John_Lerwill

A very nice article, Jim. I'm happy just now with what's happened this week, but I'm now waiting to see what appointment(s) will now transpire. It's OK being happy that McLeish has gone, but just what will replace him? We may yet go from the frying pan into the fire; just how will the chairman provide for the "Bright Future" that he boasted of? I just hope that the next manager has some flair and can motivate.

That is the saddest aspect of this whole experience ... especially when many fans are also experiencing monetary hardship.

Several games ago, when Villa were on 33 points, I said that Villa would finish on 38 points and still finish 15th. In fact, we're on course - Villa have picked up 3 points in the last 5 games, as I said they would. Villa might finish on 17th, but that's as low as they'll get i.m.o. But, assuming survival, there's a heck of a lot to address in the summer.

Was it actually that bad ? Still waiting to hear from somebody who went I saw it on the box. Villa were playing a well-below par 'Pool who gave Villa too much space in the first 15 minutes. During that time, Villa looked bright. As the game wore on, Pool were allowed to take over - especially in the second half. Villa could easily have lost but not by much. 'Pool were not the side of even 2 or 3 years ago. They seem to have lost some of their spirit - even Gerrard didn't look quite the same. Villa's youngsters mostly shaped up well, though, and Given and Collins were great. Given Villa's circumstances in the League, their performance was good i.m.o. To not have played those tactics (11 behind the ball in the s-h) may well have given 'Pool the winner.

JulieB is justified in trying to take some positives. However, the manager has spent the season in blaming the players while clearly giving instructions to players that fit at St. Andrews and not at Villa Park. The smilarities to his performance at St. Andrews is frightening really. And yesterday, Villa faced a Liverpool side that were a pale imitation of their old selves in the first 30 minutes. Liverpool gave Villa space in that time to take advantage - in the old days they wouldn't have done that. Let's wait awhile before we start trumpeting about McLeish's virtues I say. There's still 7 games to go and in only a couple of matches so far this season could you say that McLeish's tactics have worked.

Has no one noticed that there have not been "others" that have moved on "and let someone else try", except probably Doug. All pre-Lerner "custodians" of Villa have been elected boards that have changed according to a democratic vote. Lerner really is the exception - he's created a new era of management of the club that never existed in his style before.

In my opinion, the domestic cups are still worth playing for and even Sunderland won it in 1974 when they were still in the second tier. The cups have the capability of adding a certain magic to the season - and they can also get you into Europe. Something that Villa seem to have forgotten.

My Villa forecasts are (no wins in the remaining games!): Liverpool away ­ LOSE Stoke home ­ DRAW Manchester United away ­ LOSE Sunderland home ­ DRAW Bolton home ­ DRAW Albion away ­ DRAW Spurs home ­ LOSE Norwich away ­ DRAW I've done an assessment on all the other teams below Villa, and I come up with the following final places (Wolves not gaining any additional points i.m.o.): 15 Villa PROJECTED POINTS TOTAL: 38 16 Blackburn PROJECTED POINTS TOTAL: 37 17 Bolton PROJECTED POINTS TOTAL: 36 ---------------------------------------------- 18 QPR PROJECTED POINTS TOTAL: 34 19 Wigan PROJECTED POINTS TOTAL: 33 20 Wolves PROJECTED POINTS TOTAL: 22

Well, I can reconcile with your last few sentences, Pete, and they are realistic enough. As life goes on you tend to become more detached from things such as sport as you recognise the more meaningful things in life - as you've said. However, you having made 14,660 posts on this site I'd say you care a lot more about Aston Villa than you're letting on. Perhaps you're in denial about what's been happening over the past 2 years. :notsure:

... Harold MacMillan .... Then there's a certain George Ramsay, William McGregor and the Hunter bros. And Brum had the benefit of James Watt too. etcetera, etcetera...

