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I'm not very happy. I'm not happy because if we could have cancelled out the first ten minutes we would have won tonight. It was, quite simply, a very sloppy opening ten minutes which cost us the three points.
Saying that there are more positives about how we played tonight than negatives. The negatives, for me, are on one player and we'll get to that in a minute.
When John Carew was subbed in the second half I knew we wouldn't get a goal back but we still battled. He just seemed to get better and better throughout the whole match. For those that think he hasn't got pace, tonight he showed he's got it and a little more in the locker that I'm sure we'll see more of.
Ashley Young scored on his debut and it was a good goal. A good goal and it was exactly what he wanted to do. It wasn't scrappy and it got us right back into the game at exactly the right time.
The two new signings tonight made an impact for me and one that I think will get better in time and probably against West Ham this weekend. The only negative was Smiler McCann.
The two goals were down to Smiler. The first because he made a half hearted, or as the commentator where I was watching it called it 'sloppy', attempt to tackle Milner who went on to score and the second because he was the closest to Dyer but a good four yards away marking nobody.
He can't ultimately be blamed for both but if he was marking Dyer there is no way he would have got his head on it and if he had got a proper tackle in on Milner he wouldn't have got his shot away with such ease.
If we were just unlucky nobody would get the blame but it wasn't luck it was poor defending that cost us the game. Nobody can be blamed for the third goal as Martin O'Neill was telling everyone to get forward and we were caught on the counter attack.
There were other instances when Smiler could have done something else, notably for me in the 23rd minute when instead of controlling the ball he just headed out. He was in acres of space and could have brought the ball down, instead he just headed forward and the ball bounced out of play.
There were positives, like I said. The team played better and Young and Carew looked powerful. Carew had at least two good chances and was unlucky not to get on the score sheet especially after we saw the replays.
Three one flattered Newcastle and they'll know they were lucky. Martin O'Neill will also know that there was some sloppy play by Aston Villa and I'm sure that will get fixed in training tomorrow.
I'm unhappy, I've lost money but I'll live with it. Martin O'Neill is putting together his team and we might even see another player in tonight. He needs time and he's going to get it. But I'd love three points this weekend.
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