srsmithusa

Lots of good performances. Especially in the middle of the park. Referee was confusingly inconsistent.

Petrov is, I propose, an intelligent, patient, player with lots of experience. He has decent skills and vision, so lots of managers have used him in different roles over his career. He's very careful with the ball which is a great asset. I just feel like he's a square peg for what we need right now. We need more aggression and physicality in a DM. Unless, Herd or Hogg, or some other young-un can do it, he may be our best bet, because he's safe. But he's really not what we need there. Makoun and Delph are both too lightweight. For me, Reo-coker didn't have the quickness or occasional attacking threat. That said, it's foolish to play Petrov if your reason is because you don't know who else could be captain. In today's game, the only official role of the captain is the coin toss. Beyond that leadership in a match comes from whoever will take it and is respected by his teammates. Arm band is irrelevant.

Before Petrov came to us, wasn't he a goal scoring, attacking CM? I was under the impression that he was, and that it didn't seem to work here, so MON switched him to more defensive and holding role. Did I misunderstand his pre-villa role?

Hey General. I would like to say that I am astonished that you keep this site up when some fans choose to use it to do little but harass you and the owner. But more meaningfully, have you and the missus tried Sweet Bones Alabama at the Summit, or Dreamland yet? Will the Panthers have a good season this year? (soccer, of course)

simple lessons learned Given - great value, great keeper, still has it. Petrov and Delph in the middle won't work. Not in any way or capacity. Makoun and Gardner in the middle is much, much better in every way of measuring. Clark can hold his own.

KSV - While it's a "friendly" it's also pre-season with a new manager. He needs to take a look at what some of the predictable core can manage. Giving Baker and Lichaj time and letting Dunne and Collins get on the same page in regular season is foolish. I think they'll have chances to slot in during the season when the odd strain attacks. Having said that.... I would like to see how this would work Gabby Bent Albrighton (Bent slightly ahead) Ireland Makoun Clark Warnock Dunne Collins Young Given My guess is it would not be pretty good.... it would be either fantastic or disastrous.

In the Gold Cup he had a very nice run at Left fullback. In the final, when Churundolo was hurt, Lichaj was switched to the right and had a nightmare.... although, so did nearly everyone on the USA squad.

I still hold hope that it isn't McLeish. With no official announcement (yet) I still hold out hope. I'm not as football suicidal as some are over the appointment, but I really had hoped for an exciting name with an exciting approach to the game. I thought it would cheer the AVFC world. I like taking chances the Sanchez guy sounded fun. Rikjaard would have been exciting. Premier League experience is a safe, but not very exciting criteria. I thought we had too many fans that were ridiculously over the top with the Houllier complaints. (Didn't say critics had no basis, just that I thought they were over the top. I imagine a few may be regretting their venom.) Anyway, I thought they had probably won. Apparently I was wrong. It's clear that the board does not make decisions based on the most vocal critics in the fan base. I was annoyed that the "Houllier out" hysteria appeared to have worked. Clearly the "Houllier out" group had nothing to do with it. Well, a board that will make decisions regardless of the hooting hysteria of fans is in reality a good thing. But this is the first decision they have made that I really don't think is a good one. Until it's official, I'll keep hoping that McLeish is NOT our man. IF and when it becomes official, I'll hope and cheer for incredible transfers and incredible success. But I have to say that while I'm not sure that the board is right, it's clear they have courage.

For the record, I am not in the know. But my crystal ball is. And it keeps showing me an old friend named RICK running in his YARD.

Many of us thought at the time that regardless of reputation and track record it was a huge risk to bring back a man into the stress of PL management who'd had serious heart problems in the past. RL chose, wrongly, to overlook that issue. He got it... wrong. So anyone that isn't clairvoyant and able to predict the future accurately is guilty of getting decisions wrong... wow. Did you know I was going to say that? It was a risk. Lots of people thought it was a risk. Randy presumably knew about his previous health problems. He presumably thought they weren't an issue. In retrospect, he made the wrong decision. Or do you think he made the right decision? I think I've already said, it didn't work out well. Any decision is a risk... people on this site have been critical of any name mentioned. Ancelotti is a risk, he might move on too quickly. Hughes is a risk, he might not be able to succeed without unlimited funds. The decision to hire Houllier was a sound and reasonable decision at the time. Calling a decision wrong because the unpredictable occurred is IMO nonsense. Again, did you know I was going to respond this way? If not, you made a wrong decision by posting, by your definition of wrong decisions My position is clear. So is yours. We disagree with the definition of wrong decision as it applies to hiring Houllier. I won't bore the rest of the board by repeating the same ideas over and over again.

