Are we too critical?

[sg]

No, not at all - this season anyway.   

Last season, yes - fans were WAY too critical of Houllier. The guy had from Sept - Jan before fans turned on him, no pre-season, only 1 transfer window and look who he bought in.  Ok, the Anfield thing was annoying, and the man.city cup game was extremely poor to just give up, but i was still willing to look past it as on the whole, we looked to have a plan in how to play possesion football.

I'd kill to have Houllier back now (even with his dodgy ticker).  He identified the trouble makers in Dunne, Collins, Warnock etc and would've shipped them out and started from scratch. Yes we wouldnt have Ireland, he'd probably either be rotting in the stiffs or wouldve been sold, but we would've had Makoun & Cabaye playing in CM and who ever else he would've looked to bring in.

[WarleyWonder]

As for slating McAsswipe, I think he's got off pretty lightly so far on match days.

Totally agree with this, he's had a much easier ride than Houllier and yet we were a much better team to watch last year

I agree too. There's plenty of anti McLeish feeling at the ground but it has hardly ever resulted in mass displays of dissatisfaction.

Houllier, who had a far more modern outlook and has forgotten more than McLose has ever known about management, got the banner treatment far earlier.

Mass demo.....when and where..... not that i am asking anyone to start one just before I get slagged off again.

[NiiLamptey]

My criticism of Mcleish is that he has artificially lowered expectations. I feel certain that at that meeting in corsica he persuaded Randy we were certain to go down this season, and anything else would be a success. He has persuaded the players that a defensive draw is the best they can hope for. He has confected an air of crisis to insulate himself from blame. I support the club and support the team and want to support the manager but he makes it so hard when he is so pessimistic. I just don't believe we're as bad as he thinks.

100% nail hit on head - very well put

Say what you like about his outlook, he inherited a team that had just finished 9th, then had to sell his two most creative players and recuce the wage bill.

Maybe not a crisis, but definately a challenging set of working conditions.

Hence why I'm slower than some to put the boot in, as from a purely results perspective we shouldn't expect to be too many more places up the league.

I agree with everything you said.. including results...

However I expect there t be fight and passion and at least be trying too win games

I was embarrassed yesterday... there was no desire to attack and stoke are awful!

[NiiLamptey]

I dont think we or should I say I, am being too critical.  Ive always said that i'd be happy with a midtable finish as we are in a transition and believed that the squad we had/have was enough to acheive that.  We are playing poor, poor football and most of the times, we are hoping the teams below us mess up to save us.  I think Mcleish is out of his depth here and should walk but he wont.

Villa park yesterday was the quietest it has been all season not to mention the lowest attendance as well.  This is probably a sign of things to come under the current regime

We only actually got behind the team once, think it was first half and created an atmosphere, other than that there wasnt anything...

http://www.epltalk.com/top-20-loudest-football-grounds-in-premier-league-31551 last year we were 3rd loudest despite people getting on Houlliers back...

[NeilH]

I think what’s so sad about this season is that the trust between the board and the fans has been shattered and there’s a growing belief that the board simply don’t give a sh*t about the fans, just correcting the financial mistakes that they allowed to occur.

I recall a comment from Lerner talking of merely being a custodian to this institution; it’s a comment that really resonated with me as it spoke of a man of integrity who understood Aston Villa and not some rich millionaire looking for a slice of the action. Sadly the course of this season has served to remove much of the sentiment behind the statement. If they fail to remove McLeish and prompt swaths of Villa fans to desert the club next season, then the statement will truly look like the rhetoric of a man eager to please at first, but who has shown his true colours over time.

There’s no doubt that last season, we were overly critical but I honestly think that this season we have been remarkably restrained at VP, given what we’ve had to put up with. Certainly were it Deadly still in charge, the torches and pitchforks would have been on full display. What is currently apathy and numbness will simply be transferred to more empty seats come the beginning of next season.

If the board truly believe that it is a small price to pay for their stubbornness to stick to pig headed decisions, then they will certainly have lost me until something is done, because no matter how deep my love for Villa is, I will not be treated like an ignorant supporter by an owner who has forgotten that he’s running a football club, driven by the passion of loyal supporter and not some faceless American corporation.