 By badger123 on December 26, 2024 Hooray, I finally got my internet installed this morning and for a supposedly inferior country, it´s fast. 600Mb is pretty much the standard and I´m getting 400Mb down and 350Mb up via the router. Makes our infrastructure look embarrassing, in my opinion, but there you go.Anyway, I´m really not sure what to think about this game. I still think we don´t look great, especially in defence, but there´s no doubting that we seem to be over our bad run. I don´t really think I´m jinxing anything by saying that either, as this is going to be a tough test either way.Squad news and fortunately for us, but not the players, Newcastle have a few out. Goalkeeper, Nick Pope, is out with a knock. Callum Wilson (hamstring), Sven Botman (ligament), Jamaal Lascelles (ligament), and Emil Krafth (broken collarbone) are also all out.Alexander Isak will lead the line in Callum Wilson’s absence. Jacob Murphy will continue in the starting XI and is likely to partner up with Anthony Gordon in attack.More importantly, we have no new concerns, which is surprising seeing as the lads must have had a few training sessions since the last game (I´m being sarky).Jacob Ramsey is back in training, but he´s doubtful and Leon Bailey has recovered from his muscle injury, but is also doubtful.So I think this could go either way then. Both teams have been poor over say, the last twelve games, but have recently picked up. They have a couple of players who might give us plenty to worry about and I particularly like Anthony Gordon, who could tear our right back a new one. Wilson is a big miss for them but Isak´s pretty decent too.It´s another one that looks drawish to me, but if anything, I´d say Newcastle will edge it, mostly because they have home advantage.2-1 to Newcastle it is then, but I nearly went for a one all draw.Whatever, I think it should be a very watchable game.UTV! |
It´s obviously out of date now, but that´s basically whatI was going to post earlier.
Unfortunately I´ve only just been able to access the admin page and after all the messing about, I can´t be bothered to write a post match jobby.
Suffice to say that was a garbage performance, where Newcastle just pressed us to death and we couldn´t cope.
We haven’t learned anything Badger over the last couple of years. They get in players faces and we are too ‘nice’ a team to cope with it.
Duran showed the negative side of his game with a childish challenge and gave Taylor his moment to shine.
Cash as we all know needs upgrading. The frustration is we spent a fortune on a LB who’s offered us little and wasn’t even on the bench today. We should have kept Moreno and spent the money on a quality RB. Maybe Maatsen will be sold or loaned out in January!
As for Watkins, he has to try and get his place back in the team and keep it. He will need to get back to last season’s form though which I’m starting to doubt will happen.
If only we can get Ramsey fully fit and back to the form he showed before England U21’s screwed us.
Really pissed off with today but not in the least bit surprised 😡
Shit that I said last week we have a good team but that showing today was crap still think we should make top 7 though
Let’s be honest with ourselves, are we good enough to make top 4?
Ok Unai has pretty much performed miracles with what he has had at his disposal.
Ask yourself are McGinn, Mings, Cash, Ollie and the likes really good enough?
We are where we are and no doubt Unai will continue to get a tune out of them but maybe we need a higher quality of player if we are to go to the next level?
Looking at the table, United in real danger of relegation in that third and final spot. Years of decay and decline and falling standards always result in the inevitable… Feeling much better now. 🙂
It’s absolutely shocking how they have fell so far, so fast?
As much as I truly detest the bin bippers with every fibre of my fabric but have to begrudgingly admire that even when they were miles off winning the Premier they still winning trophies (w##&ers!).
Man U on the other hand have gone into free fall at a rate of knots .
Yes, thank you Man Ure for cheering me up. Just watching Leicester winning 1-0 at Pool so let’s hope they can hold on.
I see that the general view is that Taylor was wrong to show a red card to Duran.
Emery was right in questioning VAR’s lack of intervention – they should at least have suggested Taylor review the decision. As he says we have it why didn’t we use it?
Just reinforces the general opinion on here – Taylor is not fit for purpose.
Irritating early goal. The direction of travel of the ball and Gordon before he shoots were such that the only place the ball could go was where it went. No chance Gordon could have aimed inside the near post, yet Martinez is covering that part. I wonder what Emi was thinking, probably that Gordon would pass rather than shoot.
Until the sending off Villa were taking the game to Newcastle, but once down to 10 men we were cooked.
McGinn seems to disappear in away games for long periods, unlike his home performances. Onana has yet to convince me he is anything other than Everton standard. I am also baffled by the purchase of Maatsen when Digne is playing well and we had Moreno – yet on the other side of the pitch we only bought a youngster as cover for Cash.
