From brash and boisterous savior to a Paul Lambert look-alike sitting dejectedly in the dugout, Tim Sherwood is no longer the fun-loving renegade he was just a few months ago when he took the reins at Villa and inspired, if only briefly, a turn in fortunes and performances.
It’s reasonable at this point to wonder whether last-season’s relegation-avoiding bounce had more to do with Lambert’s departure, along with that cloud he had camped over his head, than Sherwood’s influence. But that does seem a touch unfair. There was a bit of cavaliering football we hadn’t seen, some real graft, what seemed like an infusion of energy, fun and perhaps belief. For a moment, anyway.
After a return of four points in eight matches to start this campaign, we’ve now heard Tim has two games to turn things around. Which, to be honest, if it’s an actual turnaround we’re looking for, Villa would need to notch two wins in a row, something that doesn’t seem at all likely.
Sack him, back him? Well, we’ve finally heard something from Ray Wilkins, and he’s backing Tim. Krulak has returned to say there’s no ultimatum, but he’s seen the internet and social media. Talks in U.S. between Lerner and the staff over the break are said to have been planned all along, and weren’t of the crisis variety. But some are saying there’s worry about player morale.
It’s a tough nut. Many are ready to see him go. I can’t blame them. But we all thought it would take some time integrating this new set of players, and there have been injuries to complicate things.
For me, as I’ve said, what has to change is Tim’s approach. It’s time to pick a side. Time to get on the front foot. Time to match the opponent’s intensity, and time to make smarter substitutions to either see out games or get a share of the points.
Apparently, Tim is emphasizing these things during the closed-door international break. The front-foot, bit, anyway. Have fun and unleash your creativity.
Certainly sounds good on paper, but I hope there’s a little more behind it. That sort of sounds like a disaster of a game plan against a Chelsea side growing increasingly desperate for a win.
Moreover, would that mean the hesitant, fearful play we’ve seen of late was sanctioned, or is he hanging the players out to dry by implying it wasn’t? On the other hand, sitting back hasn’t worked, so what do they have to lose? I like hearing we’re supposed to keep the ball and play in Chelsea’s half. But I’ll believe that’s possible when I see it.
My starting IX is bedeviled by questions…Is Ilori fit and how have he and Crespo looked in training? If all signs were positive, I’d be tempted to put Richards at right back and either Crespo or Ilori next to Okore in the middle. But without time together, it seems like a disastrous suggestion, and we’ve heard that Micah has a guarantee at center back anyway. For the sake of continuity, I’d leave Richards and Lescott alone. But that doesn’t mean Lescott is filling me with confidence, especially with Amavi looking a bit vulnerable in his defensive duties.
Moving forward, it’s tempting to start Gana and Sanchez anchoring a five-man midfield. My problem there is the wide positions. Does Sinclair have the bottle to play wide left and do the hard work? Is Adama really ready to play wide right as a starter? Would we miss Westwood?
I really like Grealish and Gil together up front. Maybe Veretout is in the middle, Grealish and Gil playing wide and cutting in with Ayew up top. That’s where the threat lies. Defensively, though, you’re giving up something on either side in terms of cover for the fullbacks. Sanchez and Gana would have to be very tuned in to those spaces ahead of the fullbacks while they’re also trying to cover the middle. Perhaps I’m wrong, but Grealish and Gil seem to imply more of a 4-3-3 going both ways, with less of the cover you’d want when trying to fall back into a 4-5-1 without the ball.
I can’t say I have an answer, and that’s why I have a touch of sympathy for Tim’s tinkering.
But at the end, you have to have a basic idea and stand for something. I tend to favor the idea of Veretout anchoring an attacking diamond with Grealish, Gil and Ayew. Veretout has to then be able to alternate with Gana in a defensive midfield trio with Sanchez. But I’ll understand Gestede or maybe even Sinclair getting the nod up top if for no other reason than they’ve played more. But I also think Ayew needs starts to show what he’s got. I’m willing to go out on a limb with Veretout as he’s shown energy, a bit of bite, a desire to carry the ball forward and look for runners. He’ll have to work on the naivete.
Whatever the side, everyone has to play like there’s no tomorrow…at least for Tim. Give us something to be proud of at Stamford Bridge. That would be a start.
