Roberto Di Matteo

[Designer1]

8 minutes ago, VillaCas said:

I think my judgement is a little coloured by the fact that I didn't rate RDM at all before he came here and am I guess waiting for him to fail rather than waiting for him to succeed. I had lots of patience with Lambert and Garde because of the resources at their disposal. Given the resources made available to RDM I expect more than trailing Burton for example by two points at this stage.

That's where i'm at too unfortunately.

I don't think he's the right man for us at all, and never have done.

[BOF]

49 minutes ago, VillaCas said:

I think my judgement is a little coloured by the fact that I didn't rate RDM at all before he came here and am I guess waiting for him to fail rather than waiting for him to succeed. I had lots of patience with Lambert and Garde because of the resources at their disposal. Given the resources made available to RDM I expect more than trailing Burton for example by two points at this stage.

Yep I understand that the resources made available to him are going to add a pressure that mightn't exist in their absence, but for me there is no substitute for time, especially given the level of our rebuild to the first team.  So I think it's unfair on one hand to allow someone time to get a team to gel where little or no money is present, but to demand an almost immediate impact where money has been spent. Especially when the latter scenario probably buys even more players than the former.

[hippo]

52 minutes ago, Designer1 said:

That's where i'm at too unfortunately.

I don't think he's the right man for us at all, and never have done.

Me to.

He has never rebuilt a team - now we are all supposed to be surprised as to why he is struggling. If I had some evidence that he had undertaken such a task elsewhere - I d feel more comfortable. But this is all new to him (which is why I was against his appointment in the first place) 

[PaulC]

I think people are being over-reactive. We have had misfortune and paid for our own mistakes as well but its still very early days. We have played 7 games out of 46 and people want rid already. Thats just rediculous. 

[dont_do_it_doug.]

16 minutes ago, PaulC said:

I think people are being over-reactive. We have had misfortune and paid for our own mistakes as well but its still very early days. We have played 7 games out of 46 and people want rid already. Thats just rediculous. 

I think the only people who want rid are those who didn't want him in the first place. At least on VT.

Edited September 15, 2016 by dont_do_it_doug.

[dn1982]

RDM seemed too scared last night to keep attacking. I hope it doesn't happen again. Then when we lost control 2nd half he never reacted to sort it. Saturday is a massive game for him!! 

[Mantis]

41 minutes ago, PaulC said:

I think people are being over-reactive. We have had misfortune and paid for our own mistakes as well but its still very early days. We have played 7 games out of 46 and people want rid already. Thats just rediculous. 

It's the manner of it I think. I don't want him gone yet but my patience is wearing thin and that's primarily because it's literally the same thing over and over again.

[bobzy]

2 hours ago, VillaCas said:

Yeah you did, you wouldn't be human if you didn't.  After the first game I thought "it's early days, but we saw a few promsing signs and a few worrying ones. Hopefully we can sort out the problems with more familiarity and a few additions" You will have had your own opinion or judgement after the first game.  What you're talking about is a difference of opinion of when it is correct to act on that judgement. Certainly for me not after one games or two or eight, as we are currently are, but should we get zero points from the next three games, for example (all other things being equal) I would be willing to act on my judgement then (after 11 games, you would be willing to wait 20 when I would argue it could be too late for this season)

Do I think we are playing badly? No but I don't think we are playing anywhere near well enough given a £60m investment. If we win the next game and one of the two after that then I will be happier and he earns a little more patience, but say for example we lose the next three then personally I would be happy for RDM to go

Then I guess I'm not human.  I didn't summarise our strengths and weaknesses after the first game of the season.  In that game as a one off?  Sure.  Much like I did during the Forest game where we played really well but, ultimately, didn't win.  After that game I didn't think "well **** me, RDM just isn't the man for the job because we didn't beat Forest".  The same way that, after beating Rotherham, I didn't think "well blow me down, RDM is a superb appointment after that result".  My views don't swing game to game like that - they take time to develop, the same way that teams take time to develop.

