“We’ve never been ‘in it’ this bad.” Never has a truer word been spoke.
This came from a random Villa fan that I precariously found myself grinding up against on a tightly packed train on the tube between Kensington High Street and London Paddington after the match on Saturday.
Prior to kick-off I observed an uneasy tension among the travelling family. Almost as if we were just about to see the opening jack being rolled at the World Indoor Bowls Championship. It definitely didn’t feel like an away day. It remained this way for the full ninety.
There were some half-hearted choruses of “Tim Sherwood’s claret blue army” and “Timmy, Timmy give us wave” – the gaffer obliged. I abstained from taking park in any pro-Sherwood chants and this stemmed from my annoyance at some of his rather naive comments this week about the perceived vision of the club back in the summer. A supposed shared vision among the decision makers at the club that we were to recruit primarily young players to work on and build with before openly admitting as to how he thought it was going to be a struggle – in effect – because of this vision! He just didn’t put it quite so blunt.
It’s a backward concept. Staying up and plying our trade in the Premier League come 2016/17 – what with the record television deal – is paramount. It’s a necessity. Without it perhaps Lerner will never be able to be rid of the club that he desperately wants to sell. What with the extra onus on survival I’d like to think that someone with a little bit of common sense may have pointed out that this is not the time to be bringing in a full-compliment of young foreign players before taking half the season to figure out your best XI. Sherwood’s pre-match press conference had me punching my laptop screen.
Losing Delph and our goal scorer and regular match-winner Christian Benteke was inevitable. How we spent that money was always going to be single-handedly the most important factor on how we do this season. If Sherwood expected to be struggling with this group of players, no matter whether it was Reilly or he that sounded them out, then why go that way in the first place? I’d rather several experienced Premier League players between the ages of 26-32 along with a couple of promising players come in and hit the ground running. We may well have kicked on and managed to land a semi-decent final table finish rather than placing 17th being the aim of the game.
To finish 17th we need to try and hit that famous 40 point mark. Thus far we have a tenth of that total a quarter way through the season and, judging by our performances and Sherwood’s inability to decide which personnel to stick with nor a way to set-up, I’m not sure Paul and Debbie, Dynamo and my friend Ryan Tricks combined could magic us out of this mess.
Onto the Chelsea match itself and we were going well for 35 minutes (everyone bar Ashley Westwood that is) before another Brad Guzan howler changed the course of the game. I said after the Palace match that something needs to be done about his distribution inconsistencies. In both cases players, Amavi at Palace and this time Lescott, have been court dawdling but there was nowhere for either to go should they successfully turn and look up the pitch. People question whether or not Mark Bunn is a Premier League goalkeeper; but I’m not sure he could possibly do any worse between the sticks than our American friend. Hand him the gloves.
The second goal was unlucky and that really did knock the stuffing out of us. The rest of the game seemed to fly by without us really ever getting into stride. It probably should have been one or two more for the home side. We showed little intent going forward.
This weekend we play host to Swansea. For Sherwood’s sake I hope we’re not losing the game mid-way through the second half because I genuinely fear that it could turn nasty with the terraces baying for blood. As for the line-up I stick by what I wrote above, I’d go for Bunn in goal with a bank of four in front of him. Hutton and Amavi as full-backs with Richard and anyone except Lescott partnering. My two holding players would be Sanchez and Veretout with Gil in front of them. Grealish on the left and one of either Sinclair or Ayew on the right with Gestede up-top. Although I must emphasise the importance of getting players around him – far too often he appears lonesome. The other option is to try something a little different and go with Traore playing off the last man instead. Finding that winning formula has to start now.
The Author
Ryan Pitcher
Windsor based, Lincoln born Holte End STH. Occasional writer when finding time away from the office. Eat, sleep and drink football. @RyanPitcher on Twitter.Comments 328
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Ryan,
I have tried my damndest to stay away from AVFC because the club has been going down the pan for the last five years and to be fair I could not bear to watch it happen, to watch these people run our club into the ground purely on a lack of football knowledge and poor business acumen.
Tactics Tim is completely out of his depth in this struggle aided and abetted by Wilkins who”s career in management was probably as distinguished, his constant shuffling of players and formations in a desperate search for points is painful to watch and the thought of Moyes as his replacement who seems to be taking Spain by storm makes me shudder with further dread.
There is a certain eventuality when you constantly flirt with relegation as Wigan fans will tell you, to keep selling on your best players and replace them with sub standard championship players will only result in one outcome.
We find ourselves season after season looking for three worse teams than us in the hope that we will survive to go into another year of what will only be another relegation battle, you sometimes have to think what is the point, I should feel sorry for those who year after year buy their season tickets in the false hope that things will improve, but I can”t although I understand the trap of supporting their club through thick and thin.
If you was out there with a few hundred million burning a hole in your pocket would you buy AVFC, you cannot buy history and past achievements you can only buy a commodity that may have a bright future and possibly the chance of a return on your investment and in all honestly AVFC comes up blank on both counts.
GSAVFC
Completely agree with the above, an early morning view of newsnow, threw up one item, it says he want to make Villa no longer afraid to lose.
Well success has been achieved by TS but if this is the intent for Villa mgmt, I don’t want any part of it. Sherwood has to go.
There is a regular debate amongst fans of losing teams that maybe one more loss will see a manager go and the other side of the coin which says you’re not a true fan if you want your team to lose. Well I don’t want Villa to lose but I can’t see Mr. Arrogant resigning with grace because he’ll end up like Lamberk and McLeish on the scrapheap as a failure.
Time is up, no point waiting for Swansea, this set of players deserve a decent experienced manager that works with systems, that allows continuity and as opposed to making us used to losing makes us at least difficult to beat.
Guzan needs to be dropped and then sold in January to the MLS or somewhere where videos of his mistakes have been edited out. No confidence in Bunn but better to try him now and get a good keeper in January.
Lescott not his fault for the goal but offers little in defence, pacy defenders are the norm now and Lescott doesn’t have it, Okore or Clark alongside Richards please.
“I can take a lot of inspiration from people like Alan Pardew, who was screamed out of town in Newcastle and look at him now.”
Another favourite comment, trying to associate himself with a successful manager but forgetting that his circumstances don’t match. It may change very soon but at this point there isn’t a mass desire to hound Sherwood out of a job and if this is his raison d’etre for success then the only way to replicate Pardew is to be hounded out of Villa and the next club will be his successful term as manager
SWV
I dont understand the negative vibes for Moyes. I think he is a perfect fit for us….especially when we land up in the championship.
Anyhow id have anyone but Tim and Wilkins at the helm, clueless.
It was always going to be a massive risk when tekkers left and its proved to have killed us. No way we are getting out of this mess, the 3 teams we usually rely on dont exist, there all bloody better than us. I honestly think we will be bottom of the league. Big sam will pick up the ugly points for sunderland just like pulis does at baggies.
I think Bournemouth will drop with us (injuries have ruined them) and one more?
I totally agree with you on tims comments he should learn that less is more. this ones a beauty
“We are in it again and we’ll get through it. If we do, then this group of players will grow”
so we will or we wont get through it then Tim astounding foresight
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/aston-villa-fc/2015/10/19/tim-sherwood-i-will-die-on-my-sword/?
I wanted TS to be a success, as that would mean Villa are a success. The warning signs were there at the tail end of last season, when having seemingly got us safe he did his dampest to drag us back into the mire, the cup final was an absolute embarrassment . The summer transfer window wasted, the pre season wasted, and the season has continued in the same vein, no plan, no ideas, just messing around with players for the sake of it. He has gone from saying we won’t be in a relegation battle under him, to 17th is our aim and survival. The bloke hasn’t got a clue what he is doing, yes he has been hampered by the buffoons above him, but the match day results are down to his own stupidity and ineptitude. He can’t carry on, we simply don’t haive the time as we are already adrift by 4 pts, not much you say but when you consider we only win about 7/8 games per season and have lost more games this calendar year than any other PL club, alarm bells start to ring. Then you look at our fixture list and I honestly can’t see where our next point is coming from we are that bad. His media comments have made him look foolish and slightly mental, he keeps contradicting himself, changing the goalposts and loves to talk when there is no need to. He is in a results business, and his are woeful, but there doesn’t seem any light at the end of the tunnel no forethought or gameplan we are working to, it’s like he picks the side by pulling there squad numbers out of a hat akin to a cup draw. Moyes in now please
Andrew,
I have never been a big Moyes fan he seems to have been a one club manager at Everton, although the United job was always going to be difficult following old red nose he seems to be taking Socieadad one way, please don”t ask me who should take over from Tim as I do not have a clue, Sherwood will go very soon of that I am sure, in fact he seems to be talking himself out of the Villa job at every opportunity.
GSAVFC
JL has been manfully fighting Tims corner but when Tim says “we” would not have sold Benteke for £100m if he didn’t have a clause, it begs a huge question. Where would the money for summer signings come from? would Lerner sanctioned a £30-£50m spend anyway? considering that our net spend was low and we still needed a right back, top striker and a keeper you would have to say no.
You also have to say Tim completely believes we would of kept him? which kind of blows the sell our best players and buy cheap players to make more profit thing out of the water. Given the option we would of kept Delph, cleverly and Tekkers, they were not ushered out the door they wanted to go and in Tekkers case practically since he arrived.
The departure of those 3 pissed on Tims bonfire and I cannot for the life of me think of any players Tim wanted that would directly replace Delph or cleverly allowing that Ady was Tims tekkers replacement. Townsend or lennon for Cleverly? totally different players, the other was a young spurs midfielder was it mason? for delph who I don’t know much about.
I should add would the addition of those players to last seasons squad made us a mid table side?
it’s a bit of a stretch isn’t it?
http://www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7519601
Can’t lay this all on tims doormat, it’s been coming for years as we all know.
We have not invested enough money in the last 5 years, not brought properly, not got the right managers in…its been a shambles for years and the only outcome is relegation. If you was to show someone how not to run a football club just look at villa the past years.
Im not scared of relegation, i expect it. Id take a decent new owner, moyes in and start again in the championship.
fair enough swv…just really think he would make us solid team again. Id trust him and his team to act professionally, hard working and honest. After lamberk, culverhouse, keano and now wilkins who seems to be waste of air it would be great to know we are in solid hands.
Think the biggest problem we have is upfront… Gil, Adama and Grealish are not exactly the type og players to get down the wings and cross the ball for a target man, they are players who will take players on, but also players who like to play intricate football, playing the ball around defences. Gestede just can’t do this, he’s got the touch of a rapist if you forgive the phrase.
Everything breaks down, players are actively looking for a pass anywhere but Gestede now, which means we’re very slow moving forward, meaning we’re always playing against a defence that have the time to get back and in position, we can’t stretch a game.
I’d like to see Adama or Ayew being given the chance to play through the middle, stretch defences and move them about, ig we can find a way of getting Grealish, Gil and Adama on the ball around the opposing teams box breaking quickly up the pitch teams will struggle to contain them… with Gestede up top tho we just can’t keep the ball…
The fixation with Westwood is confusing me, its clear the lad is struggling at the moment. Why not give him a rest? Dropping him is not going to damage his confidence any more than listening to the vitriol at Villa Park week in week out.
For me a 433 works.
Bunn
Richards
Okore
Clark
Amavi
Gana
Sanchez
Vertout
Grealish
Adama
Gil
Just allow the front 3 to float, be disciplined with each other making sure they’re aware what their roles are in the areas of the field they drift in to, but also making them very hard to pick up as a defender… Vertout and Gana have the legs to get up ad down. Sanchez and hold the middle and Richards and Amavi have the pace and energy to get involved at both ends.
We won’t see if tho, Tim is not going to slot all the players that where bought for him, in place for he players that he bought.
As for Richards “guarentee” at CB, we’ll if he want to play CB in the Championship then let him stick by his guns, if he wants to play Premier League football next season, the swallow your pride lad and move to RB until January.
Have now seen the the shortened Sky match choice of the game on Saturday, and we did okay for the first 30 minutes, and should and could have been winning the game. The failure once again in the box, of players to see each other,Mutton and Grealish were both guilty of not pushing the ball to a colleague standing in open space, and in a good position to put the ball in the net….and there have already been enough comments about Guzan and his crazy moments.
Still no-one picking up on TS and his praise of Nzogbia the day before the match, and his supposed inclusion in the squad. If we had started with Nzogbia and Grealish on the bench, or vice-versa, we may have offered more, as Grealish had run out of steam in the end. Why did Ayew take a free kick which could have been a winner, when Gil was on the pitch, and is usually good with kicks from that distance.
The only thing in Villa’s defense is the very one-sided refereeing, when Ramires did not get booked once for constantly fouling, or Costa, but Ayew and Grealish both got booked on their first offence….
Still do not understand JL’s defense of TS, as this is our worst start since 1986, when we almost disappeared into oblivion. Tim may have been a great player, but it does not show in his leadership as a manager.
Have some sympathy with Delph now, as apparently the main reason for him changing his mind was the players we were recruiting and selling, rather than building on the team we had.
Andrew- of course it’s not all Tim’s fault mate but he is at least partially to blame and not just a gullible buffoon tricked by the evil hierarchy at Villa park, they’re too useless to concoct an evil plan.
I put up some posts yesterday that show we have spent more than Swansea and other clubs that came into prem and have prospered. Those clubs spent next to nothing before promotion but had a core of players and a plan, we haven’t had that since mon
Andrew,
Mate I really don”t know where we go from here although as you say the drop is inevitable and who knows it may be the kick up the arse the club needs or it may just be the final nail.
Paul,
I have no sympathy with Delph whatsoever he said he was looking after his family first and foremost because they could not live on £70k a week Christ on a bike and now he says it is player recruitment, we have given this knob too much airtime already I think it may be time to move on.
GSAVFC
PP- I’m pretty sure once delph saw cleverly and tekkers were off he’d had enough, as I said before what promises were made between, Tim the club and those players with all parties guilty of deceit
Ryan: ““We’ve never been ‘in it’ this bad.” Never has a truer word been spoke.”
The thing is, Ryan, that we all know that in football-speak people only talk about the period they know about. Anyone who was a supporter through the 50s and 60s will know that those days were a lot worse than they are now … though I agree the difference is rapidly becoming more gray.
As far as the match is concerned, then I thought Villa looked reasonable for the first 30 minutes and, based on that, I would say that Tim *does* know what he is doing. That ridiculous first goal give-away and then the very unlucky second did Villa. If Chelsea did not get those gifts, I don’t think they would have scored and we’d have come away with at least a point.
So, i.m.o., it’s not fair to tripe Tim on what happened on Saturday. he was clearly trying to get method and belief back into the side, but it was certain players that let him down.
BTW, Ryan, as I’ve said elsewhere, Jed Steer is on his way back at the end of the month. I liked him when he played his debut, but maybe Bunn will still be the first-choice alternative.
GOG- I like that team, Ayew sinclair or dare I say Gabby could play at the tip to mix it up
Paul: “Still do not understand JL’s defense of TS, as this is our worst start since 1986, when we almost disappeared into oblivion. Tim may have been a great player, but it does not show in his leadership as a manager.”
My “defence” is simple … He was only appointed in February and straight away fans were feeling a buzz as his influence sparked a revival. This season, we’re only 9 games in and we still have 80+ points to play for …
I am defending Tim *only* because we mostly saw him as a breath of fresh air when he arrived, and a I genuinely think he should be given another few matches before the axe is applied.
If Villa fail this week-end (in their performance level, though a defeat would not be at all good), then I might come round to your way of thinking. The reasoning would be that if Villa just fail to dish up anything tangible against Swansea then I would agree that things are bad and that Tim’s ability to turn things round would have largely evaporated.
I’m setting the Swansea match as the benchmark. If the team’s performance shows ability and fight then Tim should be given another month. If not, then …
Until after this week-end’s match I think we’re all talking too much too quickly. If Newcastle (with their manager) can get a win after being win-less for so long, then in theory we can do the same.
The other part of the equation is who would Tim’s successor be, anyway? I don’t think Moyes will come, and my betting is that Wilkins would get the job. I’d then suspect we would be crying for his execution by January as well!
Graham O’Gara – I completely agree with you regarding Gestede. We are not playing to his strengths so why play him?
I think your team selection is absolutely spot on. And with Sinclair – Ayew – Gabby on the bench we have attacking options and pace to bring on in the second half and further test the opposition. We could always bring on Gestede with 10 mins to go if we need a goal and decide to go route 1.
We missed a trick with Big Sam.. should have given him the job and kept him till Lerner finally sold up and fcuked off..!
