The, he's finally GONE! Tell us your thoughts Thread

[wildwood]

I have always admired Sir raham Taylor but I think he's missed the point here a little. Telling us that McLeish has had no budget is rubbish. Forgive me if my figures are incorrect here but he spent £4m on a right back we didn't need, particularly after Herd put in a man of the match performance the game before the deal was done, at right back! He also spend around £4m on a 35 year old keeper and gave him a 5 year contract. Ok, Shay is decent but he could have given Brad Guzan a bash and spent them money elsewhere. He also brought in Jenas and Keane, having to pay them salaries and probable loan fee's. Are we also forgetting the TEN MILLION POUNDS on Charles N'Zogbia, who McLeish has FAILED to get the best out of!! Yes indeed, the players need a kick up the arse, but the motivation comes from the Manager.

I don't know about the figures, but I look at this way:

1) RB - Yes Herd did play well, but even with our hindsight (Stan), isn't it better that he is playing in CM?? Yes, agreed, Hutton is the worst footballer ever, but there was a need for a RB.

2) Shay Given - I honestly can't believe anyone would moan about getting that type of calibre in the team. 5 years doesn't mean he'll be No1 for all those years.

(Friedel is 40 and he's playing for a top 6 club, as no1)

3) Jenas - I'm pretty sure it wasn't down to McLeish that the clause wasn't put in about injuries. If it is our side, then it would be someone in the legal department surely?

4) Keane - he wasn't interested in a long term deal, and I dread to think where we'd be if we hadn't got him for that month.

5) N'Zogbia - I think I, with many others, were calling for this signing - and I was happy with the possibility of him getting to his best at Villa. Yes with hindsight - an awful deal.

I understand McLeish's faults. I do watch us play. But - I don't think your points back up a great argument, even with the hindsight we have now.

EDIT: Also yes McLeish is the manager, but it doesn't mean that he has control over everything. I really doubt that he specified to Randy that N'Zogbia needed to be bought for 10m, etc. I presume (maybe blindly) that he gives a list of targets and a 'team' try and negotiate prices/contracts.

[pacbuddies]

4) Keane - he wasn't interested in a long term deal, and I dread to think where we'd be if we hadn't got him for that month.

Although Keane did seem interested and one of the few players with any footballing brain, his time at VP was not exactly as some people seem to think it was.

During his PL time with us we won 1, drew 3 and lost 3 with a return of 6 points from a possible 21. He scored a very good goal against Wolves but in all honesty, how many of the 6 points achieved can be attributed to him?

[Voinjama]

I would say 4 of them.

I noticed Keane got very frustrated with team mates during his time here.

[wildwood]

4) Keane - he wasn't interested in a long term deal, and I dread to think where we'd be if we hadn't got him for that month.

Although Keane did seem interested and one of the few players with any footballing brain, his time at VP was not exactly as some people seem to think it was.

During his PL time with us we won 1, drew 3 and lost 3 with a return of 6 points from a possible 21. He scored a very good goal against Wolves but in all honesty, how many of the 6 points achieved can be attributed to him?

A good point actually - I just looked back at the match reports from his time here, and whilst they do speak about him highly, we do lose a lot of the games. Although saying that... say we lost to Wolves (he scored 2 of our 3-2 win)... we'd be on 32 points, only 3 points above the drop zone.

[pacbuddies]

I would say 4 of them.

I noticed Keane got very frustrated with team mates during his time here.

3 of those points were the Wolves game. So 1 point out of the other 18 available then.

He did get frustrated, because he was trying to play football and win the game and the rest were following McLeish's tactics.

[VillaRoy]

4) Keane - he wasn't interested in a long term deal, and I dread to think where we'd be if we hadn't got him for that month.

Although Keane did seem interested and one of the few players with any footballing brain, his time at VP was not exactly as some people seem to think it was.

During his PL time with us we won 1, drew 3 and lost 3 with a return of 6 points from a possible 21. He scored a very good goal against Wolves but in all honesty, how many of the 6 points achieved can be attributed to him?

