Villa being discussed at length on Talksport right now

[Compass]

Trying to get a centre half to play in a style he's not suited to is as stupid as asking Barry Bannan to act as a target man. Just because Houllier had good ideas about how the game should be played, he must have I've seen it posted often enough, doesn't make him a good manager.

Yep, about as stupid as using Heskey in a midfield position. Oh wait...

You seem to be defending McLeish's anti football alot, which hasn't changed from Blues and Rangers. Do you like us not playing football? Do you even like football in general?

[Chris Smith]

Dunne and Collins were hugely over-rated in MON's time. The reason they did so well to start with is they had players in front of them like Milner and a pre-breathing through his arse Petrov winning and keeping the ball so the pressure was off them. As soon as that went their flaws were exposed for all to see.

Or, too put it it in a more honest way they were the right type of players for the team and the way we played. In the second half of the season GH realised it, stopped trying to impose a style that didn't suit them and results improved accordingly as we stopped leaking so many soft goals and started scoring them again at the other end.

[Monty]

Trying to get a centre half to play in a style he's not suited to is as stupid as asking Barry Bannan to act as a target man. Just because Houllier had good ideas about how the game should be played, he must have I've seen it posted often enough, doesn't make him a good manager.

You could say not suited to, but frankly if he's not suited to a bare minimum level of passing the ball out, then he's just not good enough.

[Iago]

It is foolish to believe AM is equivalent or better than GH. Look at their styles and pedigrees. AM is nowhere near Gerard's level.

GH was a good manager and had a long term plan for the club. I was excited by his signings and playing vision. He wanted to change the culture of the club. I wanted to see us being comfortable and creating chances with the ball.

We now have the middle man McLeish and his fear football at VP, so exciting. Thanks Randy.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Us v Stoke 2 years ago. Stoke were the worst team I'd ever seen. No ambition, no desire to win, just hoofing it upfield to no-one. (Credit to him, Pulis changed things and they got 2 goals back. Horrible day for Villa).
Us v Spurs and ManU in first half reminded me of that Stoke performance - no desire for the ball; from throw-ins no-one wants it, we hoof the ball up to 2 guys who are not strong in the air (against ManU with 2 of the best aerial defenders in Europe and beyond!). What the f**k are we doing? AM's tactics defy belief! I wouldn't let my under 14s play that way! If we can see why can't.........etc!

[Chris Smith]

Trying to get a centre half to play in a style he's not suited to is as stupid as asking Barry Bannan to act as a target man. Just because Houllier had good ideas about how the game should be played, he must have I've seen it posted often enough, doesn't make him a good manager.

Yep, about as stupid as using Heskey in a midfield position. Oh wait...

You seem to be defending McLeish's anti football alot, which hasn't changed from Blues and Rangers. Do you like us not playing football? Do you even like football in general?

This is about Houllier you big dope. You really are obsessed, did a big ginger Scotsman steal your girlfriend or something?

Now, I'll explain it to you one more time. Please pay attention because it does get tiresome. I don't believe a third of a season is enough to judge a manager. That won't change just because you keep finding new ways to make the same point.

[john e]

Houlier had a plan, a way he wanted the team to play,
 i'm not saying it worked every game as it did not, and at times we were really crap, but there was a plan, and the players we had/have did not suit that way of playing so it did look a bit disjointed and worse at times, but at least we knew given a bit of time and a few new players who could hopefully 'fit the bill' we might have been working toward a decent team.

i dont know if Houlier would have seen any sucess, he might have crashed and burned, but i was still hopefull he would build something worth watching,
i havent got that hope with Mcliesh, and thats the biggest problem i have with Villa at the moment

[Greg N'Ash]

Dunne and Collins were hugely over-rated in MON's time. The reason they did so well to start with is they had players in front of them like Milner and a pre-breathing through his arse Petrov winning and keeping the ball so the pressure was off them. As soon as that went their flaws were exposed for all to see.

Or, too put it it in a more honest way they were the right type of players for the team and the way we played. In the second half of the season GH realised it, stopped trying to impose a style that didn't suit them and results improved accordingly as we stopped leaking so many soft goals and started scoring them again at the other end.

but once milner had gone we no longer could play that way so GH was looking for a different way.. We can talk about the decline, players leaving, crap managers, but the fundamental thing that buggered us up last season and triggered the present decline was no Milner. He worked his arse off and most of the good things during MON's time went through him unfortunately. Once he went the game was up for that team.

[Chris Smith]

That doesn't add up though, Greg. Results from January onwards were good, top 6 form if over a full season and the defence was a big part of that.

[PeterWithesShin]

Yep the defence were in such sterling form that they managed a whole 3 clean sheets in 19 from Jan 1st - end of season (22 games if you include cup games).

[Compass]

Trying to get a centre half to play in a style he's not suited to is as stupid as asking Barry Bannan to act as a target man. Just because Houllier had good ideas about how the game should be played, he must have I've seen it posted often enough, doesn't make him a good manager.

Yep, about as stupid as using Heskey in a midfield position. Oh wait...

You seem to be defending McLeish's anti football alot, which hasn't changed from Blues and Rangers. Do you like us not playing football? Do you even like football in general?

This is about Houllier you big dope. You really are obsessed, did a big ginger Scotsman steal your girlfriend or something?

Now, I'll explain it to you one more time. Please pay attention because it does get tiresome. I don't believe a third of a season is enough to judge a manager. That won't change just because you keep finding new ways to make the same point.

Don't throw a hissy fit you clown. Seeing as McLeish is the manager of Aston Villa I'd say discussing him is relevant in a Aston Villa forum. Don't you?

Also Houllier was a good manager. Forget about his positive football for a second. Firstly, he doesn't have relegations, he has superior achievements and left Liverpool with a legacy that won them the Champions League.

In his time at Villa he had no pre season, he had to deal with one of the biggest injury crisis this club has ever faced, could identify the bad apples who were holding us back, got us playing positive football and still managed us 9th after all thanks to his tactics that Gary Mac used.

[Iago]

That doesn't add up though, Greg. Results from January onwards were good, top 6 form if over a full season and the defence was a big part of that.

Bent and Walker had a huge impact.

[Greg N'Ash]

results were good but it wasn't how we used to play by any stretch of the imagination and i didn't feel the defence was back to its old self. To me it was just GH papering over the cracks to survive, so he could really overhaul the squad in the summer. That never came unfortunately and we seem to be very much back at square 1 as far as squad building or finding a style goes.. We probably could have coped with Young going last summer or Downing but Milner was the heart of the team and IMO we were buggered when he left. I reckon MON thought so too especially with no budget to rebuild

[Chris Smith]

That doesn't add up though, Greg. Results from January onwards were good, top 6 form if over a full season and the defence was a big part of that.

Bent and Walker had a huge impact.

Yes they did, so did Young and Downing but it would have been for nothing if we'd carried on shipping goals like in the first half of the season.

[Chris Smith]

Houllier was an indifferent manager for us. That squad was better than 9th, he under achieved. Of course his record at other clubs was better and he might have achieved more with us but last season was poor on and off the pitch and he was behind much of it.

In addition Gabby has been our best player this season but Houllier got nothing out of him and pissed him off enough to make him consider his future.