Guzan has become pants.. that’s three big errors he has made in the last few games.. only problem is Bunn and Steer are no better..
We need to play Gana.. Sanchez and Veretout as a middle three.. Westwood needs to be benched..
Then pick two from Gill..Grealish..Adama and Sinclair.. and one from Gustede/Ayew/Kozak…
Anyhow we need to somehow ‘fluke’ a win against Swansea.. can’t afford to lose that game..
My bet is Gabby probably start and score.. obv will gloss all over TS failings and that in reality Gabby is sh!t.. but i will take it for sure..!!
If we’re going to persist with Gestede we need to play 4411, have traditional wingers and a player who will play off defenders shoulders and latch on to the balls the Gestede wins but fails to control… Adama perhaps. He has to have someone always up with him A) to give him more freedom from defenders, B) to give us a chance of retaining ball up the pitch and C) put pressure on opposing defenders. Its all too easy for teams to have one man on Gestede and another mopping up the ball behind him.
GO’G/RichardS
Yep, that team does make a lot of sense … but of course it’s not going to happen. For starters it’s clear that Richards considers himself to be a c-b and came here on the assurance that is where he would be played.
The simple sub of Okore/Clark for Lescott would be the only defensive change that is possible, though Richardson might still get the nod.
Grealsih? Well, I’d be ready to sub him after 60 minutes if he fails to make a good enough impact.
And – who knows – Zoggy may appear on the bench.
My concern is purely about points and how much time we have to acquire them. Rate of points accumulated, I guess. Leicester pulled a miracle last year. I’ve not seen a Villa side in recent memory capable of going on such a tear.
That’s where I don’t want to see us, with 20 Cup Finals between us and safety.
If there were no relegation, I’d happily stick with Tim and let him figure it out. Naturally, some teams will languish…it’s the way of things, and I don’t think we’ve been cut adrift just yet. But I fear we are getting close.
Id say 3 more loses in the next 3 games and we’re in deep deep do do. Sunderland will start to grind out results with Sam, It won’t be pretty but it’ll be effective.
Bournemouth and Newcastle will be the other two… at the minute I just can’t find another team weaker then Villa…. its scary
My fear is not that Tim might eventually not crack it, (although time is a factor here) its more that he has already done puzzling things while we were in decent positions and brought about negatives as a result. Yes players have cocked up but it hasn’t been helped by Tims in match coaching.
the team that played Leicester was surely a good place to start? but instead he did a 360 and went overly defensive not seeing his own part in the teams downfall that’s worrying.
Jl I know you disagree on this but at palace he brought on Adama to equalize but took off Sanchez who was playing well and gave palace the room to get at us, yes Guzan and Amavi gave the goal away but we invited unnecessary pressure which lead to palace getting on top and an error.
John – Grealish showed real quality against Chelsea, his ball control was sublime, so is his ability to ghost round players, we need to stick with him
I take your point regarding the defense.
TS has one game to save his career. It will be really interesting to see how he lines up against Swansea – we all know he will make changes to the formation and personnel – he always does. I think TS would be wise to keep his mouth shut before the game, concentrate on the players and stop talking in the third bloody person – he sounds ridiculous.
I am looking foward to the game – and I will be in the stadium backing the team. They are a young team and they certainly need our support.
RichardsS,
I don’t doubt for one minute that Grealish has plenty of talent, but as you say it was essentially shown in *the first half*. Where was he after that? … in fact he wasted a couple of opps to create chances in the second half.
For me is he is mainly potential … not what we need right now for 90 minutes of fighting.
Mark,
It’s not whether I disagree (re: the CP match) but I think TS was simply trying to find out what he had and how it would perform. I find nothing wrong with that yet people here are bemoaning this side of his tactics. OK we have lost too many – and that Leicester one was a terrible give-away down to TS – but vs CP and Chelsea we were undone by player errors as the *main* cause of defeat. Mainly Guzan.
All our defeats have been by narrow margins and/or luck for the opposition.
It is the time *now* when we must expect the team to be fighting hard, and all the assessment type team changes to be erased from Tim’s manual … What Tim *has* said is that by the Swansea match he will know his best team.
Right, let’s see what happens…
John – I completely disagree with you regarding Grealish. I think he is the real deal – we just need to get him on the ball. Look what he did to seasoned International Players at Chelsea. We need to stick with Grealish. He can perform over 90 mins, we just need to get him playing in a system with our other creative players including Gil. Play them together over an extended period of time, in a formation they can operate in and they will start to build relationships on the pitch. The results will follow. I practice this approach with the under 13’s that I coach. We have developed a formation for success. The boys have built relationships on the pitch and there movement and passing becomes second nature.
Your talk of potential is nonesense.
RichardS: “I completely disagree with you regarding Grealish. I think he is the real deal ”
OK, that’s your view. I don’t see how you can come to that conclusion, but if that’s how you feel then fine.
Don’t forget I have seen young players like Brian Little and Gary Shaw come in at a young age and you could see they were “the real deal”. They tried – but Jack is not much of a fighter unfortunately … and we see him being edged off the ball too easily at times. And in the second half vs Chelsea he did nothing of note.
RichardS,
The point I am trying to make (and I think you’re doing your best to ignore it) is that *at this stage* in Villa’s troubles Grealish is not providing enough input to help Villa come out of it. Not over 90 minutes at least … that’s why I think he’s a 60 min sub contender. And his way of play does not convince me otherwise that he should be a fixture in the way you suggest.
Everton’s Berklay is more the real deal i.m.o.
John – I can assure you that I am not the only one who thinks Grealish is the real deal – I think the England manager would agree with me.
And I am not trying to ignore anything – please don’t patronise me.
Name me one Villa player that did perform in the second half against Chelsea? We should acknowledge what he did in the first half and stop being so critical of him. Name me a better footballer currently at AVFC who is better than Grealish?
I am also friends with Jack’s agent and he absolutely loves Villa. He just needs to stop his party boy ways and concentrate on his football.
Regarding Ross Barkley – I agree he looks great. But he didn’t have a great season last year – members of my family are Everton fans – however they stuck with him – he played the Premier League games required to gain experience – and now he is turning into a great player.
Hello,
My view of the Benteke, Delph, Cleverley situation was that all the noises coming from VP suggested that they would sign/stay with the club, that was until any potential sale fell through, the thought of more seasons of Lerner just destroyed any hope they had of even moderate success. Still Mr Fox, five more years of Bacuna, Westwood and Steer more than makes up for their loss.
Does anyone remember Sunderland owner Ellis Shorts statement that Learner was the model Chairman ? a look at the league table shows just how ridiculous that was.
I hope that Ray Wilkins departs soon, one week he’s telling Villans to “Calm down” the next he’s spending half the game laughing and joking with the Chelsea staff and fans. This season will be the third consecutive season that he has coached a team to relegation.
Tony Parks too, an ex goalkeeper, albeit a mediocre one, and he allows Guzan to consistently fanny about on the ball before passing to an opposition striker, the level of coaching at VP is pathetic, the only qualification seems to be having been born within listening distance of Bow Bells.
If i were TS i wouldn’t rattle on about his targets, Lennon, Townsend and Adebeyour are three perpetual reserves, not good enough for a poor Spurs team, i’d sooner have the players we actually signed.
Basically AVFC is nailed on for relegation, unbelievably weak at every level of the club and without the desire or knowledge to do something positive about the situation.
Jl unfortunately Tims finding his team and in match decisions has cost us and is the main reason he is under scrutiny on here. Don’t think that Tim would not be lording it up if we had won half our games.
this article and the links it provides to match analysis shows how bad he has been at times.
http://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2015/10/12/9511357/aston-villa-problem-is-not-too-many-foreign-players-tim-sherwood
And just to show I’m not Bias here’s the Chelsea analysis
http://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2015/10/18/9563817/chelsea-2-0-villa-tactics-talk-not-sherwoods-fault-this-time
Bingo! steamer, Its a poor workman that blames his tools are workman is a tool 🙂
U21’s 5-0 down to Swansea deep joy
Tim has also said he knows his best side now!? if, they are all fit. So who’s not fit?
Clark who he dropped for Lescott? okore who hasn’t played in months through injury? Ilore who isn’t ready or match fit? Gabby who hasn’t exactly set the world alight and Gardner who has never played a first team game for Tim? that’s who.
So if Saturdays team was close to what he considers his best as he stated he now knows itbefore the game, that would mean
Sinclair, Amavi, Kosak, Sanchez, crespo, Bunn, Bacuna,Traore, vertout,cole are not 1st team starters but the injured 5 may be in with a shout!
sorry Paul P forgot Nzogbia 🙂
RichardS: “John – I can assure you that I am not the only one who thinks Grealish is the real deal – I think the England manager would agree with me. ”
There are two meanings of “real deal” … one is potential and the other current. He is *not* current-ly the “real deal”
Nor do England think that or he would be on the subs bench right now! 😉
I think you’re getting a bit carried away. He may well be ready for England in a year or two, but not yet.
JL he cannot play for England or be on the bench as he is waiting for his clearance to go through but he was invited to the England meat up before the last internationals but stayed at Villa to get fit.
On that premise I’d say Roy wants to see him in the team and see if it will work
Mark,
So, what’s the deal? So Tim has been trying things out … so what?
He’s entitled to do that, even if it doesn’t work. The thing is it nearly all started to go in his favour vs Leicester, but then experimented too much.
Mark – all this dishing out of criticism is fine … keep yourself amused all day if you want to do this. 🙂 However, if he does turn this matter around a lot of people are going to have egg on their faces!
As for me … I’m not backing him entirely: I just want him to have a longer chance. I quite agree there’s plenty of room for doubt. I’m simply working on the principle that you should not axe a person until he’s been given the maximum trial. For me that’s at least still a month away, but if he gets axed after a poor result this Saturday that wouldn’t surprise me one bit.
Mark,
A “meet up” doesn’t mean that he’d get selected. He’s got to show he’s able to meet match conditions first. And he’s not yet doing that. He *is* a luxury for Villa just now over 90 minutes.
And, Mark, there’s so little talent available England-wise it doesn’t take too much to get into the England set up just now.
If Brian Little was just coming into the game he’d already be playing and gained his 10th cap by now.
RichardS,
You accuse me of being critical of Grealish. Nothing of the kind – I’ve seen Brian Little and I’ve seen Jack Grealish. At the same age there’s a fair gulf between them I assure you.
I think Grealish has a great future, but that doesn’t mean that he’s ready *now*. On current standard he’s not.
But yes, I agree that no other Villa player did anything of note against Chelsea second half, so fair comment there. But he did waste two good opportunities to provide for others. And the trouble is that Grealish’s absence second half has been noted before.
Sorry, Richard, I’ have never simply pandered to other’s views no matter who they are, and I’m not going to start now.
Villa have been saved!!
NEWS now in …
Today a serious prediction has been made that we could have temperatures as low as -16 c. *throughout* December.
Sherwood has decided to put his experimentations *on ice*!
JL-
A “meet up” doesn’t mean that he’d get selected
Never said it was John, it does mean as both England and Ireland were very Keen for him to declare it might just be he’s in Roys thoughts he certainly was in Mon’s. I also think with a better team around him he will shine, Looking at him in Villa’s struggling side where his attributes still stands out doesn’t paint the best picture.
that I don’t understand? You see it as criticism? I see it as trying to understand what he is doing and asking questions as it isn’t looking to logical to me, You criticise Grealish that’s your prerogative but if he turns out for England and plays well what then? I say so what? as this is about opinions and that’s mine, you on the other hand you seem to see it as a crusade against Tim’s person Its not its about the job he appears to be getting very wrong judging by our results. Who’s to say another managers approach wouldn’t work with this team right now? you yourself are only guessing that it wouldn’t make a difference.
If Tim turns it around and by that I mean shows some structure to what he’s doing and gets consistent performances along with a few wins then good luck to him, I will say sorry for doubting you Tim. So far he hasn’t shown that aptitude has he? He’s actually made it worse and blamed the players.
Mark,
I just think that we (not just literally “we” but the media as well) are the amateurs and don’t really know what’s going on in Tim’s mind *or* how matters are being conducted at Villa Park.
And “he blames the players”? Well, yes … I would too when it comes to the juvenile giveaways that have taken place. He’s also said, btw, that he takes responsibility for all that goes on, so he’s not saying that what’s happened is nothing to do with him.
I believe we’re getting too wrapped up in people’s words that are not being properly expressed. Words are always a poor medium – but it’s the only thing we have just now.
JL yes I agree and Tim should probably use less 😉
John – you have completely lost me. Has the situation got so bad that we have just signed Brian Little to play for us?
What are you talking about???
Jack Grealish was our best player at Chelsea. But he is not ready – really John, really???
RichardS,
If I’ve lost you then I’ve lost you. Can’t do much about that, mate if my words aren’t clear enough! 🙂
John – you are a genius. And you certainly have a unique view on all things AVFC.
If you ever want to attend a game, please do let me know?
I will buy you a ticket and even buy you lunch. I would find your company and commentary on the game thoroughly entertaining.
Just let me know the game you would like to see at Villa Park?
Best R.
JL- I will say this, I don’t think that there are many truly “professional ” managers. Yes they know what they know through playing but a truly thorough understanding of all aspects of the game? not so sure
Anyone see the Joe Cole interveiw, re; TS on Sky. Very complementary and supportive, (well he would be wouldn’t he, I here you say), he more or less reiterated what Stan Collymore stated, new squad, needs time, needs to find theright blend,etc,etc.
Only problem is you dont get time in this division. Whether Moyes could do a better job is questionable, but he does have the Premier league experience but is struggling in Spain, what do you do, risk another untried overseas coach, high risk IMO……any answers??
Sherwood is completely out of his depth and has zero track record as a manager. He is yet to complete a full season in management at any level. He was always a massive risk and one that seemed to have paid off as we approached the new season.
This season to date, with favourable fixtures has been an abomination. If we fail to beat Swansea then I think and hope that he will be fired.
If Moyes is available then for God’s sake, we have to get him. A top manager, who is made for The Premiership but was never going to be the right fit for Real Sociedad. It would be a great opportunity for us if he would be available.
We have seen some entertaining stuff (and some filth) with Sherwood but this is all irrelevant as it’s a results business. Moyes may not be a manager that will entertain but he will certainly make us hard to beat and that is what we need this season as we have got relegation written all over us with Sherwood there.
I never felt we would go down under Lambert, even though it was desperate to watch. I think we will get relegated with this novice in charge. I am very worried about the situation.
It’s a shame because I think the signings have been excellent. In fairness we have lost our 3 best players this summer but the money has been very well spent. Credit to the recruitment team.
It’s clearly Sherwood and his management team that have got it all wrong this season and we are now in the shit big style.
RichardS,
I detect a slight mocking there, but your offer is very generous.
No, thanks – as Villa won’t let me be involved on historical matters then my planned absence at VP will continue. I continue to watch events from my TV or computer screen and remember how things used to be at VP, in the halcyon days of Brian Little! 🙂 … and previous greats.
Mark: “I will say this, I don’t think that there are many truly “professional ” managers. Yes they know what they know through playing but a truly thorough understanding of all aspects of the game? not so sure”
You may well have a good point there … But I see a football manager’s job as primarily being that of motivator .. someone who can get into a player’s noddle and enthuse him to get the best out of himself, and the team. Particularly where a sports/football director is also employed, though (as Steamer has pointed out) the one Villa has got has a big question mark against him.
What has happened so far *may* indicate that TS doesn’t have the motivational capability that I thought he might have, but Guzan seems to be a walking disaster when it comes to clearing his area and I’m not sure that TS can do much about that. Parkes should, though.
Anyway, a lot rests on the Swansea game.
I have to agree with JL on Grealish after watching the match on Sky, and the pundits also made the same comments about him tiring in the second half. Yes he did have some nice touches, but as Jl is trying to point out, Brian Little at the same age was clinical in his skill, finishing and attitude. Jack is not the finished article and still has a way to go. He should be used either as a starter, and really hit the opposition early, or used in the second half when the opposition is slowing.
Moyes present record is about the same as TS’s, perhaps they could do a job swap for a month, and inspire each others teams…!!!!
