Decent Cup runs have masked the mediocrity of what has been served up at SJP these past few years. There's no hiding place now and there are many questions that need answering. I'll admit I'm hurt: only a determination not to have "Cry on the telly" for another ten years stopped me wailing like a baby. This season, we've been hurt (SMB FC), angry (Birmingham City), embarrassed (Arsenal)..yesterday I felt as though we were in mourning. I know some of you are going to say "Oh there's Dougal..always negative" but I have tried really hard this season to be upbeat and only in the last few weeks when things have looked like turning to rat shit have I started getting depressed. Anyway, the awful truth is that we just weren't good enough: absent friends finally caught up with us. We had a kid and a fading star up front. The midfield was spineless (and if Gary Speed is out for long, I carry no hope for the next few weeks) and left the defence hopelessly exposed. The defence looked desperate at times and it was - because no sooner had they cleared the danger than they've have Merson or Vassell or Dublin bearing down on them. We can't play with 3 at the back and we have to accept this. Goma was very poor. Marcelino very good. Aaron Hughes as safe as ever (and by the way, Bobby, was I hallucinating or did you swap Aaron with Barton and put Aaron in midfield? If so, why???? Barton is on an awful run, has never been a central defender. I can see that the fact that Aaron can tackle and pass the ball gave him the advantage over the rest of the midfield but the defence went to ratshit once you made the change). Glass was crap - as weak as water. Acuna - better in second half, got stuck in. Bassedas was woeful. Steve Harper had a decent game. I wouldn't mind but Villa are pisspoor. I can't say that I blame the players - things were going to catch up with them at some point. What I do blame is having no realistic cover for our front lads. Season after season, depending on Shearer has been shown as the folly it is - only now can we see the extent of the folly. Sort it out, eh? The crap buying policy coupled with a poor youth system lies behind our poverty in midfield - there was no one on the bench and no one in the immediate "graduation" class of the bairns who could have stepped on and made a jot of difference, hence I suppose, the need to put your most reliable centre half in midfield. Finally, a word about the defence. We have had more centre halves and full backs than we can probably mention and either because they are crap or uncommitted, none of them have turned out any good. Turf them out. Wozza has a good attitude, as has Dabs so they can stay. Otherwise, the only decent defenders we've got are Hughes and Griffin, one home grown, another developed here from a relatively young age - we have to make them the centre of our plans, bring through the Caldwell brothers and make something solid - forget about Pablo Bleeding Paz. The truth is that we have a big stadium and a big debt. Do we really think the corporate clients will stay if that is what they are bring dished up? What they want is decent football and the odd big name player...the free beer and matchday programme isn't what they pay sop much money for. Furthermore, the average punter who pays more for his set in the Sports Bar, with the promise of free Cup tickets msut be feeling ripped off now. How much per home game - £70 odd quid? Having a larf, mate. Before we copy Man United off the pitch, we've got to be something like them on it. Share price 39p. Things are looking bleak at SandCastle St James. I know we'll all support them forever but we are curently a laughing stock. Can I say, though, that I was proud of our supporters? I drove back with a very happy Villa fan who has been to watch Villa three times this season (once in London) and wondered quite what he, as a supporter, ahd done to deserve such joy while we were as miserable as sin.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Answers

Wozza has a good attitude, as has Dabs so they can stay

You could pick out any Div 3 player who has a good attitude but you wouldn't sign him because you wouldn't say he was good enough for the Premiership. So what makes you say these two should stay? Have we ever looked solid in defence with Barton, ever? At the start of the season when he was out we kept a few clean sheets, even with Domi, who has a bad attitude.

Lets face it Griffin is miles ahead of Barton and as soon as we sign a decent left back, Barton should be consigned to the bench. I know he is the first to salute the fans and many others lack that, but personally I'd prefer to applaud a great player who walks straight down the tunnel. Football is about the ninety minutes on the pitch not the 3 minutes afterwards.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Are the fans too forgiving? Mutterings of discontent before Xmas were greeted with two fantastic performances against Manure and Leeds. Last night the fans were served up a poor performance despite the missing players and yet the fans were brilliant.

"We'll support you evermore", can it work against us?

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Lots to think about there Dougal.

I'm off out now so thought I'd just mention that Hughes was asked to man mark Merson in the second half - he wasn't really playing in midfield.

I don't know really who to criticise, but all too often we seem to be clueless tactically, incapable of responding tactically to what the opposition do, and still can't defend - no matter how many defenders we play.

It's all very worrying, actually.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Well, Merson had a crap second half (my Villa mate has just mailed me saying this) so maybe it worked. Or not.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Probably more a mark of how awful we were, but I thought Barton actually helped control things a bit more when he came on. Then again, LuaLua and Cordone also came on around the same time, so perhaps it was just the change that made things a bit brighter for a time? Actually I was quite impressed with LuaLua's ball skills....now if we can just get him to shoot...on target...more often...

