Poll - Sherwood - got rid

[sidcowans10]

Sadly, I think it's time for him to go. I liked the appointment, and he definitely lifted the gloom when it was needed.
But this is now HIS team. The results speak for themselves. 4 points out of 24, and without really playing any of the "top 6" is inexcusable. As it's been pointed out above, it's not really like we have been unlucky either.

Who we get next, however, is a toughie. We need proven premiership experience I think. I shudder at Fat Sam, but he would keep us up ? I can't believe that's our goal the first week in October, but that's where we are.

[aj2k77]

We average reaching at least a semi ever other year. Using 95/96 as the start point as that covers 20 seasons including this one, 4 finals and 5 semis. That the only clubs that can match that over the same time period are Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd says a lot.

& what's our average premier finish over the same time ?

The average finishes of respect clubs during the premier league era: removing Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea as they've been undoubtedly the top 4 over this time

Man City Average position 9.6, finals or semi's 5, Cup Wins 2
Everton Average position 10.0, finals or semi's 3, Cup Wins 1
Newcatle Average position 9.2, finals or semi's 3, Cup Wins 0
Tottenham Average position 8.4, finals or semi's 11, Cup wins 2
Aston Villa, Average position 9.6, finals or semi's 10, Cup wins 2

I'd say that shows we stack up pretty well against anyone but the 4 I mentioned. Unless you'd like to narrow it down to the last 10 years or something just to fit your argument? In that case we fall behind Man City, Everton and Spurs to 8th, which you claim as midtable but I'd say is challenging for Europe

[Jockey Randall]

We have good players - I firmly believe that this squad is capable of a mid table finish, however the manager simply isn't good enough.  We need to make our move now, before it's too late and get someone in who can organise this team and get them playing to their strengths.  If we don't, you can bet that Sunderland/Newcastle will, and we'll end up rock bottom and doomed before we even get to January - then no-one will want to come.

Time for our much-feted DOF to earn his corn.

I agree that Sherwood is having a nightmare at the moment. Changing formations and the team every 45 minutes smacks of someone who is punch drunk and losing belief in his own philosophy imo. I still don't believe the players we have are capable of a mid table finish though. We carry too many players like Westwood, Hutton, Bacuna, Gabby etc who are pretty much 16th/17th standard players at best and would remain that regardless of who was in charge of them. Nearly all the new players have all shown limitations as well and I look at the other squads in mid table and I'd swap ours for most of them at the moment.

[levico]

We average reaching at least a semi ever other year. Using 95/96 as the start point as that covers 20 seasons including this one, 4 finals and 5 semis. That the only clubs that can match that over the same time period are Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd says a lot.

& what's our average premier finish over the same time ?

The average finishes of respect clubs during the premier league era: removing Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea as they've been undoubtedly the top 4 over this time

Man City Average position 9.6, finals or semi's 5, Cup Wins 2
Everton Average position 10.0, finals or semi's 3, Cup Wins 1
Newcatle Average position 9.2, finals or semi's 3, Cup Wins 0
Tottenham Average position 8.4, finals or semi's 11, Cup wins 2
Aston Villa, Average position 9.6, finals or semi's 10, Cup wins 2

I'd say that shows we stack up pretty well against anyone but the 4 I mentioned. Unless you'd like to narrow it down to the last 10 years or something just to fit your argument? In that case we fall behind Man City, Everton and Spurs to 8th, which you claim as midtable but I'd say is challenging for Europe

I think this is an exercise in self-deception. Let's face it we are currently sh*t and getting sh*ttier by the match.

[aj2k77]

No need to tell me Levico, I torture myself and watch the shit every week, we've been dog shit for nearly 5 years and the last 2 1/2 have played arguably the worst football in the division, I'm not kidding myself but neither am I being told we have been nothing but midtable nothing club for 20 years because that's just plain wrong and I'll call out bullshit.

[Ads]

I think it shows how badly we've been managed over the past few seasons.

We're way, way, way below par and if that was not self evident enough, then those stats bear it out and suggest that we should not be in the habit as supporters of lowering our expectations.

There is a decent side here, much better than 0.5 points per game and it requires the proper management to coax it out. I've lost all faith that Sherwood has it in him to organise us into a coherent defensive and attacking force.

 
On reflection I will concede a point of his that I initially dismissed as nonsense, about fitness and method of playing.

While firstly I cannot fathom how the players are not in a position to be fit enough two months into the campaign, with almost a quarter of the season gone, I will agree that our current team does not press in the same way that Delph and Cleverley did.

Veretout showed signs on Saturday that he has a good engine on him and harassed Stoke players defensively and offensively, in the latter case picking up the ball and driving the game on. I think Gana has that in him to, an ability to beat a man and get those legs to the gallop, but to press effectively, its got to be a universal thing or you end up looking very ordinary indeed.

[aj2k77]

We can't wait until the end of December either, get someone in, give them time to evaluate the player they've inherited, time to draw up a plan of any recruits that Mr Burns might allow us to buy in January and let them get to work.

