switters

awful stuff first half. defence didn't heed two very clear early warnings about them getting behind the defensive line & once one went in, everything fell to pieces. Players just hit a wall maybe, lot of high pressure & high intensity performances last few weeks and nothing left in tank today. there was maybe some complacency too, players perhaps showed up thinking that Southampton were already on the beach this season, so weren't prepared for a side who were pressing quickly & had a lot of pace to get behind: if that's the case it's on the manager as well for not preparing them properly. No excuses, whatever the reason for that collapse, we had enough experience out there to at least be able to shut things down and show some semblance of composure after conceding. we just kept giving the ball back and letting them do the same thing over and over again.

One slight positive - and it's a pretty desperate reach to find one - I'd rather this performance came here than at Wembley. surely cannot play so bad again this season (or hopefully ever!).

what in the holy **** is this defensive line? suicide.

oh for the love of God. are we deliberately trying to get back into relegation trouble? wtf is Vlaar doing today?

awful defending. absolutely woeful.

I think I'd start Gabby for Zog, even though he was poor off the bench. Think he needs time on pitch to get up to speed again.

Reckon Delph will finally get his first league goal of the season today. Score draw is my prediction

Also worth remembering that we've got a lot of players out on loan. I know the immediate reaction from most people is to make the assumption that they were crap under PL so they're crap full stop, but I think Sherwood will get them all back to the club pre-season and figure our what he's got and what he needs first and foremost. Don't rule out one or two previously lost causes making their way back into the first team.

 

Helenius, Luna, Sylla, Tonev, Donacien, Bennett, Gardner and Robinson could yield a few under-the-radar first teamers

Sherwood has already said he'll give a chance to the last three and - at least in theory - they could well fit in Sherwood's plans next year. Donacien probably needs another season loan at a higher level if he did okay at Tranmere. Doubt any of the others will be seen again

Hope he will sign on once safety assured, seems to be flourishing here and hopefully he will see with Delph alongside him & Sherwood manager, he's onto a good thing here. Even better would be if we get it sorted before the cup final - would be a nice boost & what better way to start your permanent career at Villa than with an FA Cup final

As everyone saying, second half was not great, but a professional performance against a physical side. Nice to get a clean sheet, Okore and Vlaar were pretty solid bar the odd shaky set-piece.

Cleverley MOTM. Grealish and Westwood also good. Delph and Benteke less involved as in recent weeks.

**** 'ell Gabby. chance to break there. he looks very rusty.

Song takes Grealish out twice in 3 minutes - no booking

based on the last two games it seems there's been a refereeing edict against booking our opposition.

Zog has been much better this half.

Good half, we look good going forward. need a second though as we don't look the most secure from corners. West Ham been very poor it has to be said.

Gabby for Zog before long I'd imagine

Amalfitano is a grade A dickhead. hopefully gonna get himself sent off.

Grealish brilliant. Cleverley in the goals again. it was threatening to go a bit flat, but hopefully we can build on that. West Ham not offered much so far.

watched the 2nd half, that was undoubtedly one of the luckiest wins I've seen. ridiculously flukey deflections for both goals (second one had a blatant foul on one of the Everton defenders off-the-ball too), Everton were completely dominant but couldn't get ball in the net & most refs would've given that penalty. It was one of them games, as the cliché goes.

doesn't change a lot though -  35 was never likely to be safe & we've gotta get ourselves out of trouble by picking up points in our remaining games. cannot rely on anyone else. 

Great stuff, goals just flowing at the minute. Interesting today to compare with Lukaku who looked very reminiscent of the Benteke earlier in the season: physical attributes that will always worry defenders & win headers but everything seems to bounce off him rather than stick to him and I'm not sure had an effort on goal. Plenty of this is down to supply though - if you only get the ball played to you once every 10 mins it's hard to make a mark on the match.

Brilliant performance with pressure on. We really aren't playing like a team in a relegation battle: in a good way. We look much too confident, especially going forward. Delph was MOTM, absolutely fantastic today - it was a real worry when I thought he'd done his ankle in first half. Cleverley and Westwood good too, you can see the confidence in the former which he completely lacked  earlier in season. Benteke did what he does. Grealish and N'Zogbia were sometimes a bit peripheral but both contributed, esp from set pieces.

Defence wasn't watertight, but generally limited Everton to few chances. Barry I'm not sure I've seen play worse, stunned that Martinez chose not to sub him or McCarthy when both made so many errors & poor passes. 

Ref made so many wrong and inconsistent calls it beggars belief. Everton got away with persistent fouling all match, several times he played advantage when a free kick would be much more advantageous & both their goals rested on questionable decisions. The first one, while I can see the case for a foul, he could just as easily called against Naismith on Vlaar moments earlier and Naismith went down very easily, as forwards always will in that position. also I thought they looked offside when it was played forward in the build-up (though I don't think I saw replay to clarify that). The second was definite impeding on Given, refs are usually quick to give fouls on keepers in those situations and if ref couldn't see it, linesman should have done. 

Clattenburg should never be allowed to referee again. singlehandedly kept Everton in the match. 

Everton finally get a yellow at the twentieth time of asking. well done Clattenburg 

 

Keep it up lads. I wouldnt make many subs at all until the game finishes barring injury. Sinclair/Wiemann dont hold up the ball as well as Nzogbia and Grealish.

Sinclair useful player to counter with though, esp if Everton push forward more (which they have to do) - him on for N'Zogbia is a likely sub, depending on how things develop. Cole is also on bench and useful for seeing out games, esp if Grealish tires.

WOOHOO! perfect end to the half. 

Everton surely won't be as  poor in the second, but a 2 goal margin is very nice.

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no disguising the fact it's a big game for us. could end the day in 14th looking moderately safe or 18th deep in the mire. We can't control results elsewhere, just gotta come away with 3 points by whatever means.

while Everton are in good form, one thing I'm clinging to is that most of that has been at home & I don't think they are as convincing away.

Not a good day looking at the table, but I think we'll be alright with 3 home games remaining & playing well (going forward, at least). I can't see Burnley or QPR catching us from 5/6pts behind in 4 matches and I can't see Hull or Sunderland getting more points than us in their remaining fixtures - one of them will take the last spot. 

Hopefully Liverpool and Chelsea can do us a favour midweek and keep Hull/Leicester below us.

Agents of our own downfall today. Especially frustrating not to get the point after doing so well to fight back from 2 nil down. City were poor and all three goals conceded were avoidable. the Benteke offside at the end was borderline, but we also rode our luck with decisions earlier. 

We should be fine if we keep playing like we did in 2nd half & against Liverpool. Weaker teams will not be able to handle the combination of Benteke's power & Delph/Grealish/N'Zogbia running at them.

positive to see Cleverley and Sanchez on scoresheet. need more goals from midfield.