Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Fergal on September 12, 2011, 04:01:32 PM
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What is it with some people on here?
I have had a few rants and posted my fair share of shyte from time on this forum but I have never wanted one of our players to have a serious long term injury.
What is going wrong?
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What is it with some people on here?
I have had a few rants and posted my fair share of shyte from time on this forum but I have never wanted one of our players to have a serious long term injury.
What is going wrong?
it's just from a few people Fergal.
To ever want one of our own to be seriously injured is beyond ridiculous. You really may as follow another team. I hear the Manchester teams aren't bad and their bandwagon always has room. Fuck off and join them.
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It's only heskey though
Put a traffic cone in a replica shirt a hey presto no-one will notice the difference
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Welcome to the Internet where people revel in their own stupidity.
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I get the distinct impression some desperately want McLeish to fail. Sorry chaps but it ain't gonna happen.
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I might not agree with him playing in certain positions in front of certain players but the myth that he is useless is just plan wrong. And what the f%*k has he done to merit people wanting him to be physically hurt?!
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After losing their best player, spending nothing in the transfer window, entering yet another 'missed opportunity' season, a protest before the game, I couldn't believe how positive and supportive the Everton fans were for their team on Saturday. Most impressive.
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I get the distinct impression some desperately want McLeish to fail. Sorry chaps but it ain't gonna happen.
I sense that too. Even some people who are not in that camp tend to turn on him fairly quickly and easily.
Even looking past that there is, from some posters on here, a festering air of extreme negativity that is quite unedifying.
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It's only heskey though
Put a traffic cone in a replica shirt a hey presto no-one will notice the difference
the fact that Heskeys goal against Blackburn equates to half of our points this season pisses on your chips somewhat. Let's not let the facts get in the way of a good witch hunt though, ey?
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I get the distinct impression some desperately want McLeish to fail. Sorry chaps but it ain't gonna happen.
I sense that too. Even some people who are not in that camp tend to turn on him fairly quickly and easily.
Even looking past that there is, from some posters on here, a festering air of extreme negativity that is quite unedifying.
Well said.
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Ever since Randy turned off the money tap some of our supporters have made it clear they want the club to fail so they can be proved 'right.' Looking in some of the darker corners of teh internet you'd be hard-pushed to tell the difference between them and noses on a wind-up.
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I get the distinct impression some desperately want McLeish to fail. Sorry chaps but it ain't gonna happen.
I sense that too. Even some people who are not in that camp tend to turn on him fairly quickly and easily.
Even looking past that there is, from some posters on here, a festering air of extreme negativity that is quite unedifying.
Well said.
Yep,you're right,its been brewing for a while,from the last days on M'ON,to the whole time under GH. Maybe its the way of the modern fan and football,but in all the years ive supported Villa,its always been a few highs followed by more lows,but you go with the flow and enjoy the good times,don't get too down beat during the bad times.
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Welcome to H&V, where even idiots are entitled to an opinion.
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I might be able to understand it if we were blessed with options, but we're thin on the ground up front and have got a complete nutjob and a bunch of mostly unproven kids sat on the bench. Nothing can possibly go wrong there can it, I mean we did so well last season when we got a handful of injuries...
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Some football supporters thrive on hate.
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After losing their best player, spending nothing in the transfer window, entering yet another 'missed opportunity' season, a protest before the game, I couldn't believe how positive and supportive the Everton fans were for their team on Saturday. Most impressive.
that's a really good point. Their fans looked well up for it despite the fact that the manager has been able to spend nothing at, have lost arguably their best player on deadline day along with two other forwards. They have a chairman that hasn't been able to find a buyer for whatever reason, yet on match day they really got behind their team. Compare that to the empty seats we had for a local derby. I know that things haven't exactly been brilliant of late, and selling Ash and Downing are heavy blows. But on match days it serves no purpose if the atmosphere is like a morgue. It does feed its way down to the players and makes it twice as bad. We need that stadium packed as often as possible, because it's still Aston Villa playing and the club will be here long after the current manager/board/staff/players and all of us are long gone.
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A handful of injuries? At one point we were only a few short of the first day at The Somme.
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I don't want him seriously injured, but I don't particularly rate him. I think we have better options that should be looked at though, but there's a reason I'm not a football manager.
