Gerard Houllier

[Holte L2]

I liked the bloke up until the Liverpool fiasco.  It's easy to say that it's just one of those things and move on, but after you've paid your £40 and froze to death, as well as juggling work commitments it's a bitter pill to swallow.

It seems to me either he isn't committed to the jop or has been away from the coaching aspect of the game for too long.

Either way, I think we need to quickly accept the fact that the appointment isn''t working out and quickly move on. Otherwise I fear we could be in a relagation battle at the end of the season.

[dave.woodhall]

Either way, I think we need to quickly accept the fact that the appointment isn''t working out and quickly move on.

And bring in who?

[Chris Smith]

I liked the bloke up until the Liverpool fiasco.  It's easy to say that it's just one of those things and move on, but after you've paid your £40 and froze to death, as well as juggling work commitments it's a bitter pill to swallow.

It seems to me either he isn't committed to the jop or has been away from the coaching aspect of the game for too long.

Either way, I think we need to quickly accept the fact that the appointment isn''t working out and quickly move on. Otherwise I fear we could be in a relagation battle at the end of the season.

Surely with the transfer window only a few days away the last thing we need is to waste it by searching for a new manager.

[NeilH]

Either way, I think we need to quickly accept the fact that the appointment isn''t working out and quickly move on.

And bring in who?

I hear that Curbishley is still looking for work as is Allardyce. Maybe we can go for them, as quite frankly that's the best we can hope for if we sack our managers after 3 months.

[supertom]

Gabby looks overweight. Not just muscle, he looks like he's been on the Dunney diet too in all honesty. His pace has deserted him. Granted he'll still skin most defenders, but a year or two back he could murder almost everyone in this league, short of Lennon and Walcott in a foot race.

So basically, what this means is, his main asset, isn't quite the asset it was. And for Houllier's game plan, Gabby isn't anywhere near technically good enough to do what Gerard probably wants. Under O Neill he just had to chase balls down the channels, and use his pace, and when the wide men were ready to deliver, burst into the box with his pace again, and find the space to finish off.

Obviously Ashley Youngs poor form and move central doesn't help Gab either. How many goals has Agbonlahor got, getting on the end of one of Ash's deliveries from wide? A lot in the last 3 years I'd say. They've had few games together this year, and neither has been at their best, and we're suffering.

If Houllier doesn't pull a decent forward out the bag in January, we'll continue struggling. Since he took over we've never looked like routing anyone. We always seem fortunate when we actually do score, and we make bloody hard work of creating chances. Downing and Albrighton make things happen, but how often do they deliver quality from wide, only to see a penalty box with nary a Villa player in sight, with piss poor movement. Heskey bless him still plays mostly outside the 18 yrd line. Gabby's off the ball movement has been very poor. He's not busting a gut like he did under O Neill either.

It's a shame Carew has been so awful. On form, he'd be relishing the delivery of our wide players. He could stand in the box and barely have to move to make something happen. But clearly, it's never gonna work with him and Houllier. And in a one up top system, Carew will never do the work required.

[Chris Smith]

Gabby isn't overweight.

Him and Young have only played a couple of times together so any sort of objective assessment is impossible.

[WikiVilla]

Theabove gabby and Carew example is a good one, 33 goals last term ! And all of a sudden we want to give big John away to a local rival!!
Madness, as for gabby, great striker coil easily have had 2 yesterday
Face facts it looks like the players don't want Houllier around and unless results improve over the next 3 or 4 games sorry harsh as it may seem he has to go

[eastie]

GReat strikers score goals for fun- neither gabby or ash are good enough finishers to in any way be described as great strikers!

[Toronto Villa]

I say burn him as sacking isn't enough, and bring in Allardyce, Hughton, Holloway or Warnock.

You have changed your tune

for that to have gone clear over your head, you must be short

[Drummond]

Face facts it looks like the players don't want Houllier around and unless results improve over the next 3 or 4 games sorry harsh as it may seem he has to go

Which players don't want him around? The dross MON left behind?

[Toronto Villa]

Gabby isn't overweight.

Him and Young have only played a couple of times together so any sort of objective assessment is impossible.

agreed. Gabby probably has 4-6% body fat as opposed to most of us Richard Dunne lookalikes. In fact, Houllier has been telling Gabby to ease of the weights as it might making him heavier and slower. It will also put a lot of pressure on his body and it's possible some of his injuries can be attributed to his workout regime. Gabby fat - no chance at all.

[Mac]

Haven't read the thread but I said at the time of his appointment: give him the season and if he hasn't shown he's the man for the job, go and get David Moyes.

Although I certainly don't think todays the day for this thread, I thought we played really well.

David Moyes always has a shit start to the season.  People would be calling for his head just the same.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Anyone who think's we don't need a striker is mental

[WikiVilla]

As if Moyes would come to us !
Sideways move for him? He would only leave Everton for a top 4 club

[Mac]

If we're going to get rid now, I wouldn't appoint a Jol or an Allardyce, instead let Kevin Mac, Tony Mac and Sid steady the ship, regroup the squad and get us through to May

And not get rid of crud sitting in the stands taking  £12-£15m worth of wages from the club.

And besides, what manager would want to work with a club that sacks managers before they've had a transfer window.

I not particularly impressed with Houllier and wasn't while he was at Liverpool, but anybody calling for his head is frankly stupid.