A few thoughts

[LoftusRoadLad]

That´s a point, but according to the "wholy" book you can defend his decision. There was contact between them two.

Bottomline: from now on we have to set our chances and situations like these will not that often decide the game.

Wot ?

[Tarbie]

Was agreeing with everything you said until you started praising Bothroyd, I thought he was woefully ineffective today. Not totally his fault, I don't think he's up to the job of lone striker in our formation, he spends too much time dropping deep and pulling wide.

Interesting point about the ref, Michael Oliver's 'inconsistancy'......what I didn't realise until after the match is that him and Warnock have previous. Warnock publicly critiscised Oliver a few years back when he was Palace manager. He said that Oliver (23 at the time) was far too young to be managing at this level and the FA have moved him up the leagues too quickly just because his father was a proven top flight ref. Makes you wonder a bit what the refs agenda was today doesn't it?!!!

As for set pieces, we really need to do some work on the training ground cos we squandered far too many golden opportunities from free kicks and corners. Lot's of other sides will punish us this season if we continue to be so wasteful!

All that said, a point is a good result against a Villa side that is doing well.

You R's!!!!!

[Connell10]

I thought the iceman had a great game when he came on and imo he changed the game for us! smith did well also! what about helguson getting a start against fulham?? he looks a better bet than jay as a lone stirker!

[Shania]

Wot ?

It was a riddle!!

[Sotonsuperhoop]

I thought the iceman had a great game when he came on and imo he changed the game for us! smith did well also! what about helguson getting a start against fulham?? he looks a better bet than jay as a lone stirker!

Would agree 100%, time for NW to give HH his chance. Bothroyd does okay, but okay isn't good enough at this level.

[w12dave]

Would agree 100%, time for NW to give HH his chance. Bothroyd does okay, but okay isn't good enough at this level.

I would pick HH over Jay

[Connell10]

I would pick HH over Jay

blimey i didnt think anyone would agree with me on this one, its just to me the iceman looks alot more suited to this role!

[Sotonsuperhoop]

blimey i didnt think anyone would agree with me on this one, its just to me the iceman looks alot more suited to this role!

IMHO Heider did more today in his 5 or so mins than Bothroyd has done all season. HH shows far more hunger and is actually better at holding up the ball and bringing others into play than Jay. His ball into the box for our equaliser was something else. Would start him at Fulham.

[rockandroll]

IMHO Heider did more today in his 5 or so mins than Bothroyd has done all season. HH shows far more hunger and is actually better at holding up the ball and bringing others into play than Jay. His ball into the box for our equaliser was something else. Would start him at Fulham.

[MattyRangers]

We definitely deserved a point against a well-organised Aston Villa team. Villa were very negative at times, but they're clearly an effective side. Thought we played very well in the first half, but Villa stepped up a gear in the second and made life difficult for us. I felt that a number of our key players were quiet today, particularly Wright-Phillips and Barton, but in fairness they were up against a very solid defensive unit.

One thing that really irritated me about our performance - set-pieces. They were absolutely woeful today. We need to improve in this area because we wasted so many good opportunities to get the ball into the box.

I know football fans almost always moan about the referee, but this one really was absolutely abysmal. That was never a penalty. Traore hardly touched the Aston Villa player. Nobody in a claret shirt appealed for the decision and the away supporters couldn't believe their eyes when he pointed to the spot. There is no way the referee would have made a decision like that at Old Trafford or Anfield, but of course we're a small club so it's OK apparently. What made it even more frustrating was that we were denied an obvious penalty when a Villa defender handled the ball RIGHT IN FRONT of Mr Oliver. Traore's tackle was very bad, but I felt that there were a number of Villa players on yellow cards who were incredibly fortunate to stay on the pitch. I haven't seen such an inconsistent refereeing display for several seasons. He really was absolutely atrocious.

Paddy Kenny produced a great performance once again - fantastic save from that free-kick in the first half and he made a couple of decent stops in the latter stages of the match. Anton Ferdinand was also superb and dealt with the Villa forwards excellently. Barton, Derry and Faurlin gave away possession too much in the second half but certainly got 'stuck in'. Once again Bothroyd's general play was excellent (holding the ball up, winning headers, laying it off etc), but he just can't seem to put the ball in the back of the net at the moment.

I think what impressed me the most about this performance was the team spirit we showed. Warnock has engendered a real sense of belief in the side and that is what got us the point today.