Whether Sherwood should be sacked will in large part depend on how hard the players are willing to work to keep him in the job…If he at least sets them up well enough to give them a chance.
So perhaps Tim could use our help…yours more than mine. What’s your starting side and why?
The Author
John Clark
John is co-owner of AVL, and has followed the Villa since the '70s. A journalist by trade, he is, by most accounts, a very nice person. You can follow me on Twitter @JClarkKohoutek. It's an astonishing experience. Or a complete waste of time.Comments 113
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Guzan
Illori Richards Lescott Amavi
Gana Vertout
Adama Grealish Gill
Ayew
attack attack attack. I think t we are going down whoever we pick so might as well go down fighting
Tim has to go especially if moyes wants in.
Jealous other fans are excited the prem is back…well it does nothing but sadden me. Chelsea will win by 3 goals and we will prob be at least 5 points from safety.
Fail to beat swans at home surly he has to go.
No comments from Moyes, just paper talk, British manager doing badly abroad wants to come home, who’s at risk in their job in the prem 2+2=5.
agree though, go out to win or go home, nothing left to lose as we’re in catch up mode already.
Agreed we have to take it to them. And also that, points-wise, we don’t have anything to lose.
Main thing for me, apart from getting a result, is a performance that builds confidence, not another Cup Final-type battering.
Andrew,
It’s true isn’t it? Football’s back, and it really only promises to ruin an otherwise acceptable weekend.
I’d love to be surprised, though.
I can’t se us picking up a single point over the next few weeks, and I have a horrible feeling by the time TS leaves it will be too late.
We play Chelsea Sat, one of two clubs whose fortunes really turned around when they got new owners worth a few quid , the total opposite of what happened to us. Man City are now a blue print on how to run a successful football club, they are posting a profit, operate within FFP( now), have cut their wage bill, regenerated a large part of Manchester, created a dynasty and a footballing ethos that runs from the top through the academy and even into the women’s game. They are now a worldwide brand with huge worldwide revenues, Chelsea are doing much the same although growing the club in West London is more difficult. I wish them good look not jealousy, as it’s what every football fan wants from there club, real owners who want the best for their club and to compete at the highest level, whilst still staying true to their roots( as much as you can). We all bitch and moan about them but you ask any City fan or Chelsea fan, would they go back to being second class citizens in their own Cities plying their trade in the lower leagues??? No chance, not when you can see your club challenging for titles/cups and Europe . We missed the boat big time and I doubt it will happen again, even the next level clubs like Liverscum, Spurs etc can’t keep up, so relegation fodder like us have no chance.
Hello JC,
What’s your starting side and why?
Possibly everyone on here would pick a different team. I certainly think some of our MF’s are very similar and we have too many of them. i think its probably irrelevant what team Grim Tim selects but we live in hope.
Regarding the meeting in the USA, possibly the two weeks is in case Sociedad lose both games as well and Moyes becomes available.
I noticed Krulac stressed that Lerner wanted continuity, does six seasons of shite qualify as continuity ?
evening folks, the team I’d like to see is
……………. O’Reilly’s builders in goal……..
Richards………..okore………..clark……….Amavi……
……………gana………………….vertoute…………
Gil……………..grealish………………sinclair
…………….kosak or ayew/ Guestede if we can cross
All I hope is Tim doesn’t cock it up if we go ahead with some dopey subs.
As for clubs and money, Is it time to do away with relegation? 20 permanent clubs aloud to develop without the drop. set entrance fee’s home and away for all clubs and all venues developed to 60,000 with profits over a certain amount put into local development/causes or lower league football? How we would pick the teams I don’t know or just drop the gate.
Also amazed our war vet Krulak is still involved? what does he do?
Steamer:
Krulak did stress continuity, but it seemed a lukewarm backing at best. I’m sure he would want continuity, but the door to changing did not seem to be closed.
Good side, Mark.
Not sure Okore and Clark are ready to jump in together, but if they’re up to speed, it does solve the RB problem.
Grealish would have to be a very busy boy.
Jc I think that role suits grealish as he can get on the ball a lot and there are plenty of like minded players around him giving him options and making him hard to pin down and crowd out. It suits Sinclair too as he can link well with Amavi, grealish and Kosak, we would have plenty of movement up top. Then Gueye and Vertout can take it in turns to make runs into the box, Vertout especially can roam forward as he’s a bit of a play maker too. I liked Okore and Clark together but both coming back from injury would be to much to soon. That team is the best I can come up with if all fit nor for Saturday unfortunately but some day.
