Steven Gerrard

[Davkaus]

Just now, lexicon said:

The question, really, is how long does he get? 

I'm not buying that the players aren't good enough - the squad is full of attacking talent and if we can't get a **** shot on target against bottom the table Watford, then it's 100% down to the manager. 

I've got some good news for you, we did get one. And we got one against NEwcastle. Averaging a shot on target a game against relegation fodder, just need to goalkeepers to sneeze when we line them up from 30 yards

[VillaChris]

1 minute ago, Mantis said:

I think the Sherwood comparisons are a bit off. I'm rapidly losing faith in Gerrard however, although I also don't think Gerrard is the only problem. The players, barring a couple of exceptions, are a bunch of pathetic, weak losers as well.B

Who are the weak pathetic losers out of interest....Mings and McGinn have their limits but both played massive part in lifting us up from mid table championship to mid table prem, Emi is international winner now and certainly won't be sticking around too long if this is all we have to offer, Young won stuff during his career but just isn't good enough anymore as we saw with the goal, Digne and Coutinho both good quality international players for top nations and played for top teams and Ramsey was still having a go at the end and would've had a quality assist if Bailey hadn't been half dead.

Could understand that line more in 15-17 period when we had some decent players but they'd all just got used to losing every week.

That's over half the team. I think it's more now the honeymoon has worn off the players don't really believe in this system as it has its limits and we barely created anything clearcut today against a poor team so you get disjointed spells of play.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Our shittest run of form, seems to be coinciding with all the shite teams revivals and manager bounces etc.

Yes Gerrard takes blame for some subs/tactics. 

However, after all, I thought being " safe " with making Ings the only change,  was the wiser option after a cool down.

Now, I reckon the likes of McGinn may have reached the end of his rope as a starter.

From what I saw of the first half, the performance was MUCH better than the last match,

Fact is, some of the players simply aren't good enough.

So I would say this is a combination of multiple things, obviously the Manager is ultimately responsible, but I think there are a variety of factors at play.

Something doesn't feel right either,

Guaranteed Gerrard , when slouched into his chair is thinking " I can see why Deano got the sack, I should probably give him a ring and see if he fancies his job back ".

Before today,  I read that we would be 9th in the table since Gerrard came in based on stats etc.

It was a mistake not going all out for a proper CM/CDM last window.

This is quite sad.

Edited February 19, 2022 by JAMAICAN-VILLAN

[YLN]

Terrible subs. No plan B. Completely nullified. No meaningful shots on target. Looked competely devoid of ideas. Watford had chances to win 3-0. I can't remember a clear cut chance for Villa. 

Shades of Neil Lennon. Managers coming from Celtic/Rangers should be quarantined in the championship for a season to make sure they actually know what they're doing. So far Gerrard doesn't impress me at all.

[Made In Aston]

I'm starting to think we made a mistake sacking Smith. At least he should have been replaced by someone who was proven and tactically savvy, not one who is stuck to one rigid way of playing, no matter who the opposition is. 

 

If a top manager became available now then I'd be tempted to ditch Gerrard at the first opportunity. 

Edited February 19, 2022 by Made In Aston

[Jonesy7211]

He's got to realize our midfield doesn't have the quality he needs to allow the fullbacks to bomb on. Either that or he lacks the coaching ability to get them to be more disciplined. Whilst he remains tied to the current tactics, an uplift in form seems a mile away, and us fans will find it harder to back him.

[paul514]

Not happy at all, this system isn't working and most of the players are seriously underperforming.

Results since new years has been a joke.

[Reivax_Villa]

His philosophy is not working at this level..

He needs stop with the two 10’s

[Zatman]

1 minute ago, Made In Aston said:

I'm starting to think we made a mistake sacking Smith. At least he should have been replaced by someone who was proven and tactically savvy, not one who is stuck to one rigid way of playing, no matter who the opposition is. 

Its what we were told we were getting, a significant upgrade

[Mantis]

2 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Not actually true though is it. Last season we beat Chelsea, Leicester, Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool in the league

And then we ended up this season once again playing shit, losing, pathetic football under Smith, hence why he was sacked. Not even sure what your point is here as I wasn't defending Gerrard or specifically criticising any one manager?

[DCJonah]

Did we really throw away Dean Smith for this? I was excited by the potential and the chance for him to move us up a level but this is abysmal stuff. 

I'm still willing to give him plenty of time but it's not good enough. 

[AvonVillain]

1 minute ago, Lerner's Driver said:

Our owners are constantly spending money and constantly changing the team, is constant change the answer?

Since they came in, it's been an upward trajectory based on the right managerial appointment. This is only their second managerial appointment, and already it looks reckless and ill-considered.

[Mantis]

Just now, DCJonah said:

Did we really throw away Dean Smith for this? I was excited by the potential and the chance for him to move us up a level but this is abysmal stuff. 

I'm still willing to give him plenty of time but it's not good enough. 

This is the kind of crap we ended up with under Smith as well. Totally get all the criticisms of Gerrard, but do we have to go through this ridiculous Smith revisionism again?

[DCJonah]

Just now, Mantis said:

And then we ended up this season once again playing shit, losing, pathetic football under Smith, hence why he was sacked. Not even sure what your point is here as I wasn't defending Gerrard or specifically criticising any one manager?

We seem to forget the injuries we had and that our 3 new signings had only 30 minutes on the pitch together. 

It wasn't a good start to the season but we were never going down.

We sacked Smith to progress. He's got a lot of work to do in order to do that. 

[kevpants]

I'm angry at him and wouldn't object to his sacking. But I also think these players are fairly awful. Not necessarily skill wise, but mentality wise. It's woven into the DNA of this squad and several previous squads, to be a weak, passive loser.

Grealish injected us with some actual quality for a few seasons.

We truly were/are a one man club.

[Davkaus]

On the bright side, Rangers are doing alright. 

[sharkyvilla]

6 minutes ago, 7392craig said:

It’s not clear at all how he wants us to play. We’re back to the CB’s hitting it long again,  the middle 3 don’t seem to be part of the game other than being general bodies on the pitch. We’ve got Buendia and Coutinho amongst our front 3 yet they’re having to come back to fight for a touch. We seem to play like an away team every game.

I think it's pretty clear how he wants to play, especially to the opposition who have completely negated us recently.  He basically wants us to play like 2002 Brazil when they had Cafu and Roberto Carlos as wing backs and Rivaldo and Ronaldinho playing behind Ronaldo.  It doesn't seem to be working though for some reason.

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

I still blame Gresford

[Made In Aston]

Just now, sharkyvilla said:

I think it's pretty clear how he wants to play, especially to the opposition who have completely negated us recently.  He basically wants us to play like 2002 Brazil when they had Cafu and Roberto Carlos as wing backs and Rivaldo and Ronaldinho playing behind Ronaldo.  It doesn't seem to be working though for some reason.

Probably because we don't have a team full of world class players. 

[Davkaus]

Just now, DCJonah said:

We seem to forget the injuries we had and that our 3 new signings had only 30 minutes on the pitch together. 

It wasn't a good start to the season but we were never going down.

We sacked Smith to progress. He's got a lot of work to do in order to do that. 

I thought Smith deserved more time, but I could understand the sacking. I couldn't understand hiring Gerrard, for any reason other than Purslow being able to catch up with his hero.

I was hoping he'd change my mind, but this is utterly abysmal, and I'm not sure I'd give him the summer unless something is seriously turned around before then.