Steven Gerrard

[Dale]

I've no doubt if Utd hadn't scored early this would have been a dire performance. We had initially set up like a McBruce team, as we did against Chelsea and Liverpool. Waaaaay too much respect, the fact it was a cup meant we had to come out and I hope its demonstrated that that is how we should start. No more inviting the ball onto us, press and play on the front foot. 

If you give the opposition 80% of the ball they're going to score. And it'll be dire to watch. 

Also if your coach needs to get his players in, he's not the right coach for modern football. The personnel is no longer their remit, they should be compatible with squad and input into changes. 

Edited January 11, 2022 by Dale

[Zatman]

1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Smith has gone. 

Gerrard is now our manager and will be for the foreseeable future. I think accepting this will make supporting Villa a much better experience.  Losing games is never pleasant but I can see lots to be excited about. 

While i agree we have to move on I still sometimes fail to see the excitement.

The defence has improved but the football so far has been mainly dull, last night was one of the better games so far but except the 2 disallowed goals I cant remember De Gea being badly troubled

Obviously Gerrard deserves time to improve this and he will get this pending a dissaster run but so far its a bit meh

[Dale]

28 minutes ago, hippo said:

Whole year down the pan then.

This isn't a bad squad of players by any stretch. We have 2 England CFs - and England CB and the best goalkeeper I have seen in 50 years of watching the club.

I don't think Europe is on the cards anytime soon.but a few clean sheets and goals shouldn't be beyond the current crop of players.

Yes. This is true. Remember when Swansea had success under Martinez/Rogers/Laudrup - this wasn't built on a series of managers getting their own players in, but defining a style of play and personnel, then looking for coaches to match personnel and a broad 'Villa way' would mean we'd stop lurching from one template to another. 

This is our squad... These are a series of available coaches - would their setup match its abilities and strengths or would we need to massively alter its makeup and our strategy from past 3 years which has been very successful. 

I don't think we've boxed clever in this regard. 

[Dale]

Just now, Dale said:

Yes. This is true. Remember when Swansea had success under Martinez/Rogers/Laudrup - this wasn't built on a series of managers getting their own players in, but defining a style of play and personnel, then looking for coaches to match personnel and a broad 'Villa way' would mean we'd stop lurching from one template to another. 

This is our squad... These are a series of available coaches - would their setup match its abilities and strengths or would we need to massively alter its makeup and our strategy from past 3 years which has been very successful. 

I don't think we've boxed clever in this regard. 

That said, of course I want it to work out. I have to watch it every week! 

[GrassyNoel]

19 minutes ago, hippo said:

Whole year down the pan then.

This isn't a bad squad of players by any stretch. We have 2 England CFs - and England CB and the best goalkeeper I have seen in 50 years of watching the club.

I don't think Europe is on the cards anytime soon.but a few clean sheets and goals shouldn't be beyond the current crop of players.

I don't think it's a complete waste, but we have not made anywhere near as much progress as we should have done. Newcastle's "imminent" resurgence has I think triggered an urgency.

While they are technically England players, none are first choice - I wouldn't want Watkins or Mings starting in a World Cup final - but certainly this indicates they have something.

Agree about the keeper. Until recently he's the player I feared losing the most in the summer. My favourite in my 50 years also, and that's high praise as we've had some belters.

And no, a few goals and clean sheets should never be, or have been, beyond this group. I'm confident the new regime can find the soft underbelly we have had for way too long and gut it, simply because SG has been in teams and environments that are *truly* geared towards winning and a winner's mindset. He will know, intimately, what it takes.

[Vive_La_Villa]

The guys been in the job how long? Unbelievable how much he’s being scrutinised already. Especially when in my opinion he is doing an adequate job.  3 defeats in a row always sounds bad but as I’ve said before if we’re going to just discuss the team based on end results and runs of form then what’s the point of watching the games? Just check the scores afterwards. 
 

We were very unlucky yesterday. I think we will get a result on Saturday.

[GrassyNoel]

19 minutes ago, Zatman said:

While i agree we have to move on I still sometimes fail to see the excitement.

