Steven Gerrard

[Zatman]

9 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

We have many of the same key players that finished with 55 points and one of the best defences in the league. Not sure how they managed that if they were lacking in belief or mentality. It's almost as if it's someone's responsibility to instill these qualities in the team as well as set them up correctly to win football matches. Putting everything on the players and some intangible qualities like "belief" is just deflection from the issue at hand imo.

a tenacious born winner as well so expected an improvement from the hype but he is turning into a modern Roy Keane even to the player fall outs 

[QldVilla]

8 minutes ago, Keyblade said:

We have many of the same key players that finished with 55 points and one of the best defences in the league. Not sure how they managed that if they were lacking in belief or mentality. It's almost as if it's someone's responsibility to instill these qualities in the team as well as set them up correctly to win football matches. Putting everything on the players and some intangible qualities like "belief" is just deflection from the issue at hand imo.

Did they actually have belief, or all got behind Grealish and played above themselves?

[DCJonah]

1 hour ago, SuffolkVillan said:

Sage words. I hadn't thought about the long standing, underlying malaise this club has endured for more than a decade. I did call for him to go but I think you may have a point. Question is, how long do we give him?

People keep saying this. 

We broke a club record winning streak. We survived against the odds and then we became one of the most talked about teams beating Liverpool 7-2 and finishing with the highest points total in over a decade. 

People seem intent of dismissing the last few years as though Gerrard has inherited the same situation as RDM or Bruce did.

It's ridiculous. 

[Keyblade]

Just now, QldVilla said:

Did they actually have belief, or all got behind Grealish and played above themselves?

Even if we go with the premise that it was all because of Grealish, they would have been playing above themselves due to belief, no? But I would guess the back 5 for example, who kept the third most clean sheets in the league weren't taking their cues from Jack Grealish.

But it's interesting that everything we accomplished that season is attributed to Grealish, but the poor patch that coincided with his injury and subsequent exit is blamed on the coaching staff.

[DCJonah]

2 hours ago, TRO said:

I can only speak for myself....but Blind Faith is a bit disingenuous to fans who have supported Gerrard...and that could inc you too, because I know you have.

This team has had a weak streak, before Gerrard set foot in Villa Park.....He chanced his arm with a huge club on its arse, sure it was scotland where the standard is lower.....but he had to do something big, to gain credibility, he won the league , hard to do in any league.

His playing days showed, leadership and a steely determination to win, he was universally accepted as a warrior......is it any surprise, some folk like me, would think he will bring this in to his management.....Because I thought it was needed, amongst many things.

The ills we had before he arrived, are still here, much to my susrprise.....but maybe thats my fault, for underestimating thesize of the job in hand.............changing the mentality, and the culture of what has become accepted, as a soft team, is maybe more difficult than we all imagined.

Maybe his efforts to change it have actually misfired somewhat, and requires a rethink.

Whatever, it is, we need to fix it....we can't keep throwing managers at it.....Man U have shown us that.

This club/team losing 19 games and winning 6 at home......something had to change, maybe some of the players are quite happy for it not to change and there lies the conflict......only those close to BMH may know.

There is no chance of Villa coming out and airing their dirty washing.....so only results/perfomances are the only pacifying medicine.

This might be the most ridiculous thing I've read from you.

And it utterly sums up your stance during the last few years. It's hilarious. 

[Keyblade]

He was doing our sad little club a huge favour all along. Give it the old kick up the arse using his vast experience. It's just not been working out because the players haven't rolled up their sleeves enough you see.

[a m ole]

So ridiculous. Either way it’s a managers job to coach a wInNiNg MeNtAlItY so why haven’t we got one yet? Get rid of all the players and start again again? Sack Lange and Purslow for hiring whiny sissy duds to a man?

Tactically, we suck right now. Arse kicking and ‘height’ isn’t gonna change that. Especially when the least soft and tallest player in the side has been ostracised and the biggest battler is on the bench.

Edited August 11, 2022 by a m ole

[Tomaszk]

9 hours ago, TRO said:

He is now challenging the Status Quo.....This team has had a lethargy about if for some time, and it needs challenging.

The soft under belly in this team has been around for some time now.....and it has to be addressed.

I am not saying SG is right about everything far from it, but he does need support in trying to bring about a change in attitude, which won't be easy.....how many times, have we witnessed sloppy play, capitulations, failure to beat teams we should be beating.....this has been bumping along under more that one manager.....it has to be met head on, for it to change.

Folk cite coaching as the problem, it may well be, but there is also more to it than that IMO......something is more deep rooted.

He has come in Mid season, with a brief to ensure, Premier League Status, with 19 defeats, the season was pants.....but stability was key.

His brief was to take Villa to the top half.

How was stability the key sorry? We replaced our manager and pointlessly appointed one of a similar or worse level.

5 hours ago, villabromsgrove said:

 I believe that he has identified that this "Villa boys club" at BMH is a root cause of the malaise that he is determined to cure.

The squad has not yet bought in to his 'blood and guts' mentality. The change of captaincy is the first clear indicator that SG has had enough of the status quo, and I believe his decision to make McGinn team captain was a statement of intent. McGinn's personality embodies the passion, aggression and determination that SG demands, even if he isn't our best footballer. 

Here's some quotes from Stevie during pre-season.

