Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Chris Smith on September 22, 2010, 08:39:52 AM
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Today is the first day of a new era at VP. Although it is unrealistic to expect us to stop talking about the previous manager as there are still too many unanswered questions it is time to stop using his departure as an excuse. Time to start looking forward, not backwards.
It is Gerard's team now. I am really excited about what he and his staff can bring to the club, the article in The Guardian today (link below) where he talks about us being too nice and creating a winning mentality is excatly what I wanted to hear.
Gerard speaks (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/sep/21/gerard-houllier-aston-villa-manager)
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I'm really looking forward to it and I think it is the perfect game for him to start on. A win tonight will not only keep us in the one competition we have a chance in but also give us momentum.
Also before the game on Saturday, we all agreed that Allbrighton needs a rest and Young needs to go back to the wing. It's good to see that I am as good as Houllier (wink)
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Well said Chris. Onwards and upwards.
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Unrealistic that some of us will not stop talking about that prick.
It is actually the old managers team, but the new manager is in charge.
Will we get a free scarf tonight? Bright future and all that?
A winning mentality is a good idea, but some fitness would be a good idea.
Good article by the way.
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From the Guardian:
Gérard Houllier says it is time Aston Villa rediscovered winning ways
- Villa's new manager wants Carling Cup run
- Richard Dunne out of Blackburn game
Gérard Houllier has issued a bullish call to arms ahead of his first game as Aston Villa manager by proclaiming that the club needs to "get out of its comfort zone" and show renewed ambition to challenge for trophies. Houllier, who formally took over yesterday, said Villa are well-respected within Europe but suggested their image was too "nice" and that the club lacked the winning mentality required to win things.
The Frenchman hopes to address those shortcomings over the course of his three-year stay, which effectively starts tomorrow, when Villa host Blackburn Rovers in the third round of the Carling Cup. The match comes 44 days after Martin O'Neill resigned as manager, leading to a turbulent period that coincided with Kevin MacDonald being appointed as caretaker and the club making an unconvincing start to the season that included elimination from Europe at the first hurdle.
Houllier admitted the Villa players were low on confidence and that the timing of O'Neill's exit had left them feeling "a bit of shock", although the former Liverpool manager is hopeful that his arrival, allied to the appointment of Gary McAllister as his assistant and Gordon Cowans as first‑team coach, will bring some much‑needed stability. In the longer term, however, he has a grand vision and has set his sights on altering the mentality of everyone connected with the club to end their 14-year wait for a trophy.
"Villa is a club which is liked in Europe. It has an identity," Houllier said. "Aston Villa is known as [being like] Paris Saint‑Germain. This club is known to be a good club. I've not met anyone saying it's a bad club. What the club needs is more ambition, more biting teeth.
"When you are a good club everything is fine, the comfort is there. What we need to do is get out of this comfort zone a bit more and get the results. The passion is there [but] the ambition to win things could do well at this club. The image is that it's a nice club. We want to be a winning club. A nice, winning club."
The League Cup would seem to be the perfect competition to kickstart that transformation. It was the first trophy that Houllier won at Liverpool, in 2001, when he also picked up the FA Cup and Uefa Cup during his most successful season at Anfield. "It [the League Cup] took a lot of pressure off the team," Houllier said. "If you remember, even Chelsea, their first [Premier League] title came after winning the League Cup. I remember speaking to [José] Mourinho and saying: 'Don't neglect that cup because if you win it, the confidence will grow.' This is exactly what happened to us: we practically won everything."
Although Houllier is keen to get through against Blackburn, he has taken a gamble with his team selection. Richard Dunne is ruled out with a knee injury and Stephen Ireland is doubtful after picking up a dead leg but Houllier plans to make a number of other changes regardless. With Villa out of the Europa League and looking like also-rans in the race for a place in the top four, the Villa manager is taking a risk. "Obviously I saw 11, 12, 13 players on Saturday, now I need to see the others," said Houllier, who confirmed that Marc Albrighton, the young right-winger, will be among those rested.
The 63-year-old has started to implement what he described as a "more continental" training regime and, over time, also expects the style of play to change. One change is likely to see Ashley Young, who has enjoyed playing in a more advanced role this season, just behind the striker, return to the flank.
