AVFC statement - McLeish sacked.

[Monty]

Look! Another protest!

I'll be there this time. It won't make a difference but at least I get the chance to vent my enormous frustration.

That's one of the more reasonable purposes of this. Not so much a 'protest', more a concerted way of showing your frustration. Free country and all that. And hey, if it makes people think we're small time, I think the management's meek approach to matches is doing that better than we could.

[Villanation]

Well I'm going to see if I can get to this, all depends how the week goes, this is a worthy cause this time, fans have to step up now and deliver there verdict on Alex Mcliesh and the method of football he has put in place, it doesn't wash that we give him next season so he can have is own squad, its clear now we are not going to be spending that kind of money, the only players we will get in are Freebies and players we can get after we have sold and that means IMO, our more prominent players will leave this club.

If we survive this season we will bump along the bottom for most of next and then face the inevitable.

The point surely is this, regardless of survival or not we have witnessed this season some of the most appalling and grueling to watch football ever displayed at Villa Park, we have seen players like Darren Bent become almost totally useless, we have seen the likes of Gabby Agbonlahor become a stop gap player, Bent gets injured, Gabby goes up front, manager releases a rallying call to all his other team mates to support Gabby's cause up front and then sticks the man wide and puts a very rusty aging Heskey up top, McLiesh releases a statement on N'Zogbia saying he expects him to start performing and then drops him.

Even Shay Given who started so well is starting to look dodgy, so, it can't go on, McLiesh must go, and with Faulkner there seems to be a lot of behind the back skulldugarry going on making the whole status of the club seem underhanded and feckless, using players like Gabby to make statements on behalf of the club that the player may not mean.

Lets see the protest, even if it doesn't result in his departure, McLiesh will finally get the message that if he carries on and the club carry on in this vain it will get a lot worse.

[villajk]

I think I was in a minority of actually liking him and thinking he would do well for us in the future.

Same here.

and here

[ez]

I've just read that we didn't have a shot on target against Arsenal in either league game this season.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Looking at that protest website.

Not only do we feel it is time to again protest against the manager but now it is also time to target a certain Mr Paul Faulkner.  The man that has overseen the worst managerial appointment at Villa Park in 25 years.

In pure statistical terms this is correct. McLeish has won 9 games out of the 33, giving a win ratio of 27.27%.

Billy McNeill in 86/87 is the only manager in our entire history to have a worse win ratio.

Of course, beating Chelsea would push his win ratio to 29.41%. Ahead of Tommy Docherty and Tommy Cummings.

He would then be only the 4th worst manager in our history. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Aston_Villa_F.C._managers

[Villanation]

I've just read that we didn't have a shot on target against Arsenal in either league game this season.

Mate of mine is an Arsenal fan and he actually like the Villa, loves the Arsenal-Villa clashes, said he's never seen a worse Premiership side play so poorly and so crushingly boring to watch and he said loads of Arsenal fans after the game where saying the same thing, not in spite or piss take, genuine shock and surprise.

[cdbearsfan]

I've just read that we didn't have a shot on target against Arsenal in either league game this season.

Errr... didn't we score against them at Villa Park?

[Villanation]

I've just read that we didn't have a shot on target against Arsenal in either league game this season.

Errr... didn't we score against them at Villa Park?

Yes but it wasn't on target......

[ez]

I've just read that we didn't have a shot on target against Arsenal in either league game this season.

Errr... didn't we score against them at Villa Park?

Oops, obviously bad info. We're not that bad then

[caster troy]

I've just read that we didn't have a shot on target against Arsenal in either league game this season.

Mate of mine is an Arsenal fan and he actually like the Villa, loves the Arsenal-Villa clashes, said he's never seen a worse Premiership side play so poorly and so crushingly boring to watch and he said loads of Arsenal fans after the game where saying the same thing, not in spite or piss take, genuine shock and surprise.

I had the same verdict from my mate who's a season ticket holder there. The consensus was 'what's happened to Villa?' He was telling me recently to give McLeish a chance but now he can see why I'm so angry.

[Mister E]

Looking at that protest website.

Not only do we feel it is time to again protest against the manager but now it is also time to target a certain Mr Paul Faulkner.  The man that has overseen the worst managerial appointment at Villa Park in 25 years.

In pure statistical terms this is correct. McLeish has won 9 games out of the 33, giving a win ratio of 27.27%.

Billy McNeill in 86/87 is the only manager in our entire history to have a worse win ratio.

Of course, beating Chelsea would push his win ratio to 29.41%. Ahead of Tommy Docherty and Tommy Cummings.

He would then be only the 4th worst manager in our history. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Aston_Villa_F.C._managers

Winnings important but so is the manner of our winning / not winning. I only say that 'cos DO'L's record of winning is almost passable but he was inane and out of his depth, as is McLueless.

[Villanation]

I've just read that we didn't have a shot on target against Arsenal in either league game this season.

Mate of mine is an Arsenal fan and he actually like the Villa, loves the Arsenal-Villa clashes, said he's never seen a worse Premiership side play so poorly and so crushingly boring to watch and he said loads of Arsenal fans after the game where saying the same thing, not in spite or piss take, genuine shock and surprise.

I had the same verdict from my mate who's a season ticket holder there. The consensus was 'what's happened to Villa?' He was telling me recently to give McLeish a chance but now he can see why I'm so angry.

