tommo

.................................Guzan Beye....Davies/Cuellar/Collins...Dunne...L.Young ...............................NRC ....................Petrov.........Ireland .....Albrighton.......Gabby/Fonz.......Young OR .........NRC...Petrov...Ireland ......................Young ..........Heskey....Fonz

I called for Mac Donald to ge the job before today. Perhaps not in hindsight. I hope this is a fast learning curve for him. Friedel 5- Is his age catching up with him? Young 5- Winger had him beaten. Received no support from Ireland and Petrov for overlapping runs. Clark 4- Looked slow and easily beaten in the air. Dunne 4- A shoddy lethargic display and perhaps at fault for 2 of the goals. Warnock 3- Has a worrying trait of allowing the winger far too much space. Also received no support. Ireland 4- Out of his depth in this position. Petrov 4- Slow, tired, and reverted back to his defensive midfield position. Outbattled and overrun. Downing 4- Not in the game and overhit passes. Albrighton 4- Outbattled against a defender with some pace. Young 5- Tried, but again very lightweight. Carew 3- Woeful Heskey- Right wing- somebody's been watching MON videos!!! NRC- Should have been first name on the teamsheet for me today. Looked very desperate when he came on and was disposessed frequently. Beye- And the point was?? Kept getting beaten at the back post today which caused havoc. A dire team performance all round. No tracking, MON tactics, and no leadership. Suddenly with Chelsea, United and Arsenal at the top immediately and the Milner transfer, I wonder why I like football.

Same... I'm really behind the Villa at the moment. Praying we get the results we need for Kevin Mac to get the job. He knows the players, he knows what they can do, and wants to give everyone a fair crack. If we got one of those big time charlies in there's no guarantee of success...they might even watch a few old tapes and revert back to a 442 with petrov with carlos at RB you never know. And at times I wonder what all the fuss is about these managers. It seems to be that they've been at the right place at the right time to manage some big clubs. If Kevin Mac really didn't want the job, i'd reluctantly want Curbs to have it. I've been very impressed with what he's done as a manager in the past.

Guzan 7- Good saves, but at times seems to come half way and let the defence deal with it. Not good with Davies and Beye at cb. Lichaj 5.5- did one or two nice things but his inexperience could have cost us at times. Davies 5.5- improved in the second half but kept getting caught the wrong side of his man. Beye 5.5- Couldn't really see why Clarke wasn't playing, and he was playing an extremely dangerous high line. Warnock 6- wasn't getting near to the winger which kept putting our inexperienced defence under pressure. Hogg 5- Looked a little lightweight and wasn't really in the game. Reo Coker 7.5- unlucky to be booked and held the performance together with some good link up play and ball winning. Will be unlucky not to start against Newcastle. Bannan 6.5- bright early on and a good goal. Albrighton 8*- Again the best player on the pitch, with added intelligence. This kid will be good. Downing 7- Looked bright with good passing in the 1st half. Heskey 6.5- Ran around like a maniac but cut a lone figure later on in the game. It's safe to say he cannot play this role particularly well. Overall very pleased with the result, although we could have conceded more. I never want to see that back 4 play again together! Positives definitely Albrighton, NRC, and Downing looking more of a player after a decent pre season under his belt. There's potential with this youth, but you can tell one or two (Hogg, Lichaj) will have to really step up if they are to make the grade.

Now we know there's no rift then. Luke Young's departure will be the penultimate nail in the coffin, and NRC's departure will be the final nail in the coffin for me. Unless we can replace these players with their equals or better, then I will have very little, or no time, for MON's management of our club. Potentially, this is one of the most clueless cases of management I will have ever witnessed.

Well written BOF, I think you are right in suggesting that things are gradually improving, and you can't really argue with the stats. I personally think the reliance on the same 11 week in week out can be a good thing, although MON has seemed to rely on a system that has seen us rarely play 'good' or entertaining football this season, and it has been surprising that often our better results and performances have occurred when the likes of NRC have provided energy in the centre, and as you say the youngsters like Delph, Fonz have added flair. Or as with the solid start to the season, we use a system that benefits our attacking insticts ie 433. The favoritism is acutely irritating and it sometimes seems to me that MON is prepared to sacrifice a result, due to the belief that his methods are correct. He deserves to manage next season no doubt, by the stats and points improvement alone, but it will be a make or break season for O'Neill. To get to the next level I think we will need to spend roughly 30m on a top class striker, and a top class combative midfielder if he refuses to use NRC. Either that or MON will have to leave behind his 1970s mentality and use systems, substitutions and team selections that best suit our current personnel. Frustrations will continue to grow otherwise, particularly if Citeh and Spuds continue to improve and we stagnate due to archaic management style.

Bit worried Liverpool will snatch one late on and we'll finish 7th. NRC and Fonz please MON

1-2 to Everton A bright performance in the first half, poor distribution from Cuellar gifts Everton an early opener. Good for the rest of the half and Carew scores a pen on 40mins. Everton inexplicably take over on 55 mins and inevitably score on 65. They dominate the rest of the half until Heskey and Sidwell replace Cuellar and Downing, moving Jimmy to full back. What results is rather ineffective hoofball for the final 10 mins.

