VillaFaninLondon

Can't believe they (Spam) have mugged us off twice this season. When we played them at their place we absolutely outplayed them and somehow got nothing. Tonight we just allowed them to run the game and allowed a player who I've always thought was distinctly average (Lingard) look like prime Messi. It's just what we do it seems. Fuming that we've given Spam 6 points this season as while they played well tonight they really aren't that good and we should have done more in both games against them. I hope we respond against Arse with a good performance and a positive result but for my own sanity I may avoid watching the game.

Lose against Arse too and suddenly the season starts to turn into one big comedown after looking so positive for so long. Surely they have to react against Arse but the way they've played the last 2 games you have to worry.

Martinez has been great but clearly has a mistake in him. Got away with it at Saints too. Shame as we were back in the game but that's probably it now. Only we could make Jesse effing Lingard look so good after he hasn't played in a year.

Always happens. It's almost like we're punished for dreaming we might have a successful season.

The problem has been, they've pressed us (which I didn't think they did so well) and when we are pressed well we get very sloppy and poor. When we have space to play into we're brilliant, but tonight we haven't had any and our players have been utter shite the whole game.

Jack should stop taking corners, can't even beat the first man.

Still no more subs. This f***ing grates me about our manager.

It's dreadful. We're usually so positive and attacking, tonight we have just been woeful and we were pretty bad at Southampton too. They just look clueless out there tonight, even our captain.

And this will be our 8th defeat. Yes the wins are nice but we are also still very easy to beat and today we have been comprehensively outplayed for the 2nd game running. There's just no consistency with this side.

Worst performance of the season. Every player should be ashamed.

Change at HT!

The thing is that is what he is there for. When the team is underperforming he has players on the bench who he can bring on. He has to trust his squad more, inc the guy we’ve just spent £15m on. It’s about being proactive not reactive. But hopefully the players come out for the 2nd half and are much better.

AEG hasn’t been great but it’s not just one player. Even Jack miscontrolled a pass. Ollie has been good and Cash put some good balls in but everyone else sub par IMO. They all need to improve 2nd half. Traore for AEG could be a good start though if things don’t improve.

DS will actually have to make subs early if we continue to play like this, we’ve been really, really poor. Grt into them at HT, if no uplift in performance in first 10 he needs to start being proactive and looking to tweak things.

Terrible performance so far. Not good enough.

Poor performance, good result. Will take it and it's a fantastic 3 points, but why DS continues to not make subs when players seem knackered I do not know. Our bench was strong today - Sanson, Trez, AEG, Nakamba - but only one of them came on in the 95th minute and we could so easily have conceded by then but for some absolutely last ditch goalkeeping and defending. McGinn was poor but stayed on the whole match incredibly. He needs to learn how to change things up for the better. Yes, we may be winning but you could see Southampton pushing us back time and again and it's only due to their lack of goalthreat today that we didn't concede. We weren't even playing particularly well so I couldn't believe he left the same 11 on for so long.

Still no subs.....effing ridiculous.

We really should freshen up now, don’t get it. We don’t have to change the shape, just get some fresh legs on.

Hopefully he starts thinking about freshening up soon rather than at 80+ mins.

Jeez, we never learn.

For me there are three big issues that the manager and his coaches need to address and pronto: Timing of substitutions - DS seems more reactive than proactive on this, only made subs when we were 3-2 down last night when he could have freshened the side up earlier. Zonal marking/dealing with crosses - caught out with this for their first and third goals yesterday. Zonal marking maybe isn't the problem but we seem too easily beat from corners and crosses, the same thing happened against West Ham away. Missing too many chances - in too many games this season we have had enough chances to win 2 football matches but not taken them, this is a very big concern and maybe some finishing coaching is in order. I think I read on the BBC last night that all four of our defenders should be in contention for the England Euros squad, they won't be if they defend like they did last night again that's for sure. If the expected goals of the opposition is less than 1 and you let in 3 then your defence absolutely hasn't done its job properly.

We need to perform against this lot for a change and get at least a draw, as people have said we have a poor record against them in recent times but this is where Smith earns his money, looks at how they play, and selects a team that can counter that. Traore defensively is a concern and despite his goals recently I'm not sure if he should be on the bench. Barkley also looks to still be recovering his match fitness, maybe needs to be on the bench, but if he starts if he looks jaded take him off earlier. One thing I notice about Smith is he makes subs far too late, usually after 80 mins. He has to stop doing that. He makes subs earlier in yesterday's game we get the result in my opinion, players like Barkley were knackered and this let Burnley back in the game. I'd actually rather 17 year old Barry on the bench over Davis, he couldn't score in a brothel. Next three games are important for how this season is going to go. Generally it's been a fine season and I'll still be very happy with a top half finish, but we've still managed to lose games we never in a million years should have lost - Burnley and West Ham the most obvious, but also to a lesser extent Brighton and Southampton. You do wonder how feasible it is to finish top half if we f*** up against Southampton, Spam and Arsenal - three teams in and around us.

How can we let a team as shit as Burnley score 3 goals against us, I thought our defence was supposed to be good. F*** sake.

Great deal that. I thought somewhere between £12-15m offer would be satisfactory and turns out it’s in that ballpark. I think the alleged opening offer of 7m + add ins or whatever was reported was all rubbish anyway. Doubt he’ll be available for Burnley but imagine he’ll be ready to play against Southampton.

With SJM out, I imagine it's either between AEG or Ramsey to come in for him. I personally feel AEG is more of a goal threat and was unlucky not to play at City so would go with him, but I do like Ramsey. He may also go with Nakamba alongside Luiz which again isn't a bad idea to give us maybe a bit more defensive solidity. Trez is also back in the squad apparently but not sure he'll be put straight into the team - he does put in a shift though which would be useful at tracking Saint Maximin (if he starts for them). Traore always worries me defensively but that's usually against teams we have less possession than. My team: .......................Martinez......................... Cash.......Konsa.......Mings.......Targett ..........................Luiz.............................. ............Barkley...........Grealish.............. Traore.............................................AEG .........................Watkins......................... That team should dominate the ball and have enough to win. Really vital we get the result tonight and don't feel sorry for Newcastle - we've been in their position before but no one felt sorry for us. Have to be careful not to be caught high and at set pieces but hopefully we get the first goal and it's a comfortable night.