Let’s get the review out of the way.
I didn’t see it and didn’t really need too.
We conceded a goal early in the second half, again from a stupid defensive mistake (this time on Guzan’s part) and then failed to score, albeit we apparently had some chances.
Swansea were dire and we still couldn’t beat them.
Review over.
Same old, same old and none of it’s a surprise is it?
In my opinion, we now have only one winnable game left, which is Newcastle at home.
And I really expect us to lose that.
Let’s clarify what I’m saying here.
I don’t think we’re going to get another point this season, the way things stand.
And that is just disgraceful.
Which is where you have to look at Remi Garde’s record.
And it’s simply atrocious, at any level.
The simple fact is we’ve won three games out of twenty-three. I make that a fraction over a 13% win ratio. Which to me says it all.
While I’ve made myself pretty clear that I’ve had serious doubts about Garde being the right man for a while now, I’ve also listened to the arguments that he was dealt a dreadful hand with the squad we have. It’s something I agree with.
And I’m also happy to bear in mind that he was stitched up in the transfer window.
It can’t possibly be fair to judge his merits as a manager and someone who knows decent footballers without having the chance to bring at least a couple in.
But it is fair to expect that something might change for the better, at least. That’s what a decent manager achieves in any job if he’s any good, surely?
Whether it’s merely improved morale, a more efficient way of working or better communication or whatever?
But it simply hasn’t happened, as far as I can see.
If you believe the stories that are going around, morale is lower than whale proverbial.
It’s been suggested that there’s a split amongst the squad for a while and today I’ve read that there’s a split between the top squad and the academy.
While you often can’t believe what you read in the media, my opinion says there’s no smoke without fire and there has to be some substance behind these stories.
In Garde’s defence, I suspect he knows full well what the problems are, but he lacks an “enforcer”, who can make Garde’s decisions happen, by being a more physical, dominant type.
In other words, Garde’s too nice a bloke to say what he sees. Or at least put it across in a forceful enough way.
Which is exactly what we don’t need.
I’m also now beginning to suspect that this is the reason why Garde never got any money to spend.
I reckon he can’t dominate the squad when things aren’t working and he frankly doesn’t know how to get round this problem.
It would certainly explain why there seems no discipline in the way we play, wouldn’t it?
Even if I’m miles off the mark in my guesswork, it doesn’t really matter.
The simple facts are Garde looks like a beaten man in charge of a team that is beaten before it walks on the pitch.
And it’s only a matter of time now before he leaves.
There are only two questions remaining for me now.
1) Will Garde walk or will he wait to be paid off? (my money says the latter. I’d take a world of crap over a few more months for what will be at least a £1 million payout).
2) Why the hell are we apparently considering Kevin McDonald to take over as the interim manager again?
I reckon I could do a better job than him and I’m not the sort who promotes himself, trust me.
Simply an awful choice when we have Brian Little amongst our ranks, in my opinion.
Remi Garde is on the brink of being sacked by Aston Villa.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/aston-villa-set-sack-remi-7591655
That’s okay but have we got someone to replace him?
If he does go I really think that our dealings with Remi have been shabby to say the least.
Yes, I read that headline Pat, along with plenty of other stuff.
And it’s all where my post stems from, hence the McDonald comment.
I don’t think there will be a rush to get anyone in, myself.
What would be the point? We’re down.
The next manager has to be right.
And I suspect it will be, if the new board take their time and don’t go down the Lerner road of messing everything up.
We need a 2-3 year plan, imo. And I suspect we’ll get it.
Whether it works, is another thing.
first off all, yesterday was a massive improvement, but with same outcome. nothing really much to say whats not been said. swansea was poor as i predicted and villa unlucky not to have 2 pens for handballs, crossed loads more than they have done , but with no quality crosses like they have struggled with for years. lots of hard work but not real quality. was both sides lacking too
i don’t see any benefits to be gained by sacking gardes, even if they have found the perfect replacement, with the same squad i would still bet on zero points from remaining games. best to recruit a new manager after this season ends. if they place mcdonald in caretaker, that would be better.
lastly the manager isn’t accountable for poor individual errors. these errors go back to before lamberts and its the same players making um. so even with poor eyesight and bad football knowledge, everybody must realize that our current squad is worst than piss poor,
there has been a split since the day he joined. remember when he watched from the stands against spurs and MacDonald did not pick one of the new French signings. the 8 touch gabby game.
how can you motivate players on good contracts if they don’t give a shit.
remi has to go because it has not worked but everything has been against him.
I just hope we can also get rid of the players I refer to e.g. gabby, bacuna.
cabby has a shocking strike rate for a foreword but sees yet another manager out the door. he must laughing his lazy head off all the way to the bank.
What a heap of SHITE guzan is??vlaar last year now him.
If the Mirror story has any truth to it then the club have to remove Garde – the atmosphere sounds pretty poisonous and I believe McDonald would have broad support across the club – having said that if Little would agree to taking charge for the rest of the season it’s not a bad idea.
