It's not Sherwood!

[Villa in Denmark]

I didn't particularly want him, infact, I was pretty deflated when he was confirmed.
I think we missed an opportunity to get some real quality in.

That said, I don't want to turn against him yet.
To be fair to him, he has had 2 games, and they have resulted in 2 narrow defeats. We could just as easily be sitting here with 2 draws from those games.
Along with the total lack of confidence, and poor quality we are having absolutely no luck whatsoever.
I really think he can do something on the first point. If he can get the confidence levels raised, and we can nick a win tomorrow, then maybe we will see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Despite all that, if we do manage to survive, and then get sold in the summer, I would hope that Timmy gets a golden handshake and someone with real quality and experience is then brought in.

Completely agree.  Unfortunately , all the maybes and if we can just .... are all said more in hope than expectation at the moment.

[rob_bridge]

I just want to know why he's telling us his psychological plans for the team. He's said he wants a siege mentality, then he says he's 'ramping up the pressure' on the players, confiding that it's 'reverse psychology' but maybe we need it. I just don't quite know what that means, exactly.

It seems he's suggesting that the players haven't realised what trouble they are in, have lacked urgency and have been told everythings ok for too long, so he's trying to get across the reality of it and that they need to step up as players and leaders now and make things happen.

Most top sportsmen admit to getting nervous before big games and say it's the pressure and nerves that push them that little further to concentrate and perform, rather than when they are totally comfortable and relaxed.

I agree with him.

I think the biggest difference (over and above natural ability) is the way people react to that pressure.

The top players use that pressure to perform, based on a belief in their own ability and technique.
The lesser players get "rabbit frozen in headlights" syndrome if they don't have that basic belief in their own abilities. When you're there and worrying about if you're good enough to cope, you're more likely to screw up.  Have enough set-backs and instead of questioning your abilities you end pretty much convinced that you're not good enough and the first set back in a game proves this and head drops.  The whole thing becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. (see also England in penalty shoot-outs)

I don't agree that they're not aware off how much trouble in they're in, I think the fact that they're painfully aware of how much trouble they're in is the problem, and it's that lacking self belief that's missing. (And after the season they've had up to now it would be a miracle if they'd got any left, which is why I though that a more experienced head than Sherwood would have been a better bet.  Someone the players could look at and think to themselves "well he's been around a bit and he knows what he's talking about." rather than "What the hell does he know about this."

They should be aware - some of them have had 4 years previous experience and practice.

As for fear - well I remember an interview with George Foreman talking about fighting Joe Frazier. He said, to paraphrase, he was scared shitless as Smokin Joe had knocked over Ali, takin ghis unbeaten record, and nearly took Jimmy Ellis's head off. Frazier look indestructible but Foreman used the fear (not to mention unbelieveable punching power) to his advantage knocked him out in 2 rounds.

[Monty]

I remember reading the Secret Footballer about Sherwood after the episode with the manager of Benfica, and he basically said that players take their cue from their manager, and Spurs' manager was ridiculously easy to wind up. It was obvious that he wasn't concentrating clearly on the game, and the players ended up jumpy and nervous.

[Villa in Denmark]

They should be aware - some of them have had 4 years previous experience and practice.

As for fear - well I remember an interview with George Foreman talking about fighting Joe Frazier. He said, to paraphrase, he was scared shitless as Smokin Joe had knocked over Ali, takin ghis unbeaten record, and nearly took Jimmy Ellis's head off. Frazier look indestructible but Foreman used the fear (not to mention unbelieveable punching power) to his advantage knocked him out in 2 rounds.

Difference being that Foreman knew he'd earned the right to be in the ring, and that he'd got that hitting power which was his one chance of getting out of the ring in one piece.

He hadn't spent the last 10 bouts getting seven shades of shit knocked out of him.

[aj2k77]

I have to disagree with you on the players realising the shit they are in. They've lacked urgency, tempo and effort in a lot of games this season and it hasn't all been down to tactics. I've thought they've needed to man up, put their bodies on the line, fight for every 50 /50 ball and knock on and it hasn't been like that, not just because they haven't been told to do it, some things are instinctive and attitude and not tactical. Things have been too easy down at Bodymoor Heath.

[supertom]

I have to disagree with you on the players realising the shit they are in. They've lacked urgency, tempo and effort in a lot of games this season and it hasn't all been down to tactics. I've thought they've needed to man up, put their bodies on the line, fight for every 50 /50 ball and knock on and it hasn't been like that, not just because they haven't been told to do it, some things are instinctive and attitude and not tactical. Things have been too easy down at Bodymoor Heath.

