Mantis Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Yeah, that's what will bother me about McLeish even if we do coast along and stay in mid-table for the rest of the season - there's no improvement. There are two things that we need to start doing: Improve our scouting network and play a more passing game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Watched Robbie Keane's post match interview and found it interesting that he said the instructions at halftime were specifically to keep the ball on the floor. Kinda made me think, could it be that Collins for et al are simply incapable of playing that way despite their intentions and the manager's instruction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrees Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Watched Robbie Keane's post match interview and found it interesting that he said the instructions at halftime were specifically to keep the ball on the floor. Kinda made me think, could it be that Collins for et al are simply incapable of playing that way despite their intentions and the manager's instruction? That's my fear with McLeish's recent letter that tries to dispel the 'myth' His core group of players were bought/raised to play a long ball 'counter attacking' style. If McLeish wishes to change that style, it would be fantastic in the long term, but perhaps when we are in a safer position in the league. Certainly the Everton game showed a desire to play 'on the floor', and Collins' long balls were so scarce that i cannot remember a single one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villanfromluton Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 To be fair to Houllier, he did try and get us playing more football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacketspuds Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Watched Robbie Keane's post match interview and found it interesting that he said the instructions at halftime were specifically to keep the ball on the floor. Kinda made me think, could it be that Collins for et al are simply incapable of playing that way despite their intentions and the manager's instruction? That's my fear with McLeish's recent letter that tries to dispel the 'myth' His core group of players were bought/raised to play a long ball 'counter attacking' style. If McLeish wishes to change that style, it would be fantastic in the long term, but perhaps when we are in a safer position in the league. Certainly the Everton game showed a desire to play 'on the floor', and Collins' long balls were so scarce that i cannot remember a single one. Also, if this is the case fans, myself included, demanding a manager like Poyet or Rodgers are wasting their time as the players are the ones who need to be changed before we judge AMC. Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlyOne Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Why didn't McLeish get Rangers or SHA to play positive football? After all, he has had more resources than managers like Rodgers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Sorry guys but Houllier was the way forward. Ok his PR ws'nt great and I think he tried to change the team a little to quick, but it was always gonna take time to rid the trouble makers and train his own team. I believe we could be playing some quality football now if he was still with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super-Villan Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Houllier certainly got these players playing a less long ball game than McLeish, so I don't buy it at all that the approach is down to the players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NowDoINotLikeThat Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Why didn't McLeish get Rangers or SHA to play positive football? After all, he has had more resources than managers like Rodgers. Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrees Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Watched Robbie Keane's post match interview and found it interesting that he said the instructions at halftime were specifically to keep the ball on the floor. Kinda made me think, could it be that Collins for et al are simply incapable of playing that way despite their intentions and the manager's instruction? That's my fear with McLeish's recent letter that tries to dispel the 'myth' His core group of players were bought/raised to play a long ball 'counter attacking' style. If McLeish wishes to change that style, it would be fantastic in the long term, but perhaps when we are in a safer position in the league. Certainly the Everton game showed a desire to play 'on the floor', and Collins' long balls were so scarce that i cannot remember a single one. Also, if this is the case fans, myself included, demanding a manager like Poyet or Rodgers are wasting their time as the players are the ones who need to be changed before we judge AMC. Interesting. As it happens, i have been hoping, and calling ( i am not in a position to demand) for a manager who coaches teams to play the passing game, for several years. A manager is hired to coach the players at his disposal, and should be judged upon how they perform after a reasonable period of time. Apparently McLeish is trying to coach players who have spent most of their time at our club playing 'direct' football to play a passing game. This i applaud, for of it happens, it has been a long time coming. Whether we are in a position to experiment at the moment was what i brought into question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Villa fans aren't patient enough for passing football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Villa fans aren't patient enough for passing football. Agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted January 22, 2012 Moderator Share Posted January 22, 2012 His core group of players were bought/raised to play a long ball 'counter attacking' style. You want myths, there's one for starters. Come on was it long ball or counter attacking, I'll give you the latter but the former is a complete myth, no one plays long ball football with two out and out wingers. To be fair to Houllier, he did try and get us playing more football. Here's another myth. Firstly what the hell does that mean? and