Ratings and Reactions: Villa - Newcastle

[ForeroGabe]

Solid defensive performance but the front 3 were completely out of it. Where were runs into space by Weimann, Agbonlahor,or Zog? The midfield trio was limited to square passes or leading our fullbacks. No width from the front three and no space created. Weimann needs dropping and I'm sorry but Agbonlahor should only be used as an impact sub as his pace would trouble exhausted defenders but has zero technical ability. Need Benteke back and Lambert should bring in a dedicated winger like Albrighton who IMO should have stayed at the club. We will struggle to score even one goal a game before Benteke comes back.

Westwood MOTM

Edited August 25, 2014 by ForeroGabe

[Raver50032]

I said last week that I would take a draw before the game, so I am in no real position to moan and whinge.

 

Good to see us being 'difficult to beat' - though to be fair to the rest of the Premier League, we will face much tougher tests both on the road and at Villa Park.

 

In terms of those tougher tests, I doubt we will have much opportunity to carve out decent attacks on target and actual physical goals in those games either. So, as one poster eloquently put it, for £42 against the potential 'likes' of Newcastle and Stoke, our attacking mode is absolutely Bruce (Dyer)... Dire. Hopefully, our main strikers will set off a joyload upon their return. But I am bracing myself for it not to happen - just in case.

 

Feeling okay at the moment, but not counting any chickens just yet with regards to how the season will pan out. My footballing soul has been damaged over the last 40 months.

[JoshVilla]

Had to record the game, only just had chance to watch it. 

 

First half we played some good stuff. IMO, Newcastle have a much stronger squad than ours, especially attacking-wise, but it was very open in the first half and we carved out some decent opportunities. Second half, it was obvious that Newcastle had made some kind of tactical change to try to push on and win the game, whereas it looked like we didn't. We still had flashes, but inviting that much pressure and trying to play on the break at home just isn't going to work. I don't necessarily agree with not changing a winning team, because picking a team to win away and picking one to win at home are 2 different things. This was the sort of game that was crying out for a player like Cole. Maybe Lambert didn't think he was fit enough, in which case fair enough, but hopefully we'll see him start some home games and give us that bit of creativity. Also, Benteke and Kozak can't come back soon enough.

 

Overall though,good start to the season. 2 clean sheets on the bounce is great, and shows that we might be difficult to break down this season. Sanchez looked good, and his first pass was sublime. Once we have the Beast back and hopefully add in an attacking midfielder in the window, we could have a pretty tidy team.

[turnbull]

 folk backs 

 

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[Rugeley Villa]

was shocked with the crowd, just over 30k with 3k of them being newcastle. but i think we will have a few gates around that mark and below. thought the crowd got behind the team well which is all that counts really.