If McLeish was sacked, who would you want in?

[N'ZMAV]

I liked Houllier. Didn't agree with everything he did, but he would have taken the whole club in the right direction.

[Chris Smith]

I agree with most of that, Paulie, although we've seen glimpses of us try to play a more attacking game so I'm not convinced by this is how it will always be argument. As I keep saying the problem is the midfield, the rest of the side is good enough to keep us in the top half but the creative players are failing to deliver, when Petrov is absent there's no leadership and there's little dynamism. To me that's a problem of personnel not tactics or formations. Put Scott Parker in our team and we'd be several points better off.

Having made his choice I think Lerner will give him at least the season to justify his faith in him. I just hope we can fix the flaws otherwise it's going to be a miserable time both at the game and on here.

[Chris Smith]

Gabby would be gone too if GH had stayed, it was pretty clear that he didn't fit in with his plans.

[JUAN PABLO]

Midfield is a problem and he gets rid of Makoun and Gardner should be on the bench . 

[Reformation]

We all need to take a step back and stop being the hyperbole brigade. Things are definitely bad and rotten to the core, and as fans, we have every right to be vocal about it. But equally we have to be fair and say in some instances we have not helped ourselves throughout this farcical appointment, albeit through the minority, and I’m thinking of the shameful graffiti on Bodymoor where we should never deface our own club. This is even made worse by our – in some cases still shameless - actions towards the General where we continue to act like spoilt little children who have had their favourite toy taken off them and continue to call him a ‘coward’. Doe he owe us anything? No, he was doing us a favour in the first place where some and even the most respected posters pretty much just spat in his face by acting as they did. He simply spat back by “leaving us”.

And now for Eck; there can be no single fan that would have even put him on their Christmas card list let alone the top of a managerial search. His philosophies, coaching style, continued blind eye towards youth and passionless football is not Aston Villa at all. Villa fans are simple tribal creatures and all we want is for us to show passion, fight for every ball and pass to the nearest team might whilst showing ambition and guile. Our strength throughout our history has always been on young players whether it is a young Andy Grey or Dwight Yorke. These simple things are constantly ignored which is why he will never be accepted.

Added to this Eck has effectively started on a ‘second chance’ to prove us wrong and see what he can do. But all he has done is prove our worse fears right sending alarm bells ringing that this will be just like his previous season sending us all into hyper-panic.

What I’m saying is, just like you all, I do not believe this manager is ‘Aston Villa’ - nor will he ever be - as he’s the polar opposite. But we owe it to give it to January just as we all said we would to, in a sense, to let him resume his trial before we've hung him before the guilty verdict is read out.

[Chris Smith]

Midfield is a problem and he gets rid of Makoun and Gardner should be on the bench . 

Makoun is neither creative, dynamic or a leader so I'm not sure how he would solve our problems. We'll benefit far more from Gardner getting some experience of adult football in the long run than we would having him sat on our bench.

[pauliewalnuts]

Raymond Stubbs on ESPN said at Half Time on Saturday and I quote 'The Aston Villa fans are not going to continue to accept this are they Kevin'?  It was almost like he was saying it actually feeling our pain.  Never been a great fan of his but in one sentence he summed my feelings up perfectly.

Seen this?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/dec/04/alex-mcleish-aston-villa-espn

[Concrete John]

I agree with most of that, Paulie, although we've seen glimpses of us try to play a more attacking game so I'm not convinced by this is how it will always be argument. As I keep saying the problem is the midfield, the rest of the side is good enough to keep us in the top half but the creative players are failing to deliver, when Petrov is absent there's no leadership and there's little dynamism. To me that's a problem of personnel not tactics or formations. Put Scott Parker in our team and we'd be several points better off.

Having made his choice I think Lerner will give him at least the season to justify his faith in him. I just hope we can fix the flaws otherwise it's going to be a miserable time both at the game and on here.

That the thing.  Unless you're completely trigger happy a manager needs to get his ideas across, evolve the squad to what he wants and get a firm grip on things.  And what all that adds up to is time.  I wasn't a Houllier fan, but repeatedly said that the time to judge him was the summer.  I think AM deserves no less, so unless we get into a real pickle then he should have time to put things right.     

