srsmithusa

slight variation on this topic. What do you think will come out of the crisis talks in New York Today. A. pump a huge investment and pay whatever it takes to get a winning team on the field before the end of this window? B. resign ourselves to going down and start thinking in long-term planning? C. some other plan. I will resent the leadership even more than I do now if they opt for B. I strongly think we have players that give up when we go a goal down, before the game is over. It makes me furious. For that reason I stand opposed to the board (and even fans) doing the same thing.

Thank you so much for fighting to protect us from the hypocritical opinions of others. You are clearly on a noble crusade for our betterment and we need your protection.

Given the complete lack of a coherent system this season, the question in my mind wasn't "is it Sherwood or the players?" The question was, "is it just Sherwood, or is it both?" I think we are seeing that it was both. Not just because Garde hasn't increased the points total, but because Garde has IMO implemented a much more cohesive alignment of strategy, tactic, line-up, and personnel; and while I think our play has improved, clearly not enough, and clearly not on the table.. So, what we now know is, it was more than just Sherwood, it was also the quality within the squad.

Ability ( CHECK PLUS ) Effort ( PAINFULLY LITTLE ) Attitude ( A projection of the reviewer, because we are not inside his head) Off Field (Who Cares) That is the status. There are really only three options (IMO). 1. Have a sit down, determine whether the attitude is a problem creating the lack of effort. If so, name it and leave it to a young pro to fix it. (With perhaps a teammate to remind him and help him keep focused.) 2. Assume the attitude is good or that it's his responsibility to fix it and keep him out of the team until he shows the effort off (and then on) the pitch. 3. Take what you can get for him to set a firm standard and message to the team. "Skill, ability, potential, popularity, and ANYTHING else mean nothing if you don't work your ass off for the team." And just to be clear, I would do each of them in the order listed above, try the first, if not getting anywhere move to the second, if still getting nowhere, ruthlessly get rid.

I seriously must have dozed off, or been pacing the other room cursing at the Villa. Do you remember the match time? Really don't want to watch any more of that than I have to, to find it.

I would say that failing to work harder when "everyone knows" you need to, IS crap. It's attitude. Playing in the championship won't change attitude. BTW, I would also say that he needs to stop slowing the attack and find more incisive passes, but when your attitude is bad you can't really learn anything. He will either grow up and change his attitude, or leave the club that fired his beloved manager and grow up there, or he will always be a wasted potential.

Many VT posters been banging the "we're already down, time to plan for a quick rebound" gong for some time. I have disagreed with their certainty, and their strategy. If the club does turn out to be thinking the same way, how many of them will turn and blame Randy, Fox, Garde, and anyone else, for "giving up" and "one more terrible decision"?

Still, lots of flash and excitement but he tends to lose the ball in a blazing burst of speed. Yes, he got to the end line and put in several crosses.... they were all woefully overhit. Even the goal was hit past the far post, over Gestede. Gill literally chased it down and pulled a moment of brilliance or it would have dribbled over the touchline for a defensive throw in, like all the others. Still, he is exciting. I would start him as a forward pairing and let him run straight at the goal than straight to the end line for a poor cross. (Then I would rant and scream at him after every match for not putting in the defensive work.)

Still not a big fan of his, but that finish was one incredible touch. Very impressive. But one good finish in hours of playing time with hundreds of wasted "dribbling" across the midfield is not enough to change my overall view.

I understand the frustration. Theirs and yours. But if you can't prosecute the guilty party, do you take it out on others to get his attention? If you think so, I guess we'll just disagree. A banner in the stadium? Fine. E-mail to Fox? Fine. chanting in the stands? Fine. letters to editors? fine. But directing at one, recently appointed manager is, i think in both our opinions, misdirected, and in my opinion, not helpful. Yours may well be different.

"you're not fit to wear the shirt" I understand. "we want our villa back" I understand. But yelling "we want our villa back" at Remi Garde makes no sense at all. He's not the one that took it away.

Maybe I can't count, but your second appears to be missing a forward. Based on your text, I'm going to assume you meant Traore paired with Gestede?

