hopeful.villan

If they mark and add pressure to Makoun over the weekend we are totally going back to hoofball, no doubt about it.

Your optimism is astounding

I think he's a good player and delighted he's here however my point is if it was say 0-0, there's no way Makoun would have had that time and space on the ball, he would have been pressed further up the pitch. I'm just glad the game is over and now we can concentrate on games we can win.

Yeah but 90 odd passes is still quite a large amount, I see what ur sayin, if the game had been different then he wouldn't have gotten so many. My question is, if we had NRC and Petrov playin centre of midfield last night and the same circumstances occurred, would either have hit as many passes? Doubt it.

The point is, the boy is a proper footballer. I think Fabregas averages 50 passes a game or something like that over a season, so obviously you have nights like last night where Makoun will get 90 passes and others where he will struggle. The class was there to be seen though.

Look... goal up or goal down.. I think we can all say that we have a serious problem holdin onto the ball.

Last night regardless of the scoreline was the first time I admired our passing play.

We're not perfect yet, but at least we can now get a sense of what GH is doing. I believe hoofers will not be tolerated.

I think we all know this is the only way to build a succesful team. You have to be able to hold onto the ball, you can't simply keep letting the other team come at you.

Our midfield looked confident last night, it still looked lightweight and not creative enough. But confident.

Makoun is the first piece of the jigsaw.

Haven't watched it yet, why is it bollocks we do it? Did you watch the Man City game? When Chelsea went 1-0 up against us they let us have the ball and we got back into it!

Yes I saw the citeh and chelsea games but I dont understand your point.

So you agree we had less possession against City when we were winning and more against Chelsea. So we had more possession due to United letting us have it and would pick us off when they could. Interesting game for Makoun will be Saturday.

I think you're over simplifying this a little. We didn't simply have possession because united let us. Nor did we have so much soley because of our passing. It was a mix of both.

But anyone that seen the game could tell that Makoun offered us an option everytime we had the ball. He also had the ability to beat a man, and pass it forwards. In others words he took the ball of the defence, held it until there was an option and distributed it forwards.

Because of this we didnt hoof the ball back to them everytime, or kick it out for a throw at the first opportunity.

There was a confidence to our passing that I havent seen in a long time. We lacked the final ball in the final 3rd but i'm hoping that will come with time.

To suggest that united sat looking at us passing for 89 minutes is silly. The early goal gave them the option of sittin back, but they had long spells of pressure as well.

It's not often we can be positive about defeat but I think last night was a sign of the type of football we can expect over the next few years and I liked it. Improve the final ball and we will be a very very dangerous team.

Just on Makoun was it because we had the ball? Because there is going to be times when we're pressed in the middle and that's when it will be a better place to judge.

We did have alot of the ball and it was partly down to united letting us play in front of them but a lot of it was due to us not hoofing it from the back everytime it dropped, Makoun was an option for the backline, he looked for the ball, took it, bet a player if necessary and passed it off. Something we haven't done for a while. Was nice to see us not surrendering possesion to teams.

I thought he looked a little light in the tackle sometimes, seemed to throw himself in but just didn't get the ball a lot, maybe its a size thing.

I think he will link the midfield and the backline well, but we need some1 creative and some more physical and defensive. You might say Bannan and Delph but I think GH will be looking for some1 experienced. Say Sissoko and Ireland if he gets his form back.

I think all we are missing is a big physical midfielder. When NRC most likely leaves in the summer I'd like us to buy some big brutish animal. The passin last night was amazing, well maybe not amazing, but I was amazed to see it from a Villa team.

Did anyone notice how many times Makoun was on the edge of our own box picking up scraps, carrying it out and finding a villa player with his next pass. The need for hoofing was minimal last night.

Think he is the start of our midfield jigsaw. Don't know if we have all the other pieces yet, we'll just have to see if they fit.

two sucker punches. They've had chances but you'd expect that. We've been to easy to defend against but that was always goin to be the case after that start. Go out and have a go at them in the second half at least. Lets get some positives from this

Was jst about to say.... have to get to half time..SHIT

We've done okay so far. Good possesion. Passin is a little simple and the tempo is far to slow. I guess we're afraid to try anythin to fancy in case we concede a second. Early goal has ruined this for us. United sittin back in numbers, lettin us play it around then lookin to counter.

Makoun has been top class.

I'm really impressed so far. We've been passin it really well. Take away the first 50 seconds and we're playing better I'd say.

Keep the heads up lads

Looked like a penalty to me. Lovely ball by Makoub there, thought bent cuda checked back in, he looks very eager to shoot.

We've been movin it about well. missing the final few passes. We'lll be alright. If we get to 20 without lettin in another one we'll be ok. Just need to settle down and get the ball to marc and dj

Pires chance to show what he can do... physical blackburn team though, i don't like the look of pires and bannan in the centre

well thats different.. what way will they line up?

will it be

Reo coker

Bannan Pires

Delfouneso Gabby

Heskey

I'd take Barton, and carr for that matter.

I'd take Barton, and carr for that matter.

**** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** ****

Gabby and ashley... back to the good old days and most likely up to 13th..

We are back with a bang guys.

Bakers looking good. Reo Coker is gettin destroyed, seems like they just walk past him everytime.. bring back petrov i say

Cuellar you **** animal.. Love it

God its so loose at the back.. barely recognisable from the citeh game

He may not have the best touch sometimes but by god we look dangerous with Bent up there. Nice little runs in behind everytime.. Be very surprised if he doesn't score tonight..

I'd also be very surprised if dont concede. We look very open at the back and seems to be a massive gap between midfield and the back 4

cud be 2-2... we look terrible at the back, great goin forward

Great start..... Bent should have had one there...