"I think he plays for the national team as a winger, which means if he wants to keep his position and be extremely effective, maybe he has to play [at Villa] as a winger," he said.
Houllier revealed he has yet to sign his contract at Villa, although he made light of the hold-up, and pointed out that it was not until November that he put pen to paper at Liverpool during his first year in charge. He has more pressing things on his mind, including lifting some of the gloom at Villa Park. "You get smiles on faces with some results. And once you get some results, then you get more confidence and can work in a different way," he said. "But I trust this team. We've got a decent squad."
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Albrighton will be rested tonight.
Good idea GH.
I think tonight is a very good game to start with.
Looking forward to it.
I like the bit about not neglecting the cups, something GH has never done.
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Houllier revealed he has yet to sign his contract at Villa..
Wait until Queen of the Drama Queens, Paulie Walnuts reads that.
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You mean her Imperial Dramajesty? :)
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I don't think GH is officially free from the french FA yet. I'm sure when he is an official contract will be signed. He'll be working under some 'agreement' surely.
Anyway, this doesn't worry me.
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Good words from Gezza!
I especially like the 'winning mentality' thing. I do think there's something wrong if everyone likes us!
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He appears to have a very good understanding in a short time of the current state of the club.
We are too nice, we lack bite and players are in a comfort zone.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the season now and it's good news to hear that Young is reverting back to the flank.
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I think we will be ok under him.
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Yep, great read ahead of tonight thanks Chris. Sounds like he sees himself as a big moderniser behind the scenes. Not being hard on KMac but it's very reassuring to have the feeling that a different level of analysis is now going on re team selection.
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I think we will be ok under him.
I have no doubt we will be, but I want more than 'OK'!
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GH talks alot of sense... Bring it on...
how many times have we said on here we are too nice..... Been saying it for years..
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Nice words, let's hope they translate into actions....
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I can't wait until managers like Ferguson and Wenger habitually come away from games against us moaning about the ref and our tactics or whatever, as it'll mean that we've given them a good stuffing rather than giving it a valiant go and losing.
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I hope that fans will give Ged time and not go overboard if things don't go to plan immediately.
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I can't wait until managers like Ferguson and Wenger habitually come away from games against us moaning about the ref and our tactics or whatever, as it'll mean that we've given them a good stuffing rather than giving it a valiant go and losing.
This is not meant as a pro-Martin dig, but when we did win at OT and the Emirates, were they having a go? I can't remember that they were.....?
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I always like to see how others compare us. So, we're Paris St Germain of the European world (if you see what I mean). Seems fair enough.
A line has been drawn by the vast majority I think. The manager is now in place, the background staff are more or less tehre also, so time to concentrate on what he can bring to us. Although its probably easy to say that about the fans, its the players he needs to win over.
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I agree wholeheartedly with Chris that there's a lot to be positive about. GH has already said that his team won't be the strongest available but what's important is the attitude and commitment of the team he selects and his tactics. I look forward to seeing how he strengthens the midfield, which has been getting overrun recently.
I welcome the switch of Ashley back to the wing. I thought his central role, behind Gabby, worked when it was tried some time ago, but it hasn't been very successful this time. I think he'll be an improvement on Albrighton, who's certainly shown lots of promise but too often takes one touch too many and spoils a good move.
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I do like the noises he is making and we know already far more about his methods than we ever did with MoN. I like the sound of the squad being split with one group focussing on tonight and the other on the Wolves game. A breath of fresh air.
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Excellent stuff from Mr Houllier.
Up and at 'em!
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We are too nice, i've been saying it for about two years. He's been here two days officially and he's spotted it already, so that bodes well for the future.
Nice to see a French manager that holds the League Cup with some esteem, Wenger could learn a thing or two from that. What he says about it building confidence is spot on.
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If the walk is as good as the talk then it sounds spromising.
Bit early for the Guardian to describe us looking like also rans in the challenge for top4 when we're one point off 4th place despite the turmoil.
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The Cups should be a priority at Villa... we are good enough to beat the top 4's reserve teams and with Spurs and Everton out of the League Cup it offers us a great chance.
Watch us lose 1-0 tonight!
