Steven Gerrard

[KentVillan]

Just now, Zatman said:

of course but after 20 games I see no potential in Gerrard after the new manager bounce. I see a stubborn fool with the same tactics that beat Kilmarnock and Hamilton and thinks they will work against better managers.

When we abandoned it we won 3 in a row and then went back to it 

I'd like to see how those tactics work when he's had a whole summer to work on them and add a couple of new players to the squad. But I agree, this season we've looked much better when we haven't used those tactics.

[KentVillan]

On a separate note, I think a lot of the muted response to Gerrard is because we just don't have a "Villa hero" at the moment.

Coutinho may not be here next season. None of the other attacking players have consistently delivered. It all feels a bit of a mishmash, and when they do turn up, you know another defeat is just round the corner.

All the best times supporting Villa have been when the team has been flying and there's been a player or ideally a handful of players who really get the crowd going. We need that feeling back. Ever since Grealish left, we've been missing that spark. That's the big challenge for Gerrard. A striker who bangs in 15+ goals a season or a midfielder who gets loads of assists and scores a few worldies. Some big results against top sides. That's what will get the buzz around Villa Park again.

[Zatman]

3 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

I'd like to see how those tactics work when he's had a whole summer to work on them and add a couple of new players to the squad. But I agree, this season we've looked much better when we haven't used those tactics.

I am not sure I want to see it anymore  I was keen on it before but Gerrard has had that infamous mini pre-season in which we looked even more shit after it 

He has Cash and Digne and Coutinho and Buendia and its just a mess. He cant sign better players for this system, even the mythical defensive midfielder wont help us if Gerrard keeps playing his comedy hero McGinn

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

20 minutes ago, Zatman said:

When we abandoned it we won 3 in a row and then went back to it 

So the same manager who " abandoned it " and won 3 in a row, is the same "  stubborn fool " who won't change the formation?

I'm confused.

[KentVillan]

14 minutes ago, Zatman said:

I am not sure I want to see it anymore  I was keen on it before but Gerrard has had that infamous mini pre-season in which we looked even more shit after it 

He has Cash and Digne and Coutinho and Buendia and its just a mess. He cant sign better players for this system, even the mythical defensive midfielder wont help us if Gerrard keeps playing his comedy hero McGinn

As much as I hate the DM obsession on VT, we did look really good when Nakamba was fit. Maybe that profile of player is the missing piece of the jigsaw for the way Gerrard wants to play - allowing the full backs to advance without getting caught out, and letting the 10s find space between the lines. I’d like to see him at least get a chance with that kind of player in the starting XI.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

21 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

On a separate note, I think a lot of the muted response to Gerrard is because we just don't have a "Villa hero" at the moment.

Coutinho may not be here next season. None of the other attacking players have consistently delivered. It all feels a bit of a mishmash, and when they do turn up, you know another defeat is just round the corner.

All the best times supporting Villa have been when the team has been flying and there's been a player or ideally a handful of players who really get the crowd going. We need that feeling back. Ever since Grealish left, we've been missing that spark. That's the big challenge for Gerrard. A striker who bangs in 15+ goals a season or a midfielder who gets loads of assists and scores a few worldies. Some big results against top sides. That's what will get the buzz around Villa Park again.

Agree , Deano and Jack going in the same season will have left alot of people disillusioned.

1 was bad enough.

I mean, it even gutted me as well.

However, it's also why I think I can make objective.observation with regards to our current situation. ( Not having a particular bias or deep emotional connection to manager etc. ) However I feel it has the opposite on some, which isn't nuance or balance, but pure anger and frustration.

I have alot of the same concerns as some of the critics do, but some of the posts and attitudes are without a doubt OTT X 100 given the circumstances.

For example, if SG came in, and Jack was still here, atttitudes might be slightly different.

Edited April 4, 2022 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[Zatman]

1 minute ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

So the same manager who " abandoned it " and won 3 in a row, is the same "  stubborn fool " who won't change the formation?

I'm confused.

because he needed results, before the Brighton game the Villa fanbase was absolute pissed at him. He abandoned it to get results, we won 3 in a row and then the system came back. Guy is a clown

[paul514]

1 hour ago, jacketspuds said:

You might be right, but surely it’s too early to know.

