Gerard Houllier

[pauliewalnuts]

I can't be bothered to actually post the fixture list, but there's about a three month period where every match really is put down as 'winnable'.

Aston Villa v Sunderland, 19:45
Birmingham v Aston Villa
Aston Villa v Man City, 17:30
Wigan v Aston Villa, 19:45
Man Utd v Aston Villa, 20:00
Aston Villa v Fulham, 15:00
Blackpool v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Blackburn, 15:00
Bolton v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Wolverhampton, 15:00
Everton v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Newcastle, 15:00
West Ham v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Stoke, 15:00
West Brom v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Wigan, 15:00
Arsenal v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Liverpool, 16:00

I've bolded the ones we really should be winning.

[dave.woodhall]

Between the Man United and Arsenal aways, we could conceivably win 11 in a row. I know it's highly unlikely, but they're all gettable.

[hawkeye]

I am guessing 16 points by the end of feb which should be enough to avoid a relegation battle

[JUAN PABLO]

I can't be bothered to actually post the fixture list, but there's about a three month period where every match really is put down as 'winnable'.

Aston Villa v Sunderland, 19:45
Birmingham v Aston Villa
Aston Villa v Man City, 17:30
Wigan v Aston Villa, 19:45
Man Utd v Aston Villa, 20:00
Aston Villa v Fulham, 15:00
Blackpool v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Blackburn, 15:00
Bolton v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Wolverhampton, 15:00
Everton v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Newcastle, 15:00
West Ham v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Stoke, 15:00
West Brom v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Wigan, 15:00
Arsenal v Aston Villa, 15:00
Aston Villa v Liverpool, 16:00

I've bolded the ones we really should be winning.

we can win the last game as well

[Monty]

Between the Man United and Arsenal aways, we could conceivably win 11 in a row. I know it's highly unlikely, but they're all gettable.

My point exactly. They range from the should wins to the could wins. Our injuries have also coincided with really quite a nasty run of games - even a potential respite, away to Wigan, was snowed off! I am really very confident we can put an Everton-esque run together in the second half of the season.

[Villa'Zawg]

Our squad is capable of going on a good run in this league. The issue is that we need to see that run happening, rather than just hoping for it to start.

Gerard's 14 points from 15 games is a big concern and is the fuel for the negative press.

The Chelsea performance at least offers hope of a turnaround, now we need to see significantly better results.



 

[hawkeye]

Our squad is capable of going on a good run in this league. The issue is that we need to see that run happening, rather than just hoping for it to start.

Gerard's 14 points from 15 games is a big concern and is the fuel for the negative press.

The Chelsea performance at least offers hope of a turnaround, now we need to see significantly better results.



 

I just hope that they treat the Sunderland game with the intensity it deserves, we need 3 points

[JJ-AV]

Sunderland game is massive. Win that and we go into the SHA game without massive pressure and it'll allow us to play our stuff.

Something which I think will suit us more under Houllier than it did under MON - when we seemed to get complacent when doing well and needed the pressure on us.

[Willie Anderson]

Well that was a step in the right direction. Houllier seems to have ate a bit of humble pie & got the senior players back on his side by playing a formation & system they are comfy with.

I do think the penalty & subsequent rash of bookings did bring about a seige mentality & got the back-up of the lads & helped bring about this mini-revival.

Wether the leopard can change his spots & will be able to curb his acerbic personality remains to be seen. I'd still prefer him to go, but it looks like barring a calamity against Sunderland he will be staying.

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Based on yesterdays game, he told the players to play like they did under MON. It was essentially, bar Clark, MON's team.

Hopefully a few performances like that will climb us out of trouble, and then GH can introduce a more passing style/ethic into the team towards the latter half of this season, ready for next season.

Not quite playing the MON way.  MOTD had that graphic which clearly showed how we were better tactically than when we lost 7-1.

How about when we beat them at home then? Or beat Man Utd away? Or when we beat Arsenal? Liverpool? It was MON's team and they played like they would under him.

All GH has to do is slightly change the way MON's team played and we'll be all the better for it.

[pauliewalnuts]

Based on yesterdays game, he told the players to play like they did under MON. It was essentially, bar Clark, MON's team.

Hopefully a few performances like that will climb us out of trouble, and then GH can introduce a more passing style/ethic into the team towards the latter half of this season, ready for next season.

Not quite playing the MON way.  MOTD had that graphic which clearly showed how we were better tactically than when we lost 7-1.

How about when we beat them at home then? Or beat Man Utd away? Or when we beat Arsenal? Liverpool? It was MON's team and they played like they would under him.

All GH has to do is slightly change the way MON's team played and we'll be all the better for it.

Bear in mind this is the first time injuries have really permitted him to play MON's team.

Hopefully it will get better as the players who have returned from injury get more match fitness.

[Merv]

It did amuse me on Sunday when common opinion (5Live, MOTD2) seemed to be that Houllier had a change of mind and started selecting all the senior players again, after a few months of picking 'the kids'. When, in actual fact, it's the first time in a couple of months he's had Cuellar, Dunne, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Heskey, Gabby, Ashley Young all fit and available at the same time. Chelsea match was the strongest squad we've had available since October.

Things still aren't ideal but we'll do a lot better with the core of the team playing again. I think the media believed Houllier was picking Hogg over Petrov, etc, because he wanted to....

[PaulTheVillan]

Where as if 'Arry had to pick his kids, they'd all be touted for England places now, even if they were wrong end of the table.

[KevinGage]

That run of fixtures post Man U away is  favourable, but only if we make the most of it.

Defending as we have for large chunks of the season and I wouldn't say any of those are nailed on certainties. Well actually I would, they'd be nailed on for the opposition.

Sides like Sunderland and Bolton have improved this year too, they'll have designs on top 6/top 8 finishes.

[cdward]

It did amuse me on Sunday when common opinion (5Live, MOTD2) seemed to be that Houllier had a change of mind and started selecting all the senior players again, after a few months of picking 'the kids'. When, in actual fact, it's the first time in a couple of months he's had Cuellar, Dunne, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Heskey, Gabby, Ashley Young all fit and available at the same time. Chelsea match was the strongest squad we've had available since October.

Things still aren't ideal but we'll do a lot better with the core of the team playing again. I think the media believed Houllier was picking Hogg over Petrov, etc, because he wanted to....

Boxing Day vs Spurs
Houllier chose Hogg and Delph over NRC and Petrov, because he wanted to, he chose not to include Dunne, otherwise we could have had exactly the same team as against Chelsea minus Ashley Young.