Is this fair?

[villajk]

That poster says 'He's amazed that MON's name has not been chanted at Villa Park yet'
Truly delirious.

and then goes to say 'lose Wednesday and I will guarentee it will be next game !'

I very much doubt it.

[pablopicasso_10]

You can't blame the board for what O'Neill didn't want to do. Their biggest mistake was to give him too much power.

as is said all the time, by fans and the board alike, actions speak louder than words, and we heard words all the time about o'neill "seeing things", but no action taken...

dont get me wrong, i love the board... i think randy and the general are the best thing to happen to villa in most of my villa supporting years, but they cant claim that "actions speak louder than words" and that "we see what you see", and then take no action, and not expect people to see and highlight that...

but i understand what you are saying...

as i said, the overall point of the whole post, IS extremely premature...

if the same thing is happening in two years time, then maybe the comments will have more validity... i dont think that will be the case though...

[The Situation]

That person has a point in all fairness. Although it's nice to see we play a refreshing style of football with nice passing if the defence is going to be worse off because of it I just don't know. Like that person said, we need to find a balance... but atleast with Houllier regarding the transfer market he knows what he needs and will try his best to get the players we need, unlike MON who just completely ignored the transfer window not buying a striker which cost us a chance of playing in the Champions League. I don't know, but I wish Randy would of said something to MON, all it did was let MON continue what HE wanted to do and just disregard what was best for the team/club.

[dave.woodhall]

It's also a bit of a myth that we had an Iron Curtain defence under O'Neill. I can remember some right defensive cock-ups in the early days.

On the subject of maangers, anyone remember Paul Jewell, the new Clough? Darren Ferguson? Ian Dowie? And is David Moyes destined for Old Trafford still?

[nick harper]

What does have a hint of truth is our injury situation.

Of the side on Saturday Gabby, Albrighton and Reo-Coker would definitely come back in - after that no-one really.

Admittedly our bench would be much stronger - the point is we are a less disciplined and organised side generally at the moment than we were under O'Neill.

[dave.woodhall]

if the same thing is happening in two years time, then maybe the comments will have more validity...

That's the absolute crux of the matter. Even if we had no injuries we still have a manager who is trying to impose his own style on another manager's players, unable to bring new ones in and introduce an entire backroom team - and all this during the season. Yet there are supporters who would have him sacked tomorrow.

[not3bad]

Of the side on Saturday Gabby, Albrighton and Reo-Coker would definitely come back in - after that no-one really.

We were certainly crying out for more pace upfront on Saturday so they would have made a difference there.

[Merv]

In terms of taking action, there's not an awful lot of action you can do from September-December.

[Ger Regan]

It's also a bit of a myth that we had an Iron Curtain defence under O'Neill. I can remember some right defensive cock-ups in the early days.

From memory (and am willing to be corrected on this), our defence was pretty poor the season before last, excellent the first half of last  year and was poor again for the second half of last season.

For what it's worth i think that it's way too early to be judging GH, he has to be given until at least this time next year to see what he can do, and after his signings have bedded in.

[Risso]

I'm not going to judge Houllier on an injury ravaged team that he took over after the season had started.  He's doing the best with what he inherited.

[Mister E]

Even the main point the ranter was trying to make is flawed. I don't think that GH has been trying to change completely the way that the players should play! Dunne's lack of general fitness, Collins' propensity to drop one big clanger in each game (a la Zat Knight), Warnock's skill transplant and Friedel's growing flakiness are not a result of GH's new training methods (such as they might be).

[PaulTheVillan]

I couldn't be bothered to read it all. Sorry.

[Simba]

If I was on the Board ( God forbid) when MON buggared off I would have looked at the original "five year plan".
I would have sought a manager to take us into Europe and stay there. I would have looked for someone who had English Prem experience with a top side. I think I would have looked at MON and his group and accepted that good as he was he could not take us to the 'next level'. As they say. He was spent. And greedy again.

I did not fancy the Sven and I was stuck. Then GH made sense.

In the short term. Two years. Maybe three.

Bad time now. Easy target. Give him space. TG for youth team/reserves. etc. Not his fault with injuries or timing but praise for using them.

IMHO GH a good decision.

But. We need a good'un soon. A long term appointment. Have the Board a long term plan?

[The Left Side]

I didn't read it either, and from previous Krulak threads the General can certainly handle himself.

[alanclare]

I couldn't be bothered to read it all. Sorry.

Neither could I but surely....

I'm not going to judge Houllier on an injury ravaged team that he took over after the season had started.  He's doing the best with what he inherited.

This is the bottom line, isn't it?