I know already, poor man management, stupid formation, bad results, players look badly coached and poorly motivated.

im all for giving managers loads of time but I’m telling you right now this isn’t just a poor appointment it’s dreadful for the progress we have made so far building the squad we have and the signings he will make for his ridiculous formation this summer

the football we are playing is boring and crap too

Edited April 4, 2022 by paul514

[QldVilla]

2 hours ago, KentVillan said:

On a separate note, I think a lot of the muted response to Gerrard is because we just don't have a "Villa hero" at the moment.

Coutinho may not be here next season. None of the other attacking players have consistently delivered. It all feels a bit of a mishmash, and when they do turn up, you know another defeat is just round the corner.

All the best times supporting Villa have been when the team has been flying and there's been a player or ideally a handful of players who really get the crowd going. We need that feeling back. Ever since Grealish left, we've been missing that spark. That's the big challenge for Gerrard. A striker who bangs in 15+ goals a season or a midfielder who gets loads of assists and scores a few worldies. Some big results against top sides. That's what will get the buzz around Villa Park again.

Agree, for me it’s the midfield, the current lot are lightweight. I’m 50/50 on Watkins, I thought he may have second season syndrome this season, but needs to start putting the ball in the back of the net with the chances he does get.

[tinker]

The first transfer window under Gerrard has been poor, we have purchased a left back for £30m, he's not much of an upgrade on the one we had and loaned a player, who although he can be class in certain games, it's stopped us developing our own players and put us in a position of having to pay extortionate wages to keep him.

The warning signs are there already I'm afraid. He's playing a system the current players can't seem to play and pissing them all off to boot with post match comments blamming them and destroying any confidence they have. 

Can't believe how fast we are falling apart and we have seen this all before and it doesn't end well. 

My guess is the owners will pull the plug on Purslow if the results and or the performances don't improve by the end of the season. 

Smith had run his course but Gerrard was a huge gamble and its plain to see he's struggling.  

[VillaParkAvenue]

14 minutes ago, tinker said:

My guess is the owners will pull the plug on Purslow if the results and or the performances don't improve by the end of the season. 

Smith had run his course but Gerrard was a huge gamble and its plain to see he's struggling.  

I agree with almost everything you wrote, but don’t believe Gerrard is in any sort of danger yet. The board has probably accepted the fact this season is a failure and instead look forward to the summer.

Worst case, the summer is spent making offers for players who aren’t keen on coming to a currently underachieving club. And it ends with us signing a bunch of proven winners, coming on free transfers and high salaries, from clubs that don’t want to extend their contracts.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

17 minutes ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

I agree with almost everything you wrote, but don’t believe Gerrard is in any sort of danger yet. The board has probably accepted the fact this season is a failure and instead look forward to the summer.

Worst case, the summer is spent making offers for players who aren’t keen on coming to a currently underachieving club. And it ends with us signing a bunch of proven winners, coming on free transfers and high salaries, from clubs that don’t want to extend their contracts.

I also noted previously, that if it ultimately goes tits up.

It probably would spell the end for Purslow.

Also 10000 percent agree that transfers should be a balance of his requirements, and what is best for the long term future of the club. ( With the latter superceding final decisions). As well as any potential future manager.

Edited April 4, 2022 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[nick76]

38 minutes ago, tinker said:

The first transfer window under Gerrard has been poor, we have purchased a left back for £30m, he's not much of an upgrade on the one we had and loaned a player, who although he can be class in certain games, it's stopped us developing our own players and put us in a position of having to pay extortionate wages to keep him.

I thought this was a joke at first but you’re serious!!!  Getting Digne and Coutinho was a great window, I’m not sure how it could be viewed otherwise and I’m shocked by the above paragraph.

The results have not been great under Gerrard but I’m not sure how in the hell you can think getting those two players in was poor.  We need a DM without doubt but that’s no reflection on those two players who were great to bring in.  Digne is a massive upgrade on Targett.

Edited April 4, 2022 by nick76

[villa4europe]

7 hours ago, jacketspuds said:

What amazes me is that there are a few fans that have already decided that Gerrard is not good enough to manage us, after 19 games and one January window.

I wonder how many of these armchair experts work in football?

I think he's good enough to manage us

but I also think he's not better than what he had and I'll be honest and say I'm still pissed about it, we should have stuck rather than twisted, I'm finding myself increasingly apathetic towards him as the season continues

he makes a big noise about this magical system and we get excited about the names that he can attract but in the end I've seen nothing that says anything has actually changed at the villa

[useless]

Not sure how this season is a failure, we were never going to go from barely surviving, finishing midtable, to finishing in Europe in three seasons. This season was always likely to be about consilidating our midtable status at best, especially after losing Grealish and given the fact that one of our major summer signings who would have been expected to play a big part in filling void left by Grealish has been injured for most of the season.

