srsmithusa

GK - Reactions are not good enough any more. Need a new one Right Back - Lot's of promise but very young and still makes some bad mistakes. Should continue in the side because of attacking ability. May need a back up depending on Luke Young's future. Center Back - Still not getting it done. Dunne was (IMO opinion) the biggest reason for our problems. He did not want to change for the new manager and sabotaged it all the way. Carlos and Collins still have problems. Need a commander there. left Back - Warnock has all the physical ability to be good, but cannot play intelligently. Stupid mistakes and lack of effort at critical times. Need a new option here. Wings - Alby and Downing. Downing needs to sit until he decides if he wants to play or not. He also should not be taking any more free kicks. Need a new option on the wings if AY will continue to play more forward. I would put Alby and Young on the wings. Center - Lot's of options but nobody great. Need an Essien to stop everything (holding) Need a VDV to make everything go (attacking). Forward - having one that could finish would be nice. That's at least 7, probably 8 we need. Sorry I can't blame Houllier for that yet. BTW - if Houllier is as smart as most of his critics here, his agreement to come here included transfer funds being available. It also included a minimum stay to solve the problems noted above. He will be here through most of the summer at least. The fear is that we'll be relegated by then. Possible, but not likely.

It's my opinion that Petrov has put in a good match. He has made a couple poor passes, but he clearly showed that he's pissed off by teammates that don't show commitment to doing their JOB! It's what we have needed from the field all year. I think the biggest problem this year has been Richard Dunne. He was far too impressed with himself and didn't want to make the changes the new manager wanted. Houliers biggest mistake has been that he let Dunne stay a team leader far too long.

Dear Mods, I would like the match comments to pertain to the match. The manager must go discussion thread is available for those that want that discussion.

Admittedly looking for positives. Petrov has clearly shown that he's pissed at teammates for lack of urgency and concentration at least twice that I've seen. We need a lot more of that. When Warnock makes a rash challenge, it should be is mates ripping at him at the moment, not us couch dwellers. BTW: if there's a camera angle that shows the second goal crossed the line. It hasn't been shown on my stream yet.

Lichaj MOTM. Albrighton the only other one worth thinking about. Pires was a waste of jersey. Is it January yet. The season is a disaster so far, but I still put the blame on a man the walk with no notice and no time for the team to recover. Houllier gets more time from me. I think I see what he's trying to do. If so, his biggest mistake is that he's tried to make the changes faster than the players were ready for them.... but that may be the best course in the long run.

Worst possible game to lose. Amateurish mistakes in defense. Nobody able to create a goal. AARRRRGGGHHH !!!!!! On the other hand, a midfield 4 of Downing, Bannan, Clark, and Hogg has an average age of about 13 and dominated the match. Houllier is playing them, MON would not. Houllier obviously prefers the pairing of Dunne and Collins, and it does appear to be shaky, but it was MON's preferred partnership as well. Gutted, but still think we are moving in the right direction. I don't like the results. No villa fan can. But I still see signs of hope.

It seems to me that our defenders can all put in brilliant performances. We've seen this same 4 be a rock wall. It looks to me that when they were rock solid they seemed to be all on the same page and playing intelligent team defense. When they look like 4 individuals it all goes wrong very quickly. IF I'm right, where did they get that ability to think as one, and how do they get it back? (I played on the wing and never paid any attention to how my defenders sorted out their marks and positioning.)

I think it would be interesting to hold another vote. UPOTM Useless prick of the match. This match (like many others) should go hands down to Carew.

Efan Ekoko just said that Clark was not afraid to expose himself

Just saw replay of first goal. Those who say collins to blame for going to same ball should note that he didn't go to support dunne until after dunne was beaten.

I set the alarm to get up to watch this live.....

Pires get's the ball deep and breaks. Makes a dangerous looking run looking for a pass. Young is ahead of him but marked. Downing is level hugging the line. Carew is.... nowhere to be seen.

The announcer on ESPN 2 just assured us that Ashley and Luke are not related !!!

