The future of Houllier and McAllister?

[WikiVilla]

The only way i could see this as anything but the worst season the club has had since we last got promoted is if we win all of the last 3 games, putting us on 50 points.
Just to recap, a team that finished 6th and got to a cup final and cup semi final last season (albeit playing turgid football much of the time) has;

Lost to Blues in one cup, to see them go on to win it.
Lost to the Wolves for the first time in roughly 30 years. And at home.
Lost to the Albion for the first time in roughly 25 years.
Surrendered in another cup.
Given away countless goals in the last 5 mins.
Flirted with relegation, and still won't be far off if we don't win next week against Wigan.
Had numerous reports of unrest in the squad.

Who do i blame? Everyone at the club with any connection to the playing side is fair game, except a handful of players.

Positives;

Signing Darren Bent, and his subsequent contribution, without which it would have been even worse.
The emergence of some decent young talent, particularly Albrighton.

We need a revolving door in the summer, including the manager, who i wish a speedy recovery.

im struggling to argue with much of that

[Clark W Griswold]

Sven was slightly higher on my list than Houllier, although not much higher. The only ones below Houllier that had been suggested were Bradley, Southgate and Zola for me. To be fair though, i have no idea who applied, who looked decent in the interviews etc. It was pretty uninspiring, but we were left in the shit by MON. What we do need to do though is take decisive action and call it a day. For Houlliers health, as well as the club, and hopefully we'll see the back of McAllister as well. I can't put my finger on why i find him so objectionable. I just do.

[WikiVilla]

Cos he's Scottish ?

[Greg N'Ash]

thinking back i can't remember a time with a less decent list of unemployed managers than when MON left to be honest. As everyone else has stated, Houllier wasn't even on the radar for me but seeing none of those other unemployed names are currently running away with a league somewhere i find it hard to pick fault. Of the employed names, timing is everything and i think we'd have struggled to persuade say a moyes to jump ship at that time

[OzVilla]

The only way i could see this as anything but the worst season the club has had since we last got promoted is if we win all of the last 3 games, putting us on 50 points.
Just to recap, a team that finished 6th and got to a cup final and cup semi final last season (albeit playing turgid football much of the time) has;

Lost to Blues in one cup, to see them go on to win it.
Lost to the Wolves for the first time in roughly 30 years. And at home.
Lost to the Albion for the first time in roughly 25 years.
Surrendered in another cup.
Given away countless goals in the last 5 mins.
Flirted with relegation, and still won't be far off if we don't win next week against Wigan.
Had numerous reports of unrest in the squad.

Who do i blame? Everyone at the club with any connection to the playing side is fair game, except a handful of players.

Positives;

Signing Darren Bent, and his subsequent contribution, without which it would have been even worse.
The emergence of some decent young talent, particularly Albrighton.

We need a revolving door in the summer, including the manager, who i wish a speedy recovery.

A perfect summing up.  Never wanted a season to end as much in my life.

[Dante Lavelli]

That's all very well, but I can imagine the furore had Sven got the job fresh from his time at Notts County, Mexico & the Ivory Coast. There may be a fresh slate to choose from in May, but at the time the choice was limited - and didn't the previous incumbent know it. 

We'll never know for sure but I would suggest that whoever was appointed would have a very difficult job.  For instance how well prepared/fit were the players when MON left.  There were a series of rumours at the end of the previous season and links with Hughes.  It might be that MON knew he was leaving and hadn't prepared the team as well as he could have.  Whether that was just human nature or deliberate sabotage we'll never know.

On the flip side the next guy - assuming there is one - will take over a talented squad with a group of youngster that could save us millions. It'd be a great opportunity to make (Boas Villas) or cement your reputation (Van Gaal/Hiddink).

If I was a manager I would be chomping at the bit to take over at Villa.  I hope right now we are asking some of the top mangers as there is a chance we could get one.

...ah the benefit of a few beers!

[BannedUserIAT]

Who's up for experimenting v Wigan ?

Fuck me. Light dawns on marble head.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

WBA(a) lost 2-0, Bham(a) lost 3-2, Bham(h) lost 2-1, Bham(a) lost 2-1, Bham (h) lost 1-0, Bham (a) lost 1-0, WBA (h) lost 1-0,
The above results all 'achieved' by a previous manager of Villa, before winning the league. Oh how we all used to write our 'Saunders Out' letters to the Evening Mail or start threads on Ye old internet.

PS. Dont know how many were after 2 wins and 2 draws in the previous 4 games, I can check all that if you want ??

[Mister E]

Without dwelling for too long on the seasons that have made me almost weep, I still can't get beyond the dross-days of JG (Wembley in 2000 was a particular low point for me). The irony is that the Blues may still go down this season ... but what happens with the neighbours is actually not that important right now 'cos our own problems should be the focus.
Yesterday, several senior players let us down - Dunne, Collins and AY in particular. Should have been home and dry at half-time, but GMac making a - frankly - bizarre decision about bringing on Pires and removing NRC seemed strange, and the defending for the two goals was the stuff of Keystone Kops. A microcosm of our season's defending.
My view on things is that there are too many "Big Bollox" at the club and not enough team-players. Dunne, Collins, AY, GMac - all probably with massive ego problems .... we need a clear-out and a new start; which means a new manager who can exploit the raw talent in the youff.
Get someone in early, get rid of the dross and build for next season. With or without GH, but definitely without GMac.

[Archie]

If this umpteenth defeat (and humiliation: you can't lose 11 against ten with such an average team) can have a sense, it is that there was the risk that, after three positive results against poor and not motivated teams, many forgot the awful season that we had and were  going to concede credit to the manager, wheras his failure is now well clear.
Thanks God we are 90% safe (and beating Wigan we shall definitely).
And thanks God we have a great club and a great President.
Now we need to turn the corner.
A bit of fresh air, please.
Lambert. Moyes, Hughes, Zola, Ancelotti  or Coyle would be more than welcome.

[WikiVilla]

The Wigan game is now another Cup Final

[Clampy]

last season we went backwards

Did we? We went on two good cup runs and finished 6th. If last season was going backwards, then i hate to think what you call this season?

[Rip Van We Go Again]

thinking back i can't remember a time with a less decent list of unemployed managers than when MON left to be honest.

But why did we have to take an unemployed manager on?
Why did we not head hunt a better coach?

[Shrek]

So when we got 8 points from 4 games it's nothing to do with the management, now we unluckily lost it's all the management's fault.? Hmmm

[Clampy]

So when we got 8 points from 4 games it's nothing to do with the management, now we unluckily lost it's all the management's fault.? Hmmm

I'm not sure if we unluckily lost somehow. We lost against a team who were poor with 11 men on the pitch, never mind 10, and then our manager goes and makes a complete balls up of a substitution which he did'nt need to make.