Pre Match thread

[El Segundo]

17 minutes ago, Peter Griffin said:

I am not sure I have seen people's judgement clouded by SG's name. I have seen me and others want to give him more time to try and prove he can do the job as we are only 6 games into this season. If he can do it great, if he can't then he should be sacked regardless of what his name is

The problem with your stance is it ignores the fact he's already had 30+ games to try and prove he can do the job.  All he's shown in that time is that he can't, not to the standard required.  He's also shown he hasn't learned, and we have been in near-relegation or relegation form for the bulk of his time in charge.  Basing your case on the fact we're only 6 games into the season is rather blinkered bearing in mind the trajectory,  performances and results under the whole of Gerrard's reign.  What do you think is going to change, after 30 odd games?

The squad should be good enough to stay up, sure, but then they should have been good enough for top 10 last season, but under Gerrard they failed miserably to get near that.   I do wonder if you and others would be so generous with Villa's time and future for a lower profile Manager.  

[villa89]

If Gerrard wants to keep his job then we need a performance that shows his bizarre no winger, 4 central midfielder system is actually usable in the premier league. I don't see that happening however we might still in the game because Leicester have done what we have and kept their manager too long. Brenno is just hanging around for the payoff. 

[Made In Aston]

This should be the easiest game of the season... Even with Gerrard's shortcomings. Leicester are absolutely terrible at the moment. That said, we do have an annoying habit of helping teams who are down on their luck. If Gerrard can't orchestrate a win he deserves sacking regardless of previous form. 

[Made In Aston]

58 minutes ago, villa89 said:

If Gerrard wants to keep his job then we need a performance that shows his bizarre no winger, 4 central midfielder system is actually usable in the premier league. I don't see that happening however we might still in the game because Leicester have done what we have and kept their manager too long. Brenno is just hanging around for the payoff. 

I'm hoping he ditches it like he did against Man City. Its the only way he will keep his job, as the system is flawed and he doesn't have the personnel for it regardless. 

[Made In Aston]

9 hours ago, Icarium said:

What are the current odds on a scoreless draw and both managers getting sacked afterwards?

I'd take that bet

[MrBlack]

As of game 5, West Ham, Bournemouth and Palace had only 1 win each.

After game 6, Palace and West Ham remain on only one win. Against us.

If any club in the league is going to give Leicester their first win, it will be us.

And if it is, Gerrard will be sacked. 

For me, a draw should also see him walk.

But a win, and a continued rejection of wing backs providing our only width,  and he'll be well on the way to winning me over and convincing me he has a future.

Such a pivotal fixture.

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by MrBlack
I'm an idiot

[ender4]

18 minutes ago, MrBlack said:

 

After game 6, Palace and West Ham remain on only one win. Against us.

If any club in the league is going to give Everton their first win, it will be us.

Such a pivotal fixture.

 

Yeah, but what about Leicester?

[AvonVillain]

Surely whichever manager loses this game is finished at their respective clubs.

[rubberman]

We need at least 3 points from this game and at least 3 points against Southampton. Preferably more. That should put us in a reasonable position for the international break. Or bringing in a new manager.

Young to keep his place. McGinn to lose his. Either put a Donk on it, or bring in little Emi.

[Mark Albrighton]

32 minutes ago, rubberman said:

We need at least 3 points from this game

 

32 minutes ago, rubberman said:

and at least 3 points against Southampton.

 

32 minutes ago, rubberman said:

 Preferably more. 

[Marka Ragnos]

I know it's a much-ballyhooed formation, but I'd love to see the boys have a chance to absorb some continuity for the sake of continuity. Would love to hear responses. The thing I like about this set-up is how it pushes the pace up front and gives Coutinho a chance to receive balls earlier and more directly from Digne and Mings and (fingers and toes crossed) work his on-again-off-again magic on the ball toward more central forwards. It also gives the very agile Ramsey more responsibility for scoring and creating goal chances. I don't know the new guys well enough to know where they would fit. 

                        Martinez 

Young (Cash)   Konsa    Mings (captain)    Digne

      Luiz        Kamara    Coutinho (McGinn)

           Bailey      Ramsey (Buendia)  

                  Watkins (Ings)

Edited September 5, 2022 by Marka Ragnos

[gurru991]

On 03/09/2022 at 16:51, His Name Is Death said:

I've a feeling Rodgers will be sacked before this.

I think he will be sacked if you guys win.

