Quote from: Risso on April 17, 2023, 10:49:10 AMYes, the whole team is playing 100 times better now. Defending as a unit and attacking as a unit. When we don't have the ball it's often 6 players we have defending like their lives depend on it. Picking a random game as a comparison from Gerrard's time, look at the 3-3 draw with Leeds last year. Some great attacking play from Coutinho and Ramsey, but the midfield and the defence especially Mings, were all over the place. We see none of that now, and the one game where we did (Leicester at home) was obviously used by Emery as a lesson to them all to tighten up.That Leeds game was one of his worst in a Villa shirt. He let Bamford get in his head. I think it was very much an anomaly though, and a lot of the mistakes that he has made have been due to being exposed by the system, or his team mates, and being the one who takes responsibility for situations. It was him making last ditch tackles, or goal line clearances. I maintain that he’s always been a good player, and good enough for the top places of the EPL, and now we have a manager and system that are bringing it to realisation. He’s basically risen to every challenge along the way, since he joined us in January 2019. His character and presence have a lot to do with that also.
Yes, the whole team is playing 100 times better now. Defending as a unit and attacking as a unit. When we don't have the ball it's often 6 players we have defending like their lives depend on it. Picking a random game as a comparison from Gerrard's time, look at the 3-3 draw with Leeds last year. Some great attacking play from Coutinho and Ramsey, but the midfield and the defence especially Mings, were all over the place. We see none of that now, and the one game where we did (Leicester at home) was obviously used by Emery as a lesson to them all to tighten up.
I honestly think in a few years time we'll look back and realise he's been one of our most important signings in the last 30 years. He's been absolutely instrumental in getting us from one of our lowest ebbs to the fringes of European qualification. I'd say probably after Jack our he's been our single most important player in that period. A talisman. Awesome.
Quote from: chrisw1 on April 17, 2023, 11:23:16 AMI honestly think in a few years time we'll look back and realise he's been one of our most important signings in the last 30 years. He's been absolutely instrumental in getting us from one of our lowest ebbs to the fringes of European qualification. I'd say probably after Jack our he's been our single most important player in that period. A talisman. Awesome.Without doubt I'd say he is already the most important signing we have made in the last 30 years. After we'd been left with one fit CB by Potato Head and were probably drifting towards another season in the Championship it was Mings signing that changed things. We almost certainly wouldn't have been promoted without him, and would be nowhere near where we are now.Of all the crap we put up with from Gerrard, his treatment of Mings was the most unforgivable for me and why I love to imagine what Steven Me is thinking as he watches Mings playing the best football of his life under one of the best managers world football.
Quote from: Pat Mustard on April 17, 2023, 01:15:58 PMQuote from: chrisw1 on April 17, 2023, 11:23:16 AMI honestly think in a few years time we'll look back and realise he's been one of our most important signings in the last 30 years. He's been absolutely instrumental in getting us from one of our lowest ebbs to the fringes of European qualification. I'd say probably after Jack our he's been our single most important player in that period. A talisman. Awesome.Without doubt I'd say he is already the most important signing we have made in the last 30 years. After we'd been left with one fit CB by Potato Head and were probably drifting towards another season in the Championship it was Mings signing that changed things. We almost certainly wouldn't have been promoted without him, and would be nowhere near where we are now.Of all the crap we put up with from Gerrard, his treatment of Mings was the most unforgivable for me and why I love to imagine what Steven Me is thinking as he watches Mings playing the best football of his life under one of the best managers world football.It marked his card for me. If nothing else it smacked of a rookie trying to force his authority and in reality just creating unnecessary problems for himself. Our kid said the other day he wondered if there was a race element to it
That might be a stretch too far to be fair.
Quote from: Dave P on April 17, 2023, 01:35:32 PMThat might be a stretch too far to be fair.Yes, Gerrard unnecessarily created an issue for himself which didn't need to happen, and his time in charge went completely to shit, but any suggestion of racism is out of order. He didn't seem to have a problem with Young, Kamara or any other of our other black players.