I find it strange that Tim won’t give Kosak a run as he is the nearest we have got to Adebyour in our squad and can at least link play around the box. Guested we have to cross for mostly, Ayew maybe not strong enough but can certainly link up and interchange.
we would also have a decent subs bench.
Here’s a piece by Sutton and I agree with most of it but what all these ex players and pundits don’t mention is the poor subs that cause more problems than they solve. No Villa fan wants to change managers for the sake of it we are pissed off with it.
He mentioned us getting hit on the break by Leicester, doesn’t mention that Tim replaced a midfielder with a forward, then replaced gabby who at least had pace with Guestede at a time when we were not crossing anyhow as Bakuna was rubbish and Amavi rein-acting the Alamo. He then blames Grealish who had run the show with Gil and scored for not being good enough defensively. Surely a savvy manager Knows his players strengths? Grealish has never been good defensively fit or not, would be wonderful if he were but he’s not. On the other hand nobody does what he can other than Gil to a degree. I don’t mind pundits backing TIm but at least be honest and say I don’t understand why he did that not he’s trying to find his best team.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34541803
One other thing I have been thinking about lately was it worth bringing in so many players?
could we have done better with less? Tim is not pleased with so many prem newbies why did we need to get rid of so many? you have to say because Tim didn’t rate them.
The answer has to be in the way Tim wanted to play. Two attacking fullbacks Bakuna and Amavi
rather than buy a couple of proper wide midfielders. these are the positions we are struggling to fill. The players we bought are CM’s whereas cleverly and Delph tended to stay out on the flanks.
When I watched the pre-season friendlies I was very impressed with all of them, they all seemed to cope well. Two in particular Calder and mason very well. Calder for me is the closest we have to Delph a left sided midfielder, strong, pacey and can cross. Dundee are using him as a left winger no less. Mason a midfielder that can fill in at right-back so you would assume right of midfield wouldn’t be beyond him.
Up top in the u21/18’s we have several tricky players who know where the goal is. Andre Green just back from injury and Jerrell sellers instead of Ayew? Robinson even? and there are a few more.
question is could we have got away with buying 1 decent forward, A decent left back, a decent centre back, a decent right back and a Box to box midfielder?
Krulak another yank on our board who knows absolutely nothing about our beautiful game, god we are blessed with them at VP, no offence to Americans by the way but they should stick to American Rugby and that game that looks like girls rounders.
Steamer,
Is it only six years of shite, strange it actually seems like a lot longer.
GSAVFC
Yeah, Leicester was a strange one, Mark. It seems Tim thought keeping an attacking emphasis was the way to keep the initiative. Clogging up the middle was certainly the more obvious choice instead of opening it up.
I found his “we’ve tried sitting back” comment puzzling. I guess we have, but of course it’s not going to work well when players sink too far back, don’t attempt to apply pressure anywhere, and don’t break quickly and intelligently. You get all the negatives and none of the positives.
southwest — It’s starting to seem like a lifetime.
On Grealish…No, he’s not very useful defensively, Mark. Which is a shame. Not playing as a striker, he’s got a responsibility to do something when we don’t have the ball. Even if he’s no hard man or just a decent tackler, he’s young enough that he should be running all day and at least applying pressure further up the pitch. Making a player turn, limiting his passing options, slowing things down, giving other players a chance to get close to possible outlets….It just requires intent and some work-rate.
The trick seems to be whether you start with Grealish and Gil looking for a lead, or you set out more defensively and bring one or both on to change things.
Anyway, you would think that based on his playing days not so long ago, Sherwood wouldn’t be naive.
A sub may or may not work…but it should be at least the right sort of player representing the right sort of thinking. With so many central midfielders, we ought to at least be able to force teams out wide and not concede the middle.
Why the hell would Kansas City buy Everton for 225m with their dump of a ground and not Villa ? has Lerner really been attempting to find a buyer ? if so then he hasn’t been trying hard, the blokes beyond a joke, a complete and utter moron.
Didn’t Cheyenne Bodie come from Kansas ? or was that Sugarfoot.
