Well, that was an absolute disgrace.
We’ve recently lost to Watford, Newcastle and Leeds.
I read a stat that said we’ve taken 17 points from 13 games.
And we’re getting worse week by week.
I’ve had nagging doubts for a while and frankly I can’t understand my own thinking.
I’m normally very much more tolerant when it comes to sacking managers. I gave Steve Bruce until the very last minute before I said he should go.
I also gave Dean Smith every chance too.
I’m just not that hot-headed and reactionary. Indeed, you will know that I often hold back my posts or sometimes don’t even post at all, in fear that I’m just wearing my heart on my sleeve and going to say something I’ll regret.
Yet even as early as this, I don’t believe Steven Gerrard is going to take us where we want to go.
I’ve seen it said that the manager can’t wait to get into the transfer market and get rid of half of the team.
Now while I agree that some need to go, I don’t for one minute believe that they are all that poor.
I hinted previously that there’s something not right about this side and there’s possibly players who don’t like the way they’re being asked to play.
That’s fair enough, but why threaten changes and not actually carry that threat out?
That’s shocking management and the guilty players will now be thinking they can get away with performing poorly without suffering for it.
But then, we have to look at Gerrard’s substitutions. Was it really a good idea to drop Watkins, who already seemed unhappy and then ask him to come in and save your skin? I suggest that’s a joke decision. The only good part about that is he came on for Luiz, who seems to be playing his way out of the club.
And then there was Ashley Young coming on for Cash. What was that supposed to achieve? Surely the move there was to Put hause on for Chambers and at least we carry a heading threat at both ends? I don’t know what Gerrard was thinking, except maybe he wanted better crosses?
And then the clincher was Bailey on for Buendia, who was probably our best player. I just don’t get that one at all, as he was doing well in defence when we were so under the cosh.
OMG, the goal itself. How much time did they have at our end with no one challenging them when it was lobbed into the air and almost nonchalently headed into our net? If you were offering a training chance such as that, it couldn’t have been any easier.
And then we had one chance on target.
One chance against a Watford side that looked hopeless, yet better than us.
I had serious doubts about Gerrard in the first place. I hinted at them, but played them down by saying we were taking a gamble.
I had a bad feeling about how things were going a couple of weeks ago.
Newcastle added to the fire. And today has convinced me.
I do not see how Gerrard is going to turn things around with the players we have.
I’ll reiterate what i’m saying.
This team are not relegation candidates, yet we look like we are.
Gerrard might progress us by clearing out half the team.
But how much is that going to cost if we have to practically start again? I don’t see even our generous owners accepting that.
No, I can’t believe I’m saying it this early but my firm conviction is that we are going nowhere under this manager.
He has to go.
GERRARD OUT!
I’ve actually shocked myself 🙁
I did go to post I thought Gerrard doing a Lampard. It certainly looks that way , yes it was poor in fact worse than that, it was dire, it’s to me as if they don’t have a clue in creating chances or how to make chances, Watford beat us with a long ball out to a wing player who centre a ball perfectly to a forward player, we kept trying to get an open outside or in the box. We’ve got to learn who does what as that was shit to say the least.
I think we are stuck with him Badger till the end of the season unless we find ourselves in the bottom 3 (still possible)
Of course Purslow won’t want to give up on the ex Liverpool association otherwise he will look foolish and it might end up with NWSE booting them both out.
Apart from McGinn and possibly Cash I fail to see who offers the steel that’s needed when the going gets tough. All top teams have leaders throughout the team but we are a soft touch. Coutinho and Buendia are good technically but both are lightweight, just like Bailey, Young, Luiz and Digne plus most of the remaining squad. I wish there were positives but right now I can’t see any.
Your right Badger it’s time to do a Watford and admit that the decision to appoint Gerard has failed.
I said we should have stuck with Smith.
All that happens when change staff does is reset means back to square one.
All the work Smith did has gone.
We have new way of playing with players that bought for a different style of play.
So no wonder it’s a mess, getting rid of half the team means be 3 more year’s before we can challenge.
Will the owners stay with it?
I see bad times again for the club it should have stuck with Smith.
It’s obvious now something was up when Terry and O’Reilly left the blame is on purslow and Lange.
Both should be out with Gerrard.
The WARRIOR here I’ve bit the bullit since I was told we won’t have that talk here by someone who I can’t remember who so here goes we are crap under SG and going down hill and losing against the bottom clubs which isn’t acceptable the team we’ve got should be winning not loosing Luiz is a disaster every week I get so much stick from all my family and friends so yes get rid of SG and dock the the player’s wages if they play bad totally pissed off
I think the sacking of Smith was premature. Continuity is the best chance of success. What’s the answer? Every time we hit the panic button we sack the manager. Then we have a playing staff and back room staff overhaul. We then find ourselves in a vicious circle of underachievement and the big worry that our owners lose patience and sell up. The possibility challenging at the top and being in Europe looks like an impossible dream. The Premier league has it’s favourites and unless you end up with owners like Newcastle have then it’s never going to happen. The top six will almost certainly be Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man Utd and Spurs. West Ham are the only other club looking like they can gate crash the party and that’s because they are a London club. Even Leicester are looking like a mid table club. I expect Wolves bubble to burst but credit on them for doing so well. It says something when we aren’t even the best Midlands team right now.