I'm quite shocked anyone thinks we're not generally playing well this season.  I understand the disappointment behind us not winning games, of course, but it's not like we're being outclassed and unable to find ways round teams.  We're basically doing most rights right apart from putting the ball in the net (again, generally) and perhaps switching off at the end of games somehow.

I guess you've cited the money as the reason for being underwhelmed.  It doesn't make sense to me and has always been my concern with having a really rich owner.  If we bought cheaper players and had a different manager, they'd all be afforded the time to gel into a team but, because we paid over the odds for them, they're expected to be amazing straight away?  Nah, not having it.

As an aside, personally, I think it's a disgrace that large sections of our support decided to boo the team off after a draw in only our 7th game of the season.

[Keyblade]

5 hours ago, HanoiVillan said:

I don't know whether you think that creating ludicrous straw men to knock over is a productive way to debate, but I'm here to assure you it isn't. Nobody, at all, has suggested he's doing a 'brilliant job'.

We also didn't lose either of those games either. Such an odd strawman.

[bobzy]

35 minutes ago, Mantis said:

It's the manner of it I think. I don't want him gone yet but my patience is wearing thin and that's primarily because it's literally the same thing over and over again.

What do you put down to Di Matteo?  I mean, these are all lapses in concentration (and hardly the "same thing over and over" aside from being in the 8<x> minute)

Late goal against Sheff Wed - defence/keeper error
Late goal against Huddersfield - defence/keeper error
Late goal against Forest - fail to stop a run, tackle falls to scorer
Late goal against Brentford - fail to block a cross, all defence runs to near post

Are these managerial failings?  If so, fair enough.

I think the formation against Brentford was odd and unbalanced but, then again, Kodjia scored from wide right and sounded like he had a good game - that was the move that most concerned me.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

I think the only people who want rid are those who didn't want him in the first place. At least on VT.

I didn't want him, but I'm giving him time.

[PaulC]

41 minutes ago, Mantis said:

It's the manner of it I think. I don't want him gone yet but my patience is wearing thin and that's primarily because it's literally the same thing over and over again.

.I think you have to give him until christmas at least. You can't build anything when you keep swapping and changing managers. 

[Fairy In Boots]

I'm at this point in the give him 2-3 more games camp. It's the fact it's the same mistakes costing us, a ultimately that's a game management issue for me. I lay that at RDM's door, plenty of managers would love this squad they need organisation and that's something RDM isn't known for, I don't rate him either and Aston Villa is no place for sentiment United fans would be questioning Jose if this was happening there. If Tony is serious about being the best then we need to set a benchmark, you perform or you get lost. 

[Nigel]

Changing the manager after a few months is not only ridiculous but sends out the wrong message. 

We are going through the mother of all rebuilds, some people have to understand what this entails.

[Mantis]

52 minutes ago, bobzy said:

What do you put down to Di Matteo?  I mean, these are all lapses in concentration (and hardly the "same thing over and over" aside from being in the 8<x> minute)

Late goal against Sheff Wed - defence/keeper error
Late goal against Huddersfield - defence/keeper error
Late goal against Forest - fail to stop a run, tackle falls to scorer
Late goal against Brentford - fail to block a cross, all defence runs to near post

Are these managerial failings?  If so, fair enough.

I think the formation against Brentford was odd and unbalanced but, then again, Kodjia scored from wide right and sounded like he had a good game - that was the move that most concerned me.

I don't think it's all down to him but tactically he doesn't seem to be learning at all.

47 minutes ago, PaulC said:

.I think you have to give him until christmas at least. You can't build anything when you keep swapping and changing managers. 

I'm normally quite patient with managers but it depends on how things go. Irrespective of all else he has to sort out this tendency to throw away points in the dying minutes of a game. It's incredibly damaging. If we had the same points total but not because of the same thing happening over and over again I'd be a lot more understanding.