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The Cups should be a priority at Villa... we are good enough to beat the top 4's reserve teams and with Spurs and Everton out of the League Cup it offers us a great chance.
Watch us lose 1-0 tonight!
Possibly as Blackburn will probably be thinking similar.
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Houllier revealed he has yet to sign his contract at Villa..
Wait until Queen of the Drama Queens, Paulie Walnuts reads that.
SSN has just repotred this as breaking news that he hasn't signed a contract
** sighs*
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Hope he will win the three pots with us too! It don't have to be in the same season though! Although I don't mind that!
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Seriously?
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Excellent stuff from Mr Houllier.
Up and at 'em!
Am I the only one who read that in the voice of Radioactive man?
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interesting interview, and i cant really disagree with any of it...
lots of things have needed to change at the villa for a while now, and he seems to understand what needs changing...
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Excellent stuff from Mr Houllier.
Up and at 'em!
Am I the only one who read that in the voice of Radioactive man?
jiminy jillikers!
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Houllier revealed he has yet to sign his contract at Villa..
Wait until Queen of the Drama Queens, Paulie Walnuts reads that.
SSN has just repotred this as breaking news that he hasn't signed a contract
** sighs*
Not runninng across the bottom at least but had breaking news in corner when it was reported
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Really like the quotes. Welcome Gerard!
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He's starting from a better position than Everton, by some way I wonder what the Guardian think of their chances of the top 4.
As expected, he says all the right things and coherently, I can't wait to see how quickly he changes things on the pitch and how.
As with his predecessor, in fact all new managers it will take time for his methods to work their way through, especially the change to a more Foreign approach to coaching, that made me smile.
But the hope for good has returned, I just wish he'd had more time in a pre season to get to grips with the squad, especially as its been a relatively easy start fixture wise up until now
Good luck, Ged, 3 years to work it out, here's dreaming, we won't be as poor as so many pundits and newspaper experts expect.
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A good statement by Houllier, lets hope it's not just empty rhetoric, all villa fans have said for a while we need to be ruthless and close out games, let's prove it tonight against the cloggers of Blackburn
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Very promising interview from GH. You get the sense that we are about to modernise as a club and have a manager now who knows how to win. We have been a hard team to beat over the past four seasons and I see that continuing. However, what could be worth a few crucial extra points is that we now have a fresh approach to squad rotation, tactics and training under a manager who has won domestic and European cups.
Proud history, Bright future :)
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I am just glad we have somebody in charge. Another couple of weeks and I would have settled for Christopher Biggins
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There was no outstanding choice- alongside Sven he was a contender as least worst choice.
I am Houllier neutral, neither wildly for, or against, but think that the Gary Mac appointment is a shrewd one. MONs three successive sixth placed finishes was the best of any Villa post WW2 manager. Nothing has happend which is going to improve Houlliers chances of improving on that.
I remember when Gregory was appointed and feeling gutted, but for a time it worked. Just maybe Houllier can have a similar short term impact. I was and am a MON fan. But I am also deeply suspicious of the belief that managers need to be around forever. MON did do a good job and it was unlikely to get better without mega finance which Randy, understandably, is loathe to provide.My disappointment is that MON didnt shake hands at the end of last season with his head held high.
Unlike some others I think that our "buy British" policy was a good one, and worked, it gave the club an identity. His struggle was with buying foreign, Beye, Petrov, Salifou etc.
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Changing the training regime, returning Ash to the wing (hopefully not in a 4-4-2, please God!), talking about a winning mentality - all good signs.
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Today is the first day of a new era at VP. Although it is unrealistic to expect us to stop talking about the previous manager as there are still too many unanswered questions it is time to stop using his departure as an excuse. Time to start looking forward, not backwards.
It is Gerard's team now. I am really excited about what he and his staff can bring to the club, the article in The Guardian today (link below) where he talks about us being too nice and creating a winning mentality is excatly what I wanted to hear.
Gerard speaks (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/sep/21/gerard-houllier-aston-villa-manager)
Well said Chris and my thoughts entirely. Time to look forward and move on.
