Steven Gerrard

[TrentVilla]

27 minutes ago, useless said:

I watched the replay of the game, was expecting it to be a smash and grab going by some of the reactions, yet whilst it wasn't a brilliant performance, but I thought we were the better team and well deserving of the win, we always looked the most likely to score and our attacking players looked the most likely to make something happen, Brighton on the other hand had more possession but it wasn't as if they had that possession because we couldn't get near them and they were passing the ball around us, they had a lot of the ball but in undangerous areas, allowing a team to do that can sometimes be a tactic.

A good start for the new coaching set-up and something to build upon.

Agreed and about as good a performance as we could really hope for given how little time he had with the players, some of them he would have had one day with.

[jimmygreaves]

7 hours ago, villalad21 said:

Some people on here simply hate Liverpool with passion and have already made their mind up. 

Nope.... I'm simply trying to be pragmatic. Gerrard's done well in a 2 team league.

For contrast Alex McCleish, remember him, won the lot with Rangers. Moved down to England and all but guaranteed relegation to any team he looked after.

People talk about Gerrard being a winner and demanding high levels from his players. In which case why didn't we appoint, say, Roy Keane. He's won more as a player and surely wouldn't settle for second best from his squad. Dare I suggest, he'd win leagues and cups in Scotland with his eyes shut.

Look, I get it, Gerrard's a big name. I hope he develops into the next Ferguson, Clough, Wenger, etc... and we reap the benefits of an era of cup wins and challenging in the league. 

For me, he's still very much an unknown entity as a premier league manager. It could go either way. I hope the appointment is a massive success, but I have reservations. It's a risky appointment.

For the record, I like many others, couldn't give a toss if he's from Liverpool, Birmingham City or Jupiter FC, if it gives us success all the better.

We shall see won't we.

[It's Your Round]

I wonder what the new rules are that Watkins mentioned in his post match comments? 

[ferguson1]

1 minute ago, It's Your Round said:

I wonder what the new rules are that Watkins mentioned in his post match comments? 

No Heinz allowed

No Daddies allowed

No HP allowed

……..and amazingly no “Crucials” allowed??   No wonder Sanson wants out  

 

[DCJonah]

Great start for him and exactly what we needed. I'm genuinely excited to see what he can do with us. 

I think these players will be on it for him.

[Tomaszk]

25 minutes ago, jimmygreaves said:

Nope.... I'm simply trying to be pragmatic. Gerrard's done well in a 2 team league.

For contrast Alex McCleish, remember him, won the lot with Rangers. Moved down to England and all but guaranteed relegation to any team he looked after.

People talk about Gerrard being a winner and demanding high levels from his players. In which case why didn't we appoint, say, Roy Keane. He's won more as a player and surely wouldn't settle for second best from his squad. Dare I suggest, he'd win leagues and cups in Scotland with his eyes shut.

Look, I get it, Gerrard's a big name. I hope he develops into the next Ferguson, Clough, Wenger, etc... and we reap the benefits of an era of cup wins and challenging in the league. 

For me, he's still very much an unknown entity as a premier league manager. It could go either way. I hope the appointment is a massive success, but I have reservations. It's a risky appointment.

For the record, I like many others, couldn't give a toss if he's from Liverpool, Birmingham City or Jupiter FC, if it gives us success all the better.

We shall see won't we.

The very encouraging thing with Gerrard is his humble approach to coaching.

He was at the top of the playing game, but knows coaching is a different kettle of fish.

He delegates and oversees. Keane would never do that. I also think he'll have a more sensitive approach on occasion with certain scenarios. If you let loose on the players 24/7, doesn't take long for it to wear off. Keane wouldn't entertain that either.

Yesterday was a great start.

[bannedfromHandV]

Hope Gerrard seeks to stamp out our penchant for going to ground easily, something I think seeped into other players via Grealish whilst he was here.

Watkins has been going down far too easily all year, Cash went to ground yesterday when he was in a really good position, I don’t think we’re necessarily particularly bad for it (all clubs do it) but it would be nice to see a reduction in it.

[nick76]

42 minutes ago, It's Your Round said:

I wonder what the new rules are that Watkins mentioned in his post match comments? 

 

[nick76]

6 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

Hope Gerrard seeks to stamp out our penchant for going to ground easily, something I think seeped into other players via Grealish whilst he was here.