John,
On Grealish…No, he’s not very useful defensively, Mark. Which is a shame. Not playing as a striker, he’s got a responsibility to do something when we don’t have the ball.
Gave me an idea, this years quota is all used up now, don’t play a striker – Guzan: Hutton, Llori, Richards, Lescot, Amavi: Gil, Sanchez, Gana, Veretout (or Ayew ), Grealish.
Keep the game tight and use Gil & Grealish breaking, possibly with Ayew who attacks from deep anyway, we may sneak a deadball, you never know, quite optimistic now 8-1.
Ha…It actually makes sense, Steamer. That’s why, like you suggest, I think Ayew may be the right attacker.
We’ve not seen much of him, but he does look to drop deeper, seems to press and be willing to move and at least give opponents something to deal with. I think he’s the one you start if only playing one up top. The others, especially Gestede, are for when you need a change. Ayew would benefit from starting, rather than trying to catch up to the game as a sub.
I agree JC if guestede isn’t mobile enough and Kosak not rated then Ayew is the only choice, gabby just doesn’t work there. pack the midfield temp them out and get in behind ooer mrs.
I have heard Gabby and Clark are out for sat and Gil is not fully fit
Christ tim can talk some shite, Apparently Benteke would guarantee safety? If so why not buy two prem mid-fielders and a £30m striker for our £50 mil instead of 12 players?
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/470519/Tim-Sherwood-Aston-Villa-Christian-Benteke
And he now knows his best team after saying he didn’t before the international break, Tim should be in the Olympics for back-peddling.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-boss-tim-sherwood-10275874?
Nice write-up, John.
I agree that Ayew should start and Gestede used to change the game.
As for the rest, most lifers know more about footy tham me, so I’d just go with the majority.
I’m eager to see TS turn things around, rather see him succeed than fail. Can’t say I’m confident about playing Chelsea, though. It feels like Damocles’ sword stuff at the moment.
Hello Steamer. Nice to see you back.
Mark-Are you still enjoying the rugby? Do you back any of the other teams? The QFs will tell us a lot.
UTV!
A good leader John covering many of our short comings this season.
TIm Sherwood came bouncing in saying “I guarantee this club won’t be in a relegation battle again with me here”. He’s learning very quickly that it isn’t as easy as he thought. With pride can follow a fall and his dug out demeanour is reflecting this. I hope it is more this than haven’t got a clue but his subs and team selections suggest it is both .
Just as I didn’t think either Bentekes return of form or our 17th placing was down to his management skills : our current predicament isn’t so let down to him either . Between OReilly, the stats man and Sherwood we’ve not gone near to replacing the striker , who he now says kept us up. Lots of French “flair” players but no substance or grit for when the chips are down – as we saw against Stoke .
Is this what you get when you choose players on stats and as one local journalist has pointed out , P Reilly our current Dirextir of recruitment , picked players who got McLeish, Lambert , Rodgers the sack. He went to Liverpool and we know how their money was spent ! Now him and the arsenal stats man is back at villa . To replace Benteke with a Gestede and spend the remainder of the kitty largely on similar players with no premier league experience is as risky as choosing a manager with no coaching badges and zero experience . The new manager syndrome contributed to Keelung us up just as it did for Dick Advocaat and Sunderland – and where is he now .
I can see nothing but a pasting by Chelsea today – unless the rumours are true and there has been a dressing room mutiny there.
I think to start Gil and Grealish together would be folly against a team like Chelsea . Grealish isn’t strong enough defensively yet and Chelsea will rip us apart with such aight weight MF.
I would start Gil and bring on Grealish later . We also need to beef up the mid field with Sanchez too.
Hit them with speed on the break and we may just get a result if Chelsea play as they did against Saints. But I think that unlikely .
Good moaning all,
Good points Jen, i didn’t know until recently that the Jeerman bloke actually joined Arsenal to work in the commercial department so we have an amateur, a salesman who likes statistics in charge of signing our players !!! Randy Lerner hasn’t made a single competent appointment at any level since he arrived, when is the penny going to drop with the moron ?
Grim has made more u turns than the Italian army, why believe a word he says ?
It’ll be interesting to see what team is selected, i had a fiver on Joe Cole playing centre half until Coventry leapt to the front of all the clubs interested in signing him.
Everybody here seems to be picking a different team. At this stage of the season we should know the core of the side and just be tinkering at the edges.
