Steven Gerrard

[gwi1890]

34 minutes ago, JPJCB said:

I agree with this. I’m a believer in the system gerrard wants to play having seen how it solidified us in his first few games. I think since signing digne and coutinho we’ve tried to play a more attacking version of it though which has made us more vulnerable. The full backs’ starting positions are too high and so we’re constantly exposed on the break. That’s a stark contrast with the first few games where we always looked difficult to break down.

he needs to go back to basics for the next game. I’d make two changes to solidify us- tell the fullbacks to start deeper with more of an onus on McGinn/Ramsey to be involved in the attacking play; swap luiz for chambers so that we shore up the centre of the park

Exactly we’ve tweaked the system and the players simply aren’t getting it, they might in time but I feel a compromise is needed, ditching the system is not the answer just revert to what it was be solid take a few 0-0 and 1-0 victories, we haven’t seen Mcginn close to scoring since we pushed the fullbacks up even higher, early on the pushing fullbacks almost gave us 5 in midfield rather than 5 up front and it worked. I genuinely don’t think we’ve been found out it’s just a case of over complicating things, the back to basics clean sheet first approach   is needed,  Wolves barley scored early on this season now looks at them.

[picicata]

I'm sure all our players respect Gerrard as a player and as a person but I wonder if they are doubting his management abilities? It would explain why every single one of them is playing like turd.

[VillaChris]

4 minutes ago, picicata said:

I'm sure all our players respect Gerrard as a player and as a person but I wonder if they are doubting his management abilities? It would explain why every single one of them is playing like turd.

I'd imagine it's completely different to DS methods. He was always arm around shoulder type which likes of AEG and Targett would thrive on.

Gerrard is far more ruthless.

Think Ollie is a good case point. DS would basically die on a hill defending him but Gerrard just treats him like anyone else in the squad so he dosen't seem himself but that's the nature of football and he certainly needs to play better if he's ever to become regular in England squad.

[picicata]

11 minutes ago, VillaChris said:

I'd imagine it's completely different to DS methods. He was always arm around shoulder type which likes of AEG and Targett would thrive on.

Gerrard is far more ruthless.

Think Ollie is a good case point. DS would basically die on a hill defending him but Gerrard just treats him like anyone else in the squad so he dosen't seem himself but that's the nature of football and he certainly needs to play better if he's ever to become regular in England squad.

Obviously, that management approach works for some but not others. What ever the approach Gerrard is taking doesn't seem to getting the best out of anybody.

[romavillan]

When Gerrard and Beale came in they were talking about high intensity training methods. I don't think you could say that the players look much different in terms of fitness or match sharpness to when Smith was coaching them. Straight away when they came in we looked more organised off the ball, and just that and being fitter and sharper from this high intensity training would have been enough for more than 1 point from the last three games. 

The worry is we've gone backwards and especially in the last two games it's hard to see signs of where the turnaround is going to start. We need some points sharpish or we're in the shit.

[DCJonah]

Patience is important, but part of the challenge Gerrard and the board will face, is that despite what a minority on here will tell you, they sacked a popular manager. 

I argued a long time about realistic expectations, i think that's going to become an issue yet again. 

[a m ole]

6 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Patience is important, but part of the challenge Gerrard and the board will face, is that despite what a minority on here will tell you, they sacked a popular manager. 

I argued a long time about realistic expectations, i think that's going to become an issue yet again. 

All we need is the right manager and Bissouma and we’ll finish top 6, then we buy a whole new team. Simple.

[VillaParkAvenue]

55 minutes ago, gwi1890 said:

Exactly we’ve tweaked the system and the players simply aren’t getting it, they might in time but I feel a compromise is needed, ditching the system is not the answer just revert to what it was be solid take a few 0-0 and 1-0 victories, we haven’t seen Mcginn close to scoring since we pushed the fullbacks up even higher, early on the pushing fullbacks almost gave us 5 in midfield rather than 5 up front and it worked. I genuinely don’t think we’ve been found out it’s just a case of over complicating things, the back to basics clean sheet first approach   is needed,  Wolves barley scored early on this season now looks at them.

There is actually a possibility of this at least partly sorting itself out. When we looked solid under early Gerrard, we were playing teams who monopolized possession which left us defending. We played teams like Brighton, Man City and Liverpool. Lately we’ve played a lot of teams who have been happy to let us have the ball. With us getting horribly exposed in transitions.

