WakefieldVillan

He was the best of a bad bunch in our back 5 (including Martinez) but I don't think that says much to be honest. The two goals we conceded were absolutely dreadful goals with several culprits to blame in the build ups. On last night's performance I'd rate Martinez 5 Cash 3 Digne 5 Mings 6 Konsa 4 - You need to be hitting 8's and 9's if you've any chance of coming back with 3 points. I'd still easily have him captain over McGinn though

The selections on paper aren't that bad. The worst thing he has done is make McGinn captain, he's way out of form and Luiz played well on Sunday hence should be starting tonight but because of the ridiculous decision to make him captain, he's made a rod for his own back. It's how he sets us up that's the main issue. Just want to see some real fight. UTV

---------------------------Martinez------------------------- Cash------Chambers-------Mings---------Digne -----Iroegbunam----Kamara------Luiz----------- Buendia-------------Watkins-------------Bailey 4-5-1 out of possession, sit in, nice and compact, hit them on the break 4-0 Arsenal

Well, I like it!

Speechless

That's the point I am trying to make though and you've answered it yourself - Basically he was on a hiding to nothing last night with some fans whatever the outcome. As far as I am concerned he picked a side to win the game, we did, he took a few players off after 60 mins, got some minutes into others, we had no injuries and we got a bit of confidence back going into Sunday. There are things to knock him with IE, formations, making McGinn captain, not playing Buendia, continued squad absence of Sanson etc but I will cut him some slack for last night - none of us are privy to what goes on behind closed doors. FWIW I am no Gerrard fan boy - hated him as a player, but was hopeful he could become a great manager for us, which is looking very unlikely at the moment. I just want our team to have some of the traits he had as a player and I really thought we would see that, but we're a long way off at the moment. But anyway, we can agree to disagree buddy. We all want one thing and that's a successful Villa

Well that's a matter of opinion whether the above sort of team would have got the job done. I don't think it would have been quite as clear cut as you make it sound. If our so called best eleven made hard work of it, what makes you think a mismatch of other players who haven't played together done any better? No doubt if he had picked a weakened team and we had lost then he would have been criticised too. Plus of the players you mentioned - Sanson / AEG look like they are not wanted, and perhaps Nakamba isn't fully fit. I personally would have played Olsen, nothing to lose there at all.

To be fair from the moment he arrived he has iterated that he wants to win a trophy, or at least go as far as he can. Don't get why people are using this as a stick to beat him with. Surely our manager wanting to win silverware is a good thing, no? I agree with our "style of football" not working and it's all looking a bit bleak for him/us at the moment, but we badly needed a win last night and we got it, hopefully we can kick on from that.

I like SJM, don't we all, but he is seriously out of form at the moment and needs to be left out of the firing line. I am hoping (praying) that he suffers a (made up) "little knock" in training and gets left out of the starting eleven on Sunday. Make Martinez captain (whom for me was the most obvious candidate anyway) and see where we go from there. IE If we win and play well without him, then it will be easier for SG to leave him out for the game after (and after)... I do think making McGinn captain is the worst thing SG has done so far in his tenure.

Their physicality concerns me - Zouma, Rice, Soucek, Antonio - their doggedness, with the likes of Coufal, Bowen, Fornals... We have to win the midfield battle - we have more flair in our squad, but as we have seen already at Bournemouth and Palace it won't be enough without the fight. I am concerned we will lose this, they absolutely battered us last year and although they have got off to a start as bad as ours, we all know that they will turn it around, and who better than us? Right? That's what we are good at - being a soft touch. For once, just once, I hope this isn't the case.. but I suspect it will be. Prove me wrong Villa / Gerrard - Silence the critics. Please. I would have probably chose Chambers over Konsa but to be honest Calum looked a little shaky last night and maybe Konsa's pace will be more suited to face Antonio. How we deal with him will also have a huge bearing on the final outcome. Buendia did ok, nothing more in a short time last night so I can't see him starting, whereas Bailey could and should be pushing for a starting place. Young played well but I would expect Cash to come in. And then we are just left with the midfield conundrum - McGinn not playing well and should be the one to miss out, but we all know this will not be happening so it seems pointless picking a team without him. With the above in mind I think we might see something like - Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Kamara, Luiz, McGinn, Bailey, Watkins, Coutinho. I'd personally go Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Kamara, Luiz, Ramsey, Buendia, Watkins, Bailey.

By hook or by crook we need to put in a performance against West Ham and get 3 points

Yes, I think you are. We won comfortably in the end, we're through to the next round, no injuries, with a bit of much needed confidence going into Sundays game. Look at the side Leicester put out and they were taken to penalties by a lowly league 2 side, I dread to think what the reactions would have been on here if that had been us. Was it free-flowing 1970's Brazilian football - No. Can we improve - Of course. Will this be under Gerrard - Perhaps not, the jury's out. But I think a lot of the fans moaning about last night's performance / team selection are anti Gerrard and are looking for anything to beat him with. For me, last night was job done. And I am glad he is taking the competition seriously. Let's hope for a couple of kind draws and let's try for a day out at Wembley. UTV.

I seem to recall one or two on the summer transfer thread that didn't want Jesus, but to be fair it may have been more due to the wages / not the position people felt we needed strengthening at the time - than not rating him as a player. I'm with you though, big fan. The part he played in the first Arsenal goal against Bournemouth was absolutely class - strength, awareness, skill, pace, vision, weight of pass

Sure there were some Villa fans turning their nose up at Jesus & Zinchenko when we were (lazily) linked with them this window I would have loved to have seen either in a Villa shirt, especially Jesus - he's a fantastic player and I am surprised City let him go (to a possible rival?!). Of the so called top 6 - these have always been my "favourite". I use the term favourite very lightly. The most bearable. And I enjoyed watching the Wenger invincible team. Hope they can give City a run for their money, but I doubt they will really.