I watched the game yesterday and we were no worse than Swansea – the difference is they got a lucky break with the goal ably abetted by Hutton and Guzan, the well known comedy duo! Garde never got out of his seat and his expression said it all.
They might as well kick Riley out at the same time – I suspect they’re haggling over compensation!
I think I now have more faith in our board to make a sensible decision about a new manager – but it doesn’t matter who they select if Lerner fails to provide the right level of investment (and please – no more French players!)
Hitch, if you ask me Remi Garde his is own worst enemy, you had all the board sitting watching and Remi Garde with a long face not motivating his team even though that wouldn’t do any good, they would think he’s not bothered, and yet it’s them that caused it all, as for McDonald you know he didn’t get much out of them the last time he stood in, sorry no for me clean face with anger at any player that just in it for the money. And I’ll say it now things won’t change till that man Lerner abdicated.
Bill, sound points mate – no argument from me. If Garde goes now someone has to take charge of the team. I reckon his assistant RR will go with him and that leaves Eric (I speak fluent French) Black, Mac and Sid. I really can’t see Little doing it although I think it was Tayls said that Little could ‘take a training session tomorrow’. Reckon if Little did step in it would be very popular with the fans.
As you say though, the real problem is Lerner. Over to you Mr. (I’m nobody’s poodle) Hollis 🙂
what would running up and down the touchline do ???? what would barking orders out over and over from the touchline achieve ????? pointing pulling gesturing ????? answer FOOOOOOOOOOK ALL
i think if he wore a hat that might work, its all secondary to skill and ability we are crap and paint whatever picture you like we are crap. will it be worth hiring a new manager for remaining games LLLLLLLL when mcdonald can fill in if gardes takes the bullet for the players
because no manager will want to step into this stage having these players fight for you. when you can wait for summer and bring in your own players and face weaker opposition and a clean slate
For fuck sake Nath, I’m not asking him to tap dance, I asking to show interests, up till now sitting with a long face knowing either I’m gone, I’m not bothered i dont care, at least show interest.
good job cos tap dancing wouldn’t also work. i heard similar comments on the bbc 2 bulshit earlier, i don’t buy it. maybe bill if the players actually cared little, then tap dancing manager may give us the edge
just watching the newcastle and sunderland game and if you compare both these sides to OUR best showing. we are miles behind, 3 or 4 nil behind. that is too big a gap.
with new board members on board, hopefully next manager will get the backing to change the players and we will return to being competitive.
Nath – it’s a two way street. No one is asking for touch line histrionics – your reaction bit over the top mate – but like Bill says his demeanour is one of disinterest. He sends the players out and then just takes a ‘get on with it attitude’. Not surprised the players can’t be arsed if the manager couldn’t care less.
I have been a supporter of Garde but he’s lost some of my respect – if he’s lost his interest then he’s just picking up his pay packet – for me he should have resigned in a dignified manner two games ago.
look hichens, i better agree with everything you say, hate to cause some sort of debate or hold anything like a opposing views. lee dixons was co concentrating the newcastle game. he held the similar view as mine, the players rarely take much notice of the managers antics.
we are so bad, if ppl think a manager having a heart attack on the sidelines is gonna help.then we should have kept the likes of tim sherwoods. but they didn’t play for him too.
How old are you Nath – cos that’s the most childish thing you’ve written on here. It would appear it’s you who have the problem with others challenging your view
who has problems accepting who’s views. last time i was on, i was refereed to lamberts sheep. questioning how old ppl’s are, who have opinions isn’t belittling them in any way’s. so the most childish thing i ever seen on ere is your last response.
Every time Hitch, he cleared off once over confrontations on here, hes at it again.never wrong always right.he talk sense now and again but has to have that last word. It says right or wrong on this site and thats what i think.
no bill i was expressing my view, in no ways did i set out to have argument, i don’t think iam right all the time. but on this occasion, i don’t see how having a expressive manager is gonna help things. posters on here that start name calling to win arguments are childish. lambert sheeps was bantered around to those, that blamed lerner years ago. the problem hasn’t been addressed and we have been relegated because of it. its had nothing to do with managers but the puppet masters in the back grounds
Ok Nath, it maybe the way you put things over and people do get the wrong opinions, your very knowledgeable in most things and i cannot fault you for that, its when a poster says something then gets shot down with you saying otherwise. Anyway not going there again thinking I’ll pull the plug and just read posts.
i like to come on sites like this to see different views. your view on the manager not expressing himself, which isn’t inspiring the players, was mentioned on bbc2 and i called this bulshit, not your view. the players at villa are in my opinion rubbish, no manager how expressive can get them to play.
lastly i quit coming on here, because i was barred after a dispute with badger, i stayed away and only returned start of this current season. silent at first until my mates were bored of my ranting at them.
For clarity Nath, you were barred for being offensive in some way.
