Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Legion on March 02, 2011, 07:53:27 AM
-
Available Wednesday night.
-
Picked a weak team and got spanked. A lot of fans who actually care about the FA cup are left disappointed.
Not the game I loved as a youngster.
-
I have to show consistency here, I was stunned and disgusted when O'Neill gave up in Moscow, I am every bit as stunned and disgusted with this.
There's squad rotation and then there's ripping apart a team that was starting to look cohesive and might have been capable of getting something out of this.
No excuses Hotlips, this was fucking surrender in the one competition those of us of a certain, erm, vintage would love to win above any other.
-
Only three words: Gerard Houllier out! Merci.
-
Abject capitulation. Quelle honte!
-
Only three words: Gerard Houllier out! Merci.
quattro: vergogna!
-
Absolutely fucking stupid to start with Heskey, Delfonuso and Gabby. No sense what so ever.
They're strikers, not providers.
Petrov shouldn't play again.
-
Petrov terrible. Bradley I'm not going to give up on, he's had no game time. Delph and Bannan did well. However I am staggered by the lack of judgement shown by Houllier, he'd managed to garner some good will and now he does this. Terrible terrible error in judgement.
-
Had this been, say, the semi-finals, would we have fielded a similar team? Dreadful night. Supported Villa for for 23 years and this is the first time i've ever seen a Villa not interested in the FA Cup, we may have had shit teams or managers but we've always given it a go. Utterly utterly depressing.
-
Only three words: Gerard Houllier out! Merci.
quattro: vergogna!
I had one of them in in San Carlos I think, bloody lovely.
-
Utter Rubbish Gérard Houllier out
-
Bannan and Herd were good.
Let's hope we beat Bolton, or Gerrard will look a complete twat.
-
No excuses. Tonight was beneath contempt.
FUCK OFF GH.
-
An absolute fucking disgrace. With Houllier it is one step forward two steps back. Worse than Moscow. I cannot describe how utterly gutted and furious I am with that fucking pile of wank shit.
See you all again next season.
-
Didn't know GH was a Man City fan as well as a Bindipper.
-
Shocking decision to play that starting 11.
Im disgusted. Moscow all over again.
-
A sickening team selection and disgusting capitulation. Complete disregard for the traditions of the FA Cup and the club by Houllier. Not just unprofessional, but totally incompetent. Gross negligence, mismanagement of the highest order and a sacking offence, in my opinion.
-
I've stuck by Houllier so far but that team selection has really tested my resolve. To just shrug a Gallic shoulder at the FA Cup, regardless of league position, is nothing short of a disgrace. We had a home tie against Reading lined up for a good chance to get to Wembley and keep the confidence rolling. Who knows - we may even have got to the final, or even won it for the first time in 54 years. This is the football equivalent of shitting the bed.
-
I've never been so disgusted in a manager.
In fairness to the players, they showed a bit of fight for a while in the 2nd half, but even they must have been looking at each other saying what's going on when the team was announced.
I dont care if we win every game for the rest of this season, I still dont want him as manager. Unfortunately, i feel this is going to be a very long goodbye.
-
Mickey mouse cup :-\
-
Unfortunately he has to go. Disgraceful tonight.
-
Why??
-
I've never liked Houllier as a manager, BEFORE he joined the Villa. I was prepared to give him time. The position we found ourselves in was not of his creating.
The team selection though was utter stupidity.
No balance.
-
Fuck you Houllier and fuck your fucked up stupid team selection.
You really know how to piss fans off who have put up with so much hurt in the FA Cup dont you?
Lets me think, off the top of my head.
1967,we played Liverpool off the park at Anfield for 20 minutes then just gave up. An abject home defeat to fellow relegation strugglers Rotherham in 68, 3-0 down at h/t at Torquay in R1,losing at 4th div Southend with that joker Tommy Hughes in goal.3-0 at Oldham,losing at home to Fulham when they were in the 3rd tier,the semi defeat at old Trafford to the scousers and that twat fowler,the q/f defeat at Anfield,and the one at west ham,losing at Bramall lane,pig faces crap at Man c,the 2000 cup final god wasnt that shite,last seasons let down at wembley.....and many many more
well im getting more and more pissed off with this Houllier, its another nail in the coffin,and its a 54 year old coffin and the wood is starting to rot,but not just that,,,, now you come along and and before the fuckin game even starts you had to also take off the nice looking brass handles and plaque off our sorry looking coffin so that all we are left with is a rotting piece of wood which has some scrawled notes inside written by elderly supporters and others looking down telling us about Johnny Dixon,Peter McParland
etc and their memories of..................1957.
FUCK OFF HOULLIER. THAT WAS MERDE MERDE MERDE.
-
Disgraceful team selection and he has sent out a message to his team that they are in a relegation battle which can't be good.
Dreadful night!
-
Randys got to have a word about this
-
God's sake, calm down people. I'm not happy either, but we're only five points off relegation and that would be a disaster outweighing this by light years. "Sacking offence", my God.
-
That's 2 hours of my life I wont get back. Utter tripe.
-
I feel utterly let down. Watch Blues beat Bolton and get West Ham in the semi at Wembley. Gutted.
-
Broke our run, probably shot our fragile confidence, insulted the fans and ritually humiliatied our fringe players who must have felt like right twats. Good night's work.
-
In any other industry he'd be sacked for gross misconduct.
Get rid.
-
Mickey mouse cup :-\
The Fa cup is now in the same bracket as the League cup - Worthless. Tonight is a just another illustration of how money has/is ruining the game.
-
ITV - you useless ****** - get Houllier on to explain this fucking farce!
-
MOM - our fans they were awesome
-
Shocked and stunned- total lack of ambition from the manager, a chance to progress in a major cup and he rolls over and does this- I loved o neill until Moscow and then I doubted him after that but tonight is unforgivable- I am ashamed at how my club are prepared to put out such a weakened team.
Maybe tomorrow I'll feel different but right now I don't think I can ever forgive houllier for this tonight- we have reached a new low!
-
Petrov - please never play for Villa again. That was horrible. Lost for words - and lost for words that Hou put Ashley and Downing on as a response to going 3-0 down? What was that, and not taking Petrov off.
Bradley was bad - but first game and wasn't helped by the others around him.
Clueless
-
Tin hat time.....
I understand the selection. The worst thing possible at this moment in time would have been our first choice 11 getting tonked 4-0 against City again. He has preserved the confidence in the team from the Blackburn selection and that was important.
I think the decision to go for it or not was made when Cuellar, Collins and Baker were injured and L. Young being on paternity leave.
I agree with his decision....sorry.
-
Baffling, embarrassing and ultimately disgraceful
We finally get a really good win on Saturday, drum up some momentum, give someone a hammering. We have two games in about the next four weeks and so decide to do what we did tonight. Beggars belief to be honest
At least Bannan and Delph came out with some credit. Heskey looks like he has left already, Petrov needs to be on the bus out of town, he might as well be joined by Gabby if we are going to keep on playing him wide left, Bradley looks like Petrov Mk II and Delfouneso has a long way to go to convince me he is up to it...
-
If you say it in the right way Houllier sounds a little like O'Leary..... Maybe they are the same person. Certainly feels like it.
-
Simply comes down to this for me. Have a go and get beat. Acceptable. Accept defeat before you start. Unacceptable. Fans have paid hard earned money yet again to be ripped off.
-
As my post count suggests I very rarely post on here but I can assure you that I read the forums multiple times per day. I am a student and have been to 11 games this season and my girlfriend will tell you there isn't a person on the planet who is more passionate about the Villa than me! However I would just like to take this time to place on record that Aston Villa Football Club will not be receiving another penny of my money until that clown and his assistant are gone from the club. Tonight was an utter, utter, disgrace.
-
El Hadji Diouf red carded after the final whistle. That's three sent off for Rangers and 4 others booked. 3 celtic booked. Tasty.
-
GH just doesn't understand the club. In a week where Blues win a cup for the first time, a month where we've started to show signs of improvement he throws a load of poor kids in positions they don't know, starts an entire midfield for the first time and plays Delfoneso in the midfield (front 3 my arse) with a non-scoring duo up front.
Monty, that was an abject and utter embarrassment. By playing that team at Man City he basically said the best Aston Villa can hope for is survival in the Premier League. Utter, utter filth from start to finish
I can only pity the fans that paid to go up there and watch that in person. They should get a refund and an apology.
-
Utterly utterly fucking despondent.
-
Poor....very, very poor....and that's not aimed at the players tonight, I want to see us compete in every competition we're involved in and I'm disappointed that we haven't a manager that wants to do that.
-
hes just said we didnt have a bad game????
-
GH: "Take away the 2 goals and 1st half was even".............what drugs is he on??
-
I never expected us to win beforehand, and we didn't. I don't feel half as annoyed as when we rolled over to them in the league in December, so now I just feel "meh".
-
I'm usually very considered but that team selection and performance is the lowest I've felt all season. It's impossible to justify that selection. Two strikers out wide, Heskey isolated. Herd ahead of a fully fit Walker. I could go on, Houllier has totally destroyed the goodwill he's built up since the last disaster at Eastlands.
-
So, all we have to look forward to is scraping together about 7 points from 10 games against the likes of West Brom, West Ham, Newcastle, Stoke and Bolton. And I bet we make heavy weather of it.
-
Taxi for GH...
-
Houllier
"beaten by a better side. we didn't have a bad game. unlucky first goal. had a good last 10 mins. better second half. we didn't hurt them enough. score very flattering.
team selection
"we started with strikers - all internationals. so midfield. we have quality so use it. young downing wouldn't have prevented first goal"
-
Houllier lives in his own little world. The result flattered them apparently
-
Sackable offence? Ridiculous.
-
Its opened a whole can of worms now as well. its gonna be open day on aston villa for the next few days, talksport, the papers etc etc etc. Our name is mud.
-
I never expected us to win beforehand, and we didn't. I don't feel half as annoyed as when we rolled over to them in the league in December, so now I just feel "meh".
Sounds like you are reading Houllier's mind.
-
So, of late, you've managed to:
- put together a decent run of form
- get us playing like a team
- startkto win the supporters over as the confidence returns, albeit a brittle confidence
- made it look like we're not going to get relegated
- even start to get fans to forget some of the gaffes of the earlier part of the season.
In the last few days you've:
- watched our unevolved local neighbours manage to overcome the odds, beat Arsenal and win a trophy.
So, with this fresh in the mind, and the achievements of the first block of points in mind, what do you do next, when faced with a cup tie we could win if we played our strongest side? A victory which would leave just Reading between us and a semi final place?
You go and play a team weaker even than most peoples' definition of "a weakened side" in the typical cup context.
And the result?
We've shown a total lack of respect for the Cup.
You've shown a total lack of respect for the supporters.
You've reminded us just how out of step you have been with the feelings of the fans all season until recently.
You've made us a bit of a laughing stock on live television.
You've pissed away all the achievements you've made of late, all that confidence, all that improved spirit. There it goes, pissed away.
Pathetic.
-
Mark the date in your diary folks, Wed 02 March 2011. The date Aston Villa FC officially gave up any pretensions of being a big club.
We're officially happy to finish anywhere between 6th-16th, doesn't really matter - trophies don't really matter. So long as we stay in the league. We've turned into Bolton.
True, I can't say in all sincerity that at any stage in my Villa supporting life to date we expected silverware or success as of right, we were rarely that good. We did at least give it ago for the most part though, at least that's how it seemed.
He's a curious bird, this Houllier fellow. Just when it looked like he was getting more people on side he goes and does this. If I was cynical, I'd say tonight's selection was as much a 'fcuk you' to the fans who have given him stick this year, rather than any real need to rest a side who have just come back from a week off and have another one after Bolton on Saturday.
MON had far more goodwill and credit in the bank when he raised the white flag in Moscow -and he still came in for a fair amount of stick. GH doesn't really have that type of insurance, you wouldn't think he'd be daft enough to chance something that looked nailed on from the outset to make him even less popular.
I hope the next manager -whoever that may be- has it written into his contract that effectively throwing important games with weakened team selections is a big no-no. Perhaps it's the only way.
-
Strachan spot on......no way Bolton would have fielded such an understrength team if they were playing tonight.
-
Its opened a whole can of worms now as well. its gonna be open day on aston villa for the next few days, talksport, the papers etc etc etc. Our name is mud.
Like the press wasn't anyway! Who cares what they say?!!
With our financials we NEED to stay up. I think GH made the right decision.
Lets all get behind them for the Bolton match.
-
So, of late, you've managed to:
- put together a decent run of form
- get us playing like a team
- startkto win the supporters over as the confidence returns, albeit a brittle confidence
- made it look like we're not going to get relegated
- even start to get fans to forget some of the gaffes of the earlier part of the season.
In the last few days you've:
- watched our unevolved local neighbours manage to overcome the odds, beat Arsenal and win a trophy.
So, with this fresh in the mind, and the achievements of the first block of points in mind, what do you do next, when faced with a cup tie we could win if we played our strongest side? A victory which would leave just Reading between us and a semi final place?
You go and play a team weaker even than most peoples' definition of "a weakened side" in the typical cup context.
And the result?
We've shown a total lack of respect for the Cup.
You've shown a total lack of respect for the supporters.
You've reminded us just how out of step you have been with the feelings of the fans all season until recently.
You've made us a bit of a laughing stock on live television.
You've pissed away all the achievements you've made of late, all that confidence, all that improved spirit. There it goes, pissed away.
Pathetic.
Bang on. Is he some kind of fucking sadist?
-
GH: "Take away the 2 goals and 1st half was even".............what drugs is he on??
He really did say that didn't he, we can't both have misheard.
-
GH: "Take away the 2 goals and 1st half was even".............what drugs is he on??
Take away the fact that I'm not Brad Pitt, and I could be shagging Angelina Jolie.
-
As I said in the match thread - absolute dog shit.
I agree with irreverent ad to some extent in that if he wanted to shuffle the pack the players missing at the back forced his hand somewhat but it left him with a straight choice; do I want to win the FA Cup or not.
The answer was clearly no based on tonight's selection.
Dunne, Herd, Delph, Bannan and Gabby all put a decent shift in but Petrov, Bradley and Heskey were shocking.
Bradley gets the benefit of the doubt; the other two should never wear the shirt again
As for Houllier's comments about us picking a team of internationals that simply doesn't cut it with me and please, please do not fuck the Bolton game up
-
God's sake, calm down people. I'm not happy either, but we're only five points off relegation and that would be a disaster outweighing this by light years. "Sacking offence", my God.
The poor darlings have one game in two weeks after this, I'm sure they would have managed tonight as well.
Okay so we might have got injuries, well we might get them against those purveyors of the beautiful game at The Reebock as well.
-
GH: "Take away the 2 goals and 1st half was even".............what drugs is he on??
He really did say that didn't he, we can't both have misheard.
He did. He's deluded.
-
I'm lost for words.
I can only think Houllier is such a wonderful comfort zone he doesn't give a shit. Absolutely no logic to his selection. None.
Looking at him and MacAllister just sitting there looking clueless, I got they idea they both realise they've been found out.
It's one step forward and two steps back.
-
So he doesn't believe it was a weakened side? Is he going to stick with that line up then?
-
Of course, if we beat Bolton away and are suddenly not that many points off top six, we may all politely draw a veil over tonight...
-
Sackable offence? Ridiculous.
This whole season has been a sackable offence.
-
Clattenburg - absolutely crap: Bell-end-o-telli should have been red-carded (same offence as Rooney).
Clark - a superstar in the making.
Dunne - excellent tonight.
Herd - dealt a tough card, but looks a decent player.
Delph - see Herd.
Delfouneso - dealt a tough card and didn't really deal with it.
Heskey - senior player; didn't step up to the plate. Crap.
Gabby - gave the ball away too much.
Petrov - insignificant, outclassed and increasingly irrelevant.
Bannan - I'm afraid to say, outmuscled and too petit.
Bradley - tidy but needs more acclimitisation time.
Friedel - time to move on.
-
Can someone explain the resting of our players? Havnt they just had a 2 week break and after Bolton won't they have another 2 week break? Also why are we resting a spurs fullback that isn't stopping at the club, surely play him in every fukin gameif he plays well.
-
Sackable offence? Ridiculous.
If this was a one-off, then maybe. But it isn't. It is, however, a giant piss-take of our club, our fans and the competition. At the very least he could admit he got it wrong. He didn't. He's gone too far, he has to go.
-
As I said in the match thread - absolute dog shit.
I agree with irreverent ad to some extent in that if he wanted to shuffle the pack the players missing at the back forced his hand somewhat but it left him with a straight choice; do I want to win the FA Cup or not.
The answer was clearly no based on tonight's selection.
Dunne, Herd, Delph, Bannan and Gabby all put a decent shift in but Petrov, Bradley and Heskey were shocking.
Bradley gets the benefit of the doubt; the other two should never wear the shirt again
As for Houllier's comments about us picking a team of internationals that simply doesn't cut it with me and please, please do not fuck the Bolton game up
I think the question wan more "can we win the FA Cup" rather that do I want.
If Ash and Downing were playing we still would have lost tonight as the back 4 was weak.
I can forgive him this one as long as we go for it next.
-
GH: "Take away the 2 goals and 1st half was even".............what drugs is he on??
Take away the fact that I'm not Brad Pitt, and I could be shagging Angelina Jolie.
Makes Col Gaddafi look credible.
-
Absolutely fucking stupid to start with Heskey, Delfonuso and Gabby. No sense what so ever.
They're strikers, not providers.
Petrov shouldn't play again
This
-
Pathetic, Bradley & Petrov gave the worst midfield performance I've seen in a long time.
You just know that despite Bannan being the best Villa player by a mile he will struggle to get on the bench on Saturday.
Season ticket prices are going to make intersting reading, can't see myself going to a home cup game for a long, long time.
-
Ged getting a slating on R5. They are offering some decent criticism and comparing it to Moscow. I think he has really fcuked himself with this.
-
Team Selection: Abysmal
Team Performance: Abysmal
Result: Abysmal
This season: Abysmal
I'd think of something clever about mastercard but i'm too pissed off.
-
Its opened a whole can of worms now as well. its gonna be open day on aston villa for the next few days, talksport, the papers etc etc etc. Our name is mud.
Like the press wasn't anyway! Who cares what they say?!!
With our financials we NEED to stay up. I think GH made the right decision.
Lets all get behind them for the Bolton match.
Dony worry we will be behind them. But Houllier had better make sure there are 3 points there after whats hes done tonight.
-
The funny thing is, as usual, that our senior players (Dunne aside) were the ones who let us down the most tonight. Friedel was shaky and indecisive, Heskey has concrete in his boots and can't move and Gabby was more concerned with his personal battle with Richards than team play. Bradley started brightly but faded, and Petrov's bursts forward were never accompanied by getting back in time to cover.
-
Of course, if we beat Bolton away and are suddenly not that many points off top six, we may all politely draw a veil over tonight...
Come on Richard is that tongue in cheek?
-
GH: "Take away the 2 goals and 1st half was even".............what drugs is he on??
Well...strictly speaking and all that.
"If it had gone in it'd been a goal!"
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness. Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
-
Disgusting - AGAIN . Moscow esque.
Embarrassing - AGAIN.
Fair play to those who went - I could of but knew what was coming.
Petrov - busted flush- thanks for the last few average seasons but please just go
Gabby - pathetic - a shadow of the player of 2 years ago - lazy, uninterested - I could mark him.
Heskey - woeful - though thought he looked injured (if so should have been replaced)
Bradley - first game but pretty shit
When 88% of our revenue went on wages then we have got a few years of this to get used to.
I think Ged was wiining us over - this has put him back a long way.
Pissed off big time tonight
-
Bannan and Herd were good.
Let's hope we beat Bolton, or Gerrard will look a complete twat.
He looks like a complete twat regardless of the Bolton result. Absolute disgrace!!!
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness. Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
Spot on.
-
The additional worry for me is that not only did he surrender the FA Cup before the game started, by doing so he has probably convinced Ash to go.
-
I still believe GH can take us forward but thought he could have thrown caution to the wind tonight for the sake of a go at the Cup. Football in general is so wrong at the moment and it is not going to get any better for a long time.
Disappointed.
-
The only argument for his decision is he wanted to avoid injuries.
Yet he threw them all on when we had absolutely no chance of winning anyway.
So why did him leave them on the bench? I'm absolutely bemused at his decision, just when it looked like we were picking up some momentum, he goes and repeats O'Neill's biggest mistake. Idiotic.
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness. Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
Sorry but he picked that team tonight - no excuses.
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness. Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
The irony, though, is that this was a winable game, and I do not think he has really done Herd, Bannan and Delfouneso a favour tonight. These three players played okay but were asked to do an unreasonable job. With Walker, NRC, Young and Downing on the bench - but available - I think Hou may have done these three a disservice.
Winning tonight would have been a massive boost to the club and fans.
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness. Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
Come off it OZZ- after a credible result and performance at the weekend its not too much to ask for a similar line up and performance tonight. He just surrendered our opportunity of winning something or is 16th the new 4th ?
-
Fuck you Houllier and fuck your fucked up stupid team selection.
You really know how to piss fans off who have put up with so much hurt in the FA Cup dont you?
Lets me think, off the top of my head.
