Newcastle V Aston Villa: Saturday 19th December at 5:30PM

by **Sandie** Mon Dec 14, 2015 6:50 pm

Another weekend and another game loom, this time against fellow relegation battlers Newcastle.

A few weeks ago when I conceded that relegation was almost guaranteed I concluded that 'still at least Newcastle are so shit we can beat them twice to avoid beating Derby's record'. In customary inverse nostradamus style since that comment Newcastle have embarked on a decent run beating Liverpool and Spurs to pull away from us. This team who were so hopeless even we could stand half a chance against them are now TEN points ahead of us. Even when I wrote this Newcastle team off I knew they had some good players but thought they were not enough who were good enough to produce the results that they have done.

So what of our clash against them? Win, lose or draw? And what changes would you make to the team? Over to you...

by **villabromsgrove** Mon Dec 14, 2015 8:31 pm

I fear that Remi Garde has decided on his "best team" and possibly believes that the reason we haven't won yet is purely down to the quality of the opposition. If he's rubbing his hands together waiting to see this team gel in the next four matches against 'weaker' opposition, then he's wasting invaluable time.

Garde has to change his approach, and the team selection NOW!

No change .... no win.

by **villabromsgrove** Mon Dec 14, 2015 8:35 pm

Gil has to start, and Traore has to be given enough time on the pitch to frighten the hell out of a fragile Newcastle defence. If Traore starts then so should Gestede. Playing Gestede without a wingman is a waste of time.

by **villabromsgrove** Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:44 pm

I'm just watching Leicester, and realising that Traore is another Mahrez given the opportunity.

by **Sandie** Mon Dec 14, 2015 10:05 pm

I agree completely. Sadly, I can see nothing but a largely unchanged team and a crushing defeat. If there's anyone out there who's a Villa fan and hasn't had their spirit crushed they will on Saturday night.

by **villabromsgrove** Mon Dec 14, 2015 10:25 pm

There is a lot of football stuff that is obvious, and is clearly understood by most fans. Why is it that no one in charge at Villa ever manages to get to grips with even the most basic concepts? Is it a Villa disease?

by **Sandie** Mon Dec 14, 2015 10:29 pm

I've wondered in the past with some managers whether they tend to avoid doing the 'obvious' thing in order to prove that they are cleverer than mere mortals. Not sure with this one yet. I think he's a big step forward over Sherwood but it's not really reflected in the points they've earned.

by **villabromsgrove** Tue Dec 15, 2015 12:53 pm

Like most managers Remi Garde has a system which he identifies with. He has his style of football that he wants the players to adapt to.

He has to shelve his ideas for at least the rest of the season, and play to the collective strengths of our most talented players. It may be risky, but we're way past the point where we can play it safe while we wait for a gradual change to the Garde modus operandi.

by **Sandie** Tue Dec 15, 2015 2:16 pm

Playing it safe has got us two points in however many games it's been since Garde took charge. We need to take a risk on something else, if it isn't too late already.

by **villabromsgrove** Tue Dec 15, 2015 2:25 pm

I want to believe that Remi's got the message, but I don't think we will see a dramatic change against Newcastle.

by GadgetMan Wed Dec 16, 2015 11:23 am

I see it as Garde is going for consistency and repetition to try and yield results, so do the right things enough and eventually something will click. I'm torn as I watched Sherwood try a different team every week and that got us nowhere. I think the sad reality is that we just aren't good enough and whatever the combination we may just fall short.

I personally don't see Traore as the answer from the start YET. He is ridiculously fast, BUT so so raw, proven with his burst past 3/4 defenders with his first touch, to then tackling himself and the ball going out of play the second time he touched the ball. I agree he does need more time though. I'd be inclined to introduce him with 30 mins left and not 5/6 mins.