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I watched the whole press conference yesterday and to be honest between that and the initial one, I'm yet to hear him say anything that I didn't like. He has a very unassuming, calm style, but you know there's a hammer behind it. He's called for patience while he gets things established down there, and he'll certainly need at least 2 transfer windows to get the players in that will make significant differences. I think we ow him that. I'm very optimistic about the next few years.
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It may be coincidence but Downing's form of the last few games has shown a marked improvement.
I think the comfort zone is out of bounds for the foreseeable future.
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It's not that he is starting from a terrible base with a bunch on useless players though. Two decent, first team, signings would have a significant impact on the team and the overall performances.
Midfielder and striker... £10m-£15m a go... get scouting Mr H.
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I am just glad we have somebody in charge. Another couple of weeks and I would have settled for Christopher Biggins
He would have got a Lukewarm response.
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I watched the whole press conference yesterday and to be honest between that and the initial one, I'm yet to hear him say anything that I didn't like. He has a very unassuming, calm style, but you know there's a hammer behind it. He's called for patience while he gets things established down there, and he'll certainly need at least 2 transfer windows to get the players in that will make significant differences. I think we ow him that. I'm very optimistic about the next few years.
Yup, it is going to take time for him to make his mark on the club, he was right to point that out in his interview.
He's not going to realistically get the chance to do much in January, as it is so hard to do business then, so I imagine this season will be very much about working with what he has, which is a more than decent starting point.
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There's no substitute for winning, but I have to say when I saw his press conference yesterday I was glad to see he was still smiling and joking. Let's see that on the pitch tonight, please.
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He's not going to realistically get the chance to do much in January, as it is so hard to do business then, so I imagine this season will be very much about working with what he has, which is a more than decent starting point.
When Martin came in in summer 2006 he also had very little time to recruit, so both he and the club pushed the boat out and we got 3 signings in Jan 2007, two of which were amongst his best and are still with us now. I'm expecting something similar this time around and would be disappointed if we didn't at least get one quality player!
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I think ged can take us further than mon but this season is about consolidating,next summer ged can begin to bring in the players he needs. I would be happy with top 8 this season.
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He said yesterday he was pleased with what he had and that we already had three top class strikers so it wasn't a priority to get another in. If Gabby doesn't take the mard off his face Houllier might revise that opinion.
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Yep, great read ahead of tonight thanks Chris. Sounds like he sees himself as a big moderniser behind the scenes. Not being hard on KMac but it's very reassuring to have the feeling that a different level of analysis is now going on re team selection.
Correct for me. I feel that, although he's done brilliant well for the reserves, K-Mac has picked up on the way MoN did things and maybe figured that was THE way to do it.
Hopefully Houllier will drag us kicking and screaming into some modern football.
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He said yesterday he was pleased with what he had and that we already had three top class strikers so it wasn't a priority to get another in. If Gabby doesn't take the mard off his face Houllier might revise that opinion.
I think what he means is that we have three strikers who can all, ostensibly, play as the lone man up front. Nobody really demands that you have more than three adequate goalkeepers for one position, and though it's different with strikers, if you're going to play one for most of the time there's not much need for four.
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I think ged can take us further than mon but this season is about consolidating,next summer ged can begin to bring in the players he needs. I would be happy with top 8 this season.
I'd be disappointed if we slipped to 8th. I think with the players we already have, money to spend in January and Liverpool and Everton both starting slowly we should be aiming for at least 6th. That's not to say I'll be kicking up a fuss if we don't achieve it but I will certainly not be 'happy' with 8th.
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I think ged can take us further than mon but this season is about consolidating,next summer ged can begin to bring in the players he needs. I would be happy with top 8 this season.
I'd be disappointed if we slipped to 8th. I think with the players we already have, money to spend in January and Liverpool and Everton both starting slowly we should be aiming for at least 6th. That's not to say I'll be kicking up a fuss if we don't achieve it but I will certainly not be 'happy' with 8th.
This team has shown that it is capable of a lot more than it has displayed in the last couple of weeks. GH alluded to the consterntion that has been caused over the past month as one of the main reasons for that. The season is a very long one, and I believe that if we are lying 7th or 8th come January, we will add 1 or 2 players to freshen things up and make a real run at 6th. I certainly don't think Man City, Liverpool or Spurs are that much better than us, and all three have obstacles that will hinder their respective campaigns. The only teams in my opinion are out of reach this season are Chelsea, Arsenal and Man U. The rest are within reach if we have stability and some investment.