I am glad to see JL that you are ready to reconsider after the Swansea game, as that will be his last, unless he can come up with the goods. I do not understand why no-one here is giving Richardson any credit here. Last season he did some sterling work for Villa, and he was again very solid on Saturday, while Amavi is exciting, he still makes tragic errors, and almost cost us a third goal on Saturday. Would it not be better to play Richardson at left back and Amavi at right back which is a position he is comfortable in.
l take it 3Cs still here , steamer do you think Rigby might give us a go , cant be any worse , also bee offered 2 tickets for saturday if you and someone else fancies going , as hopefully l will still be under the influence after the steamer party friday , its at the Bushwaker ,( lenehans 60th) , fancy it ?? , jeez were gonna have a load of welsh up here ( also do you fancy going down sherwoodland and having a few pints with Brasil and Runtins soon , check ticket prices for the rattler , oh and took 4 screws out the fence and the lot came down )) so Dewar here tomorrow if you wanna come over and drink all my coffee ,
Jenny my gorgeous chickybunykins hope your well xxxxx
if you fancy some great lines check some of the comments Blocked Blogger has put on Thevillablog , especially the skype one .))
Prox
any more beer recommendations for xmas mate , just in case he’s still here and l need to drink myself into oblivion, also it would seem my nephew may be fighting over there in the Emerald Isles around feb next year for the world title so maybe we could meet up for a few ,
I agree JL a manager needs to be a psychoanalyst either by learning or personality/empathy there are many ways of getting there but these days Tactics are also becoming increasingly important.
So is player fitness/recovery, I’m amazed how poor this can be. Things that have been in the Gym and athletics for years I am only beginning to see now in football so god knows what the nutritions like.
Strangely enough Foreign players are taught more about tactics than the British counter part.
Paul P,
Great comment there! I quite agree with you about Richardson and Amavi. I have seen at least one other blog with criticism of Richardson’s selection last week, but I could see the sense of it. Amavi is great at going forward but TS’s sound idea (to me at least) was with Grealish Gil in the team we didn’t need too much attacking ability from the back.
However, in that decision went the ability to play to Gestede’s strength (as Mark and others have stated).
After consideration, I’m thinking that the outfield selection against Swansea will be… (i.e. this is what I think TS will select as the starting line-up) …
Hutton, Richards, Clark/Okore, Richardson
Westwood/Sanchez, Gueye, Veretout
Gil, Gestede, Grealish
I feel he’ll use Gabby and Traore around 60 minutes, but depending on how we’re doing at that stage.
Paul P- Give grealish a chance mate he’s been Beasted for two weeks in an effort to get fit, I’m not surprised he was leggy with that much intense work in season, its a fine line between fit and over-trained. Also Richardson lost the ball after running out of steam on a run up field which led directly to Chelsea’s second. I think Amavi will be fine without the slowest CB in the prem next to him. earlier in the season there was good interplay between him and the midfield this seems to have stopped with Tims latest tic tacs
some brill points on here
pp really good point on richardson and i would add hutton to that
they are way more solid than the younger two —- i think with the kind of managers we have had in recent years they may as well play even though while they are solid they are really poor footballers in the true sense – especially richardson
the less solid but more talented overall younger players won’t progress too much at villa while we refuse to bring in a manager with a footballing phylosophy , which would allow them to become better very quickly imo
steamer your point on wilkins is a shocker and makes me realise just what bad hands we are in —
like all villans i am hoping we can pull out of it but am fast losing hope — next game will confirm if tim really has anywhere enough to turn things
John – absolutely not. It was not my intention to mock you – apologies if that is how my message read.
My offer was, a still remains genuine. I don’t see the point in denying the team your support. They have no influence over the decisions of the board to stop you the opportunity to become a historian of the club.
JL- I can see why Tim played Richardson but its a bit of a false sense of security and as you pointed out he’s are best source for Gestede too.
He obviously was told to push up too as he was nowhere when Guzan pulled the trigger for the first goal somewhere up by the halfway as instructed by Timbo and then later lost the ball while attempting to beat 2 Chelsea players which lead to the second, .
Amavi is much quicker and able to recover, Richardson couldn’t fill that role properly. Amavi also covers behind the CB’s a lot, almost a sweeper at times
On top of that Chelsea have been rubbish in the fullback positions and we should have got at them but instead played Ayew out of position with Grealish there too, we were a bit lopsided with no outlet out right except Hutton. His inclusion affected an awful lot further up the pitch not his fault of course.
RichardS,
Well, thank you indeed. 🙂
However, I’ve no wish to go there in reality … what happened in 2010 and since has greatly helped to distance myself from the physical surrounds of the club and reversing that, now, would be too strange an experience. And there are other reasons too.
With apologies, I must decline.
Mark,
I think we’re all giving Grealish “a chance”! We *want* him to succeed, but it’s been proven over and over again that when clubs have got wise to him he finds it difficult. Barkley of Everton is far stronger and able to ride out what is thrown at him. Grealish needs to work on some aspects of his physique and stamina – without hopefully degrading his skill factor.
JL-I just meant as he has just completed 2 weeks of pre-season training and was bound to be fatigued
Or basically he hasn’t been fully fit yet hence the 60 min performances a trait he shares with plenty of others
Richard
I’d be happy to take john’s place. I’ll buy the beer if you help me with my flight.
Well after tonight’s performance by Swansea, Tim will not have a better chance of going at them and demoralising them on Saturday. Get an early goal, keep up the pressure, and don’t let them settle into their normal game. Under no circumstances does he want them having the chance to move the ball about and build confidence.
The penalty was to easy to get out of Ashley Williams, and he should have known better. they are on a poor run, let’s hope that Tim and the team make sure that it continues…..
Well this Blog is back with a vengeance so that’s good news at least!
For my money it starts in defence if we want to get out of this mess.
Would love to sit Guzan but is Bunn going to be an upgrade just because he doesn’t horrendous blunders?
Lescott needs to be dropped ASAP and it would be stellar if both Okore and Clark were available but doubtful. I would love the Richards Okore Clark Amavi back four !
Amavi is the present and the future; he can be a really top player and needs to be a fixture.
I would feel much more confident if we had Richards at the other fullback spot as well.
After that Gana is our star man and I want some of Sanchez’s strength and brute force in our line up as well.
If I had my say it would be:
Guzan (by Default)
Richards Clark Okore Amavi
Sanchez
Veretout Gana
Grealish
Ayew Adama
Keep in mind this lineup depends on Lescott sitting on the bench; if Richards has to play CB then I would still play this lineup with Mutton at fullback.
I’m confident however that Tim ‘I’m bored with my own team’ Sherwood will field a defensive, dull team at VP. Would love to get a proper manager like Moyes in and start to turn this season around and I’ve got my crow eating bib on as we speak and am ready to wear it on a moment’s notice 😉
UTV
I had hoped Uncle Fester (RW) would have had more positive input on match days. That doesn’t seem to be required of h
The Premier League is too predictable. It’s losing its allure because of this.
I agree with the idea that the likes of Chelsea, MC, MU and Arsenal should be part of a pan European competition of elite clubs. Clubs like Villa would compete domestically. Anyway, for me, the PL has lost its lustre.
Hello Trin,
Agree totally but when you think back only a few years then Villa were far bigger than three of those clubs. As long as they retain a promotion/relegation option i’d be fine but with the enormous TV rewards i suppose that would be pointless.
Ian – If you can fly Ryan Air from Canada then I can help you with your flight but you will have to print off your own boarding ticket!
More than happy to buy you a ticket to any home match.
After listening to Jamie C last night are Villa fans being too hard on Tim Sherwood?
He did perform a miracle last year keeping Villa in this division.
It was not his fault that he lost all of his best players in the Summer – Benteke – Delph – Cleverley and Vlar. The spine of the team gone. And a World Class striker gone.
TS was not allowed to purchase the players he wanted in the summer. The board decided a long term money ball strategy was the best solution for our transfer activity.
Long term strategy and the tenure of a Premier League manager are polar opposites. I don’t feel sorry for them because they are well compensated. TS wanted Premier League experience and ended up with young talented players with potential in terms of footballing capability and future transfer value. However we did pay a handsome fee for these players and I remember thinking who? when we purchased the x3 Jordans, Gana, Crespo etc.
TS certainly has his faults – talking in the third person, crazy substitutions and a self inflated ego. However he did give the club a boost, has a desire to play attacking football, he clearly cares about the job and has a drive to be successful.
Should we give him more time?
Let’s get a win against Swansea and go from there.
RichardS
The fact that he has Wilkins as number 2, Westy always plays and takes set pieces, he does not rate Gill (who should have the team built around him) STILL has no idea what his best team/formation is, talks shit and just dropped amavi for richardson is enough to want him gone. And the fact we loose every game.
If there is 1% chance of getting Moyes we should move heaven and earth. He would do to us what hughes has done at stoke
Guzan
Richards Okore Clarke Amavi
Vertout Gana
Adama Gill Grealish
Ayew
Andrew – I played golf with Ray Wilkins once at a Bobby Moore Charity event – I can assure you he is a thoroughly nice chap – a gentleman
I accept your point regarding Westy – I watched him against Chelsea and he kept giving the ball away.
Gil is an extremely talented footballer and I am a huge fan. However he needs to toughen up. Again I watched him closely against Chelsea and he was knocked off the ball far too easily. I believe we should be working on his upper body strength.
TS does talk rubbish agreed – I do find him more entertaining than Lambert and Mcleish.
I personally wouldn’t have dropped Amavi – i think he is a star in the making. However Richardson played rather well at Chelsea and so did the team for the first 30 mins until Guzan did what Guzan does.
Moyes aka ‘the chosen one’ does not want to come. And I have never seen a Moyes team play attractive football. Just ask Man Utd and Everton fans.
Westwood
Agreed that Westwood didn’t have a good game against Chelsea, but generally speaking he’s done pretty well this season i.m.o. But dead ball kicks are certainly not his forte.
As I’ve said before, one thing I like about his game is his ability to instantly control the ball, even when under pressure. He’s also got a good shot on him – but that doesn’t happen often.
Generally I see him as a busy player who keeps the middle ticking. But if there’s a better player to put in instead I’m all for it.
No doubt Wilkins is a nice chap…but is he anygood at his job?
I saw everton play some bloody good footy under moyes….i hope he is interested but can understand not wanting the job, who would!
Stan has been sacked from writing in the villa programme for his out bursts against learner and co and support for tim.
Tim has been getting alot of support from media.
Stan Collymore giving the hierarchy some welly, well done Stan. Perhaps the fans now have a figurehead to lead the protests, sorry, i forgot, most are happy clappers.
Can’t agree with Stan about TS though, he appointed crepe coaches, selects ropey teams and has the tactical nous of a five year old, plus the lies, promises and BS, sorry, clean sweep required.
I don’t see Moyes being interested in Villa even if the job was vacant, he had years a Everton without money to spend and at least Kenright gives a monkeys whereas Lerner and Fox are just destructive.
Andrew – I can tell you 3 things about Ray Wilkns
1. He does not hit the golf ball very far
2. He has huge muscular legs
3. He is a lovely, warm and funny man – the kind of man you need in the dressing room.
Didn’t Stan come out and say that Tim should go now? There is not lot of man love being shown for Tim at the moment.
Personally I think Tim has an infectious charm about him, he dresses well and is good looking. The kind of man you can admire in the dressing room.
And he has my full support until we lose against Swansea.
Regarding Moyes – he is defintely not as good looking as Tim – no way.
my team
guzan (gulp)
bacuna richards clark amavi
gil gana sanchez grealish
sinclair
kozac
think stan hit the nail on the head today which is basically don’t blame the manager , blame the board
i think there are far better managers out there but not too many chairman that are as destructive for the club as mr learner
Richard S- I was going to ask for a ticket and a lift to the match but I’m not good looking enough
I cannot see how not to blame the manager, obviously not for the demise of Villa this last 5 years but certainly for poor team selection,subs and for appearing to do the opposite of what he said.
No more relegation struggle, No fear in the team, no parking the bus, all a load of rubbish. In fact this team look petrified. The only thing a manager needs to do to be a good manager is get it right. So far that isn’t happening.
Remember when Lambert was here and the talk was the players just are not good enough? well Tim turned up and apparently they were good enough. Ok we lost 3 big names since, not counting Vlaar he is a sick-note, no good being the spine if your continually in traction.
Yes you can argue we haven’t replaced their quality but surely the overall quality has risen? The problem we had before was a lot of dross relying on one man in Tekkers. We now have a better balance of talent across the team but no team. That’s Tims job! the players can kick a ball and run a lot, just tell them they are brilliant and not useless winkers and send them out in a way they can express themselves without the opposition sussing them out in the first half.
Mark
We dont have goals, there is not one player in our team who i think can get to double figures.
Tekkers used to get a goal out of nothing, win a game on his own, thats lost now and one of the reasons we will drop.
Seems a waste of breath shouting at randy, he has said he has lost interest and we are up for sale! We have arrived at rock bottom i believe.
Sorry fellers, this is getting to be a very repetitive chat … the Moon has done full circle 5 times on this subject, I observe…!
Until Saturday is over, why not instead look at some of the 80 match reports I’ve put up at http://www.lerwill-life.org.uk/astonvilla/avleaguerecord.htm?
I’m not putting up any more for the pre-WW2 period, but will continue to work on post-WW2 matches. There should be around 100 reports up when I’ve finished the most interesting matches.
Thank you Ryan for the leader – and I feel for you and the Frems of this world who hike across the country to away games. Going to VP is bad enough to see you team inevitably lose and your analysis of our current predicament is pretty much the same as mine.
Some interesting discussion points from fellow AVLs and the adorable ST75 🙂
I wonder whether TS trots out what he thinks he wants the the fans want to hear The latest “I find watching AV play boring” line is another classic. Try paying to see them play TIm . The “they don’t do what I say” line is another of his blame the team not me – and I judging by the blogs and phone ins, one that most Villa fans are getting tired of. So as the man in charge , and as big Ron would say “don’t tell me, show me”.
I would question his motivational skills – Benteke has said Tim Sherwood had nothing to do with his return to form (something which Tim Sherwood then denied he had taken the credit for)and Ade didn’t break a leg trying to get back with the great motivator either. Blaming the team, saying that most of them aren’t his choice and the fearful displays we are seeing week in week out suggest otherwise. The team look disjointed (hardly surprising given the frequent changes) and do not look up for the fight.
Guzan, was a good keeper a couple of years ago – but he looks devoid of confidence. The play it out from the back against Chelsea was an astounding tactic when our lot can’t pass a ball accurately more than 10 yards !!
Was it really a miracle that we stayed up – or did Hull play as much part as the new manager syndrome.
Richard S “Personally I think Tim has an infectious charm about him, he dresses well and is good looking. The kind of man you can admire in the dressing room.” now now – I take it this is said very much tongue in cheek . 🙂
Mark i agree with your thoughts on the manager – i also think we could do better – i think all the regulars know what type of manager i think we need
However as per lambert and a few before – you can’t be given peanuts and end up with a good side – you can’t get money from 5 players sales and bring in a new squad that’s going to get anyone excited
you can’t polish a terd 🙂 and thats what the last 4 managers have been asked to do
I think everyone needs to calm down, panic appears to be setting in.
When I look at Tim Sherwood and gaze into his piercing blue eyes, I see a man who has courage and is more than capable of making the right selection. Did anyone else notice the Velvet black blazer who was donning at the weekend? Wow – that was a courageous choice, he looked sensational. Chelsea might have won the game but Tim won the style stakes. Stamford Bridge might be on the Kings Road but it was Tim Sherwood who looked like a Prince. No wonder Jose looked so miserable, and Ray looked so chipper.
Everyone needs to relax, because come Saturday afternoon at 3pm –
It’s Timmy time.
🙂 🙂 love it richard s
i will see how much it costs to make tim blow up dolls i am sure you will be my first costumer 🙂 and for the mens men like me n st75 its jenny dolls 🙂
Glad to see Stan has come out fighting the current leadership, when the rest of complain on blogs/facebook pages at least Stan has the access to media we don’t to get his point across.
Still no trust in Tim to get us going, the constant change of personnel smacks of desperation, he mustn’t trust many of the players from what he sees on the training pitch but in my unknowledgeable opinion, the antidote is consistency of selection, players playing in their familiar roles and in a familiar system, for my part Guzan needs to be dropped not as punishment but we have to see if Bunn is good enough in the absence of a consistent Guzan.
So
Bunn
Ilori, Richards, Clark, Amavi
Sanchez
Gil, Veretout, Gana, Grealish
Ayew or Kozak
We don’t supply good enough crosses for Gestede so wasted but Ayew or Kozak should be given a chance up to, Adama shouldn’t ever be far away from the team so perhaps a sub for Grealish on 60 to bring a more direct attack.
