steaknchips

Fabian Delph, where is he?

He likes to attck, he likes to have a pop on goal...The perfect replacements for Ashley Young???

Completely different player

Disagree with you.

Fabian Delph's best possition is the left side of the central midfield in an attacking role. Or on the left wing.These 2 possitions he played regular at Leeds United. Im pretty sure he played just behind the striker too.

For Villa he has played at LB and in CM, yet you can see he is itching to get forward when playing in both these roles. He was never a defensive minded player at Leeds.

He could be a perfect replacement for Ashley Young in the attacking central role just behind Bent.

Fabian Delph, where is he?

He likes to attck, he likes to have a pop on goal...The perfect replacements for Ashley Young???

Is Reo Coker signing a new deal? We need a leader and we need a leader thats under contract and commited to the club..

How can Ashley Young lead the team during a relegation battle,when he has basically come out public saying he is leaving?

Ive not heard Reo say he is leaving as of yet,so whats the deal on this player at the moment? He won us the peace cup when leading a team of kids against some of Europe's best. And im sure if the guy was under a new 4 year deal would gear the team up to battle in these last 8 remaining games. He never stops running or puts his head down and has respect in the dressing room.

Who wants to follow a player thats got his mind on a summer move?

The results have been poor. Weekend headaches. But this has been MOS'n squad and he had his way of doing things. Houllier has been some sort of "culture shock". And it takes time to change things. And you can't deny, we have had some "problems" this season and it has not all been Houllier related. GH hasn't had many injury free weeks. And trouble players haven't helped the situation.

Today's performance was poor (I believe because I was watching bad quality streams) and it was a must win game, so I understand the frustration and I feel the same but I really think this is the time when the club, the manager and the players need the support from the fans, all fans.

I still have faith in Houllier. If I'm mad? We know the answer sometime in May.

I agree with you mate,your not mad..You obviously see the bigger picture like I do.

Well he played a part in the only goal we scored today..So he did more than what the stats say because had we not scored we would have lost.

Hi General,

I would like to ask a question,if all is well at the club player wise? I cant help as a fan but be a little concerned at some of the body language given off by some of our players..I may be wrong but I get the feeling some players are not totally commited to working under the new management system.

Against Manchester United I noticed Stylian Petrov shake his head a number of times at the manager's decission to substitute him with 15mins of the game remaining.I also noticed Ashley Young look on at the decission in disagreement too..Yet I thought Houllier was right in his decission,as the team did need to look at other options to get something out of the game.

Why are these players not in support of the manager's decissions,when its very obvious he doing the best he can to get a result? Should they not be in support of the manager and what he is trying to achieve?

How do the new signings and youngsters look on,when a captain and senior player(A.Young) seemingly look to be against manager's decissions???

From games ive seen him play for both Lille and Lyon,he is a very hard worker for the team and has alot of presence..He never stops running,has a great engine and good eye for a pass.Players like VDV and Nasri will have very little room and find Villa hard to break down with him in the side..He is also good at driving the ball forward,heading the ball and leadership..He has a great personality and likabilty factor.

I think his strengths will lie in the through balls he can provide for the runs of the forward players.Weakness is that he is a confidence player and needs alot of support from those around him..Keep him happy,make him feel like he is our key player and he will be world class..

I said sack him - and I still want him gone by the end of the season - a £20m bailout doesn't change that - we can't provide GH with £20m every now and then - because he can't motivate the team.

I personaly think Houllier(if he stays)will bring Champions League football to Aston Villa..The team looked motivated enough for me yesterday.

Bent,Makoun and Walker have been great signings..Releasing Carew,Sidwell and loaning out Davies,Lowry,Weimann and Guzan have been good decisions..The training coach is good,the scouting network is fantastic,the way he is not affraid to blood in youth is also great stuff..Just remember,this is the 1st Premiership season for alot of our players..Plus Houllier's 1st Premiership season in a long time...But make no mistakes,he is still a top 4 manager that challenges for titles..

Im glad this player now has his own page we can write on..A massive signing from Houllier to land Makoun.Ive been watching him for a few years and consider him to be one of the best DM in the world.

Cant wait to see him play for us.

The arrival of a left-back would complete his January business but, contrary to reports Villa are not interested in Wigan full back Maynor Figueroa and maintain there has been no approach from Liverpool after a temporary move for Stephen Warnock.

Interesting, I rate him but at 28/29 maybe he's too 'short term'

Leighton Baines anyone ?

Not likely I know

Lol, well Aly Cissokho is probrably the best LB in the world atm and is Makoun's best mate..If Lerner is in a spending mood..

I'm pleased with the ambition shown by the owner, and I hope it continues long in to the future. I have already glanced at a couple of media outlets about the deal, many stating that it is a sign of desperation and panic by Randy.

