Yes, that’s where we’re at. Or me, anyway. I’m guessing a loss tonight would likely see Gerrard sacked, but maybe he’s been given Brentford, as well. Either way, that’s its own comment on the state of affairs: Gerrard’s tenure depends on Villa beating two teams that the owners would be expecting us to, and that we should be ahead of in terms of the club’s progression and ambition.
As a result, some supporters have come out and said they’re actively hoping Villa lose. I will never root against my club, even if understand why they’re saying it. Because my gut also tells me Gerrard isn’t the one. Watched Palace yesterday, and while they’re an inconsistent side, I couldn’t help but envy the industry, pace, strength, quality on the ball, and confident, clear patterns of play in the second half. That says a lot about everyone at the club.
My gut biome aside, there are all the stats clearly indicating Gerrard has done no better than Deano, who got the axe for similar. Stats about running, chances created…a stat for everything, and none of them are good. Which explains being sat 17th on goal difference and hoping to beat one of the great yoyo clubs of recent memory.
But I do go back to my gut because things just don’t feel right. It just doesn’t feel like this is a club poised to take flight and live up to expectations throughout the rest of the season. It doesn’t feel like it’s just down to bad luck or injuries. It feels more as if all belief and momentum have been sucked out of Villa. The performances don’t seem to support the idea that we’re just inches away from it all coming together.
Then again, when one looks at the table, it is tight. Six points would change the immediate picture. Would that boost confidence and provide the spark? You never know. It’s just the disconnect, the atmosphere and feeling around the club and supporters that I’m absorbing. It feels like the wisdom of group consciousness coalescing. It could also be the dawning realization that the squad just isn’t as good as we thought, we bought into hype, and are focusing our dismay and disappointment on Gerrard.
At any rate, I’m in the funny spot where I want the three points and don’t want Gerrard. If we get them, and if we get another three Sunday, then we know Gerrard will almost certainly be here til the World Cup. And maybe he would be, regardless. Is that good? Dunno. Short term, yes. Being clear of the relegation zone is paramount. Longer term…?
Over to you.
The Author
John Clark
John is co-owner of AVL, and has followed the Villa since the '70s. A journalist by trade, he is, by most accounts, a very nice person. You can follow me on Twitter @JClarkKohoutek. It's an astonishing experience. Or a complete waste of time.Comments 270
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thanks JC
Just from previous thread Achie I think we could get the likes of Poch if we act quickly. like Newcastle it’s an amazing project for the right person
I hope that our owners are switch on enough to not just base keeping or letting SG go on the next few results
We are 1 point off relegation as it stands and overall, in a lot worse position than he found us in …. the entertainment value is clearly not been present during most of his time with us and we have better players than before albeit with now just 1 wide first team player
Why would we keep Archer at the club to play under 23’s is beyond me. Clearly not the type of manager to bring young players through, Chuck looking very good last night he suits Potters style and gave him a lot to think about last night
Fcuk sake look at that team
Who is rb,mcginn still playing,still playing 3 man midfield that isn’t working unbelievable
Almost would take a tanking if it meant getting rid of this fraud
Feel free to tell me I’m wrong (I’m sure you will) but I thought in the first half against Chelsea we played well. We were creating chances, we were more cohesive, we were chasing down the opposition, supporting each other and finding some spaces. We were also very unlucky not to ‘at least’ be level.
If I was Gerrard I suspect I’d have largely stuck with the same side too. No Chelsea weren’t at their best, but have we usually not been at our best this season or have the opposition just been better and stopped us playing the way we’d like to? It seems to me that if you have your shit coloured spectacles on, then when we play badly it’s because the opposition are better, and when we play well it’s because the opposition are having a bad day. As far as I’m concerned, that just doesn’t wash, it’s trying to making your prejudices fit the facts.
If (and I’ll admit it’s a very very big ‘IF’ in my mind too) . . . .if we play well and win tonight then we should be at least allowing ourselves to consider that perhaps Gerrard and the players are starting to get things right. If (there it is again) we win tonight and against Brebtford then that would absolutely be the best outcome from the next two games.
JC, I agree that things don’t ‘feel right’ at the moment but I’m not going to preclude the possibility that things might change.
I don’t believe that Pochettino will come to us; Potter has already gone to Chelsea; the best outcome, however unlikely, is that Gerrard and this squad come good.
Robbo
Yes we played better v Chelsea in first half but did you watch them v Brentford last night they kept it going for both halves
Mcginn has been subbed in 6 of q0 games already surely that means something ,along with if Bailey was only fit for an hour on Sunday surely tonight it would have been sensible to start beundi and use Bailey as a sub,along with craven cottage been one of smaller pitches need someone with an eye for a pass
Then to defencelogic is nowhere to be seen
r0bb0,
To me, first-half Chelsea was maybe a bit of both (us good, them ‘poor’). Always tough, because if you’re stopping them from playing or just have the initiative, etc., it will make the other team look ‘poor’.
We were aggressive, they weren’t changing/responding well to that, and it did lead to Villa having a good half and plenty of chances.
Potter saw it, changed things up at halftime, and while we stayed one down until the free kick, we weren’t anywhere near as threatening.
Course, SG didn’t make any changes in response to Potter.
I guess I’m saying, yes, I agree…sometimes people do want to view things a certain way that isn’t really accurate. Just fits a narrative.
Nothing wrong with any of the views on here imo that’s the beauty of the game ….but I think if you asked most Villa fans who could do better for Villa most would take a Poch over an SG right now
We have been punching below our outlay. tonight, surely a must win
Robbo I think after a year of seeing less than we already had I’m fed up of if we can win the next one we will then be ok.
Maybe if we just play Chelsea and Man city things would improve
runtings. . .I’m sure we’d all believe that Pochettino would be better than Gerrard.
I don’t believe he’ll come to us but if I’m wrong you won’t hear me complaining!
God. We look terrible so far.
They’re between our lines so easily.
I really don’t understand our press or rest defensive shape (two straight lines of three). Must be so easy to scout and game-plan against us.
Can’t say that wasn’t deserved.
Awful awful
Gerard what a joke
Only 2 players really trying mings and martinez
Please sack nanny mcphee our setpieces are scandalous
Fulham without a clean sheet this season ,until tonight
Abysmal.
I’ve seen some bad halves, but that has to be right up there with the worst of them.
Played off the park, could be 3, 4 down easily, and no complaints.
JG, you can add Young to your list of players who are really trying
That’s thr best I can say just now
Jc
No midfield,no help for konsa who by the is hiding in besides other useless lump of acentre half that can’t get in soton side
No we are definitely improving normally we’d have conceded 3 by now.
Stay calm though. . . . We’ve seen how Gerrard is able to positively influence things at half time
Well, it certainly can’t get any worse, r0bb0.
Yes I am being facetious. Has Gerrard left his dugout in that first half ?
We know that he isn’t a natural coach and needs someone else to help him in that regard but you’d hope he could at least be trying to gee the players up.
r0bb0,
He looked like a dead man walking sitting on the bench before kickoff.
Robbo think he needs a wee and you know what its like if you stand up
Here’s where I am, I have no Villa players in my FPL team for next week, I’ve kept bailey in up to now but its to much of a handicap.
You could basically use every footballing cliche to describe that.
Robbo
Mcginn tried to pass it to Gérard at one stage instead of Watkins who was in a good position
Sacked tomorrow and I can’t wait
Hopefully they go and score another 3
1-0 will keep him in a job
Jc
It can’t be about us if it’s footballing terms
No matter how grim its looking I really don’t want to look across at the dugout and see my manager with his head in his hands
Don’t see how that from Luiz was any different than Mitrovic initiating.
