Dunne in bust up with Houllier & McAllister on Friday - NOTW

[The Situation]

I have no reason to doubt Dunne was benched for the 'bust up' but the rest of that News of the World article is just complete bullshit. What pathetic, poor and lazy journalism... just awful.

I just hope Dunne wasn't just benched for his outburst, I hope there were other reasons which made Houllier bench him...

[TheSandman]

I've dug out some stats about our goals conceded historically. Last year's total 39 was the lowest since 35 was conceded back in 99/00. 07/08 was the only full season that Martin Laursen played for Villa really with 38 appearances. People remember the 6 goals he scored but care to forget the 51 that were conceded that year. That was with a far better left back in Bouma and Mellberg at right back if memory serves correct. Curtis davies/Knight as partners in defence, Petrov, Reo Coker and Barry in midfield so it wasnt all attacking players. Far from it but we conceded a lot.

Weren't we the second highest scorers in the Premiership that season? Considering we had the same two main strikers as in 09/10 but also more attacking midfield options in Downing and Milner augmenting Ashley Young then something clearly went wrong in attacking positions. Either that or we played a different style of play from last season. I believe the latter.

We were genuinely good to watch that season especially when we went forward last season we were less open we conceded fewer but that came at the expense of goals. That is the objective measure. I don't see why Dunne should be guaranteed a game or such high praise for six months good form. The subjective measure is in watching Martin Laursen I didn't see him looking so ridiculously unfit or making so many basic errors. If he was I'd want him dropped. If he was people wouldn't remember the towering lionheart collosus but a player who let us down badly. If God made those mistakes, if Ollie made those mistakes or if Southgate made those mistakes the knives would be out too. 

I agree some people give Martin Laursen too much praise. It's a product of what he was in the kind of big and brave centre half we all want to see. No legend or all time great just a bloody good centre half. Like Olof, Southgate and Ugo. Had any of those made such basic errors we would have got the knives out for them too. Look at Curtis Davies. He had many good performances alongside Laursen in the season you cited but all we remember is the errors because he made too many stupid ones. Dunne is heading the same way unless he takes stock and works on his game and trains his bollocks off. The ship hasn't sailed yet for him. He can still leap back onto the jetty and return to being a very good centre half.

[brontebilly]

I've dug out some stats about our goals conceded historically. Last year's total 39 was the lowest since 35 was conceded back in 99/00. 07/08 was the only full season that Martin Laursen played for Villa really with 38 appearances. People remember the 6 goals he scored but care to forget the 51 that were conceded that year. That was with a far better left back in Bouma and Mellberg at right back if memory serves correct. Curtis davies/Knight as partners in defence, Petrov, Reo Coker and Barry in midfield so it wasnt all attacking players. Far from it but we conceded a lot.

Weren't we the second highest scorers in the Premiership that season? Considering we had the same two main strikers as in 09/10 but also more attacking midfield options in Downing and Milner augmenting Ashley Young then something clearly went wrong in attacking positions. Either that or we played a different style of play from last season. I believe the latter.

We were genuinely good to watch that season especially when we went forward last season we were less open we conceded fewer but that came at the expense of goals. That is the objective measure. I don't see why Dunne should be guaranteed a game or such high praise for six months good form. The subjective measure is in watching Martin Laursen I didn't see him looking so ridiculously unfit or making so many basic errors. If he was I'd want him dropped. If he was people wouldn't remember the towering lionheart collosus but a player who let us down badly. If God made those mistakes, if Ollie made those mistakes or if Southgate made those mistakes the knives would be out too. 

I agree some people give Martin Laursen too much praise. It's a product of what he was in the kind of big and brave centre half we all want to see. No legend or all time great just a bloody good centre half. Like Olof, Southgate and Ugo. Had any of those made such basic errors we would have got the knives out for them too. Look at Curtis Davies. He had many good performances alongside Laursen in the season you cited but all we remember is the errors because he made too many stupid ones. Dunne is heading the same way unless he takes stock and works on his game and trains his bollocks off. The ship hasn't sailed yet for him. He can still leap back onto the jetty and return to being a very good centre half.

Yeah we were great to watch that season alright. 71 goals or something even though Carew as top scorer only with 13 or something. I think Gareth Barry was superb that season in a creative sense if memory serves correct. Ashley Young too was a bit of an unknown then and the crossing game produced a lot of goals. Cant remember who was on the right side of midfield that season for the life of me. Our full backs were arguably more defensive then than last season. The addition of Milner to the centre made us stronger defensively than with Barry but I felt we were a bit stale in an attacking sense for much of the campaign. Downing struggled really and teams easily double marked Ashley Young as both were slaves to the touchline. While Carew in particular and Gabby had their hot streaks in front of goal, Emile heskey was thoroughly diabolical when called upon last season which needs to be taken into account.

