Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur Post-Match Thread

[Stu]

As much as Eck probably wants to remain a Premier League manager I can't imagine he would put himself through the abuse for the next few months. The light at the end of the tunnel is only getting further and further away for him.

How could you manage a club where the fans are so vehemently against you. It's gotten to the point of personal insults and public defamation. Sheesh, go for your own health McLeish.

The Radio WM interview after the game made it sound like he will be/is planning for next season, which is rather worrying. Hopefully it's just a message to the club saying 'I ain't walking, so you're going to have to push me'.

He's got to go. The fans have been shown nothing to suggest that he can manage at this level. The football has been dreadful, even before the injuries. I can't see how him signing a couple of bosmans is all of a sudden going to change his mindset. It isn't. He's negative, that's the way he plays.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Spot on there, Michel.

Except for judging delfouneso when he's never been given an extended run. He is 21 FFS, why are people so quick to write off youngsters? Give it a rest pal. Messi would have looked bad today playing for us. There was no service whatsoever

The Fonz has never looked the same player since he went off on an England U19 tournament the summer before last. To his credit he played a great ball out wide today, superb vision but he's either lost all confidence or failed to develop. He's our fifth choice striker for a reason.

As for Messi, he doesn't need service, he can do it all alone.

[SoccerHQ]

Players and managers should be embarrassed after that second half.

Yes we're safe and yes Spurs are better than us but that's no excuse for being comprehensively out passed and dominated by a team playing with 10 men. I don't think we even had a shot at goal in the 45 minutes Spurs had 10 men.

What a pathetic season.

[Vanilla]

As much as Eck probably wants to remain a Premier League manager I can't imagine he would put himself through the abuse for the next few months. The light at the end of the tunnel is only getting further and further away for him.

How could you manage a club where the fans are so vehemently against you. It's gotten to the point of personal insults and public defamation. Sheesh, go for your own health McLeish.

The Radio WM interview after the game made it sound like he will be/is planning for next season, which is rather worrying. Hopefully it's just a message to the club saying 'I ain't walking, so you're going to have to push me'.

He's got to go. The fans have been shown nothing to suggest that he can manage at this level. The football has been dreadful, even before the injuries. I can't see how him signing a couple of bosmans is all of a sudden going to change his mindset. It isn't. He's negative, that's the way he plays.

This negativity meant we started the second half camped in our own half, and didn't know what to do when they went down to 10 men. As such, we stayed camped in our own half making out we had gone down to 10 men.

The fact Spuds were playing for a CL spot and couldn't get the best of us today says more about them than us. 

[brontebilly]

thank fuck that awful season is over.

last time mcleish, grant, heskey, cuellar will be seen at villa park

all players gave a fair effort today nzogbia is drained of all confidence and needs to give it all he has next pre season and lose a few pounds. im not going to lose total faith in him though as was difficult for all our attacking players this season under mcleish. lichaj was very poor I thought too. Gave the ball away constantly. wouldnt mind if that was warnock's last game either. just a very poor player. karma caught up with hutton in the end. dunne was superb aside from his brainfart in giving away the penalty. for an experienced player to dive in like that in his own box is unforgiveable.

herd gave his all and was pretty spiky in midfield. clark gave his all too. but a midfield of herd and clark is nowhere near good enough either for next season.

for next season the players we need to keep:

given, clark, bent, nzogbia, ireland, gabby, lichaj, gardner, holman,

to be honest on all evidence thus far only clark of our former youth players is good enough to be starting. gabby too just wont work with bent. he has had 2 pretty crap seasons now and maybe time for him to move on. id like to see what a decent manager would do with him but I honestly think a player like scott sinclair or a proper inside forward who can score and create would suit us better.

50/50

dunne, collins, (dont see the point in replacing these with the likes of scott dann but if a good ball playing centre half can be found like williams then replace them) hutton (cant be as bad as this season suggested). weimann (decent squad player maybe but not good enough for a decent Villa side). Baker isnt that young and if we are going for a left sided centre half it should be Clark in my view.

not good enough

bannan, albrighton, delfouneso, warnock, makoun, delph

a new manager will obviously bring in their own style of play. id love to have full backs that were comfortable on the ball. the last couple of years watching the likes of warnock, cuellar, hutton etc have been painful.

given
herd, centre half, clark, new left back
ireland---new centre midfield duo----nzogbia
keane
bent

think someone like joe allen would be a great addition for us in midfield. nzonzi is a beast in midfield and would give us much needed mobility and presence there. though if we had a few quid would be good to get milner back. adam johnson needs regular football too. id like to bring keane back too. think he combined well with the likes of ireland and bent when he was with us. maybe make him captain.