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To be fair everton wasn't sold out and when the camera switched to Bill there was booing
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Two points I wish to make and I will try not to ramble.
Firstly Everton last saturday made a big show of solidarity and getting behind the team because they were in the spotlight and wanted to be seen as good, unified supporters. Fans of just about every team would do it. Good luck to them. The test of whether they are better than the fans of other clubs will come when the glare of publicity is off them and they are struggling to keep up their standards. Even the most lukewarm supporters those of the Arsenal were singing we love you Arsenal as the goals tsunamied in at the Manuredrome. Does that make the Arsenal fan base passionate, loyal and diehard? Not in my book.
The second point I wish to make is that there is a universe of difference between fearing the worst and wanting the worst to happen. I fear the worst but I no more want Emile Heskey to hurt himself than I want one of my children or grandchildren to do so.
On Radio 4 earlier this week there was a discussion about the importance of history. An historian was quoted as follows "madness ensues when a person cannot remember what has happened to him and act upon it. The same will happen to society if it cannot remember what has happened in the past and act upon it."
A few weeks ago a poster longed for the return of the days of Blanchflower, Hitchens and McPartland (sic).
Dave Woodhall immediately replied that when those three great players were playing for Villa we were rubbish. We were rubbish, I can vouch for it.
I do not feel negativity towards Villa, I feel a profound sense of unease about where we are and what is going on.
I am impressed by Alex McLeish's handling of the media, I am impressed by all the off the field things he does with one or two small exceptions but I am not impressed by any of the games we have played. He talks a very good game of football but we have not seen one from him yet in five games. That is the root of my unease.
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Two points I wish to make and I will try not to ramble.
Firstly Everton last saturday made a big show of solidarity and getting behind the team because they were in the spotlight and wanted to be seen as good, unified supporters. Fans of just about every team would do it. Good luck to them. The test of whether they are better than the fans of other clubs will come when the glare of publicity is off them and they are struggling to keep up their standards. Even the most lukewarm supporters those of the Arsenal were singing we love you Arsenal as the goals tsunamied in at the Manuredrome. Does that make the Arsenal fan base passionate, loyal and diehard? Not in my book.
The second point I wish to make is that there is a universe of difference between fearing the worst and wanting the worst to happen. I fear the worst but I no more want Emile Heskey to hurt himself than I want one of my children or grandchildren to do so.
On Radio 4 earlier this week there was a discussion about the importance of history. An historian was quoted as follows "madness ensues when a person cannot remember what has happened to him and act upon it. The same will happen to society if it cannot remember what has happened in the past and act upon it."
A few weeks ago a poster longed for the return of the days of Blanchflower, Hitchens and McPartland (sic).
Dave Woodhall immediately replied that when those three great players were playing for Villa we were rubbish. We were rubbish, I can vouch for it.
I do not feel negativity towards Villa, I feel a profound sense of unease about where we are and what is going on.
I am impressed by Alex McLeish's handling of the media, I am impressed by all the off the field things he does with one or two small exceptions but I am not impressed by any of the games we have played. He talks a very good game of football but we have not seen one from him yet in five games. That is the root of my unease.
This is spot on, and i feel the same trepidation about the feeling that you know something is going to happen sometime and form will drop as will heads and the gaff will be blown from there on in, we have started reasonably, but we just haven't been convincing, and McLiesh does come over very poker faced and everything is in hand, that is of course until the!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!fan.
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I am impressed by Alex McLeish's handling of the media, I am impressed by all the off the field things he does with one or two small exceptions but I am not impressed by any of the games we have played. He talks a very good game of football but we have not seen one from him yet in five games. That is the root of my unease.
5 games though Brian. He had to fix the defence and get the team playing for each other. I think he's on the right track with both. In 5 games, that in itself is some achievement.
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Brian, last season you were convinced that we were going to be relegated under Houllier/McAllister. We eventually finished 9th. How do you envisage the outcome of this one?
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After losing their best player, spending nothing in the transfer window, entering yet another 'missed opportunity' season, a protest before the game, I couldn't believe how positive and supportive the Everton fans were for their team on Saturday. Most impressive.
Maybe our supporters should take a leaf out of their book.
I always tend to look on the positive side of things regarding our club and it really does p**s me off how negative some are.