We’ve brought in an inexperienced manager who doesn’t even know his own playing style any more.
How can you select the right players for your squad, never mind match days if you don’t even know your favoured formation?
Gestede has shown that he can score goals at this level. . . . provided he is provided with good aerial crosses. Why sign him but not bring in suitable providers?
Oh for a Downing or Young now.
Maybe the idea was that Amavi and Bacuna would do that, but that only works if you have other players organised, and physically fit enough to get back and fill in behind them.
It feels as if Sherwood is like a teenager who was given some money and is now sitting in a garage surrounded by car parts from different cars. He didn’t know what type of car he was trying to make and now he’s struggling to get all the parts to fit together.
Not looking forward today. Can see a hammering coming our way. We are helping hand Villa
The selection today- I’d sack Tim from the off if Westwood and Sinckair start and Gil and Adama don’t
Go 4231 and attack. No more bull shit defensive football with 1 shot a game. Aattck. If not Adama, then play Ayew of Rudy to get some pace in behind
I bet you Nzogbia starts or comes on ahead of Gil and adma.
Interesting how all the press reports and ex players are saying that Maureeen has lost the dressing room this morning and Ancelotti hovering like a hawk . Massive games for both managers – though the “aren’t many teams better to face than Aston villa ” puts us in our place . Let’s see which team shows the passion .
Good car party’s analogy Robbo . It feels exactly like that .
Hello Trinity, I’m afraid the debacle that was England’s world cup has taken the shine off for me. My lady’s family are all Irish and I have a half brother who’s dad was welsh so I’d say I’m rooting for either. Will have to see if they have to play each other, looking forward to seeing The all blacks actually play a decent team next week perhaps, as I don’t see France doing much after the Ireland game. As you say this week should say a lot but I’m expecting the usual culprits if Wales can’t pull off another miracle with their injuries.
Jen- Hard to say who’s door to lay the players purchase at? Tim will of been given a list and he would then have got his preferred man from that list. He will of met the targets and accessed them himself. If they didn’t look up to scratch why buy them? Especially if they were not as good or the same as we had already got?
Southampton do quite well at this and use a committee to discuss transfers, the manager is a part of that . What I am presuming is the stats all come from the same source not something our German has keyed in himself although he may have written his own program to collate the stats.
Our problem may be that we had no framework for Tim to add players to, no spine, and either there were not players in our price range good enough to provide that core or Tim doesn’t know how to build a team? Lets face it he’s never had to. Its highly unlikely our process will be as refined as say Southampton’s who’ve been at it for 10 years, so probably a combo of both?
Reilly also spotted benteke under mcleish don’t forget and tim says he’s was our saurez 😉
Shame he seems to have forgotten Kosak who did ok for a brief spell while our Saurez was injured.
robbo- My thoughts too, the full back thing has been there since day one. Surprising as it wasn’t that effective with Tekkers ( how many headers did he get under Tim?) I think I used the exact car analogy when Lambert was here only now its worse.
Frem- I think Zog will play a part as Tim now knows his team God help us
Talking of stats these are Westwood’s and apparently he’s strong at taking set pieces? 🙂
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~5075437,00.html?
Robbo
I like that car analogy mate, only I’d take it one step further, the teenager is now realising amongst some of his car parts , are bike, tractor and possibly washing machine parts that are never going to fit together to make a car, whilst purchasing too many of the same parts ie 3 exhausts but without buying a steering wheel.
Our squad is disjointed and bought without any real plan, or way of playing , it was a kid in a sweet shop approach and now we find out it was 3 kids in the sweatshop all wanting different sweets.
Only Villa would employ these clowns who plainly aren’t qualified or experienced in the jobs they are doing..
I expect a thumping today at the bridge, Jose is backed into a corner and will come out fighting. It won’t be our last thumping as we have Swansea, Spurs and Man City coming up in the next few weeks. No one is relegated by the end of November , but I feel we will effectively be done by then, we will still be on a terrible points total and cut adrift.
had to laugh at this, although its not funny for Joe who also played well when asked
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/joe-cole-completely-unable-account-last-four-years-life#:OlJxtJcAzenSRA
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-opinion-mat-kendrick-10274607
Great follow on with the analogy B62 🙂
Mark – if the assessment of players is flawed in the first place – we don’t have an experienced mgr to right the wrong or even have any clout to say no . Tim has said this weekend he agreed to every player (back tracking somewhat from he wanted the spurs trio)
How on earth can you rely on stats for players not playing in the premier league . The right back at Worcester City has made more tackles and interceptions than John Stones but you wouldn’t go out and buy him !