The defence has improved but the football so far has been mainly dull, last night was one of the better games so far but except the 2 disallowed goals I cant remember De Gea being badly troubled

Obviously Gerrard deserves time to improve this and he will get this pending a dissaster run but so far its a bit meh

Spare a thought for those of us who have felt like this for the past five years - that's largely how I felt about Bruce when he first came in, and also Smith but with defence and attack reversed.

SG and his team though, very excited.

Funny old game.

[hippo]

7 minutes ago, GrassyNoel said:

I don't think it's a complete waste, but we have not made anywhere near as much progress as we should have done. Newcastle's "imminent" resurgence has I think triggered an urgency.

While they are technically England players, none are first choice - I wouldn't want Watkins or Mings starting in a World Cup final - but certainly this indicates they have something.

Agree about the keeper. Until recently he's the player I feared losing the most in the summer. My favourite in my 50 years also, and that's high praise as we've had some belters.

And no, a few goals and clean sheets should never be, or have been, beyond this group. I'm confident the new regime can find the soft underbelly we have had for way too long and gut it, simply because SG has been in teams and environments that are *truly* geared towards winning and a winner's mindset. He will know, intimately, what it takes.

Hope your right - but disagree. Many great players have totally bombed as managers.

My fear is we are going to throw millions at project Stevie G  - and there won't be a lot left for whoever has to pick up the pieces. 

[Zatman]

2 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

The guys been in the job how long? Unbelievable how much he’s being scrutinised already. Especially when in my opinion he is doing an adequate job.  3 defeats in a row always sounds bad but as I’ve said before if we’re going to just discuss the team based on end results and runs of form then what’s the point of watching the games? Just check the scores afterwards. 
 

We were very unlucky yesterday. I think we will get a result on Saturday.

He is more scrutinised because he is still a rookie on apparently a huge contract when we were promised an upgrade. He is doing OK and I can definitely see some progress but also that it could be just a honeymoon period to start

[hippo]

17 minutes ago, Dale said:

Yes. This is true. Remember when Swansea had success under Martinez/Rogers/Laudrup - this wasn't built on a series of managers getting their own players in, but defining a style of play and personnel, then looking for coaches to match personnel and a broad 'Villa way' would mean we'd stop lurching from one template to another. 

This is our squad... These are a series of available coaches - would their setup match its abilities and strengths or would we need to massively alter its makeup and our strategy from past 3 years which has been very successful. 

I don't think we've boxed clever in this regard. 

Yeah I wonder if Stevie G said at the interview that he needs to replace the bulk of last seasons squad before we can see any improvements. 

[Demitri_C]

26 minutes ago, Zatman said:

He is more scrutinised because he is still a rookie on apparently a huge contract when we were promised an upgrade. He is doing OK and I can definitely see some progress but also that it could be just a honeymoon period to start

The honeymoons over zatman.

Last night we completely out played utd. If it wasnt for a bad combination of poor referrring and bad finishing we could have hammered them.

[Viloon]

1 hour ago, hippo said:

Seriously ?

I think the lack of a style of play is the biggest concern. We seem to rely on set pieces or moments of individual skill.

Clearing out the deadwood. I wouldn't agree there is that much. But assuming AEG is one - why did he come on last night?

I can see it, the style he is implementing. I think a combination of the squad taking onboard and executing is one thing, which will come with time and not having the players he needs means it's happening in fits and spurts. In the past, we have relied heavily on getting it out wide and developing from there, which I think was because Jack was there and previous managers didn't have the ability to develop the middle of the park properly. Now we are diversifying our play alot more, pressing higher, winning second balls etc. It's just much more how I think modern football in the top tiers is played and I think we are developing that style of play. Mings hoofing it needs addressing, I do think we need more technically adept defenders, which again is something he can only change over time with either player development (In Konsas case) or replacing people (which I think we need to do with Mings).

As for AEG, I honestly can only see the reason he came on as Gerrard giving him an opportunity to prove himself. If he gave everyone a clean slate when he came in then it would make sense. Hopefully he will have seen what we all see most weeks - he isn't good enough and needs to be shifted. I didn't like the substitution, but I understand him giving players a chance if he hasn't really seen them in front of him before, just like Trez against Brentford. 