... and discursive dialectical discussion! :winkold:

The situation that Aston Villa faces today is one, in my opinion, that the club has been mechanically rolling towards since the start of the season, though no-one could predict the kind of player losses that have occurred since the start of the New Year, particularly that in respect of Petrov. But from the outset, I was not at all happy with the midfield setup. I just could not see how it's lack of strength would work, and I said then that the owner had left Villa short in that department in the process of pulling in his investment. I felt that Delph and Ireland had a lot to prove, and the consequence is that Delph has gone back to plying his trade in the lower division - perhaps temporarily. Ireland has managed to make some impression but still not, I feel, to the degree that might have been expected. I still question why Makoun was allowed to be put out on loan so easily, and did we have to put up with Alan Hutton when the reliable Luke Young had been available? And to replace Ash and Downing we were given the mercurial talent that is M. N'Zogbia. To that player cocktail we add the tactics of the greatly experienced and sought-after manager by the name of Alex McLeish; his winning tactics have been marvellous to behold. His wins against Walsall, Blackburn and Wigan were wonderful, and we were at one stage at sixth place in the Premier League to prove it. And, surely, the smash-and-grab win at Chelsea indicated that the club had turned the corner for the season, regardless of the internal problems that were occurring at Stamford Bridge - which now seem to be rectified. Football, when played positively, breeds positivity; why play otherwise? It keeps the players and the fans happy for starters. Why risk diminishing attendances? Why not keep the owner happy as well while you're about it, Alex? Mmmmm, perhaps the owner is happy; perhaps any form of 'interim state' is OK by him!

As I recall, Faulkner became Chief Operations Officer in 2008 after something like 12 months being link-man (the conduit) to Randy. Faulkner then became CEO in 2010.

Quite right in theory, but Kraft bought Cadbury's and think they know better. There are some business scenarios where it is said that a professional manager can succeed, but Faulkner's move from MBNA to Villa Park did not exactly equip him for football and customer relations of the sporting type.

Yes, but the macro issues are more to do with Lerner than Faulkner. I was more referring to the business generation that Faulkner has steered through which showed up well in the last financial report.

Yes, life is full of challenges and to get through them successfully you have to put things into perspective. We are not mortal for ever and we were not born just to follow Aston Villa - even though it has had plenty of attractions! :-) But, just like the bitter experience of loss in life's other circumstances, I can well understand the experience of loss when something you are attached to has been proved to be not quite the thing you thought it was. The Hindus say that life is an illusion - and I can see the reality of that philosophy.

I thought you were pro-Mcleish? None of us have a clue what Faulkner does or doesnt do behind the scenes so blaming him is a bit pointless to be honest. Not true. I worked there and had dealings with Faulkner. He's clearly a pretty good businessman - the club's financial reports underline that. But that's the nub of the isue i.m.o. - he's a businessman and by last year I do not believe he had the experience necessary to determine who should be the next team manager at Villa Park. Faulkner, in charge of business issues, is probably fine ... but the club need to have someone permanantly on tap who knows what they're talking of footie-wise. And that man should be listened to.

I believe this is 'acute' leukaemia, which I understand from the medical people in my family that it is quite serious. I haven't gone into the business of recovery rates ... I (personally) feel very sad about this, but I can only say that (as with Muamba's case) it's perhaps a reminder of what is really important and perhaps it's also time to suspend (or stop) the vitriol against the club's management. Stan's condition may now create a positive climate and I wish him (if it's possible) a speedy recovery.

I wonder if Gary Cahill will have a point to make in this match?

A Call to the Phoenix... The Villa's lion, that once stood for pride, has no more ambition: it has died. Our lion skulks, waiting for a scrap, at the basement door, where springs a trap. Ignominy looks set for Villa, steered by he at the tiller. How far down can our favourites drop, before we hear a mighty plop? We have slipped before, memory vivid, but never quite like this, so timid. Oh, some ancient Villan to restore the lion's scent for winning, once more.

An Arsenal fan's comment (after the Observer's report on-line): If they can see it, why can't the club's owner?

With a shots ratio of 20-1 at h-t, I'd say they're right.

I have to admit that I did an unsuccessful Google last week to find a "9th place" quote, and a more intensive one just now, again without success. I have to say I recall some comment made by McLeish (and thought it was about the 9th place matter), but the only one on Google I found was a quote from him in December stating his fear of failure in the Premier League. So despite quite a few Villa supporters stating the 9th place "quote", it may be that it's something that has developed into an exaggeration of his December statement. In which case I would apologise.

So, he must go in the summer? To be flirting in 15th spot with a top-10 squad?!! The same points last season would probably be seeing Villa relegated. Something along those lines, I agree. I don't buy into this since McLeish said that anything below 9th would be a failure. 9th is a modest enough target but no real sign of it being achieved. Unfortunately you may well be right there, Bicks, except that I can't see him lasting through his second year.

Too true! More goals scored by Villa in the top-flight that season than in any season since the 1930s ... and the best league position for (then) 44 years. If Villa had not lost some silly games that year they may well have finished top. But (sigh) 5 goals against 'Pool, the Gunners and Ipswich.