The Tim Sherwood Thread

[dont_do_it_doug.]

 

Tim Sherwood has challenged Aston Villa to man up when they resume their Premier League recovery mission against struggling Chelsea.

Sherwood accepts responsibility for the claret and blues’ precarious position in the bottom three of the early season table.

But the Villa boss insists his embryonic squad must come of age quickly if they are to start their climb to safety.

Sherwood has made a dozen new signings and waved farewell to a similar number of players during a summer of huge change for the club.

They have a two-week break to address where they have been going wrong before taking on Jose Mourinho’s crumbling champions at Stamford Bridge on October 17.

“I like to try to win enough games rather than going out there not to be beat because I’ve done that a few times and you end up getting beat anyway,” said Sherwood.

“I’d rather go to win but I need to find a team out of the squad who can go to places like Stamford Bridge and not be scared and are willing to put up a fight and be brave on the football.

“I’m learning all the time about them. They train hard, they’re all good lads. I need some men to come out of the woodwork.”

Sherwood acknowledges that Villa’s situation could get worse before it gets better but maintains that it is still too early to call it a relegation battle.

“Quite possibly, yes, but I’m confident in my ability to be able to turn this around and try and get a spark,” he added.

“At the moment I’m still searching for that. Our performances earlier on in the season, certainly at Leicester for a period of time, have been okay but not been great and not been consisent.

“In the end in this league you get what you deserve. It’s too early for a relegation battle. There’s still so many points to be won. Back to back wins can send you up the league and I'm confident we’ll be able to do that.”

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-boss-tim-sherwood-10201178

 

It just gets worse..... 

 

Admitting he's tried not to lose matches but still failed!?!?!?

The second bit sounds a lot like a mix up of DOL and Lambert.... Maybe if TS instructed the players on some tactics/positional play they'd fair better?

This isn't going to end well at all and it sounds like wishful thinking on TS's behalf that he'll be able to turn it around.

 

 

 

I can't see much wrong with admitting he has made mistakes and I think that he's right in that the players need to take some responsibility also. No matter how tactically inept we were on Saturday their lack of spirit was evident too.

Ultimately though, it all falls down on him doesn't it, I just don't think it's healthy to pick apart absolutely everything he says, it will drive you mad.

[GeordieVillan]

 

I am incredibly disappointed with how things are going, as I expected a few more points, not alot more, but a few more, and a much more expansive style - and I'm confused as to whats going on. But lets see what happens in the next 2 games. As it is, we havn't been embarrassed by any team we have played, we've lost by single goals, and in most games the opposition have been penned back for large periods while we have tried to get back in the game - that is something at least.

I too wasn't expecting the world but as a minimum I would have liked to see us on 10 points (realistically 12 points) given the relatively soft start we had.

What does he need to do in the next two games to save his job?

I think if we avoid a heavy defeat at Chelsea (i.e lose only 1-0) and then beat Swansea then that will be enough to keep his job in the short term. But then the pressure is on the games following. Because of our current position, he needs at least 3 points from Chelsea/Swansea, and then at least 4 points from the 4 games after that, before we face Watford, which is a must win. If he can do that, then I think he will keep his job through December. Looking at our fixtures though - I have no fear of us playing Spurs, Southampton and Everton - we are entirely capable of picking up results against these teams, even if our current position would suggest otherwise. 

Alot of this will depend on -

1) If we take a hiding from someone .e.g. if Chelsea murder us then the pressure will be on to for Sherwood to go.

2) If Newcastle and Sunderland start picking up results. As soon as we go bottom of the table, psychologically the pressure to sack Sherwood might be too much for Fox.

[GeordieVillan]

I keep banging on about it, but had it not been for last half an hour at Leicester, I think we would be playing 4-2-3-1 with Grealish and Gil both as part of the 3, and then the other spot on the striker position up for grabs, certainly before Traore returns.

 

That's a fine, but if then why has Sherwood changed it if that could still work? He says he's going to keep changing until he finds something that works, but we won't know what works until he gives a system a longer run. We could get a lucky win with a system that is poor long term, and lose with a system that would suit us perfectly. What he seems to be saying is that he'll change every time we fail to get a result and we're hardly going to get a consistent, settled and fluid plan with that approach. 