Please don't sack him at the end of December and rush in someone who is working under strict time constraints.

[Nelson Lodge]

Imo the very least Fox should do is to have TS, Wilkins, Robson, Parks and the rest of the first team back room staff on the carpet this morning. Then demand some answers to:-

"1/. Why are the players not physically fit enough to play the style of football you say you want? It is 3 months since they reported back for training!
2/ What was your plan on how these players would complement each other when you persuaded RL and myself to buy these "economic migrants from France, Spain, and elsewhere?
3/. The "shuffling the pack" method is not acceptable. I want your detailed plan by the end of this Wednesday on how you are going to proceed to improve team performances.  It should include proposed formations and players involved, plus physical fitness regimes.
4/. Do you plan to arrange practice matches and friendlies in this international break to work through the practicalities of, as you say, gelling the team? Experimentation on match days has to stop now!
5/. Finally, you all have until the end of this month to bring about drastic improvement in the team's fortunes. If not then you are all out of the door!
6/. Do I make myself clear? "

In essence Fox needs read them the "Riot Act", etc

[nick harper]

Well Brendan Rogers is now on the market. Despite his difficulties in the last 12 months at Liverpool, I think he is a good manager who would certainly get much more out the squad we now have. If he thought he had a challenge there, he'd certainly find one at Villa Park.

[rob_bridge]

Well Brendan Rogers is now on the market. Despite his difficulties in the last 12 months at Liverpool, I think he is a good manager who would certainly get much more out the squad we now have. If he thought he had a challenge there, he'd certainly find one at Villa Park.

He's better than Sherwood, without any shadow of a doubt.

[saunders_heroes]

For all of Rodgers faults I'd bet he wouldn't have picked a team as bizarre as the one Sherwood picked on Saturday.

[Ads]

I think he will likely get until the Watford game, which I believe is the one after Everton away?

That would be 14 league games, approaching half of the season. We’d need to take 10 points from Chelsea, Swansea, Spurs, Man City, Everton and Watford to be on our par for the course, with 38 points.

It’s a tough run of fixtures, which could make what should be an easier game against Watford a lot harder if there is a build up of pressure. I would imagine if we are below 14 points by then, that he will be sacked.

I hate it when our managers fail, I genuinely do. I am not interested in what they look like [even you O’Leary, you pug faced oik!], what they sound like, where they’re from or where they’ve been, I am just desperate for one to provide a modicum of stability in our performances and results at a reasonable level.

I’ve not mentioned success, I just want to drive the 86 or so miles back north from B6 with a happy smile at least ten out of the nineteen times a season. That’s not asking for the moon. I don’t care if we’ve even played well either. Just win please.

If Sherwood can spend the next two weeks and work out that Sanchez, Veretout and Gana is our best midfield three, that our defence should play a lot closer together and maybe even sacrifice the space out wide if need be to stay compact, then great. If he could get somebody up top with a bit of pace, guile and more importantly movement, like Ayew for instance, then give it a go. If he could get some slippery git with precision and vision to supply him like Gil or Grealish, then fantastic. If he could get Traore on to use his pace defensively to pin players back, to make the pitch really wide, then maybe, just maybe he will get a result more often that not.

In all honesty, I don’t know if my own assessment is up to much. My head has never been on the block. I just want him to do well, I just don’t think he has it in him.

6 games to save his job.

[AVH87]

I'd give him just 2 games to save his job now. I don't expect a result at Chelsea (even though they've been poor this season), but I expect a much improved performance and for us to give them a game, then Swansea at home he will need to find a way to win, or if we don't win we need to have at least dominated the game.

If we don't get more than 1 point from our next 2 games, he should go.

[mrastonvilla]

How you can in all honesty turn round and say the players aren't fit enough for the style of play he is trying to implement whilst apparently trying random formations and selections each week just points to desperation.

I think he is floundering and massively out of his depth. I hope the powers at be recognise this before its too late.

[Billy Walker]

We average reaching at least a semi ever other year. Using 95/96 as the start point as that covers 20 seasons including this one, 4 finals and 5 semis. That the only clubs that can match that over the same time period are Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd says a lot.

& what's our average premier finish over the same time ?

The average finishes of respect clubs during the premier league era: removing Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea as they've been undoubtedly the top 4 over this time

Man City Average position 9.6, finals or semi's 5, Cup Wins 2
Everton Average position 10.0, finals or semi's 3, Cup Wins 1
Newcatle Average position 9.2, finals or semi's 3, Cup Wins 0
Tottenham Average position 8.4, finals or semi's 11, Cup wins 2
Aston Villa, Average position 9.6, finals or semi's 10, Cup wins 2

I'd say that shows we stack up pretty well against anyone but the 4 I mentioned. Unless you'd like to narrow it down to the last 10 years or something just to fit your argument? In that case we fall behind Man City, Everton and Spurs to 8th, which you claim as midtable but I'd say is challenging for Europe

Those stats for Villa are totally skewed by the clusterf*ck of the past five seasons, too.