avfc1982am

Bacunas been shit. Joking with their player after the penalty decision aswell-what a dickhead!

Shouldn't this thread be closed and archived in the "If only" Section. I'm sure now he's going back he will turn out to be a world class RB.

Anyway on the topic of protesting next Tuesday in the North Stand car park. Maybe as a start fans with access to printers should copy as many "Lerner & Fox Out" or "Proud History,Dark Future" on A3 in bold if possible to hand out to those without. If a few of us can do this to hand out to those willing to hold them up in and out the ground it will be a start. I can probably get a couple hundred printed to get the ball rolling. Or even hanging old/not used Villa scarfs etc on the gates. Just ideas so any serious feedback would be welcome...

Whilst I agree with protests within reason what I don't agree with is the personal and aggressive way they directed their frustrastion regardless of how they feel. For a start off who isn't angry, frustrated and just generally pissed off at the situation. I don't see why someone like Garde who has been here for 9 games deserves that. After all the form was shit long before he arrived and although he hasn't managed to turn things around up to now it's not something he created. If people want to protest then sing and shout to those making the real decisions not some bloke who has been here 5 mins and trying to sort out the mess! Fox is there Saturdays even if Lerner isn't.

I think he has improved recently, especially when Richards was out the team and paired with Okore, which imo has looked our best CB pairing this season. I have changed my stance also on Richards who I do believe should now be switched to RB in place of Hutton. Whether he has the legs for it due to previous injuries I don't know but if I was Garde I wouldn't give a shit. Richards will be the first one out the door come June as there is no way he will play in the championship.

I agree. He showed a little darker side to his personality the weekend. Somehow I don't think he is the push over many feel he is either. I personally think he will now believe he has given all the players(bar Kozak) a fair chance to at least show their worth to the team. I think the Norwich and Sunderland games will have enforced to him the fact many need replacing and we may see him become far more ruthless between now and the end of the season due to this. At least I hope so!

I agree with stevo regarding the spend. Also even bringing in Moyes or Rogers is no guarantee of staying up either. Both were ridiculously poor in their last jobs and quite rightly were removed eventually. Rogers is not the sort of manager to sort out a defence either, he squandered a huge chunk of money and got nowhere in the process. I wouldn't touch either of them at the moment tbh and I am sure they wouldn't touch us. We need to give Garde the rest of the season now imo. If there is enough improvement in the team before the end of the season with a couple of his own additions, and he starts offloading or reducing opportunities for those that either, a) under perform or b) are just not working hard enough then I would possibly let him plan for next season. If not then we need to start looking to replace him as soon as the season is done unless he walks. Anyone thinking the likes of Pearson can sort us out in my opinion are clutching at straws. Lambert did a better job at Norwich and look what happened with him working under the current regime. Plus as think has already been mentioned, the baggage he brings with his attitude would be worse and more damaging than having Roy Keane in charge with this group of players. Lastly anyone thinking Warnock or Redknapp are viable managerial options at this club ... Make an appointment at the doctors as you coming down with something.

What?! Was arguably one of our better players before the injury. Admittedly not overly great but far better than the majority of players that have been turning out for us.

They do however there is much they don't do. I watched my own lad spend 6 years in the academy system and know several coaches. There is a lot of coaching/technical theory and if you get the chance to ever go watch a decent academy team you will see quite often very good technical football. In many instances I have seen kids as young as 10 playing with more awareness than some of the pros in the premiership. What they cannot do though is teach passion, drive and determination. Some of what we lack at the moment and where most of the kids with the technical ability fall over as the majority end up with their heads up their arses believing they've made it at 15-16.