secondly assuming you mean he got us to play a more ball on the deck playing through the centre of the park type of game, did he ****. Houllier always has played a game over reliant on defence and at Liverpool he was the ultimate long ball merchant, their entire game was long ball. The Houllier plays pleasing on the eye, tippy tappy passing football has to be one of the biggest myths around, he's never done that in any English game. I seriously don't know why people make this stuff up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAMAICAN-VILLAN Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Sorry guys but Houllier was the way forward. Ok his PR ws'nt great and I think he tried to change the team a little to quick, but it was always gonna take time to rid the trouble makers and train his own team. I believe we could be playing some quality football now if he was still with us. This Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markavfc40 Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 His core group of players were bought/raised to play a long ball 'counter attacking' style. You want myths, there's one for starters. Come on was it long ball or counter attacking, I'll give you the latter but the former is a complete myth, no one plays long ball football with two out and out wingers. To be fair to Houllier, he did try and get us playing more football. Here's another myth. Firstly what the hell does that mean? and secondly assuming you mean he got us to play a more ball on the deck playing through the centre of the park type of game, did he ****. Houllier always has played a game over reliant on defence and at Liverpool he was the ultimate long ball merchant, their entire game was long ball. The Houllier plays pleasing on the eye, tippy tappy passing football has to be one of the biggest myths around, he's never done that in any English game. I seriously don't know why people make this stuff up. Bang on on both counts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 The imaginary Houllier who often occupies these pages would have been great for us. Our team of smartly scouted, previously unknown, young (and cheap) continental stars would have played superb, skilful football and swept us into the top 4 ready for a shy at the CL. Sadly, the actual Houllier that we got introduced chaotic tactics and team selection, demotivated half of the squad and took us to the brink of the relegation zone. Shame, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srsmithusa Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 probably told them to pass the ball backwards, then hoof it up and not to go too far forwards. hes negative isnt he? and hes not a motivator and cant do anything right. bull. Yes he is, no hes not and your not far wrong. Not bull. If Macandally is right (and I highly doubt it) then clearly the players don't listen to him because they did more short controlled passing, went forward with numbers and effect, weren't negative, and did appeared to be clearly more motivated. So, if Macandally is right (and I highly doubt it) then I hope at half time at arsenal he tells them to hoof it and pack it in with negative tactics in a very un-motivational manner, because it clearly works wonderfully. IMO there's bull in both posts, only one of them was intentional and sarcastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srsmithusa Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Villa fans aren't patient enough for passing football. Agreed. I know you're both wrong about me, and I hope you're wrong about the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macandally Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Watched Robbie Keane's post match interview and found it interesting that he said the instructions at halftime were specifically to keep the ball on the floor. Kinda made me think, could it be that Collins for et al are simply incapable of playing that way despite their intentions and the manager's instruction? That's my fear with McLeish's recent letter that tries to dispel the 'myth' His core group of players were bought/raised to play a long ball 'counter attacking' style. If McLeish wishes to change that style, it would be fantastic in the long term, but perhaps when we are in a safer position in the league. Certainly the Everton game showed a desire to play 'on the floor', and Collins' long balls were so scarce that i cannot remember a single one. Also, if this is the case fans, myself included, demanding a manager like Poyet or Rodgers are wasting their time as the players are the ones who need to be changed before we judge AMC. Interesting. I still disagree, a team is stronger than the sum of its parts and Rogers or Poyet would be capable of identifying players that had the necessary movement and were comfortable enough on the ball to play that type of game. There is no record of McLeish being able to do that and creating passing sides is there? A promising young manager would give the kids someone they identify with and who can continue their development. "Keep it on the floor" is hardly a set of tactical instructions is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macandally Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Here's another myth. Firstly what the hell does that mean? and secondly assuming you mean he got us to play a more ball on the deck playing through the centre of the park type of game, did he ****. Houllier always has played a game over reliant on defence and at Liverpool he was the ultimate long ball merchant, their entire game was long ball. The Houllier plays pleasing on the eye, tippy tappy passing football has to be one of the biggest myths around, he's never done that in any English game. I seriously don't know why people make this stuff up. The one serious flaw with your argument is that he actually did try to get us to play a more "pass and move" style of play. There was no myth at all, its there in the archives of last season. We held the ball more, took longer to transistion from defence to attack and to be honest, at times it looked laboured. To competely deny that it didnt happen strikes me as very strange! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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