I do despair at times, such as Sunderland and Wolves at home last season, the bright side being it couldn't get any worse :-)
At the end of the day, we're all entitled to our opinions. But, why do the negetive ones get all abusive when we positive ones disagree?
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Some of you on here will remember the day that Mr. Saunders was appointed to manage our club, and without the 'benefit' of the internet we all asked the same question that's being asked now.
How many of you that were around in those days thought "yes good call, he'll build three teams that will culminate in winning the League Championship?"
I'll hold my hand up to being a doubter in those days, which is a good enough reason for me to be patient with AM. As long as the board are willing to give him time and the "fans" don't hound him out.
I honestly think that given two to three years AM will give us all something to crow about.
Hmmm, on second thoughts and in this age of "I want it all, and I want it now" maybe we should be calling for his head on Saturday.
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I dont wish Heskey to be long term injured, but if he stays out of the team for ever that's just fine by me. Step up to the plate Bannan or Ireland or anyone else in the squad because they will surely offer more than that lumbering carthorse has ever offered. Just because he scored a scuffed miss-kick against Blackburn is no reason to play him. Consider if A N Other had been wearing the shirt in that match we may have scored more goals than we did. Heskey is just the sort that is blocking the rise of talented youngsters and he should have been shipped out in the summer.
I never wanted AM but I hope he is a huge success at Villa. However one win and 3 poor draws is not the good start that our opening four fixtures should have provided and when you consider the much stronger opposition to come we can only pray for an improvement. I hope AM is learning and can prove to be up to the task.
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I get the distinct impression some desperately want McLeish to fail. Sorry chaps but it ain't gonna happen.
I sense that too. Even some people who are not in that camp tend to turn on him fairly quickly and easily.
Even looking past that there is, from some posters on here, a festering air of extreme negativity that is quite unedifying.
Well said.
Yep,you're right,its been brewing for a while,from the last days on M'ON,to the whole time under GH. Maybe its the way of the modern fan and football,but in all the years ive supported Villa,its always been a few highs followed by more lows,but you go with the flow and enjoy the good times,don't get too down beat during the bad times.
I think it's part modern football/life being so instant and mercenary; grab it now and judge everything on what you've got, and part the attitude of if you haven't got what you want it must be someone else's fault.
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Frankly I'm reaching the end of my tether with reading the angst ridden, anger laden, vitriolically over burdened, incentive filled, unthought out witterings of some of the posters on this site. I used to enjoy reading and posting some derogatory (mainly in an anti-Ellis vein) tirades. However if I log on to this site once a day now it is with the creeping fear of reading the witless rumblings of complete numpties.
Can we not set a filter whereby we can eradicate the postings of our least favourite members (sic) and the endless "qoute wars" that can almost consume an entire page in a single post?
Love you H+V, but hate you just the same.
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Support is a forgotten virtue amongst some Villa fans.
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re: Brian green
I think if you are going to quote the importance of history regarding villa, i think an apt quote is from Karl Marx (yes I know), when he wrote:
"History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce".
Recently, tragedy can be seen in the 2009-2010 season; farce would be 2010-2011. I have no idea which this season will be.
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Leeg, it is true I genuinely feared we would be relegated with Houllier. When we lost the Wolves game I was braced for it. At that point Small Heath looked less likely than us to go down. I make a point of never being hostile or rude to other posters however much I disagree with them but I would call anybody a liar who said they fancied going into the Arsenal and Liverpool games needing to scrape points for survival. The last two weeks of the season were kind to us and ninth place flattered us hugely.
I don't fear relegation with Alex McLeish. I fear something much worse. We will win ugly lose ugly and draw ugly and going to a Villa game will be something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
I could not abide Gerard Houllier at any price but at least you eventually could see what he was trying to do albeit in fits and starts and bits and pieces.. For the life of me in the five games so far I cannot see what Alex McLeish is trying to do. Perhaps the Newcastle game will start to disperse the fog but I shall not be there. I am taking my wife to the theatre.
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re: Brian green
I think if you are going to quote the importance of history regarding villa, i think an apt quote is from Karl Marx (yes I know), when he wrote:
"History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce".