[russon]

That it should come to this - we're saved by a combination of a deflected goal at home against ten men and a last minute West Brom goal at Bolton. Taxi for McLeish

[Michel Sibble]

Spot on there, Michel.

Except for judging delfouneso when he's never been given an extended run. He is 21 FFS, why are people so quick to write off youngsters?

As I've said, Clark and Herd (both 'youngsters') were both excellent.

Weimann (also a 'youngster') didn't get any service today, yet he has shown more goal instincts so far in the senior squad than Fonz all last season.

Fonz needs to start performing now. He's been young enough to develop into a goal-minded striker, he's been giiven plenty of chances under O'*****. If he can't do that, move him on.

[SoccerHQ]

I've never seen a more one sided game of 10 men against 11 ever. We were awful.

Spurs were quite good with 10 men against us at VP on Boxing day last season.

Compare it to how utterly clueless we were as soon as we went down to 10 men at home to WBA.

Pathetic manager.

[Mac]

Well, this game really sums up why we are where we are in the league. Although we defended stoutly and with some passion today, there were long periods where we just were not good enough.
Credit to Herd and Clark; well done Lichaj and Cuellar in defence. Credit to Ireland for his first half effort; pity he faded so badly in the second. Well played, Warnock, for the effort down the  left.
I thought N’Zog looked low on confidence, out of sorts and poor on decision-making. He has been a real disappointment.

The season’s record is worth repeating.
Re McLeish:
- 2 relegations from three seasons, with a third threatening in four.
- His three outfield-player purchases (including Jenas) have failed to ignite the team.
Re the season:
- Highest number of draws in the division: 33% more than the next team (Sunderland).
 - Lowest number of goals-scored in the bottom 6 clubs (and only surpassed by Stoke in the whole division).
- Worst record in the league for losing from winning positions – 20 points lost (equal with Wolves).
- Villa's worst-ever league home record.
- A numbing style of football.
- VP crowds down by 9% (I think) this season.

On this basis, McLeish should leave the club tonight.

I find it hard to disagree with that.

[beness]

We are far to negative. The home form speaks for itself. When a point is seen as a victory we are in it deep.

 I hate to be personal about the manager but I do think he has to go.

[villadelph]

That it should come to this - we're saved by a combination of a deflected goal at home against ten men and a last minute West Brom goal at Bolton. Taxi for McLeish

Post of the Day.

[PaulWinch again]

Well, this game really sums up why we are where we are in the league. Although we defended stoutly and with some passion today, there were long periods where we just were not good enough.
Credit to Herd and Clark; well done Lichaj and Cuellar in defence. Credit to Ireland for his first half effort; pity he faded so badly in the second. Well played, Warnock, for the effort down the  left.
I thought N’Zog looked low on confidence, out of sorts and poor on decision-making. He has been a real disappointment.

The season’s record is worth repeating.
Re McLeish:
- 2 relegations from three seasons, with a third threatening in four.
- His three outfield-player purchases (including Jenas) have failed to ignite the team.
Re the season:
- Highest number of draws in the division: 33% more than the next team (Sunderland).
 - Lowest number of goals-scored in the bottom 6 clubs (and only surpassed by Stoke in the whole division).
- Worst record in the league for losing from winning positions – 20 points lost (equal with Wolves).
- Villa's worst-ever league home record.
- A numbing style of football.
- VP crowds down by 9% (I think) this season.

On this basis, McLeish should leave the club tonight.

I find it hard to disagree with that.

Yes those stats should be sent to the board and that alone should justify his departure.

[Irish villain]

I'm worried by the suggestions on the McLeish thread that he's said he is planning for next year. How can the board keep a manager who has delivered the worst home record in our long and illustrious history?

His record simply speaks for itself.

Bring in a new manager, united the club with its fans and start on the road to recovery.

[Stu]

Is there a link to his post-match interview anywhere, I missed it.

I don't know what to think about the boards perspective on the situation with McLeish. On the one hand it'll cost them millions to get rid of him, and on the other they risk utterly alienating the fanbase. Well, 99% of the fanbase, which is enough. The people who go down no matter what will be there whether McLeish is here or not, its the floating fans they've got to worry about.

[Ron Manager]

The manager will not resign because he will lose his compensation. However I suggest the owner will relieve him of his duties in a few weeks time when everythings gone quiet.

The other possibility of course is the owner has plans in force to sell the club. In which case AM may still be about for a couple of months.

The worst thing that could happen is nothing happening. No change in any way and that doesnt bear thinking about.