There’s no mystery in the Maatsen acquisition; it was 100% PSR motivated. As was Kellyman. “You scratch my back…”
Joke.
Kicked in the balls. If you have the Villa TV extended highlights and watch the Schar/Duran tackle on there you can see the sole of Schar’s boot catches Duran there, just before Duran’s studs come down on Schar’s back. If you have ever taken a kick in the groin like that you will know that you are not in control of your limbs for a few seconds as the body attempts to curl up. That I think would be Duran’s best defence against the charge of deliberate stamping.
Have they gone for a review on the card? OLL
The kick in the balls by Schar was deliberate. He lifted his leg on purpose and I think that’s why Duran reacted
See Chelsea are saying Chukwuemeka can go if someone activates the £40m clause in his contract? That’d make transfer fees totalling around £60m?
Impressive for a lad that’s made around 37 senior appearances over a 4 year perioded.
More a reflection of the madness which is affecting the transfer market when you consider Rogers cost £8m
It’s just not sustainable.
So Villa’s appeal against Duran’s red card has been rejected – to support a useless referee and VAR rather than look at the reality of the situation and take into account the views of experienced and respected players.
And pundits. And commentators. And anyone with eyes connected to a functioning brain. I’ll refrain for adding a sweary insult.
They was never going to overturn the red card Hitch. It’s just as you said that they would make VAR especially look pointless. Referees can and do make mistakes, especially idiots like Taylor. The decision by VAR to agree with the on field decision made it too embarrassing to even consider it.
The positive is Watkins will be well rested and hopefully hungry to fight back for his place in the starting eleven against a team on Monday he has a good record against.
Exactly on the appeal. Was never ever going to be considered.
Not sure why there is a downer on Maatsen. The guy was named as the left back in last year’s Champions Team of the year.
I have heard those who report on Villa saying Emri holds Digne up as an example to all players. Emri earmarked him as needing replacing and bought Moreno. Thereafter, both Digne and Moreno have taken it in turns to be injured. Both are at least 32 years old or more, with limited time left at the top level. Digne is a classic example of listening to Emri and his game has come on leaps and bounds. So much so, he saw off Moreno, who I reckon lost a yard of pace after his last injury. Villa were right to bring in Maatsen who is the future for us. They also tried to get in a right back, but could not do a deal due to PSR limitations.
It’s interesting we are being linked to a young Turkish centre half. If true, it leads me to believe they have a right back in mind for the summer. I’m glad to see Nedeljković come on against Newcastle. With Cash now banned, this young lad has an opportunity to show his potential. Do Villa feel he could become a star player and relegate Cash to back up and save on buying a new right back in the summer. Don’t forget Kesler-Hayden is on loan at Preston and played 18 matches so far this season. Is he developing? All I can recall he is lightening quick, like Nedeljković. Is the answer at hand. Could those two fight it out and Villa cash in on Cash (excuse the pun). With PSR designed to keep us ‘in our place’, this development of two new right back co could help free up funds elsewhere – new right wide player and centre half.
No downer on Maatsen from me. He’s awesome. It’s just Dingne’s performance this year has been a consistent 9/10.
Forest are second as things stand! Feeling a tad envious.
Ye corrupt as fuck wanted to save face rather than taking the red off big john soooo sick of these in charge at the fa and var
Spot on Little
Can we keep a clean sheet? If we don’t improve defensively then we might as well forget about getting a top 7 position, assuming we need to do that to qualify for European football.
I’ve questioned a few things about our defenders. Why again doesn’t Maatsen make the starting XI considering how much we paid for him and Digne at 32 surely needs a rest?
Torres starts again when I think it’s time to give Mings a run. We massively miss his presence and ability to be vocal. None of the other CB’s command the final third. Mings is quicker and better in the air than all the others too.
Konsa switches to RB for Cash being suspended which highlights the fact Nedeljkovic can’t be trusted and why we signed a LB for £37.5m when we probably could have got a LB and a RB for that amount. Maybe Monchi can answer that for us!
We should beat Brighton even without Duran and Cash. It’s good to see Ramsey on the bench at least.
Prediction 2-1 although I’m not confident.
Digne has been one of our best performers all season. Quality player who always puts in a shift.
A 2-0 for us tonight would make me a very happy bunny! Fingers crossed. We need this!
Nasty head injury there. Nothing malicious but their guy headed Kamara.
Normal (crap) service resumed!
Well that was a mess.