Houllier confirmed as new manager. Press Conference p22

[Chris Smith]

What on earth are you talking about? It's nothing to do with twisting arguments to suit, it is pointing out that you're not comparing like with like, so statistically it is worthless. If one club has 200 points from 5 seasons and another has 199 points from 3 seasons who is likely to have been the most succesful even though the raw data says that one figure is higher than the other?

We've got a higher overall points total than Chelsea. Have we been a more succesful side in the PL era? Last season we had more points than Liverpool, so we were better than them. The season before they had more than us so were better than us.

More than Chelsea? Wouldn't be too sure about that. The fact that we've been in the Premier League throughout its history is worth mentioning as well, and shows that we are more successful than you, for some reason, would give us credit for. Why you wish to do the club down is beyond me.

Again, nothing to do with 'doing the club down', it's to do with being accurate. I was actually supporting our new manager against a misguided criticism.

Staying in the PL throughout its history is worth mentioning, using spurious statistics to pretend that we're the fifth best in that time is, to use your favourite cliché, very small time.

[ozzjim]

I can't believe the negativity some people have towards G-Dog. Oh yes - he will be known as G-Dog from now on for me. Thanks to a mate who reads these parts. Thanks Mad Dog.

It'll be a cold day in hell before I refer to him as 'G-Dog'

Don't for one second think when you next see him you not think, ah there is G-dog..... You are clearly not down with it Mark.

[dave.woodhall]

What on earth are you talking about? It's nothing to do with twisting arguments to suit, it is pointing out that you're not comparing like with like, so statistically it is worthless. If one club has 200 points from 5 seasons and another has 199 points from 3 seasons who is likely to have been the most succesful even though the raw data says that one figure is higher than the other?

We've got a higher overall points total than Chelsea. Have we been a more succesful side in the PL era? Last season we had more points than Liverpool, so we were better than them. The season before they had more than us so were better than us.

More than Chelsea? Wouldn't be too sure about that. The fact that we've been in the Premier League throughout its history is worth mentioning as well, and shows that we are more successful than you, for some reason, would give us credit for. Why you wish to do the club down is beyond me.

Again, nothing to do with 'doing the club down', it's to do with being accurate. I was actually supporting our new manager against a misguided criticism.

Staying in the PL throughout its history is worth mentioning, using spurious statistics to pretend that we're the fifth best in that time is, to use your favourite cliché, very small time.

Only in the Wonderful World of Smith could points totals be considered spurious.

[rob16v]

More negative press stuff, this time from something called The Bleacher:
Gerrard Houllier Is a Bad Managerial Choice for Aston Villa

Not sure how informed the writer is about Lerner, but it is the Mirror so it's probably bollocks:

LINK

Re your sign-off line "Câlisse d'esti de sacrament de crisse d'osti de viarge de TABARNAK!" Google translates this as "Fuck of the Sacrament of estimates of fucking fucking viarge of tabarnak!" Now is this a poor translation? If not, what the fuck does it fucking mean?

Ask and ye shall seek.

Sacre pink . . . fair enough.

[KevinGage]

I'm not too keen on this:

http://www.lefigaro.fr/football-clubs-etrangers/2010/09/04/02017-20100904ARTSPO00426-houllier-vers-aston-villa.php

Gérard Houllier retrouve donc un championnat qu'il connait bien, lui qui a ramené Liverpool au plus haut niveau entre 1998 et 2004 avec notamment un triplé historique en 2001 (Cup, Coupe de la Ligue, Coupe de l'UEFA). «Aston Villa n'est pas un club du niveau de Liverpool, reconnait-t-il. Soyons objectifs et honnêtes… C'est un club qui se situe, pour moi, entre la septième et la douzième place. C'est surtout un club historique, qui a gagné la Ligue des Champions (Ndlr : en 1982). C'est un club qui a de très bonnes installations, une bonne équipe et qui ne demande qu'une chose : progresser d'année en année.» Pourquoi choisir un club de milieu de tableau anglais, après avoir goûté au plus haut niveau par le passé ? «J'ai bien sûr eu d'autres propositions, mais celle-là me semblait être la plus intéressante en termes d'environnement, de conditions de travail», assure-t-il.

Unless I'm mistaken (and I probably am), that translates as:

"Aston Villa is not a club of the same level as Liverpool" he said. "Let's be objective and honest, it is a club which, for me, finds itself between seventh and twelfth place. It is above all a historic club, which has won the European Cup. It is a club which a very good set up, a good team, and which demands just one thing: to progress year on year". Why choose a mid table English club after having tasted a higher level in the past? "I had other offers, but this seemed to me the most interesting in terms of environment, of work conditions"

Hmm.

Maybe he tried to be honest, rather than risking to appear Houllier-than-thou.

Sounds like a guy trying to set expectations and give himself enough room for manoeuvre if we underperform (and it will be underperforming) and finish mid table this year.

Be interesting to hear what he says tomorrow. When MON came in there was vague mention of European Cups and any club having won one previously should be aiming to do so again.

Our target should be near enough the same ground we've occupied for the past three years 4th-6th. There are better equipped sides than us more capable of securing 4th, I accept that. But in our favour we have a more settled squad than a few of those sides and in a team sport that can prove crucial.

If GH believes his remit is to tread water between 7th-12 and deliver minimal improvement that would be a worry.

I guess we'll have a clearer picture tomorrow.

[Chris Smith]

What on earth are you talking about? It's nothing to do with twisting arguments to suit, it is pointing out that you're not comparing like with like, so statistically it is worthless. If one club has 200 points from 5 seasons and another has 199 points from 3 seasons who is likely to have been the most succesful even though the raw data says that one figure is higher than the other?