Fair enough. You may be right about the next line-up, given who's available. But if I had to play Adama, I think I would try him paired with Gestede or Gabby in a front 2. I doubt it would work, but I am tired of seeing Adama lose the ball in a blazing burst of speed and then stand around on the wing. Mid-field players must track back or stay off the pitch, IMO; Forwards to a lesser extent.

Adama might be the key to winning, but I highly doubt it. He usually gives the ball away in a great burst of speed. But I have to take greater issue with your reasoning for playing him. It's not the manager's job to play people that won't be effective in order to prove that to us. Sorry, that's just daft. I also think he's nothing like Ayew. Ayew works his ass off to make something happen. Adama stands around waiting for someone else to give him a chance to show his superpower. If he used that speed to get back and stop a fast break, or even to track back meaningfully, he would be a different player.

I'm not a Grealish fan. But I don't think he's "bang average." I think he has a smooth and stylish play that's very entertaining to watch. I just don't see him attacking the goal, attacking the ball, or attacking an opponent. It's beautiful when he ghosts past an opponent, but it loses all the product when he then slows down, lets them recover, so he can ghost past them again. Maybe he has spent too much time playing keep away.

TBF, I doubt there's a waiting line for it.

Agreed. I'm not advocating blind approval of whatever they do. In my mind that would be the same "giving up" I don't want to tolerate in them, or in myself.

I completely agree that it's hard. But I don't want to rage that the players don't show the bottle for a fight and act just as feckless as they, at their worst. When they give up it pisses me off. I just want to hold myself to that same standard. Not giving up my dream and passion that Villa score and win every single match I'm not stupid enough to think that my positive thinking has some mystical spiritual purpose. I just don't want to have the same lack of determination and grit that I loathe in players.

Those who think I'm off base To be clear, I understand you, if a player gives up at halftime he's shite but if you give up at half-time, you're just being reasonable? Also to be clear, the attitude and actions of a fan base can't do anything to impact a club or the on field results?

I agree with you Richard. It does require a different culture than what we have now. It's what I think John is proposing.

Your support is not exactly crystal clear from your second sentence. But taking you at your word.... I assume you agree with me that our team should be fighting for every goal, every point, in every match. It's a habit that should be learned immediately, not next year. And perhaps you'll even agree that it's inconsistent to think the players should be the only ones to develop that habit.

Bad form to quote myself, but I want to revise this. The names I would leave alone. But I truly don't feel confident about who to put in the blanks. I hope Garde can pull a rabbit out.

THIS. My only disagreement is that I think we should start with one match at a time rather than one league position at a time. But resigning to going down now is EXACTLY what has our team losing far too many matches. Look back here, it's been noted multiple times. We give up an early goal because a moment of defensive stupidity and the heads go down; the effort drops, the ambition to make that run dries up, we become content with possessing the ball outside their pressure where there is no real chance of us scoring. I suppose the players are just giving up on this bad game because we've had so many in a row. They'll try again next week. Too many fans are doing the same f%*#ing crap. Let's just give up on this bad season/team because we've had so many in a row. We'll try again next year. I don't wanna sound like some cheesy sports movie where one dramatic speech gets everyone fired up to go win, but FFS you lot, don't become the very same defeatist attitude we loathe in the players when they just give up!!!!!! I can hear the whining response now. "They're getting paid and we're not!" Who the F#%* CARES whose getting paid. Let's go out fighting... fighting... fighting. I will not go softly into that good relegation! What CRAP. I will not go softly into losing any single point. Other whiners will moan, "we'll go down anyway." SO WHAT? At one point I said I wouldn't give up until it was mathematical. I've changed that. I won't give up! Should we hit the point that it's mathematically impossible to stay up, I hope we win every single match after that. I hope we AND this team finally show the fight that we have been missing for far too long. If we don't see it this season, what makes us think it will magically appear next? Now THAT's delusional. IMO, any fan that posts things like "we're done for this season, and should just plan for next year," should, whenever a player's head drops say: "Good job, you're just like me." (Cue "Cat's in the cradle" ) Too many fans have become the very lack of grit, fight, and ambition that they despise in the players.

---------------------Guzan--------------------- Richards - Okore - Lescott - Cissokho ----------------- a large dog ----------------- Who knows-Cana-Veretout-Who cares ----------------Doesn't matter--------------

I understand he is grandson of Kilroy