3 points I'd say, the 2 goals vs Wolves were crucial to the win. His goal vs Newcastle was pointless in the end as we lost. In that time we got a home draw vs QPR, nothing against City and a 0-0 against Wigan. We picked up 4 points in the following 2 games after he left. He was decent for us, but no more than I'd say Ireland was during that period.

Those were the days when we had an "experienced" squad under McLeish, and still did absolutely shit.

[LeafyVilla]

I genuinely feel, if results go the wrong way, he could be gone by next Wednesday

if so then party time....

[pacbuddies]

This was the starting team for the disaster that was the 2-2 draw at home to the impressive QPR back in February:

Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov, Clark, N'Zogbia; Keane, Bent.

McLeish and the media would like us to believe that we are in a relegation battle because of the amount of injuries we have to senior professionals and the number of kids we are having to play. Well the starting team against QPR, with the possible exception of the missing Agbonlahor, was as good as it gets at Villa and we were still shit so it doesn't matter who starts the game it is the shit tactics employed that is the reason why we are in a mess.

[Denis_B]

This was the starting team for the disaster that was the 2-2 draw at home to the impressive QPR back in February:

Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov, Clark, N'Zogbia; Keane, Bent.

McLeish and the media would like us to believe that we are in a relegation battle because of the amount of injuries we have to senior professionals and the number of kids we are having to play. Well the starting team against QPR, with the possible exception of the missing Agbonlahor, was as good as it gets at Villa and we were still shit so it doesn't matter who starts the game it is the shit tactics employed that is the reason why we are in a mess.

What an excellent point that blows fecking great holes in the excuses we have been subjected to recently

[VillaRoy]

This was the starting team for the disaster that was the 2-2 draw at home to the impressive QPR back in February:

Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov, Clark, N'Zogbia; Keane, Bent.

McLeish and the media would like us to believe that we are in a relegation battle because of the amount of injuries we have to senior professionals and the number of kids we are having to play. Well the starting team against QPR, with the possible exception of the missing Agbonlahor, was as good as it gets at Villa and we were still shit so it doesn't matter who starts the game it is the shit tactics employed that is the reason why we are in a mess.

What an excellent point that blows fecking great holes in the excuses we have been subjected to recently

Indeed, proves the media also have a short memory when talking about McLeish. His big injury problems have only really happened in the past month, yet the media seem to suggest McLeish has had an injury hit squad most of the season, when it has actually been the total opposite.

[Houlston]

This was the starting team for the disaster that was the 2-2 draw at home to the impressive QPR back in February:

Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov, Clark, N'Zogbia; Keane, Bent.

McLeish and the media would like us to believe that we are in a relegation battle because of the amount of injuries we have to senior professionals and the number of kids we are having to play. Well the starting team against QPR, with the possible exception of the missing Agbonlahor, was as good as it gets at Villa and we were still shit so it doesn't matter who starts the game it is the shit tactics employed that is the reason why we are in a mess.

What an excellent point that blows fecking great holes in the excuses we have been subjected to recently

Well it would almost be an excellent point apart from the fact we really were not shit that game at all. In fact it was probably the best football we have played for a long time.

26 shots, 12 on target, 69% possession, two clear handballs one of which stopped the ball going in the net.

It really was one of those games, but to say we were shit (like most of the season) is very wide of the mark.

[BOF]

I agree with pacbuddies. I've long said that McLeish's team selections aren't actually all that bad. He uses the right players. He doesn't even particuarly use defensive formations. His midfields contain plenty of attacking players and he is certainly not averse to using 2 up front. The problem is that the instructions they are sent onto the pitch to carry out are atrocious. And no amount of attacking talent is going to change that; unless the players actually take it upon themselves to completely ignore the manager. Something that won't happen.

[NeilS]

I genuinely feel, if results go the wrong way, he could be gone by next Wednesday

if so then party time....

Not really, beacuse we'll be deep in the shit.

I want McLeish gone as well, but i'm still hoping we win our next two games and save our already jangling nerves for the remaining games.

