Steven Gerrard

[HKP90]

 

2 hours ago, tinker said:

It's all a bit embarrassing posters trying to justify SG appointment after 3 games and dismiss Smith's achievements over 3 seasons. No one knows how well he's going to do , none of these are his players and he hasn't really had chance to change anything other than a few tweaks , which appeared to have worked in his first two games. The city game was a buy for him so I don't think we can take anything from it either way. 

I think he's going to have problems with Ings and Bailey, Watkins was our best player against City, his work rate alone was acceptional, not to mention the goal. Can Ings be brought back in after that performance? Bailey ......well where to start , he's all over the shop and doesn't seem to have the drive to correct his poor form. Unlike Buendía who is clearly very driven, despite his poor form. Once Trez is back and Bert I can't see how he gets into this team. 

 I think What SG has done in his time so far (at least as far as I am concerned) is dispelled the notion of him being a vanity manager, although this has been as much down to his off-field conduct, as the football itself.

Do I think we’ve improved in the short term? Yes. Do I think there is enough data to suggest a long term trend? No, not after 3 games, but he’s certainly impressed me so far.

[MrBlack]

2 hours ago, dubliner said:

Unfortunately was pipped to first place in the Ballon d'Or Lego Hair award by Mikel Arteta.

Danny Murphy cast the deciding vote and couldn't live with himself if he gave it to a Villan. 

I recall being labelled as having lego hair in my younger days, as if it was a bad thing. I'd probably do bad things to have that volume of hair again nowadays (without resorting to surgery).

Edited December 3, 2021 by MrBlack

[HKP90]

8 minutes ago, MrBlack said:

I recall being labelled as having lego in my younger days, as if it was a bad thing. I'd probably do bad things to have that volume of hair again nowadays (without resorting to surgery).

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

[TheMelvillan]

When the owners originally announced that they had a five year plan for the trajectory of the club we all assumed that they referring to player recruitment. Maybe they always had it in mind that they were going to change managers to best suit the trajectory of the club. I think that Gerrard has a higher ceiling than Smith who they perhaps always saw as a ship steadier rather than the man to take us to the next level.

Maybe not but I really like what im seeing. What really strikes me is that whenever we pass the ball more than 4 or 5 times in the midfield area it doesnt feel like im watching Villa. I think thats primarily because we are just not accustomed to seeing our team do that. And it is sooo much easier on the eye than what we've been used to.

Ironically, after watching Smith at former clubs I thought that that was how he was going to get us to play when he joined. but that never really transpired, quite possibly due to the over reliance on Grealish

[TRO]

On 02/12/2021 at 07:32, villalad21 said:

Gerrard will go to the very top.

Nailed on.

[TRO]

27 minutes ago, TheMelvillan said:

When the owners originally announced that they had a five year plan for the trajectory of the club we all assumed that they referring to player recruitment. Maybe they always had it in mind that they were going to change managers to best suit the trajectory of the club. I think that Gerrard has a higher ceiling than Smith who they perhaps always saw as a ship steadier rather than the man to take us to the next level.

Maybe not but I really like what im seeing. What really strikes me is that whenever we pass the ball more than 4 or 5 times in the midfield area it doesnt feel like im watching Villa. I think thats primarily because we are just not accustomed to seeing our team do that. And it is sooo much easier on the eye than what we've been used to.

Ironically, after watching Smith at former clubs I thought that that was how he was going to get us to play when he joined. but that never really transpired, quite possibly due to the over reliance on Grealish

I think that is the case....Dean was everyones friend, none more illustrated as when he was fist pumping and singing " there's only one Leon Bailey" when greeting him on his first day in training.

I couldn't see any of the top managers doing that.....what message does that send out?

Any way, new era, that I think the owners will be quick to support.

[Vive_La_Villa]

Guys great start but it’s way to early to get over excited. I love the optimism but I’m seeing posters get way ahead of themselves.  It will be the same ones that turn on him when we have a bad run. 
 

Let’s just keep enjoying how things are going game by game instead of grand predictions of Gerrard going to the top etc.   

[jim]

1 hour ago, BleedClaretAndBlue said:

Deserved! Came in to a team at rock bottom after 5 defeats on the spin and made an instant impact.

[TRO]

3 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

Guys great start but it’s way to early to get over excited. I love the optimism but I’m seeing posters get way ahead of themselves.  It will be the same ones that turn on him when we have a bad run. 
 