Recently, tragedy can be seen in the 2009-2010 season; farce would be 2010-2011. I have no idea which this season will be.
Triumph! At least, one of the cups and /or finishing 4th would do it for me!
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Leeg, it is true I genuinely feared we would be relegated with Houllier. When we lost the Wolves game I was braced for it. At that point Small Heath looked less likely than us to go down. I make a point of never being hostile or rude to other posters however much I disagree with them but I would call anybody a liar who said they fancied going into the Arsenal and Liverpool games needing to scrape points for survival. The last two weeks of the season were kind to us and ninth place flattered us hugely.
I don't fear relegation with Alex McLeish. I fear something much worse. We will win ugly lose ugly and draw ugly and going to a Villa game will be something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
I could not abide Gerard Houllier at any price but at least you eventually could see what he was trying to do albeit in fits and starts and bits and pieces.. For the life of me in the five games so far I cannot see what Alex McLeish is trying to do. Perhaps the Newcastle game will start to disperse the fog but I shall not be there. I am taking my wife to the theatre.
Have to agree with all that. I guess its early days and its not AM's team yet by any means but it does seem we've reverted to hoof, but on a budget. I don't think anyone's surprised by this particulary, but it is depressing thats seems the limit of our ambitions
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Leeg, it is true I genuinely feared we would be relegated with Houllier. When we lost the Wolves game I was braced for it. At that point Small Heath looked less likely than us to go down. I make a point of never being hostile or rude to other posters however much I disagree with them but I would call anybody a liar who said they fancied going into the Arsenal and Liverpool games needing to scrape points for survival. The last two weeks of the season were kind to us and ninth place flattered us hugely.
I don't fear relegation with Alex McLeish. I fear something much worse. We will win ugly lose ugly and draw ugly and going to a Villa game will be something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
I could not abide Gerard Houllier at any price but at least you eventually could see what he was trying to do albeit in fits and starts and bits and pieces.. For the life of me in the five games so far I cannot see what Alex McLeish is trying to do. Perhaps the Newcastle game will start to disperse the fog but I shall not be there. I am taking my wife to the theatre.
Have to agree with all that. I guess its early days and its not AM's team yet by any means but it does seem we've reverted to hoof, but on a budget.
I have'nt seen any evidence of 'hoofing' with the goals we've scored so far in fairness, but i suppose you get a different perspective on the tellybox.
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I believe the main reason he plays Heskey is because of his physical presence, particularly in our own box ironically. We are not a big side and I think he thinks we're going to get outmuscled against the bigger sides. Certainly, Everton caused us all sorts of problems from set pieces.
Not enough reason to play him, and it's at the expense of more talented players who are easier on the eye, but I think his remit is to keep us in the top half of the table whicheever way he can.
It will be interesting to see if the influence of Cowans and MacDonald helps to soften our style of play over time.
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I believe the main reason he plays Heskey is because of his physical presence, particularly in our own box ironically. We are not a big side and I think he thinks we're going to get outmuscled against the bigger sides. Certainly, Everton caused us all sorts of problems from set pieces.
Not enough reason to play him, and it's at the expense of more talented players who are easier on the eye, but I think his remit is to keep us in the top half of the table whicheever way he can.
It will be interesting to see if the influence of Cowans and MacDonald helps to soften our style of play over time.
If Heskey is there because of his physical presence why does he go to ground so easily?
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Leeg, it is true I genuinely feared we would be relegated with Houllier. When we lost the Wolves game I was braced for it. At that point Small Heath looked less likely than us to go down. I make a point of never being hostile or rude to other posters however much I disagree with them but I would call anybody a liar who said they fancied going into the Arsenal and Liverpool games needing to scrape points for survival. The last two weeks of the season were kind to us and ninth place flattered us hugely.
I don't fear relegation with Alex McLeish. I fear something much worse. We will win ugly lose ugly and draw ugly and going to a Villa game will be something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
I could not abide Gerard Houllier at any price but at least you eventually could see what he was trying to do albeit in fits and starts and bits and pieces.. For the life of me in the five games so far I cannot see what Alex McLeish is trying to do. Perhaps the Newcastle game will start to disperse the fog but I shall not be there. I am taking my wife to the theatre.
Have to agree with all that. I guess its early days and its not AM's team yet by any means but it does seem we've reverted to hoof, but on a budget.
