Even Stilyan sticks the knife in.

[Loxton01]

I came away from VP on Saturday generally delighted. Me and my mate fellow season ticket holder were for the first season totally underwhelmed by the start of the season approaching. Like many on here we expected the same difficulties - players playing out of position, same tactics, no substitutions, lack of ideas at home. To be honest it was becoming a chore under o'neill.

I know saturday was only one game and it will be interesting to see the team react if we fall behind or have a bad run but I was totally refreshed.

The team looked like the shackles had been taken off. The passing was crisp and sharp, players had energy, players were getting forward to support the strikers. It actually looked like we had been working on freekicks and corners. Lots of movement, quick taken free kicks, a player going short for a corner to make the defence think.


Coming away I thought was this the work of mcdonald or oneill. Well I think you only have to go on the website and read petrov's words and you get your answer.

One of o'neills trusty lieutenants exposing a few home truths about the tactical naivety of our previous manager.

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2123769,00.html

Its a very interesting read!!!

[BannedUserIAT]

Pravda News

Petrov delighted with MacDonald influence



By Dan Harrison

Stiliyan Petrov hailed the Kevin MacDonald effect after Villa's caretaker boss got off to a dream start with a 3-0 win over West Ham.

The skipper was full of praise for MacDonald's impact since he took over from Martin O'Neill on a temporary basis last week.

The opening day clash could not have gone any better for the former Liverpool Double winner on his debut in the dugout, with the claret and blues taking the Hammers apart thanks to goals from Petrov, Stewart Downing and James Milner.

Petrov admits the squad were keen to impress their new gaffer on Saturday after preparations had gone so well on the training pitch.

"He said before the game he trusts every single one from the first until the last and everybody is going to play during the season," said the Bulgarian.

"He has got ideas about how we need to play. We do that in training and we know what you need to do exactly on the field - it makes things even easier.

"He can only pick 11 but when you come out on the pitch you need to show you deserve to be in the team.

"We played really well. We pushed really hard. We played some nice stuff and if we keep going that way I can't see why he can't make it his own.

"We moved the ball quicker, we played much quicker, we try to hurt teams and we don't try to just play on the counter attack - we tried to move the ball quick in the middle of the park and in the final third.

"We created a lot of chances and we had plenty of chances - it could have been a different result, not just 3-0."

Petrov was also glowing in his praise of Marc Albrighton after the winger flourished on his first Premier League start.

Albrighton played a part in all three Villa goals and was a constant menace to the West Ham defence.

It was a proud afternoon for a number of the club's future stars.

Ciaran Clark also impressed in defence, while Barry Bannan and Andreas Weimann were introduced from the bench for their top flight debuts.

"He [Albrighton] knew he was going to start and he went out and played like he had played 100 games in the Premier League," added the captain.

"He was really calm, he used his strength, he was taking the ball, he was passing and dribbling past people and he was creating chances for us.

"Kev always believed that the future in every club is the youth.

"He has been working these kids for a long, long time and I think they showed what they can do.

"You've seen here - Ciaran Clark and Marc Albrighton were outstanding and I hope they can keep going the same way."

[Concrete John]

To be honest, other than the brief mention of not relying on the counter attack that piece is a bigging up of Kevin Mac much more than it is anything to do with O'Neill.

[Risso]

To be honest, other than the brief mention of not relying on the counter attack that piece is a bigging up of Kevin Mac much more than it is anything to do with O'Neill.

"and we don't try to just play on the counter attack."

You don't think that's quite a barbed comment?!

I keep waiting for somebody other than a clueless twat like Oliver Holt to come out and say something good about O'Neill, but so fair, it just ain't happening.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I posted this elsewhere but it highlights the difference in approach, especially the last line:

MacDonald's approach to the job has been impressive ever since he stepped up from reserve-team duties last Monday. He introduced changes to training by working closely with the side that would start against West Ham, rather than keeping everyone waiting until the day of the game to find out who was playing (as was the case under O'Neill) and he got his team selection spot on.

Pundits said it was impossible to play James Milner because of the distraction of his proposed transfer to Manchester City but MacDonald's faith in the midfielder was vindicated and his decision to include a couple of academy graduates, Ciaran Clark and Marc Albrighton, brought instant reward. But perhaps the most impressive aspect of Saturday's display was the tactical change that allowed Villa to play as if the shackles had come off.

"Every manager has a different style and Kev has a different vision on how we can play, and we showed we can be faster and play with more freedom," Petrov said. "We are moving the ball quicker. We try to hurt teams, not just play on the counterattack, and we created a lot of chances. It could have been a different result, not just 3-0. He gives us a new way to play, more freedom, and when you know exactly what you need to do, it makes it easier to perform."

I don't think Petrov is sticking the knife in, more demonstrating how happy he and the players are with KMac's preparations to games.

[Concrete John]

I keep waiting for somebody other than a clueless twat like Oliver Holt to come out and say something good about O'Neill, but so fair, it just ain't happening.

I take that as a personal insult!

[pauliewalnuts]

To be honest, other than the brief mention of not relying on the counter attack that piece is a bigging up of Kevin Mac much more than it is anything to do with O'Neill.

"and we don't try to just play on the counter attack."

You don't think that's quite a barbed comment?!

Not to mention

"He has got ideas about how we need to play. We do that in training and we know what you need to do exactly on the field - it makes things even easier.

[Risso]

I keep waiting for somebody other than a clueless twat like Oliver Holt to come out and say something good about O'Neill, but so fair, it just ain't happening.

I take that as a personal insult!

Why?  You're not Oliver Holt, or a clueless twat!

[jonzy85]

I agree, dont see how he is sticking the knife in.

More a case that he and the rest of the players are trying to move on.

Time to forget about MON...debate could rage for decades on what people think of him.

Petrov is focusing on the present and the future, which he obviously thinks should be K Mac.

[Concrete John]

I keep waiting for somebody other than a clueless twat like Oliver Holt to come out and say something good about O'Neill, but so fair, it just ain't happening.

I take that as a personal insult!

Why?  You're not Oliver Holt, or a clueless twat!

No, but I do say good things about O'Neill!!

I was only joking anyway!

[Concrete John]

Not to mention

"He has got ideas about how we need to play. We do that in training and we know what you need to do exactly on the field - it makes things even easier.

Sorry, but that's just bigging up Kevin Mac's contribution to the team.

[not3bad]

Time to forget about MON...debate could rage for decades on what people think of him.

Let's be realistic.  We won't forget and the debate WILL rage on for decades.

And on a forum like this it should!  That's part of the purpose of it!

[Shaggy]

It's very early days to declare the revolution is successfully underway - underway no doubt. IMHO we've seen Villa play like this a few times under MON too, eg Liverpool last season. I'd hope after that game MON had had an epiphany and that the style of game we'd play would be changing, but as successful as the season ended, and I think it was very successful, the style of football reverted, for the most, to the MON blue print. I think it's great to see the lads fall in behind KMc, but don't think it necessarily means they're lining up to stick the knife into O'Neill just yet.

But I'm always in the "Happy Clapper" section, no matter who the manger is, and hope springs eternal. Onwards and Upwards

[Matt Collins]

Some of the criticism of MON is over the top. The quote above suggests his main fault was keeping people guessing on who would line up. Erm, I think we all knew who would play every single game!!

But if he genuinely has re-jigged training to focus more on ball-work, shape and tactics, that's a very welcome development.

Perhaps he could be first team coach, even if not the next manager?

[midnite]

I've not been a huge fan if petrov. Side ways stan I've labelled him a few times. I thought is contribution on Saturday was immense. His passing was far more distructive to west ham than I've seen in such a long time!