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Today is the first day of a new era at VP. Although it is unrealistic to expect us to stop talking about the previous manager as there are still too many unanswered questions it is time to stop using his departure as an excuse. Time to start looking forward, not backwards.
It is Gerard's team now. I am really excited about what he and his staff can bring to the club, the article in The Guardian today (link below) where he talks about us being too nice and creating a winning mentality is excatly what I wanted to hear.
Gerard speaks (http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/sep/21/gerard-houllier-aston-villa-manager)
Fully agree and well said.
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january is never easy to sign quality players and I think the summer is more likely.
I think 8th is decent enough having inherited someone elses squad but id expect to see an improvement next season once ged has bought in some of his own players.
A cup would be the icing on the cake !
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I agree with Chris, given how poorly the Dippers and the Bitters have started and how poor they look in general, then I see no reason why we cannot finish 6th at least.
As for January, its obviously tough to get the right players at the right price, but if we’ve opened up our horizons with regards to who we’re willing to sign, then at least we’ll have a bigger pool of players to choose from. Plus there is a minimum of £16 million to spend.
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I agree with Chris, given how poorly the Dippers and the Bitters have started and how poor they look in general, then I see no reason why we cannot finish 6th at least.
As for January, its obviously tough to get the right players at the right price, but if we’ve opened up our horizons with regards to who we’re willing to sign, then at least we’ll have a bigger pool of players to choose from. Plus there is a minimum of £16 million to spend.
Who are the "Bitters"???
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I have kept out of the various debates about who would be our new manager etc but I feel now is a good time to give my thoughts. MON has gone, he left us high and dry at the worst possible time but it is now time to move on and put that behind us. Houllier came as a suprise but there were a lot worse names being linked with us. GH will take stock and see what improvements we need to take us forward and we need to be patient and give him a chance. From the comments he is making already he seems to be on the ball (we are in our comfort zone) and the team need to push on if we are to challenge at the top end.
I think Ash is more effective on the wing and when Ireland is fully fit he should play in the role behind the striker.
The time has come to get behind the team/club and see where the journey takes us.
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I agree with Chris, given how poorly the Dippers and the Bitters have started and how poor they look in general, then I see no reason why we cannot finish 6th at least.
As for January, its obviously tough to get the right players at the right price, but if we’ve opened up our horizons with regards to who we’re willing to sign, then at least we’ll have a bigger pool of players to choose from. Plus there is a minimum of £16 million to spend.
Who are the "Bitters"???
Everton.
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PARIS fucking SAINT GERMAIN? WHAT? That fucking shower in their shitty concrete stadium with bog seats for er... seats who attract all the neo-nazis down one end and all the chavvy, hoodie gangs down the other. Cheeky fucker!
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PARIS fucking SAINT GERMAIN? WHAT? That fucking shower in their shitty concrete stadium with bog seats for er... seats who attract all the neo-nazis down one end and all the chavvy, hoodie gangs down the other. Cheeky fucker!
I have to say, talking about a 'nice club' and then comparing us to PSG did strike me as a bit mental.
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Saint Etienne would be more like it.
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Saint Etienne would be more like it.
Oh, hang on, their fans are really loud singers.
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Liked by many, glorious history but haven't really won anything since the 80s (I think their last title was also in '81?)? It's not a bad comparison, and I have a soft spot for Les Verts, but we haven't been recently overtaken by savvy neighbours who win everything in sight. I think the club we're most like across Europe is probably Hamburg.
One good comparison with St Etienne, though: there's an English band called St Etienne and a French one called Aston Villa. That sort of link is priceless. I'd also take Matuidi off their hands as well if we could, strikes me as a sort of French Delph.
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And let us note that Lyon are currently 'languishing' in 17th spot while St Etienne are top of the table (http://www.lfp.fr/ligue1/classement.asp) for the first time since about 1982, I think. in fact, look at the top four: it's like having Villa top with Wigan, Wolves and Stoke just below.
Now, I know many don't rate Ligue 1 football, but at least you can still have any old team top of the league and teams from Division 19 nearly winning the cups.