Had he gone to Man City would they be saying the same thing?

Dammed if we do, dammed if we don't.

End of the day, we've signed a PROVEN Premiership goalscorer. Absolutely brilliant and I couldn't give a flying feck what the media think about it.

I'm a bit fed up with the media MON lovefest. Randy couldn't trust him with any more transfer money with so much in wages sitting on the bench and some utter tripe signed with Randy's good money. I wish the press would get real and stop talking bollocks. This is nothing more than Randy supporting the Manager that he appointed. Two good draws in our last three games might be good evidence that we are turning things around, regardless of any new signings, Walker apart.

The deeper story is though - that MON should have sat tight - lerner would have given him the cash - if he had shited the benchwarmers

But would you trust MON with more funds? Links to McGeady and Keane didnt excite me...Yet Houllier with his 1st 2 real signings of Makoun and Bent,seem somewhat far better in comparison.

I got the feeling that MON had reached a ceiling with us and was going around in circles...We needed a new guy to come in,that has the ability to work with and attract star/great players..

Im not taking anything away from MON..He is the best manager around for mediocre,to bottom half clubs..West Ham? No Problem,with MON they will be challenging the Europa places..

I think Houllier is a class up from MON and Lerner is a very Shrewd business man.

I am going to do a near enough complete turn around !!

I have spoken to two people tonight, who have both have info about what has gone on. One person gave info from an ex-player who has connections at Villa, and the other, also an ex-player, who although doesn't have connections, still does a lot of work at the Villa via being a Sky pundit at some of our games.

Both stories and both informants are totally unconnected, and gave similar accounts, although the one was a lot more in depth.

I am not going to give any details, names or anything as it would be unfair on the people who told me, unfair on the people who told them, and could even be liable.

But all I will say is, if true, and I can't see why it would be as they are both credible and it does make sense, GH has a lot more hs plate than we know, is in no way to blame - is slowly doing something about it by way of there will be several people exiting Villa this month - and could not sort this before now.

So, although I still can't fathom putting Gabby on the wing, and Ash up front - I'll give him untl the end of Jan to see if what I have been told, bears fruit (and one has today !)

And I bet what you have heard isnt far off the lines I mentioned earlier?

"Once you get favourtism in the workforce under one regime..Its very hard for a new regime to take control, as the workforce will be very protected of their favoured status which the earnt under the old boss..And will most probrably be reluctant to change..In some cases even trying to sabotage the company in protest of the old boss having departed!"

You're both missing the point ...

We're still suffering from the decisions that MON made - that has hung over.

Houllier is only responsible from this point on now that he has the chance to change things, limited though the January window is.

Houllier is only responsible from this point on?? Come off it. You must be having a laugh.

Responsible for what?

Ive said if we go down,Houllier and the board are to blame.However,I believe we will climb from the relegation area to safety...Then next season we will be a completely differant outfit altogether challenging the top 4...Thats my belief providing Houllier stays...But he needs to be backed this and the summer window for success.

I still think many people are missing the point.

This is a thread about Houllier, because he is now our manager and he has taken the club into the bottom 3.

There is NO POINT in constantly talking about MON in this thread because he isn't here, can't influence things, and is completely irrelevant to the current situation.

It is Houllier who is responsible for the club's performance now, and he is sending teams out apparently ill-prepared to compete with other premier league sides, with little idea of the tactics they are supposed to employ, with players playing in the wrong positions, and with the defence falling to pieces more often than not.

While it may be comforting to blame all this on someone who is no longer with us, that is not going to stop our poor results under the current manager. No doubt if we get relegated, there will be posters on here blaming it all on MON but we if we are relegated it will in fact be because our current manager isn't good enough and no-one did anything about it.

I totally agree with you,if we go down I will blame Houllier and the Board...Not MON..

This window is of very importance to Houllier...Its his chance to take a list to Lerner and the board of players he wants out and not in his plans.And a realistic list of players he wants in and that he feels he can get in to take the club forward...

Now, all I know is if my team leader gets another job, and the replacement comes in, upsets everyone, and the work stats/results fall off the side of the graph, the management don't expect "everyone to be sacked" so the team leader can show what he's really about. They say "don't let the door hit you on the arse - your fired".

You have very little experiance of life at the top if you think thats all there is to it.

Unfortunately every manager will have their own style..Now unless Lerner is going to enrole every managerial post into the school of MON,change is going to happen..Fergy will have his own style,Mourinho has his own style..

Now like ive stated before,once you get favourtism in the workforce under one regime..Its very hard for a new regime to take control, as the workforce will be very protected of their favoured status which the earnt under the old boss..And will most probrably be reluctant to change..In some cases even trying to sabotage the company in protest of the old boss having departed!

