It's not Sherwood!

[Louzie0]

Lacking experience but he's making us all eat some humble pie with what he has been able to do in such a short space of time. His tactical changes at HT, and whatever else he said were frankly brilliant. We played some really good football in the second half and if everyone has noticed our midfielders are really involved in our attacks now. That is a great change. Keep it up Tim!!

Don't want to be picky on such a good day but not all of us need to eat humble pie because not all of us were saying it was a bad appointment

And also without wanting to be picky, winning two of his four games doesn't mean he's not a bad appointment.

He's doing fine so far. But it's not like he's our Alex Ferguson just yet. Let's see where we are in May, and this time next year before we break out the Champagne.

Ahh. Can you re-cork champagne.

No more than re-corking a goal . Or two!

[pauliewalnuts]

I hope he becomes our best manager ever, but you're talking about four games - and, if we're being honest, he's lost two of them.

Just take it for what it is, two excellent results and a semi final without going overboard.

You'd be nuts to write him off if he'd lost four games, and you'd be equally nuts to make any decisions the other way had we won four games.

I don't see the need to make it something it isn't. Just enjoy the day and let's see how things pan out.

[silhillvilla]

To be honest the sacking of Lambert alone has put smiles back on faces and if there was an empty pitch to invade when that news broke it would have been invaded.

[Dave]

He's put more smiles onto faces on this place and at Villa Park in a couple of weeks than Lambert did in about 18 months. We were going to hell quickly and we might now have a chance for a very decent end to the season. As much as I didn't like the scenes at the end of the game today it also comes on the back of what has seemingly been an eternity of misery at Villa Park. I hope like everyone that it lasts and he proves to be a very successful manager for us.

And I don't think that anybody would disagree with a single word of that.

But just because that is what we all hope will happen, doesn't mean that everyone thinks that it will happen - even though this week (closing scenes notwithstanding) has been great.

Like I say, I would absolutely over the moon if you are quoting these posts back to me in a years time and laughing when we have just finished fifth.

[Toronto Villa]

I don't deny for one second I didn't want him. In fact I'd go as far as admitting I even called him a chancer because that's exactly as he came across from his time at Spurs. But I will also readily admit that bit by bit I have liked what I have seen. That while he's not proven anything, he's going some way to proving that maybe we might have been a bit hasty in judging him. I will hold up my hands and say I was, and I will also say I have liked what he has said, how he has gone about things, and I certainly like what I am seeing on the pitch. It certainly hasn't anything remotely like jumping into a cremation oven that much I will tell you. But each to their own. I'll give credit where it is due.

Well, this is clearly where we differ then. I've stuck to my opinion that he would provide this bounce and win us a few games (as I still did even after he'd lost his first two matches) and keep us up. And I still think that in spite of this that next year will be more of what we've seen for the last few years. You're welcome to quote this post in 10 months time if I'm wrong, I'd be absolutely delighted if you do.

You've changed your mind on him - that's fine, but I have no need to change my opinion, as we're pretty much on track for what I was expecting so far (hell, after going through my posts to check this I even predicted that he would bring out the best in Sinclair three weeks ago )

I would say it is more accurate to say that I haven't changed my mind, but my mind is clearly changing. I'm delighted you were right about Sinclair. I think all of these players played well, well below their capabilities with Lambert. Sherwood has come in and given them confidence and belief again. He has also surrounded himself with a coaching staff to take the burden off him which is certainly commendable. One of my biggest beefs with Lambert is that he didn't appear to trust anyone enough to delegate his authority. In the end it was all too much for him, and that's an experienced manager we are talking about. Like I will continue to emphasize, he has a long way to go to being deemed a success but he has done well so far given the circumstances.

[ozzjim]

I don't think for one second we will be any more than mid table, but I genuinely don't think we will be anything near as bad as the last few years if he keeps us up Dave. He is too much of a different character, and if you play the way he sets out, which is to attack and try and get one the front foot, then you will win more than we have in recent times, especially at home. Next few weeks will dictate if he can keep it going, but I think with some of his own players in the holes we are lacking, we will be a decent side and sitting fairly safe by this time next season.

[Toronto Villa]

I hope he becomes our best manager ever, but you're talking about four games - and, if we're being honest, he's lost two of them.

Just take it for what it is, two excellent results and a semi final without going overboard.

You'd be nuts to write him off if he'd lost four games, and you'd be equally nuts to make any decisions the other way had we won four games.

