Remi Garde - Departs Aston Villa

[not3bad]

the problem that I have is that we still don't have a discernible style of play. Maybe it's the lack of quality players or Garde not having his own players in but from game to game we're relying on a spark from somewhere, or a set-piece, to try and win a game. Until we can have a system first, then players playing into that system, and knowing what we are trying to do we'll stay stuck in a rut. I'm also one of those that hope Garde doesn't walk and that's also why I hope the fans get right behind him and give him and the team as much vocal support as is possible.

I disagree, the discernible style of play is that we let the opposition keep the ball in their own half but then we close them quickly once they cross halfway.  That has contributed to an improvement in our goal difference and makes us look more 'in control'.  Then we try to break quickly but the lack of quality up front scuppers that so instead we work the ball around a probe for errors but again the lack of quality up front means we don't get enough intelligent movement where it matters to create gaps.  The players who do make runs and like to get on the ball and commit people (Gil and Ayew) both have a bad habit of dropping too deep when we have the ball so they beat men and create space but do it 40 yards out where it's not hurting teams enough.  When they get the ball around the box is when we look dangerous.

I think a 3-4 (Amavi should be one of them) key players in this team would make a huge difference, fullbacks with real quality delivering the ball into the box or beating their man and a striker who can offer proper movement would help a lot.  Then another Veretout style midfielder who can pick up the ball and find players around the box but who also has the work rate to do the defensive side, I really want Grealish to develop into that player and I think it's the role he should be playing.  What that would do is allow/force Ayew and Gil to stay higher up the field when we attack so they can do more damage.

I agree with that, though I think our style of play is hampered by not having enough quality in the final third.  As you say, we get our full-backs into decent positions but the delivery is poor pretty much every time.  I also agree about a striker who can play off the shoulder of defenders and make runs in behind.  Our movement in the final third has been poor for a number of seasons now. 

Part of Gabby's improvement last Saturday, I believe, was that he was leading the line and so getting into more dangerous positions and making runs like the one that lead to the second goal.  Hopefully when Ayew returns he won't go back to wandering round the flanks and basically not contributing a lot.

[kippaxvilla2]

I've had it confirmed that Ciggies knows sod all. Which is more than I know.

I have an itk that confirmed to me that Ciggies n Beer is short for consumables known as cigarettes and beer.

[tomd2103]

the problem that I have is that we still don't have a discernible style of play. Maybe it's the lack of quality players or Garde not having his own players in but from game to game we're relying on a spark from somewhere, or a set-piece, to try and win a game. Until we can have a system first, then players playing into that system, and knowing what we are trying to do we'll stay stuck in a rut. I'm also one of those that hope Garde doesn't walk and that's also why I hope the fans get right behind him and give him and the team as much vocal support as is possible.

I disagree, the discernible style of play is that we let the opposition keep the ball in their own half but then we close them quickly once they cross halfway.  That has contributed to an improvement in our goal difference and makes us look more 'in control'.  Then we try to break quickly but the lack of quality up front scuppers that so instead we work the ball around a probe for errors but again the lack of quality up front means we don't get enough intelligent movement where it matters to create gaps.  The players who do make runs and like to get on the ball and commit people (Gil and Ayew) both have a bad habit of dropping too deep when we have the ball so they beat men and create space but do it 40 yards out where it's not hurting teams enough.  When they get the ball around the box is when we look dangerous.

I think a 3-4 (Amavi should be one of them) key players in this team would make a huge difference, fullbacks with real quality delivering the ball into the box or beating their man and a striker who can offer proper movement would help a lot.  Then another Veretout style midfielder who can pick up the ball and find players around the box but who also has the work rate to do the defensive side, I really want Grealish to develop into that player and I think it's the role he should be playing.  What that would do is allow/force Ayew and Gil to stay higher up the field when we attack so they can do more damage.

I agree with that, though I think our style of play is hampered by not having enough quality in the final third.  As you say, we get our full-backs into decent positions but the delivery is poor pretty much every time.  I also agree about a striker who can play off the shoulder of defenders and make runs in behind.  Our movement in the final third has been poor for a number of seasons now. 

Part of Gabby's improvement last Saturday, I believe, was that he was leading the line and so getting into more dangerous positions and making runs like the one that lead to the second goal.  Hopefully when Ayew returns he won't go back to wandering round the flanks and basically not contributing a lot.

Agree.  We don't have any other forwards who make those kind of runs (Ayew prefers to drift into wide positions).   Gabby unfortunately is only willing / able to make those type of runs a few times a game.   