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Saint Etienne would be more like it.
Oh, hang on, their fans are really loud singers.
&feature=related
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And let us note that Lyon are currently 'languishing' in 17th spot while St Etienne are top of the table (http://www.lfp.fr/ligue1/classement.asp) for the first time since about 1982, I think.
True, but Toulouse apart they've beaten Sochaux, Lens and Montpellier, games that you'd expect them to do well in. They're also relying on Payet a bit, not in itself a bad thing as he's a really good player, but the goals will have to come from elsewhere. Still, The Big One this weekend, away at the Gerland. We'll learn more about both teams after this one.
I prefer Ligue 1 to the Bundesliga, much more exciting football in my view and no Bayern-style superclub, no 'FC Hollywood' that wins every other year at least. Much more fun.
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After the game at St Etienne. Nobody is 'beating the traffic' in their end.
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Ged Said:
"Villa is a club which is liked in Europe. It has an identity," Houllier said. "Aston Villa is known as [being like] Paris Saint‑Germain. This club is known to be a good club. I've not met anyone saying it's a bad club. What the club needs is more ambition, more biting teeth.'
*Clappy man*
He's bang on there I reckon.
I think we can expect to be in the 6th to 8th area this season under Houllier. We are in transition and it will take time for him to stamp his image upon the team. After that I expect us to climb up that table a bit.
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O'Neill said similar things when he arrived "It's been 25 years since the European Cup..that is the dream" "I have seen a few players from a distance...". Houllier is saying the same: "good club, be nice to win something. Saw a few players on Saturday, blah, blah." Whatever.
Interested in his "continental" approach to training though. About time they did something more inventive than a game of "Germans" and a quick jog round Bodymoor with extra-heavy big headphones on.
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I can see where he's coming From in a way as we have won the league once once in the last 100 yrs and the fa cup once in the last 90 yrs , so to a Frenchman we wouldn't appear as big as we maybe think we are.
Agree sandman I think 6 th to 8th would be ok this year and kick on next season, I think given time GED could be very successful here and am looking forward to his reign.
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We should aim at 7th, no doubt, as our competition for that is Everton and their start has been even worse than ours, and hardly much more difficult games (including us beating them) either. Blues, Fulham, Sunderland - I don't think they're ready for the step-up to top 8 yet. We could get sixth if Liverpool continue to stutter and Ged settles quickly, and maybe adds one or two in January. I think 4 and 5 will prove to be Man City and Spurs respectively, but there's no reason why we should be too far behind, and that would be a good platform to build on for next season.
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Monty, you look at Liverpool's midfield and it says everything about where they are as a club right now when you think "Christ, they miss Kuyt".
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Monty, you look at Liverpool's midfield and it says everything about where they are as a club right now when you think "Christ, they miss Kuyt".
Not too dissimilar, you might say, to looking at us against Bolton and thinking "Christ, they miss NRC". Which of course is a better situation for us than for them, because we intend to improve on NRC - they've tried and failed to improve on Kuyt.
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True, but I think we miss them for differing reasons. They’re midfield looks so uncreative that Dirk Kuyt starts to become an appealing option.
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Very true. And considering I used NRC as a comparison because they're players with about the same ratio of graft/creativity, that's pretty damning.
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Which is why I think we can and will finish above them. Especially if Tores still continues to struggle to get over the injury he had from last season.
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I'm less worried about their quality, more about our profligacy. We've got a tough run ahead of us and we really should have more points on the board from the games we've had, and Liverpool's fixtures look better than ours.
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True enough, but I think that by moving Ireland into a more advanced role should help us on the goal scoring and creativity front. The fixtures are tough, but I still think we can get a good few points out of them. Having Chelsea at home is a bonus.
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In a weird way, the timing of Ged's arrival could help us. Maybe we need the 'new manager effect' in these sorts of difficult games like Wolves.
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Yes, the bounce should help. To be honest, we can’t play any worse there this time around than we did last year. Certainly one for Nigel. If we come out of the next three league games with 5-7 points, then we’ll be alright for a top 6 finish in my view.
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Agreed, I'd take that sort of total from the next few as well.
