The Martin O'Neill thread (with added sacking #2188)

[Jon Crofts]

Anyone notice this on the Sky commentary last night?

'The last team to keep a clean sheet at Old Trafford in the league was Martinoniellsastonvilla'

sigh

In fairness to MON that result at ManU for me was the biggest highlight of his tenure here.

5-1 over blues for me but there were a few great games in his reign.
3-2 at everton , 6-4 blackburn too and plenty more.

The 5-1 I can understand but 3-2 at Everton highlighted everything that was wrong with Villa under O'Neill, 10 minutes to go 2-1 up and defending deeper and deeper no clue as to what to do next, thanks fuck for Ashley Young because O'Neill had nothing to do with that result.

[ozzjim]

Too true. How many times we would get to 60 minutes and just sit on a single goal lead. Never killing sides off.


Hell we create more chances now in our shoddy state.

[Steve R]

Di Canio's comments about fitness levels at Sunderland brought back to mind Terry's comments, that went along the lines of 'with Villa you just have to keep them out for 60 minutes and they run out of steam'.

[Mister E]

Di Canio's comments about fitness levels at Sunderland brought back to mind Terry's comments, that went along the lines of 'with Villa you just have to keep them out for 60 minutes and they run out of steam'.

True, and isn't Lambert's Villa prone to do the same? - leads lost, goals conceded, etc.

[DerHammer]

Di Canio's comments about fitness levels at Sunderland brought back to mind Terry's comments, that went along the lines of 'with Villa you just have to keep them out for 60 minutes and they run out of steam'.

True, and isn't Lambert's Villa prone to do the same? - leads lost, goals conceded, etc.

The leads lost & late conceding goals is true, but I don't think we tire like we did under O'Neill. We seem to be getting stronger as the season progresses.

[Steve R]

Di Canio's comments about fitness levels at Sunderland brought back to mind Terry's comments, that went along the lines of 'with Villa you just have to keep them out for 60 minutes and they run out of steam'.

True, and isn't Lambert's Villa prone to do the same? - leads lost, goals conceded, etc.

With this team I don't think it's a fitness issue. We certainly looked the more sprightly side at the end of Saturdays' game.

I don't remember too many people disagreeing with Terry's comment at the time.

[danno]

Di Canio's comments about fitness levels at Sunderland brought back to mind Terry's comments, that went along the lines of 'with Villa you just have to keep them out for 60 minutes and they run out of steam'.

True, and isn't Lambert's Villa prone to do the same? - leads lost, goals conceded, etc.

With this team I don't think it's a fitness issue. We certainly looked the more sprightly side at the end of Saturdays' game.

I don't remember too many people disagreeing with Terry's comment at the time.

I just remember thinking that however true it was, to crow about it was totally lacking in class. Even more so after such a convincing win.
Can you imagine if after a Chelsea defeat the opposition came out and said "yeah we targeted Terry because he's old slow and past his best". They'd be rightly slaughtered by the press.  His tackle on Milner summed him up.

[Drummond]

We all know Terry has no class.

As for us tiring, MON just didn't do any proper training and it showed. Our poor March record was down to that too, no doubt.

[Mister E]

Di Canio's comments about fitness levels at Sunderland brought back to mind Terry's comments, that went along the lines of 'with Villa you just have to keep them out for 60 minutes and they run out of steam'.

True, and isn't Lambert's Villa prone to do the same? - leads lost, goals conceded, etc.

The leads lost & late conceding goals is true, but I don't think we tire like we did under O'Neill. We seem to be getting stronger as the season progresses.

And

Di Canio's comments about fitness levels at Sunderland brought back to mind Terry's comments, that went along the lines of 'with Villa you just have to keep them out for 60 minutes and they run out of steam'.

True, and isn't Lambert's Villa prone to do the same? - leads lost, goals conceded, etc.

With this team I don't think it's a fitness issue. We certainly looked the more sprightly side at the end of Saturdays' game.
 

Yep, you’re both right; I withdraw my last comment.

[KevinGage]

Di Canio's comments about fitness levels at Sunderland brought back to mind Terry's comments, that went along the lines of 'with Villa you just have to keep them out for 60 minutes and they run out of steam'.

True, and isn't Lambert's Villa prone to do the same? - leads lost, goals conceded, etc.

With this team I don't think it's a fitness issue. We certainly looked the more sprightly side at the end of Saturdays' game.

I don't remember too many people disagreeing with Terry's comment at the time.

I hope it's a weakness we overcome as we evolve under Lambert. 

But then I hoped that -with time- we'd become more composed and better on the ball under O'Neill to close games out.  And that never materialised. 

There is no guarantee that Lambert will nail the defensive weakspots in his approach, Norwich's defensive record was pretty dismal too.  Perhaps it's just the price you pay for a more attacking brand of football.  The hope is that with better resources (players), our problems in that regard get ironed out after the close season.

I'd be interested to know if Bennett has been asked to hold back a bit more too, he's looked better in recent games.  Or -more accurately- we haven't had a big gaping hole down our left hand side for teams to drive two coachloads down anytime they want.    It's a question worth asking. Specific, rather than bland questions that let Lambert just trade in soundbites (not having a pop, most managers are the same).
 

[Matt C]

I like our recent new take on defending narrow leads - just go and score another one.

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

Or two!!

[AV89]

Adrian Durham should prepare to be sued.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3535308/Martin-O-Neill-share-blame-Aston-Villa-s-sorry-demise-club-s-rot-started-reckless-spending.html

[kippaxvilla2]

Wtf bought this back to remind me....

[Ger Regan]

As much as I was / am in the anti-O'Neill camp, it's a bit rich for him to be telling the fans to move on after spending the first half of the article slagging off a manager who left almost 6 years ago.