The future of Houllier and McAllister?

[ozzjim]

Ah but the failure to invest was down in large part down to MON being stubborn over cutting the wage bill with players that he had refused to play when the squad was on its knees last season. It all comes back to him eventually.

[Chris Smith]

yeah and we didn't invest because we had a squad of duffers we couldn't get rid off. which is explains our season and why MON jumped before he was pushed - QED.

Yep, that's the spin that all those who spent two years hoping for MON to fail have put on it. The fact is that, for whatever reason, business decisions took precedence over football ones and we've paid the price for it with a truly abysmal season.

[luke95]

Over them matches I'd seen enough from the team to know that we were starting to head in the right direction.

I'm not convinced. I haven't seen a good performance at home since Blackburn in February with the Wolves and Wigan games being as bad as it gets.

Yes, we're better that we were and have done enough to stay up but for the group of payers we have that's damning with faint praise.

Out of interest, with the players we have, where should we be?

Not 14th & only 3 points above relegation going into the last week of the season, no matter who was/is the Manager 

[spangley1812]

Ah but the failure to invest was down in large part down to MON being stubborn over cutting the wage bill with players that he had refused to play when the squad was on its knees last season. It all comes back to him eventually.

If you say so..............

[Chris Smith]

Ah but the failure to invest was down in large part down to MON being stubborn over cutting the wage bill with players that he had refused to play when the squad was on its knees last season. It all comes back to him eventually.

Sorry, Ozz, that just isn't true.

The General said at the time that MON had agreed to to the need to sell players, we made them available but in a depressed market we were unable to shift enough of them. He then appeared to want to buy his players regardless and was told no so he fucked off.

Since then we have sold a few so there was nothing wrong with them but by sticking to the policy dogmatically last summer we effectively gave up on the season.

[VillaZogmariner]

Over them matches I'd seen enough from the team to know that we were starting to head in the right direction.

I'm not convinced. I haven't seen a good performance at home since Blackburn in February with the Wolves and Wigan games being as bad as it gets.

Yes, we're better that we were and have done enough to stay up but for the group of payers we have that's damning with faint praise.

Out of interest, with the players we have, where should we be?

Not 14th & only 3 points above relegation going into the last week of the season, no matter who was/is the Manager 

Where then?

[Chris Smith]

Over them matches I'd seen enough from the team to know that we were starting to head in the right direction.

I'm not convinced. I haven't seen a good performance at home since Blackburn in February with the Wolves and Wigan games being as bad as it gets.

Yes, we're better that we were and have done enough to stay up but for the group of payers we have that's damning with faint praise.

Out of interest, with the players we have, where should we be?

We should be in the top 8. There are only 6 clubs that, on paper, have better squads than us.

[VillaZogmariner]

Ah but the failure to invest was down in large part down to MON being stubborn over cutting the wage bill with players that he had refused to play when the squad was on its knees last season. It all comes back to him eventually.

Sorry, Ozz, that just isn't true.

The General said at the time that MON had agreed to to the need to sell players, we made them available but in a depressed market we were unable to shift enough of them. He then appeared to want to buy his players regardless and was told no so he fucked off.

Since then we have sold a few so there was nothing wrong with them but by sticking to the policy dogmatically last summer we effectively gave up on the season.

So you think Randy should've paid out even more money on players then? Increasing the wage bill even more?

[VillaZogmariner]

Over them matches I'd seen enough from the team to know that we were starting to head in the right direction.

I'm not convinced. I haven't seen a good performance at home since Blackburn in February with the Wolves and Wigan games being as bad as it gets.

Yes, we're better that we were and have done enough to stay up but for the group of payers we have that's damning with faint praise.

Out of interest, with the players we have, where should we be?

We should be in the top 8. There are only 6 clubs that, on paper, have better squads than us.

Just a shame football isn't played "on paper" then.