1967,we played Liverpool off the park at Anfield for 20 minutes then just gave up. An abject home defeat to fellow relegation strugglers Rotherham in 68, 3-0 down at h/t at Torquay in R1,losing at 4th div Southend with that joker Tommy Hughes in goal.3-0 at Oldham,losing at home to Fulham when they were in the 3rd tier,the semi defeat at old Trafford to the scousers and that twat fowler,the q/f defeat at Anfield,and the one at west ham,losing at Bramall lane,pig faces crap at Man c,the 2000 cup final god wasnt that shite,last seasons let down at wembley.....and many many more
well im getting more and more pissed off with this Houllier, its another nail in the coffin,and its a 54 year old coffin and the wood is starting to rot,but not just that,,,, now you come along and and before the fuckin game even starts you had to also take off the nice looking brass handles and plaque off our sorry looking coffin so that all we are left with is a rotting piece of wood which has some scrawled notes inside written by elderly supporters and others looking down telling us about Johnny Dixon,Peter McParland
etc and their memories of..................1957.
FUCK OFF HOULLIER. THAT WAS MERDE MERDE MERDE.
Brilliant post. Sums up exactly how I feel - totally and utterly betrayed by the club i loved.
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness. Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
Spot on.
I'm pretty sure Ozzjim is being sarcastic with this bit.
-
With our PL future not yet secure I can see why GH picked that side but I think he was wrong. He says it's a project and I think it will take time to work, but i don't see why we couldn't have given this a good go tonight. I'm all for giving the kids a chance and rotating but not all at once and it amounted to surrender. The FA Cup is very important to Villa fans especially us older ones because it's the only one we haven't seen us win. 54 years and counting. It was crying out for a change on 60 minutes and 0-2, and it was a waste of time once the third went in. Have to say Ballotelli's finish was superb, but once again the defending was woeful for the goals. Simple stuff like not picking up players.
I still think GH will be a success for us but I think he is just focussed on survival and consolidation this season. I'm willing to give him that leeway in his first season as I did with O'Neill. But he owes us big time next season.
-
Friedel - not at fault for any of the goals but we do need a fresh face for next season. Nothing to do with tonight
Herd - woefully out of position on occasions in the first half but there is a player in there and showed some nice touches
Dunne - played very well, held things together for much of the game
Clark- impetuous at times but need to stick with him as you sense it will all come right
Delph - tidy but unfair to judge playing out of position
Petrov - awful, took any pace we had right out of the game
Bradley - unfair to judge him on his first full game but worrying shades of Petrov
Bannan - good first half, faded badly in the second
Gabby - might as well go if we are going to play him there
Delfouneso - out of position but I just don't see any hunger
Heskey - left already
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness. Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
Nope. People criticising the manger for putting out a weakened team in the only competition we're still in after the ribbing any body living in brum would've been subject to this week is not an over reaction. It's a reaction to him taking the piss with team selections. Thankfully I didn't book a half day at work and spend the best part of Ł50 on watching us capitulate to City for the second time in a few months up there.
We were, a few flashes of neat link up play aside, shite tonight. The fist half was like a training game. Unacceptable.
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness. Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
Its not an over reaction - that wasnt good enough on any level - any criticism is totally justified
-
With our PL future not yet secure I can see why GH picked that side but I think he was wrong. He says it's a project and I think it will take time to work, but i don't see why we couldn't have given this a good go tonight. I'm all for giving the kids a chance and rotating but not all at once and it amounted to surrender. The FA Cup is very important to Villa fans especially us older ones because it's the only one we haven't seen us win. 54 years and counting. It was crying out for a change on 60 minutes and 0-2, and it was a waste of time once the third went in. Have to say Ballotelli's finish was superb, but once again the defending was woeful for the goals. Simple stuff like not picking up players.
I still think GH will be a success for us but I think he is just focussed on survival and consolidation this season. I'm willing to give him that leeway in his first season as I did with O'Neill. But he owes us big time next season.
Fair and rational analysis.
-
Team Selection: Abysmal
Team Performance: Abysmal
Result: Abysmal
This season: Abysmal
I'd think of something clever about mastercard but i'm too pissed off.
Managed by a French OAP: Pointless
-
After Blackburn there we lots of people backing him. Now after an FA cup game at Man City (top 4 side) he is the worst manager ever?!!
The defence was decimated by injury and personal reasons. Our main striker could not play. We had no chance tonight IMO. I would rather Young & Downing be fresh for Saturday.
On the flip side for next season he needs to see who he can count on. We now know Petrov is not good enough now, Bradley big question mark, Herd is not good enough, Gabby doesn;t care.
This was an important game for next season in GH finding out what he has got and how much the old players have taken on board of Houllier style of play. We will see the benefits of this game next season.
Lets give the guy a chance and at least give him a full pre season...
-
He has to go after this, we are 2 wins away from safety with 11 games left, we have 2 weeks off after the next game. We want a manager that can not handle an FA cup game and win a couple of games?
Sorry he has shown utter contempt for our club, its traditions and values.
-
Of course, if we beat Bolton away and are suddenly not that many points off top six, we may all politely draw a veil over tonight...
No, not that easy. MON managed another sixth place and was still getting stick about Moscow, this is, to many of us, a much bigger competition and we were closer to winning it too.
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness. Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
sorry mate...but thats a load of shit
A one off game to get to the quarters finals of THE domestic trophy.
A quarter final, at home against lower league opposition.
A cup competition where a large majority of the big teams have already or by the next round, gone out.
And what does our manager do ?
He puts out a weakened team that we would have been disappointed with had he put it out in the 1st round of the league cup against a 3rd dvision team.
No, I'm sorry, but what he has done tonight is totally and utterly disrespectful.
His remit is obviously protect our prem league status.
But he could have taken a bit of a gamble tonight...................surely ?
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness.
My worry is not that he's tonight lost the respect of the fans but of the players. There's so much that can be achieved with that respect, look at McCleish at the Rags, they all work so hard for him. MON, tactically clueless but all the players on the pitch always gave everything. Ashley, Downing, even young Walker must be thinking WTF is he doing. Lunacy.
-
Of course, if we beat Bolton away and are suddenly not that many points off top six, we may all politely draw a veil over tonight...
Come on Richard is that tongue in cheek?
Not sure Clive! I can't think straight anymore. Totally baffled. However, football is a funny old game innit and if we do win on Saturday with Wolves next at home, things might strangely start to look rather upbeat again...
-
Yes but if we lose.....?
-
Mark the date in your diary folks, Wed 02 March 2011. The date Aston Villa FC officially gave up any pretensions of being a big club.
We're officially happy to finish anywhere between 6th-16th, doesn't really matter - trophies don't really matter. So long as we stay in the league. We've turned into Bolton.
How fucking depressing!
-
Yes but if we lose.....?
If we lose. I'll tell you what will happen......NOTHING. Fuck all. Zip. Nada. Cos Houllier is here to stay unfortunately.
-
He clearly had Saturday on his mind with that selection. If the full team played 90 minutes (and most likely lost) then have them go to Bolton and lose and we get dragged back down and confidence starts ebbing away. However, go there and win we're suddenly looking up and thinking of the top 6.
Before any of the hysterics have a go at me let me make it clear that, as a fan, it's not what I want to see but he's a manager and his priority HAS to be staying in the league. I said I would wait and see what happened before judging and the team just wasn't good enough but all that romantic guff about accepting relegation if we win the cup will be the opposite of what Randy expects of him.
On the pre match thread a few people reckoned we had absolutely no chance before they knew what the side was, given that surely you can have no objection to him resting a few of them.
That said, I don't think we were that bad (other than Petrov who had a nightmare), we were just out powered by a team of fucking giants and by conceding the type of goal we've been letting in all season after 4 minutes. We played some reasonable football but without ever looking like we might get back into it and Herd got punished for 2 mistakes.
-
Seems patently obvious to me that the year end results bought home the need to stay in the league. The accounts were posted on the very last day of the 9th month after year end - the deadline Companies House give for posting to avoid fines. And no fuckin wonder.
Tonight is officially when football as a Villa fan died. Revenue at the expense of winning a trophy. A spinless, motionless goon of a manager and an equally motionless, goon of an Assistant and Sid 'Bradley Walsh' Cowans. Total fucking disgrace. It's as if the club has no clue of the mood music of fans and have no idea that the bastards from up the road winning a cup 3 days earlier only serves to ramp up this cups importance and they took no fuckin notice.
This guy is a totally obstinate, spineless bafoon and the sooner he goes the better.
-
Tbh even if we would have had our 1st team out, we are not good enough to beat Citeeeh at the moment.
The ironic thing is that our more experienced players were the worst culprits.Inthe 1st half, Heskey and Gabby constantly gfailed to hold the ball up, and when they did keptgiving it away.Petrov was useless throughout the game.
Positives.Bannan, always looking for the ball, always lookinto be positive.
Herd, out of position, but totally committed, looks like he could be another useful player coming through.
Delf, and Delph.....both good on the ball, both for me can hold their heads high.
Badley, good in patches, does'nt look to bad in tight situations.
The lack of movement off te bll by the senior players was quite disturbing tbh, and he only positives tonight were the youngsters.....the ones we are all moaning about.
-
Team Selection: Abysmal
Team Performance: Abysmal
Result: Abysmal
This season: Abysmal
I'd think of something clever about mastercard but i'm too pissed off.
Managed by a French OAP: Pointless
Post of the night - made me laugh.
-
So so disappointing. Picked a poor team that lacked shape and balance. I don't blame the players too much as some hadn't played for a while whilst others were out of position.
Why on earth does Houllier watch our neighbours win a trophy, then say we'll win trophies, and then pick a team designed to make it clear that he wasn't talking about this season?
What reason is there for rotating the squad this much ahead of a 5th round tie, with a home tie waiting for us in the 6th round against a Championship side? None. Concentrating on the league? Behave.
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness. Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
Ah, thats okay then, I thought we entered the FA Cup to try and win it but obviously that is not the intention!
-
It's just so deflating, again. I'm sure GH will come good, there has been improvement, and I understand what why he picked the team he did, but with Reading in the next round this was a great chance for a day out at wembley and a light in what has been a thoroughly shit season. Another embarrassing result. We won't go down, no-ones injured, so this was a slap in the face of an old competition that everyone on here would love to see us win and GH pissed it away
-
He clearly had Saturday on his mind with that selection. If the full team played 90 minutes (and most likely lost) then have them go to Bolton and lose and we get dragged back down and confidence starts ebbing away. However, go there and win we're suddenly looking up and thinking of the top 6.
Before any of the hysterics have a go at me let me make it clear that, as a fan, it's not what I want to see but he's a manager and his priority HAS to be staying in the league. I said I would wait and see what happened before judging and the team just wasn't good enough but all that romantic guff about accepting relegation if we win the cup will be the opposite of what Randy expects of him.
On the pre match thread a few people reckoned we had absolutely no chance before they knew what the side was, given that surely you can have no objection to him resting a few of them.
That said, I don't think we were that bad (other than Petrov who had a nightmare), we were just out powered by a team of fucking giants and by conceding the type of goal we've been letting in all season after 4 minutes. We played some reasonable football but without ever looking like we might get back into it and Herd got punished for 2 mistakes.
Sums up exactly how I feel.
-
Houllier Out
-
Mine was the text sent at 20:56
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9411262.stm
-
It was like a corporate decision had made to keep us in PL and stuff the FA Cup; trying to be +ve...Balotelli's smirks were hardest to take. he knew we were done for so early.
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season.
I'll give him time because of the improvement in the football and the results, but it will take a hell of a lot before I forgive him for tonight.
Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness.
He ripped apart the whole of the team (okay so his hand was forced in defence a bit), a team that was just beginning to gel and play well. It's okay having loads of (mainly fringe) internationals on the pitch but if they are all in unfamiliar positions and none of them are sure what the game plan is then you may as well play the whole reserve team who at least play regularly together.
Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
Is it fuck, and it might be another few years before we have a better chance.
-
I've just written to the General on this game and the farce of a team selection by our manager. Copyright Tom Ross, but I do believe the manager has to have the right to pick the team that he wants. However, at a time when we are possibly 3 wins from Europe, we don't necessarily even need to win the damn cup, why the hell do we change 8 from Saturday?. We were in the middle of a heck of a run of games at Sheff Utd and he picked a stronger team against them !!!!!!.
I have defended him on many occasions this season, but after tonight I would prefer it if he left the club. I never thought I would see the day when a manager of my club disresepcted the FA Cup. It obviously doesn't mean as much to him as it does to me and as VCTM says in the other topic, my support is also hanging by a thread for next season. If they can't be bothered, then I can find other ways to spend Ł500.
As I said to the General in closing "This must never ever be allowed to happen again"
UTV
-
a year to win it ?
FA Cup quarter-final draw:
Stoke v West Ham
Man City v Reading
Birmingham v Bolton
Man United v Arsenal
-
No excuse for that team selection, how can you expect untried kids to excel in an untried formation is beyond sense and he knows it so his after match excuses are pathetic.
That said it did show certain aspects within the squad. Bannan, Heard, Bailey don't look the job. Petrov has blown it as has Heskey and need shifting, Dunne, Friedel can't be far behind.
Delph, Clarke, Walker looked superb and look to have huge potential and could if we sign Walker be the basis of a bright Villa future.
Oh nice to see the knives back out again from the Houllier out fan club, don't take much does it, typical H&V over reaction.
-
Havn't read all the posts but i would hazard a guess that survival in the prem is way and above more important than domestic cups. It's going to be a long road with lots of disappointments before we see consistancy.
-
a year to win it ?
FA Cup quarter-final draw:
Stoke v West Ham
Man City v Reading
Birmingham v Bolton
Man United v Arsenal
Clearly not in Monsieur Houllier's eyes sadly...
-
I was really looking forward to the game tonight. Only to tune in to hear the pundits slating the team selection, and as soon as we kicked off I could see why. This game was over before the whistle. We looked so lightweight today. Sure, the kids can play, but making that many changes from Saturday is either complete arrogance in thinking we can get a result against city with that side or disrespectful to the competition by making no real attempt to get a result. An absolute disgrace.
We are hardly hanging on for our lives in this league. This year we'll finish mid-table. Surely it was a great opportunity to throw everything at winning a trophy, when nobody expects a decent league position. I'm not saying GH out, because I can see what he is building. But MON got slated for Moscow, and so should GH for tonight.
On a positive, I thought the travelling fans were a credit tonight. The only thing in the game I smiled at.
-
He clearly had Saturday on his mind with that selection. If the full team played 90 minutes (and most likely lost) then have them go to Bolton and lose and we get dragged back down and confidence starts ebbing away. However, go there and win we're suddenly looking up and thinking of the top 6.
Before any of the hysterics have a go at me let me make it clear that, as a fan, it's not what I want to see but he's a manager and his priority HAS to be staying in the league. I said I would wait and see what happened before judging and the team just wasn't good enough but all that romantic guff about accepting relegation if we win the cup will be the opposite of what Randy expects of him.
On the pre match thread a few people reckoned we had absolutely no chance before they knew what the side was, given that surely you can have no objection to him resting a few of them.
That said, I don't think we were that bad (other than Petrov who had a nightmare), we were just out powered by a team of fucking giants and by conceding the type of goal we've been letting in all season after 4 minutes. We played some reasonable football but without ever looking like we might get back into it and Herd got punished for 2 mistakes.
That's right.
-
The annoying part, for me, is because the reason for picking that team is he's concerned with relegation, but I don't see why. We're never going to go down, we're far too good, especially when you look at some of the other teams. If anything, I was looking to finish top half, maybe top 8 come the end of the season.
-
Credit should go to Man City, they're looking a good, strong side but it was Men vs Boys. We couldn't have made it easier for them.
-
I think saturdays a bit more important, i know the cups important but i want to be in the prem next year..
-
a year to win it ?
FA Cup quarter-final draw:
Stoke v West Ham
Man City v Reading
Birmingham v Bolton
Man United v Arsenal
Clearly not in Monsieur Houllier's eyes sadly...
just makes it all the more frustrating...
-
This season can't end quick enough - I have'nt said that since 1987.
-
Disgraceful! yesterday Houllier said how dissapointed he was with how we gave up at City last time we played there then he goes and gives up before a balls even been kicked, just as he was starting to win a few fans over, im fuming, credit to Chris Herd, our best performer, Petrov and Bradley were fucking awful
-
Having to suffer that was bad, but seeing people on here actually supporting this act of cowardice is even more depressing. They must have a totally different view of what Aston Villa means as a football club.
-
He clearly had Saturday on his mind with that selection. If the full team played 90 minutes (and most likely lost) then have them go to Bolton and lose and we get dragged back down and confidence starts ebbing away. However, go there and win we're suddenly looking up and thinking of the top 6.
Before any of the hysterics have a go at me let me make it clear that, as a fan, it's not what I want to see but he's a manager and his priority HAS to be staying in the league. I said I would wait and see what happened before judging and the team just wasn't good enough but all that romantic guff about accepting relegation if we win the cup will be the opposite of what Randy expects of him.
On the pre match thread a few people reckoned we had absolutely no chance before they knew what the side was, given that surely you can have no objection to him resting a few of them.
That said, I don't think we were that bad (other than Petrov who had a nightmare), we were just out powered by a team of fucking giants and by conceding the type of goal we've been letting in all season after 4 minutes. We played some reasonable football but without ever looking like we might get back into it and Herd got punished for 2 mistakes.
This
-
Bannan, Heard, Bailey don't look the job. Petrov has blown it as has Heskey and need shifting, Dunne, Friedel can't be far behind.
Bannan is unfortunately suffering from lack of stature, IMHO. Herd was out of position, and did okay in the circumstances (why wasn't Walker playing though?!). Bailey? - don't think he was playing!
Dunne was superb tonight but I agree that Friedel, Petrov and Heskey are past the sell-by date.
Delph, Clarke, Walker looked superb
Tonight we hardly had a chance to assess Walker, but Clark was excellent and Delph (although he gave the ball away too much) is still a class act.
Oh nice to see the knives back out again from the Houllier out fan club, don't take much does it, typical H&V over reaction.
Your post is not exactly heart-warming for Hou.
-
GH is a popcorn fart !!!!
-
Having to suffer that was bad, but seeing people on here actually supporting this act of cowardice is even more depressing. They must have a totally different view of what Aston Villa means as a football club.
Spot on
-
He clearly had Saturday on his mind with that selection. If the full team played 90 minutes (and most likely lost) then have them go to Bolton and lose and we get dragged back down and confidence starts ebbing away. However, go there and win we're suddenly looking up and thinking of the top 6.
Before any of the hysterics have a go at me let me make it clear that, as a fan, it's not what I want to see but he's a manager and his priority HAS to be staying in the league. I said I would wait and see what happened before judging and the team just wasn't good enough but all that romantic guff about accepting relegation if we win the cup will be the opposite of what Randy expects of him.
On the pre match thread a few people reckoned we had absolutely no chance before they knew what the side was, given that surely you can have no objection to him resting a few of them.
That said, I don't think we were that bad (other than Petrov who had a nightmare), we were just out powered by a team of fucking giants and by conceding the type of goal we've been letting in all season after 4 minutes. We played some reasonable football but without ever looking like we might get back into it and Herd got punished for 2 mistakes.
Sums up exactly how I feel.
Sums up just how shit football is these days.... 16th is the new 4th - FFS
-
Evening gents, have just joined after feeling compelled to after watching that utter shower. Feel like I'm in a living nightmare, especially after those over the road winning on Sunday. I keep getting texts about lack of ambition, never thought I'd see the day that after spending 18-24 million on a player I'd be saying I feel like the Blose have more ambition than us, squad and manager.
Hubbie's a blues fan and I've been having to put up with the replays of every round so far. Particularly galling to watch Gardner and Ridgewell running round in there bloody winners medals. Really thought we could get through tonight with the incentive of Reading in the next round and City drawing at the weekend and with all due respect to the Royals we'd have had another trip to Wembley on our hands and a bloody good chance of silverware. Now I'm going to have to put up with him lording the bloody cup over me for another year, he wont stop singing 'While we're in Europe, the city is yours'. This is by far the shittest few days of this season. Thank you GH for making my home life close to unbearable.
Absolutely gutted tonight.
-
He clearly had Saturday on his mind with that selection. If the full team played 90 minutes (and most likely lost) then have them go to Bolton and lose and we get dragged back down and confidence starts ebbing away. However, go there and win we're suddenly looking up and thinking of the top 6.
Before any of the hysterics have a go at me let me make it clear that, as a fan, it's not what I want to see but he's a manager and his priority HAS to be staying in the league. I said I would wait and see what happened before judging and the team just wasn't good enough but all that romantic guff about accepting relegation if we win the cup will be the opposite of what Randy expects of him.
On the pre match thread a few people reckoned we had absolutely no chance before they knew what the side was, given that surely you can have no objection to him resting a few of them.
That said, I don't think we were that bad (other than Petrov who had a nightmare), we were just out powered by a team of fucking giants and by conceding the type of goal we've been letting in all season after 4 minutes. We played some reasonable football but without ever looking like we might get back into it and Herd got punished for 2 mistakes.
That's right.
I don't think it's right at all. With the squad that we've got if Houllier can't manage to keep us in the top flight as well as having a bit of a cup run then really he's in the wrong job, and I'm certain he is.
-
Bannan, Heard, Bailey don't look the job. Petrov has blown it as has Heskey and need shifting, Dunne, Friedel can't be far behind.
I thought Bannan was, along with Clark, our best player tonight, unfortunately when he picked up the ball and looked for a pass the front three weren't moving to receive it and therefore his passing ability was wasted.