Mark, I was one of those such supporters. I also still believe this squad is(sorry was) good enough to stay in this division. What I do think though is that Garde(just an opinion) has had more than confidence issues to deal with at the club since arriving. Now I am not saying some of it is not brought on in the way he may have dealt with things but something is clearly wrong with the players. Especially the likes of Gabby and Grealish who should be fighting their nut's off and forcing their way into this team to keep us up and at least make an effort when on the pitch. As with others who have commented it would not surprise me if certain players have caused a divide in the dressing room with our foreign signings due to having their noses put out of place. Look at Grealish today for instance..did he look like he was bothered? even when we were pressing the game early doors his body language and effort was shocking. His first start for weeks and thats all he can muster?! I know you rate him as do many but age is no excuse for effort. Also I stick by my views regarding the summer signings. I thought at the time and still do that we brought some good quality younger players into the team. Ayew, Traore, Veretout, Amavi.Then with Richards, Gana, Gil, Grealish, etc thought we had the makings of an exciting team. Although lacking up front I felt there was/is more depth than previously, I still do however it is obvious our weaknesses lie in those that have been playing premier league football more than a couple of months which I have also commented on previously. The effort and quality from the senior players above all has been nothing short of disgraceful at times. Now I definitely don't think Garde can automatically be given however long in the job regardless of performances. IMO there definitely needs to be progress between now and the end of the season even if only for the sake of pride. What I will back him on currently though is removing bit by bit the underachievers, the shit and those who don't give a toss.

You aren't educating anyone. At least not me. Your views are your opinions and not necessarily fact or shared by others. As you mention with Lambert he was only worth 18 months before being broken so in reality shouldv'e been sacked long before you stopped backing him?! Also I don't particularily care regarding your support of Lambert tbh or at the time(each to their own), however when you called Garde spineless I found it uncalled for especially your reasoning, hence my response. You see to show so much patience with a manager and blaming restraints for his shortcomings and then show no patience with following managers for less is, if you don't mind me saying..A bit rich(sorry couln't help myself). Garde has been here 9 games, has walked into a far bigger shambles than any of our previous managers in recent times and he also has had no chance to improve with his own signings yet. Take this also for instance.... "On me being unfair on Garde. Really? I am giving my opinion on him. I have said elsewhere I have no doubt he is a decent honourable and charming man. However, and this is where we come to the real issue of problems with our club, he is a man for those running the club he is not a man for the fans. There is and has been for a while, a major disconnect with the hopes, ambitions, wants and goals of those running the club and those who despite it all continue to support it. I'd suggest that it is poles apart at the minute. They want a man to come in and work to their philosophy which has failed and will fail. We need a man to come in and make us a football club again, one who knows what it is about being a football club and will compete. Axs long as this disconnect continues we will only be going one way as a team and as a club. Changing the manager is no good as those who remain will continue to appoint in their image. Going down will not change it as those that remain will continue to run the club as they see fit, admitting no failure. Especially as some fans carry on focussing on the manager." Your view yeh?! Well did the fans not help the board to choose Lambert and wasn't he a so called manager for the fans? And for whatever reason was he the correct appointment? I would say catergorically no as would 99% of fans after the fact! But that's my opinion. Now of course we all have varying thoughts as to what is going wrong/right or whatever, however the bottom line we all know the real issues are deeper than the last 3 managers- for instance the owner and his subordinates. Also the bold, what's that about?In other posts you want Garde gone yet admit in this one nothing will change. What do you want the club to pay out further compo for when you think nothing will change? Garde, as does Sherwood and Lambert all know what a football club is, and have all been successful in their careers long before they joined us. Plus they would all want to compete at this club and do well as do all managers. I would also say that any manager coming in to a club first and foremost are employees and therefore will never be a manager for the fans unless they happen to be successful. Unless of course you meant a caveman to come in and bully players whilst smashing everyone in his path - like Pearson? Old fashioned and hard! The truth here is nobody knows what the solution definitely is including me and you. This manager, that manager, new owners, new players, blah blah blah! Most wanted a change within the club(including myself) after the MON fiasco. No more managers with total control. A new approach regarding transfers and personnel. Even a DOF to oversee. Like Southampton etc. Getting back to Garde though I don't think he is spineless in the slightest. Can he turn the club around given time...possibly, possibly not, but he will need time thats for sure. At least another couple of months before everyone rights him of as being spineless and shite.

Sorry to disappoint you but I read enough of your pro Lambert posts to realise there was nothing of real substance in what you write. As for my confusion, there is none, I am confident I wont learn anything from worth knowing from you. Each to their own though and we'll leave it there!