No time for Westwood one of the remnants of poor buying under previous managers and not prem quality, no place for Sinclair, Hutton, Gabby or Bacuna (only Bacuna gets some sympathy as for all the lack of quality there is effort)
Runtingz- at the level we are at its about spending it wisely more than amount. Plenty of teams have come up on a shoestring then added quality over time Swansea and Southampton being the most successful at the moment. We just never seem to have a core of maybe not spectacular players but good pros who know how it’s done at this level.
When you think of some of the rubbish mon bought in for depth and the money paid it makes you weep. How many of those second string are any better than what we have now? Not many, if you take out the players sold for big money the supporting cast wasnt all that.
DOR- I think Sinclair would get goals as long as we get the ball to him in decent positions, sadly we don’t do that for anyone.
Runtings –
The world of blow up dolls has changed significantly since the last time you purchased that plastic Doreen dulux model from the local grot shop to keep you romantically engaged on those lonesome nights. We now live in a world of Realbotix. Please create a model that could actually serenade sweet Tim Sherwood quotes into your ear. Tim has said this week – if things don’t work out he would rather fall on his sword – and what a sword he has.Please make sure you do Tim justice .
http://mashable.com/2015/06/11/talking-sex-doll-robot/#e11cKd49Xuq8
Jenny: “Benteke has said Tim Sherwood had nothing to do with his return to form (something which Tim Sherwood then denied he had taken the credit for)”
Yes, but what I think TS *did* (and he used different language to describe it – why, oh why, do we take each syllable uttered as gospel? 🙂 was to get the team to focus on CB to maximise his clout. If we recall, until TS arrived CB was not scoring a lot after his return, but when TS arrived he started – scoring. Coincidence?
Hi all ,
I hope you are well, I’m here slaving away on nightshift deep in the Australian outback of the Pilbara reading your comments. Great to see you steamer been too long brother.
I’m still reeling from the rugby and yet another 10min collapse by a so called “golden generation of Irish rugby players”.
Yet I’m even more infuriated with Collymore, yes I fully agree with he said about Lerner but many of us have been shouting this for years. It should not take Collymore losing his column at the Villa to finally make a stand. I cannot believe other former players have not called for the removal of the Lerner parasite during the last few years of nonsense.
Jenny: ” Blaming the team, saying that most of them aren’t his choice and the fearful displays we are seeing week in week out suggest otherwise. The team look disjointed (hardly surprising given the frequent changes) and do not look up for the fight. ”
All symptoms (to my mind) of TS not being happy with what he’s been handed by the non-footballing top brass. And TS’s talk of trying to find the best team is (to my mind again) his way of saying “I’ve been given too many square pegs for round holes”.
Why keep blaming TS, Jenny? I’d hate to be in his shoes. Not saying that TS has been perfect (remembering tactics for the Leicester match) but I think he’s been handed a raw deal.
Jl yes or full return from injury dont forget he had a lot of time out while with us with hip groin and wasnt it achilles trouble. Im sure tim jeeing the team up helped his chances but tekkers aways had belief just not in hus team mates 😉
I think it is really important that we all go to Villa Park this weekend and give the manager and especially our young team our full support.
RichardS
Absolutely right.
And if TS *does* get the push I wouldn’t be surprised if he does a repeat of what Joe Mercer did 50 years ago. Mercer got kicked out when it was the board at fault and, after recovering from ill-health imposed by the strain at VP, went to Man City and built a championship and cup-winning side. And a team including the immortal Colin Bell. Grand player.
Watcha liam you should try being an english rugby fan depressing.
JL- you keep saying the leicester game as if he hasnt effected other matches with daft tactics and subs
Richard s tim needs all the support he can get carrying that sword around
Mark,
I haven’t seen too much evidence of that. He’s been trying to give everyone a chance as he’s been trying to place round pegs in square holes, as I said.
All our defeats have been narrow ones or bloomin daft goals conceded. TS has contributed a little bit to the problem – not much i.m.o. – except the Leicester one stands out.
John He must have excepted the role as manager under those conditions, surely at the interview stage when Tom Fox asked Tim, “Any questions?”
Do you not think he might have said, “Whats my budget? who decides on recruitment?”
“Is it me, if not who?”
Just a couple of issues you things he might of addressed, and if he didn’t ……keep digging Tim
John He must have excepted the role as manager under those conditions, surely at the interview stage when Tom Fox asked Tim, “Any questions?”
Do you not think he might have said, “Whats my budget? who decides on recruitment?”
“Is it me, if not who?”
Just a couple of issues you THINK he might of addressed, and if he didn’t ……keep digging Tim
Sorry typo
Archie,
Why would he “accept those conditions” when they hadn’t been created when he came?
I don’t think *any* manager would accept being squeezed out on the right balance for his squad. It all reeks of non-footballing interference to me. He’s been sold a pup.
Goodness me, we’ve been seeing crazy management games at VP for the last 5 years … why think it’s not on-going!
Mark – on CB.
Yes, he had come back from injury (that we all know) but as I see it it was the manager who got the team to focus on his strengths.
It’s funny how CB suddenly becomes fit when the kind of ball he likes suddenly arrives! 🙂
Well John, if thats the case, which amounts to a change in working conditions, I have to agree he got sold a pup.
I still have to question the tactics at Leicester and at home to Stoke.
If we spank Swansea on Saturday, will it change the mood?
I think we will beat Swansea on Saturday and kick on. We played really well for the first 30 mins at Chelsea. Nobody could legislate for the Guzun blunder.
We all need to stick together and support the team. We need to change the atmosphere at Villa Park. Remember at the end of last season when we beat WBA – the place was rocking. We need to replicate that.
We should give Tim and the players a chance
JL- I unfortunately have seen poor in game management. When is he going to play a man that was scoring regularly in pre-season Kosak? why Ignore Zoggy when last season he played him instead of Gil and we are short of experience? why play Clark as DM against the shitty, Vertout starts to play well not even a sub, too many daft things John, smacks of desperation not planning.
Richard S Tim should give the players a chance 😉
Mark,
As I’ve said many times … we’re not privy to everything that’s been going on and therefore can’t assume any answers with certainty.
With memories of the film “Twelve Angry Men” indelibly inscribed in my memory from when I first saw it 45 years ago (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_Angry_Men_(1957_film)) I just don’t think we have enough evidence to hang Tim. And he might well make us all laugh the other side of our faces this week-end. 😉
JL- Only difference is John a Jury doesn’t get to sit and watch the crime happening 😉
Mark. TS saved us last season – that is a fact.
Give the guy a few more games to get it right on the pitch. No point in firing him now. Moyes and Rodgers are not waiting in the wings.
Support the manager and the young team this weekend against Swansea. We need points not tension in the ground.
JL- what’s galling is Watford bought 12 players too and spent half of what we did, the previous season they spent £0 and 3 seasons before spending was in the minus’s but they manage to look like a team. That is all I’m asking! we don’t have to win ever again just let us actually look like a football team! a very unlucky Football team but a team none the less 😉
Mark I m with you, he dropped Amavi & Veretout at the weekend out of petulance in my opinion. They ain’t his signings so he dropped them to stick two big fingers up to Paddy Reilly.
Richard S- I always do come match day but it just goes on, and on and on.
If Tim doesn’t like his players he has Joe cole who’s got himself fit and gets ignored also played well pre-season, Kosak ignored, Senderos probably the most accomplished defender we have organisation wise again ignored. If Tim is truly looking at all options why not them? Senderos is younger than Lescott and he cannot be slower that isn’t possible 🙂
Mark. – seriously – Joe Cole was finished over 5 years ago. Senderos – how many games did he manage last season? Lescott played the whole season and was WBA player of the year. He also played with Richards at Man City. I admit Lesott has not played great – I would start Clarke.
Liam – Amavi has played every game. He came on as sub against Chelsea. Hardly a Sign of petulance. I think he is a star in the making.
Vertout was a strange one. But TS did play Gil and Grealish – Gana – Ayew all young players.
Mark: “what’s galling is Watford bought 12 players too and spent half of what we did, the previous season they spent £0 and 3 seasons before spending was in the minus’s but they manage to look like a team. ”
Comparing two unlike situations, I think.
Maybe the manager at Watford has been allowed to do what *he* wanted (within reason). And probably so as that’s Watford’s tradition.
Senderos
I’m not a fan anyway … Very much prone to blatant fouling off the ball.
Mark: “Only difference is John a Jury doesn’t get to sit and watch the crime happening ”
There is *most definitely* a crime taking place!!!
But the criminal in my view is *not* TS.
Liam: “he dropped Amavi & Veretout at the weekend out of petulance in my opinion”
Amavi (has has been commented by other observers) has weakness in defence and (in my view too) Richardson is/was a slightly better option in that context.
Veretout? He wasn’t even on the bench so perhaps he had family issues to attend? he became a father fairly recently.
John , as I’ve said before , we are assessing Tim Sherwood as manager / leader . No one is disputing the set up at AV is a pantomime . Changing mgr is easier than changing owner . The leader topics is Tim Sherwood and as he selects the team , decides the tactics and us responsible for playing style (and complains it’s boring ?) he is under the spot light . That’s what he’s paid to do . Whether he beats Swansea or not , his performance so far isn’t good enough . Steve Bruce won games – dudnt stop Hull getting relegated though . Our last three games – Benteke , Delph et al our wonder stars and we were still way under par.
Blues doing brilliantly – bottom three to top four – no funds – just shows what a good manager can do .
Anyway , no need to panic as Richard S says – Tim wins on his velvet jackets even though style guru Klop has now entered the dug out cat walk – and he has gillets to die for . Watch out Tim.
Blimey – blues are second !
Runtingz – you and st75 have great taste that’s all I can say 🙂
Richard S- was only joking although senderos is younger but Tim has said everyone has a chance I was wondering when as he’s tried everyone else for 2 games.
JL Vertouts kid arrived not long after he got here august so no pre-season and sleepless nights, Thats why I suspect he has only just started to look the part, Oh and get dropped.
As for Watford how is it unlike? they had little money spent supposedly like us and a huge influx of players again for less money than us £19m yet still manage to look like a team 2 wins and 4 draws. Its starting to sound like you have less faith in our players than Tim has? When you buy 12 players for £50m they can’t all be duds can they? and I don’t think Tim can find to many more permutations.
I also doubt if anyone has heard of any of the staff at Watford which includes a head of scouting and academy probably similar to Riley. The manager is also new to the club this season 😉
Watford manager
Former Real Madrid and Valencia defender Enrique ‘Quique’ Sanchez Flores was appointed Head Coach at Watford FC in June 2015. The former Spanish international signed a two year contract with the club.
Good looking bloke too Richard 🙂
http://www.espnfc.com/club/aston-villa/362/blog/post/2670204/aston-villa-hand-chelsea-win-as-poor-run-continues
This ESPN writer makes a lot of sense; and yes the Amavi for decision for me was a complete mystery!
UTV
should say Richardson for Amavi decision of course…
Its worth looking at Watfords manager/head coach and his CV makes Tims lack of experience obvious to all but Mr Fox. Makes you wonder
http://www.watfordfc.com/team/staff-profiles/
Jenny: ” Changing mgr is easier than changing owner . … Whether he beats Swansea or not , his performance so far isn’t good enough .”
Yes, changing the manager *is* easier. But by that logic you would be changing manager every 6 months!! I don’t find that constructive in the slightest. That view – if you don’t mind me saying – is based far more on emotion than logic. Yes, we all have feelings towards our club, but instant dismissals (and that’s virtually what you’re suggesting) are *not* the answer when the real problem is on top *and* when there’s still time to run. TS has a month at least to get it right – if we’d let him.
As to whether his performance is good enough … That’s your view, of course. I’ve already explained my views on that so I don’t intend to repeat it all. Basically I disagree from the point of view I feel he’s been sat on by his bosses and he’s been trying to make something work that doesn’t fit within his paradigm. he’s trying to make a silk purse out of the sow’s ear that’s been given to him.
Come on Tim!!! Show this lot what you’re made of…!
Mark: “Vertouts kid arrived not long after he got here august so no pre-season and sleepless nights, Thats why I suspect he has only just started to look the part, Oh and get dropped.”
But I don’t accept that he’s been “dropped”. His performances have been good enough i.m.o. for him to have at least been on the bench last Saturday, but wasn’t. OR that something in the media would have emerged. Therefore I wonder whether something else has happened – like (God forbid) his child is sick or some other domestic issue wh8ich he’s asked to be kept quiet.
Mark: “As for Watford how is it unlike? they had little money spent supposedly like us and a huge influx of players again for less money than us £19m yet still manage to look like a team 2 wins and 4 draws.”
The “unlike” bit is that clearly the squad they’ve built is balanced more appropriately.
Tim is working with (as I’ve said now several times!) square pegs to fit round holes (or vice versa) that have not been his choice. I’d say that Watford’s boss has been able to assemble something that’s his choice – that’s a big difference.
JL- Its a fair enough point of view you have but when the people that hired the players Tim doesn’t want hired Tim! doesn’t that make you just a little twitchy about Tims ability to actually build a team?
Getting a miss firing group firing that someone else assembled may be a talent he has, the ability to doing it from scratch whether their his players or not is a different skill set.
His managerial experience is of maybe one whole season, has never presided over a transfer window let alone a huge turnaround and has made it clear these players are not what he wanted, none of that says to me he knows how to sort it out. He isn’t demonstrating the leadership these lot need either.
The F.A.cup was a real Eye opener and the previous 2-3 games as to how naive he can be.
The Manager
I have been appalled at some of the almost personal stuff levied at Tim – not only here but in other places.
I have been appalled that the view of otherwise intelligent people on here that it’s easier to get rid of the manager therefore let’s get him out – even when it’s the top brass that really *are* the problem and that any replacement manager is not necessarily going to do any better under this regime.
Better – and *far* more constructive if we write letters to people like Collymore and Ian Taylor expressing our total dissatisfaction with the set up at Villa and our support to them in trying to get things changed around. It happened in 1968 and we shouldn’t think that we can’t do anything now.
But let’s perhaps wait until after Saturday. Not that a win would solve the issues at Villa Park, but at least a win might settle our stomachs a little and better prepared to think on a course of action, if any. 🙂
Mark,
I hear what you say, but that doesn’t mean that Tim is the one to be shot down – and assume that he can’t get round the issues that lie in front of him. He has at least a month to do something before we should really be thinking of dropping the axe – but perhaps he won’t get that opportunity if it all goes wrong this Saturday.
If Saturday does go wrong I’d possibly accept that he has to go, but not for the reason that he’s not got ability as a manager. We don’t really know whether he has … and he may show us what he’s really capable of elsewhere.
Anyway, that’s my last words until after this week-end. Ciao.
It’s wierd, I hated lamberk with a passion becasue he was so bad but just didn’t care. Sherwood has been awful this season but I still respect him. That doesn’t mean I want him to stay, I think he deserves one more game, if we lsoe, then he needs to go
He’s talking crap about Chelsea though. Saying we matched them. Ha. They didn’t even break into a sweat and still beat us 2-0 with ease
I’m of to Southampton next week. Maybe a new man in by then
Talk in both the USA and Norway that Bob Bradley is in the frame to replaced TS, ironically ??? Bradleys contract with Staebeck has only TWO games left.
Bearing in mind the probability that no established manager would touch AVFC with a barge pole then i think Bradley is very likely our next boss possibly bringing his son who isn’t a bad player at all and had a trial at VP under McCleish who rejected him. I saw him play for the reserves and he would have done a good job for us, he then went to Roma which says a lot for McCleish’s judgement.
JL- Are you saying Tim had no control over how we sold or got rid of from last seasons team? the only ones he wanted were Delph, cleverly, tekkers and maybe Vlaar but that’s debatable.
Who then looked at our squad and said these are the positions we need to fill? riley? the stats man? or Tim?
How it works as I understand is they present Tim with options in the positions he wants to fill, no he may not get the exact players he wants but you’d hope they are players that have played in the positions he is filling or would be ridiculous otherwise don’t you agree? so how are they square pegs in round holes? Tim didn’t come back from Holidays and get handed 12 new Players he was in the process all along. He even said we had 2 options in every position.
For instance Bunn was snapped up because Parks recommended him, we didn’t get begovic because he went to Chelsea, Lennon went to Everton, the 2 other spurs players didn’t want to come here and Adybeyor was holding out for london and a full pay off, how is any of that Rileys fault? Maybe some wanted huge wages or the club a big transfer, that is football life.
so you have to ask what other players did Tim have in Mind? what was his list and did it extend past ex spurs players?
He wanted a Hull player but Hull wanted stupid money, he wanted the wolves forward but wolves wouldn’t sell and he signed a new contract. Riley would of found alternatives that were feasible, Tim didn’t have to have them all I suspect. His problem is as he said is he doesn’t know these players. Tim also knew his squad could he not have kept some continuity if survival was the only aim? I don’t believe the constraints are as Tight as you are making out.