-
Disgraceful! yesterday Houllier said how dissapointed he was with how we gave up at City last time we played there then he goes and gives up before a balls even been kicked, just as he was starting to win a few fans over, im fuming, credit to Chris Herd, our best performer, Petrov and Bradley were fucking awful
I thought we were far more committed than the last time. Also thought Herd was awful.
Everyone is saying we will stay up and we should have gone for it. But it was only 1 game ago a lot of people were concerned.
I am prepared to write the FA Cup off this season. I will judge him from next season.
-
I understand why he made the decision but the club seems to be no closer to understanding the mood of the fans and the years of pain for someone like me who is in their 40's and never seen us win this trophy.
It depresses me to see my club being scoffed at on the tv and radio and put in the same bracket as clubs like Wigan, Wolves and Blackburn who just bow out of this competition meekly because of money and fear.
The emotion, passion and thrill of supporting your club and those memorable moments are eroded by the game that has become a grubby business where the supporter is no longer even an afterthought.
-
Evening gents, have just joined after feeling compelled to after watching that utter shower. Feel like I'm in a living nightmare, especially after those over the road winning on Sunday. I keep getting texts about lack of ambition, never thought I'd see the day that after spending 18-24 million on a player I'd be saying I feel like the Blose have more ambition than us, squad and manager.
Hubbie's a blues fan and I've been having to put up with the replays of every round so far. Particularly galling to watch Gardner and Ridgewell running round in there bloody winners medals. Really thought we could get through tonight with the incentive of Reading in the next round and City drawing at the weekend and with all due respect to the Royals we'd have had another trip to Wembley on our hands and a bloody good chance of silverware. Now I'm going to have to put up with him lording the bloody cup over me for another year, he wont stop singing 'While we're in Europe, the city is yours'. This is by far the shittest few days of this season. Thank you GH for making my home life close to unbearable.
Absolutely gutted tonight.
Divorce the bastard.
-
Houllier has just ramped up the pressure on himself and made the Bolton game far more important than it ever needed to be.
-
Not sure i want to see Petrov or Heskey in a Villa shirt again.
Being realistic about tonight, this season was always going to be a transitional season, and you could argue that even our 1st team woud have struggled to beat, qute frankly a very good, strong Citeeeh team.So instead he decided to have a look at how some of the kids handled themselves against top quality opposition.As i said earlie, it was'nt the players who were rafted in who let usdown, but the more senior pros.
Tonights game could make Bannan/Clark/Fonz/Herd/Delph, how farthey have to go, and how hard they have to work, and tbh none of them were out of their depth tonight.
I was disappointed with the chosen team, but unfortunately especially with a combination of Bloose winning, cub accounts , and the previous encounter at Citeeeeh, i think we were beaten before we had started.
-
This is a massive over reaction in my book. People are so quick to point the blame at Houllier when to me it's clearly the state of football itself that the competition has stooped as low as this. I think it needed a game like tonight for people in the game to sit up and take notice that they have a dying product on their hands in the FA cup. Football cannot go on the way it's going with the chumps league sides so dominant because at the deep roots of the game we as fans are the most important part and we will not stand for it and will ultimately vote with our feet. Going down would set this club back 5 years at least because of the way money dominates the game and Ged or whoever sees it as a risk not worth taking which to be honest I can't really argue with looking at the current state of the game.
-
We could have played our best team and most likely still got done, sorry unlike most of you i want to be in the premiership next season and with all the quircky results we are not out of the woods. Remember this is still mainly MONs squad give the bloke a fair go.
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness.
Mark, this is the only drawback or angle at which I would say he was wrong with tonight. I think Young and Downing are the only two that could think that way though after being excellent at the weekend. Unless of course the team for tonights game was long pre determined and being worked on. It is disappointing to lose any game, but some of the vitriol for essentially only leaving out those two from the strongest side he could pick - Walker has an argument but looking at the great bandage on his arm his fitness may be in question over 90 mins at the weekend if he took a knock on it tonight. We are down to the bones again at the back, Heskey was the only option at the top of the pitch, Gabby has played most games recently and Petrov is club captain so was always likely to come in. They will get over it I am sure, away at City is about as a lost cause as you will get for a Villa team. Was never going to be anything but a defeat, whatever the team, and had the first team gone down 3-4 nil it would have been more damaging I think, and would likely to have done so too. Herd, Bannan etc did ok. Bradley, Petrov and Gabby were the big let downs on the night.
My worry is not that he's tonight lost the respect of the fans but of the players. There's so much that can be achieved with that respect, look at McCleish at the Rags, they all work so hard for him. MON, tactically clueless but all the players on the pitch always gave everything. Ashley, Downing, even young Walker must be thinking WTF is he doing. Lunacy.
-
Evening gents, have just joined after feeling compelled to after watching that utter shower. Feel like I'm in a living nightmare, especially after those over the road winning on Sunday. I keep getting texts about lack of ambition, never thought I'd see the day that after spending 18-24 million on a player I'd be saying I feel like the Blose have more ambition than us, squad and manager.
Hubbie's a blues fan and I've been having to put up with the replays of every round so far. Particularly galling to watch Gardner and Ridgewell running round in there bloody winners medals. Really thought we could get through tonight with the incentive of Reading in the next round and City drawing at the weekend and with all due respect to the Royals we'd have had another trip to Wembley on our hands and a bloody good chance of silverware. Now I'm going to have to put up with him lording the bloody cup over me for another year, he wont stop singing 'While we're in Europe, the city is yours'. This is by far the shittest few days of this season. Thank you GH for making my home life close to unbearable.
Absolutely gutted tonight.
Divorce the bastard.
Too good for him - BOLT CUTTERS PLEASE !!!!!
-
This was a disgrace. Birmingham have just won a cup by beating Arsenal and we surrender to Manchester City before kick off. Why rest Young, Downing and Reo-Coker ? Because of the Bolton game being more important? He can not be serious. If we played some of the reserves against Bolton and lost, we would still have 9 games to save us. In the cup, you only have one chance. Furthermore, the players, especially the subs, must question this as well. And loosing like this will be very bad for confidence.
I am really really disappointed, looking forward to hearing the Generals comments or from Randy, if possible. Houlliers comments after the game does not help...
-
Evening gents, have just joined after feeling compelled to after watching that utter shower. Feel like I'm in a living nightmare, especially after those over the road winning on Sunday. I keep getting texts about lack of ambition, never thought I'd see the day that after spending 18-24 million on a player I'd be saying I feel like the Blose have more ambition than us, squad and manager.
Hubbie's a blues fan and I've been having to put up with the replays of every round so far. Particularly galling to watch Gardner and Ridgewell running round in there bloody winners medals. Really thought we could get through tonight with the incentive of Reading in the next round and City drawing at the weekend and with all due respect to the Royals we'd have had another trip to Wembley on our hands and a bloody good chance of silverware. Now I'm going to have to put up with him lording the bloody cup over me for another year, he wont stop singing 'While we're in Europe, the city is yours'. This is by far the shittest few days of this season. Thank you GH for making my home life close to unbearable.
Absolutely gutted tonight.
Meh, don't worry about it. Been there before with Blues fans. They'll fuck everything up as they usually do and it'll be a laugh. Remember; even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day.
They won't even get past the qualifiers in Europe anyway, you watch.
-
At least Habib Beye got Ł40,000 for another outstanding performance.
-
I think saturdays a bit more important, i know the cups important but i want to be in the prem next year..
We could have been in the Premiership and be FA Cup holders, do you not think our players are capable of three games in eight days followed by a fortnight's rest?
-
It would have been a disgrace even if we had not known we had Reading at home waiting for us in the the quarter final, but that just adds insult to injury. We threw in the towel at 7.30 or whenever Houllier announced the team. Added to that, the performance and his inability to change anything until it was beyond hope. An insult to intelligence, the competition and the fans who paid their hard earned to go there. And we didn't even have the possession tonight, the yardstick apparently for judging this apparent great revolution in playing style some are kidding us Houllier is bringing. We are a lame, toothless team - Bradley looks no better than the alleged "dead wood" we already have. Feeble.
-
We could have played our best team and most likely still got done, sorry unlike most of you i want to be in the premiership next season and with all the quircky results we are not out of the woods. Remember this is still mainly MONs squad give the bloke a fair go.
If Fulham can outplay them for periods and get a draw, we could have beaten them. Fucking sickening to see that kind of mentality from anyone associated with the club. I am so so fucked off and depressed. Can't bear the thought of going to work with the fucking noses tomorrow. Or the Albion fans for that matter. Everyone knows we'll almost definitely stay up, we should have gone for it. What a piss poor effort from him to come out and say beforehand how important it is after being knocked out of the carling cup by them lot, why bring it up if he was going to piss all over the competition by fielding a weakened team. I'm disgusted tonight.
-
Having to suffer that was bad, but seeing people on here actually supporting this act of cowardice is even more depressing. They must have a totally different view of what Aston Villa means as a football club.
"Supporting this cowardice"....I support the club, I support the manager and I can see logic in the team he selected tonight.
I am fully aware what Aston Villa means as a football club. Houllier is building something at the moment and I am prepared to give him time to do it. I was fed up of MON's short term plan and the accounts show the problems with it. Some fans want everything right now....I am prepared to wait to make sure our success is on solid foundations.
If our 1st choice 11 had lost badly tonight we would have taken a lack of confidence into the game v bolton and could have been 2 points off the relegation zone. We have now maximised our chances of winning this game.
-
What is the point?
Two weeks without a game before last Saturday. Two weeks or thereabouts before the next game. What happened to continuity, to morale, to building on the last result, to giving it a go? These are professional athletes, after all.
What is the point?
of playing Delph for his first full game at left back?
of playing Herd for his first full game at right back?
of playing Delfonouso on the right wing?
of playing Heskey and Agbonlahor at all?
of changing virtually the entire personnel and shape of the team for a visit o Eastlands?
of bringing Ash and Downing on to risk injury when the match is already lost?
of duping our proud and cash-strapped fans to go all the way up there to witness a fait accompli (at least they got some heading practice)?
of demoralising the entire squad - those that had the misfortune to play and those left on the bench?
of pissing off the entire football world who seemed genuinely interested in a potentially explosive match? (the reaction of the ITV lot, Southgate, Strachan, Beglin et al, when the team was announced, was of complete disbelief).
of destroying the morale, the togetherness, the belief and the good will that Houllier and his players has built up over recent weeks, all for the sake of beating Bolton on Saturday?
Now watch us get thumped at the Reebok. After all, there'll be no pressure.
As many other reasoned commentators on this site have said over the last few pages, I hate modern-day football, where fans and football-lovers in general are the very last people to be considered.
Just when the season was beginning to look as though it may be bearing just a bit of positivity and the football was worth watching again, and when I started to believe that maybe players like Ashley would see the wisdom of staying, it's all come tumbling down. Thank you Gerard.
-
We could have played our best team and most likely still got done, sorry unlike most of you i want to be in the premiership next season and with all the quircky results we are not out of the woods. Remember this is still mainly MONs squad give the bloke a fair go.
Alternatively, we could have played our strongest team and won. And maybe even stayed in the Premier League too! Not beyond the realms of possibility really is it?
-
Having to suffer that was bad, but seeing people on here actually supporting this act of cowardice is even more depressing. They must have a totally different view of what Aston Villa means as a football club.
Fuck off with that.
-
We are a lame, toothless team - Bradley looks no better than the alleged "dead wood" we already have. Feeble.
Give the guy a chance, it was his first game in this country and it was hardly the easiest place to start.
-
He clearly had Saturday on his mind with that selection. If the full team played 90 minutes (and most likely lost) then have them go to Bolton and lose and we get dragged back down and confidence starts ebbing away. However, go there and win we're suddenly looking up and thinking of the top 6.
Before any of the hysterics have a go at me let me make it clear that, as a fan, it's not what I want to see but he's a manager and his priority HAS to be staying in the league. I said I would wait and see what happened before judging and the team just wasn't good enough but all that romantic guff about accepting relegation if we win the cup will be the opposite of what Randy expects of him.
On the pre match thread a few people reckoned we had absolutely no chance before they knew what the side was, given that surely you can have no objection to him resting a few of them.
That said, I don't think we were that bad (other than Petrov who had a nightmare), we were just out powered by a team of fucking giants and by conceding the type of goal we've been letting in all season after 4 minutes. We played some reasonable football but without ever looking like we might get back into it and Herd got punished for 2 mistakes.
That's right.
I don't think it's right at all. With the squad that we've got if Houllier can't manage to keep us in the top flight as well as having a bit of a cup run then really he's in the wrong job, and I'm certain he is.
Sorry Durham - I was being sarcastic with "That's right"
-
One thing he's inadvertently done is put stacks of pressure on the team for Bolton now.
Lose that, and we're going to have a Moscow -> Stoke situation again, which won't be helpful.
-
Evening gents, have just joined after feeling compelled to after watching that utter shower. Feel like I'm in a living nightmare, especially after those over the road winning on Sunday. I keep getting texts about lack of ambition, never thought I'd see the day that after spending 18-24 million on a player I'd be saying I feel like the Blose have more ambition than us, squad and manager.
Hubbie's a blues fan and I've been having to put up with the replays of every round so far. Particularly galling to watch Gardner and Ridgewell running round in there bloody winners medals. Really thought we could get through tonight with the incentive of Reading in the next round and City drawing at the weekend and with all due respect to the Royals we'd have had another trip to Wembley on our hands and a bloody good chance of silverware. Now I'm going to have to put up with him lording the bloody cup over me for another year, he wont stop singing 'While we're in Europe, the city is yours'. This is by far the shittest few days of this season. Thank you GH for making my home life close to unbearable.
Absolutely gutted tonight.
Divorce the bastard.
Kill the bastard
-
Having to suffer that was bad, but seeing people on here actually supporting this act of cowardice is even more depressing. They must have a totally different view of what Aston Villa means as a football club.
Spot on
Exactly. If we played our strongest team, we might have lost, but we would not be talking about what could have been like after Moscow and Rapid Vienna. Why should our best players not be able to play 3 games in 8 days ?
-
Having to suffer that was bad, but seeing people on here actually supporting this act of cowardice is even more depressing. They must have a totally different view of what Aston Villa means as a football club.
"Supporting this cowardice"....I support the club, I support the manager and I can see logic in the team he selected tonight.
I am fully aware what Aston Villa means as a football club. Houllier is building something at the moment and I am prepared to give him time to do it. I was fed up of MON's short term plan and the accounts show the problems with it. Some fans want everything right now....I am prepared to wait to make sure our success is on solid foundations.
If our 1st choice 11 had lost badly tonight we would have taken a lack of confidence into the game v bolton and could have been 2 points off the relegation zone. We have now maximised our chances of winning this game.
Well as you can see you are in the minority as the rest of us are appalled at the surrender and if we dont win on Sat, id like to see what you have to say then
-
Evening gents, have just joined after feeling compelled to after watching that utter shower. Feel like I'm in a living nightmare, especially after those over the road winning on Sunday. I keep getting texts about lack of ambition, never thought I'd see the day that after spending 18-24 million on a player I'd be saying I feel like the Blose have more ambition than us, squad and manager.
Hubbie's a blues fan and I've been having to put up with the replays of every round so far. Particularly galling to watch Gardner and Ridgewell running round in there bloody winners medals. Really thought we could get through tonight with the incentive of Reading in the next round and City drawing at the weekend and with all due respect to the Royals we'd have had another trip to Wembley on our hands and a bloody good chance of silverware. Now I'm going to have to put up with him lording the bloody cup over me for another year, he wont stop singing 'While we're in Europe, the city is yours'. This is by far the shittest few days of this season. Thank you GH for making my home life close to unbearable.
Absolutely gutted tonight.
Divorce the bastard.
Kill the bastard
Easy, now. We're all feeling like shit, but talking about killing someone? Come on.
-
Those moaning about team selection= in view of the injuries would you really of preferred to see Beye and Warnock tonight instead of Herd and Delph Don't think he had a lot of choice with regard to the defence and at least they tried.
-
We'd not played for two weeks before the Blackburn match. And we are hardly distracted with European matches. There's a world of difference between flogging the same XI twice a weeklike MON did and resting our best players because we have Bolton away on Saturday. It's pathetic. As are the excuses for this clown.
-
Having to suffer that was bad, but seeing people on here actually supporting this act of cowardice is even more depressing. They must have a totally different view of what Aston Villa means as a football club.
Spot on
Exactly. If we played our strongest team, we might have lost, but we would not be talking about what could have been like after Moscow and Rapid Vienna. Why should our best players not be able to play 3 games in 8 days ?
What if our 1st team had lost 4-0 again. Then lost the confidence they had gained and lost against Bolton.
Then we go into a relegation 6 pointer against an in form Wolves....
I think it was more to do with confidence that fitness.
As I said before I think his decision was made once Cuellar, Collins, Baker and L. Young were ruled out.
We have given ourselves the maximum chance of beating Bolton. We have to take that chance now.
-
Evening gents, have just joined after feeling compelled to after watching that utter shower. Feel like I'm in a living nightmare, especially after those over the road winning on Sunday. I keep getting texts about lack of ambition, never thought I'd see the day that after spending 18-24 million on a player I'd be saying I feel like the Blose have more ambition than us, squad and manager.
Hubbie's a blues fan and I've been having to put up with the replays of every round so far. Particularly galling to watch Gardner and Ridgewell running round in there bloody winners medals. Really thought we could get through tonight with the incentive of Reading in the next round and City drawing at the weekend and with all due respect to the Royals we'd have had another trip to Wembley on our hands and a bloody good chance of silverware. Now I'm going to have to put up with him lording the bloody cup over me for another year, he wont stop singing 'While we're in Europe, the city is yours'. This is by far the shittest few days of this season. Thank you GH for making my home life close to unbearable.
Absolutely gutted tonight.
Divorce the bastard.
Kill the bastard
Easy, now. We're all feeling like shit, but talking about killing someone? Come on.
Joking, noses aren't worth the porridge
-
Having to suffer that was bad, but seeing people on here actually supporting this act of cowardice is even more depressing. They must have a totally different view of what Aston Villa means as a football club.
"Supporting this cowardice"....I support the club, I support the manager and I can see logic in the team he selected tonight.
I am fully aware what Aston Villa means as a football club. Houllier is building something at the moment and I am prepared to give him time to do it. I was fed up of MON's short term plan and the accounts show the problems with it. Some fans want everything right now....I am prepared to wait to make sure our success is on solid foundations.
If our 1st choice 11 had lost badly tonight we would have taken a lack of confidence into the game v bolton and could have been 2 points off the relegation zone. We have now maximised our chances of winning this game.
Well as you can see you are in the minority as the rest of us are appalled at the surrender and if we dont win on Sat, id like to see what you have to say then
Maybe I am. But as I say there was logic in his decision. Whether you agree with it or not is up to the individual.
I think we will win. But if not I will let you know my thoughts.
-
Looking at fixtures we have two games in the next 17 days and then another 2 weeks off.
HARDLY GOING TO KNACKER THEM OUT IS IT GH!!!!!
-
I'm backing the manager. The last thing we need to do is talk ourselves into a crisis. Yep, it hurts to have to say "No FA Cup this year", but let's regroup and refocus for Bolton. GH is giving all his players a chance and I'm not going to crucify him for it. Let's move on and finish this frustrating season as high up the table as we can. Getting rid of GH now? Utter madness.
By the way, to say GH doesn't value the FA Cup when he has won it as a manager already would be inaccurate in my book. He knows what it's all about He made a call tonight, it didn't come off. Let's get behind him and the lads.
-
Evening gents, have just joined after feeling compelled to after watching that utter shower. Feel like I'm in a living nightmare, especially after those over the road winning on Sunday. I keep getting texts about lack of ambition, never thought I'd see the day that after spending 18-24 million on a player I'd be saying I feel like the Blose have more ambition than us, squad and manager.
Hubbie's a blues fan and I've been having to put up with the replays of every round so far. Particularly galling to watch Gardner and Ridgewell running round in there bloody winners medals. Really thought we could get through tonight with the incentive of Reading in the next round and City drawing at the weekend and with all due respect to the Royals we'd have had another trip to Wembley on our hands and a bloody good chance of silverware. Now I'm going to have to put up with him lording the bloody cup over me for another year, he wont stop singing 'While we're in Europe, the city is yours'. This is by far the shittest few days of this season. Thank you GH for making my home life close to unbearable.
Absolutely gutted tonight.
Divorce the bastard.
Kill the bastard
Easy, now. We're all feeling like shit, but talking about killing someone? Come on.
No worries, they're just joking. It's just so fucking typical that their first season that isn't shit compared to ours in how many years is the exact season we fall apart and the worst thing tonight is what it was willingly. And I worry with a manager that doesn't take these competitions seriously this is only the start. No way I can see us making Europe next year unless the noses win the frigging FA Cup as well! Unless they get drawn against a difficult team, they'll drag out a bore draw then win back at their place. Blues in Europe and we're bending over at Eastlands for the second time in 2 months. What the hell is happening to AVFC?!
One more 'The City is ours' and I'll be deleting everything off the sky plus
-
Having to suffer that was bad, but seeing people on here actually supporting this act of cowardice is even more depressing. They must have a totally different view of what Aston Villa means as a football club.
"Supporting this cowardice"....I support the club, I support the manager and I can see logic in the team he selected tonight.
I am fully aware what Aston Villa means as a football club. Houllier is building something at the moment and I am prepared to give him time to do it. I was fed up of MON's short term plan and the accounts show the problems with it. Some fans want everything right now....I am prepared to wait to make sure our success is on solid foundations.