Ideally, win our next two games, sack the manager then party time for final home game!

[AVFCforever1991]

I genuinely feel, if results go the wrong way, he could be gone by next Wednesday

if so then party time....

Lets hope then lol

[TrentVilla]

I agree with pacbuddies. I've long said that McLeish's team selections aren't actually all that bad.

Spurs away?

He uses the right players. He doesn't even particuarly use defensive formations. His midfields contain plenty of attacking players and he is certainly not averse to using 2 up front.

I disagree totally. He played the next to useless Dunne over Cuellar for most the season until he got injured despite his terrible form which even rubbed off on Collins. He also picked Hutton over Cuellar, another bad decision.

His selection of attacking players and asking them to do defensive duties rather than actually attack in itself is an example of using the wrong players.

As for playing 2 up front he is extremely adverse to doing that and has rarely done it in his time here or at Birmingham.

The problem is that the instructions they are sent onto the pitch to carry out are atrocious. And no amount of attacking talent is going to change that; unless the players actually take it upon themselves to completely ignore the manager. Something that won't happen.

Now that I agree with.

[VillaRoy]

This was the starting team for the disaster that was the 2-2 draw at home to the impressive QPR back in February:

Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov, Clark, N'Zogbia; Keane, Bent.

McLeish and the media would like us to believe that we are in a relegation battle because of the amount of injuries we have to senior professionals and the number of kids we are having to play. Well the starting team against QPR, with the possible exception of the missing Agbonlahor, was as good as it gets at Villa and we were still shit so it doesn't matter who starts the game it is the shit tactics employed that is the reason why we are in a mess.

What an excellent point that blows fecking great holes in the excuses we have been subjected to recently

Well it would almost be an excellent point apart from the fact we really were not shit that game at all. In fact it was probably the best football we have played for a long time.

26 shots, 12 on target, 69% possession, two clear handballs one of which stopped the ball going in the net.

It really was one of those games, but to say we were shit (like most of the season) is very wide of the mark.

We were pretty shite in the first half, it took 2 goals from QPR to wake us up to the fact we were getting beat 2-0 at home by a bottom team. 2nd half was impressive.

[BOF]

If you gave McLeish a Ferrari, he'd drive it in reverse.

[Houlston]

We were pretty shite in the first half, it took 2 goals from QPR to wake us up to the fact we were getting beat 2-0 at home by a bottom team. 2nd half was impressive.

Fair enough, I thought we were shit for half of the first half not all of it.

[pacbuddies]

This was the starting team for the disaster that was the 2-2 draw at home to the impressive QPR back in February:

Given, Hutton, Cuellar, Dunne, Warnock, Ireland, Petrov, Clark, N'Zogbia; Keane, Bent.

McLeish and the media would like us to believe that we are in a relegation battle because of the amount of injuries we have to senior professionals and the number of kids we are having to play. Well the starting team against QPR, with the possible exception of the missing Agbonlahor, was as good as it gets at Villa and we were still shit so it doesn't matter who starts the game it is the shit tactics employed that is the reason why we are in a mess.

What an excellent point that blows fecking great holes in the excuses we have been subjected to recently

Well it would almost be an excellent point apart from the fact we really were not shit that game at all. In fact it was probably the best football we have played for a long time.

26 shots, 12 on target, 69% possession, two clear handballs one of which stopped the ball going in the net.

It really was one of those games, but to say we were shit (like most of the season) is very wide of the mark.

I didn't say we were shit in the QPR game. I said it was a disaster which, unless you consider going 2-0 down at home to a poor QPR side is acceptable, I think you may also agree with.

However, although we played okay in parts and had quite a few shots, lots of possession etc, it must be tempered with the fact that we were playing QPR, who, at that time, were bloody atrocious.

[TrentVilla]

Villa 0 Swansea 2

Guzan, Warnock, Dunne, Collins, Cuellar, Clark, Ireland, N'Zogbia, Petrov, Bent, Gabby.