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I think the nature of the last bloke's departure is always going to be dragged up, at least for this season. Unless we confound the critics and go on an unbelievable run.
Encouraging stuff from GH, but it's hard to affect even gradual change mid season and get results. Players might try to follow the new instructions to the letter, but the first time they're under the cosh or concede they'll revert to what they know.
Pessimistic hat on: I think we might bow out tonight.
There is only so much rotation we can do and if he wants to look at the likes of Sidwell, Davies and Beye this evening we could get turned over. Blackburn are a few notches above Rapid Vienna, lets face it.
But in the long run it might be better for us -in so far as GH getting to know exactly what he has on the books.
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I'm quite excited about the prospect of Ash switch ing out to the left and Ireland assuming a more attacking role. With one of Albrighton/Downing out left and Gabby up top, that certainly has goals in it, provided they play with the right attitude. I would hope Houllier can then solidify the midfield with some organisation until January and maybe a signing after this (my preference would be for someone like Flamini). Given this set of events (and I don't think it's too unachievable), then I think we could be in the mix for the last CL place again this season and would be reasonably happy with finishing sixth again...
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I am Houllier neutral, neither wildly for, or against, but think that the Gary Mac appointment is a shrewd one. MONs three successive sixth placed finishes was the best of any Villa post WW2 manager.
Hmmmm, I would argue that 1 1st place finish is much better than 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 6th places finishes, but there you go.
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I don't think you can compare Ged's first conference with MON's... Ged seems to understand at a ground level what we're about as a club whilst MON just used the European Cup to big up himself with.
Ged may very well do to us what Arsene Wenger has done to the Arse. Arsenal had the drinking/gambling culture before Wenger stepped in and turned them into double champions. Villa has completed one-half of that with Randy et al, but the coaching/tactics were still in the 80s. Ged will bring us into the 21st.
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I would like him to leave tomorrow. Then I will not have to read that horrible word 'Ged' any more.
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Is that what we're calling him now? Ged?
When people started to put LOL in response to my emails a few years ago i thought they were calling me Larry and I never really got it. As if it were a pet name. I wondered why so many people thought of me as a Larry. No, really.
Larry and Ged. Nice.
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Is that what we're calling him now? Ged?
Seems so. I prefer GH, but there you go.
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Is that what we're calling him now? Ged?
Seems so. I prefer GH, but there you go.
Its all getting text speakish now isn't it? DOL, MON, VP, GH.
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Most legal documents abbreviate after the first mention of the name is given in full.
At least that's how it pans out on most of my restraining orders.
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"Houllier has been awarded the Légion d'honneur for his services to French football, and an honorary OBE for services to British football."
It was the word 'Legion' that worried me.
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Can I also say thank you To Chris's GP for relenting and finally agreeing to resume his repeat Prozac prescription.
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Really good words from GH but as Big Ron would say, don't tell me show me.
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Lets hope we have got a "bright future" in the second half of this Blackburn game .....
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Lets hope we have got a "bright future" in the second half of this Blackburn game .....
Bright enough!!!
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I am an optimist in everything but Villa but It will be very interesting to see how GH handles the squad. I have seen some posters saying Petrov was dropped, absolute rubbish, what we have is a new manager seeing all his squad perform to guage exactly what he has to work with. I think we will see many changes over the next twelve months but more interesting is if he can reverse the form of players like Sidwell. Probably get slaughtered for this but a player doesn't lose natural ability which he once had,lets see if GH can turn him around.
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This wound me up at half time last night, so:
"Two home cup games, two cup exits?
Post-MON is becoming increasingly like pre-MON..."
Topdeck113...
:P Give him a chance...see what happened.??? Did you?? See that?? Know what that was??? Plan Fookin' B!! That's what that was...you know that thing we've all complained MoN never had?? Plan B in your face!! :P
But seriously I'm not suggestsing this season is going to be easy, it's not going to be a bed of roses. We will lose a few between here and January, but patience Padwan things might just turn out for the best. I like Monsiuer G's style, he's got a nice presence in front of the camera and seems as if he can "keep calm and carry on".
Let's give him some time. January next season. Please.
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Great 2nd half, nice to see a change in shape and good use of subs too, maybe he can even get heskey playing as he seems to think heskey is more of a confidence player than most- keep it up GED!