Holte, it wasn’t premature. It wasn’t just the 5 defeats in a row. Smith hit the skids in January 2021 and it carried on into this season. If we’d not made a change, we’d be in the bottom 3 for sure. Got to look at it objectively, lads, not in the context of today’s defeat.
BFR, who knows what would have happened if Smith wasn’t sacked. No-one knows that answer because it’s in the past and that ship has sailed. My point is that we can’t keep sacking managers after a bad run of results. My opinion is continuity offers our best hope of success. We don’t have the wealth of Man Citeh or now Newcastle. We don’t have the pulling power of the London clubs or the two biggest clubs in England, Liverpool and Manchester United. I’m beginning to have doubts whether Purslow is the guy to drive our club forward. And Lange too can’t consider his contribution being positive. Also, why is MacPhee still at the club? Our free kicks, corners and crossing in general is awful.
As for SG, he is learning quickly that the EPL is a totally different level to the SPL. Maybe he would do better as a player manager because he can’t be any worse than what we have got. He deserves the opportunity to have a summer transfer window and next season assuming we don’t get relegated. Only time will tell! 😬
Well, who would’ve predicted?
A few random points to add some balance to the hysteria:
1. We have played Newcastle and Watford at the worst possible time – to have a good season, you need to play most, if not every team at ‘the right time.’ – Newcastle off the January window and stabilised under Howe, and now an organised unit in Watford – Watford could have been any team in the land – with Hodgson in charge, a 1-0 defeat with next to nothing created was inevitable. I said we would lose and they were due a win. There you have it.
2. Gerrard is having the same problems Smith had this time last year. Everyone’s downed tools after Christmas. I have no idea why.
3. I believe that if we’d stuck with Smith, we’d be in the bottom 3 and staring down the barrel – please, don’t forget how erratic his tactics, team-selections and formations had become. Don’t forget 5 defeats in a row and hardly any wins in 2021.
3. On Gerrard, I repeat that he must be given a full season. End of.
4. My worry is how has the brilliant start he made changed to this? I have three theories:
A. Smith’s players are, to quote Badger, “fannies” and are now struggling to cope with demands the manager and his staff are putting on them; basically, they miss the cushy ride they had under Smith and are sulking by not producing on the pitch – let’s be clear – when they have produced under Gerrard, it’s been excellent, so why has that stopped?
B. A more extreme theory is Gerrard has lost, or begun to lose the dressing room, again because they don’t like the demands and can’t maintain the standards, or they resent the likes of Targett being bombed out, or, like under Smith, they know Gerrard will pick the same players, or a combination of all the above.
C. They players may have unwittingly fallen into ‘the Grealish trap’ – i.e. they are waiting for Coutinho do do everything and win games by himself – he has shown, against United and Leeds, that he’s capable of running the show. So subconsciously, the rest do less that their fair load, because they have the “magician” in the team. That makes them losers, as I said last week. Because everyone knows, to win things, like Pep’s City, EVERY player has to put in a shift, as well as be top drawer technically.
The conclusion: if the squad needs rebuilding, do it. Smith was going nowhere, although granted, he was dealt a shite hand with Bailey and Ings. Give Gerrard a summer window, a pre-season, and a full season. He didn’t ask them to play the way they did today – but don’t underestimate Hodgson’s excellence as an organiser and a spoiler today.
So here’s the thing BFR – Villa continually fail against teams who need a result – often those teams are not better (or even as good on paper) as Villa.
That’s not bad luck or bad timing it’s symptomatic of a deeper major failing which successive managers have failed to deal with.
Is the club as a whole fundamentally too nice?
Like I said, Hitch: losers. Gerrard is trying to change that. But I sense there’s some resistance from the squad of “fannies.” Like I said to Alfie earlier this season: it’s NEVER OK to lose at Villa Park, regardless of the team on paper is.
I really don’t have any idea what to say other than this has the same subsequent traits as losing a two goal lead to Wolves. OK we lost that game but losing those two goals to Leeds has taken the wind out of our sales again.
This is a major worry as teams need to be more resilient and, clearly we’re not.
Martinez saved us from an even bigger and more embarrassing defeat.
Then again Brighton lost at home 0-3 against Burnley – will we now have to play them at the worst possible time? On the other hand Brighton may be there for the taking.
Saving grace – Norwich, Brentford and Everton all lost so it’s not a complete disaster – well someone has to try and find some positives 🙂
I want to see Gerrard being willing to change things – whether it’s tactics or personnel in the team or both. I realise he has his preferred style of play but if we haven’t got the players then he needs to adapt.