Honestly, I think he's lost his bottle a little bit. I think he saw that Leicester has us massively under the cosh for the first 15 mins of that second half (prior to his subs), and he think we don't have 2 central midfielders who are good enough to hold their own when under pressure.

Central midfield has been the curse of this club since the Barry-Petrov partnership. We have never had 2 players good enough to control a game (or large parts of the game), so we always end up playing 3 same-ish central midfielders tight in midfield. Because none of the 3 midfielders is a goalscorer (think Ian Taylor) or a no.10 (think Grealish of Gil), in addition to lacking width, we lack creativity and runners getting into the box, and this is one of the reasons we are very boring most of the time.

I personally think Gana plus another would be a decent 2 in midfield for us now.

[useless]

The article says that he accepts the blame for our position, but when you actually read it, it sounds like he's blaming the players.

[Villanun]

I don't really expect us to beat Chelsea because it seems that whenever we face a team in trouble we help them get out of trouble, so for me it's about the performance. Obviously we need points, but if we can see some organisation, some purpose, in the way the team is set up and how it plays then I'd be a little more convinced that Sherwood might be able to turn things around. Unfortunately I can't really see that happening either.

[maqroll]

We all know why he was hired, he was hired because there were few good options, and he was keen. Plus he can talk a world class load of ****.  We were desperate, so welcome, Tim. 

I had no problem with that, especially as it worked out, but my problem was the seeming lack of a legitimate managerial candidate interview process after the season ended.

I'm pretty sure Sherwood was just given the keys to Villa Park in the summer, almost as a reward.

A more shrewd CEO or whatever title Fox has, would have at least sat down with a few other managers before going all in on Sherwood.

 

 

 

                     Blimey, Fox is copping it now......He was fantastic a few months ago, as was Sherwood.

                      I would like to know who & where all these messiah's are.

                      Its the blame culture at its best......I'M Sorry guys.....We are haemarroging goals in every match resulting in unacceptable results.

                      What the answer is, I don't know.....but it seems to me for what we are criticising sherwood for changing the team until he gets it right( and i do share your concerns)..... we are promoting the same process with managers.....just keep sacking them until we get a winning one.

 

 

 

By and large, I think Fox is a benefit to the club at this point in time. But he's not infallible, and if I think he's made a mistake, I'll say so. You might dismiss it as "Blame culture at it's worst", but I just call it assessing his performance. He made the right move sacking Lambert, but he made the wrong move extending his contract last September. He's also made a pretty massive error in not having an open interview process for the full time job, instead just giving it to Sherwood. It shows he's a bit naive on the football side of things. 

Just about everything Sherwood has done since the Bournemouth game has been shambolic. His interview in which he essentially admits he doesn't have even a semblance of a plan or philosophy should really make you pause and wonder if he's in fact in over his head, and just how much longer we can afford to keeping fumbling around in the dark like this.

You call it blame culture, I call it critical thinking.

 

 

[Razor]

He's really losing the plot in his interviews now. Saying you don't know your best team or formation in public is a terrible look.

[foreveryoung]

When they start babbling in Interviews its the end game. They don't last too long after that. I mean what is gonna be his excuse after Chelsea an Swansea, cause he ain't winning them, he has more than shown he ain't smart enough.

Mark my words, his tactics against Chelsea will be gung-ho or defensive set up, basics as always no real tactical plan.

[Davkaus]

He's not started shoving his centre backs up front yet, he's far from hitting his crisis point.

[Zatman]

When they start babbling in Interviews its the end game. They don't last too long after that.

Lambert lasted at least 2.5 years

[AntrimBlack]

Man, he is talking some shit now. He is accepting responsibility but blaming the players. He is sure to have a squad of disgruntled players, because they will know that the manager is losing the club the points, but yet blaming them..

[Mantis]

I don't really expect us to beat Chelsea because it seems that whenever we face a team in trouble we help them get out of trouble, so for me it's about the performance. Obviously we need points, but if we can see some organisation, some purpose, in the way the team is set up and how it plays then I'd be a little more convinced that Sherwood might be able to turn things around. Unfortunately I can't really see that happening either.

I don't really buy into this at all. I think it's more of a case of the fact that we've been pretty shit for years so of course struggling teams will have more chance against us.

