Match Day Thread Aston Villa v Newcastle United - Official Build Up / Match Day Thread

Did the op hurt WP or you were completely knicked out?

Oops, knocked out?

 

According to the Sunday Mirror (I know ) the likes of Spurs, Liverpool, Citeh and Arsenal are all after Benteke. Hopefully this is true and one of them signs him up before Tuesday.

 

I'm expecting it to be a massacre.

 

I fully expect Pardew to pick a side nodoby else could come up with and that players will be in stupid positions.

 

shall we have a competition to see who can come closest to Pardew's selection following all the signings we've made. I wonder how many will include Shola and Willo.

 

You never know with some of Pards teams.

 

I expect Shola, Jonas, Perch and Jonas to start.

 

This is how I predict Pardew will line-up;

---------------Krul-----------

-Debuchy---Willo-Colo---Santon

-Obertan--Marveaux-Anita--Jonas

----------Cisse--Gouffran-----

Bench:
Yanga-Mbiwa
Sammy
Sissoko
Bigirimana
Shola
Haidara
Cabaye

 

No point us singing There's only one Jonas, seeing as you have two.............!!

 

I think we will go:

-------------Krul--------------
Debuchy--Mbiwa--Colo--Santon
-------------Sissoko-----------
---------Cabaye--Anita--------
Marveaux-----------------Jonas
--------------Cisse------------

Saylor, Elliott, Haidara, Gouffran, Obertan, Perch, Shola

 

A Jonas Bonus?

 

As good as it gets ACP.

 

Jonas would be the big weakness in that line up. I'd rather have Gouffran or Ober ahead of him.

 

I agree!!! Jonas has been terrible and simply deserves to be dropped, however we all know Pardew is blind to his performances.

 

I agree but I think Pards will go that way. I think you'd have to drop Santon to play one of those in front of him. Defensive liability for 2 months now so you can understand Pards reluctance to rely on him to actually do his proper job and try to balance it.

 

I hope Jonas doesn't start.
Even pushing Santon up the pitch and dropping Haidara in a left back would be preferable..

 

I'd maybe thinking about dropping both Jonas and Santon to be honest. Haidara can't do any worse than Santon has of late and it might be the kick up the arse he needs. Maybe start Haidara and Gouffran.

 

No way he's been one the only players that have done well for us overall all season

 

I have to disagree massively. Up until November he was in the top 2 with Benni. Since then he has been one of our worst. I have a degree of sympathy as he's young and therefore needs guidance but he has been at fault for numerous goals over the winter period. Norwich aside, he has forgotten he is a fullback and his primary role is to defend. Teams are now targeting his appalling positional sense, he is caught upfield on a regular basis. Arsenal, Citeh, Man U, Reading have all done so and got goals from it. They all just waited for him to go marauding up the field and clipped simple balls in behind him.

I don't believe in rewarding poor play. Jonas, him, Colo, Shola, Cisse could all be easily dropped without argument for me. With Cisse though you are limited by the options. Colo is captain and may now settle down after his future has been confirmed. With Santon I believe Colo should have helped him more and just bollocked him when he disappeared. I also feel Pards should have had a word. Now we have options it may be time to take him out of the firing line and remind him of the basics. The Norwich game was a rare good game for Colo and Santon but there was a moment which summed up the naivety of his play. The ball went down the right with Debuchy, he pushed and lost it. Norwich broke and were 4 on 2 because Santon had gone into the last 3rd of the field while Debuchy was on the other. Golden rule of full back play broken and luckily Perch bailed us out. The lad has a lot to learn.

The crowd roar when he bombs on, but I just cringe to be honest because he is a goal for the oppo waiting to happen.

 

Agree with Poche. Santon has become a liability. Gets caught on the wrong side, has poor positional judgement and doesn't quick enough to get back and help when he has been caught out (either that or he can't be bothered / isn't fit enough to).

He's young so has time to learn and improve (let's not forget Enrique & Colo had poor games when they first played). But right now, he needs to get his head around being a DEFENDER and sticking to his duties.