If our 1st choice 11 had lost badly tonight we would have taken a lack of confidence into the game v bolton and could have been 2 points off the relegation zone. We have now maximised our chances of winning this game.
Well as you can see you are in the minority as the rest of us are appalled at the surrender and if we dont win on Sat, id like to see what you have to say then
Maybe I am. But as I say there was logic in his decision. Whether you agree with it or not is up to the individual.
I think we will win. But if not I will let you know my thoughts.
Clearly it gives us a better chance of winning on saturday because several players will be fresher but saturday is not the be all and end all. However, if by playing one less game between now and the end of the season those players help us stay in the division, then you could argue tonight was not a risk worth taking looking at the bigger picture.
-
I would have so much more respect for Houllier if he came out and admitted he got it wrong. It's right up there with MON telling us how great we played and DOL having a small squad. I wonder if GH knew the game was shown live on national TV.
-
Those moaning about team selection= in view of the injuries would you really of preferred to see Beye and Warnock tonight instead of Herd and Delph Don't think he had a lot of choice with regard to the defence and at least they tried.
I just wanted to see a proper team put out, that was capable of giving City a game, and that certainly does mean that I would have preferred Warnock and Beye as full backs. Who wouldn't compared to a couple of kids who between them had never played one first class game in those positions?
The team we put out tonight would have been likely to have problems with most sides in the top 3 divisions.
Absolute disgrace.
-
I suppose I agree with those of you who've said that avoiding relegation is more important than the cup, but up here in Manchester, having endured that pathetic performance, it's very hard not to feel angry and let down. Although some of the team had dreadful games (Petrov and Bradley especially, but also Gabby and Heskey), the manager is the one responsible for our wretched showing tonight. By all means rotate, give fringe players a chance, rest players who will be needed to put in a strong performance on Saturday - but not to this extent. It's a question of balance, and that's what GH got totally wrong with his team selection tonight. The result was an inept and embarrassing performance that did nobody any good - the players, the club or the fans.
-
We already have Collins, Cuellar, Baker, Makoun and Young unavailable for the weekend, a couple more injuries or suspensions tonight and we'd be in deep shit.
Like I said it isn't what I want to see but surely everyone can see why a manager worried about relegation, and we're still a long way from being safe, might take a more cautious approach. I'm not asking anyone to like it, I'm just saying that I can understand his thinking.
-
The day that the manager of Aston Villa Football Club decided that it wasn't worth trying to win the FA Cup is quite possibly my saddest day as a fan. Still, I look forward to 6th-16th in the league and not being relegated being added to our honours list.
And i'm left feeling, if they can't be bothered any more, why should I?
-
What if our 1st team had lost 4-0 again. Then lost the confidence they had gained and lost against Bolton.
How fucking defeatist is that? Do you really think the confidence of the players is that fragile? It's a cup-tie, a one-off. We were the underdogs anyway so we could have gone and had a bloody good go at it and if we lost, so be it. I fail to see how a defeat tonight would have shattered the players' confidence.
-
Those moaning about team selection= in view of the injuries would you really of preferred to see Beye and Warnock tonight instead of Herd and Delph Don't think he had a lot of choice with regard to the defence and at least they tried.
He did'nt have too much choice with the full backs no and they both did well, but he left an awful lot of good players on the bench, more than he needed too.
-
Those moaning about team selection= in view of the injuries would you really of preferred to see Beye and Warnock tonight instead of Herd and Delph Don't think he had a lot of choice with regard to the defence and at least they tried.
I just wanted to see a proper team put out, that was capable of giving City a game, and that certainly does mean that I would have preferred Warnock and Beye as full backs. Who wouldn't compared to a couple of kids who between them had never played one first class game in those positions?
The team we put out tonight would have been likely to have problems with most sides in the top 3 divisions.
Absolute disgrace.
I'd rather hold a raffle to play two fans at full-back than play either of those pricks again.
-
We are a lame, toothless team - Bradley looks no better than the alleged "dead wood" we already have. Feeble.
Give the guy a chance, it was his first game in this country and it was hardly the easiest place to start.
Played at Blackpool... didn`t impress then either. As I keep stating - if he ain`t ready don`t feckin play him ...hardly rocket science.
-
We already have Collins, Cuellar, Baker, Makoun and Young unavailable for the weekend, a couple more injuries or suspensions tonight and we'd be in deep shit.
Like I said it isn't what I want to see but surely everyone can see why a manager worried about relegation, and we're still a long way from being safe, might take a more cautious approach. I'm not asking anyone to like it, I'm just saying that I can understand his thinking.
True, and I think most of us can understand that, the need to rest some players, but this is a competition we had a chance of doing well in (look at the draw), and it is hard to support that level of changes to the line up. We had Reading at home between us and the semi final. It was never going to be easy, but we didn't even try.
Then there's bringing on rested players at 3-0 down with nothing to play for, which kind of throws the "not risking injury" thing into doubt.
My main fears now are that we've pissed away a good chunk of the recently re-won spirit, he's alienated the supporters when it was entirely unnecessary (which is the same way he did it before, largely), and we're going into the next league game on the back of a thorough beating.
He's had a thankless job this season, but sometimes he really is his own worst enemy.
-
We already have Collins, Cuellar, Baker, Makoun and Young unavailable for the weekend, a couple more injuries or suspensions tonight and we'd be in deep shit.
Like I said it isn't what I want to see but surely everyone can see why a manager worried about relegation, and we're still a long way from being safe, might take a more cautious approach. I'm not asking anyone to like it, I'm just saying that I can understand his thinking.
We've had more players injured in training this season than during games so do we not bother with that as well, just in case?
-
Those moaning about team selection= in view of the injuries would you really of preferred to see Beye and Warnock tonight instead of Herd and Delph Don't think he had a lot of choice with regard to the defence and at least they tried.
I just wanted to see a proper team put out, that was capable of giving City a game, and that certainly does mean that I would have preferred Warnock and Beye as full backs. Who wouldn't compared to a couple of kids who between them had never played one first class game in those positions?
The team we put out tonight would have been likely to have problems with most sides in the top 3 divisions.
Absolute disgrace.
I'd rather hold a raffle to play two fans at full-back than play either of those pricks again.
He may as well have done.
-
What if our 1st team had lost 4-0 again. Then lost the confidence they had gained and lost against Bolton.
How fucking defeatist is that? Do you really think the confidence of the players is that fragile? It's a cup-tie, a one-off. We were the underdogs anyway so we could have gone and had a bloody good go at it and if we lost, so be it. I fail to see how a defeat tonight would have shattered the players' confidence.
This. They might have jizzed millions all over the place but they're not unbeatable! Especially not in a cup tie when they're biggest threat isn't even starting! This is the day we have finally turned the corner and accepted mid table mediocrity, with no challenge for the cups and no challenge for europe. I just don't understand where we plan to go from here, when you consider all the stuff buzzing round about accounts and our wage bill. How are we planning on decent player to fill the void that will undoubtedly be left by those who actually want to win something?!
-
What if our 1st team had lost 4-0 again. Then lost the confidence they had gained and lost against Bolton.
How fucking defeatist is that? Do you really think the confidence of the players is that fragile? It's a cup-tie, a one-off. We were the underdogs anyway so we could have gone and had a bloody good go at it and if we lost, so be it. I fail to see how a defeat tonight would have shattered the players' confidence.
Thats not defeatist. It happened earlier in the season and tonight we played a makeshift defence. At the site of our worst performance of the season I think it could be very fragile and affected us for the rest of the season.
If confidence did not matter in football we would be comfortable top half by now.
-
Toys still being thrown well away of the pram?
I think resting the players was a good idea considering who we already have out and were not garuntee'd safe. Were still just 5 points off 18th. Not worth the risk considering Bolton and Wanky coming up soon. Dont need more suspensions
The senior players let us down tonight, the kids played well.
-
i dont fuckin believe the neighbours are havvin a fuckin party the bastard blues they only stopped last night and the cheeky twats banging on the wall singing there shitty keep right on ,,,,,,,,,,,, and to top it all i just answered the door he's sent his son round to ask me to go round for a fucking beer, i cant take no more of this sort it out lerner ye nob
-
a year to win it ?
FA Cup quarter-final draw:
Stoke v West Ham
Man City v Reading
Birmingham v Bolton
Man United v Arsenal
Nothing's certain but we may never get a better chance looking at that draw. And the really, really scary thing is - and it pains me to say it - but Bloose could be looking at a cup double.
*washes mouth out with bleach*
-
What if our 1st team had lost 4-0 again. Then lost the confidence they had gained and lost against Bolton.
How fucking defeatist is that? Do you really think the confidence of the players is that fragile? It's a cup-tie, a one-off. We were the underdogs anyway so we could have gone and had a bloody good go at it and if we lost, so be it. I fail to see how a defeat tonight would have shattered the players' confidence.
And what will surrendering like that this evening and getting soundly beaten, whilst making us the poster boys for disrespecting the FA Cup in acting like Blackpool or Wigan, do for our confidence?
-
Those moaning about team selection= in view of the injuries would you really of preferred to see Beye and Warnock tonight instead of Herd and Delph Don't think he had a lot of choice with regard to the defence and at least they tried.
I just wanted to see a proper team put out, that was capable of giving City a game, and that certainly does mean that I would have preferred Warnock and Beye as full backs. Who wouldn't compared to a couple of kids who between them had never played one first class game in those positions?
The team we put out tonight would have been likely to have problems with most sides in the top 3 divisions.
Absolute disgrace.
I'd rather hold a raffle to play two fans at full-back than play either of those pricks again.
He may as well have done.
I thought the two lads who played did well, given that one had Gabby in front of him and the other had Nathan. Hardly the greatest protection.
-
We are a lame, toothless team - Bradley looks no better than the alleged "dead wood" we already have. Feeble.
Give the guy a chance, it was his first game in this country and it was hardly the easiest place to start.
Played at Blackpool... didn`t impress then either. As I keep stating - if he ain`t ready don`t feckin play him ...hardly rocket science.
15 minutes is hardly enough time to get to grips with football in another country. I'd have said the amount of foreign players that take a while to show their top form in England suggests the only way players will get better is by getting plenty of game time under their belt.
-
I'm in total shock after watching that load of shite! I really, really, really cannot get my head around what has happened tonight.
If the Bolton game is so important, then why not rest all of the first choice players? The team looked and played strangers.
Surely the aim at the start of every season is to win trophies?
I feel totally humiliated by that performance, and in the week that our near neighbours win a major trophy, then why not go hell for leather and try to rescue what has been a disaster of a season. Forgive me, I know Man City are realistically better than us, but they're not Barcelona for god's sake!
There's been too many disasters this season, and it can't just be coincidence that most of them have been since Houllier arrived.
How can us as fans have any faith in the management after this? Even an undefeated run to the end of the season wont hide the disgust that many of us feel after tonight.
The FA cup means a lot to me. I know we haven't won it since 57, but for me when I was a kid, the Cup was the thing of legends. I remember massive crowds in each round. I remember the feeling of disappointment when we lost to West Ham in the late 70s, when Ken McNaught punched the ball.
I think I speak for a lot of us when I say just go now!
-
i dont fuckin believe the neighbours are havvin a fuckin party the bastard blues they only stopped last night and the cheeky twats banging on the wall singing there shitty keep right on ,,,,,,,,,,,, and to top it all i just answered the door he's sent his son round to ask me to go round for a fucking beer, i cant take no more of this sort it out lerner ye nob
Do you live in a rough area?
-
What if our 1st team had lost 4-0 again. Then lost the confidence they had gained and lost against Bolton.
How fucking defeatist is that? Do you really think the confidence of the players is that fragile? It's a cup-tie, a one-off. We were the underdogs anyway so we could have gone and had a bloody good go at it and if we lost, so be it. I fail to see how a defeat tonight would have shattered the players' confidence.
Thats not defeatist. It happened earlier in the season and tonight we played a makeshift defence. At the site of our worst performance of the season I think it could be very fragile and affected us for the rest of the season.
If confidence did not matter in football we would be comfortable top half by now.
But since that defeat we've beaten Man City, had a decent run and are (were) a completely different team to two months ago. I just don't see how a defeat in a cup match, whatever the result, could have such a catastrophic effect. They aren't Brazil '70, it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility that we could have won tonight.
-
Not long back in and it I had a cat it would have been the subject to a fucking good kicking.
On Sunday we see out local rivals play above themselves, get a massive slice of good luck, and beat a team that would stuff them nine times out of ten. How do we respond? We send out the stiffs against a team whose league form is wobbly and throw away the chance of facing for the second successive year mighty Reading for a place in the semi-final. Unbelievable.
Then to compound any logic that it was a "the league's more important" selection, he sends on our better players the very moment we go 3-0 down. I actually hope that Walker. Downing or Young's picked up a knock and is out on Saturday, just to highlight the ludicriousy of that decision.
FA Cup defeat I can take. After all I've experienced it every year I've followed the club. But please don't ever lose without a fight. Tonight we had capitulated from the very moment that the team sheet was handed in. We threw away the competition. There are no positives to be taken, nothing whatsoever to redeem that decision. It's a fucking disgrace.
-
We already have Collins, Cuellar, Baker, Makoun and Young unavailable for the weekend, a couple more injuries or suspensions tonight and we'd be in deep shit.
Like I said it isn't what I want to see but surely everyone can see why a manager worried about relegation, and we're still a long way from being safe, might take a more cautious approach. I'm not asking anyone to like it, I'm just saying that I can understand his thinking.
Perhaps a letter to Mr Clattenberg would have sufficed - "Dear Sir, my boys are feeling a little bit sensitive and don`t want to hurt them selves - perhaps they can be excused games today as they want to keep their gym kit nice and clean for sports day on Saturday" yours sincerely , Coco
Utter boll****- my love of the beautiful game took another knock tonight.
-
What if our 1st team had lost 4-0 again. Then lost the confidence they had gained and lost against Bolton.
How fucking defeatist is that? Do you really think the confidence of the players is that fragile? It's a cup-tie, a one-off. We were the underdogs anyway so we could have gone and had a bloody good go at it and if we lost, so be it. I fail to see how a defeat tonight would have shattered the players' confidence.
And what will surrendering like that this evening and getting soundly beaten, whilst making us the poster boys for disrespecting the FA Cup in acting like Blackpool or Wigan, do for our confidence?
who cares what anyone eles thinks about us! Our confidence will be high as the last time we were at full strength we won 4-1. Did you forget?
-
i dont fuckin believe the neighbours are havvin a fuckin party the bastard blues they only stopped last night and the cheeky twats banging on the wall singing there shitty keep right on ,,,,,,,,,,,, and to top it all i just answered the door he's sent his son round to ask me to go round for a fucking beer, i cant take no more of this sort it out lerner ye nob
now a fukin vans turned up and a load mores singin there avvin a party
-
i dont fuckin believe the neighbours are havvin a fuckin party the bastard blues they only stopped last night and the cheeky twats banging on the wall singing there shitty keep right on ,,,,,,,,,,,, and to top it all i just answered the door he's sent his son round to ask me to go round for a fucking beer, i cant take no more of this sort it out lerner ye nob
Try fucking living with it since Sunday! What sickens me the most is that it could have been us if it wasn't for Phil wanker Dowd. And I can't even use that as an excuse because they had the same kind of incident and didn't get a pen or a sending off. Watching them walking up those steps made me feel sick. How are they there and we're not? How when we've spent all that money?! And now we have a chance to shove it right back down their throats we play this weakened team?! Does GH know what Blues fans are like? They will never ever let us forget this and by not paying attention to the wants of 9 out of 10 of the fans he's condemned us to bugger all this season and probably some of our better players sodding off because we've got no ambition. This isn't the AVFC I grew up around.
-
On another point, how the fuck wasnt Balotelli sent off?? Clattenburg seen it and booked him, he booked him for an elbow, thats awful refereeing. He shouldnt be anywhere near this league...
-
Still bloody pissed off with tonight. Season over for another year.
"We will win things" my ARSE.
-
I like what he's trying to do on the pitch, the way he's going about making us play football, and there are signs it is starting to pay off.
What scares me to death is that this bloke is a walking PR disaster who seems hell bent on driving a wedge between the club and the fans. All that shit at Anfield, the 7th - 12th place comment, all that stuff was totally unnecessary, but we've just started to feel people getting behind him, and he goes and does this.
In terms of PR, he's like O'Leary. It's such a shame, as it is, by and large, totally unnecessary.
-
What if our 1st team had lost 4-0 again. Then lost the confidence they had gained and lost against Bolton.
How fucking defeatist is that? Do you really think the confidence of the players is that fragile? It's a cup-tie, a one-off. We were the underdogs anyway so we could have gone and had a bloody good go at it and if we lost, so be it. I fail to see how a defeat tonight would have shattered the players' confidence.
Thats not defeatist. It happened earlier in the season and tonight we played a makeshift defence. At the site of our worst performance of the season I think it could be very fragile and affected us for the rest of the season.
If confidence did not matter in football we would be comfortable top half by now.
But since that defeat we've beaten Man City, had a decent run and are (were) a completely different team to two months ago. I just don't see how a defeat in a cup match, whatever the result, could have such a catastrophic effect. They aren't Brazil '70, it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility that we could have won tonight.
It took us a while after the City defeat and we have played fantastically well recently. I can see logic that he did not want this confidence crushing.
With our defence, I honestly think we had no chance. If we had some of our defenders fit, I am certain he would have gone for it.
-
my lads just rang he's just been assulted by other villa fans there on the rampage going fucking mad out side there groun a cars been overturned the old bills everywhere, there fighting each other
-
I struggling to see what Gerard done to improve us, he signed bent well done. 12 th in the league and out of cups. I see nothing but decline , Blackburn result resolved nothing
-
Those moaning about team selection= in view of the injuries would you really of preferred to see Beye and Warnock tonight instead of Herd and Delph Don't think he had a lot of choice with regard to the defence and at least they tried.
Walker could have played, meaning we were only one short of a pretty usual defence.
It was the total destruction of the rest of the outfield and playing most of those who were subsequently picked in very strange positions that rankles.
-
my lads just rang he's just been assulted by other villa fans there on the rampage going fucking mad out side there groun a cars been overturned the old bills everywhere, there fighting each other
Is Shameless on?
-
On the way back now, we're shit.
We play strange, pointless football; knock it about in our own half going nowhere and then lose it as soon as we reach the halfway line, great stuff.
Petrov, Heskey and Agbonlahor are piss poor. Anyone who rates Agbonlahor please tell me why, he's shit and one of the most limited footballers i've ever seen. If he wasn't a Villa fan nobody would rate him.
Reading at home in the quarters and maybe Blues/Bolton or Stoke/West Ham and we played our reserves, granted we'd probably have lost anyway but why the fuck did he rest so many? It's not like we win things every year and we can pick and choose. And we better brace ourselves for Blues getting to another final, they'll beat Bolton and get Stoke/West Ham in the semi and play Man Utd in the final imo.
-
We already have Collins, Cuellar, Baker, Makoun and Young unavailable for the weekend, a couple more injuries or suspensions tonight and we'd be in deep shit.
Like I said it isn't what I want to see but surely everyone can see why a manager worried about relegation, and we're still a long way from being safe, might take a more cautious approach. I'm not asking anyone to like it, I'm just saying that I can understand his thinking.
Perhaps a letter to Mr Clattenberg would have sufficed - "Dear Sir, my boys are feeling a little bit sensitive and don`t want to hurt them selves - perhaps they can be excused games today as they want to keep their gym kit nice and clean for sports day on Saturday" yours sincerely , Coco
Utter boll****- my love of the beautiful game took another knock tonight.
Are you and Richard having a competition as to who can say that they're falling out of love with football the most times over the course of the season? It's a bogus argument, it was only ever the "beautiful game" in some marketing man's imagination.
-
my lads just rang he's just been assulted by other villa fans there on the rampage going fucking mad out side there groun a cars been overturned the old bills everywhere, there fighting each other
Is Shameless on?
shamefull more like,
-
date=1299106054]
One more 'The City is ours' and I'll be deleting everything off the sky plus
Ouch! You know how to hurt a man.
-
my lads just rang he's just been assulted by other villa fans there on the rampage going fucking mad out side there groun a cars been overturned the old bills everywhere, there fighting each other
Is Shameless on?
shamefull more like,
The new Mike and Bernie Winters.
-
And we better brace ourselves for Blues getting to another final, they'll beat Bolton and get Stoke/West Ham in the semi and play Man Utd in the final imo.
[/quote]
I think I might cry if this happens. I've got little doubts starting to creep in that this could be a turning point for them as well as us. And I really, really don't like it.
-
Chris I like footy is houiller your new David o shitty? Your be defending Gaddafi next
-
He's had a thankless job this season, but sometimes he really is his own worst enemy.
Agree with that, Paulie.
Even though I can see why he did it he must have had an idea how it would be perceived by a lot of fans who were only just coming round to offering him a modicum of support.
-
This is the first time in my life that we've taken a dive in the FA Cup. It's unforgivable.
-
We play strange, pointless football; knock it about in our own half going nowhere and then lose it as soon as we reach the halfway line, great stuff.
Did you mean "tonight we played strange pointless football", or did you not watch the Blackburn match?
-
With the last few performances he had got a lot more support in what he was trying to do. Tonight has well and truly fcuked that up big time.
Disgusted and baffled. He can go and surrender somewhere else now.
-
Chris I like footy is houiller your new David o shitty? Your be defending Gaddafi next
Richard, you're not a totally stupid man so try reading what I have posted. I'm not here to defend him I am trying to explain that I can understand why he though he was making the right choices.
