Gerard Houllier

[WikiVilla]

Yeah ok, I was referring to the point at which DOL exited

The players MON inherited after DOL were IMO inferior to the current squad, so why hasn't GH been able to galvanise the group ?

By all accounts, most of the players were glad to see MON gone

[Villa'Zawg]

If something doesn't change we will be relegated. People have said that there are at least 3 teams beginning W that are worse than us but the reality is that there are 3 teams beginning with W that have taken more points than us since Gerard became manager.

The idea that we are relying on January signings to try and help us avoid relegation is horrendous. We were a very effective team last season and he needs to get us back playing like that. Fast.

[sfx412]

maybe when he gets a chance he will, or has you missed the injuries

[dave.woodhall]

Yeah ok, I was referring to the point at which DOL exited

The players MON inherited after DOL were IMO inferior to the current squad, so why hasn't GH been able to galvanise the group ?

By all accounts, most of the players were glad to see MON gone

I think it's because a lot of them know they'll be gone first chance he gets. In the normal course of events this would have been done as soon as the new manager arrived, but for obvious reasons he couldn't until January at the earliest.

[WikiVilla]

I reckon the bust up with Dunne has had a big impact upon the dressing room
I imagine Dunne would be a big influence on the players down there, as would NRC and Carew

The bit I don't get is though, those 3 players would provide an excellenet spine to most teams, Carew scored what 16 goals last season ? if properly motivated and coached, we wouldn't be selling them but getting the best out of them whilst their on the payroll

[pauliewalnuts]

The fumbling over his replacement, and what looked now (and then) like a convenient distraction by his sudden exit not to strengthen before the transfer deadline, we are now being built to be a mid-table club.

That's surely a little over the top?

I'm sure the last word they'd have used to describe MON's departure would have been "convenient", in whichever context.

In which way are we being built to be a mid table club? I just don't see how you can arrive at that conclusion without something concrete - like a transfer window or two - to back it up.

[WikiVilla]

Mid-table would be a result based on current predicament

[Legion]

I think mid-table is where we will be come May. We'll push on and improve next season.

[Simba]

Mcallister is a mistake. His record proves it. Tactics, player runrest, injuries....

I dunno. Good politics as well. Keep the frog if you want but for Christ sake get us playing effective football.

Striker, creative midfielder, one at least centre back and a new keeper. The spine simply does not exist. Neither does a game plan.

We are fodder to good sides with passion, belief, skill and tactical nouse. And also bad sides with aggression and the long ball.

I watched West Ham (week end) on the tele and they looked better than us!!

[eastie]

I reckon the bust up with Dunne has had a big impact upon the dressing room
I imagine Dunne would be a big influence on the players down there, as would NRC and Carew

The bit I don't get is though, those 3 players would provide an excellenet spine to most teams, Carew scored what 16 goals last season ? if properly motivated and coached, we wouldn't be selling them but getting the best out of them whilst their on the payroll

have you not seen the pathetic lazyness of carew , a disgrace to the villa shirt and and cant wait to see him booted out anywhere!

[TheSandman]

I think mid-table is where we will be come May. We'll push on and improve next season.

I agree. I don't know what is annoying me more: our form or some of the OTT wailing and gnashing of teeth on here. We will not be relegated. Soon we will have new signings and injured players back and some tough fixtures over and done with and we will be climbing the league. I say about 12th. Where we go from there in the next season I don't know.

[eastie]

i still think we can finish 8th and will put a run together once we have a couple of new players in and get rid of some of the troublemakers .

[berneboy]

There should be an option to give Houlier the time to see his contract out. I would vote for that.

I am concerned about our league position but we are still only one win from ninth.

I feel Houllier is so different to MON that he must have time and his own players.
He has a record of success and is well thought of it seems. I thinkl Villa will only ever be a top four club by playing more sophisticated football than we did with MON and I like our passing game.

I also feel MON left us in a poor position. He made some poor and very expensive buys which has left the club with a legacy of dead weight and a financial burden.

[Villa'Zawg]

The fumbling over his replacement, and what looked now (and then) like a convenient distraction by his sudden exit not to strengthen before the transfer deadline, we are now being built to be a mid-table club.

That's surely a little over the top?

I'm sure the last word they'd have used to describe MON's departure would have been "convenient", in whichever context.

In which way are we being built to be a mid table club? I just don't see how you can arrive at that conclusion without something concrete - like a transfer window or two - to back it up.

How about the last two transfer windows and the intention to focus on the wage bill?

[WikiVilla]

I reckon the bust up with Dunne has had a big impact upon the dressing room
I imagine Dunne would be a big influence on the players down there, as would NRC and Carew

The bit I don't get is though, those 3 players would provide an excellenet spine to most teams, Carew scored what 16 goals last season ? if properly motivated and coached, we wouldn't be selling them but getting the best out of them whilst their on the payroll

have you not seen the pathetic lazyness of carew , a disgrace to the villa shirt and and cant wait to see him booted out anywhere!

Is that the same Carew that scored 16 Prem goals last term