[VillaParkAvenue]

28 minutes ago, romavillan said:

When Gerrard and Beale came in they were talking about high intensity training methods. I don't think you could say that the players look much different in terms of fitness or match sharpness to when Smith was coaching them. Straight away when they came in we looked more organised off the ball, and just that and being fitter and sharper from this high intensity training would have been enough for more than 1 point from the last three games. 

The worry is we've gone backwards and especially in the last two games it's hard to see signs of where the turnaround is going to start. We need some points sharpish or we're in the shit.

I think it’s common if intensity in training goes up during season, players don’t immediately look fitter. They can get more injuries and actually look less fit for a while until things hopefully turn around later on.

[VillaCas]

I like the formation that Gerrard is working towards with a 6, two 8s and two 10s. Unfortunately, our ‘best’ five midfielders are all 10s - Luis, Ramsey and McGinn are all better in the top third than they are at working the ball through midfield so the ball seems to end up at Mings feet again and again until he has no option than to launch it upfield.

I imagine that a couple of these five will go in the summer to be replaced with a proper “8” and a long awaited CDM

In the meantime we will either alter our style to the players we have and utilise Sanson, Ireogbunham and Troere or Bailey wide or persevere and hope that players get more used to their roles

In addition to midfield changes, I’d expect to see a new RB and a new striker in the summer

Once Gerrard has those changes in place there will be no excuses for a sub top 8 finish

 

[AV82]

I fear his comments after Newcastle show a certain naivety that needs stamping out quick. What kind of message does that send when he fields the exact same team with one change?

[villa4europe]

1 minute ago, AV82 said:

I fear his comments after Newcastle show a certain naivety that needs stamping out quick. What kind of message does that send when he fields the exact same team with one change?

Agree

There was more wrong at Newcastle than Ings for Watkins 

 

 

[nick76]

27 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

Patience is important, but part of the challenge Gerrard and the board will face, is that despite what a minority on here will tell you, they sacked a popular manager. 

Yep!

28 minutes ago, DCJonah said:

I argued a long time about realistic expectations, i think that's going to become an issue yet again. 

The board put themselves in that position by sacking a popular manager because they have higher ambition.  All totally fair but then they have to not be surprised when fans are moaning about how poor we are game after game given the board’s actions.  

Yes, Rome wasn’t built in a day but being poor game after game isn’t acceptable even early in the new managers reign.  We aren’t expecting to fly up the table but we expect a minimum of standard on the pitch of effort and competency, we aren’t getting that at the moment.

[Zatman]

I do think all talk of a relegation battle is a little premature BUT if we are drawn into one then no way he can continue next season as manager 

[Five Ken McNaughts]

Personally, I think Gerrard should double down and take his philosophy to its natural conclusion. If our full-backs are now attackers and our midfielders are now defenders, let’s go the whole hog – Mings making darting runs off the last man while Ings drops in to cover at centre back... Martinez storming down the wing while Buendia fills in between the posts... Come on, if Opposite World is the key to winning football matches then let’s not be half-hearted about it.

[PaulC]

28 minutes ago, Zatman said:

I do think all talk of a relegation battle is a little premature BUT if we are drawn into one then no way he can continue next season as manager 

I would hope hes given more time. 

[VillaParkAvenue]

18 minutes ago, Five Ken McNaughts said:

Personally, I think Gerrard should double down and take his philosophy to its natural conclusion. If our full-backs are now attackers and our midfielders are now defenders, let’s go the whole hog – Mings making darting runs off the last man while Ings drops in to cover at centre back... Martinez storming down the wing while Buendia fills in between the posts... Come on, if Opposite World is the key to winning football matches then let’s not be half-hearted about it.

Total football, like Cruyff intended.

[PaulC]

2 minutes ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

Total football, like Cruyff intended.

or the man who invented it Rinus Michels

[WallisFrizz]

Michael Owen is not talking about Villa here, but he could be…

 

[gwi1890]

1 minute ago, WallisFrizz said:

Michael Owen is not talking about Villa here, but he could be…

 

I’ve never seem him so passionate but it makes sense and it’s true, Liverpool for a short period regressed under Klopp.