Jose has been backed into a corner – by himself – but it’s not him who has to come out fighting it’s his players . The question is – will they .
Yes Jen its nuts, there must be a cut off where the quality of league comes into it. you might also be the best fullback around but if the player in front of you is good and lowers your tackles made you could look average.
The only thing that is pretty indisputable is scoring Goals, if you are accurate and cool in your finishing its a skill you have. whether you can keep pace with the game at prem level or beat prem defenders is the key and is why those players are sought after and others with seemingly great records are ignored.
Obviously amongst the stats must be physical statistics, yards run in a game, speed over 5,10, 40 and 100m. That can also lead you to buy athletes and we have had a few of them lately. I always wondered how the greats like Clough and Taylor could pick a player from non-league and know he’d do a job for them.
I don’t think TS knows what he is doing. Why drop Amavi – he is one of the only players who can cross the ball. And Richardson is a liability at Left back.
Well at least Gil gets a start.
Stats can be manipulated to prove your own argument, players shouldn’t be signed on stats alone, especially from abroad and lower leagues. I am easily the best right back in my household , however my only competition are a 38yr old female who hates football( the wife) my 1 year old son and our English bull terrier!!! Those who’ve seen me play may argue the dog has more in his locker 😉
well was anyone expecting normal? Amavi dropped who is about as match fit as it gets for Richardson who isn’t . Again as richard S says no obvious service for Guestede I suppose we will have to wait and see, can’t see a bore draw that’s for certain
Aston Villa
01 Guzan
21 Hutton
04 Richards
16 Lescott
18 Richardson
08 Gueye
15 Westwood
40 Grealish
19 J Ayew
25 Gil
39 Gestede
Substitutes
07 Bacuna
09 Sinclair
20 Traoré
23 Amavi
24 Sánchez
31 Bunn
33 Crespo
who would picked that line up my god sherwood you are stupid hutton richardson full backs
westwood in midfield gil grealish ayew all together no sanchez no vertout he has not got a clue
myteam would be
guzan
crespo couldnt be any worse
amavi
richards
lescott
ssanchez
gana
traore
gil/grealish
gestede
vertout
4231
sky commentators backing sherwood surprise surprise they did the same with lambert they keep on about vlar delph beneteke don t think they have 5 games played between them this season cleverly is same as last season poor so where did our spine go we never had one for last 5/6 years
I forgot about Vertout – not even on the bench – and what happened to Nzogbia. So Vertout – Amavi – Traore – Nzobia – Sinclair – Sanchez – that about 45 million pounds in transfer fees and they cannot make the starting 11. I really think TS has lost the plot
I forgot about Vertout? so did Tim richard
I like this team! Wish we’d started this way against stoke! Time will tell… 4 4 2?
Aaaah Grealish #10 he could be vital today and ayew as more of a winger!
Villa have started well. Baba their left back is rubbish. Let’s get on Traore in the second half – he will roast him
I can see what tims trying to do at least
Can we sack Guzan
If tim leaves can guzan go with him?
Guzan leacott, oh dear just giving teams the points when they don’t deserve them! Guzan is on the way out! Leacott is past it!
Guzan you absolute penis
FFS!!!!!
We were in the game.
Mountain to climb now.
I’m done with Guzan.
Game over.
If we stick with this team and do minor tweaks rather than massive surgery every week I think we’ll be fine!
We should have addressed the goalkeeping situation in the summer – we are still in this game
Ttaore on at the right time and we can tie this up!
When is this ref going card some chelsea players?
Fooking hell put the defence up top as they have produced 3 clear cut chances, for chelsea
Hey Mark
I guess a win for Chelsea is better for the league than Villa. A definite bias showing on the Reffing. A miscue damn it. Villa look much better today than the past couple of weeks. Guzan is better today.
Here’s to the second half. I’m not dispairing ATM
We really do create our own problems. Guzan is a liability.
Westwood gives the ball away far to easily. Stop passing the ball across our own goal.
