Relegation Possibility

[Irish villain]

He's another I'd take over Mcleish, but I can say that for most. We are in a sorry state at the moment, the fact we are still in a battle is appalling and indictment of our board and manager.

Agree

Let's hope they are going to do something about it in the summer. Three seasons of absolute crap in a row would be pretty hard for any club to endure. We simply must start progressing again soon.

[Merv]

For all the praise heaped on Rodgers, Swansea are only 4 points above us, having played a game more - and we've been absolutely,utterly  shit for most of the season.  The time to go for these guys is when they've proved themselves as more than one season wonders, two or three seasons in the top half of the PL without taking the Pulis all-in wrestling approach.

I disagree.

Yes, Swansea are only four points above us but they are safe, and this is their first ever PL season. The squad's been put together on a shoestring. They've definitely punched way above their weight, whereas we.... well.

Swansea may well drop away in the last few games and yes, next season will be very interesting for them. But I think, as far as Brendan Rodgers has demonstrated, he's a coach who just 'gets it'. He's a coach who has a pretty average group of players playing very well indeed, and that's my definition of a talented coach. Of course, a coach who gets a good group of players playing like absolute shite is my definition of a very poor coach.

I'd love to see what Rodgers can do with a stronger group of players. The philosophy and approach is there.

By the way, how many coaches would purposefully target a goalkeeper who was highly skilled with the ball at his feet, so that he'd be able to fit in with Swansea's style and play the ball quickly and neatly to his defenders? I read an interview with Rodgers a few weeks ago - that's how he ended up signing Michael Vorm. Really impressed me.

[Villafirst]

He only turned down our advances because he'd already agreed to stay at Wigan before we came calling.
Which I respect. If your word means nothing, you mean nothing.

Apparently he is leaving Wigan this summer regardless. I was initially against us appointing him last summer but compared to what we have now I wouldn't hesistate.

My thoughts aswell, couldn't help notice last night he tries to develop a passing game, but he just don't have that much there to do that, could't help thinking that in the same way he was trying to push Moses forward on the break, who has nothing like the pace of Agbonlahor says to me he would have better prospects to work with at Villa.

Think he could do a job.

Not sure how much is down to Martinez, but they also seem to have a good scouting system as Wigan with players like Palacios, Valencia and N'Zogbia making their names there.  So if we did get him as our manager, I'd hope he'd bring a few of theri scouts with him. 

Yes, and Victor Moses is beginning to look useful for them. I thought we should've bid for him when he was at Palace - didn't cost too much and arguably he has out performed N'Zogbia this season.

[Villafirst]

Tough times for Owen Coyle.

In the first half of last season he was getting talked up as a star of the future.

Makes you think twice about Lambert and/or Rodgers, doesn't it?

Rogers team looked decidedly shit from the first half I saw last night.

Agree, and it worries me that they're well out of form and face Blackburn this Saturday, although their manager Rogers has come out and apologised to the travelling fans over their poor display. Hope he can now fire them up for Saturday.

[ktvillan]

For all the praise heaped on Rodgers, Swansea are only 4 points above us, having played a game more - and we've been absolutely,utterly  shit for most of the season.  The time to go for these guys is when they've proved themselves as more than one season wonders, two or three seasons in the top half of the PL without taking the Pulis all-in wrestling approach.

I disagree.

Yes, Swansea are only four points above us but they are safe, and this is their first ever PL season. The squad's been put together on a shoestring. They've definitely punched way above their weight, whereas we.... well.

Swansea may well drop away in the last few games and yes, next season will be very interesting for them. But I think, as far as Brendan Rodgers has demonstrated, he's a coach who just 'gets it'. He's a coach who has a pretty average group of players playing very well indeed, and that's my definition of a talented coach. Of course, a coach who gets a good group of players playing like absolute shite is my definition of a very poor coach.

I'd love to see what Rodgers can do with a stronger group of players. The philosophy and approach is there.

By the way, how many coaches would purposefully target a goalkeeper who was highly skilled with the ball at his feet, so that he'd be able to fit in with Swansea's style and play the ball quickly and neatly to his defenders? I read an interview with Rodgers a few weeks ago - that's how he ended up signing Michael Vorm. Really impressed me.

I see where you are coming from Merv, but I think you have to be careful with up and coming managers that it's not a flash in the pan.  I remember a Guardian or Independent article about two up and coming managers and their intelligent philosophies about 4 or 5 years ago, and how they represented the next generation of English and British coaches.  I can't remember who the other one was but one was Adi Boothroyd, then doing small wonders at Watford.  His career has since been less than impressive.  People were also raving about Phil Brown a couple of years ago achieving wonders on a small budget. Until he got relegated, made a twat of himself and disappeared off the radar.  Rodgers and Lambert may be the real deal, and I would prefer either of them to McLeish because they try to win and try to play proper football. But each would be a bigger risk than,  say, Hughes or Jol.   And I would prefer the tea lady to McLeish.

[ozzjim]

The above is spot on, but I think some of it comes down to breaks that managers get too in landing the bigger job at the right moment. Moyes for example had not had a chance at the top level but Everton saw something in him and took him on. But looking at it, there is a graveyard of managers that are killed through second season syndrome. Burley, Jewell, Brown spring to mind, Dowie too. All lauded at one point but struggling now, but I think part of the issue is they had taken their clubs to the maximum of their potential, and then either lost key players or momentum that gets you through the first season from the promotion campaign, confidence ebbs and you lose games. The ideal, is that these managers move on to bigger clubs while their belief and stock is high. If they don't and they dip, it is hard to come back.

[SoccerHQ]

Good job this season is running out of games, I'd be pretty worried if there were still 10 games left with the form Wigan and QPR are getting in.

[Nastylee]

http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/west-midlands-sports/aston-villa-fc/2012/04/12/mat-kendrick-predicts-aston-villa-s-points-tally-from-their-final-six-fixtures-65233-30740935/

Kendrick has us safe so that's all that matters.

[ez]

I just read that the fewest home wins we've ever had in a season is 5 way back in 1880-81. We played 11 home games that season. We are on 4 at the moment.

[Ad@m]

http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/west-midlands-sports/aston-villa-fc/2012/04/12/mat-kendrick-predicts-aston-villa-s-points-tally-from-their-final-six-fixtures-65233-30740935/

Kendrick has us safe so that's all that matters.

He's not exactly sticking his neck on the line is he?  He predicts the draw specialists of the division will get 6 points from their final 6 games.  What insight!!!

[The Left Side]

http://www.birminghampost.net/midlands-birmingham-sport/west-midlands-sports/aston-villa-fc/2012/04/12/mat-kendrick-predicts-aston-villa-s-points-tally-from-their-final-six-fixtures-65233-30740935/

Kendrick has us safe so that's all that matters.

I wish I had his confidence!

[LeeB]

I just read that the fewest home wins we've ever had in a season is 5 way back in 1880-81. We played 11 home games that season. We are on 4 at the moment.

Wow.

That is a genuinely shocking statistic, and when you consider what you're expected to pay to watch it should be reason enough on it's own to wield the axe.

[danlanza]

tough games in front of us.i wish i was more confident but i think it could go right to the last game of the season and norwich away is not the best place to go when you are fighting for prem survival.i hope we stay up because if we go down it would be a complete disaster.that championship is a bitch to get out of.squeeky bum time!

[Ads]

Jesus.

Each new statistic us more appalling than the last.

[Villanation]

That really is piss poor.