But that just sums it up.
Agreed, r0bb0
I reckon Luiz is unlucky there
Stupid to respond but Mitrovic lowered his head for the second chest bump and then made the absolute most of it when the heads inevitably collided
Oliver wants Gerrard out, too.
On a positive note, I have Mitrovic in my fantasy team
Can’t argue with score,the red card,the penalty
This is serious purslow had a lot to answer for undermining of Smith,delaney boating leaving the club the transfer strategy
We have made Fulham Bournemouth look like world beaters
We have Newcastle utd twice Brentford to play before world Cup and I don’t see any hope
Why not throw archer and sanson on now
What’s worrying is that after a performance like this, who would reasonably want to take on the job?
We’ve seen enough now haven’t we. There’s no point in keeping Gerrard on for the Brentford game as he isn’t able to influence the game and seems disinterested in trying to do so.
It’s all about who were able to attract now.
Hard to believe after the way Gérard treated mings he along with young are only players busting a gut
JC, you’d hope that any potential manager would be up for a challenge but would also feel confident that he’d be able to quickly improve things because this game has been bad.
Our new manager is likely to have good support from the fans because of what we’ve recently been through.
Pathetic Gérard,sanson criminally not used
One more and we r in bottom 3
JG, yes, Young and Mings have been true professionals and don’t deserve this.
Hopefully this will be McGinn’s last game as Captain too, and he’ll enjoy being one of the lads again.
Get a 4th
He ain’t surviving this
Potch on Monday
Seen a picture of marv and sanson on bench bemued
Frem
Enough of that,it’s not just about you
“Relegation battle” now enters the conversation.
JC. . . Allardyce it is then!
Well lucky Steve probably won’t be buying a lottery ticket.
Wrong selection. Wrong formation. Our midfield is not strong enough to play just 3 in there. Away from home we need 5 minimum.
Gerrard can’t survive this. The entire mess is Purslow’s work. Relegation battle awaits.
Mitrovic is a piece of shit. But VAR is a bigger piece of shit. Two chest pumps and our man gets a red whilst the simulation man is ignored.
It’s now a question of who is going to be our replacement coach. As Archie says, watching that rubbish tonight, Poch, Tuchel and Co won’t fancy it.
Whoever comes in needs to start by getting them fit and running. Looking at that team of “coaches” on the bench was disinterest personified.
Ye if purslow is in charge unfortunately its going to be Dyche most likely
Or Frank
I’d imagine it will be Dyche
Another tactically limited manager
This club need to show ambition now and get Potch tuchel or Uni
Not Dyche or frank
I’m convinced it will be Dyche
And we will just be tactically limited but affective
Frem,
You were over the moon with Gerrard’s appointment. Have a seat.
We paid 13 million for Dendonkey
We can potch 15 million a year
Not a good interview from John McGinn
When Dean Smith was sacked and we were looking for a replacement I was very strongly opposed to Gerrard even being considered for us, and I said so at the time. As soon as he was appointed however I really wanted him to succeed. After the first few games it was clear that we did indeed have a squad that could compete and he seemed to be bringing it out of them. As the weeks went on though the initial optimism slowly fizzled out. We strengthened the squad, although not always necessarily in the right areas, but the football and results didn’t improve.
Over recent weeks there were flashes of what ‘could’ be, but they were too few and never sustained. Despite that, because im a Villa fan, I desperately wanted to see us perform well and win tonight but it was really tough to watch the team I love looking so lost and so poor. Incidentally, if anyone watched that and enjoyed seeing Fulham score against us they are not a villa fan. They may pretend to be but they aren’t.
That’s not a discussion point, it’s a fact,
In the same way that you couldn’t possibly enjoy seeing a loved member of your family hurt, even if they’ve mightily pissed you off, if you’re a Villa fan, those goals hurt.
So, now it’s finally clear to everyone that Gerrard’s time is up. . . Hopefully tomorrow morning , if not tonight.
Well said, r0bb0.
You are on record, and have stood by wanting the best for the club. True supporter.
And yes, it really hurt watching them tonight. Embarrassing for them and us.
The team have given up on Gerrard. Martinez has been messing up. 2 goals in two games..his fault. For me that proves the team is just going through the paces.
I hear Bruce is looking for a job.
Oh gawd Ian . . . . that thought had occurred to me too.
Truss and Gerrard get sacked this week to make way for the returns of Boris and Bruce next week.
Ian
Bit harsh on martinez, maybe he was sticking the boot for his mate beundi
Mcginn has a lot to answer for,I thought he was part of smiths problem ,he never subbed him no matter what and then disturbs dressing room to make him captain,he might be a great lad but he certainly ain’t a premier league midfielder
The image of sanson and marv near end match was sad,possibly our best 2 midfielder sitting on the bench
Who ever is in charge for Brentford needs to be brave
Martinez
Cash Chambers mings young
Dendonker marv/sanson(maybe half each beundi
Watkins ramsay and I am struggling
He is gone
Should went on monday
The next 6 fixtures scary
I dont like waste, so just before the game started I put fish bones from tonight’s meal in a pan of water to make stock. . . . . and forgot about them.
Came downstairs after the Fulham debacle to find the kitchen full of fishy smoke and the bones charred in the bottom of the pan. The place now stinks of fish. . . Sort of sums up the mood
Oh JG. . . .you meant it. . .he really HAS gone!
Your cooking skills are a bit like gerards management dubious
Robbo
According to reports the owners where at the match,supposedly one left at half time,purslow left at red card I think
Have to wonder how long the next name the great oracle known as f##m pulls out of his backside will last and how much damage they will do.
Ash Preece:
“Understand Nassef Sawiris furious with what he witnessed tonight and walked out of the directors’ box after Douglas Luiz’s red card. Christian Purslow quickly followed after Mitrovic made it 2-0.”
JG 😀
Did SG go home on the bus? Or is he standing on the street corner in Putney?
Oh well, he’s worth $90 mill. Hope he can survive on that.
Always after the fact, no idea why, but to your point, Ian, seeing claims “The players hated Gerrard, he’d lost the dressing room a while ago.” Also says he was always talking about himself/his playing days, etc.
Likewise, NSWE had been unconvinced for a while. Which is what I’d wondered, and would help explain what felt like an underwhelming summer spend, all things considered.
It’s going to be Dyche, unfortunately.
We need to appoint a modern thinking progressive possession based manager
We’ve had bruce Smith and Gerrard our last 3 managers, none of who are tactically good or possession based
We’ve been in the Premier league 4 years now
It’s time the club go and get a Potch, tuchel or Uni
We have the money so go and do it
I hope purslow is next out the door with Lange.
But our owners need to make this decision with the manager
We apparently have ambition
So don’t get Dyche
Get Potch
If we go for a Dyche or Frank then unfortunately we just haven’t got the ambition to do anything other than hope to stay up
But Frem we are talking about Villa who appointed Smith and Gerrard the two most tacitly inept managers on Fifa 23 , please don’t be happy about the next one 😉
Myself I hope they are looking at far more than tictacs. I would say its about 10% of what a manager needs to be good at if that, no1 is a happy dressing room if you consider the level of player is fairly samey across most prem teams. That Fulham side is built from other teams cast offs for instance, They played with energy and confidence and new what they were trying to achieve, the ball in the net.