We don’t ban people for disagreeing, simple as.
Still, that’s water under the bridge and the fact that you still post here proves we don’t bear grudges.
There’s nowt wrong with a bit of debate, but we have to try and keep it civil because we’re all on the same side (and that’s not aimed at anyone specifically).
Fwiw, I think I tend to agree that a more active manager probably wouldn’t make much difference with this bunch of players.
But it’s more a fan thing, where we like to see the manager get involved and encouraging/instructing the players.
Certainly a manager who looks uninterested doesn’t look good from my POV and if he’s not going to be involved, he might as well watch it from the directors box and just phone any instructions through. I doubt any of us would be happy if that were to happen!
I think you two should just give each other a big hug.
And by the by, I shouldn’t waste your breath (or typing skills), nowt will change with Lerner in charge. We all know that. We need to keep the pressure up on the inept twat.
That made me smile, so you agree you are confrontational in opinions, well right or wrong is this site.
i love confrontations but i never mean any malice, wouldn’t dream of offending somebody with different views, yeah your right iam misunderstood. i wouldn’t want you to be quiet and just read instead,because of a silly nothing. your posts like hitchen are most respected.
Garde is a deadman barely walking. He seems a decent guy and he was given a sack of shite to work with, but he clearly has no motivational qualities and will be eaten alive in the championship. Put him out of his misery and pop him on the next Eurostar.
Ask Brian to look after the team for the last 7 games with the brief have a go, smile, score a goal and show a bit of pride. It can’t be worse than what is currently happening.
Appoint Rogers immediately, but give him no role until the day the season ends. Get him to spend the next 2 months scouting opposition, and planning who to recruit. Then start to put a structure in place , as he did at Swansea to rebuild from bottom up. At least then we will have the whole summer to get prepared. Oh yes, and tell the agents to start finding clubs for all their useless clients.
Not taking sides but I have to agree with nath on the football side of things, take di canio possibly one of the most expressive managers going he kicked every ball & spent a lot of time on his knees when the team missed or conceded a goal he was still total SHITE you could stick a rocket up every villa player & you’d still have to check their pulse.garde is waiting to be pushed & get his compo.why the fuck should he bend over backwards for a club that stiffed him,bring on the new season new manager new squad new challenge ps love the banter lads
if only i could have put it as eloquently as giddy. you give excellent example too in di canio, sherwood my example was not a shrinking violet but both were expressive and yet useless
It’s all about balance and results at the end of the day Nath…A Manager could stand there with his knob out and as long as we’re winning, we wouldn’t give a damn.
Time to throw some petrol on the fire then.
I don not think Sherwood was useless, he turned out a team with a plan to beat a very much better side in Liverpool in a Wembley showpiece. There was no chance that Villa with a weak midfield like ours would not get routed by Arsenal if they had their shooting boots on, and that happened.
Then the three clowns had their master plan, to buy a bunch of Frogs and get Richards (cos he was free – and that was too much for the worst skipper ever). This was clearly without reference to what Sherwood wanted. Do not forget he said pre-season “I have seen none of them play” about Riley’s collection. Amazing when you think about it.
Fox fired Sherwood because he wasn’t getting a tune out of the squad. Was it him or them? At that stage perhaps 40/60, but Garde, the replacement most likely to get the accordion playing, has fared even worse. Conclusion it is 10/90 the players who are not good enough, and in many cases not bothered.
At least the Board has grasped the scale of the problem, so I am hopeful of an improvement next term. Omar Khayyam expresses it perfectly.
Ah Love, could thou and I with Fate conspire
To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire,
Would we not shatter it to bits – and then
Re-mould it nearer to the Heart’s Desire!
@OLL
F**k me pink!!!
Omar Khayyam and all. I’ll tell the missus next time I creep off to post to this blog that I’m indulging in high cultural chit-chat.
Only true anyway 😉
@OLL
BTW 100% agree
Garde has to go. Another poor appointment by the board, wrong man at very much the wrong time. Cant say I dislike the bloke, but overall he has done nothing to improve us as a team, in fact I think we have gotten worse!
More importantly, there is no way he could get us out of the championship. We have to make sure we get the right man this time!
Omar Khayyam is a very under rated Turkish holding midfielder, maybe we should send Paddy Reilly to run the rule over him. If he turns out to be a flop he could at least write a regular poetry corner slot in the program!!
Omar Khayyam?
Is he Victor’s son? 😉
Yes …he can buy the company…(Villa)
Just testing as couldn’t post last night
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/03/20/remi-garde-set-to-be-dismissed-by-aston-villa/
Worth a read
looks like gary neville is about to get sack we may end up with that little jumped up twat.GOD FORBID
Its funny how the sky pundits can criticize Remi Garde (foreign manager – no prem experience) but say jack shit about theie mate Gary Neville who is managing in an easier league.
That’s because he’s ex Utd and he will be back with them soon as a pundit
YES AND FAILING BIG TIME