The Watford manager is vastly more experienced but didn’t know his squad prior to June unlike Tim, Watford bought lots in on free’s and 2-3 between £5-7m. Watford also let go the manager that promoted them!
Dear Frem: “He’s talking cr*p about Chelsea though. Saying we matched them. Ha. They didn’t even break into a sweat and still beat us 2-0 with ease”
I have to comment on this. I can’t agree with you one bit! Sorry.
For the first 30 minutes I thought it could go either way and Villa were mostly holding their own.
Then we had that calamity goal given to them. It changed the team – they looked disheartened.
Then they had lady luck’s second visit. Villa didn’t do anything after that apart from a brief period when Amavi came on.
Chelsea were very, *very* lucky! But for those 2 slices of luck for me they didn’t look like scoring all game!
So I don’t think Tim was far out.
Mark,
I’ve already said I’m not saying anything else about the manager.
I’ve set out my stall and now just wait for Saturday. Sorry! 🙂
Mark .. just to say one thing…
We’ve had two appalling managers prior to Tim and yet they got away with rubbish for nearly 5 (FIVE) years between them.
In a few months Tim gets all this rubbish thrown at him … for what?
IS Tim worse than the previous two/ I think not. I prefer him actually.
Let’s wait for Saturday.
Sorry … nearly 4 years not 5. I don’t think Houllier’s year was so bad.
Lots of people are talking about Bradley being sounded out and my first reaction was no, on closer inspection he may just be what we need if Timbo Fails, he’s certainly and interesting character and very organised and clever in his approach.
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/why-bob-bradley-heading-top-one-fascinating-step-time#:k0Kwla-iDGnSRQ
This argument will rumble on and on, because we won’t get the results we need. Compounding our miserable effort at staying in the premier league, is the exciting bright start the utter filth are enjoying over the road. With Rowett they have a manager who has taken a shite squad, getting thumped every week( 0-8), he steadied the ship and got them organised and up into mid table security. This season he has them flying, they are second without a big spend, playing a decent brand of football. When we played them he made Sherwood look like the incompetent arrogant mug he is, especially in the press conference after. They totally out played us in the first half and Villa were jeered and boo’d off at haf time, Sherwood said it was part of his master plan( if uts to play shit, his side are executing this perfectly week in week out). So not only are we looking cents for the drop, it seems we could swapping places with the inbred blue scum, now for those that don’t live locally, but for those of us those that do, being a league BELOW Blues and Albion is unthinkable, and will be an absolute nightmare.
Sherwood has made a pigs ear of this campaign and can have no complaints if after a loss to Swansea he is sacked, for me he has failed to do his job in every aspect, and simply isn’t fit for purpose.
JL
Houlliers period was shocking, it’s only because we had a little run under McAllister at the end we managed to sneak a top half finish, which in reality didn’t reflect the seasons performances, however that period looks great given the three stooges and awful results that have followed.
that’s the link John, managers under lerners reign have been useless on the whole, what is their criteria? Prem experience? a complete load of rubbish for a start. I’m sure Pep would cope with this league if he comes here 😉
I will say this Mcleish and Lambert had it worse than Tim and Tims moaning, we were balancing the books in their Time, this really is a fresh start with more money to come, £50m spent and Timbo is moaning? I truly think a more savvy manager would of seen us through this period much better.
Is Tim that? not on the Evidence.
B62: “it’s only because we had a little run under McAllister at the end we managed to sneak a top half finish”
On paper it may look like that, but Houllier signed Bent and he getting on the end of service from Young and the other umentionable made the difference.
Houllier was/is an intelligent feller. I feel sorry we lost him.
Agreed about the stooges we’ve had since.
Mark,
This is my *last* word. No more after this.
The £50m spent was from player sales. And Tim (despite what you say) did not get to purchase the players he wanted and has had to field an imbalanced side because there’s not a good enough balance in the squad.
Give him time. Give him time!! Two months in is nothing. You’re scrabbling to find arguments against him.
Right. Finish. Back to sleep! 😉
I’m not John you are seeing what I and others are presenting as wrong. If the doubts were not there nothing would be said.
The money spent by Southampton for instance was from their top players being sold two years running both were in a negative net spend!? what relevance does that have? you are still purchasing players for millions.
But he has had input into the players whether he wanted them or not, we could have a more expensive unbalanced squad filled with spurs players, your only guessing it would of been different, I’m looking at the situation as it appears on the surface and sometimes that’s how it is.
the only plus point looking at this is you can get 3 points for a win 😉
Table after 9 matches Oct 85
11th Villa 9 3 4 2 13 10 1 2 1 7 6 2 2 1 6 4 +3 13 points
Table after 9 matches Oct 86
20th Villa 9 2 1 6 10 23 1 0 3 4 10 1 1 3 6 13 -13 7 points
Today after 9 matches
19th Villa 9 1 1 7 8 15 0 1 3 2 5 1 0 4 6 10 -7 4 points
don’t think there are too many that have much if any faith left in Tim and his backroom staff even with less than a year into him joining
i think for a lot of villans we have seen it all before in terms of the right man in the wrong place
expectations are clearly low and even lower if we are of the mind that Tim is going to do well for villa
the mood can change with a win verses the swans and i would expect we can win this game the the players we have
as far as my view is i havent seen a manager at villa worth having since big ron
another thing how many of the ex villa managers since big ron left have been given another managerial role in football – the answer may tell you how wrong we have been getting it in terms of who we hire
Jen only the best will do for the likes of myself and st75 x
Bradley.. please NO..!!
Team for Sat..
Guzan ( by default )
Hutton..Richards..Clark..Amavi
Veretout..Sanchez..Gana
Gill..Ayew..Sinclair
No point starting with Gusted if we are playing with Gill and Grealish.. who aren’t natural wingers..
I am really beginning to think that JL did go off and disappear for a few months and that Tim’s agent, or TS himself have stolen JL’s avatar and sign in…..and are trying to justify his position…..
Is there any way of confirming that it is the real JL ?
TS has not finished his permutations…team for Saturday
Bunn
LLori Okore Sendeross Richardson
Gardner Sanchez Clark
Nzogbia Agbonlahor
Kozak
This team probably costs Villa around £300, 000 per week and yet do not even play for the club at the moment….How many clubs can afford this waste of talent……
Then of course on loan we have many more…..and yet we cannot win a game….
Richard – Amavi was dropped he did not start and was thrown on when the game was lost in the hope he’d make something out of nothing for Rudy’s head. We all know he has the potential to be a star but I’m afraid if he’s under Tim’s governance for much longer he may as well forget it along with the rest of our up and comings.
John – You speculating on the Veretout absence at the end of the day he was not in the squad. Tim’s personnel and formation changes have been so erratic he might be our goalkeeping captain next week.
The results are not acceptable nor are the performances or the bizarre team sheets. I cannot believe Wilkins is not guiding Tim more the guy hasn’t a clue by the looks of things this year. We’ve a chairman with no interest – a manager seemingly out of his depth and a lot of apparent in house fighting going on at the club. Where is the light at the end of the tunnel ?
Rumours of a big bust up at BH yesterday led by the usual suspect, guess who ?
Liam – TS selected Richardson at Chelsea. He went for experience playing at the home of the champions. Would I have selected Richardson – no, but in my opinion he did play well so it is good to have competition for places – right?
I also think I would push Amavi forward into the midfield so he can use his speed and crossing abilities.
I think you are being harsh on TS regarding young players. I actually think that is his forte. He has given Grealish his opportunity to shine and has a record of success at Spurs developing young players and giving them the opportunity to play first team football which is great, incuding Kane, Mason and Bentaleb.
I understand the situation is not great but TS saved us last season, that is a fact. He is attempting to gel the team together and he is trying to make them play attacking football. Something that Lambert and Mcleish did not do.
I am not sure why everyone perisists in bashing Ray Wilkins. You have my assurance that he is a smashing chap – a real gentleman.
And when i watched the BT Sport Premier League round up program last night and saw TS looking forlorn after the Chelsea game in his dashing velvet blazer I thought to myself – there is a good looking man who needs an arm around his shoulder.
We should all get down to VP this weekend, wear our finest blazers/ matching scarfs and give the manager and the team our unequivocal support.
steamer-gabby must be fit then his jaws working.
richard s- last year Tim was saving us from Lambert, surely he’s not going to save us from himself is he? He may not stop the ship going down this time but he’ll sure look good while it sinks 😉
Beyond a rumour and it was him.
whys gabby kicking off? were they trying to teach him to finish?
RichardS – A good spout, mate … lucid and with commonsense.
Liam – nice touch of humour.
Mark – Also a nice touch of humour – the image of a ship going down in the middle of dry land does make my eyes boggle! 🙂 … But seriously, with 87 points still to play for it’s a bit of a premature statement.
Paul,
There’s an easy way of finding out whether this is the real JL …
Just ask me who was Villa’s emergency keeper when Villa lost 5-7 in a snowstorm in 1927. Or some such question. 🙂
Runtings: “another thing how many of the ex villa managers since big ron left have been given another managerial role in football”
Pretty well all of them actually, mate. But if you were to ask which of them got another appointment with a Prem club then there would be a lot of head-scratching…
Big Ron himself didn’t do too well after he left Villa and went into broadcasting … from which he got the boot.
Mark – come on. TS saved us from relegation. We were dead and buried before he took over. We should give him a chance.
Regarding TS in the style stakes – I have to admit I am a fan. He keeps it simple, the moment he arrived I was impressed with his dress sense. I loved the charcoal grey trousers with the black suede boots (his boots oozed style and sophistication) black overcoat and the matching grey scarf – he realy thinks about his accessories. He only wears, blue, grey, black and white, all men should stick to this colour pallete.
I still think we have the makings of a good team. And I still remain confident that Richards, Amavi, Gana, Grealish, Gil, Traore, Gardner, Sinclair, Clarke and Okore can gel into a decent team.
We need to support the boys on Saturday, show our support and get behind the team
I think we will win and Tim will run down the touch line, jumping for joy.
I wonder what he is going to wear?
JL- its the 4 out of 27 that’s a bother John, I’m sure plenty of other relegated clubs thought the same, as people have pointed out on here these were the easier games bar utd, 1/4 season gone.
If we draw every game left we are relegated, so, just 10 wins and 6 draws to go to get 40 points then.So we can afford to lose 13 that’s a relief. Watch out for that Iceberg.
Steamer- must be gabby doing his club captain duties or did Tim ask him what country he was brought in from whilst drawing straws for Saturday
Richard S- it depends whether he got this months mens health with the fashion section, If so he will have a pair of brogues to suit every occasion.
I’m not quite sure but its possible he’s been shopping with Charles Nzogbia! if he keeps this level of excellence up strictly will be a breeze when he gets the call. I do hope he bring those touch line moves to the Rumba soon, straight after the Swansea game would be favourite for me and give me reason to smile again.
Mark: “its the 4 out of 27 that’s a bother John”
Didn’t you know that the first 9 matches of each season are set aside for practise by some clubs? 😉
For Villa the season starts on the 10th match this season…
JL- Tim thinks its pre-season
Mark – thank you for sharing that with me – I will check out Mens Health. I purchase a lovely pair of Oliver Sweeney brogue boots last winter. I haven’t worn them yet. I might drop them at the Swansea boot with a nice smart yet causal blue blazer.
Keep the faith Mark – the wins and points are coming starting and Saturday.
JL- Come to think of it Tim complained that he didn’t get a pre-season with his squad, well pre-season is 6-7 weeks max Tims had that and then 9 more weeks plus a few more practice matches during international weeks. Would love to know if this is going on at any other club?
great stuff richard , how about Tim for the new James Bond
Mark funny enough we did ok in pre season , but the two lads that scored the goals are not even making the bench
JL due to my lack of intellegence i didnt word things correctly but i was really trying to put across that most managers since Ron have either had a period of failure in the lower leagues or just sat at home never to manage again
Re Ron – his exit from the public eye was well documented and he came from an era were that sort of chat was the norm in football and still is in a lot of cases – he was just unfortunate to say stuff while thinking it was an add break
on the other hand i know a person that played under him – looks like except he is more handsome , but i reckon he would want to ruck with anyone who wnted to slag ron off in front of him
looks like me —– soz
runtingz- was it Sidney Poitier? now there’s a man with panache 😉 the pre-season proper players don’t get a look in what kosak has done is anyone’s guess.
Runtings,
Wasn’t trying to put you down … sorry if it seemed like that. I was just elaborating.
Basically you’re right … BTW, I’ve noted that there have been a few former Villa managers who got to suffer ill-health almost certainly at least partly as a result of their VP experience. Joe Mercer, Tony Barton, John Gregory. It’s clearly a stressful place, though some have kept their humour.
Mark,
I’m just smiling through this … It needs some humour.
Runtingz – I love that idea – Tim as the new Bond – he already has the Aston.
Tim: Names Bond, Tim Bond, I’ll have a Bitter lemon,
Barman: shaken?
Tim: wouldn’t you be after the mess this lot have put me in?!! they don’t even have a mirror on the dugout!! amateurs
Frem:
Funny I never liked Lambert but did respect the job he did under the circumstances whereas with Timothy he’s a likable rouge but he’s lost my respect by sticking his suede boots in his mouth one too many times.
Richard S:
If he really wants to be the new Bond he’ll have to remember not to get suede wet and to choose his words more carefully especially when talking with alluring ladies. I do however endorse him for the role as he is well ‘suited’ for it and would give Moyes the chance to do what he’s more suitable for.
Will Samurai Sherwood, Master of the Lethal Soundbite, stab himself in the back or stomach via his team selections and subs, HariKari style on Saturday? … only time will tell Lifers!
UTV
Would you bet on it? Sher Wood
UTV
Although Tim’s Agent aka JL will dispute whether the uneducated masses are equipped to pick a team over an enlightened football man such as Mr Sherwood I pose this question to the Lifers anyway?
Are we agreed for the most part that putting formations aside that the players to start on Saturday should be:
Guzan (or Bunn if you’re terrified he’ll make another dastardly error)
Amavi Richards Clarke (then take your pick of Hutton OR Bacuna OR Richardson with no one really up to standard)
Veretout Gana (then your pick of either Sanchez OR Westwood)
Ayew Gil OR Grealish (but not both in the same team for the moment) and either Adama OR Sinclair
Just curious to see if we can come to some kind of Consensus on this as Sofa Technical Directors to see if we are in agreement that Tim makes ludicrous match day team selections. If he does pick something that almost nobody on here improves of and wins then I am more than willing to insert crow in mouth and chew! 🙂
UTV
ronnie biggs
good post could they set up vote in team for sat
mine would be
bunn anyone other than guzan
bacuna ine-meenie -minie -moe he won
clark
richards
amavi
grealish/gil
sanchez plays for one best sides in world yet sherwood doesnt play him
gana
ayew
vertout
gestede play tohis strength cross the ball
subs
grealish/gil
sinclair
traore
Nice one James! Yes agreed this would be a great time to vote on just for the sake of argument the players I suggested(not to say I’m the authority). Would love to use this as a gauge to see how in tune Tim is from the masses which of course is not to say he as the manager doesn’t know best and if his selection differs from popular sentiment if his team actually wins and makes a statement in the process! Would be nice if someone could set this up soon! UTV
JL no worries at all – i am not easily offended – and i know its some easy to misread what someone actually means when your reading from media or text – coolio
Blimey, you go missing for a few weeks and the site turns into a fashion blog, what about Ted Baker for manager ? Carry on though its hilarious.
Ronnie,
A lot of the players seem very similar so i suppose it all depends on form, however, TS seems to omit or remove the players contributing the most, i honestly couldn’t pick eleven of our squad and argue that they were our best team, all i know is Westwood wouldn’t be anywhere near it.
Why No Premier League Club Should Even Consider Hiring Tim Sherwood as Their Manager
Raj Bains | February 11, 2015
Over the past few months, some clubs have been in the heartbreakingly sad situation of considering Tim Sherwood as a candidate to take over as their manager. Nothing quite defines desperation like being in a position where that man has somehow become a viable option to take your side forward. Time after time, however, Sherwood has been overlooked at the final moment, and a series of clubs have avoided making a horrific mistake. Yet, through his own brand of self-aggrandisement and increasing number of mutually beneficial pals in the press, the cult of Sherwood doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon—yet more proof that there isn’t a God.