-
Chris I like footy is houiller your new David o shitty? Your be defending Gaddafi next
Come off it, Richard, that's a bit unfair.
He's pointing out that he can see why GH did it - so can I, for what it's worth, in fact, I don't thnk anyone on here doesn't understand what he was thinking. We're just disappointed he did it.
-
2m a year for decisions like that he is good enough to run RBS
-
i sat n watched it for 90 mins i saw us second to evry ball and tevez was on the bench , it was boys v men , we couldnt string passes together gabby was woefull hesky needs shootin, i dont know how we can fix this without breaking up an otherwise excellent team and whats more gh is only part of the peoblem we got over priced over rated player underperforming, young should have gone last summer he's not right for the job
-
I want to know where are improving because draws against fulham and blackpool tell me something else and in first half against Blackburn we were average and man city at home we won having one shot.
-
paulie I don't get why he did it, 3games in 3 weeks WTF! total lack of respect by the wanker
-
We already have Collins, Cuellar, Baker, Makoun and Young unavailable for the weekend, a couple more injuries or suspensions tonight and we'd be in deep shit.
Like I said it isn't what I want to see but surely everyone can see why a manager worried about relegation, and we're still a long way from being safe, might take a more cautious approach. I'm not asking anyone to like it, I'm just saying that I can understand his thinking.
Perhaps a letter to Mr Clattenberg would have sufficed - "Dear Sir, my boys are feeling a little bit sensitive and don`t want to hurt them selves - perhaps they can be excused games today as they want to keep their gym kit nice and clean for sports day on Saturday" yours sincerely , Coco
Utter boll****- my love of the beautiful game took another knock tonight.
Are you and Richard having a competition as to who can say that they're falling out of love with football the most times over the course of the season? It's a bogus argument, it was only ever the "beautiful game" in some marketing man's imagination.
I have loved the game for almost 50 years as a player, supporter and fairly recently as a junior football coach - I don`t need a marketing man to tell me what I think about the game. Money and greed is killing the game that many of my vintage have had as a outlet for most of their life.
-
Chris I like footy is houiller your new David o shitty? Your be defending Gaddafi next
Come off it, Richard, that's a bit unfair.
He's pointing out that he can see why GH did it - so can I, for what it's worth, in fact, I don't thnk anyone on here doesn't understand what he was thinking. We're just disappointed he did it.
I have to be honest and say I CAN'T see why he did it. A couple of changes sure, Heskey up front with Bent cuptied makes sense. Giving Bannan a game makes sense. But all those changes? We have probably one of the easiest run ins of any club in the league. So I just cannot see why we'd feel the need to give up on the FA Cup.
-
i sat n watched it for 90 mins i saw us second to evry ball and tevez was on the bench , it was boys v men , we couldnt string passes together gabby was woefull hesky needs shootin, i dont know how we can fix this without breaking up an otherwise excellent team and whats more gh is only part of the peoblem we got over priced over rated player underperforming, young should have gone last summer he's not right for the job
You've won something a couple of days ago, but you're on here with your badly written nonsense, having a right old giggle.
I've just banned you, so you won't be able to reply to this.
-
Chris I like footy is houiller your new David o shitty? Your be defending Gaddafi next
Come off it, Richard, that's a bit unfair.
He's pointing out that he can see why GH did it - so can I, for what it's worth, in fact, I don't thnk anyone on here doesn't understand what he was thinking. We're just disappointed he did it.
I have to be honest and say I CAN'T see why he did it. A couple of changes sure, Heskey up front with Bent cuptied makes sense. Giving Bannan a game makes sense. But all those changes? We have probably one of the easiest run ins of any club in the league. So I just cannot see why we'd feel the need to give up on the FA Cup.
I mean I can see what he was doing - placing more importance on the league.
He totally fucked it up in terms of the scale he did it with, but that's a different argument.
-
As I walked into the pub tonight, I was astounded by the look on Villa fan's faces as they talked about the team selection. Then, the text messages started. All in shock over the decisions made by our manager.
Why Houllier? Fucking why?
A humiliating surrender by the cheese monkey.
-
Having read his post-match excuses, "mea culpa" obviously does not translate into French. Arrogance and inepitude is a dangerous combination. We weren't ruthless in front of goal because you picked players who created absolutely nothing. Citeh won the game in 2nd gear and so could afford to give Friedel little to do.
-
When you say killing it, VCTM,what do you mean? From where I am standing I don't think it has ever been more popular. Crowds are far higher than when I first started watching and it is now a truly global game. It has clearly changed but I think reports of it's demise are greatly exaggerated.
There are lt.'s of things to do with football in general and the Villa in particular that I am nostalgic for but that's just me and I accept that many others prefer things as they are now.
-
Honestly I am amazed. Man City are a team we invariably lose at away from home, and often in an abject gutless manner, no matter who we put on the pitch. Their team had a world and european cup winner who was sensation IMO at times, a 30 million forward, a 20 million left back, the England keeper, a man they signed from being a starter at Barca etc etc... these are a class above putting Walker Downing and Young into the side that started (that is about all that would have been different) and getting a win.
Our biggest non performers were probably Gabby, Petrov and Heskey. I just think people are throwing toys out of the pram at the first thing GH does that upsets them following his tough start, but not seeing the bigger picture that Delph had to start at left back as there was no alternative in reality, Clark had to play centre half and if you are telling me that the first team players further forward would have prevented their team, with their delivery scoring against our defence you are on more drugs than many are accusing GH of being on tonight! We lost to a better team. It would have happened whatever side we had put out, fact is he chose to rest a few or save them the mental scarring of being battered by city. Oh and got 90 minutes out of Delph and Bannan looking like good players. Next season will be different. He is just assembling the tools and working out what the ones he has are capable of at the moment. Give him some time rather than jumping about with pants on fire. Struggling in 2 years time sack him, but no side prospers from cutting their manager after 6 months, especially one that looks capable of bringing good players to the club!
-
Honestly I am amazed. Man City are a team we invariably lose at away from home, and often in an abject gutless manner, no matter who we put on the pitch. Their team had a world and european cup winner who was sensation IMO at times, a 30 million forward, a 20 million left back, the England keeper, a man they signed from being a starter at Barca etc etc... these are a class above putting Walker Downing and Young into the side that started (that is about all that would have been different) and getting a win.
Our biggest non performers were probably Gabby, Petrov and Heskey. I just think people are throwing toys out of the pram at the first thing GH does that upsets them following his tough start, but not seeing the bigger picture that Delph had to start at left back as there was no alternative in reality, Clark had to play centre half and if you are telling me that the first team players further forward would have prevented their team, with their delivery scoring against our defence you are on more drugs than many are accusing GH of being on tonight! We lost to a better team. It would have happened whatever side we had put out, fact is he chose to rest a few or save them the mental scarring of being battered by city. Oh and got 90 minutes out of Delph and Bannan looking like good players. Next season will be different. He is just assembling the tools and working out what the ones he has are capable of at the moment. Give him some time rather than jumping about with pants on fire. Struggling in 2 years time sack him, but no side prospers from cutting their manager after 6 months, especially one that looks capable of bringing good players to the club!
Spurs did. Houllier is useless. Get rid (In May)
-
i sat n watched it for 90 mins i saw us second to evry ball and tevez was on the bench , it was boys v men , we couldnt string passes together gabby was woefull hesky needs shootin, i dont know how we can fix this without breaking up an otherwise excellent team and whats more gh is only part of the peoblem we got over priced over rated player underperforming, young should have gone last summer he's not right for the job
This is how we can tell there's a blue on the board. Poor grammar, spelt badly.
-
The day that the manager of Aston Villa Football Club decided that it wasn't worth trying to win the FA Cup is quite possibly my saddest day as a fan. Still, I look forward to 6th-16th in the league and not being relegated being added to our honours list.
And i'm left feeling, if they can't be bothered any more, why should I?
My thoughts exactly, well said. So I suppose we should all look forward to reminiscing about the great day we beat Bolton or drew with Wolves. If this is the future it's rubbish. Just ask our neighbours how much a cup run means compared to 3 points.
For what it's worth I would rather see Villa win the FA Cup and be relegated, at least I would have the memories and a sense of achievement.
-
I just got on, and saw the result. I don't need to know how things went because it's quite evident from the tone and mood on here. Like everyone, I really hoped we'd go after it today, and on seeing the team it was going to be a masterstroke or a complete disaster. It turned out to be the latter.
Clearly survival in the PL takes priority over everything, but even going out 2-1 with as full a strength team as possible would at least have left a "we gave it a proper go" feel. It doesn't and it's very empty right now. I get why he did it, I just don't agree that he needed to cut so deep. He has really helped his credibility with us in the last few weeks. With a lot of people, he will have lost a lot of it tonight.
-
Honestly I am amazed. Man City are a team we invariably lose at away from home, and often in an abject gutless manner, no matter who we put on the pitch. Their team had a world and european cup winner who was sensation IMO at times, a 30 million forward, a 20 million left back, the England keeper, a man they signed from being a starter at Barca etc etc... these are a class above putting Walker Downing and Young into the side that started (that is about all that would have been different) and getting a win.
Nobody is surprised we lost. Nobody would have been surprised if we'd lost having played our strongest team. We'd just have liked to have tried.
However, we were doomed from the start, so weak was our starting line up - we gave up on the FA Cup whilst 12th in the league. That's the long and short of it, and there's really not much getting away from it.
I heard GH say post match "it was a team of internationals .. some of them are U21 internationals ... Delfouneso will be going to the tournament in the summer ... Herd is an Australian international ..."
To be quite honest, that just makes it worse.
-
Honestly I am amazed. Man City are a team we invariably lose at away from home, and often in an abject gutless manner, no matter who we put on the pitch. Their team had a world and european cup winner who was sensation IMO at times, a 30 million forward, a 20 million left back, the England keeper, a man they signed from being a starter at Barca etc etc... these are a class above putting Walker Downing and Young into the side that started (that is about all that would have been different) and getting a win.
Our biggest non performers were probably Gabby, Petrov and Heskey. I just think people are throwing toys out of the pram at the first thing GH does that upsets them following his tough start, but not seeing the bigger picture that Delph had to start at left back as there was no alternative in reality, Clark had to play centre half and if you are telling me that the first team players further forward would have prevented their team, with their delivery scoring against our defence you are on more drugs than many are accusing GH of being on tonight! We lost to a better team. It would have happened whatever side we had put out, fact is he chose to rest a few or save them the mental scarring of being battered by city. Oh and got 90 minutes out of Delph and Bannan looking like good players. Next season will be different. He is just assembling the tools and working out what the ones he has are capable of at the moment. Give him some time rather than jumping about with pants on fire. Struggling in 2 years time sack him, but no side prospers from cutting their manager after 6 months, especially one that looks capable of bringing good players to the club!
I thought that by playing Gabby instead of Bent up front with the rest of the team, the same as Saturday, we would then be playing the best team available. That would have given Man City a game. As it was, Mr Houllier decided to throw in players like Herd, Delfounso, Bradley, Bannan and fucking Heskey into a team formation that baffled everybody.
Bigger picture? Houllier won't see out next season.
-
In total agreement with peterwitheshin and cward.
Tonight Aston Villa football club surrenders in the FA cup. I am a mug for going to Manchester tonight. I am seething.I hate I hate him. I don't care what he does from now on I hate him
-
Just got home and still fuming, One of the greatest football teams on the planet shows such disregard for the worlds most famous cup competition, simply unacceptable
-
Honestly I am amazed. Man City are a team we invariably lose at away from home, and often in an abject gutless manner, no matter who we put on the pitch. Their team had a world and european cup winner who was sensation IMO at times, a 30 million forward, a 20 million left back, the England keeper, a man they signed from being a starter at Barca etc etc... these are a class above putting Walker Downing and Young into the side that started (that is about all that would have been different) and getting a win.
Our biggest non performers were probably Gabby, Petrov and Heskey. I just think people are throwing toys out of the pram at the first thing GH does that upsets them following his tough start, but not seeing the bigger picture that Delph had to start at left back as there was no alternative in reality, Clark had to play centre half and if you are telling me that the first team players further forward would have prevented their team, with their delivery scoring against our defence you are on more drugs than many are accusing GH of being on tonight! We lost to a better team. It would have happened whatever side we had put out, fact is he chose to rest a few or save them the mental scarring of being battered by city. Oh and got 90 minutes out of Delph and Bannan looking like good players. Next season will be different. He is just assembling the tools and working out what the ones he has are capable of at the moment. Give him some time rather than jumping about with pants on fire. Struggling in 2 years time sack him, but no side prospers from cutting their manager after 6 months, especially one that looks capable of bringing good players to the club!
Shall we just give up on entering cup competitions then? Because for us to win a cup, we will invariably have to at some stage play a side that on paper at least, is better than us.
Man Utd when we were in Div 3 were on paper, better than us, Bayern Munich were better than us. So were Inter. And Man Utd in 57 and 94 etc Maybe we should do what we did all those years ago and just scratch from the FA Cup as soon as we come up against anyone good. Just in case they beat us.
-
I can't believe there are fans defending the selection tonight. He didn't have much choice at the back - although how Walker didn't get in is a mystery - but if I had the Villa to play a game to save my life today - Young, Downing, Albrighton and Reo would all have played. Everyone (ie Wolves) has shown they can't take teams getting at them at home.
We could give up 3 points on Sat and still have plenty of opportunities to stay up - it's a complete misjudgment of the club and the situation. This is the widest open FA Cup in memory - one hard tie vs Man Utd/Arsenal and as we know from VP this season and on Sunday they're fallible.
I was willing to give him time until tonight. He has to go. Utter shambles.
-
If you're the bald headed twat in Row D, Seat 366 read on.
You access your seat at the start of the second half by walking down aisle 114, looking for the letter 'D' on the floor and then walking along that row to your seat, NOT by going along the wrong row several rows back and then climbing over seats and knocking people out of the way. Just because you're in a seat number equating to the number of days in a leap year doesn't entitle you to leap over seats in this manner. Next time you won't get an empty coffee cup thown at your Nautica coat; it'll be a full one!
-
The worst of it is if we have a new manager on board next year -or even GH himself- and we actually give it a go, it's by no means nailed on that we'll go further than we did this season.
A dodgy draw or performance and we're out in the 3rd.
You really have to take your opportunities when you're this far into the comp -and a tie against an injury hit Citeh side, facing their fourth game in the last 10 days or so- is an opportunity.
You have to at least give it a go.
-
i was one of them who saiid give gh time he been in the game a long time
maybe he been in the game to long after tonight .... can,t belive what he said quote
if it was not for the 2 goals we was as good as them
well thats it for me...no more season tickets and i buy 3 and last anyway game will be bolton
fuck it i am out of here till he gone not wastein time and money anymore
and can the last one out turn the light off
-
The worst of it is if we have a new manager on board next year -or even GH himself- and we actually give it a go, it's by no means nailed on that we'll go further than we did this season.
A dodgy draw or performance and we're out in the 3rd.
You really have to take your opportunities when you're this far into the comp -and a tie against an injury hit Citeh side, facing their fourth game in the last 10 days or so- is an opportunity.
You have to at least give it a go.
For me, just as big a factor is Reading at home in the QF, and with the Mancs V Arsenal in another QF means one of those go out. It really was a real chance this year.
Our best 11 may have lost anyway tonight, but at least we would have given it our best.
-
I was at work all night so didn't see the game (thankfully). I don't mind being beaten if we have a good go at it but from reading the thread it sounds like a weakened team was picked with capitulation being the outcome. I wonder when (and this applies to other teams as well) football clubs will see the supporters say "if you can't be arsed with trying why should we spend our hard earned week in week out."
-
Honestly I am amazed. Man City are a team we invariably lose at away from home, and often in an abject gutless manner, no matter who we put on the pitch. Their team had a world and european cup winner who was sensation IMO at times, a 30 million forward, a 20 million left back, the England keeper, a man they signed from being a starter at Barca etc etc... these are a class above putting Walker Downing and Young into the side that started (that is about all that would have been different) and getting a win.
So we just give up then, hand them the win and say "Well we wouldn't have won anyway, you're too good for the likes of us."?
Honestly, I think the worst over reaction to this capitulation is coming from those trying to defend Hotlips' team selection.
-
It is 1.21am - I have just walked in the door. I now have Ł70 left in my bank , Ł60 is my petrol money for the month, the last Ł10 has got to last me until March 28th when I next get paid.
And what did I get, for spending my (I was going to say last, but the truth is it was ALL) my money for this month on trying to support my side.
I tell you what I got - the manager took the piss out of me - thats what.
I am utterly utterly disgusted with what went on tonight. The performance isn't worth mentioning, as soon as the team walked out, you knew what was going to happen. Even if it was 1-0 loss to a fluky last minute goal, it wouldn't have masked the fact the manager, for second time this season (after Liverpool) took the piss out of the fans of Aston Villa Football Club.
I will be writing a letter to the club tomorrow asking for my money back and an apology.
I am outraged, I am ending it here, and I will be posting it on the Generals tab.
-
Ok, I haven't read this thread. Got back about an hour ago and needed glass of wine to warm up, it was so damn cold.
Was very disappointed when I saw the team sheet as I thought we were taking this cup seriously. Then he goes and brings on the three players who should have been on from the start when we are 3-0 down.
I have backed Houllier all the way, but tonight I'm starting to think differently, very differently.
-
so sad not only did we travel to mancland to witness abject surrender but had to have so called villa fans racialy abuse villa players then try to offer out fellow villa at3 to 1 outside eastlands wot the fuk is happing to our club
-
so sad not only did we travel to mancland to witness abject surrender but had to have so called villa fans racialy abuse villa players then try to offer out fellow villa at3 to 1 outside eastlands wot the fuk is happing to our club
Whats with the flurry of new members and the lack of spelling and punctuation?
-
Guess.
-
Well I am new coz I quit Villatalk as I was sick and tired of being censored more than a Libyan !
-
Guess.
I don't need too ;-)
-
This new member has been at villa since early 80's and i think some idiot calling ashley young a black twat before he even got on pitch is a bit more important than spelling or amunt of post's .Also when the twat who said this can only offer out fellow villa fans who went to game when there is 2 mates backing him up and the person being abused is on there own dont you think that we need to ask what is going on at the club we all are suppose to love.
-
Well done Delph, Bannan, Dunne, Herd and Clarke. Heskey, Gabby and Petrov have no future at Villa. These so called "senior" players are the one`s who let us down the most. Gabby is in a time warp and Heskey is slow and clueless. These players are on massive wages and if Houllier cannot play them and get a performance out of them, what should he do ??
-
To be honest I think Gerard Houllier has been on borrowed time at Villa Park since the Liverpool debacle. The man is clueless frankly. There was some signs of hope with the transfer window comings and goings but there is a lot more to being a football manager than buying and selling players. On tactics, man management, keeping the fans onside and practically every other facet of football management Houllier is struggling. Some of the performances this season have been disgraceful frankly. We can take the odd off day but players not trying and pathetic surrenders from the manager should never be accepted.
The team that should have started tonight:
Friedel
Walker, Dunne, Clark, Delph
Downing, Petrov/Bradley, Reo Coker, Bannan, Young
Gabby
City are weak at full back so we simply needed to play Young and Downing who could have had a lot of joy. Particularly with Walker bombing on behind Downing. With our back four and considering how strong City are in the middle, Reo Coker simply had to be first name on the teamsheet. He is our best midfielder anyway. I wouldnt have minded two from Petrov, Bradley and Bannan to support him.
Instead we weaken the defence further by putting in the untried Herd at right back. We take our only physical player out of midfield to give City a free hand to do what they liked. We remove our best two wide players, and the third best Albrighton to put in a frankly crazy combo of the Fonz, Heskey and Gabby. If this was horse racing there would certainly be a stewards enquiry into whether we actually threw the game.
My comments re the 4 players who seem to be getting the most abuse from tonight
Id give Bradley a bit of time. I thought his cameo at Blackpool was of the headless chicken variety too but he has proven himself at Dutch and German league level and international level. Houllier rotates the players willy nilly in the midfield so it is difficult for him. Lets judge at the end of the season.
Heskey is absolutely finished at this level. Has been one of the worst players I can remember at Villa Park to be honest. More than capable of not trying a leg either despite the cliche that he puts in a shift. Id prefer if we didnt see him play another minute this season. A one paced, lumbering fool with the touch of a horse and the heart of a mouse.
Petrov had some good times at Villa but is surely out the door in the summer. His legs have completely gone and without Reo Coker to cover next to him we are wide open. Where possible we should give Bannan, Bradley and Delph chances ahead of him until the end of the season too.
Gabby had a very good season last season. He was quality up top by himself but unfortunately is crap paired with anyone. He isnt the most intelligent of footballers but I keep thinking there must be problems behind the scenes with him. How you can go from giving the likes of Vidic the runaround at Wembley to resembling a disinterested overweight Linford Christie in the space of a year?
-
Wasn't Heskey the only one to force Hart into a worthwhile save? And if Fonz had been more alert, he could have scored the rebound. I'm not claiming Heskey was great tonight by any stretch of the imagination, but for him to be one of the main ones singled out tonight as a failure and finished etc seems strange when he was the only fucker on the pitch who looked like scoring.
-
Then again, the fact Heskey is the only one who looked like scoring is probably more down to the selection and performance tonight rather than any real praise for Heskey.