Quote

"We’ve had a really strong week, really positive. I’m really happy with what I’ve seen on the football pitch and also the application and commitment off the pitch in terms of gym work and listening in the classroom.

“This has been an opportunity for us to really revisit our style and our philosophy of how we want to play over the course of the season.

“Every single one of the players has been all in both on and off the pitch, so I’m delighted with where we are. We’re a bit further forward than I imagined when we came out. We’ve got one more session prior to Leeds and we’re looking forward to the test against Leeds.”

Quote

“We’ve had a smooth pre-season, the application has been superb but now it’s for real.

“I’m confident that we can improve on our inconsistencies last season, that’s the most important thing for me.”

On the younguns on tour:

Quote

"They really stepped forward,” said Gerrard. “What they’re doing is they’re sending messages to more experienced people that there’s a fight on from now until the game against Bournemouth and beyond because the window is still open.

“They’ve given me serious things to think about and that’s the reason why I’m here

Doesn't sound like it's the team that's not listening and carrying out instructions to me?

All evidence points to it being a man out of his depth. Him sat on the bench at Bournemouth arms folded was terrifyingly Sherwood.

Hopefully Critchley can save us.

[TheAuthority]

Sorry if I've missed something but why no press conference today? Aren't they usually Thursday?

[The Fun Factory]

1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I think he has until the World Cup break.  

I don't.

[ender4]

10 minutes ago, Tomaszk said:

 

All evidence points to it being a man out of his depth. Him sat on the bench at Bournemouth arms folded was terrifyingly Sherwood.

Hopefully Critchley can save us.

It is weird. Everyone could see that it wasn’t working tactically and a change was needed. Yet Gerrard either couldn’t see it or saw it and didn’t think to make a change. I just don’t get it. 

[AshVilla]

17 minutes ago, TheAuthority said:

Sorry if I've missed something but why no press conference today? Aren't they usually Thursday?

Gerrard called it off the press were not willing to look him in the eye.

[AvonVillain]

2 minutes ago, ender4 said:

It is weird. Everyone could see that it wasn’t working tactically and a change was needed. Yet Gerrard either couldn’t see it or saw it and didn’t think to make a change. I just don’t get it. 

Not exactly the kind of thing you'd see from the likes of Pep or Klopp, is it. In fact you'd really have to go down the list until you found a manager simply unwilling or unable to recognise a problem and address it. It's either bloody mindedness or incompetence, like a lot of the subpar, high profile managers we've had over the last 20 years.

[a m ole]

There’s a chance he turns it around and I don’t think anyone here would be anything but overjoyed by that 

[AntrimBlack]

I don't believe there is a malaise at he club.

The players have changed multiple times; the owners have let us down, especially Ellis; and Lerner and Xia damn near finished us off.

We have great owners now, who will progress us. If Gerrard cannot do the job they are paying him handsomely to do, then he will be gone, and they will bring in someone who can take us forward. These guys are winners.

Malaise is just humbug, so let's not give the manager and coaches that excuse. They need to get their collective fingers out and do their job, starting on Saturday.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

1 hour ago, AshVilla said:

Gerrard called it off the press were not willing to look him in the eye.

If it actually WAS called off, I'd understand.

All that would/will come out of it were more soundbites to be weaponised right before a game.

Edited August 11, 2022 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[KitKat]

1 hour ago, Tomaszk said:

Here's some quotes from Stevie during pre-season.

Not to take away from the rest of your points which I generally agree with, but what do you expect him to say? They're not training well and they are shit? If he coated the players off in pre season he'd be accused of throwing them under the bus and we know he needed to keep his powder dry on that front until after the first game.

[Jas10]

3 hours ago, Dale said:

That is a massive disservice to the progress the club has made under his predecessor. We were in poor form, but very very well set at the time Gerrard was gifted a role he'd done nothing to earn. The trajectory of the club was upwards not down. This isn't Lambert or Garde's landing point. 

Club on its arse, see Eddie Howe. 

Spot on  

Agree with every word, the progress we made under Dean and NSWE was staggering and swift considering the extent of our downfall and struggle for so long beforehand…

We had one real slump and ripped up the formula (as well as  being affected by the loss of a player we relied too heavily on - that was always going to be a setback and take time to recover from) and have risked everything on a rookie manager who only seems to delegate duties (many of which he should’ve been responsible for) and constantly output hollow words…

Off the field, this club hasn’t been in such a healthy and positive state for many, many years. We have so much appeal and are a genuinely attractive proposition… so far, it’s looking like we totally effed up this appointment.

I don’t know why we took such a “punt” when I’m sure we could’ve attracted a higher calibre of manager - then it would’ve made sense to sack Dean, in order to go to the “next level” but we look miles off that and appear to be more likely to regress…

Edited August 11, 2022 by Jas10

[foreveryoung]

I've been a supporter since he came, but we really need to start moving forward. I'm not sure if I mean it, I'll have to wait till after the Everton game, but the way I'm feeling right now is that it wouldn't bother me if he had no more time and they replaced him next week.

Reality is, we need a proven manager next, how we gonna get one to Villa, I'm unsure.

[NoelVilla]

We should have appointed a proven manager or more experienced after Smith. Don't like this changing manager so often but I don't see this working out. Still some wins and performances can change that.