Villa Away.

[Prufrock]

Must say I didn't get the Klas for N'Gog thing. If we needed a goal, absolutely, but at 2-1, up top with Davo, it was an invitation for Villa to push on and camp in our half. One thing we do know about Sordell, one area where youtube is definitely reliable, is that he is quick. Even if he is as shite at football as he must be to never get on, it at least would have stretched them.

Meh, we won though. Davo was immense. Defo the right sub, and good to see he had twigged first half wasn't working.

Hope that doesn't mean we go back to the 4-4-2 love affair. That said, the injuries we have a the moment mean the midfield is threadbare, and like Villa, Sunlan' still tend to play 4-4-2 themselves (though, sign of a good manager, not rigidly) so we might get away with it if folk aren't back.

[Sponge]

Must say I didn't get the Klas for N'Gog thing. If we needed a goal, absolutely, but at 2-1, up top with Davo, it was an invitation for Villa to push on and camp in our half. One thing we do know about Sordell, one area where youtube is definitely reliable, is that he is quick. Even if he is as shite at football as he must be to never get on, it at least would have stretched them.

Meh, we won though. Davo was immense. Defo the right sub, and good to see he had twigged first half wasn't working.

Hope that doesn't mean we go back to the 4-4-2 love affair. That said, the injuries we have a the moment mean the midfield is threadbare, and like Villa, Sunlan' still tend to play 4-4-2 themselves (though, sign of a good manager, not rigidly) so we might get away with it if folk aren't back.

Pretty much where I was. If we needed a goal then sure, but with my nerves in the state they were I wasn't overjoyed to be seeing Klasnic come on when all we need to do was hold on. But whatever, it worked.

[CarlosHernandez]

Villa hardly looked like scoring in the last 10 minutes with Alonso and Davies doing very well with the ball down our end, so the Klas/Ngog sub was neglegible on the play. Three games in the week for Ngog may have been running through Owen's mind, as well as the chance for Klas to snatch one to make us more comfortable at 3-1. I wish all our 1 goal leads were protected that easily!

[boltonboris]

Looking back, we were very comfortable in the second half straight after we'd gotten the second. But it still didn't stop me shitting me keks!

[Worthy4England]

I think tomorrow, I'll post on this thread, it's all happy and we're two - one up, and will get three points.

I already don't like the Sunderland thread.

[thebish]

I think tomorrow, I'll post on this thread, it's all happy and we're two - one up, and will get three points.

I already don't like the Sunderland thread.

I'll drink to that!

[TANGODANCER]

I think tomorrow, I'll post on this thread, it's all happy and we're two - one up, and will get three points.

I already don't like the Sunderland thread.

Very few up there seem capable - or not inclined- to post more than a line.

[Athers]

If you are picking up tips from here Owen, like stop being soft with the players and change things, heres one for for buddy boys in the background;

I never played for one of the so-called top sides and therefore there were many weeks we would come up against teams better than us. That meant that, like Chelsea last night, we had to be organised and everyone had to do their job right for us to get a result.
The game last night reminded me of numerous training sessions I have taken part in over the years of attack v defence. We would line up with a back four and a midfield four and for 45 minutes or so defend against wave after wave of attacks.
The hardest thing to do in football is score a goal and it’s amazing how many times we came off the training field having not conceded.
The key is communication, keeping your shape, making sure the distance between each unit is right and not being dragged out of position.

Famous story of when Sacchi did this with his back four and GK against 10 attackers.. including van Basten and Gullit, after those two questioned his methods.

[bobo the clown]

Bolton Schoolboys, early/mid 1970's ... Charlie Wright, King of Swearing, running the session. He had us playing "attack .v. defence" for over an hour. He swapped a few people about & told a striker who really fancied himself to go into defence:

"But I'm a forward !!"

... "well I've been watching & ye don' fckg look like one tae me, sonny".