On VillaTalk, a fair few people are slagging off O’Neill tonight. Funny, it is generally the same crowd that staunchly defended DO’L, but whatever. Some points are valid, most of it is BS but again, whatever.

Now, one thing I do agree with is that we should move to a 4-3-3. I stated that clearly in my last post, and I felt that today Davis should have played instead of Maloney or Agbonlahor.

Generally I fail to see Agbonlahor as a wide man in a 4-4-2, and although I do not think he is great as a wide forward player in a 4-3-3 he is better than as an orthodox right winger. Probably best up front in a 4-4-2. I would also liked to have seen Luke Moore on the bench.

So to be honest I think MO’N got some things wrongs today, but the fierce criticism of him and of the overall performance, from some fans, I feel is unjustified.

All in all it was a frustrating game. We were on Prem Plus so we already knew we was going to lose but the annoying thing is that yet again it come down to sloppy goals.

Some incompetent play from McCann lead to a corner for Reading. Then Mellberg, Barry and Petrov between them managed to miss Sidwell running and bang, 1-0.

For the first 30 minutes or so Reading were the better side, after that I felt that we edged it. A 1-1 draw would probably have been a fair result. Ashley Young in particular was guilty of wasted chances today.

Then, like at Newcastle, they hit us on the break and get the second. Steve Sidwell got it again, and his all-round play was tremendous – did more than our two central midfielders put together. Much like Mellberg, Barry and Petriv for the first, another trio, this time McCann, Bardsley and Sorenson, between them managed to make his life quite easy to get the second goal, though.

Ratings:-

Sorenson 6. Indecisive too many times.

Bardsley – 6.5. Seems to be struggling with his fitness a bit towards the end of matches, hopefully that will be sorted after the forthcoming break.

Cahill – 8. Man of the match for me. I honestly believe he has a long career ahead of him as a Villa legend.

Mellberg – 7. Ok. Passing, as always, let him down.

Barry – 5. His worst performance for a long time.

Agbonlahor – 5.5. Offered very little. Out of position, I am not sure why MO’N keeps playing him there. Needs a rest.

McCann – 5. Yes he has certain qualities but like Mellberg, I am sick of using those to justify his incompetence at so many of the basics. Want to know why we aint having a great season? Two players that have made the most passes in our team this season – 1) McCann. 2) Mellberg. Lord give me strength.

Petrov – 5. First-half, forgot he was playing. Better in the second half but still largely ineffective.

Maloney – 6. Decent debut, hopefully much more to come from him.

Young – 7. Well fair play he was involved a lot, but he really should have scored today. Headers are clearly not his strong point. Was unfairly booked for a mis-timed challenge, the only real mistake from Mark Clattenburg, who was very good otherwise. Nice to see a good performance from a ref.

Carew – 7.5. Nearly man of the match but for Cahill. Faded towards the end but nice to get 90 minutes out of him. Hold-up play may have been much more rewarding with a more effective and dynamic midfield.

Subs:-

Berger – 6. Not enough time to impose himself but continued to prove he can be relatively effective cming on late.

Davis – No time to judge. Would like to see him start next game.

Not used – Taylor, Ridgwell, Laursen. (Nice to see Laursen back in the fold)

1. Defensively it can be a lot more solid

2. Offensively, it offers a lot more fluidity than the ‘tram-lines’ of a 4-4-2

3. It can bring out the best in Petrov and Barry (and Davis for that matter) as it can utilise their attacking play without them having to worry too much defensively with McCann behind them

4. The same applies to McCann, who can concentrate more on his best qualities, and it will hide his weaknesses in going forward. Win the ball, keep it simple.

5. That said, if McCann does occasionally decided to bomb on, with two central partners instead of one, there is more chance that his position can be filled if a move breaks down.

6. Also there will be times when, say, Petrov for example can be the one bombing on and the other two can be more defensive. (the way Gerrard sometimes plays with Sissoko and Alonso behind him, for example)

7. The two wide players can always swap wings, one can come in more central, it can keep defenders guessing.

8. Provided the middle man up front holds up the ball properly – which there is little doubt Carew can do – then this makes life easier for the midfield players coming through.