Let’s just keep enjoying how things are going game by game instead of grand predictions of Gerrard going to the top etc.   

I don't think folk are getting ahead of themselves......I think its nice for fans to see, what's possibly ahead.

Some of us old ones, had this feeling in the early days of Ron Saunders, despite some of the set backs, you could almost feel the steady progress and the culture being developed.

Where I agree with you, right now ( Short term)is about steering clear of relegation and it is much too early for any real tangible work from SG to get through, he hasn't been here long enough...its just basic stuff, the finer detail will come later.

It is very hard, to witness that second half against one of the best teams around and not get excited as to what lies ahead, sure we could go on to lose to Leicester too, such is the challenge of this league...but lets be bullish.

part of the fun is to predict the outcome, before it happens, no harm in that.....If it goes pear shaped, we was wrong, no big deal.

I believe in the medium term, we will progress, really well, under SG.

[nick76]

11 minutes ago, TRO said:

I don't think folk are getting ahead of themselves

You literally just commented “Nailed on” of Gerrard going to the top, that’s the definition of getting ahead of themselves.  Yes it’s an opinion but can’t deny it’s folk getting ahead of themselves.

[nick76]

39 minutes ago, TRO said:

I think that is the case....Dean was everyones friend, none more illustrated as when he was fist pumping and singing " there's only one Leon Bailey" when greeting him on his first day in training.

I couldn't see any of the top managers doing that.....what message does that send out?

Any way, new era, that I think the owners will be quick to support.

I’ve seen videos of the likes of Klopp excited when signing a player and then meeting them again. I’m sure if you Google you can see this kind of reaction.  Honestly, I don’t get the putting down of Smith for some of these things when other top managers do it.  It’s getting bizarre.

[TRO]

3 minutes ago, nick76 said:

You literally just commented “Nailed on” of Gerrard going to the top, that’s the definition of getting ahead of themselves.  Yes it’s an opinion but can’t deny it’s folk getting ahead of themselves.

No its not.....that is just having belief in what you think.

my definition of getting ahead of my self is thinking we can win every game here on in...and I don't think that.

I was commenting on SG getting to the top of his game (manager).....and I think he will.

[CVByrne]

It'll be interesting to see how we turnover the squad in Jan and the summer.

I can see Trez, AEG, Davis, Nakamba, Wesley, Guilbert, Hause, Tuanzebe possibly Traore all moving on or loans ending.

We might add another 10 to the squad, we need a no6 (hopefully January) and another CB and left back. 

 

[TRO]

6 minutes ago, nick76 said:

I’ve seen videos of the likes of Klopp excited when signing a player and then meeting them again. I’m sure if you Google you can see this kind of reaction.  Honestly, I don’t get the putting down of Smith for some of these things when other top managers do it.  It’s getting bizarre.

Its something, I wasn't enamered with on the first meeting...maybe its just me and others see no harm.

Edited December 3, 2021 by TRO

[nick76]

7 minutes ago, TRO said:

No its not.....that is just having belief in what you think.

my definition of getting ahead of my self is thinking we can win every game here on in...and I don't think that.

I was commenting on SG getting to the top of his game (manager).....and I think he will.

 

[TRO]

8 minutes ago, nick76 said:

I’ve seen videos of the likes of Klopp excited when signing a player and then meeting them again. I’m sure if you Google you can see this kind of reaction.  Honestly, I don’t get the putting down of Smith for some of these things when other top managers do it.  It’s getting bizarre.

It wasn't my intention to put him down, it was merely highlighting his demeanor on a signings first greeting.....There are things I liked about Smith and things not so much, this was one of them.

many fans say, he was too nice, just highlighting one of those possible events.

If you happened to like everything about him and see no wrong, thats up to you.

[nick76]

7 minutes ago, TRO said:

Its something, I wasn't enamered with...maybe its just me and others see no harm.

But top managers do similar things, we’ve seen clips from it across the years.  Can’t diss Smith when others do it.

[TRO]

1 minute ago, nick76 said:

 

Precisely.

[nick76]

Just now, TRO said:

It wasn't my intention to put him down, it was merely highlighting his demeanor on a signings first greeting.....There are things I liked about Smith and things not so much, this was one of them.

many fans say, he was too nice, just highlighting one of those possible events.

If you happened to like everything about him and see no wrong, thats up to you.

I just think people are picking little points to dig at Smith like this which other top managers do.