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In the modern tradition of calling somebody by their first initial and first few letters of their surname (K Fed, R Patz, K Mac... etc) I'm going to call him Ghoul. I hope he haunts the top 4 too and slows his car down to look at the trophy crash on the M6.
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In the modern tradition of calling somebody by their first initial and first few letters of their surname (K Fed, R Patz, K Mac... etc) I'm going to call him Ghoul. I hope he haunts the top 4 too and slows his car down to look at the trophy crash on the M6.
He's been called that on a Bluenose site so please don't.
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But seriously I'm not suggestsing this season is going to be easy, it's not going to be a bed of roses.
No pleasure cruise...
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In the modern tradition of calling somebody by their first initial and first few letters of their surname (K Fed, R Patz, K Mac... etc) I'm going to call him Ghoul. I hope he haunts the top 4 too and slows his car down to look at the trophy crash on the M6.
He's been called that on a Bluenose site so please don't.
Really? I think I need a shower...
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Some Emile Heskey quotes from the Daily Mail:
'It was nice to get out there and contribute to the team. The manager told us it's not just the XI on the park, it's the subs too and the lads in the stands as well. Everyone is part of it and we need everyone focusing on the same goal.'
Maybe the previous manager didn't stress this point as much.
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Some Emile Heskey quotes from the Daily Mail:
'It was nice to get out there and contribute to the team. The manager told us it's not just the XI on the park, it's the subs too and the lads in the stands as well. Everyone is part of it and we need everyone focusing on the same goal.'
Maybe the previous manager didn't stress this point as much.
Or at all, if some reports are to be believed.
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It's ok to have an `Us and Them' mentality so long are there are enought of `Us' to field a team
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Good quotes from Houllier.
What is it with this Ged nonsense by the way?
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Good quotes from Houllier.
What is it with this Ged nonsense by the way?
I like it.
It reminds me of a country farmer and James Ewell Brown Sturat’s nickname. And he was a bit of a lad.
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It reminds me of those annoying Irish ****** from X Factor.
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It makes me think of laziness. And a lack of respect for our manager's proper name.
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It makes me think of laziness. And a lack of respect for our manager's proper name.
Oi, I'll have you know there's nothing wrong with shortening the name Gerard.
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In last night's programme, in the Roll of Honour, or whatever it's called, they had the manager down as
Gerald Houllier.
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We need to decide once and for all what we will shorten M Houllier's name to.
Ged?
Houl?
GH?
Ger?
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We need to decide once and for all what we will shorten M Houllier's name to.
Ged?
Houl?
GH?
Ger?
I have a friend called Gerard, who also happens to be French, and everyone calls him G.
And as he is fat and Jewish and uninterested in football, I am unlikely to get them mixed up
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We need to decide once and for all what we will shorten M Houllier's name to.
Ged?
Houl?
GH?
Ger?
Have we put this to the vote yet? Perhaps we should. I am finding the question vexing.
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I know! Ask the General.
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The general calls him GH I think.
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The general calls him GH I think.
Then its GH's claret & blue army - simples!
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Wy don't we do something right out of left field and call him Gerard?
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Who he?
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Wy don't we do something right out of left field and call him Gerard?
I believe that this is due to the massive difference in pronunciation between the French and Brummy versions.
In French, the name Gerard Houllier is quite sonorous, and pleasant sounding. Jerud Oo-Lee-oy does not have quite the same ring.
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I'm gonna call him M'sieur 'oullier, and nothing any vote says will change my mind.
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I'm sticking with 'Gezza'!!
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I'm gonna call him M'sieur 'oullier, and nothing any vote says will change my mind.
Maybe we should try that in our chants:
"Monsieur - gis a wave! Monsieur Monsieur gis a wave!"
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BTW I see Collymore has changed his tune:
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2160642,00.html? (http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2160642,00.html?)
Probably didn't want to lose the gig in the programme.
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In deference to my favourite old sitcom I'm going to call him Hotlips Houllier.
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It makes me think of laziness. And a lack of respect for our manager's proper name.
Oi, I'll have you know there's nothing wrong with shortening the name Gerard.
Indeed, if that's what the person wants!