GeordieVillan

In contrast to some, I quite like that he doesn't shut up shop when we take the lead, he tries to keep us on the front foot, and tries not to surrender territory. I think he recognises that when we sit back, we cannot defend, so we might as well keep attacking and keep the opposition busy. No complaints from me on his tactics. If you look at the goals from last week - Guzan gift, direct free kick, error defending a corner. And the the goals today - penalty, and a corner when we should have been given a free kick. We are not really conceding many goals in "open play". Even the goal against Liverpool was a bit of a farce - we had 3 opportunities to clear it. Can I also just highlight that we finally look like a danger from set pieces again. We used to be great at scoring from corners and free kicks, but since MON left, we totally lost it. Finally we now seem to know how to deliver the ball, and also how to then keep the ball live in the danger area. Its such a massive part of the game, that we have been very poor at for about 5 years. Well done Tim. Keep it up.

What I loved about the goal was that - when you watched it live, the camera caught his run perfectly and also Bacuna on the ball in the same frame, and I screamed "play him behind Bacuna", and thats exactly what he did.

He is so important to us. He will stay at least one more year, possibly well beyond that. If we can keep him, Cleverly and Grealish together, we could have a fantastic few years ahead of us.

Great performance and result. Everyone played well. Richardson has been criticised in previous weeks, but fair play - he didn't make any obvious errors today. We do look open at the back, but I don't think thats down to the players. We are playing such an attacking style, that we are going to concede goals and give chances away. We are playing two wingers at full back! Last week we lost 3-2 but could easily have won or drawn. This week we won 3-2. We aren't drawing many games, because we are trying to win every game. A win and a defeat is better than 2 draws. Keep it up Tim.

Our win today is big, but Sunderland's is even bigger. That has moved them within touching distance of everyone. West Brom have been pulled back into it as well. Every week we say we need one more win, but really it keeps changing as the other teams around us keep winning. We still need one more win at least. It could actually be 40 points is required this season.

As things stand (if we hold on), we will probably still need one more win to be sure, especially so if Sunderland nick a win. Its very tight and tense down there! Burnley and QPR are done for pretty much by full time today.

Fair play to Leicester. They have had a cup final for the last 6 games, and they have won 5 and only lost to the champions elect. They could easily win 5-0 or 6-0 today, and that will batter Newcastle GD. If we win today, I can't see Newcastle over-taking us. We could with Sunderland failing to win as well, just to give us some breathing space.

This scoreline for Leicester makes it even more important that we win. Newcastle will be right in the mix if we win, regardless of the Sunderland result, and we will have momentum again. Our game and the Sunderand game is massive. If we lose today, I think we will be in this until the final day of the season.

I don't think you can call Delph and Cleverly defensive midfielders under Sherwood. I think both, especially Delph will play quite far forward today.

I think the last two team selections should shut up the "Sherwood only plays old fashioned 442" brigade - seems like he picks a team to suit the game. Potentially a good team selection, Sanchez and Westwood holding in midfield should free up the fullbacks to provide the width (as previously), and also allow Delph and Cleverly to get forward past Benteke. We don't seem to have goals in the team other than Benteke though. Very nervous about this game. We actually need to win. I'm sure the players will be seeing the scores/results elsewhere and that will be piling on the pressure.

A win for Sunderland would be the icing on the shittest cake ever. If QPR don't win, the Austin penalty miss could be massive.

Great show again gents. You've summed up the mood exactly - no fear of Arsenal, but also no real expectation of winning - the perfect scenario really! I spotted our defensive corner routine aswell - Richardson at near post and Delph covering the short corner to the near post, and then once they know the corner is going long, Richardson moves to the far post and Delph to the near post. Its very clever as it means we are using to 2 players to do 3 jobs, so we don't leave ourselves too exposed in box itself. The other thing you guys alluded to but didn't mention specifically is that this is the first time in a very long time that we have dominated and won a game against one of the big 4 or big 6. We have picked up the odd result by playing excellent counter attacking football in the past few years, but this was very different. We set out to try to control the game and play on the front foot. Its just a very different mentality to what we have become used to.

