Sam3773

Credit where it's due. Hasn't done enough to save his job for me, and I'd probably still pull the trigger in the next day or so, but realistically it won't happen until Leicester/Southampton now.

The highlights of this game will end up on Pornhub.

I think we're in the last 48 hours of the Gerrard dynasty, barring a shock win tomorrow. Some might say Arsenal and Man City are free hits, but I disagree. We'll expect to make those games competitive, especially Arsenal. Remember our league position doesn't reflect the club's ambition. We'll want to be up there, making it hard work for Man City. Rolling over and having our tummy tickled won't be shrugged off because it was a 'free hit'. L Besides, points against Leicester and Southampton would mean what? Other than a complete tactical masterclass out of nowhere, I don't think 2 freak wins will be enough to fool our owners into thinking all our problems are over, especially with an international break on the doorstep. So sadly, I predict a loss tomorrow with a five or more goal margin, Stevie to get his marching orders in the hours/days after and Critchley/Tony Carss to take the Leicester and Southampton games while a new gaffer is recruited.

What struck me is the lack of questions in the interviews, particularly the Dendoncker one. Usually you'll hear, particularly with an ex-player of Gerrard's ilk, something like "and playing under someone like Steven Gerrard. What does that mean to you?" Absolutely no mention other than a throw away brief mention from each player about 'the manager'.

I wanted Brendan Rodgers last time we had a vacancy and my mind hasn't changed. He's a top manager who is currently a victim of the club selling off their stars. He has form for being able to change shape and tactics given the players he has and the opposition. If supported I think he'll fire us up the table, at least back to midtable, with the incumbent squad. Poch and Potter are pipe dreams in my opinion and neither would come here, although I'd not complain if I were proven wrong!

I can see the Spanish waiter arriving.

Hope we roll up wor sleeves at half time.

I always take issue with the notion that a manager has until x game to turn it around. What then? Our form is so poor, but a win against Southampton and the counter resets at 0? The club will take a holistic view, and I'd be very surprised if replacements aren't already being sounded out. Especially with the apparent unrest in the dressing room on top of results and fan pressure. A result against Leicester or Southampton won't be enough to save him. I mean, it wouldn't be the first time a manager gets the boot after a win. He's already gone - the club are just deciding when.

Needs time, bless him.

Evening if we come back to win this, which I expect us to, how in the Lords name can anyone watch this and think he needs time. I'm absolutely lost.

This is all fairly academic at this stage, in my opinion. Gerrard has lost the fan base. There are many reasons why it's happened at such speed, but nonetheless, they've largely pinned their colours to the mast. I won't say there is no way back, but it's a very steep uphill battle when you're this deep in the mire. I don't solely blame form either. Although awful, if we had lost while attempting to play a recognisable style of football, I think the Gerrard-Out noise would be dampened somewhat, and rightly so. There are still some clinging on to "he needs time", and I wouldn't disagree if the signs were there; The players not taking to the style or the manager needing time to transplant the system. The problem is those aren't there. The form is awful, but there's no silver lining. There's no discernable style. It's not that the players aren't picking 'it' up, it's that no one seems to know what 'it' is, and this brings me to the conclusion that this is simply academic at this stage. A win against West Ham would be lovely, and very welcome, but it somewhat kicks the can down the road. A win would likely come as a result of chance rather than something clicking, resulting in the calls for Gerrards head being put on hold for a week, rather than putting them to rest. So while I'm usually in the "he needs more than 30 games" camp, I can't see a way back for Gerrard now. With every passing game, for me, we delay the frankly inevitable changing of the guard. There are no glimmers of hope that I can identify, not even small ones, and I believe this is why a large portion of the fan base have made their minds up. It's now 'when' rather than 'if'. We will delay for more games, of that I'm sure, but it's exactly that - a delay. What this doesn't take into account is Gerrards ego. It would be easy for him to walk before he's pushed. Save face, cite deals falling through and a lack of support from the board, and walk straight into the next bottom half Premier League team. One thing is for sure - at least from where I'm sat - Steven Gerrard won't be our manager for Christmas. How much time we waste hoping is up to them.

I've always got the vibe that Gerrard has an air of arrogance about him. Revered for England and at the highest level with Liverpool. This arrogance was likely exacerbated with success at Rangers, and I wonder how this effects the chemistry. I don't think it's overstepping to say Gerrard could easily rub people up the wrong way with such arrogance. I find some questioning if there's a rift in the dressing room interesting. I don't see how there couldn't be. The public outing of Tyrone and removal of the armband. The players training with the U21s. I can't recall a time we had so many first team players training with the youth, hoping to ship them out, particularly players who, in public at least, have been nothing but professional (A la, no McCormacks). I also see some mileage in looking at the 'cling ons' as I call them. The players who come with the manager. Bruce and Elmohamady. Smith and Konsa. With a new manager, particularly one that's seen success, an element of taking the players you know and trust is often present. But not for Stevie. Not one player from that team left to join him (youth aside) and although there may be an element of Rangers blocking those moves, I do question how liked he was as a manager among the Rangers squad. I think these are worrying times for Villa. We have a manager who appears to be dividing the dressing room after losing the coach who was arguably the brains behind the operation with Gerrard being the face. We have a CEO who I believe has done well overall but this is his mate who we've backed tremendously financially. Does Purslow admit defeat or does he try and ride it out to save face? Does Gerrard walk before he's pushed to protect his own image? The most likely outcome I believe if he is indeed as arrogant as I see. What I will say is I have never, especially after such a relatively short amount of time, seen the fan base unite so broadly on questioning the manager (McLiesh maybe?). Gerrard's stock seems very low currently, although it never looked particularly high in the first place. Mings isn't the messiah, but currently on social media he's seen as some sort of 'anti-Gerrard' symbol. Interesting, albeit worrying times ahead.

