My nerves are quite simply shot to pieces.
What a game that was and even for the neutrals it must have been a fantastic game to watch; a game that was played in the way footy is meant to be played, with both teams playing very openly and just going for the win.
Unfortunately, at the same time, it was technically shocking, especially defensively.
But who cares when you get entertainment like that?
We were without doubt the better side in the first half, even though QPR did well in taking the lead (albeit with some more awful defending). And then Benteke took the ball on the left, cut inside to shoot and got a deflection to beat Rob Green.
Benteke’s second came with a run on goal from near enough the halfway line, where he showed great skill in using the last man to blind Green and deftly finish.
2-1 at half time and deservedly so.
We came out in a similar vein in the second half, but Chris Ramsey made a couple of very early subs and while the timing seemed odd, they definitely worked, as Austen was allowed to play more central, when he’d been forced out wide in the first half.
QPR began to get more control in the middle and it wasn’t a big surprise when QPR scored from a corner to make it two each.
It was even less of a surprise to me when QPR took a 3-2 lead, as we’d lost all of our impetus, via of all people Charlie Austin, who took a touch and clattered it past Guzan.
Things were looking a bit ominous, but we got a free kick and Benteke hit a cracker, which went in off the left post.
Three each was the result and Benteke looked pretty upset and sat on his haunches for a fair while after the whistle blew.
I’d love to know what he was thinking, but my guess is it was either “What do we have to do to win a game?” or maybe more likely, “Why am I having to play with this load of rubbish around me?”
Because that’s the sad truth of it.
We’re a very poor team, who played another very poor team and even though we got a point, I’m disappointed.
We needed the win today and you won’t convince me a point is ok.
But still, that said, what a game.
So much better than most of the tripe we’ve witnessed for most of this season.
Even if we didn’t get the result we all wanted.
Agreed. Now bring on Spuds!!!!
Should be another good game, that one 🙂
If only more games were like that!
I wish more were as exciting, but don’t wish more were draws 😉
Oh, Ooah, I think that’s 7 in 5 for Benteke.
You don’t do that if you’re rubbish mate and just proves that he just needs the service (same as Bent, imo).
Just a shame our defence is so, so poor.
Even then, it was a makeshift defence, in fairness.
Not saying he is rubbish but he still had chances before and fluffed them. He seems to have good patches where he scores then he can go 10 games without scoring. I really don’t think he’s tried this season until recently imo. He is just playing himself nicely into shop window now and as long as he’s not injured he will be off in summer. Yes I said it last year but he got injured.
He weren’t injured in January though yet you claimed he’d leave then.
That’s what Stuart Pearce said actually Badger. A steady defence and we’d have a guaranteed top half team next year.
Let’s hope it’s not top ten in the Championship ! 2 more wins still required before the final game and hopefully the Burnley game will not matter. Just feel that the West Ham and Saints games are most likely for those wins. We do have an easier run of games against sides who will be on their holidays ! Point against QPR could turn out to be a big big point.
Rangers’ first goal was terrible from our pov and had me fuming, as it’s just so poor that they get half a chance and score. We seem to have a terrible knack of just not clearing the ball.
But again, with Bacuna trying to play centre back at that moment, what can we expect?
I’m probably being over-harsh, on reflection.
To be honest I can’t see where the next points are going to come from. We will be relying on other results .Tonights game to me was a must win and we fxxked up. I am not throwing in the towel yet but we are making this very hard for ourselves. I really hope am wrong about the next points .
Don’t get people claiming they don’t see where our next points are coming from. We’ don’t have this ridiculously hard end of the season people claim. Spurs, West Ham, Southampton, Burnley and Everton are very much teams we can get points. Too much whining about this. We’ve scored 11 goals in 7 games under Sherwood. Eventually it’ll click and in time and we’ll get enough points.
Compared to QPR: Chelsea, West Ham, Liverpool, City, Newcastle and then a big 6 pointer against Leicester
Hull: Southampton,Liverpool, Palace, Arsenal, Burnley, Spurs, United
Burnley: Arsenal, Everton, Leicester, West Ham, Hull, Stoke, Us
Leicester: West Bromich, Swansea, Burnley, Chelsea, Newcastle, Southampton, Sunderland and QPR
Sunderland: Palace, Stoke, Southampton, Everton, Leicester, Arsenal, Chelsea
Our fans keep asking where our next points are coming from, these teams are around us for a reason, they don’t get points either. Big question is, where are these clubs getting points? They’re no more likely to get points than we are. In fact I’d say we have a better shot at getting points than they do.
