It's not Sherwood!

[avfcdale]

I Believe Tim needs to sort out our defence he needs to have a long sit down chat with Micah Richards and re assure him of his role as captain but show him that he needs to be playing at right back for the good of him and the team as a whole, it simply is not working with him at centre half too many times both our centre halves are attacking or blocking the same ball this is also affecting the decision making of Guzan and is why he came for the ball against Leicester, Richards is potentially a world class right back but he seems all at sea at centre half

[brian green]

Agree one hundred percent.

[themossman]

I've calmed down a bit since Saturday. In mitigation, because of form/fitness/injury issues our strongest area (midfield esp central midfield) has been dysfunctional. Were this not the case our weaknesses in other areas would not be being highlighted every game. I think we need a run with gana/toure/veretout/grealish all up to speed at the same time, especially the first two, before we really know how well he allocated the transfer funds. I might change my mind again after tomorrow.

[Dribbler]

There's things i like about TS and there's things i don't... but i'm certainly going to give him more than 6 games this season before passing overall judgement and calling for his head.

He's having to take a poor overall squad, that lost arguably its 2 best players and that has introduced 12 new players in the summer, and turn that around and implement a new philosophy and style of play. That overall is a bloody massive job for any manager, especially when you have to do this in season whilst trying to get results. The few key injuries we've had haven't helped either.

I've seen signs to make me worry this season so far, tactically and player error wise, but ultimately i can also see a lot of promise, and i think (hope) that once we get a full strength squad fit and those players start to gel and gain a little experience in the PL, playing together in the way TS wants them to, we'll have a very exciting team that starts to gel and get results.

I think we'll always get some fluctuating results with TS though because the attacking football he likes to play can leave us open, meaning we might sometimes seize defeat from the jaws of victory or a draw, but it should mean some very exciting wins with great football that we wouldn't have otherwise gotten.

Some might call this a lack of tactical nous, others an adherence to a certain type of football philosophy. I think we just need to remember that the last few seasons we've had many people crying out for us to have a more positive attacking entertaining style of play that would win us more games, even if that meant we'd lose a few more games in the process. I think we're definitely going to be in for a roller-coaster ride this season, and one game we'll be dismayed at losing a game and the tactics we played, and the next be hailing a great win with the great football we played.

[themossman]

I think that's a good summary. Fine margins in this. If we'd won one of sunderland/leicester we'd be looking healthier points wise and probably all more philosophical about the win some/lose some nature of this period.

[Chico Hamilton III]

If we'd won one of sunderland/leicester we'd be looking healthier points wise and probably all more philosophical about the win some/lose some nature of this period.

The lose some/lose some more nature of this current period, surely?

[kippaxvilla2]

I'd be interested to know how he plans to suddenly develop tactical acumen. Is that the sort of thing you can learn in a few weeks?

Maybe he's intending to 'do a Neo from the Matrix' and suddenly turn into some sort of invincible genius.

I wonder what Wilkins thinks when he sees Tim preparing one of his tactical catastrophes?

That has suddenly got me thinking that they would promote Wilkins to manager as a cheap option if they punted Sherwood.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I'd be interested to know how he plans to suddenly develop tactical acumen. Is that the sort of thing you can learn in a few weeks?

Maybe he's intending to 'do a Neo from the Matrix' and suddenly turn into some sort of invincible genius.

I wonder what Wilkins thinks when he sees Tim preparing one of his tactical catastrophes?

That has suddenly got me thinking that they would promote Wilkins to manager as a cheap option if they punted Sherwood.

I'd never watch a Villa side managed by a bloke called Butch

[john e]

the performances haven't been to bad, obviously there have been mistakes but in general its been ok,
 
apart from Saturday the worst performance was probably the only match we won, I wasn't all that impressed with us against Bournmouth, in fact the first half was the poorest so far even worse than against the bag carriers

but the bottom line is results, that's what all managers are judged on,
 and we aint getting any good ones, so the pressure comes on, play badly and win everyones still happy, play some good stuff and lose ie Leicester and we are shit again, and every mistake and decision is questioned,
we need a bit of good luck to turn things around, look at that fucking disallowed goal on Saturday, things like that going against us, fine margins as has already been said

[TaxDodger]

Dribbler's post pretty much sums up my thoughts on the position we're in at the moment. I know we were woeful on Saturday but I genuinely think that's the only match this season, with the possible exception of Man United at home, in which we've deserved to lose. Perhaps I am displaying a Lieutenant George like pig headed unwillingness to look facts in the face, but there is the potential for a very exciting squad to come out of all of this.

I do however appreciate that we need to start picking up points quickly. All three promoted teams look like they've got something about them this season, while the pessimist in me feels that we can't rely on big clubs like Sunderland and Newcastle to be rubbish all season. We obviously can't afford to get relegated, but aborting the Sherwood project before it's had a chance to get going would be a massive waste. The ideal way of solving this conundrum would be for us to make a Darren Bent type signing in January who would score the goals to keep us up. Aside from possible financial restrictions, the main problem here appears to be that Charlie Austin is the only proven Premier League goal scorer available that we could realistically attract. It seems the majority of Premier League managers don't believe he is worth the gamble. The chances of us stumbling across the next Benteke abroad also seem unlikely. Hopefully between now and January Ayew and/or Gestede will have demonstrated that they are capable of scoring enough goals to ensure we survive. I realise this is appears an unlikely prospect at present.

[themossman]

If we'd won one of sunderland/leicester we'd be looking healthier points wise and probably all more philosophical about the win some/lose some nature of this period.

The lose some/lose some more nature of this current period, surely?

I meant this season rather than the first six weeks of it, as well you know.

[Chico Hamilton III]

If we'd won one of sunderland/leicester we'd be looking healthier points wise and probably all more philosophical about the win some/lose some nature of this period.

The lose some/lose some more nature of this current period, surely?

I meant this season rather than the first six weeks of it, as well you know.

I was only joking, as I suspect you knew.

[themossman]

If we'd won one of sunderland/leicester we'd be looking healthier points wise and probably all more philosophical about the win some/lose some nature of this period.

The lose some/lose some more nature of this current period, surely?

I meant this season rather than the first six weeks of it, as well you know.

I was only joking, as I suspect you knew.

I knew you were joking. I suspect you knew I knew.

[BoskoDjembaSalifou]

the performances haven't been to bad,

You're joking, right?

[Clampy]

the performances haven't been to bad,

You're joking, right?

They could have been a lot worse. Saturday was probably the poorest so far.