Edited September 15, 2016 by Mantis

[dn1982]

58 minutes ago, bobzy said:

What do you put down to Di Matteo?  I mean, these are all lapses in concentration (and hardly the "same thing over and over" aside from being in the 8<x> minute)

Late goal against Sheff Wed - defence/keeper error
Late goal against Huddersfield - defence/keeper error
Late goal against Forest - fail to stop a run, tackle falls to scorer
Late goal against Brentford - fail to block a cross, all defence runs to near post

Are these managerial failings?  If so, fair enough.

I think the formation against Brentford was odd and unbalanced but, then again, Kodjia scored from wide right and sounded like he had a good game - that was the move that most concerned me.

Forest probably should've brought Jedinak on but we looked comfortable. Last night though he had a mare. Strange starting line up which worked initially even with Gestede doing very little. Amavi coming on was strange and not reacting to be under pressure was awful hopefully it's a one off. Kodija is head and shoulders above anyone as our striker and gas to play there simple as that. Then worry about the rest. RDM needs more flexibility in formation and not to be afraid to drop players if they don't suit it. He needs a win badly. 

[Woodytom]

To be fair, when was the last manager that we had, where the first ppl who called for his head initially were wrong.

I think it's pretty pointless to sack him based purely on my belief that this club CAN or WILL hire the right man.

In football terms, it hasn't been long but in any walk of life, including football, you can make a sound judgement based on whether or not there are improvements evident.

Given the investment, I would have expected to see a lot more improvement than I have and I'd argue that I haven't actually seen any improvement at all. The level of the opposition would be my shout as to why we've accumulated 7 points this season. Because let's face it, we're playing some pretty grim teams.

Edited September 15, 2016 by Woodytom

[Kingman]

1 hour ago, bobzy said:

What do you put down to Di Matteo?  I mean, these are all lapses in concentration (and hardly the "same thing over and over" aside from being in the 8<x> minute)

Late goal against Sheff Wed - defence/keeper error
Late goal against Huddersfield - defence/keeper error
Late goal against Forest - fail to stop a run, tackle falls to scorer
Late goal against Brentford - fail to block a cross, all defence runs to near post

Are these managerial failings?  If so, fair enough.

I think the formation against Brentford was odd and unbalanced but, then again, Kodjia scored from wide right and sounded like he had a good game - that was the move that most concerned me.

 

Even with those potential extra 7 points, it probably still wouldn't be deemed good enough!

[VillaCas]

1 hour ago, bobzy said:

I didn't summarise our strengths and weaknesses after the first game of the season...........My views don't swing game to game like that - they take time to develop, the same way that teams take time to develop.

I'm quite shocked anyone thinks we're not generally playing well this season................We're basically doing most rights right apart from putting the ball in the net (again, generally) and perhaps switching off at the end of games somehow.

As an aside, personally, I think it's a disgrace that large sections of our support decided to boo the team off after a draw in only our 7th game of the season.

I'm certain everyone would have had a view or an opinion after one game - it's only based on one game so its not much of a view but a view nonetheless. You can't tell me that you didn't look at how new players looked, how RDM had us set-up, who looked like they hit the ground running and who looked like they needed to find their feet and from that began to look at how the coming weeks might shape up

Secondly, your intimation is that my views swing from game to game - they don't! After 8 matches I have begun to build a view - as I said I wouldn't act on it yet but if things continue in this vein with no sign of improvement then I would. The only difference I can see is that I would give him 11 or 12 games and you are willing to give him 20

I don't think we are playing badly per se, but I would not classify us playing well by any stretch of the imagination.  We struggle to score and we can't contain the opposition in the second half

On your final point I didn't and wouldn't boo my team

[Eastie]

2 hours ago, Mantis said:

It's the manner of it I think. I don't want him gone yet but my patience is wearing thin and that's primarily because it's literally the same thing over and over again.

I was fully behind him until last night but was deeply concerned by the performance of the team and the tactics and system last night - it opened my eyes somewhat as I had been giving him the benefit of us being unlucky in several games - last night we sat off Brentford and were hanging  on in the 2nd half - this is Aston Villa - rdm was far too cagey and the whole evening was like a nail biter at the cinema where you just knew how it would end .