Not happy, M. Houllier

[PaulTheVillan]

I was optimistic with the GH appointment & have always tried to back him & stick up for him, but this morning I'm finding it difficult.

We really need to beat Wigan & WBA in our next 2 games, then Lerner & GH need to get together and work out the plan for January.

If we don't get 6 points from Wigan & WBA then maybe GH needs to go, then we need to bring the right manager and back him in January.

[nick harper]

I was optimistic with the GH appointment & have always tried to back him & stick up for him, but this morning I'm finding it difficult.

We really need to beat Wigan & WBA in our next 2 games, then Lerner & GH need to get together and work out the plan for January.

If we don't get 6 points from Wigan & WBA then maybe GH needs to go, then we need to bring the right manager and back him in January.

I have to agree that his next two games are likely to make or break things for him. With games against Spurs, Man City and Chelsea to follow, we will be in the bottom three in the new year without a couple of wins to lift the club.

He has had terrible luck with injuries but the team seems to have taken on the personality of the manager - downbeat, hesitant and uninspiring.

Even ignoring the comments he's made after the game, there is a lack of organisation, spirit and togetherness that suggests all is not well behind the scenes.

[PaulTheVillan]

I think we're missing some key players that we've been too quick to criticise in the past, Heskey, Petrov & NRC. (no.... not you Sidwell you mother fucker).

[Chris Harte]

I just cannot believe he said what he did.

I'm not in a position to look at the video on BBC's site at the moment so can someone provide a link to the text of it or paste the transcript here please?

[sfx412]

I don't think many Villa fans were convinced by Houlliers appointment, his performance so far has done nohing to convince anyone since.
As the man to bring on a squad able to finish 6th he had possibilities but as the man to deal with a back to the wall relegation fight he's a no hope.
Problem is Randy Lerner is not going to admit his error and replace him, is he even though its very possible Houllier, by his actions re his love for Liverpool, has made his position nigh on untenable.
A brave owner would cut his losses, swallow his pride and find a manager full of motivation, who believes in Villa and who has something to prove.
Is Randy that owner. Doubt it very much.

[PaulTheVillan]

Let's not start doubting Randy, he's done nothing wrong since the day he walked in IMO.

The fact is, we don't know what Randy is going to do.

[BannedUserIAT]

Randy's single mistake, in my opinion, is not hiring a real football man at the top. He himself has been most benevolent and quite in sync with the Villa fans. But, he'll need to be in this game for a few years yet before he knows it from the inside. Hiring the ginger who looks like a school kid was never going to cut it.

[Risso]

Let's not start doubting Randy, he's done nothing wrong since the day he walked in IMO.

The fact is, we don't know what Randy is going to do.

He appointed Houllier.  That's a big fat something wrong.

[TonyD]

To think how we played against ManU to last night.    Something clearly is not right.  Yes we can pass the ball and keep the ball but it counts for nothing if we dont get it to our strikers.  Don't forget only Heskey is out the other 3 are available.  And the defence is virtually at full strength.   I expect that GH could bring in some players and improve things but without the passion and desire we wont win anything.  He has the bits that MON lacked buts lacks the positives of MON. Between them you might get a winning manager.
If Jol or Coyle want the job - then now is the time.

[Dribbler]

I can't believe some of the comments on here, yes last night's, dare I call it performance, was terrible, yes recent results have been bad and our league position is bad, yet Houllier has come in when the season is already under way, adopted a squad not of his choosing, and had to contend with a massive injury and illness list.

Let's get a few things out of the way.

Of course Houllier cares and gives a damn, but if your expecting him to get angry and start jumping up and down, you'll be waiting a long time, that's just not his style.

Yes Houllier has an obvious affection for Liverpool, and has made some ill judged comments and gestures regarding this, but remember again most of his comments have been made in response to questions put to him by the media and he is just replying honestly. You would think an intelligent person like him would possibly be a little more candid but he certainly doesn't intend any disrespect to our club in doing so.

By most peoples' opinions we had a squad at the start of the season that was capable of between 10th and 6th, this is still the case. If we had to put the squad out we did last night for every game, then yes we would be almost certain relegation fodder, but we don't. The team is missing it's heart at the moment, not in terms of motivation and commitment, but in terms of midfield injuries. Our midfield wasn't strong enough anyway, with injuries it is now weak and inexperienced, skilled yes, but without the toughness or nous needed at this level. We had a central defender playing there last night, another player that has only played a few premier league games in his life, a useless Ireland and two skilful but lightweight midfielders. Reo Coker, Petrov and Young all have their detractors but they would have made a big difference last night. Even Bannan would have made a difference.

That said I do have my concerns, mostly centred around the type of football he has us playing with the players we have available.

