Who do you want the next Villa manager to be?

[Tayls_7]

I used to love Pubehead's expert and intuitive reading of every single game and the way his expert and intuitive reading every game always demanded Craig Gardner's introduction in the 82nd minute. Genius.

[bobdylan]

Young was in attacking midfield, not up front. I remember criticising the move at the time, but it has logic and nothing to do with Gabby - unless you think Gabby should be the playmaker?

No, Gabby should have played up top with Carew with Young and Downing wide, it worked more than ok the previous season.

It cost more money than we've ever spent in our history to scrape that style to sixth in the league every year. Name one top four, or even top six side, who play two strikers and use two wingers to lug the ball in to them. Actually never mind top 6 - name any decent side in Europe, in fact, which plays that way.

So the World's philosophy on tactics changed entirely in that one pre season when M'ON left?  We didn't scrape 6th, M'ONs insistence on flogging his favourite 13/14 players into the ground by March, and poor use of subs prevented us from finishing higher, which we were quite capable of.  The players lack of experience in such situations compared to say Arsenal's didn't help either, nor that we signed Heskey and they Arshavin.

Okay, we 'slumped' to 6th would be more accurate, and looking back we really spent amazing amounts of money getting there MON's way. His tactics got us way too many home draws, often early in the season not just in the annual March collapse. He must be an incredible motivator, because his tactics, signings, use of squad (I'm with you on that one) and everything else stink to high heaven.

Also, doesn't the whole Heskey/Arshavin contrast tell you something about the style problem? Where would Arshavin have played in our system - Left Midfield, whipping in the crosses? Heskey suited the way we played back then a lot more than Arshavin would've, which is all you need to know about the way we played and the problems with it.

True, I guess Houllier's style was the way forward, but trying to enforce it on that particular group of players who were used to playing a different way just didn't work out well that season.

[exigo]

The fact that the players actually followed what MacDonald told them to do on Wednesday at least shows they can be coached. So assuming Garde comes in and tells them more than lump it long to Gestede, then gaining 36 points from 28 games shouldn't be beyond him.

I'm having none of this getting relegated as part of the long term plan.

[Toronto Villa]

All I know is I like what Kevin Mac said today about the likelihood of Garde being the new manager. I think our perseverence will pay off and we can start to look forward again. We need to get whatever points we can between now and whenever he arrives so I hope we go for it at Spurs. We have nothing at all to lose.

[Monty]

True, I guess Houllier's style was the way forward, but trying to enforce it on that particular group of players who were used to playing a different way just didn't work out well that season.

That was a mistake he made and, to be fair, he did change to a more solid style to get the wins we needed - Man City, Newcastle and so on. However, some of the problems implementing the new style were more personal than tactical, namely the volcanic twattery of Dullins and Warnock.

[bobdylan]

The fact that the players actually followed what MacDonald told them to do on Wednesday at least shows they can be coached. So assuming Garde comes in and tells them more than lump it long to Gestede, then gaining 36 points from 28 games shouldn't be beyond him.

I'm having none of this getting relegated as part of the long term plan.

Quite, I want Garde, but if he relegates us he needs the boot, I don't care how pretty the football is.  28 games is plenty of time to keep us up.

[brontebilly]

I expect the first two Garde will kick out the door are Gabby and Lescott. Jokers the pair of them.

Amavi and Gueye have talent, that is not in question. But both have been guilty of dodging responsibility in recent games. Time for some of the boys to man up.

Veretout, Ayew, Gil, Traore and Grealish - our season will hinge on what we can get out of these five for the rest of the season.

[ChicagoLion]

I expect the first two Garde will kick out the door are Gabby and Lescott. Jokers the pair of them.

Amavi and Gueye have talent, that is not in question. But both have been guilty of dodging responsibility in recent games. Time for some of the boys to man up.

Veretout, Ayew, Gil, Traore and Grealish - our season will hinge on what we can get out of these five for the rest of the season.

i hope not, we are going to need more than those 5 to stay up, a goal scorer and goalkeeper needed desperately

[bobdylan]

I expect the first two Garde will kick out the door are Gabby and Lescott. Jokers the pair of them.

Amavi and Gueye have talent, that is not in question. But both have been guilty of dodging responsibility in recent games. Time for some of the boys to man up.

Veretout, Ayew, Gil, Traore and Grealish - our season will hinge on what we can get out of these five for the rest of the season.

Nail on head, I've also high hopes for Illori under Garde.

[Chris Jameson]

If he was wide in the 3 yes,

There's no doubting Agbonlahor is wide however many there are.

[bobdylan]

I expect the first two Garde will kick out the door are Gabby and Lescott. Jokers the pair of them.

Amavi and Gueye have talent, that is not in question. But both have been guilty of dodging responsibility in recent games. Time for some of the boys to man up.

Veretout, Ayew, Gil, Traore and Grealish - our season will hinge on what we can get out of these five for the rest of the season.

i hope not, we are going to need more than those 5 to stay up, a goal scorer and goalkeeper needed desperately

It's 7 with Amavi and Gueye, 8 when you include Richards, Illori could be a nice surprise too hopefully.  After that we're struggling a bit but Clark, Okore and Snachez aren't too bad.  We should be alright, ok we're a couple short, but we should have enough to stay up.

[ChicagoLion]

I would bring in little Evans and Gregory till the end of the season it worked the first time round why not again.
If the tinker man at Leicester can come back to English football after how many years away then why not those three

Because Brian Little has beeb bombed out of every job he's had since 1998, Gregory is still recovering from heart surgery and Evans has been a driving instructor for the past twelve years.

The Driving Instructor bit I like.

[Ron Manager]

Arsene has stated his opinion. Garde should take this offer. Assistants or not.

The master has spoken.

[damon loves JT]

The fact that the players actually followed what MacDonald told them to do on Wednesday at least shows they can be coached. So assuming Garde comes in and tells them more than lump it long to Gestede, then gaining 36 points from 28 games shouldn't be beyond him.

I'm having none of this getting relegated as part of the long term plan.

Quite, I want Garde, but if he relegates us he needs the boot, I don't care how pretty the football is.  28 games is plenty of time to keep us up.

Whoah there, Timelord. We haven't even appointed him yet and you're already wanting him sacked.

[bobdylan]

The fact that the players actually followed what MacDonald told them to do on Wednesday at least shows they can be coached. So assuming Garde comes in and tells them more than lump it long to Gestede, then gaining 36 points from 28 games shouldn't be beyond him.

I'm having none of this getting relegated as part of the long term plan.

Quite, I want Garde, but if he relegates us he needs the boot, I don't care how pretty the football is.  28 games is plenty of time to keep us up.

Whoah there, Timelord. We haven't even appointed him yet and you're already wanting him sacked.

Haha, true.