Roberto Di Matteo

[mikeyp102]

31 minutes ago, CastleBromVilla said:

Nothing will change, the gap is already too big, our rivals have momentum, despite plenty of changes themselves, namely Newcastle, but we can't find our feet. 

The gap is not too big at all. This league always changes throughout the season. Newcastle may run away with the league but there are still another two places to go up.

[LondonLax]

Just now, mikeyp102 said:

The gap is not too big at all. This league always changes throughout the season. Newcastle may run away with the league but there are still another two places to go up.

The playoff places are a lottery though. I would not count on coming up by finishing 3rd-6th. Even then we look a long way off 6th at the moment. 

[TRO]

11 minutes ago, andym said:

Unacceptable. Playing effectively a 424, and he thought sitting back and trying to defend a 1-0 lead for 60 mins (we started sitting back before the end of the 1st half) was going to work with a 2 man midfield that has no legs in it? He basically invited Brentford to get an equaliser with his tactics - we gave the opportunity to their ginger midget to pick us apart and he did, he ran the show second half.

The centre of the park is a big issue for us, and worryingly he doesnt seem to have realised that yet. We allow far too many forward balls into the central area around our box, meaning defenders get dragged out of position, and opponents get chances for shots. 

Our closing down of crosses is also pathetic - look at the goal, Gardner standing 5 yards off inviting the cross in, and the whole team does it.

For 60 minutes today we set up like an away team, at home to Brentford. Disgraceful.

 

But there is defending and defending.

funnelling back, is not defending, sitting deep is not defending......getting in faces, being a physical nuisance, getting a foot in, closing down, squeezing, getting tackles in....having close contact.

Thats defending.

[TRO]

We have too many serious issues to even be contemplating promotion.

[CastleBromVilla]

12 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said:

The gap is not too big at all. This league always changes throughout the season. Newcastle may run away with the league but there are still another two places to go up.

It is when you're stuttering like we are, meaning the gap is likely to get bigger before we finally find out feet and then throw in a possible managerial change.

He can't be given much longer. He wasn't expected to hit the ground running given what's gone on with the club recently, but we expected better than this. 

Edited September 14, 2016 by CastleBromVilla

[TRO]

We haven't even had the manager bounce.

we do get short changed.

......I think its a No, from me.

[CastleBromVilla]

1 minute ago, TRO said:

We haven't even had the manager bounce.

we do get short changed.

......I think its a No, from me.

He's not a very inspiring manager so doesn't suprise me.

[markavfc40]

Another thing that pissed me off tonight is us bringing everyone back when Brentford had a corner. This was throughout the whole game. It just meant Brentford pushed more men into our box. 

Overall Di Matteo went way too defensive tonight. Not with the line up but the way he asked them to play. Clearly he is now desperately looking for a solution to get us a win but tonight he threw the baby out with the bath water. We were on track against Forest and that was the way to play tonight, especially with Jedinak on the pitch, the front four should have just been told to play and push Brentford back for the whole game. Instead pretty much from the time we scored we got deeper and deeper and started the second half way too deep and the goal we conceded was inevitable in the end.

Edited September 14, 2016 by markavfc40

[TRO]

I have no issue with a manager needing time to implement his thoughts and philosophies or even manipulate his tactics.

what I am sceptical of is poor results and no reference to what is being done to remedy it.

 

[PieFacE]

I've had it with RDM. He's way too defensive. We will not get promoted with him charge. I've seen enough to know that now.

There's no way that squad we have should be anywhere near as fragile as we are, and I think that comes from the manager. 

He'll be sacked by Xmas. 

[Zatman]

11 minutes ago, markavfc40 said:

Another thing that pissed me off tonight is us bringing everyone back when Brentford had a corner. This was throughout the whole game. It just meant Brentford pushed more men into our box.

I remember we used to always have our 2 fastest players on half way line in Gabby and Young and opposition had keep 3 men back at all time

[HanoiVillan]

That was a dismal second half performance, no question about that, but it's still too early to be calling for sacking yet another manager, plus paying off another half a dozen members of backroom staff, after seven games. 

We didn't even actually lose. 

[tonyh29]

Team to earn his money rather than just assuming that 4 expensive strikers equals hatful of goals

 

Kodja has to be the number 9 , maybe Ayew alongside or just behind .... and then let's put a midfield out to create things 

let's not line up with these 4 at the same time again , whatever their merits and contributions tonight 

[Daniel]

Watching players being played out of position and expecting it to work is very frustrating.

[Michael118]

Results are due to a combination of losing our best players and not replacing them with the same quality, poor selection choices and most significantly Di Matteo's inability to get the most out of what we have on a psychological/motivational level. The same reason I wasn't in favour of the appointment and the same reason Remi Garde failed.