Where do we go from here,total clear of coaches especially fitness and setpieces guys
Over ran in every game is stackable on its own,really don’t understand our setpieces noone can hit a corner yet watch Fulham everyone was a threat
Happy players we have a split squad surely new man has to use them all,midfield how did Gérard think mcginn was a premier league midfield player never mind captain I coached under 8s who can pass better
Recruitment needs changing since jack left we have signed 7 big names and injury aside 5 of them are failures,and who ever let hause go on loan and replaced him with soton player unbelievable, purslow must also be coming under pressure so many bad decisions leading to his door
Team for next match needs workers so no place for ings Bailey
Need to 5 in middle
Young as captain
Martinez
Cash mings Chambers young
Dendonker marv beundi ramsay sanson
Watkins
I know 4 haven’t played much but then Gérard hasn’t ruined them either
I didn’t think Gerrard was the right appointment or character for Villa particularly after Smith. We didn’t need an ego. What I will say is the players for whatever reason are not playing for him and worryingly not even for themselves. I could not contemplate stepping on a pitch in a village side and not at least put in the effort. These men are on tele and exposed to criticism which you would think would spark them up regardless if they have any pride. We did see similar when Dean Smith went although I can’t think they wanted him out, maybe they did and wanted a better coach for their ambitions? Maybe when they got someone that demanded more from them and lauded the players he brought in they didn’t like it so much either. I hope its just down to the coaching but.
Another thing is I don’t think Beale leaving made a difference, may Beale staying and Stevie g leaving would have who knows but very little changed. Canadian Pete likened of position to Newcastle’s when Howe came in and he could be right, I hope so never been so bored.
Amongst the shambles on display last night and subsequent events, one item seems to have crept under the radar. And that was the disgraceful officiating by Michael Oliver.
Once again, the rule of Laandan applied. VAR picks up a nothing disagreement between Luiz and Mitrovic that ends with Mitrovic rolling over on the ground in agony holding his face. The VAR replay clearly showed no head butt involved so Oliver waves a red card at our man. Mitrovic pissed himself laughing.
Just prior to that, Watkins was cleaned out by their keeper. No penalty said Oliver, VAR did sweet FA. Then Cash has the ball kicked at his arm from 1 yard (which was straight at Martinez on the post) and Oliver gives a penalty. VAR again did sweet FA.
If the EPL believe Oliver’s performance was acceptable, there’s no hope for them. All integrity has been lost.
Well that was an eventful yesterday!
It’s a new day, Gerrard has gone and I’m trying to feel optimistic but instead feel apprehensive. . . . maybe it’s just the lingering smell of fish.
Plug. . . you just took the words right off my keyboard!
Yes, that refereeing display was just awful. . . .especially the one where Matt Cash was penalised for having arms. The ball was booted right at him from point blank range, he was turning away, his arms weren’t in an unnatural position and yet the penalty stood. An unnatural position for arms would be if they were folded behind his back as he was falling to the floor!
You’re also spot on to point out that Mitrovic bought the sending off. In slow motion you could see that he actually dipped his nose onto Luiz’s head rather than the other way round. I pointed it out to the wife who said, no Luiz butted him but then on the next viewing said ‘oh yes you’re right’. so. . . . what were the VAR officials looking at?
We were playing like shit last night and didn’t deserve anything from the game, but at the same time we didn’t deserve THAT refereeing performance. Let’s hope that things do, as they say, even themselves out over the course of a season and that’s three bad decisions we have in the bank that are now due to go our way sometime. . . . for our new manager.
Mark, I know what you mean about us not looking great under Gerrard AND Beale but it has to be said that he’s doing well at QPR and maybe he ‘could’ have done better at Villa, but unfortunately the wrong member of the management team left.
Where does this leave Gerrard now it seems likely that his limited success at Rangers was down to someone else and he subsequently failed on his own at Villa? More to the point. . .why should I care. . .let’s move on eh?
Robbo- SG’s success in a two horse race and Beale is in the champs not the prem, in his time at Villa it looked beyond both of them genius or not. Probably a bad thing he left because SG chose his replacement that appeared to do little for the team.
Anyway they have all gone now bar Cutler and corner boy. Danks is in charge for next game at least.
We might get a big name or we might have scared them away, The owners are reported to be hands on this time in the selection, could go better or worse who knows.
If we ended up with Franks wouldn’t mind, would back him but it wouldn’t be a walk in the park.
Mark, yep I’m at a loss to understand how the wild man of Borneo is still in-situ. Defending set pieces and attacking set pieces have been abysmal. Opponents have looked way more switched on in these areas than us. We’re paying money for old rope.
Steve Gerrards statement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c356Tr5btDI
I think Gilbert has been here longer than any manager in recent times and he doesn’t play 🙂
Poch, Tuchel, et al, not interested in this. They want to plug into CL level, not clean up messes at the bottom of the table. SG has made it look very unattractive.
I think the remit has to be, “Look, first step is just sort it, stay up. We’ll back you in January and the summer to move forward.” But it has to be someone who’s shown they can sort it.
Ruben Amorim is an interesting name popping up (can’t say I knew his name). Turned Lisbon around. Apparently would be expensive to buy him out, but that might well be the right kind of pick.
And now Villas-Boas has entered the chat. We’ll soon be talking to just about everyone.
JC- I have seen 30m euro to get him that’s a lot on top of Stevie’s retirement fund of about £8m. Frank has worked with Lange apparently for what its worth.
What’s the big rush? If the remit now is to stay up and make everyone happy why not keep Aaron Danks in the position. What do the players think of him? He’s worked with some bright people and as I saw, a stint with the Golden State Warriors shows a broad approach to coaching.
Let him run with it till the WC and then, after some searching, get a manager who actually wants to be at Villa and has the right attitude for the team. Who knows, maybe Danks is the hidden talent they’ve had all time.
MK,
Seems to be price, yes.
Frank’s interesting. Has a cozy setup, but it obviously has a ceiling.
If he’s got doubts, good performance Sunday might well help him decide.
Well
It’s been a bad day
Potch, tuchel all said no.
Frank luckily has ruled himself out.
Mirror article saying it’s most likely Dyche, rafa or nuno. That’s horrible.
I think the best we can do now is Uni Emre.
We’ve been linked to the sporting manager but huge pay out plus wants to stay in Portugal for the season.
Uni Emre then hopefully
If it’s Dyche or nuno i won’t be watching
AVB
Jesus i forgot he’s in management.
I’d rather him than Dyche or nuno.
Ruben Amorim, as John says is probably the right kind of pick from what I’ve read about him today
We offered potch huge money apparently
How this club os run we will go from wanting top coaches and tacticians in potch and tuchel
To sean Dyche
We have zero continuity in our manager options
Frem- hate to break this to you but this is how Villa are seen by many who don’t support them
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzbkTUnX-nU
The only way we will find a poch or get one is an up and coming coach that blossoms here otherwise we are just not in that level to attract a successful coach. That’s just the way I see it and why Smith wasn’t so bad for us. The alternatives? well.
This is why purslow needs sacking
Villa’s hierarchy lost faith in Gerrard some time ago and had identified Graham Potter as a possible successor, only for Chelsea to take him from Brighton in September.
️
@SamiMokbel81_DM
That is absolutely depressing
Now we will end up with Dyche
Absolutely criminal we didn’t sack him 2 months ago and go get Potter
Now look at us
Purslow needs booting and Lange
The only person i want now is Aromin. Maybe Uni
Frem – if we don’t get the manager you want will you stop giving Villa your absolute support each week? Maybe even stop posting if you feel that strongly about it 🙂
Now you’ve put me off Amorim, Frem.
Emery ain’t coming, either, fyi
Frem, if you stop watching then I’m sure Villa fans will be as gutted as we will be on here if you stop posting.
How would we manage without your inspiteful (sorry. . . .I meant insightful) comments on which player or manager we should get next?
