Mcleish - 'I Accepted the challenge'

[Ads]

I agree with you Brian, but i'm not sure that helps much ;0)

On another note i noticed AM was claiming in the mail that the players performance was effected by being "frightened of the fans expectations".

eh? I'm sorry Alex but we have lower expectations than we had for many a season. In fact most of us would be happy with mid-table mediocrity. Or maybe he means the expectations that our players can at least pass to each other.

I've just watched his interview and he doesn't say that at all. He says there is a level of expectation and the players have to meet it at a club like Villa and in the first half they fell way below that.

[amfy]

I read it far more as 'The players need to get a grip amd I need to work out how to make them' than 'The fans need to get off the player's backs'
I have to say one thing I am liking about McLeish is that he usually imterviews as if he has seen the same game that I did.

[Matt C]

It's almost like there are people waiting for the slightest chance to criticise the manager...

[charleeco7]

Decent article in the tory graph by Winter. http://t.co/dTFVcKmf

[Matt C]

Fair comment there.

[Merv]

I have to say one thing I am liking about McLeish is that he usually imterviews as if he has seen the same game that I did.

Me too. Which doesn't always happen with managers - someone like Alan Pardew, for example. I'm always left wondering what he was watching!

McLeish's interview on Sunday was good. Very honest. Apologised for sweating a lot, too.

[taylorsworkrate]

Decent article in the tory graph by Winter. http://t.co/dTFVcKmf

Good article that. 

[Vanilla]

Decent article in the tory graph by Winter. http://t.co/dTFVcKmf

Good article that, and for a broadsheet The Telegraph seem to have some respect for 'other' teams.

They also point out that, with all the talk about balancing the books at Villa, RL did purchase Villa at a fairly decent price. Didn't dablues cost about £80 odd million?

You do almost get the feeling it's as though the manager was brought in two thirds of the way through a season, when we are 4th bottom. His target being 'stop us from getting relegated'. Our approach being set out as to not lose the game, rather than go to win. Hence we start playing QPR as though we are playing Manure at Old Trafford.

Perhaps that's just his approach after managing across the city. 

[Greg N'Ash]

Bit simplistic that article. It may be AM's instinct to play defensively but frankly if he did allow us to be more adventurous we'd get punished because we haven't got the personnel in the middle to cope unless we go with 3 in there and even then we'll be asking someone to do a job they're maybe not comfortable with. Jenas will be the key - if he comes in biting at the bit then maybe we can allow a bit more of an attacking flair.

[ROBBO]

As Houllier found out it is very difficult for a team entrenched in playing one way to suddenly change. We are lazy in midfield with players not prepared to spend the energy to get in the box to support the forwards.We saw a little example of how it should be done at the start of the second half against QPR, why he took Bannon off unless he took a knock i've no idea, not convinced by Bannon but will admit it weakened the structure. I watched the Norwich-Sunderland game this morning and rest more easily that we won't be fighting relegation.

[supertommykN'iba]

RE: Bottlegate. There were blokes each side of me that got ejected for this at QPR. As much as you may say he never drank out of the bottle, how on earth did the Stewards see it? That stand is steep enough and cramped enough to suggest that only when raised to head height could any Stewards see it. The one lad who got kicked out gave a completely different reaction. It started kicking off a little with the Stewards and single Policeman, with him hiding and other people starting a bit of pushing. Not sure if he got away with it.

After this though, we got another lad next to us hiding after being kicked out for Drinking. Very strange, never seen so many instances of it!! Ridiculous rule, but if it's there...

Very good article just mentioned, by the way.

[Concrete John]

Decent article in the tory graph by Winter. http://t.co/dTFVcKmf

Good read, that.

From a tactical point of viewm the one thing I think is a problem and hasn't really been touched upon is the fullbacks.  They should be our release ball wide as, other than Albrighton, we don;t have any natural wingers.  Gabby and N'Zog our the wide options when everybody is fit, but one is a striker and the other likes to cut in more than go on the outisde.  However, I don't think we've gotten enough from Warnock and Hutton attacking wise yet, which has meant we're very narrow and added to the blunt edge we've seen attacking wise.

It's about balance and maybe Jenas strengthening the midfield will give them more freedom to get forward?

[Merv]

Maybe John. I noticed Warnock, in particular, got forward several times and opened QPR up in the second half. Lack of width is one major reason why I want to see Albrighton in - him wide right and CNZ wide left.

Robbo's point about our midfield is a good one. I think the likes of Petrov has been conditioned to sit deep and merely funnel the ball out wide to Young or Downing, and they'd basically take things from there. The midfield has to step up and take charge of games. We still haven't got the right blend in there.

[Concrete John]

Maybe John. I noticed Warnock, in particular, got forward several times and opened QPR up in the second half. Lack of width is one major reason why I want to see Albrighton in - him wide right and CNZ wide left.

Given that that 2nd half was aswell as we've played since the Blackburn game, I think that proves the point that we need one or more of the FBs bombing forward if we're going to be a potent attacking force. 

I take your point about Albrighton, but Gabby's made himself undroppable so far, so when Bent's back Gabby will be wide.  Maybe the solution is to go more 4-2-3-1 once Jenas is fit?

Given

Hutton
Dunne
Collins
Warnock

Petrov
Jenas

Albrighton
N'Zogbia
Gabby

Bent

[TheSandman]

One thing I will say (and Henry Winter also mentioned it in his article) but with the players at his disposal McLeish should be able to create a good footballing side who can attack well.

I also refuse to believe that N'Zogbia and Albrighton have turned to shit overnight. A bit of time at the training ground and an injection of some of the confidence both are sadly lacking will help them both get better if not as good as Downing or Ash Young.