I would be replacing him, but not with Steve Bruce or Gary Rowett. They would be another sidestep at best. I'd consider Tony Pulis, but ideally I would like Guus Hiddink or Marcelo Bielsa. Regardless of the quality of the squad I would back them in to turn us around and I don't think it would take too long either.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 15, 2016 by Michael118

[TheAuthority]

1 hour ago, Michael118 said:

I'd consider Tony Pulis, but ideally I would like Guus Hiddink or Marcelo Bielsa. 

 

 

 

 

Spiritual suggestions, man.

[Spoony]

I can't believe people are calling for his head. Do you even REMEMBER how bad we were last season??????? At least we are now competing in games, albeit it's a different level but last seasons team would still lose every game!

GIVE THE MAN TIME, SUCCESS DOESN'T HAPPEN OVER NIGHT!!!!!! I've said it a million times, so many of you are just so unrealistic and impatient. If we keep sacking managers all the time, like we have been doing for years, that won't solve the problem!!!! Let the guy have more than one transfer window and 7 league games to rebuild the whole sodding club eh???? This is a MASSIVE task and we have an ENTIRELY NEW team. You can't just flick a switch or throw money at a club as screwed as Aston Villa were last season and expect everything to be brilliant.

It's so obvious that we are improving, it just takes time. Have patience, the results will come but they certainly won't if  we chop and change our manager every 10 games...! SUPPORT HIM/THEM

[Tommo_b]

7 hours ago, mikeyp102 said:

The gap is not too big at all. This league always changes throughout the season. Newcastle may run away with the league but there are still another two places to go up.

Yep, this league is nuts, that gap is tiny still, I don't think Newcastle will run away with it, I imagine they will also at some point in the season win 1 in 7.

As I've said previously, in this division you can be bottom at Christmas and still get promoted. 

[Tommo_b]

7 minutes ago, Spoony said:

I can't believe people are calling for his head. Do you even REMEMBER how bad we were last season??????? At least we are now competing in games, albeit it's a different level but last seasons team would still lose every game!

GIVE THE MAN TIME, SUCCESS DOESN'T HAPPEN OVER NIGHT!!!!!! I've said it a million times, so many of you are just so unrealistic and impatient. If we keep sacking managers all the time, like we have been doing for years, that won't solve the problem!!!! Let the guy have more than one transfer window and 7 league games to rebuild the whole sodding club eh???? This is a MASSIVE task and we have an ENTIRELY NEW team. You can't just flick a switch or throw money at a club as screwed as Aston Villa were last season and expect everything to be brilliant.

It's so obvious that we are improving, it just takes time. Have patience, the results will come but they certainly won't if  we chop and change our manager every 10 games...! SUPPORT HIM/THEM

This!

Also saw a post saying RDM is too defensive... Aren't we one of the teams to have created the most chances?!

I think the guys doing pretty well (results obviously do matter), come January we will no doubt sign a few more midfielders and then storm up the table, probably even get third.

Some of the football we've played has been brilliant, some of it hasn't, however, there's goals in this side, and they will come.

[KSV]

On paper we are by far the better side in most games we will play this season. What we are lacking is actual desire to play and fight hard for the club. Sure they are professionals and they care to a certain degree.. but we dont have the passion other sides do. One of our players score and 2-3 go and high five him. Other teams mob each other. Now you dont need to mob each other to succeed.. but what it means is those sides clearly are good mates and fighting for each other. This makes it harder for our 'pro's' to go against these sides. They are grafters and will get to second balls first and scrap. 

People are saying.. we just need a win and then we will be fine.. we had that win did we not? We won 3-0 against Rotherham and we have gone backwards since. What will change with another win? This club..  the reputation and history of this club is massive.... and i think quite a few players are finding it hard to cope with the pressures associated with it. Why would a new bunch of players suffer from closing out games? The last 10 minutes they have mentally collapsed. How is this possible? Fitness? Doubt it.. When they are ok for 80 minutes.. i doubt another 10 minutes will cause fitness concerns. Lack of concentration? Certainly... why? The fans are moaning? its eerily quiet at VP? expectations to win? lack of communication or desire? 

It really is a piss take as we should be walking the league in the way Newcastle have been. Our squad is good enough. Tactically we have been poor. Newcastle havent needed to be as gung ho as we have been playing 4 strikers. RDM needs to put one or two on the bench.. get an extra midfielder/winger into the side so balance can be restored. More protection for the defensive and a body in the midfield is required. We cant play 4 strikers.. not from the start. Its just naive. 

I was worried when i heard RDM say only a few weeks before the season that the mentality of the players at the club is challenging. I am starting to think he may not be the man for the job. Maybe what this club has been lacking over the years is a VILLA MAN in charge. Someone who knows or understands the club. 

Ahh screw it...  we are just cursed. 

Rant over. Time for a beer.