Who can forget your absolute confidence that Thierry Henri was going to be then next great manager and we just had to get to him first?
You also called it right when you felt that Gerrard was the man for us but, as Gerrard himself pointed out, the players, the owners and the fans let him down so he wasn’t able to fulfil the potential which you’d clearly seen in him.
Please let us know which manager we should go for next so that we can all fall in behind you (I wouldn’t trust you behind me, that’s for sure)
Ian…
Not sure there’s a huge rush. No idea how Danks will get along, but if the rumors are true about how the players felt, he could get a huge boost just from the mood lifting.
There are some tough games, but he ought to know what’s been wrong, what the players are unhappy with, all that. Certainly more than any outsider could know.
Think Luis red card overturned
JG, I do hope that’s true. Shame it’s too late to overturn the penalty too. I was irritated by Oliver’\s performance, but more annoyed by the VAR officials who badly failed to do their job last night. . . . anyone know who was in charge last night?
Maybe it’s a portent of a change in fortune for the club! 🙂
The use of VAR has been steadily improving as officials have worked out how to make the most of it so it’s curious when it fails as badly as it did last night. As Plug pointed out, there were 3 clear errors last night but it’s not just that the officials came to the wrong conclusions, it’s that they did so with undue haste, without giving themselves enough time to properly consider their verdicts. I think Michael Oliver only watched the Luiz slow mo once before immediately reaching for his pocket.
When Plug and many others of us can see what really happened, how is it that trained officials can’t?
I know supporter bias comes into it and it’s natural to see injustice against your own side but last night’s really did seem easy enough to get right if that’s what the officials really wanted to do.
Makes me crazy to watch replays, see something clearly, and then have refs come to the opposite conclusion. Just can’t understand it.
Great to have Luiz available, but those mistakes change games and even seasons.
Thoughts of Chirman Arch………
I don’t think our first choice options will fancy the heavy lifting of getting our club into mid table safety before pushinhg onto top four ..or better, which seems to me to be a long way off. We have after all lost a year. It seems to me we need stability in this league at the first instance, this could take a while, then push on …. next season, after all this season is a write off.
Therefore Aston Villa being the Aston Villa we know… stability is required right now…..
you won’t like it…….Sean Dyche… he’ll win games for us.
Tell me I’m wrong ……thats okay just my opinion
I shouldn’t be writing this stuff with my command of the English language my apologies for all typos.
I don’t think this season is a write off. IMO the players stopped performing for Gerrard. Now that there is a new sheriff in town I expect an improvement in performances. Everyone says Villa have very good players.
Up to Liverpool in the standings and no one below them have been tearing up the league.
All I want is a steady ship and an improvement on the field and standings. Dyche will give you that. So what if it’s a bit dull. Perhaps he was dull before because he had peanuts to buy with and journeymen for players. If he comes to Villa I’m all for it. An English(?) manager..not some foreigner with a big bag of magic crystals.
Ian, when I first read your comment I couldn’t see Sean Dyche as a suitable match for us, but maybe right now he is. It seems likely that Aston Villa currently feels like too much of a career risk for the top managers that we’ve been talking about like Pochetinno and Tuchel. Other managers who are unproven in the Premier league will always be a bit of a gamble (we’ve just been there, done that and it didn’t work out) so right now, maybe we should go for a safe, if unexciting pair of hands to move us forward.
That manager may do better than we expect which would be perfect, but if they are only able to take us to a consistently safe top half position, at that point, then we’ll become a more interesting proposition to the sort of managers we’d ‘like’ to attract.
Re. Oliver’s ‘performance’ and the Luiz red card: Dougie’s 5’9″ and Mitrovic is 6’2″. Hard to picture a successful head-butt there! Glad to see the red card being rescinded but surely there should be, at least, a retrospective yellow for Mitrovic for simulation?
On a different note, there are other teams that I follow for different reasons. Forest Green Rovers because their owner Vince, is a dyed in the wool environmentalist and runs a team that is carbon neutral. (2) Wrexham as one of their owners is Ryan Reynolds who is Canadian as am I. (3) Vancouver Whitecaps, my “home” team as Vancouver is only 420 kilometres away. And yes I drive to some of their home games.
But back to Wrexham. Wallowing in the National League for 15 years being kicked pillar to post by poor ownership and a failing economy the team was purchased for 1 mill pounds and have had some decent investment. The biggest improvement though is the promotion of the team. Reynolds star power definitely helps but also his promotional smarts. Check out the sponsors for the club, his complaint to the league regarding televised rights and monies and his inclusion of some big names..Beckham for one and Will Ferrell part owner of LAFC.
Back to television, Wrexham had over 250,000 viewers in the US for their FA trophy match the other day. They regularly get over 10,000 per home game. They are doing something right for a team 5 divisions below the Premier League. It’s worth keeping an eye on.
Didn’t watch the match yesterday, as I had a trip up to Birmingham to meet up with an old friend, his brother and some old school pals of his. Had a great night in the ” Tap and Spile” in Gas Street, so watched the full match this afternoon, and I am in complete agreement over Oliver and the VAR decisions that went against Villa. I also felt that we struggled a little in the first half to start, but we were improving as the game progressed, even though Konsa is never a right back.
The turning point was definitely the red card, and then the “non” penalty killed it, and I think the players felt totally defeated. The substitutions did not help, and McGinn, Ings and Bailey were not in the game, and Ramsey was not at his best.
Gerrard then did not stand a chance, poor team selection (why change the Chelsea team, apart from playing Archer from the start- instead of Ings), No inspiration at half time, no subs before 60 minutes, need I go on…
Yet it still could have been different!
He is gone now, and so should Purslow be gone, along with Macphee.
We must now wait on the board, but there can be no interim manager. We need a much better long-term answer.
I don’t believe everything that I read. I still believe that Poch and Tuchel will bite your hand off to manage Villa as long as they can sign a couple of players in Jan.
VillaMD, scepticism of media speculation about our next manager is very wise.
I do tend to believe that Poch isn’t interested though because that has come from Fabrizio Romano who tends to be at the more reliable end of the spectrum. Having said that, even he wasn’t absolutely categorical, but he did point out reasons why Villa wasn’t a great fit for him.
Sitting in 17th place isn’t going to help us but if the players could rally round and quickly move us up a few places that couldn’t do any harm!
Ruben Amorim is our top target now
Apparently we are crazy about him and would pay the 20 million release fee
But he wants to stay in Portugal this season
Our search is going horrible
It’s going to be Dyche
Nawaris knows Ruben personally apparently
Ian- I’m assuming you haven’t seen Welcome to Wrexham on netflix ? they made a documentary/drama out of it.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14674086/episodes
I came across this analysis of how Villa had been turned round by Steven Gerrard after his first few games due to his clever changes in formation and tactics:
https://theanalyst.com/eu/2021/12/the-tactics-behind-aston-villas-resurgence-under-steven-gerrard/
It demonstrates nicely how we all tend towards being guilty of making an analysis fit our preconceived ideas rather than the other way round. It all hinges on results of course, so if a team is achieving decent results then we assume that the manager is doing a great job and our analysis will emphasise that and vice versa. You see it every night when the TV pundits create their lovely on screen graphics to demonstrate why one team won and the other didn’t. Ninety percent of it is total bollocks presented with a straight face. Which of the current batch of pundits do you think could actually manage a football team? Any of them?
As Frem points out, Amorim seems to be our top target and as VillaMD suggested, money talks. I still doubt that money will talk loudly enough to attract Pochettino or Tuchel (would we want him?) but might it attract a manager who hasn’t previously tested himself in the Premier league?