Bring on Sanchez – Sinclair and Traore
Traore will take Baba to the cleaners.
We can win this game. Chelsea are average.
“Traore will take Baba to the cleaners.”
Good point!
Maybe I should have read some of the comments. I thought lescott was at fault as the ball just went between his legs. I saw a player who wasn’t paying attention. The Chelsea player wasn’t on the T V screen until the ball came clear.
Well, put Bunn in then.
Hi ian gil getting the treatment alright. Traore looks the logical sub but we need players getting in the box. Hutton was clear and had 1 player to hit so he shot dont blame him
I’m liking Hutton.
He seems to be made of sturdier stuff than most
Here we go give us a yellow
2 bad luck goals
Unlucky goals yes. Another pathetic forward display though
I think it’s time for Rodgers
The guy from mister Rodgers neighbourhood? Or buck Rodgers?
Either of them Ian. They couldn’t do any worse . Tim isn’t going to get us out if this
Make changes Tim
Please bring amavi on and traore for gil sinclair for gestede
Ian im changing my name to rodgers
You’re getting your picks mark
I’m not sure what Ayew offers to this team – I think he has been a money ball blunder – playing a forward our left is a waste of time
Gestede isn’t afraid of anyone
No shots on target again. That’s at least the 4th game that’s happened it now
Mattic has closed this game out for Chelsea.
Time to go Tim. Looks lost on the side line
We have lost more games in the premier league than any other side in 2015, 18 inc today. TS has been here since Feb. His record is beyond awful, his cup wins boost his win % but in the league( our bread and butter) it’s a terrible record. This bloke is worse than Lambert, who was worse than Mcleish who was worse than Houllier/McAllister who was worse than MON. Can anyone see a pattern emerging????? This is the year we finally get relegated because of massive mismanagement and ineptitude from the top to the bottom of this rotten club. I’d rather we just folded than this slow painful death
Arrgh
B62 – what are you taking about – you rather we just folded? This fine football club has been established since 1874 and we have been champions of Europe – we don’t fold – we fight.
Well yet another expected defeat, we should change our club colours to beige. We are a nothing club looking certain to go down. Sherwood simply has to go, but with the absolute scum running the club we are going under not just down, my only hope is they are all on Randys private jet whilst having a meeting, when it goes down in the the Bermuda triangle
houiller mcleish lambert sherwood
faulkner fox
all changed it just keeps getting worse only one not changed LERNER all leads back to him simple
any manager that puts out side with guzan hutton westwood gabby regularly hasnt got a clue them 4 must have worst record of any players that played for our once great club
guzan looked good under lambert making saves they didn thighlight how many he let in
hutton apart from spell at rangers has been woeful 5 years here couldnt get in forest side in league 1
westwood uuggghhh worst player i ever watched in villa shirt that has played almost 100 games been worse but didnt make double figures
gabby was ok under mon but since is biggest con man living on i am villa fan what a joke not scored 80 goals yet at club as main striker for 9 years
don t know where we go but need to get rid of sherwood tonite no more messing fox last match at home to mighty stoke 7 defenders on today away to champs play gil grealish ayew
where does he pick them from
sky commentators today showed highlights stoke match villa players backing away no one commiting to tackle,close down player
play rudi no wingers and no midfielder getting cloose to him
SHERWOOD OUT NOW
well mistakes aside why was Amavi not started? Tim puts him on when Richardson showed he doesn’t have the legs to capitalise on the open space, Chelsea are weak at fullback at the moment. We put no balls of worth into Gestedes head, ayew who’s a no9 plays left wing not right or centre were he looked decent. and we more or less concede the midfield by poor passing and sitting deep. Either give Ayew a run or Kosak up top we do not seem capable of feeding Gestede. a player that can bring the midfielders into the game might just be the way we need to play, we will get nowhere without getting numbers in the box.
Richard as fans we do, these cunts haven’t put any effort in for years, It was a figure of speech as the cunts running this club couldn’t give a fuck about us, or the club. And the club is slowly imploding and dying. When you see success stories like FCUM it makes you wonder if it’s all worth it. For my ST I get no value whatsoever, we are shite both home and away, we are rudderless, as for trophies I don’t think we will win another in my lifetime as year on year we fall further behind the pack and also rans let alone the elite.
