Players lack of fight

[ROBBO]

Managed to avoid getting up in the middle of the night so didn't see the game. I did watch the first half of the Spurs- W.Ham
game and was very impressed by the amount of fight shown by Spam players, didn't see one player not giving his all and were led by a very good captain. They have had some good results of late, was it only eight weeks ago that Grant was a dead manager walking, now they could well survive. Compare that to the fragile state of the Villa squad, i firmly believe that most of the Villa players don't give a toss about the club, AYand NRC are seeing their time out, Senior pros getting pissed instead of getting fit and a total lack of leadership on the ground. Since Milner left i don't think we have had one player in the side that is prepared to give his all for the club,many are blaming the manager but i see a much bigger problem and it has been with us for years and that is one of respect for the club. We need a complete clear out and a strong disciplinarian at the controls whether that is Houllier or not we can no longer be seen as an easy touch for players looking for an easy life.
The bunch we have playing now don't have a pair of balls between them.

[Chipsticks]

One word that came to me today was "Steel".

Who were out "steel" players? Barry and Milner; particularly the latter. We have no steel and currently possess a crop of unmotivated/inexperienced/overrated bunch of mercenaries.

Need an 'Ian Taylor' in that side I reckon.

[TheSandman]

Absolutely.

The fact that he is pretty certain to leave the club in the summer makes it totally unfathomable why Young is Captain.

The manager plays a part for sure but in all honesty I am fed up of pretty much all of our senior players who seem to mostly not give a fuck. The saddest indictment is that the two who come closest are the two who are likely to leave in the summer. Watching these highly paid professionals and the way they have behaved this season is enough to put you off football.

[KevinGage]

Only flaw in all that is the players for the most part played for MON though ROBBO. And Kevin Mac seemed to get a decent response out of them too, barring Vienna at home and Newcastle away.  His wins per game ratio is certainly far healthier than GH's.

[JD]

I think we should have played Petrov today, not Makoun & Reo Coker together as they are too similar in my opinion. At least Petrov may have shown some leadership, as it was very sadly lacking today. 

[BC54 VFC]

I think we should have played Petrov today, not Makoun & Reo Coker together as they are too similar in my opinion. At least Petrov may have shown some leadership, as it was very sadly lacking today. 

Spot on, JD, we really missed Petrov's experience and there is no way NRC and Makoun should start, for the reason you state. In fact the more I see of Makoun, and I've seen every minute he's played for Villa so far, the less I am impressed with him. Significant that we finished the game with two French speaking muppets in central midfield, neither of whom seem capable of running!   

[Greg N'Ash]

Personally i think the cliques and bad atmosphere in the squad is the main factor. You cannot function as a team with that sort of crap going on, however good you are as footballers. GH needs to do something this week whether its a major clearing of the air, or the termination of some player's Villa careers. He needs to do something and randy needs to back him with this or sack him and give someone else a chance.  If he doesn't we'll be down

[hawkeye]

GH is quoted as telling the players they now have 8 Champions League games, I am sure that has motivated them

[TopDeck113]

I would imagine that every football club's dressing room is full of massive egos, adults who act like spoilt children, petty-jealousies, bitchy in-fighting and cancerous cliques.

Add a manager who alienates the more "experienced" (for which read: cynical and jaded) players and can't harness and focus the competitive spirit that got the people to that dressing room in the first place, you end up with performances on the pitch such as you saw today.

[eastie]

The lack of passion and fight today was very disturbing- without that we have no chance.

[itbrvilla]

We are fucked.

[TopDeck113]

We are fucked.

I think on that succinct and pretty accurate note, I'm going to call it a night.

[Greg N'Ash]

yep. virtual surrender today.

[brontebilly]

Sure just go through them.

Walker on loan, was crap today but is only a young lad anyway and wont be here next season.

Herd did his best today but again too inexperienced. Cuellar isnt a leader. We needed him to shout and organise the back 4 today which he never did. Baker was struggling. Delph isnt a left back.

Reo Coker who is a leader always struggles in these types of games where the onus is on our midfielders to get on the ball and create. Again he is off in the summer so you would wonder how much he cares. Though to be fair he has played really well of late.

Makoun is showing all the signs of a player that was struggling for the last 18 months in France. I know he is new to the club but we really needed him to impose himself on the game but instead after a horror show opening he hid.

Downing lacks guts, scored I think it was one goal the season his hometown club went down which says it all. Not a leader. Ashley Young a wannabe leader. Better off on the fringes and definitely seems as if his move in the summer is already signed and sealed. Take the captaincy off him immediately and fuck him onto the wing until we have enough points for survival by which he can head to the reserves. Bent is new to the club, again a follower rather than a leader anyway. Was shit today. Albrighton only a young lad. Friedel should have retired last summer.

There you have it. Definitely thought Petrov should have came on for experience alone at half time. Dunne and Collins if motivated were badly missed today. Just remember when Bham went one up early in the season those two were superb in getting us back in the game.

I honestly think the only way we will stay up is if Houllier is replaced. Get someone in who can motivate the experienced players for 8 games. You can only hope they are professional enough not to want relegation on your CV. Bring Warnock, Cuellar back into the back four with Collins and Dunne. This isnt a time for kids really. Reo Coker and Delph in the middle like Bolton with Petrov as part of a three if required. Two from Downing, Albrighton and Young. Bent up top and if were going 442 with Gabby even though he looks as if he wouldnt score in a brothel at the moment. 44 fucking 2 as Mike Bassett would say with strong experienced players. This isnt a time for bedding in Makoun or Bradley. Herd and Baker to drop out. Clark probably on the bench too aswell as Albrighton. Its up to the experienced players to dig us out of a hole now.

With any kind of a decent manager I think they will get enough points to get us out of trouble anyway. Then we start flogging them in the summer.

[Ethnic Tours]

We now need someone with a big fucking mouth. A manager to tell it how it is and get the job done. What happens on the training ground now is largely moot. We simply need the right players in the right positions with the right attitude. And, for my money, someone who's already done it at this club and knows what it means.

Big Fat Ron.
Paul Merson.
Martin Laursen.
Ian Taylor.