Wanderers vs The Villa

[TKIZ!]

Brilliant win, don't know how we managed it. A win is a win is a win.

[thebish]

I blame bish when they beat us and we get that rammed down our throats.

Won't be posting twice in the happy thread then, will you, eh?

phew...

[CAPSLOCK]

We were dreadful first half...a lifeless...disjointed...shambles

We then got battered again until the penalty

They had pace we haven't got and played 5 against our 4 in midfield

Klasnic is the best finisher we could have


For me, this was an example of why England are shite

The quality of our football was generally very low, yet I went home totally elated after one of he most thrilling halves of football that I can remember

[BWFC_Insane]

It was a cracking game, but the main reason for that was the way Villa took the game to us and then our unbending desire to get something from the game and eventually win it. Attitudes of both sides were spot on IMO.

End of the day we all know we were outplayed for the vast majority and we all know we shouldn't have had a prayer of a point let alone a win, but as ever in football if you don't put em away you may well get punished and thats what happened.

We played too high up the pitch for me against a side as pacy as Villa, and for all his numerous irritating faults, Young ran that game dropping into the whole and turning running at our back four. We couldn't cope with it.

Last 15 minutes were pulsating but it was the only time you could really say we got on top. Elmander looked tired, Muamba looked back to his abysmal worst and the whole back four struggled against pace. Playing such a high line and leaving Wheather, Robinson, Cahill etc isolated one on one against Bent and Young and the like seems very risky to me.

It was a great feeling to win yesterday but the perspective part of me says we were played off the park by a Villa side missing an entire back four packed with kids. Cuellar, Dunne and Collins in the side and I can't make a case for anything other than a Villa 3 points.

I think my point being that we've used a very young (and out of position) back four and a Jussi penalty save to build a rousing 20 minutes at the end and get ourselves out of jail.

Play like that next week and we can forget Wembley all together even against what may be a weakened Brum side. The warnings are there, hopefully OC will hammer that into them all this week!

[bw@bw]

I can understand Fergie and Phelan watching yesterday - next PL game....

But why was Dalglish there?
They have played us twice, and only play Villa in last match of season.

Window shopping?

[TANGODANCER]

I can understand Fergie and Phelan watching yesterday - next PL game....
But why was Dalglish there?
They have played us twice, and only play Villa in last match of season.
Window shopping?

Cahill, Holden, Lee and maybe Sturridge watching no doubt? .

[Lord Kangana]

We've had a season full of warnings that the house of cards is going to come crashing down imminently. I think that does us a disservice. And it reminds me of the West Ham stuff years ago. We were the better team at Villa park and only managed a point. The fact that Darren Bent can't hit a cows arse with a banjo suggests that Darren Bent perhaps isn't all that. He's good, but better than the forwards we have? Not in any significant way.

But anyway, Holden was fantastic again yesterday, as was Cahill - going forwards at least, because our back four were a bit out of sorts yesterday.. Elmander appears to be phoning it in at the moment. If he's genuinely after a new contract, he has a funny way of showing it.

Still, its march, we're 7th with a plus goal difference and in the quarter finals of the FA cup. Coyle is an incredibly lucky bastard.

And I haven't been quite that drunk for a good wee while.

[Athers]

Only the goal music's return took the shine off yesterday, NO THANKS COLIN.

[HMX]

Only the goal music's return took the shine off yesterday, NO THANKS COLIN.

It's goddamn awful, and I don't have a season ticket.

[Armchair Wanderer]

Music is definitely one of the cheaper ways they can increase the spectacle, I like the concept, they just need to get something better!

[scotty]

Not a coincidence that much of Villa's danger came down thir right, our left

I thought Albrighton and Downing were superb all afternoon (as they were at Villa Park and have been for most of the season) and caused us problems all day. Two very taloented and exciting players IMO.

[scotty]

Mark Davies improved the midfield and its ability to retain the ball immensely. Villa at the start of the second where all over us, a bit like the majority of the first. Was glad to see Steinson back and he did OK v Downing but Robinson got hammered down the left time and time again. Muamba's ball retention was abysmal, in training this week they should just fire balls at him and practice his control, fecking awful yesterday. Mavies back in for Birmingham definitely

My newspaper this morning tells me that Mark Davies completed all 17 of his passes of which 11 were forward. I don't have the stats for Muamba, but I would be surprised if he completed 50% of his passes and if any of them were forward. Like you say, his first touch was appalling as well. He gives the ball away far too easily which just puts pressure on our defence. I've heard the arguements for having a Muamba-Holden partnership but with Muamba having looked pretty poor for the last couple of months I think its time for Mark Davies to get an extended run in the side.

Overall, I thought it was a fantastic game, especially the second half. Not quite as good as the Spurs or Newcastle matches but it was one of the best games of the season. We have been treated to some great matches this season and its nice to see our home form so good. Only 2 home defeats all season, (and those were against Liverpool and Chelsea) should start to see the stay aways returning now. Fortress Reebok is back!

Could have been a very different score line but justice was done on the penalty as the ball was clearly out of play. I had a sneaky feeling Jussi would save the penalty just because he is so good at them. Anybody know how many penalties he has saved during his time with us? I'm guessing it must be 10 now?

Team spirit in the last 25 minutes was superb and as Coyle always says, 'our strenth will always be as a unit.' Having said that, I thought there was some good individual displays and we kept going to the last minute, by which time our superior fitness levels showed.

Klasnic is such a good finisher in those positions, reminded me of his last minute winner against Stoke the way he turned and finished. Not sure if he's capable of playing a full 90 minutes, but his ratio of goals to minutes on the pitch must make good reading.

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable match and a great 3 points. Credit to Villa for their part in what was an open game with plenty of chances.

[scotty]

Only the goal music's return took the shine off yesterday, NO THANKS COLIN.

Totally agree, the music when we scored was a complete embarrassment. Would much rather hear the roar of the crowd than some cheesy pop track from 20 years ago!

[malcd1]

My newspaper this morning tells me that Mark Davies completed all 17 of his passes of which 11 were forward. I don't have the stats for Muamba, but I would be surprised if he completed 50% of his passes and if any of them were forward. Like you say, his first touch was appalling as well. He gives the ball away far too easily which just puts pressure on our defence. I've heard the arguements for having a Muamba-Holden partnership but with Muamba having looked pretty poor for the last couple of months I think its time for Mark Davies to get an extended run in the side.

According to Chalkboards

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/chalkboards/create" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mavis made 18 passes (In 30 minutes) with 17 successful. Muamba made 23 passes (In 60 minutes) and only 14 successful.

[Lofthouse Lower]

Music after a goal

It's like NFL or 20:20. Utter shite. Now who do I email to complain?

[martin1877coywm]

Music after a goal

It's like NFL or 20:20. Utter shite. Now who do I email to complain?

Haha Depesche mode - just can't get enough

[thebish]

we won - feck your complaints!

[ratbert]

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/the-ex-factor" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

William the White looks back on the game.

[seanworth]

Now Houllier has changed the blame on O'Neil selling Cahill as the excuse for the loss to his inheritance of the zonal marking system of O'Neil as the reason for the loss to us. Says he can't fix the problem until next season. Guess this season just didn't count.

[seanworth]

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/the-ex-factor

William the White looks back on the game.

Good read.