Sherwood has to go, not simply for the result today but for his ineptitude in EVERY game this season, 4 points actually flatters us
We actually had more possession than Chelsea and completed more passes today.
The mistake from Guzan did not help us. We were in control of the game at this point.
I don’t see why we are playing Gestede up front because we are not playing to his strengths.
We have clear problems to address and after the International break TS has not answered them.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Lerner was on the phone to Rodgers this eve.
sherwood hasn t put out side that fans would have picked no reason to omit kozak we are not scoring
if players in summer where not want he wanted that was the time to do or say something about it
no keeper another cockup today
no rightback not blaming hutton for goal but in all honesty he is useless
no goalscoring midfielder gana looking like delph that department
no deadball specialist don t know about today didn t watch just listen westwood has beeen crap since day one
why take in 13 players where is lad from pool 7weeks to get him fit okore how long is he out for bunn as reserve keeper why bother change given for him pure madness at our club all down to lerner stupidy
Richard S I think most of our possession was between Richards, Lescott and Guzan. the midfield came for nothing and never got beyond gil or grealish. We actually managed to look like 4 separate teams today takes some doing.
If read somewhere Rodgers is going to wait for the right opportunity, not jump in and will wait til the summer for his next job, he would have to be mad to come here and this fucking circus. Sherwood isn’t going anywhere in the near future unless he resigns.
We have a crap goalkeeper , shite defence, weak midfield which lacks width, steel, creativity and guile, poor forwards who couldnt score in a brothel. We have no one that can take a set piece or dead ball. The way we leak goals without banging them in is a recipe for disaster. We need to act now and get Moyes in or someone with a proven record at this level or we will be relegated before the German market closes
That was the poorest Chelsea team I have seen in a long while too
Rodgers has just picked up between 7-9 million in severance. He is in no hurry.
TS is out of his depth. He was handed the job from Fox who know sweet FA about football.
And Paddy Reilly knows nothing about selecting a football player.
Who are all of these director of football pretenders?
We need a change. Now.
The first half was ok. The goal took the wind out of them and instead of doubling down they slowly capitulated. No emotion from the dugout.
Chelsea were poor too. They’ve lost a step. But they played Villa right– on top of the smaller Villa players and a little aggressive on their tackles and contacts. I did like the starting 11.
Do you think Faulkner would come back? 🙂
I feel your pain…Match Review of sorts is up now.
well here is paddy Rileys linked in page if you can view it.
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/patrick-riley/54/496/a84
Richard
That’s the problem , the rot is set in deep, the problems go all the way to the top and far beyond Sherwood and his disjointed wank squad.
In the short term Sherwood simply has to go, not wait until we lose against Swansea etc, but longer term we need Lerner and his band of merry fuckwits out of our club forever. Until then the spiral into the lower echelons of English football will continue
We are all hurting for sure. I don’t see the point in waiting for us to lose against Swansea at home. Make the change now. Rodgers or Moyes would be an upgrade.
B62 – I agree. It’s a crying shame. Lerner has wasted millions and still does not have a clue what he is doing. He has employed diabolical mangers and CEO’s to run the football club. It is going up to end in disaster. I feel for the fans. We should not be in this predicament.
Just getting rid of Grim would give the club a lift, the bloke, despite what Chris Sutton ( sacked by Lincoln in his only venture in management says ) knows bugger all, he’s a BS artist of the highest calibre, just the type that a gormless knob like Fox would believe. If BS could fly then Grim would be a squadron leader, even a turd can be useful. Mind you the happy clappers don’t help do they ? no demo’s, no banners, no songs, pathetic and totally gutless, what have Villans come to ? Dissent may not work, Lerner stays as long as he likes but at least make an effort to persuade him and his pet monkey Tom that they aren’t welcome in B6. When we slip into the lower divisions these clowns will disappear leaving behind a shadow of the club that formed the oldest league in the World.
This club isn’t worth the effort of following, never mind the expense, i’d sooner take the mutt for a walk in the park and watch the local idiots attempting to play what used to be the best game in the world.
Whoever played well this week sure as hell won’t play next week, MotM is a curse for our team.
You think it can’t get worse and then the season starts and it does. The one constant is Lerner, has no-one told him that he’s a knob or is he so delusional that he thinks he’s an asset to the club when in fact he’s killing it. FFS Lerner employ someone who knows someone about the game for once.