Gerard's gaffes

[Mister E]

Gerard Gaffe number 10,948: Bannan loaned to Leeds.

A useful contribution to the discussion; thanks.
Do you not like Hou then?

[Risso]

Fair point Risso, as soon as i posted that i realised my gaffe, number 10455883!  I guess I was thinking GT, and I read someplace about it turning out a bad decision to go back to a club

Sorry, just couldn't resist the open goal!  It was a fair point really.  I'd say the reason "going back" rarely works is probably because when it happens, it's usually when a club wants to appoint an old favourite on the cheap when they've been having a few problems.  Eg your example of Graham Taylor.  I have to say I've been surprised at how well Dalglish has done after a shakey start, I suppose it remains to be seen if he can carry it on.

[Nev]

Regardless of his tactics, signings and ability to coach a team, I don't want a manager who shrugs his shoulders and gives up in the face of teams with better resources.

Furthermore I don't want a manager who does this and then fails to understand the "fuss" afterwards.

It may be wise to give the man time to re-build a squad and shape his own team, but not if he continues with this attitude.

[MoetVillan]

Id like to see where Liverpool are in a years time.  (ideally below us).  I still feel thats a moderate squad with one Suarez.  They seem to be fired up by the magic of Dalglish at the moment, but will it last.  I think our man has the opportunity and potential to build a top squad, and i think he wants to do it (it the appetite).  He isnt the best communicator on the TV, I agree.  He is no soundbiter like our previous boss, but im not really fussed about this.  I do feel our team is trying to play more football than they did 12-18 months ago, something these pages used to lament.  I cant argue about results, and my defence of MON was he ground out results, (grinding out like the sound of your teeth watching an antiseptic display).  Im still smarting about the FA cup though, sorry to bring it up.  The season before MONs Moscow debacle, Bolton did a smilar thing, on a decent run, and decided to sacrifice a Europa game, and their season folded.  You paint yourself into a corner then, a good result would justify it, but everything is against you.  That for me has been his biggest mistake.  I understand why he did it, but frigging wish he hadnt.  So, I would change the thread to Gerards Gaffe (singular)

[Risso]

The trrouble is Moet, as you've rightly pointed ut, chucking in the chance of cup glory often results in a downturn in fortunes in the league.  We saw it after Moscow, and with our fragile mentality, we could we see it again, with the big difference that our league position is a lot more precarious now.

At Bolton, when we were 2-1 up, Petrov was warming up near us, and looked full of beans and was laughing and smiling at the Villa fans.  At the final whistle, he (and most of the others) looked utterly dejected.  I know you'd expect that given the way the game unfolded, but we've seen too often in the last two seasons how a poor run of form can get up a head of steam due to low confidence.

[MoetVillan]

I couldnt get to the Bolton game, and was so fecked off with the result, I didnt watch football first, so cant make any sort of decision on them, the match reports (for what its worth) said we outplayed them for the majority and should have won.  shouldawouldacoulda usually equals no points and a worsening goal difference.  I can imagine the capitulation though.  So gutting after a really enjoyable second half against Slackburn. 

[Risso]

I couldnt get to the Bolton game, and was so fecked off with the result, I didnt watch football first, so cant make any sort of decision on them, the match reports (for what its worth) said we outplayed them for the majority and should have won.  shouldawouldacoulda usually equals no points and a worsening goal difference.  I can imagine the capitulation though.  So gutting after a really enjoyable second half against Slackburn. 

Right again really.  If we'd had that performance and result against Bolton when we were 6th in the table, you could put it down to "one of those games" that every team experiences.  Now though, we're running out of games and need points by hook or by crook.  We're just a really soft touvh at the moment, and I don't like having to rely on the fact that there will be three worse teams than us.

[Percy McCarthy]

He reckons he can't do anything to change the way we defend set pieces, and yet he already has changed it. He must think we're too stupid to notice.

I hope by the phrase 'we're going to stick with it', what he really means is 'we're going to go back to it'. The fucking liar.

[Risso]

At least we've got a proper right back Perce!

[Shrek]

Next season is either going to be fantastic or an absolute disaster, with the much predicted massive turn around in playing staff, let's just hope it's not the latter!

[peter w]

Thing is Perce, the writing was on the wall for zonal mRking towards the tail end of last season. We were starting to concede silly goals. But it shouldn't matter which defensive detail we're on if the players fail miserably to do it correctly. It's not as if this new man to man marking thing is alien to them.

[PeterWithe]

He must think we're too stupid to notice

From your other thread it seems few did notice.

[Percy McCarthy]

Thing is Perce, the writing was on the wall for zonal mRking towards the tail end of last season. 

Maybe, maybe not. Personally I disagree. But its nonetheless annoying that GH is bullshitting us that we're still doing it.

[Percy McCarthy]

He must think we're too stupid to notice

From your other thread it seems few did notice.

*Applause*

[KevinGage]

Fickle to the core is spot on ROBBO!

Without Houllier we wouldn't have Bent Makoun or Walker.

He has improved us massively and will continue to improve, but people need to stop having such a blinkered view on everything.

He tried Gabby on the wing to protect Clark at LB which worked perfect at Chelsea, he has now dropped Gabby and played a much more effective Albrighton there. He isn't perfect and is getting hammered for every mistake yet getting no credit for the outweighing positives.

I predict alot of people will be on here next season saying "I was wrong about gerrard etc" like most have been about Downing, sure there will be the idiots who will never give him a chance like the people who still slate downing now.

I'd rather be fickle than completely deluded.

Massively improved?  Outweighing positives?  What are the postives that outweigh being in a relegation battle all season, chucking the FA Cup in like a coward, and generally being inept at every single turn?

See this is what I don't get.

Fickle to me would be "Gerard's great!  We've never had a manager as great as him!"  one game. And then the same people saying "Boo!  Get rid." Next time out.

What I actually see is those who have had doubts about him from the beginning not being swayed by the odd good result (and when you strip it down, that's all it's been this year) and those who think he's doing a good/acceptable/  job not seemingly swayed by a whole series of poor results.  I wouldn't suggest either are fickle, I'm sure both believe what they believe based on some form of logic. It just appears to me that the latter argument relies more on faith/ hope than substance.

When a new manager takes over, you look for signs that he is having a positive effect. That generally manifests itself in results most obviously, but also individual player form. On both counts (minus a brief up turn in form from Ivanhoe for a few months) that hadn't been the case. Indeed, it seems a fair few players have regressed.  That's why I don't automatically think that more time for Houllier past this summer = guaranteed upturn in fortune next year.

If there was a sustained period of improvement over a number of games, hell if the defence even put a few clean sheets together, some of those who have major doubts about the bloke (like me) might revisit that. If that qualifies as fickle then I'll wear it. On most decisions my conclusions may change when the evidence changes, but maybe I'm funny that way.