Do you think it was a good idea to come in and change everything so quick??, imo GH has made a massive cock up by doing so. the only thing he's managed to do so far is shatter the confidance of this team.

Like I said...He is who is and has the style that he has..You are who you are....And unless Lerner is going to enrole every managerial appointment into the school of MON you cant change who you are.

Gerard Houllier probrably aint gotta clue how MON goes about his work...The same as MON wont understand how Houllier works....They are 2 differant people.

I seen these problems coming because MON never ran a fair ship..

Now, all I know is if my team leader gets another job, and the replacement comes in, upsets everyone, and the work stats/results fall off the side of the graph, the management don't expect "everyone to be sacked" so the team leader can show what he's really about. They say "don't let the door hit you on the arse - your fired".

You have very little experiance of life at the top if you think thats all there is to it.

Unfortunately every manager will have their own style..Now unless Lerner is going to enrole every managerial post into the school of MON,change is going to happen..Fergy will have his own style,Mourinho has his own style..

Now like ive stated before,once you get favourtism in the workforce under one regime..Its very hard for a new regime to take control, as the workforce will be very protected of their favoured status which the earnt under the old boss..And will most probrably be reluctant to change..In some cases even trying to sabotage the company in protest of the old boss having departed!

And tbh, if he was in any way a decent manager whyaren't players coing out and backing him up?.

Maybe its a case of I dont wanna come accross as chosing sides...You have to remember Dunne,Warnock and Collins are probrably all pals...Houllier upsets 1 and the others kinda follow..

Im pretty sure the likes of Delph(big McAllister fan),Heskey and all the youngsters are happy with the current management..

Also the likes of Reo Coker will no doubt have thoughts away from Villa Park as he didnt get the contract he wanted..

So Houllier has problems to sort out...Problems any manager coming in would no doubt have!

GH didnt have to come in and ruffle everyones feathers, i knoe he;s the manager but there is better ways of getting people on your side.

It wasnt hard to ruffle feathers,when dealing with a spoilt squad that have played together all season,all without having to worry about their 1st team place..Drop in form,they get replaced in the 1st team "and with a youngster" .It aint hard to see where the problems are coming from,when the dropped seniors are saying "ive played all season in the 1st team".."I dont like being dropped in favour of a youngster"!

But i thought the only reason why the young lads where in the team was because of players been injured, this is a spoilt squad that got us 6th inthe league and a up final, something geriatric Gerard could only dream of.

Barely 6th,with the help of Liverpool screwing up on the last day of the season..Besides that season,we had player of the years Milner...Now how hard did he work last season? How influential was he in our team? It may just be one player but its a very important loss to the side..

Add the Milner departure to the whole morale of 6 players forced onto the trans list by MON,then MON walking out,then K'Mac coming in and the big morale sucking 6-0 defeat at Newcastle,then K'Mac(a player fav)dismissed for Houllier,add that to half the key players in the team are a year older...It mounts up to a very,very difficult time for the fall guy Houllier.....I mean was this guy mad taking on this job,or what? Dont call me a genius or anything but I could see most of this coming..

P.S You can add all the injuries onto that as well..

But the worst thing of all,was the favourtism in a split dressing room caused by MON..It was always going to be a disaster for whoever comes in after him to deal with...Half the players are celebrating that they now have a chance of making the 1st team,the other half are feeling small if they get dropped...

S.Ireland never wanted to leave City...

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=1063765.html

And tbh, if he was in any way a decent manager whyaren't players coing out and backing him up?.

Maybe its a case of I dont wanna come accross as chosing sides...You have to remember Dunne,Warnock and Collins are probrably all pals...Houllier upsets 1 and the others kinda follow..

Im pretty sure the likes of Delph(big McAllister fan),Heskey and all the youngsters are happy with the current management..

Also the likes of Reo Coker will no doubt have thoughts away from Villa Park as he didnt get the contract he wanted..

So Houllier has problems to sort out...Problems any manager coming in would no doubt have!

GH didnt have to come in and ruffle everyones feathers, i knoe he;s the manager but there is better ways of getting people on your side.

It wasnt hard to ruffle feathers,when dealing with a spoilt squad that have played together all season,all without having to worry about their 1st team place..Drop in form,they get replaced in the 1st team "and with a youngster" .It aint hard to see where the problems are coming from,when the dropped seniors are saying "ive played all season in the 1st team".."I dont like being dropped in favour of a youngster"!

And tbh, if he was in any way a decent manager why aren't players coming out and backing him up?.

Perhaps they think too much of themselves and/or they had too much of an easy time under MON?

Maybe they did have to much of an easy time under MON, and i'm all for players being pushed for the cause. but GH has come in and turned this club on its head. he has changed things much to soon. he could have given it the season and waited even until this month and started to make wholesale changes, but no he came in with his Billy big bollox attitude and **** up everything.