He's just amazing. He's going to outgrow us and become too good for us - but I think as long as we are aware of this then its not too much of a problem. This is different to players such as Yorke, Young, Milner, Southgate - where we weren't prepared for them leaving and we held false hope that they would reject approaches from "bigger" clubs (and Middlesbrough). Benteke is simply world class IMO, he will leave us at some point, so lets just make the most of him while we have him and then get as much money as possible when he leaves so we can re-invest. Even though he is scoring all our goals at the moment, I'm not concerned about losing him, I think Tim could find a replacement and still get the most out of Gabby so we are more than comfortable next season.

I'll leave my wife for you Tim. Just say you'll have me. Just say yes.

Really? Even if Sherwood keeps us up from a seemingly doomed position with a squad totally devoid confidence and ideas? That's absolutely mental. I really like Gil, he's the flair player we have been missing for years. But, I suspect Sherwood thinks he is a luxury player. Sherwood has had no problem using Nzogbia, Grealish and Cole, and all have done ok to varying degrees and worked hard, so he doesn't mind using flair players. For whatever reason he isn't using Gil, but I don't see how not using him or selling him is a "sack-able" offence, especially if he leads us to safety.

Yesterday was classic Villa. Rather than play well and winning comfortable (so everyone takes for granted we are safe) or playing badly and losing (so everyone thinks we are definitely relegated), we actually play well enough to win and then just sneak a draw. As usual, the fans are then torn between thinking we are in big trouble and still retaining moderate optimism. I personally am gutted we didn't win yesterday, as I think that would have pretty much seen us safe, as we would have realistically only needed one more win and maybe a draw. As it is, I think we need 2 wins and 1 draw. I wouldn't rule us getting out points from any game, and likewise don't feel confident about any game. What I will say is that I fancy us to score in every game, but if we persist with midfielders at fullback positions then we will never keep a clean sheet. However, every game we don't win piles more pressure on the next game. Losing against Spurs and City will probably see us in the bottom 3 before the final 4 games, and which stage we will probably need to win against Burnley. Its going to be exciting and tense, and we have a very good chance of surviving. I would have taken that after the Hull game, when Lambert was leading us meekly and quietly into the Championship.

We need to get the ball to Joe Cole!

We are playing so narrow. Its more like a diamond than 4-4-2. We could really do with putting Charles on the touchline and trying to stretch them a bit....

This is all about Benteke. He needs to hold the ball up and stop trying fancy flicks and back heels. If he can hold the ball and bring the midfield into the game, we have chance. Weimann has had more of the ball than anyone on our team unfortunately.

QPR winning 3-0 at half time...so that pulls us and Hull right back into it.....Tuesday is even more massive now. We need to win at all costs, a draw is no good as we need to get clear of them. If Burnley get a result tomorrow, then it really could not be any tighter, regardless of the Sunderland score. West Brom are collapsing, but they probably have enough breathing space.

What a team! 3 strikers and Nzogbia. Absolutely mental. This could be genius or an absolute disaster. Regardless, at least we are going there to try to score goals. He's gone with pace, as he said we would in his press conference. I just hope if we lose, that we don't end up destroying our goal difference.

Potentially the goal that saves us and Burnley!

I'm watching Sunderland now, and I have a feeling they might nick this against the Hammers.... There's still plenty of time left, certainly plenty of twists and turns, but the result today puts us right back in it. QPR is a must win, and we could really do with a win from one of the next 3 away games....Spurs is possibly our best chance....

Thud. Back down to earth. Gutted. They always looked like scoring through Montero down the right against Bacuna. Fortunately defeats for our rivals as well so far...

The fact that Sherwood has said that Gabby and Benteke are the best strikeforce outside the top 6 probably means he will start with 2 up front in every game and it will be those 2 players. In games where we need to be tighter, he will probably play an extra centre midfielder and lose one of the wide players, and push Cleverly slightly left/right. Either way, Gabby is a definite starter at the moment, and he merits it based on the last few games.