This season; can GH turn a slightly parched landscape into a greener haven...

[Rip Van We Go Again]

No amount of clean slates is going to get Emule playing well for us.

If it looks like shit, smells like shit, then it probably is shit.

[Gaztonniller]

No amount of clean slates is going to get Emule playing well for us.

If it looks like shit, smells like shit, then it probably is shit.

Might also be a golden penny that been covered in S!!t

[UK Redsox]

I suspect that GH will be a failure this season in that he will not keep the club at its current level.

Villa stand in fourth spot at the moment, but there's virtually no chance they'll be there come May

[Brend'Watkins]

Can anyone imagine Gerard Houllier having a fight with NRC? Just asking, like.

The first job that GH should sort out is straightening NRC's bent feet.

[pauliewalnuts]

I suspect that GH will be a failure this season in that he will not keep the club at its current level.

Villa stand in fourth spot at the moment, but there's virtually no chance they'll be there come May

I don't think we have any realistic chance of fourth, either, but really we can't expect GH to perform miracles in one season, having been parachuted in today.

It's going to take him a while to assess the squad, start getting them used to getting trained again (miaow!), and to get them playing the way he wants to. Any manager would need to do that.

I also agree that he needs to give players a fair crack of the whip. That includes those who, personally I'd rather we never saw again, such as Heskey and Sidwell, because no matter what we think of them, he as the manager has to form his own opinion.

On a broader point, I hope the board support him in the transfer market, to put to rest some of the hysterical wailing on here the last month or two about our chairman.

[Chris Smith]

I suspect that GH will be a failure this season in that he will not keep the club at its current level.

Villa stand in fourth spot at the moment, but there's virtually no chance they'll be there come May

I don't think we have any realistic chance of fourth, either, but really we can't expect GH to perform miracles in one season, having been parachuted in today.

It's going to take him a while to assess the squad, start getting them used to getting trained again (miaow!), and to get them playing the way he wants to. Any manager would need to do that.

I also agree that he needs to give players a fair crack of the whip. That includes those who, personally I'd rather we never saw again, such as Heskey and Sidwell, because no matter what we think of them, he as the manager has to form his own opinion.

On a broader point, I hope the board support him in the transfer market, to put to rest some of the hysterical wailing on here the last month or two about our chairman.

Surely if it was hysterical wailing you don't need to hope as that support will be there regardless. The Moxley article linked elsewhere seems well informed and suggests that he will need to wheel and deal which supports the view that we still have to get players out in order to bring others in presumably as the wage bill is still an issue. Sell to buy by any other name.

[pauliewalnuts]

I suspect that GH will be a failure this season in that he will not keep the club at its current level.

Villa stand in fourth spot at the moment, but there's virtually no chance they'll be there come May

I don't think we have any realistic chance of fourth, either, but really we can't expect GH to perform miracles in one season, having been parachuted in today.

It's going to take him a while to assess the squad, start getting them used to getting trained again (miaow!), and to get them playing the way he wants to. Any manager would need to do that.

I also agree that he needs to give players a fair crack of the whip. That includes those who, personally I'd rather we never saw again, such as Heskey and Sidwell, because no matter what we think of them, he as the manager has to form his own opinion.

On a broader point, I hope the board support him in the transfer market, to put to rest some of the hysterical wailing on here the last month or two about our chairman.

Surely if it was hysterical wailing you don't need to hope as that support will be there regardless. The Moxley article linked elsewhere seems well informed and suggests that he will need to wheel and deal which supports the view that we still have to get players out in order to bring others in presumably as the wage bill is still an issue. Sell to buy by any other name.

Only if you accept the contents of one press article as gospel.

I prefer to believe what the club say, and there has not been a declaration of sell to buy at any point. Doing something about the wages bill is not the same thing, necessarily.

EDIT: Christ, that was a gigantic quote fail there.

[Dan England]

I suspect that GH will be a failure this season in that he will not keep the club at its current level.

Villa stand in fourth spot at the moment, but there's virtually no chance they'll be there come May

I don't think we have any realistic chance of fourth, either, but really we can't expect GH to perform miracles in one season, having been parachuted in today.

It's going to take him a while to assess the squad, start getting them used to getting trained again (miaow!), and to get them playing the way he wants to. Any manager would need to do that.

I also agree that he needs to give players a fair crack of the whip. That includes those who, personally I'd rather we never saw again, such as Heskey and Sidwell, because no matter what we think of them, he as the manager has to form his own opinion.

On a broader point, I hope the board support him in the transfer market, to put to rest some of the hysterical wailing on here the last month or two about our chairman.

Surely if it was hysterical wailing you don't need to hope as that support will be there regardless. The Moxley article linked elsewhere seems well informed and suggests that he will need to wheel and deal which supports the view that we still have to get players out in order to bring others in presumably as the wage bill is still an issue. Sell to buy by any other name.

Or sound financial management by another name.

How many people would whine and moan if the next set off figures  show wages as 90% or 100% of turnover? You can't have it both ways.

[bob]

I suspect that GH will be a failure this season in that he will not keep the club at its current level.

Villa stand in fourth spot at the moment, but there's virtually no chance they'll be there come May

I don't think we have any realistic chance of fourth, either, but really we can't expect GH to perform miracles in one season, having been parachuted in today.

It's going to take him a while to assess the squad, start getting them used to getting trained again (miaow!), and to get them playing the way he wants to. Any manager would need to do that.

I also agree that he needs to give players a fair crack of the whip. That includes those who, personally I'd rather we never saw again, such as Heskey and Sidwell, because no matter what we think of them, he as the manager has to form his own opinion.

On a broader point, I hope the board support him in the transfer market, to put to rest some of the hysterical wailing on here the last month or two about our chairman.

Surely if it was hysterical wailing you don't need to hope as that support will be there regardless. The Moxley article linked elsewhere seems well informed and suggests that he will need to wheel and deal which supports the view that we still have to get players out in order to bring others in presumably as the wage bill is still an issue. Sell to buy by any other name.

Or sound financial management by another name.

How many people would whine and moan if the next set off figures  show wages as 90% or 100% of turnover? You can't have it both ways.

Agree. Making plans to reduce the wage bill by moving on players that are not being used, before signing new ones, is a great idea.

[garyshawsknee]

If he can get anything out of Sidwell and Downing,then the guy is a genius. More movement,and playing through midfield would be a bonus.

[pauliewalnuts]

If he can get anything out of Sidwell and Downing,then the guy is a genius. More movement,and playing through midfield would be a bonus.

I think Downing gets a raw deal.

He's got his faults, and he definitely needs to raise his game far more often, but he's shown he's a talented footballer.

Sidwell I'm far, far less convinced by, but if GH wants to give him his chance, then I'm happy to see how it pans out.

[garyshawsknee]

I'll agree Downing has talent,but he goes missing too much,he should try and get on the ball more and be less of a pussy. Sidwell is probably just not good enough.

[Oscar Arce]

It's amazing how all our expectation levels have dropped through the floor now, from Champions League to mid table mediocrity seems to be the general concensus, perhaps that's what this uninspiring appointment was designed to do.
Sorry but I'm underwhelmed.

[Richie]

Downing needs to be given a chance. He was never fully fit last season after the injury. However, there's no excuses now - he's got to produce. I thought he looked really good in the West Ham match.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

The Moxley article linked elsewhere seems well informed..

I take it you agree with him about MON's departure being "spiteful"?