9. It is more dangerous on the break because the wide players are usually 10/20 yards further inside than they are in a 4-4-2, so when the ball does come to then on the break they are usually in a slightly more dangerous position for the opposition. Man U, Barcelona & Arsenal all employ this beautifully. Chelsea also do, when they play their old 4-3-3 system.

10. The full-backs can have a little more confidence when going forward because one of the central midfielders (in this case, more than likely McCann) will be holding their position, so if the move breaks down it is easier to be prepared.

11. Finally, the same also applies to the central defenders bringing the ball out. Ridgewell in particular enjoys the odd run forward, for example.

I guess this would give a line-up somethink like:

Sorenson

Bardsley  Mellberg  Laursen  Bouma

McCann

Petrov               Barry

Young                                   Maloney

Carew

Not too shabby for KIMBO. To me that team could be not only difficult to beat, but pretty good going forward too.

I genuinely think it is the way MO’N plans on going, and I very much hope it is the case.

Well, I have found a much better one, available by clicking here.

As many of you know, I am a regular user of VillaTalk, and fellow member ‘OutByEaster’ has done a full review including commenting on each individual player performance, and it is definitely worth a look. Full credit to OBE, this is a job well done.

Go on then, what are you waiting for?

Goals from Luke Moore (2), Isaiah Osborne, Patrik Berger, Juan Pablo Angel, Adam McGurk and Zoltan Stiebler lead to a comfortable victory.

Goncalves had opened the scoring for the visitors.

VILLA: Taylor, Lund, O’Halloran, Laursen, Simmonds, Osbourne, Albrighton, Stieber, Angel, Moore, Berger. Subs: Y.Bellon, Olejnik, McGurk, Herd, Hogg.

Fulham: Etheridge, Cumming, Anderson, Moncur, Watts, Brown, Hudson-Odoi, Saunders, Ehui, Goncalves, Briggs. Subs: Hawthorne, Cumber, Wilson, Cameron, Gowland.

Nice to see Moore and Laursen get run-outs, and Osborne too. Good to see Angel amongst the goals as well. 

For full match report see the OS.

The biggest difference in the last two games has been quality up front. John Carew & Ashley Young look like they will be the best partnership we have had in a LONG while.

Overall the team did well, nobody played badly, some were better than others. Central midfield remains a problem, for one thing. Gavin McCann is very good off the ball but at times his distribution remains a problem. Stilian Petrov, although not as bad as some people will have you believe, does, unfortunately, remain relatively ineffective.

Either side of them, well Gareth Barry is ok but on the other side, Agbonlahor is a mixed bag. His pace makes him a viable outlet but he does not really possess a portfolio of tricks to take defenders on, and his final ball can let him down a lot of the time.

The back up players – Davis, Osbourne & Gardner are all young lads, and bring the inconsistency that comes with it. Patrik Berger is proving a decent option coming off the bench but I think that is about his limit these days, and anyway he will probably be off at the end of the season.

So it will be interesting to see what Shaun Maloney can bring to the fold when he gets his inevitable chance. Maybe he will play on the right, maybe on the left with Barry inside. Maybe him and Ashley Young will flank Carew in the middle, again with Barry moving inside as part of a 3. Who knows, but it is nice to have options, and I am sure that will improve even more once the summer transfer window business has been done.

As for the opposition, well… the early injury to Upson not only helped us, but was pretty darn funny. One of the few times that both Villa & SHA fans would have been cheering together!

Also, they looked much more effective once Harewood and Etherington come on. Just goes to show, all the idiots that were moaning about us not going in for Luis Boa Morte… I mean, not only was he rubbish today, but his team looked better when he was replaced. Not just replaced, but by Matthew Etherington, who, with all due respect to him (I think he aint a bad little player), he is hardly a set-the-world-alight player, and in fact many Villa fans would have moaned if we had signed him.

Or made the moronic statement of ‘Underwhelmed’, like certain people did after Bardsley signed on loan.

Ok, on to the ratings:

Sorenson – 8. I have made no secret of my frustrations with our goalkeeper at times. But today, while he did not have a lot to do, when he was called into action he did what was required, including one superb save towards the end.