Any young manager is of course a risk, and any manager who hasn’t previously managed in the Premier league is a risk. Are the owners ready to take a similar risk to last time albeit with a manager who has been tested in a slightly more competitive league than the Scottish one: http://www.globalfootballrankings.com (in case you can’t be bothered with links, this one suggests that the Premier league is the most competitive league in the world, the Portuguese league ranks 7th and the Scottish league 17th . . .the Championship comes in at number 11 by the way which was one of the reasons I thought Gerrard’s appointment was far too risky and just plain silly.)
So if it is to be Amirom, then how has he managed Sporting?
https://breakingthelines.com/tactical-analysis/tactical-analysis-ruben-amorims-sporting/
More to the point, do we have the players to adapt to this formation, and if not, did he adopt this formation because it suited the players he had, or is this his favoured formation and will try to shoehorn players into it?
Other more tactical aware poster on here will be able to say how close this formation is to the one used by Gerrard and might it be prone to some of the same problems? Did we do better with Nakamba in the middle because of his energy and ability to break down opposing attacks through the middle which can be left exposed by a savvy opposing manager? Do we have full backs (or wingers come to that) who can play the way he might want us to?
vivavilla, yes Mitrovic should have received a yellow for simulation or a red for nose butting Dougie. . . . .If Dougie didn’t headbutt Mitrovic but there was contact then by definition, Mitrovic must have head butted Dougie mustn’t he?
Im not sure if the FA are able to offer retrospective cards though are they?
Paul Tierney was the incompetent (or immoral?) official looking at the VAR screen so he’s one to look out for next time he comes anywhere near a Villa game!
I imagine we won’t rush?
There is only 3 games left until world Cup break
Maybe we will wait for Ruben Amorim until then and go back on for him during the break
Apparently we’ve already been told no by him or sporting in don’t know which one
Rodgers being linked now never liked him
Mark
Our owners have a club in Portugal don’t they?
Maybe we have some links to him already
Bloody forest beat Liverpool
We might actually be going down
We are going to panic and appoint Sean Dyche and have Watkins and Ings 442 hoof ball
Rumour is we will approach for Rodgers
Lcfc want him gone they just can’t afford to pay him off
So helping hand villa will pay it for them
Typical
Mark, I’ve been watching the series. Have you? It’s a good series and worth it.
Frem you make a good point regarding Rodgers. LCFC can’t afford him or afford to let him go. He’s a good manager but not for me.
Is Almorin Villa’s target or another pie in the sky article by the news media?
Further to Dougie’s red card and subsequent revoking. A retrospective yellow card for Mitrovic (if it was possible) would be totally inadequate. He got a man sent off and gained his team a big advantage. He should receive a red card and 3 game ban for that shithousery,
Then we come to VAR and Oliver. How can they screw up this matter up when the evidence was so clearly different? They need punishment too.
Robbo- That analysis is done over a very small sample size its dated 9 December 2021 4 games in and against lesser teams than Smith had faced on the whole, I was at the Leicester game and it wasn’t a classic, in fact it was chaotic. Notice its says we sat back in a fairly low block and pressed from there, that was how Smith had done it for the last 3 seasons, we tried a higher press and had a little success better than SG this season points wise before Smith was sacked. SG then won 2 of the next 9 games losing to Watford again as he tried the flying FB’s and got found out particularly with the two 10 fiasco. We then had another patch of easy games and won 3. We then slowly dropped down the table only to rally late on to avoid being sucked in to relegation. If that was done over he whole season I can guarantee it would have not shown improvement.
Gotta love a manager search.
Mark, that’s exactly the point I was trying to make. . . .clearly not well enough sorry.
My point wasn’t that Gerrard appeared to be a tactical genius, but that the person that wrote the article saw that we’d won a few games under Gerrard so made the facts, such as they were, fit his narrative. It happens all the time.
We see we’re linked with a manager and we’ll then find a series of facts (or otherwise) to support our own prejudice about him. Take Amirom for example, I wouldn’t mind betting that few fans had even heard of him before yesterday but now you’ll see people keen for him to join us, based on. . . . I don’t know what.
Ian- no mate I haven’t heard its good though.
Frem- Could be Bud
Formations, tactics.
They can all be played different ways. Even SG backed off the flying FBs, though Young’s legs surely have something to do with that.
You can also sit a bit deeper, not try to press high with that front line, and expose so much space in midfield.
Against Fulham, when organized off the ball, I often saw both banks of three in almost straight lines across the pitch, ceding the spaces between and making it far too easy to play through. Some of that may well be down to the players, but you need the central player in the front three at least giving the DM/6 more trouble. In a straight line, we chase around, and the 6 just gets the ball and that’s that.
So if you don’t have the pace or chasing, you have to give yourself less ground to cover and be harder to play through. Trick there is that none of McGinn, Luiz, or Ramsey are particularly good ball-winners for varying reasons.
I’m guessing that’s pretty much what someone like Dyche would focus on.
Amirom? No idea how he plays it or how flexible he is. If I were interviewing him, I’d be asking about that: Do we have the players to play your way, and if not, yeah we’ll get them, but for now, what would you do? Would you have specific January targets?
Robbo I’d say that’s pretty much par for the course, I’d even suggest that’s the situation for Villas owners etc. Stats are great but they are a tool and no substitute for someone with an eye for football and the talents needed. So many have had success with one team never to repeat it you have to think there are moments in time and with a group of players for 2-3 years that just bring success because they do, like players that hit 20 goals never to repeat it. Look at Liverpool at present, clearly in transition and if that transition doesn’t come soon how long will Klopp be there? Maybe we should get him 🙂
The fact that Villa were out run by teams could be good or bad, if we had the ball a lot which we did then the ball does the running. We outran city I wonder why.
Klopp has been with Liverpool for 7 years. There’s lots to be said about the 7 year itch. How many have gone past the 7 year mark as a team’s manager?
Robbo – What appears clear to me from that analysis of Amorim is he knows how he wants to play and Clearly thinks tactically as he has moved to subtle changes within his framework. He’s kept it simple which helps the players while providing subtle changes when needed. Villa really have just been one of two things all out attack FB’s forward or defensive FB’s back, the rest is predictable.
I think he’d be a good fit if he can adapt to the prems physical side and overall quality.
He’s staying at sporting then….
So
It’s going to be Dyche.
Beale just said in an interview that villa recruitment is questionable.
We also look like we don’t have a plan to find a new manager.
This football club needs sorting out
Owners need to appoint a proper ceo
It’s very worrying.
It’s a bit of a shambles.
We already way down the list to mangers like Dyche
Maybe Uni Emre is the best we can do now
AVB might have to be looked at now
If not
We are in the Dyche section which is horrible
Match day tomorrow,since villa last won ,2 heads of state,looking for a third Pm,God knows how many money men and we think we have problems
Rumours galore ,poor old frem going to fry his head, even tonight percy reporting danks has dropped mcginn and then ramsay,probably go with 5 at the back lol
Anyone checked out Aaron Danks on Wikipedia? He is quite young but seems to have done quite a lot. What happens if we see something good in the next few games.
I’m a bit pissed off with the hard on everyone is getting with all these fancy (even poncey) foreign names. We need someone to do another rebuild by first working with the abilities we have, then slowly drip-feeding better players (not necessarily expensive) into the side to make us better. We need someone to get the basics right first then start on the tippy tappy stuff later. Anyone who disregards Sean Dyche or any other less fashionable name is just a fifa/football manager 2023 MORON!
Seems totally bonkers to be pissing multimillions up against the wall for someone who doesn’t really want the job and probably thinks Birmingham is just a part of London.
