Ratings and Reactions: Newcastle 1-0 Villa

[sonic_bouma]

I missed the first half of this game, because I was watching the men's ice hockey final with my Canadian partner. She was understandably delighted, and had the whole family on the phone, everyone very jolly. Of course, because I'm a masochist, I couldn't wait to fire up a broken stream to watch the beloved Villa . . . and half an hour later, the mood is completely ruined, I'm totally miserable, it's yet another week I'm frankly embarrassed to be a Villa fan. 

 

To make a number of points based on the second half - the substitutions. Okay, Westwood was injured. But why not bring Albrighton on and put El Ahmadi into the centre? Why not have Lowton in the matchday squad so that Bacuna could be pushed up? Because Sylla is a dreadful footballer who hasn't had a good game for nearly a calendar year at this point. He's detritus, and just as much 'bomb squad' as Alan Hutton. Why Bennett? Was Bertrand really injured? And couldn't Clark have come on and Baker gone to left back? Because Bennett is as terrible a fullback as has a Premier League contract. One of the few things Lambert has done right since having this job was ditching him at the start of the season, and now lookee at this, the turd that won't flush is back costing us points again. 

 

Benteke is a lost cause. It's funny watching him play in the same game as Papiss Cisse, it's hard to tell who's had the more dramatic fall from grace. Probably Cisse, who might just never score again, but Benteke is lost. He won't be leaving in the summer, he shouldn't even be starting games next season. 

 

Awful, pitiful, infuriating, dismal. A win next week or Lambert out for me. My patience has expired.

Luckily your in Vietnam. One of the most amazing places on planet earth to cheer you up.

I'm going to work in inner city leeds tomorrow to teach unruly gobshite kids.

Trade places

[Brumstopdogs]

Lambert to blame again. No width in the team, poor passing and poor substituions.

 

Newcastle more possession, more shots, more corrners and more goals.

 

Lambert out.

[Bunnski]

Great first half an hour from us and then just complete shit.  If you invite a team on then the chances are they will score.  We weren't helped by the fact that none of our strikers look like they can score goals atm.  Surely Lambert has to sub one of them and put someone on who might actually make a decent decision upfront or maybe even score a goal ffs. 

 

Westwood MOTM

[villianusa]

Maybe Albrighton never got a game because if he plays another game we might have to give him a new contract.

 

Benteke had scored a few goals recently, I know what, let's take the service away and lump it up field again,

[Hev]

I was actually going to this game - right up until 6.00 a.m. this morning, when I got a call from my mum who was poorly - I managed to get home in time to watch the game - so predictable.   We are so poor.  Yet another team on a bad run ends it against us.   Tell you what, I am glad I didn't go - I don't even feel bothered that I wasted the ticket money.  I feel sorry for the poor folk who now have a really long trip home after watching that crap. We are in a relegation battle for sure.

[darrenm]

Lambert to blame again. No width in the team, poor passing and poor substituions.

 

 

Yeah Lambert's passing was terrible. Just stood there all game. Don't think he made a single good pass.

[HanoiVillan]

Nobody is saying forced substitutions are ideal, but once again the man we brought on in the centre of midfield hasn't put in a decent first team performance for very nearly a calendar year. Our subs bench at the start of the game is indicative of the problem:

 

Steer/Sylla/Holt/Clark/Albrighton/Tonev/Bennett

 

Seven subs, of whom 2 (clark and albrighton) are even remotely able to play Premier League football. There are Championship teams with stronger benches. 

[DamsonwoodVillan]

So unlucky.

Lambert almost got it spot on today.

Move on to a big game now against Norwich.

[Dodgyknees]

Just fed up now. No joy left.

[Big_John_10]

we werent this bad under mcleish

We really were. Silly revision.

At this point in the season McLeish was doing much better.

[darrenm]

Luckily your in Vietnam. One of the most amazing places on planet earth to cheer you up.

I'm going to work in inner city leeds tomorrow to teach unruly gobshite kids.

Trade places

 

 

Not English hopefully?

[postdeath]

Such a dull game. We were comfortable but toothless for the first two-thirds, and poor for the final.

[Paul33]

I could say much but I'll rest my case with Lambert bringing Sylla on who, on a good day, is League Two standard ..... massively out of his depth and a complete train crash player ! #nuffsaid

[West]

I've said it for months, we'll probably go down. You may moan now, but after what is likely to be 0 points from 3 of our games in March against Chelsea, Citeh and Man Yoo, you'll all start to see it.

Hull struggled for goals, so they bought attackers...we loaned Grant Holt.

 

 

[Brumstopdogs]

Lambert apparently got it right today.

 

Would hate to see when he got it wrong!

[GasGasGas]

 

Bringing our best player off and replacing him with Sylla? Tactical genius you are Lambert. Jesus.

 

Standard Villa. One good half, one bad. Can't make it pay in the good half and **** it up in the bad half. If we don't win at Norwich then we'll be deep in the relegation zone by the end of March.

 

WESTWOOD WAS INJURED

 

 

I WOULD RATHER PLAY AN INJURED WESTWOOD THAN TO PLAY SYLLA AT ALL

[poitier]

Typical, most games this season you probably wouldn't even notice if Westwood was on the pitch or not, then as soon as he plays well he gets injured.

Two mistakes from Bennett in the lead up to the goal, Sylla gave us nothing.

Vlaar very good apart from what should have been a costly error, Bacuna did well against Gouffran but his passing was poor. Baker had a good game. KEA was effective and got forward in support well, but the number of times it was him in the right wing position suggests that something wasn't right in the balance of the team - and that should have been corrected but wasn't. Weimann turned in his usual rubbish, how many times did he touch the ball?

[Risso]

 

Lambert to blame again. No width in the team, poor passing and poor substituions.

 

 

Yeah Lambert's passing was terrible. Just stood there all game. Don't think he made a single good pass.

 

 

He's great at clapping his hands though.  He is to clapping hands what Mark Kinsella was to pointing.  Both masters at their art. 

 

And absolutely **** all use at anything else.

[Chap of Steel]

Some things I was made aware of today:

Benteke is completely selfish with his chances.

Sylla isn't a Premier League player.

The notion that we're better away is quickly becoming a myth.

[JoeParker91]

Though it is clear Westwood and Bertrand were not taken off for tactical reasons (Lambert isn't that awful, I think), the two players that did come on are clearly not good enough and Lambert has to take responsibility for that. Also, that bench is devoid of any options and having Grant Holt sitting there as the guy to get us a goal just sums up are current level of ambition and quality. 

 

Front 3 are extremely frustrating, both with their decision making and desire to make something happen. Lambert not changing it tactically when Newcastle were on top was is what cost us that point. 

 

Whether we stay up or not, it more depends on how bad everyone else does but if our home form doesn't improve, we will deserve to go. 

 

And I still think the board would keep him! Time to go in the summer please.