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Site was down during the Boxing Day tie - what's the thoughts for that match? I thought we were fairly poor, which given our injury list is part justified but we still should of performed better with the players we had against relegation fodder Villa. A point was a good result but we were desperately unlucky with the descisions. The penalty that led to their equaliser was very harsh i felt, for their player Gestede definitely played for the foul under minimal contact by Ogbonna... compare this wih the 3 penalty shouts we had in their box and if the Ref gave their penalty easily he should have exercised the same ruthlesness for us but hey ho the game mattered more for them
We should have been able to win that.
Villa showed much greater determination than we did in that game. I won't say they showed better skill, because they were as useless in front of goal as they have been all season, and it took a dodgy penalty decision to get them a point. But they did force a couple of good saves from Adrian and a goal line clearance from Collins. We did not threaten nearly as much, and gave the ball away too easily. There was a lot of miscommunication from the players -- something you don't expect from a good team this far into the season. Not winning placed us in 10th, which to be fair is about the level we have been playing at since we lost Dimi Payet. It's hard to see us challenging for that elusive 5th spot now, but we are only 4 points off of it. Not too far off the lower reaches either, though, so a couple of losses would see us in territory that we don't want to be in. As for the performances: Tomkins was good while he lasted, and for whatever reason our run of clean sheets ended with his departure. Jenkinson scared me when he came on, not in a good way. Antonio was poor and does not yet look cut out for the Premier League. The midfield generally was not up to scratch, and that is where I think we are not winning these matches -- Noble, Obiang, Song, Kouyate, were all only average in this match. We are lacking that creative player who can bring someone like Valencia and/or Zarate into the game. Nice to see that other teams have their problems: Manure losing again, to Hughes, must have hurt them, Arsenal slipping up so badly at Southampton when they had a chance to go top was a bit of a shock; Chelsea drawing at Watford was not, even though Oscar's miss was a surprise. Funny old league this season. We still have a chance to do something special. Just have to realise that the season is NOT OVER (in the past few seasons our second half has been pretty poor).
An all too common occurrence
An all too common occurrence during our games in recent times...awful possession stats. We have been having trouble keeping the ball and need to sort it out pronto. Defence - midfield - forwards. It ain't bloody hard and we've all been there on a bad run whoever we've played for. Hopefully the rot stops v the Saints. Feeling slightly optimistic if I'm honest. Thinking the Zarate Kid will get a hat full and Enner and Antonio will show us what they're actually made of...hope so anyways. #COYI
i would worry more
if this run we are currently in was littered with defeats but it is not so as frustrating as is and with the amount of key players missing I feel we are doing ok.....look at arsenal beat citeh get well and truly stuffed by the saints who saw that coming...this is a season of unpredictable results so plenty of clubs who have nowhere near our injury problems are struggling so our current run like I say does not get me worried.
Was at the game and we were
Was at the game and we were terrible. I know our best players are out and the ref had villa tinted specs on but there was no excuse for our inability to close down the opposition. Antonio is out of his depth and is just not premiership quality. You would have thought he would have taken this chance in the first team and given his all but on losing the ball he just sulks and throws his arms down by his side ( 'it's not fair and I'm going to be sick sick sick if you don't stop taking the ball off me ' !!!). Zarate has got to realise he doesn't have to dribble past all of the opposition players before passing, noble shouldn't be playing for the draw with 20 minutes to go and there is no point in playing the ball out wide to cresswell if you are not going to get forward so he has someone to pass too. And finally although Collins was our best player by far what is the point in playing the long high ball to valencia playing as a lone striker when every defender on the pitch towers above him.
Absolutely no disrespect to Collins --
he was our best player and he deserves his contract renewal. But he is not a first team centre half when everyone is fit. He is protection. As a battering ram there is none better. And he plays safety first (the rare woof or mistake excepted), and so he is also good for clearances. But passing out of the backfield is not his forte. Completely agree with you about Antonio and the gist of the match, mate. Good call.
not good
I went with my Villa mate, watching the game was like watching the team play last year. Just basic mistakes... After watching the team play early in the season the tempo has gone right down ( is it just me ?? ) Adrián IMO save the day for us, and to be honest we made Villa look better than they are, even my mate said that in the car going back home. The last 5 games we should ( on paper ) be winning them. It just shows how much were missing them key players.
The positive thing is were not losing, at least were getting a point I didn't see the handball on the day but watching MOTD !!!! it seems the ref didn't either...Cracking goal from Cresswell and Song ran his socks off the time he was on imo, The Saints match is going to be a tough one and you just know the Scousers will be up for it big time at the weekend for what we did at the 'pool...and then there the FA cup ( going to that game ) I'd so much love a good cup run this time.....lets hope for a speedy recovery from the treatment room and back to some decent form....COYI's