Grealish for me, still doesn't do enough consistently to warrant a start and Gil can only play for 60 mins at best, so these three need to be swapped about accordingly in my eyes. If we can get Richard's back, I'd be tempted to shove Lescott to LB and have Okore next to Richards and another option to Hutton (all though I don't think this will happen until we possibly buy new FB's in Jan)

Gestede is useless, as you say VB, even more so without us whipping in balls to feed off. I'd stick Ayew down the middle as our main striker if Garde insists on one up top, however I'd like to see him with a proper partner (again something I think will be addressed in Jan)

I was looking at the record points earned over the first 16 games and it was our own John Gregory. It struck me that it is possible to go on a run, we need a lot of good luck and some momentum, FAST!!

by **villabromsgrove** Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:14 pm

I agree that we need a settled first eleven .... but not this one. I also agree that Gil and Grealish should share a match (60/30?) and Traore needs to play at least 45 minutes, to impact on defences (he plays 90 minutes for the reserves so his fitness isn't an issue). Sinclair and Gabby have the pace to be used as subs against tiring defences. Continuing to allow a right back to dominate our so called creative play is criminal, as it clearly doesn't result in goals except regular stupid ones for the opposition. Richards should play at right back and Ilori is ready to play left back.

The point is we will not survive unless we become a radical attacking team with a dedicated back four. I don't see signs of this happening yet.

by **Sandie** Wed Dec 16, 2015 3:01 pm

GadgetMan wrote:I see it as Garde is going for consistency and repetition to try and yield results, so do the right things enough and eventually something will click. I'm torn as I watched Sherwood try a different team every week and that got us nowhere. I think the sad reality is that we just aren't good enough and whatever the combination we may just fall short.

I think there might be something in this, I just get the feeling that we keep on looking for something to give us some kind of hope but there isn't anything there. Three months ago we thought we'd be saved if we fired Tim and brought in some of the players he wouldn't pick (like Veretout). Now, as we sink even deeper into the hole we've dug, we're looking at some pretty unproven players to come in and change things round. Guys like Traore and Ilori have barely played at PL level so its a big call to expect them to come into PL games and start improving things. Kozak is another straw to clutch at but it could just be the usual thing of a player getting better with each game they don't play. But much as we can give up hope, the players and manager can't so for me we have to try and make the odd change, take a gamble and see what happens. What we're doing now hasn't really worked and what do we have to lose? We can't be double relegated.

It's an odd thing, I remember just how excited we were all getting about things in the summer and how high our expectations were because of the players we had brought in. This is quite marked as a difference from how we are feeling now with the team bottom of the league, Where did it all go wrong?

GadgetMan wrote:I personally don't see Traore as the answer from the start YET. He is ridiculously fast, BUT so so raw, proven with his burst past 3/4 defenders with his first touch, to then tackling himself and the ball going out of play the second time he touched the ball. I agree he does need more time though. I'd be inclined to introduce him with 30 mins left and not 5/6 mins.

Grealish for me, still doesn't do enough consistently to warrant a start and Gil can only play for 60 mins at best, so these three need to be swapped about accordingly in my eyes.

Agree with the need to swap them around, though might still be tempted to give Traore starts as we have nothing to lose. At the end of the day though, we agree that these players need to be better utilised and given more of a go than they have been.

by **villabromsgrove** Wed Dec 16, 2015 3:16 pm

We know what doesn't work, and we know we're getting relegated .... so why not try something totally different? There's absolutely nothing to lose now.

by **villabromsgrove** Fri Dec 18, 2015 1:29 pm

This will be Remi Garde's sixth match in charge at Villa, and we need to see signs that he has a plan to deal with our under performing team.

Sort the defence by demanding discipline, and focus the attack by playing with proper attacking footballers. Will tomorrow be the day? I hope as always, but fear nothing much will change.

Remi appears competent but uninspiring at the moment. Progress may be made one small step at a time, but unfortunately we need more than that.

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Re: Newcastle V Aston Villa: Saturday 19th December at 5:30PM

Re: Newcastle V Aston Villa: Saturday 19th December at 5:30PM

Re: Newcastle V Aston Villa: Saturday 19th December at 5:30PM

Re: Newcastle V Aston Villa: Saturday 19th December at 5:30PM

Re: Newcastle V Aston Villa: Saturday 19th December at 5:30PM