[pauliewalnuts]

I agree with most of that, Paulie, although we've seen glimpses of us try to play a more attacking game so I'm not convinced by this is how it will always be argument. As I keep saying the problem is the midfield, the rest of the side is good enough to keep us in the top half but the creative players are failing to deliver, when Petrov is absent there's no leadership and there's little dynamism. To me that's a problem of personnel not tactics or formations. Put Scott Parker in our team and we'd be several points better off.

Having made his choice I think Lerner will give him at least the season to justify his faith in him. I just hope we can fix the flaws otherwise it's going to be a miserable time both at the game and on here.

I think, barring a disastrous run of results, he's going to get at least the season.

The problem is, and I'm not screaming "we're doomed", I genuinely do think there's a very real chance of us getting relegated, unless there's - soonish - a marked improvement in our football.

It also makes me nervous to hear about N'Zogbia being a problem, and Dunne arguing with the manager. That's the last thing we need in the mix.

[Gervilla81]

Can't see McLeish being sacked just now but should it happen my own personal choice would be
1st Davie Moyes
2nd Walter Smith
3rd Carlo Ancelotti
4th Paul Lambert
5th Frank Rijkaard

Moyes a well respected coach who has taken Everton as far as he can IMO
Smith a hugely successful manager who knows how to get best out of under achieving team
Ancelotti good manager who would only helo improve our fortunes IMO
Lambert promising start to career but my fear is would he cope with expectations at a Big Club like Villa
Rijkaard another good coach who could bring something to table but imo he'd want a big budget and that doesnt look likely

[VillaAlways]

In fairness, I dont think we'd played Liverpool or Arsenal in our first 14 games last year.

You're correct.Two international breaks.Apologies

[pauliewalnuts]

Moyes isn't going to come here. Rijkaard is going to be too expensive. Ancelotti wasn't interested last time.

I understand the argument that we had to get someone relatively cheap and mid table-ish (although AM usually falls below that), but I'd rather have taken a punt on someone from the lower leagues like Poyet and at least have a go at playing some football in the meantime.

I know I sound like a broken record on this shit football thing, but it's so disheartening to watch (at least I've been consistent on that issue, mind).

I'd normally be of the opinion of giving a manager time, as I was with Houllier, but can anyone really, realistically see this appointment ending in a good place?

[Vanilla]

Raymond Stubbs on ESPN said at Half Time on Saturday and I quote 'The Aston Villa fans are not going to continue to accept this are they Kevin'?  It was almost like he was saying it actually feeling our pain.  Never been a great fan of his but in one sentence he summed my feelings up perfectly.

Seen this?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/dec/04/alex-mcleish-aston-villa-espn

The quote about us one day beating Manure as though we are Stockport County, pretty much sums up the managers mind set of inferiority that is taken onto the pitch by the players.

The fact we were regularly beating the Top 4 clubs until least season seems to have slipped his mind.

Then again, he was targeted by the club as a relegation battler.

[Vanilla]

Can't see McLeish being sacked just now but should it happen my own personal choice would be
1st Davie Moyes
2nd Walter Smith
3rd Carlo Ancelotti
4th Paul Lambert
5th Frank Rijkaard

Moyes: He isn't going to want to swap a club with a small budget, for a club with a small budget. Walter Smith: no. Your 3rd, 4th and 5th choices: you'd have more chance seeing a manger of the blues being appoin . . . oops.

[PaulWinch again]

Moyes isn't going to come here. Rijkaard is going to be too expensive. Ancelotti wasn't interested last time.

I understand the argument that we had to get someone relatively cheap and mid table-ish (although AM usually falls below that), but I'd rather have taken a punt on someone from the lower leagues like Poyet and at least have a go at playing some football in the meantime.

I know I sound like a broken record on this shit football thing, but it's so disheartening to watch (at least I've been consistent on that issue, mind).

I'd normally be of the opinion of giving a manager time, as I was with Houllier, but can anyone really, realistically see this appointment ending in a good place?

No I can't see it ending in a good place regardless of the time afforded to it, in fact I can't see it improving at all. I'm normally one for giving managers time, and I don't have a problem with Mcleish as a man but it just isn't going to work. The football we play is awful and shows no sign of improvement, so it'd probably be best for all concerned to cut their losses.