[TrentVilla]

My 2 pence worth...

He says he takes responsibility because he knows it's the right think to say and he is smart enough to try and tick that box. 

But his mouth keeps going and his ego kicks in and before long he starts blaming the players. Because he doesn't really think he is at fault.

[GENTLEMAN]

He is our Stuart Pearce isn't he? Lets hope he doesn't do something like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZj7xcehvOU

[Zatman]

He is our Stuart Pearce isn't he? Lets hope he doesn't do something like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZj7xcehvOU

Paddy Power had Sarkic 1st goalscorer 7/1 the other day so maybe he is preparing this

[TRO]

If anyone listened to the Jonny Wilkinson interview after the England v Australia game .....it MIGHT change a few views, depending how you interpret it.

He said " you might all laugh at me now, but this England team are not ready yet but they will be amazing.....I know we lost all the scrums and that is/and has been our forte, but in 2 years time this will be some team..... we have some amazing players.

......Very brave after we was annihalated  at what we do best.... scrum.

I cannot preach for Tim Sherwood right now, but I think it is time to reflect in a balanced way.......and at the risk like Jonny Wilkinson of feeling foolish, he needs more time to fix it.

He needs to build from the back as all good teams do.....I don't think he has.....I think he has put too much emphasis on attack...... we can't do that until we learn how to defend.

 

I'm not sure I fully understand what you're on about here - it seems that, on the one hand you are saying that Sherwood needs to be given more time to "fix it" and then we will have an "amazing team", and on the other hand saying that all good teams need to be solid at the back and that Sherwood is not working towards this nor does he really understand that it is a priority. These two statements are at complete odds with one another

Without being overdramatic, for the first time in five seasons we are

at the point of no return - to give Sherwood any more time is complete madness. 

I hope that we could get someone better but I would prefer Alladyce, Moyes, Rodgers or Dyche in immediately

              

                       Thirdly, I think he does need more time, but like all of us not having the benefit of seeing in to the future, i might regret that.

                        Finally, Nothing of those managers you mentioned would convince me, that they could turn this around.....just my opinion.

TRO can I ask you what you beleive the chances of him turning this round versus the chances of not doing so are?   For me it is 95% to 5% against and so not a gamble that I would personally take.  Not points scoring but a genuine attempt to understand where the Sherwood supporters are coming from

Secondly, like you I have no faith at all that Alladyce, Moyes, Rodgers or Dyche could turn this around (and I say in my post that maybe there are better managers available) but, again personally, I would back any of them to use their experience to do a better job than Sherwood.  If we had an imaginary mini-league where Alladyce, Moyes, Rodgers, Dyche and Sherwood were all given the same set of players I'm of the opinion that Sherwood would end up bottom of the league - just my opinion

Whatever happens it could well not be enough as I beleive the problems at VP run much deeper than the manager

 

                       Initially, I was pleased with the Sherwood appointment on the basis he was a confident character who when he was playing was a winner....He was well connected in the London scene where a lot of business is done he media connection to hep promote the club and more importantly of All he no previous baggage and no REAL affinity with other clubs, like Houllier...I thought he could grow with us and intergrate the villa culture in to his persona....in short he wasn't someone elses ex, however their inevitably is always a trade off.

                       I do not have any more idea of him turning this around as anyone else does of this run continuing.....its a gamble......However with the amount of young players there is always hope of improvement, old players, I would say a slim chance.

                        I have to say, I am surprised at the start.....but like I said in earlier post the more losses we have made has compounded the problem.

                       Your opinion of him being bottom of the league, is much harder to challenge, than my view that he will turn it around.

                        What none of us know is what is happening at BMH......We only get to see what happens on match day......so far we haven't been pummeled, so far, but we have played lesser teams with is not in his favour as we have on paper much more difficult challenges.

                         Despite being a fan for too many years to remember.....There are still things that I don't understand, primarily through not being privvy to what happens at BMH ...i.e Player fitness.....attitude....work rate in training etc.....Thats why on occasions its hard to form a hard and fast opinion.

 

Ps ..........one thing I do not know, Is he not getting the best out of these players due to early days of gelling or are they simply not good enough

Edited October 5, 2015 by TRO

[CrackpotForeigner]

Trial-and-error is a perfectly good way to work out which is your best team.

