Keener window-cleaner

For me it's as much what he has done before, with Östersund in Sweden he managed to get exceptional results with them playing in Europe, did a really good job with Swansea and has now taken Brighton to another level, despite them not having invested much. What I particularly like with him is that he seems to be a a proper manager, a proper leader, he manages to make the group he has perform on a higher level than the individuals in it. He is well known for his progressive and somewhat different methods in creating a togetherness in the group. He has managed to outhink bigger teams and seems tactically very astute. Both keeps his identity and adjusts formation etc also during the games. I think he comes across as very intelligent and thoughtfull in his interviews, both when he wins and loses. I also like the fact that he is from Birmingham. I think many agree that he has deserved to have a go at a top club, top 6 is perhaps a step too far (though I think he would make it), I think us in our current position, mid table team (at least where we should be) aspiring to get into Europe, would be the perfect next step for him. Other people say that he deserves to get a bigger club than us. Obviously I don't agree with that. Someone who hadn't done enough yet at the top level was Gerrard Having said that, it's of course always a gamble with a new manager at Villa, and the demads at Villa seems to take down any manager. Think Potter is the best fit just now nevertheless.

I'm not too excited by the idea that we in the foreseeable furture will revert to parking the bus and trying to nick a point or three. That is not the progress I had expected when Dean Smith was sacked. I assume we will get some points aboard with that approach, but then what? What says that Gerrard then has the ability to take us forward? Nothing. He has had enough time to show us at least a glimps of progress. Comparing to Arsenal, with the investment we have made and looking at player for player, we shouldn't be so far behind them as showed in the game against them. Compared to Newcastle, we should be able to be on par with them. They also managed to get a point against Man C, but in contrast to us, they played really positive football, proper smart tactics, played on the front foot and actually deserved the point, if not all three. Reverting to Steve Bruce/Alex McLeish-style of play will bring some stability and we will probably be safe in the lower half of the table, but the other teams that we should compete with like Wolves, West Ham and Brighton and others will increase the gap to us. No way do I agree with sacking Smith to revert to this. I'm willing to let Gerrard grind out some results in the coming two games, but then I want a proper manager in. Preferably Potter.

In the interview after the game today Gerrard said that if we need to wait with the nicer footbal and park some of the technical players to get more points then he will do that. So expect Steve Bruce/Alex McLeish football for a while now.

I'm sure we can grind out results by reverting to play the way we did his first games here, but that's not progress to me.

But that's in fairness a bit selective, yes we should have had that goal, but if you count the chances they had that normally would have been goals they would have been a couple up before we scored. We can't expect that we score 2 goals on our 3 shots and them scoring 1 on their 13 shots. While the performance was disciplined, the point super and we are crying our for positivity here, let's not fool ourselves, 9 times out of 10 we lose that game.

Reverting to parking the bus and trying to nick a point doesn't change anything for me regarding Gerrard. Had we got a point playing like Newcastle did against City I would have been really impressed and would have been prepared to give Gerrard more time.

I really like the positivity on here! It's refreshing! My take on the game is that our performance was disciplined and all credit to the players. But 9 times out of 10 we lose that game, we parked the bus and hoped to nick a point. It was just luck that we weren't a couple of goals down in the middle of the second. Compare this performance to the one of Newcastle against Man C, there Newcastle played on the front foot, pressed them, created, played really positive and with a lot of energy. Comparing where we and newcastle are and the investment in the squads there is nothing that says they should be much further than us. Had this been two seasons ago i would have been really happy. While I of course am very happy with a point and under the circumstances we are in it's a great result, I would still demand more of us at this stage, than parking the bus and hardly putting three passes together.

I wonder what the company WhaleFin.com does?

He blames the what?

Surely Bednarek?

@TRO happy with this? Have we now found the tall, strong midfield destroyer you have been crying out for over the last years?

I like the fact that transfermarkt values him at 28M Euro and we reportedly have paid 13M £. transfermarkt are normally quite conservative with the valuation, cant remember the last time we paid significantly under their value.

I hold Douggie in very high regard, think he is the best footballer after grealish that we have had over the last years. Firmly believ that he is a holding midfielder, a no 6, the position in which he captained Brazil U23 and when he was out on loan from Man C. However, as good as he is in passing and reading the game, he has some weaknesses in defending, not very fast and strong, which is required in the PL for that position if you are not a team like Man C that keeps the ball all the time. I fully understand him wanting to leave for the opportunity to play in the Champions League or compete in the top of the PL. I actually think he deserves it, especially given the treatment he has got from Gerrard. It's madness that he is not the first one on the team sheet and he should have been captain in front of McGinn, preferably vice captain after Mings and perhaps Martinez. Given he wont sign a new contract and leave after this season, if we can get £25M for him and given the horrible fact that gerrard has him on the bench more than not - I think it's the obvious decision to sell him, as much as it hurts for me.

I'm quite happy with this, given that he is in the same shape and form as previous years. I think he is a great player and exactly what we need, good defensively, hight and muscles in the middle of the pitch. Would be perfect with him and Kamara and the two midfielders in a 4-2-3-1. Two destroyers who guards our defence and who also can pass quite well.

I'd say he drifts inside/roams around more, more of a Coutinho/Buendia type than a Bailey/Sarr type, and we already have Cout and Buendia.

We looked much more well balanced when we switched to a 4-4-2, if Gerrard stays I hope we continue playing that formation.

So Arsenal are the ones making a substitution in the 65th minute, yeah I mean it looks fantastic for us, so why change anything.

It's just completely baffling that they persist with this stupid formation, we give up the flanks and the opponents constantly takes advantage of that. even when the opponents manager said they expliot it, we persist with the christmas tree formation where we give up the flanks.

Oh what a surprise on the goal, they find space on our flank and Ramsey doesn't follow his player. Who would have guessed.

Lucas Moura is a terrific player and a coup for us if true, but mostly suited as a central attacking midfielder where we already have Coutinho and Buendia, so doesn't sound very clever. He is also someone who mostly runs with the ball himself, so he doesn't solve our problem that we don't create enough for our strikers. He will also be very expensive with no sell on value. So despite loving to have terrific players here, it would be a no from me in our current situation. Do we have no coherence in our recruting?

I don't know if it's because of inexperience, a slip of the tounge or him being daft, but I disagree with him saying that he hopes 2 or 3 players will leave as he feels they are frustrated by not having enough playing time. A question Stevie - if they don't leave, how smart do you think it is to say publicly that you want them to leave? Do you think they will be motivated to get back into the team then? It's kind of the school book of creating a divide and creating a toxic environment. It's your job to get the best out of the players at your disposal.

I think it's really good to read different opinions, even though I want him out as soon as possible, I do understand ppl who are more patient. Looking at how we have played, it hasn't been a catastrophe, not like for example the spring when we went down. And we actually don't know what's going on behind teh scenes, though I want to blame Gerrard for it. I think part of why I don't like Gerrard is that I wanted Smith to be given more time and that it was unjust to sack him, it makes me demand more of Gerrard.

Hope I'm wrong, but I find it hard to see Purslow sacking Gerrard unless we are in compete disarray. I think it would simply be too much of a personal failure for Purslows inflated ego to let him go. Think he will stick with Stevie as long as he can. And fwiw I think Purslow has otherwise done a terrific job at the club, from what I can see. Just don't get too involved with the footballing decisions, stick to economy and management stuff.

Your play off final performance will be forever remembered, thanks for everything you gave to the club!

Gallagher perhaps? Though I got the impression that he played more of an attacking mf at palace, and hasn't impressed me in the more regular CM role for Chelsea this season. Would still want him though.