I've been privileged enough to frequent these forums for a number of managerial changes. And every single time one or two members decide they're the chosen one with the inside scoop on who the club is appointing (despite no one whose job it is to know knowing). This may come as some surprise, but despite the god-like confidence some display, I've never seen one managerial appointment broken by 'Dave on VillaTalk'. No one knew Deano was sacked until it was announced, so the idea someone knows who the new gaffer is is, frankly, laughable.

I can now see this Fonseca thing having legs. No smoke without fire 'n' all that. Interesting how air tight the club is currently, though. Our media team managed to put together a whole montage and Smith's exit still wasn't leaked at all.

Interested to hear who these moderately successful clubs are that betted on longevity? Out of the top 5 longest serving in the Premier League, Deano is one of them.. Bielsa another and Dyche. Are they 'successful clubs'? The other two are Klopp and Guardiola who fall into the 'Top 6 so can be picky about getting a better manager' category.

Every time we consider sacking the incumbent, everyone says "who is available that's better?" We want someone who is proven to be good at a top level. We don't want someone who has a poor record and we don't want someone who has no record. This just is not how things work in our position - any managerial change is a risk. David Moyes' stock was rock bottom when West Ham had him. Graham Potter had achieved next to nothing at Swansea. Lage on a horrible run at Benfica. The point is, clubs outside the top 6 generally don't go and get a 'better manager'. Any manager is a risk - Favre, Fonseca, Gerrard, Terry, whatever. Turn your nose up all you like, but that's the ball park we're playing in. We can't just choose a top of the range manager when we're balls deep in the danger zone.

I think I speak for us all when I say I really, really wanted the Smith dream to continue. It was just too good to be true - the progress under Dean and Jack, two Villa fans. But Jack left, and exposed some of Dean's tactical flaws. He's had bad runs every season, usually coinciding with a Grealish injury. Form would pick up when the talisman returned, but this time he isn't returning. Then you look at Brentford. He came here because the belief was he over achieved with Brentford. Christ, that assertion looks silly now! I love the bloke. He's a Villan through and through and I wish him nothing but the best. But we've outgrown him. We need someone capable of getting a tune out of a very high quality squad of players at the highest level. We need consistency. I'm surprised he's lasted this long. Our owners would have wanted a 'name', not Dean from the Midlands. This is their opportunity to twist, but it has to be the right one. A gamble could see us in danger of the drop. A top manager could see us push on. Either way, I think it's time. Lange has signed a lot of this squad and they seem unhappy. Will his voice make the difference this season that sees Dean gone? Times up unfortunately, but not on bad terms. I still love the guy. Just not here. Who comes in next is anyone's guess.

Out of any 'ITK' I've seen on here, Twitter, Reddit, etc. Nadia is one of only a couple I'll stop to read. She's not always right, but she has proven in the past that she has connections at the club, and has been around for years. Seems like a very specific and balsy post if she doesn't at least believe there's weight behind it.

Doesn't Gregg get everything wrong? Like, it's his 'thing'.

You know exactly who's coming in..

Feeling like I'm about to break up with a girl I love, but can't make it work because I can't get in the box. I know it's for the best but damn it cuts deep.

Hearing it's happening from the ever reliable Twitter sources. I do get a sense it is happening, though. I'm gutted for the man I really am. He's one of our own and that won't change, but we have to.

Here's where I'm at: Dean is a great guy and coached us during a great period in which we got promoted following a record breaking winning run. Key players in Grealish, McGinn and Mings were, and are, too good for the Championship, which certainly helped. We then went into a summer rebuild around those players. Recruitment has a lot to answer for, certainly, but Dean himself said he gets the final say in our 'transfer committee', so a certain amount of our window rests on his shoulders as well as Suso and Purslow. With some notable exceptions, I don't actually think we have a terrible squad for this league and I do think a lot of them will go on to clubs in top divisions. The problem is consistency and that's across the board. Even with the aforementioned Grealish, McGinn and Mings. They're now very hit or miss and a lot of that has to come down to coaching and morale. Another poster mentioned tactics and 'what's Dean meant to do? He's tried everything!' Well I don't particularly think it's a tactical problem. I think there's a confidence problem. I think there's a morale problem. I think there's an attitude problem. And, after the other night, I think there's a dressing room problem. Whatever happens now, I can't see Dean leading us into next season, be that in this league or the Championship. Moreover I think now, today, is the best time for him to go beit of his own accord or with a slight push. We have 6 games left and whilst I expect nothing from them and relegation to be confirmed, we MAY get a bounce from a new manager. A period of 2/3/4 games where the problems I believe to be there are washed away by a new broom. Chances are we won't, but the owners have to try something, and that seems the only option to maybe have an impact on this season. As for Dean, he's a fan of the club and got us promoted. There isn't a sour relationship with the fans, not to cabbage levels anyway, and there shouldn't be. He will be remembered for getting us promoted and having a go in the Premier League. OK, it hasn't worked out. I don't particularly think that's all his fault, but walking away might fix it temporarily, and keep him as one of our own. As for who we get in? A temp for now probably. Someone who can bring a bit of hunger back to the dressing room. Someone who can bring confidence back and someone who can boost morale. Maybe Big Sam is that man. He's done it before, albeit with more games left. Luckily as others have said, by pure blind luck the teams around us haven't moved. We still have time, with a bit of a bounce, to maybe stay in this league.

Brentford are doing well.

Best thing we can do is get rid now and hope for a bounce. I'm pretty sure we'll just get relegated, shrug our shoulders, and give Deano another shot at promotion.