Villa being discussed at length on Talksport right now

[Merv]

I'm not convinced the defence is fine. The goals against column doesn't look too bad, I agree, but we looked okay in the opening games against Fulham, Blackburn, Wigan, QPR. We've really started shipping them in recent weeks. I'm concerned things are beginning to unravel back there and we're starting to decline.

[Toronto Villa]

Funny how when GH is remembered it is the Msnu gsme that gets mentioned, not Liverpool or Msn City away which ere easily as bad as anything we have seen this season.

Results improved last season when he stopped sulking, restored Dunne and Collins to the defence and we started playing to our strengths again by utilising two players who are no longer with us. They improved even more when he was taken ill and wasn't influencing things.

I don't think anyone is making a case for last season being perfect Chris. Yes, without doubt those two games were hideous. Every bit as bad as Spurs this year. However, whether you decide to discount his influence towards the end or not, the philosophy of trying to get the ball down and pass it was in growing in evidence. Losing Young and Downing hasn't helped in the least, but the remaining players shouldn't now be that far back from the end of last season in terms on technique. Additionally, you're right about the influence of the Dunne/Collins partnership. What should also be mentioned is that they were whacking it downfield less then than they are now. We stressed ball retention, and the players were doing it more, and the results started to get better. Credit Houllier, McAllister or whatever, but we shouldn't have regressed this much.

I agree with you that the midfield is the issue. They might not be the issue if the ball was played to feet to them so they could set up more of the attacks as opposed to watching it go over their heads or simply defending when the opposition are running at them.

[Concrete John]

I do think there has been some revisionism over GH's time at the club on here lately.

[achilles]

My grandson has to put in his workbook what he does on the weekend, this is what he wrote for last weekend:

"Went to the Villa, it was so negative"... and he is 7 years old!

[Fuse]

Our problem is that our defenders can only hoof the ball and have next to no composure and our central midfielders are much the same. Herd is a defender playing in midfield, Petrov whilst having compusre is jsut too slow and can not get around the pithc. Delph has sof ar proven to be a libility in that he cant tackle and Bannan whilst having composure and an eye for a pass, is too slow and couldn;t tackly my granny.

So two Central Midfielders are needed ASAP - both whoa re comfortable on the ball, one having a good engien to get up and downa dn the other more defnesive. Cabaye and Tiote are good examples of not having to spend a fortune. Even the Baggies have a better midfield than us.

Makoun could have played th defensive role but McLeish chiose to trade him for Jenas 0 what a great decision that was! Same with L Young and Hutton - waste of time, we could have played Herd at right back and spent the £4m on a midfielder.

[TheSandman]

I do think there has been some revisionism over GH's time at the club on here lately.

Generally, one tends to have happier memories of the frying pan when they are in the fire.

[Chris Smith]

I'm not convinced the defence is fine. The goals against column doesn't look too bad, I agree, but we looked okay in the opening games against Fulham, Blackburn, Wigan, QPR. We've really started shipping them in recent weeks. I'm concerned things are beginning to unravel back there and we're starting to decline.

Although only 1 conceded in the last 2 which suggests that they've settled down again.

I accept that they pay it long too often but a lot of that is players not showing for the ball, lacking the confidence to have it in tight positions. In the end hoofing it is the lesser of two evils compared to being caught in possession on the edge of your own box. I also don't think Given is as quick to see the opportunity to throw it out as Brad was and seems more comfortable launching it.

[Iago]

My grandson has to put in his workbook what he does on the weekend, this is what he wrote for last weekend:

"Went to the Villa, it was so negative"... and he is 7 years old!

Sadly Randy does not see it that clearly.

[ktvillan]

I do think there has been some revisionism over GH's time at the club on here lately.

I don't think there's any revisionism.  No-one said he was perfect, and he clearly wasn't, just that he tried to play proper football and do things in the right way on the pitch and the training ground, particularly passing and movement.  We improved when he brought in Bent, Walker and Makoun in the January window, all decent signings in my view.  The players he was rumoured to have targetted, among them  Cabaye,  would have taken us further down the route of proper football appropriate to this millennium rather than 30 odd years back in the last one.   Judging by the number of goals conceded from set pieces, the reinstatement of Dunne and Collins was hardly his masterstroke, he just had very little alternative.   

[Compass]

I'm not convinced the defence is fine. The goals against column doesn't look too bad, I agree, but we looked okay in the opening games against Fulham, Blackburn, Wigan, QPR. We've really started shipping them in recent weeks. I'm concerned things are beginning to unravel back there and we're starting to decline.

Although only 1 conceded in the last 2 which suggests that they've settled down again.

I accept that they pay it long too often but a lot of that is players not showing for the ball, lacking the confidence to have it in tight positions. In the end hoofing it is the lesser of two evils compared to being caught in possession on the edge of your own box. I also don't think Given is as quick to see the opportunity to throw it out as Brad was and seems more comfortable launching it.

While the defence has improved slightly, the attacking force has dramtically gone worse with 0 goals in 3 games now. There's no balance.

[Merv]

Or 13 conceded in our last six, an average of two a game. I accept it's entirely how any of us choose to interpret the info - but I'm seeing some fairly soft goals conceded!

[cheltenhamlion]

There simply doesn't appear to be any joined up thinking. That is what I find frustrating.

We lurch from MON, to Houllier, to McLeish with no obvious semblance of how we are trying to play.

The kids are all taught pass and move from a young age but the first team has for a number of years been about knocking it long or playing everything in from the wings.

It just doesn't make sense.

[LeeB]

There simply doesn't appear to be any joined up thinking. That is what I find frustrating.

We lurch from MON, to Houllier, to McLeish with no obvious semblance of how we are trying to play.

The kids are all taught pass and move from a young age but the first team has for a number of years been about knocking it long or playing everything in from the wings.

It just doesn't make sense.

These kids are playing the right way all the way through the system, then when they're sent up to the first team they haven't got a scooby what to do with them as they lack the essentials required, which are cheifly being strong, able to clear your lines and older than 25.

The policy of youth is being undermined by the manger being more concerned about covering his arse. 

[citizenDJ]

There simply doesn't appear to be any joined up thinking. That is what I find frustrating.

We lurch from MON, to Houllier, to McLeish with no obvious semblance of how we are trying to play.

The kids are all taught pass and move from a young age but the first team has for a number of years been about knocking it long or playing everything in from the wings.

It just doesn't make sense.

Indeed. Martinez to follow Houllier made some sense, although how successful he'd have been I'm not sure, but McLeish? Odd.

[mr woo]

On the subject of the kids, I would have had more faith in Gerard Houllier developing our youth than I do with Mr McLeish. He's in danger of ruining the whole bloody lot.