Fortunately I didn't. I find it funny though that someone who backed so firmly a manager that continually showed a lack of nuts and mismanaged the club previously as far as staff and players go, that you now question Gardes spine. Quite ironic that! If anything I think it is the least questionable thing about him imo. Whether or not he is making the correct decisions is up for debate, but spine?!

What like Lambert?! Garde has shown more spine than he did with the players.

At the moment I can't blame Garde. In general he has for the most picked decent line ups(bar Norwich) that very many have agreed with. He has dealt with the nonsense of Grealish, Gabby, dropped every player that has underperformed when picked previously, although I say it loosely as they are pretty much all shocking. I just don't see what more he could do with this bunch as the majority of the senior players are the most culpable for our plight. Those you would expect as a manager to hold it together on the pitch and drive the team on are without doubt our biggest problem. It's a lose lose situation for Garde at the moment imo and something that will take longer than 6 months to remedy. For the first time today I saw him very very animated and angry on the touch line. I think he is as frustrated at the stupidity of the players as much as the rest of us tbh and would replace them all given the chance. Know doubt we have had a couple of managers who have underacheived over the last few years but we have a squad with senior players in it that should not be wearing the claret and blue of Aston Villa. An owner that hasn't got the foggiest and a commercial dude running the whole shabang?! Which sums it all up imo. As for Garde if he starts ridding the club of the likes of Gabby, Nzog, Richardson, Hutton, Guzan, Sinclair or any other player that is unwilling to fight for the shirt they should be begging to wear, then I'm on side because we cannot go on like this.

Long John Silver definitely would. We employ and play those stealing for a living!

Cannot agree with that! Grealish has acted a tw@t and been disciplined for it. Rightly so imo!

Your okay?! He is on the bench!!

I was sure he has been back about 3-4 weeks already? I thought I had heard Porto had released him early? If so he needs to be back in asap!

Micky Quinn talks utter shite though. The bloke basically said Leicester wouldn't make top 4 because they didn't try to beat City last night! What a jerkoff! We all know the problems, or at least some of them....Gabby, Richardson, Clark, Hutton, Westwood, Guzan, Sinclair etc etc. We could probably pick out 80% of the squad as not being good enough or for lack of fight. IMO we need strength and pace more than anything this window to liven the situation from the comatose state we are in. Add some steel to this bunch of lightweights. For the first time I agree with others that Richards needs to be pushed to RB to allow Okore and Lescott to continue what was until Monday, a partnership taking shape. I would also get Cissokho back in at LB asap, starting Sat if fit. Starting line up against Sunderland.. Guzan Richards.....Okore.....Lescott....Cissokho ..........................Gana............................ .............Veretout...........Gil....................... Adama........................................Bacuna ........................Gestede.......................... I would have picked Kozak to start but as he isn't in with a chance there is no point. Obviously with Ayew available it would be different but I think that team would beat the Makems

I think he got it wrong today with the line up but I also don't know his logic behind it. Whether Okore and Lescott needed the rest only he can answer. Playing Sinclair after recent performances, only he knows?! What I do know is this... He has come into a sinking ship, a ship with a massive whole in the hull and with not enough time to carry out a full repair before it goes down. IMO our biggest problem are most the long standing players we have, Clark, Richardson, Hutton, Gabby, NZog. Add the ineptness of Sinclair, Gestede, Sanchez and Bacuna to a degree, Lescott and even Westwood for lack of influence alone. What you have is a frigging catastrophe on your hands!! Personally I don't believe any manager in the world could stop this team without getting rid of at LEAST half the personnel. And that wont happen this season but I believe Garde should oversee it.

Yep needs to go. I'm not interested in the fact he is an international. He's shit at club level!

Switching the back 4 with Clark and Richardson coming in was a mistake. Hutton continually playing is a mistake. Sinclair near the starting 11 is a mistake. Too many mistakes continually made.

I think the line up can only be about fresh legs in defence as I am baffled with the number of changes. Don't know why Sinclair is being recalled though as he has been shocking recently.

I Think him and Okore are doing alright together tbh and if our full backs were as stable we would be pretty solid.