It's not Sherwood!

[Matt Collins]

Id say the defending has got worse since he started. It was much better at the start of this season though it's easier when you've 11 behind the ball.

[charleeco7]

I'd say he's worked a bloody miracle keeping us up and deserves all the plaudits. The defending has been terrible for years hence why we've been in the brown stuff for the last four years.

[Ads]

We conceded 130 goals in two seasons under Lambert. We defended better at the start of this one, but at the expense of everything else.

You can't blame Sherwood for Vlaar against Stoke with the penalty, against Everton with the penalty, against Southampton with any number of the goals, or for Bacuna ducking at Man City, Guzan at Man City, Bacuna heading square across his own box against QPR and so on.

We need to improve, but we can only do that by personnel. Getting rid of Vlaar and brining in a genuinely commanding figure to organise us will help massively, as would a proper left back for balance.

[Steve67]

I agree Ads. I like the way Sherwood wants us to play but I also want defenders to do THAT job first and foremost. Getting forward from full back, or, goalscoring centre backs is a bonus but, I want them to enjoy defending.  We really do need a commanding centre back.

A commanding goalkeeper would also help too.

[Monty]

The trouble is, the more you expose defenders to attacks the more opportunities you give them to balls it all up - which, short of having a back four of God, McGrath, Franco Baresi and Paul McGrath, they will. Vlaar in particular has made more mistakes than before, but he's been given the chance to by the way we play.

Which, by the way, is totally fine by me. For years I've been saying that if we're not going to win the league we should at least have fun, and taking a few 6-1s is the price for giving a few out. It just strikes me as wilfully missing the point to see a 6-1 defeat and pretend it has nothing to do with the manager, just as the 7 wins from 11 have a reasonable amount to do with the manager as well.

Well done Sherwood on making us at least a bit fun, and then safe, and then cup finalists. I'm happy with that, even if he does get us twatted occasionally.

[Villafirst]

Basically, a reminder of how far we have fallen.

Southampton are miles ahead of us. And they are a club the entire league was laughing at last summer as they'd sold all their best players.

Maybe it will be a good thing, given that we've escaped relegation again, to get a hiding like that to remind us how much work we have got to do.

I think we caught Southampton on a good day when we were way off the pace. Don't forget Southampton have been dire in the last few weeks - losing to the Baggies, Sunderland and Leicester in which they mustered one goal.

[saunders_heroes]

I wonder what kind of transfer budget Sherwood will get in the summer. I can't see him coming here if he knew he'd be spending £9m or so Lambert got last year.
£25m+ and he could turn us into a top 8 team again.

[OzVilla]

I was very much against us appointing TS, I thought it was a mistake.

Not the firing of Lambert, that should have come on any number of previous occasions, but to go or a rookie like Sherwood was a dumb decision - or so I thought.

Fact is, he's done a remarkable job, a job that only those of us who follow the Club and know what a total mess we were in can really quantify the improvement. Look at our improvement in the goals scored department, look at the improvement of individuals, the emergence of Grealish, our playing style , the way the crowds have flocked back etc.

Personally, I don't  think TS has had anywhere near the credit from the national media for the turnaround. We were in a mess of Billy McNeillesque proportions.

I was wrong and it's great. Well done Tim.

[Risso]

We conceded 130 goals in two seasons under Lambert. We defended better at the start of this one, but at the expense of everything else.

You can't blame Sherwood for Vlaar against Stoke with the penalty, against Everton with the penalty, against Southampton with any number of the goals, or for Bacuna ducking at Man City, Guzan at Man City, Bacuna heading square across his own box against QPR and so on.

We need to improve, but we can only do that by personnel. Getting rid of Vlaar and brining in a genuinely commanding figure to organise us will help massively, as would a proper left back for balance.

Agree completely Ads.  Obviously Sherwood has had to make do with what he inherited, and the fact that we've stayed up is a massive endorsement of his abilities, especially given the way that other relegation teams have put runs together.  The last few years have seen us limp to safety by not being quite as bad as the other teams around us.  This time though, for the majority of the time we've looked genuinely impressive.  If he can put together a defence who don't have one or two (at least) major mistakes in them a game, we should be comfortably top 10 next season.

[Godfrey Brian]

The comparison between now and February is the measure to take.We are now a club with direction, energy and a bit of a buzz about us. He's built a credible bask room team and kept us up with Lambert squad.On top of that he's drawn in bigger crowds and got us to a major final -I think all of that is pretty incredible and should attract some players if he has the cash

[amfy]

Even after yesterday's result, we are 7th in the form table!

(Even more remarkably, Leicester are 3rd, & Sunderland are 6th! No wonder it's been hard to escape the drop zone!)

[Ads]

I wonder what kind of transfer budget Sherwood will get in the summer. I can't see him coming here if he knew he'd be spending £9m or so Lambert got last year.
£25m+ and he could turn us into a top 8 team again.

Hopefully he will get a proper amount to spend to get us competitive. I guess that may depend on if we are taken over (which I think we will be, but that's another matter).

But if he does get a token £10 million, then I would rather him spend it on one or two quality players at centre half and central midfield, especially if we can keep Benteke and Cleverely.

For too long we have shed quality and tried to replace with volume. The better sides have better players. We need more quality and Sherwood has earnt the right to bring better players in.

The fact we had scored 12 in 25 and were second bottom when he came in shows what a remarkable job he's done. Getting the midfield to pass and move is a miracle too.

[tomd2103]

We conceded 130 goals in two seasons under Lambert. We defended better at the start of this one, but at the expense of everything else.

You can't blame Sherwood for Vlaar against Stoke with the penalty, against Everton with the penalty, against Southampton with any number of the goals, or for Bacuna ducking at Man City, Guzan at Man City, Bacuna heading square across his own box against QPR and so on.

We need to improve, but we can only do that by personnel. Getting rid of Vlaar and brining in a genuinely commanding figure to organise us will help massively, as would a proper left back for balance.

Agree Ads.  I do also if a genuinely strong defensive midfielder would also tighten things up. 

[warleyboy]

I'll be honest and say that I was distraught when TS was appointed.
But after seeing his mannerisms, enthusiasm and temperament on the touch line for his first game in charge and his press interviews, he totally won me over.
And that in itself is a blessing after some of the past shite we have put up with.
He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he has definitely bought into Aston Villa Football Club.
His football style up until yesterday has been high tempo, with midfielders and strikers getting plenty of opportunities, getting balls into the box quickly.

Going forward into the new season, I don't believe we will be as gung ho as we have needed to be.
He will strengthen the team, he knows what we need and believe he will concentrate on defence and a strike partner for Tekkers.

Things are looking very promising for villa fans everywhere, although yesterday was a shock, you could sort of see it coming with the amount of energy the lads are using up, game after game, and leaving the defence vulnerable as midfielders, full backs are pushing up the pitch.

I for one am glad it happened yesterday, cos that could of been the cup final, I honestly believe we will lift the cup after that performance.

[Clampy]

When he came in, my main worry was his lack of experience but to be honest he hasn't really shown it (well maybe apart from yesterday and he'll learn from that no doubt). He's been great really. He's done what we wanted him to do. Next season will be really interesting, it'll be one we can look forward to.