CosmicVillan Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 23 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: I’m struggling to understand how it got so bad in 2021 for Smith after such a great start. It can’t all be down to Grealish surely? Are our players just shit but over achieved for 2-3 months? Football is often a game of fine margins. When you've got a player of that level they can be the difference. Buenda & to some extent Bailey is a huge drop off in quality at this point. We can't seem to look after the ball and get the rest of the team up the pitch, JG gave us that outlet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 5 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: My mate said he hopes Gerrard doesn’t get the job because he’d hate to see a cabbage thrown at him Well, which vegetable would your mate prefer? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jacketspuds Posted November 9, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted November 9, 2021 After listening to the podcast on Gerard’s tactics and style of play I am warming more to the idea of bringing him in, as long as he can bring his entire team with him. Otherwise it’ll be MacPhee going “listen Steve, I know you like a high pressing game, but have you thought about launching long throws to nobody in particular?” 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomsky_11 Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 3 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: I’m struggling to understand how it got so bad in 2021 for Smith after such a great start. It can’t all be down to Grealish surely? Are our players just shit but over achieved for 2-3 months? Last season: the 14 opening games in 2020 were marginally easier on avg than the second half going by final league position (11.9 vs 9.6 avg position), and our team was barely changed through most of these games. Our 2021 games weren't actually a disaster, if we'd got the same ppg all season that we did in 2021 games that season we'd have finished in 11th, ie the same place. 8 of our 11 defeats in 2021 were to top 7 teams. 2 others were with a weakened team and Burnley was a freak result going by xg. Grealish missed 7 of the defeats. We were 1.6ppg with him starting in 2021 vs 0.9 without him. This season: injuies and other enforced absences leading to weak and inconsistent team selections. We had 18 starting lineup changes across 9 positions plus two formation changes in the first 10 games of this season. Last season we had 4 changes to starting lineup in just 2 positions (ie. we were unchanged in 9 positions) through the first 10 games. Key players such as Bailey and Buendia missing for significant amount of season and not looking match fit when they have played. Luiz often not on field at key moments when we've conceded. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picicata Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 36 minutes ago, bose said: I don’t think Gerrard is the answer, hope it’s someone else. But I don’t get the logic of not wanting him here because he’d just be gone to Liverpool in 2-3 years. What?! That would be fantastic, means he’d done a brilliant job here I'm not sure he'd have to do that brilliant with us. A couple of solid midtable finishes and he would be in the picture to replace Klopp. Nobody but us and our owners feel we should be challenging for Europe, we are grouped by the media and other fans in that lower mid table group and that's why so many of them were aghast when we sacked DS. In reality most managers only last two to three years (or weeks in Watford) anyway so it probably doesn't matter either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osmark86 Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 2 hours ago, Rugeley Villa said: That’s my downside to his appointment if it happens. I like Gerrard and I actually think he’ll become a successful manager. The problem is the fans will be straight on his back. I sure as hell won't be, that's like shooting yourself in the foot. tbh I don't even understand all the hate against Gerrard. I understand concerns here about his experience etc, but this ad hominem bullshit is just like the anti-Smith crew in reverse. ...and no, he's not my pick if I had the choice. I would have given Dean at least one more game, but here we are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 1 minute ago, tomsky_11 said: Last season: the 14 opening games in 2020 were marginally easier on avg than the second half going by final league position (11.9 vs 9.6 avg position), and our team was barely changed through most of these games. Our 2021 games weren't actually a disaster, if we'd got the same ppg all season that we did in 2021 games that season we'd have finished in 11th, ie the same place. 8 of our 11 defeats in 2021 were to top 7 teams. 2 others were with a weakened team and Burnley was a freak result going by xg. Grealish missed 7 of the defeats. We were 1.6ppg with him starting in 2021 vs 0.9 without him. This season: injuies and other enforced absences leading to weak and inconsistent team selections. We had 18 starting lineup changes across 9 positions plus two formation changes in the first 10 games of this season. Last season we had 4 changes to starting lineup in just 2 positions (ie. we were unchanged in 9 positions) through the first 10 games. Key players such as Bailey and Buendia missing for significant amount of season and not looking match fit when they have played. Luiz often not on field at key moments when we've conceded. i'll throw it out there and you can see if it makes any kind of difference statistically - we also havent replaced barkley from those opening 14 games...he looked like everything we needed until he got injured, conversely he was then a big reason as to why we were so poor towards the end of the season, his individual drop off had a huge impact on the team ESR would have been a big signing for us and its easy to see why we wanted him, Buendia on the other hand doesnt seem to fit anywhere at the moment, us wanting both suggests that Buendia was never meant for the 10 role, almost like between Buendia and Ings we havent got that player right 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reivax_Villa Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 So we sacked Smith for someone that has been a manager since 2018? That does not scream out to me as Ambition. I would be extremely disappointed with the board if they appoint him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philosopher Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 1 minute ago, CosmicVillan said: Football is often a game of fine margins. When you've got a player of that level they can be the difference. Buenda & to some extent Bailey is a huge drop off in quality at this point. We can't seem to look after the ball and get the rest of the team up the pitch, JG gave us that outlet. Jack's ability to carry the ball and win free kicks really alleviated a lot of pressure defensively, and he ability to dictate the play meant we could control the ball better in the opposition half. Bailey and Buendia are a step up from the likes of El-Ghazi and possibly Traore too, but Jack is world class, and the team was built around making the most of his talents. When you bring in three to replace one you now make it more complicated as you have to find a way of getting the best out of three rather than one. I don't think the drop off is huge, as overall the quality has increased in terms of players (the quantity of quality we have in the squad is now higher, although more evenly spread now), the problem is integrating all of them into a cohesive unit. Smith has failed badly at that this season. Although it's not all his fault. