Former PL club Aston Villa 2-3 Watford - post mortem thread

[SamTheMouse]

From what I saw of him last season, Senderos is the best defender we have at the club currently. Canny.

[KevinGage]

Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out

I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill.  The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.

I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.

I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?

And why did O'Neill walk? Because he had the rug pulled from under his feet by Lerner that's why. The chairman informed him they'd be no more big signings no more big wages and from now on we were to be run on a relative shoestring. O'Neill is no fool and he knew no top club could compete with such penny pinching so he walked. This is why we couldn't and still can't attract decent players or managers since, and this is why the last 5 years have been such a miserable experience.
This is just my opinion before anyone gets their knickers in a twist.

Had O Neill left in May he'd probably still be one of my favourite Villa managers. I don't actually blame him for going but surely these finance discussions were discussed in the tail end of the last season or during close season. To fuck off a week before the start of the season is what really bugged me. Whether the Milner sale (and getting Ireland in return) was the final straw I don't know. But O Neill could have left after the previous season with a lot of good will.

I agree, and I think you're right about Milner being the final straw. If he had walked out at the end of the previous season he probably wouldn't be so unpopular as he is now but I doubt very much if that would have affected our decline. That was set in stone as soon as Lerner decided he couldn't give a flying fuck anymore.

Not being able to sign Robbie Keane and Aiden McGreedy was the final straw.

O'Neill thought he had kept his part of the sell to buy deal by flogging Milner. But the likes of Davies, Reo Coker, Luke Young and Shorey were still on the books.

Plus he already had three wingers on the books in Downing, Ashley Young and Albrighton, so I can actually understand the boards reluctance to throw money at a position we were well stocked in.

He wanted Ireland, according to Ireland himself.

[auntiesledd]

Lerner has sole responsibility for this, after MON walked out leaving us with overpaid journeyman stinking the club out

I've never really bought into this bitter and twisted jilted bride mentality many people have against O'Neill.  The day he walked out was the day I knew we were in decline.

I wish we were being 'stunk out' in 6th place every year right now.

I'm with ya Mr W. I guess some folk find it easier to slag off the man who baled - rather than the idiot who displayed apparent commitment & loyalty. 'Funny old game ain't it?

And why did O'Neill walk? Because he had the rug pulled from under his feet by Lerner that's why. The chairman informed him they'd be no more big signings no more big wages and from now on we were to be run on a relative shoestring. O'Neill is no fool and he knew no top club could compete with such penny pinching so he walked. This is why we couldn't and still can't attract decent players or managers since, and this is why the last 5 years have been such a miserable experience.
This is just my opinion before anyone gets their knickers in a twist.

Had O Neill left in May he'd probably still be one of my favourite Villa managers. I don't actually blame him for going but surely these finance discussions were discussed in the tail end of the last season or during close season. To fuck off a week before the start of the season is what really bugged me. Whether the Milner sale (and getting Ireland in return) was the final straw I don't know. But O Neill could have left after the previous season with a lot of good will.

I agree, and I think you're right about Milner being the final straw. If he had walked out at the end of the previous season he probably wouldn't be so unpopular as he is now but I doubt very much if that would have affected our decline. That was set in stone as soon as Lerner decided he couldn't give a flying fuck anymore.

Not being able to sign Robbie Keane and Aiden McGreedy was the final straw.

O'Neill thought he had kept his part of the sell to buy deal by flogging Milner. But the likes of Davies, Reo Coker, Luke Young and Shorey were still on the books.

Plus he already had three wingers on the books in Downing, Ashley Young and Albrighton, so I can actually understand the boards reluctance to throw money at a position we were well stocked in.

He wanted Ireland, according to Ireland himself.

Even if all of what you've said is true, it doesn't address why Lerner suddenly pulled the investment plug & started the massive austerity trip: the 'dividends' of which is our inevitable relegation this season. Did MON leave when he did in order to punish the club after he didn't get his own way, or did he realise what Uncle Randolph's great new plan was after failing (again) to get his paws on the Champions League riches? I know what I think, but I'm open to new & contrary ideas.