My exact thoughts Godfather

[MattyRangers]

Was agreeing with everything you said until you started praising Bothroyd, I thought he was woefully ineffective today. Not totally his fault, I don't think he's up to the job of lone striker in our formation, he spends too much time dropping deep and pulling wide.

Interesting point about the ref, Michael Oliver's 'inconsistancy'......what I didn't realise until after the match is that him and Warnock have previous. Warnock publicly critiscised Oliver a few years back when he was Palace manager. He said that Oliver (23 at the time) was far too young to be managing at this level and the FA have moved him up the leagues too quickly just because his father was a proven top flight ref. Makes you wonder a bit what the refs agenda was today doesn't it?!!!

As for set pieces, we really need to do some work on the training ground cos we squandered far too many golden opportunities from free kicks and corners. Lot's of other sides will punish us this season if we continue to be so wasteful!

All that said, a point is a good result against a Villa side that is doing well.

You R's!!!!!

Fair play its all about opinions mate but I have to disgaree. Yes, he cant seem to score and his clinicalness in front of goal just isnt there. But his hold up play is superb, you cant deny that surely? Watching the game did you not see how many times he brought the ball down on his chest and played the ball back to SWP/Adel/Faurlin/Derry/Barton? Then we attack and the ball is in the box before he can get there, the only seeming downside to our formation IMO. Without Jays work up top the midfield wouldnt be able to play as they do, hsi work really doesnt get as much credit as it deserves, hes very strong up top and I think in our formation we really alot on the midfield chipping in with alot of goals which they arent doing at the moment.

Ref comment: very good point I didnt realise this. Makes you wonder doesnt it! Whether hes tryna make a name for himself? Obviouslyhe wouldnt have the minerals to makesuch decisions at Anfield, Old Trafford etc so hes using us, an easy target, to try and show hes a "tough" ref?

Set pieces really were terrible today, had, what, 4 within the 20 yard range and not 1 hit the target? Really not acceptable at this level, we will be punished by teams if we fail to score when we have the chances, as we so nearly saw today (thank the lord for Mr Dunne ).

The summary bolded is spot on though mate, totally agree, before the game i would have taken a draw, Villa are a very good PL side with some top and established PL players, a draw (especially taking into account the decisions in the game!) isnt a bad result tbf, and 9th in the PL is a position we really ought to be proud of!

Onwards and upwards

[loftlag]

Fair play its all about opinions mate but I have to disgaree. Yes, he cant seem to score and his clinicalness in front of goal just isnt there. But his hold up play is superb, you cant deny that surely? Watching the game did you not see how many times he brought the ball down on his chest and played the ball back to SWP/Adel/Faurlin/Derry/Barton? Then we attack and the ball is in the box before he can get there, the only seeming downside to our formation IMO. Without Jays work up top the midfield wouldnt be able to play as they do, hsi work really doesnt get as much credit as it deserves, hes very strong up top and I think in our formation we really alot on the midfield chipping in with alot of goals which they arent doing at the moment.

Ref comment: very good point I didnt realise this. Makes you wonder doesnt it! Whether hes tryna make a name for himself? Obviouslyhe wouldnt have the minerals to makesuch decisions at Anfield, Old Trafford etc so hes using us, an easy target, to try and show hes a "tough" ref?

Set pieces really were terrible today, had, what, 4 within the 20 yard range and not 1 hit the target? Really not acceptable at this level, we will be punished by teams if we fail to score when we have the chances, as we so nearly saw today (thank the lord for Mr Dunne ).

The summary bolded is spot on though mate, totally agree, before the game i would have taken a draw, Villa are a very good PL side with some top and established PL players, a draw (especially taking into account the decisions in the game!) isnt a bad result tbf, and 9th in the PL is a position we really ought to be proud of!

Onwards and upwards

Sorry Matty as you said it's about opinions but I thought Bothroyd was weak yeah He did some god things but not in the danger areas most of His good work was out wide or deep ,
I thought He gave the 2 Villa central defenders an easy day ,they had a much tougher game handleing D J and H H ,For me Bothroyd has the tools to do the job but He has to try harder to command the the center more and get into the danger area of the box more often ,I also think it was down to bothroyds lack of a cutting edge that contributed to Villa comming out more adventurously for the second half
havihg said that I thought Villa's game was very crude in words of Bill Shankly Ale house football for all the talent and quality they have