Interesting discussion this but we seem to have gone way off topic  . Either way I think it is a bit too simplistic to suggest that fat alco Dunne is the sole problem for the amount of goals conceded this term. He needs to improve, fair enough Cuellar and Collins are getting their chance at the moment. But as he proved last season i think at his best Dunne is our best defender and I hope he will prove it when he gets a chance again as Im sure he will.

[Karl Bridges]

He will be offloaded as soon as possible.

[VinnieChase84]

I just don't believe that if this 'bust up' played out exactly like were reading then there is NO WAY Dunne would have even been in the squad on Saturday!
I think 'he' was dropped on form and spat his dummy out

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Get rid and get somebody else in to give us our full quota of centre backs

Cuellar, Collins, Clark, A N Other

[TimTheVillain]

Get rid and get somebody else in to give us our full quota of centre backs

Cuellar, Collins, Clark, A N Other

Lescott please.

He can come up with the odd goal as well.

Not THAT odd.........

[DB]

Looks like he's had his day, if he carries on lie this ship him out to West Brom or Boro...

[CorkVilla]

Are we not being a bit harsh on Dunne? It was not long ago that he was our best player, or one of our best at least. If somebody did give Houllier a telling off on the training field it would long overdue. That guy is O'Leary Mk2 and he is going to drag us back down to the dark ages.

[kippaxvilla2]

I don't know whether it's true or not.

However, one thing that has struck me is;  If this new training regime is so brutal as it is claimed then why the fcuk does Dunne atill look such a fat fcuker?

[kippaxvilla2]

The other thing that strikes me is, precisely what qualifications does McAllister have for being a Premier League Coach?

[damon loves JT]

Interesting how Irish posters are more inclined to stick up for Dunne. As they're entitled to do, of course.

[Risso]

Interesting post from Gastonvilla on VT.  He knows Stephen ireland I think, so I suppose a pinch of salt is required:
 

Ok, this is what I have been told happened. There's a likelihood that this is only one side of the story, of course, but this is what I've been told.

Following the Liverpool "incidents", GH met with RL and PF. Following that meeting, the management asked Dunne, as acting captain, to hold a squad meeting. Concerns had been raised about squad morale and their genuine attitude (to each other and to the coaching/management staff) so it was an opportunity to air all grievances. Dunne was asked to report back to GH/GMac after that meeting. Dunne asked why he, and not NRC (in the absence of Petrov), was doing the "dirty work" but the response wasn't clear to me.

After the squad meeting, GH was told by Dunne about concerns the squad had. Specifically, there were concerns about training methods:

- Lack of set-piece training, both attacking and defending.
- Too much emphasis on fitness elements of training, to the detriment of technical training.
- Conflicting instructions from reserve training and first team training, in terms of set piece defending.

Also concerns were raised about the attitude of certain players towards work-rate. I'm not mentioning specific names as they are not here to defend themselves. Apparently, the squad meeting got a bit heated.

GH responded by saying he appreciated the feedback and would put things right, specifically the set-piece defending.

Training sessions subsequent to the meeting, I don't know which days this happened on, were no different. Exasperation was expressed by more than one person about the set-pieces. Coaching staff dismissed this and told players to continue fitness drills. NRC was asked by players to approach coaching staff about this but allegedly refused. Dunne was then asked and agreed.

Dunne was told by coaching staff it was Petrov/NRC who should be talking on behalf of the players. At this point, it became very heated between GH and Dunne. What exactly happened or was said is unclear, but along the lines of "You're happy for me to do your dirty work but won't listen to what you're told because it doesn't suit you to hear it. Maybe you'd listen if one of your golden boys tells you, but don't ask me to do it again".

Dunne, Houllier, MacAllister and possibly Petrov met on Friday afternoon. Dunne apologised for his outburst and was told he would not be playing on Saturday. There's the possibility that Dunne was fined, but I'm not sure.


So, draw your own conclusions on this.

[Brend'Watkins]

Interesting.

I'm surprised Dunne is so anti-fitness training when it's clear he more than any one else needs it most.  He should be staying behind to do extra too. 

[TonyD]

The conclusions are that it is not a happy ship.  But who is going to walk the plank?  You decide......