cb_82

Im really looking forward to this game now, feels a bit of a free hit but also one where im intrigued to again see Gerrard pit his wits against a top manager & club - Add the emotional links and i think its a fascinating game. Full week on the training field and finger crossed no one else out apart from the longer terms and a Danny Ings fit and I think it could be closer than some think

As I said on the 9th November when he was being linked...... Are the doubters having him yet??

This is my thoughts, its a big test so would be good to see how Gerrard and team set up for it, I think Gerrard will relish it though so really looking forward t it. As for Grealish...if he plays then I will clap him before/after the game, people move on and what ever you think its a job/career, he had some brilliant times for us and made us 100m along the way

''Im all in'' I was in love at that moment

Good interview with Carrager i thought

Buzzing about this, I think its a really forward thinking appointment for a change - A young, hungry and ambitious manager who is looking to be the best in his profession as well as having a good team around him mixed with youth/experience so if they all come along too then that would be great The guy is absolutely full of premier league experience and is a winner so lets forget this tired line of ''he hasnt manged in the prem'' and i think you will see for yourselves how he deals with Anfield eg nothing like Houllier and more of just another game The players will be excited and will look up to hi so he will command instant respect and that goes from youth team all the way up to first team And finally i think the fans are going to fall in love with him, like i said hes a winner - LETS GO!!!

All about opinions, I know most are like it but ours are through the roof we have to many that think we are better than we really are especially at the moment

One of the most difficult expectant fan bases in the country...

No they wont, there is an element that will be sitting there waiting for his first bad run and will pounce on it - Ive seen it time and time again My point is lets trust the owners/decision makers and fully get behind it

He managed in the MLS and lasted 18 months in France........There would have bee an utter melt down....doing ok isnt he now given a chance?

Imagine if we had appointed Viera......

''Lets Go''

I might be completely wrong on this view, time will tell but I think Steven Gerrard is exactly what Villa need at the moment ''Its a farmers league'' Hes done well across Europe as well as domestically and if you pull apart most of the others mentioned you could find arguments against the leagues they have managed ''No PL experience'' Seriously ? He's worked under top managers playing at the top end of PL football for years as well as internationally ''Its only Rangers'' Lets not beat around things here, Rangers are a huge club supported across the world with huge pressures to perform domestically, get back above Celtic and perform in Europe and in the main he has taken all of that onboard in his first job ''Lets get manager x/y/z from the latest hipster team'' It may work of course but its a huge risk on the run that we are on at this stage of the season, Gerrard with Mcallister will know what they are coming into ''He will go and take the Liverpool job'' Only if hes successful and if he does? That's life, lets worry about that when it comes Gerrard will give this everything, this will be a massive move for him and perfect job for his profile - If you can manage the expectations at Villa then you have done better than most

I dont know why but I still see something in Kienan, I think he would be a great foil for another striker in the old traditional 2 up top method i just think injuries have taken away any chance of consistency

Genuinely had not seen the Danks news when I wrote this but there you go.....It all links in !

Maybe ive used the wrong word but you only have to look at social media etc to see that those expectations have just exploded after one average finish in the prem I dont get all the negativity, I think its one of the most exciting times ever to be a Villa fan and as ive just posted on the Dean Smith thread, if it means waiting a couple of years for us to be a constant team knocking the door then absolute fine by me, I will not for get the last 10 years and the misery of relegation/decline

For me personally its not about i want him to get or he deserves to get the praise its more there are sections of fans who just cant wait to criticise both Smith and the club. This is probably for a wider thread than the Dean Smith one but here you go.....I think for all the ambition is Europe BUT not on a Wolves type model of two seasons of 7th placed finishes and then drop off but more like when we get there we will be there to stay and alot of that is improving on and building on the mistakes of the past so that go forward there is an actual strategy in place....... Investment in Youth - For both our gain and future financial gain, you only have to look at the Grealish sale to understand that and how 100m goes straight onto the books as an academy sale - Can you imagine if we can start having 2-3 sales a year at 10/15m as per Chelsea and Man City alongside the 2/3 that make it through to the squad? A pathway for youth - Ramsey/Chuck/Bidace all with first team appearances, and more to come (Look at our squad last night winning in the JPT against ''Men'') there was a massive clamber for the Metz lad Sarr, hes 18? Why not give Carny that game time? A transfer plan - We don't get who we want then we are patient and we look to buy at the right time & right value for what we need, we do not continue to stockpile players on big wages even if they provide a short term fix (Drinkwater/Sammatta being a prime example of that type of mistake) People - ROK/JT now gone and Shakespeare and A.N Other to come in - Again I think this appointment will be really interesting to how it links with the above and would be alongside a number of other positions we have recruited eg Lange/McKenzie Its been said many times but were a complete mess and so close to going bust it was untrue however there really is a positive future....Is this with Smith for the whole journey? Im sure it wont as there will be better managers when we get to different points however this ''I want it now, sign the football manager stars (Amazes me how many of our fans watch French football) and get me Jose Winagame'' culture drives me mad, we haven't been in Europe for 10 plus years and won nothing since 96, Im sure we can have that bit of patience to enjoy where we are now in comfort and look forward to an exciting future

Its the instant society we live in, as I said on another post lets be patient....if we blood them right we a conveyer belt of talent ready to come through alongside 3-4 big buys each summer - Villa want a sustainable future not just constant sticking plaster overhauls People demanding europe as if we have been in it in the last 10 years, its comical

Jesus....open wallet ? we had 10 players left after loans and contracts ended so he had to buy in at an average of 10 m a player before then securing a comfortable finish the season after and bringing in the likes of Martinez and Watkins who will have both pretty much double in value Bielsa spent 100m last summer, people seem to just pass that one by

I think until we employee some hipster manager off the continent who then goes and spends money on players we haven't heard of but show up well on @davesscouting then some will just never be happy We all know where we were when Smith took us over and we know where we are now and as has been said above I think people forget how hard this league is, ive seen fans saying top 4 in predictions, instead of who exactly ? Its utter madness and we just need a bit of patience - Anyone not looking at the wider issues of Covid, Grealish and injuries as a reason for a slower start is being totally unfair, it will take time And on another note I would rather take 2 more years of consolidation if it meant 3-4 of these young players fully come through rather than always looking to sling 20-30m at the next gamble

Glad we are on the same page mate Twas a joke !

Juve reject, no thanks

Who cares!

I would say this will be pretty much spot on although i wouldn't be surprised to see a mcginn as smith rarely rests him

Lets see if he does it in League one and then he can move up to championship after Christmas, different ball game v u23's Lets not forget someone else started at Notts County thats even lower