Villa being discussed at length on Talksport right now

[SoccerHQ]

My observation on Fulham really was to point out that Villa man for man have better players but no system. The most exited i got against United was when Dunne went on a run, i think even he was pissed off with the lack of any forward movement, we can pick on individual players but collectively the team should be playing well above the performances they are presenting us with and for that the buck stops with the manager. I cannot see AM turning this around my only worry is that Lerner will leave it too late for us to get out of the mess.

I think we have better individuals throughout our team than Newcastle aswell but you can see Pardew has worked very hard on team shape with them during the summer and he's added quality in Cabaye.

[JUAN PABLO]

Martin Jol would have done a job for us

[pauliewalnuts]

My observation on Fulham really was to point out that Villa man for man have better players but no system. The most exited i got against United was when Dunne went on a run, i think even he was pissed off with the lack of any forward movement, we can pick on individual players but collectively the team should be playing well above the performances they are presenting us with and for that the buck stops with the manager. I cannot see AM turning this around my only worry is that Lerner will leave it too late for us to get out of the mess.

I think we have better individuals throughout our team than Newcastle aswell but you can see Pardew has worked very hard on team shape with them during the summer and he's added quality in Cabaye.

Cabaye and Tiote in the middle is a fantastic pairing.

What is impressive about Newcastle is that they don't really have that much up front. Demba Ba is half decent, but after him, it's Leon Best, Peter Lovenkrands and Shola Ameobi.

Pardew has them playing some decent stuff, too.

[Concrete John]

My observation on Fulham really was to point out that Villa man for man have better players but no system. The most exited i got against United was when Dunne went on a run, i think even he was pissed off with the lack of any forward movement, we can pick on individual players but collectively the team should be playing well above the performances they are presenting us with and for that the buck stops with the manager. I cannot see AM turning this around my only worry is that Lerner will leave it too late for us to get out of the mess.

I think we have better individuals throughout our team than Newcastle aswell but you can see Pardew has worked very hard on team shape with them during the summer and he's added quality in Cabaye.

I think people are getting carried away with Newcastle.  They do look a decent enough outfit, but had a pretty easy start.  7th is the best they'll do and even then I'd guess points wise they would be closer to 8th than 6th.

As for us, what I think we need is a defensive shake up.  AM has swapped players around the front 6, but tried to leave a settled defence as much as possible behind them.  Clark and Cuellar to come in somewhere for me.

[SoccerHQ]

I think it's more they're having a go.

They drew 2-2 at Spurs, granted that was at home and not WHL but it was still a very good watch.

They went to OT and got a 1-1 and even though Chelsea turned them over, Luiz should've walked early on and they hit the post I think 4 times in that game.

[Vanilla]

I think it's more they're having a go.

They drew 2-2 at Spurs, granted that was at home and not WHL but it was still a very good watch.

They went to OT and got a 1-1 and even though Chelsea turned them over, Luiz should've walked early on and they hit the post I think 4 times in that game.

I think team spirit and direction is what places them apart from us. They may falter, but considering what they have endured they seem to be taking steps in the right direction now.

Villa have just flatlined.

[Merv]

I think it's more they're having a go.

They drew 2-2 at Spurs, granted that was at home and not WHL but it was still a very good watch.

They went to OT and got a 1-1 and even though Chelsea turned them over, Luiz should've walked early on and they hit the post I think 4 times in that game.

Yes, that's the point with Newcastle, very much so. And on the Chelsea game, you're right - the ref makes the right call on Luiz and it could have been different. But even losing 3-0 (a flattering scoreline) Newcastle hit the woodwork 3/4 times and their fans go home feeling reasonably positive, still.

Not getting carried away with Newcastle, but they're giving the top sides a game and beating those around them. They have a limited squad but they're making it work. 7th is the best they can hope for, agreed, but even so - I'd take 7th if offered now. I'd take 10th if offered now, to be honest. I'd even take 12th!

They may find things tougher now Taylor is out for the season - Coloccini's injured too, not sure how long for. But they've made a good start and impressed me. Certainly performed way above expectation.

[Mister E]

The more I think about it, the more I think that the players GH had targeted to move on need to leave before we get anywhere.

Despite all his (mostly PR related) gaffes and faults, Houllier had the right idea and was, I believe, taking us in a good direction. I think his intention was to ship out a lot of the hoofers and loafers and bring in some more proper footballers (funds allowing)  People who write his reign off as as disaster are well wide of the mark in my view, and the football, whilst not perfect,  was way better to watch than this sub-MON negative anti-football we're having to endure now.  It really was bad luck when his ticker played up again.

The Villa v Manure game from last season seems light years away .       

Yeah, and last year we went into the game with Hogg and Bannan as a CMF pairing; no sign of nerves and hoof-it then.

[Mister E]

I think it's more they're having a go.

They drew 2-2 at Spurs, granted that was at home and not WHL but it was still a very good watch.

