Houllier's presence

[JJ-AV]

If we can't make it into the top 4 atleast we'll be taking a refreshing approach, we might see some foreign blood and won't play on the counter against the likes of Spurs, Everton and Man City prefering to keep it tight than get in their faces.

Two of our most embarrassing performances under O'Neill have been against Spurs last season - we were bloody shocking. Early goal and home and sat deep, then were passed off the park, and 9 men behind the ball at WHL and smashing it forward to nick at a 0-0. Shocking stuff.

[Villa'Zawg]

I'm aware that we've lost a good manager, I'm hoping Gerard will be an even better manager. What I don't understand is why people are rejoicing in our so-called "better football" on the back of two results that are worse than the corresponding fixtures last season. That's the type of stuff we take the piss out of the Baggies for.

"Rejoicing" - somewhat over the top there.

You've said yourself that for you it is just the result that matters, not the style of football, so you're not really going to understand, are you?

Which is why I said...

I don't get it. We got a draw at Spurs and beat chelsea at home last season. I guess I'm just not cultured enough to understand this better football craic.

That's seems pretty consistent to me.

[KevinGage]

I guess it's because playing in the manner we did last year leaves an impression that we were 'getting away with it' at times - even if we were nicking the odd good result here and there.

This was borne out to a certain extent by how effectively Chelsea neutralized us as Stamford Bridge and in the FA Cup semi and how Spurs ultimately got what their more expansive game deserved by finishing 4th.

You can have a certain amount of luck in individual games and in the three you listed there we could quite easily have lost them all.

The Chelsea game at VP last year was odd in that I don't think I've ever seen a side like that miss so many one on ones. Tottenham played us off the park home and away.

This year they beat us, thanks largely to the individual brilliance of VDV.
But if we play that way more often than not we'll do well this year, I guess that's where the encouragement comes from. Rather than an awful sense of foreboding that we'll eventually get found out.

[dave.woodhall]

I think the big thing for me is that we don't have a manager who so many people think we should be grateful to.

[TimTheVillain]

The big thing for me is that we have a Manager who seems to understand the meaning of the phrase 'attractive football'.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

In terms of new managers coming in, he's been left in one of the best situations that any new Villa manager has had. Usually a new manager is coming in after a load of shit, but Houllier has some very good players to work with.

So far, I've been impressed with him and I hope it continues. In his four games so far, we have played some very good football.

[eastie]

Martin o neill walked out and took his staff with him 5 days before a new season- says a lot about him in my opinion and the style of football under houllier beats mons drab one way style of playing by a mile- you seem to still carry a torch for mon villadawg even though he showed total lack of respect for Aston villa by leaving the way he did- wake up and smell the roses man , life goes on!

[Shrek]

I think we will all like houllier more and Oneil less as time goes on.

[Rigadon]

Houllier: So far, so good.  MON: overall did a good job.  I'm less inclined to get emotionally attached to managers these days. 

[Chris Smith]

I think we will all like houllier more and Oneil less as time goes on.

I hope you are right but experience suggests that the knives will be out for him if he doesn't achieve anything next season.

[WarszaVillan]

I think the big thing for me is that we don't have a manager who so many people think we should be grateful to.

dave I think its you that should really let go. It seems some are obsessed with having a go at anyone who points out that O'Neill did a pretty good job and do not think that he is the evil reincarnation of David O'leary.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I think the big thing for me is that we don't have a manager who so many people think we should be grateful to.

dave I think its you that should really let go. It seems some are obsessed with having a go at anyone who points out that O'Neill did a pretty good job and do not think that he is the evil reincarnation of David O'leary.

He's got a point though, some Villa fans got brain washed.
I remember my mate saying to me
'If O'Neill leaves, it will be disasterous and the club will be on a slippery slope.'
His journo mates always seemed to build him up as a God.

[dave.woodhall]

I think the big thing for me is that we don't have a manager who so many people think we should be grateful to.

dave I think its you that should really let go. It seems some are obsessed with having a go at anyone who points out that O'Neill did a pretty good job and do not think that he is the evil reincarnation of David O'leary.

I think he did a good job, and he was certainly much better than O'Leary. But look at the weeks after he left, when there were virtually entire TV programmes devoted to how terrible we were not to appreciate him. The general media perception was that we were ungrateful to let him go, Randy and in particular the general behaved disgracefully and we'd be sorry. It seemed to be then that we'd got our club back and that's the big difference now we have a new manager.

[TimTheVillain]

To be honest, I think ( and thought at the end of last season) that MON had taken us as far as he could.

His tactics had been sussed, he had no Plan B and was dreadul in the transfer windows when he was sulking because he didn't agree with them.

A new Manager is a bit of a Godsend really.

[eastie]

A Liverpool fan just rang 5 live and said "we need martin o neill as Liverpool manager" to which alan green just scoffed at him "have you seen the way o neills teams play?"

says it all really- yes we had some good times and great memories under mon but it was time for a change and I'm glad he's gone , I'd be very surprised if he gets a better job than this one was, but I thank him for establishing us a top 6 club again.