Tim Sherwood is the personification of autofellatio. He is consistently dishonest, he is unimaginably unlikeable, he is perversely self-obsessed and spectacularly arrogant to boot. At the time of writing, it still isn’t completely clear or not whether he’s actually in possession of the full compliment of coaching badges required to become a Premier League manager, but it’s not like that’s stopped him before. The fact of the matter is this: Tim Sherwood is not the sort of person a professional institution of any nature should want to be associated with.
His only job in management at Tottenham is a perfect example of exactly why Sherwood should seem completely unemployable by all those unfortunate enough to be mentioned in the same breath as he is. The journey he took to the role of manager was less about hard work, suitability and having actually earned the position, but more about manipulation, gross misconduct and disloyalty. He was confirmed to be the source behind several tabloid attacks on then manager Andre Villas-Boas, and was feeding hyperbole-laden negative accounts of behind-the-scenes life at Tottenham to the likes of TalkSport, who were of course more than happy to help peddle and promote his agenda ridden rhetoric.
Enlarge this image
After the dust had settled on both Villas-Boas and Sherwood at Tottenham, the now-Zenit manager was asked about his relationship in his former role with the man who replaced him, and didn’t mix his words when replying:
“Tim was not part of my team, but I already alerted the president that he was detrimental to the club. (Sherwood) continued after I left and his leadership resulted in a extreme split between the players and the coach”.
In his own words, Villas-Boas highlights that he felt so strongly against Sherwood being involved at any level in the club he was managing that he proactively warned Daniel Levy about his negative effect on the club. In hindsight, Sherwood was probably one step ahead at that stage, and had already gained the confidence of Levy behind closed doors, which should probably go down as one of the chairman’s biggest errors of judgement in his time at the club.
Those who have not had to support a club he’s been in charge of have often mistaken Sherwood’s idiocy for honesty, in a similar fashion to how fans of Nigel Farage are often found describing his unique way of promoting bile. His am-dram level of theatrics in press conferences allowed him a platform to openly interview for every job available in football, and before long, his tenure at Tottenham became more about self-promotion than good management. Propelled by his overconfidence in his own ability and ignorance towards his own self image, Sherwood spoke of himself in Pep Guardiola-like glowing terms, when in reality being little more than an opportunistic charlatan.
The man he is most compared to is Harry Redknapp, the man who brought him in under his wing at Tottenham, and the man he may well yet replace at QPR, in a sort of football does Oedipus twist of fate. While their relationship with the press, tactical ineptitude and questionable character statuses are overtly comparable, the link is somewhat unfair on Redknapp, a man who I won’t often be found defending. Redknapp operates with a certain level of self-knowing, charisma and charm that eludes Sherwood, and unlike the former, Sherwood is yet to prove himself in several roles across the football league.
In fact, Sherwood has actually been actively turning down Premier League jobs, such is the man’s ego and sense of entitlement. His preference, apparently, is for complete autonomy with a club on all levels, and ideally for that club to be based around London, because god forbid he should have to commute. That’s an awfully long list of demands from a man who might not actually be entirely qualified to take up these positions he’s been routinely applying for. It’s a smack in the face of those managers down the league, who have cut their teeth in the lower leagues with bundles of experience, only for a man with a cabal of press associates and six questionable months at Tottenham under his belt.
We haven’t actually seen much of Sherwood managerially in an ideological sense. His time at Tottenham was boom and bust, a result of naivety and the over-simplistic. The football was generic, the tactics were maddeningly transparent and the results were par for the course. In the long term at Tottenham, he’ll be remembered as little more than a glorified caretaker and palette cleanser in between management regimes. His biggest achievement in his time in charge was the immediate introduction of Nabil Bentaleb to first-team football, for which he deserves credit, but that’s one note of success drowned out by a cacophony of various failings.
A perfect example of how Sherwood has campaigned himself since the summer came last week. Pictures emerged from a sponsor event, where a panel was assembled to discuss footballing issues of the day, including Sherwood himself, and one Henry Winter, a Telegraph football correspondent. In an almost parody like turn of events in which no party emerges from at all well, within 48 hours of those pictures appearing on the internet, Winter had penned a column eulogising about Sherwood, painting a picture of the perfect managerial revolutionary.
This is not a man that any football fan should want anywhere near their football club. Is he likely to win the odd football match and introduce a style of football that, much like a car crash, is watchable in a perverse way? Probably, yeah. But what you’ll also find is increased press access within the club, streams of information leaks and sourceless exclusives across the internet and a growing sense of disillusionment with your club the longer he stays in charge.
At some point in the future, Sherwood is going to have to accept a job in football again, rather than “turning them down” at the 11th hour because his “terms and vision” weren’t being adhered to. When that time comes, good luck to the club that falls for it—you’re going to need it.
Steamer:
Do I take it that you don’t like Tim? 😉
I don’t know whey you’ve posted that to be frank. It describes about half the world’s population (including most in the entertainment world I suggest), so I’m not sure if Tim is so different!
He may well have shortcomings as a manager, but that also describes most of those in football management.
Nahhh… it’s this Cockney thing, innit? Why we put up with John Gregory for so long I don’t know! 😉
In point of fact (just looking through the text at random) this bit has proved to be incorrect:
“His preference, apparently, is for complete autonomy with a club on all levels, and ideally for that club to be based around London, because god forbid he should have to commute. ”
He hasn’t got “complete autonomy” for sure .. and are we based in London, now? 😉
Ronnie,
As Tim’s agent I’d be delighted to submit your team proposal for consideration! 🙂
Actually, it looks like a fair selection except I’m not sure about Ayew … yet. For me Gestede provides the strongest goal-scoring threat but he needs a lot better service.
I see one of the worst mistakes ever to set foot in Villa park, has been enlightening the world with his wisdom, Jermaine Jenas think we will get relegated with or without Tactics Tim. The bloke was only here 5 mins and we paid £1m for the privilege the twat, off you fuck princess!!!
Even more amazing, Steamer knows who Ted Baker is 😉
‘Like most ,misery, it started with apparent happiness.’
I think ‘Lifers’ have forgetten when that happy period was.
Come on Tim. Return the feeling of happiness to the Aston Villa Lifers.
Starting with 3 joyous points against Swansea on Saturday.
B62
steamer didnt elaborate on Ted Baker , did he , he knows that the name means something as in chelmsley wood last saturday some spiv was selling some T-shirts from a suitcase , he bought one , size small , thinking my daughter would wear it , l polished my car with it last week . and he’s been looking on youtube for The Ted Baker Band ever since . we had to make an excuse up as to why she would’nt wear it ,
Steamer a fashionista !!!!!! Jeeezz wait till l show Jessie this post , ))
Morning all .
First off , I would like to know which player you speak of Runtingz as I can’t believe anyone is better looking than you . For those new to the site , our Runtungz puts Didier Drogba in the shade .
Glad to see you lads are so in tune with the appearance side of our managers . Have you noticed that becoming AV manager stops them shaving . First Lambert now Tim . It’s not a good look as they look like they’ve just rocked up from a two day bender and haven’t had time to get showered when they face the press on match day It’s all personal preference of course
The problem Tim has is he doesn’t sound convincing and it’s his press conferences which let him down : this is all we have to go on so is important , even if it shouldn’t be if you know what I mean .
From fellow cockney (and yes he’s ex spurs) Jason Cundy – he sums up what is hampering TS and annoying a fair no of villa fans
“Speaking to talkSPORT, former Tottenham and Chelsea man Jason Cundy has explained why he is not convinced by Tim Sherwood in charge of Aston Villa, having seen him talk to the press following the 2-0 loss to Chelsea on Saturday.
Cundy said: “I went in the press conference afterwards [the Chelsea v Villa game], and I just don’t believe what he’s saying. I don’t think he believes what he is saying. I don’t think he knows what he’s saying. If you hear a manager saying he doesn’t know, then who does?
He is struggling to build a tactical set-up that works for his team, he cannot motivate his players, and he is struggling with his media duties in post game situations.
The best managers are well trained with their media skills, and can take the criticism away from their team with ease. They do this to ease the pressure on the players, but Sherwood has not once looked convincing when attempting to protect his players.”
This may be harsh from Cundy but
we can’t get away from the fact that TS is learning on
the job . If he can’t convince the fans , how is he going to convince the players .
Swansea is a great opportunity for Tim to silence the critics – the swans are in spell of poor form too . I was at VP when we played them last season and Bafetimo Gomez was spectacular and ran the
We can’t allow them to control the game like they did last time as it was a weak and embarrassing display by a home side.
St75 – I can’t believe you could be so cruel about Gary’s fashion knowledge – someone must have hacked into your phone x
Bafetima Gomez ran the show I should have said – and converted a few neutral ladies I was with to start following Swansea !
Jenny,
Good post, but it’s a (huge) pity that so much emphasis is put on media management isn’t it?
For one thing our experience has largely been one of listening to lies or exaggerations since the media thing started, so why do we really take notice of it? Isn’t it our fault?
In the old days (sorry!) the likes of Eric Houghton and Joe Mercer just got on with it with the occasional article in the newspaper, and that seemed a civilised way of doing things.
Now a manager is forced to have to say something in front of the cameras and – as you suggest – if you’re not trained in professional lying (or putting-a-face-on-things) then you can make a pig’s breakfast of the media session.
So it’s results that really matter … and on that score Tim has not really convinced. I use those words carefully as I think he’s not been that far away but it’s mainly the Leicester match which has caused things to turn against him. Yes, that was mainly his fault.
So … c’mon Tim … if we can’t manage a 5-0 win then 1-0 will be OK if it’s backed up with a solid-looking performance.
Jenny – I don’t really care what Jason Cundy has to say about Tim Sherwood. Or what Paul Merson has to say about Gestede being no replacement for Benteke. Really Jason – Tim.
I remember the media defending Mcleish – that was the most asinine appointment in Premier League history made by the board of Aston Villa. But the media defended him.
The Villa fans are not stupid – we support the club and we pay for the pleasure of supporting them, emotionally and financially. We don’t need commentary from so called media experts.
Huge game on Saturday.
The manager and team need our full support.
JL,
On the contrary, i’d have loved TS to be a success and actually posted on AVL that he performed a miracle last season and earned a years contract, however, when you look at the last dozen or so games then you have to wonder. Also he appoints his mates as coaches and they’re all totally useless.
The link was written by someone who studied his work at Spuds which seems to duplicate events at VP.
s75,
Don’t tell me about fashion, Ted Baker was Hilda Bakers husband.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKyDUhPoSJE
Jen,
Many thanks for your comments, you obviously have more taste than some of the lesser light on AVL.
I dont care if we lose as long as Tim looks ravishing. A pipe slippers and smoking jacket would set the tone and help to relax the team
Mark – that is the spirit. No doubt Tim will be looking absolutely gorgeous on the side of the pitch. I’m definitely going to dress just like Tim. I have a wonderful Holland and Esquire smoking jacket in my wardobe – do you think I should wear it to the game?
friday night its one of the steamers 60th and its at a nightclub called Bushwackers and lm taking my daughter to it , from there down to the rainbow for a rave (finishes at 8am ) so come on then” steamer” what do l wear ? to be able to get into both events , bushwackers is very smart casual , rainbow is wear any bollox , and just remember foster bros closed years ago ….. lv got £26.97 to spend …..
Steamer,
Sorry … I often value your comments, but I can’t see eye-to-eye here. The article you provided seems slant-eyed and vindictive to me. It doesn’t read like a polished and balanced article at all.
And – no – I don’t see much repetition at VP of what the article states. It can be if you want to read it like that, maybe…?
As to the last 12 matches … Well I’d rather just talk about the last 9 matches … Or, better still, the last 8 matches! And that record can easily be corrected this Saturday, and after…
I’ve stated in earlier posts that Tim did not have things his way in the purchases, but I’ve only just seen what I think is a first-class article on that situation where the term “[purchased by Lerner] for value for money” is repeated time and again. It’s by your (Steamer’s) favourite write at the Mail, Gregg Evans!!!!!!!! : http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-analysis-detailed-study-10269806
It starts: “In the end the manager agreed on every arrival but it was a reluctant approval rather than a glowing ‘yes’.” But the remarks in the article about Delph are interesting and throws a bit more light on his departure I’d say.
I don’t think anyone has voiced that they don’t like Tim on here and how good anyone dislike such a dashing fellow unless its out of jealously
there are some balanced views lately and i am loving avl at the minute
but i must say i see trouble ahead with the work he is currently doing and if i way up the negatives against the positives i can’t find too much that i can say he has done well this season
there are the usual excuses such as like its a new team – we have very little money and so on but all things considered its been a pee poor performance this season – which is how the season ended really
Jen black man blushing here 🙂 – maybe my picture does me more justice that i thought — the player i know grew up in my home town of telford and scored the goal of the season under ron
BTW, I’ve just seen that Robert Mugabe has been awarded a Peace Prize by China …
Now I know the world’s coloured red…!!
Dalian.
ST75,
Try Nelson House they have got a sale on.
GSAVFC
JL,
Henry Kissinger won a Nobel peace prize !!!! What next, Gregg Evans sports writer of the year ?
Neither Evans or Sherwood do Tim’s case any good when they mention that his targets were Lennon, Townsend, Carroll and Adebeyour, the first three aren’t premier class and Ade is past it and TROUBLE. At least most of our new lads can improve with a little guidance from decent coaches, don’t forget up until now they’ve been used to technical coaching as opposed to British kick, rush and foul footy. All we need is decent coaches.
Very sad about Johan Cruyff, one of the most innovative players and coaches ever, hope he recovers. That Dutch team was some outfit and if it wasn’t for Jack Taylor buying a dive from Holzenbein would have probably won the 1974 WC.
Thought David Evans played him very well at VP.
SWV,
I thought you’d be on…. give a dog a bone.
St75,
Wear what you like, they won’t let you in.
Steamer,
More-or-less agreed with you on the fact that the young players can improve – and can come good.
But isn’t the point that too many young players can hamper your progress? I think the experienced group that Tim wanted was mainly to obtain their PL experience. And they’re not bad players either. Remembering that Tim’s target is to stay in the PL then I’d say his was not a bad approach.
Anyway, it’s swings and roundabouts to some extent – either way Tim has to mould together a team out of a mainly unknown squad of players, and I think it would cause most managers a difficulty.
Roll on Saturday…
Ah yes Dalian – who up until a few years ago was working at Wolves on the sports science side .
Not sure if he’s still there
You miss my point John and Richard – I am not saying Cundy is the fountain of all football knowledge , but that TS is hampered by the way he presents himself to the media . You judge a mgr on what they say and how they perform. He comes out with some peculiar things and IMO gives the impression he’s making it up as he goes along . When you couple that with the worst start in our prem league history he’s got a lot of learning to do. Whether you like it or not , how you come across as a leader affects the support you have from the fans.
If you look at the other blogs , Vital Villa fir example , the support is falling away rapidly .
Yep, all very best wishes to Cruyff. A wonderful player in that extended era of wonderful players … Pele, Moore, Cruff etc etc
I am still in shock about the passing of Michael Meacher … I’d been following his blog the last few months and then it suddenly went quiet on Oct 3rd. Now we know why. Liked him very much.
Jenny: “You miss my point John and Richard – I am not saying Cundy is the fountain of all football knowledge , but that TS is hampered by the way he presents himself to the media .”
No I don’t think I did “misunderstand”. 😉 I believe I followed your argument through, but not perhaps in quite the same direction. I simply find “the media” a bore and should be treated as such.. Haven’t got time for it…
In my view too many people take it in and get themselves wrapped around it, imbibing their view of a person’s personality from that they see/hear on the ecreen.
Take the media away and what you would have is what we had 30 years ago …a manager getting on with his job in much the same way as a production manager at Dunlop’s. 🙂
OK, we have to live in the current world, but let’s not take it’s methods so seriously.
Runtingz – fear not , TIm’s not a patch on you 🙂
John – Tim’s target just to stay in the premier league . ” Whilst this may have come from those upstairs at AV , it’s a damning anti climax from the “you will never be in a relegation battle with me ” cry from him when he took over from Lambert.
AVST Statement – October 20th 2015
The AVST feels it is important to comment on some of the recent goings on at Villa Park. A dreadful start to the season sees us yet again faced with a relegation battle and the club starting to be cut adrift in the relegation places.
Regardless of our individual views on who should be held accountable for the position we find ourselves in, the AVST wishes to remind those involved at all levels of the club that their first duty is to our loyal supporters. To provide them with a team they can be proud of and to show the ambition that a club of our stature deserves.