That's the big question, we haven't just fallen from grace, we've gone into meltdown.

[villa for life]

 
We could have gone down last season under Houllier had it not been for the points Kevin Mac got before he arrived and for those Gary Mac got at the end of the season.

Things are not great now, but I'm not buying into the "we would be up there with Newcastle if Houllier were still here!" type theory. 

[brian green]

You are correct VFL.   Houllier was a bad appointment because he was too old, too unhealthy and still in love with Liverpool.  However, when our board had the chance to buy its way out of that ricket they made an even worse appointment and not only was it a worse appointment it was done with all the skill and style of an ice skater sliding on her arse.   The mistake of Houllier was massively compounded by the appointment of McLeish NOT ONLY because his record was iffy to say the least but because he brought such a mountain of baggage with him.

He represented and still represents two fingers stuck up to the supporters by the owner and the board.   Just like the signing of Heskey.

In short the supporters of the club have been treated with contempt.   What we think and what we feel is never even given a second thought.   We are a crop to be harvested.

The only way out of this awful mess which was triggered by O'Neill and then made infinitely worse by the owner and the board is the inevitable fall off of attendance at Villa Park.   Numbers and money are what our board understand (or think they do).   If we stay up and the inevitable impossibility of attracting quality players to a club which is clearly floundering results in a string of games which stink out Villa Park the resulting diminished income stream will embolden some gopher to report to Randy Lerner that we are losing money at a faster rate that we did with all the big wages on the books.   The Law of Diminishing Returns will go on like a light bulb over the owner's head and Sid and K Mac will be asked to steady the ship and get the fans back.

This will all happen at about Christmas and I can think of no better Christmas present than a text from one or other of my sons saying McLeish Gone.   That is all that is keeping me going now.

[brontebilly]

We could have gone down last season under Houllier had it not been for the points Kevin Mac got before he arrived and for those Gary Mac got at the end of the season.

Things are not great now, but I'm not buying into the "we would be up there with Newcastle if Houllier were still here!" type theory.

The only one that believe that theory are those that are still pissed off with MON leaving the club. Houllier apparently had us playing proper football, believed in the academy, proper transfer policies etc. I remember a bumbling bufoon completely unsuited to getting the best out of the players at his disposal and treating the club as a retirement home. But hey different people, different opinions.

Alex McLeish is a dire manager, I dont think anyone will say any different there.

But at the weekend, our bench said it all, we have a seriously average squad these days. No one on the bench has proved anything at adult football. On the pitch we had enough passengers too. Only James Collins and Stephen Ireland to a lesser degree could claim to have held their own. Shay Given was dire in goal, not just the one he threw in but standing cowardly on his line repeatedly from corners. Hutton was no worse or better than usual. Same for Warnock but they are just poor players. Warnock is hopeless on the ball. Cuellar was shocking for their second goal. I think he is worse than Collins and Dunne with the ball at his feet which is saying something. The 4 in midfield were beyond woeful. Herd was totally outclassed. Petrov didnt try and leg and moved like he was in treacle. Gabby was anonymous. Albrighton is nowhere near good enough Im afraid for a decent EPL side. Ivanhoe was comical is a tragic way. Weimann at least showed a bit of energy and heart. Heart was an attribute that most of our players didnt have at the weekend. Ireland hasnt gone much of it either but at least looked like a footballer at times unlike so many unfortunately in a white shirt.

Whoever our manager is next season is going to have to try and completely transform the squad. If we are to play possession football then we cant get away with 2 centre halves who dont want the ball. Cuellar seems to have the better attitude than the other 2 but is probably off. Dunne, though I do rate him as a defender, at his age and wage is probably a god candidate to shift aswell. Warnock has to go. Blackburn if they stay up might hopefully take him back. Hutton is a birdbrain but I guess we are stuck with him. Petrov is finished. Has had a decent season but we need someone better than him. We badly need a player to come in and play wide. I think Ireland and Nzogbia would be good wide but likely that the prat from Cobh would spit the dummy out at that. If he goes as seems likely then we need to sign a proper wide replacement for him. Makoun never got much of a chance but almost certainly will go too. Heskey is definitely off. A number of our former academy players arent good enough to be regulars either. At 21/22 if they arent good enough to be regulars in a team as average as ours, then it is time to consider offers. The likes of Bannan and Albrighton might be best served heading down the Peter Whittingham route. Id love to keep them on as backup but I just dont see it with the pair of them unfortunately. Delfouneso is in the same boat. Delph is almost out of chances too.

Brett Holman is a start, he will give his all for one and be a good professional. But Id only see him replacing Albrighton as backup to Ireland/Nzogbia or whoever our regular widemen will be.

The side needs leadership which is why McLeish will try and get Keane back Id say. We need a raft of new arrivals to replace those gone and those likely to go. We also need a manager to make them into a team too. Alex McLeish certainly isnt that man. Id actually go for Chris Hughton. The likes of Lambert and Rodgers will be aiming for higher than us now. Considering the mess, Hughton inherited at Newcastle and Birmingham, I think he is ideal for us frankly. Has worked with joke boards and got results. He can keep the scouts, backup staff (aside from Peter Grant) and we can be a club again.