Many of us thought at the time that regardless of reputation and track record it was a huge risk to bring back a man into the stress of PL management who'd had serious heart problems in the past. RL chose, wrongly, to overlook that issue. He got it... wrong. So anyone that isn't clairvoyant and able to predict the future accurately is guilty of getting decisions wrong... wow. Did you know I was going to say that?

Nonsense. Houllier did not work out for a long list of reasons. But that does not mean he was a wrong choice. You can't judge a bad choice by criticism in VT... Every name suggested gets criticized be some group of posters here. Houllier had a good reputation, a good track record, the ability to draw some talented players. Results did not match the promise. But to blame that on RL is, IMO, nonsense. Sometimes good decisions don't work out. My friend built a new home. It was beautiful until the tornado. RL did not "get it wrong last time." I'm not defending our results, but RL doesn't deserve the blame.

X2

this rijkaard is free in 3 days time from contract van gaal is free from contracts ancellotti is free from contracts deschamps is making noises about discontent 3 out of 4 are ready to go, they are top managers, winners at management level, internationally respected managers who have managed top european clubs. managers who will force people to take notice, force people like young and downing to consider things far more closely than before, attract better players to the club and so on and so on or hughes its like saying do you want a car for free, any car its yours for free but you must pay the running costs do you go for the rolls royce, it is awesome, pure quality, gets noticed, gets respect and people admire it but it costs alot to keep it going although it will get you there in style and you get the best car parking space or do you go for the ford focus deisel, nothing wrong with it and it will get you places although doesnt look good, performance is suspect and never gets above 80 miles per hour when it has a full load and when you park it you get a key scratch in it and someone parks their stupid honda jazz next to it and opens their door into the side panel of your car causing a small dent in it. As a man who works in car rental, you've almost convinced me.... As a man that doesn't work in car anything, you've confused me. Are you for or against a reliable but cheap alternative? If you're driving a taxi or a limo, you attract better clientele (players) in the Rolls. I want a name that has some excitement to it.... not the reliable ford focus.

Wouldn't really be excited about Hughes or Moyes. Rikjaard, Van Gaal, Jol, Anchelloti, Deschamps

It appears done that Ash and NRC are both off in the summer. just the details to be sorted

I'm deeply concerned at the lack of footballing brains. Not only on the touchline, but on the field. Wigan dominated possession for long stretches in the second half and we seemed to have no idea what to do about it. If the coaches don't know how to stop walker from making foolish runs, why aren't the team screaming at him? If Albrighton is putting long balls into a hole of defensive pressure where the attack will end, why isn't a senior player taking him to school for it? I just don't get why professional players will tolerate foolish decisions from their teammates. Wigan had nowhere near the threat we had, but we showed no football understanding about how to stop them, or take them apart. I find it hard to believe that's all on the management. I know how to tell Dunne his backpass is crap. Why are his teammates tolerating it?

We may aswell play 3 center backs then. I'd probably have more trust in Cuellar in front of goal than Heskey . Even the greatest fool could see that Heskey has never brought a great number of goals to the team. And you would have the expertise on what the greatest fool could see. (Sorry, I just couldn't restrain myself)

Bents goal was great, but I gave MOTM to Friedel, 2 brilliant saves in first half or we would have been out of this one before it started. Stoke should be demoted regardless of the table for the reason that they deliberately prevent every match from becoming a actual football experience. What sport is it they are trying at?

Look, Im looking at my life very closely due to the number of hours i spend on villa talk. Am i right in thinking your sifting through the stoke forum??? lmao

I can't believe that I agree with a post Fran Villa made about Houllier. Between that and the win today, I'm going to go party !!!!

General, I'm very serious. I work in higher education at a state university in Birmingham Alabama. I'll buy at Dreamland any time you can make it. Feel free to bring coach Goldfarb and Vinson with you. I've met them there for lunch before. Will you PM me to set a date?

I thought that today was his worst performance for us. As always, a few flashes of brilliant touch, vision, and anticipation. But not as many, and seemed a bit lost when we hadn't possession.

I thought Walker and Makoun both had their worst match for us. Whether any calls were right or wrong. We got a break that the goal wasn't allowed. We got a break that Bent wasn't called offside on his second. We got unlucky that the PK was awarded. I think it's the first time all year we got a more good luck than bad. Hope it's the beginning of a trend. Oh, and anyone that wants to blame this draw on Houllier, has much more agenda than rationale.

Where should I send my application?