Watkins has been going down far too easily all year, Cash went to ground yesterday when he was in a really good position, I don’t think we’re necessarily particularly bad for it (all clubs do it) but it would be nice to see a reduction in it.

I hope we use it to our advantage, I don’t care whether it’s more or less.  Every other team does and yes not great but no point not doing something if it loses us an advantage just to hold some imaginary high ground.

[sidcow]

Not read back to see if anyone has mentioned it but thank god for the demise of the long throw. 

Was a moment yesterday when the ball went out in long throw territory and Cash quickly threw it to someone who shifted the ball then put in a cross that led to a half chance. 

Said to the lad as play continued that we would still be waiting for the throw to be taken normally. 

Chalk a point up to Gerrard for getting rid of that nonsense. 

[Indigo]

Obviously can't read too much into one game with so little time with the team but what you what to see is some inclination of what they'll be trying to do going forward and I think we got that. Reminded me a bit of how refreshing the Swansea game felt when Smith first took over, the improvement wasn't enormous but there was enough there to give you confidence - positive result always helps too! Here's hoping it's only the beginning.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Indigo

[Tomaszk]

5 minutes ago, Indigo said:

Obviously can't read too much into one game with so little time with the team but what you what to see is some inclination of what they'll be trying to do going forward and I think we got that. Reminded me a bit of how refreshing the Swansea game felt when Smith first took over, the improvement wasn't enormous but there was enough there to give you confidence - positive result always helps too! Here's hoping it's only the beginning.

Clear plan.

Different from what we've been doing.

The win.

Not much more I wanted from yesterday.

[WallisFrizz]

19 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Not read back to see if anyone has mentioned it but thank god for the demise of the long throw. 

Was a moment yesterday when the ball went out in long throw territory and Cash quickly threw it to someone who shifted the ball then put in a cross that led to a half chance. 

Said to the lad as play continued that we would still be waiting for the throw to be taken normally. 

Chalk a point up to Gerrard for getting rid of that nonsense. 

I don’t mind the odd long throw if it could actually benefit us but it was being massively overused and getting a bit embarrassing along with the hoof ball. 

[sidcow]

3 minutes ago, WallisFrizz said:

I don’t mind the odd long throw if it could actually benefit us but it was being massively overused and getting a bit embarrassing along with the hoof ball. 

I think there were still towels out so it's probably not been totally dropped, but they certainly chose not to do any. 

[hippo]

Seems to me in his short time his first priority was to work on the defence and stop us conceding daft goals. 100% has my backing on that absolutely the right thing to do.

Clean sheet always good. Will hold judgement on whether this is the start of a mean villa defence. Brighton are woeful in front of goal so don't think we were tested much.

Palace should be interesting.

[bannedfromHandV]

34 minutes ago, nick76 said:

I hope we use it to our advantage, I don’t care whether it’s more or less.  Every other team does and yes not great but no point not doing something if it loses us an advantage just to hold some imaginary high ground.

It’s not about holding imaginary high ground, it’s about trying to fight for possession of the ball to then have an opportunity to score instead of going to ground, not getting a decision from the ref and coming away with nothing.

[Phil Silvers]

1 hour ago, It's Your Round said:

I wonder what the new rules are that Watkins mentioned in his post match comments? 

Just a finer detail and a winning level of professionalism that being and working with the best brings. I love Deano but he has worked his way up from a lower level and has never been exposed to the levels Gerrard has been around. Just fine detail to the eighth degree.

 

[Peter Griffin]

1 hour ago, It's Your Round said:

I wonder what the new rules are that Watkins mentioned in his post match comments? 

I assume discipline related. Timekeeping / attitude / work ethic / training / diet / working hours.

[briny_ear]

1 hour ago, jimmygreaves said:

People talk about Gerrard being a winner and demanding high levels from his players. In which case why didn't we appoint, say, Roy Keane. 

Maybe because Keane is a raving nutter with the man-management skills of Genghis Khan?

[tom_avfc]

He got a win based on the improvements made to our defence. In reality a lot of our success last year was due to the defence being tight.

If we keep a clean sheet we’ll win most games as it’s rare that the attacking talent we have won’t get a goal against most teams in the league.

Makes the decision to mess around with a back 3 and to drop Mings seem all the more bizarre. Our regular back 5 from last season is up there with the best in the league and if we can build from that then I don’t think we’ll go far wrong.