For two weeks now there have been stories leaking out of Villa Park, seemingly from both the manager and the club, and the AVST demand that this is brought to an end. Pantomime season does not start for another two months.
It seems there is a clear decision to be made and this should be at the forefront of the minds of our board. Do they believe Tim Sherwood is the man to take us forwards and do they believe it is appropriate for him to do so? If the answer is yes to both, then they need to publicly back their man and ensure that everyone starts pulling in the same direction to get us out of the mess we find ourselves in again.
If not, then this cannot be allowed to fester. An immediate change needs to be made in order that a replacement manager can have the maximum amount of time to arrest our slump.
We have had enough of the infighting. It is time for the club to take decisive action, one way or another.
En savoir plus sur http://www.myoldmansaid.com/aston-villa-supporters-trust-statement-demand-action/#TXa78Yzl13ec8JAb.99
AVST statement – sorry if it’s already been posted .
Richard S- It would be a crime not to, imagine the whole Holte end resplendent in silky suaveness the smoke rolling down like mist off the moors!! and when they stamp their feet nothing but the distant sound of a herd of Deer cantering into the Hills.
Don’t get caught out though!? because if Tim straps on his sword for some after match Seppuku he may go for a doublet and Hose or if he owns 2 swords a Kilt so he can regale us with his dazzling feet at half time, or Timmy time as I like to call it. Although he might want to be careful that he doesn’t trip up on his silver tongue and fall on it.
Go for it! and where your Villa Cravat at a jaunty angle!!
Jenny: “Tim’s target just to stay in the premier league . ” Whilst this may have come from those upstairs at AV , it’s a damning anti climax from the “you will never be in a relegation battle with me ” cry from him when he took over from Lambert.”
Yes – agreed – but do you hang a person for some over-opti statement that he made … ?
And we’re NOT in a relegation battle. Being in 19th place doesn’t mean that we’re anywhere near down and out with 87 points to play for … it simply means what it looks like we’re not picking up enough points and for a variety of reasons already oft discussed.
WHEN closer to the end of the season things look bad then I’d agree we’re in such a battle … not now.
It could be that Tim may shower eggs all over your faces – given chance. But he probably won’t get that chance if it happened to backfire this week-end.
John – It’s not about the media it’s how the supporters form their opinions on the manager – and part of this is what he says , whether he is sincere , believable and trustworthy. Some mgrs are motivating and others are less so .
Mark – you are was lyrical – i’m loving your post. I muss confess you got me on the Seppuku – I had to Google that.
We should start the Villa Sappeaurs, a style revolution at Villa Park – led my Tim Sherwood
Jenny: “Some mgrs are motivating and others are less so .”
I don’t see anything much wrong – and I’ve seen relegation battles spread over 60 years.
It’s all happened before…
Goodness sake … 9 games in and 87 points to play for!
Wasn’t Pardew in the same situation last year?
🙂 richard you could make a great comerdy show with your timothy love expressions
jen coming from someone so gorg , thoughtful and intellegent i feel truely blessed
JL i think i can overstand you wanting to give tim every chance to suceed in what is a very difficult job and it would be boring and unbalanced if we all thought the same . its hard to ignore the warning signs
1. he kept us up- lambo was punch drunk and while i dont want to take any credit away from tim – i said at th time my auntie could have proberbly come in and got us over the line
2.we scrapped over the line but then spiralled into some shockingly poor football / tactics
3.Tim says judge me next season on my own team and style and i will bring attacking football to this great club
i could list all the other negetives but its all been said here
for those reasons i would be more shocked if tim turns things around than if he didnt
Runtings – the curves of Tims lips rewrite history.
I agree with Steamer both on the standard of player Tim was unhappy to have missed and that ST 75 won’t get in, Poundland are starting a guy fawkes section soon if that helps.
Jl – the article from Evens says Tim wanted Gestede, so presumably he was hoping to supply him with quality crosses. That baffles me as neither Lennon or Townsend can cross effectively that I can remember more speed merchants that cut inside.
My belief is Tim was going to continue with the full back experiment that has failed us for so long I can’t remember. This maybe makes sense as Amavi has that in his locker and Bakuna can cross and got an improved contract as one of the players Tim seems to like (he also like Bennett who can cross) I say makes sense but only in that It looks like that’s how Tim wants to play, unfortunately with a poor defence and the midfield clearly not able to cope with covering a back 2 its a dodgy tactic.
Tom carroll, spurs fans say he’s a decent player but needs to bulk up and this is his make or break season, funny enough he’s was with Swansea last season and hasn’t played much at all that I can see usually sub, although it says he’s got a knock at the moment. From what I have read he is a taller skinnier Westwood type of player?
I can understand Delph wanting assurance he wouldn’t want to be in the shit again but don’t understand why Cleverly was to expensive? I think he had already made his mind up to go to Everton to be tup North.
Delph went before any players came in except maybe Micah Richards? so was he not impressed with the players shown him or the players Tim wanted or both?
I can understand Tim wanting prem experience but don’t see how that lot would of fitted in with what we had to any great effect, on top of that they would of been expensive cutting down the amount of positions we could fill, that’s presuming Tim wanted to fill plenty when his best players had gone.
I cannot see what Tims buying strategy was even if he got his preferred players nor what system he wanted to use, anyone got a clue??
Whatever Tim does next we clearly need a player up top to engage with the Midfield, we could use Ayew but for the life of me I cannot understand Kosaks absence? is he unfit? didn’t look it pre-season as he combined well with Gil and Sinclair and others to turn both provider and scorer.
Runtings…
At least Tim has not yet caused Villa’s greatest *ever* defeat – remember the 0-8 thrashing at Chelsea? … *and* the 0-15 goal deficit over 3 matches … the throwing in the towel in the league cup semi …
.. and the sale of Mark Albrighton (that was a brainless act).
I could list all the other negatives but it’s all been said before. 😉
Mark,
The phrase “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him” comes to mind.
As far as I remember everyone was willing to give Lambert a chance through his first 2 seasons of breaking all the wrong records. That is, a chance compared to what you’re giving Tim.
We’ll see what we’re all saying come Saturday evening.
O, that a man might know
The end of this day’s business ere it come!
But it sufficeth that the day will end,
And then the end is known.
Brutus, scene i
JL ” the only thing we have to fear is fear itself , oh and corduroy slacks so last season ”
Like Caesar Tim seems to have upset a few people John. Am I not allowed to question his proposed signings and tactics? to me they look like good additions to a squad not the answer to our prayers. Tims lost faith in his players and the fans are losing faith in him. Not because he’s a bad person but because the Job being done doesn’t look like a good one. Lambert had things far worse than Tim IMO and I don’t believe the players are that bad otherwise you wouldn’t see passages of decent play. I have seen some odd line ups and poor decisions cost us and that’s what I base my opinions on. Tim is free to win me round any time I’ve told you that .
Richard S- If Tim does turn it around I’m considering launching a Tim action figure, think of the outfits!!!! SAS Tim, RAF Tim, Pirate Tim!! How jealous would Ken be? and Barbie would fairly swoon, Honolulu Tim Oh Yes!!!
Off to Henley tomorrow to rummage through the Charity shops I want a hunting Jacket, anyone know how to wash blood out?
Mark
Try lager.it always worked for us most saturday nights and toilet hand drier . No blood stains sunday morning
Here’s a 442 probably no okore so have to make do with mutton. Its set out to get balls in to Gestede, not be too open and give us runners into the box with Gil there for the killer pass as they ghost in, and then I woke up
………..Guzzzzan/Bunn/fattest bloke in the stadium on the day
Richards…………Okore……… clark………….Richardson
Bacuna………..Guye………….vertout………..Amavi
………………..Gil…………Gestede
Ta St75 better than stinking of fox too
http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/oct/22/aston-villa-tim-sherwood-future?
http://threeandin.com/sherwoods-aston-villa-fiasco-a-lesson-unlikely-to-be-heeded/?
amid all the carnage at villa park managers ceo program writers one stands tall or hides away in his ivory towers lerner
since mon walked we have chopped changed all over the shop no leadership at all wasted money on ireland makoun bent given zog hutton jenas most lamberts crap [benteke only saving grace]
sherwood has caught the bug of villa managers that has gone on most of my lifetime they never shine after leaving villa park
i liked sherwood when he came in and was all for his brashness ,say it how it is but summer came and went with all our problems still not solved even with turnover of nearly 40 players and look at all that left wiemen bent cannot get into derby team lowton at burnley,delph has not played one hour of football ,vlar zero mins ,benteke outscored by rudi ,cleverly injured and playing like most of last year crap,given just cup games even randolph when replacing him for eire looked better.
guzan was dropped and then no replacement bought crazy
hutton awful player yet back first choice where is our right back
westwood no goals assists tackles passes ball back or sideways yet still first
choice
gabby yes i know injured last few matches but not near good enough
i don t know why sherwood stayed in summer if the players coming in where not who he wanted
James- I was wondering the same, why did he stay. The answer has to be he thought he could do a job hasn’t it?
I wonder how much the Language barrier is a problem between players and coach and player to player? maybe cockney charm doesn’t translate to French/spanish etc? Tims main strengths that I can see is positivity and motivation.
Tim wanted proven prem players the positives of having proven prem players I suppose are:
A: they are used to league and its famed speed etc.
B: They don’t need to acclimatise to England or the language.
C: They know the players they will face so will have an idea how to deal with them.
The negatives are:
A: they are not always all that.
B: they are expensive and usually on a higher wage.
C: are not guaranteed to fit in your side anyway.
D: could just as likely not like the area or their families don’t.
Tim has found it hard to replace Delph’s and Cleverly’s energy fair enough but I would say those 2 are possibly the most energetic mid-fielders in the prem bar non, so who could have come in like for like? to me Gueye and vertout are a fair stab at replacing them but have different strengths. Same goes for Benteke he’s a bit of a one off, so is there a real replacement?
Presumably Tim wanted to play high tempo pressing football, so considering the 2 outward bounds were the best prem players available at that IMO maybe a change of tactic was required? building a team around a different approach maybe? one that suits the players we already had, Gil, Grealish, Sinclair, Gabby, Sanchez and even Westwood.
What I think I’m seeing is Tim attempting to find that formula without knowing what to change or what to do. All this should have gone on prior to players arriving, in the selection process. Instead Tim is now behaving like a new manager trying to sort out someone else’s mess, whereas before he had Lambert’s team structure to work with.
If the players that came in were chosen from a list because their name was under a heading and Riley and the German presented them without thought to a structure then I feel sorry for Tim. I think Tim told them what he wanted and they tried their best under the monetary constraints to fill Tims wish list without raping the club again.
…………..the other Elephant in the room was the non-sale of the club triggering and exodus of our best players, leaving the club in limbo but with a pot of gold to rebuild, I don’t think Tim thought that would happen nor did he prepare for it.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-blog-time-essence-10314194?
Mark: “Am I not allowed to question his proposed signings and tactics?”
I’ve also seen you mention “the elephant in the room” analogy, which is so wrongly used (by all) it’s untrue! If you want to read the *real* Elephant In The Room story it’s in my book, The Greatest Goal.
The real ‘elephant analogy’ is an illustrative tale of the human misconception of reality: that we each only see parts of the reality. We need to apply ‘whole field’ thinking to get the bigger picture, and for me the bigger issue concerns the club ownership and his various managerial and technical appointments that include Tim, but not only relate to Tim.
If we keep on looking at the state of affairs as a “Tim issue” then we’re going to be in for possibly even worse headaches with a future replacement.
I just pray Tim gets it sorted this w/e so that we can settle down to some continuity of sorts.
honestly John I know about the men feeling the different parts of an elephant and thinking its a snake, a tree etc I’m not a eejat, but it is an excepted term for a huge thing in a room that no-one notices too.
Can you not for just one moment except there is a possibility that although Tim isn’t all of the problem he could be the part that is ruining our chances? Look further out than AVFC and see Managers working under similar situations with far less funds creating viable teams! and that another man may be better at it than Tim, and god forbid the management may get one appointment right if they do sack him,and that’s if! because its by no means certain, I think its called having Hope.
Mark: “What I think I’m seeing is Tim attempting to find that formula without knowing what to change or what to do. All this should have gone on prior to players arriving, in the selection process. Instead Tim is now behaving like a new manager trying to sort out someone else’s mess…”
More-or-less right I think. Except the phrase “Tim attempting …” is not crediting Tim with much. I would prefer to use the expression “Tim working…” as I really think he’s been doing that. We see his moves as being in error but he may well deem it correct because he’s looking at it differently from us … and it’s his job after all.
Based on the first 30 minutes vs. Chelsea I think he was pretty near to getting the right balance.
Mark: “…although Tim isn’t all of the problem he could be the part that is ruining our chances?”
That “part” doesn’t work with outthe puppet-master jiggling his sticks, n’est ce pas? If the puppet-master has got it wrong and the puppet is programmed down a different path then of course you could say that Tim is (appears to be) the one “ruining our chances”. But isn’t the same scenario going to pass on to the next manager and hence with a sad result…
In the way things are going – assuming Tim is booted – I’m beginning to think the next manager would be of the ilk of McLeish. Eek , it *might be* McLeish!
Jl- you seem to assume that this doesnt happen elsewhere there are managers working under the same constraints doing a better job and not moaning, why is that?
Put it this way they were never going to let tim buy overpriced players with no re-sale. He was given a chance which in hindsight might well have been a mistake. we will see
Mark,
Sorry, it seems we’re constantly mis-queing and not getting anywhere. It’s all a bit pointless.
I have *never* been in disagreement about the *apparent* lack of effectiveness of Tim this season.
My argument is purely one of giving him a fair chance. You (and others) seem to think he’s had that chance. I say not and that he should be given at least another month. McLeish and Lambert (with all their broken records of the wrong kind, and mostly boring football) had plenty of time. Though Tim just happens to be of the flamboyant Cockney style doesn’t seem to go down well. I read something in him that maybe you can’t see.
If we can’t agree on a principle of fairness then no further discussion is worthwhile as it’s all derogatory towards TS. No-one can see any positives apparently.
There are other things in football. Shankley wasn’t quite right when he said otherwise! 🙂
I’ll “speak” after Saturday’s match. This time I’ll stick to my promise.
Sorry “There are other things *than* football”
How big is the game tomoz! Players in or out, learner selling or not selling at the end of the day buck is going to stop with tim. 1 win in god knows how many games and adrift at the bottom WILL get him sacked.
Question is is he the man to take us forward, do we sack him win or loose against swans?
Its a must win game tomoz anyhow. Could very well be 7 points adrift sat night with games against man city and spurs to come. In all honeslty i think that would be too much for us with tim or no tim. A new manger aint going to get enough goals from this team to keep us up.
I say keep tim and save the comp money, we’re dooooomed
Andrew what do you think of Amavi as a winger?
I also think keep tim sell the club and start a fashion emporium.
One thing this club can’t afford to do right now is hang about waiting for a manager to show signs that he is good for the club – a month from now we could be in a place that even Houdini couldn’t get out of
do or die Tim tomorrow in my humble opinion
Maybe instead of a banner with tim out on it we should put a list of suitable replacements up in hope it will slip into lerners brain
not sure about amavi as a winger….would rather see gill, adama and grealish starting. He is ok as lb.
James Bond is looking for a job i hear.
Has anyone reported Tom Fox’s disappearance to the police ?
It looks like our ‘custodian’ has done a runner too, i can’t see any funds being available in January, just another waste of 100,000 quid going into Ade’s bank account while he does bugger all.
Fox really is a knob, Bacuna, Steer, Westwood, Agbonlahor all on five year contracts ! i could understand the likes of Benteke being offered one but those four are barely League 1 level.
Andrew he can cross and hes quick can defend has a good engine. Just a thought
Just seen Tims latest pre-match and he’s said when asked yes or no were the 13 players his recommendation he said no they are not, it was a collective decision from 4-5 people, he gave his list they put in there’s and they went away to see what was feasible, he said He’s happy with what they got, and he’s happy to work with them.
we have a full squad to pick from (except kosak)
Just listened to Steve froggatt in the clubs pre-match and he makes more sense than Tim, give him the job 😉
More of Timmy’s talk
“We take inspiration from teams like Leicester who were at the bottom of the Premier League last season and they put a run together which we’re capable of doing. This group of players are capable of doing it next year because they’ve had a year experience. It’s been hard and we can’t hide away from it but it will be easier come the end of the season, believe me.”
Can we all just back off Tim and the team. They need our support tomorrow – the game is huge. We need a win and Tim has assured us that we are going to get 3 points.
