alienvillan

who picks the team? - Kev Mac

who identifies players to buy and sell? - GH

who picks the tactics? - Kev Mac

On point #2 I'd expand it and say KMac identifies gaps in the squad and gives GH the criteria needed, then GH identifies who the solution is.

Isn't that how it works with scouts?

VT'ers must have done more headhunting than the club.

I think Big Sam would do well here.

I prefer Reo-Coker.

what so when he's clean through on goal again we canwatch how he waits for the defender to get back to his feet before passing to him.

If Ireland was playing instead of NRC we'd have won by 2 or 3.

Reo-Coker is more creative than the duo Sidwell-Ireland. And more fun.

I prefer Reo-Coker.

Villa: 9, 7, 6, 7, 6, 5, 6, 7, 6, 8, 5. S: 6.

Everton: 7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 7, 8, 8, 8, 7, 6.

Under the circumstances happy with the 3 points.

Luke Young's goal was fantastic!

And I might add, it seems like he doesn't know what to do.

How can it seem like that?

He is searching for a new manager. It is such a big and important role that it doesn't happen overnight.

Unless you know for a fact that he is sat at home googling 'good managers' then I think that is a pretty silly remark to make.

Well, silly posts from a silly man, what would you expect? I don't know what the man is doing, I hope he is not googling.

But what ever the rumours say this is very difficult time to find a top manager. Eriksson, Southgate, Curbishley - those are all unemployed at the moment (or?) but it's hard to believe that they would present us more satisfaction result wise and performance wise than MON.

Bradley - a Premier League manager? Shaky.

Jol - wishful thinking.

Finding a top manager now would be a hard test for any chairman. Leave out Man.C.

And I might add, it seems like he doesn't know what to do.

Randy has 4 years experience in the football industry now - it's not much but it's more than none.

I think if that was their agenda and if it were that clear-cut, they'd have already appointed him.

I don't think he has. As you said yourself

... This is Lerner's biggest test as chairman IMO. All he really needed to do was sanction funds to keep the supporters happy up until now.

This is his first test, IMO.

I don't blame the players, the first 30 mins was very exciting and joyful but then 3-0 and the game was over (... except that it wasn't).

I don't blame team selection, it was obvious after 3-0 win against West Ham. (But Ireland is not Milner.)

I don't blame tactics, it was obvious after 3-0 win against West Ham.

I blame four little incidents:

Missed penalty. Carew, what the hell?

1-0 Barton. It will take 10 years for him to score another like that, shooting practice included.

2-0 where Carroll-Nolan did something our defenders didn't expect, and where Friedel's save/serve was too good for any player to miss.

3-0 where ... 'oh no'.

... We were the better team in the 1st half and it was slightly surreal to be 3-0 down at the break...

The second half should have been better.

90 mins of exciting football! Our creative unit Downing-Young-Albrighton was so good that there were moments I almost forgot Milner was on the pitch. (I hope he stays!)

Clark, not excellent but good. Goal for Petrov, alright! Carew had one of his best games ... no goals but no matter. Fullbacks offensive, great!

Ratings: 7, 7, 8, 8, 7, 8, 8, 7, 8, 8, 7

If it had been Everton add 1 for each.

Team performance 9 (=MOTM for me).

37 to go.

I would be happy with something like Pantsil, Clyne, Ireland , Keane (If the price is right) and Doyle. Release Shorey, Sidwell, Heskey, Salifou and give more minutes to Albrighton, Fonz, Clark, Guzan and possibly Bannan

Pantsil is crap, is he a serious suggestion??

Do you honestly think its a good idea to release all those players when we've spent nearly £10m on them?

Pantsil is far from crap, however I don't expect MON to buy another RB.

I think you'll find he is, positionally he is awful

No, I've seen him a lot...he's pretty solid.

Alan Hutton (Spurs) might be available?

Can MON take us forward?

a) Transfer market / signing (top) quality players: No. If we sign 'exciting' players I'll be amazed.

