Villa Striker Has Fewest Premier League Touches

[JUAN PABLO]

The way McLeish talks, his whole mindset is one of negativity.  The words and phrases he uses are the words and phrases of a man used to managing relegation outfits - and they don't wash with what we have at the club at the moment.  His whole mindest rubs off on the players and the club as a whole.... 

That's an interesting point BW. When we stuffed the Blues 5-1 and he made that comment about not being able to compete with us, and how Villa had a different agenda, I remember thinking how pissed off I'd have been if our boss had said something as defeatist as that about us.  However true it may have been, it's hardly going to raise self esteem, rally the troops and inspire confidence.  That kind of thing really does reveal a lot about AM's mindset, that sometimes he sounds as if he thinks he is beaten before he starts, and it equates to piss poor management in my view. 

He kind of said the same thing about Spurs.

They were a different class in terms of their players; their speed, their athleticism was too much for us tonight.

sounds like a broken record

[Chris Smith]

Yes, I am touchy to being patronised by a bloke with a stupid username.

He's managed us for 14 league games, some of them we've been crap, some of them we've been average and some of them we've been pretty good. When he's been in charge for 30 games or so we might have enough evidence to say he is this or he is that. At that moment it's just a reaction to the most recent performance.

I don't think we play "hoof ball" as a deliberate tactic, we don't have the players to do it for a start but we do resort to it sometimes in games because of a combination of lack of confidence, lack of ability and the opposition pressing us as they know they'll most likely win it when the ball is played long as we don't have a target man. If you want to play that way you don't pick Bannan, Albrighton, N'Zogbia etc.


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[JUAN PABLO]

Chris bit touchy there, but its not 14 games really is it? He showed what he could do at birmingham over the course of several seasons.

I'm not an expert (same as you) but I know hoof ball when I see it and I can spot an international striker that is getting zero service.

As I say I'm not an expert, but its not just me, its an awful lot of other people who like good football and hate hoof ball. Including pundits who usually can't wait to tell us Villa fans how wrong we are.
 

11 wins in the last 52 prem games .

[olaftab]

So do something about it then, you clueless muppet McLeish.

Given that he's tried just about every combination possible from our midfield options I don't think you can accuse of him of not trying to something about it.

Style of play. Instead of 'hoofball' and 'hit and hope', how about a little bit of pass and move, running off the ball, through-balls to feet?

I wish the players would do more of it, I don't believe they're told not to. It's a confidence thing, in my opinion.

Yes that is it. You have hit the nail on the head. It's the confidence thing with all the players he has managed. The rubbish bunch he had at Blues managed to get themselves relegated twice by not following this tactical genius  due to lack of confidence and now our lot are doing the same.

[Compass]

Yes, I am touchy to being patronised by a bloke with a stupid username.

He's managed us for 14 league games, some of them we've been crap, some of them we've been average and some of them we've been pretty good. When he's been in charge for 30 games or so we might have enough evidence to say he is this or he is that. At that moment it's just a reaction to the most recent performance.

I don't think we play "hoof ball" as a deliberate tactic, we don't have the players to do it for a start but we do resort to it sometimes in games because of a combination of lack of confidence, lack of ability and the opposition pressing us as they know they'll most likely win it when the ball is played long as we don't have a target man. If you want to play that way you don't pick Bannan, Albrighton, N'Zogbia etc.


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He has been using the same anti-football tactics at Blues and Rangers. What makes you think he'll change here? He said when he was appointed we wouldn't see negative tactics. Again, what makes you think he'll change? You reckon he'll magically fix our midfield in the January window? He had the chance to do it in the Summer window having over 10 million spending fee.

Also, I'd like you to answer this Chris. We're 3 points away from 16th and given the remaining fixtures we'll no doubt be in a relegation battle at the second half of the season. Now answer this. Do you think he is the right man to keep us up in a relegation battle?

[markeeeebeeee2005]

Chris I'm sorry my username has upset you.

By any bodies standards 3 wins in 14 for a club that has had an easier start to the season than most is pathetic. However as mentioned I could be ok with this if I could see some evidence of improvement, I can't. Can you? I also cannot see what tactics we are playing we play ugly football but not in an aggressive way, we don't press the opposition.

The lack of pass and move is demonstrated by the appalling possession stats. So that isn't mine or anyone elses opinion - its fact. Now tell me whether AM is asking the players to play this way or if they are not listening to his instructions? Whether you pick his tactics or his communication skills as being the problem either way he doesn't have the ability to manage at this level. this is demonstrated by his record with other premier league teams.

14 games may not be enough for you, but for me, if this is what he does with th first part of the season, I don't want to see how he will finish it off.

[Legion]

I really cannot see the issue with a username, Chris.

[Somniloquism]

Yes, I am touchy to being patronised by a bloke with a stupid username.

He's managed us for 14 league games, some of them we've been crap, some of them we've been average and some of them we've been pretty good. When he's been in charge for 30 games or so we might have enough evidence to say he is this or he is that. At that moment it's just a reaction to the most recent performance.