Got to make an apology. Just checked out the other lot for any signs of common sense. Damien said it much better than me a few hours ago.
The reality is, we’ve had a wasted year and recressed. It seems to me, a coach/manager with Premier league experience is needed, I’m not sure if Sean Dyche is the answer. We’re a long way off and thats the reason the likes of Pochettino has distanced himself. Maybe Brendan Rogers, he’s had his hands tied at Leicester in terms of recruitment.
Definitely wouldn’t go for an inexperienced, (in Premier League) overseas manager.
Frem……AVB…..really…
The fact we haven’t even approached Amorim or sporting is worrying.
Shows a lack of ambition really.
Why wouldn’t we be asking them?
I think we are in the desperate section with Dyche and the like now
Rodgers wouldn’t be good he’s past it but we have probably asked that question.
I imagine we’ve asked Martinez to.
It is worrying what quality of level we are looking at
I hope it’s Emre now I think it’s the best we can do
Frem- looks like you selectively missed out part of what Beale said when asked if he was interested.
“No chance. Great club, great history, great people, good people behind the scenes.
“They’ve had two outstanding managers in the last two years and for whatever reason it hasn’t worked out so they may have to look at the way the club is run or the model. Is the recruitment all in line? There’s a lot of good people behind the scenes that have got a lot of despair at the moment.
“I feel for the fans because it’s a wonderful football club, but no, I gave my commitment here the other day. There’s certainly no interest on my part. A few of my friends have lost their jobs in the last few days.”
So its not the managers in his opinion.
Unai Emery struggled with communicating with the playing staff due to his poor command of the English Language, thats why it didn’t work out at Arsenal, (if you believe what you read) so not sure if its what we want, unless his English has improved, with all due respect.
Looks like Sean Dyche to me, unless they pull a rabbit out of the hat.
We should have sacked Gerrard weeks back when the time was right
Wr could have maybe got Potter then maybe even potch
But we are in such a bad position now Sean Dyche is the best we can do
Archie
Yep
It’s going to be Dyche
About as low as we could possibly get
What’s worrying is if we don’t fix the underlying problems at the club then it won’t matter who they bring in. When Smith came in he was tasked with growing a culture, he knew the club the history and had a good grip on psychology. What he didn’t have was full reign on players. Sure he was involved but it was a very mixed bunch looking at recruitment. Considering the time and scale that’s not a surprise. I would say from the outside when you are trying to build a club and an identity on the pitch you need a singular figure having the most input, he has to know football, be he the manager or above. This lays foundations that you can then look to replicate by having interchangeable parts that don’t upset the whole. You only have to look at the great football dynasties to see that, of course the genius gets diluted over time and you have to start again but unfortunately we have gone in a circle.
Frem- woe is me 😉
Frem, what is it specifically about Emre that makes you think he’d be a good fit for the squad and club?
Managed in the prem before
Won trophies abroad
He’s use to slow football, and slow players in la liga. He’s use to more technical players with no pace
So would suit the likes of ings Luiz buendia and Countino
But it’s going to be Dyche.
Belisa been linked imagine him with our lazy players
It’s getting so far down the list even AVB is looking appealing
Anyone but Dyche, please
I hope the club do something good because we haven’t done anything good on or off the pitch for 18 months
Right now things are looking gloomy, but it wouldn’t take much to change the mood.
I reckon a win this afternoon would do it!
Brilliant frem at last you agree we haven’t done anything since smith was still in charge.
Robbo- you reckon 🙂
As far as Danks goes I can’t see him being the dogs, SG went and got someone he knew as soon as Beale Scarpered and he was there under Smith as it sank out of sight. If he’s got big ideas he never shared them with his bosses or they just couldn’t see his genius.
On we should of sacked SG earlier, yep we should but we let it go down the drain until the club looks like its slipping down the crapper and its not attractive.
Well done danks
Dropping mcginn and Ramsey
Should have dropped Watkins to he’s been a joke this season
Looks like 442
Archer should have started but so happy mcginn isn’t playing
Dendonker to add some height because they a big side Brentford
Wonder if any manager will be in the stand today
Archer is having surgery over the world cup so no chance of starting I’d think. looks like 4231 not the worst we have seen, if it was SG we’d be saying he’s changed it again. Hopefully Beundias behind Ings with Bailey and Watkins out wide.
Martinez is captain, not bad and maybe diplomatic as naming Mings might of looked like a snipe at SG.
First impression of Danks was its Benny from crossroads for you older lifers 🙂 Looks like he is trying to make a mark and spoke positively enough, as the attacking coach extraordinaire you’d think he wants to see us have a go, hopefully.
Good start I put that down to me dropping Bailey from my FPL team
Ha they really didn’t like SG this could actually be a dean smith set up only one of SG’s signings and even he’s a makeshift one
Fucking hell Stevie G will be choking on his Sunday lunch
Didn’t know this football lark was so simple. Just put players in their favourite positions and let them get on with it.
Purslow looking less than happy with Lange
In the stands that is
At last goals ,workrate entertainment, danks is the man and to top it all villa fans r singing r u watching stevie
Mk
Purslow could be a worried man,beale comments where they a dig at him
Is it the 1st time Bailey has played out left since his goal against Everton before he got injured? Ings and Watkins can’t play together? the list goes on, I’m thinking why didn’t they just let Smith sort it out and get all his players fit? Hope this is not just release of tension for the team and Danks the lucky recipient but so far so good.
Of and Danks said we have a really strong bench to call on today, I’m intrigued to see how he uses it.
The way we are just going through gears up the pitch you have to think slippy g had them playing 5 yard balls and treacle slow football.
Thank fnuk Ollie gets one he needs that. It’s stupid but this opens up this squad from being relegation fodder to top ten candidates.
Wonder if mcGinn will go as a 10 ?
Nah not that brave then 🙂
Funny old game, isn’t it?
Yes it is, pick the bones out of that.
Perhaps the most important caretaker remit possible, and Danks passed with flying colors.
Changed back to the better formation, made the right personnel decisions, and you could see the players were 100% bought in.
Was quite a statement to Stevie G from all concerned.
Just got up and had a peek. 🙂
Gonna watch now.
Loved watching Luiz in his natural position cruising around the midfield gluing the side together with simple well-chosen passes. Didn’t show up so well when Dendonker went off. Wonder why?
Great win,simple when you put square pegs in square holes
Only downside would have loved to see marv or sanson alongside Luis for a spell
Danks well done
Luiz and Dendoncker fantastic
Played with width with Bailey left
Watkins played a bit more narrow but good running
It was the most Watkins goal ever. He will never be clinical missed two sitters before he scored but hopefully he gets confident now
Well done danks
Purslow must be close to the sack
Please don’t appoint Dyche
Luckily it’s nearly January transfer window
Hopefully sign more quality
Apart from the points, the confidence, the performance will also show prospective managers things aren’t as bad as they looked. There’s something to work with.
I wondered more than once if there was a little bit of motivation in showing Frank something.
Maybe it will be Dyche, haven’t done all the media checks yet today, but it might influence the direction of the search internally.
What Danks’ changes showed me was that, knowing the players, he clearly had strong feelings about what the best set-up is, and the players clearly responded. It would’ve been easier to just stay with SG’s set-up, but he went with what he thought gave them the best chance to get a result.
After the goals, the group huddles, and player reactions, seemed to show there’s a lot of togetherness in the side. Clearly they had something to prove to themselves and the support, as well, never mind SG.
The games coming won’t all be like this, naturally, but it also showed we don’t necessarily need to be in a rush to get the new man in.
Gerrard Reaction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6AEE1bM3sQ
It looked like a f… you to Gerrard from the players.