Lambert gave them an easy ride for too long. It's infected them. Which is why I think we need wholesale changes and certain players need to start afresh at a new club. We deemed far too many defeats as acceptable. "Oh well. We played excellently, that's all we can do." We of course hadn't even played excellently by any stretch. Shit in fact.
If players are only giving 80-90% it's not surprising. They've coasted on mediocrity for 3 years, with few exceptions (Hutton).

This was always a major worry for me with Sherwood (or anyone) only being given 13 games. That it could take a couple of months for any new manager to really alter the mentality at the club, but we don't have the benefit of time. And of course points massively help in doing that. We need any sort of lucky or scrappy win now to try to turn the tide.

[Villa in Denmark]

I have to disagree with you on the players realising the shit they are in. They've lacked urgency, tempo and effort in a lot of games this season and it hasn't all been down to tactics. I've thought they've needed to man up, put their bodies on the line, fight for every 50 /50 ball and knock on and it hasn't been like that, not just because they haven't been told to do it, some things are instinctive and attitude and not tactical. Things have been too easy down at Bodymoor Heath.

I think they're shellshocked from the results and ground down by the monotony of playing shitball for the least motivating manager on the planet.  I think they know how much shit they're in but they've resigned themselves to what's coming and that's where the lack of tempo / effort comes from.

[andyh]

I have to disagree with you on the players realising the shit they are in. They've lacked urgency, tempo and effort in a lot of games this season and it hasn't all been down to tactics. I've thought they've needed to man up, put their bodies on the line, fight for every 50 /50 ball and knock on and it hasn't been like that, not just because they haven't been told to do it, some things are instinctive and attitude and not tactical. Things have been too easy down at Bodymoor Heath.

Absolutely!

I think it's most noticeable up front where we look distinctly powder puff.
I said on Saturday that there was no one who was prepared to get hurt trying to win the ball, especially in the opposition box.
Sinclair, despite 2 goals, looks and plays like a big girls blouse to me.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

On Saturday Sinclair had a really good chance early on at the far post...he almost seemed to let the defender knock it out for a corner rather than go for the ball...in 2nd half Benteke for N'Zogbia's cross doesn't even move for the ball...the defender is behind him and beats him to it. How ffs?

It can't just be lack of confidence, surely.
imho both of those chances were "good" and at least one should have been buried.

[Boz]

I don't suppose their contracts have drop in pay clause if Villa are relegated, as that might have motivated them. Hitting their pockets might help.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

They should have a drop in form clause!


I think clauses for reduction in pay if relegated are pretty standard and will kick in if.....

[Lee]

Certainly have to question Sherwoods judgment after today.  Leaving Agbonlahor on for so long despite yet another woeful display, not bringing Gil on as well.  Have to say I think bringing MacDonald back is also a mistake.  Smashing guy, but simply not effective as a coach as we saw in his first spell.

Gabby did nothing all game. I've been a bit averse to some of the stick that he has been getting recently, but I've changed my mind. It's pointless having him anywhere near the side.

[aj2k77]

Gabby is a professional coaster, he goes through games in 2nd gear. Imagine a real winner grinning inanely like he does when he shins the ball out of play for the 3rd time in 10 minutes, they'd be berating themselves and on the training pitch trying to put things right. He strikes me as someone that comes in at 9 for training leaves at 11 on the dot and football is out of his mind until tomorrow.

The team as whole does not work hard enough. The set pieces are a total joke. Hours and hours should be put in on the training pitch learning how to cross the ball and not strike the first defender over and over and over again, but it isn't so we do. We tire consistantly, after 70ish minutes we are no longer a threat and certain players are blowing out of their arses. They aren't fit enough because they don't train intensively enough because they aren't dedicated enough.

At the very least I hope Sherwood shakes some of the cobwebs off the club, it's been left on the side ignored for too long and the general attitude has been to just do enough, stemming from the top. We need professionals, who want to win, who want to train harder faster and longer and aren't happy to excellently lose each week. We need a few winners brought in to the squad, role models to tell the rest of them where they are going wrong and put them in their place rather than accepting mediocrity.

[rob_bridge]

They should have a drop in form clause!


I think clauses for reduction in pay if relegated are pretty standard and will kick in if.....

I doubt Villa with their negotiating brilliance have them built in

[PaulWinch again]

I hope he turns us around and saves us, but if for arguments sake we lost all of our remaining games do people think he'd be sacked?