They went to OT and got a 1-1 and even though Chelsea turned them over, Luiz should've walked early on and they hit the post I think 4 times in that game.

I think team spirit and direction is what places them apart from us. They may falter, but considering what they have endured they seem to be taking steps in the right direction now.

Villa have just flatlined.

Yes, good point. McMinge appears not have created the sort of "team spirit and direction" that you refer to at Newcastle and that almost saved the Bluenoses last season.

I have to say, I get the impression that the likes of Collins, Dunne and Warnock are back to their "Billy-big-bollox" and "you can't drop me" mindset; which is what GHou was targeting last season as a sort of team cancer.

[Iago]

I have to say, I get the impression that the likes of Collins, Dunne and Warnock are back to their "Billy-big-bollox" and "you can't drop me" mindset; which is what GHou was targeting last season as a sort of team cancer.

According to Richard Dunne-his team talks were behind our survival last season. Not the fact Bent (GH's signing) scored the goals.

[TheSandman]

I'd want that twat out of the door before even McLeish.

[Toronto Villa]

The more I think about it, the more I think that the players GH had targeted to move on need to leave before we get anywhere.

Despite all his (mostly PR related) gaffes and faults, Houllier had the right idea and was, I believe, taking us in a good direction. I think his intention was to ship out a lot of the hoofers and loafers and bring in some more proper footballers (funds allowing)  People who write his reign off as as disaster are well wide of the mark in my view, and the football, whilst not perfect,  was way better to watch than this sub-MON negative anti-football we're having to endure now.  It really was bad luck when his ticker played up again.

The Villa v Manure game from last season seems light years away .       

10 bloody minutes. We'd played so, so well for most the previous 80. How much confidence was in that team at that point. We played so really open stuff. Where has that all gone? That's why I wanted GH to stay (health permitting). He is an arrogant cock, and yes certain players would have gone, but he'd have replaced them with the type of players that wouldn't make your neck hurt after 90 minutes.

[pauliewalnuts]

The more I think about it, the more I think that the players GH had targeted to move on need to leave before we get anywhere.

Despite all his (mostly PR related) gaffes and faults, Houllier had the right idea and was, I believe, taking us in a good direction. I think his intention was to ship out a lot of the hoofers and loafers and bring in some more proper footballers (funds allowing)  People who write his reign off as as disaster are well wide of the mark in my view, and the football, whilst not perfect,  was way better to watch than this sub-MON negative anti-football we're having to endure now.  It really was bad luck when his ticker played up again.

The Villa v Manure game from last season seems light years away .       

10 bloody minutes. We'd played so, so well for most the previous 80. How much confidence was in that team at that point. We played so really open stuff. Where has that all gone? That's why I wanted GH to stay (health permitting). He is an arrogant cock, and yes certain players would have gone, but he'd have replaced them with the type of players that wouldn't make your neck hurt after 90 minutes.

The most stupid thing is we went through all that pain and the embarassments when he'd put his foot in it, but slowly we were showing signs of modernising.

His health couldn't be helped, but what do we do then? Go right back to the middle fucking ages with this horrid hoofball we play.

[Toronto Villa]

The more I think about it, the more I think that the players GH had targeted to move on need to leave before we get anywhere.

Despite all his (mostly PR related) gaffes and faults, Houllier had the right idea and was, I believe, taking us in a good direction. I think his intention was to ship out a lot of the hoofers and loafers and bring in some more proper footballers (funds allowing)  People who write his reign off as as disaster are well wide of the mark in my view, and the football, whilst not perfect,  was way better to watch than this sub-MON negative anti-football we're having to endure now.  It really was bad luck when his ticker played up again.

The Villa v Manure game from last season seems light years away .       

10 bloody minutes. We'd played so, so well for most the previous 80. How much confidence was in that team at that point. We played so really open stuff. Where has that all gone? That's why I wanted GH to stay (health permitting). He is an arrogant cock, and yes certain players would have gone, but he'd have replaced them with the type of players that wouldn't make your neck hurt after 90 minutes.

The most stupid thing is we went through all that pain and the embarassments when he'd put his foot in it, but slowly we were showing signs of modernising.

His health couldn't be helped, but what do we do then? Go right back to the middle fucking ages with this horrid hoofball we play.

when people criticise the likes of Makoun, I have every confidence that had GH still been here he'd have signed a Cabaye or some other tough bastard to protect the midfield so Makoun can link the play between defence and attack. We didn't have the players to help Makoun, and then AM gave up on him. I wanted to see the end result to GH's work. The man has been successful doing it his way throughout his career. Yeh, so what some players hated him. Clearly he didn't give a shit. I want some of that down at VP right now.

[pauliewalnuts]

Cabaye was due to come to us in the summer if GH had stayed.

AM didn't so much as give up on Markoun as not give him a chance.

I agree re trouble making players. That's another thing Houllier was more than likely correct about.