Challenging the top4 / finishing higher than 6th: No. If we finish 6th (again) next season I'll be glad.

c) Europa League success: Yes. It would be nice to still be in the competition in February.

So is this yes or no? It's a 'no'.

But is this the end of the road? No.

If we are talking about the season 2010-11 then my vote is 'no'.

sell milner, get muamba and jenas

Have the colours for the new away kit been announced yet?

I wish it would be the full yellow like in the mid 80's. We could all wear sunglasses again.

why have you quoted me saying his movement is shit which i dont agree with.

Fixed now!

Gabby is so shit, ok he scored a header anyone could of scored but his movement is so shocking as he follows the defenders rather than the defenders going after him.

Really?

Yes.

And Gabby is "shit" (maybe too strong word there) in many ways. OK he is fast running a straight line without the ball, he is strong against smaller players and sometimes he works hard. But two years ago he was a real goal scoring talent, or it looked that way. Now he is as predictable as our style of play. Quality strikers aren't supposed to be like that.

but hes still improved on last seasons tally yet again so he has improved again and his all round game has improved. People can complain about the strikers all the want but if the service isnt there than what can they do? most of our service to our strikers is crossing into the box, this is good for carew but not for gabby. How many times did we put gabby through on goal last night with a killer pass through the middle? it just didnt happen and were still lacking that top class creative midfielder who can do this.

I don't think his all round game has improved at all. He may have improved in some areas but he has "lost his touch" in others.

And maybe the reason for the lack of service is that

... his movement is so shocking as he follows the defenders rather than the defenders going after him.

You are right about these killer passes through the middle. Barry is gone and he took those killer passes with him, even if he wasn't the only one to do it. I miss Barry (I hate to admit) but I certainly miss those passes, too.

Gabby is so shit, ok he scored a header anyone could of scored but his movement is so shocking as he follows the defenders rather than the defenders going after him.

Really?

Yes.

And Gabby is "shit" (maybe too strong word there) in many ways. OK he is fast running a straight line without the ball, he is strong against smaller players and sometimes he works hard. But two years ago he was a real goal scoring talent, or it looked that way. Now he is as predictable as our style of play. Quality strikers aren't supposed to be like that.

... We seem to be trying to play a bit more to me, and it's not quite working yet. ...

I agree.

first 20 mins very good. passing and movement a lot better than usual, shooting from distance which was nice...

... we kept the ball at the start and looked good, and i think it kept us from really tiring like we usually do at the end - so we were able to keep going and get a goal. we need to play like this more

I agree.

Excellent first half display ...

It was an alright result in the end ....

I agree.

I don't think we've played badly to be honest really....

... The same predictable shit every single time!!!...

We played well and this one wasn' t the same predictable shit.

I thought the first half was a good entertianing open game with both side going for it, ansd we played well...

I agree.

... Performers tonight, Downing i thought was on for a real fizzer then didn't, ...

IMO Downing was excellent in the first half, the secont half was more difficult for the whole team.

...I think we are trying to play more alright, we need a better link to the forwards though. We have it from time to time with Young and Downing sometimes moving inside,...

I agree.

I was surprised. The first half was excellent IMO. But Everton went ahead twice which made it difficult for us. But we came back, twice! Actually, IMO this was one of the best games this season performance wise, if not the best. And it was a fair result.

But I am disappointed because (unexpectedly) Spurs won.

* He can try something rather than 2 big lumbering centre forwards

Just thought I would pick up on this as an example of what is wrong with your post that some seem to think is a penetrating analysis of our problems.

He's started Agbonlahor in 26 of our league games this season. He has by and large only not started when he has been injured. I can't imagine you are describing Gabby as big and lumbering, so I suggest you are not talking complete sense in your discussion of MON's policy on centre forward selection.

Also, if you think of Carew as "big and lumbering" you really need to watch a bit more carefully how he plays. He is big, I'll give you that bit.

Carew, you may also have noticed, has scored 6 goals in the last 5 games he's started, so I wouldn't be dropping him just now.