I would love the opportunity to spend some time with Tim tomorrow before the game. Put my arm around his shoulder, encourage him and just let him know that he can expect the full support of Villa Park, feel our man love. We are all in this together.
Show us what you are made of Tim
Just to kindly remind … Leicester’s stats after Boxing Day, 2014:
P 17 W 1 D 4 L 12 F 11 A 28 Pts 7
Their recovery started straight after this. I think they finished in 14th place.
Not saying Tim should leave it so late.
Mark, I like your team but fear it’s a bit lightweight without Sanchez or ayew and could get bullied!
As a motivator I would definitely give ayew a chance against his brother! He’ll be well up for it!
What are football blogs have a Shakespeare Showdown… Brilliant!
UTV
Other football blogs!
Sherwood out! 😉
UTV
cannot understand sherwoods comments treat swansea like cup final well it was some disaster
where are our players with passion bar clark no one closes down fast they all back of can never figure out hutton backing off when been attacked down wing tackle them at half way line some times
westwood is an another backs off
if sherwood lines out a team with guzan richardson lescott westwood gabby tomorrow its all over for him 4/5 that have been fighting relegation for last 5 seasons for a reason they are not good enough at this level
guzan makes saves but so thats what he gets paid for m city cpal leicster chelsea big errors in his last 10 matches
westwood takes easy option every time back or sideways his 4 year now less than 10 goals or assists no good enough to be first choice
gabby record last 5 years says it all for main striker goal return shocking effort shocking
i will allow mistakes goals missed but pet hate is no effort
well I for one am preparing to be astounded by Tims selection Tomorrow, suit or gilet what do you think? going by previous selections it could be a onesey
He’s already talking about keeping Richardson in place of Amavi…:(
Horrible day to go and watch a horrible side play football
It’s for the point again where I’m kind of hoping Swansea do us to get Tim out. Guzan, Lescott, RichRdson, Westy, gabby all to start today
I don’t want that manager in charge
So interested in Villa that i’m spending the day decorating. Expect Agbonlahor to play and Westwood and Lescott so not much point is their ? Lovely day to watch your team go down the gurgler, 28,000 max.
Richardson usually does a job but if you can’t run then, as a full back, your always a liability, i’d play Amavi in front of him –
Guzan:
Hutton, Richards, Clark, Richardson:
Gil, Sanchez, Gana, Grealish, Amavi.
Gestede.
Subs – Bunn, Kozak, Traore, Lescott, Veretout.
No-where near VP – Agbonlahor or Westwood, send them on a search party to find our missing CEO who appears to have had a failure of bottle to go with his failure of judgement.
sherwood talking about amavi thats just great another of our better [players benched
our full backs have been a problem for years even under mon
if sherwood would go 442 and play players wide right and left someone for fullback to overlap my team for today
bunn
bacuna
clark
richards
amavi
vertout
gana
sanchez
grealish to start
rudi
ayew put brother up against brother
subs
sinclair
gil
traore
put ayewout wide grealish up behind rudi give it a go
but i know sherwood will go for usual suspects
According to the usually reliable John Percy, the idiot pulled out of a deal to sell the club to a Chinese buyer and probably won’t be selling this season. The bloke is pathetic, the Chinese Premier is bulling up football and the EPL in particular so whats the problem ?
We are a shambles
steamer- America and china are at war, China (aligned with Russia)are trying to distance themselves from American reliance for their goods, its cold at the moment but you never know with these loons. Otherwise I can’t see a problem 🙂
like either team lads and if amivi isn’t at full back would make sense to play him further up the field, could turn out to be La Bale
Steamer: “According to the usually reliable John Percy, the idiot pulled out of a deal to sell the club to a Chinese buyer and probably won’t be selling this season. The bloke is pathetic, the Chinese Premier is bulling up football and the EPL in particular so whats the problem ?”
Haven’t you heard about the Chinese that have bought up Wentworth Golf Club and now are charging the members fees of £100,000 PER YEAR – instead of the £8,000 they had been paying. Even Peter Allis mkight find it difficult to get a round now.
My wife is well used to the Chinese as they form a large part of Malaysia’s population. You have to watch ’em … *very* carefully. Cardiff City have had some experience in that regards, as well as Small Heath.
And it’s having an affect on our own society. A Chinese who had sought asylum in this country the other day *mildly* protested aga8inst his former country’s president the other day. The guy was arrested and had his flat “searched” by the police. His experience was, he said, “just like being in China”.
And, of course, if the Chinese can award Mugabe a Peace Prize you really do have to question what principles they work on. Yes, Kissinger got one too I know … but that was a Nobel prize awarded by a consortium. In China’s case it was just *they* that decided to make the award. No doubt who gave the majority vote in that case! 😉
JL- yes I heard about Wentworth on Takshite even a comedian who was doing a gig their had to park 1 1/2 miles away as couldn’t park in the patrons car park!! The recent visit brings up a whole can of worms makes you wonder where this country is heading.
Glad to see that Gabby might come back today.
By no means is he perfect, but he does have a touch and pace that can make a difference … I was more impressed with him in the last couple of Prem games he played … it looked as though he was picking up form. And as a goal creator, not a scorer.
And Westwood? At least he has brilliant ball control … that in itself is worth a place as he keeps the game moving.
If there’s a better player in both cases I’d be pleased if they were selected.
Mark,
Have you heard about the Christian Church that was built not long ago. Took 12 years to build.
The Chinese authorities last year moved in and knocked it down.
And I believe that Cameron has promised not to talk to the Dalai Lama any more.
Money? You can’t beat it … obviously. In theory at least.
No John but nothing would surprise me, thing about the Chinese government is they don’t hide the fact they are arseholes, all the others hide there blatant expansionism, greed and disregard for their people behind a façade, very much like the kindly old lady at the teashop that spits in your tea out back 😉
Mark,
I’m not so myopic that I don’t know that other countries – like the States – have their own questionable “characteristics”. But in that case – and in our links with Europe – at least we have a common identity. We can relate to one another far more easily and usually speak the same actual language. The Scandinavians, Dutch and German peoples in particular are well-know for their abilities in speaking English, while we largely ignore the virtues of other languages. N’est ce pas? 😉
The key issue is that at least a spiritual dimension is accepted in the West – it’s allowed to flourish. In China you appear to be in trouble if you go down that route. That’s a huge difference in attitude by them.
JL I’d argue that its been a major tool for oppression in the west until recently as media has taken that over they don’t need it .
quite like the old pagan ways myself less moralistic, spiritualism is a personal journey and there are not to many religions that leave you to decide for yourself. But yes we have more freedom but I’d like to see an ideal put in place for mankind to reach for that doesn’t involve enslaving others.
Morning all – and to ST75 – hoping you behaved yourself last night clubbing in town. How’s the head ?! X
Well Tims asked them to treat it like the cup final – let’s hope to God they don’t as we don’t need reminding of that do we .
My team
To start
Guzan
Richards Okore Clark Amavi
Gana Sanchez
Gil. Sinclair
Ayew. Gabby 4-4-2
With JAck storming on in second half for Gil – when Swansea legs are tiring and he can work his magic Rudy to come on for Gabby
Most importantly of all I think Tim should go for the deerstalker / Sherlock Holmes look in this weather . It suits Bobby Zamora so why not Lord Tim of Sherwood .
Swansea have lost the last five games – we have lost the last 8 . So yes – it’s pointing out the obvious to say it’s a must win game for these two out of form teams and their managers .
A win for us will be immense for the players who haven’t won since the first game of the season . And for those poor villa supporters sitting on the M5 or M6 queuing to get to B6 in this miserable weather I salute you . I really hope you see a few goals and a win for a change. Prediction AV 2Gabby, Grealish To Swansea 1Gomez
I’ve got this mad idea there maybe even more goals in it – must be the cough medicines and paracetamol getting the better of me !
Jen- How long before Tims wearing the Lincoln green of Sherwood itself?!!! although today Tim in a rufty grufty yellow Oilskin and some hunter wellies might be the order of the day. If gomez and gabby score it would be a double duck breaking which would also suit the weather.
If there’s a better player in both cases I’d be pleased if they were selected.
On my way to VP at this very moment, tell ’em to get me socks warmed up.
Who to blame for the ills of the world ? i vote Herbert.
Mark: “quite like the old pagan ways myself less moralistic, spiritualism is a personal journey and there are not to many religions that leave you to decide for yourself.”
Point 1: Where do you think the so-called “pagan ways” came from? i.e. their original source. The word “pagan” has been popularly misused for ages as it is not a derogatory term at all. People (not saying you do, Mark) have for long assumed that the word “pagan” relates to something of a lower moral level to Christianity. Many would be in for a surprise if they knew.
Point 2: I use the word “spirituality” guardedly. I don’t mean “religion” as it is popularly conceived.
Point 3: Though the search may be “personal” (at least initially), it soon has to join up. Otherwise it serves no purpose.
Jen,
Good team but shouldn’t Gabby 442 be Gabby 666 ?
Steamer,
And I thought you’d given up on the C & B’s. You foxy feller. Whoops, I’d better use the word “fox” more carefully! 😉
Hope you enjoy today’s proceedings!
Interesting team, Jenny.
Jenny,
Nah … we’ve also just lost the last 5. Same as Swansea.
But we haven’t won in the last 8 … I’m sure that’s what you meant and it was a slip of the ‘pen’.
Actually Mark I think Tim would make a rather cute Paddington Bear look alike – yellow wellies and sou’wester – but I agree , I missed a trick with the Royal greens for third person talking Tim 🙂 “when Tim Sherwood is backed into a corner …. Only the Royal greens will do ”
I put in Gabby as I still think his pace can cause problems and to make John Doyle’s day . I couldn’t be so generous as to include Westwood , his other favourite player though .
In fact I might even put money on gabby scoring first steamer .
Got to hand it to Tim – waiting for his team selection is far more exciting than ever before .
Mark: “I’d argue that its [cultural links and English] been a major tool for oppression in the west until recently as media has taken that over they don’t need it .”
I see that as a different issue. We can choose to know the difference and act accordingly.
John “intereeting team” sounds similar to what my dad used to say about my latest outfit “that’s different”. 🙂
Well, Jenny, this is even *more* “interesting” i.m.o. …
(Can’t agree in a couple of positions, but at least he’s trying to back enterprise)
01 Guzan
21 Hutton
04 Richards
16 Lescott
18 Richardson
07 Bacuna
08 Gueye
19 J Ayew
40 Grealish
11 Agbonlahor
39 Gestede
Substitutes
15 Westwood
20 Traoré
23 Amavi
24 Sánchez
25 Gil
31 Bunn
33 Crespo
Jenny
me and jessie danced everyone off the dance floor and she even got chris the cage fighter on the dance floor , were going to new street later for eats ! how weird does that sound , feel like an anorak to look at the trains , ))
Steamer Decorating ?? bet bella has a new coloured coat by the time he finishes ,
Frem B62 , keeps warm lads , put some brandy in your half time tea,
Steamer – last night Bushwsckers this afternoon in the chardinay bar at new street . How the other half live . I’m dead envious .
John – like Tims selection today . Would v liked to see Clark instead of Lescott and maybe Sanchez as holding mid but I’ve always like Bacuns a as a mid – not a popular view I know – I think it’s one of his best selections . Playing Gil and Jack together in mid field would let Swansea run amock IMO . Last time at VP Swansea controlled the Mf so feeling very positive . Jack, Gabby and Ayew – goals in there surely .
Tim said he didn’t want us to be boring and this won’t be !
Well done Ryan and Matt – st75 just texted me to say it was on so only heard the end of it on radio 5 live .
Jl i bet a lot of people dont know the origins of a lot of things they take for granted.
well if he thinks he’s going to boss the midfield with that he’s sadly mistaken I’m assuming its a
433 ayew right and gabby left we will see
Jenny
l think you could replay it if you go on the 5live webpage ,
Chardonay bar !! heaven forbid ,
you know your in chelmsley when you hear the moms shouting , chardonay and porche get that greggs down your neck !!
Wrong bakuna cm ayew rw oh well its supposed to be bakunas fav possish other than nealt infront of tim 😉
Oh Timmy – you do like to surprise us with your team selections and formations.
Oh dear handbags
Richard s- is this conservative tim we are seeing today with comfy jumper i think it is he continues to set the standard
What are shots on goal? And erm shots?
Mark – it’s a good look – the grey – blue – white colour pallete works. Simple but effective. He does add a dash of debonair with the brown suede boots.
A cashmere grey scarf would have been a nice touch.
Two poor performances by both teams – our anchor spot of last on MOTD is st least safe .
A tense first half. No need for the boos at half time – a tad frustrating that fans do that.
We can make changes in the second half to win this game
No movement at all grealish continually looking around and nobody there. Go on jack beat 6 players and score. Is bakuna just on for freekicks? Is vertout thinking ze manager merde? We have the balance of a one legged elephant
The big question for me is “where is Jack?”. He seems out of it.
I think a full face balaclava would add an air of mystery to the outfit, saying you know its tim but is it?
Mark,
Can’t believe what you said about Jack … he’s boobed in several straight-forward situations in midfield … and gets shouldererd out too easily.
In fact lose the tie and we have holy tim. And can see this on the streets of brum soon and possibly craggy island
Maybe so john but look at the other players positioning around him to many watching not providing outlets. Put gil in there and you will see someone who knows where to be
Ayew jack and gabby – excellent
Like that for the goal john
John – what are you talking about – that was a Goerge Best style run from Jack Grealish to make the goal – oh shit
Love Micah Richards – passion
Bring on Traore
Oh misery brutal hopes dashed – just go for it
I’m so sorry Timny
Has tim gone to fetch his sword?
Well, Jack did come alive for 15 minutes … credit to him for his drive. But also credit to Gabby for a cool chip to Ayew.
What to say? I think … *very* sadly … that it would be better for Tim to go.
*Not* because he did much wrong (i.m.o.) but that he’s just not got a good enough team – particularly strength in midfield – to succeed.
It’s a team that has potential … but not enough character.
A new manager *might* get more out of ’em.
Positives from the game
– not a bad team performance – players showed much more passion and second half came alive . They are showing more potential – especially Ayew who is finding his feet . He also looked devastated at the loss .
Delighted for hin getting his first prem league goal – even if big bro spoiled it for us . Notice the shirt swapping at the end
Much better from Guzan – hopefully confidence restored
Chelsea 🙂
Hard to take the loss when it could v gone either way .
Timmy – Timny – Timmy
I’m really not sure why he picked that team today. Another new team playing square pegs in round holes.
The silence from the board speaks volumes
The look on Tims face said it all
Who will be our next manager?
The gamble has gone very wrong.
Sherwood had potential and £50m to spend in the summer, now we sit 2nd from bottom with 6 losses in a row.
He looks a man short on ideas, no confidence and talking sh!t… calling the game a cup final 10 games in to a season, also saying it bores him to watch us play.
Something needs to change SOON!
well tim was asked if he knows his best team and said yes and we pretty much had a full squad to pick from.
I find it hard to think that after no games there and missing the last 2 games Bacuna’s the answer at centre mid? or close to the best we have in that position. Tim clearly does not know his best team.
Ayew played well though where we thought he might.
JL I know what you mean but tim has lost faith in the likes of Sanchez, gil, Vertout and maybe doesn’t see how to use them effectively or it could be that we are too weak there as you say, one things for sure he doesn’t appear to have the answers and someone else might, either way we will drop unless we find out . You have to think Slaven Bilic or the chap at Watford would see things differently and sometimes that’s enough.
I saw more fight today John and Tim selected a team to win and his subs – Gil for Grealish were fine .
It was an equally matched game imo and I felt for the players and Tim for being denied the three points on such fine margins.
Stan C not pulling any punches on TS “you pay money for monkeys and you get monkeys”. I think he was referring to Fox and co not the players!
Match review up, absolutely gutted.
Jenny,
In certain players there was more fight … but we do need a player or two that can do what the likes of Swansea do!! If they can do it then we should do it as well.
Either we have midfielders who don’t know how to play that game, or just they’re not (yet) good enough.
I think the fact that Tim has said we will win this game – and that we didn’t – must surely be the death-knell. I’m very sorry really … I think he could turn it round but too many broken promises do get catch up with you.
Jen- Trouble is Tim puts Richardson in who is shot after 60 mins, he was nowhere for swans second goal at least Amavi was fit even if he makes the odd gaff, at least he’s a threat. Today’s game was winnable same as chelski Tim seems to hobble the team IMO.
John Clark’s MR is up
Mark – you’re right about Richardson … but that’s not the whole issue. We have to look at the bigger picture about whether the whole squad is good enough. At the moment I think it’s not.