[oswald funkletrumpet]

senderos and lescott are not the answer to any question

we need to blood some under 21's now to see if they are up to it ready for next season

[Toronto Villa]

senderos and lescott are not the answer to any question

we need to blood some under 21's now to see if they are up to it ready for next season

Compared to Lescott or Richardson, Senderos is Baresi and Maldini rolled into one.

[tomd2103]

Lerner's record of appointing managers is nothing short of shocking considering it was the previous regime that installed O'Neill.

Been thinking about it and I'm not so sure.  I see the timeline post O'Neill as:

Houllier - big name, not a great season, illness prevented us seeing what might have been

McLeish - quite possibly the worst decision in the long history of the club

Lambert - popular appointment at the time, but was given far too much time when it was clear he was struggling

Sherwood - most could see he was only ever going to be a short term appointment and was found out after two months

Garde - probably brought in because the amount of French players signed.


Hindsight of course is a wonderful thing, but I look back to our defeat at QPR last October.  I think that was the point at which time should have been called on Lambert.  I know I'm going to take stick for this, but Pulis was available then and would have been the right appointment.  Yes, he is a pretty odious character and is renowned for ugly football, but I have no doubt that with a bigger budget available to him than at Albion, we would be in a better place.  He would in time have run his course, but like at Stoke and Palace, would have left so solid foundation on which another manager could have built.

[Rudy65]

Lerner's record of appointing managers is nothing short of shocking considering it was the previous regime that installed O'Neill.

Been thinking about it and I'm not so sure.  I see the timeline post O'Neill as:

Houllier - big name, not a great season, illness prevented us seeing what might have been

McLeish - quite possibly the worst decision in the long history of the club

Lambert - popular appointment at the time, but was given far too much time when it was clear he was struggling

Sherwood - most could see he was only ever going to be a short term appointment and was found out after two months

Garde - probably brought in because the amount of French players signed.


Hindsight of course is a wonderful thing, but I look back to our defeat at QPR last October.  I think that was the point at which time should have been called on Lambert.  I know I'm going to take stick for this, but Pulis was available then and would have been the right appointment.  Yes, he is a pretty odious character and is renowned for ugly football, but I have no doubt that with a bigger budget available to him than at Albion, we would be in a better place.  He would in time have run his course, but like at Stoke and Palace, would have left so solid foundation on which another manager could have built.

Agree. We cocked up missing Pulis. I dont care about his style, he could have brought stability to the club which is exactly what we need.

[Rudy65]

Overall I think we were unlucky yesterday. All three goals were a avoidable. Lucky deflection off Clark for the first, bad luck on the second and a shocking bit of control from Hutton for the third. Why Richardson doesnt challenge Deeney or give Clark a shout for the third is also shocking

[ChicagoLion]

Overall I think we were unlucky yesterday. All three goals were a avoidable. Lucky deflection off Clark for the first, bad luck on the second and a shocking bit of control from Hutton for the third. Why Richardson doesnt challenge Deeney or give Clark a shout for the third is also shocking

I dont think its luck when the back 5 includes Richardson, Clark and Guzan.
Its obvious that one or more of them will fuck up.

Overall I think we were unlucky yesterday. All three goals were a avoidable. Lucky deflection off Clark for the first, bad luck on the second and a shocking bit of control from Hutton for the third. Why Richardson doesnt challenge Deeney or give Clark a shout for the third is also shocking

[andyh]

I have just shown immense bravery and looked at the goals for the first time since I left the ground yesterday.
Fucking hell, it's even worse than watching them at the time.
I said at halftime yesterday that our defending was shocking, with players hacking, and slicing at the ball, and 'attacking' the ball with the wrong foot.
The defending, from the midfielders and the defenders was absolutely appalling, it would be laughable if it was so serious.

