's trio of Barry De Jong and SWP.

We're gonna be outnumbered in centre midfield and constantly play it out wide to Young or Milner, who will sometimes manage to get a cross in.

If we're chasing the game and MON sends on Heskey as an attacking sub I will be convinced that MON is off his rocker.

**** me.

I told myself if MON chose a 4-4-2 I wouldn't bother watching the match, because I know it's going to be a depressing match like the Blackburn one, and even if we're drawing MON will do something to make sure we lose.

But I just can't stay away, ah well, time for 2 hours of pain.

Heskey won us 2 extra points at Pompey and 1 point at West Ham.

Apart from that, he's done absolutely nothing for us. His contributions in games have been woefully inadequate considering the opportunity cost of playing an extra midfielder. Because of that, whenever he's on the pitch we are visibly worst off.

One of the worst signings ever.

The Delph substitution was the turning point of the game.

We never looked the same offensively after that.

We looked like shit offensively in the second half against a 10 man Blackburn side.

MON's tactical change made us worse ....

****.

Taking Delph off for Heskey was stupid.

Heskey on the LW is **** up.

Not a good half ...

We've looked good going forward, although nothing is going Carew's way ... and thus he's been a bit of a passenger ...

But we've been horrible at set pieces at both ends. We can't defend against theirs and we don't take advantage of ours ... Young's delivery has been poor.