We messed up

[Tokyo Blue]

It was just dying out for a photo on the back page of Barry blinking while Dunn towers over him and scores. Putting those two together at setpieces was asking for trouble, and I think the biggest tactical error from last night. Even if Dunne's record isn't good, there's just a part of you that knew he was going to have some major impact last night, for better or worse. I would have put Ade on him when he was in our box, just out of superstition as much as anything.

Very easy to say that now.

[Blue Since 76]

Couldn't get a stream to work last night, so had to listen on the radio, but we sounded pretty poor. I was disappointed at how poor we sounded and the result, however, surely that's a good thing? We're not content with a point away at a team who think they can make the top 4 as well.

The other positive from last night was that we played badly, away from home, against a team who should be top 7 and possibly higher and still got a point. That's exactly what the top 4 do - get points when they're poor. It makes a pleasant change from battering teams and losing

[john68]

Football is not an exact science, the winning side is usually (but not always), the side who ultimately makes the best decisions and the least mistakes. You can set out strategies, tactics and game plans all you want, but in the end, it is not about General's, it is usually about soldiers.
Players already know what is expected from them and have to take responsibilty for what they are doing. Pre match, I would think that most of us would have expected Barry to be more than a match for Dunne. I am also sure that during the game Barry was well aware of what he was doing wrong and I'm sure the coaching staff advised him how to put it right.

A winning mentality means that on the night, we should feel disappointment that we dropped two points. It also means that after that disappointment, players aren't beaten up about it but calmly advised how to put mistakes right. We are still a new team, mistakes will always happen. The important thing is to accept the point we got and go about our business in a way that ensures we get the next three at Wigan....By doing that, we will improve and progress.

[Blue2]

Agree with WW, we missed an opportunity, but its not a bad result. The question I asked a mate last night was - how many Villa players would get in our team ? - we reckoned 1 at the most - Ashley Young ( and then only just)

[crossan]

1point out of six!!!!.............Hughes has got to go......;-)

[kinkylola]

in the context of this season ... we sure did miss an opportunity.

but if you look at it as improving from last season to this ... it's a hell of a difference not only in result, but also in performance, concentration, resolve and character. if we had been able to pull out games like that last season, we'd be talking about our next europa league opponents at least. And I think it bodes well for the rest of the season personally.

I do disagree with some subs that hughes used. I would have brought petrov on for tevez and moved him over to the left, with bellamy on the right ... and really had someone feeding ade ireland for dejong was good ... but only because dejong was hurt, i woulda put him on for swp idaelly

[john@staustell]

1point out of six!!!!.............Hughes has got to go......;-)

Did you miss the West Ham game my optimistic friend?

[Somerset Blue]

I think you've got to look at it in isolation to other results. We weren't at our best, but we came back from a goal down against a team who did have a good game, and whose fans were really up for it too. I was initially disappointed with just one point, which to me shows just how far we have come in a short time, but in the grand scheme of things it was an ok result. Happy to be in the top four with a game in hand.

[Beefymcfc]

This thread got me thinking, what progress, if any, we have made since last season. Brought a few comparison stats up for the first 7 games against last years fixtures. Make your own minds up?

Games 08-09

Blackburn A Draw 2-2
West Brom H Won 4-2
Portsmouth A Lost 2-0
Arsenal H Won 3-0
Scum A Lost 2-0
West Ham H Won 3-0
Villa A Lost 4-2

Totals = 10 points and a +2 Goal Diff

Games 09-10

Blackburn A Won 2-0
Wolves H Won 1-0
Portsmouth A Won 1-0
Arsenal H Won 4-2
Scum A Lost 4-3
West Ham H Won 3-1
Villa A Lost 4-2

Totals = 16 points and a +7 Goal Difference

NB. I have included West Brom for Wolves, for camparison purposes, who both came up as Championship winners.

[ronk]

This thread got me thinking, what progress, if any, we have made since last season. Brought a few comparison stats up for the first 7 games against last years fixtures. Make your own minds up?

Games 08-09

Blackburn A Draw 2-2
West Brom H Won 4-2
Portsmouth A Lost 2-0
Arsenal H Won 3-0
Scum A Lost 2-0
West Ham H Won 3-0
Villa A Lost 4-2

Totals = 10 points and a +2 Goal Diff

Games 09-10

Blackburn A Won 2-0
Wolves H Won 1-0
Portsmouth A Won 1-0
Arsenal H Won 4-2
Scum A Lost 4-3
West Ham H Won 3-1
Villa A Lost 4-2

Totals = 16 points and a +7 Goal Difference

NB. I have included West Brom for Wolves, for camparison purposes, who both came up as Championship winners.

What?

[Slim]

This thread got me thinking, what progress, if any, we have made since last season. Brought a few comparison stats up for the first 7 games against last years fixtures. Make your own minds up?

Games 08-09

Blackburn A Draw 2-2
West Brom H Won 4-2
Portsmouth A Lost 2-0
Arsenal H Won 3-0
Scum A Lost 2-0
West Ham H Won 3-0
Villa A Lost 4-2

Totals = 10 points and a +2 Goal Diff

Games 09-10

Blackburn A Won 2-0
Wolves H Won 1-0
Portsmouth A Won 1-0
Arsenal H Won 4-2
Scum A Lost 4-3
West Ham H Won 3-1
Villa A Lost 4-2

Totals = 16 points and a +7 Goal Difference

NB. I have included West Brom for Wolves, for camparison purposes, who both came up as Championship winners.

Take a look at the stat centre thread, I have done this already.