Blasterpocket68

4 minutes ago, TrentVilla said:

I hold my hands up on it I didn’t see anything special in him initially but his progress has been so rapid. I’m still not convinced he should be starting in a side with aspirations of Europe but it will aid his development as will the new set up.

I agree he is a really good prospect , but TBH the midfield wasn’t fantastic yesterday as a 3 against Brightons 5 . I just think to play this system we desperately need experienced midfielder who will  be strong and play box to box. His a good player but needs time to develop. 

2 minutes ago, Lord Willard said:

Caused a big impact already. Felt like we were trying to move the ball ALOT quicker with lots of 1 or 2 touch football. 

 

Yes I agree we did seem to look to be more progressive. Back 4 looked comfortable. 

Don’t think 3 man midfield will ever suit him . Brighton sat with 5 in the middle so he had tough task today . He show glimpses of a decent player then looks very ordinary. 

31 minutes ago, ciggiesnbeer said:

Not sure how much longer the club is going to carry on this charade.

Its clearly just a cardboard cut out with Jack Woodward doing a Gerrard impression from behind the camera.

Embarrassing from the club. Laughing stock. Down by Christmas.

Mork calling Orson come in Orson 

I’m amazed the owners have trusted Purslow with this decision. I was hoping the owners would make a real  statement with this appointment of their intent and ambition. This has me so underwhelmed and disappointed. 
 

Nothing against Steve G it’s just such a strange appointment, I feel Purslow has far to much control of our club that may not bode well.
 

If confirmed we now just have to get behind him and hope the gamble pays off . UTV 

20 minutes ago, ender4 said:

Gerrard as player manager?

He would still get a game in our midfield

13 minutes ago, Peter Griffin said:

How can u possibly see Gerrard as a step backwards? The risk with Gerrard is that he is unknown at this level and the risk is potentially worth taking because of what he has achieved in his career to date. I don't think it is possible for anyone to be able to say Gerrard is a step backwards.

What’s he achieved exactly.? 
 

he is in (with greatest respect to Scottish Football ) managing in a league where you have a 50 /50 chance of winning the title . 
If it’s him I’m very surprised at the owners . 

38 minutes ago, MotoMkali said:

Well the way he's been treated is a disgrace and really caused us to miss out on potential European places last season and has led to cash and targett putting in disgraceful performances week in week and but being undroppable. 

What games are you watching . Cash is our RB who has been playing pretty good in a difficult season  Guilbert wouldn’t get a sniff . , Target plays left back so no comp for him ?

2 minutes ago, Laughable Chimp said:

If anyone is expecting us to get a manager that has a better pedigree than Smith has they'll be sorely surprised.

We're not getting a top manager. Pretty much any manager that we could attract we'll have some serious doubts surrounding them. Best not be too picky is my advice.

 

Mate the Smith era is over , don’t forget he came from high flying Brentford . Better pedigree than Smith ? 

8 hours ago, gurru991 said:

The relegation battle is going to be very interesting this season . I really don't see Villa getting caught up in it but there will be at least one surprise in the three. I'm guessing that Newcastle will throw a big bag of money at the winter window but Burnley, Leeds & Brentford will be involved alongside Watford & Norwich.

Make no mistake we’re fully involved in this relegation scrap. 

2 minutes ago, Jareth said:

Alan Nixon saying we are after Kasper Hjulmand of the Denmark national team - absolutely no idea about this guy but Denmark are decent

If that’s true we’re in serious trouble. 

1 hour ago, MaVilla said:

thats something that concerns me.

If we stick with Deano, how many are we going to realistically win out of our next 8 games? (Brighton, Palace, Man City, Leicester, Liverpool, Norwich, Burnley, Chelsea), i dont see many points in that run with how we are playing.

However, if we replace Deano, how many is that new manager going to win with a new team and trying to bed in new tactics etc?, if they dont get off to a good start we may be in a double mess.

Its a tough run of games, and Brighton, Burnley might seem ok to some teams, but they are like our kryptonite, one plays proper football when we cant, and the other is hugely physical which we cant deal with.

I think its a really hard decision.

Based on the performances currently it’s a very easy decision for me. We’re in free fall and he hasn’t got a clue how to address it. 
Dress it up how you like we can’t string a team together or any consistency. You can blame coaches injuries whatever you want but at the end of the day the buck stops with Dean Smith. Nice guy villa fan got us promoted but time is up. 
 

the owners have to show real intent for me as this is not going to get any better. 
 

So it’s stick or twist time ! Will the board hold their nerve ?
 This was supposedly  our cup final  where we came out fighting but all we got was another poor  performance in that first half . We were very lucky Southampton we’re not out of site. It was another good goal to be fair .We had good spell in the second half but this isn’t enough. Players are lacking confidence that’s clear but it’s so disappointing again to see how poorly we were initially set up with some players really just passengers in that first half  . 
 

I’ve seen glimpse of a response from the players but something is seriously wrong in the coaching of our team and has been for some time   . Sadly I’m now of the opinion we need to make the change . 

 

4 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

He signed a 5 year deal less than a year before we were interested (17th August 2020) then he signed a new improved 5 year contract

It’s very late here he signed the new deal once we walked away . 

1 minute ago, Davkaus said:

It really will be and end of an era. Have you ever loved following Villa like the way you have in the last couple of years? Old **** that saw the league/EC cup wins need not reply  

From being back where we belong, with a world class villa fan as our captain, and villa fan as our manager, to flogging the captain and sacking the manager within a few months. Disney don't write them like this. 

Agree but it’s just not working mate . Not the just the last few games but this year . The club is a business based on results . 

Just now, Xela said:

If we end up with Lampard or Gerrard replacing a decent bloke who is a Villa fan, I'll have to have a cry. It wasn't meant to be like this.. it was meant to be the Dean and Jack show. How quickly the dream turns sour. 

You hit the nail on the head mate . We not yet recovered from the double act splitting up.

12 minutes ago, Kiwivillan said:

Southampton didn't want to sell and he signed 5 year deal less than year before. He's not worth 50 million 

Not correct mate we wouldn’t pay what Southampton wanted. He signed the contract once we walked away . 

2 minutes ago, AVFCforever1991 said:

We should have spent the Grealish money on Ward-Prowse

 

 

100%

8 minutes ago, lexicon said:

It's not the game to sack Smith on. Freak goal from Southampton and second half was a hell of a lot better.

It really is mate . We can’t continue in panic mode , it’s not just the last 5 games it’s been here for some time . Not sure what’s happening withe coaches coming and going but we’re a shambles . 
if we’re honest they should have been out of site first half . Again we have a brief spell with no end product . 
we have a collection of players that look like they are not coached and playing out of position . 
we’re desperately weak in midfield this has not been addressed, 

Just now, TrentVilla said:

Inevitable now and frankly indefensible, though I’m sure some will try.

He has spent £300m on that, £300m and having to throw AEG and hope for something. We’ve been crap for almost a year, enough is enough, thanks For everything but it is time to make the change before he takes us back down.

Unfortunately I agree . Not just this season there are periods when the team is set up dreadfully . We have been fortunate to pick up some results this year but on the whole we have been very poor . 
 

not sure who’s  out there but  this can’t continue as I hate to say it relegation is a serious threat to us . We simply have no midfield who can hold and control tempo of the game . This is where our games are won and lost . 

We’re in serious trouble . 

Here we go 

1 minute ago, thunderball said:

TBH it’s even over the whole game barring another fluke goal. We just are in that groove at the moment, nothing goes right

Sorry we’re a complete shambles and have been for some time , it’s really embarrassing. 

This isn’t a good Southampton team TBF we’re proper shit !