Harry

The only polite word I can find to describe what I am watching on a very dodgy stream is inept. I'm actually quite pleased that the commentary is some indecipherable language as its sort of soothing as its an utter monotone. I have not doubted GH until today but how far we have fallen is astounding. He has taken a difficult to beat workmanlike side that showed occasional sparks of genius into complete and utter bollocks. When we had loads of injuries I attributed it to that but now we seem to have a side that has no spirit and no fight and seems incapable of putting together anything that remotely resembles a decent performance. Give we have the same players save for Milner that is very worrying and just has to be the manager's responsibility.

My expectations for this game are absolutely zero. We can't score goals, as Sunday proved, and we concede too easily. My prediction, 3-0 to City.

What the Fonz lacks is experience. He basically has a series of cameo appearances which never gets him the game time that he desperately needs. I still say a season long loan where he would play every week would transform him. He is a class act but not the finished product but of course we probably don't have that luxury at the moment.

Totally agree, the combination of Warnock and Downing on the left is weak. I think its something that the opposition have picked up on too and that was happening last season as well as this one.

Collins was at fault for the first goal. He was in precisely the right position to clear the cross and he missed the kick and the ball went straight through to VDV. I would agree though that Warnock is a liability at LB at the moment. In his defence Downing provides little support but that's not really the point. The right side provides an interesting contrast, Lichaj came of age yesterday and for me is now our first choice RB. He made a few silly errors but nothing fundamental. He also had the advantage of Albrighton getting back and helping him.

And which was more winnable?

Blackpool at home Says it all really we beat Blackpool's reserves...just. BTW that's not the Fonz's fault but its hardly the defining game for a player.

I think that pretty much sums the match up.

I thought Lichaj was very good today. I don't think we need to go looking for another RB when we have both him and Young. All this proves is we really don't need Beye. Bale is a very good player if a tad over hyped but Lichaj did excellently against him today. His tackling is good and he reads the game well. Added to that his long throw will become in time a real weapon. Not a player I thought would make it with us but more than happy to be proved wrong.

I can sum this post up in two words "Hysterical Overreaction"

My mate and I had a debate as to when that last happened. I think it was a couple of seasons ago when we beat Arsenal at the Emirates. Much as I rate Gabby he is clueless in a one on one.

So you abuse a fellow fan because they have a different opinion to yourself - priceless and utterly lacking in courtesy. Here's a question, give me a single example of when the Fonz made a difference in the match. He was in the pocket of the Spurs defence for the entire time he was on the pitch. I actually rate him as a player but he needs much more match time and needs to get a whole lot tougher hence my comment that he needs to go out on loan. A season in the Championship would work wonders for him.

Its a nasty combination at the moment we concede too many goals and score too few. We dominated a game and lost easily. 63% possession and 26 shots on and off target to 13 and 8 corners to 4. Did we honestly ever look like winning the game? Spurs have a notoriously shaky defence and we made it so so easy for them. I cannot be arsed to score individual players but Lichaj was my MotM. No need to sign a replacement RB as we have that player already. I thought Delph and Hogg did OK against a strong midfield but we were let down today by our strikers: Heskey - I am assuming he went off injured because he was OK for the time he was on the pitch. Oh and it was a stone wall penalty when Gomez brought him down probably causing the injury. The Fonz - utterly utterly anonymous. I literally forgot he was on the field. Needs to go on loan asap to get him thinking like a striker. Gabby - hugely disappointing and yet again fluffed a one on one. He was marked out of the game. We so need reinforcements and a touch of class in the side. Bottom three by early January as I said two months ago. Overall very worrying.

Very glad to see he's back in training. I think he will be a mainstay of our midfield in the future. Fits the Houllier mould of a young, keen and skilful footballer although not French of course!

I think we have to remind readers that those comments are in the Sun. Added to that its clear now that Ireland wants away as GH has said he can go which suggests he has given up hope of Ireland ever delivering in a Villa shirt. With hindsight I'm not sure Ireland ever wanted to come to the club, he was probably desperate to end his nightmare at Citeh and Villa seemed the best way out. The bit that annoys me is that we on paper screwed Citeh over the Milner transfer which was reputed to be £28m with a notional value of £8 for Ireland. We will never get that for him now so I think maybe they sold us a pup. Moral of the story, don't sign players when you don't have a manager.

I imagine this thread will pick up when those brave souls get back from "up north". Its grim up there you know.

