Mantis

Yeah but being good with the ball at his feet automatically discounts him. Can't have any of that passing nonsense can we?

I think the way McLeish sets up the team is absolutely scandalous. Look at last season after we signed Bent. The team was set up to get balls into Bent's FEET, and as a result he became our joint top league scorer despite only joining in January. On the whole results improved in the new year, and that was largely due to Bent's goals. Surely McLeish must've seen this? Instead of carrying this on he sets the team up to just aimlessly hoof it at Bent. I know we lost Young and Downing, but we brought N'Zogbia in and Gabby has shown this season that he can create goals. Why is McLeish not utilising our strengths? Is he some sort of **** idiot? I'm now getting really frustrated (much like Bent must be) because we have the striker we have been crying out for for years in our squad but he's completely isolated due to inept management. With this in mind, what makes you think our current manager will ever even consider signing him?

Why can't i say it? Because its true? Were we sitting in 3rd with a tiring squad and a good chance of finishing 4th? Nothing like the situation houllier was in. You simply can't try and defend throwing a cup game when one manager does it but be vehemently against it when another does it. Both situations in essence are the same - playing a weakened team in a cup in order to get benefit in the league. There is no difference there. Sorry Mantis, there is a big difference here. Very different situations. Neither was the right decision, although in fairness to MON I could see why he did it (although I didn't agree with it). Houllier's was just a shocking decision any way you look at it. There are differences, but in essence they are the same - putting out a weakened team in order to hopefully do better in the league. To be for one (doesn't matter which one) and against the other is hypocrisy of the highest order.

Yawn, yet another load of McLeish bullshit. Nothing will change.

Why can't i say it? Because its true? Were we sitting in 3rd with a tiring squad and a good chance of finishing 4th? Nothing like the situation houllier was in. You simply can't try and defend throwing a cup game when one manager does it but be vehemently against it when another does it. Both situations in essence are the same - playing a weakened team in a cup in order to get benefit in the league. There is no difference there.

To be fair though their squad was still filled mostly with cloggers. But yeah, the worst part about them was the anti-football.

What exactly is "the best of McLeish" anyway? If you'll look at SHA he assembled a pretty shit squad there and they also happened to play some of the worst football in the league. Now we're playing that football, which is pretty **** depressing really.

The thing is though, people were largely behind MON, a lot wanted Houllier out at some point but on the whole I'd say he split the fanbase. With McLeish we virtually all have the same opinion - that he must go. It's not like he's dividing opinion. He's an absolutely dreadful manager. We're playing the worst football I've ever seen from Villa, half of the games this season have been complete no shows and submissions and the team in general are just set up so negatively. McLeish isn't Sam Allardyce.

No they wont. :?

Given how he has proved himself to be quite a prolific liar since then I think it was something McLeish decided to say on his own. Why would the board lie to McLeish/ask him to give false reassurances when they knew he would be sold a couple of weeks down the line anyway? I think its more likely he was told Downing wasn't for sale unless a substantial offer was made. £20 million for Downing is good money - he made a naive comment prematurely about "not going anywhere" . The board made him look a prat . After all the club told us McLeish is a good manager. He isn't. We were told he would be fully backed in the summer. He wasn't. I agree with you, but McLeish has done himself no favours. I am sick to death of us going out with such a negative mentality, getting played off the park and then hearing him talk about how we were good/had our chances when the stats show the exact opposite. To me that is lying. Even if he isn't lying and truly believes what he's saying, it still shows that he is totally and utterly out of his depth. That Steve Kean bullshit man video ( ) is just as relevant to McLeish if not more so.

Given how he has proved himself to be quite a prolific liar since then I think it was something McLeish decided to say on his own. Why would the board lie to McLeish/ask him to give false reassurances when they knew he would be sold a couple of weeks down the line anyway?

What lies do you think McLeish has told?He lied about what kind of football we would play, he lied about Downing, he lied about the defence and he lies in almost every post match interview. I accept everyone has their own take on things but he goes beyond that.

At the moment they don't seem to be looking at him very much. Last time I checked before the Man U game most of them still seemed to be in the "he's doing a solid job at Villa, fans only want him out because of his Birmingham connections" camp. Perhaps that'll change soon.

I thought that too, but after watching the Man U debacle I've concluded that under McLeish we WILL surrender to every one of the big teams, both home and away. Last year we seemed to try against most of the big teams (with a couple of exceptions which were the complete opposite) this time we're laying down and submitting EVERY time. Unless McLeish goes I can't see that changing.

Actually, I'm starting to dislike McLeish as a person simply because of all the lies.

He may not be a quitter but I hope he's a sackeder.

I'm glad he's gone because I honestly believe that we would've been in serious financial trouble had his level of spending continued. Obviously Randy has to shoulder some of the blame for this as well. Nope, the two managers failing after him does not make him great. People are only looking on him fondly because of what's happened since he left.

Did he actually say that? :?

I do take offence to that idea that because I don't rate MON I didn't like it when we did well under him. To be fair, we were often good against the big teams but it was often against the smaller teams where we came up short, mostly due to his tactics (or lack of). I think we're certainly worse off now under McCleish, but at the same time I'm glad MON's gone.

Just because our current manager is absolutely diabolical doesn't mean MON was great. Name me another manager that has brought us 3 consecutive 6th place finishes in the last 10-15 years...or even further.... And to add to your comment, Houlier done brilliant didnt he? No, but Gregory did just as well, and Little and Atkinson did better. None of managed to achieve the coveted three consecutive 6th place finishes, but the latter two got us higher and won us a trophy each. No, I never said that. Alright then, just becuase Houllier wasn't successful with us and McLeish is diabolical doesn't mean MON was great. Just because our current manager is absolutely diabolical doesn't mean MON was great. so you are one of those that wasnt happy with a free scoring team, punching above our weight, regually taking points off of the big 4, semi -final, and a final all in one season.... Cause I tell you pal, I absolutley loved it! along with many others. especially when you look how far we have fallen since. The facts are all there mate, just because you choose to ignore them doesnt make it any differnet. Oh yeah, I absolutely hated it. As a fan of Aston Villa I hate to see them do well... :bonk: However, with the resources he had I don't think he did anything remarkable.

Just because our current manager is absolutely diabolical doesn't mean MON was great.

To be honest I think a lot of the votes in that poll depend on how he settles the McLeish question.

Would love to see Warnock and Heskey. Gutted if Petrov were to leave, and I'm not too fussed about Cuellar as he doesn't seem to be able to get a game anyway.

I would hope McCleish is already out by then if things don't start to dramatically improve.

It's a shame our annual trolling of Chelsea will be absent this year.