Bardsley – 7.5. Another solid showing. If he keeps this up, I will be all for signing him at the end of the season, and hopefully we will.

Bouma – 8. Continuing his good form of late – that has seen him recalled to the Dutch squad – and credit where it’s due, he has given me a rethink on wanting Gareth Barry at left-back.

Mellberg – 7.5. Solid throughout. But if ever anyone wanted to see the best and worst of Mellberg, it was summed up in a five-second spell in the second-half. He made a brilliant tackle, got to his feet, then knocked it straight to an opposition player in a manner that would embarass a ten-year old, then done another cracking tackle to win it straight back! Oh Olof…

Cahill – 8.5. Has my man of the match award. Bouma got it with the games sponsors, and I nearly did myself. But Cahill got it on the basis that, towards the end, he made some excellent blocks that kept us in front and was solid throughout, too. Easy to see the John Terry comparisons, and while at the moment Mellberg/Laursen is probably still our best bet when everyone is fit, Cahill is very close to challenging that. For one thing, he does not do the ridiculous Mellberg panic-and-drop-deep thing when we are in the lead!

Agbonlahor – 7. He does try out there, but I still say his best position is down the middle. As good as he has been this season though, it is probably not unfair to suggest that his starting place may not be there next season. Some nice link-up play with the front two, especially on the break.

McCann – 7. Worked hard off the ball, typical McCann performance really. Went close twice with long-range efforts.

Petrov – 6.5. Linked up nicely a few times in attacking play and got a few tackles in, but another average performance. If he does not start putting in more dynamic performances then he is another one who will have to fear for his starting position, in my opinion.

Barry – 7.5. Involved in a lot of good attacking play, did his fair share defensively too. Developing a decent partnership with Bouma down the left now the Dutchman is improving his game.

Carew – 8. Nice goal, and the way people bounced off him today was a little bit like watching Hot-Shot Hamish from Roy of the Rovers! Class act thus far, shame Sutton is not fit to take his place in the last quarter or so of the game, as his fitness is obviously a bit of an isssue for him at the mo.

Young – 8. I noticed today that, when he jogs, he looks a little bit like Dwight Yorke… Anyway, his transfer fee seems a fair deal at the mo, and if he carries on it will probably turn into a snip! Good player, didn’t really realise just how good, to be honest. Like Agbonlahor, but more intelligent!

Subs:

Berger – 7. Obviously offers something different to Carew, and while we did not hold up the ball as well once he replaced the big man, he did his fair share of battling and knocked a few nice passes.

Ridgewell - No time to judge, but he did what was necessary cause we won! He had better not end up at the Blues in the ‘loan’ window, and I doubt he will, to be honest.

Not used: Maloney, Davis, Taylor

Still, I have faith he will be commited to the cause and if he can stay  off the treatment table then we should have a decent talent on our hands. John Carew and Ashley Young both had decent debuts and Phil Bardsley has looked good in his two games, so hopefully Maloney will be another step in the right direction. When you include our better players and good crop of youngsters (plus if we can get Bardsley in permanently) then that is a very good base to build on for the summer.

As for the summer, well work does need to be done, as last nights games proved…

Right, I hate Newcastle, and this is not an offical website. If you want a match report or a big review, look elsewhere, as it pains me to talk about a defeat to that shower, so this is going to be quick, then I’ll finish up with the ratings:

• Horrible Start 
• First Goal – McCann messed up, Sorenson should have got a better hand to it
• Second Goal – What the hell was McCann doing standing there & watching? If that was a pub player I’d go ballistic, let alone a professional
• After that though, we were the better side - by far
• Very nice finish by Ashley Young for his goal
• The disallowed John Carew goal was nothing short of a disgraceful decision
• Overall we pretty much dominated and was unlucky not to win, let alone not even get a draw
• But with the pace they have going forward they did sometimes look dangerous on the break, and that is how the third goal went in

That is all I have to say.

Ratings:

Sorenson – 6.5. Generally didn’t do too much wrong so maybe worthy of a 7, but I have knocked off half a point for mistake with first goal

Bardsley - 7. I like this lad. Looks like a proper player, and I hope we keep him

Cahill - 7. Nothing spectacular, but was not at fault for any goal and really didn’t have a lot to do. What he did do, he did ok

Mellberg - 7. See Cahill.