I must be getting old - but I just don't get the name calling one bit. Ok, he's under performing and as fans we aren't happy, but I'd like to think we'd be better than that Still hoping he can turn it around, but it isn't looking good - especially if you go by VT members. Poch or Potter still the two that I'd be very happy with - if or when the time comes..

Be extremely difficult for anyone to pick our starting eleven tonight - but I hope we go strong as this is our best chance of silverware (like it is every season). I would go - Olsen Cash Chambers Mings Augustinsson Sanson Iroegbunam Luiz Buendia Ings Coutinho Get the job done 1st half, then look to replace Cash, Mings and the front 3. Worry about West Ham on Sunday.

Martinez Cash Chambers Mings Digne McGinn Kamara Ramsey Buendia Ings Watkins I expected 3 points against Bournemouth and a 1-2 defeat against Everton so I've been pretty poor with my predictions, therefore I will say another 2-1 defeat on Saturday and hope I'm wrong again and we can return with 3 points. They have some very dangerous players in Zaha, Eze, Olise.. but we can cause them problems too, need to be at it from the very first minute.

Bottom line for me is that he is a good option to come off the bench if we are chasing a game as he has the ability to produce moments of class but he is just too inconsistent to start games and far too powder-puff.

I was confident against Bournemouth and look how that turned out so you will be pleased to know I could quite easily see us losing this by the odd goal in 3. Coady with the winner. Of course. I hope I'm wrong, I also hope SG makes changes from Saturdays team. Players need to know that if they don't perform then they lose their shirt. That in mind, I'd personally like - Martinez Chambers Carlos Mings Cash Kamara Iroegbunam Digne Buendia Coutinho Watkins Absolutely no chance of this team mind so I probably shouldn't even bother

I know what you're saying. I think I am just more lenient in giving managers a bit more time than others. Not saying this is right though. I suppose I am just hoping that he will learn fast from his mistakes and turn things around. Starting with the Everton game. The players also need to take some responsibility too.

I think I have more patience than a lot of fans, it took me longer than most to want Bruce out, though obviously the latter stages of his tenure was very poor and he did himself no favours by the end. I wasn't convinced by Smith on his appointment (knew little about him) but I grew to really like him and he did a terrific job here - had his faults (doesn't everyone) but I was upset to see him sacked even though results weren't good enough. I was happy with Gerrard's appointment, at the time I was pleased with either him or Graham Potter. I felt he really talks the talk and his winning mentality, I felt, is what the club really needed. I'd rate his time her so far about 5/10. Good signings, but odd team selections, and more negative performances than positive. Do I think he should be sacked ? No, not yet, I think he should be given till January and re-assess then - but as I've said I'm more lenient than most. The Bournemouth team selection, performance & result has really hit me and my confidence in SG, I really hope to see a different Villa against The Toffees. As for a potential new manager - Poch all day! I hope we're doing some things in the background in case it doesn't improve under SG. I personally think he's attainable!

Henry Charles ❤

I am an official VT baby club member! A dad at 45! Henry Charles I think we're going for but deciding tomorrow when it all sinks in Born 9lb 2oz ☺ at 15.39 today. My wife was in labour around 35 hours I think, just couldn't get fully dilated, eventually thought she was but there was a bit of the cervix in the way and also baby was in wrong position. Eventually lead doctor said we had two choices which were a C section or he would try with forceps to shift babys head but both would be performed in theatre. My wife really didn't want the C section and was in a proper mess by now, understandably - luckily the doctor managed to get baby out (with utensil) & shoved baby up to me and wife covered in blood, gunge the lot (that vision will never leave me ) we were relieved it was over but then 2 docs took baby away and there wasn't a sound coming from him since he came out, something wasn't right, so I was anxiously looking over, what seemed like several minutes baby eventually cried - when I went over to find out sex to tell my wife the doc told me baby wasn't breathing for a few seconds but then responded to whatever it was the doc did.. that hit me, i walked back to the wife and told her it was boy, we both burst into tears. That moment I will never forget for sure ❤. Wife & baby have to stay in the hospital tonight for checking over, but I'm not allowed to which is really crap cos she's in no fit state really to look after him alone on barely any sleep But I'm absolutely buzzing !

Moving on from here, my wife's waters broke at 3.30am Thursday morning and we are still in hospital now and she's gone from 2cm, to 4cm to 5cm to 7cm dilation over 24 hours! It has been the hardest night watching her suffer, we've both had one hours sleep when her epidural kicked in early hours of this morning. We are mentally drained, she is physically drained. Positive is baby is ok (at the moment). She needs to just keep going for a few more hours

Currently sat in the labour ward with my wife awaiting the birth of our first child, could be a new little Villan born today or tomorrow I'm excited, but petrified at the same time, it's been a long week for us both, especially her (of course) as she's been in hospital since Monday, waiting to be induced, waiting for her waters to break, waiting for a spare bed etc etc, she's been dreading giving birth all her life and has been very emotional (naturally) but I've been there for her which has definitely got her through this - well it's OUR journey after all. We do not know the sex either which is really exciting, just hope everything goes ok ❤