I have'nt seen any evidence of 'hoofing' with the goals we've scored so far in fairness, but i suppose you get a different perspective on the tellybox.
maybe not the goals but that seems our main method of attack especially against everton. We were dead lucky against them and if you give away possession at the first opportunity pumping it blindly up field sooner or later you'll play a team who keep possession and will punish us. God help us when we play the likes of the mancs and chelsea
Maybe you have a a very poor picture on your tv due to the digital switchover because i've yet to see a football game where you can't make out who has the ball most of the time.
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I do not think we have adopted "hoofball" as a deliberate tactic either. Yes we have used it but its generally been when we have been under pressure (although it is a bit chicken and egg). I think we have tried to play pretty decent football but simply are not quite there yet, maybe ultimately not good enough.
Anyway, my point is this. Under MON hoofball was for the best part accepted, whereas now it is AMc as manager it is seen as a fundamental and unacceptable tactic. I am not saying that AMc should not be criticised but I do get the impression that AMc is not being judged entirely fairly and is being hit with whatever stick is easiest to grab and people are ignoring some of the good things that he has introduced.
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I am impressed by Alex McLeish's handling of the media,
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me too especially the bit when he lied about one of his players being injured because he had failed a drug test. But it's okay because he was told to do it.
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I do not think we have adopted "hoofball" as a deliberate tactic either. Yes we have used it but its generally been when we have been under pressure (although it is a bit chicken and egg). I think we have tried to play pretty decent football but simply are not quite there yet, maybe ultimately not good enough.
Anyway, my point is this. Under MON hoofball was for the best part accepted, whereas now it is AMc as manager it is seen as a fundamental and unacceptable tactic. I am not saying that AMc should not be criticised but I do get the impression that AMc is not being judged entirely fairly and is being hit with whatever stick is easiest to grab and people are ignoring some of the good things that he has introduced.
I think thats fair comment. Personally i feel more animosity to Lerner than AM. AM has a style and sticks to it and fair enough, but even if he wanted to play a more attractive style his hands are tied. You just can't bring those sort of players in on the budget he's got so its no surprise he's playing to his strengths.
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So we play hoof ball except for the times when we don't. More top class analysis from the Nash imagination.
There is nothing wrong with using long balls at times to stretch the opposition. If it becomes the only tactic then it becomes an issue but that's clearly not the case with us.
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So we play hoof ball except for the times when we don't. More top class analysis from the Nash imagination.
There is nothing wrong with using long balls at times to stretch the opposition. If it becomes the only tactic then it becomes an issue but that's clearly not the case with us.
Half the press reported the same so we all seem to be suffering from the same mass delusion then. Check out our stats for the game. Hardly keeping hold of the ball were we? Hardly creating loads of chances were we? No wonder Bent looks demoralised
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So we play hoof ball except for the times when we don't. More top class analysis from the Nash imagination.
There is nothing wrong with using long balls at times to stretch the opposition. If it becomes the only tactic then it becomes an issue but that's clearly not the case with us.
Half the press reported the same so we all seem to be suffering from the same mass delusion then. Check out our stats for the game. Hardly keeping hold of the ball were we? Hardly creating loads of chances were we? No wonder Bent looks demoralised
That's because they were on top for a lot of the game and we were spending much if it just having to clear it. When we did have periods of possession we tried to play football.
It was the circumstances of the game rather than a deliberate tactic, you can't always dictate how it is played.
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We (Aston Villa) do have a large share of moron fans.
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It will be interesting to see if the influence of Cowans and MacDonald helps to soften our style of play over time.
Of course it will. I think this is a great move by AM. Maybe he just wanted to be tight and get a few points on the board early on, knowing what the reaction of the fans would be if we had a very bad start. It was, and still is, going to take AM a while to stamp his style on the team, and his style, will probably be very different to the style he had down the road, simply because we have better players.
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So we play hoof ball except for the times when we don't. More top class analysis from the Nash imagination.
There is nothing wrong with using long balls at times to stretch the opposition. If it becomes the only tactic then it becomes an issue but that's clearly not the case with us.