All of a sudden Ings and Watkins find the back of the net? It was always there and this was payback. It couldn’t have been better.
Maybe they can play with Danks as the manager and not be in a rush. Who knows a win at Newcastle will really give them something to think about.
Certainly don’t want Frank
But it kind off looked like he was saying bye to away fans to me… He also walked off looking around atball the stands
They play horrible football
Depressing watching Newcastle and how far there project has come and how quickly
Purslow and Lange have been criminal really with the money and signings.. Ee have nothing to show for it
Sad thing is of Newcastle went in for potch now they would probably get him where as we can’t
Aston Villa will only have to pay just over €10m to appoint Rúben Amorim as their new head coach, as the club remains in talks with the Sporting CP manager.
Sad how quickly Newcastle have taken us over and smashed our project so quickly.
The owners need new people in at the top as well as a football manager
I think Newcastle take over really disheartened our owners
They’ve spent money so wisely
Then there is purslow and Lange
As Beale said
We have problems higher up
Frem, . . . .is there anything in your life that gives you genuine pleasure?
Wow, a win!! Wowsers, a big win!!! Hallelujah, we’ve managed to beat Brentford at last!!!!
Definitely a player response to Gerrard. Almost predictable. I’m stoked. It’s been a while. Sensible team selection at last. The changes worked. This is what the team is capable of. More of the same required.
Cracked open the beers. I’m heading off on one.
I liked danks comments after the game
He said he showed the players a clip from the 93rd minute of them all running back defending a counter attack
That’s what the basics should be
Now hopefully we go get Almorim
MAKE a statement Villa
Best performance in a looong time
Danks played Dendoncker 6, Luiz 8, Buenia 10, Bailey and Watkins out wide and Ings up top. Ings and Watkins allowed to float. It worked from kickoff.
Dendoncker showed what a #6 does. He was even dropping back to CB at times. Brilliant.
Buendia – for me that was his best Villa performance. 10/10 quality.
Luiz much better at 8 and dropping back when needed. Mings was excellent. Ashley Young – I have a Konza jersey, but may have to get Ash.
Ings 1st goal was my favorite. That’s a fox in the box finish if he gets the service.
I hope Poch and Tuchel are now regretting turning down interviews. UTV. No rush appointing a manager
What a week ,the lows of chelsea,lower than a snakes belly at half nine ,then the upturn 1045pm Gérard sacked,Friday morning Gary mac and Co sacked,Sunday get signal and we r 2 up and then 3 could this be happening we were going to win ,then the icing on the cake Watkins scores
Great feeling going into Monday
Come on the villa
Frem – according to sky Almorim requires a £26m buy out clause. That’s crazy.
So Tuchel has said no, but apparently Poch has not according to Sky
One other observation. Danks used his maximum permitted 5 substitutions. When did Gerrard ever do that?
Now that the Gerrard experiment is over perhaps Villa can get back to the original plan of youth with a sprinkling of veterans. Having Danks in the dugout was refreshing. Reminded me of Smith. 🙂
I wouldn’t be adverse to Danks staying there until WC. Who knows, at 37 maybe he’s the one the players can relate too. Next game will be telling.
Plug, if we’re going to play with the higher intensity that we saw yesterday then it makes absolute sense to use all 5 substitutes. It would be nice to think that’s part of a plan. . . . . . ‘a plan’. . . . that sounds good.
Ian, yes the same thing had occurred to me about returning to the original strategy. I wonder if there was ever a conscious decision to move away from it or whether Purslow was just really keen to get Gerrard in and everything else followed from that.
It does throw up the question who wanted Danks? was he smiths choice? lads a Brummie and well educated in footy and very likely has come across Smith on his travels just as JT had. Doesn’t fit a Purslow or Lange hiring and a second in command is a very personal thing, SG clearly wanted his own. Danks just gave him the middle finger reverting to the original plan for the Squad once the wingers were fit. Ok he had to use Watkins out wide but I think that suits him, he always drifted wide anyway.
And wouldn’t that set up just be fine for the now departed Chuck.
I’ll say it before someone else does, that was a performance as good as any with Jack in the side, it also included the three players Ings ,Bailey and Beundia brought in to plug the gap. Played in the positions they were bought to play in. If that can continue then you have to wonder what SG was telling them? Don’t shoot on sight? don’t close down high up the pitch? stay in your positions? Don’t hit the front quickly? 2.9 xg even 3.45 XG on some sites the highest since Jack .
Emre odds dropping like a stone
Kompany linked
Danks use to be his assistant at Anderlecht
Maybe
He has got Burnley playing well
I’d much rather Kompany than Dyche
But before that I’d want Almorim or emre
I hope that they have learnt a lesson and don’t employ another bloke with a stick up his arse.
What would people think about Kompany?
Probably another big name in world football.
He got anderlecht playing good football but never won the title.. 3 years there
Burnley he has 3rd 1 point of top playing good football
Danks link up maybe
Maybe not the worst option but I only if Almorim and emre have failed and we can’t get them
Unfortunately we are probably close to the likes of kompany and Dyche down the list now
The cat’s out of the bag. This is how well our squad can play if coached correctly. Gerrard proved to be an extremely expensive failure which is down to Purslow. Gerrard had the team and fans wound up tight like a coiled spring. Yesterday, the brake came off.
Set piece plays that worked. The speed with which Martinez released Watkins which led to the corner and subsequent penalty. The through ball for the second goal. The play down the left by Bailey and Ings with fast cross into space for Ollie and No. 4. This gets backsides off seats, not turgid no risk, no point passing across the back line.
Danks benched SJM at last. We’ve been calling for him to be rested for yonks. Soooo nice to see VP riotous again.
Do Compass trust Purslow to find and make the next coaching appointment? I wouldn’t. But they do need advice on the type of coach to install that compliments the strengths of the current squad.
Plug yes mate we have been hammering the corner coach and as soon as SG buggers off we do something creative and score.
I know nothing about Kompany Frem
A really fantastic day yesterday, firstly enjoying a few beers in the Aston Tavern, meeting up with an old Villa friend Mick, and his son, Matt, who looked just Haaland- as Mick said, he was glad he was good to him growing up!!
Then on to a full Villa Park, 41693 fans wanting to see a great game of football, and what a treat it was. It was great to have Villa Park rocking from the off. Sensible team selection, good formation, and you didn’t want to be late getting to your seat!
From the off you could see that everyone was up for the game, playing with a smile, enthusiasm, and a freedom that had not been seen for a long time.
Three goals in under fifteen minutes were unbelievable, as were the match officials, totally different to the Fulham game.
Luiz, for me was MOTM, and showing why he had decided that Villa was his club! Dendoncker gave a really solid performance, while I keep smiling to myself, as Ashley Young gave another superb performance (so many fans thought I was talking through my hat when I said he would be an important signing for the club).
Ollie Watkins actually played in his favourite position, on the wing, which is where he played at Brentford originally. The same for Ings and Bailey on his favoured side.
Defence was never in question with everyone in their natural position!
Martinez actually able to find players wanting the ball.
Still buzzing from enjoying a rocking Villa Park from start to finish, with a big, big thank you to Aaron Danks for bringing happiness back to Villa Park!!
I used to have a friend in Sheldon when I lived there called Terry Danks, wonder if it is his son!!
On mr Watkins, I don’t think it really mattered whether he played on the wing or not. He certainly wasn’t on the wing when he eventually got his goal. The front 3 and Beundia would rotate throughout the match from front to midfield, ings isn’t an out and out 9 by any means either. What they were not is isolated and they gave Brentford constant hassle and movement. It opened up space all over and we didn’t see the 4-5 yard passing that went nowhere as the players moved.