[Risso]

Comfortably top 10, probably scrapping it out for the top 6 and 7 with Everton and Spurs like we usually do.  We just can't go into the summer with Houllier still in charge.  Even if you don't think he's shit, we just can't take the chance that his health will fail again and drop us in it.  A whole season with McAllister in charge is unthinkable.

[Greg N'Ash]

Its very easy to put yourself into MON's mindset last August.

You've lost your best player in Milner, one that the whole team revolved around. You've got players like Petrov, Friedal, Carew and Heskey that are on the wane and need replacing - well thats the best part of 25m at the cheapest and probably another 200k a week in wages. you could probably do with a few defenders as well, but Randy's not going to give you more money for defenders when you've wasted millions on Curtis "England International" Davies  and Beye. There's a few decent players in the reserves who could do a job for now, but hang on, you've banished the likes of NRC and Luke Young to the naughty corner and bringing them back would involve a massive loss of face, and the rest of the reserves are for want of a better word, shite.

He knew the writing was on the wall and I'm surprised he lasted to August really.

[Risso]

Over them matches I'd seen enough from the team to know that we were starting to head in the right direction.

I'm not convinced. I haven't seen a good performance at home since Blackburn in February with the Wolves and Wigan games being as bad as it gets.

Yes, we're better that we were and have done enough to stay up but for the group of payers we have that's damning with faint praise.

Out of interest, with the players we have, where should we be?

We should be in the top 8. There are only 6 clubs that, on paper, have better squads than us.

Just a shame football isn't played "on paper" then.

I bet you were dying to say that.  Open goals for predictable football cliches aside though, he's right.

[VillaZogmariner]

Comfortably top 10, probably scrapping it out for the top 6 and 7 with Everton and Spurs like we usually do.  We just can't go into the summer with Houllier still in charge.  Even if you don't think he's shit, we just can't take the chance that his health will fail again and drop us in it.  A whole season with McAllister in charge is unthinkable.

On the health issue Risso I am in agreement - if there is just 1% chance that his health is seriously at risk doing the job then he should stand down. Not for the club but for himself and his family.

The squad we had up to January was good enough for Top 6 last season. However with the other squads improving and our squad getting weaker that was down to probably a squad good enough for 8th, providing they played as well as last season. However that has happened (Do I really need to go through Dunne, Gabby, Carew et al again?) so from there I'd say a squad good enough for 10th-12th. Then throw in the injury crisis we had, the upheaval after MoN fucking off and now with Houllier being rushed to hospital. I'd say that 14th is probably about par for that.

Oh, and I whole heartedly agree about McAllister - I don't want to contemplate a season with him in charge.

[Chris Smith]

Ah but the failure to invest was down in large part down to MON being stubborn over cutting the wage bill with players that he had refused to play when the squad was on its knees last season. It all comes back to him eventually.

Sorry, Ozz, that just isn't true.

The General said at the time that MON had agreed to to the need to sell players, we made them available but in a depressed market we were unable to shift enough of them. He then appeared to want to buy his players regardless and was told no so he fucked off.

Since then we have sold a few so there was nothing wrong with them but by sticking to the policy dogmatically last summer we effectively gave up on the season.

So you think Randy should've paid out even more money on players then? Increasing the wage bill even more?

Yes, absolutely, how else were we going to keep pace with our competitors?

There was a decision to be made in August when we hadn't managed to sell players. Do business concerns take precedence and we stick with the policy or do football issues win and we sign the players? It's obvious which side came out on top.

[VillaZogmariner]

Over them matches I'd seen enough from the team to know that we were starting to head in the right direction.

I'm not convinced. I haven't seen a good performance at home since Blackburn in February with the Wolves and Wigan games being as bad as it gets.

Yes, we're better that we were and have done enough to stay up but for the group of payers we have that's damning with faint praise.

Out of interest, with the players we have, where should we be?

We should be in the top 8. There are only 6 clubs that, on paper, have better squads than us.

Just a shame football isn't played "on paper" then.

I bet you were dying to say that.  Open goals for predictable football cliches aside though, he's right.

We're actually only 4 points off 8th.