If we can’t beat qpr at home what makes u think we will beat teams like everton who are now playing well.
Fair point, they are under Martinez’s usual run at the end of the season to safety. Still they’re a beatable side.
Yep he’s the opposite of mon he does well from March mon did ok till March. Maybe if mon managed us till March then test him and get Martinez to finish the job!
Didn’t man city just lose to burnley? By that logic are they going to lose all their games too?
Watch the game back again if you get chance, if not watch the highlights. I feel like no one is noticing the huge weak link we had at the back today which was richardson.
They kept attacking him, they knew he was the defensive weakness and played into that. All 3 goals came from his side, be it an error or just poor defending.
First he allowed the player down the wing and did little to stop the cross. Second, poor defending, again, down the wing which lead to the corner in which they scored from. Third, he ‘tried’ to put in a tackle, an AWFUL tackle at that, in which he lost out, the ball went through his legs and into the box leading to a goal!
Now im not pinning all the blame on him. But i feel the game would of been different had lowton started. Neither of them are great defenders, but i just dont see why richardson should be playing, im trying to forgive him for his previous games, but watching him it just gets harder. He is so poor and does not fit into a LB role. I dread going to tottenham with him in defense, their pace will destroy him down that wing. Any decent manager will see he is our weakness and exploit it!
That’s Sherwood’s fault for playing him at right bk and doing nothing when it didn’t work. Deadwood out
I worry about Sherwood’s tactical know how.It was quite obvious that Bacuna was being allowed acres of space on the right, giving Clint Hill problems.Chris Ramsey saw that and brought Traore on,with more pace to deal with Bacuna. Why then,when Phillips was turning Richardson inside out for most of the game,did Sherwood not see what 30 odd thousand people saw ? The second and third goals were clearly Richardson’s fault.He ballooned the ball following a wild swing at it, allowing Phillips to get a corner, from which Hill scored.Then he and Sanchez allowed Phillips to waltz past them to cross for Austin’s inevitable goal. Neither Zamora or Austin impressed me.We gifted all 3 goals tonight and I think QPR are a poor side who will go down with Leicester. It’s then between Hull, Burnley, Sunderland and us.
That’s the point Mark Dim Deadwood hasn’t got any tactical ability. He playing players out of position something he said he wouldn’t do. Also with someone like gil playing last night we would have won imo. Grealish was a lightweight headless chicken why fans rate him il never know.
FFS we’re scoring goals now home & away we have loads of injuries,certainly we’re more attacking yet some still aren’t happy.we’re not the only Team in the SHITE still more twists & turns to come tough month ahead even tougher for other teams fucking chill.
The selection of Richardson cost us that game. Horrendous decision by Sherwood to select pretty much the worst player in our squad for such a crucial game
What’s even worse was he did nothing about it. Should of got delph to double up down the left pretty obvious to anyone but dim deadwood
Fantastic game, Richardson was the weak link and on any other night QPR would have had 2 straight reds and been down to 9 men.
I cannot see us getting anything from our next 3 games and teams around us will pick up some points, as they are starting to show some fight, very worrying times as we needed 3 points last night.
Another 2 points dropped thanks to Grim, Dim, Tim Deadwood. Ffs, conceding 3 at home against that shower of shit, Deadwood is tactically naive and WTF pick Richardson in front of Lowton who was doing ok at LB previously. So, rumours are that Gil left the ground last night after being left out of the squad for ‘sick note’ Cole…….really. Is this the manager who supposedly plays young, talented individuals? Well Gil, is more talented than anyone in last nights squad………we are doomed……championship defending, championship midfield, championship manager and a Vauxhall Conference owner!
He’s Grim, He’s Dim, and his real name is Tim, Deadwood OUT, Deadwood OUT
Fuck off Lerner, the Villa is OURS…….get your pathetic fat arse and wallet out of our great club!
You need to remember Langford that Sherwood has lost the dressing room so chances are Cole probably told Sherwood he was in the 16.