The team was crap towards the end of last season going down 7-1 at Chelsea.We then failed to beat Blackburn at home,in a must win game to secure 6th place...We then had a terrible pre season...MON had lost it and had he stayed,we would still be in a similar possition and he would still have waliked but shouting "I told the club we needed more investment"...

So, nothing about him running to the press to bash his players and knocking every bit of confidance out of the team. the man is a disaster

The team where performing better under K Mac than they are now, wins to games ratio shows that

0-6 at Newcastle? Europa Cup exit?

I can't agree with your first para either; that's based on rumour.

what so he didn't go to the press and knock Ireland??.6-0 to Newcastle yes, but we have shipped more goals to games under GH than K Mac, atleast the players wanted to play for K Mac.

Im glad he went to the press and knocked Ireland...Im also glad he isnt held to ransom over these big egotistic players...Ive found Houllier very fair,if you work hard in training and perform in the match you get picked..If you arse about,dont take the club serious,you get dropped,reguardless of how big ya name is!

Your glad he did, well thats one of the main factors imo that we are in this mess, any decent manager will stand up for his players not at any hands turn bad mouth them to the press, he does this to take the heat of himself because he's a bloody coward.

Ireland didnt even want to come to Villa,he has no ties with the midlands,no interest in moving here and no interest in Aston Villa.He only came because Man City forced him out as part of getting the Milner transfer..Houllier basically said he needs to work harder to be a part of his plans..He did also say that Ireland had shown some inprovement in training..Its not all one way traffic.

And tbh, if he was in any way a decent manager whyaren't players coing out and backing him up?.

Maybe its a case of I dont wanna come accross as chosing sides...You have to remember Dunne,Warnock and Collins are probrably all pals...Houllier upsets 1 and the others kinda follow..

Im pretty sure the likes of Delph(big McAllister fan),Heskey and all the youngsters are happy with the current management..

Also the likes of Reo Coker will no doubt have thoughts away from Villa Park as he didnt get the contract he wanted..

So Houllier has problems to sort out...Problems any manager coming in would no doubt have!

So, nothing about him running to the press to bash his players and knocking every bit of confidance out of the team. the man is a disaster

The team where performing better under K Mac than they are now, wins to games ratio shows that

0-6 at Newcastle? Europa Cup exit?

I can't agree with your first para either; that's based on rumour.

what so he didn't go to the press and knock Ireland??.6-0 to Newcastle yes, but we have shipped more goals to games under GH than K Mac, atleast the players wanted to play for K Mac.

Im glad he went to the press and knocked Ireland...Im also glad he isnt held to ransom over these big egotistic players...Ive found Houllier very fair,if you work hard in training and perform in the match you get picked..If you arse about,dont take the club serious,you get dropped,reguardless of how big ya name is!

Perhaps it's time to again look at the stated facts about Houllier:

Q1: Were the team performing well under Kevin Mac A1: No.

Q2: Were the team performing well pre-season under MON: A2: No.

Q3: Did Houliier have chance to put things in order pre-season: A3: No.

Q4: Was Houllier involved in the Milner-Ireland switch: A4: No.

Q5: Has the team suffered considerable injury problems: A5: Yes.

Q6: Until now, has Houllier had chance to make purchases: A6: No.

Q7: Has Houllier the right to sort out the lackies in the team: A7: Yes

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The only issues against Houllier that I can make out are:

1. Matters re: his alleged allegiance to Liverpool (which I feel fans misunderstand, but perhaps that's me)

2. Failure to sort out the concession of goals in the last 10 minutes (which is perhaps the most serious)

3. His age and length of time out of the Prem (neither of which are his fault, and age is hardly a barrier)

Anything I've missed apart from personal dislikes? :|

So, nothing about him running to the press to bash his players and knocking every bit of confidance out of the team. the man is a disaster

The team where performing better under K Mac than they are now, wins to games ratio shows that

Maybe the players should "man up" if they cant handle a bit of over hyped press talk...The media ask Houllier why players are not selected and he tells it like it is..Its up to the players to have Houllier reporting good stuff(which he does)by putting in good performances..

I can remember some of the stuff Brian Clough used to call his players in the press too..Houllier is very mild compared to Cloughie..

Ron Atkinson is another thats talked to the press about players under form,mis behaving etc..

Your just nit picking mate!

We're in a relegation battle and Sam Allardyce is unattached. The sooner we get him in the less likely we are to be relegated.

So bring him in on a temporary contract? I don't think he'd go for it.

Bring him in long term, no ta.

Why not?

He has always done the business with your relagation battle clubs..How would he do with proper trans funds and a bigger club? He has the fight and knowledge..Some players he has signed considering the clubs he has managed have been pretty decent.