-
I can see Ozzjim's point but I don't agree with him about the game being a foregone conclusion regardless of the line-up. They're in the middle of a tough schedule of games, could only draw at home to Fulham at the weekend, are starting to look lethargic and their best player by far was started on the bench tonight. They weren't there for the taking but we could have given them a run for their money.
As for those that played, well we continue to flatter to deceive. Plenty of possession in our own half but never really looking like hurting Man City and always a fuck-up away (in fairness none from Dunne tonight) from giving them the ball in a dangerous area. Heskey's shot in the first half was a reminder of the player he could be. But all too often we were all foreplay, stroking the ball in safe areas, but when it came to penetration our dick was floppy.
Bannan annoyed me a few times with that ''hooking the ball over his shoulder thing without looking thing'' he often does, invariably ceding possession but the kid never stopped trying and tends to make things happen. Fonz looked uncomfortable in the role he was playing. He has put on a bit of muscle and did well against the physical City players but never got into the penalty box much, where he's at his best. Heskey was largely anonymous especially in the second half. Bradley was on a different wavelength to the rest of the team at times, misreading passes, understandable given he's just got here. Petrov often looked lethargic and helpless. Delph, quality on the ball but takes a few risks with his tackling (still) and trying to get round a player. I don't think he has the discipline to play fullback but he can still be a top midfielder. Herd's crunching tackles were one of the highlights. He lost the ball for Ballotelli's goal high up the pitch, arguably there were enough players back to track Ballotelli though his finish was outstanding.
Just a very Villa under Houllier performance, patient possession football but not looking threatening nearly enough. Losing the directness of O'Neill's play seems to have meant throwing the babby out with the bathwater. Though maybe hitting it long against City's big defenders would have been pointless anyway. Just frustrating really.
-
I wonder. If Notts County had hung on to their lead for a few minutes more and got the victory they richly deserved against Manchester City, would Houllier have made his team sheet a suicide note against them? Yes he certainly would. He would have considered County too weak to merit his best team using the same twisted logic that Citeh were considered too good to merit a decent shot at winning the game.
If it had been a horse race this morning Houllier would face the stewards charged under the Non Triers Rule
-
I'm glad I was out.
-
Still think it is a complete over reaction by most. How many actually thought we had a chance of winning before the game or on the day the draw was made. Deep down - if you are honest - I would bet 90% thought it was an impossible task. The players left out are being made out to be Messi, Villa and Kaka the way people are going on. They are players people have lambasted a number of times for playing poorly in games this season. 3 players different would not have changed the result, it is a shame that it has opened the door for a load of howls at a manager who appeared to be turning the tide.
-
El Hadji Diouf red carded after the final whistle. That's three sent off for Rangers and 4 others booked. 3 celtic booked. Tasty.
I wish we had borrowed some of that passion Mac......
-
Still think it is a complete over reaction by most. How many actually thought we had a chance of winning before the game or on the day the draw was made. Deep down - if you are honest - I would bet 90% thought it was an impossible task. The players left out are being made out to be Messi, Villa and Kaka the way people are going on. They are players people have lambasted a number of times for playing poorly in games this season. 3 players different would not have changed the result, it is a shame that it has opened the door for a load of howls at a manager who appeared to be turning the tide.
Of course we had chance to win. Man City are in questionable form lately, and Fulham held them to a draw at Eastlands in their last game. What do we do - we make 8 changes to the team who gave us our biggest win of the season and go up to Manchester ad surrender before a ball is even kicked.
An unforgivable night.
-
Woke up and still feel completely fucked off.
-
Woke up and still feel completely fucked off.
You and me both. I think in future Villa should opt out of all cup competitions because we clearly don't want to compete in them. As long as we're in the PL the owners are happy, or so it seems.
Modern football stinks.
-
Given almost 12 hours to think on it, I'm even more pissed off.
I think it's time to add the word "Ill" to the any of the 'Prepared' logos around Villa Park.
Throwing away the FA Cup is for disrespectful dickheads like Wenger and Alex Ferguson. It is NOT for Aston Villa. EVER!
Shame, Houllier. Shame.
-
I can't read all comments, because my heart bleeds!
The moment this stupid clueless french idiot closes the door behind his back can't come soon enough for me!
The guy has been seriously misled - he's been told he's going to manage The VILLA and he thought he's going to be the handy man of a sunny summer house. Instead he ended up at a great football club for which he has no idea no desire and no balls to manage. I'm sick of seeing his blank face with eyes going to pop out of his empty brain and head tuck deep into the collar of his winter jacket. It's not a job for you, old crap! Just pack your bags and zipp off as soon as possible!
-
Certain clubs monopolize the cups already - we just play into their hands fielding weakened teams against them.
-
Another thing...over the years, Man Utd have had many a team mentally beaten due to their dominance of English football over the last 20 years. That Man City are afforded the same 'over-respect' for having won nothing but the lottery pisses me right off.
-
Its ironic that we tried to outpass a city team in midfield only to concede from a corner and a long ball over the top.
seeing how arsenal were beaten last week, is proof that Houllier got it wrong. He should be motivating his strongest team to win, not gambling with untried players .
It sends out all the wrong signals to fans and players, I now fear that Bolton after citeh will be like stoke after Moscow.
-
Where were Beye, Luke Young and Warnock. Well worth the Ł 140k this week.
-
Woke up and still feel completely fucked off.
You and me both. I think in future Villa should opt out of all cup competitions because we clearly don't want to compete in them. As long as we're in the PL the owners are happy, or so it seems.
Modern football stinks.
Agreed. There are a lot of issues about last night. I can forgive most of last night, given the circumstances in football today, except the picking of the three strikers. Any two plus 1 of Downing, Albrighton or Young would have been acceptable.
-
You know I’ve been a real defender of Houllier throughout the criticism he’s had over the last few months but I simply can’t defend the indefensible. To make so many changes and have such disregard for a trophy that means so much to so many. To not use the fantastic result at the weekend as a catalyst to kick us on. To not use the Carling Cup result as rallying cry to the players to outdo the neighbours. To allow 3k fans to travel on a freezing cold Weds night to Manchester when the club had decided not to bother and then appear post-match without a word of apology to the poor souls who made the journey is nothing short of a disgrace and Houllier should be hanging his head in shame over it.
I don’t want to hear anyone saying that the league is more important because the decisions have all the hallmarks of a team whose only focus is making sure they stay in the Premiership and if that is all we are about then it’s going to be pretty difficult to sell large numbers of season tickets come next season and like many others have said here it’s just another reason why I’m falling rather out of love with the club these days.
-
Not sure if its already been mentioned,but if he made that many changes in a league game,he would probably get in trouble for fielding a weak team.
Not sure what it does to the younger players confidence,and what must the players left on the bench think of GH?
-
I would be more pissed off if we wern't 2 bad results away from being dangerously close to the bottom of the league.
-
Last night we gave up the chance to progress in a cup competition that we could win, to stay in a league that we can't.
What is the fuckin' point?
-
Hopefully Heskey, Petrov & Gabby wont start v Bolton. They had a chance to fight for their place last night & they wern't good enough.
-
Have we won in that black kit yet this season?
-
Whilst i never expected us to win last night, I'm disappointed that we again hand the opposition the game on a plate. 4 mins in, game over. Early doors you coul see fonz and herd we being over run down the left wing yet nothing is done about it why ? Itv must have been embarrassed at airing that no show
Bolton next, a very tough game which we will lose then 2 weeks of fuck all before a tough derby game
We are not out o this yet, buy I suspect many of our players are already on the beach
-
Whilst i never expected us to win last night, I'm disappointed that we again hand the opposition the game on a plate. 4 mins in, game over. Early doors you coul see fonz and herd we being over run down the left wing yet nothing is done about it why ? Itv must have been embarrassed at airing that no show
Bolton next, a very tough game which we will lose then 2 weeks of fuck all before a tough derby game
We are not out o this yet, buy I suspect many of our players are already on the beach
I'll remember that.
-
I was at work all night so didn't see the game (thankfully). I don't mind being beaten if we have a good go at it but from reading the thread it sounds like a weakened team was picked with capitulation being the outcome. I wonder when (and this applies to other teams as well) football clubs will see the supporters say "if you can't be arsed with trying why should we spend our hard earned week in week out."
I criticised MON over Moscow and rightly so. Houllier has disgusted me last night and I have backed him to the hilt despite some of the mud that was flinging his way. However, he's lost me now, just shows the that the Proud History Bright Future only matters if there is some sort of monetary value in the "Competitions" that we compete in.
Sacking won't make a difference and we may well improve in the medium term, but the ethos of football these days and indeed the way that Our Club have brought into it,, means that it's gradually meaning f**k all to me these days.
My 2 renewed Season Tickets for next year can now kiss my Scrotum. I feel sorry for those that went last night .. none of them deserved that and Houllier et al do not indeed deserve the kind of Support that they are getting
-
My thoughts, and Ive avoided the site since the game because I can predict exactly what's been said.
- I was excited at the prospect of playing 4-3-3 and being aggressive but we didn't, it was more like 4-5-1 with strikers out of position. That was the first disappointment. I think Fonz and Gabby could really got at them if they were more advanced but we'd have been light in midfield. In which case use some of the actual wide midfielders we have.
- I applauded the the use of some of the younger players but suprised at so many at once.
Some were unavoidable but not all. Still, we have to try these guys out as we're going to have to use them and yes, the Premier League is not the arena to do this as we're not at all in a comfortable position yet, unfortunately.
It sucks but the Premier League is worth more than being in the Champions league and without it we cant be anything like a competitive club. Still, I sympathise with any view it may have been too much experimentation.
- Petrov was absolutely hopeless again and really shouldn't play for us any more, that was the second disappointment. Every time the ball went to him he lost it or slowed the attacks down by dithering on the ball.
He should have been the experience head to lead by example but was actually the weak link.
- The third disappointment was seeing Downing and Young come on when the cause was lost. Usually I can understand decisions even if I dont agree with them but I would need that one explaining to me to be honest. A bit embarrassing.
I wouldn't be too quick to judge a lot of these players. It wasn't all bad and we played some decent stuff in possession, even if we rarely hurt them. It was always going to be a difficult task even with our stongest team out, they can change their side completely and still have a top side out, but it would have been nice to have a real crack at these ****** and get Reading at home. Oh well.
I dont know. Mixed emotions but there you go. Can't help but feel disappointed.
Best forgotten about asap and look forwards.
It certainly was a minge day of sport. :(
-
What a difference a day makes. Quote on Tuesday:
Houllier eyes more Second City Cup glory (http://www.eatsleepsport.com/aston-villa/houllier-eyes-more-second-city-cup-glory-1174384.html)
-
Last night we gave up the chance to progress in a cup competition that we could win, to stay in a league that we can't.
What is the fuckin' point?
Sums it up nicely, we were in a worse state league wise before the 3rd round so why not wave the white flag in that game.
Herd came out with a lot of credit but he did get a roasting in the first half, but then he was playing out of position.
If modern day football is about league placings and not day outs at Wembley or big quarter finals, I'll stay at home or go and watch someone who appreciates my money a bit more.
-
Ridiculous team selection.
We've gone from one Manager who wears down the same 11, to one who can't stop fucking about with the squad.
A real slap in the face to the poor fuckers that travelled up there.
Bradley was utterly shit, as were most of the others.
Bannan looked lively.
I can't believe he was saving players for the world beating Bolton.
It's been a terrible week.
Blues winning a trophy, revelations of a wage bill to turnover that matches Portsmouth and now this.
It's really not a good time to be a Villa supporter.
-
The day that the manager of Aston Villa Football Club decided that it wasn't worth trying to win the FA Cup is quite possibly my saddest day as a fan. Still, I look forward to 6th-16th in the league and not being relegated being added to our honours list.
And i'm left feeling, if they can't be bothered any more, why should I?
My thoughts exactly, well said. So I suppose we should all look forward to reminiscing about the great day we beat Bolton or drew with Wolves. If this is the future it's rubbish. Just ask our neighbours how much a cup run means compared to 3 points.
For what it's worth I would rather see Villa win the FA Cup and be relegated, at least I would have the memories and a sense of achievement.
With a wage bill that equates to nearly 90% of turnover, getting relegated would probably see us in administration.
-
Have we won in that black kit yet this season?
Yeah, I saw us win at Walsall in it in the summer.
-
Won't bother with the Cup scheme next year then - if we're not going to bother taking it seriously.
Houllier should have to refund the fans that went out of his wages.
Pathetic, just when he was getting the fans onside and morale up, he surrenders to Man City.
Only good thing that can come from this is surely he realises that Petrov must be gotten rid of now?
-
The day that the manager of Aston Villa Football Club decided that it wasn't worth trying to win the FA Cup is quite possibly my saddest day as a fan. Still, I look forward to 6th-16th in the league and not being relegated being added to our honours list.
And i'm left feeling, if they can't be bothered any more, why should I?
My thoughts exactly, well said. So I suppose we should all look forward to reminiscing about the great day we beat Bolton or drew with Wolves. If this is the future it's rubbish. Just ask our neighbours how much a cup run means compared to 3 points.
For what it's worth I would rather see Villa win the FA Cup and be relegated, at least I would have the memories and a sense of achievement.
With a wage bill that equates to nearly 90% of turnover, getting relegated would probably see us in administration.
Which pretty much explains last nights motivation.
-
Ridiculous team selection.
We've gone from one Manager who wears down the same 11, to one who can't stop fucking about with the squad.
A real slap in the face to the poor fuckers that travelled up there.
Bradley was utterly shit, as were most of the others.
Bannan looked lively.
I can't believe he was saving players for the world beating Bolton.
It's been a terrible week.
Blues winning a trophy, revelations of a wage bill to turnover that matches Portsmouth and now this.
It's really not a good time to be a Villa supporter.
Bradley was shit but it was his full debut. To me, Petrov and Gabby are turning into absolute wasters and Heskey can work as heard as he likes but he can't do much if he hasn't got anyone along side him !
With Bent, Makoun, Collins, Cuellar and L Young out, we had enough problems but dont leave A Young, Downing, Albrighton and NRC out, especially when they played so well on Saturday.
Herd at RB? Delph at LB? Playing kids is one thing, playing them out of position when they dont need to is quite another.
-
The day that the manager of Aston Villa Football Club decided that it wasn't worth trying to win the FA Cup is quite possibly my saddest day as a fan. Still, I look forward to 6th-16th in the league and not being relegated being added to our honours list.
And i'm left feeling, if they can't be bothered any more, why should I?
My thoughts exactly, well said. So I suppose we should all look forward to reminiscing about the great day we beat Bolton or drew with Wolves. If this is the future it's rubbish. Just ask our neighbours how much a cup run means compared to 3 points.
For what it's worth I would rather see Villa win the FA Cup and be relegated, at least I would have the memories and a sense of achievement.
With a wage bill that equates to nearly 90% of turnover, getting relegated would probably see us in administration.
Which pretty much explains last nights motivation.
Yup. It's not nice but it is what it is.
-
Would the 2/3rds who voted that Villa would not win in the pre-match thread, be happier if it was a 3-0 loss against a full team?
And by a full team, I mean Young, Downing, and Albrighton starting. The defence, it appears, was "injury-forced". I'm not sure about L Young's fitness and the willingness of Beye and Warnock.
To me, midfield, it seems, was the pivotal area. We definitely would have created more chances starting with the three mentioned, but would still have lacked bite.
The forwards seemed to lack a bit of urgency and movement too.
-
Bolton next, a very tough game which we will lose
I'll remember that.
You do that Paul, Bolton are a tough well organised team with a good manager. They made it to the QF
I can see nothing but defeat on Saturday teeing up a nervy home game against wolves
-
Ach, how strange. We've said before we really cannot predict a Houllier line-up, and so it proved again. With all the defensive re-shuffling required anyway, I'd assumed everything else would be full strength: the starting line-up really threw me.
I can understand resting the odd player but we could still have done that and put out a strong side - leaving Young, Downing, Albrighton, Reo-Coker and Walker out when Bent, Makoun, Collins, Cuellar and Baker were already unavailable means we were beaten right from the start, IMO.
The problem I had last night was with the front three. Back four? Well, couldn't do much about that, though obviously sticking Herd in at RB considering we were already having to play Delph at LB seemed very naive. However, I guess with Walker wearing a cast and our defensive options very limited, I could understand GH's thoughts on protecting him ahead of the weekend.
Midfield three, okay: although none of the trio had started many games recently and there was bound to be rustiness. Bradley looked okay, reasonably composed, a couple of poor passes - a tough first start (which was why I was calling for him to make his full debut at home v Blackburn, very different to pitching him in v City!).
Bannan was good; I like him. Quick feet, brain, very comfortable on the ball, lively. Ran out of steam middle of the second half.
Petrov looks tired now. Obviously dripping with sweat after 15 mins, that's the norm, but now he's making those late challenges which signify he's off the pace. Very laboured.
But the front three was my big issue. Never ever going to work! There's a massive difference between playing Albrighton/Downing/Young in those wide attacking roles off a centre-forward and sticking three strikers in there and asking two to play as widemen; Gabby and Nathan never looked comfortable. If Gabby's going to play wider, at least play him wide right, where he can use his pace to go past a player, and he can put a reasonable ball over. But left? He hasn't got the technique or the footballing brain to do that - too often he had to stop, check in and pick a pass, and he couldn't do it. Richards is stronger, as fast, and smarter - Gabby was never going to get any change out of him.
I do think, even if we'd started with Albrighton and Downing wide alongside Heskey or Gabby at centre-forward, we'd have seen a better balanced side, and a better performance.
-
He'd could have just packed the midfield NRC, Petrov and Bradley in the middle, Young and Downing out wide with Gabby playing up front on his own.
Bored them to tears and got them back to Villa Park three days before a big game for them.
Still p*ssed off.
-
Was that a cast on walker or just some sort of protection over a new tatoo job ?
-
agree with Merv . At least we know we need to get rid of Heskey and Petrov A.S.A.P.
-
Usually after a bad result a good night's sleep tempers my frustration and anger. It hasn't. Still find that team selection and the surrender of our chance to win something this season absolutely incredulous. And I'm still haunted by the fact that Bloose could do a cup double
-
Houllier must go now not just because of last nights team selction but his comments before about winning silverware and his comments afterwards about all the internationals playing. It show contempt for the fans and the Club. Nothing against any of the players as individuals but the team was set up wrong and with 8 changes it would never gel especially when playing against City. Fans arn't stupid and his comments were glib. Just analyise the internationals mostly either inexperienced, hardly played lateley so lacking match fitness or in the autumn of their careers and Gabby on the wing. We just never competed and far too many inexperienced players. The 3 best players on the bench then brings em on at 0-3 down, ridiculous. Houllier out!
-
Houllier must go now not just because of last nights team selction but his comments before about winning silverware and his comments afterwards about all the internationals playing. It show contempt for the fans and the Club. Nothing against any of the players as individuals but the team was set up wrong and with 8 changes it would never gel especially when playing against City. Fans arn't stupid and his comments were glib. Just analyise the internationals mostly either inexperienced, hardly played lateley so lacking match fitness or in the autumn of their careers and Gabby on the wing. We just never competed and far too many inexperienced players. The 3 best players on the bench then brings em on at 0-3 down, ridiculous. Houllier out!
Just wondering..... Was you saying Houllier out after Saturday?
-
Lets not forget the first 45 mins v Blackburn was shockingly poor
-
Haven't bothered to read all of this, just a bit to get a flavour!
Listening to R5 on the way home they made the point that GH was backed by RL in January and without a doubt will continue to be backed by him. Martin Keown went on to say that maybe this was GH's way of showing Randy that some of the senior players left behind by MON simply aren't good enough and will need to be replaced. (and personally I think that Keown is generally straight and level headed with what he says - unlike some).
As mentioned the 3 worst players were Petrov, Heskey and Gabby, both by their ability and effort. It is ok trying to defend Gabby by saying that he shouldn't be playing wide left but there were periods last night when he was in the centre and on the right and he still didn't do anything of note.
I think GH could have helped himself by selecting NRC alongside Petrov and blooding either Bannan or Bradley. Playing both of them against the midfield City have was just too much.
The other thing that struck me was the physique of the City players. Take out Silva and is there one below 6 foot and 15 stone? They just seemed to outmuscle us all over the park. Add in their total experience at this level (how many international caps do they jointly have?) and it was men against boys in lots of areas.
-
Embarrassing.
Houllier is a liability - last night was our opportunity to keep the season alive, and what does he do ? - play a team of players either out of position or making debuts ( or both).
Bannan ( God bless him) against Veirra in midfield was a complete joke.
Everything's been said really, and I am really not sure that Houllier is the man to take our club forward.
Embarrassing.
-
Utter, utter garbage. Houllier is a liar for making out he was bothered about the cup. The goodwill built up the last couple of months has completely evaporated. He can f*** off
-
Still think it is a complete over reaction by most. How many actually thought we had a chance of winning before the game or on the day the draw was made. Deep down - if you are honest - I would bet 90% thought it was an impossible task.
I reckon you're wrong.
Maybe 10% (including Hotlips apparently) may have thought it impossible, the other 90% would have had the "anything can happen on the night" outlook that I had.
We're not a bad side when we put a proper team out and Citeh are not Barcelona, West Brom have beaten them this season for fucks sake!
-
Last night we gave up the chance to progress in a cup competition that we could win, to stay in a league that we can't.
What is the fuckin' point?
Ths cynic in me says "money".
You get more per place in the league than you do for winning THE Cup.
Sad isn't it.