When we are in a position as we are now, with a lot of injuries and low down the table, the first thing we need to be doing is making ourselves hard to beat and keeping clean sheets. In our last 5 games we have conceded 3, 2, 4, 2 & 2 goals, that's 13 goals in 5 games, we now have the 4th worst goal difference on -10, and that is a very worrying sign. We need to be playing a compact midfield in front of the back four to protect them and play on the break. After all, this is the style of football many of the players we have are best at playing. Sorry but I don't want to see Dunne and Colins playing tippy tappy on the edge of our area for half the game.

Those calling for Jol to take over, remember, he was axed at Tottenham when they were in a similar position at a similar time of year, without half the injury problems we now have. Most people thought that was a ridiculous act, which it was. I'm sure Houllier will come good eventually, but he has certainly had a quick wake up call as to exactly how tough the Premier League is these days.

[BannedUserIAT]

To think how we played against ManU to last night.    Something clearly is not right....

We did to Man Utd what Liverpool did to us.
The BIG difference is that one manager saw the game as over, the other got his team to grow some nuts and salvaged something from it.

[Stu]

I agree entirely and it's about time people started to realise that far from MON being the Villain in all this he was one of the best managers the club has had in recent years and we are not likely to get anyone remotely near to that for a long while.  GH couldn't clean O'Neill's boots yet for some reason there are so many people on this site determined to denounce MON's achievements at the Villa and blame him for this mess.  The board got the wrong man in GH and that is so blatantly obvious.

Whilst the injuries don't help, MON spent a load of money on tat and left us with a squad so thin that we are having to play the kids while in a very precarious situation. That's MON's legacy and its criminal.

[BannedUserIAT]

I can't believe some of the comments on here, yes last night's, dare I call it performance, was terrible, yes recent results have been bad and our league position is bad, yet Houllier has come in when the season is already under way, adopted a squad not of his choosing, and had to contend with a massive injury and illness list.

Let's get a few things out of the way.

Of course Houllier cares and gives a damn, but if your expecting him to get angry and start jumping up and down, you'll be waiting a long time, that's just not his style.

Yes Houllier has an obvious affection for Liverpool, and has made some ill judged comments and gestures regarding this, but remember again most of his comments have been made in response to questions put to him by the media and he is just replying honestly. You would think an intelligent person like him would possibly be a little more candid but he certainly doesn't intend any disrespect to our club in doing so.

By most peoples' opinions we had a squad at the start of the season that was capable of between 10th and 6th, this is still the case. If we had to put the squad out we did last night for every game, then yes we would be almost certain relegation fodder, but we don't. The team is missing it's heart at the moment, not in terms of motivation and commitment, but in terms of midfield injuries. Our midfield wasn't strong enough anyway, with injuries it is now weak and inexperienced, skilled yes, but without the toughness or nous needed at this level. We had a central defender playing there last night, another player that has only played a few premier league games in his life, a useless Ireland and two skilful but lightweight midfielders. Reo Coker, Petrov and Young all have their detractors but they would have made a big difference last night. Even Bannan would have made a difference.

That said I do have my concerns, mostly centred around the type of football he has us playing with the players we have available.

When we are in a position as we are now, with a lot of injuries and low down the table, the first thing we need to be doing is making ourselves hard to beat and keeping clean sheets. In our last 5 games we have conceded 3, 2, 4, 2 & 2 goals, that's 13 goals in 5 games, we now have the 4th worst goal difference on -10, and that is a very worrying sign. We need to be playing a compact midfield in front of the back four to protect them and play on the break. After all, this is the style of football many of the players we have are best at playing. Sorry but I don't want to see Dunne and Colins playing tippy tappy on the edge of our area for half the game.

Those calling for Jol to take over, remember, he was axed at Tottenham when they were in a similar position at a similar time of year, without half the injury problems we now have. Most people thought that was a ridiculous act, which it was. I'm sure Houllier will come good eventually, but he has certainly had a quick wake up call as to exactly how tough the Premier League is these days.

Some good points and well made.

Care to explain why though at 2-0 down with at least 45 mins of football to play, he thought we were dead and buried? Sorry, but I can gloss over the other stuff. Not that.

Every time we go behind now, I'll be deeply concerned about the mind-set of the manager as, by extension, his players.

What a pussy!

[Chris Harte]

Okay, folks. I can take the hint. I'll find the quote myself.

But if it really was along the lines of "I'd rather we lost like that to Liverpool" and nothing else then I think there's been a serious over-reaction here. Yes, it's bad, but not on the scale of D'ohleary's constant drip-feed of belittling of the club.

And while pissed off at any 3-0 defeat, the injury list is surely a huge mitigating circumstance.

[TimTheVillain]

Randy's single mistake, in my opinion, is not hiring a real football man at the top. He himself has been most benevolent and quite in sync with the Villa fans. But, he'll need to be in this game for a few years yet before he knows it from the inside. Hiring the ginger who looks like a school kid was never going to cut it.

Can't disagree with this Troy, I feel the same.