I would say that, injury apart, MON reckons his best CF pairing on present form is Carew and Agbonlahor, as started at Wigan.

You can call them big and lumbering if you like - anyone is entitled to an opinion, as we are constantly being reminded - but I don't think you'll find many to agree with you.

EDIT

Oh, and BTW

* Well instead of talking the critiscim like a man - he's pushed the bal;me to the players. it's cowardly and will serve to diminish relations with fans / media/ and t eh players and fans.

Can you point me to where MON "blames" his players for anything. I think I missed where the coward did that!

I think Gabby is big and lumbering.

I think Carew is big and lumbering.

I think Heskey is big and lumbering.

Gabby is fast and Carew is good in the air but that's it. None of them is a dribbler, none of them is "Bergkamp" or "Keane".

Ibrahimovic is big but he's not lumbering.

If we had one creative, prolific and playmaker type striker there wouldn't be any talk about lumbering centre forwards.

On our mission for the 4th spot we are not even in the last mile of the marathon. The longer we stay (well) in the race the higher our stress level is rising. Ten games left and this is the easiest one.

The trouble for me is if we finished fourth I would not be confident of progressing into the actual Champs Lge proper, they've made it particularly tough now I believe in the qualifying matches and it's likely that you'll come up against someone of comparative quality.

You don't know until you try. And if you are afraid of trying you'll never get there.

Spring begins! I'll expect quite pleasurable afternoon. Light rain won't bother me, I'll be watching tv ... that bothers me.

Massive split here. It seems all those in the CL camp are pointing at how it did Pompey no good, whereas us FAC lot are saying what did the CL do for Everton?

There seems to be common agreement that we can't have them both? Or at least that we shouldn't.

I wonder what would happen if we won the FA Cup and finished 4th, ie worst case scenario? Portsmouth-Everton fate combined?

I think that is actually quite nice that as a whole we are not EXPECTING both!! Bet it would be somewhat different with many other fans especially those with top4itis.

The poll is coming along nicely with exactly 100 votes cast so far there is literally nothing in it!! JUST 1 vote separating the FA cup/4th place options!!

Indeed could we be any more split on this

NO WONDER MARTIN O'NEILL COULD'NT GET A READ ON THIS!!

For me though the important thing is that although we would all love to win the FA cup or finish 4th, & ok in our wildest dreams get both, our expectations also in my humble opinion are actually very realistic.

On the 4th place thing, which is what i personally feel COULD, long term, be of most overall benefit to Aston Villa FC, i would say that although that on it's own could not really be classed as "winning" something in the sense that the FA cup would be, but it would "open more doorways". Basically it would put us in one of the top 4 positions on the starting grid. Not guaranteeing "world stars" but certainly a higher calibre of player than we have been able to attract thus far?

For me getting 4th is "grasping hold of the bottom of the ladder which takes you to the top of the tree" so to speak. Yes you could still fall off but if you don't grab it you will NEVER reach the top.

Also there is some urgency involved in doing it THIS season if at all possible as of course it may be much much harder next season with Man city having more chance to throw their billions about & who knows which other club will be taken over by some Trillionaire anytime soon!! So for me to get it this year would be MASSIVE!!

I can't disagree, no matter how hard I try.

Massive split here. It seems all those in the CL camp are pointing at how it did Pompey no good, whereas us FAC lot are saying what did the CL do for Everton?

There seems to be common agreement that we can't have them both? Or at least that we shouldn't.

I wonder what would happen if we won the FA Cup and finished 4th, ie worst case scenario? Portsmouth-Everton fate combined?

I think there was something badly wrong with our ambition and motivation. I think our players were just waiting for the final whistle in the second half, 1-1 was enough for them and the manager. I can’t explain this to myself in any other way, our second half performance was so poor, brainless. We almost couldn’t get over the halfway line.

The first 19 mins was exciting, excellent performance especially against top club but …?

It’s 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins, 90 mins,...

Well, this wasn’t the first time this happened. I think MON just decided a draw would be a good result and hence the most disappointing second half since last season.