steven

MON loyal, us stabbing him in the back? lol the guy quit the first time he didnt get his own way, at a time designed to cause maximum disruption. yeah the first couple of season under MON were good- exciting counter attacking football, we looked like we were on the up. but then teams got wise-play tight and we had nothing. the football became crap. we could get wins but that was because we had players like ash, gabby, milner getting goals out of nothing. the 08/09 season we were 3rd at xmas. a perfect time to get 1 key player who can ensure we get 4th. MON decides the one key player is heskey (and arsenal go and get arshavin). a few months later after MON decides to chuck away europe we bottle it against Stoke and its all down hill. the first 11 which has been run into the ground burn out and we somehow finish 6th, behind everton who were miles behind only a few months earlier. after that season MON goes to Randy, i need to improve the squad so we dont burn out and fall short next year. Randy gives him the funds he wants. that season we throw away europe again, and MON again runs the 1st 11 into the ground. while this is happening players on large wages, who he wanted are not being played and sitting on the bench not contributing. Randy quite rightly questions MON when again in the summer he wants large funds, MON gets the huff and walks. and as Celtic and Leicester fans warned he left us with lots of aging, average players on large wages. MON did a lot of good, but in his 4 seasons he spent a lot and yet what have we got to show? we bottled 4th from an unbelievably good position, im pretty sure that no team before had been top 3 at xmas and failed to get champs league. we threw away europe every year. and 1 final and semi final in which we lost isnt very good for domestic cup competitions. he left us some very good young players, but he left us some right shite and, expensive shite at that. of course, Houllier takes a lot of responsibility, any manager should be able to get our team higher than they are at the moment. But MON doesnt get a free pass at all I find it hard to understand how somebody who hasn't had any influance on the squad for the whole of the season can be blamed. Typical humble Villa fans, I bet you wasn't saying this whilst waving your flag a Wembely. I played his best players week in and out. The reason for this is because when you stick a team of kids outs to play, you lose, as proven this season and in europe. Europe is a lot of games to play with a small squad and the money you get is pointless, we wanted Champions League and finishing 4th was our only way. Be greatful for finishing 6th, because that's a million miles away from where we are heading. Lets see how many Villa players make the next England squad.

dirk1978 spot on. I can't see how MON can be blamed for the team getting worse. Last season we had one if not the strongest back 4 up and down the country. Now with the same team we struggle to keep a clean sheet. MON was loyal to us, until we stabbed him in the back. Never slagged the team even when we played at our worst. Not a bad word spoken even when he left. He had the opportunity to have his own cheap dig in a press release/statement, but nothing...remained a true gentleman keeping his loyalty and dignity. As a fan you can't deny under MON we was climbing. From the likes of seeing Ridgewell, Lee Hendry, Mark Delaney, Jay Lloyd Samuel, Thomas Sørensen and Gavin McCann week in week out. We became a fresh looking squad, the ground, the kits, sponsors all started to look up. Not taking anything away from RL, he has been a massive part to the 5 year master plan. But it was the football we played that made us exciting...looking back to Youngs late winner against Everton. That goal had MON all over it. The fans now known as a 12th man across the country. Seeing Wembeley carpeted in claret and blue. It was all a big dream...we are back to reality, we have even replaced our out dated Patrik Berger for a new spring chicken...Pires. MON done more in a month than this French Terry Wogan we have as a manager. I wonder if the money we got for Milner balances the books as we clutch on to the premier league.