[viivvaa66]

8 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said:

I know it's a much-ballyhooed formation, but I'd love to see the boys have a chance to absorb some continuity for the sake of continuity. Would love to hear responses. The thing I like about this set-up is how it pushes the pace up front and gives Coutinho a chance to receive balls earlier and more directly from Digne and Mings and (fingers and toes crossed) work his on-again-off-again magic on the ball toward more central forwards. It also gives the very agile Ramsey more responsibility for scoring and creating goal chances. I don't know the new guys well enough to know where they would fit. 

                        Martinez 

Young (Cash)   Konsa    Mings (captain)    Digne

      Luiz        Kamara    Coutinho (McGinn)

           Bailey      Ramsey (Buendia)  

                  Watkins (Ings)

Against Leicester I would like to see a 4-2-3-1 formation instead of Gerrard’s 4-3-1-2 or 4-3-2-1.

Something like this:

                          Martinez 

Young (Cash)   Konsa    Mings     Digne

                  Luiz        Kamara 

      Bailey     Buendia (Coutinho)   Ramsey

                      Watkins

Should provide better defensive protection, better ball retention, creativity upfront and more natural with in attack, than having Digne and Cash trying be attacking wingers.

[viivvaa66]

12 hours ago, rubberman said:

We need at least 3 points from this game and at least 3 points against Southampton. Preferably more. That should put us in a reasonable position for the international break. Or bringing in a new manager.

Young to keep his place. McGinn to lose his. Either put a Donk on it, or bring in little Emi.

Sadly we can only get a max of 6 points from the next 2 games. Because our port start, at best we would have 10 points from 8 games, where 6 games are against lower half opposition. 
That is just not good enough, if we want to be a top half team, we should have been on 15 points going into the international break.

[Marka Ragnos]

40 minutes ago, viivvaa66 said:

Against Leicester I would like to see a 4-2-3-1 formation instead of Gerrard’s 4-3-1-2 or 4-3-2-1.

Something like this:

                          Martinez 

Young (Cash)   Konsa    Mings     Digne

                  Luiz        Kamara 

      Bailey     Buendia (Coutinho)   Ramsey

                      Watkins

Should provide better defensive protection, better ball retention, creativity upfront and more natural with in attack, than having Digne and Cash trying be attacking wingers.

Interestingly, according to my analysis of the heat maps versus man city, when Coutinho came on, we were playing a formation  more like yours then the Christmas tree set up. Coutinho kept moving up, close to where you like him, unless I’m mistaken.

[Nicho]

10 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said:

I know it's a much-ballyhooed formation, but I'd love to see the boys have a chance to absorb some continuity for the sake of continuity. Would love to hear responses. The thing I like about this set-up is how it pushes the pace up front and gives Coutinho a chance to receive balls earlier and more directly from Digne and Mings and (fingers and toes crossed) work his on-again-off-again magic on the ball toward more central forwards. It also gives the very agile Ramsey more responsibility for scoring and creating goal chances. I don't know the new guys well enough to know where they would fit. 

                        Martinez 

Young (Cash)   Konsa    Mings (captain)    Digne

      Luiz        Kamara    Coutinho (McGinn)

           Bailey      Ramsey (Buendia)  

                  Watkins (Ings)

You want continuity by changing it, got ya.

[Risso]

Ramsey played really well there on Saturday, in what was clearly a calculated tactic to help nullify Man City, and it worked. I think against Leciester he'll go back to putting Ramsey in midfield, with Bailey and Coutinho either side of Watkins. Hopefull the rest of the midfield will be Luiz and Kamara with McGinn nowhere to be seen, and we smash the crisp-munchers into next week.

[tinker]

He should keep the same system as we had against City, Leicester have to win this game and that will suit the system we had. 

If he changes it and it goes tits up he can only blame himself. 

[bannedfromHandV]

First goal will be massive I think, whoever gets the first goal will go on to win the match, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the first goal is the only one scored.

[BOF]

On 04/09/2022 at 18:15, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

What i meant was, Leicester, on a terrible run of form, can't buy a win, then facing us.....

You know how it goes. lol

Absolutely.  We always say there's no better team to face when trying to break a duck or get out of a rut.  This is the perfect fixture for Rodgers.  I'm not confident going into it, but then you wouldn't expect to be with the run we've been on. I hope we can carry the City resilience into this one and if we can then we've some chance. Otherwise it screams Leicester win.