-
on reflection we learned something about the players who were out last night.Heskey didnt touch the ball in the second half until the last 10 minutes and that was in his own half.Petrov is on his way out, Gabby is either a striker up front, closer to the main striker...he's not a winger.Delfonzo is not upto it yet...he's like a rabbit in the headlights for most of the time.Friedel is approaching his sell by date...but not to be replaced by an error prone Robert Green.Walker will be off back to Spurs.Bannan is good but his size is a limitation unless he's protected by other midfield colleagues . Bradley needs time to get upto speed...could be a useful back up player.Delph could be a real find as an attacking leftback who can support midfield,experience will help.Herd is enthusiastic, Clarke as well is potential class but rash.Dunne is a mistake waiting to happen.
we would still have lost last night if the so called experienced performers had played....so get over it and move on,
at least there was some effort expended.(well by a few)
Perhaps next season we will look back at the 2 defeats against Mancity as the matches where we learned most about the potential of the club ever being able to break into the top 4.
-
The day that the manager of Aston Villa Football Club decided that it wasn't worth trying to win the FA Cup is quite possibly my saddest day as a fan. Still, I look forward to 6th-16th in the league and not being relegated being added to our honours list.
And i'm left feeling, if they can't be bothered any more, why should I?
My thoughts exactly, well said. So I suppose we should all look forward to reminiscing about the great day we beat Bolton or drew with Wolves. If this is the future it's rubbish. Just ask our neighbours how much a cup run means compared to 3 points.
For what it's worth I would rather see Villa win the FA Cup and be relegated, at least I would have the memories and a sense of achievement.
With a wage bill that equates to nearly 90% of turnover, getting relegated would probably see us in administration.
Which pretty much explains last nights motivation.
Yup. It's not nice but it is what it is.
The notion that getting humiliated on national TV and knocked out of a cup ensures our survival is as ridiculous as the notion that making a decent fist of a difficult cup tie immediately leads to relegation. We should try to win every game we play. 2 games in 33 days coming up, hardly bloody fixture congestion
-
Some of us really need to get a reality check on what he has to play with,especially in comparison to the free spending top clubs whose monies increase from every bit of turmoil the world finds itself in.
RL is a wealthy man with a good feeling for the Villa but a Russian Oligarch or a Shaky Oil man he is not.
-
on reflection we learned something about the players who were out last night.Heskey didnt touch the ball in the second half until the last 10 minutes and that was in his own half.Petrov is on his way out, Gabby is either a striker up front, closer to the main striker...he's not a winger.Delfonzo is not upto it yet...he's like a rabbit in the headlights for most of the time.Friedel is approaching his sell by date...but not to be replaced by an error prone Robert Green.Walker will be off back to Spurs.Bannan is good but his size is a limitation unless he's protected by other midfield colleagues . Bradley needs time to get upto speed...could be a useful back up player.Delph could be a real find as an attacking leftback who can support midfield,experience will help.Herd is enthusiastic, Clarke as well is potential class but rash.Dunne is a mistake waiting to happen.
we would still have lost last night if the so called experienced performers had played....so get over it and move on,
at least there was some effort expended.(well by a few)
Perhaps next season we will look back at the 2 defeats against Mancity as the matches where we learned most about the potential of the club ever being able to break into the top 4.
Have to agree with elements os this - we did have comfirmation of a few things. Petrov was shocking, slow, unaware just awful and his time is surely up. Bannan had a decent first half but looked lost second half. I though Bradley did ok first half and can tackle cleanly and looks a decent ball winner. Gabby isn't a winger but a striker and Heskey is useless up front on his own. Clarke as potential but is inconsistent and picks up a yellow per game. Would have loved to have seen Delph in midlfield last night, he can pass, tackle, move and shoot.
An expensive experiment by Gerard and there is hell of a lot of pressure on Saturday now.
-
the fa cup is NOT the europa joke league... there is no reward for failure, and it is a tournament that has to be taken seriously...
houlliers team selection was nothing short of farcical... that was NOT utilising the squad...
herd was out of his depth, as i suspected from the start... time and time again, he was bypassed with simple balls, and looked like a little lost boy... walker was on the bench, who would have done a better job (cuellar and young injured, beye is a disgrace and will never play for us again)...
delph is not a left back.. he struggled badly there... (unfortunately, we didnt have anyone else to play there, as baker was injured, clark was playing central defence due to collins and cuellar being injured, and l young wa also still not fit... warnock is a disgrace and will never play for us again)...
bradley looked outof his depth too..
bannon was lost n midfield because he was trying to do the work of 2...
which brings me onto petrov... useless cnut that he is... utterly pointless footballer, who has the mobility and pace of a tree.. his distribution is backwards, he loses the ball, he doesnt protect the back four or support the attack, he is a completely pointless entitiy...
delfouneso showed some signs of what he can do, and actually tried to put in a shift, but being played on the right wing for a classic number 10 type striker, is just more farcical square pegs in round holes nonsense from the manager... but at least he tried, which made agbonlahor shouting at him and then him being taken off while the two jokes up front stayed on, even more bizarre...
as for heskey and agbonlahor, totally useless the pair of them... lazy, ponderous, just completely disinterested, and both with a volley for a first touch... agbonlahor shouting at a young player was him portaying his own inadequacies onto the poor young sod, and tbh, i would get rid of him in the summer, while his value isnt too damaged... but again, another player out of position when there was no need... 4 wingers against blackburn on the pitch, zero last night...
heskey was just his usual pointless self... how he is a footballer, i will never know...
downing, walker and young didnt really have much time to influence things when they came on, however, young still tried to turn the match into the ashley young show again, with his greed, and quite frankly, poor free kicks, shots, passes that went to no one, etc... he might be revelling in the hole behind the striker, but as a team, apart from the odd match, aston villa arent...
overall, it was a farce from start to finish... from the team line up, to several square pegs in round holes, to most individual performances, to the attitude of some, the team performance, to the result...
oh, but before i go, just a quick mention about seeing mario balotelli smile for the first time ever... right after he forearm smashed someone in the face... and what does the referee who didnt send off rooney for that do? give him a yellow card and literally tells out players to fcuk off... that referee is a joke and didnt want to add to his own incompetence of not sending rooney off, by sending off balotelli, because he know the what the media reaction would rightfully be... who knew that and was smug enough to laugh about it... clattenburg is a joke, who should never referee again, if he thinks that a forearm smash into someones face is not a red card... (dont get me wrong, it didnt change the game, as we would have lost anyway, but the rules are the rules, and when we have had a player sent off in the past for pretending to headbutt someone due to "intent", it is enfuriating to see the rules not applied to suit the referees own personal agenda)...
disgrace from top to bottom...
-
A telling thing for me last night was when my just turned 10 year old son saw our team and said what a rubbish team, we've lost. A TEN year old!
-
sorry but I think that Delph could prove to be a really useful find to play at left back, I thought he has reined in the tackling we saw him earn yellow cards for when in midfield.He can join in with the midfield especially against teams that play one up front at Villa Park.
-
The other thing that struck me was the physique of the City players. Take out Silva and is there one below 6 foot and 15 stone? They just seemed to outmuscle us all over the park. Add in their total experience at this level (how many international caps do they jointly have?) and it was men against boys in lots of areas.
It really was stark wasn't it. City exemplify modern footballers in terms of physicallity and presence. Our players were just bouncing off them. It looked like a practice match for them for the most part.
-
Lets not forget the first 45 mins v Blackburn was shockingly poor
Was that the half when we could've easily scored 2 or 3?
-
Houllier has to go regardless on whether we stay in the Premiership or not. The bloke did not move from the dug out last night what type of manager is he?
McAllister is no better isn't he supposed to be Houllier's right hand man? We have no management team.
-
A bit sneaky the way Sidwell sneaked back into our midfield after shaving his head.
-
Lets not forget the first 45 mins v Blackburn was shockingly poor
Was that the half when we could've easily scored 2 or 3?
We had 2 half chances just before HT against a woeful bburn side, it really was not good at all
-
Houllier has to go regardless on whether we stay in the Premiership or not. The bloke did not move from the dug out last night what type of manager is he?
McAllister is no better isn't he supposed to be Houllier's right hand man? We have no management team.
So he should be sacked because he has a calm personality. That makes sense. Not everyone has to jump around and go mad.
-
Houllier has to go regardless on whether we stay in the Premiership or not. The bloke did not move from the dug out last night what type of manager is he?
McAllister is no better isn't he supposed to be Houllier's right hand man? We have no management team.
So he should be sacked because he has a calm personality. That makes sense. Not everyone has to jump around and go mad.
Agree.
Touchline histrionics are meaningless.
-
Dunne is a mistake waiting to happen.
Can't agree with that; thought Dunne was one of better players last night, along with Bannan. Him squaring up to Yaya Toure, then clattering into him minutes later to win the ball, was about the only thing that made me smile all night.
-
Sickening moment when baliotteli elbowed herd then stood laughing over him
******
-
I'm trying hard to pretend that what I saw last night, was Aston Villa in name only. A barely recognisable team, and playing in black - no, that can't have been Villa. Please tell me it wasn't!
-
I'm trying hard to pretend that what I saw last night, was Aston Villa in name only. A barely recognisable team, and playing in black - no, that can't have been Villa. Please tell me it wasn't!
At least you can get over it by tootling away on your trombone.
-
I'm trying hard to pretend that what I saw last night, was Aston Villa in name only. A barely recognisable team, and playing in black - no, that can't have been Villa. Please tell me it wasn't!
At least you can get over it by tootling away on your trombone.
A Message To You, Randy?
-
Houllier has to go regardless on whether we stay in the Premiership or not. The bloke did not move from the dug out last night what type of manager is he?
McAllister is no better isn't he supposed to be Houllier's right hand man? We have no management team.
So he should be sacked because he has a calm personality. That makes sense. Not everyone has to jump around and go mad.
He should be sacked because he picked a side to deliberately lose an FA Cup tie when the prize would have been our first home FA Cup QF for 51 years against bloody Reading!
Then to top it he insults our intelligence and particularly those who travelled to Manchester last night by denying that it was a weakened side and declaring that he would do it all again.
Who the hell is this guy answerable to for such a breathtaking combination of incompetence and arrogance?
-
I was too angry to post last night & I haven't exactly calmed down this morning.GH totally confuses me. The last few weeks we've seen better performances, decent results and optimism again and it's been thrown away in one night. It was allways goign to be tough but to give up like that is unforgiveable.
I foolishly thought football was supposed to be about winning.Silly me.
-
Shockingly embarrassing, Houllier is a disgrace with his team selection just as we were getting a bit of momentum.
I have said all along he is not the man for us, he is taking us backwards and last night I was ashamed to go out of a competition that could have been our salvation, with merely a whimper.
Felt sorry for some of the young lads, especially Herd, like Delph, who has never played full back in his life and ended the game at centre half, Petrov and Heskey were a disgrace to the shirt.
I am absolutely fuming with this performance and Houllier's justification that he had a 'team full of internationals' won't wash, he threw in the white flag and we all know it.
-
Shockingly embarrassing, Houllier is a disgrace with his team selection just as we were getting a bit of momentum.
I have said all along he is not the man for us, he is taking us backwards and last night I was ashamed to go out of a competition that could have been our salvation, with merely a whimper.
Felt sorry for some of the young lads, especially Herd, like Delph, who has never played full back in his life and ended the game at centre half, Petrov and Heskey were a disgrace to the shirt.
I am absolutely fuming with this performance and Houllier's justification that he had a 'team full of internationals' won't wash, he threw in the white flag and we all know it.
The 'internationals' speech is really funny; America, Bulgaria, Under 21's .... get real GH, you picked the wrong team playing in the main, out of position.
-
Ah nothing like a H&V over reaction. Give the bloke some time and lets judge him next season. Strictly he is right, the players were all either full (most of them) or U21 international footballers, so rotation is something we have to get used to, and GH openly knew they are a better team with a much stronger squad. Think the over reaction is madness. Just agame of football, 50 odd years and we have not won it, calm down.
Can't agree with this - whilst it's possible that our neighbours' Wembley triumph was hard to swallow
and last night we were all hoping for at least a draw, I don't believe supporters should be criticised
for having a go at both manager and senior players for the inept performance at Eastlands.
I'm one of the more senior fans who have hoped every year for the past 54 that we would again
lift that famous trophy, but have had my hopes dashed the same number of times at various stages
of the competition.
Whilst I don't enjoy defeat, I can accept it if the other team is better on the day or bemoan our
luck if we hit the woodwork, or castigate the officials for poor decisions- but what I can't and
won't accept is the manner in which we approach a game in the FA Cup, or any competition
for that matter.
Both at the game last night and I believe on this thread many have compared last night
with the 'surrender' at Moscow. Arguably that team selection was the beginning of the end
for O'Neill. In Houllier's case, and in his short tenure at Villa Park, he has managed to upset
the fans on at least a couple of occasions.
It can be argued that Houllier disrespected the FA Cup and the considerable number who
made the trip to Eastlands with his selection and formation. Youngsters, in particular those
playing out of position could be excused but some seniors under performed and deserve
the abuse being vented in forums such as this.
Like many others I will be there at the Reebok on saturday and supporting the claret
and blue but it's nights like last night that can't be forgotten or forgiven and in my book
the main criticism is aimed at Gerard Houllier
-
I'm still fucking fuming. Absolutely livid with that fucking chicken Houllier. The Cup might mean fuck all to him and his beloved Liverpool, but he's misjudged this one badly.
It's not as if Man City are fucking Barcelona. Albion and Blues have both drawn with them in the league, where City would have had a stronger side out than last night. Why we had to throw in the towel and surrender before a ball was kicked I'll never know
-
This was the team that went to Sheffield
Friedel,
Walker, Cuellar, Dunne, Clark;
Albrighton, Pires, Reo-Coker, Bannan;
Young;
Agbonlahor
so why play that team last night? If you are not going to talke the cup seriously , then play last nights team against Sheff Utd..
-
Sickening moment when baliotteli elbowed herd then stood laughing over him
c***
He is genuinely worrying to see on a football field sometimes. The guy's unhinged.
Dunne is a mistake waiting to happen.
Can't agree with that; thought Dunne was one of better players last night, along with Bannan. Him squaring up to Yaya Toure, then clattering into him minutes later to win the ball, was about the only thing that made me smile all night.
Agreed, Dunne read the game superbly yesterday and was fearless in the tackle. Also agreed about Bannan, he did some things in the first half which, had Xavi or Scholes done them, would have caused the commentator to drown in his own sycophantic drooling. He faded, understandably, as being 2-0 behind to such a strong team who don't give you much of the ball will probably cause you to snatch at your throughballs and so on, but was better when Walker, Ash and Downing were on - unsurprisingly, as he's the type of player who needs good players to make his considerable talents count.
-
Shockingly embarrassing, Houllier is a disgrace with his team selection just as we were getting a bit of momentum.
I have said all along he is not the man for us, he is taking us backwards and last night I was ashamed to go out of a competition that could have been our salvation, with merely a whimper.
Felt sorry for some of the young lads, especially Herd, like Delph, who has never played full back in his life and ended the game at centre half, Petrov and Heskey were a disgrace to the shirt.
I am absolutely fuming with this performance and Houllier's justification that he had a 'team full of internationals' won't wash, he threw in the white flag and we all know it.
The 'internationals' speech is really funny; America, Bulgaria, Under 21's .... get real GH, you picked the wrong team playing in the main, out of position.
And Salifou is an international, too.
-
Houllier is obviously doing what he fels is best for the club, whether we agree with him or not, and if we go out and stuff Bolton at the weekend it will be arguably the right decision. That doesn't mean I am happy about it, I was fuming yesterday, but I am not a football manager, i don't have the experience that Houllier has, and frankly if he turned up and told me how I should be felling at tree I'd tell him to get fucked.
-
I am not going to have a go at individual players some of whom played well - others not so.
What I cannot understand is the team selection - yes, play the youngsters, but not all at the same time and not out of position. The after match comments that we had three international forwards ignores the fact that they were out of position and had no supply. The comments also ignored the make up of the rest of the team. Who was GH trying to fool!
And what was the point of those substitutions - too late to make any difference.
The FA cup draw was opening up nicely, the winners last night must have been/are favourites in a home tie against Reading. Man Utd and Arsenal drawn against each other. What more incentive do we need to progress.
Totally defeatist team selection - opportunity missed. Naive in the extreme.
Honest explanations required.
-
he threw in the white flag and we all know it.
I prefer to think he was waving a towel.
-
A telling thing for me last night was when my just turned 10 year old son saw our team and said what a rubbish team, we've lost. A TEN year old!
Having patiently explained to my 7 year old why Darren Bent couldn't play and explaining about him being cup tied he wondered who the likes of Young, Downing, Walker, Albrighton etc had played for earlier in the competition. As he said, we'll lose Dad but hopefully i'll get to see them beat Wolves.
-
Houllier has to go regardless on whether we stay in the Premiership or not. The bloke did not move from the dug out last night what type of manager is he?
McAllister is no better isn't he supposed to be Houllier's right hand man? We have no management team.
So he should be sacked because he has a calm personality. That makes sense. Not everyone has to jump around and go mad.
He should be sacked because he picked a side to deliberately lose an FA Cup tie when the prize would have been our first home FA Cup QF for 51 years against bloody Reading!
Then to top it he insults our intelligence and particularly those who travelled to Manchester last night by denying that it was a weakened side and declaring that he would do it all again.
Who the hell is this guy answerable to for such a breathtaking combination of incompetence and arrogance?
Did RL endorse or order last night's farce. If he did then he can go aswell.
-
A telling thing for me last night was when my just turned 10 year old son saw our team and said what a rubbish team, we've lost. A TEN year old!
Same sort of thing for my 8 year old who has just committed himself 100% to Villa. He just keeps asking me WHY?
I've posed that question on the Generals thread as I can't answer it!
Having patiently explained to my 7 year old why Darren Bent couldn't play and explaining about him being cup tied he wondered who the likes of Young, Downing, Walker, Albrighton etc had played for earlier in the competition. As he said, we'll lose Dad but hopefully i'll get to see them beat Wolves.
-
I was too angry to post last night & I haven't exactly calmed down this morning.GH totally confuses me. The last few weeks we've seen better performances, decent results and optimism again and it's been thrown away in one night. It was allways goign to be tough but to give up like that is unforgiveable.
I foolishly thought football was supposed to be about winning.Silly me.
My youngest son believed that as well!
-
Houllier has to go regardless on whether we stay in the Premiership or not. The bloke did not move from the dug out last night what type of manager is he?
McAllister is no better isn't he supposed to be Houllier's right hand man? We have no management team.
So he should be sacked because he has a calm personality. That makes sense. Not everyone has to jump around and go mad.
He should be sacked because he picked a side to deliberately lose an FA Cup tie when the prize would have been our first home FA Cup QF for 51 years against bloody Reading!
Then to top it he insults our intelligence and particularly those who travelled to Manchester last night by denying that it was a weakened side and declaring that he would do it all again.
Who the hell is this guy answerable to for such a breathtaking combination of incompetence and arrogance?
Did RL endorse or order last night's farce. If he did then he can go aswell.
Oookay, now we've gone completely insane.
-
I was too angry to post last night but I have now run out of things to smash.
I am just sitting in my pants with snot running down my face, surrounded by small pieces of crockery.
I am OK about it now.
-
Yes, but now The Gladstone Pottery museum are furious!
-
I knew I shouldn't have come in just my pants. They are looking at me funny
-
I don't think it was just the coming in your pants they were angry about.
That poor porcelain doll will never be the same again.
-
Horrendous team selection. Heskey was effective as he usually was against top defences, Fonz was lost on the left and Gabby worked hard on the right but shouldn't been through the middle.
Bradley and Bannan were completely out of their depth aswell and the defence was majorly plugging holes particularly at FB.
And what the hell were we doing bringing on Downing and Young at 3-0?! Would've compounded it if they'd both pulled hamstrings when playing.
I wonder what goes through managers heads sometimes, we're going to struggle to finish more than 8th in the league so I just don't understand the selection.
One shot on target all night wasn't it?
-
isn't it 800k extra each place you finish higher up the league ?
-
And what the hell were we doing bringing on Downing and Young at 3-0?! Would've compounded it if they'd both pulled hamstrings when playing.
More bizarrely they were coming on at 2-0 and then Citeh got their third. Should have sat them down again in case of picking up an injury as you say? Why put them on then?
-
Some relationships reach a point where a parting of the ways is inevitable. It's especially painful if you still care about the other party. However, much like the end of the O'Leary tenure was inevitable, I now think the time for our divorce from Houllier is imminent. Most fans I know never really took to him, and after last night I think any good will he may have had is dead and buried. If he stays, what will ticket sales be like, and what effect will it have on season tickets for the next campaign?
He might not go now, or next week, but I'd be amazed if he's still in charge next season. I can see a banner along the O'Leary we're not fickle lines being unfilled from the upper holte very soon.
Time's up Ged!
-
Some relationships reach a point where a parting of the ways is inevitable. It's especially painful if you still care about the other party. However, much like the end of the O'Leary tenure was inevitable, I now think the time for our divorce from Houllier is imminent. Most fans I know never really took to him, and after last night I think any good will he may have had is dead and buried. If he stays, what will ticket sales be like, and what effect will it have on season tickets for the next campaign?
He might not go now, or next week, but I'd be amazed if he's still in charge next season. I can see a banner along the O'Leary we're not fickle lines being unfilled from the upper holte very soon.
Time's up Ged!
spot on!!