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwi1890 Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 Lucien Farve was my choice off the poll, I’d like to see us throw money at Ten Hag, but have a feeling i might be Hjumland due to Lange’s connections with him cant help but think the reshuffling of the backroom staff were sort of planed for Lange’s idea of a data driven club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 7 minutes ago, tomsky_11 said: Last season: the 14 opening games in 2020 were marginally easier on avg than the second half going by final league position (11.9 vs 9.6 avg position), and our team was barely changed through most of these games. Our 2021 games weren't actually a disaster, if we'd got the same ppg all season that we did in 2021 games that season we'd have finished in 11th, ie the same place. 8 of our 11 defeats in 2021 were to top 7 teams. 2 others were with a weakened team and Burnley was a freak result going by xg. Grealish missed 7 of the defeats. We were 1.6ppg with him starting in 2021 vs 0.9 without him. This season: injuies and other enforced absences leading to weak and inconsistent team selections. We had 18 starting lineup changes across 9 positions plus two formation changes in the first 10 games of this season. Last season we had 4 changes to starting lineup in just 2 positions (ie. we were unchanged in 9 positions) through the first 10 games. Key players such as Bailey and Buendia missing for significant amount of season and not looking match fit when they have played. Luiz often not on field at key moments when we've conceded. Going back to last season results aside for a minute in the first half the season we gave every team a game even when we lost. It’s only the Leeds one that I remember we were poor in. After the covid situation I’m struggling to remember too many games that really impressed. Grealish really was massive for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 1 minute ago, Reivax_Villa said: So we sacked Smith for someone that has been a manager since 2018? That does not scream out to me as Ambition. I would be extremely disappointed with the board if they appoint him. Not quite the same but Barcelona sacked a manager and recruited someone that had never managed a top flight team before. The rest is history… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osmark86 Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 1 hour ago, AvfcRigo82 said: I wouldn't say Gerrard is getting the job because Purslow is one of his besties. If he had done nothing at his current club then he wouldn't even be considered. He is being hired on what he has shown he is capable of. The fact he gets on with Purslow is a bonus and will bode well in us moving forward as a club. I agree, this seems like such a stretch. It's not like Gerrard is currently unemployed either. I think this is a result of disappointment in the whole situation talking...which tbf I understand completely. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanVilla Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 13 minutes ago, jacketspuds said: After listening to the podcast on Gerard’s tactics and style of play I am warming more to the idea of bringing him in, as long as he can bring his entire team with him. Otherwise it’ll be MacPhee going “listen Steve, I know you like a high pressing game, but have you thought about launching long throws to nobody in particular?” What podcast is this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Silvers Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 1 minute ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Not quite the same but Barcelona sacked a manager and recruited someone that had never managed a top flight team before. The rest is history… That's a bad argument for me, cut Xavi and see what colour his blood runs, he's more like us getting Deano in for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 2 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Not quite the same but Barcelona sacked a manager and recruited someone that had never managed a top flight team before. The rest is history… If it happens lets hope it has the same outcome. Mind you where are our Xavi, Iniestas and Messi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwi1890 Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 2 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said: Not quite the same but Barcelona sacked a manager and recruited someone that had never managed a top flight team before. The rest is history… And then he went, and then they lost their star player and now look at them sound like Villa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoobs Posted November 9, 2021 Visiting Supporter Share Posted November 9, 2021 34 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said: It appears that those of us who live in Scotland, even us sassenachs, who get a closer look at SG have a different opinion of him than many of those south of the border. That’s a great and considered post, thank you. I’m pretty sure Purslow and the recruitment team at Villa Park will take a more in-depth look at him and not just appoint him because Purslow’s got his number in his phone. Equally he won’t be crossed off the list because he’s a Scouser with a funny voice or horror of horrors he’s only managed in the SPL. I’d be happy with his appointment, anything to help St Mirren! Cheers mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb_82 Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 ''Lets Go'' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 2 minutes ago, Phil Silvers said: That's a bad argument for me, cut Xavi and see what colour his blood runs, he's more like us getting Deano in for me. I was talking about Pep but I guess that’s the same argument. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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