Bouma – 7.5. Looking like the player I thought we had signed originally. Easy to blame that O’Leary bloke but I will put it down to him settling… Certainly seems fitter & even a bit quicker this season

Agbonlahor – 7. Not involved as much as some games. Probably needs a rest, and should get one with Maloney in and Luke Moore due back

McCann – 6. Improved after disasterous start. I still feel he can be improved upon, and opening 20 minutes showed why. But to be fair he was better after that. Thing is, so was the team, and it shows how important his role is. Which is why he does really need to be replaced with a superior player… but to be fair to both Gav & MO’N, I am not really full of suggestions for who should come in! Maybe that will have to come from Europe, as the Prem does not throw up many options, and even the ones that it does (ie Joey Barton) are not really likely to be available

Petrov – 7.5. Involved in a lot of the good attacking play. Will hopefully start to see the best of him now his injury should be sorted 

Barry – 8. Drove the team at times. Won a lot of 50-50′s, and was regularly involved in the attacking side of things

Carew – 7.5. Good solid debut. If this is anything to go by, we have a very good centre forward. A threat in the air, had a perfectly good goal disallowed and was very unlucky with another header. Not just that though, his touch and link-up play was excellent, and that left-foot volley was superb, showing excellent technique

Young – 7.5. Expected him to be on the right with Agbonlahor up front. But he was a threat up there, and the combination of him & Carew could be pretty decent. Certainly a lot more threatening than Angel & Baros… Good goal, was unlucky witha nother couple of efforts. Looked lively, and if he stays the course and pretty much injury-free, I have no doubts his big transfer fee will have been worth it.

Subs:

Berger – 7. Threaded some nice passes through. Can’t see him having a huge role in the remainder of the season, but his two substitute performances suggest he still has a part to play – when fit

Angel – 6. Not really enough time to do a lot, but did mess-up an opportunity when his first-touch was missing. Some might say he had only just come on, but I am not a big fan of that excuse with professional footballers, maybe aside from defending set-pieces immediately after coming on. To me a professional should be at it straight away

Anyway, the result was not good but the performance was – opening disaster aside - and I am hopeful we will have a top-half finish.

So, ‘will he be replaced?’ was the obvious question that followed the above news. Well it seems he will, by Shaun Maloney of Celtic. Now, nothing has been confirmed by either team, but there seem to be too many rumours flying around for there to be nothing in it.

The issue though, is whether or not he comes now. His contract runs out in the summer, so there is a school of thought that he might not come until then. However, I would assume we will sort some type of transfer fee to allow him to move now. It won’t cost too much, after all. I have read a report that Samuel could be going the other way but that seems like lazy journalism to me.

I’d be lying if I said I knew a lot about Maloney. Based on what MACCA has told me, this could go either way. If he comes in, is fully commited and stays injury free then we could have a decent player on our hands. Get the impression that, like Ashley Young, he can be a bit versatile too.

Of course on the flip side, there are questions about him being injury prone and the concern he is moving to us for the money. But I do not think O’Neill is a mug and if this does go through, I believe it is more likely to be a positive move for Aston Villa than a negative one.

As for any other deals… well it seems unlikely. That said, Nobby Solano is an example of how a deal can go through pretty quickly without any huge rumours beforehand. I’m also a little surprised that we have not gone in for a defensive midfielder as we do not really have anyone else that can do the ‘Gavin McCann’ role. When news came around that Wigan had an offer agreed for Papa Bouba Diop – and the subsequent news that he turned them down – I honestly expected us to go in for him. That said, I am not really sure he is an improvment on McCann, and maybe O’Neill has something lined up for the summer.

There is another complication – the small matter of us being away to Newcastle this evening! After the comments by Glenn Roeder (which he has not denied as of yet) which suggested O’Neill lacked the bottle to take the Barcodes job, really riled me and I’m sure it angered the manager & players, too. Seems to me that our team talk has being sorted for us.

I actually have a good feeling about tonight, and am hopeful we will get a win up there.

If there is any other news I will comment on it when it comes in. Whatever happens, my thanks to the club for a good transfer window.

Up the Villa!