 

As long as you play against exactly the same side every time.

[Nabby]

My 2 pence worth...

He says he takes responsibility because he knows it's the right think to say and he is smart enough to try and tick that box. 

But his mouth keeps going and his ego kicks in and before long he starts blaming the players. Because he doesn't really think he is at fault.

Good observation 

There are little digs at the players ( who are not blameless of course) but its all , well if they where more maverick , if they were fitter ,if there was more leaders then clearly his masterplan would be working fine.They are trying their best but if they could just do better then his tactics would be working ..

[avfc1982am]

 

Tim Sherwood has challenged Aston Villa to man up when they resume their Premier League recovery mission against struggling Chelsea.

Sherwood accepts responsibility for the claret and blues’ precarious position in the bottom three of the early season table.

But the Villa boss insists his embryonic squad must come of age quickly if they are to start their climb to safety.

Sherwood has made a dozen new signings and waved farewell to a similar number of players during a summer of huge change for the club.

They have a two-week break to address where they have been going wrong before taking on Jose Mourinho’s crumbling champions at Stamford Bridge on October 17.

“I like to try to win enough games rather than going out there not to be beat because I’ve done that a few times and you end up getting beat anyway,” said Sherwood.

“I’d rather go to win but I need to find a team out of the squad who can go to places like Stamford Bridge and not be scared and are willing to put up a fight and be brave on the football.

“I’m learning all the time about them. They train hard, they’re all good lads. I need some men to come out of the woodwork.”

Sherwood acknowledges that Villa’s situation could get worse before it gets better but maintains that it is still too early to call it a relegation battle.

“Quite possibly, yes, but I’m confident in my ability to be able to turn this around and try and get a spark,” he added.

“At the moment I’m still searching for that. Our performances earlier on in the season, certainly at Leicester for a period of time, have been okay but not been great and not been consisent.

“In the end in this league you get what you deserve. It’s too early for a relegation battle. There’s still so many points to be won. Back to back wins can send you up the league and I'm confident we’ll be able to do that.”

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-boss-tim-sherwood-10201178

 

 

It just gets worse..... 

 

Admitting he's tried not to lose matches but still failed!?!?!?

The second bit sounds a lot like a mix up of DOL and Lambert.... Maybe if TS instructed the players on some tactics/positional play they'd fair better?

This isn't going to end well at all and it sounds like wishful thinking on TS's behalf that he'll be able to turn it around.

 

 

 

 

 

I can't see much wrong with admitting he has made mistakes and I think that he's right in that the players need to take some responsibility also. No matter how tactically inept we were on Saturday their lack of spirit was evident too.

 

Ultimately though, it all falls down on him doesn't it, I just don't think it's healthy to pick apart absolutely everything he says, it will drive you mad.

I agree with your point totally but he really isn't helping himself saying this...

 “I like to try to win enough games rather than going out there not to be beat because I’ve done that a few times and you end up getting beat anyway,” said Sherwood.      

And then set us up to contain Stoke on Saturday with 5 defenders on the pitch and 3 CM's at HOME! What an idiot TBH. At least just come out and say something along the lines of, "my plan didn't work, it wasn't the players fault as I set us up not to lose, and I introduced our attacking players too late in the game and allowed Stoke to tighten up making it difficult to break them down". 

Personally I think he is under serious pressure, not just from us but up stairs. His last couple of interviews the cocky confident smile has been replaced by a nervous one and I would reason this is why he is continually chatting shit. He would imo be better off saying nothing at all though as continually contradicting himself and sounding like he hasn't a clue is pushing even those away that think he should be given time. 

I want to back him as with all our managers but you can't defend the indefensible.  

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

Everything about him since id say that Leicester debacle has been so cringing to see. He doesnt know what to do that much is clear, he's lost the plot so much he's even coming out and admitting it. That post match interview after beating the scum was unreal.

How can he say there about doesnt like setting up not to get beat but does exactly that. Everyone knows he has 2 potential match winners twiddling their thumbs on the bench, not the guy that counts though. Ayew deserves a start too after his cameo in the cup, but that momemtum he built fot himself has now been quashed by the maestro himself. Frustrating management of the highest degree.