CrackpotForeigner

Heskey and Bent partnership never worked it seems? I never saw the game but interesting.. Was Bent's performance better with Heskey alongside him? (was it a great performance?)

Bent was fantastic. Heskey did nothing. Erm, except win the ball in their box which led to our equaliser after great work by the Young twins.

A word of caution. We haven't suddenly become a good side over night.

Over the last three games we have been aided by playing weakened teams and therefore for once, lady luck has shone on our club.

The signing of Bent has also made the difference between Premiership football next season and the drop but we need to add more of his type of quality to our squad in the summer if we don't want a repeat performance of this season.

Very much this. We need to rebuild the defence, starting with GK imo, and on today's performance, search high and low to find a replacement for Ashley Young (assuming he goes).

When MON writes his inevitable autobiography, he'll have to admit that not signing Bent when he (presumably) had the chance was one of his biggest mistakes.

Funny how many of us never really considered him, or thought he might flop. There he was, though, all along, staring us in the face. Oh, the wasted years with no Dazza.

I've been wanting him since he left Charlton, but when he went to Sunderland I thought we'd never get him. What a wonderful bolt out of the blue that was.

Love to know the inside story about how we pulled it off.

Seems it all started with DB's mum being racially abused in Sunderland by a bunch of Mackem eejits who almost certainly didn't know who she was. Ooops.

he is the best striker in the league by a country mile

SGC's BSITLBACM #578. Maybe he's right this time.

When MON writes his inevitable autobiography, he'll have to admit that not signing Bent when he (presumably) had the chance was one of his biggest mistakes.

Funny how many of us never really considered him, or thought he might flop. There he was, though, all along, staring us in the face. Oh, the wasted years with no Dazza.

1 perfectly good goal disallowed. His goal vs Newcastle was offside, simple as that.

It was NOT OFFSIIIIIIIIDE. Well, it was maybe marginally offside, and we were at home. ===> Not offside

From one crackpot foreigner to another - WHU - Villa goals

Until Gabby's goal we were the only side in the PL not to have had a goal scored by a sub!

So. Anyone got those links to the goals then? Or do they only materialise after MOTD?

Oh yes, yeaasss yes yeessss.

Thank you Aston Villa for providing a warm glow to a crackpot foreigner in a foreign land.

Anyone got links to the goals?

I still like Makoun, good player. Still some basic stray passes that need cutting out but always still shows his class. The key with him is though is other players movement. As long as players keep moving for him, then he'll be very good and that's the sort of football we want to be playing anyway. There is no point of giving him the ball and then standing still. Hopefully defensively he improves.

That pretty much sums up my hopes for him, he looks a tidy little player. If we can get like minded players around him then he'll start to look better. I would say we'll see him at his best next season. It is not easy to come into a squad half way through a season, especialy one as bad as we're having.

I would like to see a younger Viera sized DM next to him, as I feel we're a little short on brute strength and heading ability in CM, and we could do with some extra height for set pieces. Perhaps that is why we're linked with Mariga from Inter.

Agree. As for Makoun's defence, the poor bugger has been wronged by referees since he pulled on our shirt. It's no wonder he's become hesitant in defence.

If we are getting another midfielder in, it's got to be a big bloke. We have three brilliant-but-tiny midfielders in Bannan, Makoun and Delph. Talent-wise they all deserve a place in the team, but collectively their size would hold us back imo.

Ok, now watch the Everton game back on the tele. I think you'll see that his passing set up the vast majority of our attacking moves.

One thing I would say is that Barton's histrionics may have had an effect on the umpire.

Aussies (Rolls eyes)

First time in a while Gabby's looked a threat tbh. Great to have him back.

I'm still taken by how diffeent he plays for us to how he had done the couple of times I watched at the end of his Lille career. He shows glimpses of that player but it now looks like he's more of a... well, I dunno how you'd describe what he does really. He passes a bit with some flair, one touch stuff and occasional longer balls with some vision, but then he'll cock it up a bit and look a little lost. He also seems slightly scred to tackle.

I hope it's just a side effect of him still finding his way, in the side as well as the league.

All the hallmarks of someone finding his way in a new league.

And scared to tackle? He has been carded harshly at least three times on occasions where he actually won the ball, including his red. Anyone would be scared to tackle for a while after that.

Makoun=quick ball=goal threat.

He will have better days. I think he'll be a fan's favourite in future. Milner and Downing copped a lot of unfair criticism when they started out with us as well. Makoun has real talent, and if he has the motivation he could be a real star for us next season imo.

Wow. Watched the game with the horrible sinking feeling I've got used to this season. Only difference is we managed to not **** it up. And that's quite a big difference.

I wasn't alone in thinking that disallowed goal would cost us, and when the 5 minutes came up it really was "here we go again". Is it possible that our dreadful luck has finally turned? We've played far better than that this season and lost.

Five points clear of the drop should mean we can relax a bit and play to our strengths, of which we actually have a lot.

where in the name of **** does five minutes come from?

Sounds like all that 12th man PR was a waste of time eh?

Not according to the BBC live text. "In good voice" apparently.

Rather GH than Benitez, no matter where we finish this season.

I agree that SM could be good for us. But the number of people who disagree is a bit of a worry. Partly because they may be right, and partly because I don't think I could take another season of watching a beleaguered, unpopular manager try to turn things around amid a cacophony of abuse from the fans.

See previous page for an actual discussion on a player called Jean II Makoun.

(who is excellent, btw)

I'd like to see him next to Delph and NRC.

-We would have to be playing 451, obviously.

433

Potato Potahto

^^You talking about Makoun there Briny?????????

Have you watched him play at all?

IMO, someone who can pass the ball like Makoun will most definitely make it with Villa (or with just about any Premier League side), even if they have some weaknesses. You obviously think he does have weaknesses. Please list them, I can't wait to hear.

Houllier might not be the best manager in Villa history so far, but give credit where it's due. Makoun was and is a top signing.

I'd like to see him next to Delph and NRC.

I believe with that we would rule the midfield in almost every game.

Down sides would be:

-They are all a bit small in stature.

-Only two spots for Young/Downing/Albrighton/Gabby (but hey, squad rotation hello)

-We would have to be playing 451, obviously.

I have a good track record, having been right all along about Milner when he was being criticised and also Downing when he was being criticised. So listen up (ha ha):

Makoun is a brilliant player. His performances have been between Good and Brilliant every game so far imo. Next season he will kick on and be even better.

I just don't understand how some on here are not impressed. Quick ball is what creates goalscoring opportunities, and quick ball is what Makoun is all about. If you watch the Everton game again I believe you will see that in about 80% of our promising attacks there's a Makoun pass in there somewhere.

Not directed at anyone in particular, but: get off his back.