Half the press reported the same so we all seem to be suffering from the same mass delusion then. Check out our stats for the game. Hardly keeping hold of the ball were we? Hardly creating loads of chances were we? No wonder Bent looks demoralised
That's because they were on top for a lot of the game and we were spending much if it just having to clear it. When we did have periods of possession we tried to play football.
It was the circumstances of the game rather than a deliberate tactic, you can't always dictate how it is played.
the circumstances of the game were dictated by the managers tactics - if you're happy to stay in your own half for most of the game you won't have much of the ball. The only way you can release that pressure is to hoof it. that was the game plan and credit where credits due it worked. More by luck than judgement i'd say
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Poor old Heskey gets enough unfair stick as it is without people wishing injury on him.
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Leeg, it is true I genuinely feared we would be relegated with Houllier. When we lost the Wolves game I was braced for it. At that point Small Heath looked less likely than us to go down. I make a point of never being hostile or rude to other posters however much I disagree with them but I would call anybody a liar who said they fancied going into the Arsenal and Liverpool games needing to scrape points for survival. The last two weeks of the season were kind to us and ninth place flattered us hugely.
I don't fear relegation with Alex McLeish. I fear something much worse. We will win ugly lose ugly and draw ugly and going to a Villa game will be something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
I could not abide Gerard Houllier at any price but at least you eventually could see what he was trying to do albeit in fits and starts and bits and pieces.. For the life of me in the five games so far I cannot see what Alex McLeish is trying to do. Perhaps the Newcastle game will start to disperse the fog but I shall not be there. I am taking my wife to the theatre.
Have to agree with all that. I guess its early days and its not AM's team yet by any means but it does seem we've reverted to hoof, but on a budget.
I have'nt seen any evidence of 'hoofing' with the goals we've scored so far in fairness, but i suppose you get a different perspective on the tellybox.
maybe not the goals but that seems our main method of attack especially against everton. We were dead lucky against them and if you give away possession at the first opportunity pumping it blindly up field sooner or later you'll play a team who keep possession and will punish us. God help us when we play the likes of the mancs and chelsea
Maybe you have a a very poor picture on your tv due to the digital switchover because i've yet to see a football game where you can't make out who has the ball most of the time.
The picture was fine on what i was watching the Everton game on, but i've been at all the other games and whilst we have played it long at times, it's not been our main tactic. If we keep scoring goals like Gabby's, the long ball myth from the people who just think we play that way will soon die away.
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I should have added at the end of my last comment that I am not staying away from the Newcastle game because my commitment to the club is somehow diminished by my current misgivings. I shall not be there because for the present I need a driver. Damon works most Saturdays and his brother is away on holiday. I shall be at QPR on the 24th as racked with uncertainty as ever I expect.
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Leeg, it is true I genuinely feared we would be relegated with Houllier. When we lost the Wolves game I was braced for it. At that point Small Heath looked less likely than us to go down. I make a point of never being hostile or rude to other posters however much I disagree with them but I would call anybody a liar who said they fancied going into the Arsenal and Liverpool games needing to scrape points for survival. The last two weeks of the season were kind to us and ninth place flattered us hugely.
I don't fear relegation with Alex McLeish. I fear something much worse. We will win ugly lose ugly and draw ugly and going to a Villa game will be something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
I could not abide Gerard Houllier at any price but at least you eventually could see what he was trying to do albeit in fits and starts and bits and pieces.. For the life of me in the five games so far I cannot see what Alex McLeish is trying to do. Perhaps the Newcastle game will start to disperse the fog but I shall not be there. I am taking my wife to the theatre.
A well-written post, as usual. I've emboldened (?) the key parts that I completely agree with.
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I am impressed by Alex McLeish's handling of the media,
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me too especially the bit when he lied about one of his players being injured because he had failed a drug test. But it's okay because he was told to do it.
Alex McLeish has shagged your wife hasn't he?
And then he wiped his cock on your pillow.
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Leeg, it is true I genuinely feared we would be relegated with Houllier. When we lost the Wolves game I was braced for it. At that point Small Heath looked less likely than us to go down. I make a point of never being hostile or rude to other posters however much I disagree with them but I would call anybody a liar who said they fancied going into the Arsenal and Liverpool games needing to scrape points for survival. The last two weeks of the season were kind to us and ninth place flattered us hugely.