He played well today against a very mundane Bolton team, but one swallow doesn't make the summer. He's be consistently solid for two years now, so I'm pretty sure it's not one swallow. Remember he was palyers player and fans player of the year last year. He is still a scapegoat for many on here, but he is very consistent, very experienced and a good captain. I don't agree with your view point, Petrov shouldn't be the captain either. I still stand by my comment. Avfc89 I more than agree with you with regard to Stan as a DM, but I for one saw a different player today. Hopefully MON will wake up to the idea that he is much more effective when advanced, I've no problem with that. But I agree that we are unlikely to progress with him as the cog and 'irreplacable captain fantastic player of the year' at DM. Today has again made me feel that Delph can be his more than adequate replacement in the near future.

Positive for me today was Petrov. Saw more of the ball in the first half, and he is a whole world more effective further forwards where he can demonstrate his talent. All this that he hasn't got the legs to play such a role is bollocks because the role of harrying at DM is more tiring. I do think we'd need an extra man in midfield though in any case against better opposition, unless the partner is NRC. Delph was promising... again. You must see this, Martin. A decent result against a dross side, although unfortunately I can't see the Cuellar at full back curse being lifted, which was the only real negative! I'd love to see v Chelsea ...........Delph .....Stan......Milner Young.Gabby.DJ The energy pace and passing abilty there could see the likes of Mikel and maybe Ballack struggle.

Apparently he was 10 minutes late for the game the other day so MON dropped him. Where did you hear he was injured?

Not a bad idea Rob, although I'd be more inclined to play Delph off the striker and Young on the left. Not sure why it's really a risk playing Delph, ok he's young, but I haven't held him responsible for anything when he's played, and usually he adds something to our game which is often missing. I think MON is now so reluctant to play fringe players because of the fans reaction to him changing virtually the entire 11 v Moscow. That was a completely different situation. Bringing in the odd player with a view to him potentially making a difference to a tiring side, ie. Delph, L.Young, Fonz and NRC is no problem imo. It's a far cry from bringing in the likes of Knight, Harewood and Gardner for a league cup game to give them a chance. Delph has the quality, I'm convinced of that, but I'd prefer tyo see him in a central 3 for the time being.

I like this idea Tommo. We dont often see (if never) Carew in attack on his own, and it could well work, with all the pace around him. I might be tempted to choose Sidwell over Delph. Big Occassion, Need a win and Sidwell (as bad as a lot of people make him out to be) could still have a big role to play for us imo. The equaliser last week will give him confidence, and I think he gets a lot of unfair stick seen as he rarely gets any game time. We have seen at Wigan and Everton last season, and at Arsenal at home last season, what he can do. I think the lad deserves another chance. I'd be ok with giving Sidwell a chance too, but given Delph's performances this season it would seem mad to pick Sidwell over him. I wouldn't mind seeing Sidwell in a midfield 3, but unless he is able to do something special then Petrov, Milner, NRC and Delph are all ahead of him for a starting berth imo. It's ok going with experience and expecting them to do the job, but what MON hasn't done is found a system which suits these experienced players. I can't see any reason why the 'inexperienced' Delph, Fonz, and Luke Young could not do a better job than the first team at the moment.

If Dunne is out it can never be a positive, however, I'd much rather see a back 4 of Young...Cuellar...Collins...Warnock than the usual with Cuellar at rb. Sometimes injuries can be a blessing in diguise. Providing Dunne and Gabby are out Id go with the above and ..............Petrov .....Milner..........Delph Young.....Carew.....Downing Not sure how Carew by himself would work, but I think it's crucial we have an extra man in midfield. Bring Fonz on as opposed to Heskey if we are struggling

WTF do we play Heskey as a 3rd midfielder? If I was Delph I'd want out

heskey to right back

quite

Well can't fault the effort, just like to see us getting it down a bit more. Young and Downing have been bright and Petrov is playing very well, nice to see him taking the game to the opposition for a change and midfield possession breeds domination. Collins has handled anything they've thrown at us, quite literally, and to be fair we should win this...perhaps with a bit of flair ie. Delph. Stoke have been tripe.

Sums it up perfectly. My Ratings- Friedel 6- didn't look comfortable in the first half Cuellar 6- from a defensive point of view, fine, but we run the risk of the best two right backs at the club wanting out if this continues, which could cost us next season Dunne 7.5- solid as usual Collins 5.5- since returning from injury he has looked shaky Warnock 6- after a poor first half he overlapped well for the third and generally improved defensively Young 7- a livewire and had a good 2nd half Petrov 5.5- was never really in the game, but at least put a shift in during the 2nd half. Needs more support in the centre Milner 5.5- ditto petrov Downing 5.5- picked up where he left off, utterly dire, until a great cross for the equaliser Heskey 5- an improved second half, but poor on the whole Carew 8.5*- three excellently taken goals put paid to theory that he should have been withdrawn at half time. Sidwell- didn't touch the ball during his familiar and utterly pointless 2 minute run out. In general, I don't know what to say. I have eaten humble pie. I disagreed entirely with his team selection, and all the faults that were likely to be apparent were there... Useless hoofball tactics, Milner running on empty, Stan anonymous, Downing shite, 2 lumps up front, Cuellar not being a right back, Collins a shadow of his early season self. He didn't change it at half time, which was infuriating. Fonz, Delph and Luke Young being our only hope of any salvation. But one thing you cannot knock with MoN, despite his constant and obvious faults, is his motivation and passion for the game, and this is the reason imo, we are where we are in the league and have made it to wembley twice.

Slags. LOL

wtf

Well there's no doubt about it that his team selection and tactics have been awful but that must have been one hell of a team talk

He was offside though..... Shane Long played him onside he was offside by a yard

seconded, everything has been wrong

Considering that Reading are dominating possession I think we'll be the ones who tire, unless we can get some energy on- Delph and Fonzie