Hull have a tough run in, i think it will be them, Leicester and either QPR, Sunderland and Burnley. I reckon we will be ok. few things, How Richardson gets paid to play football is beyond me. Delph at fault for the first goal too, just standing there watching. He is such an up and down player I think we’re better when he’s not playing to be fair. Vlaar! Not the defender he was at the start, much prefer Clark and Okore. Know we have injuries but just saying. Also I’d rather have Baker and Clark than Vlaar, really not worried about him leaving. Onwards and upwards! Spurs next, should be a good game.
We might know a little more after the Spurs and City games.
The pressure will be off the team a bit so who knows? 2 points and we’ll be in a good position. No points and Burnley or one of the others to pull off a shock win or two and we’re in it up to our necks.
We don’t appear to be good in the pressure games (unless it’s the cup where you can argue there’s no pressure) so I hope it doesn’t come down to the last game. Two claret and blue teams in a dog fight, have to say right this minute if I had to bet it wouldn’t be on the Villa.
Still miracles do happen – the sooner the better for my nerves!
UTV
Just got a feeling we might turn Spurs over. They aren’t playing well and we’re due something against them just on the law of averages. 🙂
Sherwood should know spurs weaknesses having had first hand experience,I think we will get a point at least keep the faith.UTV
I hope so Giddy, was pissed off with the draw last night really taught we would win. I said last night I cant see where the next points are coming from, I have calmed down this morning and we will stay up.
Dave keep the faith MATE we know we’re in a scrap,yes 3points would of been very helpful last night that’s yesterday bring on the spurs now form guide out the window this time of the season benteke on fire say no more.UTV VTID
cannot play that back line against spuds or they will turn us over big time all comments correct about Richardson he is a total numpty cannot understand why Gill does not get a start does Tim nice but dim think he is to lightweight and not up for a dog fight cus if thats the case he doesnt know what he is doing i feel we couldhave ran riot over them last night if he had played Gill with his creativity. Ramsey was way more tactically aware than Sherwood last night
Seems we showed interest in Diamanti in January before Fiorentina got him on loan, and we’re still interested. Could cost around 3m but he’s well worth that price.
The squad of fit players for yesterday was probably the thinnest we have had all season. This is Lerner and Lambert’s folly in hiring known crocks – come the vital games they are crocked, what a surprise! I do not rate Richardson anywhere, but at left back it was asking for trouble. However Lowton was rated doubtful for the game so it seems certain he wasn’t good for 90 minutes. Therefore TS did the right thing in playing the fitter man first.
I have said it before, Benteke and Gabby both play in the same slot on the left side of attack. So there is a huge hole on the right side of our attack where we are no threat to opponents. It would be helpful if our best-shooting attack-minded midfield player was right footed, but he isn’t. It is bloody Delph, who operates in the same crowded left channel, and on the right we have Cleverley who has no weapons with which to score.
Grealish was good enough for another start, though lightweight. I sympathise because I was skinny like that at 18, and there is no point in going into a collision tackle giving 3 stone away, you won’t come out with the ball and if you are somersaulted into the ground you hit it hard. Still he played to his strengths which are his tight turns and body balance – I only wish he would get on the ball in the penalty area where the consequence of flooring him is a penalty.
TS has coined the phrase ‘icing on the cake’ players. He obviously classes Grealish and Gil as some those, and Bacuna. Well on that basis Cole is the ruddy candles – and he has too many of t them, to be worth even 5 minutes – he just isn’t up to a relegation scrap. Gil could not be worse.
In one position TS has the choice of two fit players – Keeper. When is the penny going to drop with TS the opposition have sussed Guzan? He does not anticipate when a player can only hit one side of the goal and therefore remains central. Guzan is too easy to beat from inside the area. Given has shown better form in the cup games, his kicking and catching are better, so he deserves to start.
Richardson was totally played off the park by Phillips. Sherwood should have seen it and put Lowton or Baker on.
I was happy he started Grealish, who had a good game by all accounts. I cannot understand what is happening with Gil and putting Cole on ahead of him is laughable.
I know everyone was raving a few weeks back about playing that 16 year old. But for me, that was all a show by Sherwood about him playing young players. Gil should have come on against Sunderland…we were 4-0 up FFS. He is treating our most skilfull player very poorly and its annoying.
Some decent comments 🙂
I’m mad busy, so here’s my sum up of the players mentioned;
Richardson, never really seen it with him, but he did have a couple of decent games at LB, which left me surprised, hence it was worth a try. I don’t think he had enough help yesterday. See below.