We've got a higher overall points total than Chelsea. Have we been a more succesful side in the PL era? Last season we had more points than Liverpool, so we were better than them. The season before they had more than us so were better than us.

More than Chelsea? Wouldn't be too sure about that. The fact that we've been in the Premier League throughout its history is worth mentioning as well, and shows that we are more successful than you, for some reason, would give us credit for. Why you wish to do the club down is beyond me.

Again, nothing to do with 'doing the club down', it's to do with being accurate. I was actually supporting our new manager against a misguided criticism.

Staying in the PL throughout its history is worth mentioning, using spurious statistics to pretend that we're the fifth best in that time is, to use your favourite cliché, very small time.

Only in the Wonderful World of Smith could points totals be considered spurious.

A world where accuracy is prefered to bluster; I leave the latter to those better practiced.

[Matt C]

Not sure how informed the writer is about Lerner, but it is the Mirror so it's probably bollocks:

LINK

First Mirror article in 6 months that doesn't utter the phrase 'sell to buy'?

[Chris Smith]

I'm not too keen on this:

http://www.lefigaro.fr/football-clubs-etrangers/2010/09/04/02017-20100904ARTSPO00426-houllier-vers-aston-villa.php

Gérard Houllier retrouve donc un championnat qu'il connait bien, lui qui a ramené Liverpool au plus haut niveau entre 1998 et 2004 avec notamment un triplé historique en 2001 (Cup, Coupe de la Ligue, Coupe de l'UEFA). «Aston Villa n'est pas un club du niveau de Liverpool, reconnait-t-il. Soyons objectifs et honnêtes… C'est un club qui se situe, pour moi, entre la septième et la douzième place. C'est surtout un club historique, qui a gagné la Ligue des Champions (Ndlr : en 1982). C'est un club qui a de très bonnes installations, une bonne équipe et qui ne demande qu'une chose : progresser d'année en année.» Pourquoi choisir un club de milieu de tableau anglais, après avoir goûté au plus haut niveau par le passé ? «J'ai bien sûr eu d'autres propositions, mais celle-là me semblait être la plus intéressante en termes d'environnement, de conditions de travail», assure-t-il.

Unless I'm mistaken (and I probably am), that translates as:

"Aston Villa is not a club of the same level as Liverpool" he said. "Let's be objective and honest, it is a club which, for me, finds itself between seventh and twelfth place. It is above all a historic club, which has won the European Cup. It is a club which a very good set up, a good team, and which demands just one thing: to progress year on year". Why choose a mid table English club after having tasted a higher level in the past? "I had other offers, but this seemed to me the most interesting in terms of environment, of work conditions"

Hmm.

Maybe he tried to be honest, rather than risking to appear Houllier-than-thou.

Sounds like a guy trying to set expectations and give himself enough room for manoeuvre if we underperform (and it will be underperforming) and finish mid table this year.

Be interesting to hear what he says tomorrow. When MON came in there was vague mention of European Cups and any club having won one previously should be aiming to do so again.

Our target should be near enough the same ground we've occupied for the past three years 4th-6th. There are better equipped sides than us more capable of securing 4th, I accept that. But in our favour we have a more settled squad than a few of those sides and in a team sport that can prove crucial.

If GH believes his remit is to tread water between 7th-12 and deliver minimal improvement that would be a worry.

I guess we'll have a clearer picture tomorrow.

I still think the pertinent bit is "demands just one thing: to progress year on year". Randy said in his statement after MON left "Finally, there have been no changes in our approach to building the club, aiming always to be as competitive as possible given our size and resources." Sounds to me like they're singing from the same hymn sheet.

[freakypete]

collymores a twat,he didnt do us any favours when he played for us ,he ruiend brian littles time here.hou;;iers a good appointment hope we give him a chance

[dave.woodhall]

A world where accuracy is prefered to bluster; I leave the latter to those better practiced.

You can't get more accurate that the total number of points. It's a fact. Four clubs have got more points than us during the Premier League's history. We are therefore its fifth-most successful club and no manner of disinformation and the sort of silly little digs at which you're an expert can disguise the fact.

[JUAN PABLO]

collymores a twat,he didnt do us any favours when he played for us ,he ruiend brian littles time here.hou;;iers a good appointment hope we give him a chance

what do you think of our past managers Pete ;-))

[Chris Smith]

A world where accuracy is prefered to bluster; I leave the latter to those better practiced.

You can't get more accurate that the total number of points. It's a fact. Four clubs have got more points than us during the Premier League's history. We are therefore its fifth-most successful club and no manner of disinformation and the sort of silly little digs at which you're an expert can disguise the fact.

We're more succesful in the Premier League than Blackburn are we? Does winning it not count these days compared to amassing points over 20 years?

As I tried to explain to you above, total number of points is only valid if everyone has played the same number of games. It's like being 2 points clear at the top of the league when everyone has got 10 games in hand.

And what is "wonderful world of Smith" if it isn't a silly little dig?

[PeterWithe]

Comments on the appointment from Steve Gerrard.

http://tinyurl.com/32swyln

[Legion]

Comments from BFR.

[Small Rodent]

The only thing that matters is where we finished last year, and where we finish this.

If we're the same or above, excellent. If, under the circumstances, it's a little lower, then, well it's the circumstances.

But here is the rub.

If it was sooo simple that MON just rotated the squad and put players in their correct positions, made substitutions etc. Then shouldn't 6th be easy?

I think we can still do it. Houllier will do it.