Steven Gerrard

[hippo]

5 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

It is clearly Stevies plan. I don't think it will work out with the CBs we have though. I would prefer the ball playing CB to come in and replace Konsa so Mings can focus on the defence more. It'll be interesting how Chambers does as he has very high passing stats so might take on the passing outlet of the CBs role now for next 2 games.

No I don't think it will work with our existing CBs - be very interesting to see who SG sources as replacements 

(Franz beckenbauer retired some years back)

Edited February 11, 2022 by hippo

[Mantis]

10 hours ago, Zatman said:

Yes just ignore the actual reasons why I gave him 5 out of 10

Pretty sure you were against either Bruce or McLeish from Day 1

No? I just think it's ridiculous given the state when we were in when he arrived. Doesn't mean he's been a 9/10 of course but 5/10 is ridiculously harsh.

And nope I wasn't.

[Zatman]

1 minute ago, Mantis said:

No? I just think it's ridiculous given the state when we were in when he arrived. Doesn't mean he's been a 9/10 of course but 5/10 is ridiculously harsh.

And nope I wasn't.

Were we really in this bad state people are thinking. We had lost 5 in a row and confidence was down but we had personnel crisis as well. Smith last game we had two senior players on the bench, started Axel and Anwar and had a bucket load of injuries

Gerrard didn't walk into the Villa 2016 dressing room and he started well which credit has been given but its now 1 win in 6 and have played some poor to average teams and an out of form Chelsea

Brentford, Everton and Leeds have probably won something like 4 in the last 30 combined. That should have been 9 points not 4 plus the worst United team in my lifetime

 

[DaveAV1]

3 hours ago, CVByrne said:

My one criticism so far is that Gerrard hasn't fixed the Villa DNA. We throw away games routinely like we always have, we're soft and when we are in the lead deep down you know this is Aston Villa are we are soft and a mentally weak side. 2 goals up with 10 mins left, of course we can lose this game still.

I agree with the whole post, but this is fundamental to our progress. It is also the thing that was fundamental in the way that SG played the game. A must win mentality which in recent years has been so lacking from us. If he can fix that then that’s a huge step forward. I’m pretty confident that he will. If we have players at the club that can’t reset their mentality, which may be 99% subconscious, then they will be replaced.  
 

SG played his entire career at a club that expected to win and that’s what he will have brought with him as a coach. Call it arrogance, call it what you like, but it’s what all successful organisations or people have. He also understands what it takes to win, expectations have to be created with a lot of hard work. Both he and the hierarchy at the club are prepared to put in the hard yards, are under no illusions as to what that involves but have a clear view of what success looks like and do everything necessary to achieve their goals. Only people who have or can learn this mentality will make it along the road and enjoy the success that it leads to. 

[Mantis]

58 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Were we really in this bad state people are thinking. We had lost 5 in a row and confidence was down but we had personnel crisis as well. Smith last game we had two senior players on the bench, started Axel and Anwar and had a bucket load of injuries

Gerrard didn't walk into the Villa 2016 dressing room and he started well which credit has been given but its now 1 win in 6 and have played some poor to average teams and an out of form Chelsea

Brentford, Everton and Leeds have probably won something like 4 in the last 30 combined. That should have been 9 points not 4 plus the worst United team in my lifetime

 

We were in pretty bad shape when he came in. Obviously wasn't anything like the 15/16 season but at the end under Smith we didn't even look like being capable of getting draws let alone wins.

And that "1 win in 6" really isn't as bad as it sounds when 3 of the fixtures were against Chelsea and Man United (who are still tough teams even if they're not in the best form right now). Brentford was poor although we weren't exactly outplayed and although we really should've beaten Leeds, they'd actually won their previous two away games on the trot.

Just not really sure how you can give a manager who has averaged over 1.5 points per game in the league since he came in (over the course of a season that would get us almost 60 points) a mere 5/10. It's frankly bizarre.

Edited February 11, 2022 by Mantis

[Vive_La_Villa]

This thread really has turned in to the @hippo and @Zatman think Gerrard is shit. Everyone else trying to defend him

Edited February 11, 2022 by Vive_La_Villa

[hippo]

7 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

This thread really has turned in to the @hippo and @Zatman think Gerrard is shit. Everyone else trying to defend him

Its a good job you don't sit by me !  - the bloke behind me makes my dislike of Stevie G look mild.

If you think he only has two detractors - think again.  

[PaulC]

11 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

This thread really has turned in to the @hippo and @Zatman think Gerrard is shit. Everyone else trying to defend him

Zatman thinks Klopp and Pep are shit... sorry Zatman 

[Zatman]

8 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

This thread really has turned in to the @hippo and @Zatman think Gerrard is shit. Everyone else trying to defend him

Never said he was shit. Valid criticism that he hasnt impressed as much as some believe. 

Seems to be some people want to not want to take constructive criticism on board. 

Which is fair enough, probably would also prefer to live in North Korea

[Vive_La_Villa]

1 minute ago, Zatman said:

Never said he was shit. Valid criticism that he hasnt impressed as much as some believe. 

