striker

A point I made in another thread is that Villa should not be fixated on a manager with Championship experience but just appoint the best one available. Who is that? Well you'd have to say Big Sam but is he going to be embroiled in a battle with the sweet F.A and would the Villa players respect him after what has just happened? Seen Rowett being mentioned but would he leave an improving Blues? I guess it would be Bruce for me not because he has Championship and promotional experience but his teams are always organised, generally play good football, no external baggage and no compensation needed.

There's always a little tinge of sadness with me when a manager is sacked at the Villa because it means that the club have been struggling again and it's the same with Di Matteo. I didn't think he was the right appointment at the time due to the rumours emanating from his time at Chelsea that it was in fact the senior players running the team. That concerned me with some of the characters in our squad. More worryingly though as his time at the Villa progressed we could see that the forever weakness in midfield was still not addressed and he tried to compensate for that by overloading the forward line with questionable tactics which continually created an imbalance to the team. He paid for that with his job.

If Di Matteo is sacked then I would hope that Round or whoever is responsible for choosing the next Villa manager will not be preoccupied with Championship experience. Rafa doesn't have Championship experience yet has Newcastle right up there. Just go for the best manager available.

I've no post option to like that TheStagMan which is a pity.

Holloway to see if he can improve on his prediction of 16th or Steve McClaren to hear his brummie accent.

I feel that with maybe a better manager there is still much hope for the Villa to be promoted but Xia must act now before it's too late. For instance I don't think Bruce would play with a two in midfield and be top heavy with forward players. A system in place to suit what Villa have will improve results until the January window opens and then Villa can sign the players needed to push on into the top six.

Best player the Villa have had in a very long time. Bigger version of Andy Gray perhaps? Glad to see him knocking them in for fun again with the right service.

After today, eleven games into the season, the Villa manager should, by now, be getting to the stage whereby he will know his best team and system. We should also start to see signs of the team coming together as a unit with results improving. That has to happen on the pitch and translate to points on the league table rather than just words to the press. Seen some criticism of the forwards not being clinical enough. Well that should also apply to the manager in his team selections in getting the right balance between attack and defence in the first half of games and tactically when trying to close those games out.

Not sure this will be seen as a confidence booster for the players or the owner after the expenditure? A manager given that type of money to spend in the Championship would, or certainly should expect to achieve automatic promotion when the standard of that league is so poor. It sounds to me that Di Matteo is creating a buffer for himself should Villa continue to struggle and that hopefully won't wash for too much longer with the owner?

Should have purchased Rhodes who is the clinical striker Villa needed.

Robinson or Johnson to score against the Villa to force another draw?

But he still hasn't learnt from previous mistakes. He keeps repeating them. I don't think there are too many owners who will 'guarantee RDM will be here for the next two seasons no matter what happens.' Certainly not a manager who has currently one win in ten after being handed over 50m to spend. What if Villa are relegated again for instance, perish the thought?

Not sure this is correct but is it 4 wins in the last 50 league games for the Villa after spending close to 100m? If so that's a 8% win ratio. Please don't think I'm having a dig here because I'm not. Love the Villa but if true that is a horrible statistic for any fan to put up with.

When the new owner wanted to bring 'leaders' to the club he didn't apply that to the manager.

Could not believe he subbed Tish. Should have taken one of the attackers off and played the remaining minutes with a three in midfield.

Going for an uncomfortable win for the Villa to finally kick start the season.

Pretty much as above with the exception of Baker in for Elphick and Lyden for Westwood.

Going on what I've seen Ayew has been Villa's best player by some distance. Just needs to be a little less greedy in possession and be more aware of the players around him. If he continues to put in performances I'd be more than a little worried about interest in January and not all from Premiership teams. Rafa must have been impressed on Saturday. McCormack hasn't looked 100% fit to me.

Speaking of lessons learnt. Noted the lack of closing down the shooter particularly in the first half. Newcastle were given far too much time to get their shots off. If I had been Gollini I'd have been ripping the defence to pieces for that. Not nearly enough pressure on the player with the ball all over the pitch from the Villa in the first half and that needs to improve if Villa are to start a winning streak. One other point I wish to make is that Rafa evidently told Gayle to pair up with Elphick. Rafa identified Elphick as a weakness and now other Championship managers will do the same. Elphick was terribly exposed yesterday and that will happen more often now. Four at the back with Chester and the impressive Baker at it's centre will benefit the Villa more.

Ayew was magic second half and the Villa played some great football after Tish coming on. Newcastle should have been out of sight first half though after disastrous tactics by the manager.

Yes.

Ffs post again.

Di Matteo has got his tactics badly wrong. Must change it. Elphick is a walking disaster waiting to happen. Awful signing.

Think the Villa will concede one or two so Villa must put away their chances this time. Going for an entertaining 2-2.

Or one of the forwards dropping into midfield when Newcastle have the ball?