I don't think we play "hoof ball" as a deliberate tactic, we don't have the players to do it for a start but we do resort to it sometimes in games because of a combination of lack of confidence, lack of ability and the opposition pressing us as they know they'll most likely win it when the ball is played long as we don't have a target man. If you want to play that way you don't pick Bannan, Albrighton, N'Zogbia etc.

I would say there has been more shit and average games then "some". In fact has their been one game where we have been confident we have won it by the 80 mins mark? We might have had a good spell in a game but that seems to be the exception and normally followed a totally shit spell. Only one game this season have we dominated possession, and considering we only have one more game to play against bottom 10 sides that is atrocious. You can also count shots on target per match with one hand. All that adds up to a team in serious decline.

[midnite]

I see AM doing a lot of finger pointing, gestures and blowing a lot of hot air every game. He hardly ever sits down. I admire a manager that wants to get involved. But for all his red faced yelling and pointing I never see the players change what they're doing.

Like most here, I've never been against AM. The media are going to have a field day with all this. They can smell the blood and they're there to create stories. There's a story in AM failing, and us fans want him out for being a blue nose. Nothing to do with us actually not careing less where he came from but more worried about is track record and his tactics.

The fact our main striker is not getting the service and the stats are backing that up are very worrying. You can't hide behind the stats. You may be able to bend them slightly to suit your point of view but they're still pretty damning.

[markeeeebeeee2005]

Absolutely some of the press will be enjoying this.

For me it was never about him being a Bham manager. I actually felt sorry for him when I saw him crying in the post match interview when they went down. Is sympathy an emotion I want other clubs fans to feel about the Villa? No.

I want them to really hate us for being successful, but at the same time admire our style of play. Not holding my breath.

[tarzansbrother]

Yes, I am touchy to being patronised by a bloke with a stupid username.

He's managed us for 14 league games, some of them we've been crap, some of them we've been average and some of them we've been pretty good. When he's been in charge for 30 games or so we might have enough evidence to say he is this or he is that. At that moment it's just a reaction to the most recent performance.

I don't think we play "hoof ball" as a deliberate tactic, we don't have the players to do it for a start but we do resort to it sometimes in games because of a combination of lack of confidence, lack of ability and the opposition pressing us as they know they'll most likely win it when the ball is played long as we don't have a target man. If you want to play that way you don't pick Bannan, Albrighton, N'Zogbia etc.

Chris I currently get more enjoyment watching my dog go for a shit. Ignoring all your hot air about our current manager the brand of football since his arrival is terrible,boring and some of the worst I have witnessed. Also you telling me Collins and Dunne don't hoof it?

[Chris Smith]

I really cannot see the issue with a username, Chris.

If some smart arse tries to patronise you it's even more grating when he's got a username a 14 year old Nuts reader would have grown out of by now.

I believe that 14 games is too soon to make a definitive judgement on a manager. I think Dave made the same point in his article that he linked to.

We produced good football recently against Norwich, for instance, which shows that we and the manager are capable of it and also undermines the argument that he wants us to play badly We just haven't done it often enough.

[MarkM]

Chris,

We had a good spell against Norwich.

We were hardly great throughout the full 90 mins

[markeeeebeeee2005]

Chris, as it goes I don't read Nuts. Happy to talk about our wider reading interests though, drop me a pm, as I'm not sure everybody else will be that interested.

I always thought the name Chris was a tiny bit bland, but that's by the by as I was hoping to chat football.

I am sorry if you feel patronised by me stating my thoughts about the team I support and the poor management of the team.

Don't think smart arse is a fair assessment either, I am sure one of the moderators will point you in the direction of the site rules if you haven't seen them already.

Oh and chill out, as mentioned I'm a big fan of your work.

[Chris Smith]

Absolutely some of the press will be enjoying this.

For me it was never about him being a Bham manager. I actually felt sorry for him when I saw him crying in the post match interview when they went down. Is sympathy an emotion I want other clubs fans to feel about the Villa? No.

I want them to really hate us for being successful, but at the same time admire our style of play. Not holding my breath.

It would be great wouldn't it but if you sell your 4 best players in just over 2 years and don't replace them the chances of people hating us fir our success are slim.

Similarly, if you then try to completely rebuild a midfield with a clutch of inexperienced kids the chances of that immediately working are, again, severely limited.

People keep harping back to his previous jobs but again they puck and choose the bits that suit them. His Rangers side, for instance, once scored 100 goals in a season. At the Blues he won promotion, took them to their first ever top half PL finish and won the Carling Cup. As everyone is so keen to quote their sensible Nose mate I'll do the same "every manager gets us relegated at some point, only one has ever won us a trophy", "we ran out of steam after the final but Dann's injury was why we went down".

I'm not trying to suggest that he'll definitely be a success (I wouldn't put money on it) but that it is too soon to say either way and that after saying that I'll give him a fair chance I'm going to be consistent and give him more than a third of a season.