Must win game for us given the next few fixtures. I'd very much like to see NRC and Hogg anchoring midfield with Ash in front of them. Albrighton and Downing on either wing with probably Emile up front and Gabby ready on the bench. Ideal back four would be Lichaj (I'm loving that throw, Delap watch out!), Cuellar, Collins and Young but I suspect Warnock will keep his place. I'm hoping Dunne stays on the bench but I have a horrible feeling he will be back. The good news is we will have a few options on the bench.

Maybe a controversial choice but the MotM for me was Hogg. Neat, tidy and unhurried and picked two or three world class passes. Today for me he completely anchored the midfield. He's never going to be flashy or obvious but he oozed class for me. Special mention for Lichaj. He got skinned a couple of times early on but I really liked his attitude and he got better as the game progressed. He has real pace and that long throw will be a real weapon. Cuellar lived up to his billing and I definitely think he got the best out of Collins who had a dodgy first quarter but looked very solid thereafter. My real worry is Warnock. He made three or four schoolboy errors that gifted possession to WBA and a better side would have profited. Ok he did a couple good things but overall he is a real liability made secure by a lack of options. He loses possession so so easily. Personally I would put Luke Young at LB and stick with Lichaj at RB.

Given the dross we are being treated to at the moment a rational answer would be no. But I know I will whatever I say. Two tickets in M5 basically cost a grand at today's prices so it's an expensive addiction but I will keep going as you follow the team through highs and lows. Houllier is temporary as is form but support is permanent. And no I am not a fat boy who needs two seats, I get two as my son or one of my mates has the other. Just for the avoidance of doubt!

I'd agree with pretty much all of that. Someone needs to have a quiet word with GH about his attitude to the fans. General?? I have to say based on last night GH has virtually lost me. I'm giving it to the end of the year before I decide what I think of him so no vote from me for now. But I see little point in getting rid as who would we replace him with ? Perhaps a manager better suited to a relegation dog fight, because that is what we are in.

It shows you cannot forget. He lost me tonight. I think he lost a lot of us tonight. We played some of the worst football for years sandwiched between Houllier's love in with Liverpool. Forget the fact we were thrashed by a Liverpool side that never had to get out of second gear. Forget the fact Houllier seems to have turned a difficult to beat side into serious relegation candidates because its OK as the Liverpool fans applauded him at the end the game. The biggest issue I have is the don't care attitude of the senior players. The task facing Houllier is little short of huge and to be quite blunt I don't think he is up to it.

A coupe of quotes from Houllier on the OS post match 'interview': "But the Frenchman accepted his side must defend better and admits it will be high on the agenda ahead of Saturday's home clash with West Bromwich Albion." Well there is a statement of the completely obvious. My view is that 'high on the agenda' is not picking those four clowns together in defence. "We need to address a few problems in the team at the moment and of course one of those is we need to defend better as a team" We need to defend better??? We need to defend - period

I gave up watching after 70 minutes and the only surprise thereafter was we did not concede more goals. It was an inept, spineless and embarrassing performance. Liverpool were and are an average side who completely outplayed us. The score line in the end actually flattered us. All this bollox about Houllier going back to Anfield was so irritating. Well Gerard how about forgetting the love in with the fans that chanted for your dismissal and the club that fired you and focus on the job in hand which is managing us. On the basis of tonights performance you have a huge job on your hands. I really do wonder now what is going on at the training ground. We are making the most basic errors, we give away goals at set pieces time and time again. We cannot defend with any confidence and commitment and we can't score goals. I would agree that the injuries have not helped but that is a poor poor excuse in the face of the basic school boy errors we are making. Apart from the obvious frailties of the defence the midfield was dispossessed time after time by the Liverpool players holding a high line on the pitch. Gabby had gone AWOL on the left for the first half. Who did he expect to be on the end of any crosses he put in? It just left that tall imposing striker Stephen Ireland to win the ball. :shock: As for Plan B Carew and Pires what a **** joke. Like they are going to muster a goal between them when all the evidence says otherwise. Overall Houllier need to stop being dewy eyed about Liverpool and focus on us not being relegated because that is how it looks to me. Oh and any one who thinks we can get anything off West Brom the way we are playing is **** deluded.

He'll be off, no question. In all honesty would you blame him? He's a hired gun at Villa and he can get more money and a better shot at silverware somewhere else. Based on the way we are playing I expect him to be off in January.