There is absolutely no composure in that team anymore.
No one wants to take control, no one can, or is able to LEAD, hence the shambles that we witnessed yesterday.

We do not look like a team. There is no cohesion, no spirit, and absolutley no bloody urgency in the team.
There cannot be another team in the premier league that passes the ball backwards as much as we do.

And, I have just remembered THAT  free kick from Guzan, after about 3 mins.

What the flying fuck was that about!

[ChicagoLion]

I have just shown immense bravery and looked at the goals for the first time since I left the ground yesterday.
Fucking hell, it's even worse than watching them at the time.
I said at halftime yesterday that our defending was shocking, with players hacking, and slicing at the ball, and 'attacking' the ball with the wrong foot.
The defending, from the midfielders and the defenders was absolutely appalling, it would be laughable if it was so serious.

There is absolutely no composure in that team anymore.
No one wants to take control, no one can, or is able to LEAD, hence the shambles that we witnessed yesterday.

We do not look like a team. There is no cohesion, no spirit, and absolutley no bloody urgency in the team.
There cannot be another team in the premier league that passes the ball backwards as much as we do.

And, I have just remembered THAT  free kick from Guzan, after about 3 mins.

What the flying fuck was that about!

I think that Guzan has made them all so nervous that they just panick if the ball comes into the area, one of the most frightening sounds in football must be "Brads Ball"

[The Edge]

I have just shown immense bravery and looked at the goals for the first time since I left the ground yesterday.
Fucking hell, it's even worse than watching them at the time.
I said at halftime yesterday that our defending was shocking, with players hacking, and slicing at the ball, and 'attacking' the ball with the wrong foot.
The defending, from the midfielders and the defenders was absolutely appalling, it would be laughable if it was so serious.

There is absolutely no composure in that team anymore.
No one wants to take control, no one can, or is able to LEAD, hence the shambles that we witnessed yesterday.

We do not look like a team. There is no cohesion, no spirit, and absolutley no bloody urgency in the team.
There cannot be another team in the premier league that passes the ball backwards as much as we do.

And, I have just remembered THAT  free kick from Guzan, after about 3 mins.

What the flying fuck was that about!

I think that Guzan has made them all so nervous that they just panick if the ball comes into the area, one of the most frightening sounds in football must be "Brads Ball"

Totally agree about Guzan. Easily the worst keeper in the Premier. 
I think the biggest problem at Villa Park now is Randys lack of interest and involvement. He hasn't been to the ground in 2 years. Says it all really.

[villan from luton]

senderos and lescott are not the answer to any question

we need to blood some under 21's now to see if they are up to it ready for next season

Compared to Lescott or Richardson, Senderos is Baresi and Maldini rolled into one.

Lets not right Lescott off just yet

[tomd2103]

I have just shown immense bravery and looked at the goals for the first time since I left the ground yesterday.
Fucking hell, it's even worse than watching them at the time.
I said at halftime yesterday that our defending was shocking, with players hacking, and slicing at the ball, and 'attacking' the ball with the wrong foot.
The defending, from the midfielders and the defenders was absolutely appalling, it would be laughable if it was so serious.

There is absolutely no composure in that team anymore.
No one wants to take control, no one can, or is able to LEAD, hence the shambles that we witnessed yesterday.

We do not look like a team. There is no cohesion, no spirit, and absolutley no bloody urgency in the team.
There cannot be another team in the premier league that passes the ball backwards as much as we do.

And, I have just remembered THAT  free kick from Guzan, after about 3 mins.

What the flying fuck was that about!

I haven't been able to bring myself to watch them yet.  From where I was sat in the North Stand, it looked like their player who scored was offside.  I'm presuming replays showed he wasn't.

Also, anyone in the North Stand lower see what happened at the front in block R5?  Seemed to be a scuffle at one point, but was sorted out quite quickly.

[villan from luton]

Not offside, there were three shite defenders there