Thought Hughes had a good game. he really put himself about. Something Dougal will like, during warm-ups Hughes spent a few minutes signing autpgraphs for some bairns on the side. Bassedas also made some good tackles, though not much to shout about overall. Though Glass started well, but faded away, I guess due to his new injury(bah!). Didn't really notice much from Gallacher for most of the game, just him making runs and there being no ball for him once he got into the final third.

I'm getting a complex about teams playing us in claret and blue. Haven't seen us play well against WHam or Villa....any others out there I should consider avoiding now? ;-)

BTW...who was captain last night since Barton didn't start? Also interesting to see during the warm up, a number of players looking over the Toon Army as they stretched. And Barton still being hard turning out only in his t-shirt and shorts. ;-)

babble babble babble....

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Thanks, Ciara - I did'nt actually get there in time for the warm ups so it's nice to know that everything I've heard about that young man is true. Another comment from my Villa mate (he's not nasty or a gloater so it wasn't meant as an insult): I said "Have you ever seen a worse midfield in the Premiership". Thinks about it and replies "Yes, actually..I watched Bradford City before Christmas". WAILLLL

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Our main tactical ploy seems to be confusion. It was confusing to watch and Robson was probably hoping Villa would get hopelessly confuesed, I suppose they almost did.

Ameobi, Lua-lua and Cordone all seemed intent on backing off and looking to create rather than be on the end of things. They all drifted from one side to another without a structure.

The same could be said of midfield. Bassedas and Acuna drift from side to side and left gaping holes in midfield.

The defence was simlilarly confusing. When Barton came on at half time, Andy Gray then paused for ten minutes as he was trying to relate to the viewers where Barton had slotted in. When Barton was running on to the pitch he looked back at the bench as if to confirm what he should be doing!!! Not his fault.

I think we needed some real structure last night so players knew the areas to perform in. I know they have to adapt but they don't even seem to start off with a basic structure. It looked great until the ref started the game.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Ameobi, Lua-lua and Cordone all seemed intent on backing off and looking to create rather than be on the end of things. They all drifted from one side to another without a structure.

Exactly! Probably why we looked brighter when they were on. They were all trying to create chances, but nobody(apart from folks in the crowd) was telling any of them to actually get into the box and on the end of one of the chances! Lots of lapses of communication as well last night not helping our shapelessness. Born out by Harper constantly after the backline to communicate. Or perhaps he was just practicing shadow figures to entertain himself. ;-)

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Maybe it'll turn out to be nothing more complicated than we start to score tons of goals again, so that opposing defenses are put in the position we're in at the moment - we're so busy defending (ie clogging the ball anywhere) that there's no time to be constructive.

If opposing defenses were constantly worrying about our attackers, maybe they'd end up defending (ie clogging the ball anywhere) because they were under so much of the sort of pressure that ends in goals, that they don't have time to build attacks. The bit in bold is the important bit. Relentless pressure could be counter productive, I reckon, if very few goals result - you're trying hard and nowt's coming off, so you try harder and, oh dear, you start leaving yourself wide open at the back.

Don't know if that approach would have any good effect on the way we keep giving away daft goals, but, as long as we score at least one more than the opposition, that would cease to be so much of a problem. So maybe the return of Shearer, Cort etc. will turn things round.

We should be so lucky - it's never that simple at SJP.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Ciara,

Speed was Captain - until HT, of course!

Lovely to see you again - safe trip home. Don't lose heart - after all, you're only a beginner.
See you at Hillheads again some time! ;-{)

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Rose-tinted view coming up. How many premiership teams could lose 6 stone cold certain first choice players (7 in the second half) for an away match against good quality opposition and not struggle. Look at Spurs and Arsenal - they can't win away with their best teams out. The fact is we played a scratch eleven last night and lost to a bloody fluke. Villa's finishing was pathetic - we could have nicked a goal in that last 15 minutes of muck or nettles.

PS - Lua Lua has been at the club for a few months now and still not grasped the principal of passing the ball. Is this guy special educational needs or what?

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001

Not losing heart at all. Just a combination of, as Dougal said elsewhere, the poignancy of the lads giving their all and it not being good enough, the Toon Army making another good show, my last live match for awhile, leaving the UK within hours of the final whistle. Hey, I was probably the only Mag in tears at the end of the Coventry game...and it had nothing to do with the result. ;-))

Feeling a bit less emotional now after having gotten some sleep and food. And definitely taking heart from seeing for myself that our players really are trying their hardest.

-- Anonymous, January 18, 2001