I don't fear relegation with Alex McLeish. I fear something much worse. We will win ugly lose ugly and draw ugly and going to a Villa game will be something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
I could not abide Gerard Houllier at any price but at least you eventually could see what he was trying to do albeit in fits and starts and bits and pieces.. For the life of me in the five games so far I cannot see what Alex McLeish is trying to do. Perhaps the Newcastle game will start to disperse the fog but I shall not be there. I am taking my wife to the theatre.
A well-written post, as usual. I've emboldened (?) the key parts that I completely agree with.
he's trying to make us hard to beat, first and foremost and have a sense of identity again. That should be the very first aim of any manager taking over after a year where "doubt and uncertainty" may as well have become part of the club name. It's 5 games, and even the great Sir Graham said it takes up to 3 years for a manager to make a team his own. We all know he won't get that long, but if he's still here he'll have made enough of a mark, and been successful to get 3 more years.
In my opinion, for anyone to judge him, and have a proper idea of who we are and what we might become is very, very unfair indeed.
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Leeg, it is true I genuinely feared we would be relegated with Houllier. When we lost the Wolves game I was braced for it. At that point Small Heath looked less likely than us to go down. I make a point of never being hostile or rude to other posters however much I disagree with them but I would call anybody a liar who said they fancied going into the Arsenal and Liverpool games needing to scrape points for survival. The last two weeks of the season were kind to us and ninth place flattered us hugely.
I don't fear relegation with Alex McLeish. I fear something much worse. We will win ugly lose ugly and draw ugly and going to a Villa game will be something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
I could not abide Gerard Houllier at any price but at least you eventually could see what he was trying to do albeit in fits and starts and bits and pieces.. For the life of me in the five games so far I cannot see what Alex McLeish is trying to do. Perhaps the Newcastle game will start to disperse the fog but I shall not be there. I am taking my wife to the theatre.
A well-written post, as usual. I've emboldened (?) the key parts that I completely agree with.
he's trying to make us hard to beat, first and foremost and have a sense of identity again. That should be the very first aim of any manager taking over after a year where "doubt and uncertainty" may as well have become part of the club name. It's 5 games, and even the great Sir Graham said it takes up to 3 years for a manager to make a team his own. We all know he won't get that long, but if he's still here he'll have made enough of a mark, and been successful to get 3 more years.
In my opinion, for anyone to judge him, and have a proper idea of who we are and what we might become is very, very unfair indeed.
Sense of identity? I think most Villa fans will need to see a therapist to work out what the identity of the club is after the managerial appointment. It's like the person you hate the most suddenly becoming your stepdad.
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Leeg, it is true I genuinely feared we would be relegated with Houllier. When we lost the Wolves game I was braced for it. At that point Small Heath looked less likely than us to go down. I make a point of never being hostile or rude to other posters however much I disagree with them but I would call anybody a liar who said they fancied going into the Arsenal and Liverpool games needing to scrape points for survival. The last two weeks of the season were kind to us and ninth place flattered us hugely.
I don't fear relegation with Alex McLeish. I fear something much worse. We will win ugly lose ugly and draw ugly and going to a Villa game will be something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
I could not abide Gerard Houllier at any price but at least you eventually could see what he was trying to do albeit in fits and starts and bits and pieces.. For the life of me in the five games so far I cannot see what Alex McLeish is trying to do. Perhaps the Newcastle game will start to disperse the fog but I shall not be there. I am taking my wife to the theatre.
A well-written post, as usual. I've emboldened (?) the key parts that I completely agree with.
he's trying to make us hard to beat, first and foremost and have a sense of identity again. That should be the very first aim of any manager taking over after a year where "doubt and uncertainty" may as well have become part of the club name. It's 5 games, and even the great Sir Graham said it takes up to 3 years for a manager to make a team his own. We all know he won't get that long, but if he's still here he'll have made enough of a mark, and been successful to get 3 more years.
In my opinion, for anyone to judge him, and have a proper idea of who we are and what we might become is very, very unfair indeed.
Sense of identity? I think most Villa fans will need to see a therapist to work out what the identity of the club is after the managerial appointment. It's like the person you hate the most suddenly becoming your stepdad.
The identity of the club is exactly the same as it was this time last year. The name of the manager doesn't change that.