[peter w]

That's not a style of play that's a tactical response to the lack of a style of play. We let the opposition have the ball because we are not mobile enough to close the ball, nor do we have decent covering midfielders that can plug gaps if we did attack the ball. We sit back because we have to. When we do get the ball we do try and spring from defence but that rarely gets us any further than 20 yards up the field.

There may be an intention to play a certain way but it is a long way from being there. Our 'style' is preventative first due to expediency and fear, not because of a well thought out plan.

[TimTheVillain]

Do any of you know where Remi lives in Birmingham ?

There's some eejuts on here still !

[Clampy]

Do any of you know where Remi lives in Birmingham ?

There's some eejuts on here still !

I have it on good authority that he lives in the UK.

[spk]

I read that he rents an apartment in one of the "Nicer suburbs of Birmingham"

[DB]

I read that he rents an apartment in one of the "Nicer suburbs of Birmingham"

Druids Heath?

[paul_e]

That's not a style of play that's a tactical response to the lack of a style of play. We let the opposition have the ball because we are not mobile enough to close the ball, nor do we have decent covering midfielders that can plug gaps if we did attack the ball. We sit back because we have to. When we do get the ball we do try and spring from defence but that rarely gets us any further than 20 yards up the field.

There may be an intention to play a certain way but it is a long way from being there. Our 'style' is preventative first due to expediency and fear, not because of a well thought out plan.

Of course it is, it's tactical which means it's therefore a style of play.  I say we let them keep it in their half because they can't do damage from there, you say it's because we're not talented or mobile enough to close them down sooner.  Either way Garde has us setup to play this style because he sees it as the best way to develop an effective style of play.  Given we have 8 points from the last 5 games I think it's fair to say that there is evidence to suggest that he's on the right track.  When we have the ball in the final 3rd we have very little pattern to our play (and this is what I think you're referring to) but as I say I think that's due to a lack of quality rather than a lack of intent.

The expediency and fear comment is strange though because how many clubs don't set up to use the players they have available as best as possible and to try to avoid conceding a bucketload every week?  Those 2 things are the absolute cornerstone of effective management (of any kind), use the resources you have available as best as you can and don't hamstring yourself by making things more difficult/complex than they need to be.  That should be the starting point of any management strategy when you join a team that's a bit fucked, stabilise things, get an idea for where the strengths and weaknesses are and then find a way to minimise those weaknesses and/or maximise the strengths.  Once you're 'there' you can then look at what you need to add to progress, and I think we're now at a fairly clear point where he's getting a decent return from what he has so he needs to make additions.

[PeterWithesShin]

I do think, unless you have a side full of top class players, that your style of play is largely based on what you have in attack, we have smeg all of note so as has been said, there is no defining style when we reach the last third.

[TimTheVillain]

I hope he stays and sees it through ... seems a top bloke, there's obviously a bit of Arsene Wenger in him - but he has a steely persona ...

Lerner didn't back him though, and it wrankles.

No interest in our great club anymore - maybe I'm saying the obvious, but I know for sure now !

[brian green]

Libor has an injured wrankle.

[TB]

Libor has an injured wrankle.

... or is his ankle possibly wrankled?

[old man villa fan]

there are 2 problems with that as I see it

The very planning that you endorse is the exact thing that causes some people to rant on and on about a lack of investment because of a poor net spend. It's completely misleading and ignores all good sense, proper financial management of a football club should focus around maximising your players (assets in this regard) to keep the value of the squad as high as possible.  If the right way to do that is to accept a big offer for a player and then spend the income but nothing more than that's ok.

The 2nd issue is the deprecating value of those assets based on fixed contracts.  To go with your analogy imagine you get those 3 strikers and then 1 of them is a complete flop but his value is constantly going down so by the time you give up on him you can only get a striker worth a 3rd of what you originally spent, that means your whole squad is worth less.  Have 2-3 players all do that at once and you're pretty much fucked without throwing extra money.

I was only try to say that you have to financially plan your expenditure both in current time and the future.  To control your finances, you need to understand how it will change in the future depending on many variables.  I did mention investing as an option, not just balancing the books.

You are right in that you have to protect the value of the squad.  This is done by moving players on at the right time and controlling contracts.  We have done very poorly in this respect.  We have flipped from long term high value contracts, to allowing contracts to run down and back to long term contracts for players that do not warrant them (my opinion).

[manic-road]

Libor has an injured wrankle.

... or is his ankle possibly wrankled?

That's why we didn't sign Hans Krankl all those years ago because he had a cranky ankle.