I wonder who is roommate is on road trips?

Actually, I like the fact that we're not simply resorting to hoofing as our defense. The ball is staying in our end because we're trying to play it out and the kids (bannan and clark) are not patient enough with it. Clearly it's a poor start, but I'm feeling optimistic about the long run and even gradually coming into this match.

He wasn't man of the match, but then again neither was Carrick or Fletcher, and maybe that's the bigger point? Maybe neither of them are fit for this league either? And no, I don't need a history lesson about how they have proven themselves over time... because "over time" is the whole point. And props to the original poster.... any source that accurate deserves to be cultivated... send him a gift.

I will be purchasing a home kit with the name "Krulak." General, what's your favorite number?

Same problem all season. i.e. lots of wasted chances. The good news is that 1. we put three in. 2. we take three points. Both are an improvement even though the basic problem remains the same. Remember those videos on the OS this summer with Ash and others hitting left post, right post, and crossbar, and putting the ball into a moving cart, all from 50 yards away? We should shoot those same videos again except this time PUT THE BALL INTO THE NET !!!!!!

Result was crushing, but overall our performance was good, especially when you look at our injuries list. Delfoneso looked strong, and active, but wasteful. Ashley does better up top than in the hole (and better yet on the wing). I mention those two because we really needed a second goal for a very long time... and had the chancesd to get it. Downing MOTM for me, but Bannan, Albrighton, and Clark were all worth a shout. Again, looking at the injuries and the available players, we played quite well. Moaning over all the players we don't have is quite pointless.

I thought dribbling using the outside of your foot was a deliberate move to help with speed. You can run faster if you're not turning your toes out to strike the ball. I thought his touch, control, and confidence in traffic were not perfect, but something we need a lot more of.

fitness? it is because the style of play has changed, he has been at the club with his coaches for less than 3 months, the fitness will be no different. we sat deap and hit on the counter previously. dunn? he has been a LOT worse this season, it is either due to an injury or to some personal issues maybe? what ever it is, it is effecting his game and we look weaker with him in the team. he did one great tackle at the end of the game. needs dropping. ireland needs dropping. downing on one side, albrighton on the other heskey and young up front NRC and petrov in the middle collins and cuellar at the back unless we have better players who can come in such as gabby then this is what i think we should go with. obviously with only 1 left back in warnock and beye being the only fit senior right back they wold go into the full back positions. Umm, if you don't think fitness has improved and is playing a factor in the tendency to drop deep and defend, try reading what the players themselves have said about it. Your assertion that it makes no difference, it's a tactical decision, is groundless. Your assertion that Dunne has been "a LOT worse" is equally groundless. IMO. You don't have to agree with me.

Dunne - Absolutely terrible touch on OG. Reactions that he's horrible and has been for weeks are rantings and imaginations - IMO Heskey - Impossible to get a good touch when the keeper gets a touch within a foot or two to place it behind you. NRC - agreed he's much improved, but he still panics in front of the goal. I wonder if Houllier isn't thinking a bit longer term than many here. sometimes there's an order to changes. 1) Fitness - we have faded into defensive shell less frequently - perhaps because we have the fitness to do more that drop and stay deep. 2) Confidence on the ball and possession - we are clearly improving But I think this is still where we need the most work. 3) Attack with incisive balls to clinical runs - we saw about 4 of those yesterday - that's about 3 more than we were getting. 4) Eliminate mistakes - not there yet - at either end. If you get those 4 - in that order - long term you have a great team. Getting those 4 takes time.

Dunn made a fantastic play to deny Gyan on a breakway. Just sayin'

If you don't recognize we're much better this half you're not watching. If you don't realize this is much closer to 1-1 than to 0-2 you're not watching. I don't care what commentary you're listening to.

Emile had it lined up, but the keeper just got a touch and put it just too far behind him to make an adjustment. Sometimes this place turns into sharks on a feeding frenzy. We have looked much better the last 5-10 minutes. Several very dangerous chances. Sidwell had a very nice header that was cleared off the line by a defender standing on the post.