Seems to be some people want to not want to take constructive criticism on board. 

Which is fair enough, probably would also prefer to live in North Korea

Haha, constructive criticism with just a pinch of I think he’s shit and will fail

[NoelVilla]

16 minutes ago, Mantis said:

Just not really sure how you can give a manager who has averaged over 1.5 points per game in the league since he came in (over the course of a season that would get us almost 60 points) a mere 5/10. It's frankly bizarre.

Stats are interesting but a sample size of 11 games is not really something that I would use as an argument. I looked at it and from our last 5 games we have averaged a 1 point per game. Are we then regressing under Gerrard or we are on our way to find a mean of 1,25 per game? Don't know we will see. 

 

[Zatman]

6 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Haha, constructive criticism with just a pinch of I think he’s shit and will fail

Well maybe harsh

Funny thing is Gerrard came in with his winners attitude yet people are defending for criticism against poor results. He will be fuming himself

[Vive_La_Villa]

2 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Well maybe harsh

Funny thing is Gerrard came in with his winners attitude yet people are defending for criticism against poor results. He will be fuming himself

He will be but people are only defending him because he is entitled to some time. If this time next year we’re still seeing the same issues I’ll be the first to be criticising him mate. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Vive_La_Villa

[Zatman]

10 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

He will be but people are only defending him because he is entitled to some time. If this time next year we’re still seeing the same issues I’ll be the first to be criticising him mate. 

Of course and thats fair but I think some obvious issues that can be quickly resolved

FWIW I do actually like the tactical shape we use at the moment

[Vive_La_Villa]

9 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Of course and thats fair but I think some obvious issues that can be quickly resolved

FWIW I do actually like the tactical shape we use at the moment

I bet you feel dirty after admitting that

[Zatman]

7 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I bet you feel dirty after admitting that

Took me minutes to hit the Submit Reply button

[sparrow1988]

5 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Took me minutes to hit the Submit Reply button

 

[barry'sboots]

He's made a great start imho.

The only two disappointing results are Brentford and Leeds (after being 3-1 up).

Yes, he's got issues to resolve but these are not things you can achieve overnight.

Positives

• He's getting the best out of JJ and Buendia
• He's attracted Coutinho and pretty quickly got him back to a very decent level
• He's attracted Digne
• No-one is talking about Jack (although I personally would have him back in a heartbeat)
• We are looking up and not down
• We have an identifiable plan and style of play and are buying players to suit thatq

Negatives

• We have underperformed what I would have hoped for in two games - Brentford away and Leeds home (the latter of which we lost 0-3 last year compared to a draw this time around)

Things outside of his control

• He's lost the only true DCM he had - who he had majorly improved. This position is integral to his style of play and he tried to address it in January but couldn't get his no. 1 target so has, rightly, imho, waited until the summer to go again.
• He has been without a fit Bailey and Traore for all of his time here - our 3rd and 4th options at "10"'

I'm excited moving forward with Stevie G. I would be happy if we can finish 11th again, having lost Jack in the summer and had a disruptive season so far. But I will be expecting big things in the summer and for us to come out firing next season.

 

 

 

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

This thread really has turned in to the @hippo and @Zatman think Gerrard is shit. Everyone else trying to defend him

It's because their opinions on Gerrard were decided before he even walked in the door, and range from tedious to outlandish, @Zatman ( A bit more balanced ) to a much lesser degree than @hippo . They have made this clear from the get go as well.

If i'm honest, I think alot of us would react the same way to this, regardless of who was manager, given the mitigating circumstances and time of his tenure so far.

When you go out of your way to negate any sort of positives, pre determine doom based on nothing more than your dislike of the man, it's hard to feed into it. lol

Edited February 11, 2022 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[hippo]

7 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

It's because their opinions on Gerrard were decided before he even walked in the door, and range from tedious to outlandish, @Zatman ( A bit more balanced ) to a much lesser degree than @hippo . They have made this clear from the get go as well.

If i'm honest, I think alot of us would react the same way to this, regardless of who was manager, given the mitigating circumstances and time of his tenure so far.

When you go out of your way to negate any sort of positives, pre determine doom based on nothing more than your dislike of the man, it's hard to feed into it. lol

Fair enough.

I think hes a bell end of the highest order - and his appointment has forever tainted Aston Villa for me. We shouldn't be a mini Liverpool - were better than that.

I predict troubled times ahead I really don't hes on the right track at all - the defence looks all over the place - with players bumping into each other the goalkeeper looking a pale shadow of only a few months back. Sure Countinho, Buendia, Ramsey look dynamite - but all there good work we will be undone if we leak goals as easily as we are.

Sure very small sample size - but for those old enough to remember it seems a bit Graham Turner/Tim Sherwood familiar to me.  

I've been going down the villa 50+ years - maybe thats long enough. Im really frustrated that we have great owners, the youth prospects seem out of this world. But as Ive said many times on this forum - you can't fudge the managers (Head Coach) position.