Frem, The Kompany link is an interesting one because of Burnley’s fantastic run since he joined them. Did he struggle at Anderlecht because it was just all so new to him and he’s now learned?
The Championship is a tougher gig than the Scottish league so it may be less of a gamble than Gerrard but it would still be a big gamble none the less.
Why do we keep being linked with comparatively recently ‘ex’ premiership footballers though?
Thierry Henri was a narrow escape
Steven Gerrard came in and has already gone out
and now Vincent Company.
Is it because of the potential commercial benefits of having a popular figure who’s name is well know by football fans around the world?
I can see how that would certainly raise our profile and that would appeal to Purslow, but is there a risk that Purslow is pulling the management appointment strings based on commercial rather than football management criteria?
PP. . . reading your last posting brought a big smile to my face
(what a difference a win makes)
It’s sounding like it’s going to be Uni Emrey.
That would be a very good appointment
Emre is done
He’s agreed to join
Where are you reading that Frem?
I can see that we’re in advanced talks but can’t find confirmation its a done deal.
If true it’s a real statement of intent . . . . .maybe he was swayed by seeng the quality on display yesterday! 🙂
I’ve just been reading about Emery’s departure from Arsenal. I’d forgotten how it all ended . . . . maybe he feels he has unfinished business in the Premiership.
I hope he’s as funny as his dad Dick
Got to say he’s not someone that shouts villa to me but hey.
Yep, the official site has announced Unai Emery becomes head coach on 1st November.
Blah that’s how I feel about it , frem likes him for a start we’re doomed
Wonder how many he will try and sell?
Welcome, Unai Emery.
Jc
Need a new post,no more slippy g,it’s all about dick now,dick emery lol
Glad to see danks gets another game and to be fair our squad is decent and if it had been properly managed we would have as many points when you think of points dropped v hammers,Leeds forest Bournemouth Palace Fulham, 2 points from that
Anyone watching the Hammers/Bournemouth game?
Zouma has just steered the ball towards the goal with his hands and VAR has said it’s fine.
WTF?
I’ve no interest in either side but if I was a Bournemouth fan I’d be fuming.
Is it just about VAR favouring the London club again? What’s going on? . . VAR as a principle is exactly what we need but there’s something seriously wrong with how it’s being implemented .
He’s been given a 3 year deal. Whatever happened to the 1 year rolling contract like MON had?
Correct rObB0, VAR definitely comes to different conclusions when a Laandan club is involved. Both arms directed the ball towards goal and it resulted in a goal. VAR reckons that’s fine. Yet Cash has a penalty awarded against him for nothing. The EPL have serious issues to address with VAR. It’s plain anarchy.
Dicks definitely got his work cut out if they still want top 8, dropped to many points to poor sides. Means he will have to beat the top sides more to make up for it while damaging their chances. Good luck Dick and welcome to Villa
He also likes wingers so good job we haven’t sold ours 🙂
Might Leeds sack Marsch after losing to Fulham and then Everton sack Lampard after losing to Fulham next. . . . It’d be a notable hattrick
Nobody will ever convince me that VAR is fair. It’s just another tool to fix a result. It was used to stitch up Bournemouth tonight for both goals. Mike Dean on VAR and Couts the ref apparently.
Dick will be in for a shock when he arrives and discovers that we get different VAR results to those dished out to Laandan clubs.
Hopefully good times are coming for us battleharden villa fans
It’s like a statement of intent from owners,
We have tried the nice guy (smith) with brilliant memories promotion,cup final avoiding relegation,the big one 7 2,beating all the big ones,t
Tried the big name with the bigger name transfer, all bad memories
Now we gone for one of best and hopefully they will back him in January for at least one wi ger
Agreed Plug. It seems VAR can be used to justify the outcome the referee wants. It doesn’t have to be like that but it has been too frequently recently
If I was a Bournemouth fan I’d be as cross with the VAR official who blatantly favoured the London club tonight as I was with the VAR official who blatantly favoured the London club we played last week
Just read an arsenal fans account on Uni
Says tactically he’s very good
Says every game is different he always makes a change somethings always different
Also he makes more half time subs than any other manager
Really can’t wait
I always thought a manger should be different game to game
I never understood playing exactly the same every single week
Every game os different. Opponents analyze us so we should always do something to change game to game
Will be brilliant
Finally WE HAVE A TACTICAL MANAGER.
AFTER having to watch Bruce Smith and Gerrard tactics (or lack of) I really can’t wait to see Uni
Frem, really nice to see you optimistic. . . . we’re all hoping it’s well placed!
My Arsenal mate said “well good luck with that one”, but I just took it as typical football fan banter.
I get where you’re coming from with regards to tactical flexibility, as long as the players are able to adapt to it and it isn’t change for change sake, or indicative of him not really knowing what he wants. Gerrard seemed to tinker a lot but the difference (hopefully) is that Emery has a better developed footballing brain and knows ‘why’ he’s tinkering and ‘what’ he hopes to achieve by it.
So, things move fast. Yesterday, we were mulling over the options and possibilities whilst Villa were already arranging to pay £5.2 million release money for Emery. And like most Lifers, I am pleased we’ve installed a coach who is not tactically limited. I’m looking forward to see how things go and wish him every success in his time here.
But before he takes over, Danks has got the pleasant opportunity of mugging the Wai Ayes.
Robbo
Exactly.. Uni will actually have reasoning to his changes
Gerrard just went from 433 or 4312 because, well, he had no idea what else to do. There was absolutely no tactical reason to play Ings and Watkins and a number 10. It never worked.
Klopp said before what a fantastic coach he is and the details he goes into is fantastic.
We’ve never ever had a tactical manager. We’ve never had someone this elite
He’s beat bayern and juve in the champions league last season for example.
It’s great to have a manager who’s at the tactical level of the best in the world.
We can go into games knowing our manager actually has a plan how to win
Welcome Uni
My bestie is a gooner they really didn’t enjoy Uni as the football was dire and his time at the club was a very unhappy one ….. To be fair Arsenal were a big mess at the time which took Mikel 3 years to sort out and they had a different DOF who’s buys were at best questionable
Uni is also the only manager to not win the title at PSG since they became mega rich
Those are the negatives with all other jobs he has done being very positive to the point of overachieving
Its going to be inteesting .. A good thing is that the 4231 we played so well on Sunday is Uni’s go to formation
UTV
There will be players that know already they have no future under Uni
He’s all about technical players and tactically aware players
Spain league as we know is slow and about how players use the ball
Under Smith we went for athletic players
The likes of Watkins Konsa Mings McGinn cash even the likes of Ramsey
They are athletic but not technically good players, or really tactically aware ones. They don’t use the football well. They are all about their running power
They will all struggle under uni
Some players are definitely in trouble McGinn definitely one
Why can’t we have a midweek match this week,funny 1 good performance and the hope is back
JG, yes, isn’t it amazing what one win will do!
I wonder how many of our games Emery has watched. I hope it’s not just the last one
r0bb0,
Based on everything I’m reading, I bet he goes back and watches every match from this season at least. Have heard it said he watch 17 United matches to prepare for them.
And, by request, a fresh page is coming up here in a few minutes.
I should also say I’m going to be traveling during this exciting time. Will be in Argentina for a couple weeks, so removed from the action. Obviously they’re football mad, too, so maybe I’ll be able to find Villa online or live somewhere.
I’ll also try and schedule a couple fresh pages to come up in my absence.
Quality long haul there JC enjoy
Thanks, runtings.
Nothing like a bit of travel. Longest vacation I’ve had in years.