-
Untenable is the word you're after
-
So, picking a side that you don't agree with is now considered a sackable offence, because if you strip away all the emotive stuff that is all that happened last night. We're turning football into a reality show where fans think that they can vote out the ones they don't like.
-
In case anybody cares what I think, sacking Houllier now and patricularly based on this one game, is a load of old bollocks.
-
In case anybody cares what I think, sacking Houllier now and patricularly based on this one game, is a load of old bollocks.
Agreed.
Despite last nights debacle, he should be given 3 seasons.
Only then can a Manager be properly judged.
-
So, picking a side that you don't agree with is now considered a sackable offence, because if you strip away all the emotive stuff that is all that happened last night. We're turning football into a reality show where fans think that they can vote out the ones they don't like.
Thats probably Simon Cowells next project
-
We cannot afford, both financially and also for footballing reasons, to get rid of GH, and some of the over reactions on here are quite pathetic.
I was'nt enamoured with his appointment, but think he is developing a good side and ideology.Last night it was MONs players that were shite, not GHs.Bent, Makoun, Walker have all been good signings, lets wait and see about Bradley.Yes disappointing last night, but lets put it into perspective.
-
In case anybody cares what I think, sacking Houllier now and patricularly based on this one game, is a load of old bollocks.
Agreed.
Despite last nights debacle, he should be given 3 seasons.
Only then can a Manager be properly judged.
I disagree Fletch. If a manager is not up to the job, the club should get rid. In GH's case, the jury is still out for me. I'd be a lot more comfortable if Patrice Berges was to team up with him again. I get the feeling we only got half the deal when he joined us.
The other thing that drives me mad is this claim that this season was to be a right off. Given the quality of the squad he inherited, the money made available in January, the strength of the youth set up, it's not the toughest job in the world. Take Owen Coyle at Bolton, he's hardly had the money or squad but hit the ground running, plus remarkably changing the way Bolton play. Yes, we had an injury crisis but I don't think it's wrong to have expected more, especially now.
Look back to GT MK II and the approach he took when he replaced JG. He took his time and during that time we lost our winning/fighting habit. GH is doing exactly the same thing. It really does concern me. Add to that the use of the squad, the rotation, playing players out of position, I get the feeling he's just accomodating players rather than trying to find his best eleven.
I'm willing to give him until the end of the season and hopefully he'll persuade Berges to join him at Villa Park. But the thought of three years of the same is unthinkable. He needs to get out of his comfort zone and start fighting.
-
In case anybody cares what I think, sacking Houllier now and patricularly based on this one game, is a load of old bollocks.
Agreed.
Despite last nights debacle, he should be given 3 seasons.
Only then can a Manager be properly judged.
I disagree Fletch. If a manager is not up to the job, the club should get rid.
You and Chris Smith are polar opposites.
You say get rid whenever, he says minimum 10 years.
We've got to see if he can put his philosophy into practice for next season.
-
He's shown enough for me since the turn of the year that his experience and philosphy is beginning to see some benefits. I have been impressed with the quality of football and the signings he has made.
Some of the over-reaction reflects the emotion of the moment and I was as fed up as everyone else. He made a decision, rightly or wrongly, that he believed was for the benefit of the club and fans. He hasn't done it simply to piss the fans off.
Once this messy season is over, I'm keen to see what he does to further re-shape the squad in the image he wants. We need to become meaner at the back, but I really believe we will see a squad that will be better placed to challenge again next season.
-
As I said a couple of days ago, our form's been pretty sound so far in 2011. Last night was disappointing - I felt GH could have rested a couple of players but still put out a better-balanced side; that said, it would have been interested to see how the game would have panned out had we not conceded that lucky early goal. Ball bounces off Clark straight to Toure five yards out. Up against it immediately.
I wanted to get this tie over and done with, and out of the way for good reason - I still think I'd have preferred us to have drawn anyone else away but City. We're showing signs of getting it together under Houllier, he shouldn't go.
-
In case anybody cares what I think, sacking Houllier now and patricularly based on this one game, is a load of old bollocks.
Agreed.
Despite last nights debacle, he should be given 3 seasons.
Only then can a Manager be properly judged.
I disagree Fletch. If a manager is not up to the job, the club should get rid.
You and Chris Smith are polar opposites.
You say get rid whenever, he says minimum 10 years.
We've got to see if he can put his philosophy into practice for next season.
I haven't said we should get rid whenever, just when it's glaringly obvious a manager is not up to the job and it's obvious he's out of his depth. Dr Jo being a classic example. Ideally a manager should be given time to get it right but there will always be exceptions. I don't think this current one is but it does concern me looking at GH's record that his success was always with Berges. It was a great partnership that obviously worked well both at Liverpool and Lyon.
For now we need to give GH time, even if it's difficult to endorse him fully to get us back on track. Yesterday apart, there are positive signs we are finally improving but like so many false dawns under MON, one minute you think we're turning the corner, the next you realise it will get no better. It's bloody frustrating.
I can't speak for Chris but I'm sure he has his reasons for supporting previous managers, from memory DOL was the wrong timing and he thought MON could still keep on improving, at least to be given another season. Ideally we should have a manager with a view to the medium, long term objectives but it's not a law written in stone that a manager can only be judged after three seasons. The most important thing is to find the right manager and as I've said, I'm not sure GH is but I'm certainly not calling for him to be sacked.
-
So, picking a side that you don't agree with is now considered a sackable offence, because if you strip away all the emotive stuff that is all that happened last night. We're turning football into a reality show where fans think that they can vote out the ones they don't like.
I realise this is just a typical Chris Smith attempt at being contrary, but do you really think that last night's team selection was acceptable?
I don't want him sacked, that would be daft, but I would like a better explanation than a Gallic shrug and some pathetic mumblings about them all being internationals (of Australia, Bulgaria, U-21's, the odd fringe player at a decent country and Emile Fucking Heskey).
-
So, picking a side that you don't agree with is now considered a sackable offence, because if you strip away all the emotive stuff that is all that happened last night. We're turning football into a reality show where fans think that they can vote out the ones they don't like.
I realise this is just a typical Chris Smith attempt at being contrary, but do you really think that last night's team selection was acceptable?
I don't want him sacked, that would be daft, but I would like a better explanation than a Gallic shrug and some pathetic mumblings about them all being internationals (of Australia, Bulgaria, U-21's, the odd fringe player at a decent country and Emile Fucking Heskey).
It's not an attempt at being contrary it is my opinion, just accept that we don't all see things the same as you.
Many people have called for the manager to be sacked on this thread, they weren't saying it on Tuesday so it has to be down the team he picked last night. I think that's stupid.
He pick the team he did because he's worried about relegation, you might not think it is that important but he doesn't have that luxury and I am sure his boss has made him aware that it is not an option. I wouldn't have made as many changes myself but he's the manager and he has the right to pick the side he wants. I also understand that if he wants to get a look at Bradley, Bannan, Delph and Herd in first team action then he doesn't have many other chances to take the risk.
-
Last night it was MONs players that were shite, not GHs.
It's taken longer than i thought it would, but i knew MON would get the blame for last night eventually.
-
So, picking a side that you don't agree with is now considered a sackable offence, because if you strip away all the emotive stuff that is all that happened last night. We're turning football into a reality show where fans think that they can vote out the ones they don't like.
I realise this is just a typical Chris Smith attempt at being contrary, but do you really think that last night's team selection was acceptable?
I don't want him sacked, that would be daft, but I would like a better explanation than a Gallic shrug and some pathetic mumblings about them all being internationals (of Australia, Bulgaria, U-21's, the odd fringe player at a decent country and Emile Fucking Heskey).
We don't have a divine right to win the FA Cup, just because we really, really want to. Even if we had beaten Man Citeh last night, we'd still have had Arsenal/Man U in the final. Given the mess he inherited, he's done very well to get some wins but the priority remains the League and not getting relegated.
I was fuming about Moscow, but I'm not so upset about last night. Not to say I'm dancing in the street but I can see why he rested players.
I'm just pleased to see the likes of Delph & Herd get a chance and not resorting to the likes of Beye & Warnock.
-
So, picking a side that you don't agree with is now considered a sackable offence, because if you strip away all the emotive stuff that is all that happened last night. We're turning football into a reality show where fans think that they can vote out the ones they don't like.
I realise this is just a typical Chris Smith attempt at being contrary, but do you really think that last night's team selection was acceptable?
I don't want him sacked, that would be daft, but I would like a better explanation than a Gallic shrug and some pathetic mumblings about them all being internationals (of Australia, Bulgaria, U-21's, the odd fringe player at a decent country and Emile Fucking Heskey).
Given the mess he inherited, he's done very well to get some wins
Yes, 8 wins in 28 league games, he has done well.
-
One day on and I'm still angry.
Doesn't help that I currently have to work alongside four Citeh fans. Of course the most informed comment came from the one who'd actually attended: "Can we have the balls back? That was the most entertaining thing your lot did all night..."
-
Villa fans wanted their money back , that's why they kept the ball..
-
He pick the team he did because he's worried about relegation, you might not think it is that important but he doesn't have that luxury and I am sure his boss has made him aware that it is not an option. I wouldn't have made as many changes myself but he's the manager and he has the right to pick the side he wants. I also understand that if he wants to get a look at Bradley, Bannan, Delph and Herd in first team action then he doesn't have many other chances to take the risk.
I've yet to read a quote from GH saying that his team selection was based on fear of relegation. I'd have thought he'd have a lot more faith in the team and squad than to panic and dismiss the cup. As for Bradley, Delph, Bannan, the Fonz and Herd, there's no reason why he can't give them playing time in league matches, ideally coming off the bench when we're 3-0 up against somebody like Blackburn, for example.
As I said earlier, I get the feeling he's trying to accomodate everybody, keeping all the players happy, rather than getting on with the job in hand of winning games whilst improving the general performance of the team. Let's be honest, we haven't a clue what will be the starting XI against Bolton. I'm all for a bit of rotation but 8 changes just when we're trying to build up a bit of momentum was madness.
-
Any idea when GH lets the players know who's playing ? day before ? hour before Kick off ?
-
So, picking a side that you don't agree with is now considered a sackable offence, because if you strip away all the emotive stuff that is all that happened last night. We're turning football into a reality show where fans think that they can vote out the ones they don't like.
I realise this is just a typical Chris Smith attempt at being contrary, but do you really think that last night's team selection was acceptable?
I don't want him sacked, that would be daft, but I would like a better explanation than a Gallic shrug and some pathetic mumblings about them all being internationals (of Australia, Bulgaria, U-21's, the odd fringe player at a decent country and Emile Fucking Heskey).
Given the mess he inherited, he's done very well to get some wins
Yes, 8 wins in 28 league games, he has done well.
Or one defeat in nine - at Old Trafford.
-
Villa fans wanted their money back , that's why they kept the ball..
Is that why they kept the ball? I thought they were just showing the players how to do it.
-
Villa fans wanted their money back , that's why they kept the ball..
Is that why they kept the ball? I thought they were just showing the players how to do it.
They sent about 8 stewards in to get the balls back, barged lil innocent me rite out the way they did
-
Near me they sent in a similar number to evict a fan who'd had a fag.
Probably the only person last night wearing Villa colours to set the world alight , whilst our Cup dreams went up in smoke.
-
Villa fans wanted their money back , that's why they kept the ball..
Is that why they kept the ball? I thought they were just showing the players how to do it.
They sent about 8 stewards in to get the balls back, barged lil innocent me rite out the way they did
It was funny, in a naughty but I'm fed up type of way, when they showed on the big screen our fans heading the ball to each other.
-
Villa fans wanted their money back , that's why they kept the ball..
Is that why they kept the ball? I thought they were just showing the players how to do it.
They sent about 8 stewards in to get the balls back, barged lil innocent me rite out the way they did
It was funny, in a naughty but I'm fed up type of way, when they showed on the big screen our fans heading the ball to each other.
the head tennis was the highlight of a depressing nite
-
So, picking a side that you don't agree with is now considered a sackable offence, because if you strip away all the emotive stuff that is all that happened last night. We're turning football into a reality show where fans think that they can vote out the ones they don't like.
I realise this is just a typical Chris Smith attempt at being contrary, but do you really think that last night's team selection was acceptable?
I don't want him sacked, that would be daft, but I would like a better explanation than a Gallic shrug and some pathetic mumblings about them all being internationals (of Australia, Bulgaria, U-21's, the odd fringe player at a decent country and Emile Fucking Heskey).
We don't have a divine right to win the FA Cup, just because we really, really want to. Even if we had beaten Man Citeh last night, we'd still have had Arsenal/Man U in the final. Given the mess he inherited, he's done very well to get some wins but the priority remains the League and not getting relegated.
I was fuming about Moscow, but I'm not so upset about last night. Not to say I'm dancing in the street but I can see why he rested players.
I'm just pleased to see the likes of Delph & Herd get a chance and not resorting to the likes of Beye & Warnock.
Yeah it was lovely to see Delph and co get a run out. It really warmed the heart. Tell you what, why don't we just play friendlies from now on. Who cares about winning stuff.
-
Villa fans wanted their money back , that's why they kept the ball..
Is that why they kept the ball? I thought they were just showing the players how to do it.
They sent about 8 stewards in to get the balls back, barged lil innocent me rite out the way they did
It was funny, in a naughty but I'm fed up type of way, when they showed on the big screen our fans heading the ball to each other.
It looked ace on the telly as well!
-
So to sum up; if we'd played a full team last night and lost and then played basically the same side at Bolton and lost again everyone would be really happy.
-
Why did he need to rest anyone? They can't play 3 games in a week? What a load of bollocks.
-
So to sum up; if we'd played a full team last night and lost and then played basically the same side at Bolton and lost again everyone would be really happy.
I wouldn't be as utterly dispirited and disillusioned as I am now. That is for certain.
If we played Man City with what I'd view as a strong or near full strength XI and lost I'd accept that. They have a better side with better players. I'd be upset we were out but it would not be soul-destroying like last night was. I also haven't spent the last two weeks thinking ahead to the Bolton game like I was for our crucial cup game.
-
So to sum up; if we'd played a full team last night and lost and then played basically the same side at Bolton and lost again everyone would be really happy.
Chris remember Moscow how we lost it after that. If we had played the same team that beat Blackburn minus Bent and lost I would have been happy. Why because Aston Villa FC competed in an FA cup game. Instead Houlier decided before a ball was kicked that Aston Villa can not compete with Man City and gave up. This is not acceptable. No Never.
If we had than lost to Bolton so be it. I would rather we compete with the best than give up.
-
Villa fans wanted their money back , that's why they kept the ball..
Is that why they kept the ball? I thought they were just showing the players how to do it.
They sent about 8 stewards in to get the balls back, barged lil innocent me rite out the way they did
Can't a club with all that money afford more than one ball..
-
So to sum up; if we'd played a full team last night and lost and then played basically the same side at Bolton and lost again everyone would be really happy.
You do post some arse at times Smudger!
All any fan wants is for their team to give their all in every match, and as part of that we want the manager to pick a team capable of competing.
In your desperate attempt to defend Hotlips' frankly disgusting decision you are making it look like you condone treating the FA Cup as a second rate competition, is that correct?
-
So to sum up; if we'd played a full team last night and lost and then played basically the same side at Bolton and lost again everyone would be really happy.
Why are you taking it to such extremes?
Nobody is happy about losing games, nobody likes it.
The point is that people think we could have put in a better attempt at winning last night than we did. What if we'd won last night? Imagine the spirit today and Saturday going into the Bolton game. In fact, if we'd lost last night having put out a full strength team, it would have been better, because now we've got a negative atmosphere of having given up hanging around the club.
I don't think he should be sacked. I thought MON did, on balance, the right thing in Moscow, but the circumstances were different. I think GH got it wrong and fucked up big time last night, though.
I understand what he was trying to do - I think everyone can work out that he was resting players for the league - I just think he went way, way too far. Not to mention then throwing Walker, Young and Downing on for the last 20 minutes with us three down - that on top just reinforces the impression that he fucked it up badly last night.
-
Why did he need to rest anyone? They can't play 3 games in a week? What a load of bollocks.
I could understand him resting one of the three Downing/Ash/Albrighton combo , but all of them .
-
So to sum up; if we'd played a full team last night and lost and then played basically the same side at Bolton and lost again everyone would be really happy.
No, i would have been upset that we lost both, but i would'nt have blamed a defeat at Bolton on us playing a near enough full strength side for a place in the Quarter Final of the Cup.
-
Why did he need to rest anyone? They can't play 3 games in a week? What a load of bollocks.
I could understand him resting one of the three Downing/Ash/Albrighton combo , but all of them .
And then bringing two of them on with 20 minutes left and us 3 goals down.
-
Leicester City gave them a right game twice ... Went for it and at times looked the better team..
-
Leicester City gave them a right game twice ... Went for it and at times looked the better team..
I wonder if West Ham will play a weakened side against Stoke in the Quarters to help them stay up.
-
Why did he need to rest anyone? They can't play 3 games in a week? What a load of bollocks.
I could understand him resting one of the three Downing/Ash/Albrighton combo , but all of them .
And then bringing two of them on with 20 minutes left and us 3 goals down.
Perhaps he'd decided to bring them on and indicated this to the fourth official just before they scored and it was too late to change the decision?
-
Moscow was a disgrace
Manchester was a disgrace
Why the fuck would anyone bother paying to watch a cup run anymore knowing the rug could be pulled from under your feet from the inside at any stage. Disrespectful and pathetic
-
Why did he need to rest anyone? They can't play 3 games in a week? What a load of bollocks.
I could understand him resting one of the three Downing/Ash/Albrighton combo , but all of them .
And then bringing two of them on with 20 minutes left and us 3 goals down.
Perhaps he'd decided to bring them on and indicated this to the fourth official just before they scored and it was too late to change the decision?
Maybe, but i'm sure that board they hold up has a 'cancel' button.
-
Perhaps he'd decided to bring them on and indicated this to the fourth official just before they scored and it was too late to change the decision?
You can change your mind right up to the point where both players to be swapped are over the touchline.
Imagine if you have one sub left, have indicated you are swapping strikers and your keeper suddenly twists an ankle, you can change your sub.
-
Why did he need to rest anyone? They can't play 3 games in a week? What a load of bollocks.
I could understand him resting one of the three Downing/Ash/Albrighton combo , but all of them .
And then bringing two of them on with 20 minutes left and us 3 goals down.
That to me is probably the most baffling aspect of the whole evening... with his team selection GH had decided we had no chance then with 20 minutes to go and 3-0 down he decides to play his regular first team players... what the f**k is that all about!
-
Just remembered another depressing element about last night, this was shown on the big screens at half time:
Fails on the following points:
1) Use of the phrase "the beautful game"
2) Referring to football clubs by their nicknames
3) Use of the word "footie"
4) Looking like Colin Murray
-
Perhaps he'd decided to bring them on and indicated this to the fourth official just before they scored and it was too late to change the decision?
Correct Dave, the sustitution isnt made until the player has entered the FOP. Which is why its 1 on, 1 off, in other words the player coming on cant enter until the player coming off leaves the pitch. Until that happens, the manager can change his mind, and alter it.
You can change your mind right up to the point where both players to be swapped are over the touchline.
Imagine if you have one sub left, have indicated you are swapping strikers and your keeper suddenly twists an ankle, you can change your sub.
-
So to sum up; if we'd played a full team last night and lost and then played basically the same side at Bolton and lost again everyone would be really happy.
You do post some arse at times Smudger!
All any fan wants is for their team to give their all in every match, and as part of that we want the manager to pick a team capable of competing.
In your desperate attempt to defend Hotlips' frankly disgusting decision you are making it look like you condone treating the FA Cup as a second rate competition, is that correct?
Which brings me on to another of my pet subjects, the FA Cup is a second rate competition judging by the number of people who bother to turn up for games. Everyone on here claims to love it more than they love their own mothers (exaggeration for comic effect before anyone gets touchy) yet attendances tell a different story.
However, my point is that for Hotlps and his boss staying in the PL is a thousand times more important than getting to a cup final to be dicked by Manu again. I might not think the same but it's not my money or my job on the line.
-
And at this point me and Chris merge and agree.
I fucking hate modern football, yet I keep watching it, keep throwing money at it....aaarrgghhhhh!!!!!
-
Just remembered another depressing element about last night, this was shown on the big screens at half time:
...
4) Looking like Colin Murray
Bring forth the guillotine for that alone.
-
I was too angry to post last night but I have now run out of things to smash.
I am just sitting in my pants with snot running down my face, surrounded by small pieces of crockery.
I am OK about it now.
Now that made me laugh long and loud. Thank McGrath for posters like Damon :D
-
Why did he need to rest anyone? They can't play 3 games in a week? What a load of bollocks.
This is what most of can't understand 110%!
-
I understand what he was trying to do - I think everyone can work out that he was resting players for the league - I just think he went way, way too far. Not to mention then throwing Walker, Young and Downing on for the last 20 minutes with us three down - that on top just reinforces the impression that he fucked it up badly last night.
he most certainly did and he knew it too
-
Meh big fuss over nothing. The first team would have been rolled over just as easily.
We're shit in Manchester. 3 wins in over 20 years.
-
Ads there is nothing wrong with fans having that view however when our Manager has it than we are f*cked!
-
Just remembered another depressing element about last night, this was shown on the big screens at half time:
Fails on the following points:
1) Use of the phrase "the beautful game"
2) Referring to football clubs by their nicknames
3) Use of the word "footie"
4) Looking like Colin Murray
Thanks for that Joe - I had managed to erase that from my memory.