I’m with BFR on this – Gerrard probably has to stay to the end of the season and hopefully we can find the 10 or so points that should be enough to keep us up but whether he or Purslow represent the future is open to debate. One thing I’m sure of – he’s not off to Liverpool anytime soon!
NSWE aren’t going to take failure lying down – that’s for sure.
I’m lost for words…Just what is going on at VP???
Loser players that can’t meet the manager’s standards, I’d say, Tony.
Dean Smithness is back. Put it on us to lose to bottom of the league who haven’t won in ages, embarrassing. Gerrard honeymoon over. Villa vs Watford is a relegation battle fixture whether you like it or not. I’m not standing for Coutinho, Digne, Buendia, Martinez and to be below mid table losing to Watford, regardless of smiths disaster era earlier this season, shouldn’t be bottom half. Beat Newcastle, Watford, Brentford and we’re nearing Wolves, all winnable, embarrassing.
Great articles.
I can’t see sacking GS at this point is the way forward.
Purslow will now come under greater scrutiny by NSWE. He has overseen the last two appointments.
More importantly he has been involved in all transfers and non deals required. He shifted on previous recruitment guru for Lange – now is Lange working out? I would argue that Cash, Konsa and Watkins were down to Smith’s knowledge of the Championship and working with these players. Despite Watkins being currently out of form these 3 were good buys.
But:
Traore – not delivered £19m
Sanson – not delivered £14m
Purslow reminds me of a James Bond baddy. He aldehyde wants everyone to know how clever he is. When Grealish was sold he told us of the two plans one with JG and one without. That without they were buying 3 players each with differing strengths to enhance the team. But:
Ings fails to deliver
Bailey not delivered as never fit.
Buendia starting to deliver.
This actually left the team weaker.
Why oh why was not a defensive midfielder bought? The club has been crying out for that. If the Brighton midfielder was the right man, then pay the £50m. Now with his price falling another team mightier than us and will get him.
All of this should put the spotlight on Purslow.
A few more comments:
1. We were playing very well under Gerrard when Marvelous Nakamba was playing. He hasn’t been replaced, as we know. This is a major problem, clearly and obviously. So there’s a personnel issue.
2. This is compounded because Luiz gets more game time. BUT, he has no intention of signing a contract and has probably already agreed to join another club. Therefore, he should NEVER play for the club again, because he can’t give his all, physically or psychologically, because a. he can’t get injured before his big move, and b. his heart’s not in it anyway.
3. Why can’t Chuky get a start? Is it because he won’t sign a new deal either?
4. Is Digne an upgrade on Targett? Newcastle fans raving about Matt on Twitter recently, but what has Digne done? Was it he who stood there like a mallet as the Watford man crossed for the goal today?
5. There is literally no competition or strength in depth in midfield or up front.
6. Was it wise to loan out El Ghazi, Trez, and Archer? Would they not offer options now?
For the record, I think the movement in January, both in and out, has upset the squad.
Sorry but wrong! wrong! wrong!
Get rid of King Bin Dipper ASAP!
BFR your rightabout Luis , if you was put on a job you don’t like, its common sense you would drop your head and not do your best. Im not calling for Gerrard to go because its not his team, its them prats upstairs that brought this to Villa park. We all can see where the problems are so why don’t the coaching see it, I called for youth to come in but was knocked down in saying they needed to go out on loan, I don’t see that like others , football is a short sport and at 18 your a man and I’ve seen that in my army days, I also think our way in playing is all wrong, that many chances was given to Watford from the long ball where we wasn’t covered on the wings, I m losing the love of the game because it’s all,about money and who pays? We do so Villa Sort it out and quickly.
I have said for ages do all our teams play without a decent DM…cant see that so why cant they at least get in the squad.Loads of other teams dont seem bothered about age…if good enough then old enough….and have the desire.
First thing SG should do on Monday morning is tell MacPhee is services are no longer required. Our set pieces and corners plus general crossing is woeful.
It will be interesting to see if Konsa walks back into the team next game. I actually think Chambers has done well. It was Digne to blame for allowing Sarr time for a cup of tea and a biscuit before putting in the cross which Young also lacked awareness. Would Cash have done better? Could Chambers switch to DM if Konsa plays? My biggest concern with that would be his mobility. It is a very demanding role which is probably why someone like Nakamba does well with his energy.
Next up is Brighton who were well beaten by Burnley so they must be relieved to be playing Villa to turn things round. 😒
I firmly believe that when we have so called footballers they should give them a test , just to find out IF they have a footballing brain, I think we lack that in Villa Park.
Yes Burnley next…did that DM we were after play the other day.If so he must have been rubbish.Probably show us what we missed out on.
Brighton away next VAD3 next but suspect that’s what you meant.
Don’t know whether Bissouma played but we need to take advantage of any lack of confidence at BHA after losing to Burnley.
Sorry Hitch…yes Brighton…got beat by Bufnley…lol
Bissouma did play and he scored a 5 on three sites I’ve seen.
Lots of Brighton players got a 5, so he wasn’t the worst.