[PaulC]

I like the fact that he doesnt make any excuses for the defeat like many other managers would. We are a work in progress. With this transfer window and the one in summer we'll start seeing a big improvement in results. 

[avfc1982am]

I think my biggest concern currently is imo we are far too narrow in attack and are several players from resolving this if indeed this style is the way forward. I didn't see that our problems under Smith were necessarily system related but more player quality, especially in midfield and attack. Our defence was superb even with Cash and Targett last season. What was the conundrum, was learning to replace the creativity when JG was out the team.

I think this season we have been the architect of our own problems. By not concentrating on upgrading for the system we'd adopted and built around for 3 years, and instead bringing in players that didn't fit the system. We are now at a stage whereby arguments could be made that the new system Gerrard is employing does not suit several others who now potentially need replacing for players that suit his system. Players that were once deemed good are now not so, whilst others questioned are now being looked at as needed.

I hope we are careful because we could slip completely away from where we were and onto the carousel that has become the norm for other clubs that squander fortunes with no long term direction. Buying players that suit some systems, yet not others. Only to then have to replace them when the manager fails from grace and a new one comes along. 

[villalad21]

1 hour ago, hippo said:

My fear is we are going to throw millions at project Stevie G  - and there won't be a lot left for whoever has to pick up the pieces.

Very valid concern.

Likes of Digne will have very little resell value too.

If we go with this older players, short term success approach and it doesn't work it definitely got shades of MON about it.

[Rolta]

1 hour ago, hippo said:

Hope your right - but disagree. Many great players have totally bombed as managers.

My fear is we are going to throw millions at project Stevie G  - and there won't be a lot left for whoever has to pick up the pieces. 

I'm surprised if you can't see our improvement under Gerrard. I was skeptical at first, but we've been so much better. I've been truly impressed personally.

[Vive_La_Villa]

Just now, Rolta said:

I'm surprised if you can't see our improvement under Gerrard. I was skeptical at first, but we've been so much better. I've been truly impressed personally.

When somebody openly admit they hope he fails because they can’t stand the guy then they are going to struggle to see any improvements under him. 

[M_Afro]

After three years of Dean Smith I was still totally unclear as to what he was trying to achieve. What’s worse, is that the players also did not seem to know.

A few weeks of Gerrard and not only can you see what Gerrard is trying to achieve, you can also see the team slowly developing to meet his requirements and we are also buying players that will enhance that further. We have been unlucky in each of our last two matches, neither of which we deserved to lose. Some of our play last night was really lovely.

What he has achieved in a matter of weeks is not only impressive but really exciting. Just think back to how bad we were against Arsenal, Southampton and West Ham. We are levels above that already.

[romavillan]

1 hour ago, hippo said:

Hope your right - but disagree. Many great players have totally bombed as managers.

My fear is we are going to throw millions at project Stevie G  - and there won't be a lot left for whoever has to pick up the pieces. 

It's a gamble, and it could be an expensive one, the Coutinho signing, no matter how good the deal is tells you things have changed. So far though we haven't really spent above our means (£125k for PC a week is a very good deal). If we are going to really spend big to add to what we have now and in the summer then we better hope that Gerrard and his team get the right blend and manage to get us into europe.

It seems soon to me, I think we could have continued to invest in younger players to "complete" the squad. Then the year after look at who we've got that's reahcing the heights and who needs more time and invest in the first team filling the gaps knowing we've got excellent cover coming through.

If the idea is to get a blend of top talent to go with what we've got currently and what is coming through from the u18s and u23s then fair enough, if it's chucking loads of cash and hoping it works then we've seen that film and it ends in the Championship after years of torture.

[villalad21]

6 minutes ago, Rolta said:

I'm surprised if you can't see our improvement under Gerrard. I was skeptical at first, but we've been so much better. I've been truly impressed personally.

Funny you would say at a time where we've just lost 3 games in a row.

If we lose on Saturday that will be 4.

Losing quickly becomes a habit and we need to find a way to stop the rot we are now currently in.

The fact that we still concede such easy and poor goals doesn't exactly bode well.