I don't see the need to make it something it isn't. Just enjoy the day and let's see how things pan out.

the point being made isn't that we are dancing on the rooftops after 4 games. It is that so many thought upon his appointment it would or could get worse not better given his experience. That it hasn't coupled with getting his team to win two incredibly important games and play better football in the last week that we have seen pretty much all season is impressive. We'll all be tickled pink if we win again at Sunderland and keep this form to the end of the season. That remains to be seen. But I would say most Villa fans tonight feel infinitely more confident about our chances of survival than they did at the end of the Hull game.

[Dave]

Like I will continue to emphasize, he has a long way to go to being deemed a success but he has done well so far given the circumstances.

And I've got no beef with that at all, but I don't think that "he has done well so far given the circumstances" is a million miles away from me saying "he's doing fine so far", which is what prompted you to say "giving out a little credit wouldn't kill you".

No?

[Toronto Villa]

Like I will continue to emphasize, he has a long way to go to being deemed a success but he has done well so far given the circumstances.

And I've got no beef with that at all, but I don't think that "he has done well so far given the circumstances" is a million miles away from me saying "he's doing fine so far", which is what prompted you to say "giving out a little credit wouldn't kill you".

No?

fair enough but maybe it was that given your original position on the appointment you were quick to point out that despite two wins he could still be a bad appointment.

Anyway this is silly. Let's agree that we want him to do well, and that each of us can bring ourselves to being happy with him being here at our own pace. I'll concede that I like what I have seen, and that it wasn't what I thought we were getting but. I also reserve the right of all Villa fans to change my mind on matters on Saturday afternoon.

[Dave]

Like I will continue to emphasize, he has a long way to go to being deemed a success but he has done well so far given the circumstances.

And I've got no beef with that at all, but I don't think that "he has done well so far given the circumstances" is a million miles away from me saying "he's doing fine so far", which is what prompted you to say "giving out a little credit wouldn't kill you".

No?

fair enough but maybe it was that given your original position on the appointment you were quick to point out that despite two wins he could still be a bad appointment.

Yes, I felt that "not all of us need to eat humble pie because not all of us were saying it was a bad appointment" deserved a response to point out that those of us who still think that it's a bad appointment (in spite of two good games) don't have to start being penitent just yet.

[ozzjim]

I would not swap him back for Lambert in a month of Sundays, and that is the only real comparison we have. So far he has improved things an alarming amount.

[Toronto Villa]

I would not swap him back for Lambert in a month of Sundays, and that is the only real comparison we have. So far he has improved things an alarming amount.

I think that's a good way to put it. I haven't seen our team play with that much effort and energy in a long time. Whatever he is doing he needs to keep at it. The players are certainly enjoying themselves again and so are the staff. He's brought the playing side of the club together very quickly, and he's getting fans on board too. He said a lot of the right things after the game about how important we are, and that there would be bumps and we have to stick together. He calls it as it is too. The first half was poor and he said so. Lambert would have had us believe we played excellently despite being dominated.

[Sexual Ealing]

As there's some humble pie on the menu, I'd better put myself down for some. I don't think we'd have won these games this week under Lambert, and I was sure that we'd get nobody better than him at the stage of the season we were at. I think I might have been mistaken, even if Sherwood does turn out to be the wrong man in the long term.

[tomd2103]

I hope he becomes our best manager ever, but you're talking about four games - and, if we're being honest, he's lost two of them.

Just take it for what it is, two excellent results and a semi final without going overboard.

You'd be nuts to write him off if he'd lost four games, and you'd be equally nuts to make any decisions the other way had we won four games.

I don't see the need to make it something it isn't. Just enjoy the day and let's see how things pan out.

Totally agree.  The positive thing for me is that there seems to have been some form of improvement in each of his games so far.  I think he has found the defensive and midfield formation to take us through to the end of the season and I think he will be able to tinker with the attacking options where he sees fit.  If all are fit then I would go with the spine of:

                          Guzan

Hutton       Vlaar           Clark       Richardson

                       Westwood

             Cleverley             Delph


I think Okore has huge potential, but he worries me a bit at times, as does Lowton.  As I say, I would go with that and then interchange our attacking options depending on who we play.   

[john e]

Lacking experience but he's making us all eat some humble pie with what he has been able to do in such a short space of time. His tactical changes at HT, and whatever else he said were frankly brilliant. We played some really good football in the second half and if everyone has noticed our midfielders are really involved in our attacks now. That is a great change. Keep it up Tim!!

Don't want to be picky on such a good day but not all of us need to eat humble pie because not all of us were saying it was a bad appointment

And also without wanting to be picky, winning two of his four games doesn't mean he's not a bad appointment.

He's doing fine so far. But it's not like he's our Alex Ferguson just yet. Let's see where we are in May, and this time next year before we break out the Champagne.

What about Prosecco  Are we allowed to break out a sneaky bottle of that ?