Delph, was for me utter rubbish for at least the first half the game. Poor decisions, poor passing, showboating and never helped out Richardson, who was out of his depth against decent right sided players.
Ok, he got better, but it wasn’t enough for supposedly one of our better players.
Guzan, his kicking has been rubbish for a while, but it’s not gone un-noticed, as he now throws more. I must admit, I’m coming round to OLL’s thinking, in that he’s a shot stopper and technically weak in other areas, where Given can be better.
Gil, how he’s not getting a game is just beyond me and last night was made for him, imo.
This has to be the classic example of how Sherwood is Marmite to players.
Grealish, I thought he was excellent. Lightweight yes, but was running the show early on against some very experienced pros and looked dangerous at times. I suspect he tired badly.
Sherwood?
I’m beginning to have doubts about him.
We’re seeing exactly what the Spurs fans were saying.
There’s no doubt Ramsey outdid him tactics-wise.
But he was still the best choice available to gee the squad up imo, which was badly needed.
There’s no doubt in my mind we’d have been beaten yesterday if Lambert was in charge.
No doubt whatsoever.
Hence anyone who’s saying Sherwood is poor, may well be correct.
But he’s at least better.
Can’t see how u can say he’s better Badger. Based on what exactly. Play more entertaining football but results still as bad.
Play more entertaining?
That’s a start, at least!
We wouldn’t have beaten Albion twice (or probably even once) or even got a point last night, simple as that for me.
In fact my money said we’d have hardly got a point for the rest of the season, if you remember.
Now I at least see some points and Sherwood himself said we’d win some and lose some.
Last week we lost to Utd. No disgrace, especially of late, where by the way, a Utd fan friend of mine totally agreed that if we’d just got some our through balls right, we had plenty enough to hurt them and even beat them.
Last night, we drew with a QPR who had just caned Albion at their place.
Pulis doesn’t get beat like that often and QPR must have felt like they were on a roll.
Us coming back from behind must have hurt them.
Then there’s the goals.
Look at the numbers and if you can’t see it’s better, well, there’s no more to be said.
I won’t even mention Sunderland.
Ok, I will. Quite simply, do you think we’d have got 4 under Lambert?
The mere thought is just a joke.
I actually wanted to go to that game last night, but couldn’t because of work and was gutted.
How often have I said that this season?
That’s the first time.
If we do go down, I at least know it’ll be with at least some fight, which we just didn’t show under Lambert.
And that’s what my view is based on Ooah 🙂
It’s WAY better, simple.
Even if it’s not quite what we all want yet.
But in lamberks first season we were exactly the same as now. We used to score 2-3 goals to gets result because the defence was so shit. In lamberks first season we beat them 3.2 at VP. it’s the same now ok going forward shit in defence no balance between the 2 as always. On another note we play liverpool no way will we win that and we should rest players imo. We will give them a game but as per normal the ref will help them to get the media final with arsenal. And no we wouldn’t beat them either
No, because we haven’t beaten Liverpool or Arsenal ever in the last five years, have we?
Particularly the latter on their turf.
Ok, on balance we probably won’t beat them, but why just concentrate on those? 75% of the league won’t beat them, on average.
You’re $ky four obsessed and even though those are the teams to beat if you want to win the league, it isn’t the be all and end all.
There are other teams involved.
As for resting players, bloody hell, you’ve turned yet again.
I thought you were in the “two games a week is easy” camp, same as me?
Rest players, my arse.
Half of them have had half the season off through being injured (which is something that really needs sorting, but that’s another issue).
With the attitude you’ve got, 85 or so of the 92 clubs in the highest level football league in the world might as well wrap up now.
That was as good a game as you’ll see in the prem, last night and you’re still negative.
I feel sorry for you mate, because we’ve always lost before we start in your opinion and tbh, I don’t even know why you bother watching the game, apart from some masochistic wanting to be right thing.
Not just me its the players. They had already lost before a ball was kicked v utd. It will be the same v liverpool who the media are now wanking over because they want them to win for slippy G. So you think we should risk Benteke in a game we’ve little chance of winning. Believe it or not we did have entertaining games under lamberk too. The 3.2 home defeat to utd we played some great stuff for example. Bottom line is its about results now not entertainment and Sherwoid is not getting the results is he!