In fact if we can finish top half, I'd say it would be a pretty succesful season considering it will be the first time we've acheived that in over ten years

[Delphinho123]

My biggest fear with Gerrard at the club is the system he plays. I’d say it’s fairly unique in the grand scheme of things and you have to have players with particular skillsets to play certain roles. 

If he fails, and leaves the club, there’s a chance we’ll be left with an even more imbalanced squad than we have now. 

We’re going to go big this Summer and there are a few on here that are worried we may be left like Everton are now. I think these are valid concerns albeit I’m putting my faith in the club to get it right despite the poor Summer window just gone. 

I hope to god we sign two central midfielders. 

[villa4europe]

17 minutes ago, useless said:

Not sure how this season is a failure, we were never going to go from barely surviving, finishing midtable, to finishing in Europe in three seasons. This season was always likely to be about consilidating our midtable status at best, especially after losing Grealish and given the fact that one of our major summer signings who would have been expected to play a big part in filling void left by Grealish has been injured for most of the season.

In fact if we can finish top half, I'd say it would be a pretty succesful season considering it will be the first time we've acheived that in over ten years

I think this year is the year that "blagging" a promotion, getting promoted when we had no right to do so and were completely unprepared for it, has caught up with us

its good that it happened in PL year 3 rather than PL year 1

said elsewhere you look at wolves did and were able to do, we cant do that because of how we came up, that's also part why I'm wary of huge player turnover this summer, tearing up the squad and starting again to suit gerrards system, i think thats the opposite of what we should be doing, we should be settling and then looking to add one or two pieces of real quality

[HalfTimePost]

My biggest fear is he signs a load of ex Liverpool mates and gets sacked anyway as results don't improve enough, leaving the next guy with a dressing room that was only here for high wages and Steven Gerrard and we end up having to cut costs all over again.

 

It feels unlikely, but that's my biggest fear.

[nick76]

17 minutes ago, HalfTimePost said:

My biggest fear is he signs a load of ex Liverpool mates and gets sacked anyway as results don't improve enough, leaving the next guy with a dressing room that was only here for high wages and Steven Gerrard and we end up having to cut costs all over again.

 

It feels unlikely, but that's my biggest fear.

But that’s preempting something not based on anything tangible.  We’ve signed Coutinho on loan whose a quality player.  Aside from that the press have linked us with players of Liverpool connection but with the press we don’t know how true that is or just the usual lazy journalism like they do with any manager and past connections.

Of the ones being linked, Suarez was a elite goalscorer coming to the end of his career.  Could he do a job for us for a season or two, who knows.  Is he better than Ollie or Ings?  I think he’d fit Gerrard’s system than Ollie and maybe if they have high hopes for Archer, giving him another season or so to develop may a wise decision to bring in an older player that will then leave.  Can Suarez cut the mustard is the question.

The other is Joe Gomez, I have to say I know very little about him but he’s good with his feet unlike our two.  Was highly thought of before injury at Liverpool but I have no idea on him.

I don’t mind the Liverpool connections if there is a plan behind it and they are quality.  I think Coutinho was a quality move because he’s a real talent that was in the wilderness and we can nurture that back.  Like a stock where we can buy at at the dip before it climbs back to its 200 day average.

[Laughable Chimp]

48 minutes ago, villa4europe said:

I think this year is the year that "blagging" a promotion, getting promoted when we had no right to do so and were completely unprepared for it, has caught up with us

its good that it happened in PL year 3 rather than PL year 1

said elsewhere you look at wolves did and were able to do, we cant do that because of how we came up, that's also part why I'm wary of huge player turnover this summer, tearing up the squad and starting again to suit gerrards system, i think thats the opposite of what we should be doing, we should be settling and then looking to add one or two pieces of real quality

My god, how long are we gonna use this excuse? I've been hearing people say this from season 1 which tbf, was a valid point back then. Now after hundreds of millions of pounds invested with a team that has brought in players to replace players that themselves were brought in to replace our promotion-chasing players, it gets a bit silly to think that we're still being chained by us being promoted through the playoffs.Are we gonna say this again in 10 year later when we go through another bad patch?

edit: I may have come off to harsh, I apologize. Especially since you weren't technically trying to excuse our performances, just explain them.

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by Laughable Chimp